“They claim pandemics only happen once every hundred years but what if that’s no longer true? We want to be early, ready for the next one, because clearly the Obama administration did not leave to this administration any kind of game plan for something like this.”
— Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in an online discussion hosted by the Trump campaign, May 11, 2020. [Sorry, but there is no other way to say this: McConnell lied through his teeth. It was an unabashed, outright, unadulterated lie. It wasn’t just political rhetoric; it was a damn lie—and he knew it when he said it. That, folks, is deceit, pure and simple.]
“We literally left them a 69-page Pandemic Playbook…. that they ignored.”
Ron Klain, former “Ebola czar” in the Obama administration.
“Most notably, the color-coded document lists dozens of pointed and detailed questions that top policymakers should be asking themselves if a novel virus suddenly emerges overseas. For instance:”
‘Is there sufficient personal protective equipment for healthcare workers who are providing medical care? If YES: What are the triggers to signal exhaustion of supplies? Are additional supplies available? If NO: Should the Strategic National Stockpile release PPE to states?’
“Instead, the Trump administration placed a big bet on a limited travel ban on non-U.S. citizens coming from China — and then scrambled to fill gaps in stocks of PPE when cases of covid-19 exploded after the administration failed to rapidly set up a nationwide testing regime. The document laid out a series of other steps, recommending a faster pace than the approach undertaken by the Trump White House.”
“McConnell is wrong to say the Obama administration left ‘no game plan’ to deal with a pandemic; the Obama team crafted a detailed document setting forth questions and policies that should be considered, as well as put in place programs that might have helped spur action sooner. The Trump administration ignored that document and pursued its own course.”
—The Washington Post, May 14, 2020. [Putting aside the argument of whether or not the Obama plan was sufficient, the indisputable fact remains that there was a plan….and the Trump administration ignored it.]
Louisiana Voice 
I wonder what right wing spew will be posted here in response to these simple facts?
Trump was meeting with some of his advisors at the White House recently discussing future manned space missions. The conversation went like this:
Advisor: “No, Mr. President we cannot send an astronaut to the sun. He would burn to death.”
President: “Well, what if we send him at night?”
Day or night, the tweets and the lies come pouring out. Blame Obama. Blame anybody but Trump. Trump has been President 3 years, 114 days and so many hours as of this writing and accomplished nothing worthwhile (except tax cuts for the wealthy). It’s always “their” fault. Blame the Democrats. Blame Hillary, Blame Obama. Blame the Chinese. Love Putin. Love Kim Jong-un. Open up the economy. Kill more Americans. Adore me. I am the chosen one. And as he said on May 23, 2019, “I’m an extremely stable genius. OK?” Yep. And his lap dog, Mitch McConnell and the brain dead Republicans will support him.
Right on the money!!
You have successfully short-circuited the people I’m talking about. Well…maybe not, given the finely-meshed filters they use for accepting facts.
CJG: All I can say in reply to your post is “Amen and Amen!” But, I also ask God help us to help ourselves and vote Trump and his Party OUT at every opportunity!
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/14/mcconnell-obama-playbook-pandemic-259969
HEADLINE: McConnell says he was wrong on Obama pandemic playbook
At least McConnell has sense enough to admit he’s wrong when there is no way around it. The same cannot be said of the POTUS, who simply follows each lie with another – in this case, he would simply say, “I never said that.” When confronted with video of him saying it, he would say, “I was just being sarcastic” or misuse some other word – and, as never ceases to astound me, his supporters will say, “Okay.”
I saw that article this morning and wondered how it was being reported on Fox, since it originated there. I couldn’t find anything, no matter how many conspiracy theories I waded through.
Great comments. Republicans lie because they are cowards. Anyone who can read should ask himself, what is the first thing I learned?? To tell the truth and if that is not your answer, please keep learning. thanks ron thompson