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A close up of President Donald J. Trump's notes shows where Corona was crossed out "Corona" and replaced with "Chinese" Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic during a briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Washington Post Photographer Spots Crossed-Out 'Coronavirus' in Favor of 'Chinese Virus' in Trump Notes
"Aggressively, purposefully, maniacally, loathsomely racist."
Mar 19, 2020
President Donald Trump's use of the racist term "Chinese virus" when describing the global coronavirus outbreak is apparently counter to how his aides are presenting information to him to read to the public according to a photo taken Thursday by Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford.
"When someone you know dies of this thing, you can find solace in the fact that when the president was supposed to be leading the nation through this pandemic, he was busy making hand edits to speeches so that the Chinese would be adequately scapegoated," tweeted political journalist Brian Tyler Cohen.
As Common Dreams reported Wednesday, Trump's insistence on using the term "Chinese virus" is part of an American history of using racist tropes about disease.
The president's own handwriting scrawling the term across his notes at a press conference drew outrage on social media as observers like Daily Beast reporter Sam Stein noted the "obvious attempts to start a debate over political correctness" rather than Trump's mishandling of the pandemic, which threatens the lives of thousands if not millions of Americans.
"Aggressively, purposefully, maniacally, loathsomely racist," tweeted astronomer Phil Plait.
Press Watch editor Dan Froomkin said Trump's latest embrace of racist hate is another indication the president should be ignored as much as possible.
"This is the extent of Trump's contribution to the debate," said Froomkin. "He needs to be routed around, not heeded."
At his Thursday press briefing on the coronavirus, Trump in response to a question on holding China accountable for the outbreak suggested there would be "repercussions" for Beijing.
"We're working on that right now," said Trump.
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This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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President Donald Trump's use of the racist term "Chinese virus" when describing the global coronavirus outbreak is apparently counter to how his aides are presenting information to him to read to the public according to a photo taken Thursday by Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford.
"When someone you know dies of this thing, you can find solace in the fact that when the president was supposed to be leading the nation through this pandemic, he was busy making hand edits to speeches so that the Chinese would be adequately scapegoated," tweeted political journalist Brian Tyler Cohen.
As Common Dreams reported Wednesday, Trump's insistence on using the term "Chinese virus" is part of an American history of using racist tropes about disease.
The president's own handwriting scrawling the term across his notes at a press conference drew outrage on social media as observers like Daily Beast reporter Sam Stein noted the "obvious attempts to start a debate over political correctness" rather than Trump's mishandling of the pandemic, which threatens the lives of thousands if not millions of Americans.
"Aggressively, purposefully, maniacally, loathsomely racist," tweeted astronomer Phil Plait.
Press Watch editor Dan Froomkin said Trump's latest embrace of racist hate is another indication the president should be ignored as much as possible.
"This is the extent of Trump's contribution to the debate," said Froomkin. "He needs to be routed around, not heeded."
At his Thursday press briefing on the coronavirus, Trump in response to a question on holding China accountable for the outbreak suggested there would be "repercussions" for Beijing.
"We're working on that right now," said Trump.
President Donald Trump's use of the racist term "Chinese virus" when describing the global coronavirus outbreak is apparently counter to how his aides are presenting information to him to read to the public according to a photo taken Thursday by Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford.
"When someone you know dies of this thing, you can find solace in the fact that when the president was supposed to be leading the nation through this pandemic, he was busy making hand edits to speeches so that the Chinese would be adequately scapegoated," tweeted political journalist Brian Tyler Cohen.
As Common Dreams reported Wednesday, Trump's insistence on using the term "Chinese virus" is part of an American history of using racist tropes about disease.
The president's own handwriting scrawling the term across his notes at a press conference drew outrage on social media as observers like Daily Beast reporter Sam Stein noted the "obvious attempts to start a debate over political correctness" rather than Trump's mishandling of the pandemic, which threatens the lives of thousands if not millions of Americans.
"Aggressively, purposefully, maniacally, loathsomely racist," tweeted astronomer Phil Plait.
Press Watch editor Dan Froomkin said Trump's latest embrace of racist hate is another indication the president should be ignored as much as possible.
"This is the extent of Trump's contribution to the debate," said Froomkin. "He needs to be routed around, not heeded."
At his Thursday press briefing on the coronavirus, Trump in response to a question on holding China accountable for the outbreak suggested there would be "repercussions" for Beijing.
"We're working on that right now," said Trump.
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