Donald Trump continued his vilification of blue states yesterday as he discussed the coronavirus pandemic. In a press conference, Trump tried to downplay the nearly 200k COVID-19 deaths in America, saying, “The blue states had tremendous death rates … If you take the blue states out, we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at, we’re really at a very low level.”
Sure, our death rates are low, if you dismiss HALF OF THE COUNTRY. But this is hardly the first time Trump has expressed his disdain for Democratic-led states and cities. The president has a history of ignoring the wildfires on the west coast, despite much of the damage being done on federal land. And he has frequently targeted Democrat-leaning states, retweeting a video that declared “the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.”
Despite being president to the entire country, Trump’s red state favoritism has infected all aspects of his governance. His advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner even spiked efforts to build a national coronavirus testing program to punish blue states, according to an exposé in Vanity Fair:
“Most troubling of all, perhaps, was a sentiment the expert said a member of Kushner’s team expressed: that because the virus had hit blue states hardest, a national plan was unnecessary and would not make sense politically. “The political folks believed that because it was going to be relegated to Democratic states, that they could blame those governors, and that would be an effective political strategy,” said the expert. hat logic may have swayed Kushner.
‘It was very clear that Jared was ultimately the decision maker as to what [plan] was going to come out,’ the expert said.”
Not only is Trump’s blaming of blue states horrific, it is also inaccurate. Four of the ten states with the highest death counts are led by Republican governors. And cases are continuing to rise all across the South and the Midwest.
#COVID19 cases declined in most states in the last 7 days, but COVID-19 is widespread in many areas, particularly in the upper Great Plains, Midwest, and South. Six states reported over 10,000 new cases in the last week. See more data: https://t.co/CEcelDa6Hb. pic.twitter.com/564xEJy0BO
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 16, 2020
Trump’s blundering response is also a betrayal of the Republicans living in blue states who voted for him. Whether or not they internalize his insults and change their votes in 2020 remains to be seen. But what else would we expect from the most divisive president in modern memory?
Many took to social media to tear Trump for his “take the blue states out” comments:
.@realDonaldTrump, the job is to be president of all Americans. For the love of God start acting like it. https://t.co/kkHf9aWZmR
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 17, 2020
* 14 of the 20 least federally dependent
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) September 17, 2020
America is approaching 200,000 deaths from COVID.
But President Trump said: “If you take the blue states out … we’re really at a low level.”
What kind of person dismisses every American who died in a state that didn’t support the president politically?
It’s monstrous. pic.twitter.com/QPKQBkhUGd
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 17, 2020
“If you take the blue states out…”
The more I think about this statement the madder it makes me.
Why is it ALWAYS DIVISION with this guy???
“The blue states” are half the country, more than half the economy, filled with good people who love the USA.
We are the UNITED STATES. https://t.co/zZxyAEsS8y— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) September 17, 2020
“We have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America.”
–@BarackObama https://t.co/zYz3yEpsIq
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) September 17, 2020
Attn: Republicans in blue states. Trump cares nothing about you. Join a party that does.
— Barbara Boxer (@BarbaraBoxer) September 17, 2020
Major blue states were hit hardest early on because they’re international transportation hubs and have very dense population centers.
Red states had time to observe and prepare.
Instead, they mocked and did nothing.
Now they’re getting slammed.
Their deaths are on the GOP.
— Tennesseine (@Tennesseine) September 17, 2020
(via HuffPost, featured image: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
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