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Wait, what? Woodward had Trump on tape that the coronavirus was airborne BACK IN FEBRUARY (seems he learned this from Xi) and sat on it, presumably to release his book closer to the election? As we've been saying, the US crisis is elite failure *across* the political spectrum. https://twitter.com/mshelton/status/1303747254314962944
People seems to find it easier to understand this administration's (many) failures. But I don't think it's sunk in to most of the country how deep and broad the problem is, with different manifestations across the political spectrum. 2016 was both a symptom and an accelerant.
I wrote an article on ventilation late summer and got inundated with messages from ordinary people saying "oh, wow, I had no idea. We're now opening windows in our <indoor space>. Thank you for informing us!" Seems that Woodward, not just Trump, had the confirmation in February.
For people thinking this is implausible; China had ventilation on its radar back in January. As did Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, etc. It's *our* public health authorities & the WHO that's been way behind on this issue. Very plausible that Xi communicated such basics to Trump.
Who knows? That's not Woodward's decision to make. The public isn't a bunch of toddlers whose reactions are to be pre-judged and managed—as it was done with masks and also with the airborne issue. It was on Woodward to share these important revelations. https://twitter.com/Alagai/status/1303750709825998850
I'm going to go with Woodward could live with his fourteenth best-selling book having fewer scoops in September of 2020. https://twitter.com/samuelt22223/status/1303751811816357892
Woodward has Trump on tape in February, lucidly recounting basic facts, including severity & airborne transmission, that he was told by Xi. People who say it wouldn't have mattered: you don't know that. Savvy cynicism isn't politics; it's self-justification for paralysis.
I find this argument baffling. This isn't politics. This is giving up. "Nothing would work, they would spin, no point in releasing information, he'd claim a hoax" etc. etc. Yes, nothing will work if people think and act like nothing will work. https://twitter.com/Alagai/status/1303751365076942848
People have forgotten the media environment in February. I was begging journalists to take this seriously, being lectured that we should worry about the flu instead—and top newspapers were publishing articles saying we should continue traveling and masks were just superstition.
People are telling me that everyone knew all this in February. I wish! After much frustration, I wrote an article at the end of February on the need to get ready for the coming pandemic. As far as I can tell, it's the first mainstream mention of the need for "flatting the curve."
So, no, it's just not true that "everyone knew" in February. It was a month of complacency and/or false messaging. Do people forget what happened this quickly? Yes, I'm frustrated that Woodward had Trump on tape, lucidly stating correct and crucial information, and sat on it.
Again: this isn't absolving the administration. But it's possible to *also* say that this was crucial information about a once-in-a-century pandemic, and informing the public quickly is a noble way to end a career that started spectacularly—much better than the 14th bestseller.
I agree that this is possible and the kindest interpretation. I think we're having amnesia here, folks. In February, the common message *across media* wasn't that we were about to get hit hard, but this wasn't that big a deal, and what about the flu, etc. https://twitter.com/_DJ_DC_/status/1303805939187879945
I dropped everything else and started writing about the pandemic in long-form at the *end* of February because I was desperately trying to convince smart, educated people in my broad circles to stop conferences & traveling, or at least to get their parents protected, and failing.
A good number of people in my mentions making similar claims... That airborne transmission was obvious as early as February! Along with people saying "everyone" knew of severity of the situation. It's *September* 2020, and the CDC *still* doesn't have guidelines for ventilation.
I would like to banish "oh, you're surprised"; "everyone knows/knew this"; "it wouldn't make a difference" from our vocabulary. That savvy, cynical stance is, in effect, paralysis posing as sophistication.
