There was some good reporting on this in advance, but overall I think even a lot of reporters haven't quite understood, or at least communicated, the extent to which Trump just gave up on the pandemic from mid-April on. https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1344069171299147777

I think it's fair to say that Democrats could have done more on the communications side, too. Specifying (e.g.) that $$$ for state and local governments meant (among other things) money for testing, vaccinating, etc. Also pushing the administration harder on vaccination plans.

But it's also true that everyone is thrown by the natural tendency to try to fit things into a non-monstrous mindset.