If you watched HBO’s fantastic miniseries “Chernobyl,” you probably didn’t realize that you were basically watching the coronavirus outbreak unfold. Here, let Washington Post Global Opinions columnist Brian Klaas explain:
The coronavirus is Trump’s Chernobyl—a growing catastrophe in which the government response is deadly because Trump is more worried about protecting the myths that define his alternative reality than protecting vulnerable people who will die. My column: https://t.co/G0InGAtJ7j
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 9, 2020
Obviously the scale of the coronavirus outbreak is not as devastating as Chernobyl (yet). The analogy is that catastrophic risk is being downplayed by leaders; objective facts are being twisted to support the leader’s favored myths; and the crucial early phase was squandered.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 9, 2020
Klaas writes:
The rapidly worsening coronavirus outbreak is President Trump’s Chernobyl. By putting dangerous myths above objective facts, Trump has turned the crucial early phases of government response into a disaster. Some public health experts in government have undoubtedly kept quiet, having seen repeatedly what happens to those who publicly contradict this president. And Trump himself, along with those who surround him, has tried to construct a reality that simply does not exist.
Those lies will kill.…
With Chernobyl, as with Trump’s response to the coronavirus, efforts to protect the big lie were always doomed. It was impossible to simply lie and cover up the nuclear disaster. But that didn’t stop the Soviet Union from trying. It is impossible to pretend that people dying in increasing numbers is a “hoax” or that an inadequate supply of testing kits is part of a “perfect” government response. But that hasn’t stopped Trump from trying.
For years, it has been obvious that having as president a self-aggrandizing liar who constructs his own reality is dangerous. We’re about to find out just how deadly it can be.
Once again, since Brian apparently wasn’t paying attention, Donald Trump did not call coronavirus a “hoax.” In his piece, Klaas also bemoans Trump supporters distrusting media “fact-checkers.” With Klaas perpetuating a false narrative that has been repeatedly exposed as false, is it any wonder?
Klaas is just bitter that the media don’t have complete control over the coronavirus narrative. So he’s likening Donald Trump to the communist Soviet government because hey, maybe that will get us to trust the media more.
Um, no. Take a breath, dude.
— Goldens Rule (@jamesbranch3) March 9, 2020
What a stupid thing to say. https://t.co/7Fx7y4QFTA
— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) March 9, 2020
Horrible take
— RW (@Gatorrw) March 9, 2020
The media's only job right now is to scare Americans into hating Trump.
This is yet another example why the media is the enemy of the people. pic.twitter.com/a4eyJ4AohG
— Ferris Fueller (@ffueller) March 9, 2020
I’d be ashamed and embarrassed to have written this.
— Mikval (@Mikval1) March 9, 2020
This is quite possibly the worst article written in 2020, well done Brian.
— Patient Hero (@philllosoraptor) March 9, 2020
Just a crap sandwich all around.
You're off-message. The people who don't care who lives or dies and just want this to be a political thing have dubbed it Trump's "Katrina."
It's very important to stay on message, Brian. https://t.co/TufLcd5ZWm
— Oh THAT Guy (@NathanWurtzel) March 9, 2020
Seriously, Brian. Did you miss the memo?
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