Washington Post: “Three serious research efforts have put numerical weight — yes, data-driven evidence — behind what many suspected all along: Americans who relied on Fox News, or similar right-wing sources, were duped as the coronavirus began its deadly spread. Dangerously duped.
While denying he was using it but saying he’d be willing to, Vice President Mike Pence committed some other lies today about hydroxychloroquine sulfate, the drug Trump claims he is taking to prevent COVID-19.
Asked during the Fox interview if he had concerns about the message Trump’s use of the drug sends, Pence noted that the FDA approved the off-label use of the drug so physicians could prescribe it if they deemed it appropriate.
Yeah, no.
First of all, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t “approve” drugs for off-label use. That’s an oxymoron. Here’s the FDA’s own explainer on the subject:
When you are prescribed a drug for its approved use, you can be sure:
That FDA has conducted a careful evaluation of its benefits and risks for that use.
The decision to use the drug is supported by strong scientific data.
There is approved drug labeling for healthcare providers on how to use the drug safely and effectively for that use…
If you and your healthcare provider decide to use an approved drug for an unapproved use to treat your disease or medical condition, remember that FDA has not determined that the drug is safe and effective for the unapproved use.
Keep reading. […]
Trump and his team never miss a chance to rewrite the history of their slow start and pathetic flailing as the pandemic swept into the nation from both coasts earlier this year.
During his ill-fated daily news conferences, which ran from March 6 to April 23, Trump praised his response to the crisis over 600 times, according to a New York Times analysis. And just this week Jared Kushner told Fox viewers that the administration’s failure to mitigate the disaster was a “great success story.” (In other words, a “heckuva job.”)
Meanwhile, at least 60,000 Americans died from covid-19 and the infection rate surpassed 1 million people. The economy is crashing, businesses are closing and more than 17 million are unemployed.
Even as these bad metrics continue to get worse, Trump declared on Tuesday that “the worst days” of the pandemic are behind us. (In other words, “Mission Accomplished.”)
Now, in a goulish new low, the Trump White House gift shop is selling a souvenir coin that commemorates the administrations’ pathetic pandemic response.
The coin shows names of both Trump and Pence as well as other members of their pandemic response team. It depicts a presidential podium on one side, and a graphic of the virus hovering over a map of the globe on the other.
People who are interested in buying this beyond-tacky token of Trump cult propaganda can order it from the White House gift shop. No rush, however. TMZ reports that the price has already been slashed from $125 to $100.
In a dramatic reversal, Trump announced yesterday that he opposed Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s order to open businesses in his state, even though the state has not met Trump administration criteria for bringing commercial activity back online.
Trump’s advocacy for early reopening helped spur protests by armed tea party-type groups targeting Democratic governors across the country. Trump’s reversal comes at the same time a new AP-NORC poll found that just 12 percent of Americans favor early reopening, while 87 percent disapprove, among whom 26 percent say restrictions don’t go far enough and 61 percent say the lockdown rules are about right.
In the diplomatic ranks, trained professionals toil,
To keep the peace and tamp down foreign turmoil.
But for Greek ambassador,
Trump picked an artful dodger —
The grifting, drunken blackmailer Kimberly Guilfoyle.
