potus

 

there is a quote from the film No Country For Old Men, featuring Tommy Lee Jones,

Deputy - "Well it's a mess, ain't it Sheriff?"

Sheriff - "If it ain't, it'll do until the mess gets here."

I got the news around 3 pm yesterday and my first thought was holy mother of fuck - the President and the First Lady have both been diagnosed with the virus. Then a hypothetical scenario entered my head. Then another one.

now before I go into detail and I know I can't confirm this but surely this information must have been the most emailed, texted and tweeted piece of data in the history of technology. If the Guinness organisation should decide to collate and even publish such data, if they possibly could, it might turn out to be in poor taste and have the potential to become a grim statistic 

the other thing is that recently I have outed myself as apolitical; don't take anything I say as embracing or dismissing any inherent bias or affiliation - that's your baggage and I don't give a shit.

so the first piece of information that has a bearing on all of this is in the form of an opinion - 

I don't want these people to die.

serial child molesters or the Cardinals who serially conceal their actions, however, would be the very essence of the type of information I would relish. But don't get me wrong -  am not an Ogre. If I received news of their collective executions I would only be marginally interested in throwing hand grenades on their graves.

now I'm not going to present this information in the order I received it. I am doing so merely for the convenience of logic.

the first takes form as an overview of the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution that sets out the provisions for a transfer of power from a US president who dies, resigns, is removed from office or for other reasons is unable to fulfill his or her duties.

Section 3 of the 25th Amendment addresses the transfer of presidential powers to the vice President – in this case Mike Pence – when the President declares that he or she is unable to fulfill the powers and duties of the office.

Section 4 addresses a situation in which the vice President and a majority of the cabinet determine that the president is no longer able to discharge their duties.

but what happens if somehow or other Pence himself were to become incapacitated? 

next in the line of succession is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

the following hypothetical scenarios are from the view point of and in the words of the doctor, his main interest being keeping the President alive. Keep in mind that including isolation, a certain degree of rest might be in the interest of the patient

first, the President decides to continue governing remotely and to continue communicating to his fan base via Tweet

"Although I am not happy with your decision to govern from afar and at the same time communicate to your fan base; these combined actions may place undue stress in relation to your condition and the illness may progress."

next, the President has been replaced by Pence, the President tries to micro manage remotely and to continue communicating remotely to his fan base via Tweet

"I am not happy with your attempts to try to micro manage from afar and at the same time communicate to your fan base, these combined actions may place undue stress in relation to your condition and you could die."

then Pence becomes incapacitated and is replaced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

"For Christ's sake stop tweeting! You're gonna die!!!

finally, there are the repercussions and ramifications in relation to the spread and subsequent infection. Between the debate and the news of contracting the virus, Trump gave a few rallies with many people, ignoring social distancing and not wearing masks. 

the nomination of the new Supreme Court Justice was held in the form of a celebration in the Rose Garden. Once again, no face masks or social distancing. One attendee, not wearing a mask, was so elated at the appointment he couldn't stop hugging so many others not wearing masks. He subsequently tested positive. Another person who attended -  a priest who was not wearing a mask also tested positive. Some may argue it was a result of the wrath of the heavy hand of God. Personally, I think it was because he attended.

so we have no idea of how the President and the First Lady contracted the virus - there are too many examples to mention. Form your own view but all I can think of is one description - mess.