Pence is the clear scape-goat. If this becomes a widespread epidemic throughout the US, Trump has already established how he will escape blame. If this tapers off with only a few thousand cases on domestic soil Trump will crow about how he put “the best people” together to “stop this thing”.
What struck me last night listening to his public briefing was how Trump couldn’t resist the urge to pick on Democrats, single out Nancy Peolsi and at one point blame the stock market dip on fears that a Democrat might win the WH, rather than the glaringly obvious fear of iwhat COVID-19 may do to disrupt global and domestic markets.
Whether you agree or disagree with this politics, during moments of national sorry or anxiety, Obama, W., Clinton, Bush Sr., Reagan were all adept at giving a unifying speech about how this transcends politics and we are all Americans and can all pull together... Trump can never resist a fight though, and wont’ miss an opportunity to use the bully pulpit, regardless of the circumstances.