After mixed messages from White House, Trump says 'real test' ahead in his COVID fight

[rooster59]

After mixed messages from White House, Trump says 'real test' ahead in his COVID fight

By Alexandra Alper

 

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is being treated for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a military hospital outside Washington, speaks from his hospital room, in this still image taken from a video supplied by the White House, October 3, 2020. The White House/Handout via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said from his hospital room on Saturday that he felt "much better" but the next few days will be "the real test" of his treatment for COVID-19, capping a day of contradictory messages from the White House about his condition.

 

In a four-minute video posted on Twitter, Trump, looking tired and wearing a jacket and open-necked shirt, said he "wasn't feeling so well" when he first arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday.

 

"Over the next period of a few days, I guess that's the real test, so we'll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days," Trump said, seated at a round table in front of an American flag.

 

The remarks came hours after differing assessments of his health from administration officials left it unclear how ill the president had become since he tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night, a matter of enormous public concern.

 

A White House team of doctors said on Saturday morning that Trump's condition was improving and that he was already talking about returning to the White House. One doctor said Trump told them, 'I feel like I could walk out of here today.'

 

Within minutes, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows gave reporters a less rosy assessment, telling them, "The president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care.

We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery."

 

Meadows, whose initial comments were delivered on condition that he not be identified, altered his tone hours later, telling Reuters that Trump was doing "very well" and that "doctors are very pleased with his vital signs."

 

Meadows did not clarify the discrepancy in his comments. A Trump adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity said the president was not happy to learn of Meadows' initial remarks.

 

Administration officials have described the move to Walter Reed as precautionary and said Trump would stay at the hospital for several days.

 

Another source who was briefed on Trump's condition said the president was given supplemental oxygen before he went to the hospital. The decision to hospitalize Trump came after he had experienced difficulty breathing and his oxygen level dropped, according to a source familiar with the situation.

 

White House doctor Sean P. Conley told reporters outside the hospital on Saturday that Trump had not had trouble breathing, and was not given oxygen at Walter Reed.

 

"The team and I are extremely happy with the progress the president has made," Conley said.

 

He declined to give a timetable for Trump's possible release from the hospital, and later had to issue a statement saying he misspoke after appearing to suggest Trump had been diagnosed as early as Wednesday.

 

In a statement on Saturday evening, Conley said the president was "not yet out of the woods" but his team remained cautiously optimistic.

 

"Today's spectacle - doctors saying one thing, White House sources saying another thing, and both later amending their statements - only reinforces the credibility problems of this administration," said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

 

CAMPAIGN UPENDED

 

The diagnosis was the latest setback for the Republican president, who is trailing Democratic rival Joe Biden in opinion polls ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election.

 

With Trump in the hospital, his campaign announced "Operation MAGA," based on his slogan "Make America Great Again," which will see high-profile allies including Vice President Mike Pence and Trump's elder sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, take over in-person campaigning starting next week.

 

Pence, who tested negative on Friday, is scheduled to debate Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Wednesday.

 

Biden, who largely avoided direct criticism of Trump during a campaign trip to Michigan on Friday, took a more aggressive tone on Saturday while speaking to a transit workers' union on Saturday, even as he wished the president well.

 

"I'm in a little bit of a spot here, because I don't want to be attacking the president and the first lady now," Biden said, adding he hoped the Trumps make a full recovery.

 

But he quickly pivoted to Trump's response to the pandemic, calling it "unconscionable" and blasting Trump's comment in an interview this summer that "it is what it is" when asked about the death toll.

 

"I find this one of the most despicable things that I've encountered in my whole career," Biden said.

 

Biden, who tested negative on Friday, told reporters he would next be tested on Sunday. His campaign will begin releasing the results of each test, a spokesman said.

 

The Democratic candidate has eschewed big events in favor of low-key appearances with few or no attendees, while Trump has held large rallies with little social distancing.

 

Biden has used Trump's diagnosis to bolster his calls for people to wear masks, a practice that Trump has questioned.

 

Trump has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the coronavirus pandemic this year, even as it has killed more than 200,000 Americans and hammered the U.S. economy.

 

TRUMP AT RISK

 

Conley said Trump had received a first dose of a five-day course of Remdesivir, an intravenous antiviral drug sold by Gilead Sciences Inc that has been shown to shorten hospital stays.

 

He is also taking an experimental treatment, Regeneron's REGN-COV2, one of several experimental COVID-19 drugs known as monoclonal antibodies, as well as zinc, Vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and aspirin, Conley has said.

 

The president is at high risk because of his age and weight. He has remained in apparent good health during his time in office but is not known to exercise regularly or to follow a healthy diet.

 

A number of other prominent Republicans have also said they tested positive for COVID-19 since Trump's announcement, including Republican Senators Mike Lee, Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson, former White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

 

Christie said he checked himself in to a hospital on Saturday as a precaution due to his asthma, though he said he had only mild symptoms.

 

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Susan Cornwell, Rick Cowan, Idrees Ali, Diane Bartz, Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunicutt; Writing by Joseph Ax and Richard Cowan; Editing by Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-04

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

 

[Kelsall]

Hang in there, President Trump!  We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

Edited October 4, 2020 by Kelsall

[worgeordie]

He looked pale on the news this morning....none of the orange glow ....

regards Worgeordie

[stevenl]

All information coming out is totally unreliable, all only saying what they have been told to say. The leaked info seems to be the most reliable.

[Phuketshrew]

11 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

He looked pale on the news this morning....none of the orange glow ....

His aides probably forgot to pack his fake tanning lotion ...

[Susco]

12 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

He looked pale on the news this morning....none of the orange glow ....

regards Worgeordie

 

You beat me to it. Guess they have a pressure cleaner at the hospital

[ballpoint]

48 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

He looked pale on the news this morning....none of the orange glow ....

regards Worgeordie

It's the result of all that bleach he's injecting.

[connda]

The Left and main-stream media: "He looks like death warmed over and it's his own fault that maybe he's going to die!  He should shoot up some bleach <snicker snicker>"

The Right and MAGA supporters: "He's getting better already!  He's probably taking hydroxychloroquine.  <prayers, prayers>"

Independents: "He has the flu, he'll feel like cr*p for a week or so like you normally do with the flu, he'll recover because overall he's healthy for his age, and then he'll return to the White House to the applause of the Right and the boos and jeers from the Left <eye-roll>."

Edited October 4, 2020 by connda

[Bender Rodriguez]

my guess, he test positive, boost his "finale solution" and never gets sick, now take it all, good PR

 

same as that other english speaking dude with a big salary and complains he does not get enough $$$

[pegman]

20 minutes ago, car720 said:

and here was me thinking that only the British understood wit.

I think you just mistook hillbilly sentiment for wit.

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Hang in there, President Trump!  We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

Speak for your self, I am not.

[heybruce]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Hang in there, President Trump!  We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

No we are not.  However, repeating my post on another topic:

 

As a practical matter I don't want Trump to die of this.  His base would imagine him some kind of martyr, the Qidiots would go nuts with conspiracy theories about China and/or Satanic Democrats somehow assassinating him with Covid 19, and eventually Jared or one of his children would run for President, maybe this election if the RNC gets desperate.

 

Better for him to survive and be voted out of office after making the election all about the pandemic, which is the last thing he and the Republicans want.

[PremiumLane]

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Hang in there, President Trump!  We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

Do you think the women in ICE custody who were given hysterectomies against their will, or the children who were sexual abused by guards will be wishing him well? 

Edited October 4, 2020 by PremiumLane

[Jack Mountain]

Trying to harvest sympathy votes?

[Dumbastheycome]

2 minutes ago, Jack Mountain said:

Trying to harvest sympathy votes?

In a drought climate?

[Emdog]

"One doctor said Trump told them, 'I feel like I could walk out of here today.' " Might be a good choice. He might not be able to walk anywhere tomorrow. That doctor is a coward. It does not matter what Trump told him.... what is the diagnosis? Amazing how lying and covering up spreads faster than the virus.

 

[alation]

Praying for a speedy and healthy recovery Mr President for you your wife and family along with all who have the virus. Oh and also for Mr Biden to stay healthy and well too. 

[Lacessit]

I'm just wondering what Dr. Fauci is thinking about this, after months of being sidelined and ignored by Trump.

After all the huffing and puffing about fake news and alternative facts by the Trump camp, there's more than a bit of irony in the fact they are no better informed than anyone else when it comes to his present condition.

After his trashing of Obamacare, IMO the Secret Service needs to be watchful none of the medical staff steps on his oxygen tube.

[J Town]

7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm just wondering what Dr. Fauci is thinking about this, after months of being sidelined and ignored by Trump.

From what I've seen, Dr. Fauci is above any petty "I told you so" sentiment. He was always the adult in the room.

[Phoenix Rising]

3 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Hang in there, President Trump!  We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

Now that is demonstrably false.

[Walker88]

His team has to do a better job of creating the myth. They released a photo showing him 'hard at work reviewing and signing documents'. When people zoomed in on the image, it revealed he was signing blank pieces of paper.

[spidermike007]

There is only one thing that is is certain about Trump. You will never get the truth about anything. From him, his staff, his spokesperson, his doctors, or his administration. 

 

So, there is no way to know how he is faring right now. We do know he has been looking very unhealthy and sluggish for the past few months. And he is very obese. And 74.

[J Town]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

There is only one thing that is is certain about Trump. You will never get the truth about anything. From him, his staff, his spokesperson, his doctors, or his administration. 

 

So, there is no way to know how he is faring right now. We do know he has been looking very unhealthy and sluggish for the past few months. And he is very obese. And 74.

And a US citizen. Apparently that is another factor.

(take note I will never refer to him as an American)

[onthedarkside]

Quote

74 and Overweight, Trump Faces Extra Risks From ‘a Very Sneaky Virus’
...
As is the case with all Covid-19 patients, Mr. Trump’s overall health will make a difference in how he fares. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January through May 30 shows that about 64.7 percent of Covid-19 patients with underlying health conditions in his age group have required hospitalization, and 31.7 percent have died.

 

“It’s really important to say there is no way to predict what any one individual patient will experience,” said Michael T. Osterholm, an epidemiologist who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “We can say generally, for example, older males have a twofold risk of life-threatening disease or dying over others, and obesity adds more."

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/02/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-risks.html

 

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"I'm in a little bit of a spot here, because I don't want to be attacking the president and the first lady now," Biden said, adding he hoped the Trumps make a full recovery

Biden is a class act, if it was the other way around,  Trump would be blasting attacks on Biden, Trump has no empathy, sympathy, no principles and no respect for anybody,

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Today's spectacle - doctors saying one thing, White House sources saying another thing, and both later amending their statements - only reinforces the credibility problems of this administration," said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

100% correct, just a show nothing more than a circus

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Kelsall said:

We're all behind you and wish you a full recovery!

not all, don't generalize as many have different wishes

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

He looked pale on the news this morning....none of the orange glow ....

regards Worgeordie

already spend all 70K allocated to hair and make up...

[spidermike007]

9 minutes ago, J Town said:

And a US citizen. Apparently that is another factor.

(take note I will never refer to him as an American)

Unfortunately, he is about as American as they get. He embodies all that is wrong with America, and he personally is at least partially responsible for the more rapid decline of America. Everything he touches turns to garbage. 17 businesses trashed. And now a nation. 

 

Exit stage left, Don. In January you will be a very sad footnote. 

Edited October 4, 2020 by spidermike007

[spidermike007]

5 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

already spend all 70K allocated to hair and make up...

70k for hair alone. You cannot calculate the makeup bill. It is too astronomical. The makeup he wears under his eyes alone must take hours to apply. Makes him look ghastly.