Good afternoon,
Largely overlooked in the aftermath of the storming of the Capitol on Wednesday was another sad milestone.
Delaware ended up with a one-day record number for coronavirus cases, with more than 1,240 testing positive.
The numbers reflect “lumpy” results that come as labs deal with a backlog of tests over the holidays. Today’s report posted nearly 600 cases. That still puts the two-day average at around 900.
If one percent of those contracting the virus die, the number of cases over the two-day period amounts to more than a dozen people.
The story was similar for the nation as the daily death toll comes uncomfortably close to 4,000, the equivalent of the combined year-round population of Rehoboth, Dewey Bethany, and Fenwick Island.
Mentioning his name
Yesterday, I was gently taken to task for not mentioning the president’s name in a column on a mob storming the Capitol, the only news that could have moved Covid-19 to the back pages.
The long-time reader, who noted that he votes for candidates from both parties, made it clear that leaving out Donald Trump’s name led to an incomplete column. He went on to send along press accounts that bolstered his argument.
I agree. At one point, the president’s name was included. I later decided it would be better to make a more general comment, which I have done more than once during the past four years.
A more straightforward approach was taken by Joe Hyde, who runs San Angelo Live, a digital media company that has become the leading news source in the Texas city of 100,000.
Hyde has strong opinions that are to the right of mine. But he’s had enough and wrote the following in his daily column.
“What is Trump thinking? His actions immediately after the storming of the Capitol are reprehensible. His pre-recorded video where he half-heartedly told protesters to ‘go home’ while still pitching his arguments why the election was stolen made Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) denouncement of Trump, declaring the president was suffering a “selfish man’s injured pride,” ring true.”
He did add a hopeful note. “My positive observation is the institutions of the House and Senate withstood the turmoil today.”
Joe Hyde is not alone. An opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board concluded with the following after arguing that impeachment would be cumbersome and politically charged.
“We know an act of grace by Mr. Trump isn’t likely. In any case, this week has probably finished him as a serious political figure. He has cost Republicans the House, the White House, and now the Senate. Worse, he has betrayed his loyal supporters by lying to them about the election and the ability of Congress and Mr. Pence to overturn it. He has refused to accept the basic bargain of democracy, which is to accept the result, win or lose.
It is best for everyone, himself included if he goes away quietly.”
I wouldn’t bet on that happening.
This morning he tweeted the following after earlier acknowledging his loss via remarks read from a teleprompter.
“The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!” – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.