A sense of panic has beset the media, on learning that President Trump, in first discussing the coronavirus, calmly advised people not to panic. Can you imagine? As usual, there is more to this story than meets the eye.
The Washington Post’s post-Watergate muckraker, Bob Woodward, spent nine hours with President Trump. Trump’s respect for a free press and confidence allowed the interview.
Trump is a man hard to ensnare. He believes what he believes, and is at peace with where he is going, what he aims to achieve, and who he is. That always makes a tough witness, since catching the subject off-guard is complicated by disarming candor.
That is why Trump left the esteemed sleuth, empty-handed after nine hours. Still, books must be written, controversies alleged, mud slung, and arguments won. Coming up empty, Woodward created a pre-election “gotcha.” Sifting tapes, he found Trump had confessed to urging Americans not to “panic.” Having nothing else, Woodward put stock in that statement.
Woodward’s dark picture: Trump fully understood COVID-19’s dangers and misled everyone – for political gain – by calming public fears, encouraging perspective, balancing caution with realism, telling Americans not to “panic.” Woodward says – in harmony with Biden – Trump “mishandled” the COVID-19 pandemic. In a word, codswallop – that is, nonsense.
For starters, Woodward’s argument presumes knowledge no one had, except the Chinese and WHO. It also ignores Trumps early actions, shutting down flights from China, even as Democrats called him xenophobic and pushed socializing.
If anyone doubts the speed of Trump’s action, or contempt he met from Democrats, the record is incontrovertible. Articles and videos prove Democrats’ disdain for Trump’s early actions. See, e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmllqkU6j2k; https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/trump-us-has-shut-down-coronavirus-coming-china.
All this is now ignored, as Democrats hit Trump’s “no panic” message, even as facts were being gathered on prevalence, transmission, and precautions. Trump is at fault – as he tried to forestall public fear, “play it down,” not “create a panic.” See, https://nypost.com/2020/09/09/trump-downplayed-covid-19-to-prevent-mass-panic-mcenany-claims/.
Four comebacks, beyond the obvious. First, the negative inference drawn from Trump’s private words is debunked by identical public statements at the time. Even medical experts attested the virus’s dimensions were unknown – yet panic was unjustified. Said Anthony Fauci: COVID “isn’t something the American public needs to worry about or be frightened about.” See, https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/virus-outbreak-infectious-disease/2020/01/26/id/951325/. In March, medical experts – including Fauci – testified before Congress, stressing panic was unjustified, precautions being taken, protocols followed. Like the president, they “played down” fear. See, https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/dr-fauci-and-other-cdc-nih-officials-testify-on-coronavirus-march-11.
Second, if Bob Woodward thought panic was justified months ago, why did he hold back – for a book? Does that not put him at fault? If he knew none of it matters, how can Trump be at fault? If panic was right, why wait? If not, how blame Trump for urging no panic?
Third, medical experts say Woodward is factually wrong. Trump never misled. The story is a cotton ball turned thunderhead, a bad joke, no basis. Listen to medical experts who were there, not political gotcha-guys. CDC Director Redfield: “Trump …sought the counsel of the White House task force doctors throughout the COVID-19 response … relied on the data and science presented to him at that time to make decisive decisions to protect the health and safety of the American people.” He never misled anyone. See, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/exclusive-top-health-officials-defend-trump-against-woodwards-covid-19-claims. Fauci says Woodward’s allegations are hokum. Trump told the reality of what was going on – period. See, https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2020/09/09/dr-fauci-defends-president-trump-from-woodward-attack-says-trump-told-public-the-reality-of-what-was-going-on-n911707.
Let us get to the heart of this. Trump took command of an uncertain situation, knowing he had incomplete information, and urged Americans not to panic. That is what good leaders do. Colin Powell, for whom I worked as Assistant Secretary, observed that every decision – every single one – is made on incomplete information. You have to make a decision. If wrong, you correct.
In a crisis, leaders start by not panicking, and encouraging those led not to panic. Far from off-point, Trump was on-point. Sage leaders stay calm, encourage calm, and do not to panic. By nature, training, and intent, this is what makes a good leader. Examples are legion.
In Gemini 8, Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott suddenly found themselves in an uncontrollable tumble, accelerating end-over-end, seconds from reentry – and burning up. Hundreds of “mission critical” issues to check and no ground link, options were few – panic, or work the list. Armstrong just began: “Number one….” As they struggled for control, the tumble accelerated, vision began to blur. Staying calm, Armstrong thought on the issue, surmised it might be a bad yaw thruster, managed to turn thrusters off, got reentry control and halted the spin. Seconds from death, they averted a tumbling reentry. How? No one panicked.
On Apollo 11, when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong prepared to depart the moon – they discovered the circuit breaker switch controlling the ascent engine had snapped off. Facing eternity on the moon, needing to rendezvous with the Command Module precisely, Aldrin pondered the dilemma – panic, or solve it. Rejecting a metal pen and his electricity-conducting finger, Aldrin hunted a felt-tip pen – not on the manifest. He liked how it marked the checklist – so had brought it. Now, he used it to light the LEM’s ascent engine. Three days later, they were home. Panic, or no panic – that was the choice.
On Apollo 13, when Jim Lovell, Jim Swigert, and Fred Haise told CAPCOM Jack Lousma and NASA Flight Director Gene Kranz – in a fateful call – “Houston, we have a problem,” no one panicked. They moved to understand and solve the problem. And they did.
Go bigger. What do you think FDR told the nation, in effect, after Pearl Harbor? What do you think Army head George C. Marshall did when he realized America had five divisions to meet 315 German divisions? What do you think Winston Churchill did, facing long odds at Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, V-2 rockets in WWII? How about Reagan facing Soviet aggression, Bush 41 facing Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, Bush 43 facing 9-11, Colin Powell advising all three? Panic, or advice all not to panic – and then work a solution? Take a guess.
Simple point: Leaders do not panic or allow for panic. Donald Trump did what smart, alert leaders do. Maybe that is why Bob Woodward is a journalist, and Donald Trump is President. The former creates “gotcha” moments, the latter takes flak for leading. Just simple stuff.