Sunday, June 7, 2020

“We gave you a lot”

The New York Times has an account from two sources of a telephone call between Donald Trump* and Roy Cooper, governor of North Carolina. Trump* was insisting on a Charlotte convention sans social distancing, sans masks:

As the call wrapped up, the president reminded Mr. Cooper of the ways in which the federal government had come to North Carolina’s assistance during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak. “I think we’ve done a good job,” Mr. Trump said. “Testing, ventilators, we got you a lot, and that’s OK.”

“We’ve been good to you,” Mr. Trump added, according to one of the people familiar with the call, who spoke anonymously to discuss private negotiations. “We gave you the National Guard. We gave you a lot,” and said to Mr. Cooper, “You and I get along good. You’ve been nice to us about it.”
Everything’s a deal. I did something for you — as if medical supplies and the National Guard are gifts, personally bestowed. Now it’s your turn to do something for me. See also: “I would like you to do us a favor though.”

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