Trump did none of those things. His standard tool kit for getting out of trouble—bluster, manipulation, and deceit—fell far short in handling the pandemic. He couldn’t even keep himself safe. Trump’s false air of invincibility was vanquished when, thirty-two days before the election, the seventy-four-year-old with comorbidities, including obesity and high cholesterol, tested positive for the coronavirus. The president developed a fever and other symptoms, was put on supplemental oxygen, and was airlifted to Walter Reed Medical Center for treatment. Suddenly, not just his reelection but his
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