Donald Trump sounded not just ill but deranged as he claimed he would not “waste my time” in a virtual presidential debate, has completely recovered from COVID-19 and is ready to hold rallies. UPDATED
It speaks volumes that Fox has only posted snippets from this morning’s interview with the ever-worshipful Maria Bartiromo, rather than the entire thing, at least so far. Since I don’t have my own recording of it, I will wait for the full transcript and/or video to appear somewhere. But in the meanwhile, feast your eyes and ears on this:
BARTIROMO: So, Mr. President, you’re not going to do [the debate] because the CPD, the Commission on Presidential Debates announcing this morning that the second presidential debate will be virtual. You saying you’re not going to participate?
TRUMP: No, I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate. That’s not what debating’s all about. You sit behind a computer and do a debate. It’s ridiculous. And then they cut you off whenever they want. I have a host who I always thought was a nice guy, but I see is a never Trumper. You know, it came out that he’s a never Trumper. And we do have some of them Maria, believe it or not, because they don’t like to win. And so, but I’m not doing, I’m not doing it a virtual debate.
After stamping his foot with that temper tantrum, Trump – his voice thick and congested (I'll bet he took some kind of cough medicine before the interview) - claimed he’s so well he’s ready to go out on the campaign trail.
Bartiromo opened the door when she ever so gingerly, ever so adoringly asked Trump about removing his mask at the White House:
BARTIROMO: Address the criticism, Mr. President, the criticism that you removed your mask for a photo op, you got to the top of the steps. You removed it. People are worried about your recent diagnosis. Now you’ve got 30 plus people with coronavirus in and around the White House. Address that concern for us, Mr. President, as you tell the commission on debates you’re not going to do this virtually.
TRUMP: Yeah. Well, first of all, I think I’m better to a point where I’d love to do a rally tonight. I wanted to do one last night, but I think I’m better to a point that I feel better than I did you know, I jokingly said 20 years ago, I feel perfect. There’s nothing wrong. I had a case, I got it knocked out. I think it was Regeneron that was responsible for it. Because of that, it was sort of like almost a gift from heaven because of what I went through and I felt pretty lousy. A lot of people did. A lot of people do. You know, no matter how good the security, you’re not going to protect yourself from this thing with just your standard anything, unless you just literally don’t come out and even those people found out.
After a brief attack on New York, the Fox Business video ends. But it’s pretty clear Bartiromo did not challenge Trump’s risky behavior at the White House nor his risky proposition of doing rallies.
You can hear Trump pretend he's completely recovered, while his voice betrays otherwise, below, from Fox Business Network's October 8, 2020 Mornings with Maria.
10/8/20 Update: CNN's Chris Cillizza also noted these related Trump remarks and added his own commentary:
