Chicago Tribune September 29, 2020
"…On Thursday, Hicks’s diagnosis was kept secret from the public and even from some of her own colleagues. Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not know Hicks had the virus when she briefed reporters about 11 a.m., but learned midafternoon, as the president was preparing to depart for another campaign fundraiser, this one at his private golf club in Bedminster, N.J."
The Washington Post Oct 3, 2020*
The WH has long had a history of skirting the facts, if not distorting them, to their political benefit and interest. Perhaps nothing could identify better the term from financial institution’s compliance laws – “Willfully Blind,” as in money laundering, yet all seem to dismiss the fact Hope Hicks was symptomatic, self isolating away from others on Air Force One on the return from Wednesday evening Minnesota campaign rally. Hope Hicks is no wall-flower! And that her “self-isolating” didn’t register on anyone’s radar, and particularly Trump, is magical convenient thinking. Then, given the behavioral history and tendency of WH personnel, it is not a reach to consider itinerary calculations were being construed by close insiders and the conditions surrounding the possibility of Hicks health and possible “exposure,” could significantly impede Thursday’s scheduled campaign fundraiser in Bedminster, NJ.
Short of an Internet black-out in DC Wednesday night through Thursday morning, Hicks condition had to be on WH staffer’s radar and communications hardware by Thursday morning, and as much - calculations were likely being addressed.
Surely the president and staff were all on notice by mid-morning Thursday, October 1, and calculations were likely made on “how” and “when” to enforce Corona exposure protocols that should have triggered the night before. But in doing so, again, would likely hinder the president’s agenda with the Thursday night fundraiser in NJ.
Another factor that supports these calculated measures, albeit self serving, is the fact Hicks condition was likely never timely disclosed to inside WH personnel that would have been responsible for enforcing Covid quarantine protocols. Hicks should have been at least diligent, responsible, to be checked for symptoms and tested timely Thursday morning, if not the night before. She may well have been tested timely, but you can be sure the WH wouldn’t own it, which would be consistent with all past practices the president has dictated for months, years.
Hick’s condition, symptoms, noticed by many Wednesday evening should have indicated to any and all “parents in the room” something was amiss, but that would have triggered Covid quarantine compliance measures and conceivably defeat Thursday night campaign objectives.
That Kayleigh McEnany suggested on Thursday mid-day after her WH press conference “she wasn’t aware” of Hick’s dilemma is convenient, if not outright deception. It’s likely many were “covering” the facts in order not to defeat the presidents objective to make his NJ campaign fund appearance. A full Covid quarantine compliance bell ringing would surely tank the NJ affairs.
One can only imagine what was buzzing around the WH Thursday morning, and the CYA tactics that were likely triggered by the Friday 1 a.m. test results disclosure through the time the president was transported to Walter Reed. The Washington Posts suggests “People are losing their minds..” While likely impossible to obtain due to HIPAA laws, an investigation into the paper trail of Hicks test records could disclose much.
Given that Chris Christie has tested positive for Covid today, it is conceivable Trump may have exposed him and that Rose Garden ceremonies of Saturday September 26 may have been pivotal in the chain of transmission. Even more, the president may well have been concealing his symptoms early last week, that may have been discovered had he been tested before Tuesday’s debate. Yet, out of breach of the supposed Case Western debate venue protocols, the president, and others presumedly, wasn’t “tested” upon their arriving Case Western, due to their "late arrival" that day... Was that "calculated" we should wonder.
While the doctors and medical records would clearly suggest more, if the president was “honest” with his doctors as to the "real" timeline of when he was “truly” symptomatic may have changed things substantially Friday. And such may well have precipitated their directives to the immediate Walter Reed move and admission.
October 3, 2020
Dennis Gray
CJN Reporter
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