Don’t belittle country with happy talk

Dr. Conley is a rookie in this media cauldron, and he said Sunday he was trying to convey optimism. But candor is better because there is no hiding the truth about Mr. Trump’s Covid-19 condition for long.

By

Opinion

October 5, 2020 - 8:49 AM

President Trump’s doctors said Sunday he could be released from Walter Reed medical center as early as Monday if his symptoms keep improving. This is good to hear, but it also underscores the need for the White House to be transparent about Mr. Trump’s condition on a daily basis.

Sunday’s briefing was more forthcoming than Saturday’s fiasco when the President’s physician, Scott Conley, was evasive on whether Mr. Trump had at any time been administered oxygen. That refusal served no purpose, as the media naturally took it as an invitation to find the answer. The press was soon reporting that Mr. Trump had received oxygen at the White House when his breathing was labored before he was taken to Walter Reed on Friday.

Dr. Conley also was confusing about when Mr. Trump was first diagnosed, referring to the President having been 72 hours into the disease. That would have meant his positive test was Wednesday, not Thursday evening as the original White House statement had said. Dr. Conley later cleared that up in a statement and confirmed the Thursday test. The doctor is a rookie in this media cauldron, and he said Sunday he was trying to convey optimism. But candor is better because there is no hiding the truth about Mr. Trump’s Covid-19 condition for long.

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