Two Mistakes
Speaking strictly tactically, Trump made two big mistakes. The first was to downplay the COVID virus, and indeed go on the offensive to encourage risky and dangerous behavior, particularly not wearing masks. I assume the reason for his madness here was a combination of stupidity in ignoring science (just as he has done with climate change), or at least ignoring the science that counseled sacrifice as opposed to the science (and lucrative industry) that promised a quick-fix vaccine, and a short-sighted (thus, again stupid) focus on maintaining at all costs the glowing economy he expected to get him re-elected. Instead he should have seen this as an even more assured road to victory by becoming a wartime president and rallying the nation to beat this terrible foe. Americans do not change horse in midstream. That’s what got even hapless Bush II re-elected, you may recall. It is clear that Trump’s absurd way of dealing with the pandemic hurt him politically. ...