News surrounding the coronavirus took a dramatic turn this week, with sweeping travel bans instituted and large events, including professional sports leagues, being suspended.
On Wednesday night, President Donald Trump echoed what many of us are no doubt feeling when his comments were captured on a hot mic.
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Events have been getting cancelled for weeks.
Big music festivals like SXSW, along with tours by artists ranging from Pearl Jam to Mariah Carey, have announced they’ll take a step back in an effort to slow down the spread of coronavirus.
This week, things got real.
While the news has been grim for months, Wednesday, March 11 marked somewhat of a turning point. Actor Tom Hanks announced that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus while the NBA suspended its season after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive as well.
On Wednesday night, the president made an announcement.
Trump announced a temporary travel ban between the U.S. and European countries. It’s similar to steps taken in countries like Italy, which have placed themselves in quarantine in an effort to slow the virus down.
The announcement wasn’t unexpected.
As coronavirus fears have grown worse and worse, it was expected that more significant steps were coming. President Trump’s announcement was predictable. His off-the-cuff comments, caught on a hot mic, were anything but predictable.
“Oh, f***”.
The president, apparently overwhelmed by the paperwork in front of him and a lack of liquid paper could be heard saying, “Oh, f***. Uh-oh, I got a pen mark. Anybody have the white stuff … Do you see it? Which side is it on?”
His comments were broadcast live.
Live broadcasts are prone to all sorts of technical glitches, and this was just another example. After his flub, the president went on to announce the travel ban without further incident.
All in all, it wasn’t a serious faux pas.
While the president’s profanity was heard around the world and predictably started trending on Twitter, it was a fairly minor gaffe. At least it added some levity to a serious situation.
He’s just saying what we’re all feeling.
A lot of people are feeling coronavirus anxiety right now — even, possibly, the president.
Let us know your thoughts on recent events as well as this story in the comments section!
