With the COVID-19 virus beginning to ramp up in the U.S. the President is beginning to do what he always does in such situations – Deceive, Deny, Deflect and blame everyone but himself for his bungled response. So, here’s the actual timeline of the virus, told in the President’s own words:

Jan. 22 – “And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”

Feb. 10 – “Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.”

Feb. 25 – “I think that’s a problem that’s going to go away. In fact, we’re very close to a vaccine.” In reality, a vaccine is 12-18 months away.

Feb. 26 – “The 15 cases within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”

Feb. 27 – “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle. It will disappear.”

Feb. 28 – “Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. And this is their new hoax.”

Mar. 4 – “We are, I think, doing a very effective job. If, you know, we have thousands, or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by… sitting around and even going to work….”

Mar. 6 – “I NEVER said people that are feeling sick should go to work.”

Mar. 6 – “Anybody right now, and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test. And the tests are beautiful. False then and False on April 9th.

Mar. 8 – “We have a perfectly coordinated and fine-tuned plan at the White House for our attack on Coronavirus.”

Mar. 8 – “The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power to inflame the Coronavirus situation.”

Mar. 10 – “We’re prepared and we’re doing a great job with it, and it will go away, just stay calm.”

Mar. 13 – “We have 1.4 million tests on board next week, and 5 million within a month.” False.

Mar. 15 – “It’s a very contagious virus, it’s incredible but it’s something we have tremendous control over.”

Mar. 18 – “In a true sense we’re at war…A number of people have said it and I feel it, I’m a Wartime President…” The Wartime President then told Governors that they were on their own – that he “Wasn’t a Shipping Clerk.”

Mar. 25 – “There are large sections of our country – probably can go back much sooner than other sections. It’s hard not to be happy with the job we’re doing.”

Mar. 26 – “I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just much bigger than they’re going to be. I don’t believe you need… 30,000 ventilators.”

Mar. 29 – “ 2.2 million people from this. And so, if we can hold that down as we’re saying to 100,000, it’s a horrible number. Maybe even less. But to 100,000. So we have between 100,000 and 200,000. We altogether have done a pretty good job.”

Mar. 31 – “This could be a hell of a bad two weeks. This is going to be a very bad two, and maybe even three weeks.”

So, on April 9th, The President’s 15 cases on their way to zero, had become 427,800 cases with 14,700 dead Americans while the President still refused to take charge; still refusing to fully implement the Defense Production Act to force companies (other than GM and 3M) to make tests, ventilators, masks, gloves, and gowns; still refusing to put FEMA and the military in charge of distribution. Many states will be out of supplies to keep their doctors, nurses, and first responders safe within a week. And still our “Wartime President” throws states, Governors, and You under the bus, while he “Dithers From Behind.”

—Brian Peck lives in Columbia Falls