This was July 2020.
WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trumps handling of the coronavirus pandemic put his political fate in grave jeopardy. Now hes hoping to get credit...
www.realclearpolitics.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic put his political fate in grave jeopardy. Now he’s hoping to get credit for his administration’s aggressive push for a vaccine -– and crossing his fingers that one gets approved before Election Day.
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The economic toll of the pandemic has undone the job gains of Trump’s presidency and his administration has faced bipartisan criticism for its handling of efforts to test and contain the outbreak. Trump aides view the hunt for the vaccine as something they can still get right.
Privately, many White House officials have pinned their reelection hopes on the potential emergence of a vaccine for the coronavirus, believing it to be the ultimate “October surprise.” Some believe Trump may well be doomed without one, and that even with one, it may be too late to save his fortunes with so many Americans expected to vote before Election Day on Nov. 3.
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The political imperative for Trump has sparked concerns among members of Congress that Trump could try to take shortcuts in the approval process. Administration experts have dismissed those concerns, and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Monday, “We must maintain confidence of the American people in the scientific process.”
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With the election approaching, Trump has begun to run short on time to shift the narrative of the race, which so far appears shaping up to be as a referendum on his handling of the pandemic. He faces deficits in battleground states across the map, has struggled to land attacks on Biden and has been forced by the virus to scrap rallies and GOP convention events, moments he might have used to change the momentum of the contest.
Instead, White House aides seem to be growing more resigned to hoping for an outside event to change the trajectory of the contest, whether a serious misstep by Biden or, increasingly, a vaccine breakthrough.