Karmavirus

 Trump's positive test for coronavirus is perhaps the least surprising thing to constitute an "October Surprise." (Someone said that 2020 is providing an October Surprise Advent Calendar.) His disdain for the basic steps to prevent the spread of this virus is well know and well documented. Hell, it was even on display on Tuesday at the debate where he mocked Joe Biden for his mask-wearing.

Obviously, it's of great concern that Trump and Biden shared a stage for 90 minutes. This goes back to the common refrain that mask-wearing and best practices are not entirely about protecting you but everyone around you. We know that Trump would probably enthusiastically infect Biden if he could, though that was not his intent. Still, it is a lot more likely today that one or both of the major parties presidential nominees will be dead before the election. Being a 70+ year old man is not a great indicator of survivability from Covid.

If it's true that Trump is tested daily and tested negative before the debate, then it is unlikely that he would have been carrying a viral load large enough to infect Biden who was more than 6 feet away from him. The three critical factors are Time, Distance and Masking. If Trump was shedding the virus (and certainly he was spitting and shouting enough to do so), then all Biden has in his favor is distance. Both Mike Pence and Kamala Harris have tested negative. 

It is also apparent that the virus is now circulating through the West Wing. How many critical members of the administration are currently Covid positive? I suppose we will find out, but maybe not.

There's an old joke that a recession if when you lose your job and a depression is when I lose my job. Maybe a hoax is when 220,000 Americans die but a pandemic is when your dumbass gets sick because you wouldn't follow basic steps for public health.

UPDATE: Biden is in the clear for the moment, but he should probably get another test on Monday to be sure. Meanwhile, the president of Notre Dame and Senator Mike Lee have contracted it.