By Lexi Meola
Elm Staff Writer
Bob Woodward, an American Journalist, is most famous for releasing the damning Watergate tapes that ultimately sunk former President Richard Nixon.
His new book, “Rage,” revealed shocking information shared by President Donald Trump in a series of recorded interviews.
Topics discussed in the tapes range from racial tensions in the United States to Trump’s obsession with North Korea Leader Kim Jong-Un.
Many Americans have been particularly up in arms about the president’s response, or lack thereof, to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the beginning stages of the pandemic, Trump has downplayed the severity of COVID-19 to the public. However, we now know from the Woodward tapes that Trump has known how deadly COVID-19 is since February.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump said to Woodwardin a quote obtained by CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
This sound bite has seemed to leave many Americans, except those who support Trump, discouraged.
Truthfully, the Woodward tapes were not shocking to most.
Trump has done nothing but confuse and mislead the American people throughout the entire pandemic. His stance on masks, contradiction of leading scientists, promotion of medication not approved by medical professionals, and rush for a vaccine are just some of the many ways in which Trump has failed us.
This summer, a slew of tell-all books about Trump were released, partly to sway American voters into not re-electing Trump.
Mary Trump, the president’s niece, and John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, are two of the many authors who released books skewering Trump. The books revealed groundbreaking information about Trump’s personal life growing up, his political views, and how the White House operates under him.
Out of all the books released, Woodward’s has certainly gained the most attention. Now, the question on most of our minds is: how will the Woodwardtapes impact the way Americans vote this November?
The sad reality is that the U.S. and the rest of the world have grown unfazed by Trump’s political antics. His shocking statements and false tweets do not evoke as much anger as they did roughly three and a half years ago. We’ve grown used to his lies.
Trump gets away with his dishonesty because of the loyalty within his Republican base. Partisan kinship has warped their notion of morality.
The way that Trump talks about women, people of color, disabled people, and the American military should not be praised. He has referred to Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democratic Vice President Candidate Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and many other female politicians with his favorite derogation: “nasty women.”
Yet, there are people who still trust in the Trump administration.
Trump’s followers believed him when he said that COVID-19 was a “hoax,” contributing to 199, 462 American deaths as of Sept. 22, according to CNN.
By not releasing the tapes earlier, Woodward also played a part in the country’s death toll.
Had Woodward released the recording of Trump acknowledging the deadliness of COVID-19 earlier, the president’s followers might have taken more serious precautions.
How far can Trump go? Is there anything he can do to make his base turn against him?
The answer is no. There is nothing Trump can do to lose his base. No matter how many tapes Woodward releases, or how many incriminating books come out, Trump’s followers will remain loyal.
Featured Photo caption. Author and journalist Bob Woodward’s recently published book, “Rage,” reveals shocking truths divulged by President Donald Trump in recorded interview sessions, namely the president’s knowledge of the deadliness of COVID-19. Photo Courtesy of FreeIMG.