[oregontim]

Yep, I don't think anyone can deny that Trump is a lying scumbag and a little nuts as well. It will cost him re-election.

I agree with your premise, although I would probably say a lot nuts. I hope your conclusion is correct too.

However, I have to pose the following question to those that condemn Trump for lying to the public. Fauci has stated that he too lied to the public when early on he said masks for the general public were not useful. Frankly, I don't believe he lied. I think at the time he believed that was probably true. However he himself has stated that he lied. Is he therefore a scumbag, and if not, why not?

I'll bite on that one. I think Fauci at all times gave his best guess at what was in the best interests of the public. At one point early on, he told us that while masks are in such high demand and in high priority for front line health care providers, the public buying masks was not in the general interest. I'm not going to go back and research actual texts, but that's what I remember. The scarcity was a big issue at the time, and he said so. Later, when the scarcity was no longer the big issue, he provided updates.

I have nothing against public officials whose stance changes because what's known changes. Sticking to what they said last month is not a virtue when there is new information this month. If Fauci literally used the word "lie," he was exaggerating for effect, and probably reflecting some of the massive frustration he must have after being a punching bag for all the wrong reasons.

All of that is orders of magnitude different from Trump's lying.

[oregontim]

Yep, I don't think anyone can deny that Trump is a lying scumbag and a little nuts as well. It will cost him re-election.

I agree with your premise, although I would probably say a lot nuts. I hope your conclusion is correct too.

However, I have to pose the following question to those that condemn Trump for lying to the public. Fauci has stated that he too lied to the public when early on he said masks for the general public were not useful. Frankly, I don't believe he lied. I think at the time he believed that was probably true. However he himself has stated that he lied. Is he therefore a scumbag, and if not, why not?

I'll bite on that one. I think Fauci at all times gave his best guess at what was in the best interests of the public. At one point early on, he told us that while masks are in such high demand and in high priority for front line health care providers, the public buying masks was not in the general interest. I'm not going to go back and research actual texts, but that's what I remember. The scarcity was a big issue at the time, and he said so. Later, when the scarcity was no longer the big issue, he provided updates.

I have nothing against public officials whose stance changes because what's known changes. Sticking to what they said last month is not a virtue when there is new information this month. If Fauci literally used the word "lie," he was exaggerating for effect, and probably reflecting some of the massive frustration he must have after being a punching bag for all the wrong reasons.

All of that is orders of magnitude different from Trump's lying.