WHO WANTS TO TELL HIS SURVIVORS?

On Monday, I told you about the new right-wing talking point on the coronavirus: Because the CDC says that all but 9,000 Americans who've died from it had one or more other contributing conditions, or comorbities, the right now insists that only 9,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 altogether. Over the weekend, President Trump retweeted a QAnon supporter's now-deleted tweet to that effect, and Senator Joni Ernst told an Iowa newspaper reporter recently that she finds the idea intriguing: “They’re thinking there may be 10,000 or less deaths that were actually singularly covid-19. ... I’m just really curious. It would be interesting to know that.”

Now, what does this look like in real life? Here's how it looks:

A Minnesota biker who attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has died of covid-19 — the first fatality from the virus traced to the 10-day event that drew more than 400,000 to South Dakota.

The man was in his 60s, had underlying conditions and was hospitalized in intensive care after returning from the rally, said Kris Ehresmann, infectious-disease director at the Minnesota Department of Health. The case is among at least 260 cases in 11 states tied directly to the event, according to a survey of health departments by The Washington Post.

... Sturgis was unique in drawing people from across the nation to one small town, where they crowded into bars, restaurants, tattoo shops and other businesses, many without masks.

So here's a man who was in his sixties. He had health conditions -- as a lot of people in their sixties do. Maybe he had coronary disease, or asthma, or diabetes, or some combination.

But he was living his life. He was healthy enough to hop on a motorcycle and party in Sturgis. The rally took place from August 7 to August 16. Less than a month ago, this man was healthy enough to attend it.

And now he's dead.

But according to the new right-wing dogma, this man didn't die of COVID-19 at all. He died because he had death coming to him, what with all those comorbidities.

Who wants to tell the people closest to him -- his family, his biker friends -- that COVID didn't kill him? Who wants to tell them that he'd probably be dead anyway?

Would you like to do the honors, Senator Ernst?

Or you, Mr. President?