The test of leadership comes at a time of crisis.
And we are in crisis now, like nothing we’ve ever experienced before.
And our leaders are failing us. Not all of them. But the ones with the most power to manage the coronavirus crisis have revealed they weren’t up to it.
Donald Trump
From the very start of his presidency — from the very start of his candidacy — Trump displayed a limited capacity to listen and process information. He proudly shoots from the hip, listening to his gut over people who know what they’re talking about.
In this case, the intelligence community and medical experts.
Those personality traits have been on display in this crisis, to this nation’s peril.
Even as the crisis gained momentum, Trump at first downplayed it, tweeting in late January that “It will all work out well,” and thanking the Chinese president.
China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
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A month later he was telling a group of African-American leaders in the White House that the virus would just go away, “like a miracle…”
It didn’t go away. There was no miracle.
After the gravity of the outbreak became apparent, Trump took to boasting about the “travel ban” he imposed on China, even though it allowed many exceptions and wasn’t a ban at all.
As time has gone on, with each answer he offers at those soul-sucking press conferences, the president proves himself over his head, making wild promises of treatments and giving himself a 10 on how well he’s performed.
The state of America now is why, nine months ago, we said we could not endorse Donald Trump for re-election. This coronavirus isn’t his fault. But he owns the fact that the greatest nation in the world has answered it so poorly.
Ron DeSantis
Florida will be haunted for years by videos of spring breakers packing the beaches and nightclubs even as coronavirus infections were sweeping the nation.
The party raged on for days after the NBA canceled its season and Walt Disney World closed its gates for at least the remainder of March. And yet, DeSantis wouldn’t close the beaches.
While most Floridians tried to follow the rules — washing hands, staying inside, maintaining social distancing — there was a party going on at the beach. DeSantis finally closed the beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties on Friday but left the decision elsewhere up to other jurisdictions.
Once the party was over, many of the breakers headed back home, some infected, to mingle with parents and friends throughout the nation.
Why? Why didn’t the governor close the beaches when he had the chance?
The inconsistencies were seen right here in Central Florida. While Disney, Universal and SeaWorld closed more than a week ago, the Fun Spot amusement parts in Orlando and Kissimmee remained open another full week until finally closing Sunday.
DeSantis’ order to reduce seating at restaurants by 50% was similarly ineffective. Some restaurants just chose to ignore it, leading to what should have happened in the first place: Closing restaurants to sit-down dining.
While visiting a testing center at The Villages Monday, DeSantis was asked about the public’s continued defiance of guidance to stay home and not gather in crowds. The governor’s response: “I would just say to those folks, you know, you need to cool it.”
In Italy, where the epidemic is out of control, mayors are begging people, even berating them, to go inside to protect themselves and the public. In Florida, the governor asks people to “cool it.”
The governor needs to bring the Italian mayors’ sense of urgency to this crisis.
Local officials
Cities and counties have less power than a president or a governor, but in some cases we’ve seen them unwilling to use what power they have.
Over in Volusia County, Bike Week was allowed to continue up until the last weekend, long after DeSantis had declared a state emergency. Local officials throughout the state could have closed beaches much sooner.
The frustration over inaction was perhaps best articulated by Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Omari Hardy, who, at a city of Lake Worth meeting last week, lost his temper over the lack of action, shouting, “We could’ve banned large gatherings. We could’ve closed the beach. We could’ve put a moratorium on utility shutoffs.”
If only his sense of urgency was shared around the nation and the state.
Editorials are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board and are written by one of its members or a designee. The editorial board consists of Opinion Editor Mike Lafferty, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick, David Whitley and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com.