“She excused Trump’s ineptitude when people desperately needed correct, up-to-date scientific information. Lives are at stake!”
“This is not the Collins I voted for. In my mind, she has changed.”
Following Senator Susan Collins’ defense of President Trump’s coronavirus response, Maine people across the state were quick to call out her ridiculous assertion. While Collins claimed that Trump “did a lot that was right in the beginning,” letter writers pointed out that Trump “spent weeks downplaying the coronavirus and failing to prepare” and criticized Senator Collins’ attempt to “rewrite history.”
It’s clear that these letter writers aren’t alone in their assessment of Collins, with a new poll finding that only 37% of Mainers approve of the job she is doing. Even as Collins tries to distance herself from her past comments, she can’t change the fact that she’s had Trump’s back for years and Mainers won’t let her run away from that record.
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Seacoast Online: Patricia Hymanson: As a physician, I’m horrified by lack of PPE
Senator Susan Collins defended President Trump in an interview with the Bangor Daily News saying he “did a lot that was right in the beginning.” How can that be true? Trump spent weeks downplaying the coronavirus and failing to prepare. The first moments of a medical emergency are the most important to respond to quickly. If not, the outcomes worsen and the rest is catch-up. Trump continues to contradict public health experts and berate reporters who ask him reasonable questions about the response. He has undeniably made this crisis worse with his confusing responses using denial and premature medical proclamations as strategies.
Bangor Daily News: Jennifer Jones: Sen. Collins was right in 2016
In an interview with the BDN last week, Collins had some praise for Trump’s coronavirus response, saying that “the president did a lot that was right in the beginning.” He didn’t. He first suggested that it wasn’t a significant problem, and I believe he has failed to demonstrate leadership at every turn. Americans are facing a grave danger, and he and Collins seem to be trying to rewrite history now to cover up their failures. This is not the Collins I voted for. In my mind, she has changed. I wonder if party matters more to her than the Mainers she serves, and if she’s forgotten who she’s accountable to.
Portland Press Herald: Marcia Howell: Why does Collins keep giving Trump a pass?
“Why does Susan Collins keep making excuses for Trump? “I think in the beginning there were times when he was speaking about what he hoped would happen rather than relying on the data and information of his experts.” She excused Trump’s ineptitude when people desperately needed correct, up-to-date scientific information. Lives are at stake! [...] Collins’ excuses for Trump are not new. When she voted against Trump’s impeachment conviction, she said he “…has learned from this case” and “will be much more cautious in the future.” He is not more cautious; his reckless behavior continues. Why does she keep giving him a pass?”
Boothbay Register: Bill Hammond: Time for Susan Collins to retire
Senator Collins cannot have it both ways: staunch conservative/fierce independent. [...] Her attempts to triangulate a course between abject subservience to the authoritarian leader of the Republican party and low-risk, token support for Maine’s Democratic and Independent majority have earned her the contempt of both constituencies. We need a new voice for Maine in the United States Senate.
Mount Desert Islander: Annlinn Kruger: Chaos cannot contain the spread
As the virus emerged, President Trump cried hoax, plot, a threat to his presidency which only needed a public relations remedy. As Trump spun lies, the virus spread, and we lost the time to contain it. Part of America’s belated response has been containing Trump’s chaos. To stay at the table, experts must stroke Trump’s ego in public, and in private, hammer home the facts in small words, like death, and in large numbers. Trump’s put his name on the humanitarian disaster and economic crisis. Now Sen. Susan Collins has added hers to the Republican and Fox chorus of praise. And roll of shame.
Bangor Daily News: Linda Kristan: Sen. Collins’ concerns
Sen. Susan Collins has been running a series of statewide ads on television and online. She expresses gratitude for the real heroes all around us and notes that we have to watch very closely the trajectory of this pandemic and our first concern has to be the health of all of our people. A vital key to surviving and flattening the curve of this pandemic is social distancing. Her support of the Supreme Court nominee and now sitting Justice Brett Kavanaugh makes mockery of that health concern in the state of Wisconsin. Justice Kavanaugh wrote the majority decision, which effectively blocked attempts of Gov. Tony Evers to delay the election in order to save lives.
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