In March, during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta, President Trump theorized that he might have a “natural ability” for medical science. The magazine’s latest cover explores that possibility. The image is by Barry Blitt, who started contributing to The New Yorker in 1993, and who, in May, won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. Blitt recently spoke to us about the cover.
You’ve drawn Trump in a wide variety of situations. Did you ever think you would draw him as a surgeon?
I try not to think about what guises or situations I’m going to draw him in next. But let’s just say that nothing would surprise me. I can’t believe I haven’t drawn him as one of the Rockettes yet. Or as part of Winnie the Pooh’s inner circle, say.
A large, steaming, stinking, runny turd comes to mind. And that’s only the part that passes for a brain.
“Trump says, ‘I have the best words.’ Now this comedian’s going viral for lip-syncing them
Sarah Cooper’s impressions turn out to be the best way to satirise the US president” (Irish Times) https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio-web/trump-says-i-have-the-best-words-now-this-comedian-s-going-viral-for-lip-syncing-them-1.4264749
“How to Medical”
The Trump administration mishandled the initial distribution of a scarce covid-19 treatment, in some cases delivering it to the wrong hospitals, to sites with no patients eligible for it, and to facilities without the needed refrigeration to store it, according to nine current and former senior administration officials. Demand for remdesivir has soared since a clinical trial showed that patients with severe cases recovered faster after taking it. The drug is the only approved coronavirus treatment and is in extremely short supply, so doctors say any delay could be catastrophic. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/28/remdesivir-coronavirus-trump/
Meanwhile: “What only a month ago had been merely an intriguing laboratory finding about analyzing wastewater to detect the virus that causes Covid-19 has quickly leapt to the threshold of real-world use.
With swab tests still plagued by capacity issues, inaccuracy, and slow turnaround, testing wastewater for the novel coronavirus’ genetic signature could give communities a faster way to spot a rebound in cases — as soon as this fall.” https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/28/wastewater-testing-gains-support-as-covid19-early-warning/