Members-Only Article

Trump Preps His COVID Stab-in-the-Back Storyline

CARSON CITY, NV - OCTOBER 18: President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally on October 18, 2020 in Carson City, Nevada. With 16 days to go before the November election, President Trump is back on the campai... CARSON CITY, NV - OCTOBER 18: President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally on October 18, 2020 in Carson City, Nevada. With 16 days to go before the November election, President Trump is back on the campaign trail with multiple daily events as he continues to campaign against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images) MORE LESS

By Josh Marshall

October 21, 2020 11:30 a.m.

THE BACKCHANNEL

FREE EDITION

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

NEW!

A FREE email newsletter from Josh Marshall An email newsletter from Josh Marshall

We are rightly focusing on President Trump last night telling rally goers he’d never be in their dump of a town if the election weren’t going so badly for him. But let’s not miss the more important and lasting part of this message. President Trump is already previewing one explanation and justification for his defeat: COVID. He was cruising toward reelection, he claims, when COVID struck. For him, there’s the added feature that it was the handiwork of his purported arch-enemy China.

This is a members-only article

Small Team. Big Results.

We’re proud of what our small newsroom has accomplished and it’s not hyperbole when we say that without our members, none of this would be possible.

Become a TPM Member

Free memberships available for students and those experiencing financial hardship.

Already a member? SIGN IN