PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

As I sit mostly at home during the coronavirus pandemic, I don’t have much else to do than to think of new blog topics.

So, this morning, in recognition of the fact that I run the three departments named in the headline, I prepared this blog not knowing for sure in which department the various posts belonged.

Doesn’t matter, for, as the director of all three, I get to make the final decisions without regard to what anyone else thinks.

Sound familiar?

Yes, you may say, reminds of the guy sitting the Oval Office today who makes all the decisions without regard to what anyone else thinks other than the group that has come to be called “Trumpians.” All of us are paying the price for his unenlightened leadership – but that is a topic for another post.

So, for today, here goes.

FFOM THE WASHINGTON POST: “President Trump often speaks of federal payments coming to many Americans as an act of his own benevolence, calling the bipartisan stimulus legislation “a Trump administration initiative” and reportedly musing about printing his thick-and-jagged signature on the government checks.

Trump touts the deployment of the USS Comfort to New York Harbor in personal terms, saying it was his choice to allow the hulking Navy hospital ship to be used to for coronavirus patients — and even traveling to “kiss it goodbye” before its trek north.

“And Trump talks about the Strategic National Stockpile of ventilators and medical equipment being shipped to hard-hit states as if it were his own storage unit, with governors saying they recognize that in turn they are expected to tread gingerly with him or risk jeopardizing their supply chain.”

COMMENT: Sounds like Trump whose rhetoric is bolstered by his own belief that he is the smartest person in any – yes, any – room., That arrogant view is bolstered by Trump’s son-in-law Jarod Kushner who described federal medical stockpiles as “his” stockpiles.”

When we need enlightened leaders who will put America first, we get Trump who puts himself first.

THE SPEED OF VACCINES IN A PANDEMIC: The Wall Street Journal reported this late last week:

“Everyone is eager to find a cure for covid-19. Some people — notably President Trump, in his nightly press briefings on the pandemic — have touted the promise of hydroxychloroquine, an old malaria treatment. He’s suggested that patients should take it, asking, ‘What do you have to lose?’

“Even experienced scientists and clinicians tend to overestimate the promise of new drugs and minimize the risks. This is why randomized clinical trials are the gold standard in medicine, and why we use randomization even when testing treatments for patients who might be willing to try anything (those with late-stage cancers, say, or highly fatal infectious diseases like Ebola).

“The question today is: How do we conduct such trials at pandemic speed? Officials, families of patients and the public are clamoring for results; researchers, even scrupulous ones, may find it tempting to jump the gun on announcing promising news. The answer is to stick with the gold-standard research methodology — no shortcuts — but look closely at each of the steps involved in running a trial, to see how to make them faster. The good news is that we can accelerate the process without compromising scientific standards.”

COMMENT: It always s has struck me that the key to our future without COVID 19 is to find a vaccine. Not a brilliant thought, I know, but still ”a thought.”

And, without trying to come across as some kind of expert, it also has struck me that it should be possible for smart scientists, supported by smart government managers, to bring vaccines to market in shorter time frames than the customnary one year.

Here’s hoping for the smart people to prevail, thus leading us out of the COVID 19 thicket.

FROM THE WASHINGTON POST: Columnist Max Boot does a great job in his most recent piece excoriating Donald Trump for his outrageous conduct. Here’s how Boot wrote it:

“The most dangerous contagion we now confront is the coronavirus, which has killed more than 20,000 Americans and thrown more than 16 million out of work. The second-most-dangerous contagion is the conspiracy-mongering, hostility to science and outright irrationality promulgated by President Trump and his loudmouth media enablers. It will take intensive contact tracing to follow the spread of crackpot ideas: Is Trump infecting the cable news hosts, or are they infecting him? Suffice it to say, the president and his media fans are both afflicted with perilous misconceptions that are making the threat from the coronavirus far more acute.”

COMMENT: There is a proper balance between the views of government scientists and the views of the nation’s political leaders. And Trump has not found it.

The latest indication  is that Trump may be thinking of firing the nation’s leading epidemiologist in the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has come across to many Americans as a reasonable and reasoned expert.

If Trump does fire him, it will only confirm our worst instincts about this president. But, then again, those instincts, at least for me, are pretty well carved in stone already.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

Those who know me know that I cannot sing a lick. I remember the time my late mother-in-law heard me try to sing and she dissolved into gales of laughter.

No wonder. But that’s not the primary point of this blog.

This next paragraph is.

For me, one of the best ways to focus on the true meaning of Easter – commemorating the fact that Christ rose from the dead – is to think of words from great songs we sing at this time of year. Not just to think about the lyrics, but also to focus on the true meaning of what Christ accomplished for all of us.

Easter is more than eggs, candy, and brunch. It is a time for remembrance and reflection. The words of the songs below do a far better job than I could of capturing the real meaning of Easter.

Easter would not be complete for me unless this first song was performed in a powerful, upbeat way. A friend of mine said the same thing last week as we shared Easter reflections. This year, however, I’ll be sitting at home for the Easter service on-line as all of us deal with the coronavirus pandemic. But the words are good enough that they will ring loud and long anyway. 

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE

Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus, my Savior,
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus, my Lord!

Refrain:
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus, my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus, my Lord!

Death cannot keep his Prey,
Jesus, my Savior;
He tore the bars away,
Jesus, my Lord!

As a person who likes words, the next song uses two words “cross” and “bridge” interchangeably, with different definitions, to make the point about what Christ has done for us.

A BRIDGE ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE; A CROSS TO BRIDGE THE GREAT DIVIDE

Trying to fathom the distance
Looking out ‘cross the canyon carved by my hands
God is gracious
Sin would still separate us
Were it not for the bridge His grace has made us
His love will carry me

There’s a bridge to cross the great divide
A way was made to reach the other side
The mercy of the Father, cost His son His life
His love is deep, His love is wide
There’s a cross to bridge the great divide

God is faithful
On my own I’m unable
He found me hopeless, alone and sent a Savior
He’s provided a path and promised to guide us
Safely past all the sin that would divide us
His love delivers me

The cross that cost my Lord His life
Has given me mine
There’s a bridge to cross the great divide
There’s a cross to bridge the great divide

If I had to pick my favorite Christian song of all time, a bit of an artificial act, I admit, this next song would be at the top of the list. It asks us to survey the cross and understand that “love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Celebrations at Easter are good for the soul and life, especially during this difficult time in the our history. Reflecting on the good words above is one way to focus your mind and remember what Christ did for all of us as he arose, thus confirming a way for us to have a relationship with God.

So, sing — or think — about the good words of Easter songs.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

As I write this headline, things are different for the Masters golf tournament this year – and for almost everything else in our coronavirus-dominated world.

I’ll be sitting in my man cave watching past Master tournaments on TV instead of being wrapped up in the current one.

This year, there is no tournament, which, for me, always has been one of the rites of spring. It has been delayed until the fall and, I suppose, there is even a question about whether it will be played then, if at all, this year.

Sitting in my Masters chair, with my Master’s sweatshirt on, I’ll be able to see old versions of the tournament or perhaps just highlights on the Golf Channel, ESPN or CBS-TV.

Better than nothing.

A piece of good news is that I’ll be watching Masters coverage with my daughter, Lissy, who will be sitting in her Master’s chair drinking out of her Masters mug in the living room of her home in Woodinville, Washington.

The distance between Woodinville and Salem, Oregon, where I live, won’t get in the way of our mutual enjoyment.

It will take us back to the 2015 tournament when we had the privilege of living a life-long dream – attending the Masters in person.

We may never head to Augusta, Georgia again – though my daughter signs up for the lottery every year in hopes of getting tickets again – but the one trip in 2015 was worth the price of admission.

And, on occasion, that price was high.

As only one example, we stayed in a La Quinta Motel about a mile from the iconic Augusta National course. The regular price was about $50 per night. We paid $550 – and were happy to do so.

Among my fond Masters memories, three stand out.

• In 1997, as a 21-year-old player just out of college, Tiger
  Woods won his first Masters by an incredible 14 strokes. I am not necessarily a Woods fan, but it was hard not to marvel about this first Masters victory on his way to four titles, including one last year.
• In 2004, one of my daughter’s and my favorite players, Phil Mickelson, won his first Masters. Great stuff as he reveled in his victory by jumping about two inches off the ground, then welcoming his family on the 18^th green with a now-famous exclamation to his kids: “Daddy won!”
• In 1986, I was riveted to the screen as Jack Nicklaus, then 46 years old with son Jackie on the bag as caddy, played one of best final nine holes in history to win his sixth green jacket, the emblem of victory. I have watched this tournament several times since 1986 – including once this week — and doing so always brings tears to my eyes.

To get this Masters weekend off to a solid start, I read an essay by Thomas Boswell in the Washington Post this morning. The entire piece is worth reading, but here is how Boswell started his tome on the Masters:

“The Masters is about revealing, exposing, humiliating, improving, discovering, understanding and, sometimes, redeeming yourself. That’s what we will miss Sunday: The humanity — the spectrum of rejoicing, collapsing, coping, choking and recovering — even more than the golf.

“As the years pass, the memories of shots fade, but the images, emotions and words of the players become more vivid. The power of the personal story is almost always the unseen driver of the action at Augusta National. The Masters measures the arc of a life, not just the plane of a swing.”

Good words.

I’ll miss the Masters this weekend, but I’ll revel in the joint joy of the tournament with my daughter.

Our experience, either on TV or in person in 2015, will live on in our hearts and minds.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

The other evening my wife and I were sitting on our deck above the golf course where I play – Illahe Hills Golf and Country – as we observed the spirit, if not the letter, of Oregon’s “stay at home and social distancing protocols” during the coronavirus pandemic.

As we sat in the clear, night our, we had the privilege of watching our maintenance staff work on the course to keep it in playable condition. Our sight-line included one of the stalwarts of the crew, the dog Boone.

His job is to chase geese away and, let me tell you, he is great at what he does!

As we watched, he ran around and around one of the ponds on the course making sure geese would not land or pollute the ground if they did.

The pleasure of watching Boone work prompted me to reflect on a blog I wrote a year or so ago, entitled “Boone the Majestic.” It was meant at the time to welcome Boone – not to mention his master, our golf course superintendent Steve Beyer, to Illahe.

It seems right to reprint that blog now to honor “Boone the Majestic.”

**********

“BOONE THE MAJESTIC”

Beyond what’s noted in the introduction to this blog, I also write, on occasion, about dogs. This is one of those times — a blog written by a dog lover, me.

My wife and I have had two great dogs. The first was Hogan, a miniature poodle who was named after the great golfer, Ben Hogan.

After Hogan went to heaven, we got a second miniature poodle, Callaway, who has the same name as my golf clubs. Hogan and Callaway came from the same breeder and, in fact, were related to each other.

So, in this blog, why the title, “Boone the Majestic?”

Well, Boone is the new dog on our golf course. He is owned by our new, very capable golf course superintendent, Steve Beyer, who came to my club, Illahe Hills, after seven years at Waverly and a few years elsewhere before that.

We are lucky to have Steve at Illahe.

And, guess what? With Steve, we get a “two for one deal” because Boone comes with Steve.

Also, here are a couple excerpts from an Illahe newsletter article written by Steve:

“Meet Boone. Named after the famous Daniel Boone who has been been known in history as the American hunter.

“Boone entered my life as a young ‘Bennie’ from the animal shelter in Sand Point, Idaho. That was what the shelter named him. Our family decided on the name Boone due to the fact that he is a German Short-Haired Pointer and has been bred to hunt upland bird and game.”

That is important because Boone, literally “an employee” on Illahe’s maintenance crew, will take on a key assignment, one for which he is well-suited and which no other employee could do with such dedication and abandon.

It is to rid the course of pesky geese – and, in regard to those birds, let me just say that they are better when flying than staying on the ground.

You know what happens when they are on the ground. Often.

Also, if you see geese flying in formation, another reminder — don’t look up too long or too often. Something bad could happen if you do.

At his new home, Boone is intent on learning, not just how to chase geese away, but also “to know where the best rodent areas are.” He’ll chase those, too, away from our golf greens.

There is no question but that Boone will earn his keep by keeping geese – and their leavings — away.

Welcome Boone the Majestic!

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

Back in the day, when I worked for state government in Oregon, I remember what one of my management mentors told me.

He said the “easiest thing in the world to do is to be cynical about government.”

His reference was mostly to state government where we both worked at a fairly high level. But his comment could just have pertained just as well to government at all levels.

Cynicism is easy. Constructive assessment is far harder.

These days that includes assessing the federal government as all of us “good government, centrist types” – my label for myself – look for smart, concerted action from the Nation’s Capitol, even if the result is not perfect.

We got it last time around on Coronavirus Relief Legislation #1. Will we get it this time as Members of Congress consider Relief Package #2?

No one knows.

However, excerpts from a Washington Post story this morning give rise to just a bit of pessimism. Here are a few excerpts:

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her ground Wednesday and refused to buckle to the Trump Administration’s demand for swift congressional approval of $250 billion in additional funds for small businesses, urging Republicans to continue negotiations on more relief to minority-owned companies and others struggling to secure loans during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Pelosi’s remarks left the request by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in jeopardy, with the speaker prepared to wait on action in the House until Republicans move closer to her position. She is calling for changes to the GOP proposal plus an additional $250 billion that would benefit hospitals and states as they seek to increase testing and buy supplies.”

Pelosi added this, using a telling phrase “ossify inequality:”

“I have said very clearly: What they are proposing will not get unanimous consent in the House. There is no reason why they cannot come to the table and see the value of what we are offering. You cannot expect us to ossify inequality in access to capital as we try to fight the coronavirus.”

Despite Pelosi’s protests, it appears the Senate, led by Republicans, may move ahead with its own plan. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may attempt to approve Mnuchin’s proposal by unanimous consent, a dynamic by which legislation can pass as long as individual senators do not object.

But New York Senator Charles E. Schumer, the minority leader, unveiled his own list of demands on Wednesday, which included asking for half of the $250 billion sought by the administration to go through community-based financial institutions serving farmers and family-, women-, minority- and veteran-owned small businesses and non-profits.

His list also included $100 billion for hospitals, community health centers and other health systems to increase testing and needed protective gear and equipment; $150 billion more for state and local governments; and a 15 per cent increase in food stamp benefits.

Is there middle ground here?

I hope so.

As I said the last time around, I hope the zeal to find the perfect solution does not become the enemy of the good solution. The effects of the coronavirus demand it.

**********

And this footnote: Why, in retirement, have I focused on this from my post in the cheap seats out West? Well, for two reasons. First, I am a political junkie, so how political organizations move is of interest to me, including in response to what is a clear emergency.

Second, in my role as a member of the Executive Committee of the Oregon Golf Association Board of Directors, I have been involved in efforts to evaluate advocating that non-profit organizations not be left out in Relief Legislation #2 as was mostly the case in Relief Legislation #1.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

As someone who could drown in all of readily available information on the coronavirus, I have tried to stay above water by taking these steps.

1. Trying to limit my consumption of news to the morning when, in past times, I would have gotten my hands dirty reading newspapers.

The risk of drowning applies not only to social media.  It applies to news outlets, as well, because those outlets transmit e-mail updates all day long.  This includes the outlets I read – the Oregonian newspaper, the Salem Reporter, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and the Atlantic magazine.

Better to focus in the morning, then wait for the new developments the next day.

2. Trying to focus, not just on the bad news, but on stories of citizens helping others during the virus outbreak.

If you look hard enough, you can see good news on all sides, even during a pandemic that contains great threats, and, if nothing else, is changing the way we live.  The good news could be the heroic efforts of health care professionals to stay at work despite the risks.  It could be the garbage collection company here in Salem, which traveled my neighborhood yesterday.

It could be restaurants, which are trying to stay open through take-out services.  It could be the golf course where I play, Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club, which, in addition to take-out food service, is trying to stay open for golf, with appropriate social distancing restrictions, to give those who can play just a bit of a respite from “staying at home.”

It could be neighbors where I live making sure that “other neighbors” who might be home alone have what they need.

Or, it could be churches, such as the one my wife and I attend here in Salem, Salem Alliance Church, going on-line for all of its services, even at this Easter time, which is hugely important for all Christians.  We will celebrate Easter from our homes with a “livestream” church service.

3. Trying to look for humorous occurrences to preserve the notion that, even in the face of a pandemic, humor could be an outlet.

One of the best examples occurred several weeks ago at the start of government action to try to control the virus.  Federal officials held a press conference to provide advice about individual actions to limit virus exposure.  The first piece of advice – no surprise – was to wash hands frequently.

Then, the officials went to another point – don’t touch your face, they advised, because doing so could transmit the virus.  Of course, guess what happened?

Yes, even as they provided this advice, they did what all of us do far too frequently, which is to touch our face.  One official even was shown on camera licking her fingers to help her turn pages on what she was reading.

Humorous?  Well, yes.  If only for a moment.  But the episode did have the effect of underlining the importance of individual action.

Frankly, it should be added that there is not much humor around these days as we watch exposure and death totals rise toward what could be a peak in the next couple weeks.

But, for me, maintaining a sense of equilibrium amidst the pandemic requires such steps as those I outline above.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

This, remember, is one of three departments I run as director.  The others are the Department of Pet Peeves and the Department of Good Quotes Worth Remembering.  But “Just Saying” is open more than the other two these days because, during the coronavirus pandemic, there are so many occurrences that I don’t understand.

So, here are a few.

TRUMP, THE WORST EVER PRESIDENT:  Washington Post columnist Max Boot wrote this yesterday:

“Until now, I have generally been reluctant to label Donald Trump the worst president in U.S. history.  As a historian, I know how important it is to allow the passage of time to gain a sense of perspective.  Some presidents who seemed awful to contemporaries (Harry S. Truman) or simply lackluster (Dwight D. Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush) look much better in retrospect.  Others, such as Thomas Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson, don’t look as good as they once did.

“So I have written, as I did on March 12, that Trump is the worst president in modern times — not of all time.  That left open the possibility that James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, Warren Harding or some other non-entity would be judged more harshly.  But in the past month, we have seen enough to take away the qualifier “in modern times.”  With his catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus, Trump has established himself as the worst president in U.S. history.”

Comment:  Just saying that Trump has behaved in unconscionable ways during the pandemic.

• He has ignored advice from seasoned scientists who aren’t perfect but do understand epidemics.
• He has kept the stage for himself in a host of events when he should have left the microphones to experts.
• He appointed his son-in-law, Jarod Kushner, to be in charge of dispensing medical equipment around the country, singularly the worst appointment in history, given Kushner’s absolute lack of qualifications.
• He has deluded the country by his own, duplicitous words, labeling the virus first nothing to worry about, then calling it a Democrat hoax, then giving conflicting information on actions to take to stem the tide.

On this point, consider what columnist Eugene Robinson wrote this morning in the Washington Post:

“It is remarkable how a tongue-twisting word few of us were familiar with a month ago — hydroxychloroquine — has suddenly come to represent so many of the reasons Trump should not be president, especially during a time of crisis.  That one word illustrates Trump’s arbitrary, anecdote-based method of making decisions; his reliance on cronies who have no relevant expertise; his rejection of science, or perhaps his failure to understand how science even works; his defiant stubbornness in clinging to what he ’knows,’ even when he doesn’t actually know it; his obsessiveness even in the face of contrary evidence; and his imperviousness to fact-based arguments he does not want to recognize.

This reminds me that, ast year, we traveled north to Seattle to see my daughter and two grandchildren – obviously, before the coronavirus pandemic.  We attended my granddaughter’s class where it was her turn to make a report on one of the U.S. presidents.  Her assignment was Rutherford B. Hayes, who, she said, often bore the title of the country’s worst president.

Well, for me, no longer.  The “honor” goes to Trump

DRUG COMPANIES PREPARE VACCINES:  A report in the Washington Post this morning said that drug companies around the world are working hard to get coronavirus vaccines to market.  In fact, more than 140 experimental drug treatments for coronavirus are in development world-wide, including some already in clinical trials.

Comment:  Just saying, good.  The solution to the coronavirus pandemic is to find a vaccine that works and here’s hoping that the normal year-long process to gain approval can be abridged by smart operators.  And, if this means that some pharmaceutical companies get rich, so be it.

RELIGION’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS:  Most genuine religious organizations – including “my” church here in Salem, Oregon — are doing their best to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by living within both the spirit and the letter of government “stay at home” rules.  This has meant a variety of on-line approaches to what formerly would have been in-person gatherings.  So be it.  But there are outliers – pastors who flout the rule of law by holding in-person church services.  One of them, in Florida, has been arrested for his conduct.  Good.

Some religious groups are even saying they will file suit against the federal government, contending that freedom of religion allows them to assemble.

Comment:  Just saying that stupidity of some organizations and pastors should not be taken as illustrative of Christianity as a whole   In this case, to use an old phrase, rotten apples spoil the barrel.

Chaim Steinmetz, senior rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York, put it this way in a piece for the Washington Post this morning:

“… the pandemic has forced religious groups to make difficult choices.  Houses of worship have to decide whether they should remain open.  Clergy have to decide whether they will continue to officiate at funerals and weddings.  The coronavirus has put health at the top of the agenda and subordinated almost everything else.  For many believers, though, prioritizing the secular while ignoring the spiritual is sacrilegious.  Yet ultimately, ensuring people’s health and safety is a supreme act of spiritual care.”

Well said.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

Some of you may ask – how did you think up this topic as one for a blog, especially with coronavirus dominating all of the news and information?  Better, I guess, to focus on issues such as golf in Scotland than to get drowned in too much information on the virus.

And, I have at least three reasons why this subject interests me:

1. I don’t have much to do during the current “stay at home” admonition.
2. I love Scotland, having had the incredible privilege of traveling there five times to enjoy golf in a country that adores the sport.
3. I have played golf in the rain and wind of Scotland, which is not saying much because, if you have been to Scotland, you have played golf in rain and wind.

To a Scot, when thinking about a round of golf, the question is not what the weather is doing outside.  It is playing golf regardless of the weather.

There is another phrase that marks golf in Scotland.  Caddies say that,” if you don’t like the weather, it will change in five minutes.”

This reminds me of the time I played in the worst golf weather ever.  It was at Turnberry in Scotland, the course where Tom Watson almost won the Open (the British Open) at age 60 in 2009.

[By the way, I would not play the course again because, unfortunately, one Donald Trump bought it and now calls it “Trump Turnberry.”  Enough to move it from my “want to play list.”]

When I did play Turnbery, I was the only golfer on the course.  No wonder.  It was raining sideways.  The wind was blowing so much that I almost could not stand up, especially when I tried to swing.  I had to work hard to manage my clubs, with a pull cart, which did not stand up easily,  By some miracle, I made it through 18 holes.  But it took two or three days for my clothes and clubs to dry out!

So, for the rest of this blog, I am indebted – again – to one of my favorite golf magazines, Links.  A story in the most recent on-line edition appeared under this headline:  “Essential Scottish Golf Trip Rain Gear.”

The lead to the story said this:

“Did you know that March and April have the lowest number of days with rainfall in Scotland?  The temperatures are lower during those months, but I think they’re the best time to visit.  One key to enjoying a visit, no matter what time of year, is having the correct golf trip rain gear.”

So, the story went on to list these suggestions.

WATERPROOF RAINSUIT/The most essential piece of weather gear for a golf trip to Scotland is a great rain suit. There are a few essential points to consider and avoid during the search process.   Don’t just wear that short sleeve rain jacket you bought for sale a few years ago. Playing a round soaked from the elbow down isn’t fun. The cold wind and rain saps the heat from your body wherever possible and extremities (hands in this case) are the first to go.

If you can afford it, get a rain suit that utilizes Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is unquestionably the best in waterproof material technology. I am a huge fan of Galvin Green, which use Gore-Tex in all of its shell products.  Waterproof pants are just as crucial as your jacket. Make sure they are large enough to pull over your normal golf pants. This plays into the layering game (see more below).

Don’t waste your money on a waterproof hat.  Instead bring a couple of wool hats and keep the extra one in your zip-lock bag (see more below).

MITTENS/Keeping your hands warm and dry is crucial to enjoying the round despite the weather. A pair of mittens is the perfect solution and they are a common sight on Scottish links. T he local’s tip is to throw a hand warmer or two in the mittens on the first tee and at the turn.

LAYER-LAYER-LAYER/It is difficult to describe how quickly the weather changes during a round in Scotland.  Rain turns into beating sun followed by cold winds, then hail.  The ability to shed a shell layer, put it back on, and adapt quickly is vital.

BIGGEST ROOKIE ERROR/You can always pick out the links golf rookies by looking for umbrellas.  The high winds that accompany Scottish rain make handling an umbrella difficult and counterproductive.  You have to close the umbrella when you put it down (otherwise it will blow away) and you always get soaked in the constant opening and closing process.

Even if you have a caddie to carry your bag, don’t carry an umbrella. You may see it happen on the tour, but it’s a worthless practice in Scotland and your caddie will hate you.

PAIRS OF WATERPROOF SHOES/Yes, plural. Bring a spare pair or two, because slipping on a damp pair of shoes in the morning ruins the day ahead.  Even if it’s not raining, walking through tall fescue rough often soaks your feet. Additionally, make sure you have a good pair of waterproof shoes, preferably with a “sewn-in” tongue.  All of the water streaming down your rain pants runs directly onto your shoes, so they are a point of weakness in the waterproof chain.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TIP/Carry a few large zip-lock bags in your golf bag during the trip. When the rain comes, throw your keys, phone, wallet, rangefinder, camera, and spare gloves in the bags. It is a cheap and easy trick that will save your electronics and keep your essentials dry.

I may not have another chance to play golf in Scotland.  But, five trips provide a lot of memories, including playing golf regardless of the weather – which is what I generally do here, as well.

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

I wrote the other day about the incredible fact that Donald Trump’s polling numbers are going up despite all of his bumbling in the coronavirus pandemic, which he has made worse by actions, inaction and exaggerations, if not outright lies.

But a column by Colbert King, deputy editor of the Washington Post editorial page, gave me more perspective on why the numbers may be going up.  To posit that Trump has a strategy for anything gives him too much credit for the ability to think – which he does not have – but King says Trump’s relentless attacks on the media are designed as a strategy to boost his poll numbers.  Because, I guess, he or his handlers recognize that, for various reasons, many Americans don’t hold the media in high regard.  So, capitalize on the antipathy.

As a former newspaper reporter, I care a lot about quality journalism, the kind practiced by such outlets as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Salem Reporter and the Oregonian.  To be sure, there are reporters who go beyond the bounds of quality and solid practice by making themselves “the issue.”  Rather than report stories, they become the stories.  Still, my sense is that most reporters are trying “to do the right thing” by informing Americans.

To buttress my blog on Trump’s poll numbers, I reprint here King’s column which appeared under this headline:  “Wondering what’s behind Trump’s improved poll numbers? His attacks on the press.”

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Seems like President Trump can get away with saying and doing just about anything he wants. The extent to which he has achieved that end is demonstrated by the credit he is getting for his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Trump, in truth, has contributed more to the confusion and disruption plaguing the country’s response to the pandemic than any other public official in the land. Yet he was able to call in to “Fox & Friends” last Monday morning and brag, “I’ve gotten great marks on what we’ve done with respect to this. I’ve gotten great marks.” He happens to be on to something. How did it come to this?

Because Trump is accomplishing what he set out to do when he launched his presidential bid: bring down the press in the public eye to the point where his word, not ours, is believed.

Some of us could see it coming.

In February 2017, one month after his inauguration, I wrote that there was more to Trump’s attacks on the media than just demagogic assaults to manipulate coverage. There was, I speculated, a more strategic calculation at play. He regards us as rivals standing between him and what he wants. He knew as a candidate, and knows as president, that we are going to watch and report relentlessly on what he does — or fails to do.

“His aim,” I warned, “is to denigrate the work of the media so that our reporting and analyses are summarily dismissed by the public.” And regretfully, that goal is being achieved.

Half the country approves of his handling of the crisis, according to RealClearPolitics, and his overall approval rating has been on the rise.

How else to explain Trump’s improved standing in the face of irrefutable evidence of his failures in leadership? When competence, mature judgment and trustworthiness in the White House are most needed, Trump is giving the nation untruths, wild exaggerations and irresponsible declarations off the top of his head. “Have the country opened up and raring to go by Easter”?

How adrift is he from common sense?

He said at a campaign rally in New Hampshire on Feb. 10, “Looks like by April . . . when it gets a little warmer, [the coronavirus] miraculously goes away.”

As of noon on Friday, the United States had more than 245,000 confirmed cases and the death toll exceeded 6,000, more than the number of people who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The numbers have risen higher since.

Petty, impulsive, vindictive and completely out of his depth, Trump is the narcissist who has made this crisis all about himself.

And yet he’s riding high.

He is pulling it off by successfully disparaging the one force in the country that can put the spotlight on his presidential incompetence and hold him accountable — the media.

His barrage against us has been steady and unrelenting: “among the most dishonest human beings on earth,” “scum,” “the news is fake.” These are not off-the-cuff invectives.

They are essential weapons in Trump’s arsenal. It’s called branding.

Trump tipped his hand during a March 2016 campaign rally in Boca Raton, Fla., when he said, “You have to brand people a certain way when they’re your opponents.”

That’s what he was doing when he berated NBC’s Peter Alexander in a rant over a coronavirus question, calling him “a terrible reporter” and characterizing Alexander’s question about hospital shortages and possible fear among Americans as “a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people.”

Trump was doing the same thing when he scolded and insulted “PBS NewsHour” correspondent Yamiche Alcindor for asking him perfectly legitimate questions about charges he had leveled on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.

To a well-grounded question in November 2018 by CNN correspondent Abby Phillip, who, like Alcindor, is black, Trump responded, “What a stupid question . . . but I watch you a lot. You ask a lot of stupid questions.”

There’s a point to his verbal bullying and abuses.

Trump aims to slime the media as unintelligent, untrustworthy and undeserving of respect. He wants his supporters to judge reporters as out of line if they pursue questions that raise the possibility that someone like him may be capable of moral corruption.

So, he belittles, and demeans, and searches for chances to publicly put us in our place. He wants a media that is as undemanding and agreeable as the supplicants at Fox News.

Trump, with Republican help, has neutered Congress. Try as he might, however, he can’t make us cower.

Trump didn’t create the coronavirus. But he sure as hell has contributed to the country’s woes by playing down the threat and fumbling the federal response — all the while blaming state and local governments, local hospitals and the media for the chaos he helped cause.

Ratings be damned. If anything, now’s the time to double down on coverage, and tell the public all it needs to know about this public health and economic calamity.

The public won’t get the truth from Trump.

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So, Trump trashes the media and becomes more popular.  Not with me.

Footnote:  And, I cannot resist the impulse to post this comment from Washington Post writer Daniel Drezner who compares Trump to a toddler.  “…not even a crisis as massive as the novel coronavirus has stopped the president from behaving like a cranky toddler.  His toddler traits have significantly hampered America’s response to the pandemic.  They aren’t new, either.  In the first three years of his term, I’ve collected 1,300 instances when a Trump staffer, subordinate or ally — in other words, someone with a rooting interest in the success of Trump’s presidency — nonetheless described him the way most of us might describe a petulant 2-year-old.  Trump offers the greatest example of pervasive developmental delay in American political history.”

PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon, as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

There is a lot of material for such a post as this as the coronavirus pandemic goes on – and on and on.

No one knows when the virus will end, or how it will end.  It could be that the end will not be in sight until a vaccine is available, which is quite a ways down the road.

So, I open The Department of Just Saying again.  It is one of three I run with a free hand to manage as I – and I alone – see fit.

MASKS YES OR NO:  The debate about the use of face masks goes on, with little consensus about whether those not yet infected with virus – or at least do not know whether they have been infected – should wear masks.

Here’s the way The Atlantic magazine put it this week:

“In the beginning, the guidance was clear:  Unless you have COVID-19 or are caring for someone who does, you probably don’t need to wear a mask in public.  Now, that’s all in flux.  The CDC has issued new guidelines advising Americans to wear cloth masks in public (and, in fact, my wife followed up yesterday by making a few cloth masks for us.  Better safe than sorry, so why now follow the guidance).”

Further, here’s what Atlantic’s science writer reported about the efficacy of masks:

“A few studies suggest that homemade cloth masks are less effective than proper medical ones, but are still better than nothing. I n one experiment, a surgical mask filtered 89 percent of viral particles from the air, a tea towel blocked 72 percent, and a cotton T-shirt blocked 50 percent. … If people use makeshift masks, they should thoroughly wash them afterward.  And most of all, they should remember that homemade masks are not fully protective.

“Underpinning the mask debate is another about how this new coronavirus travels—specifically, whether it is airborne. (Airborne, in the public health sense, doesn’t just mean “travels by air;” it refers to a specific state, in which the virus moves as “aerosols.”)  Early studies offer preliminary answers, but many questions remain.

“We’re trying to build the plane while we’re flying it,” one expert told Ed. “We’re having to make decisions with quite massive consequences in the absence of secure data.  It’s a nightmare for your average cautious public-health professional.”

Comment:  Good image – building an airplane while we’re trying to fly it.  Just saying that, given all of the competing evidence, a conclusion seems fairly easy – wear a mask.  Can’t hurt.

WHAT IS JAROD KUSHNER DOING:  President Donald Trump’s son-in-law has just taken a new role – being a spokesman for the Administration’s effort to get medical supplies distributed around the country to respond to the virus.

It would be difficult to find someone less qualified for the job.

Here’s what the New York Times wrote:

“Reporting on the White House’s herky-jerky coronavirus response, Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman has a quotation from Jared Kushner that should make all Americans, and particularly all New Yorkers, dizzy with terror.

“According to Sherman, when New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said that the state would need 30,000 ventilators at the apex of the coronavirus outbreak, Kushner decided that Cuomo was being alarmist.  ‘I have all this data about I.C.U. capacity,’ Kushner reportedly said.

“I’m doing my own projections, and I’ve gotten a lot smarter about this. New York doesn’t need all the ventilators.” (Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top expert on infectious diseases, has said he trusts Cuomo’s estimate.)

“Even now, it’s hard to believe that someone with as little expertise as Kushner could be so arrogant, but he said something similar on Thursday, when he made his debut at the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing:  ‘People who have requests for different products and supplies, a lot of them are doing it based on projections which are not the realistic projections.’

“Kushner has succeeded at exactly three things in his life.  He was born to the right parents, married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law.  Most of his other endeavors — his biggest real estate deal, his foray into newspaper ownership, his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians — have been failures.”

Comment:  Just saying that Kushner seems to be following in the footsteps of his father-in-law who has zero ability to utter an understandable sentence, much less an ability to perform effectively, especially in the face of a national crisis.

Kushner has shown that he cannot manage his way out of paper bag.’

FINDING GOOD NEWS AMIDST THE BAD:  During the coronavirus pandemic, there is so much news around – and some of it could even be accurate.  You have to work hard not to drown in the news.

It is taxing to live within the “stay at home” orders of the coronavirus, though they make sense, as indicated, if not by anything else, that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally bowed to the pressure by enacting, finally, an order there.  The problem, of course, was that the virus had gone wild due to his inaction.

For us, we are well, as are, thankfully, our families.  But my wife put it very well the other day when she said, “What I don’t like is not having options.”

One of the ways to try to maintain my equilibrium is to look intentionally for good news to get past all of bad.  Two examples of the good.

FEEDING SALEM:  Our church here in Salem, Oregon, Salem Alliance Church, has made a special effort to organize the donation and delivery of food to needy families in and around the church in the Grant School neighborhood, on a per capita basis, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the state.

Numbers on how much food was delivered don’t tell all of the story.  The good news rests on the goodwill of church members, as well as on the gratitude from those who receive food — which shows how it is possible for people to work together for the common good.

The fact is that, earlier this month, more than 150 families receive needed food.  And another food drive is scheduled week.  It also would be possible to donate the food to the church at the same time as church members donate blood in a special drive organized by the Red Cross.

CHECKING UP ON THOSE IN TOUGH SPOTS:  I have seen various stories where our neighbors check up on friends to make sure those alone are doing okay.  Without mentioning specifics, there is one specific case in our neighborhood where folks have banded to get beyond their own, personal situations, to look out for others.

Comment:  Just saying that, without avoiding the reality of the virus situation, if you look hard for good news amidst the bad, you’ll find it.