The Meeting

Donald Trump has appointed Michael Pence, his Vice President, to head the government's coronavirus response. Considering Pence has no public health experience and did a horrible job overseeing an AIDS epidemic in his own state whilst governor and apparently has little belief or faith in science, it was a baffling choice.

Per Trump's directive, Pence has formed a task force and populated it almost entirely with people like himself who have no public health or crisis management experience. Only a few members are medical doctors or medical professionals of any kind.

A White House photo was released showing an early meeting of the task force that has stunned many people (details here). The group is almost entirely made up of older white men. And they all apparently are evangelicals because they're holding a group prayer at the coronavirus meeting.

This is the best they can do? A blatant violation of the First Amendment separation between church and state? A near complete lack of gender and racial diversity? A medical crisis committee made up almost entirely of people who aren't medical professionals nor have any crisis management experience?

Of course, no information was released about what they're actually doing. Apparently we are meant to be reassured and impressed by the fact they're all godly men.