WaPo and other main stream media outlets reported Trump tested positive for CoVID.

Trump doesn’t have CoVID.

Main stream media ogoes once again to the well to fetch Trump yet another bucket full of benefit of the doubt.  Why would they believe Trump when he says he tested positive? Because he would not tell such a risky lie?  Because he does not lie?  Ask yourself what does he have to gain from the lie versus what he has to lose if it’s discovered this is an orchestrated lie.

Cons:  Trump is exposed as a liar to people who already know  he is a serial liar. His base won’t be bothered by the lie.  They will just point to it as more evidence of how smart their guy is.  

Pro’s:  Testing positive for CoVID gives Trump a reason to skip more debates. It gets the spotlight off of his taxes and his proud boys comment.  It provides an excuse for his horrid debate performance (he was sick). It  will gain him some early voting sympathy votes.  It lets him or a proxy float delaying the election.  If he claims a false positive later, he can both cast doubt on the CoVID numbers and say it ain’t that serious since he recovered.   A “miraculous” recovery plays well with his evangelical base and bolsters his uberman image with his neo-nazi base.  His Q’anon and Russian co-conspirators will allege that the Dems infected him deliberately which will rile his base and furthercast into doubt the election results if he loses.

Cons:  Trump is exposed as a liar to people who already knows he is a serial liar. His base won’t be bothered by the lie.  They will point to it as more evidence of how smart their guy is.  

If you know there’s nothing Trump won’t do and no lie he won’t tell you only have to figure out how a planned statement or act benefits him.  Unfortunately journalist have still not figured out how to cover Trump because they continue to underestimate his venality.