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Demented Donnie claims “bioterrorism” by algae bloom! Investigation on-going

Trump’s algae 'embarrassment' ripped apart as Iran comparison takes on new meaning

AlterNet reports:

By Sarah K. Burris

CNN kicked off its morning show discussions talking about the epic failure that President Donald Trump's Reflecting Pool project has become.

There are ongoing questions about whether the algae can be fully removed, and now it appears the $14 million paint job is peeling off in chunks. The U.S. Department of the Interior continues to insist that the water is perfectly clear and everything is fine. Those visiting have filmed something entirely different.

Two companies were responsible for the project that cost nearly $16 million: Greenwater Services, an Ohio company, and Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which was responsible for the paint that is now peeling off in chunks.

"First of all, the fact that it was called Greenwater should have been a giveaway. I'm just saying you can't make that up. Sorry," quipped New York Times reporter Lulu Garcia Navarro.

The Dispatch's politics editor, Michael Warren, called the ordeal "thoroughly predictable."


The issue has been a long-standing problem for the reflecting pool.

"These algae blooms happen because there just isn't enough water flow out of it. And I do think that, you know, two weeks ago, a week ago on social media, you had all these kind of supporters of the president, Republicans, saying finally the president is cleaning this up," he added.

The U.S. Department of the Interior compared it to Trump's success in Iran. At the same time that CNN was reporting the reflecting pool failure, it was also revealed that the signing of the Iran deal was on hold again.

"It was just it was obvious that this was going this was very likely to happen," said Warren.

Former federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams noted, "Perhaps there ... could have been a benefit to it. Once again, it is Trump, and the folks around him making the case aggressively before it — almost as a moral matter. And that when it goes badly now, sort of it's —"

Host Audie Cornish cut him off, agreeing that it has become a metaphor for the Trump administration as a whole for the "clean-up of Washington." Further, it is indicative of the promises that Trump made during the 2024 campaign and his continued failure to deliver on issues like lower gas prices, lower inflation, affordable living and groceries, cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget and a slew of other things.

ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl compared the pool peeling to the back of Trump's hand.

"Well, now it has cost a lot of money," Cornish said. She played a clip of Trump promising that the project would cost $1.9 million. Trump also promised that his ballroom would only cost $200 million and he would raise the funds for all of it. That has now ballooned to $600 million and Trump was only able to raise half of it.

"You see, that's the point I'm making," Williams agreed. "He went so far out there making the case as to how quickly it was going to happen, how cheaply it would be done and how perfect it would be," Williams continued. "That's what could have been an honest problem of maybe a piece chipped off. People have been in a swimming pool [they] know that that happens from time to time. What could have been a simple problem now becomes an embarrassment."

Cornish said that the Department of the Interior was the one that made the unfortunate mistake of comparing the pool to the Iran war and now it's clear that both have become failures.

"And so now they're able to say, oh, really? A thing no one asked for has gone wrong, costing us way more than we expected. And you're trying to do a cleanup? Sounds familiar. And it was like the messaging," said Cornish.

"The internet is undefeated," Garcia Navarro quipped. " I mean, there is so many jokes about this. There's like the Rothko joke because of the peroxide."

My comments:

Never one to accept responsibility for his myriad of mistakes and delusional miscalculations, tRUMP immediately said that vandals were responsible and announced an investigation.

Let’s see if tRUMP has his DO(in)J try to indict Mother Nature for this grievous assault on a national monument!
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Nanoose · 70-79, M Best Comment
I think Trump is doing every thing in his power to divert attention away from what the real problem with the Reflecting pool is. The problem isn't bioterrorism. The problem is a crooked president that gave the job to a company that was in bed with him so they could both profit. And I bet the same company will get the contract to repair the pool and Trump and that company will both make more money at the expense of the tax payers.
@Nanoose Beyond a doubt!

trollslayer · 51-55, M
I need to read up more on the pool. Does it have filtration? Is it treated with chemicals? Are their fish in it, or other means of controlling insects?

I grew up taking care of our backyard pool. I have applied coatings and know that proper prep work is crucial, and the slightest mistake means failure. And even if done right, there’s still a decent chance of failure within a few years. I also know such coatings mess with natural water chemistry, and algae happens quickly. It could be simply a matter of the coating causing a change in pH causing an algae explosion.

The point is, this was likely doomed to begin with and the contractors probably rushed a step of prep or curing time. To blame sabotage is simply absurd.
@trollslayer The uber expensive, no bid contract not withstanding, we—the TAXPAYERS—are in for another big hit from Demented Donnie’s latest boondoggle!

And then there’s the re-painting…
@Pretzel I have never heard of treating pool water with H2O2–hydrogen peroxide, when mixed with water, doesn’t last long.
trollslayer · 51-55, M
@KunsanVeteran it doesn’t take much. We put an epoxy coating in ours, and after it was hard to keep the pH right. The old plaster had been an excellent buffer against water chemistry changes. All it took was a storm and the next day algae would explode, and I would have to chlorinate the crap out of it to get it back under control. The best choice here is probably to accept nature and let it be green.
Pretzel · 70-79, M
I'm sure Barak and Joe both peed in the pool just to make sure it was toxic (nope, not serious about it)
@Pretzel I don’t know about that, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if RFK, Jr took his grandkids and as many other children as he could RoundUp for a midnight dip in it.
SunshineGirl · 36-40, F
For a man who throws around lawsuits like confetti, it is bizarre route to go down. Making up a bioterrorism story rather than just trying to enforce the contracts with the suppliers.
@SunshineGirl It’s just crumbs for his cult…
Convivial · 26-30, F
@SunshineGirl he may throw them around, but winning....?
trollslayer · 51-55, M
@SunshineGirl you don’t understand narcissism.

Not admitting he hired bad contractors is more important than solving the issue.
MoveAlong · 70-79, M
I wonder if the Liberal bioterrorists activated a sleeper cell to attack the pool or if this was a lone wolf job.

Looks like the DOJ will spend another 14M chasing their tails.
@MoveAlong ROTFLMAO! Exactly!

Mother Nature makes a fool out of the Orange Blowhard and he instantly starts the pathological lies, baseless attacks, and searching for scapegoats instead of admitting his incompetence!

 
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