COVID the hour, COVID the Man?

Do nations end up with the leaders they deserve? Possibly. But if the COVID19 pandemic has done anything, it’s thrown world leaders into sharp relief, revealing exactly what kind of leadership qualities they actually possess. Coronavirus offers a politician no cover whatsoever to hide behind. They either deal with it or they don’t. F***wits get found out!

Maskless Mike? This week the Vice-President of the United States, Mike Pence visited a Coronavirus Testing Facility in Minnesota. He chose to ignore their regulations and not wear a protective mask. Later he said. ‘Since I don't have the coronavirus, I thought it'd be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers, these incredible health care personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you.’ Last time I looked you don’t wear a COVID19 protective mask over your eyes, Mr Vice-President.

America First. Minnesota Last? Pence was the only one inside the facility not to wear a face mask. Images of him meeting doctors and patients flashed across Social Media worldwide. Amazingly Pence spearheads President Trump’s ‘Coronavirus Taskforce’. A furious fellow Senator said,’ When you don't wear a mask, especially inside this Clinic, you are not being brave. You are showing that you think the rules don't apply to you. And you are setting a dangerous example by ignoring experts’. Madness.

Working for the Orange Man! Maybe being Donald’s right-hand man has sent poor old Mike over the edge and he now has a death wish? President Trump’s inept meanderings on the White House podium, has caused confusion rather than clarity across America and the world. What’s needed now are unifying leaders, no matter where they come from. Not a 7-year old in a 72-year old body. Meanwhile, the death toll of his fellow Americans was over 2,000 for the third straight day. Sad.

No vaccine for STUPID20! For a man who nearly succumbed to COVID19, you’d have thought PM Boris would treat it with more respect. He’s now confident that the virus has passed its peak in the UK, just as Britain records the second highest infection rate, across Europe. He’s already talking about setting out a lockdown exit strategy, despite the rising death toll across his green and pleasant land. Get a f***ing haircut and a brain examination at the same time, Boris old boy.

Galling Gauls! Annoyingly, 21 miles across the English Channel, sexy head of state Emmanuel Macron is doing a great impression of Napoleon Bonaparte. Oozing authority and calm he looks a proper Gallic statesman in the gilded opulence of the Élysée Palace. While sending in the gendarmes to enforce a ban on leaving home, without a valid reason. Bien joué, beau diable!

Mutter der Nation Angela! My personal fav is the German ‘Mother-of-the-Nation’, Chancellor Angela Merkel. Across the Rhine, she exudes common decency, while showing a willingness to do whatever it takes to save the common, ‘Mann auf der Straße’, by removing him from the street, in order to stop Coronavirus in its tracks. She is currently quarantined after coming into content with an infected doctor. But by doing the right thing, she will go down in history as an outstanding leader. Bravo Bundeskanzlerin Merkel!

Statista Italiano? Il Duce once said, ‘Governing Italians is not difficult but pointless.’ Out of nowhere, Giuseppe Conte is proving Mussolini wrong. The crisis has made a political star out of this unassuming law professor, with no particular party into the leader of the centre-left of Italy. He courageously imposed strict confinement, while taking flak from his political opponents. He looked the nation in the eye and promised that the state would take care of them and that the sacrifices that they made now, would only be temporary. ‘We will make it through this together.’ Che ragazzo!

Prime Minister-Eating Dutch! Giving the people of the Netherlands what they want, is always a wise move. After all, they killed and ate their Prime Minister, Johan de Witt in 1672. So, the incentive for Mark Rutte, to perform well in this pandemic crisis, shouldn’t be understated. Refusing to order strict confinement for his joint-toking compatriots, he assured stockpiling Hollanders that there was enough loo paper ‘to poop for 10 years.’ Let’s hope so mate and you don't end up on the menu!