President Trump has taken over the daily coronavirus briefing and turned it into crazytown. His riffs about everything from untested (and potentially very dangerous) miracle cures to television ratings to his favorite corporations are becoming more unhinged each day.

Probably by the time you read this, movie reviews and food recommendations will have been added to Trump’s briefing repertoire. This is not how you show leadership during a deadly pandemic that is sending the world economy into a Depression-era tailspin.

Ranting that your “authority is total” over the nation’s governors one day and lamely attempting to save face by saying you will approve their plans does not exactly inspire confidence. And when in doubt, beat up on the press. Cue the very nervous laughter.