BOO! This Election, October May Be One Long 'Surprise'

It’s only been a few days, but October has already given us a month's worth of surprises.

As it relates to politics, the term ‘October surprise’ was coined in the 1980s by William Casey, campaign manager for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign (Casey would later become director of the CIA). In years past, the term signified a single event the flips the momentum, particularly during the month before a presidential election. 

But if we’ve learned anything from the Trump era (and 2020), it is that the old rules no longer apply. The month’s barely started, and it already feels as though we’ve had a month’s worth of surprises in October’s first few days. 

The White House is a COVID-19 hotspot

Late Friday, we learned the President of the United States has COVID-19, as does the First Lady, the President’s counselor Hope Hicks, his advisor Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager Bill Stepien, Reverend John I. Jenkins, the President of the University of Notre Dame, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, and at least three journalists.

Separately, the City of Cleveland announced eleven positive cases of COVID-19 traced to preparations for the presidential debate. To put the White House outbreak in perspective, the entire city of DC only 14 new cases of COVID last Monday; the Trump White House is now responsible for 23 new cases and counting.

After a Saturday news conference at Walter Reed Hospital raised new questions, we learned the President might have tested positive for the coronavirus than previously disclosed. We also discovered the President received supplemental oxygen at the White House on Friday. This, at least in part, prompted Trump’s transfer to Walter Reed Hospital.

Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. sit in the audience during the first presidential debate on Tuesday in Cleveland. –Melina Mara / The Washington Post