I don’t know about you, but I’ve woken up once or twice during the night in recent weeks following a weird or scary dream. Subconsciously, we’re all probably anxious despite our best efforts to devise a daily routine.

I’m a news junkie but I’ve found the most important part of trying to maintain some semblance of normality has been to filter news and confine my exposure to it. Of course, that is difficult when researching stories for the radio show. I’m working from home and only step into the RTÉ studio on Saturday morning.

He casts a poor reflection on the American people

I switch on the lights in the radio centre every Saturday morning at 5.45am as I’m first in. So I’m used to the quietness of a large empty building. Even so, it’s eerie.

Events like this bring out the best and worst in politicians and even more so among their online supporters. But in all of this, how anybody of a sound mind can defend Donald Trump is beyond me. In these extraordinary times I find his press conferences chaotic and the lack of cohesion among the partisan press corps in holding him to account is just as infuriating.

He casts a poor reflection on the American people. Trump’s politics and motives are an anathema to what Francis Scott Key was thinking when he wrote the words “land of the free” in penning The Star-Spangled Banner. It’s Trump’s way or no way.

You can’t make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it’s no longer a mistake, it’s a decision

Yes, this isn’t new as we’ve been exposed to this circus for the past three or four years. But whatever about his blooper-prone time in the Oval Office; this pandemic has shown how utterly dysfunctional and dangerous his administration is. At least America has a chance to redeem itself by getting rid of him in the fall.

Somebody once said: “You can’t make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it’s no longer a mistake, it’s a decision.” The serious mistake of putting this man in, arguably, the most powerful job will hopefully be recognised by American voters before they go to the polls, for all of our sakes.

America is not an insignificant influence on the rest of us, so it matters. His loyal supporters in the red states are not for turning, but it never ceases to amaze me how there are people living outside of the US who have admiration for him. Yet they do, mostly because of his conservatism relating to profound Christian values. Sorry, there isn’t a Christian bone in his body.

That fan base is convinced it’s only the nasty left-wing media conspiring against him

No ifs, no buts, he’s an abomination. And if you’re one of the few in this country that idolise him, just watch his press conferences which he himself claims are “ratings hits” despite the sensitive subject matter, and convince me that he is not toying with all of our futures. That fan base is convinced it’s only the nasty left-wing media conspiring against him. They probably think Fox News is fair and balanced, too.

There’s hope this coronavirus nightmare will end relatively soon. And we can slowly start over again with many lessons learnt about ourselves and our relationship with nature. COVID-19 will leave many negative legacies but it could have a positive impact if it manages to persuade America to finally dump Trump. Now that’s a dream I hope can come through.

I wrote last week about how those of us who like running are getting ridiculed in the lockdown. Not having a go, but just wondering how many whom I see out for their leisurely long cycle are managing to keep within 2km of home.