• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, October 6, 2020

Now that President Trump is on the DL so to speak -- disabled list, in Major League Baseball parlance -- how does he make up for the lost marketing exposure due to having COVID-19?

Those live events -- featuring 1,000 or so people at airport locations -- will be stopped. Count on a stoppage of at least three weeks or so.

Virtual live event rallies look to be a possible replacement. But nothing replaces live feedback. Trump and supporters gets jazzed from what words and phrases he can deliver.

Vice President Pence as a replacement? Guessing that rally excitement won’t deliver to a base expecting the usual frank, crazy, proffered as "honest" talk coming from Trump.

So one would think more messaging is needed -- paid advertising, earned media, or otherwise. Live press conferences? Also a no-no.

Separately, one wonders if there will be a change in message for Trump's ads. More about the “strength” of Trump, and how Trump is taking one for the team? Go for another drive with the Secret Service. Windows up.

TV debates? Don’t count on it -- at least when it comes to a second scheduled Trump-Biden debate. As a aside, Trump says he doesn’t want to change anything about the debate rules -- which included many interruptions by Trump that derailed the effort.

Trump, of course, has another issue: Fewer campaign donation monies. Somewhat ironically, his last public appearance was a private event at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J. to raise funds. Now we learn everyone who attended will need at least one -- if not more -- COVID-19 tests.

Who’s writing checks now?