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Has the pandemic affected your political views in any way? If so, how?

It's been very interesting to compare "my" three political leaders. I am an American living in Scotland, so I have been watching the US president, the UK prime minister, and Scotland's First Minister, as the three of them navigate - or not - the challenges of lockdown, health, the economy, travel, school. The US and the UK have both been among the nations hit hardest by the pandemic. Scotland, too, has been hit hard. What I've really noticed is that even though the infection and death rates are comparably bad, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, has managed to inspire confidence and trust. It seems to come down to her public approach: she briefs the nation every day, she expresses compassion for the suffering, she admits to her shortcomings, and she encourages solidarity. It is a stark contrast to the confused and sometimes patently untrue propaganda presented by Donald Trump and Boris Johnson. Sturgeon's success at mitigating the effects of the pandemic hasn't really been any better than her counterparts. But her political finesse has ensured that she has impressed not only her own people, but those of nations around the world. It seems to me to be a lesson in how to present yourself as a politician.