There’s a very large gap between using a single mask per patient and using a single mask for weeks or months.

If we're going to argue that then take it to its next logical step and just argue that we shouldn't stockpile them at all. I get that the current guy screwed the pooch by not doing what should have been done, but we should also acknowledge that people prior to him also made mistakes and learn from them so we don't repeat it.

But the current guy is THE CURRENT GUY. 2009 Barack Obama isn't the president in September 2020.

Two things can be true at once. It can be true that we should have stockpiles. It can also be true that such stockpiles are only ever going to be sufficient for relatively contained outbreaks like H1N1.

I agree, and that was my point. You seemed to brush off that a previous leader made a mistake because it was less significant than a current leader. I'm saying it's important to recognize that both messed up and in the future we should avoid both mistakes.

Don't the stockpiles help contain outbreaks?

Only in the sense that it could help prevent healthcare workers themselves from becoming carriers. If the disease is "in the wild" and has already gotten past the capacity of contact tracing and containment procedures, it's a moot point.