Summary
- Donald Trump has moved to hold the June G-7 summit over teleconference. The meeting of world leaders was scheduled to be held in person at Camp David, and prioritize discussion of the economy.
- The Senate Intelligence chair, Republican Richard Burr, sold off stocks in February and warned a select group of people of the deepening coronavirus crisis even as he publicly implied it would pass quickly, according to reports.
- Kirsten Gillibrand, who ran against Joe Biden in the 2020 primary, is the latest Democrat to endorse the former Vice President. Despite clashes on the debate stage, Gillibrand said she believed Biden would prioritize women, families and workers.
- Republicans presented their ‘Phase 3’ plan in response to the coronavirus crisis. The plan would provide up to $1,200 in rebates for many Americans, but provides less for the poorest families and leaves out the provisions to protect workers that Democrats have endorsed.
- The Democratic proposal provides relief for workers, expands paid sick leave and a “Marshall Plan” to provide a stimulus for hospitals and the healthcare system. Democratic leaders have said that any plan they endorse will have to prioritize workers over corporate interests.
- The State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory for all international travel, urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad.
- Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most reported coronavirus deaths. Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths.
- Trump sowed confusion by saying a drug to treat Covid-19 would be fast0-tracked. His remarks were disputed by the FDA commissioner minutes later.
- Connecticut announced it was delaying its presidential primary until June/Several other states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have already announced plans to postpone their primaries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus.
- Tulsi Gabbard dropped out of the race. Bernie Sanders reassessed his campaign.
Updated
Richard Burr, the Senate Intelligence chair who sold off stocks in February despite public assurances that the coronavirus crisis was overblown, has responded to a report that he warned a small group of well-connected constituents to prepare for economic fallout.
NPR reported that Burr, at a luncheon held at a social club in DC, said: “There’s one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history... It is probably more akin to the 1918 pandemic.” NPR obtained a secret recording of the remarks.
Meanwhile, he told Covid-19 was “ going to disappear” quickly.
In a series of tweets, Burr accused NPR of writing “a tabloid-style hit piece”.
In a tabloid-style hit piece today, NPR knowingly and irresponsibly misrepresented a speech I gave last month about the coronavirus threat.
— Richard Burr (@SenatorBurr) March 19, 2020
Let me set the record straight. 1/
He has not addressed reporting from ProPublica that he sold off stocks.
A reporter for Politico pointed out one issue with Burr’s defense.
To defend the Trump administration from accusations that it covered up the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, Burr cites a quote from a CDC official...who was subsequently muzzled because her quote contradicted the president's reassurances (https://t.co/o1ZvMCQO8U). https://t.co/lzprkUiusA
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) March 19, 2020
Updated
Countries usually send large delegations along with leaders to G7 summits. By holding the June meeting over teleconference, the administration has signaled that it acknowledges — as public health professionals have already done — that the crisis could continue for months.
The G07 consists of the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Britain as well as the European Union.
Trump had intended to focus the upcoming meeting on the economy. Initially, he’d planned to host it at one of his properties in Florida, but changed course after facing criticism for seeking to profit financially.
Donald Trump made the G-7 meeting a teleconference
The president has canceled plans to hold the meeting of world leaders in person, at Camp David, in June.
“In order for each country to focus all of its resources on responding to the health and economic challenges of COVID-19 and at President Trump’s direction, National Economic Council Director and U.S. Sherpa for the 2020 G7 Larry Kudlow has informed his Sherpa colleagues that the G7 Leaders’ Summit the U.S. was set to host in June at Camp David will now be done by video-teleconference,” said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere in a statement.
Reuters first reported the news.
Updated
How to cope with anxiety and isolation during the coronavirus crisis
Kirsten Gillibrand endorses Joe Biden
Gillibrand, a senator of New York and a former presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, has endorsed Biden.
“Not only does Joe have the experience to lead our country, but he has the empathy and character to go with it,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him to take back the White House, and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”
Gillibrand is the latest primary dropout to get behind Biden. The two have previously clashed on the debate stage. In July, she confronted the former vice president about a nearly 30-year-old op-ed in which Biden criticized a plan to expand a childcare tax credit. Biden distanced himself from his position in that piece, titled “Congress is Subsidizing Deterioration of Family.”
Biden “will be a champion for women and families, workers, and young people,” Gillibrand said in her endorsement.
Updated
The Guardian’s Mario Koran in Oakland reports:
An estimated 25.5 million people — roughly 56% of California’s population — will be infected with the coronavirus, California governor Gavin Newsom wrote in a letter to Donald Trump.
Newsom called on Trump to deploy a Navy hospital ship, the USNS Mercy, and station it in the port of Los Angeles to help the giant metro area deal with a fast-moving health crisis.
“In the last 24 hours, we had 126 new Covid-19 cases, a 21% increase. In some parts of our state, the case rate is doubling every four days” Newsom wrote. Evidence of community-transmission has been found in at least 23 counties, he said.
The USNS Mercy would provide much-needed hospital beds, a resource Newsom warned this week will become increasingly scarce, as the state looks to add 19,500 new beds to meet projected demand. Experts worry that demand from patients who need treatment for coronavirus, could overwhelm available resources and make it more difficult to treat patients who need care for trauma, heart attacks or car accidents.
Confirmed coronavirus cases in California are now nearing 900, including 412 in the Bay-area and 358 in Socal, according to most recent tally from the S.F. Chronicle.
Democratic leaders Pelosi and Schumer say stimulus should 'prioritize and protect workers'
Congressional Democrats are united in our commitment to using all tools available to fight the coronavirus outbreak like the health crisis it is & make sure workers are protected from the loss of a paycheck or that no family falls into financial ruin because of this pandemic.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 19, 2020
In a joint statement, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said they look “forward to working in a bipartisan way to deliver for the American people as soon as humanly possible”.
But they also implicitly highlighted the differences between the Republican and Democratic recovery plans, underlining that “Democrats support a plan that puts ‘Workers First’.”
“To earn Democratic support in the Congress, any economic stimulus proposal must include new, strong and strict provisions that prioritize and protect workers, such as banning the recipient companies from buying back stock, rewarding executives and laying off, workers,” the statement reads.
A group that wouldn’t benefit from the stimulus package is undocumented immigrants. In order to receive a rebate, people have to have a social security or tax identification number.
The package also explicitly excludes “any nonresident alien individual”.
In a surprising moment of bipartisanship, Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said he agrees with “so much” of Schumer’s proposal, including that “we need to put workers first”.
“I simply rise today to say this is a time for us to come together as patriots, as Americans and take on the task that has come before us,” he added.
The GOP plan also only calls for a one-time check. A counterpoint from the Democrats offered recurring checks for the duration of the crisis.
The Democrats have proposed another plan, which Chuck Schumer presented on the Senate floor. The proposal includes a “Marshall Plan” — which borrows its name from the stimulus plan the US developed in the aftermath of World War II — for the hospitals and the health care system. It includes broader paid sick leave mandates, help for small businesses, bailouts for workers and full pay for those out of work.
“No bailout that goes to the people at the top. The money should go to the workers,” Schumer said.
There are a few notable gaps in the Republican proposal.
The package bases relief rebates on peoples’ 2018 tax returns. If you made more than $99,000 in 2018, but much less in 2019, you wouldn’t get the benefit.
Another key point: low-income families, who would have paid less than $1200 in taxes, would receive less money.
A few more details from the Republican stimulus package:
The financial relief will come to eligible individuals as tax rebates.
- The rebates will be $1200 per individual, plus $500 per child.
- Those with a tax liability under $1,200 for tax year 2018 will get smaller checks, but at a minimum $600
- Those diagnosed with Covid-19 or those who suffer “adverse financial consequences” due to it, can tap into their 401(k)s and IRAs without a penalty
- Taxpayers get up $300 in charitable deductions for 2020
- The benefit it phases out for people who made more than $75,000 in 2018, and doesn’t apply to people who made more than $99,000.
Updated
Republican 'Phase 3' plan proposes up to $1,200 for individuals
Mitch McConnell’s proposal for a stimulus package would issue direct payments of as much as $1,200 to individual Americans, in an effort to provide economic relief. The plan, which is similar to the White House’s stimulus plan, would be one of the largest in modern history.
The four part plan includes:
1. Checks of as much as $1200 for individuals, or $2400 for couples.
2. Assistance for small businesses
3. Steps to stabilize the economy
4. Additional relief for patients and health workers
Read the plan here.
Updated
Senate Intelligence chair sold off stocks despite public reassurances about coronavirus
Richard Burr sold off between $582,029 and $1.56 million of his holdings even after reassuring the public that the government had a handle on the coronavirus outbreak, according to a ProPublica investigation.
As the head of the intelligence committee, Burr, a North Carolina Republican, has access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security. His committee was receiving daily coronavirus briefings around this time, according to a Reuters story.
A week after Burr’s sales, the stock market began a sharp decline and has lost about 30% since.
On Thursday, Burr came under fire after NPR obtained a secret recording from Feb. 27, in which the lawmaker gave a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the coronavirus than what he had told the public.
“Senator Burr filed a financial disclosure form for personal transactions made several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets showed signs of volatility due to the growing coronavirus outbreak,” his spokesperson said. “As the situation continues to evolve daily, he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy.”
Burr is not a particularly wealthy member of the Senate: Roll Call estimated his net worth at $1.7 million in 2018, indicating that the February sales significantly shaped his financial fortunes and spared him from some of the pain that many Americans are now facing.
Updated
Hi there, it’s Maanvi Singh in California.
Earlier today, Donald Trump promised a fast-tracked drug to treat Covid-19, before FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn walked back the president’s statements.
What are the prospects of a treatment? Read up on the most promising drugs, and evidence that they could work:
Today so far
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague Maanvi Singh will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands:
- The State Department has issued a Level 4 advisory for all international travel, urging all Americans to avoid leaving the country or return as quickly as possible if they are abroad. The apparently unprecedented move comes a week after the State Department issued a Level 3 advisory, which encouraged Americans to reconsider their travel plans, to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
- Italy has overtaken China as the country with the most reported coronavirus deaths. Italy has now registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has 3,245 deaths.
- Trump said he has talked to a cruise company about potentially using its ships in the coronavirus response. The president did not provide many details about how the ships could be used, but his comment comes a day after he announced two Navy hospital ships would be used to free up hospital beds for coronavirus patients.
-
Trump lashed out against the “very dishonest” press at the daily coronavirus briefing. The president criticized reporters for their coverage of his administration’s response to the virus, specifically denouncing outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post, even as millions of Americans have turned to such outlets for information about the pandemic.
- Connecticut announced it was delaying its presidential primary until June 2. Several other states, including Kentucky and Georgia, have already announced plans to postpone their primaries in order to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Republican senator Mitt Romney shared a video from the Capitol as the Senate prepares to release its stimulus package to buoy the economy amid the coronavirus crisis.
My colleagues and I are working on the next relief package—one that helps American families, workers, and small businesses deal with the financial implications of #COVID19 and shores up our economy. More to come. Stay safe out there—note that we are practicing social distancing! pic.twitter.com/lGLHZZs5oU
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 19, 2020
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said Republican leadership would release its proposal, which is expected to cost upwards of $1 trillion, later today.
The idea of remote voting is also gaining traction in the Senate, but it faces opposition from some key leaders.
Senators Dick Durbin and Rob Portman introduced a resolution today to allow for remote voting during national emergencies.
However, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Senate rules committee chairman Roy Blunt appear opposed to the proposal.
“Not gonna happen,” Blunt said. “The speaker doesn’t want to do it, the leader doesn’t want it to do it. It’s not going to happen.”
House Democrats are looking into remote voting, as the coronavirus pandemic has sparked concerns about continuing to convene at the Capitol.
On a conference call with fellow House Democrats today, Jim McGovern, the chairman of the rules committee, reportedly said he is conducting a study to determine if remote voting is feasible.
House majority leader Steny Hoyer similarly said in a letter to colleagues that Democratic leaders would adjust the House schedule because of coronavirus and were considering “all options” as they move forward.
Calls for remote voting intensified after two House members announced yesterday they had tested positive for coronavirus, forcing several others to self-quarantine.
Connecticut moves primary to June 2
Connecticut has become the latest state to announce it is moving its presidential primary, which was originally scheduled to take place on April 28.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said the primary would instead take place on June 2.
In coordination with other states and our Secretary of the State, and in an effort to carry out Democracy while keeping public health a top priority, I have decided to move our presidential primary to June 2nd. I will provide more information later today. #COVID19 #2020Primaries
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) March 19, 2020
Several other states -- including Kentucky, Georgia and Maryland -- have already announced they are also pushing back their primaries amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The crisis has led to some demands for the states to expand early voting in order to mitigate the spread of the disease while still holding elections.
The State Department’s Level 4 advisory on all international travel comes a week after the government issued a Level 3 advisory, which urged Americans to reconsider their travel plans.
A number of Americans are already trying to get back home from countries like Guatemala, which has implemented harsh restrictions on flights going into and out of the country.
The latest advisory will likely cause more anxiety for Americans currently traveling abroad.
“If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe,” the latest advisory reads.
State department issues level 4 advisory for all international travel
The state department has issued a level 4 advisory for all international travel, warning all Americans to avoid leaving the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“In countries where commercial departure options remain available, US citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period,” the advisory reads. “US citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.”
The warning is an extraordinary step for the federal government to take, considering level 4 advisories are usually reserved for countries currently at war.
Updated
The Guardian’s Nina Lakhani reports:
As Covid-19 spreads rapidly across the US, there’s growing concern about whether the US health service is fit for purpose. The US has less than 950,000 hospital beds which is the equivalent of 2.8 per 1,000 people - a lower rate than China, South Korea and Italy.
Almost 20% of the US population - or 49million people - are aged over 65. But as this varies hugely by county, it’s important to know where they are, and where the beds are.
New research by Headwaters Economics and High Country News has found that 1.8 million people 65 years and older - or 4% of all US seniors - live in a county without a hospital. In addition, 86% of counties with no hospital beds have a higher than national average senior population; most of those counties are rural.
This snapshot, which uses data from the Department of Homeland Security and Commerce Department, is important as 10 to 20% of those who get infected with Covid-19 could require hospitalization, according to what we’ve seen in Asia and Europe. The vast majority of these are elderly people and/or those with preexisting medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes or respiratory problems.
The research identifies stark deficiencies in some regions: over 570,000 people in 11 Western states live in counties without hospitals. The majority are in Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico and Oregon. Whereas in California’s Riverside County, home to the popular retirement community of Palm Springs, there are 10 beds for every 1000 seniors - well above the national average.
But, surprisingly perhaps, while many rural communities have no nearby hospital, rural areas in the West actually have more hospital beds on average per person than urban areas.
Read more here.
Senator Lindsey Graham is trying to convince Trump to oppose direct payments in response to the coronavirus crisis, according to a Politico reporter.
However, the Trump administration has expressed openness to the idea, which would be included in the third coronavirus response bill.
Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said this morning that he expected American families to start receiving payments within three weeks of the stimulus bill being passed by Congress.
Mnuchin said the administration was looking at providing $1,000 to American adults and $500 to children, so a family of four would receive $3,000.
A researcher who spurred the United States and United Kingdom to action with dire coronavirus modeling has been diagnosed with Covid-19 himself.
Professor Neil Ferguson heads modeling at Imperial College London’s MRC centre for global infectious disease analysis. He tweeted Thursday that after developing a dry cough, he had indeed tested positive for the disease.
Again, many many thanks for everyone’s very kind support. I was tested given my recent proximity to people leading the UK response. Positive. Which is a strange experience - to be infected by the virus one is modelling 🙄. Still feeling rough, but not awful.
— neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 19, 2020
Ferguson’s modeling predicted that, without aggressive social distancing and containment measures, as many as 2.2 million Americans could die from coronavirus. Ferguson tweeted he is working in spite of feeling ill.
House majority leader Steny Hoyer said the chamber would adjust its schedule due to the coronavirus crisis.
House Majority Leader: The U.S. House of Representatives will not return to session "until we are in a position to vote on the third piece of emergency legislation" pic.twitter.com/PEZt8s8iKB
— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) March 19, 2020
In a letter to fellow House Democrats, Hoyer wrote, “In light of the guidance issued by the CDC, we will be adjusting the House schedule. It is my intention that the House will not return to session until we are in a position to vote on the third piece of emergency legislation.”
The House has already passed two bills aimed at responding to the pandemic, and House speaker Nancy Pelosi has been in talks with the administration about a third, which would be a large stimulus package to buoy the economy through the crisis.
Hoyer’s letter comes as some lawmakers have raised the possibility of moving to remote voting, which is not currently allowed under House rules. With two House members testing positive for coronavirus and several others self-quarantining, remote voting is appearing more likely.
Hoyer wrote in his letter that “the House will adjust our voting procedures in order to follow the CDC’s recommendations.” He added, “No decisions have been made on exactly what these changes will be, but we will be discussing all options.”
The Guardian’s Julia Carrie Wong reports:
There he goes again.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has once again inserted himself into a global news story by tweeting that his companies “will make ventilators if there is a shortage”. The offer caught the eye of New York City mayor Bill DeBlasio, who responded:
@elonmusk New York City is buying!
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 19, 2020
Our country is facing a drastic shortage and we need ventilators ASAP — we will need thousands in this city over the next few weeks. We’re getting them as fast as we can but we could use your help!
We’re reaching out to you directly.
Musk’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has drawn substantial criticism in recent weeks. The celebrity executive has used his massive platform (32.4m followers on Twitter) to cast doubt upon the danger of the virus, even as public health officials were attempting to persuade people to take the threat seriously.
The coronavirus panic is dumb
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2020
And he has kept the Tesla factory in the San Francisco Bay area open despite a “shelter in place” order from local officials designed to shutter “non-essential” businesses. (Tesla has reportedly agreed to reduce staffing levels from 10,000 to 2,500 amid the health crisis; workers have expressed concern about their conditions to BuzzFeed News.)
This is not the first time that Musk’s social media habits and thirst for attention have seen him enter the spotlight amid a crisis.
In 2018, he responded to fans on Twitter asking for him to help in the Tham Luong cave rescue by having his SpaceX engineers build a miniature submarine. The device was not ultimately used in the successful rescue of the 12 boys and their coach, but Musk continued to court attention by calling one of the volunteers who assisted with the rescue effort a “pedo guy”. In late 2019, Musk was found not liable in a defamation suit brought by the cave explorer.
Updated
Further developments on travel?
This is still extremely circumspect, but the Reuters news agency is floating some outline intel. We’ll hope to make solid lines and color them in asap.
US expected to advise Americans not to travel abroad due to coronavirus...new travel warning would also advise Americans abroad to come home or shelter in place - US official.
We’ll be watching this closely today, the Guardian’s Joanna Walters writes.
About that virus...
Here’s an extraordinary shot of Donald Trump’s notes during the briefing. Honestly, a picture paints a thousand words.
Close up of President @realDonaldTrump notes is seen where he crossed out "Corona" and replaced it with "Chinese" Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force today at the White House. #trump #trumpnotes pic.twitter.com/kVw9yrPPeJ
— Jabin Botsford (@jabinbotsford) March 19, 2020
This is despite that fact that, apart from so many other effects, Asian Americans are getting abused in the streets over the coronavirus.
And, obviously, it’s just gratuitously biased.
Leyland Cecco reports for the Guardian from Toronto, Canada:
Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau warned that it could take “weeks or months” for the aggressive measures taken across the country, including the mass closure of businesses, to fully take effect in the fight against the coronavirus. But Trudeau also praised the “unique and difficult measures” taken by residents as the number of cases continues to grow.
Speaking outside of his house for the fourth day in a row as he remains in self isolation, Justin Trudeau acknowledged there was no clear timeline for when social distancing measures might be eased, saying his government was relying on expert advice. Across Canada, schools, restaurants and community centres have all closed to slow the spread of Covid-19.
While he reiterated calls for social distancing, he also called on residents to help out where possible, including donating blood. His request led to so many visitors to the Canadian Blood Service website that the site crashed temporarily.
Canada has dramatically ramped up its testing capabilities in recent day, said Trudeau announcing 50,0000 tests to date, including 25,000 in the last week.
There are currently 770 confirmed and presumptive cases in the country.
Trudeau also announced the anticipated closure of the US-Canada border to all non-essential travel would come Friday night.
A number of provinces have declared states of emergencies in recent days, but the prime minister continued to resist calls for the implementation of emergency measures, calling the legislation “extreme”, but also leaving open the option to use military procurement as a way of obtaining more ventilators— similar to discussions in the United States.
“We are considering using any measures necessary that could assist our health care system,” he said.
Italy overtakes China as country with most coronavirus deaths
Italy has officially overtaken China as the country with the most deaths resulting from coronavirus.
Italy has registered 3,405 deaths from the pandemic, while China has said 3,245 of its citizens have died since the virus first appeared.
For the latest coronavirus updates from around the globe, follow the Guardian’s live blog:
Bernie Sanders is asking supporters to share their experiences dealing with the twin public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a campaign email to supporters on Thursday, the Vermont senator outlined his proposals to combat the outbreak and alleviate the economic fallout on American families, which he first presented in en election night address that, notably, made no mention of the election or his campaign. The email then asks for supporters to share their stories with the campaign at plan@berniesanders.com.
“We need to know what you are experiencing right now,” he said. “It’s hard to write proper legislation if we are not familiar with the kinds of pain and problems that people across this country are facing.”
This comes as Sanders is in the process of assessing his campaign after a third consecutive week of losing to Joe Biden, who has built a nearly insurmountable lead in the primary.
Asked by a Congressional reporter on Wednesday about his timeline for decision on whether to exit the race, Sanders snapped: “I’m dealing with a fucking global crisis.”
As his presidential prospects have dimmed, Sanders has begun to use his sprawling campaign apparatus to push for policies that would help those affected by the pandemic and provide a kind of support network for people feeling vulnerable and alone in these unprecedented times.
On Tuesday, when three states held primaries, Sanders campaign did not ask voters to go to the polls, a decision meant to underscore the potential risk of contagion by gathering at polling stations, sometimes for hours.
On Wednesday, his campaign deactivated its 2020 Facebook ads and it didn’t ask voters to for donations in a recent fundraising email. At this stage, the very existence of his campaign appears to be to live its values: “Not me. Us”
Today so far
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Trump said cruise ships may be used to help with the coronavirus crisis. The president said he had spoken to the chairman of one cruise company about using the ships, an announcement that comes one day after Trump said two Navy hospital ships would be deployed to free up hospital beds.
- Trump said the FDA was trying to fast-track potential coronavirus treatments. But the FDA commissioner said it would take time to get any treatments approved, and some of Trump’s past promises on testing and medical supplies have not come to fruition, so his comments should be taken with a grain of salt.
- Tulsi Gabbard announced she was ending her presidential campaign and endorsing Joe Biden. The Hawaii congresswoman’s long-shot candidacy was viewed as doomed, considering she had only won two pledged delegates, and her withdrawal officially narrows the race to Biden and Bernie Sanders.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Trump lashes out against 'very dishonest' press
Trump took a question from One America News Network, a far-right outlet that he has repatedly praised for its flattering coverage of him, at the close of the coronavirus briefing.
The OAN employee asked Trump if he believed mainstream journalists had aligned themselves with the Chinese Communist Party by noting his use of the term “Chinese flu” to describe coronavirus, which has been widely criticized.
The question was clearly meant to set up Trump to criticize the press, and he happily took the bait. “The press is very dishonest,” Trump said. “They are siding with China.”
Trump’s tirade against news outlets like the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal raised alarms, considering millions of Americans are turning to those same sources for information amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said Americans shouldn’t get the coronavirus test unless they are showing symptoms, even though he received the test without showing symptoms.
“I got a test because you people were driving everyone crazy,” Trump told the reporters. “I’m a unique case unfortunately.”
The president has repeatedly criticized the press during today’s coronavirus briefing, blaming reporters for how the administration’s response has been covered.
Trump’s complaints come as his administration continues to face questions over why testing capacities and medical supplies are not meeting demand as the virus spreads.
Trump says cruise ships may help coronavirus response
Moments ago, Trump said he has spoken with the chairman of a cruise company about the ships potentially helping with the coronavirus response.
“One of the things that happened this morning, I spoke with Micky Arison at Carnival Cruise Lines, and he’s going to make ships available so in addition to the big medical ships,” Trump told reporters.
That announcement comes a day after Trump announced two naval ships, the Comfort and the Mercy, would deploy to help the coronavirus response by taking some of hospitals’ non-coronavirus patients.
Trump seemed skeptical of a report that China has no new local cases of coronavirus for the first time since the outbreak started.
“Who knows, but I hope it is true,” the president said.
Another reporter asked Trump if he was considering any possible repercussions for China because of its handling of the virus, but he chose not to comment on that.
Trump was asked why his administration was not better prepared to fight coronavirus, considering it was first reported in China months earlier.
“We were very prepared,” Trump said. “The only thing we weren’t prepared for was the media. The media has not treated it fairly.”
The president pointed to his decision to limit travel from China as an example of the administration’s preparedness.
“I was the first one to do the ban,” Trump said. “Now other countries are doing what I did, but the media doesn’t want to write about that.”
Trump’s comments come as his administration is sruggling to follow through on promises about expanding testing capacities to monitor the spread of coronavirus.
Trump said moments ago he had “invoked” the Defense Production Act, but the president just told reporters he is not actually using the powers of the law at this time.
Trump said yesterday he would use the Defense Production Act to speed up production of medical supplies if absolutely necessary.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement this morning calling on Trump to “immediately” deploy the powers of the law, arguing there is “not a day to lose.”
Dr. Jerome Adams, the US Surgeon General, issued a call for younger Americans to donate blood during the coronavirus crisis.
“Donated blood is an essential part of caring for patients, and one donation can save up to three lives,” Adams said.
Adam’s call comes as blood banks are warning of a potential critical shortage of donations with schools and businesses closing, leading to canceled blood drives.
Pence: We are 'increasingly confident' we'll have the ventilators we need
Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the coronavirus task force, expressed confidence that the country will have enough ventilators to combat the pandemic.
“We remain increasingly confident that we will have the ventilators we need as the coronavirus makes its way across America,” Pence said.
A number of medical experts have voiced concern that there will be a shortage of ventilators in the weeks to come.
Updated
Trump said the drugs being tested as potential coronavirus treatements could be a “game-changer” in fighting the virus.
However, it’s important to remember the administration is still trying to follow through on its promises about expanding testing capacities, so Trump’s latest comments should be taken with a grain of salt.
Trump said the FDA is accelerating the development of treatements for coronavirus patients.
The president specifically mentioned the malaria drug chloroquine, which may work as a coronavirus treatment, according to early research.
“Our big war is not a financial war, it’s a medical war,” Trump said. “We have to win this war.”
Trump similarly said yesterday that he considers himself to be a “wartime president” as the country fights the virus.
Trump has taken the podium at the coronavirus briefing, as the number of US cases of the illness continues to rise.
The president, who previously downplayed the threat of coronavirus, ackowledged the pandemic is severely affecting many parts of the world.
“It’s too bad because we’ve never had an economy as good as the economy we had just a few weeks ago,” Trump said. “But we’ll be back.”
The stock market closed down 1,300 points yesterday, nearly wiping out all the gains since Trump took office.
The Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence commitee warned of the aggressive spread of coronavirus three weeks ago, according to a recording obtained by NPR.
Senator Richard Burr said at a Feb. 27 luncheon, “There’s one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history.” Burr added coronaviurs was “more akin to the 1918 pandemic.”
Burr’s ominous warning came as Trump continued to downplay the seriousness of the health threat, saying the virus might “disappear.”
Burr accurately predicted coronavirus could cause major disruptions to travel and temporary school closures.
Tulsi Gabbard has been treated as an afterthought in recent weeks, while Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders fought for delegates.
Gabbard’s support was consistently landing in the low single-digits in recent contests, as a number of her better-performing opponents dropped out of the race.
With Gabbard’s departure, the race has officially narrowed to just Biden and Sanders, but Biden’s significant delegate lead has put pressure on Sanders to drop out of the race as well.
After Biden’s three-state sweep on Tuesday, Sanders’ campaign said he was assessing the path forward for his White House bid.
Tulsi Gabbard spent more than $5 million to get her two pledged delegates in the Democratic presidential primary.
During her bid, @TulsiGabbard spent $5.3M, $2.9M of that total was spent on Facebook & Google. #Election2020 https://t.co/0JSO80jP78
— Advertising Analytics (@Ad_Analytics) March 19, 2020
The two delegates Gabbard won came from the US territory of American Samoa, where the Hawaii congresswoman was born.
Gabbard came in second with American Samoa voters, while former candidate Mike Bloomberg took the majority of the territory’s delegates.
Tulsi Gabbard stayed in the race for weeks after candidates who had out-performed her in the early voting states had withdrawn.
Candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren beat Gabbard in some recent contests, even though they had both already dropped out and Gabbard was still an active candidate.
With Gabbard’s departure from the race, the Democratic presidential primary has officially narrowed to a two-candidate race between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
Tulsi Gabbard ends campaign and endorses Biden
Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has ended her campaign after only winning two pledged delegates.
Important announcement.
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) March 19, 2020
From Oahu, Hawaiʻi. #StandWithTulsi pic.twitter.com/XcHshtgVYA
“After Tuesday’s election, its clear that Democratic primary voters have chosen Vice President Joe Biden to be the person who will take on President Trump in the general election,” Gabbard said.
The Hawaii congresswoman noted she had policy differences with Biden but was offering him her “full support” in the race.
Gabbard noted the country is facing an “unprecedented global crisis” with coronavirus and called on Americans to rise to meet the moment.
Add another to the list: congressman Anthony Brindisi said he would also self-quarantine because of his recent contact with Ben McAdams, who has tested positive for coronavirus.
Out of an abundance of caution and on the advice of the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, I will self-quarantine until Friday, March 27, 2020.
— Rep. Anthony Brindisi (@RepBrindisi) March 19, 2020
I am not exhibiting any symptoms and remain in good health. (2/4)
Brindisi is a co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, of which McAdams is a member. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, who is also a co-chair of the group, has already announced she would self-quarantine.
Congressman Tom Cole announced he would also self-quarantine after interacting with colleague Mario Diaz-Balart, who has tested positive for coronavirus.
TOM COLE will now self-quarantine after coming in contact with Diaz-Balart, who tested positive. Both are top appropriators pic.twitter.com/j3Sxfaiu5l
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) March 19, 2020
Cole and Diaz-Balart are both members of the House Republican whip team, and Cole, who is 70, is in the highest-risk age group for coronavirus.
With so many members self-quaranting, some lawmakers are calling for the House to adopt remote voting for emergency situations, which is currently not allowed.
Congressman Ben McAdams, who announced yesterday he had tested positive for coronavirus, said in an interview that it feels like the “worst cold I’ve ever had.”
"How concerned are you for all of those members of Congress who were with you and voting on that Saturday?" @hodakotb asks @RepBenMcAdams after the congressman tested positive for the coronavirus pic.twitter.com/R6NkdX1tas
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 19, 2020
“I felt like I had a belt around my chest, and so I couldn’t breathe deeply,” said McAdams, whose doctor recommended he get tested once he started having respiratory issues.
The freshman Democrat noted there are a few colleagues he interacted with before showing symptoms who should self-quarantine. (Several House members have already announced they will quarantine.)
“What I’ve been told by the House physician is that anyone who had close contact with me from Friday onward should be should be concerned and should probably take precautions,” McAdams said.
Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin lashed out against the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board after the newspaper published a stinging editorial about the White House’s stimulus proposals.
It would be nice if @WSJ editors asked us to explain our plans before they wrote editorials. @federalreserve has worked at incredible speed to announce 3 new 13(3) programs. Our 200 billion ESF request to Congress will support more. Now is the time for us to come together!
— Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) March 19, 2020
The Journal’s editorial board wrote yesterday:
Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s proposal that he sent to Senate Republicans includes $50 billion for the airlines, plus another $150 billion in loans to other affected businesses. This is too little, too cumbersome, and too political. Wait until Congress attaches strings to that cash, and wait until the bureaucrats get around to doling it out. The airlines may get rescued, perhaps with price and route controls attached, but they won’t have many passengers if a million Americans a month lose their jobs.
The same goes for another $300 billion for a new small-business loan program to be administered through private lenders, though it isn’t clear what rules would apply or how long this would take to set up. If it’s anything like the Small Business Administration, prepare for a long wait.
Another member of Congress is self-quarantining after interacting with a colleague who has since tested positive for coronavirus.
Congressman Joe Cunningham of South Carolina said he would self-quarantine until next Friday after consulting with a doctor.
This morning, I received word that I had been in contact with a member of Congress who has since tested positive for COVID-19. After consulting with the Attending Physician of the US Congress - and out of an abundance of caution - I will be self-quarantining until March 27, 2020.
— Rep. Joe Cunningham (@RepCunningham) March 19, 2020
The freshman Democrat noted he is not exhibiting symptoms and was self-quarantining out of an abundance of caution.
Two House members, congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart and Ben McAdams, announced yesterday they had tested positive for coronavirus.
US jobless claims jump amid coronavirus crisis
The number of US jobless claims jumped by 70,000 last week, the first signal of how coronavirus is financially impacting American families.
In the week ending March 14, 281,000 Americans applied for unemployment benefits, up from 211,000 the week before.
The figure was signficicantly higher than the 220,000 forecasted by economists, and it will likely only rise in the weeks to come, as more businesses are forced to lay off workers.
For more updates and analysis on the jobless numbers, follow the Guardian’s business live blog:
Mnuchin says first direct cash payments expected in three weeks
Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox Business that the administration hopes the first cash payments to American families can be sent in three weeks, assuming congressional approval.
Mnuchin said adults can expect to receive $1,000, while children would receive $500, so a family of four would get $3,000 in total.
The secretary said a second round of payments would go out in six weeks if an emergency declaration is still in place.
Mnuchin also noted he is in regular contact with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, as the White House and Congress works to reach an agreement on a massive stimulus package.
Pelosi calls on Trump to 'immediately' use powers of Defense Production Act
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is now calling on Trump to “immediately” use the powers of the Defense Production Act to speed up production of medical supplies.
“Right now, shortages of critical medical and personal protective equipment are harming our ability to fight the coronavirus epidemic, endangering frontline workers and making it harder to care for those who fall ill,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“The President must immediately use the powers of the Defense Production Act to mass produce and coordinate distribution of these critical supplies, before the need worsens and the shortages become even more dire. There is not a day to lose.”
Trump said yesterday he was invoking the Defense Production Act to potentially use at a later date in a worst-case scenario, but Pelosi clearly believes the powers of the law are already necessary and need to be deployed.
Several House members self-quartine after two test positive
Good morning, live blog readers!
Two House members, congressmen Mario Díaz-Balart and Ben McAdams, announced yesterday they had tested positive for coronavirus.
After their diagnoses were announced, several of their coworkers, including House minority whip Steve Scalise, announced they would self-quaratine out of an abundance of caution.
My full statement regarding the news that a Republican Member of Congress tested positive for COVID-19: pic.twitter.com/veNSVuTuLW
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) March 19, 2020
My statement on self-quarantine: pic.twitter.com/Sbwo4rpA2d
— Rep. Stephanie Murphy (@RepStephMurphy) March 19, 2020
COVID-19 has disrupted lives across Oklahoma. After contact with Rep. Ben McAdams last week, I am going into a precautionary two-week self-quarantine at my doctor’s advice. I will continue my work to deliver answers and resources to Oklahomans. We are all in this together.
— Congresswoman Kendra Horn (@RepKendraHorn) March 19, 2020
This new reality comes as Congress is trying to craft a massive stimulus package to buoy the economy amid the coronavirus crisis.
Now that the virus has directly affected members of Congress, it could make it more difficult for the House to come back as scheduled to pass that crucial legislation.
