Sunday School 3/8/20

One Dem - That Guy From Vermont - made the rounds this morning, as did a few DC types to talk about the coronavirus. 

Let's start with HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, who visited This Week with George Stephanopoulos. 

George started out by noting that "one expert told the American Hospital Association that close to 100 million Americans could eventually be infected" and asked if Americans should "be braced for these kinds of numbers?"

Carson talked about people being informed "about how we should manage our own lives" and taking precautions, mentioning "people who have underlying medical conditions and the elderly" and anyone who's in both of those categories, but said most people who get the coronavirus will either flu-like symptoms or be asymptomatic.

So, there's a little bit of exaggeration in terms of what happens if you contract the virus.

George said that taking precautions is important, but he really wanted to know whether Carson thought it was an exaggeration, that up to 100M of us could be affected. 

I think it's possible for large numbers of people. There's no question that more people will be detected as we do more testing. But you can look at worst-case scenarios. You can look at best-case scenarios. The thing that needs to be understood is that we are working very hard, looking at all the evidence on a day-by-day basis, making recommendations based on that. And we need to be working together, federal, state and local health officials, and the medical professionals, who are very good in this country, by the way...

It seems clear to me that Carson has no intention of answering the question, and that he doesn't want us contemplating the worst-case scenario, and that's fine, I guess - as long as the government is prepared for the worst case scenario. 

George honed in on the testing issue, and after showing a clip my Sonofa Gov, Andrew Cuomo, talking about the CDC, and the complicated testing process ,he wondered how Carson would respond to Cuomo and what assurances Carson can give "that tests are on their way?"  Carson said over a million test kits were shipped last week, with another 640K moving this week just from the feds.  Others are also creating tests - VA hospitals and academic centers, for example. 

So there are a lot of tests but the key thing is everybody doesn’t need a test. And that should be something that should be determined by the medical professionals who are administering the tests.

Switching gears, George wondered about the plan for the Grand Princess cruise ship (with 3500 people on board and at least 21 who've tested positive).

The cruise ship personnel and -- as you know, the vice president met with the CEOs of the major cruise ship companies yesterday, and they are coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting --

But, George said, "the ship’s docking tomorrow."

The plan will be in place by that time. But I don’t -- I don’t want to preview the plan right now.

But, George asked, "shouldn't you be able to do that?" 

I think -- I think it needs to all come from a solitary source. We shouldn’t have 16 people saying what the plan is - particularly when it hasn’t been fully formulated.

George let this one go, saying "OK. Well you’re the president’s representative this morning..." and then moved on to the recent AIPAC and CPAC conferences, which were attended by Trump, Pence, and others in the administration. He asked Carson if he was concerned that the virus could have spread to our officials. After again talking about precautions, hand wringing washing and stuff, Carson said

Bear in mind that if you go out of the studio today and you shake hands with somebody who has coronavirus that doesn’t mean that you’re going to contract coronavirus. It doesn’t mean that you’re going to get sick. But it does mean that you decrease your chances significantly if you follow those logical guidelines that have been placed out before everyone.

Thank you,Captain Obviously I Have Only One Thing to Say Today.

Next, George asked whether "Is it time for more extensive community wide measures to contain this virus?"  The answer was precautions blah blah blah. George tried, again, to get an answer.

What I’m asking you as a representative of the president, as a member of the Coronavirus Task Force, what should the community be doing? Is it time for more extensive measures? We’ve heard the president say, for example, that he’s going to continue with political rallies in the face of this. Is this sending the right message or is it time for broader community measures to contain this?

 BC: Again going to a rally, if you’re a healthy individual and you’re taking the precautions that have been placed out there, there's no reason that you shouldn't go. However, if you belong to one of those categories of high risk, obviously, you need to think twice about that.

I'm done now, even though George kept trying, after first saying,

I’m confused by the message you're sending right now, Dr. Ben Carson, I have to say. 

In Case You Missed it (v26)

It's recap time!  Here's the week in review, with snippets and links.

In Sunday School, I listened in on the last men standing in the presidential race. That Guy From Vermont talked with Margaret Brennan, Mayor Pete sat with Chuck Todd, and Papa Joe chatted with George Stephanopoulos, which included this discussion on some comments made by key endorser Rep. Jim Clyburn..

On Rep. Jim Clyburn's comment about changes coming to Biden's campaign, and letting people "mishandle" the campaign?

Well, there's a lot of changes coming. This is, as you know, from your past experience years ago, this is a matter of addition, not subtraction. And so we're attracting more and more people, we're adding more competent people, additional people who are very competent. I feel good about the top part of my campaign. We've had some difficulties across the board in terms of field organization. That's getting better... We can always improve. And I can improve as well. 

I had an Extra Credit post for you this week as well, with interviews with VP Mike Pence and HHS Secretary Alex Azar. Here's a bit of the latter's discussion with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday.

Wallace asked whether there was any serious consideration to close the US/Mexican border.

Well, right now Mexico has very few cases. So that would -- that would take a real change in the epidemiological profile and the risk to the US from there.  I think (the president) is trying to say is, all things are on the table. We're not going to take anything off the table in our armamentarium of tools we have to protect the American people. 

The Extra Credit post provided the impetus for the Sidebar: "Let's Call it Trumpvirus" in which I look at the sole example provided by the VP about bad people on the left saying bad things about the president and his handling of the coronavirus problem.  Here's how I closed the post.

Regular readers know my profound distaste for the president and most of the people in his administration, but this opinion piece is not untruthful; it references real occurrences and real comments from real members of the administration. Sure, it adds a bit of sarcasm, but that does not make it incorrect, nor does it politicize the virus. It certainly doesn't demonstrate a "new level of sickness" - Donny Jr can hold that title all by himself. Nor does it justify the veep's closing thoughts from his MTP interview.

VP: And when you see voices on our side pushing back on outrageous and irresponsible rhetoric on the other side, I think that's important.

CT: Do you think this rhetoric from your side helps?

VP: I, I never begrudge people responding to unwarranted, unjustified attacks. 

All I can say it that it's even more abundantly clear why the GOP can't do anything about gun safety legislation. It's not the NRA's fault - it's that these goofballs think that the truth is a weapon being used against them. 

I also did what might have been the last Email of the Week, given that there are now only two candidates in the running for the Dem nod. One of them I stopped following a few weeks back, and the other one asks me for $2.70 on average three times a day, so there's not a lot to covet there. Anyway - the email of the week was a compilation from the several campaign suspension emails that happened this week. 

And we walk on in the knowledge that better leadership is possible. That if we reach for it, if we work for it, if we hold that hope in our hearts and fire in our bellies, then one day we will stand in the future we create, a future where every American is empowered and everyone belongs. (MP) 

So if you leave with only one thing, it must be this: Choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough — and they will — you will know that there is only option ahead of you: nevertheless, you must persist. (EW)

And I look forward to continuing this fight together. (AK)

And the week ended with a busy TGIF, in which we had some of the usual suspects making appearances. 

Speaking of the president, he had a week. Just like he always does. From a great jobs report to not touching his face to bizarro comments at the CDC (and how all of that transpired), you'd think that was enough.

But no-o-o-o -- there's more. Because there's always more.

Gotta love the 'fire-by-tweet' HR processes, right?  

And with that, you're up to date. See you tomorrow for Sunday School.

TGIF 3/6/20

If it's Friday, it's list-making day.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar is having a bad week, wouldn't you agree? Today at the White House, when the president was explaining why he wasn't going to the CDC as planned (because someone who works there might have the virus) Azar said "he's sending me instead" and Trump seemed pretty comfortable with the thought of sending Azar into a coronavirus threat, and then ignored him for the rest of his remarks.

And then, during the question time at the rescheduled CDC visit, Trump spoke of the many great experts including Mike Pence who is "working 24/7 on this" again ignoring Azar who was standing right next to him. I'm still thinking he's gonna be the fall guy, especially if those cruise ship peeps come off the boat.

Speaking of the president, he had a week. Just like he always does. From a great jobs report to not touching his face to bizarro comments at the CDC (and how all of that transpired), you'd think that was enough.

But no-o-o-o -- there's more. Because there's always more.

You'll recall I suggested not long ago - in fact, it was just last week - that Mulvaney was in trouble.

There's little about Barron in the media - by design. It's because the legitimate media know that president's kids are off limits, and because they know that the mere mention of the name Barron - nothing about the child himself, mind you, but simply using the homophones Barron and baron in a sentence - caused an uproar on the Trump News Network. Mulvaney better have his bags packed.

Little did I know that it would take so little time, and that he'd be going so far away. And I do have to laugh at the folks at The Hill, who earlier in February gave us this article, headlined

Oopsie. No word yet on who will run OMB, but I doubt even someone as fabulous as Mulvaney would have a hard time running the budget from another country.

Let's see who else is having a week? Chuck Schumer, for one.  He verbally attacked two Supremes this week, 

“I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,

He said he misspoke , after being publicly whipped by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous. All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.

This is not the first time Schumer has shot his mouth off, and it won't be the last. I understand that, to a certain point, but the problem is he's just not good at it.

Joe Biden, we know, had a good week. That Guy From Vermont did not. Elizabeth Warren did not, and that's frustrating. Mike Bloomberg did not, but he's going to keep spending money so that either Biden or TGFV has a good November (he hopes). Tom Steyer and Amy Klobuchar didn't. Pete Buttigieg had a good week, I think, because we have definitely not heard the last from him. Steve Bullock did too, as he's decided to run for US Senate in Montana.

Andrew Yang had a good week; he's announced the formation of Humanity Forward, a new nonprofit.

Humanity Forward, which will be based in New York, will focus first on a “data dividend” project and campaign that would fight on behalf of consumers who want the rights to their personal data, Mr. Yang said. 

Separately, he said Thursday that the group had received pledges of $3 million for pilot programs that would provide people with a universal basic income payment each month.

I could keep going, but this seems like a good place to stop.

TGIF, everyone.

Email of the Week (v13)

Another Thursday, and another accounting of the week's candidate emails...

This was a challenging week for several of the gang. With our week running Friday to Thursday, we had both the South Carolina and Super Tuesday primaries to influence messaging, which you can see in the chart below. There was one additional email, from Tom Steyer, which is not reflected above, as I stopped tracking a while back. 

So, with this being the week it was, how do I choose the coveted Email of the Week?  Well, I don't. Instead, I'm intermingling excerpts from  the campaign suspension emails from the five candidates  who dropped out of the race this week. 

I am so deeply inspired by how many dedicated Americans showed up to participate in our democracy — voting in the early states, volunteering countless hours, giving your all to support the candidates and values you believe in. (Tom Steyer)

Ever since I announced in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard that I was running for President, this team has shown grit, determination and an incredible dedication to America’s future.

Traveling all over the country and talking with so many of you has been one of the greatest honors of my life. You’ve shared your concerns and ideas about how we can make progress on important issues like health care, climate change, gun violence prevention and justice and democracy for all. I will never forget those conversations and I will be taking them with me on the road ahead. (Amy Klobuchar)

I joined this race in the belief that becoming the Democratic nominee was the best way for me to ensure that we defeat Donald Trump and usher in a new kind of politics defined by bringing people together.

At this point in the race, the best way to keep faith with those goals and with the ideals our campaign has been built around is to step aside and help bring our party and our country together. So tonight I am making the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency.  (Mayor Pete)

Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump. Today, I am leaving the race for the same reason: to defeat Donald Trump -- because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult.

I'm a believer in using data to inform decisions. After yesterday's results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible -- and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists. But I remain clear-eyed about my overriding objective: victory in November. Not for me, but for our country.  (Mike Bloomberg)

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you have poured into this campaign.

I know that when we set out, this was not the news you ever wanted to hear. It is not the news I ever wanted to share. But I refuse to let disappointment blind me — or you — to what we’ve accomplished. We didn’t reach our goal, but what we have done together — what you have done — has made a lasting difference. It’s not the scale of the difference we wanted to make, but it matters — and the changes will have ripples for years to come.

What we have done — and the ideas we have launched into the world, the way we have fought this fight, the relationships we have built — will carry through for the rest of this election, and the one after that, and the one after that. (Elizabeth Warren)

This year’s election is going to be the most important of our lifetimes. And with so much at stake, we’ve got to keep pushing to make sure Democrats win big in November.

We need to defeat Donald Trump. But we can’t stop there. We also need to elect Democrats all over the country and up and down the ballot to put America back on the path to progress. I am fully committed to doing everything I can to make that happen. (AK)

I will no longer seek to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for president. But I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure that we have a Democratic president come January. (MP)

And so while I will not be the nominee, I will not walk away from the most important political fight of my life. (MB)

But I have always said that win, lose, or draw, I am in this fight. So am I going to continue to work on the issues that got me into this race? Yes, I am. You can count on that. Namely, the existential threat of climate change we’re facing on this planet. The racial injustice that pervades every single policy issue in this country. An economy that actually puts people ahead of profits and big corporations. (TS)

We have shown that it is possible to inspire people with big ideas, possible to call out what’s wrong and to lay out a path to make this country live up to its promise.

We have shown that race and justice — economic justice, social justice, environmental justice, criminal justice — are not an afterthought, but are at the heart of everything that we do.

We have shown that a woman can stand up, hold her ground, and stay true to herself — no matter what.

We have shown that we can build plans in collaboration with the people who are most affected.

This campaign became something special, and it wasn’t because of me. It was because of you. I am so proud of how you fought this fight alongside me: you fought it with empathy and kindness and generosity — and of course, with enormous passion and grit.
(EW)

That we made it here at all is proof that Americans are hungry for a new kind of politics, rooted in the values we share.

In a moment of deep division, we saw a rising American majority of Democrats, joined by Independents, and, yes, some of those future former Republicans, choose a politics defined not by who we push out, but by how many we call in; not by who we exclude, but by how we help people belong. With every passing day, I am more and more convinced that the only way we will defeat Trump and Trumpism is with that politics that gathers people together. 

And I urge everyone who supported me or ever even considered it, to be prepared to do everything we can to support the eventual nominee -- and the absolutely critical down-ballot races playing out across the country. There is simply too much at stake to retreat to the sidelines. (MP)

A year ago, people weren’t talking about a two-cent wealth tax, Universal Child Care, cancelling student loan debt for 43 million Americans while reducing the racial wealth gap, breaking up big tech, or expanding Social Security. And now they are. And because we did the work of building broad support for all of those ideas across this country, these changes could actually be implemented by the next president. A year ago, people weren’t talking about corruption, and they still aren’t talking about it enough — but we’ve moved the needle, and a hunk of our anti-corruption plan is already embedded in a House bill that is ready to go when we get a Democratic Senate. (EW)

As I’ve said before -- at its best, politics can be magnificent. Because it’s not just about policy, it is soulcraft. And it is moral. And we don’t have to win the nomination to be part of that. I don’t have to become the president in order to support that. We don’t have to win Super Tuesday for my campaign to do our part to win the era for our values. (MP)

And we also did it by having fun and by staying true to ourselves. We ran from the heart. We ran on our values. We ran on treating everyone with respect and dignity. But it was so much more. Four-hour selfie lines and pinky promises with little girls. A wedding at one of our town halls. And we were joyful and positive through all of it. We ran a campaign not to put people down, but to lift them up — and I loved pretty much every minute of it.

I may not be in the race for president in 2020, but this fight — our fight — is not over. And our place in this fight has not ended. (EW)

This primary is a journey towards the necessary defeat of Donald Trump and his corrupt administration. It is because of patriotic Americans like you that we will beat him and put power back in the hands of the people. (TS)

The past few months have been some of the most inspiring of my life, and I want to thank the tens of thousands of Americans, from Maine to California, whom I was privileged to meet -- and who every day, with their voices and their ideas, made this campaign such a powerful experience. And I am intent on making it a lasting experience: I want my supporters to stay engaged, stay active and stay committed to our issues. I will be right there with you. And together, we will get it done.  (MB)

And we walk on in the knowledge that better leadership is possible. That if we reach for it, if we work for it, if we hold that hope in our hearts and fire in our bellies, then one day we will stand in the future we create, a future where every American is empowered and everyone belongs. (MP) 

So if you leave with only one thing, it must be this: Choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough — and they will — you will know that there is only option ahead of you: nevertheless, you must persist. (EW)

And I look forward to continuing this fight together. (AK)

Thank you.

Amy, Mayor Pete, Mike, and Elizabeth 

After 12 weeks of Who Loves Me, Baby? posts tracking emails from a whole lot of candidates, to now 13 editions of the Email of the Week posts, are we nearing the end of this stuff? With another round of primaries next Tuesday, we just might be.

I'll let you know next week.

Sidebar: "Let's Call It Trumpvirus"

In our Sunday School Extra Credit post this week, Chuck Todd asked Mike Pence about some comments being made by people on the right tabout people on the left trying trying to weaponize and politicize the coronavirus against the president.  

Here's a comment from Junior that Todd used, along with one from Rush Limbaugh and Ronna McDaniel, to spur some conversation.

For them to try to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here and kills millions of people so that they could end Donald Trump's streak of winning is a new level of sickness.

We'll leave Junior's particular level of sickness out of the picture, and focus on what Pence said, after Todd pressed him to name names. 

CT: Because this is just -- it just feels like gas-lighting. Please name some names. I’m -- we're all big -- we're all big people here. Name some names.

VP: There was a column in the New York Times by a prominent liberal journalist that said, "We should rename it the Trump virus." --

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/

AFP via Getty Images

That was done, the veep said, "so that the president would be blamed." 

So, what did the piece, with the headline "Let's Call it Trumpvirus," say? Let's take a look at what columnist Gail Collins, former editor of the Times' Op-Ed page, wrote.

On appointing Mike Pence to be head of the coronavirus task force: 

So, our Coronavirus Czar is going to be … Mike Pence. Feeling more secure? “I know full well the importance of presidential leadership,” the vice president said as soon as he was introduced in his new role. Totally qualified. First criterion for every job in this administration is capacity for praising the gloriousness of our commander in chief... 

In contrast, here's what the president had to say about appointing a similarly unqualified person to lead a pandemic effort. 

Rightfully so, he was not the only one to criticize the Obama appointment, just as many others besides Collins have criticized his own appointment of his groveling veep to this critical role. 

On our stock market's roller-coaster, which came on the heels of similar thrill rides in every global market, the president downplayed the impact of a potential pandemic, and instead pointed to his Democratic opponents. 

“I think the financial markets are very upset when they look at the Democrat candidates standing on that stage making fools out of themselves,” Trump told reporters. Plus, that virus thing is … not necessarily a big deal. What really “shocked” him, Trump said, was his discovery that “the flu in our country kills 25,000 people to 69,000 people a year.”

So the problems are the Democrats and the flu...

But it's OK, because everything's going to be great, and we'll keep #winning, just like junior said.

The president had been saying everything is totally under control for some time. (“It’s one person coming in from China.”) The whole administration picked up the cry. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, 82, overcame his habit of dozing off at meetings long enough to tell Fox Business Network that the disease would “accelerate the return of jobs” from overseas.

Trump totally agrees. “What it’s gonna do is keep people home, and they’re going to travel to places we have,” he said. See? The virus thing is a bonus.

The article also talks about the elimination of the epidemic-watching groups that were in place during the previous administration.

 One was headed by the highly regarded Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, who got sent packing by John Bolton. Another infectious disease expert, Tom Bossert, suddenly vanished from the Department of Homeland Security in 2018, presumably also at the hand of John You-know-who.

If Bolton’s memoir ever makes it into print, do you think it’ll have a chapter called “My War on Pandemic Fighters?” OK, probably not.

And, it talks about a couple of what Trump surely would have called SAD! performances, had these folks been in someone else's administration. First, there was this:

The nation got its first real look at Chad Wolf, the acting homeland security secretary, who appeared before a Senate subcommittee and admitted he had no idea how the virus was transmitted among humans, exactly how dangerous it was, or … pretty much anything. 

When Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican not known for anti-administration bias, asked whether the country had enough respirators to deal with a coronavirus epidemic, Wolf answered in the affirmative.  

“We just heard testimony that we don’t,” Kennedy responded. “OK,” said Wolf. 

To be fair, he’s only been on the job since November. He’s the fifth head of Homeland Security Trump’s had in the last three years. Good thing he has a deputy — or at least an acting deputy — to help. That would be Ken Cuccinelli, who made news this week when he went on Twitter to ask for tips on how to find an online map of coronavirus sites posted by Johns Hopkins University. (“Here’s hoping it goes back up soon.”) 

And then, there was this, in reference to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, also part of the P-Team.

At a congressional hearing on Wednesday, Azar was asked if he’d consider using some of the billions of dollars in funds for Trump’s border wall to help combat the current health crisis. Azar just chuckled.

Actually, people, this is probably not a theme we ought to be pursuing. Chances are, if the president is encouraged to mix the subjects of coronavirus and Mexico walls, he’ll suddenly announce that we need a barrier much bigger and thicker and more expensive, so it can stop the flow of immigrant germs.

And on that last part, let's go again to that same Extra Credit post, which included a Chris Wallace/Azar interview, in which the subject of Mexico came up.

Wallace asked whether there was any serious consideration to close the US/Mexican border.

Well, right now Mexico has very few cases. So that would -- that would take a real change in the epidemiological profile and the risk to the US from there.  I think (the president) is trying to say is, all things are on the table. We're not going to take anything off the table in our armamentarium of tools we have to protect the American people. 

Regular readers know my profound distaste for the president and most of the people in his administration, but this opinion piece is not untruthful; it references real occurrences and real comments from real members of the administration. Sure, it adds a bit of sarcasm, but that does not make it incorrect, nor does it politicize the virus. It certainly doesn't demonstrate a "new level of sickness" - Donny Jr can hold that title all by himself. Nor does it justify the veep's closing thoughts from his MTP interview.

VP: And when you see voices on our side pushing back on outrageous and irresponsible rhetoric on the other side, I think that's important.

CT: Do you think this rhetoric from your side helps?

VP: I, I never begrudge people responding to unwarranted, unjustified attacks. 

All I can say it that it's even more abundantly clear why the GOP can't do anything about gun safety legislation. It's not the NRA's fault - it's that these goofballs think that the truth is a weapon being used against them. 

Sunday School Extra Credit 3/1/20

As we learn now that six Americans in Washington State have died from the coronavirus, and we have at least 100 known cases, let's take a look at what some of the Trump administration folks were saying yesterday in the classrooms. 

The numbers reflected below were what was known at the time of the interviews. 

Let's start with the vice president and Chuck Todd on Meet the Press. Pence said we still don't know the gentleman whose death was announced on Saturday contracted the virus but that state, local and federal officials were working on it. He also said the risk of infection remains low.  

And in terms of people having confidence that this is under control?

... it's important that people in this country understand that while there are 46 Americans that we brought home from China and 22 Americans, now sadly with one loss of life, that the vast majority of, of those people and the vast majority of any American that would contract a coronavirus will, will be treated, they will recover--

And, he said,

 -- let's be clear on this point. What our health experts have told me...is that, if President Trump had not made the decision to suspend all travel from China into the United States and establish a quarantine effort for people returning to the United States, we'd be in a very different place.

(Note that the China travel ban was very limited, and applied to Chinese citizens, not anyone else coming from China into the US.)

Todd asked whether folks were over-reacting, noting that some companies have limited foreign and domestic travel and cancelled public events, and some schools had closed as well. Pence noted that state and local officials would make whatever decisions they feel are necessary, and that as far as business decisions go, he 

would defer, whether it's foreign travel for those companies and their employees or gatherings in various places around this country. Look, it's a good time to use common sense this time of the year, even if the coronavirus wasn't a reality... I think the president would respect any decisions that are made at the state and local level...

Todd shifted to the 'politicization' of everything surrounding the coronavirus. And while he said that Pence himself had worked hard to stay above the fray, he provided three examples from key Administration allies:

Medal of Freedom honoree Rush Limbaugh: The coronavirus is being weaponized, as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair: Democrats are using this for their political gain to try and stoke fear in the American people, which is shameful, wrong, and I think un-American.

Donald Trump Jr: For them to try to take a pandemic and seemingly hope that it comes here and kills millions of people so that they could end Donald Trump's streak of winning is a new level of sickness.

Todd asked for facts that supported those comments, and said that it "seems like people are asking questions" and are concerned, but suggested implying there was "some sort of political motivation, which is kind of gross."

VP: Well, I will tell you, there's been a lot of irresponsible rhetoric among Democrats and commentators --

CT: Who? Who is this?

VP: -- on the left.

CT: Name some names, sir.

VP: Well --

CT: Because this is just -- it just feels like gas-lighting. Please name some names. I’m -- we're all big -- we're all big people here. Name some names.

VP: There was a column in the New York Times by a prominent liberal journalist that said, "We should rename it the Trump virus." --

CT: Okay, that is - does that apply, does that apply to all people -

VP: -- so that the president would be blamed. Chuck, --

CT: Does this apply --

VP: -- this virus began in China. The president took --

CH: Why take this -- here’s what I want to ask you --

VP: Chuck --

CT: This doesn't help. This does not help us no?

VP: This is decisive action to protect the American people. And when you see voices on our side pushing back on outrageous and irresponsible rhetoric on the other side, I think that's important.

CT: Do you think this rhetoric from your side helps?

VP: I, I never begrudge people responding to unwarranted, unjustified attacks. 

No, he would never do that...

I'll have a sidebar on that NY Times article Pence mentioned; if you read it, you'll see it's not doing what he suggests it is. And I don't know about you, but I think Donny Jr has issues.

Chris Wallace and HHS Secretary Alex Azar chatted in the Fox News Sunday classroom. Wallace asked about community spread of the disease and if it was concerning.

Any community transmission is concerning. That's why we've been very clear from the outset, we're going to have more cases here in the US in spite of the president's aggressive efforts at containment. We'll see some forms of community spreading. But the risk to any individual American remains low. But things can change rapidly.

Wallace asked whether there was any serious consideration to close the US/Mexican border.

Well, right now Mexico has very few cases. So that would -- that would take a real change in the epidemiological profile and the risk to the US from there.  I think (the president) is trying to say is, all things are on the table. We're not going to take anything off the table in our armamentarium of tools we have to protect the American people. 

Two final subjects in this one: the issue of the administration 'lowballing' the risk for political purposes. He quoted Trump and Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, saying very different things.

Trump: Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away. Oh, that's true. 

Redfield: I think this virus is probably with us beyond this season or beyond - and I think eventually the virus will find a foothold and we will get community-based transmission.

Wallace asked Azar if the virus will be gone in April.

No, we don't know that. The normal coronavirus, the annual cold, and - as well as the flu and other respiratory illnesses, often do dissipate and go away in warmer seasons. The virus just doesn't survive well in the warmer climate, warmer atmosphere. But we do not know as to this novel coronavirus how it will interact.

And he asked if Azar understood how people are concerned about the mixed messaging. Azar said yes, but added

We're trying to level with the American people at all times... The president, though, is also trying to keep balance in messaging so that the American people don't engage in unwarranted panic... But we're also trying to be radically transparent with our information to make sure folks know what might be coming so they can mentally prepare, as well as engage in normal prepared effectiveness.

And finally, the conversation turned to the whistleblower who reported that some workers were sent to deal with Americans evacuated from Wuhan without proper training or protective gear. And, from the WaPo article linked above,

The whistleblower is seeking federal protection, alleging she was unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of these workers to HHS officials, including those within the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. She was told Feb. 19 that if she does not accept the new position in 15 days, which is March 5, she would be terminated.

Wallace asked if the woman had been reassigned, as she said in her complaint.

So, first, we -- it is vitally important that we protect our employees in any situation. It is vitally important that we follow the appropriate isolation or quarantine protocols in dealing with individuals. And it's important that no whistleblower ever be retaliated against. And we will never permit retaliation against the whistleblower. 

He also said "the facts we know so far" are that everyone involved is now beyond 14 days from having any interaction with the evacuees and "nobody is symptomatic or has the disease,"

so, there was no risk -- there's no risk to the people of HHS, no risk to the community, even if the allegations prove to be true. So that's a very important fact. We also have offered voluntary testing to our employees. It's not medically indicated because they don't have the virus - but if it comforts them, we're going to get them tested so they know

Honestly? I think that they dodged a bullet, that no one appears to have been negatively impacted by the alleged exposure. Wallace wondered again about the woman and whether she had been reassigned.

Well, I'm not going to discuss personnel matters. That wouldn't be proper for me to do. But there will be no retaliation against this individual or any other individual. We are grateful -- if our employees raise concerns about our processes, if something proves not to be right, we are grateful for that.

Wallace tried again, asking if it turns out that she was reassigned for filing the complaint, would she get her old position back? Azar said that "nobody would ever be reassigned or discriminated against or prejudiced or retaliated against because of raising concerns about the functioning of the department."

And one last time, Wallace tried, but failed.

I cannot -- I'm not going to tell you whether that happened because that's still under investigation. We are doing a comprehensive, thorough investigation. 

Let's hope that Wallace and other journalists don't let the whistleblower issue fall by the wayside.

See you around campus.

Sunday School 3/1/20

I've got Dem presidential candidates wandering all over the lecture halls today - a couple of them making more than one appearance - and we've also got the COVID-19  Task Force members all over the place, too. 

Per my plan of featuring the candidates front and center, I'll cover them today and the other guys in an Extra Credit post. 

Let's start with Margaret Brennan's conversation with That Guy From Vermont on CBS' Face the Nation. 

On whether South Carolina might be an indicator of his prospects there and whether Papa Joe Biden will pose a real challenge there?

... I think based on the polling, we're doing pretty well in Virginia. I think we've got a shot in North Carolina. All I can say is the issues that we are talking about and that is health care as a human right, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, dealing forcefully with the existential threat of climate change. Those are ideas, Margaret, that I think are resonating all across this country. I think we have an excellent chance to do well on Tuesday and to win the Democratic nomination.

On any advantage he's going to get from his $46M haul in February?

... it is not only the amount of money that we raised, and that is a phenomenal amount, it's how we raised it. We don't have a super PAC like Joe Biden. I don't go to rich people's homes like Joe Biden. I think Joe has contributions for more than 40 billionaires. What we have done is received more campaign contributions from more Americans than any candidate in the history of the United States, averaging eighteen dollars and 50 cents. This is a campaign of working people and by working people... But we have enough money now not only to take us through Super Tuesday, but take us through the entire process fueled by the contributions of working class people all across this country.

On whether he'd really turn down Michael Bloomberg's financial help come the general election?

Well, look, Mr. Bloomberg is free to do anything he can with his 60 billion dollars, and that's legal. All I can say is at this point, we are confident that we can receive the kind of campaign funding that we need from working-class and middle-class people, that we don't have to be beholden to any powerful special interests...he has the right to do anything he wants. Right now, we are confident... based on the fundraising that we are doing, is that we can beat Trump. 

On whether he's the best person, as a Democratic Socialist and someone who is constantly criticizing the Democratic Party and the Democratic establishment, to unify the Dems and beat Trump?

...I'm a member of the Democratic leadership. I've been in the Democratic caucus from...virtually my first day back in Congress 30 years ago ... But we will win because we have an agenda that speaks to independents, to Democrats, and to more than a few Republicans. Look, we are living at a time when the American people are sick and tired of the kind of income and wealth inequality that exists in America. All over this country, Margaret... you got millions of people are working 11, 12 bucks an hour. They can't afford childcare. They can't afford healthcare. They're scared to death about their retirement. They want a government that represents them, not just billionaire campaign contributors. That's how you win. You put together that coalition, multi-generational, multi-racial. That is what we're doing. No campaign out there has a stronger grassroots movement than we do. That's how you beat Trump. 

On the COVID-19 virus and whether it's safe out there in California and can he still hold his rallies?

...I mean, that's a very fair question. And my campaign has spoken to public health officials on that issue. And right now, we are planning to do rallies not only in California, but in Utah, Minnesota and other states around the country.

On there being any political cost to "sparring with" AIPAC (the pro-Israel lobby) and being told he's not welcome in Israel by their ambassador to the UN? 

...they have a lot of money. They have a lot of power. Look, I'm Jewish and I'm very proud of my Jewish heritage... I am not in- anti-Israel. I will do everything I can to protect the independence and the security and the freedom of the Israeli people. But what we need in this country is a foreign policy that not only protects Israel, but deals with the suffering of the Palestinian people as well. You've got 70 percent youth unemployment in Gaza. People can't even leave that district, that area, major, major crises... So, I am pro-Israel. I am pro-Palestinian. I want to bring people together to finally achieve peace in that region.

And on the Taliban deal?  

Well, I don't have enough details... and that peace agreement, needless to say, is going to have to go through the Afghan government. We don't know what's going to happen. One of the difficulties, to be very honest, Margaret, in dealing with Trump, it is very hard to believe anything that he says, whether it's the coronavirus, whether what's going on in Afghanistan... It is my view that we've got to end endless wars, that when we have five hundred thousand people in America sleeping out on the street and people can't afford health care, we got to invest in this country, not in endless wars.

Moving on, let's sit in on Papa Joe Biden's conversation with the eponymous host on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. George didn't waste any time.

On whether the Dems will lose in November if TGFV gets the nomination?

... he'll have great trouble bringing along other senators, keeping the House of Representatives, leading back the Senate and down ballot initiatives. So I -- I think -- I think it is a stark choice. And it's not about whether or not we restore the soul of the Democratic Party, it's about restoring the soul and unite this country, the whole country. And I think -- I think I can do that.

On whether TGFV will likely have a big delegate lead after Super Tuesday?

...he, obviously, is outspending 10-1 or beyond that...but I think it's more -- as much the message in what we stand for and what we're going to do and the idea that, you know, Bernie is going to be able to win these -- he could win California, whoever the Democrat is I think will win California in a general election, but we still have (to) come along and win the Senate. We have to win in North Carolina and we have to win in Georgia, we have to win in Texas, Florida, et cetera. So I think that -- and I do very well in those states as well and I haven't been able to spend the kind of money he has or put together the organization, although we did very well last night. So far this month we've raised -- which for us is a lot of money, about -- I guess it's close to $18 million. We raised $5 million just from the win last night in a 24 hour period overnight. And so I think things are beginning to move.

On where he can win on Tuesday?

... in the upcoming states. I think we can win most of the southern states. We're in contention, including in Texas. It's going to be very hard to make up the ground in California, but I think we can make up a lot of ground in California in three days and -- so I feel good about where it goes. And Super Tuesday's not the end. It's only the beginning. We're about even on delegates right now. We have more popular votes thus far than Sanders does and I feel good about going to places where I've always had significant support from the people who make up the Democratic electorate.

On Rep. Jim Clyburn's comment about changes coming to Biden's campaign, and letting people "mishandle" the campaign?

Well, there's a lot of changes coming. This is, as you know, from your past experience years ago, this is a matter of addition, not subtraction. And so we're attracting more and more people, we're adding more competent people, additional people who are very competent. I feel good about the top part of my campaign. We've had some difficulties across the board in terms of field organization. That's getting better... We can always improve. And I can improve as well. 

On whether not having an endorsement from Barack Obama is hurting, and is it time for Obama to make an endorsement?

No, it isn't hurting me and I don't think it's time...Look -- remember, George, the first thing that everybody said when I announced, the opposition, the Democratic opposition said, "well, Biden feels entitled because he's vice president." Imagine had the president endorsed me, it would have been, "well, Biden's entitled because it -- he think -- he thinks he's entitled because of the president's endorsement." The president and I are close friends. I -- and I have no doubt when I win this nomination he will be out there full bore for me.

On why the candidate with the most pledged delegates come convention time shouldn't be the nominee?

For the same reason he didn't think when Hillary had the most pledged delegates that she should be the nominee. The process is laid out. I find -- you know, don't you find, George, that, you know, that there's not a lot of consistency coming out of some of these campaigns...all of a sudden he's had an epiphany. You know, look, I -- I say what I mean, I mean what I say, I say it and I stay with it. I think the process is laid out. We should go with the process. But I'm not even certain he's going to go into the -- into this convention with the most delegates.

On the argument for him to be the nominee if he's in second place and the superdelegates have to make the decision?

Because I can win and I can bring along Democratic victories up and down the slate... I can win the United States Senate at the top of the ticket...I can increase the number in the House... I can win in places where I don't think Bernie can win in a general election... But most people I know, whether they are -- are -- quote, establishment Democrats or just people concerned about making sure that we not only beat Donald Trump but have enough votes in the House and Senate to pass progressive legislation, like I proposed, know that we have to do better... up and down the ladder in terms of state and local races...(in 2018) I went into 24 states, purple states, for over 65 candidates. They wanted me in...They were asking me to come in. I don't know that they asked Bernie. They may have. I doubt it.

On how the response to the coronavirus would be different if he were president?

It would have been fundamentally different... look, right now you have this president, hasn't allowed his scientists to speak, number one. He has the vice president speaking, not the scientists who know what they're talking about, like Fauci.

Number two, they haven't even prepared a test kit to determine whether or not anybody has the virus. They're not even available. They say now they'll be available in -- in -- by the end of the week or next week. They haven't set up a pattern in how to proceed. They don't -- they -- they've cut the funding for the CDC. They've cut the -- the Centers for Disease Control. They've cut the funding for -- they've tried to cut the funding for NIH, the National Institute of Health. They have eliminated the office we set up -- we set up in the president's office to deal with pandemic diseases. This has been outrageous the way they proceeded. They should let the scientists speak.

... Look, this is about knowing where it is, who has it, and how to deal with it. And I see -- I see no preparedness other than a political talking point, putting someone in charge who is not a scientist and not -- and muzzling the scientist.

And finally, let's check in with Chuck Todd and Mayor Pete on Meet the Press, where the first question was on where his campaign stands now.

We knew South Carolina was going to be a challenging state. We competed hard there, but nothing can take away from Vice President Biden's commanding victory, and I congratulate him on that. I think the most important thing right now is to look at what we can do to make sure that we put forward a campaign that is going to end the Trump presidency because everywhere I go, Americans are focused on ensuring that we not only get better policies, that we turn the page on all of the things that this president is doing and has done to our country, to our democracy, but also that we turn the page on the tone in our politics and that we move on from this divisive and toxic season in American public life...

On whether there's a point where he has to look and say he and Biden have the same message, but Biden's winning?

Well, there's certainly that overlap there. We also, obviously, represent a different style and approach in many ways. But what I'll say is that call to decency, I think, is something that is very strong in our party right now. And it's what we need in our country right now. We cannot go on like this with a politics of being at each other's throats. And part of how I believe our campaign has been able to beat the odds and defy all of the expectations is that our message of belonging is one that has resonated across the country...

On black voters taking a second look at him, and how he continues to struggle with people of color?

...there's no question that the Vice President had a commanding lead with black voters in South Carolina. And that bar of earning the trust of voters of color right now, that bar is high for a reason, especially when you're talking about black voters in the south. That is a hard-won vote,... often, that access was brought about within living memory. I understand why that bar is so high. I'm humbled by the challenge and have continued to focus on making sure I present not just our policy ideas, but what this campaign is about in a way that can reach out to black voters and to voters across the board.

On if he had won the DNC chair, what message would he be giving himself as a candidate about doing what's best for the party? 

...every day I'm getting up, looking at how we can do what's best for the party. It's why we got into this race in the first place, the belief that a different kind of message and a different kind of messenger could rally people together... And every day we're in this campaign is a day that we've reached the conclusion that pushing forward is the best thing that we can do for the country and for the party.

On what 'success' would be on Super Tuesday?

Well, we believe that there are places from coast to coast, in districts across different states, where our message is resonating particularly well. We'll be looking at the math as we continue to push and make the most of the resources that we have... You wouldn't always know it from looking at the outcomes in Washington, but right now the American people are already with us. What's going to be needed is a message, a messenger, and the leadership to make sure that those priorities are met. And I find that true in the reddest of states and on the coast as well.

On whether there's a Super Tuesday result that would change his outlook on the campaign?

Every single day, yes, we do a lot of math on this campaign. And so we'll be assessing at every turn not only what the right answer is for the campaign, but making sure that every step we take is in the best interest of the party and that goal of making sure we defeat Donald Trump because our country can't take four more years of this.

So there you have it -- three of the four remaining men in the race; the two women were not in the classrooms today. 

Also of note? 

• Tom Steyer suspended his campaign Saturday night, seeing no path to victory. 
• Twitter was trending this morning with #DropOutAmy, #DropoutWarren, #WarrenDropOut and #DropOutPete. 
• But the 'drop out' hashtag with the most hits, by far? #DropOutBernie, with over 54K mentions, compared to less than 5K for each of the others.

See you around campus - and if you're in a Super Tuesday state and eligible to vote, please do so.