QUIDDITCH

This isn't "moving the goalposts." It's tearing down the stadium, inventing an entirely new game, and redefining what a "goal" even is

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/30/after-downplaying-threat-trump-now-says-100000-covid-19-deaths-will-indicate-he-did-a-good-job_partner/
Just over a month after proclaiming that the number of coronavirus cases in the United States would soon "be down to close to zero," President Donald Trump said during a press briefing on the White House lawn Sunday that limiting U.S. deaths from the pandemic to between 100,000 to 200,000 people would mean his administration and the country as a whole did "a very good job." . . . 

More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-covid-19-fatalities-projection

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/30/21199586/us-coronavirus-deaths-trump-200000-good-job

Trump seems to think that providing hope and comfort to people requires lies and false promises, rather than realistic and honest facts. Well, people aren't buying it

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-coronavirus-disinformation-campaign-isnt-working-poll-says

Must-see

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/03/30/amidst-all-of-trumps-failures-there-is-one-that-stands-out/
“The missing six weeks: how Trump failed the biggest test of his life”

More: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/trumps-coronavirus-blame-responsibility-polls-election.html
Trump’s ‘Don’t Blame Me’ Message Is Going to Wear Terribly

 

Lindsey F. Graham has a Kavanaugh-type meltdown because Nancy Pelosi said that Trump carries responsibility for deaths that result from his early coronavirus inaction. He called it "shameful and disgusting." How DARE a politician suggest such a connection?

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/graham-warned-trump-hell-own-the-deaths/
“When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called President Trump last Sunday, he delivered a blunt message: If you reopen the nation’s economy too early against the advice of public-health experts, you will own the deaths from the novel coronavirus that follow” . . .

Trump calls Pelosi a "sick puppy"

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/490119-trump-calls-pelosi-a-sick-puppy-over-coronavirus-criticism
“It’s a sad thing,” Trump said during a call-in interview on “Fox & Friends” Monday morning after he was asked to respond to Pelosi’s criticism a day prior. “She’s a sick puppy in my opinion. She’s got a lot of problems.” . . . “I think it’s a disgrace to her country, her family,” Trump said of Pelosi’s critical remarks. “What a horrible statement to make.”

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/30/trump-calls-pelosi-a-sick-puppy/
Said Trump: “You know, I’ve gotten from fair people a lot of accolades, and I don’t want the accolades.” 

[NB: So now you KNOW he is lying.]

More from Fox World: https://www.thedailybeast.com/president-trump-insists-new-york-will-be-fine-wont-need-extra-ventilators
Just hours after it was confirmed that New York’s coronavirus death toll has shot up to over 1,000 people, President Donald Trump has predicted that the state will be “fine” because he’s heard “stories” that it has more than enough ventilators to go round. The president appeared on Fox & Friends Monday . . . In a 54-minute phone call, the president dismissed concerns that New York could be overwhelmed, and took credit for the rising popularity of state governor Andrew Cuomo. . . .

He admits it

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/trump-increased-voting-means-republicans
Stable Genius said the quiet part out loud about voting rights. He complained to the Fox and Friends hosts, (whose faces said "I wish I was dead") about the Democrats and their push in the stimulus bill for vote-by-mail and extended voting times: "The things they had in there were crazy. They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it you'd never have a Republican elected in this country again." . . .

Twitter noticed Trump's admission . . . [read on] 

They were warned 

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/31/internal-emails-reveal-trump-administration-officials-warned-about-lack-of-protective-gear-early-on_partner/
Internal emails reveal Trump administration officials warned about lack of protective gear early on 

Here is the problem in two posts

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/30/governor-says-illinois-will-take-over-coronavirus-testing-after-white-houses-profound-failing/
Governor says Illinois will take over coronavirus testing after White House's “profound failing" . . . “The White House has promised millions of tests for weeks now, and they’re just not here” 

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932766/-As-crisis-continues-Trump-tells-state-governors-he-hasn-t-heard-anything-about-testing-in-weeks
 As crisis continues, Trump tells state governors he 'hasn't heard anything about testing in weeks' . . . In weeks? Nobody has bothered to tell Donald Trump, theoretical president, "anything about testing" in weeks? During a nationwide emergency? One in which a lack of testing is the defining feature of both the early containment failures and the timing of when "social distancing" measures can be lifted? After Mike Pence promised “4 million” tests, a number that drifted off into parts unknown soon afterwards?

Trump says he is going to start listening to the scientists. We'll see . . .

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-rely-on-experts-social-distancing-guidelines-fauci-birx 

Twitter bans Rudy Giuliani and Laura Ingraham for posting dangerously unreliable coronavirus information. But CNN gives Trump a massive stage to do the same thing

Giuliani: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-covid-19-drugs-twitter-delete_n_5e801cafc5b661492268e789 

Ingraham: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/30/twitter-laura-ingraham-coronavirus-misinformation-155731 

CNN: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932769/-CNN-chief-Jeff-Zucker-defends-airing-Trump-s-life-threatening-disinformation-briefings-live
CNN chief Jeff Zucker defends airing Trump's life-threatening disinformation briefings live 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-host-chris-hayes-says-it-is-crazy-to-broadcast-dangerous-trump-coronavirus-briefings
Chris Hayes: ‘Crazy’ to Broadcast ‘Dangerous’ Trump Briefings

 

In investigation news . . .

Judge gets unredacted Mueller report

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/30/judge-obtains-unredacted-version-of-mueller-report/

DOJ is looking into dubious stock transactions by several Senators after they learned about the coronavirus

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/justice-department-investigate-lawmaker-stock-transactions-richard-burr-coronavirus

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932632/-Justice-Department-is-looking-into-senators-suspicious-stock-trades-before-coronavirus-crash

In other news . . .

Why does Trump keep saying there are other people he would rather run against than Biden?

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/30/trump-cuomo-democratic-candidate-155500
President Donald Trump said Monday that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose response to the Empire State's coronavirus outbreak has elevated his national profile, would be a stronger Democratic opponent for November's election than Joe Biden...

[NB: Because you know how important it is to him that the Dems find the strongest candidate.] 

Is it smart for Biden to keep a low profile right now? 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-biden-is-smart-to-get-the-hell-out-of-the-way 

The impact of coronavirus on the economy

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/3/30/21184401/coronavirus-covid-19-economy-charts 

More: https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/30/unemployment-rate-could-hit-32/
Unemployment Rate Could Hit 32%

A very good summary

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-possible-coronavirus-treatments-promoted-by-trump
What We Know — and Don’t Know — About Possible Coronavirus Treatments Promoted by Trump 

More: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/didier-raoult-hydroxychloroquine-plaquenil.html
The Trumpian French Doctor Behind the Chloroquine Hype

Mitch McConnell wants to take credit for things the Dems added to the coronavirus bailout bill

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932742/-McConnell-tries-to-claim-credit-for-coronavirus-stimulus-bill-salvaged-by-Schumer
“At my direction the Senate stepped up to face this challenge presented by COVID-19," he said in a statement announcing a Coronavirus Response Portal on his website. "We passed a bold plan called the CARES Act to assist families, workers, small businesses and medical professionals. I hope the following resources will be helpful as your family, organization, small business or community takes advantage of the federal funding I helped make available," he crowed, not mentioning how his original, Republican-only bill left out families and workers and communities across the nation. . . .

The Dems want a real inspector general overseeing the $500 billion corporate slush fund portion of the bailout

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/490202-schumer-praises-choice-of-defense-inspector-general-to-oversee-corporate
 
The GOP decides this is a great time to take away people's health care

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/30/gop-plows-forward-on-plans-to-kill-obamacare/

Jerry Falwell Jr. invited students back to evangelical Liberty University despite warnings not to do it. Now they're getting sick -- and I hope they sue him back to the Stone Age

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/nearly-dozen-liberty-university-students

More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/falwell-liberty-university-coronavirus
The doctor who runs Liberty University’s student health service, Dr. Thomas Eppes, told the New York Times that already at least 12 students were displaying symptoms of the virus. The paper reported that three of them were sent to the a local hospital for testing, while another eight were urged to self-isolate. Falwell, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has dismissed the coronavirus pandemic and accused the media of trying to “fan it up” to destroy the economy, and thus injure Trump’s presidency. Falwell bashed the Times’ reporting as “false” and “misleading” in a statement, saying that Eppes denied ever providing such information, and that the school isn’t aware of any on-campus students displaying symptoms, much less being tested. . . .

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932695/-Both-town-and-staff-are-livid-with-Falwell-for-reopening-Liberty-University-during-pandemic
Both town and staff are livid with Falwell for reopening Liberty University during pandemic

Fox World backed up Trump by minimizing the threat of coronavirus in the early days and spreading rampant misinformation. Now they're worried about getting sued too

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/30/fox-news-worried-coverage-opened-network-up-to-lawsuits/

Bonus item: Life in the coronaverse

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/30/1932429/-Cartoon-More-life-in-the-coronaverse

***If you enjoy Progressive Blog Digest and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

GETTING REAL

It's not over, and Trump's happy talk isn't preparing us for the realities of the coronavirus

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/03/29/fauci-warns-us-could-see-more-than-100000-coronavirus-related-deaths/
The U.S. government's foremost infection disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says the U.S. will certainly have “millions of cases” of COVID-19 and more than 100,000 deaths. As the U.S. tops the world in reported infections from the new coronavirus, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases predicts 100,000-200,000 deaths from the outbreak in the U.S. . . . 

Why we're seeing more of Birx and less of Fauci at WH events

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/dr-birx-wont-advise-americans-continuing 
Federal coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx on Sunday said that "every metro area" should expect an outbreak equivalent to New York . . . Todd pressed Birx on whether Americans should be prepared for the national recommendations for a lockdown to continue. But the doctor refused to answer. "What is your recommendation?" Todd asked. "What recommendation are you going to be giving to them or are you not sharing that with us?" "I'm going to share it with the president and vice president first," Birx insisted. 

The idiots are still in charge

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/490046-kudlow-administration-still-believes-pandemic-is-going-to-be-a
Kudlow: Administration still believes pandemic 'is going to be a question of weeks and months'

In fact: https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/490047-public-health-expert-we-are-still-at-the-very-beginning-of-this 
Public health expert: 'We are still at the very beginning of this outbreak' 

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/29/its-too-late-to-avoid-disaster/
It’s Too Late to Avoid Disaster 

Speaking truth

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/29/his-denial-at-the-beginning-was-deadly-pelosi-slams-trump-for-his-bungled-response-to-coronavirus_partner/
"His denial at the beginning was deadly": Pelosi slams Trump for his bungled response to coronavirus

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/29/quote-of-the-day-2515/
“The worst thing you can do is raise false expectations and then watch them get dashed – then, they begin to lose confidence in their leadership. So we should just tell the truth as best we know it, as best the scientists know it. We should let them speak.”
           — Joe Biden

More: https://www.vox.com/2020/3/29/21198663/joe-biden-meet-the-press-coronavirus

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/29/biden-trump-stop-thinking-out-loud-coronavirus-154125
 
Trump and his proxies know that criticisms of Trump's early failures will be deadly as a campaign issue. So they have to come out guns blazing to shut down any talk about that . . . even though it is manifestly true

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/disgusting-lindsey-graham-blows-gasket
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Sunday lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) after she suggested that President Donald Trump's handling of the global COVID-19 pandemic will likely mean more deaths. "She's blaming the president of the United States for people dying," Graham complained to Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. "That's the most shameful, disgusting statement by any politician in modern history." . . .

[NB: But, of course, what Pelosi said is clearly, straightforwardly true. There is something here "shameful and disgusting," but it's not her.]

Here are three separate accounts of the chronology of denial and missed opportunities -- and we're all dealing with the consequences

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/29/inside-the-white-house-coronavirus-response-153058
As with many Americans, the magnitude of the situation didn’t initially set in at the White House. . . . [read on]

https://digbysblog.net/2020/03/a-devastating-tick-tock
The result was a lost month, when the world’s richest country — armed with some of the most highly trained scientists and infectious disease specialists — squandered its best chance of containing the virus’s spread. Instead, Americans were left largely blind to the scale of a looming public health catastrophe . . . [read on] 

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/29/1932457/-White-House-dismissed-2-billion-request-for-emergency-supplies-as-crisis-loomed
The overall impact of the Trump team's incompetence has been catastrophic. A lack of testing allowed the virus to spread unchecked while Trump dismissed expert warnings to prepare. A lack of interest in, evidently, any preparedness efforts, coupled with now-standard Team Trump denials and incompetence, has now contributed to nationwide shortages of vital supplies. . . . [read on]

More: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/trump-coronavirus-response-failure.html
He says Cuomo ignored warnings and Obama was slow to address swine flu. On both counts, Trump is worse. . . .  

How much longer will people tolerate this? Now Trump is BRAGGING about the "high ratings" of his coronavirus briefings. Good to know that he has his priorities straight

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/03/our-president-is-even-more-deranged/

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/3/29/21198903/trump-coronavirus-press-conference-news-media
 
https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/cnn-hosts-disgusted-after-trump-tweets
 
[NB: Almost as high as "The Bachelor" finale!]

Here's his latest show

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/29/1932500/-Trump-spreads-lies-attacks-healthcare-workers-in-unhinged-pandemic-press-briefing
Donald Trump's daily pandemic campaign rallies have been the sources of countless lies and bizarre asides, but today's effort, moved to the Rose Garden in belated effort to more closely adhere to social distancing guidelines, is unhinged. In stream of consciousness ramblings, Trump publicly suggested the continued shortage of masks in the nation's hospitals might be because healthcare workers are making off with them "out the back door"; accused, without evidence, hospitals of "hoarding" ventilators; repeated the lie that the U.S. military was out of ammunition, before he arrived; etc. He is lying about all of it, straight-up. . . . 

[NB: That's right. Rather than admit the shortage might be HIS fault, this moral monster accuses health care workers who are working to exhaustion -- with no evidence except his own vile imagination -- of stealing much-needed health supplies and selling them? WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIS MAN?]

More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/todays-presser 
Most of the rest of the press conference was taken up with brief CEO cameos and jousting with reporters over whether he actually said things he said over the previous week. . . .

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/29/politics/fact-check-coronavirus-briefing/index.html

Trump falsely denies saying two things he said last week

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/490093-trump-gets-in-back-and-forth-with-reporter-during-coronavirus

Trump clashes with reporter during coronavirus briefing: 'Be nice' 

Trump finally admits there is no way this is going to be all over in April

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/29/trump-extends-social-distancing-thru-april/ 

Trump now says that if ONLY 100,000 die, that will show he did a "good job"

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1244389653324668929? 

What he said about Obama: https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/trumps-h1n1-swine-flu-pandemic-spin/ 
Trump, March 4: Well, I just say that it’s, you know, a very, very small number in this country. And we’re going to try and keep it that way as much as possible. I will say, though, the H1N1, that was swine flu . . . And over — actually, it’s over 13,000.  . . . I had heard it was 13, but a lot of — a lot of deaths. . . . 

We have said repeatedly that this is a situation where careful statements, accurate information, and thorough explanation are crucial to informing the public. Twitter isn't made for any of those things -- and Trump should stop using it for virus-related pronouncements

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/trump-orders-gm-make-ventilators-tweet
Trump Tweets Orders To GM To Make Ventilators At A Factory They Sold Last Year 

Trump backs off his stupid tweet threatening to "quarantine" the entire New York area

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fauci-trump-tri-state-quarantine-intensive-white-house-talks

More: https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/29/cuomo-says-trumps-quarantine-idea-backfired/ 
Cuomo Says Trump’s Quarantine Idea Backfired  

In other news . . .

Another coronavirus stimulus bill is already in the works

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/29/congress-already-prepping-next-relief-bill/
“Legislators from both parties, administration officials, economists, think tanks and lobbyists are already roughing out the contours of yet another emergency-spending package—perhaps larger than the last—to try to keep the coronavirus crisis from turning into a 21st-century Great Depression. Many expect the debate to begin in earnest by late April.” . . . 

More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/pelosi-coronavirus-stimulus-bill-down-payment
Pelosi Thinks The Coronavirus Stimulus Bill Is ‘Just A Down Payment’

Bonus item: John Oliver, thank you

https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-oliver-rips-into-trump-for-failed-coronavirus-response-in-triumphant-late-night-return

***If you enjoy Progressive Blog Digest and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

BACK TO NORMAL

Looks like Trump's insane push to end virus protections and "get back to normal" by Easter has undone the brief spike in popularity he had gained

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/more-now-disapprove-of-trumps-handling-of-pandemic/
 
How Lindsey is trying to talk him down: https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/graham-warned-trump-hell-own-the-deaths/
“When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called President Trump last Sunday, he delivered a blunt message: If you reopen the nation’s economy too early against the advice of public-health experts, you will own the deaths from the novel coronavirus that follow” . . .

It's not working: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/report-white-house-officials-are-warning-trump-against-social-distancing-deadlines
White House Officials Are Warning Trump Against Social Distancing Deadlines . . . So far they have been unable to dissuade Trump, who fears the sinking economy that has resulted from the outbreak is jeopardizing his chances of reelection this year...

Just say what you really think

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/28/public-health-experts-say-trump-is-bungling-the-coronavirus-response/
A public health expert told Salon that President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been abysmal. "It definitely made it worse," Dr. William Haseltine told Salon when asked about Trump's reluctance to acknowledge the severity of the pandemic in January and February, when news of it first broke from China. "And his reaction was — if not the worst in the world — among the worst in the world. It was dangerous. It was spineless. It was heedless. It was self-serving." . . .

Trump: "who could have known . . .?" Lots of people, it turns out

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/officials-repeatedly-warned-of-lack-of-ventilators/

Now we have learned the biggest victim of the virus: the mean old media just won't give Trump enough credit for all he has done

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/trump-whines-again-media-being-mean-him

"Cutie pie"? https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/trump-chides-reporter-pressing-him

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/26/1931566/-Trump-s-press-conferences-are-filled-with-self-congratulation-and-deflecting-blame-Of-course
At The Washington Post, Aaron Blake was motivated to go through Donald Trump's COVID-19 press event from yesterday to see how much content was included and how much was fluff . . . Blake took the time to color code the transcript and do a word count. Of the words Trump word-burped, about 25% were self-promoting or blaming others. . .

Trump's childish spat with governors who don't genuflect to him will cost lives 

https://digbysblog.net/2020/03/you-have-to-ask-me-nicely 

Wow

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/flashback-quote-of-the-day-71/
“What would you think if, when your governor asked the federal government for the disaster assistance that Congress has provided, the President responded, ‘I would like you to do us a favor.’ . . .”
           — Stanford law professor Pamela Karlan, testifying before the House impeachment inquiry on December 4, 2019.

2000

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/coronavirus-deaths-doubled-in-two-days/
Confirmed U.S. coronavirus-related deaths doubled in two days, hitting 2,000 on Saturday evening . . .
 
How far is too far for Twitter? Rudy Giuliani shows us 

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/rudy-giuliani-has-phony-coronavirus-cure
Twitter Deletes Sick And Dangerous Giuliani Tweet About COVID-19 Cure

Trump values a self-aggrandizing photo op over safety

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/trump-to-see-off-naval-ship-despite-travel-warnings/

Trump tweets that he "might" quarantine several East Coast states. He has no idea the panic it can generate when the president circulates half-assed ideas THAT HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/03/coronavirus-trump-considering-quarantine-new-york-new-jersey-connecticut.html 

More: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/490014-cuomo-on-tri-state-area-enforced-quarantine-i-dont-believe-it-would-be-legal
Cuomo on tri-state area 'enforced quarantine': 'I don't believe it would be legal' . . . "It would be chaos and mayhem," Cuomo told CNN during an on-air interview on Saturday. "It's totally opposite everything he's been saying. I don't think it is plausible. I don't think it is legal." . . . “This would be a declaration of war on states, a federal declaration of war.”

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/28/trump-backs-off-quarantine-of-new-york/
Trump Backs Off Quarantine of New York Area

More evidence of a red state/blue state split over coronavirus

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/28/21196934/greg-abbott-texas-closed-borders-travel-ban-constitution-trump
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order on Thursday that would require travelers from some coronavirus hotspots to self-quarantine: It provides that “every person” who flies into Texas from “New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or the City of New Orleans, or in any other state or city as may be proclaimed hereafter, shall be subject to mandatory self-quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Texas or the duration of the person’s presence in Texas, whichever is shorter.” Other states have imposed similar orders. . . .

Right now the hardest hit areas are cities: but rural areas are not safe

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/28/21197421/usa-coronavirus-covid-19-rural-america

Bonus item: Brilliant!

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/watch-daily-show-hilariously-show-how-fox
The Daily Show has put together a video that shows how every Fox attack against Joe Biden could easily be made against Donald Trump.

***If you enjoy Progressive Blog Digest and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

ALL ABOUT HIM

Always

https://digbysblog.net/2020/03/instead-of-reassuring-the-country-trump-wants-the-country-to-reassure-him/
If you’ve watched President Trump’s daily press briefings about the coronavirus outbreak, you’ve learned how little you’ve learned. Every time he talks about the pandemic, he tells us more about his narcissism than he does about the pandemic. . . [read on]

More: https://digbysblog.net/2020/03/maybe-if-those-blue-states-were-just-a-little-bit-nicer-to-you-know-who/ 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chris-cuomo-donald-trump-coronavirus-flaws_n_5e7ef594c5b6614922680ed4

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/26/trump-floods-the-media/
“Trump’s on-air ubiquity is part of a deliberate White House strategy to place the president front and center as the pitchman and public relations impresario for the coronavirus response.”

Surprised?

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/trump-wants-to-personally-sign-economic-relief-checks/
“Mr. Trump has told people he wants his signature to appear on the direct payment checks that will go out to many Americans in the coming weeks.” “Normally, a civil servant—the disbursing officer for the payment center—would sign federal checks.”

Trump admits that he wants to screw over governors (and the people in their states) for criticizing him

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/27/1931736/-Trump-puts-coronavirus-crisis-on-hold-to-call-Sean-Hannity-and-complain-about-the-real-victim-Trump
On Thursday evening, Trump called in for a chat with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, and in that conversation he demonstrated that just because the nation is in the midst of a catastrophic epidemic where normal life has been destroyed, millions have already lost their job, and thousands are going to die—it can always be worse. Because there was absolutely nothing in the conversation with Hannity that demonstrated that Trump had the slightest sense of what was really happening in the world around him, or that he was going to lift a finger to help . . .

Trump then went straight to his major theme of the evening—complaining about people wanting him to display leadership. Which is exactly what Trump did for the next hour. Rather than expressing his concerns about the coronavirus epidemic, rather than offering his support to those suffering, or condolences for those already mourning, Trump used his appearance to complain that people, governors in this case, were asking for things. In particular, Trump was upset that governors wanted personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and ventilators for patients. Trump seemed to treat these requests like they were not only coming direct from his own pocket, but as if the governors were trying to trick him by … requesting lifesaving equipment as citizens died around them. “I have a feeling that a lot of numbers that are being sent in some areas are just bigger than they need to be,” said Trump . . .

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/27/1931747/-As-Trump-accuses-governors-of-wanting-too-many-ventilators-the-real-life-situation-is-terrifying
As Trump accuses governors of wanting too many ventilators, the real-life situation is terrifying

https://www.emptywheel.net/2020/03/27/trump-threatens-to-withhold-disaster-declaration-for-michigan-because-gretchen-whitmer-is-a-strong-woman/
Trump Threatens to Withhold Disaster Declaration for Michigan because Gretchen Whitmer Was Mean to Him 

https://digbysblog.net/2020/03/going-after-the-governors/
We knew this was where he was headed, right? This thing has already hurtled out of control and Trump is setting up the blame game, as usual. . . .

Read this!

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/trump-admits-personal-grievances-factor-in-decisions/ 
“President Trump is a commander in chief dealing with a coronavirus outbreak in which many difficult decisions have to be made. And on Friday, he seemed to suggest some of those decisions could be made according to who has run afoul of him personally,” the Washington Post reports. “Trump disclosed that he has told Vice President Pence, who is leading the coronavirus task force, not to call the governors of Michigan and Washington state because those governors had been critical of Trump and the federal response.” Said Trump: “When they’re not appreciative to me, they’re not appreciative to the Army Corps, they’re not appreciative to FEMA, it’s not right.” 

More: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489949-trump-digs-in-on-criticism-of-democratic-governors
"You know what I say? If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call," Trump added. 

Can we just say it?

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/beyond-narcissism-trumps-other-personality-flaws-are-putting-americans-at-risk/
Beyond Narcissism, Trump’s Other Personality Flaws Are Putting Americans at Risk

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/trump-is-utterly-unsuited-to-deal-with-this-crisis/
Trump Is Utterly Unsuited to Deal with This Crisis

The list of coronavirus lies keeps growing

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cnn-donald-trump-coronavirus-lines_n_5e7da6ebc5b6cb9dc19dc8a3

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-coronavirus-lies-covid19_n_5e7b7d1ac5b6b7d80959966f

More: https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/misinformation-will-kill-people-in-a-pandemic/ 
Misinformation Will Kill People 

Trump refuses to use the Defense Production Act to direct manufacturers to produce needed supplies. He has a different way of doing things: bully and attack them

https://www.rollcall.com/2020/03/27/trump-blasts-gm-over-ventilator-production-to-combat-the-coronavirus/
President Donald Trump on Friday blasted General Motors for not moving fast enough to build ventilators to address the coronavirus pandemic. . . . "General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!" he tweeted . . . "As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B," Trump tweeted, referring to GEO CEO Mary Barra. 

Later: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489909-trump-uses-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-make-ventilators

We're #1 -- not in a good way

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/united-states-most-confirmed-coronavirus-cases_n_5e7d26f2c5b6614922645818
The United States Has The Most Confirmed Coronavirus Cases In The World

How does Trump explain it? https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1243295472502046722
Trump on US passing China for total coronavirus cases: "I think it's a tribute to our testing."

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/us-will-need-millions-tests-if-not-tens
The U.S. Is Not Testing Enough To Know The Progress Of The Virus

Trump's advisors try to push him gently back from his absurd Easter deadline -- but he isn't budging

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/advisers-steer-trump-away-from-back-to-work-deadline/
“Believing the worst is yet to come, some top advisers to President Trump are struggling to steer him away from Easter as an arbitrary deadline for much of the nation to reopen . . . But Trump is far from chastened.” Said a top official: “I don’t think he feels in any way that his messaging was off. He feels more convinced than ever that America needs to get back to work.”

More: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/doctors-trump-social-distancing_n_5e7e0bb3c5b6256a7a29273f
More than 800,000 physicians across the country signed a letter urging President Donald Trump to keep social distancing practices in place after he said he wants to reopen businesses by Easter. . . .

Some deep red state governors are clearly prepared to go along 

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/alabama-governor-refuse-shelter-in-place-order-not-california
Alabama Gov. Refuses To Issue Shelter In Place Order: ‘We Are Not California’ 

[NB: Actually, their RATE of growth is worse than California!]

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/rachel-maddow-eviscerates-mississippi
Rachel Maddow Eviscerates Mississippi Governor For Overriding Mayors' Stay-At-Home Orders

More: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/27/1931761/--We-are-the-laughingstock-of-the-country-Mississippi-mayor-laments-after-governor-s-deadly-order
'We are the laughingstock of the country,' Mississippi mayor laments after governor's deadly order 

More: https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/gop-governor-bucks-trump-on-easter-deadline/
GOP Governor Bucks Trump on Easter Deadline

I was a fan of his dad too

https://crooksandliars.com/2020/03/stop-what-youre-doing-and-watch-gov-cuomos
Take a few minutes and just watch this moment with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and remind yourself what leadership looks like. . .

Our great country. Our lousy government

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/26/1931659/-N95-masks-pour-in-from-unions-corporations-schools-churches-while-the-federal-government-lags
N95 masks pour in from unions, corporations, schools, churches ... while the federal government lags 

House passes the big coronavirus bill, and Trump signs it -- praising bipartisanship. But then doesn't invite any Dems to the signing ceremony

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/03/trump-refuses-to-invite-speaker-pelosi-to-coronavirus-bill-signing-after-she-delivers-the-votes-for-him/

He already plans to ignore provisions in the law so he can reward friends and punish enemies using the funds

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/trump-suggests-he-can-gag-inspector-general/

More: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/27/trump-congress-coronavirus-relief-oversight-152560

How Nancy Pelosi got what she wanted (again)

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2020/03/nancy-pelosi-didnt-go-senile-over-her-coronavirus-bill/
 
We're seeing more of Dr. Birx and less of Dr. Fauci. Here's why

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/27/21197074/deborah-birx-praised-trump-scientific-literature-coronavirus
Deborah Birx praised Trump as attentive to scientific literature and details

More: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anthony-fauci-coronavirus-lilly-singh_n_5e7effd1c5b6cb9dc1a0d481
Anthony Fauci Debunks The Biggest Coronavirus Myths

Now, it's official: Trump's administration is BUYING EQUITY in the airlines with coronavirus aid

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/26/u-s-to-take-stakes-in-airlines-in-exchange-for-grants/

Even Fox World finds Sect'y Mnuchin's comments on unemployment unnecessarily callous and cruel

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-neil-cavuto-steve-mnuchin_n_5e7dc5c6c5b6cb9dc19e0ede

In investigation news

What did the Repubs know about the coming coronavirus WHEN impeachment was still going on?

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/27/1931905/-Senate-Republicans-knew-the-country-was-facing-disaster-yet-still-voted-to-keep-Trump-in-office

In other news . . 

Photo essay: the doctors and nurses who are saving us

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-italy-photos-doctors-and-nurses/608671/
“We are exhausted physically and emotionally but we must go on” . . . 

WH condemns a pastor THEY invited for comments linking homosexuality and coronavirus

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489688-white-house-slams-pastor-leading-cabinet-bible-studies-for-linking-homosexuality-coronavirus  
Ralph Drollinger, who leads regular Bible study groups for top Trump administration officials, made the remarks in a blog post over the weekend . . . 

Gun stores sue to stay open, saying that they ARE "essential businesses"

https://www.vox.com/2020/3/27/21195322/gun-stores-coronavirus-pandemic-second-amendment-tom-wolf-pennsylvania

In Fox World

https://www.salon.com/2020/03/26/fox-and-friends-host-complains-she-cant-get-her-nails-done-people-are-dying-and-i-realize-that/
"Fox & Friends" host complains she can't get her nails done 

Fake quotes in the latest Trump campaign video

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/27/new-trump-ad-uses-misleading-quotes/ 

Trump tweets a tongue-in-cheek "thank you" to Rachel Maddow. She's not having it

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-maddow-coronavirus-clip-criticism_n_5e7e820fc5b6256a7a2ac61e

Look, I am not going to excuse sexist behavior and harassment. But when someone waits thirty years to raise an accusation -- in the midst of a presidential campaign -- how do you assess it?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-sexual-assault-tara-reade_n_5e7e69c8c5b6256a7a2a88f2

Bonus item: Silly. Wonderful. How to throw an online "PowerPoint" party

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/03/friendship-files-powerpoint-party-teens-coronavirus-quarantine/608827/
Beck: Whose idea was it to have the PowerPoint party? Can you explain what that is?
Audrey Lapuyade: Walter sent us a post about [someone doing] something similar. We changed it up and made it our own. We thought it’d be cool and something to do with our time while we were stuck in quarantine.
Andrew: You make a random PowerPoint on something that you enjoy, and you present it to your friends. We all picked a random topic—some topics were really goofy.
Audrey: It was interesting to listen to, because everyone got to share something that they were passionate about . . .
Beck: Can everybody introduce the title of your presentation, or the topic that you presented on? 
Lane: I did my presentation on gravitational lensing.
Beck: What is that? I don’t even know.
Lane: It’s a way that light travel is affected by gravity fields in space; you can observe it from a telescope.
Andrew: I did my mine on Parks and Recreation characters. It was a show that I really enjoyed; I wanted to tell people about it.
Walter Long: Mine was ranking the Disney princesses.
Beck: Who was the best one? 
Walter: Mulan, definitely.
Georgia Perello: My favorite show is The Office. So I made a whole PowerPoint just summing up the show.
Amelia: My topic was some of the most notorious unsolved murders and who the most likely suspects would be. Like the Jack the Ripper case, the Tylenol murders, the Texarkana Phantom Killer. I presented some of their patterns, what their victim range was, and who the most likely suspect would be and why.
Reagan: I did mine on the Titans and Greek mythology because I’m a huge Percy Jackson fan.
Carly Bohlmann: I ranked all the songs from [the Disney Channel show] Phineas and Ferb.
Beck: How many songs were there?
Carly: About 300.
Beck: What’s the best one?
Carly: The best one is their one-hit wonder “Gitchee Gitchee Goo.”

***If you enjoy Progressive Blog Digest and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***