thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Rises To 15 As Virus Prompts Cancellations, Closures

As more cases of coronavirus are confirmed daily around the globe , the death toll in the U.S. rose to at least 15 as of Friday , most of these in Washington state .
There have been at least 14 reported deaths from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus , in Washington state , with many of these connected to an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle area .
There was one death confirmed in California earlier this week .
A cruise ship with over 3,000 people is now being held off the coast of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 71-year-old man who died had been on a previous trip on the ship in mid-February .
Vice President Mike Pence said in a news briefing Friday that 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19 , including 19 crew members and two passengers .
Pence said they will be testing everyone onboard and quarantining people “ as necessary.
” Across the U.S. , there have been over 160 confirmed cases of the virus , according to the Centers for Disease Control .
Reported cases so far span more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are growing daily around the world , reaching nearly 100,000 reported cases across at least 85 countries , per the World Health Organization .
More than 3,000 people have died .
“ We are calling on every country to act with speed , ” he said , adding he was “ deeply concerned ” about the number of additional countries reporting cases .
“ This is not a drill .
This is not the time to give up .
...
This is a time for pulling out all the stops.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educate the public on symptoms and ways to protect themselves , as well as to increase testing and train health workers .
FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a news briefing Friday that , in response to high demand from states for more tests , the CDC had developed a “ very high quality ” swab test and shipped out 900,000 of these across the country yesterday .
They plan for over 1 million more to go out by early next week .
As cases increase across the U.S. , institutions and companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canceling in-person events in an attempt to minimize virus spread .
The University of Washington announced Friday that it would hold classes remotely until the end of March amid a rise in cases around Seattle , including one “ presumptive positive ” case involving a staff member .
Big companies like Netflix , Apple , Amazon and others have pulled out of attending the annual tech conference South by Southwest in Austin next week amid fears of coronavirus ’ spread .
Dr. Sonia Angell , the state ’ s public health director , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s risk : Cover your mouth when you cough , wash your hands frequently and , if you don ’ t feel well , stay home .
If you ’ re concerned about your own symptoms , you should call your health provider or county health officials before going to a hospital or doctor ’ s office .

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As more cases of coronavirus are confirmed daily around the globe, the death toll in the U.S. rose to at least 17 late Friday, with two new deaths reported in Florida.
Most of the deaths have been in Washington state.
There have been at least 14 reported deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, in Washington state, with many of these connected to an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle area.
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There was one death confirmed in California earlier this week. A cruise ship with over 3,000 people is now being held off the coast of San Francisco after it was confirmed that the 71-year-old man who died had been on a previous trip on the ship in mid-February.
Vice President Mike Pence said in a news briefing Friday that 21 people on the Grand Princess cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, including 19 crew members and two passengers. Pence said they will be testing everyone onboard and quarantining people “as necessary.”
A previously announced COVID-19 patient in Santa Rosa County and another in Lee County, both in Florida, have died, the Florida Health Department reported Friday. Both became ill after an international trip, according to the Herald-Tribune.
Across the U.S., there have been over 160 confirmed cases of the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Reported cases so far span more than 20 states.
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The number of cases are growing daily around the world, reaching nearly 100,000 reported cases across at least 85 countries, per the World Health Organization. More than 3,000 people have died.
WHO director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged in a Thursday news briefing for countries worldwide to take a “collective, coordinated” approach to tackling the virus.
“We are calling on every country to act with speed,” he said, adding he was “deeply concerned” about the number of additional countries reporting cases. “This is not a drill. This is not the time to give up. ... This is a time for pulling out all the stops.”
The WHO repeated its calls for governments to educate the public on symptoms and ways to protect themselves, as well as to increase testing and train health workers.
To protect yourself from #COVID19, avoid being exposed to the virus and use everyday prevention action to prevent the spread of respiratory virus:
1) cover your cough
2) wash your hands
3) stay home when sickhttps://t.co/uArGZTrH5L pic.twitter.com/6KgyMnpoUW — CDC (@CDCgov) March 5, 2020
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FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a news briefing Friday that, in response to high demand from states for more tests, the CDC had developed a “very high quality” swab test and shipped out 900,000 of these across the country yesterday. They plan for over 1 million more to go out by early next week.
As cases increase across the U.S., institutions and companies are taking extra precautions, with some canceling in-person events in an attempt to minimize virus spread.
The University of Washington announced Friday that it would hold classes remotely until the end of March amid a rise in cases around Seattle, including one “presumptive positive” case involving a staff member.
Big companies like Netflix, Apple, Amazon and others have pulled out of attending the annual tech conference South by Southwest in Austin next week amid fears of coronavirus’ spread.
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Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, noted Wednesday that most people who contract the coronavirus have only mild symptoms.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Thousands Of Non-English Speakers To Be Denied Disability Benefits Under New Rule

The Trump administration is changing the rules .
Starting next month , Social Security will no longer factor lack of English when it evaluates whether someone with a severe disability is capable of working .
La might have qualified anyway , due to her limited education , but others will not .
The English rule is the first ― and in terms of how many people are affected , probably the smallest ― of three pending regulations designed to trim disability enrollment .
It ’ s one of many administration regulations targeting housing , food and health care benefits ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The administration argues that being unable to speak English is less of a barrier to gainful employment than it used to be .
Also , the administration says language has been a factor in too many disability awards for residents of Puerto Rico , where most people speak Spanish .
Puerto Rico accounted for nearly a third of all claims that were allowed partly due to lack of English in 2016 , officials said last year in the draft version of the rule .
In response to criticism that it shouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year of data from a single U.S. territory ― reflecting a fraction of a percent of overall claims ― the administration insisted that Puerto Rico was only one reason for the policy change .
Of course , there are plenty of people whose sole language isn ’ t English or Spanish .
Ly La has lived in South Philadelphia since coming to the U.S. a decade ago as a refugee and has struggled to pick up any English .
She speaks only Burmese .
La said she took English classes but found even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult to learn that writing the letter “ A ” made her chest burn .
Stress once caused a gurgling sound in her chest , she said , followed by a fainting spell .
La has little work experience , almost no education , and cardiac problems necessitating a lifetime of medication and a prosthetic heart valve .
Her doctors say she can ’ t do physical labor .
She could potentially do sedentary work , such as in an office environment ― but that ’ s where her inability to speak English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ files for disability benefits , the government checks if a person ’ s impairments are severe enough to be on a list of specific disabling conditions .
If not , it then evaluates whether they could find a new line of work where those obstacles would be less of a problem .
Examiners use a so-called Medical-Vocational grid that considers age , education and past work experience to determine whether the combination of circumstances should add up to a finding of disability because there ’ s virtually no chance the claimant will qualify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge granted La ’ s claim last May .
“ Even if the claimant had the residual functional capacity for the full range of sedentary work , a finding of ‘ disabled ’ would be directed by Medical-Vocational Rules 201.17 , ” the judge wrote in his decision , citing one of the two grid rules for people older than 45 who can ’ t speak English ― the ones that the Trump administration is eliminating .
She won her benefits thanks to attorneys from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia , who helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to submit to the government .
( Other nonprofit groups helped her win a protective order against her husband and naturalize as a U.S. citizen so that she would remain eligible for SSI . )

Ly La is a 50-year-old refugee from Myanmar with an artificial valve in her heart whose doctors say she can’t do physically demanding work.
The government turned her down repeatedly for disability benefits, but she won her claim on appeal last year. An administrative law judge noted her myriad health problems and also the fact that she can’t speak English.
The money has changed her life. Without the $783 per month, La said through an interpreter, “I think I would die.”
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La’s case is one example of how the Social Security Administration considers English proficiency when considering disability claims by older people ― or at least how it used to.
The Trump administration is changing the rules. Starting next month, Social Security will no longer factor lack of English when it evaluates whether someone with a severe disability is capable of working. La might have qualified anyway, due to her limited education, but others will not.
Going forward, roughly 10,000 fewer Americans will qualify for benefits annually, according to the administration’s estimate. Most of them will likely shuffle along with lower incomes until they can qualify for Social Security retirement benefits.
The English rule is the first ― and in terms of how many people are affected, probably the smallest ― of three pending regulations designed to trim disability enrollment. It’s one of many administration regulations targeting housing, food and health care benefits ― all done without a say from Congress.
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The administration argues that being unable to speak English is less of a barrier to gainful employment than it used to be. Also, the administration says language has been a factor in too many disability awards for residents of Puerto Rico, where most people speak Spanish.
Puerto Rico accounted for nearly a third of all claims that were allowed partly due to lack of English in 2016, officials said last year in the draft version of the rule. In response to criticism that it shouldn’t change rules based on a single year of data from a single U.S. territory ― reflecting a fraction of a percent of overall claims ― the administration insisted that Puerto Rico was only one reason for the policy change.
Thanks to a changing workforce, the officials said, “We no longer consider English proficiency to be an appropriate proxy for assessing an individual’s education level as part of our disability determination process.”
Democrats and advocates for the disabled strongly oppose the change, describing the justification as phony and the rule as an attack on both immigrants and the disabled.
Republicans are supportive. “There are non-English areas of the nation where not speaking English is actually an asset,” Rep. Tom Reed of New York, the top Republican on the House subcommittee that oversees Social Security, told HuffPost. “Obviously Puerto Rico is a great example of it.”
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Of course, there are plenty of people whose sole language isn’t English or Spanish. Ly La has lived in South Philadelphia since coming to the U.S. a decade ago as a refugee and has struggled to pick up any English. She speaks only Burmese.
La said she took English classes but found even something as basic as the alphabet so difficult to learn that writing the letter “A” made her chest burn. Stress once caused a gurgling sound in her chest, she said, followed by a fainting spell.
La has little work experience, almost no education, and cardiac problems necessitating a lifetime of medication and a prosthetic heart valve. Her doctors say she can’t do physical labor. She could potentially do sedentary work, such as in an office environment ― but that’s where her inability to speak English becomes a big factor.
When someone files for disability benefits, the government checks if a person’s impairments are severe enough to be on a list of specific disabling conditions. If not, it then evaluates whether they could find a new line of work where those obstacles would be less of a problem. Examiners use a so-called Medical-Vocational grid that considers age, education and past work experience to determine whether the combination of circumstances should add up to a finding of disability because there’s virtually no chance the claimant will qualify for a job.
An administrative law judge granted La’s claim last May. “Even if the claimant had the residual functional capacity for the full range of sedentary work, a finding of ‘disabled’ would be directed by Medical-Vocational Rules 201.17,” the judge wrote in his decision, citing one of the two grid rules for people older than 45 who can’t speak English ― the ones that the Trump administration is eliminating.
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La gets the standard monthly benefit in Supplemental Security Income payments, which follow the same criteria as Social Security Disability Insurance but offer lower benefit levels that are not based on past earnings.
“It’s not enough for me to use for the entire month’s expenses,” she said.
Ly La in Philadelphia (Arthur Delaney) Arthur Delaney
Together, the disability programs reach about 13 million people. Enrollment has been declining since 2013, but Republicans have remained steadfast in their quest for cuts.
La said she left Myanmar to escape conflict related to a longstanding persecution of ethnic minorities there. When asked by HuffPost if she’d had any schooling, she described having to “run all the time” and literally hide underground.
“When the war is [happening], they shoot each other, you have to go down to the hole and hide there,” she said.
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In the U.S., La had open heart surgery and separated from her husband, who has custody of three of her four children.
She won her benefits thanks to attorneys from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, who helped marshal information about her health and finances to submit to the government. (Other nonprofit groups helped her win a protective order against her husband and naturalize as a U.S. citizen so that she would remain eligible for SSI. )
“For many immigrants and limited English proficient individuals with disabilities, Social Security’s new rules will threaten their livelihoods,” La’s legal services attorney, Chi-Ser Tran, said in an email.
It’s possible La could have won her claim without the English criteria, which is one of several education categories the government considers. She would still fall in the lowest education category even if the government disregards her language skills.
But the question of whether La still qualifies without considering her language skills will come up the next time Social Security takes another look at her claim as part of its standard review process. One of the other regulations the Trump administration is pushing will ramp up disability reviews, especially for claimants awarded benefits due to vocational factors.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Want To Fend Off A Coronavirus Recession? Send People Money.

Just this week , fresh off an emergency call with central bank leaders around the world , the Federal Reserve cut interest rates ― a somewhat surprising move coming about two weeks before its next scheduled meeting .
It was the first emergency rate cut by the Fed since the financial crisis in 2008 and a strong signal that the central bank is taking the threat of the virus seriously .
Think of it like this : If more people get sick , more people can ’ t work .
Businesses become less productive and ailing workers without paid sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( They might also go to work sick . )
Meanwhile , others who are either sick or afraid of catching the virus stop going out and spending money .
Crucially , all the people out of work will still need money for food and housing costs .
The new record-low mortgage rates aren ’ t going to solve that immediate problem ― especially not for renters .
Nearly 4 in 10 adults would have trouble handling a $ 400 emergency expense , according to a recent study from the Federal Reserve .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recession or when people have immediate financial distress is you want to give them the money right away , ” said Claudia Sahm , director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth and a former section chief at the Federal Reserve who has researched the effectiveness of direct payments during recessions .
It ’ s worth emphasizing that the first and most critical way to shore up the economy and calm a worried stock market is to aggressively contain the virus and treat the sick .
The sooner the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better it will be for people ’ s lives and pocketbooks .
The federal government has given out cash before .
In 2008 , as part of its stimulus efforts during the financial crisis , the George W. Bush administration sent out checks for $ 600 to single taxpayers and $ 1,200 to married couples ― with $ 300 extra for each child in the home .
In 2001 , Bush sent checks to manage the dip from the dotcom bust .
Subsequent research found that those checks worked : People spent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
To be clear , the economy is not in recession now .
But to fend off a downturn kicked into effect by the outbreak , one of the best things the federal government could do right now would be to get money to those who are sick or have to stay home with someone who is , Sahm said .
It ’ s tough to imagine the Trump administration , not exactly known for supporting efforts to help low-income workers or effectively implementing policy , pulling this off .
Yet there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to give people money .
The administration has floated the idea of a payroll tax cut , akin to the one implemented during the Obama administration .
This would boost workers ’ paychecks , but it isn ’ t a perfect solution .
First of all , a higher paycheck only helps people who are actually getting paid .
Those who are sick and home without paid leave and those who lose their jobs are out of luck .
Second , a payroll tax cut would put more money into the hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that puts 2 % of your income back in your pocket is worth $ 2,000 for someone making $ 100,000 a year , but just $ 600 for someone making $ 30,000 ― and that ’ s spread out over a year .
The idea of simply giving people money has captured recent public attention .
Annie Lowery , a writer at The Atlantic , published a book last year called “ Give People Money , ” making the case for a universal basic income .
Andrew Yang ran for president on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea for fighting off a virus-sparked recession would be a one-off , distinct from those proposals that involve long-term cash transfers from government to citizens .

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/HuffPost; Photos: Getty
Interest rate cuts won’t blunt the economic impact of a pandemic. Yet as the threat of the coronavirus threatens to tip the U.S. economy into a slump, that seems to be the federal government’s preferred solution.
Just this week, fresh off an emergency call with central bank leaders around the world, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates ― a somewhat surprising move coming about two weeks before its next scheduled meeting. It was the first emergency rate cut by the Fed since the financial crisis in 2008 and a strong signal that the central bank is taking the threat of the virus seriously.
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The problem is that cutting interest rates, which were already very low, isn’t likely to do much to solve the kinds of economic problems posed by a virus.
Think of it like this: If more people get sick, more people can’t work. Businesses become less productive and ailing workers without paid sick leave don’t earn money. (They might also go to work sick.) Meanwhile, others who are either sick or afraid of catching the virus stop going out and spending money.
Restaurants, shops, movie theaters, hotels ― all see less business. More workers lose their jobs. Fewer people have money to spend. It’s classic cause-a-recession kind of stuff; the U.S. economy depends on people spending money.
Crucially, all the people out of work will still need money for food and housing costs. The new record-low mortgage rates aren’t going to solve that immediate problem ― especially not for renters. Nearly 4 in 10 adults would have trouble handling a $400 emergency expense, according to a recent study from the Federal Reserve.
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The solution is obvious and backed up by the latest economic research: Send people money.
“What you want to do in a recession or when people have immediate financial distress is you want to give them the money right away,” said Claudia Sahm, director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth and a former section chief at the Federal Reserve who has researched the effectiveness of direct payments during recessions.
It’s worth emphasizing that the first and most critical way to shore up the economy and calm a worried stock market is to aggressively contain the virus and treat the sick. The sooner the COVID-19 outbreak is under control, the better it will be for people’s lives and pocketbooks.
The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a sizable half-percentage point in an effort to support the economy in the face of the spreading coronavirus. Chairman Jerome Powell noted that the coronavirus "poses evolving risks to economic activity." Jacquelyn Martin/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The federal government has given out cash before. In 2008, as part of its stimulus efforts during the financial crisis, the George W. Bush administration sent out checks for $600 to single taxpayers and $1,200 to married couples ― with $300 extra for each child in the home. In 2001, Bush sent checks to manage the dip from the dotcom bust. Subsequent research found that those checks worked: People spent the money, boosting demand and bolstering the economy.
“Send thousand-dollar checks to everyone, along the lines of Bush in 2008,” said Josh Bivens, a director of research at the liberal Economic Policy Institute. “Of all the things Bush did economically, it was among the better ones.”
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Studies of the Bush checks convinced a lot of economists that giving people lump sums actually does help bolster an economy in slowdown. Previously, some economists pointed to models that suggested too many consumers would just hold on to the money.
Common sense never lined up with that view, of course.
To be clear, the economy is not in recession now. But to fend off a downturn kicked into effect by the outbreak, one of the best things the federal government could do right now would be to get money to those who are sick or have to stay home with someone who is, Sahm said.
“If you’re out of work for two weeks, in a lot of service sector jobs you lose your job,” she said. “There’s potential for a lot of financial distress if those people don’t get help.”
In fact, several economists are making the case for sending everyone, sick or not, a check.
“It’s tough to imagine the Trump administration, not exactly known for supporting efforts to help low-income workers or effectively implementing policy, pulling this off.”
“I’ve been making the argument as much as I can,” said Jay Shambaugh, director of the Hamilton Project and a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution.
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Direct payments wouldn’t just keep people from going broke, Shambaugh pointed out. They would have public health benefits: The cash cushion they provide would give vulnerable low-income workers the means not to go to work while sick.
And that would likely be a better short-term solution to the problem of people spreading the virus on the job than trying to quickly implement a national paid sick leave policy, Shambaugh said. He recommends pulling the trigger now.
The unemployment numbers coming out Friday will represent the job picture in February. By the time we know what’s happening in March, it could be too late.
“You can’t time this perfectly,” he said. Big picture, this is about making sure that someone who is sick isn’t out driving for Uber next week, he added.
It’s tough to imagine the Trump administration, not exactly known for supporting efforts to help low-income workers or effectively implementing policy, pulling this off. Yet there are signs that maybe the White House wants to give people money. The administration has floated the idea of a payroll tax cut, akin to the one implemented during the Obama administration.
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“This is about making sure that someone who is sick isn’t out driving for Uber next week.”
This would boost workers’ paychecks, but it isn’t a perfect solution. First of all, a higher paycheck only helps people who are actually getting paid. Those who are sick and home without paid leave and those who lose their jobs are out of luck.
Second, a payroll tax cut would put more money into the hands of higher-income workers. A tax cut that puts 2% of your income back in your pocket is worth $2,000 for someone making $100,000 a year, but just $600 for someone making $30,000 ― and that’s spread out over a year.
Third, research has shown that the Bush lump-sum checks were more effective at boosting the economy than money that’s dribbled out through a tax credit or cut.
The idea of simply giving people money has captured recent public attention. Annie Lowery, a writer at The Atlantic, published a book last year called “Give People Money,” making the case for a universal basic income. Andrew Yang ran for president on a version of the concept. The current idea for fighting off a virus-sparked recession would be a one-off, distinct from those proposals that involve long-term cash transfers from government to citizens.
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Still, the appeal is similar.
Besides the payroll tax cut idea, Trump’s agriculture secretary suggested this week that the agency could dish out extra food benefits in an area particularly stricken by COVID-19. Republicans in the House seem open to paying for virus patients’ health care.
Jared Bernstein, a former chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden and a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, also recommends boosting Medicaid funding to the states and beefing up unemployment insurance.
But Bernstein warned the Trump administration remains a key obstacle to making any fiscal policy solution work in time. “They have terrible governance chops,” he said.
“I suspect [the Trump administration] would be willing to do fiscal stimulus. I just think they have more difficulty getting their act together than you’d like,” Bernstein said. “There’s never been any hesitation over there to spend money on stuff.”
Arthur Delaney contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Man Unfurls Nazi Flag At Bernie Sanders Rally

Caitlin O'Hara via Getty Images Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) speaks at a campaign rally on March 5 , 2020 , in Phoenix , Arizona .
There were several disruptions during the rally , including a white nationalist brandishing a Nazi flag .
A man high in the stands behind Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) during his Thursday night campaign rally in Phoenix surprised the crowd by unfurling a large red flag emblazoned with a swastika .
Sanders was alerted to the flag when the cheers at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum turned to boos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned around after a supporter had grabbed the flag from below and yanked it from the man , who was then escorted out .
“ Whoever it was , I think they ’ re a little outnumbered tonight , ” Sanders told the crowd .
While rally disruptions are not uncommon ― a group of vegan protesters memorably rushed the stage at a Joe Biden rally earlier this week ― attendees seemed particularly taken aback by the swastika .
“ I was expecting Trump supporters to be protesting .
I didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” rally attendee Orlando Garrido told The Washington Post .
“ I never thought I would actually see something like that.
” Others on social media pointed out that Sanders , a Jewish man , had family who were murdered by Nazis in the Holocaust , making the swastika flag ’ s sudden appearance particularly repugnant .
WARNING : awful , derogatory language .
⚠ Man just Kicked out of # BernieSanders rally .
The guy in white shirt got into it with Bernie supporter , calls him N-word .
Unclear what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona # BernieForPresident # BernieRally pic.twitter.com/xr8Fe5Lqzd — Nicole Grigg ( @ NicoleSGrigg ) March 6 , 2020 Video of a man being escorted out of the stadium while using a racial slur also emerged on social media describing him as the same man with the flag .
A spokesman for the Sanders campaign told a BuzzFeed News reporter that the senator “ is aware of the flag with the swastika on it and is disturbed by it .
”

Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a campaign rally on March 5, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona. There were several disruptions during the rally, including a white nationalist brandishing a Nazi flag. Caitlin O'Hara via Getty Images
A man high in the stands behind Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during his Thursday night campaign rally in Phoenix surprised the crowd by unfurling a large red flag emblazoned with a swastika.
Sanders was alerted to the flag when the cheers at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum turned to boos shortly after he began speaking.
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He turned around after a supporter had grabbed the flag from below and yanked it from the man, who was then escorted out.
HE BROUGHT THE NAZI FLAG. pic.twitter.com/qIH788j5n5 — Macrö (@hayxteci) March 6, 2020
“Whoever it was, I think they’re a little outnumbered tonight,” Sanders told the crowd.
While rally disruptions are not uncommon ― a group of vegan protesters memorably rushed the stage at a Joe Biden rally earlier this week ― attendees seemed particularly taken aback by the swastika.
“I was expecting Trump supporters to be protesting. I didn’t expect a swastika flag to be unfurled,” rally attendee Orlando Garrido told The Washington Post. “I never thought I would actually see something like that.”
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Others on social media pointed out that Sanders, a Jewish man, had family who were murdered by Nazis in the Holocaust, making the swastika flag’s sudden appearance particularly repugnant.
WARNING: awful, derogatory language. ⚠ Man just Kicked out of #BernieSanders rally. The guy in white shirt got into it with Bernie supporter, calls him N-word. Unclear what led to this. @SenSanders #Arizona #BernieForPresident #BernieRally pic.twitter.com/xr8Fe5Lqzd — Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) March 6, 2020
Video of a man being escorted out of the stadium while using a racial slur also emerged on social media describing him as the same man with the flag.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--CNN Commentator Slammed For Saying Nina Turner Didn't Have 'Standing' To Invoke MLK

CNN political commentator Hilary Rosen received swift backlash after a heated exchange with former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner , a co-chair of the Bernie Sanders campaign , on “ Cuomo Prime Time ” Thursday night .
Rosen ’ s attempt to later apologize only made matters worse .
Discussing the Vermont senator ’ s progressive policies on CNN Thursday , Turner referenced Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s 1963 “ Letter from Birmingham Jail , ” in which the late civil rights icon addressed eight white Alabama clergy members , writing that he had been “ gravely disappointed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ policies are “ in the spirit ” of King , “ who warned us — us being the Black community — about white moderates.
” “ That ’ s actually not what Martin Luther King said , ” Rosen said .
“ What he said was we should be worried about the silence of white moderates.
” “ What we have in Joe Biden is a man who is not silent , ” she continued .
Turner responded , referencing King ’ s mention about the Ku Klux Klan in his letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was more concerned that white moderates wanted things “ to be comfortable , ” she said .
In his letter , King wrote in part : “ I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro ’ s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen ’ s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner , but the white moderate , who is more devoted to ‘ order ’ than to justice.
” The civil rights icon later wrote that another stumbling block for the Black community is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.
” ( Read King ’ s letter in full here . )
Rosen then accused Turner , a Black female activist , of using “ Martin Luther King against Joe Biden , ” she said .
“ You don ’ t have that standing .
I ’ m sorry , you don ’ t. ” “ Don ’ t tell me what kind of standing I have as a Black woman in America , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosen received wide backlash on Twitter for “ whitesplaining ” King ’ s words to Turner , with many people calling out the exchange as an example of white feminism .
In a since-deleted tweet , the Democratic strategist addressed the exchange on Friday morning , writing that she wrong and that she was “ sorry for saying those words.
” “ Pls no need to defend me and attack angry black women , ” she continued .
“ They have standing .
I always need to listen more than I talk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly called out Rosen for using the words “ angry black women ” — a racist trope — especially in her attempt at an apology .
You know Hilary , you didn ’ t just talk over me .
Go back & watch the segment .
You said among other things that I did not have standing .
Wrap your mind around that .
The Rev .
Dr. MLK I speak of challenged the status quo .
He spoke out against militarism , materialism , poverty & racism .
https : //t.co/qbMX77Y9gv — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 , 2020 Rosen later apologized , again , writing that she was “ horrified that anyone would think [ I ] would call Nina Turner ‘ an angry black woman ’ I would NEVER !
!
” “ After the TV hit last night , I was getting tons of ugly messages to keep fighting her using that phrase , ” she continued .
“ I was trying to tell people to STOP .
Cause I KNEW I needed to apologize.
” I ’ m horrified that anyone would think i would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman ” I would NEVER !
!
After the TV hit last night , I was getting tons of ugly messages to keep fighting her using that phrase .
I was trying to tell people to STOP .
Cause I KNEW I needed to apologize .
— Hilary Rosen ( @ hilaryr ) March 6 , 2020

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CNN political commentator Hilary Rosen received swift backlash after a heated exchange with former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, a co-chair of the Bernie Sanders campaign, on “Cuomo Prime Time” Thursday night. Rosen’s attempt to later apologize only made matters worse.
Discussing the Vermont senator’s progressive policies on CNN Thursday, Turner referenced Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in which the late civil rights icon addressed eight white Alabama clergy members, writing that he had been “gravely disappointed with the white moderate.”
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Turner said Sanders’ policies are “in the spirit” of King, “who warned us — us being the Black community — about white moderates.”
“That’s actually not what Martin Luther King said,” Rosen said. “What he said was we should be worried about the silence of white moderates.”
“What we have in Joe Biden is a man who is not silent,” she continued.
Sanders Co-Chair and Dem Strategist Clash in Explosive Debate: ‘How Dare You as a White Woman’ Tell Me What I’m Supposed to Feel! https://t.co/HhbMWLbWBW — Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 6, 2020
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Turner responded, referencing King’s mention about the Ku Klux Klan in his letter, adding that the civil rights icon was more concerned that white moderates wanted things “to be comfortable,” she said.
In his letter, King wrote in part: “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice.”
The civil rights icon later wrote that another stumbling block for the Black community is a white moderate who “prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” (Read King’s letter in full here.)
Rosen then accused Turner, a Black female activist, of using “Martin Luther King against Joe Biden,” she said. “You don’t have that standing. I’m sorry, you don’t.”
“Don’t tell me what kind of standing I have as a Black woman in America, how dare you,” Turner responded.
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Rosen received wide backlash on Twitter for “whitesplaining” King’s words to Turner, with many people calling out the exchange as an example of white feminism.
Enter Rosen’s apology.
In a since-deleted tweet, the Democratic strategist addressed the exchange on Friday morning, writing that she wrong and that she was “sorry for saying those words.”
“Pls no need to defend me and attack angry black women,” she continued. “They have standing. I always need to listen more than I talk. We rise together.”
People on Twitter quickly called out Rosen for using the words “angry black women” — a racist trope — especially in her attempt at an apology.
Solidarity gets thrown out the window the instant there’s benefit in leaning into the social protections of white womanhood, a racist social construct that’s been built upon dehumanizing Black women & portraying us as beastly, aggressive, non-women undeserving of same protections — Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) March 6, 2020
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If these are our “allies”… damn. pic.twitter.com/f0Nhq6QAzW — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) March 6, 2020
You know Hilary, you didn’t just talk over me. Go back & watch the segment. You said among other things that I did not have standing. Wrap your mind around that. The Rev. Dr. MLK I speak of challenged the status quo. He spoke out against militarism, materialism, poverty & racism. https://t.co/qbMX77Y9gv — Nina Turner (@ninaturner) March 6, 2020
Rosen later apologized, again, writing that she was “horrified that anyone would think [I] would call Nina Turner ‘an angry black woman’ I would NEVER!!”
“After the TV hit last night, I was getting tons of ugly messages to keep fighting her using that phrase,” she continued. “I was trying to tell people to STOP. Cause I KNEW I needed to apologize.”
I’m horrified that anyone would think i would call Nina Turner “an angry black woman” I would NEVER!! After the TV hit last night, I was getting tons of ugly messages to keep fighting her using that phrase. I was trying to tell people to STOP. Cause I KNEW I needed to apologize. — Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) March 6, 2020
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2/2 I unequivocally know I disrespected her and I wanted to make it right by telling disgusting white folks to stop. Wow did that tweet go wrong. I am so sorry. — Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) March 6, 2020
I’ve called Nina to apologize directly. Whether or not she takes my call, I am still humbly sorry. — Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) March 6, 2020
In subsequent tweets, Rosen noted that her initial apology went “wrong” and that she has since called Turner to apologize.
“Whether or not she takes my call, I am still humbly sorry,” she added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--The March Primaries Look Pretty Good For Joe Biden

Former Vice President Joe Biden has all the momentum going into the next round of primary contests , which could help him gain an insurmountable delegate lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination .
On Tuesday , voters head to the polls in Idaho , Michigan , Mississippi , Missouri , North Dakota and Washington state .
Biden is expected to do well in most of those contests based on the strength he demonstrated on Super Tuesday with moderates , Black voters across the South and rural voters in the Midwest .
The most favorable ground for Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently trails Biden in delegates , lies in Michigan and Washington .
The Vermont senator upset Hillary Clinton in the Great Lakes State in the 2016 Democratic primary , so he ’ s a known commodity there .
His economic and trade message is also likely to resonate in Michigan , as it has in other Rust Belt states .
That ’ s why his campaign this week canceled a scheduled appearance in Mississippi and added more stops to his Michigan itinerary .
But Biden could also win a number of delegates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His campaign this week rolled out a slate of endorsements from top Michigan Democrats , including from Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Elissa Slotkin , the freshman lawmaker who flipped a suburban GOP district in 2018 .
“ In Michigan , we have a rich tradition of hard work , decency , and passionate pragmatism .
That is what is expected of us in our lives , and that is what I believe we need from our elected leaders .
That is why I support Joe Biden , ” Slotkin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more daunting for Sanders later this month when voters in Arizona , Florida , Illinois , Ohio ( on March 17 ) and then Georgia ( on March 24 ) head to the polls .
Many of the same dynamics apply in these states ― Sanders is considered competitive in the Midwestern contests , but he faces extremely difficult odds in the South .
In Florida , for example , where 219 pledged delegates are up for grabs , Biden leads Sanders 61 % to 12 % , according to a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s surge on Super Tuesday and before former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race .
“ Folks ... barring a seismic event , this race is pretty much over , ” Dave Wasserman , editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report , tweeted in response to the Florida poll in particular .
The brightest spots for Sanders looking forward include Wisconsin , which votes on April 7 , and the “ Acela primary ” states across the Northeast ― New York , Pennsylvania , Connecticut , Delaware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 28 .
But those are over a month away , and it ’ s difficult to see the senator making up the difference then if Biden performs this month as well as he did on Super Tuesday .
Talking to MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow on Wednesday , Sanders vowed to drop out of the presidential race if Biden ends up with a plurality of pledged delegates heading into the Democratic convention in July .
“ If Biden walks into the convention , or at the end of the process , [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ’ s the winner , ” Sanders said .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden has all the momentum going into the next round of primary contests, which could help him gain an insurmountable delegate lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
On Tuesday, voters head to the polls in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington state. Biden is expected to do well in most of those contests based on the strength he demonstrated on Super Tuesday with moderates, Black voters across the South and rural voters in the Midwest.
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The most favorable ground for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who currently trails Biden in delegates, lies in Michigan and Washington. The Vermont senator upset Hillary Clinton in the Great Lakes State in the 2016 Democratic primary, so he’s a known commodity there. His economic and trade message is also likely to resonate in Michigan, as it has in other Rust Belt states. That’s why his campaign this week canceled a scheduled appearance in Mississippi and added more stops to his Michigan itinerary.
But Biden could also win a number of delegates in Michigan, if not the state overall. His campaign this week rolled out a slate of endorsements from top Michigan Democrats, including from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the freshman lawmaker who flipped a suburban GOP district in 2018.
“In Michigan, we have a rich tradition of hard work, decency, and passionate pragmatism. That is what is expected of us in our lives, and that is what I believe we need from our elected leaders. That is why I support Joe Biden,” Slotkin said in a statement.
The map looks even more daunting for Sanders later this month when voters in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Ohio (on March 17) and then Georgia (on March 24) head to the polls. Many of the same dynamics apply in these states ― Sanders is considered competitive in the Midwestern contests, but he faces extremely difficult odds in the South. In Florida, for example, where 219 pledged delegates are up for grabs, Biden leads Sanders 61% to 12%, according to a recent poll. And that was before Biden’s surge on Super Tuesday and before former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race.
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“Folks...barring a seismic event, this race is pretty much over,” Dave Wasserman, editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, tweeted in response to the Florida poll in particular.
The brightest spots for Sanders looking forward include Wisconsin, which votes on April 7, and the “Acela primary” states across the Northeast ― New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, etc. ― that vote on April 28. But those are over a month away, and it’s difficult to see the senator making up the difference then if Biden performs this month as well as he did on Super Tuesday.
Talking to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Wednesday, Sanders vowed to drop out of the presidential race if Biden ends up with a plurality of pledged delegates heading into the Democratic convention in July.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Under Fire, Facebook Reluctantly Takes Down Fake Trump '2020 Census' Ads

Last summer , Facebook earned oodles of positive press when it announced it would crack down on misinformation regarding the 2020 census .
On Tuesday , Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign began running a series of ads directing users to fill out the “ Official 2020 Congressional District Census.
” Users who clicked were not directed to the official 2020 census , as one might expect , but to a Trump campaign website .
The website leaned into the ruse with a “ For Official Use Only ” and “ Survey ID ” number “ stamped ” in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their personal information , which the campaign dutifully recorded , then asked to donate to the Trump campaign .
A screengrab of one of the Trump campaign 's `` 2020 census '' ads that Facebook has since removed from the platform .
Judd Legum of the online newsletter Popular Information first noticed the ads .
He alerted Facebook to them on Thursday , noting the site ’ s stated ban on “ misleading information about when and how to participate in the census.
” Facebook told him the ads didn ’ t violate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Facebook brass hastily reversed that decision hours later after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) called the Trump campaign survey “ an absolute lie ” in her weekly press conference and directly blamed Facebook for enabling it .
It ’ s “ a lie that is consistent with the misrepresentation policy of Facebook , ” Pelosi said , referring to Facebook ’ s official policy of not removing false or misleading political content .
“ But now they ’ re messing with who we are as Americans .
I know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it should not come at the cost of counting who is in our country.
” Shortly thereafter , Facebook reversed course , decided the ads actually did run afoul of the company ’ s ban on “ census-related misinformation , ” and deactivated the ad campaign .
The platform then congratulated itself for adhering to its own ( purported ) policy .
“ There are policies in place to prevent confusion around the official U.S. Census and this is an example of those being enforced , ” a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign did not immediately reply to HuffPost ’ s request for comment on the ad .
Facebook didn ’ t respond when asked if its decision to remove the ad would influence how it handles other misleading political advertising moving forward .
For the first time in census history , the 2020 count will permit people to respond online , which adds to the concern over the Trump campaign ’ s digital mimicry .
An RNC spokeswoman defended the mailers as being “ fully compliant with the law ” in a statement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party would add language in the future to more clearly distinguish them as Republican fundraising documents .

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Last summer, Facebook earned oodles of positive press when it announced it would crack down on misinformation regarding the 2020 census.
But recent events suggest the company cares more about taking credit than taking action.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump’s reelection campaign began running a series of ads directing users to fill out the “Official 2020 Congressional District Census.” Users who clicked were not directed to the official 2020 census, as one might expect, but to a Trump campaign website.
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The website leaned into the ruse with a “For Official Use Only” and “Survey ID” number “stamped” in the corner. Users were directed to submit their personal information, which the campaign dutifully recorded, then asked to donate to the Trump campaign.
A screengrab of one of the Trump campaign's "2020 census" ads that Facebook has since removed from the platform. Facebook
Judd Legum of the online newsletter Popular Information first noticed the ads. He alerted Facebook to them on Thursday, noting the site’s stated ban on “misleading information about when and how to participate in the census.” Facebook told him the ads didn’t violate company policy and declined to take action.
Facebook brass hastily reversed that decision hours later after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the Trump campaign survey “an absolute lie” in her weekly press conference and directly blamed Facebook for enabling it.
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It’s “a lie that is consistent with the misrepresentation policy of Facebook,” Pelosi said, referring to Facebook’s official policy of not removing false or misleading political content. “But now they’re messing with who we are as Americans. I know that profit motive is their business model, but it should not come at the cost of counting who is in our country.”
Shortly thereafter, Facebook reversed course, decided the ads actually did run afoul of the company’s ban on “census-related misinformation,” and deactivated the ad campaign. The platform then congratulated itself for adhering to its own (purported) policy.
“There are policies in place to prevent confusion around the official U.S. Census and this is an example of those being enforced,” a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost in an emailed statement.
The Trump campaign did not immediately reply to HuffPost’s request for comment on the ad. Facebook didn’t respond when asked if its decision to remove the ad would influence how it handles other misleading political advertising moving forward.
For the first time in census history, the 2020 count will permit people to respond online, which adds to the concern over the Trump campaign’s digital mimicry.
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The anxiety also extends offline. Trump’s digital ads closely resemble physical mailers the Republican Party has sent out that also mimic official census documents.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Ex-CDC Director, Recently Charged With Sexual Abuse, Hired By Powerful Think Tank

Drew Angerer via Getty Images Tom Frieden , former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , exits Brooklyn Criminal Court following his arrest on sex abuse charges , Aug. 24 , 2018 , in New York City .
Less than a year after being convicted in a sexual misconduct case , Tom Frieden , the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , has been hired as a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations , a powerful think tank .
“ The Council on Foreign Relations welcomes physician and thought leader Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Program as a senior fellow for global health , ” CFR announced on Tuesday .
In his new role , Frieden will work with CFR ’ s Global Health program and will contribute to the group ’ s new website , Think Global Health .
Nowhere in the announcement did CFR note that Frieden was accused in 2017 of groping a woman and was later charged with forcible touching , sexual abuse and harassment .
A family friend accused him of grabbing her buttocks without her consent while Frieden and his wife were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband .
Frieden avoided jail time by pleading guilty in June 2019 to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct .
“ As is the protocol with all new hires , CFR has conducted a thorough background check of Dr. Frieden , ” Lisa Shields , CFR ’ s vice president of media relations , told HuffPost .
She added that the case of Frieden groping a family friend “ is a personal matter that has been resolved.
” “ I should also emphasize that every employee here at CFR is subject to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workplace , ” Shields said .
Frieden tweeted on Tuesday that he was honored to be joining the group and looks forward to “ furthering global public health progress.
” Frieden ’ s accuser wrote about her interaction with him in a 2018 blog post , but did not name Frieden in the article .
She wrote that the altercation happened in 2017 but she chose to stay silent about it because he “ kind of ” apologized and she didn ’ t want to get him in trouble .
It wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had manipulated her , going so far as to say she shouldn ’ t report him because he is doing something good for humanity .
“ I have committed my life to end human suffering .
I can save many lives , ” she alleged that he said at the time .
Frieden served as director of the CDC under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017 .
During this time , he played a large role in preventing the Ebola virus from breaking out in the U.S .
Prior to his role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York City health commissioner from 2002 to 2009 , under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg .
After he left the CDC , Frieden became the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives , a global health initiative that is part of an international organization named Vital Strategies .
Resolve to Save Lives is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies , the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .
He kept the job even after his August 2018 arrest for groping his family friend .
Afterward , President and CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted “ a thorough investigation , ” including in-depth interviews with staff members , to determine if Frieden had ever been inappropriate at work .
Vital Strategies concluded that there had been “ no incidents of workplace harassment ” by Frieden .

Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, exits Brooklyn Criminal Court following his arrest on sex abuse charges, Aug. 24, 2018, in New York City. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Less than a year after being convicted in a sexual misconduct case, Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been hired as a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a powerful think tank.
“The Council on Foreign Relations welcomes physician and thought leader Dr. Tom Frieden to its David Rockefeller Studies Program as a senior fellow for global health,” CFR announced on Tuesday. In his new role, Frieden will work with CFR’s Global Health program and will contribute to the group’s new website, Think Global Health.
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Nowhere in the announcement did CFR note that Frieden was accused in 2017 of groping a woman and was later charged with forcible touching, sexual abuse and harassment. A family friend accused him of grabbing her buttocks without her consent while Frieden and his wife were hanging out with the victim and her husband. Frieden avoided jail time by pleading guilty in June 2019 to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.
“As is the protocol with all new hires, CFR has conducted a thorough background check of Dr. Frieden,” Lisa Shields, CFR’s vice president of media relations, told HuffPost. She added that the case of Frieden groping a family friend “is a personal matter that has been resolved.”
“I should also emphasize that every employee here at CFR is subject to our longstanding policy on respectful conduct in the workplace,” Shields said.
Frieden tweeted on Tuesday that he was honored to be joining the group and looks forward to “furthering global public health progress.”
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Frieden’s accuser wrote about her interaction with him in a 2018 blog post, but did not name Frieden in the article. She wrote that the altercation happened in 2017 but she chose to stay silent about it because he “kind of” apologized and she didn’t want to get him in trouble. It wasn’t until later that she realized he had manipulated her, going so far as to say she shouldn’t report him because he is doing something good for humanity. “I have committed my life to end human suffering. I can save many lives,” she alleged that he said at the time.
Frieden served as director of the CDC under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. During this time, he played a large role in preventing the Ebola virus from breaking out in the U.S. Prior to his role at the CDC, Frieden served as the New York City health commissioner from 2002 to 2009, under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
After he left the CDC, Frieden became the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a global health initiative that is part of an international organization named Vital Strategies. Resolve to Save Lives is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
He kept the job even after his August 2018 arrest for groping his family friend. Afterward, President and CEO of Vital Strategies Jose Castro said the company conducted “a thorough investigation,” including in-depth interviews with staff members, to determine if Frieden had ever been inappropriate at work. Vital Strategies concluded that there had been “no incidents of workplace harassment” by Frieden.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Rep. Who Griped About Threatening Words Threatens Joe Biden, Beto O'Rourke With Gun

A day after chastising a fellow member of Congress for using “ threatening words ” in a political fight , Rep. Ken Buck ( R-Colo. ) plucked an AR-15 off the wall of his office and threatened some politicians with it .
On Thursday , Buck denounced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) for delivering a warning outside the Supreme Court that justices who restrict abortion access would “ pay the price.
” Schumer later apologized , saying he meant to say there would be a political price .
“ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ’ s threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not only inappropriate , but dangerous , ” Buck opined on Twitter .
“ This is a new low for the Democratic Party.
” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ’ s threatening words targeted at two Supreme Court Justices are not only inappropriate , but dangerous .
This is a new low for the Democratic Party .
pic.twitter.com/MjH2JHffbK — Congressman Ken Buck ( @ RepKenBuck ) March 5 , 2020 So it came as a surprise when , barely 24 hours later , Buck decided to threaten former Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rourke — with an actual gun .
Biden , a front-runner for the presidential nomination , has spoken in favor of gun control , while former presidential candidate O ’ Rourke issued a full-throated call to confiscate assault rifles last year after a mass shooter killed 22 people at a Walmart in his hometown of El Paso .
In a video on Twitter , Buck implied he ’ d literally shoot the two men if they tried to restrict access to semiautomatic weapons .
I have just one message for Joe Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to take everyone ’ s AR-15s , why don ’ t you swing by my office in Washington , D.C. and start with this one ?
Come and take it .
# 2A pic.twitter.com/jG2SiXetov — Congressman Ken Buck ( @ RepKenBuck ) March 6 , 2020 One might characterize Buck ’ s threat as “ not only inappropriate , but dangerous.
” Rep. Hayley Stevens ( D-Mich. ) tweeted , “ I feel unsafe with this in my place of work , ” and said she had been in contact with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not your private home .
It is a public space .
This behavior is threatening and unacceptable .
I feel unsafe with this in my place of work .
I have been in contact with the Sergeant at Arms to express my concerns .
https : //t.co/UTbNBXLziW — Rep. Haley Stevens ( @ RepHaleyStevens ) March 6 , 2020 A spokesperson for Buck told HuffPost that Capitol Hill Police gave the lawmaker permission to display the unloaded and locked AR-15 in his office .
The office didn ’ t respond to questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatening language .

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A day after chastising a fellow member of Congress for using “threatening words” in a political fight, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) plucked an AR-15 off the wall of his office and threatened some politicians with it.
On Thursday, Buck denounced Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) for delivering a warning outside the Supreme Court that justices who restrict abortion access would “pay the price.” Schumer later apologized, saying he meant to say there would be a political price.
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“Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s threatening words targeted at two Supreme Court Justices are not only inappropriate, but dangerous,” Buck opined on Twitter. “This is a new low for the Democratic Party.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s threatening words targeted at two Supreme Court Justices are not only inappropriate, but dangerous.
This is a new low for the Democratic Party. pic.twitter.com/MjH2JHffbK — Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) March 5, 2020
So it came as a surprise when, barely 24 hours later, Buck decided to threaten former Vice President Joe Biden and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke — with an actual gun.
Biden, a front-runner for the presidential nomination, has spoken in favor of gun control.
“Joe Biden is the only candidate in this race who has taken on the NRA and beaten them,” Andrew Bates, Biden’s spokesperson said Friday, adding, “The American people are crying out for gun safety reform, and, as president, Joe Biden would demand a ban on assault weapons. Weapons of war have no place in our streets, and absolutely no place in our schools. It’s long past time for elected officials to value the lives of our children over the interests of gun manufacturers.”
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Former presidential candidate O’Rourke issued a full-throated call to confiscate assault rifles last year after a gunman killed 22 people at a Walmart in his hometown of El Paso.
In a video on Twitter, Buck implied he’d literally shoot the two men if they tried to restrict access to semiautomatic weapons.
I have just one message for Joe Biden and Beto O’Rourke, if you want to take everyone’s AR-15s, why don’t you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one?
Come and take it. #2A pic.twitter.com/jG2SiXetov — Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) March 6, 2020
One might characterize Buck’s threat as “not only inappropriate, but dangerous.” Rep. Hayley Stevens (D-Mich.) tweeted, “I feel unsafe with this in my place of work,” and said she had been in contact with the Sergeant at Arms.
Your congressional office is not your private home. It is a public space.
This behavior is threatening and unacceptable. I feel unsafe with this in my place of work.
I have been in contact with the Sergeant at Arms to express my concerns. https://t.co/UTbNBXLziW — Rep. Haley Stevens (@RepHaleyStevens) March 6, 2020
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A spokesperson for Buck told HuffPost that Capitol Hill Police gave the lawmaker permission to display the unloaded and locked AR-15 in his office.
The office didn’t respond to questions about the congressman’s use of threatening language.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--More States Pass Limits On Monthly Insulin Prices Amid Rising Costs

In the face of rising insulin prices , several states are making it a priority to ease the financial burden on patients .
On Wednesday , New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ( D ) signed into law a bill that caps insured patients ’ copays and out-of-pocket expenses for the drug at $ 25 for a 30-day supply — the lowest threshold among state-level insulin caps .
“ This law ends an unacceptable dilemma for thousands of New Mexicans with diabetes forced to choose between life-saving insulin and other expenses , ” she said in a statement .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed in two states .
The Virginia Senate passed a bill with a threshold of $ 50 for a 30-day supply — slightly higher than the $ 30 initially proposed by Del .
Lee Carter , who authored the bill .
Meanwhile , a bipartisan bill in West Virginia capping the cost at $ 100 a month passed the state Senate .
Both bills will now head to governors Ralph Northam ( D ) and Jim Justice ( R ) , respectively .
Colorado became the first state to cap insulin prices , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 2019 , with Illinois following suit in November .
This year , similar measures have been proposed in a number of other state legislatures .
Between 2002 and 2013 , insulin costs nearly tripled .
A 2017 report from the Health Care Cost Institute found that prices rose sharply again between 2012 and 2016 , with the average price for a vial reaching $ 666 .
Prohibitive out-of-pocket costs have led diabetic patients , who require the drug to regulate blood sugar , to ration it , in some cases leading to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to obtain insulin at an affordable price , organizing caravans to Canada , where prices are cheaper .
Carter said that he introduced the Virginia bill after reading reports of individuals with health insurance dying after rationing insulin .
“ The significance of this legislation simply can not be overstated , ” he told HuffPost in an email .
“ When it goes into effect next year , it will save lives .
Period .
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In the face of rising insulin prices, several states are making it a priority to ease the financial burden on patients.
On Wednesday, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed into law a bill that caps insured patients’ copays and out-of-pocket expenses for the drug at $25 for a 30-day supply — the lowest threshold among state-level insulin caps.
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“This law ends an unacceptable dilemma for thousands of New Mexicans with diabetes forced to choose between life-saving insulin and other expenses,” she said in a statement.
On Friday, bills capping insulin price limits passed in two states. The Virginia Senate passed a bill with a threshold of $50 for a 30-day supply — slightly higher than the $30 initially proposed by Del. Lee Carter, who authored the bill. Meanwhile, a bipartisan bill in West Virginia capping the cost at $100 a month passed the state Senate. Both bills will now head to governors Ralph Northam (D) and Jim Justice (R), respectively.
Colorado became the first state to cap insulin prices, setting a $100 monthly limit in May 2019, with Illinois following suit in November. This year, similar measures have been proposed in a number of other state legislatures.
Between 2002 and 2013, insulin costs nearly tripled. A 2017 report from the Health Care Cost Institute found that prices rose sharply again between 2012 and 2016, with the average price for a vial reaching $666. Prohibitive out-of-pocket costs have led diabetic patients, who require the drug to regulate blood sugar, to ration it, in some cases leading to deaths. Others have gone to extremes to obtain insulin at an affordable price, organizing caravans to Canada, where prices are cheaper.
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Carter said that he introduced the Virginia bill after reading reports of individuals with health insurance dying after rationing insulin.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Mitt Romney To Support Subpoena In Probe Into Ukraine's Burisma

Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) plans to vote in support of issuing a subpoena in the investigation into Hunter Biden ’ s work with the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma , a spokesperson for the senator said Friday .
Romney ’ s vote will be the tipping point for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , giving Chairman Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) just enough support to proceed with a subpoena .
The news comes despite the Utah senator telling reporters on Thursday that “ there ’ s no question ” the probe into former Vice President Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politically motivated , given Biden ’ s recent successes during the Democratic presidential primary .
“ Senator Romney has expressed his concerns to Chairman Johnson , who has confirmed that any interview of the witness would occur in a closed setting without a hearing or public spectacle , ” Romney spokesperson Liz Johnson said in a statement .
“ He will therefore vote to let the Chairman proceed to obtain the documents that have been offered.
” Johnson is seeking a subpoena for records from Andrii Telizhenko , a former consultant who worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani ally , has indicated he ’ s willing to cooperate with Johnson ’ s investigation .
Romney said Thursday that before deciding to back a subpoena , he ’ d need to see what information Johnson has .
“ I would hope if there ’ s something of significance that needs to be evaluated , it be done by the FBI or some other agency that ’ s not as political as perhaps a committee of our body , ” he said .
Last month , Romney was the only Republican to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convict President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial for pressuring Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and Hunter ’ s work with Burisma .

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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) plans to vote in support of issuing a subpoena in the investigation into Hunter Biden’s work with the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, a spokesperson for the senator said Friday.
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Romney’s vote will be the tipping point for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, giving Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) just enough support to proceed with a subpoena.
The news comes despite the Utah senator telling reporters on Thursday that “there’s no question” the probe into former Vice President Joe Biden’s son and Burisma seems politically motivated, given Biden’s recent successes during the Democratic presidential primary.
“Senator Romney has expressed his concerns to Chairman Johnson, who has confirmed that any interview of the witness would occur in a closed setting without a hearing or public spectacle,” Romney spokesperson Liz Johnson said in a statement. “He will therefore vote to let the Chairman proceed to obtain the documents that have been offered.”
Johnson is seeking a subpoena for records from Andrii Telizhenko, a former consultant who worked with Burisma. Telizhenko, a Rudy Giuliani ally, has indicated he’s willing to cooperate with Johnson’s investigation.
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Romney said Thursday that before deciding to back a subpoena, he’d need to see what information Johnson has.
“I would hope if there’s something of significance that needs to be evaluated, it be done by the FBI or some other agency that’s not as political as perhaps a committee of our body,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Trump Names Rep. Mark Meadows As His New White House Chief Of Staff

He also thanked his outgoing acting White House chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney , for serving the administration “ so well.
” Mulvaney will be named the U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland , the president added .
Meadows has been an ally of Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign .
But he also drew Trump ’ s ire during the early days of the GOP efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare .
Meadows , as the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus at the time , ultimately convinced Trump and Republican leadership to pursue a bill that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preexisting conditions .
With those changes , Meadows was instrumental in getting the bill to pass the House in 2017 .
Meadows has remained in frequent contact with Trump ever since , and he was a major defender of the president during the impeachment trial .
Mulvaney , who is also stepping down from his job as head of the Office of Management and Budget , has been a staunch Trump loyalist .
The president named the former Republican congressman acting White House chief of staff in December 2018 to replace John Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patriot.
” Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were reportedly key players in Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani ’ s attempt to pressure Ukraine into launching an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , an operation that ultimately led to Trump ’ s impeachment .
Mulvaney insisted that the investigation was intended to expose Ukraine , not Russia , as the nation that interfered with the 2016 presidential election , a conspiracy theory that runs counter to U.S. intelligence findings .
But Mulvaney has also caused trouble for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a quid pro quo conditioning U.S. military aid to Ukraine on an investigation into the Bidens .
“ Get over it , ” Mulvaney told reporters .
“ There ’ s going to be political influence in foreign policy ... That is going to happen .
Elections have consequences.
” There were rumors then that Mulvaney would be ousted , but he was able to hang on for months longer .
Mulvaney also , inexplicably , said in a speech at the Oxford Club in England last month that the U.S. is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrant workers for economic growth — even as his boss has continued to crack down on immigrants .
In recent days , Trump grew fond of the idea of replacing Mulvaney with Meadows , calling Meadows on Thursday to discuss the appointment , according to sources .

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In a surprise announcement, President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) is his new White House chief of staff.
He also thanked his outgoing acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, for serving the administration “so well.” Mulvaney will be named the U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland, the president added.
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I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
....I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
Meadows has been an ally of Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign. But he also drew Trump’s ire during the early days of the GOP efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Meadows, as the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus at the time, ultimately convinced Trump and Republican leadership to pursue a bill that would have undermined protections for people with preexisting conditions. With those changes, Meadows was instrumental in getting the bill to pass the House in 2017.
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Meadows has remained in frequent contact with Trump ever since, and he was a major defender of the president during the impeachment trial.
Mulvaney, who is also stepping down from his job as head of the Office of Management and Budget, has been a staunch Trump loyalist. The president named the former Republican congressman acting White House chief of staff in December 2018 to replace John Kelly, hailing Mulvaney as a “great patriot.”
Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were reportedly key players in Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani’s attempt to pressure Ukraine into launching an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, an operation that ultimately led to Trump’s impeachment. Mulvaney insisted that the investigation was intended to expose Ukraine, not Russia, as the nation that interfered with the 2016 presidential election, a conspiracy theory that runs counter to U.S. intelligence findings.
But Mulvaney has also caused trouble for the president, particularly when he admitted there was a quid pro quo conditioning U.S. military aid to Ukraine on an investigation into the Bidens. “Get over it,” Mulvaney told reporters. “There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy ... That is going to happen. Elections have consequences.”
"To be clear, what you described is a quid pro quo" -- Here's Mick Mulvaney casually admitting that Trump held up aid to Ukraine as leverage to get the Ukrainian government to investigate the 2016 election pic.twitter.com/ylz7BKEmKd — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 17, 2019
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There were rumors then that Mulvaney would be ousted, but he was able to hang on for months longer.
Mulvaney also, inexplicably, said in a speech at the Oxford Club in England last month that the U.S. is in “desperate” need of more immigrant workers for economic growth — even as his boss has continued to crack down on immigrants.
In recent days, Trump grew fond of the idea of replacing Mulvaney with Meadows, calling Meadows on Thursday to discuss the appointment, according to sources.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Trump Calls Gov. Jay Inslee A 'Snake' Amid Coronavirus Outbreak In Washington State

During Trump ’ s tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta , a reporter told Trump that Inslee was complimentary of the federal response to the coronavirus , adding : “ The governor was a little less complimentary of your response.
” “ So I told Mike [ Pence ] not to be complimentary of the governor , because that governor is a snake — Inslee , ” Trump cut in during the press briefing .
“ If you ’ re nice to him , he will take advantage.
” Adding that “ we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Inslee , Trump said : “ Mike may be happy with him , but I ’ m not.
” In response to Trump ’ s remarks , a spokesperson for Inslee pointed HuffPost to the governor ’ s recent tweet — an apparent “ subtweet ” of the president : “ My single focus is and will continue to be the health and well-being of Washingtonians , ” Inslee wrote .
“ It ’ s important for leaders to speak with one voice .
I just wish the president and vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inslee has previously criticized Trump ’ s response to the virus , tweeting last month that his office ’ s “ work would be more successful if the Trump administration stuck to the science and told the truth.
” The death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. rose to at least 15 on Friday , with 14 people dead in Washington state , many connected to an outbreak at a nursing home in a suburb of Seattle .
Inslee declared a state of emergency last week and announced Thursday that his government had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waive deductibles and copayments associated with people getting tested for the virus if a doctor deems the test necessary .
During the same briefing in Atlanta , Trump also spoke of coronavirus tests before veering off on a completely unrelated tangent : “ The tests are all perfect .
Like the letter was perfect .
The transcription was perfect .
This was not as perfect as that , but pretty good.
” The president was apparently referring to the transcript of his July phone call with Ukraine that was the subject of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s made similar remarks about the call ’ s transcript being “ perfect ” in the past .
The White House did not immediately return a request from HuffPost for comment .
FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a separate news briefing Friday that in response to high demand from states for more tests , the CDC had developed a “ very high quality ” swab test and shipped out 900,000 of these across the country on Thursday , with plans for over 1 million more to go out by early next week @

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President Donald Trump insulted Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) on Friday amid an outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the governor’s state.
During Trump’s tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta, a reporter told Trump that Inslee was complimentary of the federal response to the coronavirus, adding: “The governor was a little less complimentary of your response.”
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“So I told Mike [Pence] not to be complimentary of the governor, because that governor is a snake — Inslee,” Trump cut in during the press briefing. “If you’re nice to him, he will take advantage.”
Vice President Mike Pence, the lead on the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus, was in Washington state on Friday.
Adding that “we’ve got a lot of problems” with Inslee, Trump said: “Mike may be happy with him, but I’m not.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, a spokesperson for Inslee pointed HuffPost to the governor’s recent tweet — an apparent “subtweet” of the president: “My single focus is and will continue to be the health and well-being of Washingtonians,” Inslee wrote. “It’s important for leaders to speak with one voice. I just wish the president and vice president could get on the same page.”
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Inslee has previously criticized Trump’s response to the virus, tweeting last month that his office’s “work would be more successful if the Trump administration stuck to the science and told the truth.”
The death toll from COVID-19 in the U.S. rose to at least 15 on Friday, with 14 people dead in Washington state, many connected to an outbreak at a nursing home in a suburb of Seattle.
Inslee declared a state of emergency last week and announced Thursday that his government had ordered health insurers in the state to waive deductibles and copayments associated with people getting tested for the virus if a doctor deems the test necessary.
Trump smears Jay Inslee, governor of the state at the heart of the coronavirus outbreak: "I told Mike [Pence] not to be complimentary of the governor, because that governor is a snake." pic.twitter.com/zfraPiqmGI — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 6, 2020
During the same briefing in Atlanta, Trump also spoke of coronavirus tests before veering off on a completely unrelated tangent: “The tests are all perfect. Like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. This was not as perfect as that, but pretty good.”
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The president was apparently referring to the transcript of his July phone call with Ukraine that was the subject of an impeachment probe against him. He’s made similar remarks about the call’s transcript being “perfect” in the past. The White House did not immediately return a request from HuffPost for comment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-06--Larry Kudlow Again Insists Coronavirus Is 'Contained,' Urges Americans: 'Stay At Work'

Their remarks underscored a widening rift .
Health experts are warning of a serious outbreak of a dangerous disease and the necessity for immediate , focused action .
The president and his officials , however , are claiming that the threat has largely been quelled .
A Westchester lawyer who was in serious condition with the new coronavirus in a New York City hospital was commuting daily to work in Manhattan until he became ill. At least 28 other cases have been linked to him so far , The Business Insider reported Friday .
A total of more than 2,770 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness in New York City alone for symptoms or contacts , The New York Times reported Friday .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging workers to telecommute if possible , and to definitely stay home and not go to work with suspected coronavirus symptoms , no matter how mild , because they could spread the disease and threaten lives .
Some businesses and organizations have shut offices to help stop the spread of the disease , while others are experimenting with telecommuting before it ’ s necessary .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease would suffer few ill effects and could continue working — though he said in a tweet later that he wasn ’ t encouraging people to go to work sick .
Trump insisted “ we ’ re in great shape ” concerning the effect of COVID-19 on the economy in remarks in the Oval Office after signing a bill allocating $ 8.3 billion in the battle against COVID-19 , which has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide .
“ This came unexpectedly , a number of months ago , ” he told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I heard about it in China ... and we made a good move .
We closed it down , we stopped it ... .
It was a very early shut down.
” He may have been referring to an announcement by his administration Feb. 7 to bar foreign travelers coming from China .
As of Friday , there were more than 300 confirmed cases in the U.S. in 23 states , and 14 deaths in Washington state , 1 in California and 2 in Florida .
The president later in the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlant said the tests for COVID-19 are now “ all perfect — just like the “ letter was perfect , ” apparently referring to a phone call last July in which he pressured Ukraine ’ s President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation into unfounded accusations against political rival Joe Biden and his son .
Initial tests for coronavirus , designed by the CDC , were defective and worked predictably in only a handful of labs , creating a dangerous backlog .
The CDC until recently also only allowed use of the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China or who had contact with an individual with a confirmed case of the disease .
Marc Lipsitch , professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , told Bloomberg he believes hundreds of thousands of Americans could already be infected , but cases are undetected because so few have been tested .
South Korea has now tested about 110,000 people , while the U.S. has tested fewer than 2,000 people , The Atlantic reported Friday .

As health experts warn of increasing coronavirus cases and encouraged workers to telecommute, President Donald Trump’s chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, declared again on Friday that the disease is “contained” and urged Americans: “Stay at work.”
Trump also insisted Friday: “We stopped it,” apparently referring to cases coming in from China.
The men made their comments on the same day that two more coronavirus deaths were reported — in Florida — bringing the national toll to 17.
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Their remarks underscored a widening rift. Health experts are warning of a serious outbreak of a dangerous disease and the necessity for immediate, focused action. The president and his officials, however, are claiming that the threat has largely been quelled.
Kudlow, who has no known background in medical science, said on CNBC that the coronavirus “frankly, so far ... looks relatively contained.”
He also said it was “contained ... pretty close to airtight” last month when the number of cases was a fraction of the current toll.
Kudlow urged Americans to “stay at work.” He told CNBC anchor David Faber: “I’m saying we should not overreact. In many ways, America should stay at work. We should stay at work.”
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In the U.S., COVID-19 is now being passed via community transmission, which means its spread can be extremely difficult to contain.
A Westchester lawyer who was in serious condition with the new coronavirus in a New York City hospital was commuting daily to work in Manhattan until he became ill. At least 28 other cases have been linked to him so far, The Business Insider reported Friday.
A total of more than 2,770 people are now under self-quarantine for the illness in New York City alone for symptoms or contacts, The New York Times reported Friday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging workers to telecommute if possible, and to definitely stay home and not go to work with suspected coronavirus symptoms, no matter how mild, because they could spread the disease and threaten lives. Some businesses and organizations have shut offices to help stop the spread of the disease, while others are experimenting with telecommuting before it’s necessary.
Trump on Thursday also claimed most people with the disease would suffer few ill effects and could continue working — though he said in a tweet later that he wasn’t encouraging people to go to work sick.
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Sticking with the administration’s narrative, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway also insisted Friday that the virus was “contained.” Challenged by a Fox News reporter, who pointed out that cases are increasing, Conway snapped: “Are you a doctor?”
ME: Why didn't they [send out #coronavirus tests and prepare hospitals] while it was contained? Get ahead of it?
@KellyannePolls: It is being contained. And, do you not think it's being contained?
MORE: https://t.co/EDtr5CEyFR pic.twitter.com/CuqXMjsESP — Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) March 6, 2020
Trump insisted “we’re in great shape” concerning the effect of COVID-19 on the economy in remarks in the Oval Office after signing a bill allocating $8.3 billion in the battle against COVID-19, which has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide.
“This came unexpectedly, a number of months ago,” he told reporters, referring to the disease. “I heard about it in China ... and we made a good move. We closed it down, we stopped it .... It was a very early shut down.” He may have been referring to an announcement by his administration Feb. 7 to bar foreign travelers coming from China.
Trump praises himself on coronavirus response: "I think we're in great shape. ... I think we made a great move. We closed it down, we stopped it." pic.twitter.com/5RZmTwtoW3 — Oliver Willis (@owillis) March 6, 2020
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A community-transmitted case of the disease in Washington state discovered later that month has been traced by genetic sequencing to a resident who returned from Wuhan, China, in January.
Last week, Trump boasted at a press conference that the 15 domestic COVID-19 cases in the U.S. would “within a couple of days ... be down to close to zero.” He added: “That’s a pretty good job we’ve done.”
As of Friday, there were more than 300 confirmed cases in the U.S. in 23 states, and 14 deaths in Washington state, 1 in California and 2 in Florida.
The president later in the day during a visit to CDC headquarters in Atlanta said the tests for COVID-19 are now “all perfect — just like the “letter was perfect,” apparently referring to a phone call last July in which he pressured Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation into unfounded accusations against political rival Joe Biden and his son.
Trump at CDC: "But as of right now and yesterday, anybody that needs a test, that's the important thing. And the tests are all perfect like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect. Right? This was not as perfect as that but pretty good." — Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) March 6, 2020
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Initial tests for coronavirus, designed by the CDC, were defective and worked predictably in only a handful of labs, creating a dangerous backlog. The CDC until recently also only allowed use of the test on people who had recently traveled to China or who had contact with an individual with a confirmed case of the disease.
Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Bloomberg he believes hundreds or thousands of Americans could already be infected, but cases are undetected because so few have been tested. South Korea has now tested about 110,000 people, while the U.S. has tested fewer than 2,000 people, The Atlantic reported Friday.
Dr. Matt McCarthy, an infectious disease expert who works as an emergency room doctor at New York-Presbyterian hospital in Manhattan, called the dearth of testing a “national scandal” that would soon morph into a “cover-up.”
Vice President Mike Pence, whom Trump has placed in charge of the response to coronavirus, earlier this week promised that production of tests would be ramped up. But he conceded to reporters Thursday: “We don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-07--Donald Trump's Old Tweet About Obama's Chiefs Of Staff Has Not Aged Well

President Donald Trump on Friday named Rep. Mark Meadows ( R-N.C. ) as his fourth White House chief of staff in just over three years in office .
And , of course , people spotted an old post from Trump in which he criticized his predecessor Barack Obama ’ s seeming revolving door when it came to the role .
“ 3 Chief of Staffs in less than 3 years of being President , ” Trump wrote in January 2012 .
“ Part of the reason why @ BarackObama can ’ t manage to pass his agenda.
” 3 Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being President : Part of the reason why @ BarackObama ca n't manage to pass his agenda .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) January 10 , 2012 Meadows replaces Mick Mulvaney , who Trump announced will now become the U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland .
I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff .
I have long known and worked with Mark , and the relationship is a very good one ... .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well .
He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland .
Thank you !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) March 7 , 2020 Mulvaney served in the role for just over a year , taking over from John Kelly who himself replaced Reince Priebus .
Obama had five chiefs of staff throughout his eight-year presidency , George W. Bush had two while Bill Clinton had four .
Trump has repeatedly been mocked over old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , and this time around was no different : So what does it mean when you have 4 Chiefs of Staff in 3 years and 2 months ?
https : //t.co/sFAUc0hD0y — Chris Lu ( @ ChrisLu44 ) March 7 , 2020 This might be the first time a past tweet by this clown has come back to bite him ... Said no one , literally ever https : //t.co/MNL7JYa341 — TheReal Bubba18 ( @ ScottE18 ) March 7 , 2020

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There’s always an old tweet.
President Donald Trump on Friday named Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) as his fourth White House chief of staff in just over three years in office.
And, of course, people spotted an old post from Trump in which he criticized his predecessor Barack Obama’s seeming revolving door when it came to the role.
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“3 Chief of Staffs in less than 3 years of being President,” Trump wrote in January 2012. “Part of the reason why @BarackObama can’t manage to pass his agenda.”
3 Chief of Staffs in less than 3 years of being President: Part of the reason why @BarackObama can't manage to pass his agenda. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2012
Meadows replaces Mick Mulvaney, who Trump announced will now become the U.S. special envoy for Northern Ireland.
I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff. I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
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....I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well. He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2020
Mulvaney served in the role for just over a year, taking over from John Kelly, who himself replaced Reince Priebus. Obama had five chiefs of staff throughout his eight-year presidency, George W. Bush had two, and Bill Clinton had four.
Trump has repeatedly been mocked over old tweets that have come back to bite him, and this time around was no different:
So what does it mean when you have 4 Chiefs of Staff in 3 years and 2 months? https://t.co/sFAUc0hD0y — Chris Lu (@ChrisLu44) March 7, 2020
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Trump is on his 4th chief of staff in his first term https://t.co/fU7Bi4Byva — gatorlitterati (@gatorlitterati) March 7, 2020
it's Chiefs of Staff, chief -- and you've had 4. https://t.co/nZQJqkiyee — Jesse Wegman (@jessewegman) March 7, 2020
This might be the first time a past tweet by this clown has come back to bite him...Said no one, literally ever https://t.co/MNL7JYa341 — TheReal Bubba18 (@ScottE18) March 7, 2020
An old Trump tweet for every occasion https://t.co/PdSl2qU5ew — David Wessel (@davidmwessel) March 7, 2020
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With Mark Meadows, President Trump is now on his 4th. https://t.co/ct6PGs9nvu — David Singer (@DavidWGME) March 7, 2020
As Trump introduces Mark Meadows has his fourth WH chief of staff in 38 months, this 2012 tweet seems relevant anew. https://t.co/8hDeo0tD3w — Steve Benen (@stevebenen) March 7, 2020
Always a tweet https://t.co/iwLkP3caOs — Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) March 7, 2020
Retweeting for no particular reason https://t.co/quLPYOMoOB — Thor Benson (@thor_benson) March 7, 2020
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There is always ALWAYS a Trump tweet in the archive: https://t.co/LRCja5ogZl — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 7, 2020
Meadows is Trump's fourth chief of staff within his first term. https://t.co/4z4GenXTBV — Julia Arciga (@JuliaArciga) March 7, 2020