thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-08--Ben Carson Won't Share Details On Cruise Ship Docking Plan: 'It's Being Formulated'

Federal coronavirus task force member Ben Carson on Sunday refused to disclose any details of the Monday docking in California of the Grand Princess cruise ship carrying people with the illness , saying the plan is still being “ formulated.
” Health authorities revealed that 21 people of just 46 who have been tested on the ship have been infected with the new coronavirus .
There are around 3,500 people on board .
A former passenger on the ship became California ’ s first person to die from COVID-19 .
George Stephanopoulos on ABC ’ s “ This Week ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen when the ship is finally allowed to dock in Oakland .
Any details could reassure Californians fearful of being exposed to the disease .
“ What plan is in place ?
” he asked .
Carson responded : “ They are coming up with a plan.
” ( Check out the video above . )
When Stephanopoulos reminded Carson that the docking was happening the following day , Carson assured him : “ The plan will be in place by that time .
But I don ’ t want to preview the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could take up to three days and passengers will be processed in an 11-acre fenced off-site at the Port of Oakland .
People with symptoms will receive treatment first .
The others will be quarantined for 14 days .
Close to 1,000 Californians on board will be transported to Travis Air Force Base in the San Francisco area .
Other passengers from some 54 nations will be taken to different military bases , including in Texas , said Newsom .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp issued a statement late Saturday that 34 Georgians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast would be “ securely ” transported to Dobbs Air Reserve Base in Marietta .
The Carson docking exchange was only one of the surprises in his otherwise somnambulant interview .
Asked about the wisdom of President Donald Trump vowing to continue campaign rallies during nationwide concern about the coronavirus , Carson , a former surgeon , said “ there ’ s no reason ” a “ healthy individual ” shouldn ’ t attend .
“ Go about your normal daily activities if you are healthy , ” said Carson .
When Stephanopoulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect themselves from the virus , Carson said : “ Those recommendations will be coming out ” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC has already posted recommendations , including travel warnings and precautions for mass gatherings .
Organizers of several mass gatherings have already canceled them .
The Grand Princess has been circling off the coast of California awaiting permission to dock since Newsom demanded protocols for passengers before the ship would be allowed to discharge them .
Over 100,000 people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the U.S. , the coronavirus has killed at least 18 people and infected over 350 .
Between Ben Carson letting it slip that they have absolutely no plan on one network and the Surgeon General behaving like a lying MAGA sycophant on another , we can rest assured they have Coronavirus contained and taken care of .
Not !
— Ricky Davila ( @ TheRickyDavila ) March 8 , 2020

Federal coronavirus task force member Ben Carson on Sunday refused to disclose any details of the Monday docking in California of the Grand Princess cruise ship carrying people with the illness, saying the plan is still being “formulated.”
Health authorities revealed that 21 people of just 46 who have been tested on the ship have been infected with the new coronavirus. There are around 3,500 people on board. A former passenger on the ship became California’s first person to die from COVID-19.
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George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week” pressed the housing secretary about what will happen when the ship is finally allowed to dock in Oakland. Any details could reassure Californians fearful of being exposed to the disease.
“What plan is in place?” he asked. Carson responded: “They are coming up with a plan.” (Check out the video above.)
When Stephanopoulos reminded Carson that the docking was happening the following day, Carson assured him: “The plan will be in place by that time. But I don’t want to preview the plan right now.”
“Shouldn’t you be able to do that?” asked Stephanopoulus. Carson reemphasized: “It hasn’t been fully formulated..”
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Carson also noted that Vice President Mike Pence “has met with CEOs of the major cruise ships.”
But while Carson refused to discuss the docking, California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom discussed details of what will happen.
Newsom said disembarkation could take up to three days and passengers will be processed in an 11-acre fenced off-site at the Port of Oakland. People with symptoms will receive treatment first. The others will be quarantined for 14 days. Close to 1,000 Californians on board will be transported to Travis Air Force Base in the San Francisco area. Other passengers from some 54 nations will be taken to different military bases, including in Texas, said Newsom.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement late Saturday that 34 Georgians and other Americans passengers from the East Coast would be “securely” transported to Dobbs Air Reserve Base in Marietta.
The Carson docking exchange was only one of the surprises in his otherwise somnambulant interview. Asked about the wisdom of President Donald Trump vowing to continue campaign rallies during nationwide concern about the coronavirus, Carson, a former surgeon, said “there’s no reason” a “healthy individual” shouldn’t attend. “Go about your normal daily activities if you are healthy,” said Carson.
When Stephanopoulus pressed him for advice to Americans to protect themselves from the virus, Carson said: “Those recommendations will be coming out” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has already posted recommendations, including travel warnings and precautions for mass gatherings. Organizers of several mass gatherings have already canceled them.
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“I’m confused by the message you’re sending right now, Dr. Carson, I have to say,” said Stephanopoulos.
Check out the video of that exchange here:
The Grand Princess has been circling off the coast of California awaiting permission to dock since Newsom demanded protocols for passengers before the ship would be allowed to discharge them.
Over 100,000 people worldwide have been infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In the U.S., the coronavirus has killed at least 18 people and infected over 350.
Carson’s odd answers were quickly targeted on Twitter.
Ben Carson: "We're meeting to plan the planning of the plan, which we will communicate, when there's a plan. Don't pressure me. Sorry about all the dead people." https://t.co/woEgASFTdN — Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 8, 2020
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Boy, Ben Carson isn't inspiring public confidence about the government's handling of coronavirus in interview with George Stephanopolous on ABC. — Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) March 8, 2020
Between Ben Carson letting it slip that they have absolutely no plan on one network and the Surgeon General behaving like a lying MAGA sycophant on another, we can rest assured they have Coronavirus contained and taken care of. Not! — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) March 8, 2020
Is he worried about the virus hearing the secret plan and changing it's strategy? — Speculawyer 🇳🇴-American (@speculawyer) March 8, 2020
For a contrast, check out Newsom’s comments here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-08--The Coronavirus Outbreak Is About To Put Hospital Capacity To A Severe Test

The availability of ventilators , which are machines that assist with breathing , are the most obvious example .
The U.S. currently has about 160,000 ventilators available , taking into account both what hospitals have on hand and what the government keeps in an emergency stockpile .
That is probably sufficient to handle a moderate outbreak , according to government estimates , but quite possibly not enough to handle a severe outbreak resembling the 1918 influenza epidemic .
What Government — And Everyday Americans — Can Do “ You can get exposed to tuberculosis in the hospital , get exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell you to quarantine yourself , you just get monitored , ” Adalja said .
“ Why can ’ t we tell health care workers who get exposed , wear a mask and we ’ ll monitor you for symptoms and you can go about your duties , because I think that ’ s what we ’ ll eventually have to do.
” Forman , via email , said that “ if we could reliably know that the percentage of severe cases in the US was 2 % or 1 % of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out what the actual transmission rate , and if we knew ACTUAL prevalence in the population , including asymptomatic carriers and if we knew who is and when you are shedding virus , we could do a great job at planning for this.
” In the meantime , experts say , they hope everyday Americans will heed advice to do what they can to limit the spread of the disease , whether it ’ s simple hand-washing or more serious efforts at social distancing .
The more people can do to avoid needing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on the health system as a whole , making it possible for the people who need the most serious interventions to get them .

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Hospitals in San Francisco are setting up tents to screen patients with respiratory symptoms before they set foot in the building.
In Seattle and New York, new guidelines call for restricting the use of masks and gowns, in order to conserve limited supplies.
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In Ann Arbor, Michigan, administrators have identified outpatient clinics they can use to gather patients that might normally come into the hospital.
Nobody yet knows how serious the coronavirus outbreak will get in the U.S. But projections suggest it could place a tremendous strain on the U.S. health system, especially hospitals, leading to shortages of beds, supplies and personnel.
The level of strain will depend on how many people ultimately get sick and, in particular, how many develop the kinds of severe symptoms that require hospitalization.
The vast majority of people who develop COVID-19 will have symptoms no worse than the normal flu, allowing them to recover at home. Some may even be asymptomatic.
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“Flattening the curve means reducing the rate of spread in order to keep from completely overwhelming the health care system.” - Daniel Diekema, University of Iowa
But when the illness settles in the lungs, as it will especially for some of the elderly and the most medically vulnerable, it can be life-threatening. Those cases require intensive inpatient care, and the ability of hospitals to provide that care has its limits.
The availability of ventilators, which are machines that assist with breathing, are the most obvious example. The U.S. currently has about 160,000 ventilators available, taking into account both what hospitals have on hand and what the government keeps in an emergency stockpile. That is probably sufficient to handle a moderate outbreak, according to government estimates, but quite possibly not enough to handle a severe outbreak resembling the 1918 influenza epidemic.
In the worst-case scenario, doctors would have to ration the use of the machines, potentially deciding which patients get them and which patients don’t.
Nobody is saying this scenario is likely. Hospital leaders here have been making contingency plans ever since the outbreak started in China, because they understood right away it could come to the U.S. and push facilities here to the limit. They can take, and in many cases already are taking, steps to stretch their resources.
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But the danger of an overwhelmed hospital system is one reason public health officials are so concerned about the lack of testing. It’s also why they are so determined to slow the spread of the disease, to avoid a sudden, massive spike, even if they can’t stop it altogether.
“Flattening the curve means reducing the rate of spread in order to keep from completely overwhelming the health care system,” Dan Diekema, director of infectious disease at the University of Iowa Medical Center, told HuffPost via email.
And by “overwhelming the system,” he said, he means “bringing it to a breaking point where dire decisions have to be made, such as rationing ventilators and/or being unable to provide supportive care for some critically ill patients due to lack of capacity.”
What Worries The Hospitals
Broadly speaking, concerns over hospital capacity focus on three areas: beds, supplies and workers.
U.S. hospitals currently have about 45,000 intensive care unit beds, according to a report from Eric Toner and Richard Waldhorn at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.
In a moderate outbreak, about 200,000 Americans would need ICU beds, the report says. And in a severe outbreak, the researchers say, that number would soar to 2.9 million.
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On the one hand, those are total numbers, for the duration of the epidemic. Even under the most dire scenario, it’s unlikely that 2.9 million people would need ICU beds all at once. On the other hand, ICU beds in the U.S. are already pretty full, thanks to the normal crush of patients with influenza and other major medical problems.
As a result, hospitals are routinely at capacity, forcing backups of patients “boarding” in emergency departments for hours or even days, waiting on the beds there until inpatient slots become available. And that’s before any influx from COVID-19.
The supplies that matter include devices like ventilators but also more mundane pieces of equipment like masks and gowns.
“If we knew ACTUAL prevalence in the population ... we could do a great job at planning for this.” - Howard Forman, Yale University
Hospitals keep their own supplies and the federal government keeps an emergency reserve, including 30 million gauze surgical masks and 12 million of the special N95 respirator masks, according to Alex Azar, secretary of health and human services. (Azar originally said there were 30 million of the respirators, but later corrected the figure.)
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Eventually, the U.S. could need as many as 300 million. Already, there’s anecdotal evidence of shortages as hospitals trying to replenish their supplies, as they regularly do, struggle to find them on the market.
As for staff, even with precautions, health care workers may get sick or at the very least show symptoms, forcing them to stay at home. That can cause shortages of personnel, at all levels, from the physicians seeing patients in the emergency department to the environmental service workers who clean patient bays.
Those shortages can create more backlogs, even when supply shortages don’t exist. Indeed, when it comes to ventilators, some experts think the real problem isn’t going to be a lack of enough machines but a lack of enough people to run them if and when the epidemic forces large numbers of personnel to stay at home.
“In a severe pandemic, we certainly could run out of ventilators, but a hospital could just as soon run out of respiratory therapists who normally operate these devices,” Toner told National Geographic.
Citing a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Toner said, “It’s not so much the number of ventilators as the number of people needed to operate the ventilators. That’s the choke point.”
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How Hospitals Are Responding
Hospital administrators and staff prepare for scenarios like this all the time. And they’ve even had a little practice handling patient surges, in response to natural disasters and previous outbreaks like H1N1.
To increase physical capacity, they can both build new facilities and upgrade existing ones to handle more severe patients. It doesn’t have to involve rapid construction projects like the widely seen building of that new hospital in Wuhan, China. It can instead mean creating tent facilities or converting existing spaces to provide more care.
At the high end, that can mean bringing in engineers to create isolation rooms with negative air pressure that keep germs from escaping. At the low end, it can mean turning open spaces, even patient waiting areas, into places where staff handle more routine patients away from the isolation wards.
But if hospitals see a significant influx of patients, most will have to do more than simply build or rearrange their wards. They’ll have to change the way they handle patient care ― by, for example, doubling up on non-infectious patients in rooms or pushing patients to lower acuity settings whenever possible, in what Amesh A. Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, describes as a cascade process.
“You have ICU units, and then below an ICU what’s called a step-down unit and then below a step-down a telemetry floor, and then below that a regular nursing floor,” Adalja told HuffPost. “So maybe some people who usually go to an ICU, maybe you put them in a step-down unit, and maybe some people who would go to a step-down unit go down to telemetry.”
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And hospitals can do more than change the flow of patients through their facilities. They can also change the flow in and out. “We can stop elective admissions and surgeries,” says Howard Forman, a physician and expert on health care finance at Yale University. “We can discharge patients home a little sooner than we would like.”
As the strain on resources becomes more extreme, hospitals can start limiting the use of the most protective equipment to the patients who pose the greatest risk of spreading infection ― although, as with all the other steps hospital systems are contemplating, that decision comes with trade-offs.
“We are already rationing masks and gowns at Penn,” says Ezekiel Emanuel, a physician and vice president for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania.
Diekema warns that “these steps can be effective temporizing measures but are not sustainable without causing harm over the long term ― lower level of care for all patients, increased risks from early discharge or lower nurse-patient ratios, etc. The use of tents or other types of open-air or non-hospital/clinic-based triage and screening is important, but again would be difficult for most places to sustain for more than a few weeks.”
Another way hospitals can increase capacity is by increasing the use of telemedicine, as several hospital systems are already starting to do. One advantage of relying more on virtual care is that it’s a way to keep potentially infectious people away from the hospital, which would be ideal since most people with COVID-19 infections don’t need inpatient care anyway.
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Personnel represents a different set of challenges, in part because people who work in health care have to worry not just about their patients but also their families. Many experts are especially worried about health care workers who are also parents and whose young children may be home because of school closures.
What Government — And Everyday Americans — Can Do
Although hospital administrators will be the ones primarily responsible for handling capacity problems, they will need help from local, state and federal officials.
Especially in rural areas, hospitals will need local authorities to coordinate transportation, so that patients who need intensive care can get to facilities that offer it. All over the country, hospitals are already relying on the federal government to guarantee an adequate supply of equipment and machines.
The $8.3 billion emergency legislation that Congress passed on a bipartisan basis and that President Donald Trump signed last week includes money for state and local agencies, in part to help them buy supplies, as well as funding to help Medicare pay for telehealth services. The administration says it has been working with 3M, which manufactures the all-important masks, to ramp up production; Vice President Mike Pence visited the headquarters this past week.
Important to remember that #Covid-19 epidemic control measures may only delay cases, not prevent. However, this helps limit surge and gives hospitals time to prepare and manage. It's the difference between finding an ICU bed & ventilator or being treated in the parking lot tent. pic.twitter.com/VOyfBcLMus — Drew Harris (@drewaharris) February 28, 2020
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Those steps will help, experts say. But they also wonder if it’s time for officials to make some bigger changes in strategy for handling the outbreak.
One place to start, they say, might be with the treatment of health care workers who have come into contact with COVID-19. The current practice is to have those workers self-quarantine, even without symptoms, but with the outbreak spreading and the possibility of personnel shortages, Adalja, among others, thinks it makes sense simply to monitor some of those workers, depending on the circumstances, and let them keep working.
“You can get exposed to tuberculosis in the hospital, get exposed to HIV, we don’t tell you to quarantine yourself, you just get monitored,” Adalja said. “Why can’t we tell health care workers who get exposed, wear a mask and we’ll monitor you for symptoms and you can go about your duties, because I think that’s what we’ll eventually have to do.”
More generally, experts say, it’s difficult for hospital administrators to make plans ― and start the process of changes in time ― when the extent of the current outbreak remains such an unknown. And that can’t change as long as the testing effort in the U.S. continues to lag.
Forman, via email, said that “if we could reliably know that the percentage of severe cases in the US was 2% or 1% of all infected and if we could reliably find out what the actual transmission rate, and if we knew ACTUAL prevalence in the population, including asymptomatic carriers and if we knew who is and when you are shedding virus, we could do a great job at planning for this.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Twitter Flags Video Of Joe Biden That Was Retweeted By Trump As 'Manipulated Media'

For the first time , Twitter has branded a political video shared by President Donald Trump as “ manipulated media.
” The video , which mocked Joe Biden , was originally posted by White House social media director Dan Scavino .
The clip included a speech made by Biden on Saturday that was edited to make it appear that the Democratic candidate had inadvertently endorsed the president .
Trump retweeted the video on Saturday and added : “ I agree with you , Joe !
” It was also retweeted by Trump ’ s campaign manager Brad Parscale .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new Twitter policy meant to combat false political messages and alert users to misleadingly altered media or completely fabricated events .
Twitter ’ s policy , which went into effect on Thursday , defines manipulated posts as any photo , video or audio that has been “ significantly altered or fabricated.
” The Biden video was edited to shorten one of his sentences so he could be heard saying : “ Excuse me .
We can only re-elect Donald Trump.
” But what he actually said : “ Excuse me .
We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , we get engaged in this circular firing squad here .
It ’ s got ta be a positive campaign.
” Twitter branded Scavino ’ s tweet as manipulated media on Sunday evening , some 18 hours after he posted it and drew 5 million views , The Washington Post reported .
However , the action wasn ’ t completely successful : It failed to show up on Scavino ’ s tweet on his own Twitter page — or on Trump ’ s retweet — even though it appeared on individuals ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scavino ’ s posted video — and the president ’ s retweet — wondered why Twitter didn ’ t remove the tweets .
Under Twitter ’ s new policy , the company said it would remove completely false or manipulated photos or videos if they are likely to cause serious harm .

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For the first time, Twitter has branded a political video shared by President Donald Trump as “manipulated media.”
The video, which mocked Joe Biden, was originally posted by White House social media director Dan Scavino. The clip included a speech made by Biden on Saturday that was edited to make it appear that the Democratic candidate had inadvertently endorsed the president.
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Trump retweeted the video on Saturday and added: “I agree with you, Joe!” It was also retweeted by Trump’s campaign manager Brad Parscale.
The “manipulated media” stamp is a new Twitter policy meant to combat false political messages and alert users to misleadingly altered media or completely fabricated events. Twitter’s policy, which went into effect on Thursday, defines manipulated posts as any photo, video or audio that has been “significantly altered or fabricated.”
The Biden video was edited to shorten one of his sentences so he could be heard saying: “Excuse me. We can only reelect Donald Trump.” But what he actually said: “Excuse me. We can only reelect Donald Trump if, in fact, we get engaged in this circular firing squad here. It’s gotta be a positive campaign.”
Twitter flags deceptively edited video of Joe Biden that was posted by Donald Trump's social media director. Screen Shot/Twitter
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Twitter branded Scavino’s tweet as manipulated media on Sunday evening, some 18 hours after he posted it and drew 5 million views, The Washington Post reported. However, the action wasn’t completely successful: It failed to show up on Scavino’s tweet on his own Twitter page — or on Trump’s retweet — even though it appeared on individuals’ timelines.
A Twitter representative told the Post that the company was working on a fix.
Trump retweets manipulated media Screen Shot/Twitter/Donald Trump
Many people who commented on Scavino’s posted video — and the president’s retweet — wondered why Twitter didn’t remove the tweets. Under Twitter’s new policy, the company said it would remove completely false or manipulated photos or videos if they are likely to cause serious harm.
Scavino posted a tweet Sunday night that insisted the video was not manipulated:
The video was NOT manipulated. https://t.co/p9QrNPYOvf — Dan Scavino (@DanScavino) March 9, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--North Korea Fires Projectiles In New Weapons Test, South Korean Military Says

North Korea fired several projectiles into the sea on Monday , the country ’ s second weapons test in a week as tensions have heated up once again on the Korean peninsula .
The South Korean military said the North fired three unidentified projectiles , some flying about 125 miles before falling into the East Sea , Yonhap News reported .
The outlet noted it appeared to be some sort of military exercise similar to one from March 2 , which was denounced by some European nations as a “ provocative ” act that could undermine efforts to negotiate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jong Un .
“ The launches appear to be part of its artillery strike drill involving multiple types of multiple rocket launchers for a wintertime exercise , following the previous ones staged on Feb. 28 and March 2 , ” South Korea ’ s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement to Yonhap .
Negotiations between Kim and President Donald Trump have stalled over the past year after a failed summit in Vietnam last February related to the country ’ s nuclear ambitions .
Kim has since pledged to jumpstart the weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing and promising to conduct some sort of trial “ in the near future.
” People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul , South Korea , Monday , March 9 , 2020 .
North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday , South Korea 's military said , two days after the North threatened to take `` momentous '' action to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises .
( AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon ) Trump , for his part , has shrugged off those threats , saying that Kim “ likes me ” and was a “ man of his word ” at the time .
Last week ’ s test involved two projectiles and Kim was on hand personally to oversee the test of what North Korea called a “ super-large multiple rocket launcher.
” Seoul denounced that test at the time , saying it did “ not help efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement of her own condemning South Korean President Moon Jae-in ’ s office as “ idiotic , ” saying it had the right to test its own weapons due to longstanding joint military exercises between the South and the United States .
“ Such incoherent assertion and actions … only magnify our distrust , hatred and scorn for the South side as a whole , ” Kim ’ s sister and aide , Kim Yo-jong , said in a statement .
Kim has extended words of support to South Korea as it deals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has sickened more than 7,300 people , writing in a letter of his “ unwavering friendship and trust toward President Moon and said that he will continue to quietly send his best wishes for President Moon to overcome , ” according to the AP .
In January , Trump reportedly said he hoped to resume talks with Pyongyang about its nuclear program after months of stalled negotiations .

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North Korea fired several projectiles into the sea on Monday, the country’s second weapons test in a week as tensions have heated up once again on the Korean peninsula.
The South Korean military said the North fired three unidentified projectiles, some flying about 125 miles before falling into the East Sea, Yonhap News reported. The outlet noted it appeared to be some sort of military exercise similar to one from March 2, which was denounced by some European nations as a “provocative” act that could undermine efforts to negotiate with the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un.
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“The launches appear to be part of its artillery strike drill involving multiple types of multiple rocket launchers for a wintertime exercise, following the previous ones staged on Feb. 28 and March 2,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement to Yonhap.
Negotiations between Kim and President Donald Trump have stalled over the past year after a failed summit in Vietnam last February related to the country’s nuclear ambitions. Kim has since pledged to jumpstart the weapons program, saying in January that the North was no longer bound by a moratorium on testing and promising to conduct some sort of trial “in the near future.”
People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 9, 2020. North Korea fired three unidentified projectiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea's military said, two days after the North threatened to take "momentous" action to protest outside condemnation over its earlier live-fire exercises. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump, for his part, has shrugged off those threats, saying that Kim “likes me” and was a “man of his word” at the time.
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Last week’s test involved two projectiles and Kim was on hand personally to oversee the test of what North Korea called a “super-large multiple rocket launcher.” Seoul denounced that test at the time, saying it did “not help efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”
But Kim’s sister released a rare statement of her own condemning South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s office as “idiotic,” saying it had the right to test its own weapons due to longstanding joint military exercises between the South and the United States.
“Such incoherent assertion and actions … only magnify our distrust, hatred and scorn for the South side as a whole,” Kim’s sister and aide, Kim Yo-jong, said in a statement.
Kim has extended words of support to South Korea as it deals with an outbreak of the novel coronavirus that has sickened more than 7,300 people, writing in a letter of his “unwavering friendship and trust toward President Moon and said that he will continue to quietly send his best wishes for President Moon to overcome,” according to the AP.
In January, Trump reportedly said he hoped to resume talks with Pyongyang about its nuclear program after months of stalled negotiations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Trump Indulges In Twitter Binge As Markets Nose-Dive

Stock markets around the world opened sharply lower Monday , with coronavirus fears and a turbulent oil market conspiring to prompt heavy sell-offs and a temporary halt in trading .
While the bottom fell out , President Donald Trump was busy ― on Twitter .
Trump sent 13 tweets over a span of about three hours Monday morning , ranting about everything from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ’ s ( D-N.Y. ) comments last week about abortion to the state of the Democratic primaries .
He also pondered having “ outmastered the deep state , ” baselessly accused former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most corrupt ” in history , and , for good measure , threw in a racial epithet along the way .
A couple of hours in , Trump turned to the matters of the day : oil and the coronavirus .
First , the president hailed the oil sell-off as good news because consumers will pay less at the pump .
Then , in his last tweet of the morning , the president sought to downplay coronavirus fears by emphasizing that “ life & the economy ” don ’ t shut down for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu , ” he tweeted .
“ It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year .
Nothing is shut down , life & the economy go on .
At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus , with 22 deaths .
Think about that !
” While the flu and coronavirus are caused by vaguely similar pathogens , COVID-19 ― the disease caused by the coronavirus that popped up in Wuhan , China , in late 2019 — is less understood by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks are unknown .
We have a vaccine for influenza , and per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the death rate in the U.S. of those who have been infected with the flu has been around 0.1 % since 2010 .
By comparison , there ’ s not currently a vaccine for COVID-19 .
While accurate mortality numbers for COVID-19 are harder to come by , data currently suggests they ’ re likely higher than for the flu ― potentially around 3 % , according to the World Health Organization @

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Stock markets around the world opened sharply lower Monday, with coronavirus fears and a turbulent oil market conspiring to prompt heavy sell-offs and a temporary halt in trading.
While the bottom fell out, President Donald Trump was busy ― on Twitter. Trump sent 13 tweets over a span of about three hours Monday morning, ranting about everything from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) comments last week about abortion to the state of the Democratic primaries.
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He also pondered having “outmastered the deep state,” baselessly accused former President Barack Obama of being “the most corrupt” in history, and, for good measure, threw in a racial epithet along the way.
(At the same time, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham appeared on Fox News and accused politicians and the media of unnecessarily politicizing things to spread fear.)
A couple of hours in, Trump turned to the matters of the day: oil and the coronavirus.
First, the president hailed the oil sell-off as good news because consumers will pay less at the pump.
Then, in his last tweet of the morning, the president sought to downplay coronavirus fears by emphasizing that “life & the economy” don’t shut down for the seasonal flu each year.
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“So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu,” he tweeted. “It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”
While the flu and coronavirus are caused by vaguely similar pathogens, COVID-19 ― the disease caused by the coronavirus that popped up in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 — is less understood by scientists at this point so its full risks are unknown.
We have a vaccine for influenza, and per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the death rate in the U.S. of those who have been infected with the flu has been around 0.1% since 2010.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Rep. Matt Gaetz To Self-Quarantine After Coronavirus Exposure At CPAC

Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-Fla. ) announced Monday that he is among the Republicans in self-quarantine after learning that he came into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus at last month ’ s Conservative Political Action Conference .
Gaetz said he ’ s awaiting results from testing for COVID-19 , the disease caused by this strain of the virus , but has not shown any symptoms .
Gaetz joins Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) and other Republicans who decided to self-quarantine after finding out they had all interacted with the same infected attendant at CPAC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louie Gohmert ( R-Texas ) announced Monday that he too had interacted with the CPAC attendee but had no plans to self-quarantine .
Last week , Gaetz mocked coronavirus concerns by wearing a gas mask on the House floor just days before an infected man from his Florida district died .
He tweeted Monday that he had merely “ demonstrated his concern.
” Gaetz was on board Air Force One with President Donald Trump shortly before revealing his situation .
“ Yes , he plans on still holding rallies , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll tell you what : With our president ― this man who doesn ’ t sleep and who I have seen work 15 to 16 hours a day , every day ― I have no problem thinking that he ’ s going to be just fine and just healthy.
” As of Monday , there are more than 600 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. ― double the number from Friday .
Twenty-six of those infected have died .
There have been more than 100,000 cases worldwide , with the @ @ @ @ @

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Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced Monday that he is among the Republicans in self-quarantine after learning that he came into contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference.
Gaetz said he’s awaiting results from testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by this strain of the virus, but has not shown any symptoms.
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Congressman Gaetz was informed today that he came into contact with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for COVID-19. — Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 9, 2020
While the Congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon.
Under doctor's usual precautionary recommendations, he'll remain self-quarantined until the 14-day period expires this week. — Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 9, 2020
Gaetz joins Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other Republicans who decided to self-quarantine after finding out they had all interacted with the same infected attendant at CPAC, an annual conference for conservatives.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) announced Monday that he too had interacted with the CPAC attendee but had no plans to self-quarantine.
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Last week, Gaetz mocked coronavirus concerns by wearing a gas mask on the House floor just days before an infected man from his Florida district died. He tweeted Monday that he had merely “demonstrated his concern.”
Reviewing the coronavirus supplemental appropriation and preparing to go vote. pic.twitter.com/wjJ4YY4VZz — Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 4, 2020
Gaetz was on board Air Force One with President Donald Trump shortly before revealing his situation.
Earlier on Friday, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham downplayed the possibility of Trump being vulnerable to COVID-19.
“Yes, he plans on still holding rallies,” she said on Fox News. “And I’ll tell you what: With our president ― this man who doesn’t sleep and who I have seen work 15 to 16 hours a day, every day ― I have no problem thinking that he’s going to be just fine and just healthy.”
Later on Monday, Trump’s new chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who has not yet started the job, confirmed he was self-quarantining for two weeks “out of an abundance of caution” because he, too, came into contact with the infected person at CPAC. However, his test for the virus reportedly came back negative.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Democratic Voters Think Biden Is The Most Likely Nominee. Here's How They Feel About It.

Most Democratic voters see former Vice President Joe Biden as their most likely nominee , a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds , a scenario that roughly half are now enthusiastic about , and about a fifth find upsetting .
A 77 % majority of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters now say Biden is the most likely to win the primary ― a stark change from a poll taken after the New Hampshire primary , when only 15 % considered him the probable victor .
Just 18 % , though , say it ’ s already clear who ’ ll end up winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s still down to a few candidates .
In mid-February , few Democratic voters saw Joe Biden as the most likely winner of the primary .
Now , most do .
Forty-eight percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters currently say they ’ d be enthusiastic to have Biden as the nominee , and 21 % that they ’ d be upset with that outcome .
Forty percent would be enthusiastic if Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders were the nominee , with 28 % saying they ’ d be upset .
Just 6 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the other remaining candidate , were nominated , with about half saying that would be an upsetting outcome .
( Reported levels of enthusiasm , it ’ s worth noting , aren ’ t set in stone ― in the poll taken immediately after Biden ’ s drubbing in New Hampshire , only about a third said they were enthusiastic about the prospects of a Biden victory . )
Sentiment about the candidates is divided sharply along generational lines : 62 % of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters aged 45 and older would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while just 28 % under age 45 say the same .
In contrast , 55 % of those younger voters , but just 29 % of the older group , would be enthusiastic about a Sanders nomination .
Similarly , 37 % of those under 45 , but just 9 % of those 45 and older , would be upset if Biden won the nomination .
If Sanders prevails , 34 % of the older group would be upset , compared to 18 % of those in the younger demographic .
About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re at least satisfied with the current field of candidates overall , with a quarter dissatisfied or worse .
( In a mid-February poll , 79 % were at least satisfied , and just 14 % dissatisfied or worse . )
Just 30 % currently describe themselves as outright enthusiastic about the current field , but only 5 % describe themselves as upset .
A 69 % majority say they ’ re at least somewhat confident that the Democratic presidential primary as a whole will be conducted fairly , with 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all confident .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups : The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted March 4-6 among U.S. adults , including 376 Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters , using a sample selected from YouGov ’ s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population .
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more detailed explanation of the model-based margin of error .

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Most Democratic voters see former Vice President Joe Biden as their most likely nominee, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds, a scenario that roughly half are now enthusiastic about, and about a fifth find upsetting.
A 77% majority of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters now say Biden is the most likely to win the primary ― a stark change from a poll taken after the New Hampshire primary, when only 15% considered him the probable victor. Just 18%, though, say it’s already clear who’ll end up winning the primary, with most saying it’s still down to a few candidates.
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In mid-February, few Democratic voters saw Joe Biden as the most likely winner of the primary. Now, most do. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Forty-eight percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters currently say they’d be enthusiastic to have Biden as the nominee, and 21% that they’d be upset with that outcome. Forty percent would be enthusiastic if Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders were the nominee, with 28% saying they’d be upset. Just 6% would be enthusiastic if Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the other remaining candidate, were nominated, with about half saying that would be an upsetting outcome. (Reported levels of enthusiasm, it’s worth noting, aren’t set in stone ― in the poll taken immediately after Biden’s drubbing in New Hampshire, only about a third said they were enthusiastic about the prospects of a Biden victory.)
Sentiment about the candidates is divided sharply along generational lines: 62% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters aged 45 and older would be enthusiastic about Biden as the nominee, while just 28% under age 45 say the same. In contrast, 55% of those younger voters, but just 29% of the older group, would be enthusiastic about a Sanders nomination.
Similarly, 37% of those under 45, but just 9% of those 45 and older, would be upset if Biden won the nomination. If Sanders prevails, 34% of the older group would be upset, compared to 18% of those in the younger demographic.
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Younger Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters express more enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders, while older voters prefer Joe Biden. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
About two-thirds of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say they’re at least satisfied with the current field of candidates overall, with a quarter dissatisfied or worse. (In a mid-February poll, 79% were at least satisfied, and just 14% dissatisfied or worse.) Just 30% currently describe themselves as outright enthusiastic about the current field, but only 5% describe themselves as upset.
A 69% majority say they’re at least somewhat confident that the Democratic presidential primary as a whole will be conducted fairly, with 23% not too confident or not at all confident.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups:
Advertisement
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted March 4-6 among U.S. adults, including 376 Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Calls Trump 'Greatest Hoax,' Lists What's Wrong With Him

Preet Bharara , former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York , called Donald Trump the “ greatest hoax ever perpetrated on America ” on Sunday .
Then he tweeted a list of what he believes is wrong with the president .
George Conway , the conservative attorney and husband to White House counsel Kellyanne Conway , issued a warning to Bharara : Trump fired Bharara in 2017 after he didn ’ t return the president ’ s phone call .
“ There has to be some kind of arm ’ s-length relationship ” between the president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview later .
He also reported the call , which he believed breached protocol , to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions , but was fired just 22 hours later .
Since then , Bharara has been an outspoken critic of Trump , but has never vented quite so brashly on Twitter , until now : I am angry and worried right now .
As are tens of millions of Americans .
I don ’ t know what will happen next but what I do know is this : Donald Trump is the greatest hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He is a liar He is a cheat He is a bad businessman He can ’ t spell He doesn ’ t read He doesn ’ t listen — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He has no principles He doesn ’ t give a shit about anyone He is profoundly disloyal He projects his every flaw on others — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He doesn ’ t know facts He doesn ’ t respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He doesn ’ t acknowledge history He doesn ’ t even understand weather — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He wanted to buy Greenland He wanted to nuke hurricanes He says he ’ s a genius But he won ’ t release his grades or tax returns — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He attacks war heroes while he pardons war criminals He accuses others of nepotism while he privileges his own children He whines about criticism as he spews nothing but bile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 9 , 2020 He calls patriots “ human scum ” while surrounding himself with scumbags like Roger Stone He claims to be alpha while he endlessly whines like stuck pig He says he ’ s for America though he cozies up to despots — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March 9 , 2020 He said no one has more respect for women than he does He said he knows more than the generals He suggested he has a special talent for infectious diseases — Preet Bharara ( @ PreetBharara ) March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on America . ''
Preet Bharara is channeling his inner Howard Beale .
I encourage everyone to read his thread .
https : //t.co/7HpUpAEwfj — Bill Madden ( @ maddenifico ) March 9 , 2020 Others on Twitter lauded Bharara as well .
A few even offered additional reasons Bharara hadn ’ t mentioned : He started his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists and murderers He then advocated for a “ total ban ” of Muslims He routinely says that the free press is the “ enemy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support white supremacy into his government and given them immense power — Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government # DemCast ( @ axidentaliberal ) March 9 , 2020 He has insulted gold star families-on multiple occasions He has sided with Putin-on multiple occasions He has made anti-Semitic remarks-on multiple occasions He has attacked many judges-on multiple occasions He has tweeted violent images-on multiple occasions — Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government # DemCast ( @ axidentaliberal ) March 9 , 2020 He said he had hundreds of friends that died during 9/11 yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was fined 25 million dollars for running a FAKE university , he dodged the draft 5X .
He was fined another 2 million for stealing money that was meant for kids with cancer .
He is a punk .
— Bruno Amato ( @ BrunoAmato_1 ) March 9 , 2020 Donald Trump is the greatest crime ever perpetrated on America .
His time will come .
“ Show me your friends and I ’ ll show you your future.
” pic.twitter.com/1JzLS2tOnt — Blue Girl in a Red State ( @ BlueGirlsRule ) March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come to the end of his diplomatic rope .
Sometimes it takes ppl longer than others , but it ’ s inevitable .
Eventually everyone comes to the point they can no longer tolerate Trump .
It ’ s a beautiful thing to watch .
# EXGOP @ PreetBharara — April ( @ speakout_april ) March 9 , 2020

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Preet Bharara, former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, called Donald Trump the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated on America” on Sunday. Then he tweeted a list of what he believes is wrong with the president.
It was a lot.
George Conway, the conservative attorney and husband to White House counsel Kellyanne Conway, issued a warning to Bharara:
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you’re going to be up all night Preet — George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 9, 2020
Trump fired Bharara in 2017 after he didn’t return the president’s phone call.
“There has to be some kind of arm’s-length relationship” between the president and law enforcement, Bharara said in an interview later. He also reported the call, which he believed breached protocol, to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, but was fired just 22 hours later.
Since then, Bharara has been an outspoken critic of Trump, but has never vented quite so brashly on Twitter, until now:
I am angry and worried right now. As are tens of millions of Americans. I don’t know what will happen next but what I do know is this:
Donald Trump is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on America — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
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He is a liar
He is a cheat
He is a bad businessman
He can’t spell
He doesn’t read
He doesn’t listen — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
He has no principles
He doesn’t give a shit about anyone
He is profoundly disloyal
He projects his every flaw on others — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
He doesn’t know facts
He doesn’t respect science
He doesn’t get math
He doesn’t acknowledge history
He doesn’t even understand weather — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
He wanted to buy Greenland
He wanted to nuke hurricanes
He says he’s a genius
But he won’t release his grades or tax returns — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
He attacks war heroes while he pardons war criminals
He accuses others of nepotism while he privileges his own children
He whines about criticism as he spews nothing but bile — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
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He calls patriots “human scum” while surrounding himself with scumbags like Roger Stone
He claims to be alpha while he endlessly whines like stuck pig
He says he’s for America though he cozies up to despots — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
He said no one has more respect for women than he does
He said he knows more than the generals
He suggested he has a special talent for infectious diseases — Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 9, 2020
Singer-songwriter Bill Madden praised Bharara’s thread:
"Donald Trump is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on America."
Preet Bharara is channeling his inner Howard Beale.
I encourage everyone to read his thread. https://t.co/7HpUpAEwfj — Bill Madden (@maddenifico) March 9, 2020
Others on Twitter lauded Bharara as well. A few even offered additional reasons Bharara hadn’t mentioned:
He started his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists and murderers
He then advocated for a “total ban” of Muslims
He routinely says that the free press is the “enemy of the people
He has brought people who support white supremacy into his government and given them immense power — Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@axidentaliberal) March 9, 2020
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He has insulted gold star families-on multiple occasions
He has sided with Putin-on multiple occasions
He has made anti-Semitic remarks-on multiple occasions
He has attacked many judges-on multiple occasions
He has tweeted violent images-on multiple occasions — Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@axidentaliberal) March 9, 2020
He said he had hundreds of friends that died during 9/11 yet he never attended one funeral. He was fined 25 million dollars for running a FAKE university, he dodged the draft 5X. He was fined another 2 million for stealing money that was meant for kids with cancer. He is a punk. — Bruno Amato (@BrunoAmato_1) March 9, 2020
President* Trump says coronavirus is a hoax.
Coronavirus shows us that President* Trump is a hoax, too.https://t.co/38sr83dh9T https://t.co/x7sbS9N69A pic.twitter.com/2Ag86D1Nmt — Adam Rifkin 🐼 (@ifindkarma) February 29, 2020
Donald Trump is the greatest crime ever perpetrated on America. His time will come.
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” pic.twitter.com/1JzLS2tOnt — Blue Girl in a Red State (@BlueGirlsRule) March 9, 2020
I do believe Preet has come to the end of his diplomatic rope. Sometimes it takes ppl longer than others, but it’s inevitable. Eventually everyone comes to the point they can no longer tolerate Trump. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. #EXGOP @PreetBharara — April (@speakout_april) March 9, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Joe Biden Wins Endorsement Of Machinists Union After Rare Rank-And-File Vote

Biden won 36 % of the vote versus 26 % for Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
Donald Trump took 34 % of ballots cast .
Members were free to vote for any candidate from any party on the ballot , and members supported a Democrat over a Republican by nearly 2-1 .
Voting took place in the days following Super Tuesday when Biden surged and took a lead over Sanders in delegates .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
dropped out of the race in the middle of the vote , which may help explain why she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union endorsement is unique in that it was done through a rank-and-file vote .
At most large international unions , executive board members or other officials ultimately make the decision on which presidential candidate to back , typically after internal surveys and feedback from their members and local leaders .
Many union members complain that their processes are not democratic .
The IAM used to do its endorsement like other unions , but overhauled the system after the 2016 election .
Like many other labor groups in that cycle , the union jumped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventual nominee , and no doubt rankled members who preferred Sanders in that contest .
Many unions are being more cautious this time around and holding back an endorsement while the primary is still contested .
The machinists union announced its new process last May and encouraged members to register to vote .
The voting was overseen by an independent third party .
Martinez called Biden “ a proven leader who we believe can take back the White House and restore power back to working people and unions.
” The union noted Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Right to Organize Act , which would overhaul labor law to make it easier for workers to form unions .
The bill is a priority for organized labor and has passed the Democratic-controlled House .
But Biden has also been a supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement , commonly called NAFTA 2.0 .
Like Sanders , the union has opposed both of those trade deals on the grounds that they make it too easy for U.S. companies to offshore jobs .
The IAM represents workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core of its membership is in aerospace and manufacturing , at companies like Boeing , Lockheed Martin and Harley-Davidson .
The union says it has 600,000 active and retired members .
Candidates cherish union endorsements because of the ground game that often comes with them .
The most active union members phone-bank and canvass for their chosen candidates , and the union ’ s choices can influence the way members and their families ultimately vote .
Endorsements can help shape a Democratic primary if unions choose to weigh in .
( The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , supports Democrats over Republicans by a wide margin . )
Both Biden and Sanders have picked up a handful of endorsements from large international unions , although some of the biggest prizes are still out there , like the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State , County and Municipal Employees .
Sanders had racked up a number of endorsements from union locals in important primary states , but Biden has picked up several more as well in recent days .
The Washington Post reported Saturday that if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Convention then several major unions will hope to play kingmaker .
Four unions alone have assembled about 7 % of delegates , which could give them huge influence if a nominee isn ’ t settled by a first ballot .

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The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is giving former Vice President Joe Biden the union’s presidential endorsement after holding a national vote by the union’s members.
Biden won 36% of the vote versus 26% for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Donald Trump took 34% of ballots cast. Members were free to vote for any candidate from any party on the ballot, and members supported a Democrat over a Republican by nearly 2-1.
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Voting took place in the days following Super Tuesday when Biden surged and took a lead over Sanders in delegates. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) dropped out of the race in the middle of the vote, which may help explain why she netted only 2%.
The machinists union endorsement is unique in that it was done through a rank-and-file vote. At most large international unions, executive board members or other officials ultimately make the decision on which presidential candidate to back, typically after internal surveys and feedback from their members and local leaders. Many union members complain that their processes are not democratic.
Joe Biden speaks during a rally at Tougaloo College in Mississippi on Sunday. The Democratic presidential candidate won the endorsement of the International Association of Machinists. EMILY KASK via Getty Images
The IAM used to do its endorsement like other unions, but overhauled the system after the 2016 election. Like many other labor groups in that cycle, the union jumped out early for Hillary Clinton, the eventual nominee, and no doubt rankled members who preferred Sanders in that contest. Many unions are being more cautious this time around and holding back an endorsement while the primary is still contested.
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The machinists union announced its new process last May and encouraged members to register to vote. The voting was overseen by an independent third party.
“Our union made it a priority in the 2020 election cycle to give IAM members a real say in who we endorse for president,” Robert Martinez Jr. said in a statement.
Here are the full results. Biden beat Bernie 36-26. And Trump got 34. pic.twitter.com/JEVu4ofFWV — Dave Jamieson (@jamieson) March 8, 2020
Martinez called Biden “a proven leader who we believe can take back the White House and restore power back to working people and unions.” The union noted Biden’s support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which would overhaul labor law to make it easier for workers to form unions. The bill is a priority for organized labor and has passed the Democratic-controlled House.
But Biden has also been a supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, commonly called NAFTA 2.0. Like Sanders, the union has opposed both of those trade deals on the grounds that they make it too easy for U.S. companies to offshore jobs.
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The IAM represents workers in lots of different industries, but the core of its membership is in aerospace and manufacturing, at companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Harley-Davidson. The union says it has 600,000 active and retired members.
Candidates cherish union endorsements because of the ground game that often comes with them. The most active union members phone-bank and canvass for their chosen candidates, and the union’s choices can influence the way members and their families ultimately vote. Endorsements can help shape a Democratic primary if unions choose to weigh in. (The machinists union, like most labor groups, supports Democrats over Republicans by a wide margin.)
Both Biden and Sanders have picked up a handful of endorsements from large international unions, although some of the biggest prizes are still out there, like the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Sanders had racked up a number of endorsements from union locals in important primary states, but Biden has picked up several more as well in recent days.
The Washington Post reported Saturday that if the nomination is contested at the Democratic National Convention then several major unions will hope to play kingmaker. Four unions alone have assembled about 7% of delegates, which could give them huge influence if a nominee isn’t settled by a first ballot.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Is Running For Senate

Bullock ’ s decision came after months of insisting he would not run , and on the last possible day to file to enter the race .
Democrats , led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) , had relentlessly worked to convince Bullock to run , peppering him with phone calls and enlisting former President Barack Obama and major labor unions in the effort .
Bullock , a popular second-term governor who quit the 2020 presidential race in December , won reelection in Montana with a majority of the vote in 2016 , even as President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points .
Senate Democrats largely saw him as the party ’ s best , if not only hope of defeating Daines .
In his launch video , Bullock promised to “ make Washington work more like Montana ” and focused on his accomplishments on campaign finance , public lands and education as governor .
Republicans have long viewed Bullock as a threat , and a super PAC controlled by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) aired ads attacking him in the state even while he was still running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration like a frat house and acquiesced to the far left during his comical presidential run , not exactly the strongest way to launch a Senate campaign , ” said Nathan Brand , a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee .
“ Bullock supported impeaching President Trump , wants to ban guns , and ignore illegal immigration .
One can see why , given their visceral disdain for the Montana way of life , Washington Democrats rolled out the red carpet for Bullock.
” Daines , a former business executive running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has allied himself closely with Trump .
During his presidential bid , Bullock was dismissive of a position in the Senate , arguing his skills were better suited for the executive branch .
He struggled to gain any sort of traction in the crowded Democratic field , barely registering in national polls , raising little money and only qualifying for a single debate .
In the run-up to his presidential bid , Bullock adopted left-leaning positions on gun control , calling for an assault weapons ban .
Republicans are likely to attack his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixth-highest rate of gun ownership in the country .
In a sign of Democratic optimism , the Progressive Turnout Project , which works to get Democratic voters to the polls , announced plans to spend $ 750,000 in the state and to open field offices in Montana ’ s six largest cities .
The group will target 256,000 voters .
Democrats need to win at least three Senate seats to oust McConnell from the majority leader ’ s office .
The party has long been confident about the chances of former Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gardner in Colorado , and former astronaut Mark Kelly to oust Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona .
But the likelihood Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones may lose his seat meant the party needed to find additional opportunities .

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Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Monday announced a challenge to GOP Sen. Steve Daines’ reelection, a major boost for Democrats hoping to seize control of the Senate in November.
Bullock’s decision came after months of insisting he would not run, and on the last possible day to file to enter the race. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), had relentlessly worked to convince Bullock to run, peppering him with phone calls and enlisting former President Barack Obama and major labor unions in the effort.
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Bullock, a popular second-term governor who quit the 2020 presidential race in December, won reelection in Montana with a majority of the vote in 2016, even as President Donald Trump won the state by 20 percentage points. Senate Democrats largely saw him as the party’s best, if not only hope of defeating Daines.
In his launch video, Bullock promised to “make Washington work more like Montana” and focused on his accomplishments on campaign finance, public lands and education as governor.
I've always fought for the people of Montana. Together, we expanded health care, protected public lands, banned dark money in politics & more. Now I'm taking that fight to the US Senate. Let’s make Washington work more like Montana. Join us: https://t.co/vyPPioB0tJ #MTSen #MTpol pic.twitter.com/6VuCKsNTeW — Steve Bullock (@stevebullockmt) March 9, 2020
Republicans have long viewed Bullock as a threat, and a super PAC controlled by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) aired ads attacking him in the state even while he was still running for president.
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“Steve Bullock ran his administration like a frat house and acquiesced to the far left during his comical presidential run, not exactly the strongest way to launch a Senate campaign,” said Nathan Brand, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Bullock supported impeaching President Trump, wants to ban guns, and ignore illegal immigration. One can see why, given their visceral disdain for the Montana way of life, Washington Democrats rolled out the red carpet for Bullock.”
Daines, a former business executive running for his second term in the Senate, has allied himself closely with Trump.
During his presidential bid, Bullock was dismissive of a position in the Senate, arguing his skills were better suited for the executive branch. He struggled to gain any sort of traction in the crowded Democratic field, barely registering in national polls, raising little money and only qualifying for a single debate.
In the run-up to his presidential bid, Bullock adopted left-leaning positions on gun control, calling for an assault weapons ban. Republicans are likely to attack his stance in a state that has the sixth-highest rate of gun ownership in the country.
In a sign of Democratic optimism, the Progressive Turnout Project, which works to get Democratic voters to the polls, announced plans to spend $750,000 in the state and to open field offices in Montana’s six largest cities. The group will target 256,000 voters.
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Democrats need to win at least three Senate seats to oust McConnell from the majority leader’s office. The party has long been confident about the chances of former Gov. John Hickenlooper to defeat Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado, and former astronaut Mark Kelly to oust Sen. Martha McSally in Arizona. But the likelihood Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones may lose his seat meant the party needed to find additional opportunities.
Some opportunities have appeared: Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon appears prepared to give the once-beloved GOP Sen. Susan Collins a tough race, and Democrats are optimistic about businesswoman Theresa Greenfield’s ability to challenge Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Top Pro-Warren Group Endorses Bernie Sanders Ahead Of Michigan Primary

Win McNamee/Getty Images Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, left , and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) appear on the debate stage in Charleston , S.C .
Some of Warren 's liberal supporters are backing Sanders .
The WFP , a New York-based group with a presence in the general election battleground states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
in September , helping to propel her brief ascent as a front-runner in the field .
Following Warren ’ s withdrawal on Thursday , Sanders is now the only choice for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the WFP ’ s national director .
“ When we endorsed Elizabeth Warren , we felt it was important to state the obvious : that there were two progressives in the race and it was actually a good thing that there were two bold progressives in the race arguing for structural change of our democracy and our economy , ” Mitchell told HuffPost .
“ And now there ’ s one progressive in the race .
And we are still committed to that change — the change that we felt Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case for.
” “ In a race where the stark contrast couldn ’ t be clearer between Bernie and [ former Vice President Joe ] Biden , it ’ s critical for progressives to stay in the fight , ” he added .
Sanders won the WFP ’ s endorsement in 2016 and was ranked a close runner-up in the endorsement process this cycle , which the WFP has characterized as a “ ranked choice ” voting system that effectively makes Sanders the group ’ s pick in light of Warren ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to endorse Warren in September drew a wave of criticism from Sanders supporters who suggested that the weighted votes of key WFP stakeholders , rather than the broader membership , had put Warren over the top .
In his interview with HuffPost , Mitchell made a positive case for Sanders ’ s candidacy , praising the Vermont senator ’ s cultivation of a multi-racial , working-class coalition with particular “ inroads ” in the Latino community .
“ A feature of his candidacy is how prescient he ’ s been and some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― on ‘ Medicare for All , ’ for example , ” Mitchell said .
“ That consistency , along with some of the growth [ since 2016 ] , has been noticeable.
” The group ’ s blessing reflects the consolidation of some of Warren ’ s more liberal supporters behind Sanders after a disappointing showing on March 3 prompted Warren to call it quits .
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee , another liberal Warren backer , also encouraged its members to vote for Sanders , though it framed the recommendation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competition for progressive votes .
Several former Warren staffers and surrogates have publicly endorsed Sanders as well , but Warren herself has yet to weigh in .
Mitchell said the WFP has expressed its views to Warren and her former campaign .
The WFP does not have significant reach in Michigan or any of the other five states where Democrats head to the polls on Tuesday .
The group ’ s endorsement may still help generate momentum for Sanders ahead of Tuesday ’ s contests .
Sanders is hoping to slow Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that gave him an upset win at a key moment during his ultimately unsuccessful primary battle with Hillary Clinton 2016 .
The Vermont senator held five major rallies in Michigan over the weekend , including an event in Grand Rapids on Sunday that featured the famed civil rights leader Rev .
Jesse Jackson .
Jackson , whom Sanders endorsed for president in 1988 , announced that he is backing Sanders ’ s presidential bid .

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) appear on the debate stage in Charleston, S.C. Some of Warren's liberal supporters are backing Sanders. Win McNamee/Getty Images
The Working Families Party, an influential progressive organization, endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for president on Monday ahead of another round of critical primary contests.
The WFP, a New York-based group with a presence in the general election battleground states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in September, helping to propel her brief ascent as a front-runner in the field.
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Following Warren’s withdrawal on Thursday, Sanders is now the only choice for the organization, according to Maurice Mitchell, the WFP’s national director.
“When we endorsed Elizabeth Warren, we felt it was important to state the obvious: that there were two progressives in the race and it was actually a good thing that there were two bold progressives in the race arguing for structural change of our democracy and our economy,” Mitchell told HuffPost. “And now there’s one progressive in the race. And we are still committed to that change — the change that we felt Elizabeth Warren’s campaign was presenting a unique case for.”
“In a race where the stark contrast couldn’t be clearer between Bernie and [former Vice President Joe] Biden, it’s critical for progressives to stay in the fight,” he added.
Sanders won the WFP’s endorsement in 2016 and was ranked a close runner-up in the endorsement process this cycle, which the WFP has characterized as a “ranked choice” voting system that effectively makes Sanders the group’s pick in light of Warren’s departure. The group’s decision to endorse Warren in September drew a wave of criticism from Sanders supporters who suggested that the weighted votes of key WFP stakeholders, rather than the broader membership, had put Warren over the top.
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In his interview with HuffPost, Mitchell made a positive case for Sanders’s candidacy, praising the Vermont senator’s cultivation of a multi-racial, working-class coalition with particular “inroads” in the Latino community.
“A feature of his candidacy is how prescient he’s been and some of the ways he’s been consistent ― on ‘Medicare for All,’ for example,” Mitchell said. “That consistency, along with some of the growth [since 2016], has been noticeable.”
The group’s blessing reflects the consolidation of some of Warren’s more liberal supporters behind Sanders after a disappointing showing on March 3 prompted Warren to call it quits. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, another liberal Warren backer, also encouraged its members to vote for Sanders, though it framed the recommendation as a tactical choice designed to prolong the competition for progressive votes.
Several former Warren staffers and surrogates have publicly endorsed Sanders as well, but Warren herself has yet to weigh in. Mitchell said the WFP has expressed its views to Warren and her former campaign.
The WFP does not have significant reach in Michigan or any of the other five states where Democrats head to the polls on Tuesday. The group’s endorsement may still help generate momentum for Sanders ahead of Tuesday’s contests.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--Donald Trump Jr. Challenges Hunter Biden To A Debate On Who Has Grifted More

Both Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden have been accused of making fortunes off the names of their dads , and determining who is the biggest grifter may strike many as a challenge .
Trump Jr. , though , has proposed a way to pin down which politician ’ s son has benefitted more from their bloodline : A debate .
The eldest son of President Donald Trump told Axios on HBO that going after the younger Biden ’ s business career in Ukraine will be a “ big part ” of the Trump campaign reelection strategy should former Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Democratic opponent .
“ I ’ m not going to say I haven ’ t benefited from my father ’ s last name , just like Hunter Biden did .
I ’ d be foolish to say that , ” he said .
It was a rare admission by him ; as Trump Jr. has repeatedly accused the younger Biden of benefitting from nepotism , so too has he been repeatedly been dragged on Twitter for not acknowledging his own privilege as he did to Axios .
But in his comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself “ an international business person before my father got into politics , ” and insisted , “ I haven ’ t benefited from my father ’ s taxpayer-funded office , okay ?
” He also claimed his family “ stopped doing any new international business deals when my father won the presidency.
” Trump Jr. ’ s comment about not benefiting from his father ’ s current job is dubious , at best , as a New York Times story detailed last October .
But the 42-year-old wants to face off with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Come on !
Let ’ s do it .
No , no , seriously , ” he said .
“ We can go full transparency .
We show everything , and we can talk about all of the places where I ’ m supposedly grifting but Hunter Biden isn ’ t .
I would love to do it.
” Trump Jr. even said he ’ d release his tax returns ― which his father notoriously has failed to do ― if Biden agreed to debate him .
“ If we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr. said .
“ Let ’ s talk about who profited off of whose public service .
Happy to do it .
Let ’ s make it happen.
” The chances of the debate happening are , of course , slim-to-none .
And the press secretary for Joe Biden ’ s White House campaign , TJ Ducklo , took a shot at the Trumps over the tax return issue .
“ It is hard to believe anything a Trump says on tax returns when Donald Sr. has lied for years about releasing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has conceded his lucrative post on the company ’ s board that began when his father was vice president showed “ poor judgment ” but was not “ improper.
” Joe Biden has consistently said his son ’ s position played no role in influencing U.S. policy toward Ukraine , and no evidence has surfaced to dispute that .
With the elder Biden again becoming the clear frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination , Trump allies in the Senate have rekindled an investigation into the younger Biden ’ s connection to Burisima @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted last week the probe appears to be politically motivated .

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Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden have each been accused of making fortunes off the names of their fathers, and determining who is the biggest beneficiary may strike many as a challenge.
Trump Jr., though, has proposed a way to pin down which politician’s son has benefited most from his bloodline: a debate.
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The eldest son of President Donald Trump told Axios on HBO that going after the younger Biden’s business career in Ukraine will be a “big part” of the Trump campaign reelection strategy should former Vice President Joe Biden emerge as his father’s Democratic opponent.
Trump Jr. was willing to admit profiting from his own name.
“I’m not going to say I haven’t benefited from my father’s last name, just like Hunter Biden did. I’d be foolish to say that,” he said. It was a rare admission by him; as Trump Jr. has repeatedly accused the younger Biden of benefiting from nepotism, so too has he repeatedly been dragged on Twitter for not acknowledging his own privilege as he did to Axios.
But in his comments to the news outlet, he declared himself “an international businessperson before my father got into politics” and insisted, “I haven’t benefited from my father’s taxpayer-funded office, OK?” He also claimed his family “stopped doing any new international business deals when my father won the presidency.”
Trump Jr.’s comment about not benefiting from his father’s current job is dubious, at best, as a New York Times story detailed in October. But the 42-year-old wants to face off with the 50-year-old Hunter Biden over the matter.
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“Come on! Let’s do it. No, no, seriously,” he said. “We can go full transparency. We show everything, and we can talk about all of the places where I’m supposedly grifting but Hunter Biden isn’t. I would love to do it.”
Trump Jr. even said he’d release his tax returns ― which his father notoriously has failed to do ― if Biden agreed to debate him.
“If we do it both, 100%,” Don Jr. said. “Let’s talk about who profited off of whose public service. Happy to do it. Let’s make it happen.”
The chances of the debate happening are, of course, slim-to-none. And the press secretary for Joe Biden’s White House campaign, TJ Ducklo, took a shot at the Trumps over the tax return issue.
“It is hard to believe anything a Trump says on tax returns when Donald Sr. has lied for years about releasing his,” he told Axios.com.
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You can see Trump Jr.’s interview here:
The president’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has accused Hunter Biden of illegal actions linked to the Ukrainian gas company Burisma without offering any details, substantiation or evidence.
Hunter Biden has conceded his lucrative post on the company’s board that began when his father was vice president showed “poor judgment” but was not “improper.” Joe Biden has consistently said his son’s position played no role in influencing U.S. policy toward Ukraine, and no evidence has surfaced to dispute that.
With the elder Biden again becoming the clear front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Trump allies in the Senate have rekindled an investigation into the younger Biden’s connection to Burisma. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) admitted last week the probe appears to be politically motivated.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-09--California Cruise Ship With Coronavirus Cases Docks In Oakland To Unload Passengers

A cruise ship that was held off the California coast for days after several passengers tested positive for coronavirus docked Monday in the port of Oakland .
The Grand Princess cruise ship will gradually unload its over 2,400 guests onboard to send them to facilities for further testing and treatment .
Of around 45 people tested onboard last week , 21 people , largely crew members , tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
A 71-year-old man who was a passenger on a previous mid-February voyage on the boat died last week — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of California .
The guests will be disembarked likely over several days in order of priority , with those in need of medical care unrelated to coronavirus disembarked first , per the state ’ s office of emergency services .
Federal workers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be screening and triaging guests , starting with the over 900 California residents .
Passengers will be sent to facilities on land to be quarantined for 14 days for testing and potential treatment , with California residents to go to federally-operated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corps Air Station Miramar .
The remaining guests will then be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states , largely to Texas and Georgia , said California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) in a press conference Sunday .
The ship ’ s crew , which includes over 1,100 people , will stay onboard and be quarantined on the ship , which will leave Oakland ’ s port once guests are no longer aboard .
The crew ’ s testing and treatment plans are still to be determined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were at least 19 people dead from COVID-19 across the U.S. as of Monday , with over 400 confirmed cases in at least 35 states , per the CDC .
Some passengers with unrelated health conditions were taken off the ship by helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard over the weekend , per the Department of Homeland Security .
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff said in a press conference Sunday that it was the federal government ’ s decision to conduct the cruise ship ’ s disembarkation in Oakland and that assisting those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do.
” “ This is a community that has suffered decades of environmental racism and injustice , ” the mayor acknowledged , adding that she ’ d received “ very strong assurances ” that the operation to disembark passengers would “ employ the best isolation practices ” possible .
Newsom added that Oakland ’ s port was chosen after considering sites across the state and that this location had a “ number of advantages , ” including proximity to an airport to repatriate foreign passengers , as well as to Travis Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantined .
San Francisco ’ s nearby port was deemed “ not appropriate ” due to the “ logistics ” of the site , including proximity to residences .
The cruise company said all guests would be refunded for the trip and receive credit to apply to any future cruise .

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A cruise ship that was held off the California coast for days after several passengers tested positive for coronavirus docked Monday in the port of Oakland.
The Grand Princess cruise ship will gradually unload its over 2,400 guests onboard to send them to facilities for further testing and treatment. Of around 45 people tested onboard last week, 21 people, largely crew members, tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
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A 71-year-old man who was a passenger on a previous mid-February voyage on the boat died last week — the first confirmed COVID-19 death in the state of California.
The guests will be disembarked likely over several days in order of priority, with those in need of medical care unrelated to coronavirus disembarked first, per the state’s office of emergency services. Federal workers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be screening and triaging guests, starting with the over 900 California residents.
Passengers will be sent to facilities on land to be quarantined for 14 days for testing and potential treatment, with California residents to go to federally-operated facilities Travis Air Force Base or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The remaining guests will then be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states, largely to Texas and Georgia, said California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in a press conference Sunday.
The ship’s crew, which includes over 1,100 people, will stay onboard and be quarantined on the ship, which will leave Oakland’s port once guests are no longer aboard. The crew’s testing and treatment plans are still to be determined, according to operating company Princess Cruises.
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There were at least 19 people dead from COVID-19 across the U.S. as of Monday, with over 400 confirmed cases in at least 35 states, per the CDC.
LIVE: @CAgovernor, @LibbySchaaf, @CalOES_Dir and federal and state officials provide a briefing on the joint federal, state and local preparations for the safe return of passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship. https://t.co/cGM5dyyRw1 — Cal OES (@Cal_OES) March 8, 2020
Some passengers with unrelated health conditions were taken off the ship by helicopter by the U.S. Coast Guard over the weekend, per the Department of Homeland Security.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff said in a press conference Sunday that it was the federal government’s decision to conduct the cruise ship’s disembarkation in Oakland and that assisting those onboard was the “right thing to do.”
“This is a community that has suffered decades of environmental racism and injustice,” the mayor acknowledged, adding that she’d received “very strong assurances” that the operation to disembark passengers would “employ the best isolation practices” possible.
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Newsom added that Oakland’s port was chosen after considering sites across the state and that this location had a “number of advantages,” including proximity to an airport to repatriate foreign passengers, as well as to Travis Air Force Base, where Californian guests will be quarantined. San Francisco’s nearby port was deemed “not appropriate” due to the “logistics” of the site, including proximity to residences.
The cruise company said all guests would be refunded for the trip and receive credit to apply to any future cruise.