thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-30--Biden clings to narrow lead in matchups as Trump approval ticks up

President Trump ’ s approval rating is hitting record highs as he leads the country through the coronavirus pandemic despite harsh criticism from Joe Biden and other Democrats on what they say was a failure to act soon enough and continued criticism of his handling of the government 's response .
That puts the former vice president and likely Democratic presidential nominee in a tough spot as he navigates campaigning from a new studio in his basement and slams Trump ’ s leadership .
When asked about Trump ’ s approval ratings , Biden brushed them off .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Biden said on Meet the Press Sunday when asked about Trump ’ s job approval rating ticking up .
“ In every single crisis we 've had that I 've been around going back to Jimmy Carter and the hostages all the way through to this moment , president 's ratings have always gone up in a crisis.
” “ I do n't care whether the president 's numbers are going up and down , ” he said in a press briefing last week .
“ I know along with everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of things like we did in our administration that time is of the essence.
” Biden finds some hope , however , in national polls that find him with a slight edge when voters are asked whether they would pick him or Trump if the election were held today despite Trump 's increased approval ratings .
An poll conducted March 22-25 found that 49 % of voters chose Biden and 47 % chose Trump , with Biden ’ s 2-point lead within the poll ’ s 3.5 % margin of error .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading by 9 points at 49 % to Trump ’ s 40 % , well outside the 3-point margin of error .
And a poll conducted March 18-22 found Biden leading by 3 points with 48 % while Trump had 45 % , with a 3.6 % margin of error .
The RealClearPolitics of the head-to-head matchups puts the former vice president 5.8 points ahead of Trump nationally .
Biden is also leading Trump in matchup averages in key swing states — 4.4 % in Michigan , 3.8 % in Arizona , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , include some polls that were taken before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted everyday life .
While voters may be likely to choose Biden over Trump if the election were today , a challenge for Biden is that he is not winning on issues related to the coronavirus pandemic .
More voters in the ABC/ Washington Post trusted Trump more to handle the coronavirus outbreak than Biden — 47 % to 43 % .
A majority found Trump better equipped to handle the economy , at 52 % versus 42 % for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week tried to use the anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act rather than the coronaovirus as an excuse to talk about healthcare .
Some of Biden ’ s statements indicate that he is wary of being too harsh on Trump in case the public response to his handling of the crisis keeps steady .
When asked about Trump receiving a record in a Gallup poll , Biden said last week that he hopes Trump is “ so strong that he ’ s up way above that , because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims that he is the president .
Like many others forced to retreat into their homes for weeks , Biden is in a wait-and-see situation .
“ You know that old expression , the proof of the , you know , is going to be in pudding , ” Biden said on Meet the Press .
“ Let 's get away from the childishness of this and focus on the problem .
”

President Trump’s approval rating is hitting record highs as he leads the country through the coronavirus pandemic despite harsh criticism from Joe Biden and other Democrats on what they say was a failure to act soon enough and continued criticism of his handling of the government's response.
That puts the former vice president and likely Democratic presidential nominee in a tough spot as he navigates campaigning from a new studio in his basement and slams Trump’s leadership.
When asked about Trump’s approval ratings, Biden brushed them off.
“I think that's a typical American response,” Biden said on Meet the Press Sunday when asked about Trump’s job approval rating ticking up. “In every single crisis we've had that I've been around going back to Jimmy Carter and the hostages all the way through to this moment, president's ratings have always gone up in a crisis.”
“I don't care whether the president's numbers are going up and down,” he said in a press briefing last week. “I know along with everybody else who's ever dealt with these kinds of things like we did in our administration that time is of the essence.”
Biden finds some hope, however, in national polls that find him with a slight edge when voters are asked whether they would pick him or Trump if the election were held today despite Trump's increased approval ratings.
An ABC/Washington Post poll conducted March 22-25 found that 49% of voters chose Biden and 47% chose Trump, with Biden’s 2-point lead within the poll’s 3.5% margin of error. A Fox News poll conducted March 21-24 had Biden leading by 9 points at 49% to Trump’s 40%, well outside the 3-point margin of error. And a Monmouth University poll conducted March 18-22 found Biden leading by 3 points with 48% while Trump had 45%, with a 3.6% margin of error.
The RealClearPolitics average of the head-to-head matchups puts the former vice president 5.8 points ahead of Trump nationally. Biden is also leading Trump in matchup averages in key swing states — 4.4% in Michigan, 3.8% in Arizona, and 3.8% in Pennsylvania. The averages, however, include some polls that were taken before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted everyday life.
While voters may be likely to choose Biden over Trump if the election were today, a challenge for Biden is that he is not winning on issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. More voters in the ABC/Washington Post trusted Trump more to handle the coronavirus outbreak than Biden — 47% to 43%. A majority found Trump better equipped to handle the economy, at 52% versus 42% for Biden.
That could explain why Biden last week tried to use the anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act rather than the coronaovirus as an excuse to talk about healthcare.
Some of Biden’s statements indicate that he is wary of being too harsh on Trump in case the public response to his handling of the crisis keeps steady. When asked about Trump receiving a record 49% approval rating in a Gallup poll, Biden said last week that he hopes Trump is “so strong that he’s up way above that, because we need the help now.” Biden also claims that he is not criticizing the president.
Like many others forced to retreat into their homes for weeks, Biden is in a wait-and-see situation.
“You know that old expression, the proof of the, you know, is going to be in pudding,” Biden said on Meet the Press. “Let's get away from the childishness of this and focus on the problem.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-30--America will have a teetotaler president in either Donald Trump or Joe Biden

There have been eight presidents who swore off consuming alcohol , and the November election could be giving the country its ninth .
Since a young age , former Vice President Joe Biden has opted not to drink , citing the heavy drinking in his extended family .
“ There are enough alcoholics in my family , ” Biden said in a 2008 interview as Barack Obama 's vice presidential running mate .
Then , as one of the youngest senators in history , and on a daily train commute between his Wilmington , Delaware , home and Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sip on cranberry juice instead of a beer or spirit .
Decades later , in the White House , Biden during the 2009 `` Beer Summit '' between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and a Cambridge , Massachusetts , police officer , Biden drank a nonalcoholic beer while the two parties and Obama discussed race relations — alcoholic suds in hand .
Of the 2020 Democratic primary candidates he bested , Biden was n't alone in his teetotaling .
Both New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Housing Secretary and San Antonio Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America has had presidents who refrain from drink since the mid-19th century .
Millard Fillmore , the 13th president , took a vow in his 20s never to drink .
Abraham Lincoln gave speeches to the Washington Temperance Union about the `` victims '' of alcohol .
The 20th century saw two presidents who preferred water over booze .
William Taft , who despite weighing more than 350 pounds , indulged in food over beer .
Jimmy Carter , who did occasionally have a glass of wine , declared his White House dry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two gallons of alcohol per year : Report ] George W. Bush , a recovering alcoholic , almost doomed his presidential bid when a 1976 drunk driving arrest and guilty plea came out days before the 2000 election .
The future president quit drinking in the 1980s and became an evangelical Christian .
President Trump never drinks alcohol either , citing his dead brother 's struggle with addiction as a primary reason .
As president in 2017 , in a rare moment of candor , Trump spoke about his brother Fred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a brother , Fred .
Great guy , best-looking guy , best personality , much better than mine , '' Trump said at the time .
`` But he had a problem .
He had a problem with alcohol , and he would tell me , 'Do n't drink .
Do n't drink . '
He was substantially older , and I listened to him and I respected [ him ] . ''
At the same time , Trump has no problem making jokes about keeping dry .
`` I 'm not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I never had a beer in my life .
It 's one of my only good traits , '' he said in the midst of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
`` I never had a glass of alcohol .
I never had alcohol , for whatever reason .
Can you imagine if I had ?
What a mess I would be .
I would be the world 's worst .
I never drank , OK ? ''
Like Trump , Biden will often crack jokes about his preference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` happy hour '' campaign event last week , Biden sipped on a Gatorade , while attendees were expected to have a cocktail or beer in hand .
`` I 'm probably the only Irishman you know who has never had a drink , '' Biden said , adding that his guilty pleasure is `` ice cream . ''
Other presidents , such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt , were famous for keeping a cocktail nearby .
Lyndon Johnson once told a doctor after a heart attack that `` whiskey , sunshine , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest pleasures .
Johnson 's special assistant for domestic affairs , Joseph Califano , recalled in an interview how his boss would often demand refills of his scotch and soda on the road .
`` Periodically , Johnson would slow down and hold his left arm outside the car , shaking the cup and ice .
A Secret Service agent would run up to the car , take the cup , and go back to the station wagon , '' Califano said .
`` There , another agent would refill it with ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first agent trotted behind the wagon . ''
Roughly 30 % of the public avoids alcohol entirely , with Honolulu , Hawaii , having the highest number of dry residents , at over 21 % .
Just 36 % of people enjoy a drink at least once a week .
Roughly 6 % say alcohol should be outlawed entirely .

There have been eight presidents who swore off consuming alcohol, and the November election could be giving the country its ninth.
Since a young age, former Vice President Joe Biden has opted not to drink, citing the heavy drinking in his extended family.
“There are enough alcoholics in my family,” Biden said in a 2008 interview as Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate.
Then, as one of the youngest senators in history, and on a daily train commute between his Wilmington, Delaware, home and Washington, Biden, now 77, opted to sip on cranberry juice instead of a beer or spirit.
Decades later, in the White House, Biden during the 2009 "Beer Summit" between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and a Cambridge, Massachusetts, police officer, Biden drank a nonalcoholic beer while the two parties and Obama discussed race relations — alcoholic suds in hand.
Of the 2020 Democratic primary candidates he bested, Biden wasn't alone in his teetotaling. Both New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former Housing Secretary and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro abstain from drinking alcohol.
America has had presidents who refrain from drink since the mid-19th century. Millard Fillmore, the 13th president, took a vow in his 20s never to drink. Abraham Lincoln gave speeches to the Washington Temperance Union about the "victims" of alcohol.
The 20th century saw two presidents who preferred water over booze. William Taft, who despite weighing more than 350 pounds, indulged in food over beer. Jimmy Carter, who did occasionally have a glass of wine, declared his White House dry.
[Read more: Americans drink more than two gallons of alcohol per year: Report]
George W. Bush, a recovering alcoholic, almost doomed his presidential bid when a 1976 drunk driving arrest and guilty plea came out days before the 2000 election. The future president quit drinking in the 1980s and became an evangelical Christian.
President Trump never drinks alcohol either, citing his dead brother's struggle with addiction as a primary reason. As president in 2017, in a rare moment of candor, Trump spoke about his brother Fred's death in 1981.
"I had a brother, Fred. Great guy, best-looking guy, best personality, much better than mine," Trump said at the time. "But he had a problem. He had a problem with alcohol, and he would tell me, 'Don't drink. Don't drink.' He was substantially older, and I listened to him and I respected [him]."
At the same time, Trump has no problem making jokes about keeping dry.
"I'm not a drinker. I can honestly say I never had a beer in my life. It's one of my only good traits," he said in the midst of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "I never had a glass of alcohol. I never had alcohol, for whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had? What a mess I would be. I would be the world's worst. I never drank, OK?"
Like Trump, Biden will often crack jokes about his preference for nonalcoholic beverages. During a livestreamed "happy hour" campaign event last week, Biden sipped on a Gatorade, while attendees were expected to have a cocktail or beer in hand.
"I'm probably the only Irishman you know who has never had a drink," Biden said, adding that his guilty pleasure is "ice cream."
Other presidents, such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, were famous for keeping a cocktail nearby. Lyndon Johnson once told a doctor after a heart attack that "whiskey, sunshine, and sex" were some of life's greatest pleasures.
Johnson's special assistant for domestic affairs, Joseph Califano, recalled in an interview how his boss would often demand refills of his scotch and soda on the road.
"Periodically, Johnson would slow down and hold his left arm outside the car, shaking the cup and ice. A Secret Service agent would run up to the car, take the cup, and go back to the station wagon," Califano said. "There, another agent would refill it with ice, scotch, and soda as the first agent trotted behind the wagon."
Roughly 30% of the public avoids alcohol entirely, with Honolulu, Hawaii, having the highest number of dry residents, at over 21%. Just 36% of people enjoy a drink at least once a week. Roughly 6% say alcohol should be outlawed entirely.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-30--Biden can’t decide how much blood Trump has on his hands

Joe Biden is walking a fine line as he underscores the fatal consequences of any missteps by President Trump and the administration while the country grapples with the coronavirus .
Biden , a two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator , is stuck on the sidelines as the White House tries to coordinate with the states to prepare for the brunt of the pandemic .
But while warning `` Trump ’ s ego will cost lives '' as the incumbent publicly clashes with Democratic governors , the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee is sidestepping questions about whether he believes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November has `` blood '' on his hands .
One of the emerging themes of Biden 's prospective general election campaign is that `` he ’ ll be a better , more responsible , more statesmanlike president than Trump , '' according to Rutgers University 's David Greenberg .
`` It ’ s totally fair game to point out that Trump ’ s bad decisions and reckless leadership style , from foot-dragging to personal vindictiveness to encouraging bad behavior , have worsened this crisis .
But Biden also has to win over swing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Examiner .
If Biden looks `` too angry or partisan '' in his scrutiny of Trump , he risks alienating these key voters , Greenberg said .
`` So he has to make strong , unflinching criticisms while also finding the right words to come off as level-headed . ''
Biden has adapted his third White House bid to quarantine life , canning rallies for virtual town halls , roundtables , happy hours , and press conferences broadcast from the basement of his Wilmington , Delaware , home .
He says `` over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his livestreams .
He 's also debuted a newsletter and podcast to supplement a steady diet of national media appearances .
Meanwhile , Trump is anchoring daily COVID-19 media briefings from the Rose Garden and other White House locales , which he tweeted generated the same viewership as `` Bachelor finale , Monday Night Football type numbers . ''
And the president 's reviews , more generally , have been positive .
His approval ratings average 50.6 % approval , 44.9 % disapproval , according to RealClearPolitics data .
The University of Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delicate balancing act .
He ca n't undermine the administration 's reaction , as Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel complains he 's doing , but he also ca n't `` disappear into the woodwork and cede the political stage entirely '' to Trump .
For Ostermeier , Biden needed to embody `` a more measured voice , '' in part , because he 's positioned himself `` as a practical moderate . ''
`` Critiquing the president with hyperbolic language feeds into the narrative that Biden tends to exaggerate , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon , is honing his overall message , as well as sharpening his tone toward Trump .
`` I am issuing this challenge to the President : in the next 48 hours , direct the production and distribution of respirator masks , gloves , protective face shields and gowns to fill every supply request made by a governor to the federal government .
Lives are at stake , '' Biden tweeted late Sunday .
[ Opinion : Biden slow to explain why he 'd be quicker than Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at stake '' warning followed the release of a charged video over the weekend , in which Biden asserted , `` Trump ’ s ego will cost lives . ''
The video focuses on the president 's flap with Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer over federal help with medical equipment procurement .
`` His failure will cost lives .
His downplaying will cost lives .
His incompetence will cost lives .
His ego will cost lives , '' states text toward the end of the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 million times .
Yet when prodded during an interview with NBC News 's Meet the Press on Sunday , Biden was reticent to repeat the rhetoric in person .
“ Do you think there is blood on the president ’ s hands considering the slow response ?
” host Chuck Todd asked .
Biden replied , “ I think that ’ s a little too harsh . ''
Biden holds a narrow lead of 5.8 percentage points over Trump in national polls , according to RealClearPolitics .
The Obama administration alumnus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates shy of clinching the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination outright , with 1,174 delegates to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 's 862 delegates .
A total of 1,991 are required to become the party 's next standard-bearer .

Joe Biden is walking a fine line as he underscores the fatal consequences of any missteps by President Trump and the administration while the country grapples with the coronavirus.
Biden, a two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator, is stuck on the sidelines as the White House tries to coordinate with the states to prepare for the brunt of the pandemic.
But while warning "Trump’s ego will cost lives" as the incumbent publicly clashes with Democratic governors, the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee is sidestepping questions about whether he believes the man he's seeking to replace in November has "blood" on his hands.
One of the emerging themes of Biden's prospective general election campaign is that "he’ll be a better, more responsible, more statesmanlike president than Trump," according to Rutgers University's David Greenberg.
"It’s totally fair game to point out that Trump’s bad decisions and reckless leadership style, from foot-dragging to personal vindictiveness to encouraging bad behavior, have worsened this crisis. But Biden also has to win over swing voters," he told the Washington Examiner.
If Biden looks "too angry or partisan" in his scrutiny of Trump, he risks alienating these key voters, Greenberg said. "So he has to make strong, unflinching criticisms while also finding the right words to come off as level-headed."
Biden has adapted his third White House bid to quarantine life, canning rallies for virtual town halls, roundtables, happy hours, and press conferences broadcast from the basement of his Wilmington, Delaware, home. He says "over 20 million people" have tuned into his livestreams. He's also debuted a newsletter and podcast to supplement a steady diet of national media appearances.
Meanwhile, Trump is anchoring daily COVID-19 media briefings from the Rose Garden and other White House locales, which he tweeted generated the same viewership as "Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers." And the president's reviews, more generally, have been positive. His approval ratings average 50.6% approval, 44.9% disapproval, according to RealClearPolitics data.
The University of Minnesota's Eric Ostermeier said Biden was traversing a delicate balancing act. He can't undermine the administration's reaction, as Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel complains he's doing, but he also can't "disappear into the woodwork and cede the political stage entirely" to Trump.
For Ostermeier, Biden needed to embody "a more measured voice," in part, because he's positioned himself "as a practical moderate."
"Critiquing the president with hyperbolic language feeds into the narrative that Biden tends to exaggerate," he said.
Biden, shepherded by new campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon, is honing his overall message, as well as sharpening his tone toward Trump.
"I am issuing this challenge to the President: in the next 48 hours, direct the production and distribution of respirator masks, gloves, protective face shields and gowns to fill every supply request made by a governor to the federal government. Lives are at stake," Biden tweeted late Sunday.
[Opinion: Biden slow to explain why he'd be quicker than Trump in tackling coronavirus]
I am issuing this challenge to the President: in the next 48 hours, direct the production and distribution of respirator masks, gloves, protective face shields and gowns to fill every supply request made by a governor to the federal government.
Lives are at stake. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 30, 2020
The "lives are at stake" warning followed the release of a charged video over the weekend, in which Biden asserted, "Trump’s ego will cost lives." The video focuses on the president's flap with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over federal help with medical equipment procurement.
"His failure will cost lives. His downplaying will cost lives. His incompetence will cost lives. His ego will cost lives," states text toward the end of the video, which has been viewed more than 7 million times.
Donald Trump’s ego will cost lives. pic.twitter.com/JNcGny13KO — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 28, 2020
Yet when prodded during an interview with NBC News's Meet the Press on Sunday, Biden was reticent to repeat the rhetoric in person.
“Do you think there is blood on the president’s hands considering the slow response?” host Chuck Todd asked.
Biden replied, “I think that’s a little too harsh."
Chuck Todd: “Do you think there is blood on the president’s hands considering the slow response?”
Biden: “I think that’s a little too harsh” pic.twitter.com/T0olK7Ctcu — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 29, 2020
Biden holds a narrow lead of 5.8 percentage points over Trump in national polls, according to RealClearPolitics.
The Obama administration alumnus, however, is still about 800 pledged delegates shy of clinching the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination outright, with 1,174 delegates to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders's 862 delegates. A total of 1,991 are required to become the party's next standard-bearer.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-29--'A little too harsh’: Biden rebuffs Chuck Todd question about Trump having ‘blood’ on his hands

Joe Biden pushed back on NBC 's Chuck Todd after he asked about the 2020 Democrat 's campaign claiming President @ @ @ @ @ '' with a slow response to the coronavirus outbreak .
`` Do you think there @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hands considering the slow response ? ''
Todd asked the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ Press .
`` I think that ’ s a little too harsh , '' Biden @ @ @ @ @ 's problem is that he `` thinks out loud . ''
`` He should stop @ @ @ @ @ thinking deeply .
He should start listening to the scientists before he speaks . ''
@ @ @ @ @ hit an all-time high during his handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Sixty percent of @ @ @ @ @ his handling of the outbreak .
Biden had to apologize after his first virtual town @ @ @ @ @ interrupted by gaffes and technical difficulties .

Joe Biden pushed back on NBC's Chuck Todd after he asked about the 2020 Democrat's campaign claiming President Trump could "cost lives" with a slow response to the coronavirus outbreak.
"Do you think there is blood on the president’s hands considering the slow response?" Todd asked the former vice president on Sunday's Meet the Press.
"I think that’s a little too harsh," Biden responded, adding that Trump's problem is that he "thinks out loud." "He should stop thinking out loud and start thinking deeply. He should start listening to the scientists before he speaks."
The president's approval has hit an all-time high during his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Sixty percent of voters said they approved of his handling of the outbreak. Biden had to apologize after his first virtual town hall on the coronavirus was interrupted by gaffes and technical difficulties.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-29--'Increases in cases every single day': Mississippi governor details strategy to mitigate coronavirus

'Increases in cases every single day': Mississippi governor details strategy to mitigate coronavirus pandemic

Republican Gov .
Tate Reeves is bracing for COVID-19 virus diagnoses to swell in Mississippi as coronavirus testing becomes more readily available and spillover from New Orleans , a budding Southern hot spot for the pandemic , reaches his state .
To mitigate the spread , Reeves issued an executive order banning gatherings of 10 or more and closing most businesses not deemed essential .
At the earliest , the governor does not anticipate transitioning Mississippi ’ s economy to return to normal until one week after Easter , the date President Trump is targeting for partial reopening nationally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Reeves appeared to override local officials in Mississippi who were moving aggressively to blunt the coronavirus outbreak with shelter-in-place orders and mandatory business closures .
But in a telephone interview Saturday evening with Behind Closed Doors , a Washington Examiner podcast , the first-term Republican explained his administration ’ s policy , Contrary to some earlier reporting , Reeves said , the stringent rules in place in states with significant urban populations , such as California , Illinois , Maryland , and New York , is similar to what life is like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % '' of the state 's nearly 3 million people .
`` We 're certainly doing everything we can to prepare for the worst and pray for the best and expect , probably , somewhere in between , '' he said .
The following interview with the governor was edited for length and clarity : Washington Examiner : Let 's start with what conditions are in Mississippi .
Reeves : We are certainly seeing increases in cases every single day .
We have approximately 650 cases as of the most recent data ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And , so we are seeing , again daily growth , but not exponential growth .
We 're monitoring it very closely .
We 're looking at it on a region-by-region basis as well as a county-by-county basis .
We 're going to continue to do that and be prepared to respond .
Washington Examiner : Have you determined how bad things might get in Mississippi ?
Reeves : We think that we 're going to continue to see significant increases in cases on a daily basis throughout the next week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ know if that 's going to continue beyond that or not .
One of the things that I will tell you is , particularly , when you look at smaller states — when you look at smaller states and the number of cases they have — because I monitor that very closely every day — I believe that the number of cases that are being reported today are largely a function of how many tests are being run .
… We announced on Thursday that we are going to try to move more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instance , used .
We ’ re going to try to focus on areas that we can catch very early , that may become hot spots and do a significant amount of testing in those areas , in those regions , and then immediately take those who have tested positive , do a lot of case management , figure out who they have been around and who they may have exposed and try to get shelter-in-place orders , potentially , at least for those who have been exposed , but perhaps even for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , testing is critical .
Washington Examiner : Does Mississippi have enough materials to conduct robust testing ?
Reeves : We are working hard , every day , to continue to gather more tests and more testing materials .
We have been working very closely with the University of Mississippi Medical Center , which has developed an ability to not only test but also to read those tests and actually provide results that have been approved by our state department of health .
That 's going to help us in enhancing our testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have other research universities that are also working daily to put together their own testing kits and capabilities .
We are confident that those are going to come online sooner rather than later .
Washington Examiner : Do you have the medical infrastructure you need ?
Ventilators ?
Hospital beds ?
Reeves : Mississippi has a significant number of available beds .
Mississippi has a significant number of available ventilators .
We have talked with everyone in our hospital system ; we have encouraged them to plan to be able — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the large health systems that they have the ability to increase capacity for intensive care units anywhere from 50 % to 100 % , depending on which specific hospital system we ’ re talking about .
We have a large number of rural hospitals where that ’ s not necessarily the case .
But in our Gulf Coast region , in our Hattiesburg region , in our Jackson region , and then in our North Mississippi region , most of them have the ability to increase capacity anywhere from 50 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors for us is , at least initially , is not going to be bed capacity , but personnel .
Obviously , every additional ventilator or respirator machine that you bring online , you ’ ve got to have a respiratory therapist or some other personnel to operate it .
We are thinking through exactly what that looks like and are working very hard to set plans in motion .
Washington Examiner : Discuss how the unfolding situation in New Orleans could impact Mississippi .
Reeves : When you think about our population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have a very transient population .
Many of our residents travel to New Orleans to work .
Many of our residents travel to New Orleans to play .
And , while the latter is not happening right now , it certainly happened two weeks ago , and so we 've got to prepare for a challenging environment if the situation in Orleans Parish , etc.
, continues to worsen and that bleeds over into south Mississippi .
Washington Examiner : How are you handling shelter-in-place orders and the closure of certain businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been some national reports that have just been totally and completely based off of , perhaps , local reports that are inaccurate .
And the local reporters know they ’ re inaccurate but yet they ’ re reporting it anyway .
So here 's what the actual rules are in our state : We issued an executive order which had two different parts to it .
The first part said you can not gather in groups of 10 or more for social gatherings .
No .
2 : you can not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mississippi for dine-in unless you can comply with having less than 10 people and proper social distancing .
In addition , a week or so ago , we issued an executive order which says we would allow no visitation at hospitals , at nursing homes , and other primary healthcare facilities .
So we set a minimum floor for what you could or could not do on a statewide basis .
Washington Examiner : For context , here in Washington , D.C. , as in other urban centers , most businesses are closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gas stations , hardware stores , etc.
, and related goods and services .
Obviously , restaurants are takeout and delivery only .
Is that what it ’ s like in Mississippi right now ?
Reeves : What you just described about where you live is basically 95 % of Mississippi as well .
I do Orangetheory Fitness , for instance .
[ It ’ s ] been closed for two and a half weeks .
I have a restaurant across the street from the governor 's mansion that is very popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I watched people walk by and pick up their dine-out as they walked back to their office or where they live in downtown Jackson .
Literally , what you describe is 95 % of what Mississippi looks like right now .
Washington Examiner : Discuss the economic impact of the pandemic on your state and talk about striking the balance between public health and Mississippians ' livelihoods .
Reeves : I think it 's a great question .
I do want to just say one thing before we leave the shelter-in-place question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shelter-in-place order in any region or any county of our state if and when the public health experts in Mississippi suggest that I do something .
We are having conversations about that at this time , but we are much more likely to do it in a smaller region of our state where it makes sense than to go out and issue a shelter-in-place just because that ’ s what some in the national media want me to do — or even some of my own constituents want me to do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic impact of this a global pandemic must be a consideration , not necessarily the consideration but a consideration when making shelter-in-place decisions and making other decisions .
...
Certainly , we do n't want to end this particular pandemic in a month or three months or six months from now having created a country which has 25 % , 30 % unemployment , which then leads to abject poverty for one-fifth to one-half of our population .
Washington Examiner : Is Easter a possibility to begin transitioning back to normal ?
Reeves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mississippi that we will find a significant number of large churches that are reopening with Easter Sunday services , although I would n't rule anything out at this time .
Washington Examiner : What is your assessment of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic ?
Reeves : I commend President Trump .
He 's been transparent .
He 's been on TV .
He 's met with the governors almost daily and provided counsel , and I appreciate President Trump 's leadership through this .
This is not something anyone 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least not anyone that 's currently alive , and I think he 's done an excellent job .

Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is bracing for COVID-19 virus diagnoses to swell in Mississippi as coronavirus testing becomes more readily available and spillover from New Orleans, a budding Southern hot spot for the pandemic, reaches his state.
To mitigate the spread, Reeves issued an executive order banning gatherings of 10 or more and closing most businesses not deemed essential. At the earliest, the governor does not anticipate transitioning Mississippi’s economy to return to normal until one week after Easter, the date President Trump is targeting for partial reopening nationally.
Last week, there was some confusion after Reeves appeared to override local officials in Mississippi who were moving aggressively to blunt the coronavirus outbreak with shelter-in-place orders and mandatory business closures. But in a telephone interview Saturday evening with Behind Closed Doors, a Washington Examiner podcast, the first-term Republican explained his administration’s policy,
Contrary to some earlier reporting, Reeves said, the stringent rules in place in states with significant urban populations, such as California, Illinois, Maryland, and New York, is similar to what life is like in Mississippi right now for "95%" of the state's nearly 3 million people. "We're certainly doing everything we can to prepare for the worst and pray for the best and expect, probably, somewhere in between," he said.
The following interview with the governor was edited for length and clarity:
Washington Examiner: Let's start with what conditions are in Mississippi.
Reeves: We are certainly seeing increases in cases every single day. We have approximately 650 cases as of the most recent data; we have 13 deaths in Mississippi now. And, so we are seeing, again daily growth, but not exponential growth. We're monitoring it very closely. We're looking at it on a region-by-region basis as well as a county-by-county basis. We're going to continue to do that and be prepared to respond.
Washington Examiner: Have you determined how bad things might get in Mississippi?
Reeves: We think that we're going to continue to see significant increases in cases on a daily basis throughout the next week. We certainly don't know enough to know if that's going to continue beyond that or not. One of the things that I will tell you is, particularly, when you look at smaller states — when you look at smaller states and the number of cases they have — because I monitor that very closely every day — I believe that the number of cases that are being reported today are largely a function of how many tests are being run. … We announced on Thursday that we are going to try to move more to the model that Singapore, for instance, used. We’re going to try to focus on areas that we can catch very early, that may become hot spots and do a significant amount of testing in those areas, in those regions, and then immediately take those who have tested positive, do a lot of case management, figure out who they have been around and who they may have exposed and try to get shelter-in-place orders, potentially, at least for those who have been exposed, but perhaps even for smaller areas in the states. Again, testing is critical.
Washington Examiner: Does Mississippi have enough materials to conduct robust testing?
Reeves: We are working hard, every day, to continue to gather more tests and more testing materials. We have been working very closely with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, which has developed an ability to not only test but also to read those tests and actually provide results that have been approved by our state department of health. That's going to help us in enhancing our testing capabilities significantly. In addition to that, we have other research universities that are also working daily to put together their own testing kits and capabilities. We are confident that those are going to come online sooner rather than later.
Washington Examiner: Do you have the medical infrastructure you need? Ventilators? Hospital beds?
Reeves: Mississippi has a significant number of available beds. Mississippi has a significant number of available ventilators. We have talked with everyone in our hospital system; we have encouraged them to plan to be able — and we have been told by most of the large health systems that they have the ability to increase capacity for intensive care units anywhere from 50% to 100%, depending on which specific hospital system we’re talking about. We have a large number of rural hospitals where that’s not necessarily the case.
But in our Gulf Coast region, in our Hattiesburg region, in our Jackson region, and then in our North Mississippi region, most of them have the ability to increase capacity anywhere from 50% to 100%. One of the limiting factors for us is, at least initially, is not going to be bed capacity, but personnel. Obviously, every additional ventilator or respirator machine that you bring online, you’ve got to have a respiratory therapist or some other personnel to operate it. We are thinking through exactly what that looks like and are working very hard to set plans in motion.
Washington Examiner: Discuss how the unfolding situation in New Orleans could impact Mississippi.
Reeves: When you think about our population from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, south, we have a very transient population. Many of our residents travel to New Orleans to work. Many of our residents travel to New Orleans to play. And, while the latter is not happening right now, it certainly happened two weeks ago, and so we've got to prepare for a challenging environment if the situation in Orleans Parish, etc., continues to worsen and that bleeds over into south Mississippi.
Washington Examiner: How are you handling shelter-in-place orders and the closure of certain businesses deemed nonessential?
Reeves: There have been some national reports that have just been totally and completely based off of, perhaps, local reports that are inaccurate. And the local reporters know they’re inaccurate but yet they’re reporting it anyway. So here's what the actual rules are in our state: We issued an executive order which had two different parts to it. The first part said you cannot gather in groups of 10 or more for social gatherings. No. 2: you cannot have a restaurant or bar that is open in Mississippi for dine-in unless you can comply with having less than 10 people and proper social distancing. In addition, a week or so ago, we issued an executive order which says we would allow no visitation at hospitals, at nursing homes, and other primary healthcare facilities. So we set a minimum floor for what you could or could not do on a statewide basis.
Washington Examiner: For context, here in Washington, D.C., as in other urban centers, most businesses are closed, other than grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, hardware stores, etc., and related goods and services. Obviously, restaurants are takeout and delivery only. Is that what it’s like in Mississippi right now?
Reeves: What you just described about where you live is basically 95% of Mississippi as well. I do Orangetheory Fitness, for instance. [It’s] been closed for two and a half weeks. I have a restaurant across the street from the governor's mansion that is very popular that literally is doing dine-out only, and I watched people walk by and pick up their dine-out as they walked back to their office or where they live in downtown Jackson. Literally, what you describe is 95% of what Mississippi looks like right now.
Washington Examiner: Discuss the economic impact of the pandemic on your state and talk about striking the balance between public health and Mississippians' livelihoods.
Reeves: I think it's a great question. I do want to just say one thing before we leave the shelter-in-place question. I am perfectly prepared to issue a shelter-in-place order in any region or any county of our state if and when the public health experts in Mississippi suggest that I do something. We are having conversations about that at this time, but we are much more likely to do it in a smaller region of our state where it makes sense than to go out and issue a shelter-in-place just because that’s what some in the national media want me to do — or even some of my own constituents want me to do.
There is no question that the potential economic impact of this a global pandemic must be a consideration, not necessarily the consideration but a consideration when making shelter-in-place decisions and making other decisions. ... Certainly, we don't want to end this particular pandemic in a month or three months or six months from now having created a country which has 25%, 30% unemployment, which then leads to abject poverty for one-fifth to one-half of our population.
Washington Examiner: Is Easter a possibility to begin transitioning back to normal?
Reeves: I don't — I think in Mississippi that we will find a significant number of large churches that are reopening with Easter Sunday services, although I wouldn't rule anything out at this time.
Washington Examiner: What is your assessment of Trump’s handling of the pandemic?
Reeves: I commend President Trump. He's been transparent. He's been on TV. He's met with the governors almost daily and provided counsel, and I appreciate President Trump's leadership through this. This is not something anyone's ever had to deal with — or at least not anyone that's currently alive, and I think he's done an excellent job.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-28--'Trump is going to eat him alive': Joe Rogan predicts Biden's 'medical condition' will be his downfa

'Trump is going to eat him alive': Joe Rogan predicts Biden's 'medical condition' will be his downfall

Podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan predicted President Trump will have no trouble defeating Joe Biden in the general election if @ @ @ @ @ president as their nominee .
“ You have to be able to call out shit @ @ @ @ @ your side , ” Rogan said on a recent episode of his podcast .
`` @ @ @ @ @ the problems that the Democratic Party is having right now with this Joe Biden guy @ @ @ @ @ said , `` got to be able to call it out . ''
`` You @ @ @ @ @ slide , because everybody else sees it and Trump is going to eat him alive @ @ @ @ @ `` He ’ s going to eat that guy alive.
” Rogan , an outspoken @ @ @ @ @ , highlighted several misstatements or embellishments for which Biden has caught on the campaign trail @ @ @ @ @ barely remember what he ’ s talking about while he ’ s talking , ” @ @ @ @ @ 'm looking at this like a medical condition . ''

Podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan predicted President Trump will have no trouble defeating Joe Biden in the general election if Democrats pick the former vice president as their nominee.
“You have to be able to call out shit that’s wrong on your side,” Rogan said on a recent episode of his podcast. "And this is one of the problems that the Democratic Party is having right now with this Joe Biden guy."
Democrats, Rogan said, "got to be able to call it out."
"You can’t let this slide, because everybody else sees it and Trump is going to eat him alive," Rogan said. "He’s going to eat that guy alive.”
Rogan, an outspoken supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders, highlighted several misstatements or embellishments for which Biden has caught on the campaign trail.
"The guy can barely remember what he’s talking about while he’s talking,” Rogan said. "I'm looking at this like a medical condition."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-28--Republican strategists believe Trump flexible on wish to unlock the country by Easter

Republican strategists believe President Trump is not stuck on his idea to begin reopening the country by Easter , as epidemiologists counsel a longer wait .
“ According to our models , deaths and new cases will still be increasing at Easter , ” said Christopher Murray , director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation .
“ Things will be getting to their absolute peak .
The public and most governors and most people in the federal government will be extremely anxious because there will be more demand on hospitals than capacity and more deaths.
” Trump allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But many stressed that the president ’ s talk of quarantines ending at Easter is more flexible , and the actual policies implemented are likely to be more data-driven than his critics suppose .
`` I think most people understand that Easter is an aspirational goal and that local and state officials will be making the decision , not the federal government , ” Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said .
“ The problem is that four states are dealing with severe outbreaks [ California , New York , Washington state , and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states mostly have it managed right now .
A nationwide shelter-at-home approach makes no sense for vast swaths of the country .
At some point , we have to return to work .
Trump is trying to balance these competing desires .
There is no road map . ''
Republican strategist Nicholas Everhart agreed .
`` The president ’ s Easter goal of economic and life normalcy , if you would , is really more of a throwaway aspirational idea to make people feel good , '' he said .
`` The day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while he continues to reference it , when the Easter normalcy doesn ’ t come to fruition , the foil or reason the date isn ’ t met he can say was the decision of individual state governors.
“ “ By eyeing Easter as a possible target for a return to normalcy , President Trump is employing a business strategy known as a ‘ stretch goal , ’ ” said a third GOP strategist .
“ Unlike a ‘ commit goal , ’ ‘ stretch goals ’ are flexible and do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stretch goals are motivational tools to make success seem closer , but it also psychologically urges people to work harder to try to achieve it .
Add in the fact that Easter itself is premised upon resurrection , and Trump has given the American public hope and mental light at the end of the tunnel.
” What if nothing substantial changes next month ?
“ If by the time we get to Easter , and the medical data and experts suggest a return to normalcy is not feasible at that time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be Memorial Day or July 4 — a rebirth of normalcy to pair with the birth of America , ” this strategist said .
“ The reason why Trump can ’ t just say ‘ I will solely rely on the experts ’ is because it takes a psychological arrow out of his quiver , and it creates a sense of depression among the American people .
So , this is a very wise tactic by Trump despite the media grousing.
” Trump has implied as much himself .
“ Every decision we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , safety , and well-being of our citizens , ” he assured reporters at a White House coronavirus press briefing .
“ This is a medical crisis ; this is n't a financial crisis.
” But he acknowledged liking the imagery of “ packed ” churches on Easter Sunday according to his “ beautiful timeline.
” Former Vice President Joe Biden , the likely Democratic presidential nominee , called on Friday for Trump to “ level ” with the American people about what lies ahead .
“ Let ’ s say we open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground , ” said Ashish Jha , director of Harvard ’ s Global Health Institute .
For the first couple of weeks , it will be fine — nobody will notice the difference .
Then , in three to four weeks , people going to emergency rooms will spike.
” Murray indicated Trump would have to wait at least another month .
“ There may be options in May that allow you to frequently test people and people who are not infected will be able to go back to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be reasonably under control , you can ’ t have a spiking number , ” said Jha .
“ You 've got to have very extensive testing set up in your community .
Then , you can open up , and you have to have a very aggressive testing regime.
” The Trump administration is currently working on new federal guidelines .

Republican strategists believe President Trump is not stuck on his idea to begin reopening the country by Easter, as epidemiologists counsel a longer wait.
“According to our models, deaths and new cases will still be increasing at Easter,” said Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. “Things will be getting to their absolute peak. The public and most governors and most people in the federal government will be extremely anxious because there will be more demand on hospitals than capacity and more deaths.”
Trump allies are worried about this possible outcome. But many stressed that the president’s talk of quarantines ending at Easter is more flexible, and the actual policies implemented are likely to be more data-driven than his critics suppose.
"I think most people understand that Easter is an aspirational goal and that local and state officials will be making the decision, not the federal government,” Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said. “The problem is that four states are dealing with severe outbreaks [California, New York, Washington state, and New Jersey], and the other 46 states mostly have it managed right now. A nationwide shelter-at-home approach makes no sense for vast swaths of the country. At some point, we have to return to work. Trump is trying to balance these competing desires. There is no road map."
Republican strategist Nicholas Everhart agreed. "The president’s Easter goal of economic and life normalcy, if you would, is really more of a throwaway aspirational idea to make people feel good," he said. "The day has little bearing on reality. Also, while he continues to reference it, when the Easter normalcy doesn’t come to fruition, the foil or reason the date isn’t met he can say was the decision of individual state governors.“
“By eyeing Easter as a possible target for a return to normalcy, President Trump is employing a business strategy known as a ‘stretch goal,’” said a third GOP strategist. “Unlike a ‘commit goal,’ ‘stretch goals’ are flexible and do not necessarily have to be met. Rather, stretch goals are motivational tools to make success seem closer, but it also psychologically urges people to work harder to try to achieve it. Add in the fact that Easter itself is premised upon resurrection, and Trump has given the American public hope and mental light at the end of the tunnel.”
What if nothing substantial changes next month? “If by the time we get to Easter, and the medical data and experts suggest a return to normalcy is not feasible at that time, Trump’s next stretch date could be Memorial Day or July 4 — a rebirth of normalcy to pair with the birth of America,” this strategist said. “The reason why Trump can’t just say ‘I will solely rely on the experts’ is because it takes a psychological arrow out of his quiver, and it creates a sense of depression among the American people. So, this is a very wise tactic by Trump despite the media grousing.”
Trump has implied as much himself. “Every decision we make is grounded solely on the health, safety, and well-being of our citizens,” he assured reporters at a White House coronavirus press briefing. “This is a medical crisis; this isn't a financial crisis.” But he acknowledged liking the imagery of “packed” churches on Easter Sunday according to his “beautiful timeline.” Former Vice President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, called on Friday for Trump to “level” with the American people about what lies ahead.
“Let’s say we open up Easter Sunday regardless of the facts on the ground,” said Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute. For the first couple of weeks, it will be fine — nobody will notice the difference. Then, in three to four weeks, people going to emergency rooms will spike.”
Murray indicated Trump would have to wait at least another month. “There may be options in May that allow you to frequently test people and people who are not infected will be able to go back to work,” he said.
“Infections have to be reasonably under control, you can’t have a spiking number,” said Jha. “You've got to have very extensive testing set up in your community. Then, you can open up, and you have to have a very aggressive testing regime.”
The Trump administration is currently working on new federal guidelines.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-28--Biden fights accusation of sexual assault

Joe Biden ’ s campaign is vehemently denying an allegation that the former vice president sexually assaulted a Senate aide more than two decades ago .
“ Women have a right to tell their story , and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims .
We encourage them to do so because these accusations are false , ” Biden spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said in a statement to the Washington Examiner and other outlets on Friday .
The denials come after Tara Reade , who worked in Biden ’ s Senate office from 1992 to 1993 , this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of running his hand underneath her skirt and penetrating her with his fingers that year .
The former vice president 's campaign also provided a statement from Marianne Baker , executive assistant to Biden from 1982 to 2000 , who said , “ In all my years working for Sen. Biden , I never once witnessed , or heard of , or received , any reports of inappropriate conduct , period — not from Ms. Reade , not from anyone.
” Reade made the sexual assault allegation this week in media appearances .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Bernie Sanders , Biden ’ s last remaining rival for the Democratic presidential nomination .
A source close to Reade said she was deliberately holding interviews only with left-wing outlets .
“ It was the strangest thing .
There was no , like , exchange , really .
He just had me up against the wall , ” Reade said on the Katie Halper Show podcast , claiming Biden asked her to grab a gym bag before the assault .
“ The gym bag , I do n't know where it went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it was gone .
And then his hands were on me and underneath my clothes ...
He went down my skirt and then up inside it , and he penetrated me with his fingers .
He was kissing me at the same time.
” Reade said Biden told her he had heard she liked him and then told her , “ You 're nothing to me . ''
The accusation Reade shared this week adds a dramatic new allegation to what she has said in the past .
About the time many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Biden in the weeks before he launched his presidential campaign last year , Reade told a of uncomfortable interactions she had with the then-Delaware senator .
Biden “ used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck ” and asked her to serve drinks at an event because he liked her legs , she said .
Reade provided documents saying she worked in Biden ’ s Senate office from December 1992 to August 1993 .
Then , on Tuesday , the Intercept that Reade had sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time ’ s Up Legal Defense Fund , an organization created during the # MeToo movement to help women share stories of sexual misconduct .
Time 's Up declined to help her because working for accusers of political candidates could jeopardize its tax status as a nonprofit organization .
The Intercept noted that Anita Dunn , managing director of SKDKnickerbocker , a public relations firm that works for Time 's Up , is a senior adviser for the Biden campaign .
Reade ’ s accusation of Biden pinning her to a wall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Intercept story .
The Intercept that Reade filed a contemporaneous complaint about Biden ’ s behavior and said she told her brother and a friend about the assault at that time .
The brother and friend confirmed that they heard about the allegation from Reade at the time .
“ Woefully , I did not encourage her to follow up , ” said Reade ’ s brother , Collin Moulton .
“ I wasn ’ t one of her better advocates .
I said , 'Let it go .
Move on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s friend , whom the Intercept did not name , said she discouraged Reade from coming forward with her story .
“ Back then , people assumed girls just get over it , ” she said .
But Baker , a former executive assistant , said she never heard about allegations of sexual misconduct against Biden .
“ I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade ’ s accounting of events , which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional and as a manager , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For nearly 20 years , I worked as Sen. Biden ’ s executive assistant and supervised dozens of employees who reported to me .
I took very seriously my duties with respect to human resources , following the direction of a senator whose insistence on a professional workplace was embedded in our culture .
These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades . ''
Suspicions surrounding the claims center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story but her vocal support for rival left-wing presidential candidates including Marianne Williamson , Sanders , and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
Tweets viewed by the Washington Examiner appear to show Reade pleading for Sanders to stay in the race .
One tweet , sent earlier this week , lashed out against “ Biden campaign bots ” who questioned her honesty .
“ I will sue anyone who continues to slander me call me a Russian agent .
The charges of sexual harassment & worse against Biden are true I will have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to law enforcement , ” she wrote .
In an interview with Vox released Friday , Reade said she initially supported Warren for president , then shifted to Sanders .
Although she remains critical of President Trump , who has been accused of sexual misconduct by scores of women , Reade said she can ’ t vote for Biden .
“ If he ’ s my president , I just can ’ t fathom it , ” she said .
A second Twitter account believed to be Reade ’ s showcased positive posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including retweets complimenting his public work in cancer research and sexual assault .
Reade said the sexual assault in Biden 's office is what forced her out of Washington .
“ I was moved into a solitary , windowless office and told to leave .
I was fired , or , should I say , I was forced to resign .
No one would interview me on the Hill for any position , ” Reade in April 2019 .
Other statements from Reade offer different reasons .
In a December 2018 , Reade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests revolved around the arts , she “ saw the reckless imperialism of America and the pain it caused through out the world , ” and she “ could not stand to watch the deception and xenophobia that came from my own American government ” about Russia .
In a 2009 blog post , she said she “ received an offer to work on a governor ’ s race in California and I almost accepted ” but instead “ moved to the frozen tundra of the Midwest ” with her future husband , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a congressional campaign there .
Also in the 2009 post , in which she described physical abuse from her ex-husband , Reade lauded Biden ’ s work in passing the Violence Against Women Act , a 1994 bill he shepherded into law as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee .
“ I should know what an abuser looks like .
After all , I was working for then Sen. Joseph Biden , who sponsored the Violence Against Women Act .
But domestic violence is an equal opportunity offender .
It was something I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never knowing I would one day walk into a marriage filled with abuse and pain , ” she wrote .
Reade 's background gives the Biden campaign ammunition against her claims .
According to public records , Reade declared bankruptcy in 2012 , which was lifted a year later .
She was also arrested in 2011 for driving without a license , although that charge was dismissed .
Biden supporters point to Reade ’ s history of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin in social media posts and essays as evidence that she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , Reade on Medium titled “ Why a Liberal Democrat Supports Vladimir Putin , ” praising the dictator ’ s “ emotional intelligence ” and “ gentleness.
” She called his “ reverence for women , children and animals ... intoxicating to American women.
” “ President Putin has a higher approval rating in America then the American President , particularly with women .
President Putin has an alluring combination of strength with gentleness .
His sensuous image projects his love for life , the embodiment of grace while facing adversity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , his people and his job , ” she wrote .
Weeks later , in mid-December , Reade wrote essay praising Putin and accusing America ’ s “ power elite ” of fearing him because his “ approval ratings in America ” were “ higher ” than Trump ’ s .
Both essays have been deleted but are available in a web archive .
As a senator for 36 years and vice president for two terms , Biden earned a reputation for kissing or touching women and girls without their consent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jokes and memes after he was caught in numerous photos rubbing women ’ s shoulders and sniffing their hair .
But the tone took a serious turn when eight women came forward shortly after he announced his third presidential bid last April .
They accused him of inappropriate though not sexual encounters .
The first and most prominent complainant , former Nevada Assemblywoman said he kissed her without permission in 2014 .
In response , Biden promised to be “ more mindful about respecting personal space.
” But he did not apologize and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. “ He gave me permission to touch him , ” Biden said after hugging a young boy .
He ’ s continued to raise eyebrows on his path to becoming the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee .
At a campaign event in Texas last May , she was “ as bright as you ’ re good-looking ” before taking her hand and introducing her to the press while holding her shoulders .
Another woman last summer that he made her uncomfortable when he abruptly seized her hand and clung onto @ @ @ @ @

Joe Biden’s campaign is vehemently denying an allegation that the former vice president sexually assaulted a Senate aide more than two decades ago.
“Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims. We encourage them to do so because these accusations are false,” Biden spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield said in a statement to the Washington Examiner and other outlets on Friday.
The denials come after Tara Reade, who worked in Biden’s Senate office from 1992 to 1993, this week accused the likely 2020 Democratic presidential nominee of running his hand underneath her skirt and penetrating her with his fingers that year.
The former vice president's campaign also provided a statement from Marianne Baker, executive assistant to Biden from 1982 to 2000, who said, “In all my years working for Sen. Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone.”
Allegations
Reade made the sexual assault allegation this week in two media appearances. Both shows feature hosts who support Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Biden’s last remaining rival for the Democratic presidential nomination. A source close to Reade said she was deliberately holding interviews only with left-wing outlets.
“It was the strangest thing. There was no, like, exchange, really. He just had me up against the wall,” Reade said on the Katie Halper Show podcast, claiming Biden asked her to grab a gym bag before the assault. “The gym bag, I don't know where it went. I handed it to him, and it was gone. And then his hands were on me and underneath my clothes ... He went down my skirt and then up inside it, and he penetrated me with his fingers. He was kissing me at the same time.”
Reade said Biden told her he had heard she liked him and then told her, “You're nothing to me."
The accusation Reade shared this week adds a dramatic new allegation to what she has said in the past.
About the time many other women shared allegations of unwanted touching from Biden in the weeks before he launched his presidential campaign last year, Reade told a local news outlet of uncomfortable interactions she had with the then-Delaware senator.
Biden “used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck” and asked her to serve drinks at an event because he liked her legs, she said. Reade provided documents saying she worked in Biden’s Senate office from December 1992 to August 1993.
Then, on Tuesday, the Intercept reported that Reade had sought legal and public relations help from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, an organization created during the #MeToo movement to help women share stories of sexual misconduct. Time's Up declined to help her because working for accusers of political candidates could jeopardize its tax status as a nonprofit organization. The Intercept noted that Anita Dunn, managing director of SKDKnickerbocker, a public relations firm that works for Time's Up, is a senior adviser for the Biden campaign.
Reade’s accusation of Biden pinning her to a wall and touching her genitals came a day after the Intercept story.
The Intercept reported that Reade filed a contemporaneous complaint about Biden’s behavior and said she told her brother and a friend about the assault at that time. The brother and friend confirmed that they heard about the allegation from Reade at the time.
“Woefully, I did not encourage her to follow up,” said Reade’s brother, Collin Moulton. “I wasn’t one of her better advocates. I said, 'Let it go. Move on. Guys are idiots.'”
Reade’s friend, whom the Intercept did not name, said she discouraged Reade from coming forward with her story. “Back then, people assumed girls just get over it,” she said.
But Baker, a former executive assistant, said she never heard about allegations of sexual misconduct against Biden.
“I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade’s accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional and as a manager,” Baker said, adding, "For nearly 20 years, I worked as Sen. Biden’s executive assistant and supervised dozens of employees who reported to me. I took very seriously my duties with respect to human resources, following the direction of a senator whose insistence on a professional workplace was embedded in our culture. These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades."
Support for Sen. Bernie Sanders
Suspicions surrounding the claims center not just on the inconsistencies in the story but her vocal support for rival left-wing presidential candidates including Marianne Williamson, Sanders, and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Tweets viewed by the Washington Examiner appear to show Reade pleading for Sanders to stay in the race. One tweet, sent earlier this week, lashed out against “Biden campaign bots” who questioned her honesty.
“I will sue anyone who continues to slander me call me a Russian agent. The charges of sexual harassment & worse against Biden are true I will have the information collected of your slander turned over to law enforcement,” she wrote.
In an interview with Vox released Friday, Reade said she initially supported Warren for president, then shifted to Sanders. Although she remains critical of President Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by scores of women, Reade said she can’t vote for Biden.
“If he’s my president, I just can’t fathom it,” she said.
A second Twitter account believed to be Reade’s showcased positive posts about Biden as recently as 2017, including retweets complimenting his public work in cancer research and sexual assault.
Multiple explanations for leaving Washington
Reade said the sexual assault in Biden's office is what forced her out of Washington.
“I was moved into a solitary, windowless office and told to leave. I was fired, or, should I say, I was forced to resign. No one would interview me on the Hill for any position,” Reade wrote in a Medium post in April 2019.
Other statements from Reade offer different reasons.
In a December 2018 Medium post , Reade said she left Washington because her first interests revolved around the arts, she “saw the reckless imperialism of America and the pain it caused through out the world,” and she “could not stand to watch the deception and xenophobia that came from my own American government” about Russia.
In a 2009 blog post, she said she “received an offer to work on a governor’s race in California and I almost accepted” but instead “moved to the frozen tundra of the Midwest” with her future husband, who received an offer to work on a congressional campaign there.
Also in the 2009 post, in which she described physical abuse from her ex-husband, Reade lauded Biden’s work in passing the Violence Against Women Act, a 1994 bill he shepherded into law as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“I should know what an abuser looks like. After all, I was working for then Sen. Joseph Biden, who sponsored the Violence Against Women Act. But domestic violence is an equal opportunity offender. It was something I read about and discussed with colleagues, never knowing I would one day walk into a marriage filled with abuse and pain,” she wrote.
Reade's background gives the Biden campaign ammunition against her claims. According to public records, Reade declared bankruptcy in 2012, which was lifted a year later. She was also arrested in 2011 for driving without a license, although that charge was dismissed.
Controversial statements about Russia
Biden supporters point to Reade’s history of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin in social media posts and essays as evidence that she is not a reliable accuser.
In November 2018, Reade wrote an essay on Medium titled “Why a Liberal Democrat Supports Vladimir Putin,” praising the dictator’s “emotional intelligence” and “gentleness.” She called his “reverence for women, children and animals ... intoxicating to American women.”
“President Putin has a higher approval rating in America then the American President, particularly with women. President Putin has an alluring combination of strength with gentleness. His sensuous image projects his love for life, the embodiment of grace while facing adversity. It is evident that he loves his country, his people and his job,” she wrote.
Weeks later, in mid-December, Reade wrote another essay praising Putin and accusing America’s “power elite” of fearing him because his “approval ratings in America” were “higher” than Trump’s.
Both essays have been deleted but are available in a web archive.
Previous Biden allegations
As a senator for 36 years and vice president for two terms, Biden earned a reputation for kissing or touching women and girls without their consent , and this became the subject of internet jokes and memes after he was caught in numerous photos rubbing women’s shoulders and sniffing their hair.
But the tone took a serious turn when eight women came forward shortly after he announced his third presidential bid last April. They accused him of inappropriate though not sexual encounters. The first and most prominent complainant, former Nevada Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, 39, said he kissed her without permission in 2014.
In response, Biden promised to be “more mindful about respecting personal space.” But he did not apologize and, days later joked about the allegations during a speech in Washington, D.C. “He gave me permission to touch him,” Biden said after hugging a young boy.
He’s continued to raise eyebrows on his path to becoming the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-28--Biden deflects on Obama stockpile inaction and recommends national coronavirus lockdown

Joe Biden would follow the lead of other countries and advise governors , if he were president , to lock down their states to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the United States .
`` For the time being , I would .
Yes , '' Biden told CNN during a town hall .
The likely 2020 Democratic nominee and two-term vice president said he had seen data suggesting stay-at-home orders should stay in place until May 31 or into June but added , `` Nobody knows for certain . ''
President Trump has come under fire for suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines at the end of its 15-day trial , set to conclude on Monday .
The president has expressed concern `` the cure '' ca n't be worse than the `` problem , '' given the likelihood that extended business shutdowns due to the COVID-19 outbreak will lead to a recession .
Biden on Friday night said it was `` a false choice '' for Trump to believe he needed to pick between public health and the economy .
He also called for a rent freeze and forgiveness program `` for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has spoken with Democratic and Republican governors , offered Trump some unsolicited advice after the president revealed earlier Friday evening he told Vice President Mike Pence not to waste time talking to critical state chief executives , such as Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
Both Democratic and GOP governors have voiced frustrations with federal-state procurement coordination .
`` This is not personal .
It has nothing to do with you , Donald Trump .
Do your job .
Stop personalizing everything .
Stop it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's 36-year former senator did n't have a detailed response to whether the Obama administration should have better replenished the country 's Strategic National Stockpile of N95 respirator masks after the 2009 swine flu outbreak .
`` We spent a lot of time .
I was not part of it .
Our administration spent a lot of time working with the incoming Trump administration , '' he began , before not directly answering the question .

Joe Biden would follow the lead of other countries and advise governors, if he were president, to lock down their states to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the United States.
"For the time being, I would. Yes," Biden told CNN during a town hall.
The likely 2020 Democratic nominee and two-term vice president said he had seen data suggesting stay-at-home orders should stay in place until May 31 or into June but added, "Nobody knows for certain."
President Trump has come under fire for suggesting the country should relax its social distancing guidelines at the end of its 15-day trial, set to conclude on Monday. The president has expressed concern "the cure" can't be worse than the "problem," given the likelihood that extended business shutdowns due to the COVID-19 outbreak will lead to a recession.
Biden on Friday night said it was "a false choice" for Trump to believe he needed to pick between public health and the economy. He also called for a rent freeze and forgiveness program "for at least the next three months."
Biden, who has spoken with Democratic and Republican governors, offered Trump some unsolicited advice after the president revealed earlier Friday evening he told Vice President Mike Pence not to waste time talking to critical state chief executives, such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Both Democratic and GOP governors have voiced frustrations with federal-state procurement coordination.
"This is not personal. It has nothing to do with you, Donald Trump. Do your job. Stop personalizing everything. Stop it," Biden said.
But Delaware's 36-year former senator didn't have a detailed response to whether the Obama administration should have better replenished the country's Strategic National Stockpile of N95 respirator masks after the 2009 swine flu outbreak.
"We spent a lot of time. I was not part of it. Our administration spent a lot of time working with the incoming Trump administration," he began, before not directly answering the question.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-28--Tucker Carlson: Biden insiders say he won’t make it to Election Day

Fox News host Tucker Carlson said insiders in the Joe Biden presidential campaign believe he will not be mentally fit to be president come Election Day .
While appearing on the Charlie LeDuff podcast , Carlson claimed that Biden insiders told him they do n't believe the former vice president has the mental fortitude to last until the 2020 election in November , speculating that the Democratic Party may revoke his potential nomination .
`` I sincerely and totally believe that Joe Biden will not be the Democratic nominee on Election Day , '' Carlson began .
`` How does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host pressed .
`` It 's not about math .
It 's about will , '' Carlson said , saying the Democratic Party is `` intent on taking power . ''
`` Two competing imperatives : We 've got to win , but we 've got a guy who ca n't win .
Therefore , they 're going to replace him , '' Carlson continued .
`` He 's not going to make it , and the people around him know that .
Trust me , I know them .
And I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it to me . ''
Carlson went on to estimate that New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is `` most likely '' to replace Biden for the Democratic nomination .

Fox News host Tucker Carlson said insiders in the Joe Biden presidential campaign believe he will not be mentally fit to be president come Election Day.
While appearing on the Charlie LeDuff podcast, Carlson claimed that Biden insiders told him they don't believe the former vice president has the mental fortitude to last until the 2020 election in November, speculating that the Democratic Party may revoke his potential nomination.
"I sincerely and totally believe that Joe Biden will not be the Democratic nominee on Election Day," Carlson began.
"How does that math work?" another podcast host pressed. "It's not about math. It's about will," Carlson said, saying the Democratic Party is "intent on taking power."
"Two competing imperatives: We've got to win, but we've got a guy who can't win. Therefore, they're going to replace him," Carlson continued. "He's not going to make it, and the people around him know that. Trust me, I know them. And I know they know it, because they've said it to me."
Carlson went on to estimate that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is "most likely" to replace Biden for the Democratic nomination.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-30--'A bunch of malarkey': Biden refutes Trump claim that he does not read own campaign statements

Joe Biden refuted President Trump 's claim that he does not read statements distributed by his campaign that are attributed to him .
`` It doesn ’ t warrant a response , '' Biden said in an MSNBC interview on Monday before going on to provide a response .
`` It is bravado .
It is a bunch of malarkey , as they say in my family . ''
Trump made the claim about the former vice president in a Fox News interview on Monday morning .
`` They are highly sophisticated critiques .
I said — you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has said , ' and then they put this highly sophisticated statement out , '' Trump said .
`` Joe Biden didn ’ t write that statement , and Joe Biden — I guarantee he didn ’ t even see that statement . ''
Trump added : `` We want to always make sure that we have a great president , we have somebody that ’ s capable .
I personally don ’ t think Joe Biden is capable , we 'll see what happens . ''
Biden says that he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but did not deny that other people write his statements .
`` There is nothing that goes out in my name that I don ’ t see , '' Biden said .
`` No one is authorized to put anything out that ’ s not in my name . ''
It is common for aides to draft speeches and statements for candidates and elected officials .
Biden strikes a noticeably harsher tone toward Trump in written statements distributed by the campaign than in live interviews .
In a written statement on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
In a live interview days earlier , Biden claimed that he is not criticizing the president .
Biden scolded Trump for turning to political attacks during a crisis .
`` Mr. President , let ’ s get things done .
Let ’ s put the politics aside , '' he said .
`` Get it done .
Step up and do your job .
Stop campaigning . ''

Joe Biden refuted President Trump's claim that he does not read statements distributed by his campaign that are attributed to him.
"It doesn’t warrant a response," Biden said in an MSNBC interview on Monday before going on to provide a response. "It is bravado. It is a bunch of malarkey, as they say in my family."
Trump made the claim about the former vice president in a Fox News interview on Monday morning.
"They are highly sophisticated critiques. I said — you know, where they are written out, 'Joe Biden has said,' and then they put this highly sophisticated statement out," Trump said. "Joe Biden didn’t write that statement, and Joe Biden — I guarantee he didn’t even see that statement."
Trump added: "We want to always make sure that we have a great president, we have somebody that’s capable. I personally don’t think Joe Biden is capable, we'll see what happens."
Biden says that he does see every campaign statement attributed to him but did not deny that other people write his statements.
"There is nothing that goes out in my name that I don’t see," Biden said. "No one is authorized to put anything out that’s not in my name."
It is common for aides to draft speeches and statements for candidates and elected officials.
Biden strikes a noticeably harsher tone toward Trump in written statements distributed by the campaign than in live interviews. In a written statement on Thursday, Biden blamed a record unemployment surge on Trump. In a live interview days earlier, Biden claimed that he is not criticizing the president.
Biden scolded Trump for turning to political attacks during a crisis.
"Mr. President, let’s get things done. Let’s put the politics aside," he said. "Get it done. Step up and do your job. Stop campaigning."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-31--Trump’s power over GOP shows no sign of diminishing even as pandemic worsens

President Trump ’ s ability to read politicians out of the Republican Party shows no sign of diminishing even as the coronavirus crisis intensifies and criticism of his administration 's handling of the pandemic erupts among Democrats and Washington pundits .
The latest Republican to run afoul of the president is Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky , who pressed for a recorded House vote on the coronavirus emergency spending package in a move that sent lawmakers scurrying back to D.C. to ensure the legislation passed .
Members of both parties were outraged , but none more so than Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grandstander ” and urged GOP congressmen to “ throw Massie out of the Republican Party !
” Massie isn ’ t the first Republican to run into this problem .
Jeff Sessions ran second in the first round of balloting in the Alabama GOP primary to reclaim his old Senate seat .
Trump , still angry that Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation as attorney general , endorsed his primary opponent Tommy Tuberville , who finished first .
Sessions and Tuberville will face each other in a runoff , but the competitiveness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power within the party — the last time Sessions ran for this seat , he was unopposed in the general election and won 97.5 percent of the vote .
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan was a frequent Trump critic , but he broke most decisively with the president by supporting impeachment even before the Ukraine scandal , after special counsel Robert Mueller released his report .
Trump replied by calling the congressman a `` loser '' and `` lightweight . ''
Amash has since left the Republican Party and is running for reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump tweet helped lead to the defeat of Rep. Mark Sanford , a South Carolina Republican who had previously served as the state ’ s governor .
`` Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA , '' Trump said while endorsing his primary challenger Katie Arrington , who won the nomination — though she went on to lose in November .
Sanford ran a short-lived campaign for the 2020 Republican presidential nomination , dropping out before the first votes were even cast .
The other two prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since dropped out .
Former Rep. Joe Walsh received just 1.1 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses .
Former Massachusetts Gov .
William Weld took 1.3 percent and failed to break 10 percent against Trump in New Hampshire .
Once resisted by the Republican establishment , Trump ’ s seal of approval has become important in the party .
The candidates he endorsed in the 2018 midterm primaries did well .
Intraparty critics like Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee ended up packing their bags and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval rating among Republicans in the latest Gallup poll stands at 92 percent .
“ Massie was guarding against the word getting out that he is n't exactly the strongest supporter of Trump in Congress , ” said Kentucky-based Republican strategist Scott Jennings .
“ Trump has ramped this problem up to Defcon 1.
” The congressman sees it differently .
“ I think I strengthened the president 's hand with Nancy Pelosi , ” Massie told the Washington Examiner .
“ She ca n't run the tables with nobody in Congress.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth coronavirus spending bill , she ’ ll have to think about the need for a quorum in the middle of a pandemic .
“ Everything I did did n't delay this by one minute .
[ Trump ] got his bill signing on time , ” Massie said .
“ What I did was I forced Congress to come to work , I forced them to follow the Constitution.
” “ The truth is Congressman Massie is a candidate who was born out of the populist tea party movement just like President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GOP strategist who advises Massie .
“ They ran and have both succeeded because they were fed up with Washington being broken , getting in the way , and serving the elite instead of the hard working people who make this country great ...
It ’ s refreshing to be able to work for someone who doesn ’ t need to take a poll to know what they believe.
” But it is not easy for a Republican to be a Trump target , especially on an issue dominating the headlines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s primary challenger .
“ When Trump says ‘ jump , ’ people tend to say , ‘ How high ?
’ ” Jennings observed .
“ This is where Massie miscalculated , ” Jennings added .
“ He 's gotten away with bucking Trump on other issues .
But in this case the politics are so different .
This is n't some post office renaming .
It 's the biggest issue for Trump ’ s reelection.
” Massie points out that Trump tweeted angrily about the Freedom Caucus during the Obamacare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the Republicans tagged in that tweetstorm — is about to be White House chief of staff .
Still , he is not unrealistic .
“ For people who said I did this for political advantage , this might cost me my reelection , ” Massie said .
“ I did it anyway .
”

President Trump’s ability to read politicians out of the Republican Party shows no sign of diminishing even as the coronavirus crisis intensifies and criticism of his administration's handling of the pandemic erupts among Democrats and Washington pundits.
The latest Republican to run afoul of the president is Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who pressed for a recorded House vote on the coronavirus emergency spending package in a move that sent lawmakers scurrying back to D.C. to ensure the legislation passed. Members of both parties were outraged, but none more so than Trump, who called Massie a “third rate Grandstander” and urged GOP congressmen to “throw Massie out of the Republican Party!”
Massie isn’t the first Republican to run into this problem. Jeff Sessions ran second in the first round of balloting in the Alabama GOP primary to reclaim his old Senate seat. Trump, still angry that Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation as attorney general, endorsed his primary opponent Tommy Tuberville, who finished first. Sessions and Tuberville will face each other in a runoff, but the competitiveness of the race illustrates Trump’s power within the party — the last time Sessions ran for this seat, he was unopposed in the general election and won 97.5% of the vote.
Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan was a frequent Trump critic, but he broke most decisively with the president by supporting impeachment even before the Ukraine scandal, after special counsel Robert Mueller released his report. Trump replied by calling the congressman a "loser" and "lightweight." Amash has since left the Republican Party and is running for reelection as an independent.
An election day Trump tweet helped lead to the defeat of Rep. Mark Sanford, a South Carolina Republican who had previously served as the state’s governor. "Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA," Trump said while endorsing his primary challenger Katie Arrington, who won the nomination — though she went on to lose in November. Sanford ran a short-lived campaign for the 2020 Republican presidential nomination, dropping out before the first votes were even cast.
The other two prominent Republicans who ran against Trump have also since dropped out. Former Rep. Joe Walsh received just 1.1% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses. Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld took 1.3% and failed to break 10% against Trump in New Hampshire.
Once resisted by the Republican establishment, Trump’s seal of approval has become important in the party. The candidates he endorsed in the 2018 midterm primaries did well. Intraparty critics like Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee ended up packing their bags and leaving Washington. The president’s approval rating among Republicans in the latest Gallup poll stands at 92%.
“Massie was guarding against the word getting out that he isn't exactly the strongest supporter of Trump in Congress,” said Kentucky-based Republican strategist Scott Jennings. “Trump has ramped this problem up to Defcon 1.”
The congressman sees it differently. “I think I strengthened the president's hand with Nancy Pelosi,” Massie told the Washington Examiner. “She can't run the tables with nobody in Congress.” Massie argued that when Pelosi pushes a fourth coronavirus spending bill, she’ll have to think about the need for a quorum in the middle of a pandemic.
“Everything I did didn't delay this by one minute. [Trump] got his bill signing on time,” Massie said. “What I did was I forced Congress to come to work, I forced them to follow the Constitution.”
“The truth is Congressman Massie is a candidate who was born out of the populist Tea Party movement just like President Trump,” said Nicholas Everhart, a GOP strategist who advises Massie. “They ran and have both succeeded because they were fed up with Washington being broken, getting in the way, and serving the elite instead of the hard-working people who make this country great ... It’s refreshing to be able to work for someone who doesn’t need to take a poll to know what they believe.”
But it is not easy for a Republican to be a Trump target, especially on an issue dominating the headlines. The Republican Jewish Coalition has already endorsed Massie’s primary challenger. “When Trump says ‘jump,’ people tend to say, ‘How high?’” Jennings observed.
“This is where Massie miscalculated,” Jennings added. “He's gotten away with bucking Trump on other issues. But in this case, the politics are so different. This isn't some post office renaming. It's the biggest issue for Trump’s reelection.”
Massie points out that Trump tweeted angrily about the Freedom Caucus during the Obamacare fight, and now, Rep. Mark Meadows, one of the Republicans tagged in that tweetstorm, is about to be White House chief of staff. Still, he is not unrealistic.
“For people who said I did this for political advantage, this might cost me my reelection,” Massie said. “I did it anyway.”