theguardian--2020-03-30--Coronavirus latest: 30 March, at a glance

Covid-19 infections worldwide have risen to 722,000 , according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker .
The US had the most cases , with over 142,000 ; Italy was second with nearly 98,000 ; and China was third with 82,000 .
But Spain was fast approaching China , with more than 80,000 cases .
Italy still had the highest death toll , with nearly 10,800 .
Spain was second with 6,800 .
More than 2,500 people have died in the US .
Trump says keeping US deaths under 100,000 would be ‘ a very good job ’ Donald Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 in the US , while extending social distancing rules until 30 April .
The president said if his administration kept deaths under 100,000 it would have done a “ very good job ” , bringing him closer in line with the top US diseases expert , Anthony Fauci , who suggested on Sunday deaths could reach 200,000 .
Trump also claimed his push to reopen the country by Easter had only been “ aspirational ” , now saying he hoped normality might return by 1 June .
New rules restricting group meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force on Monday , as children ’ s playgrounds , outdoor gyms and skateparks were closed in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus .
So far the country has more than 4,000 cases and 16 deaths .
Japan and Korea to tighten rules on entry Japan will expand entry restrictions to include visitors from the US , while South Korea announced it would require all travellers from overseas to undergo two weeks of quarantine from Wednesday .
Tokyo recorded its biggest daily increase in cases on Sunday , as authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , taking the number of cases there to 430 , and 1,800 across the country ( excluding from the Diamond Princess ) .
The coronavirus pandemic could cause UK economic output to plunge by an unprecedented 15 % in the second quarter of the year and unemployment to more than double , according to dire forecasts.The lockdown in the UK to try to slow the spread of coronavirus could go on for six months and the country may not return to its normal way of life until the autumn , a key government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will being a citywide lockdown on Monday , confining residents of the city of nearly 12 million people to their homes to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
The restrictions are some of the most severe in the Russian capital ’ s history .
Italy has said it will extend its month-long lockdown as the number of deaths in the country increased by 756 to reach 10,779 .
There are now 97,689 confirmed cases in Italy .
The death toll in the country ’ s worst affected region , Lombardy , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buhari has ordered a lockdown in Lagos and the capital city of Abuja .
Nigeria has recorded 97 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death .
So many New Zealanders have reported their neighbours to the authorities for breaking lockdown rules that a new police website to record such incidents crashed .
More than 2,000 people rang an emergency police line last week to report rule-breakers .
As a result , the dedicated website was set up in the hope it would dissuade them from ringing the emergency 111 number .
The website crashed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including of people playing rugby , frisbee , or holding impromptu parties .

Key developments in the global coronavirus outbreak today include:
Global infections pass 720,000
Covid-19 infections worldwide have risen to 722,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. The US had the most cases, with over 142,000; Italy was second with nearly 98,000; and China was third with 82,000. But Spain was fast approaching China, with more than 80,000 cases. Italy still had the highest death toll, with nearly 10,800. Spain was second with 6,800. More than 2,500 people have died in the US.
Trump says keeping US deaths under 100,000 would be ‘a very good job’
Donald Trump has acknowledged the scale of possible fatalities from Covid-19 in the US, while extending social distancing rules until 30 April. The president said if his administration kept deaths under 100,000 it would have done a “very good job”, bringing him closer in line with the top US diseases expert, Anthony Fauci, who suggested on Sunday deaths could reach 200,000. Trump also claimed his push to reopen the country by Easter had only been “aspirational”, now saying he hoped normality might return by 1 June.
Australia begins tighter restrictions
New rules restricting group meetings outside to just two people came into force on Monday, as children’s playgrounds, outdoor gyms and skateparks were closed in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. So far the country has more than 4,000 cases and 16 deaths.
Japan and Korea to tighten rules on entry
Japan will expand entry restrictions to include visitors from the US, while South Korea announced it would require all travellers from overseas to undergo two weeks of quarantine from Wednesday. Tokyo recorded its biggest daily increase in cases on Sunday, as authorities identified large infection clusters around the capital, taking the number of cases there to 430, and 1,800 across the country (excluding from the Diamond Princess).
Dire UK economic outlook
The coronavirus pandemic could cause UK economic output to plunge by an unprecedented 15% in the second quarter of the year and unemployment to more than double, according to dire forecasts.The lockdown in the UK to try to slow the spread of coronavirus could go on for six months and the country may not return to its normal way of life until the autumn, a key government doctor has said.
Moscow lockdown
The Russia capital will being a citywide lockdown on Monday, confining residents of the city of nearly 12 million people to their homes to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The restrictions are some of the most severe in the Russian capital’s history.
Italy extends lockdown
Italy has said it will extend its month-long lockdown as the number of deaths in the country increased by 756 to reach 10,779. There are now 97,689 confirmed cases in Italy. The death toll in the country’s worst affected region, Lombardy, has slowed.
Nigeria lockdown
Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a lockdown in Lagos and the capital city of Abuja. Nigeria has recorded 97 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death.
New Zealand’s website to report lockdown cheats, crashes
So many New Zealanders have reported their neighbours to the authorities for breaking lockdown rules that a new police website to record such incidents crashed. More than 2,000 people rang an emergency police line last week to report rule-breakers. As a result, the dedicated website was set up in the hope it would dissuade them from ringing the emergency 111 number. The website crashed under the deluge of 4,000 reports, including of people playing rugby, frisbee, or holding impromptu parties.


theguardian--2020-03-29--Ignore the bankers – the Trump economy is not worth more coronavirus deaths | Robert Reich

Dick Kovacevich , former CEO of Wells Fargo bank , thinks most Americans should return to work in April , urging that we “ gradually bring those people back and see what happens ” .
Lloyd Blankfein , former CEO of Goldman Sachs , whose net worth is $ 1.1bn , recommends “ those with a lower risk of the diseases return to work ” within a “ very few weeks ” .
Tom Galisano , the founder of Paychex , whose net worth is $ 2.8bn , believes “ the damages of keeping the economy closed could be worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re picking the better of two evils.
” Donald Trump is concerned that a prolonged lockdown might harm his chances of re-election .
He agrees .
“ We can not let the cure be worse than the problem , ” the president said last week , announcing that America would be “ open for business ” by Easter .
But senior public health officials including Dr Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , think this is no time to scale back social distancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy needs to be shut down even further .
Otherwise the virus will continue to escalate , inundating hospitals and causing far more deaths .
America leads the world in coronavirus cases .
Dr Fauci believes we haven ’ t yet felt the worst of the pandemic .
It may seem logical to weigh the threat to public health against the accumulating losses to the economy , and then at some point decide economic losses outweigh health risks .
As Stephen Moore , who is advising the White House , warns : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that says we ’ re going to save every human life at any cost , no matter how many trillions of dollars you ’ re talking about.
” But this leaves out one big thing .
The “ trillions of dollars ” of economic losses don ’ t exist on any balance sheet that can be tallied against human lives .
An “ economy ” is nothing but human beings .
So it matters whose losses we ’ re talking about – whose losses of life , and whose losses of dollars .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lose a number of people to the flu , ” Trump said during a Fox News town hall on Tuesday .
“ But you ’ re going to lose more people by putting the country into a massive recession or depression.
” Wrong .
Recessions and depressions don ’ t themselves cause people to sicken or die .
Their health is imperiled during such downturns if they don ’ t have enough money to eat , keep a roof over their heads and get needed medical care .
Last week , lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardships .
Because unemployment insurance levels in many states are so low , Democrats insisted on a provision in the $ 2.2tn coronavirus bill that would provide jobless Americans an additional $ 600 a week for four months .
When Republicans objected that this would boost incomes for some of the unemployed higher than their pay when they worked , the bill was almost scuttled .
The Senate vote on the Republican amendment was a hair-raising 47 to 47 .
But the provision made it into the law .
Apparently , Republicans didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the typical working American hasn ’ t increased in decades , adjusted for inflation .
So a temporary boost in pay in order to get people to stay home and thereby help slow the spread of Covid-19 is hardly unseemly .
Here ’ s what is unseemly .
The “ economy ” the bankers and billionaires are eager to restart had been growing rapidly .
But most of its gains had gone into corporate profits , as shown by the meteoric rise of the stock market .
The bankers and billionaires now urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge share of that stock market .
The richest 1 % of the population owns roughly half of the value of all shares of stock .
( The richest 10 % own more than 80 % . )
So when they recommend Americans get back to work for the sake of the “ economy ” , they ’ re really urging that other people risk their lives for the sake of the bankers ’ and billionaires ’ own stock portfolios .
While it ’ s true that we can ’ t save every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at some point may have to end the lockdown of America and accept some additional coronavirus casualties , we need to keep in mind whom we are talking about .
The trade-off average Americans might make between getting back to work and exposing themselves to the virus is likely to be quite different from the trade-off bankers and billionaires make , especially if average Americans have enough income support to get through the crisis .
Four months of extra unemployment benefits may not be enough .
The richest nation in the world surely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe at home for as long as it takes .
• None Robert Reich , a former US secretary of labor , is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism : For the Many , Not the Few and The Common Good .
His new book , The System : Who Rigged It , How We Fix It , is out now .
He is a columnist for Guardian US

Dick Kovacevich, former CEO of Wells Fargo bank, thinks most Americans should return to work in April, urging that we “gradually bring those people back and see what happens”.
Lloyd Blankfein, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, whose net worth is $1.1bn, recommends “those with a lower risk of the diseases return to work” within a “very few weeks”.
Tom Galisano, the founder of Paychex, whose net worth is $2.8bn, believes “the damages of keeping the economy closed could be worse than losing a few more people. You’re picking the better of two evils.”
Donald Trump is concerned that a prolonged lockdown might harm his chances of re-election. He agrees.
“We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem,” the president said last week, announcing that America would be “open for business” by Easter.
But senior public health officials including Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, think this is no time to scale back social distancing.
If anything, they say, the economy needs to be shut down even further. Otherwise the virus will continue to escalate, inundating hospitals and causing far more deaths. America leads the world in coronavirus cases. Dr Fauci believes we haven’t yet felt the worst of the pandemic.
It may seem logical to weigh the threat to public health against the accumulating losses to the economy, and then at some point decide economic losses outweigh health risks. As Stephen Moore, who is advising the White House, warns: “You can’t have a policy that says we’re going to save every human life at any cost, no matter how many trillions of dollars you’re talking about.”
But this leaves out one big thing. The “trillions of dollars” of economic losses don’t exist on any balance sheet that can be tallied against human lives. An “economy” is nothing but human beings. So it matters whose losses we’re talking about – whose losses of life, and whose losses of dollars.
“Look, you’re going to lose a number of people to the flu,” Trump said during a Fox News town hall on Tuesday. “But you’re going to lose more people by putting the country into a massive recession or depression.”
Wrong. Recessions and depressions don’t themselves cause people to sicken or die. Their health is imperiled during such downturns if they don’t have enough money to eat, keep a roof over their heads and get needed medical care.
Last week, lawmakers took an important step to prevent such hardships. Because unemployment insurance levels in many states are so low, Democrats insisted on a provision in the $2.2tn coronavirus bill that would provide jobless Americans an additional $600 a week for four months.
When Republicans objected that this would boost incomes for some of the unemployed higher than their pay when they worked, the bill was almost scuttled. The Senate vote on the Republican amendment was a hair-raising 47 to 47. But the provision made it into the law.
Apparently, Republicans didn’t appreciate that the pay of the typical working American hasn’t increased in decades, adjusted for inflation. So a temporary boost in pay in order to get people to stay home and thereby help slow the spread of Covid-19 is hardly unseemly.
Here’s what is unseemly. The “economy” the bankers and billionaires are eager to restart had been growing rapidly. But most of its gains had gone into corporate profits, as shown by the meteoric rise of the stock market.
The bankers and billionaires now urging Americans get back to work possess a huge share of that stock market. The richest 1% of the population owns roughly half of the value of all shares of stock. (The richest 10% own more than 80%.)
So when they recommend Americans get back to work for the sake of the “economy”, they’re really urging that other people risk their lives for the sake of the bankers’ and billionaires’ own stock portfolios.
While it’s true that we can’t save every human life at any cost, and at some point may have to end the lockdown of America and accept some additional coronavirus casualties, we need to keep in mind whom we are talking about.
The trade-off average Americans might make between getting back to work and exposing themselves to the virus is likely to be quite different from the trade-off bankers and billionaires make, especially if average Americans have enough income support to get through the crisis.
Four months of extra unemployment benefits may not be enough. The richest nation in the world surely has enough resources to keep its people safe at home for as long as it takes.


theguardian--2020-03-28--Why has the media ignored sexual assault allegations against Biden? | Arwa Mahdawi

The Week in Patriarchy is a weekly roundup of what ’ s happening in the world of feminism and sexism .
If you ’ re not already receiving it by email , make sure to subscribe .
Why are sexual assault and misbehaviour allegations against Biden being ignored ?
Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , has been accused of sexual assault by a former staffer .
Tara Reade , who worked with Biden when he was a Delaware senator , alleges he inappropriately touched her and penetrated her with his fingers without consent in 1993 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then … his hands were on me and underneath my clothes , ” Reade recalled in an interview with podcast host Katie Halper on Wednesday .
“ He said ‘ come on , man , I heard you liked me .
For me , it was like , everything shattered … I wanted to be a senator ; I didn ’ t want to sleep with one.
” Rightwing news outlets have gleefully seized upon the accusations against Biden ; the story has also been discussed by leftwing commentators .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead there have been headlines like The top 10 women Joe Biden might pick as VP ( CNN ) and Joe Biden ’ s inner circle : No longer a boy ’ s club ( AP ) .
It is hugely frustrating to see conservatives , who couldn ’ t give a damn about the multiple sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump , weaponize the accusations against Biden .
However , it ’ s also frustrating to see so many liberals turning a blind eye .
The accusations against the former vice-president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they being taken seriously ?
One obvious reason is that Reade ’ s accusations are very hard to prove .
The incident happened a long time ago and there weren ’ t any witnesses .
Reade also gave a slightly different version of events last year ; she accused Biden of touching her neck and shoulders in a way that was inappropriate and uncomfortable , but did not say anything sexual took place .
This inconsistency obviously doesn ’ t mean she ’ s lying ; unfortunately , it is easy to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be impossible to verify , but this is the case with the vast majority of sexual assault allegations .
It is nearly always a case of “ he said , she said ” – and it is nearly always the “ he ’ that is automatically believed .
The # MeToo mantra “ Believe Women ” doesn ’ t mean that women never lie ; it means that our systems of power are biased towards believing men never lie .
It means that it takes decades of allegations and scores of women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Weinstein , Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Cosby to be brought to justice .
All the mantra means is that you shouldn ’ t automatically disbelieve women .
You know who has talked publicly about the importance of taking women seriously ?
Biden .
During the Brett Kavanaugh hearings , Biden stood up for Dr Christine Blasey Ford , noting : “ For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus , nationally , you ’ ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Does this presumption not apply when the guy being accused is a Democrat running for president ?
It would seem that way .
In January , according to reporting from the Intercept , Reade asked for help from the Time ’ s Up Legal Defense Fund , which has supported accusers of high-profile people like Weinstein .
Reade was reportedly told by the National Women ’ s Law Center , the organization within which the Time ’ s Up fund is housed , that it couldn ’ t assist with accusations against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their non-profit status .
The Intercept further notes that “ the public relations firm that works on behalf of the Time ’ s Up Legal Defense Fund is SKDKnickerbocker , whose managing director , Anita Dunn , is the top adviser to Biden ’ s presidential campaign ” .
There are some people who will insist that drawing attention to the new allegations against Biden is playing into the Republicans ’ hands .
That it will destroy Biden ’ s campaign and guarantee us four more years of Trump .
Not only is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely unlikely that Reade ’ s accusations will do any damage whatsoever to Biden ’ s ambitions .
Allegations of sexual assault certainly haven ’ t posed any hindrance to Trump .
The allegations against Kavanaugh didn ’ t stop him from becoming a supreme court justice .
The allegations against Louis CK didn ’ t kill his career in comedy .
And the multiple women who have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately in the past haven ’ t exactly derailed his career .
Why does coronavirus kill more men than women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every age bracket are dying from coronavirus at higher rates than women .
Men have accounted for 71 % of Covid-19 deaths in Italy , for example .
And in Spain twice as many men as women have died .
Nobody is entirely sure what ’ s causing this gender gap .
Biology , lifestyle and behaviour probably all play a role but we won ’ t know what the balance is until sex-disaggregated data is more widely available .
Police have named 25-year-old Cho Ju-bin as the man who allegedly ran a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Women and underage girls were blackmailed into sending degrading images of themselves through the app ; the images were then made available to subscribers .
Police took the unusual step of naming Cho after five million South Koreans signed petitions demanding his identity be revealed .
His arrest comes just months after the “ Burning Sun Scandal ” , in which a number of K-pop stars were implicated in a prostitution ring .
Should women be eligible for the US military draft ?
A congressionally mandated commission thinks so .
The National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service released a report on Wednesday recommending that women register for possible obligatory military service .
Incels are thrilled with the coronavirus lockdowns They ’ re gleeful that nobody can have casual sex any more , apparently .
However while quarantine may stop people hooking up with strangers , it seems some are having sex parties on Zoom .
The one silver lining to the public health crisis we ’ re currently facing ?
New York City , the center of America ’ s pandemic , is running out of shelter animals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in people fostering dogs and cats to help them get through these ruff times .

The Week in Patriarchy is a weekly roundup of what’s happening in the world of feminism and sexism. If you’re not already receiving it by email, make sure to subscribe.
Why are sexual assault and misbehaviour allegations against Biden being ignored?
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has been accused of sexual assault by a former staffer. Tara Reade, who worked with Biden when he was a Delaware senator, alleges he inappropriately touched her and penetrated her with his fingers without consent in 1993.
“It happened all at once, and then … his hands were on me and underneath my clothes,” Reade recalled in an interview with podcast host Katie Halper on Wednesday. “He said ‘come on, man, I heard you liked me. For me, it was like, everything shattered … I wanted to be a senator; I didn’t want to sleep with one.”
Rightwing news outlets have gleefully seized upon the accusations against Biden; the story has also been discussed by leftwing commentators. However, the mainstream media has largely ignored the allegations. Instead there have been headlines like The top 10 women Joe Biden might pick as VP (CNN) and Joe Biden’s inner circle: No longer a boy’s club (AP).
It is hugely frustrating to see conservatives, who couldn’t give a damn about the multiple sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump, weaponize the accusations against Biden. However, it’s also frustrating to see so many liberals turning a blind eye. The accusations against the former vice-president are serious; why aren’t they being taken seriously?
One obvious reason is that Reade’s accusations are very hard to prove. The incident happened a long time ago and there weren’t any witnesses. Reade also gave a slightly different version of events last year; she accused Biden of touching her neck and shoulders in a way that was inappropriate and uncomfortable, but did not say anything sexual took place. This inconsistency obviously doesn’t mean she’s lying; unfortunately, it is easy to use against her.
Reade’s story may be impossible to verify, but this is the case with the vast majority of sexual assault allegations. It is nearly always a case of “he said, she said” – and it is nearly always the “he’ that is automatically believed. The #MeToo mantra “Believe Women” doesn’t mean that women never lie; it means that our systems of power are biased towards believing men never lie. It means that it takes decades of allegations and scores of women coming forward for powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Cosby to be brought to justice. All the mantra means is that you shouldn’t automatically disbelieve women.
You know who has talked publicly about the importance of taking women seriously? Biden. During the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, Biden stood up for Dr Christine Blasey Ford, noting: “For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real.”
Does this presumption not apply when the guy being accused is a Democrat running for president? It would seem that way. In January, according to reporting from the Intercept, Reade asked for help from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which has supported accusers of high-profile people like Weinstein. Reade was reportedly told by the National Women’s Law Center, the organization within which the Time’s Up fund is housed, that it couldn’t assist with accusations against a presidential candidate because it would jeopardize their non-profit status. The Intercept further notes that “the public relations firm that works on behalf of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund is SKDKnickerbocker, whose managing director, Anita Dunn, is the top adviser to Biden’s presidential campaign”.
There are some people who will insist that drawing attention to the new allegations against Biden is playing into the Republicans’ hands. That it will destroy Biden’s campaign and guarantee us four more years of Trump. Not only is that argument hypocritical, it is also hugely unlikely that Reade’s accusations will do any damage whatsoever to Biden’s ambitions. Allegations of sexual assault certainly haven’t posed any hindrance to Trump. The allegations against Kavanaugh didn’t stop him from becoming a supreme court justice. The allegations against Louis CK didn’t kill his career in comedy. And the multiple women who have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately in the past haven’t exactly derailed his career.
Why does coronavirus kill more men than women?
Around the world, men in every age bracket are dying from coronavirus at higher rates than women. Men have accounted for 71% of Covid-19 deaths in Italy, for example. And in Spain twice as many men as women have died. Nobody is entirely sure what’s causing this gender gap. Biology, lifestyle and behaviour probably all play a role but we won’t know what the balance is until sex-disaggregated data is more widely available.
Telegram sexual abuse scandal shocks South Korea
Police have named 25-year-old Cho Ju-bin as the man who allegedly ran a sexual blackmail ring on the app Telegram. Women and underage girls were blackmailed into sending degrading images of themselves through the app; the images were then made available to subscribers. Police took the unusual step of naming Cho after five million South Koreans signed petitions demanding his identity be revealed. His arrest comes just months after the “Burning Sun Scandal”, in which a number of K-pop stars were implicated in a prostitution ring.
Should women be eligible for the US military draft?
A congressionally mandated commission thinks so. The National Commission on Military, National and Public Service released a report on Wednesday recommending that women register for possible obligatory military service.
Incels are thrilled with the coronavirus lockdowns
They’re gleeful that nobody can have casual sex any more, apparently. However while quarantine may stop people hooking up with strangers, it seems some are having sex parties on Zoom.
The week in pet-riarchy
The one silver lining to the public health crisis we’re currently facing? New York City, the center of America’s pandemic, is running out of shelter animals. There’s been a huge spike in people fostering dogs and cats to help them get through these ruff times.


theguardian--2020-03-27--Trump's narcissism has taken a new twist. And now he has American blood on his hands | Jonathan Free

Trump's narcissism has taken a new twist. And now he has American blood on his hands | Jonathan Freedland

Pity the people of America .
They do battle now with one of the greatest challenges in their history , led by a man who is not only among the worst ever occupants of the White House but whose character makes him the last person on the face of the Earth you would nominate to be in charge at this moment .
On Thursday the US reached the top of the global league table for coronavirus infections , edging ahead of its closest rival for that honour , China .
No law of nature dictated that outcome .
Much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact : that Donald Trump is president of the United States .
It ’ s become a commonplace to note Trump ’ s lack of basic human empathy , his tendency to be unmoved by others ’ loss .
But that gap in his mindset matters now far beyond an inability to offer consolation to the bereaved : it is warping his approach to a lethal disease .
“ WE CAN NOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF , ” he tweeted in caps lock at the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-time adviser to David Cameron , had made that same argument on his Fox News show .
( If you look up the word “ chutzpah ” in the dictionary , it now directs you to a clip of Hilton warning on that same broadcast that austerity policies in the UK caused an extra 130,000 deaths – failing to mention that he was at the right hand of the prime minister who imposed that austerity . )
Trump and his outriders contend that , while mass death is not ideal , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stall .
Some , like Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick , are explicit , urging the elderly to risk their lives so that their grandchildren might enjoy the fruits of uninterrupted American capitalism .
“ If that ’ s the exchange , I ’ m all in , ” Patrick said .
He was taking his cue from Trump who , while not putting it quite as baldly , has been quite clear .
If coronavirus is a stick-up artist asking America , “ Your money or your life ” , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Take the lives of the old and the weak : I want the money.
” Of course , no such choice is available .
Even if Trump were to get his way , ditching social distancing and having the US open for business by Easter , the disease would not politely confine its appetite to the groups Trump has deemed dispensable .
Instead the virus would run rampant , infecting an estimated half the population .
Not that Trump would know or recognise that , thanks to a second character trait that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compassion should be , is so fatefully , and fatally , determining the US response to this pandemic : namely , his disregard for science .
“ This is just my hunch , ” he said as he dismissed a projection of the likely Covid-19 death rate by the World Health Organization as “ a false number ” .
On Thursday , he said “ I have a feeling ” that New York would need far fewer ventilators than the tens of thousands the state has requested .
“ You know , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll have two ventilators .
And now all of a sudden they ’ re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators ?
” An imbecile at the head of the US government would always be a problem .
But an imbecile so narcissistic that he elevates his own stunted knowledge above the judgment of medicine and science is a calamity .
The effect is to undermine whatever public health effort the professionals can mount , as they try to work around the man they serve .
At its most visual , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fails to observe the social distancing measures his administration is demanding of the American public , with himself standing at the centre of a cluster of speakers bunched together by the podium .
Note the initial insistence that corona was nothing to worry about , that it was no more than flu , that it would soon disappear , like a “ miracle ” .
All of that succeeded in lowering Americans ’ guard .
Since then , it ’ s been the daily grouching at the stay-at-home directives , the hint that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the absurd promises that a vaccine is “ very close ” .
The impact is plain to see , in data that confirms that Americans break down on partisan lines even over the most basic matters of mortality .
One in four Republicans still say they are “ not concerned at all ” about the virus – while only 5 % of Democrats are similarly unbothered .
Only 14 % of Democrats trust Trump for information on the virus , compared with 90 % of Republicans .
Put simply , there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this threat as seriously as they should , and the blame for that lies with the president .
Trump ’ s dishonesty matters here too .
He was rightly derided in 2016 as a “ snake-oil salesman ” , and the cliche is so well-worn it ’ s easy to forget what it originally refers to : the 19th-century hawkers who sold bogus cures to the gullible .
Recall that Trump rushed to tell people a pre-existing drug would cure Covid-19 , leading to a shortage of a medication that was needed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as desperate people rushed to buy tablets that , for them , proved lethal .
The US president always was capricious and vengeful , but now that character flaw is a matter of life and death .
State governors are crying out for federal help , not for themselves but for the people they represent : the nurses and doctors who need protective equipment and testing kits , the patients who need ventilators .
But instead of leaping to their aid , Trump tells the governors it ’ s their responsibility , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procurement power of the US government – adding that if they want help , they ’ d better grovel .
“ It ’ s a two-way street , ” Trump said this week .
“ They have to treat us well.
” Even when lives are on the line , his ego with its paper-thin skin comes first .
Americans are paying the price for his lack of foresight , his closure of a pandemic task force for no better reason than it was established by Barack Obama – he hates anything with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and his failure to heed the warnings of a pandemic preparedness exercise , codenamed Crimson Contagion , that identified glaring gaps as recently as last October .
Yet still he repeats the line that nobody could have known what was coming .
And they are paying the price for his weakness , as he demands steadfastness in a war against an “ invisible enemy ” , only to leave heavy hints that he ’ s ready to fold after a week , apparently deciding that 15 days is too long to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a federal system that means not all power lies with the president , that at least some rests in the hands of responsible mayors and governors , the likes of New York ’ s Andrew Cuomo .
The nation is lucky too that the House of Representatives is controlled by Democrats , who crafted a $ 2.2tn economic bill from what would otherwise have been a trough into which Trump ’ s corporate pals could sink their snouts .
But these are small consolations for America and indeed for the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has the clout to provide .
Instead , the world ’ s peoples now look at the US and comfort themselves with the small solace that they , at least , face only a lethal disease , and not the malignancy that is Donald Trump .

Pity the people of America. They do battle now with one of the greatest challenges in their history, led by a man who is not only among the worst ever occupants of the White House but whose character makes him the last person on the face of the Earth you would nominate to be in charge at this moment. On Thursday the US reached the top of the global league table for coronavirus infections, edging ahead of its closest rival for that honour, China. No law of nature dictated that outcome. Much of it is directly attributable to one dreadful fact: that Donald Trump is president of the United States.
It’s become a commonplace to note Trump’s lack of basic human empathy, his tendency to be unmoved by others’ loss. But that gap in his mindset matters now far beyond an inability to offer consolation to the bereaved: it is warping his approach to a lethal disease.
“WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF,” he tweeted in caps lock at the start of the week, shortly after Steve Hilton, one-time adviser to David Cameron, had made that same argument on his Fox News show. (If you look up the word “chutzpah” in the dictionary, it now directs you to a clip of Hilton warning on that same broadcast that austerity policies in the UK caused an extra 130,000 deaths – failing to mention that he was at the right hand of the prime minister who imposed that austerity.)
Trump and his outriders contend that, while mass death is not ideal, it’s better than allowing the US economy to stall. Some, like Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, are explicit, urging the elderly to risk their lives so that their grandchildren might enjoy the fruits of uninterrupted American capitalism. “If that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said. He was taking his cue from Trump who, while not putting it quite as baldly, has been quite clear. If coronavirus is a stick-up artist asking America, “Your money or your life”, Trump’s response has been: “Take the lives of the old and the weak: I want the money.”
An imbecile at the head of the US government would always be a problem. But this is a calamity
Of course, no such choice is available. Even if Trump were to get his way, ditching social distancing and having the US open for business by Easter, the disease would not politely confine its appetite to the groups Trump has deemed dispensable. Instead the virus would run rampant, infecting an estimated half the population. Not that Trump would know or recognise that, thanks to a second character trait that, like the void where his sense of compassion should be, is so fatefully, and fatally, determining the US response to this pandemic: namely, his disregard for science.
“This is just my hunch,” he said as he dismissed a projection of the likely Covid-19 death rate by the World Health Organization as “a false number”. On Thursday, he said “I have a feeling” that New York would need far fewer ventilators than the tens of thousands the state has requested. “You know, you go into major hospitals sometimes, they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying can we order 30,000 ventilators?” An imbecile at the head of the US government would always be a problem. But an imbecile so narcissistic that he elevates his own stunted knowledge above the judgment of medicine and science is a calamity.
The effect is to undermine whatever public health effort the professionals can mount, as they try to work around the man they serve. At its most visual, it’s the daily press briefing where Trump fails to observe the social distancing measures his administration is demanding of the American public, with himself standing at the centre of a cluster of speakers bunched together by the podium. Note the initial insistence that corona was nothing to worry about, that it was no more than flu, that it would soon disappear, like a “miracle”. All of that succeeded in lowering Americans’ guard.
Since then, it’s been the daily grouching at the stay-at-home directives, the hint that they’ll be relaxed soon, the absurd promises that a vaccine is “very close”. The impact is plain to see, in data that confirms that Americans break down on partisan lines even over the most basic matters of mortality. One in four Republicans still say they are “not concerned at all” about the virus – while only 5% of Democrats are similarly unbothered. Only 14% of Democrats trust Trump for information on the virus, compared with 90% of Republicans. Put simply, there is a body of Americans who do not take this threat as seriously as they should, and the blame for that lies with the president.
Trump’s dishonesty matters here too. He was rightly derided in 2016 as a “snake-oil salesman”, and the cliche is so well-worn it’s easy to forget what it originally refers to: the 19th-century hawkers who sold bogus cures to the gullible. Recall that Trump rushed to tell people a pre-existing drug would cure Covid-19, leading to a shortage of a medication that was needed for other illnesses, and several deaths, as desperate people rushed to buy tablets that, for them, proved lethal.
The US president always was capricious and vengeful, but now that character flaw is a matter of life and death. State governors are crying out for federal help, not for themselves but for the people they represent: the nurses and doctors who need protective equipment and testing kits, the patients who need ventilators. But instead of leaping to their aid, Trump tells the governors it’s their responsibility, even though they have a fraction of the procurement power of the US government – adding that if they want help, they’d better grovel. “It’s a two-way street,” Trump said this week. “They have to treat us well.” Even when lives are on the line, his ego with its paper-thin skin comes first.
Americans are paying the price for his lack of foresight, his closure of a pandemic task force for no better reason than it was established by Barack Obama – he hates anything with his predecessor’s name on it – and his failure to heed the warnings of a pandemic preparedness exercise, codenamed Crimson Contagion, that identified glaring gaps as recently as last October. Yet still he repeats the line that nobody could have known what was coming. And they are paying the price for his weakness, as he demands steadfastness in a war against an “invisible enemy”, only to leave heavy hints that he’s ready to fold after a week, apparently deciding that 15 days is too long to stay at home.
America is lucky it has a federal system that means not all power lies with the president, that at least some rests in the hands of responsible mayors and governors, the likes of New York’s Andrew Cuomo. The nation is lucky too that the House of Representatives is controlled by Democrats, who crafted a $2.2tn economic bill from what would otherwise have been a trough into which Trump’s corporate pals could sink their snouts.
But these are small consolations for America and indeed for the world, which needed the leadership only a US president has the clout to provide. Instead, the world’s peoples now look at the US and comfort themselves with the small solace that they, at least, face only a lethal disease, and not the malignancy that is Donald Trump.


theguardian--2020-03-27--Will the coronavirus 'kill populism'? Don't count on it | Cas Mudde

While epidemiologists are still trying to come to grips with the severity of the coronavirus pandemic , with different models predicting different outcomes , the pundits are already certain “ coronavirus will change the world permanently ” .
Social and traditional media are also full of hot takes , mostly that coronavirus will change globalization “ hugely for the better ” and that it could “ kill populism ” .
Unlike these pundits , I don ’ t have a crystal ball , but comparative analysis and historical experience warn against such big expectations .
On the former , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years , and see how much “ globalization ” has changed since the Great Recession .
The answer is : not much .
In the US , banks are bigger than ever , Wall Street is handing out near-record bonuses again , and almost no one of significance went to jail .
But if the structures remain unaffected , will the players be changed ?
Will “ populism ” be the “ next victim ” of coronavirus ?
Many hundreds of columns have been written about the “ incompetent ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump , who , we are told , have shown us the “ limits of populism ” .
But , despite the obsessive coverage of these two leaders , they are not the only populist leaders – they are and not even the best examples of populists .
If we look a little bit further , we see very different responses by populists around the world .
There are some highly prominent examples of the stereotypical approach , ie populists denying reality , distracting the public with conspiracy theories and offering slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and his Brazilian wannabe , Jair Bolsonaro , are much-cited examples , though the Mexican president , Andrés Manuel López Obrador , a nominal leftwing populist , is hardly better .
But other populists have taken the threat much more seriously .
In fact , in the Netherlands , the populist radical right Forum for Democracy ( FvD ) and Party for Freedom ( PVV ) have criticized the mainstream coalition government of conservative Mark Rutte for being too lax , and have been urging him for weeks to not just close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown ” policies to those most other EU countries have enforced .
And let us not forget that the hardest-hit country in Europe , Italy , which has in many ways set the tone for responses elsewhere on the continent , is governed by a coalition of the center-left Democratic party and the populist Five Star Movement .
Similarly , in India , Narendra Modi , one of Trump ’ s biggest allies and the leader of the largest populist radical right party in the world , has locked down his country of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Every state , every district , every lane , every village will be under lockdown , ” Modi stated .
To be fair , this kills two birds with one stone , as his government has faced mass street protests over a host of issues in recent months , which will now become impossible .
Other populist leaders have used the coronavirus to push through authoritarian “ emergency measures ” too .
Viktor Orbán is continuing his transformation of Hungary into an authoritarian regime with draconic new measures , while Benjamin Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autogolpe ( self-coup ) in Israel , suspending the courts and parliament .
But many non-populist leaders have declared states of emergency too , whereas some populists , including surprisingly Trump , have ( so far ) done little .
In short , there is not one single “ populist response ” to the coronavirus pandemic .
There is not even a single “ rightwing populist response ” .
Populist parties and politicians have responded very differently , in part depending upon whether they are in government or opposition .
They are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of number of infections and control of the media .
For example , while Johnson and Trump are criticized daily by the majority of their respective national media , and have to rely on the uncritical loyalty of their supportive conservative media complex , populist radical right leaders in Hungary and Poland have full control of the state media , which boast about the low level of infections , without telling their audience about the low level of tests in the country .
It is far too early to make grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
But we can already say that it will almost certainly not “ kill populism ” , for the simple reason that “ populism ” does not have one , unitary response to the pandemic .
Based on recent historical experience , I would put my money on the coronavirus crisis having at best a moderate overall effect on populists : some will win , some will lose and some will stay the same .
• None Cas Mudde is a Guardian US columnist and the Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs at the University of Georgia

While epidemiologists are still trying to come to grips with the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, with different models predicting different outcomes, the pundits are already certain “coronavirus will change the world permanently”. Social and traditional media are also full of hot takes, mostly that coronavirus will change globalization “hugely for the better” and that it could “kill populism”.
Unlike these pundits, I don’t have a crystal ball, but comparative analysis and historical experience warn against such big expectations. On the former, let’s just look back a mere 10 years, and see how much “globalization” has changed since the Great Recession. The answer is: not much. In the US, banks are bigger than ever, Wall Street is handing out near-record bonuses again, and almost no one of significance went to jail.
But if the structures remain unaffected, will the players be changed? Will “populism” be the “next victim” of coronavirus? Many hundreds of columns have been written about the “incompetent” and “dangerous” responses by Boris Johnson and Donald Trump, who, we are told, have shown us the “limits of populism”. But, despite the obsessive coverage of these two leaders, they are not the only populist leaders – they are and not even the best examples of populists.
If we look a little bit further, we see very different responses by populists around the world. There are some highly prominent examples of the stereotypical approach, ie populists denying reality, distracting the public with conspiracy theories and offering slow and halfhearted policies. Far-right presidents like Trump and his Brazilian wannabe, Jair Bolsonaro, are much-cited examples, though the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a nominal leftwing populist, is hardly better.
But other populists have taken the threat much more seriously. In fact, in the Netherlands, the populist radical right Forum for Democracy (FvD) and Party for Freedom (PVV) have criticized the mainstream coalition government of conservative Mark Rutte for being too lax, and have been urging him for weeks to not just close the borders, but adopt similar “lockdown” policies to those most other EU countries have enforced. And let us not forget that the hardest-hit country in Europe, Italy, which has in many ways set the tone for responses elsewhere on the continent, is governed by a coalition of the center-left Democratic party and the populist Five Star Movement.
Similarly, in India, Narendra Modi, one of Trump’s biggest allies and the leader of the largest populist radical right party in the world, has locked down his country of 1.3 billion people for 21 days. “Every state, every district, every lane, every village will be under lockdown,” Modi stated. To be fair, this kills two birds with one stone, as his government has faced mass street protests over a host of issues in recent months, which will now become impossible.
Other populist leaders have used the coronavirus to push through authoritarian “emergency measures” too. Viktor Orbán is continuing his transformation of Hungary into an authoritarian regime with draconic new measures, while Benjamin Netanyahu has used the coronavirus to execute an autogolpe (self-coup) in Israel, suspending the courts and parliament. But many non-populist leaders have declared states of emergency too, whereas some populists, including surprisingly Trump, have (so far) done little.
In short, there is not one single “populist response” to the coronavirus pandemic. There is not even a single “rightwing populist response”. Populist parties and politicians have responded very differently, in part depending upon whether they are in government or opposition. They are also faced with very different contexts, both in terms of number of infections and control of the media.
For example, while Johnson and Trump are criticized daily by the majority of their respective national media, and have to rely on the uncritical loyalty of their supportive conservative media complex, populist radical right leaders in Hungary and Poland have full control of the state media, which boast about the low level of infections, without telling their audience about the low level of tests in the country.
It is far too early to make grand predictions on how the coronavirus will change the world. But we can already say that it will almost certainly not “kill populism”, for the simple reason that “populism” does not have one, unitary response to the pandemic. Based on recent historical experience, I would put my money on the coronavirus crisis having at best a moderate overall effect on populists: some will win, some will lose and some will stay the same.


theguardian--2020-03-28--#WhereIsJoe: Biden campaign tries to stay relevant amid coronavirus

Video conferences from a basement , glitchy internet and bouts of restlessness .
Joe Biden , like the rest of America , is working from home .
The former vice-president ’ s confinement began abruptly on 10 March , when he touched down in Cleveland for a primary-night campaign event only to learn that the state ’ s governor had called for all major indoor events to be canceled as the nation slowly grasped the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic .
That night , one of the most consequential of the Democratic primary , he delivered a victory speech from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near where his campaign is headquartered .
It was his last traditional event on a campaign trail that has now changed beyond recognition .
Since then Biden , a retail politician who enjoys rope lines and now-forbidden handshakes , has become an unwilling pioneer in presidential campaigning in the age of the coronavirus as the pandemic has thrown the Democratic race – and all US politics – into confusion .
“ There ’ s no playbook for what a former vice-president should be doing or saying in the middle of a global pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , who helped catapult the former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg from obscurity to contention in the Democratic primary .
“ We are in uncharted waters here.
” Biden ’ s campaign has converted fundraising events to virtual ones and his podium is a room in his basement in his Wilmington , Delaware , home .
His public appearances are usually once-a-day televised critiques of whatever Donald Trump ’ s administration is doing to combat the virus .
His campaign has cautiously been exploring new ways to keep supporters active .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to adapt to the new challenges .
His first live-streamed town hall , on 13 March , was hampered by audio and technical difficulties .
“ I ’ m sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections , ” Biden said , his irritation evident .
He then seemed to fade from the national stage , eclipsed by Trump ’ s daily White House coronavirus briefings and by governors including Andrew Cuomo , whose daily updates on the toll of the crisis in New York have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s absence inspired the Twitter hashtag # whereisJoe , which was promoted and shared by supporters of his Democratic rival , Senator Bernie Sanders , before being picked up by the Trump campaign .
On a fundraising call last weekend , a Biden donor noted that Americans watch Trump every day at his briefings , events that his critics say increasingly resemble – in tone and length – the campaign rallies he has been forced to abandon .
“ I would just love to see you more , ” the donor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do we get more of you and less of him on our airwaves ?
” Biden assured the donor that he was raring for a comeback : his team had installed high-speed internet and built a TV studio in his basement .
Soon Biden was pushing out his message .
In a matter of days the question would be : where isn ’ t Biden ?
He began the week with an address from the newly outfitted recreation room , books , a lamp and memorabilia from his decades in public life behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back-to-back TV appearances , roundtables , a virtual happy hour with young voters , the launch of a newsletter , a podcast in the works and a CNN town hall .
The former vice-president has also enlisted an advisory board to counsel the campaign on the coronavirus that includes Ron Klain , who coordinated the Obama White House ’ s Ebola response .
An explainer video featuring Klain and a white board has already racked up millions of views .
“ The new technologies are quite effective , ” Biden mused to reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address was not carried by the national TV networks but received 3.8m views online .
Yet even with the ramped-up online schedule , it can still be difficult for Biden to break through as he is overshadowed by other figures actually fighting on the frontlines .
On Monday , he delivered his speech an hour earlier than advertised ; it would otherwise have conflicted with a Cuomo press briefing .
His interview with The View on Wednesday was pre-empted by another Cuomo briefing and a press conference with the Washington DC mayor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 years in the Senate and eight years as vice-president , Biden acknowledged the difficulty of watching his former colleagues – and presidential rivals – confront the pandemic while he watched from the sidelines as a private citizen with nothing but a bully pulpit at his disposal .
“ I ’ m chomping at the bit .
I wish I were still in the Senate , you know , being able to impact on some things , ” Biden told reporters on video conference press call hosted by Zoom .
“ But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still aren ’ t convinced that Biden is doing enough to prove that he is ready to take on Trump in November .
“ I think that he needs to lead , ” Larry Cohen , the chairman of the pro-Sanders Our Revolution organization , said .
“ He could collaborate with Bernie , who ’ s doing plenty , and they could lead together on an issue that unites all Democrats .
It ’ s unimaginable to me what ’ s going on with him , period.
” For much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach was to avoid unnecessary fights and press .
His campaign allowed the nearly two dozen other candidates in the primary to have their moments in the sun before imploding .
But now that low-key approach might work against him .
Even before the pandemic hit , Democrats worried about being able to match the Trump re-election campaign ’ s financial war chest .
Biden , throughout the primary campaign , has been out-raised by his rivals .
Campaigning from afar during a pandemic isn ’ t going to make raising cash any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted for its digital prowess .
“ Fundraising has been a challenge for Joe Biden since he started running for president 500 years ago , ” quipped Connor Farrell , a veteran Democratic fundraiser .
“ This cycle in particular has been no exception .
He ’ s been trailing his competitors throughout the primary but it ’ s obviously shown money isn ’ t everything .
That being said , he does need lots and lots of money to take on Donald Trump .
In particular , his online fundraising hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that ’ s going to become much more important now that you can ’ t do in-person fundraisers , where he shakes down executive and wealthy donors for checks in person.
” Farrell added that Biden “ is going to have to rely on telephone calls and digital fundraising .
There ’ s no other way around it .
“ It ’ s not a great sign that their first fundraiser via Zoom was rescheduled due to technical difficulties , ” Farrell added .
“ This is a skill that the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country.
” The Trump campaign has pivoted from taunting Biden over his absence on the national stage to mocking his re-emergence .
An email blast from the Republican National Committee accused the former vice-president of attempting a “ sorry interpretation of a president ” .
Biden has been critical of Trump ’ s response , but he has also insisted he doesn ’ t want to engage Trump in a “ political fight ” with so much at stake for the American people .
“ The coronavirus is not his fault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which to respond to it has to move much faster , ” he said on The View .
“ This is not about Democrat or Republican .
This is not about what your party is .
It ’ s about getting through this.
” At the moment , however , Trump is enjoying the highest approval rating of his presidency , with 60 % supportive of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , according to the latest Gallup poll .
Gallup noted a “ presidential rally effect ” in moments of national crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s predicament is also complicated by the fact that he is not yet the party ’ s nominee .
Despite consecutive weeks of victories , and an all-but insurmountable delegate lead , Sanders has shown no signs of leaving the race any time soon .
Instead , the Vermont senator has turned his campaign into a pandemic response operation , hosting expert roundtables and leveraging his vast network of donors to raise money for organizations helping to alleviate the economic impact of the crisis .
And this week his campaign called for yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a long time to go until November , and the whole world in flux , Biden and his time still have ample time to make a difference .
Mo Eilethee , a former Democratic communications strategist and the executive director of Georgetown University ’ s Institute of Politics and Public Service , said offering a radically different vision of leadership during moments of national crisis was a “ living , breathing example of why Biden got into the race in the first place ” .
“ He can use these opportunities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a different approach or set the record straight , ” Eilethee said .
“ Now the real question is : how much does he seek these opportunities ?
”

Daniel Strauss and Lauren Gambino in Washington

Video conferences from a basement, glitchy internet and bouts of restlessness. Joe Biden, like the rest of America, is working from home.
The former vice-president’s confinement began abruptly on 10 March, when he touched down in Cleveland for a primary-night campaign event only to learn that the state’s governor had called for all major indoor events to be canceled as the nation slowly grasped the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic.
That night, one of the most consequential of the Democratic primary, he delivered a victory speech from a nearly empty room in Philadelphia, near where his campaign is headquartered. It was his last traditional event on a campaign trail that has now changed beyond recognition.
Since then Biden, a retail politician who enjoys rope lines and now-forbidden handshakes, has become an unwilling pioneer in presidential campaigning in the age of the coronavirus as the pandemic has thrown the Democratic race – and all US politics – into confusion.
“There’s no playbook for what a former vice-president should be doing or saying in the middle of a global pandemic,” said the Democratic strategist Lis Smith, who helped catapult the former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg from obscurity to contention in the Democratic primary. “We are in uncharted waters here.”
Biden’s campaign has converted fundraising events to virtual ones and his podium is a room in his basement in his Wilmington, Delaware, home. His public appearances are usually once-a-day televised critiques of whatever Donald Trump’s administration is doing to combat the virus. His campaign has cautiously been exploring new ways to keep supporters active.
But the Democratic frontrunner is still grappling with how to adapt to the new challenges. His first live-streamed town hall, on 13 March, was hampered by audio and technical difficulties. “I’m sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections,” Biden said, his irritation evident.
He then seemed to fade from the national stage, eclipsed by Trump’s daily White House coronavirus briefings and by governors including Andrew Cuomo, whose daily updates on the toll of the crisis in New York have become must-watch TV for many Americans.
Biden’s absence inspired the Twitter hashtag #whereisJoe, which was promoted and shared by supporters of his Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders, before being picked up by the Trump campaign.
On a fundraising call last weekend, a Biden donor noted that Americans watch Trump every day at his briefings, events that his critics say increasingly resemble – in tone and length – the campaign rallies he has been forced to abandon.
“I would just love to see you more,” the donor said of the Democrat. “Like how do we get more of you and less of him on our airwaves?”
Biden assured the donor that he was raring for a comeback: his team had installed high-speed internet and built a TV studio in his basement. Soon Biden was pushing out his message. In a matter of days the question would be: where isn’t Biden?
He began the week with an address from the newly outfitted recreation room, books, a lamp and memorabilia from his decades in public life behind him. The speech was followed by back-to-back TV appearances, roundtables, a virtual happy hour with young voters, the launch of a newsletter, a podcast in the works and a CNN town hall.
The former vice-president has also enlisted an advisory board to counsel the campaign on the coronavirus that includes Ron Klain, who coordinated the Obama White House’s Ebola response. An explainer video featuring Klain and a white board has already racked up millions of views.
“The new technologies are quite effective,” Biden mused to reporters on Wednesday, noting that a recent address was not carried by the national TV networks but received 3.8m views online.
Yet even with the ramped-up online schedule, it can still be difficult for Biden to break through as he is overshadowed by other figures actually fighting on the frontlines. On Monday, he delivered his speech an hour earlier than advertised; it would otherwise have conflicted with a Cuomo press briefing. His interview with The View on Wednesday was pre-empted by another Cuomo briefing and a press conference with the Washington DC mayor, Muriel Bowser.
After serving more than 30 years in the Senate and eight years as vice-president, Biden acknowledged the difficulty of watching his former colleagues – and presidential rivals – confront the pandemic while he watched from the sidelines as a private citizen with nothing but a bully pulpit at his disposal.
“I’m chomping at the bit. I wish I were still in the Senate, you know, being able to impact on some things,” Biden told reporters on video conference press call hosted by Zoom. “But I am where I am.”
But critics still aren’t convinced that Biden is doing enough to prove that he is ready to take on Trump in November.
“I think that he needs to lead,” Larry Cohen, the chairman of the pro-Sanders Our Revolution organization, said. “He could collaborate with Bernie, who’s doing plenty, and they could lead together on an issue that unites all Democrats. It’s unimaginable to me what’s going on with him, period.”
Chicago residents watch Joe Biden during his Illinois virtual town hall on 13 March. Photograph: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
For much of the 2020 campaign, Biden’s signature approach was to avoid unnecessary fights and press. His campaign allowed the nearly two dozen other candidates in the primary to have their moments in the sun before imploding. But now that low-key approach might work against him.
Even before the pandemic hit, Democrats worried about being able to match the Trump re-election campaign’s financial war chest. Biden, throughout the primary campaign, has been out-raised by his rivals. Campaigning from afar during a pandemic isn’t going to make raising cash any easier – especially with a team not noted for its digital prowess.
“Fundraising has been a challenge for Joe Biden since he started running for president 500 years ago,” quipped Connor Farrell, a veteran Democratic fundraiser. “This cycle in particular has been no exception. He’s been trailing his competitors throughout the primary but it’s obviously shown money isn’t everything. That being said, he does need lots and lots of money to take on Donald Trump. In particular, his online fundraising hasn’t been as good as other candidates and that’s going to become much more important now that you can’t do in-person fundraisers, where he shakes down executive and wealthy donors for checks in person.”
Farrell added that Biden “is going to have to rely on telephone calls and digital fundraising. There’s no other way around it.
“It’s not a great sign that their first fundraiser via Zoom was rescheduled due to technical difficulties,” Farrell added. “This is a skill that the campaign needs to learn yesterday for the future of the country.”
The Trump campaign has pivoted from taunting Biden over his absence on the national stage to mocking his re-emergence. An email blast from the Republican National Committee accused the former vice-president of attempting a “sorry interpretation of a president”.
Biden has been critical of Trump’s response, but he has also insisted he doesn’t want to engage Trump in a “political fight” with so much at stake for the American people.
“The coronavirus is not his fault, but the lack of speed with which to respond to it has to move much faster,” he said on The View. “This is not about Democrat or Republican. This is not about what your party is. It’s about getting through this.”
At the moment, however, Trump is enjoying the highest approval rating of his presidency, with 60% supportive of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest Gallup poll.
Gallup noted a “presidential rally effect” in moments of national crisis as a possible explanation.
Biden’s predicament is also complicated by the fact that he is not yet the party’s nominee. Despite consecutive weeks of victories, and an all-but insurmountable delegate lead, Sanders has shown no signs of leaving the race any time soon.
Instead, the Vermont senator has turned his campaign into a pandemic response operation, hosting expert roundtables and leveraging his vast network of donors to raise money for organizations helping to alleviate the economic impact of the crisis. And this week his campaign called for yet another Democratic primary debate.
But, with a long time to go until November, and the whole world in flux, Biden and his time still have ample time to make a difference.
Mo Eilethee, a former Democratic communications strategist and the executive director of Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, said offering a radically different vision of leadership during moments of national crisis was a “living, breathing example of why Biden got into the race in the first place”.
“He can use these opportunities to speak to Americans’ fears, spell out a different approach or set the record straight,” Eilethee said. “Now the real question is: how much does he seek these opportunities?”