theguardian--2020-05-10--For God and Country review: Christian case for Trump is a thin read indeed

Amid the evasions and distortions lies evidence that Ralph Reed knows , really , that religion and politics can mix to noble ends – just not under this president For God and Country review : Christian case for Trump is a thin read indeed Ralph Reed , an evangelical leader and conservative political activist , first met Donald Trump in 2011 , after being “ coincidentally ” seated next to Ivanka Trump at a meeting .
The following year , he writes now , at his own Faith & Freedom conference , Trump “ bounded on stage to the thumping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money ’ from For the Love of Money , a song by the 70s soul group the O ’ Jays ” .
On the page and off , Reed is usually quick to provide apposite quotes from the scriptures .
In a book that is part history of the 2016 campaign , part apologia , part work of political theory , and part political shell game , he chooses not to include here 1 Timothy 6:10 : “ For the love of money is the root of all evil.
” Reed purports to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” but his preaching is largely to the converted – and , most urgently , to those worried by the potential flames of Joe Biden .
For Reed , Trump offered an appealing path : “ With his money and celebrity , combined with a socially conservative message aimed at evangelicals , he could make a serious run ” for president and secure policy victories galore .
Reed is very fond of Mike Pence , and likely wishes the vice-president were top of the ticket this year .
But he sees success under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom , support for Israel and helping ex-offenders re-enter society through the bipartisan First Step Act .
Ultimately , abortion and the supreme court are more important than personal failures .
Talk about issues and a dig at Hillary constituted Reed ’ s response to the misogynistic Billy Bush video , in which Trump boasted of sexual assault .
Reed writes that “ Trump has led with great moral clarity [ on religious freedom ] .
If keeping one ’ s word is central to one ’ s character – and it clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has far more character than his critics.
” Writing about the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court , Reed claims “ all the doubts , reservations , even suspicions – every one of them had been false.
” Reed ’ s reliance on the “ teaching of Jesus about the difference between words and works ” is misplaced .
He writes : “ I measure a man more by his actions than by the occasional rash or ill-advised word.
” How about false ?
Allegedly defamatory ?
Demeaning ?
Belittling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have learned to be suspicious of the smooth talker who never delivers.
” As have those who plumped down money for Trump University .
This is pure and simple advocacy , and it is deceptive .
Reed ’ s statements often have qualifications , feints and writing designed to obscure or distract .
For instance , he writes : “ The fact that [ Trump ] didn ’ t act or talk like a typical evangelical , didn ’ t come from the Bible Belt , and didn ’ t attend a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could reach a new – and larger – audience.
” What ’ s missing here ?
Oh yes – Trump didn ’ t usually attend church .
( Barack Obama did , generally at Camp David so as not to disturb worshippers in regular churches . )
In essence , Reed invites readers not to look behind the curtain , positing instead a simple choice between Trump and “ liberals ” .
His first and last chapters focus on the left , with bonus “ Crooked Hillary ” and “ Liberal Hypocrisy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s Trump or “ civic withdrawal ” , a true straw argument .
Some of his political science has a point .
Trump did talk about issues that mattered to many voters .
But Reed can ’ t quite make up his mind .
“ [ E ] vangelicals gravitated to Trump with ambivalence and more than a little reluctance , ” he writes .
“ Some were dragged kicking and screaming to the voting booths.
” He seems happiest at a rally in Valdosta , Georgia : “ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met a Nascar race – all for the enjoyment of the great unwashed of the American heartland , the forsaken and forgotten , the rejected and looked-down upon … these voters had found their Pied Piper , and his name was Donald J Trump.
” Following the Pied Piper did not end well .
Does Reed really believe all this ?
Occasionally , glimpses of an earlier Republican party and flashes of honesty peek through the rhetoric .
He gives some play to the opposition of evangelical critics such as Russell Moore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers nice words on the former Ohio governor John Kasich and Medicaid expansion .
He writes that “ [ Jesus ] showed concern for people ’ s physical needs for food , water , shelter and health , and so should we.
” He even comments favourably on Hillary Clinton ’ s faith and devotional life .
And he is correct that many evangelicals did change their views on politicians who commit immoral acts .
But here are straw arguments again : “ Does the Gospel teach that someone who has had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a position of public trust ?
In fact , the Bible teaches the opposite , offering redemption and hope through faith in Christ to all sinners.
” Curiously , Reed uses the example of Peter ’ s denial of Jesus and subsequent office in the church rather than the most obvious example in the state : King David ’ s adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband .
The key is – or should be – repentance , and Reed claims Trump “ freely acknowledges … flaws and mistakes of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false statements , including those that are easily checkable ?
Avoiding responsibility seems the exact opposite of repentance – and leadership .
Reed also omits Trump ’ s appalling behavior at two National Prayer Breakfasts .
Reed ’ s definition of the 2016 election is flawed : a choice between “ diametrically opposed political agendas – one of which embraced the intrinsic good while the other advanced grave evil ” .
Surely , too narrow a definition on both counts .
Simple distortions of fact abound , formed by putting one hand on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed is quick to dismiss accusations against Trump while not giving the full story .
His chapters on Russia and impeachment are particularly , almost clownishly one-sided .
Reed writes of “ the Russia hoax ” .
Robert Mueller said election interference “ was not a hoax ” .
Reed writes the Mueller investigation had nothing “ to do with criminal wrongdoing ” .
Mueller said he would have cleared Trump if he could have but did not .
We are a long way from the concerns of evangelicals – other than integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a partisan joke ” .
He also states that his Faith & Freedom Coalition offers no endorsements but merely presents candidates ’ statements on issues .
Then why not do the same for Lt Col Vindman , Ambassador Yovanovitch or Mueller ?
Reed quotes Hosea 4:6 : “ My people perish for lack of knowledge.
” Indeed .
Sometimes , he gets the theology right .
Political power should indeed be used “ primarily to glorify God ” .
He quotes Psalm 146 : “ Put not your trust in princes.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 2020 election , “ We will glorify God and be witnesses in our time for the transcendent , heavenly values that can transform society today.
” That is a noble vision , far removed from the “ muck and mire of politics ” .
In the end , there ’ s not really much of a case for Trump here .

Ralph Reed, an evangelical leader and conservative political activist, first met Donald Trump in 2011, after being “coincidentally” seated next to Ivanka Trump at a meeting. The following year, he writes now, at his own Faith & Freedom conference, Trump “bounded on stage to the thumping strains of ‘Money, money, money’ from For the Love of Money, a song by the 70s soul group the O’Jays”.
On the page and off, Reed is usually quick to provide apposite quotes from the scriptures. In a book that is part history of the 2016 campaign, part apologia, part work of political theory, and part political shell game, he chooses not to include here 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”
Reed purports to offer “the Christian Case for Trump” but his preaching is largely to the converted – and, most urgently, to those worried by the potential flames of Joe Biden.
For Reed, Trump offered an appealing path: “With his money and celebrity, combined with a socially conservative message aimed at evangelicals, he could make a serious run” for president and secure policy victories galore.
Reed is very fond of Mike Pence, and likely wishes the vice-president were top of the ticket this year. But he sees success under Trump on issues including abortion, religious freedom, support for Israel and helping ex-offenders re-enter society through the bipartisan First Step Act.
Ultimately, abortion and the supreme court are more important than personal failures. Talk about issues and a dig at Hillary constituted Reed’s response to the misogynistic Billy Bush video, in which Trump boasted of sexual assault.
This is pure and simple advocacy, and it is deceptive
Reed writes that “Trump has led with great moral clarity [on religious freedom]. If keeping one’s word is central to one’s character – and it clearly is – then Donald Trump has shown he has far more character than his critics.”
Writing about the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court, Reed claims “all the doubts, reservations, even suspicions – every one of them had been false.”
Every one?
Reed’s reliance on the “teaching of Jesus about the difference between words and works” is misplaced. He writes: “I measure a man more by his actions than by the occasional rash or ill-advised word.” How about false? Allegedly defamatory? Demeaning? Belittling? Racist?
And this: “I have learned to be suspicious of the smooth talker who never delivers.”
As have those who plumped down money for Trump University.
This is pure and simple advocacy, and it is deceptive. Reed’s statements often have qualifications, feints and writing designed to obscure or distract. For instance, he writes: “The fact that [Trump] didn’t act or talk like a typical evangelical, didn’t come from the Bible Belt, and didn’t attend a Christian college or quote scripture also meant he could reach a new – and larger – audience.”
What’s missing here? Oh yes – Trump didn’t usually attend church. (Barack Obama did, generally at Camp David so as not to disturb worshippers in regular churches.)
In essence, Reed invites readers not to look behind the curtain, positing instead a simple choice between Trump and “liberals”. His first and last chapters focus on the left, with bonus “Crooked Hillary” and “Liberal Hypocrisy” in the middle. Elsewhere, it’s Trump or “civic withdrawal”, a true straw argument.
Some of his political science has a point. Trump did talk about issues that mattered to many voters. But Reed can’t quite make up his mind.
“[E]vangelicals gravitated to Trump with ambivalence and more than a little reluctance,” he writes. “Some were dragged kicking and screaming to the voting booths.”
He seems happiest at a rally in Valdosta, Georgia: “It was as if a seventies band reunion had met a Nascar race – all for the enjoyment of the great unwashed of the American heartland, the forsaken and forgotten, the rejected and looked-down upon … these voters had found their Pied Piper, and his name was Donald J Trump.”
Following the Pied Piper did not end well.
Ralph Reed at the White House in January, for remarks by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Does Reed really believe all this? Occasionally, glimpses of an earlier Republican party and flashes of honesty peek through the rhetoric. He gives some play to the opposition of evangelical critics such as Russell Moore, Al Mohler and Mark DeMoss. He offers nice words on the former Ohio governor John Kasich and Medicaid expansion. He writes that “[Jesus] showed concern for people’s physical needs for food, water, shelter and health, and so should we.” He even comments favourably on Hillary Clinton’s faith and devotional life.
And he is correct that many evangelicals did change their views on politicians who commit immoral acts. But here are straw arguments again: “Does the Gospel teach that someone who has had a personal moral failing is disqualified from serving in a position of public trust? In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite, offering redemption and hope through faith in Christ to all sinners.”
Curiously, Reed uses the example of Peter’s denial of Jesus and subsequent office in the church rather than the most obvious example in the state: King David’s adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.
The key is – or should be – repentance, and Reed claims Trump “freely acknowledges … flaws and mistakes of his past”. Then why so many false statements, including those that are easily checkable? Avoiding responsibility seems the exact opposite of repentance – and leadership. Reed also omits Trump’s appalling behavior at two National Prayer Breakfasts.
Sometimes, Reed gets the theology right … He quotes Psalm 146: 'Put not your trust in princes'
Reed’s definition of the 2016 election is flawed: a choice between “diametrically opposed political agendas – one of which embraced the intrinsic good while the other advanced grave evil”. Surely, too narrow a definition on both counts.
Simple distortions of fact abound, formed by putting one hand on the scale and ignoring other evidence. Reed is quick to dismiss accusations against Trump while not giving the full story. His chapters on Russia and impeachment are particularly, almost clownishly one-sided.
Reed writes of “the Russia hoax”. Robert Mueller said election interference “was not a hoax”. Reed writes the Mueller investigation had nothing “to do with criminal wrongdoing”. Mueller said he would have cleared Trump if he could have but did not. We are a long way from the concerns of evangelicals – other than integrity in public life.
Reed calls impeachment “a partisan joke”. He also states that his Faith & Freedom Coalition offers no endorsements but merely presents candidates’ statements on issues. Then why not do the same for Lt Col Vindman, Ambassador Yovanovitch or Mueller? Reed quotes Hosea 4:6: “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Indeed.
Sometimes, he gets the theology right. Political power should indeed be used “primarily to glorify God”. He quotes Psalm 146: “Put not your trust in princes.” And he wishes that whatever the outcome of the 2020 election, “We will glorify God and be witnesses in our time for the transcendent, heavenly values that can transform society today.”
That is a noble vision, far removed from the “muck and mire of politics”. In the end, there’s not really much of a case for Trump here.


theguardian--2020-05-10--Kayleigh McEnany - the 'acceptable' face of Trumpism who infuriates liberals

It was a mic drop designed to thrill conservatives and infuriate liberals and the media .
Kayleigh McEnany , the latest White House press secretary aiming to become the acceptable face of Trumpism , had been asked if she wanted to take back a bold prediction in February that “ we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here ” .
“ I guess I would turn the question back on the media , and ask similar questions , ” McEnany said on Wednesday .
Consulting her briefing book , she reeled off a list of outlets and articles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ll leave you with those questions , ” she said , “ and maybe you ’ ll have some answers in a few days.
” And with a triumphant smile she stepped away from the lectern , ignoring shouted questions .
Reporters wore surprised and stony faces , then relaxed into wry smiles .
It was a classic piece of “ whataboutism ” as practised by pundits on cable news .
The TV president now has a TV emissary , a spokesperson who sometimes takes her eyes off the reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the camera .
McEnany is from what the president likes to call “ central casting ” : a polished performer , devout Christian and devout Trumpian .
And she is only 32 .
“ Kayleigh McEnany : beautiful , Christian , conservative … designed by nature to enrage MSNBC viewers , ” tweeted Ann Coulter , a rightwing author and commentator , referring to the liberal-leaning network whose hosts often eviscerate the president .
But to critics , McEnany is a Trump apologist trying to explain the inexplicable and excuse the inexcusable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by fame and power rather than any ideological faith .
They say she has abandoned her religious principles to normalise a president widely condemned as a misogynist and racist .
The eldest child of a roofing contractor , McEnany is from Plant City , Florida , which she describes as “ the world ’ s strawberry capital ” .
She attended the Academy of the Holy Names Catholic high school in Tampa and found time to volunteer for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004 .
She moved to Washington to study at Georgetown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study politics and served an internship in the Bush White House .
After graduating in 2010 , she worked for three years as a production assistant at Fox News for Mike Huckabee , the former governor of Arkansas and father of Sarah Sanders , Trump ’ s second press secretary .
In 2012 , she wrote a tweet about Barack Obama , the country ’ s first black president , that has come back to haunt her : “ How I Met Your Brother – Never mind , forgot he ’ s still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ObamaTVShows.
” McEnany wanted a job in front of the camera but couldn ’ t get a break .
Eventually she decided to become a student again , first at the University of Miami School of Law , then transferring to Harvard .
Huckabee told the New York Times last month : “ I think one of the reasons that Kayleigh went on to law school was because she didn ’ t see she was going to have an on-air opportunity at Fox any time soon.
” But in 2015 , McEnany received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael Marcantonio , a fellow summer associate at a law firm and a Democrat .
In an interview with the New York Times , he recalled telling her “ Donald Trump is going to be your nominee , ” adding that if “ a smart , young , blond Harvard graduate ” wanted “ to get on television and have a career as a political pundit , you would be wise to be an early backer ” .
McEnany did so .
Networks were struggling to find eloquent champions of the Trump cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a paid contributor on CNN , feeding the outrage machine and the concept of cable news as combat sport .
A political commentator acquainted with McEnany , who did not wish to be named , said : “ They brought her on board when it became pretty clear that there were few people who were willing to defend Donald Trump that were somewhat sane .
Most people who were credible and experienced were not willing to put their names or reputations on the line to defend Donald Trump ’ s crazy during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had described Trump ’ s comments about Mexican migrants as “ racist ” and dismissed him as a “ showman ” .
She quickly changed her tune .
The source said : “ She is unrecognisable .
If you were to read or listen to her words prior to her decision to sell her soul and jump on the Trump train , she is a completely different person.
” To Trump supporters , McEnany ’ s ability to rile liberals made her something of a heroine .
Even at the nadir of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tape revealed him boasting about grabbing women ’ s genitalia , she had his back , saying : “ Those comments are despicable [ but ] he apologised for them.
” Sean Hannity , a Fox News host , wrote in a forward to McEnany ’ s book , The New American Revolution : The Making of a Populist Movement : “ Outnumbered 8-to-1 , or if she was lucky , 7-to-2 , Kayleigh never backed down in fighting for the conservative movement supporting Donald Trump.
” Jason Miller , who also appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now co-host of the podcast War Room : Pandemic , said : “ Keep in mind that she went through a couple of years of being a CNN political commentator where she was rumbling with Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper and Chris Cuomo and Van Jones and Ana Navarro and every other hater that ’ s out there .
“ So if Kayleigh can go toe to toe with the toughest anchors and commentators on TV , she ’ ll do just fine with the White House press corps.
” Once Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House in 2016 , McEnany joined the Republican National Committee as spokeswoman , then moved to the Trump campaign in a similar role .
She would sometimes work 18 or 20 hours a day , according to Tim Murtaugh , director of communications for the Trump campaign .
“ Kayleigh was fantastic , ” he said .
“ She ’ s smart , she ’ s energetic , she ’ s engaged and she ’ s the most prepared person that I know .
She has a keen grasp of policy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicated policy matters into language that is easily digested by the listener.
” Murtaugh accused opponents of discriminating against McEnany because of her looks and gender .
“ The first thing the liberals want to do when they see an attractive young woman in a position like this is they want to question her intelligence .
And I would just say to people , you underestimate Kayleigh McEnany at your own peril .
I don ’ t think that they ’ re turning out too many dummies from Oxford and Harvard Law School.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Bible study group with other staff that met weekly in a conference room at campaign HQ in Arlington , Virginia .
Since the pandemic lockdown , the group has continued to meet virtually .
Like many evangelicals , McEnany apparently sees no contradiction between Trump ’ s behaviour and Christian values .
Two years ago , when she had a preventative double mastectomy because of a BRCA2 genetic mutation that had put her at high risk of breast cancer , she wrote : “ My faith in Jesus Christ was my strength @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admirer of Ravi Zacharias , a preacher whose organisation included a study centre in Oxford .
She wrote in 2013 : “ Oxford needed a Christian to respond to Richard Dawkins .
Found that in Ravi , who has dismantled atheism.
” This week her sister , Ryann , who also works for the Trump campaign , tweeted : “ Watching my sister take the stage for her first White House press briefing last Friday was a surreal moment !
God ’ s spirit was ever-present in that room and undeniably flowing through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilmartin , a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays .
She posed with Blake , the couple ’ s five-month-old daughter , at the White House lectern after her debut briefing , the first by a press secretary in more than 13 months , where she declared : “ I will never lie to you .
You have my word on that.
” She now has three briefings under her belt .
She has echoed Trump ’ s false and misleading statements but avoided major controversy – and , importantly , avoided stealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bardella , a political analyst and Trump critic who bested McEnany in a debate on gun control on MSNBC , said : “ Kayleigh is very on point , succinct , direct and speaks with a lot of confidence and comfort from the podium.
” Like Conway , Bardella believes , McEnany saw a chance for career advancement and seized it .
“ Outside of the president , the White House press secretary traditionally is the most visible person in the administration .
This is something that she will be able to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
“ I don ’ t think that it ’ s diehard ideological alignment more than just an opportunity .
Donald Trump is a person with no ideology or core conviction .
This is someone whose core ideology is nothing more than whatever is transactional and advantageous to him at that moment in time .
”

It was a mic drop designed to thrill conservatives and infuriate liberals and the media.
Kayleigh McEnany, the latest White House press secretary aiming to become the acceptable face of Trumpism, had been asked if she wanted to take back a bold prediction in February that “we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here”.
“I guess I would turn the question back on the media, and ask similar questions,” McEnany said on Wednesday. Consulting her briefing book, she reeled off a list of outlets and articles she said had downplayed the threat.
“I’ll leave you with those questions,” she said, “and maybe you’ll have some answers in a few days.”
And with a triumphant smile she stepped away from the lectern, ignoring shouted questions. Reporters wore surprised and stony faces, then relaxed into wry smiles. It was a classic piece of “whataboutism” as practised by pundits on cable news.
The TV president now has a TV emissary, a spokesperson who sometimes takes her eyes off the reporters in the room and looks directly into the camera. McEnany is from what the president likes to call “central casting”: a polished performer, devout Christian and devout Trumpian. And she is only 32.
“Kayleigh McEnany: beautiful, Christian, conservative … designed by nature to enrage MSNBC viewers,” tweeted Ann Coulter, a rightwing author and commentator, referring to the liberal-leaning network whose hosts often eviscerate the president.
Read or listen to her words prior to her decision to jump on the Trump train. She is a completely different person Anonymous TV pundit
But to critics, McEnany is a Trump apologist trying to explain the inexplicable and excuse the inexcusable. They characterise her as an opportunist motivated by fame and power rather than any ideological faith. They say she has abandoned her religious principles to normalise a president widely condemned as a misogynist and racist.
The eldest child of a roofing contractor, McEnany is from Plant City, Florida, which she describes as “the world’s strawberry capital”. She attended the Academy of the Holy Names Catholic high school in Tampa and found time to volunteer for the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004. She moved to Washington to study at Georgetown, took an exchange year at Oxford to study politics and served an internship in the Bush White House.
After graduating in 2010, she worked for three years as a production assistant at Fox News for Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and father of Sarah Sanders, Trump’s second press secretary. In 2012, she wrote a tweet about Barack Obama, the country’s first black president, that has come back to haunt her: “How I Met Your Brother – Never mind, forgot he’s still in that hut in Kenya. #ObamaTVShows.”
McEnany wanted a job in front of the camera but couldn’t get a break. Eventually she decided to become a student again, first at the University of Miami School of Law, then transferring to Harvard. Huckabee told the New York Times last month: “I think one of the reasons that Kayleigh went on to law school was because she didn’t see she was going to have an on-air opportunity at Fox any time soon.”
But in 2015, McEnany received some intriguing career advice over cocktails from Michael Marcantonio, a fellow summer associate at a law firm and a Democrat. In an interview with the New York Times, he recalled telling her “Donald Trump is going to be your nominee,” adding that if “a smart, young, blond Harvard graduate” wanted “to get on television and have a career as a political pundit, you would be wise to be an early backer”.
McEnany did so. Networks were struggling to find eloquent champions of the Trump cause but she fitted the bill. She became a paid contributor on CNN, feeding the outrage machine and the concept of cable news as combat sport.
McEnany attends a meeting between Donald Trump and Iowa governor Kim Reynolds in the Oval Office. Photograph: Doug Mills/EPA
A political commentator acquainted with McEnany, who did not wish to be named, said: “They brought her on board when it became pretty clear that there were few people who were willing to defend Donald Trump that were somewhat sane. Most people who were credible and experienced were not willing to put their names or reputations on the line to defend Donald Trump’s crazy during 2016.
In June 2015, McEnany had described Trump’s comments about Mexican migrants as “racist” and dismissed him as a “showman”. She quickly changed her tune. The source said: “She is unrecognisable. If you were to read or listen to her words prior to her decision to sell her soul and jump on the Trump train, she is a completely different person.”
To Trump supporters, McEnany’s ability to rile liberals made her something of a heroine. Even at the nadir of the Trump candidacy, when an Access Hollywood tape revealed him boasting about grabbing women’s genitalia, she had his back, saying: “Those comments are despicable [but] he apologised for them.”
Sean Hannity, a Fox News host, wrote in a forward to McEnany’s book, The New American Revolution: The Making of a Populist Movement: “Outnumbered 8-to-1, or if she was lucky, 7-to-2, Kayleigh never backed down in fighting for the conservative movement supporting Donald Trump.”
Jason Miller, who also appeared as a pro-Trump pundit on CNN and is now co-host of the podcast War Room: Pandemic, said: “Keep in mind that she went through a couple of years of being a CNN political commentator where she was rumbling with Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper and Chris Cuomo and Van Jones and Ana Navarro and every other hater that’s out there.
“So if Kayleigh can go toe to toe with the toughest anchors and commentators on TV, she’ll do just fine with the White House press corps.”
Once Trump had stunned the world by winning the White House in 2016, McEnany joined the Republican National Committee as spokeswoman, then moved to the Trump campaign in a similar role. She would sometimes work 18 or 20 hours a day, according to Tim Murtaugh, director of communications for the Trump campaign.
“Kayleigh was fantastic,” he said. “She’s smart, she’s energetic, she’s engaged and she’s the most prepared person that I know. She has a keen grasp of policy and is able to turn what are sometimes complicated policy matters into language that is easily digested by the listener.”
Murtaugh accused opponents of discriminating against McEnany because of her looks and gender.
McEnany holds her daughter Blake while posing with her parents, Mike and Leanne, and younger sister, Ryann, at the podium in the Brady Press Briefing Room. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
“The first thing the liberals want to do when they see an attractive young woman in a position like this is they want to question her intelligence. And I would just say to people, you underestimate Kayleigh McEnany at your own peril. I don’t think that they’re turning out too many dummies from Oxford and Harvard Law School.”
Murtaugh also recalled how McEnany organised a Bible study group with other staff that met weekly in a conference room at campaign HQ in Arlington, Virginia. Since the pandemic lockdown, the group has continued to meet virtually.
Like many evangelicals, McEnany apparently sees no contradiction between Trump’s behaviour and Christian values. Two years ago, when she had a preventative double mastectomy because of a BRCA2 genetic mutation that had put her at high risk of breast cancer, she wrote: “My faith in Jesus Christ was my strength that day.”
I will never lie to you. You have my word on that Kayleigh McEnany
She is an ardent admirer of Ravi Zacharias, a preacher whose organisation included a study centre in Oxford. She wrote in 2013: “Oxford needed a Christian to respond to Richard Dawkins. Found that in Ravi, who has dismantled atheism.” This week her sister, Ryann, who also works for the Trump campaign, tweeted: “Watching my sister take the stage for her first White House press briefing last Friday was a surreal moment! God’s spirit was ever-present in that room and undeniably flowing through you.”
In 2017 McEnany married Sean Gilmartin, a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. She posed with Blake, the couple’s five-month-old daughter, at the White House lectern after her debut briefing, the first by a press secretary in more than 13 months, where she declared: “I will never lie to you. You have my word on that.”
She now has three briefings under her belt. She has echoed Trump’s false and misleading statements but avoided major controversy – and, importantly, avoided stealing too much of his limelight.
Kurt Bardella, a political analyst and Trump critic who bested McEnany in a debate on gun control on MSNBC, said: “Kayleigh is very on point, succinct, direct and speaks with a lot of confidence and comfort from the podium.”
Like Conway, Bardella believes, McEnany saw a chance for career advancement and seized it.
“Outside of the president, the White House press secretary traditionally is the most visible person in the administration. This is something that she will be able to live off of for the rest of her life.
“I don’t think that it’s diehard ideological alignment more than just an opportunity. Donald Trump is a person with no ideology or core conviction. This is someone whose core ideology is nothing more than whatever is transactional and advantageous to him at that moment in time.”


theguardian--2020-05-10--Global report: Anthony Fauci and two other White House Covid-19 taskforce members to self-quarantine

Three members of the White House coronavirus taskforce have placed themselves in self-quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 .
It comes as the British prime minister , Boris Johnson , prepares to unveil his “ roadmap ” to a new normality in a national broadcast and global infections pass four million .
Dr Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , Dr Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , Stephen Hahn , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential exposure to Covid-19 .
Fauci ’ s institute said that he has tested negative for Covid-19 and will continue to be tested regularly .
It added that he is considered at relatively low risk based on the degree of his exposure , and that he would be taking appropriate precautions to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties .
While he will stay at home and telework , Fauci will go to the White House if called and take every precaution , the institute said .
Redfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after it was determined he had a low-risk exposure to a person at the White House , the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening .
The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms .
A few hours earlier , the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who had tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next two weeks .
He tested negative for the virus .
All three men were scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to do that via videoconference .
Politico reported Hahn had come into contact with Katie Miller , vice president Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , who tested positive for the virus on Friday .
Her husband , Stephen Miller , is a top advisor to Donald Trump .
On Thursday the White House confirmed that a member of the military serving as one of Trump ’ s valets had also tested positive for Covid-19 .
Trump , who publicly identified Miller ’ s positive test , said he was not worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
However , officials said they were stepping up safety protocols .
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment .
The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfil any responsibilities as part of the coronavirus task force , he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers .
Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day , wear a face covering , and distance themselves from others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a meeting with the nation ’ s top military leaders on Saturday evening , he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view .
The generals around Trump were also unmasked , but participants did sit a few feet away from each other .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts .
It already requires daily temperature checks of anyone who enters the complex and has encouraged social distancing among those working in the building .
Elon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suing authorities in California over Covid-19 restrictions that have kept his Fremont factory closed and threatened to move his operation out of the state .
“ If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all , it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future , ” he tweeted .
In Britain , Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a coronavirus warning system for England when he outlines plans to gradually ease the lockdown in an address to the nation on Sunday evening .
It is understood that a warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biosecurity centre ” will detect local increases in infection rates , with the aim of altering restrictions locally in England .
The alerts will range from green at level one to red at level five .
Johnson is expected to say that the nation as a whole is close to moving down from four to three .
The UK has the second highest death toll from the virus , at 31,662 , with more than 266,500 infections .
On Saturday the government told airlines it would introduce a 14-day quarantine period for most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid a second peak of the coronavirus outbreak .
South Korea ’ s capital has ordered the closure of all clubs and bars after a burst of new cases sparked fears of a second coronavirus wave .
In Mexico , coronavirus patients were being turned away from hospitals on Saturday , as both public and private medical facilities quickly filled up and the number of new infections continued to rise .
Of the 64 public hospitals in the capital ’ s sprawling metro area designated to receive Covid-19 patients , 26 were completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mexico announced 1,938 new cases of the virus on Saturday , bringing the total to 33,460 , along with 193 additional deaths , bringing fatalities to 3,353 .
• None The global tally of confirmed cases passed 4 million , with almost 280,000 deaths , according to the Johns Hopkins university tracker .
• None President Trump on Saturday said the US would buy $ 3bn of dairy , meat and produce from farmers as unemployment soars and the prices that slaughterhouses pay farmers for animals have fallen in the midst of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children in New York have died from a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus , governor Andrew Cuomo announced .
• None China reported 14 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Sunday , the highest number since 28 April , and up from only one case a day earlier .
Of the new cases , two were imported infections .
The remaining 12 confirmed cases were locally transmitted , including 11 cases in the north-eastern province of Jilin .
• None Australia ’ s most populous state of New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions from Friday , with 10 people permitted at outdoor gatherings , up from two .
• None Air France will start checking passengers ’ temperatures when France ’ s lockdown measures are eased on Monday .

Three members of the White House coronavirus taskforce have placed themselves in self-quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19. It comes as the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, prepares to unveil his “roadmap” to a new normality in a national broadcast and global infections pass four million.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn, are all expected to work remotely due to potential exposure to Covid-19.
Fauci’s institute said that he has tested negative for Covid-19 and will continue to be tested regularly. It added that he is considered at relatively low risk based on the degree of his exposure, and that he would be taking appropriate precautions to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties. While he will stay at home and telework, Fauci will go to the White House if called and take every precaution, the institute said.
Redfield will be teleworking for the next two weeks after it was determined he had a low-risk exposure to a person at the White House, the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening. The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms.
A few hours earlier, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who had tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next two weeks. He tested negative for the virus.
All three men were scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday, and it’s understood they will be allowed to do that via videoconference.
Politico reported Hahn had come into contact with Katie Miller, vice president Mike Pence’s press secretary, who tested positive for the virus on Friday. Her husband, Stephen Miller, is a top advisor to Donald Trump. On Thursday the White House confirmed that a member of the military serving as one of Trump’s valets had also tested positive for Covid-19.
Trump, who publicly identified Miller’s positive test, said he was not worried about the virus spreading in the White House. However, officials said they were stepping up safety protocols.
Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will tele-work for two weeks. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment. The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfil any responsibilities as part of the coronavirus task force, he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers.
Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day, wear a face covering, and distance themselves from others.
Trump has resisted wearing a mask. In a meeting with the nation’s top military leaders on Saturday evening, he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view. The generals around Trump were also unmasked, but participants did sit a few feet away from each other.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts. It already requires daily temperature checks of anyone who enters the complex and has encouraged social distancing among those working in the building.
Elon Musk, meanwhile, announced he was suing authorities in California over Covid-19 restrictions that have kept his Fremont factory closed and threatened to move his operation out of the state.
“If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future,” he tweeted.
In Britain, Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a coronavirus warning system for England when he outlines plans to gradually ease the lockdown in an address to the nation on Sunday evening.
It is understood that a warning system administered by a new “joint biosecurity centre” will detect local increases in infection rates, with the aim of altering restrictions locally in England. The alerts will range from green at level one to red at level five. Johnson is expected to say that the nation as a whole is close to moving down from four to three.
The UK has the second highest death toll from the virus, at 31,662, with more than 266,500 infections. On Saturday the government told airlines it would introduce a 14-day quarantine period for most people arriving from abroad to try to avoid a second peak of the coronavirus outbreak.
South Korea’s capital has ordered the closure of all clubs and bars after a burst of new cases sparked fears of a second coronavirus wave.
In Mexico, coronavirus patients were being turned away from hospitals on Saturday, as both public and private medical facilities quickly filled up and the number of new infections continued to rise. Of the 64 public hospitals in the capital’s sprawling metro area designated to receive Covid-19 patients, 26 were completely full, according to city government data.
Mexico announced 1,938 new cases of the virus on Saturday, bringing the total to 33,460, along with 193 additional deaths, bringing fatalities to 3,353.
In other coronavirus developments:


theguardian--2020-05-10--Under Trump, American exceptionalism means poverty, misery and death | Robert Reich

No other nation has endured as much death from Covid-19 nor nearly as a high a death rate as has the United States .
With 4.25 % of the world population , America has the tragic distinction of accounting for about 30 % of pandemic deaths so far .
And it is the only advanced nation where the death rate is still climbing .
Three thousand deaths per day are anticipated by 1 June .
No other nation has loosened lockdowns and other social-distancing measures while deaths are increasing , as the US is now doing .
No other advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as was the US .
We now know Donald Trump and his administration were told by public health experts in mid-January that immediate action was required to stop the spread of Covid-19 .
But according to Dr Anthony Fauci , “ there was a lot of pushback ” .
Trump didn ’ t act until 16 March .
Epidemiologists estimate 90 % of the deaths in the US from the first wave of Covid-19 might have been prevented had social distancing policies been put into effect two weeks earlier , on 2 March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has left it to subordinate units of government – states and cities – to buy ventilators and personal protective equipment .
In no other nation have such sub-governments been forced to bid against each another .
In no other nation have experts in public health and emergency preparedness been pushed aside and replaced by political cronies like Trump ’ s son-in-law , Jared Kushner , who in turn has been advised by Trump donors and Fox News celebrities .
In no other advanced nation has Covid-19 forced so many average citizens into poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that more than 30 % of American adults have had to reduce their spending on food .
Elsewhere around the world , governments are providing generous income support .
Not in the US .
At best , Americans have received one-time checks for $ 1,200 , about a week ’ s worth of rent , groceries and utilities .
Few are collecting unemployment benefits because unemployment offices are overwhelmed with claims .
Congress ’ s “ payroll protection program ” has been a mess .
Because funds have been distributed through financial institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves and rewarded their favored customers .
Of the $ 350bn originally intended for small businesses , $ 243.4m has gone to large , publicly held companies .
Meanwhile , the treasury and the Fed are bailing out big corporations from the debts they accumulated in recent years to buy back their shares of stock .
Why is America so different from other advanced nations facing the same coronavirus threat ?
Why has everything gone so tragically wrong ?
Some of it is due to Trump and his hapless and corrupt collection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and relatives .
But there are also deeper roots .
The coronavirus has been especially potent in the US because America is the only industrialized nation lacking universal healthcare .
Many families have been reluctant to see doctors or check into emergency rooms for fear of racking up large bills .
America is also the only one of 22 advanced nations failing to give all workers some form of paid sick leave .
As a result , many American workers have remained on the job when they should have been home .
Adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits in America – providing less support in the first year of unemployment than those in any other advanced country .
American workplaces are also more dangerous .
Even before Covid-19 ripped through meatpackers and warehouses , fatality rates were higher among American workers than European .
Even before the pandemic robbed Americans of their jobs and incomes , average wage growth in the US had lagged behind average wage growth in most other advanced countries .
Since 1980 , American workers ’ share of total national income has declined more than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations , unions have long pushed for safer working conditions and higher wages .
But American workers are far less unionized than workers in other advanced economies .
Only 6.4 % of private-sector workers in America belong to a union , compared with more than 26 % in Canada , 37 % in Italy , 67 % in Sweden , and 25 % in Britain .
So who and what ’ s to blame for the worst avoidable loss of life in American history ?
But the calamity is also due to America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people the basic support they need .
• 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

No other nation has endured as much death from Covid-19 nor nearly as a high a death rate as has the United States.
With 4.25% of the world population, America has the tragic distinction of accounting for about 30% of pandemic deaths so far.
And it is the only advanced nation where the death rate is still climbing. Three thousand deaths per day are anticipated by 1 June.
No other nation has loosened lockdowns and other social-distancing measures while deaths are increasing, as the US is now doing.
No other advanced nation was as unprepared for the pandemic as was the US.
We now know Donald Trump and his administration were told by public health experts in mid-January that immediate action was required to stop the spread of Covid-19. But according to Dr Anthony Fauci, “there was a lot of pushback”. Trump didn’t act until 16 March.
Around the world, governments are providing generous income support. Not in the US
Epidemiologists estimate 90% of the deaths in the US from the first wave of Covid-19 might have been prevented had social distancing policies been put into effect two weeks earlier, on 2 March.
No nation other than the US has left it to subordinate units of government – states and cities – to buy ventilators and personal protective equipment. In no other nation have such sub-governments been forced to bid against each another.
In no other nation have experts in public health and emergency preparedness been pushed aside and replaced by political cronies like Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who in turn has been advised by Trump donors and Fox News celebrities.
In no other advanced nation has Covid-19 forced so many average citizens into poverty so quickly. The Urban Institute reports that more than 30% of American adults have had to reduce their spending on food.
Elsewhere around the world, governments are providing generous income support. Not in the US.
At best, Americans have received one-time checks for $1,200, about a week’s worth of rent, groceries and utilities. Few are collecting unemployment benefits because unemployment offices are overwhelmed with claims.
Congress’s “payroll protection program” has been a mess. Because funds have been distributed through financial institutions, banks have raked off money for themselves and rewarded their favored customers. Of the $350bn originally intended for small businesses, $243.4m has gone to large, publicly held companies.
Meanwhile, the treasury and the Fed are bailing out big corporations from the debts they accumulated in recent years to buy back their shares of stock.
Why is America so different from other advanced nations facing the same coronavirus threat? Why has everything gone so tragically wrong?
Some of it is due to Trump and his hapless and corrupt collection of grifters, buffoons, sycophants, lobbyists and relatives.
But there are also deeper roots.
American workers are far less unionized than workers in other advanced economies
The coronavirus has been especially potent in the US because America is the only industrialized nation lacking universal healthcare. Many families have been reluctant to see doctors or check into emergency rooms for fear of racking up large bills.
America is also the only one of 22 advanced nations failing to give all workers some form of paid sick leave. As a result, many American workers have remained on the job when they should have been home.
Adding to this is the skimpiness of unemployment benefits in America – providing less support in the first year of unemployment than those in any other advanced country.
American workplaces are also more dangerous. Even before Covid-19 ripped through meatpackers and warehouses, fatality rates were higher among American workers than European.
Even before the pandemic robbed Americans of their jobs and incomes, average wage growth in the US had lagged behind average wage growth in most other advanced countries. Since 1980, American workers’ share of total national income has declined more than in any other rich nation.
In other nations, unions have long pushed for safer working conditions and higher wages. But American workers are far less unionized than workers in other advanced economies. Only 6.4% of private-sector workers in America belong to a union, compared with more than 26% in Canada, 37% in Italy, 67% in Sweden, and 25% in Britain.
So who and what’s to blame for the worst avoidable loss of life in American history?
Partly, Donald Trump’s malfeasance.
But the calamity is also due to America’s longer-term failure to provide its people the basic support they need.


theguardian--2020-05-11--China reports possible new wave of Covid-19 cases; Greece extends migrant camp lockdown – as it happ

China reports possible new wave of Covid-19 cases; Greece extends migrant camp lockdown – as it happened

Overcrowding and outmoded design may have made Canada ’ s care homes more vulnerable to Covid-19 , experts have said @ @ @ @ @ of the Canadian Association for Long Term Care , said the pandemic ’ s toll @ @ @ @ @ of government underfunding of long-term care homes , CBC reports .
Many homes maintain four-bed @ @ @ @ @ residents are separated only by a curtain .
Around 80 % of all Covid-19-related deaths @ @ @ @ @ long-term care facilities , according to CBC .
In light of the devastating impact on @ @ @ @ @ leader Jagmeet Singh has called for an end to privatised facilities , advocating a universal @ @ @ @ @ In an interview aired on its network , CTV reports Singh as saying the government @ @ @ @ @ care under the Canada Health Act and make it federally regulated , while abolishing the @ @ @

Clea Skopeliti (now);  Nazia Parveen, Mattha Busby and Eleanor Ainge Roy (earlier)

10 May 2020 23.05 BST Survey by @NEUnion: 49,000 members responded within an hour.
85% of them disagreed with Boris Johnson's plan to restart reception, year 1 and year 6 from 1 June.
89% who were parents said they felt it would be unsafe or very unsafe to send their own children back to school — Alice Woolley (@alicewoolley1) May 10, 2020
10 May 2020 22.43 BST Boris Johnson has been warned by trade unions that ordering many people back to work from as early as Monday is a “recipe for chaos” in the absence of urgent action to safeguard workers’ health, Richard Partington and Rob Davies write. The UK prime minister said on Sunday that anyone who cannot work from home should be “actively encouraged” to return to their jobs from Monday. Detailing plans to gradually reopen the British economy after more than a month of tough controls during the health emergency, he said those in manufacturing and construction jobs in particular should be encouraged to return. Read the full report here. 'Recipe for chaos': union leaders sound warning over return to work Read more
Updated at 22.46 BST
10 May 2020 22.18 BST South Africa passes 10,000 confirmed cases The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa has topped 10,000, including 194 fatalities, health minister Zwelini Mkhize has announced. “As of today, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa is 10,015,” the minister said in a statement. “We note with concern that the Western Cape and Eastern Cape combined comprises 84% of the total new cases.” The death toll of 194 is an increase of eight on the previous figure. Since 1 May the government has gradually eased the confinement measures put in place in late March to stem the spread of the virus. South Africa is the country worst-hit in sub-Saharan Africa.
Updated at 22.26 BST
10 May 2020 21.58 BST Here’s a handy overview of how European countries are emerging from lockdown, courtesy of AFP. France : Hair salons, clothes shops, florists and bookshops will open again on Monday. Bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas remain closed. Primary schools will take small numbers of pupils, depending on space. Masks will be obligatory on public transport. Everyone will be able to move outside without having to present a form on demand but people will only be able to go 100 kilometres from their place of residence.
: Hair salons, clothes shops, florists and bookshops will open again on Monday. Bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas remain closed. Primary schools will take small numbers of pupils, depending on space. Masks will be obligatory on public transport. Everyone will be able to move outside without having to present a form on demand but people will only be able to go 100 kilometres from their place of residence. Belgium: Most businesses will open Monday, with social distancing. Masks are recommended. Cafes, restaurants and bars remain closed. In central Brussels there will be speed limits on cars and priority will be given to cyclists and pedestrians. Schools remain closed until 18 May.
Most businesses will open Monday, with social distancing. Masks are recommended. Cafes, restaurants and bars remain closed. In central Brussels there will be speed limits on cars and priority will be given to cyclists and pedestrians. Schools remain closed until 18 May. Britain : People will be actively encouraged to return to work from this week if they cannot work from home. Unlimited outdoor exercise will be allowed from Wednesday. From 1 June (at the earliest) nurseries and primary schools may reopen, and some non-essential shops. By July, at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places could be reopened.
: People will be actively encouraged to return to work from this week if they cannot work from home. Unlimited outdoor exercise will be allowed from Wednesday. From 1 June (at the earliest) nurseries and primary schools may reopen, and some non-essential shops. By July, at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places could be reopened. The Netherlands: Primary schools will partially reopen Monday. Driving schools, hair salons, physiotherapists and libraries also return, with social distancing measures.
Primary schools will partially reopen Monday. Driving schools, hair salons, physiotherapists and libraries also return, with social distancing measures. Switzerland: Primary and middle schools will reopen Monday, with classes often reduced in size. Restaurants, museums and bookshops will also open, with conditions. Meetings of more than five people remain banned.
Primary and middle schools will reopen Monday, with classes often reduced in size. Restaurants, museums and bookshops will also open, with conditions. Meetings of more than five people remain banned. Spain : Half of Spain’s 47 million people will be able to meet with family or friends in gatherings of up to 10 as of Monday. Outdoor spaces at bars and restaurants can reopen with limited capacity. Hardest-hit Madrid and Barcelona are excluded from the easing, though football clubs FC Barcelona resumed training on Friday and Real Madrid will follow Monday. Only movements within provinces are authorised and cinemas and theatres remain closed. Schools will not start up again until September.
: Half of Spain’s 47 million people will be able to meet with family or friends in gatherings of up to 10 as of Monday. Outdoor spaces at bars and restaurants can reopen with limited capacity. Hardest-hit Madrid and Barcelona are excluded from the easing, though football clubs FC Barcelona resumed training on Friday and Real Madrid will follow Monday. Only movements within provinces are authorised and cinemas and theatres remain closed. Schools will not start up again until September. Italy : While schools remain closed until September, factories, building sites and offices reopened on 4 May. Social distancing rules are in place in parks. Wearing masks is mandatory on public transport. All retail businesses will reopen on 18 May, as will museums, cultural sites, churches and libraries. Bars and restaurants will reopen from 1 June, along with hair and beauty salons.
: While schools remain closed until September, factories, building sites and offices reopened on 4 May. Social distancing rules are in place in parks. Wearing masks is mandatory on public transport. All retail businesses will reopen on 18 May, as will museums, cultural sites, churches and libraries. Bars and restaurants will reopen from 1 June, along with hair and beauty salons. Germany : Eating in restaurants is now possible in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the country’s first cafes and restaurants reopened on Saturday. Under Germany’s federal system, each of the 16 states makes its own decisions on how to emerge from lockdown and cafes and restaurants will reopen in a number of other states in the coming days and weeks. Most shops are already open and children are slowly returning to classrooms. Bundesliga football matches are also set to resume. Heeding signs of a second wave, German authorities have agreed to reimpose restrictions locally if an area has more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents over a week.
: Eating in restaurants is now possible in the north-eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the country’s first cafes and restaurants reopened on Saturday. Under Germany’s federal system, each of the 16 states makes its own decisions on how to emerge from lockdown and cafes and restaurants will reopen in a number of other states in the coming days and weeks. Most shops are already open and children are slowly returning to classrooms. Bundesliga football matches are also set to resume. Heeding signs of a second wave, German authorities have agreed to reimpose restrictions locally if an area has more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents over a week. Austria : Hairdressers, tennis courts and golf courses reopened in the first weekend in May. Travel restrictions have been lifted and gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed, with social distancing. Masks are compulsory in public transport and shops. Final-year school students returned to class on 4 May ahead of a gradual return for others.
: Hairdressers, tennis courts and golf courses reopened in the first weekend in May. Travel restrictions have been lifted and gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed, with social distancing. Masks are compulsory in public transport and shops. Final-year school students returned to class on 4 May ahead of a gradual return for others. Poland: Hotels can reopen on Monday but foreign tourists must quarantine for two weeks on arrival.
Hotels can reopen on Monday but foreign tourists must quarantine for two weeks on arrival. Denmark: Shopping centres reopen in Denmark on Monday. Primary schools opened in mid-April and secondary schools will open on 18 May.
Shopping centres reopen in Denmark on Monday. Primary schools opened in mid-April and secondary schools will open on 18 May. Norway: Schools opened for pupils aged 6-10 at the end of April, and all classes will start again Monday. Bars and leisure centres remain closed until 1 June.
Schools opened for pupils aged 6-10 at the end of April, and all classes will start again Monday. Bars and leisure centres remain closed until 1 June. Iceland: Universities, museums and hair salons reopened on 4 May.
Universities, museums and hair salons reopened on 4 May. Finland: Schools will start up again on 14 May, with social distancing measures.
Schools will start up again on 14 May, with social distancing measures. Croatia: Outdoor spaces at bars and restaurants reopen Monday and gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed. Kindergartens and schools will resume on a voluntary basis.
Outdoor spaces at bars and restaurants reopen Monday and gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed. Kindergartens and schools will resume on a voluntary basis. Serbia: Nursery schools will welcome children from Monday.
Nursery schools will welcome children from Monday. Greece: Following bookshops and hairdressers reopening on 4 May, all other shops will resume trading on Monday. Shopping centres remain closed until 1 June. The Acropolis and all archeological sites will reopen 18 May. Museums reopen on 15 June.
Updated at 22.11 BST
10 May 2020 21.34 BST Overcrowding and outmoded design may have made Canada’s care homes more vulnerable to Covid-19, experts have said. Jodi Hall, chair of the Canadian Association for Long Term Care, said the pandemic’s toll has highlighted the chronic problem of government underfunding of long-term care homes, CBC reports. Many homes maintain four-bed, hospital-like wards, where residents are separated only by a curtain. Around 80% of all Covid-19-related deaths in Canada have been in long-term care facilities, according to CBC. In light of the devastating impact on homes, New Democratic party leader Jagmeet Singh has called for an end to privatised facilities, advocating a universal framework for senior care. In an interview aired on its network, CTV reports Singh as saying the government must work to bring long-term care under the Canada Health Act and make it federally regulated, while abolishing the private system.
Updated at 22.49 BST
10 May 2020 20.58 BST Avianca Holdings, Latin America’s No. 2 airline and one of the oldest in the world, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, as a bond payment deadline loomed and after pleas for aid from Colombia’s government to weather the coronavirus crisis have so far been unsuccessful.
If it fails to come out of bankruptcy, Avianca would be one of the first major carriers worldwide to go under as a result of the pandemic, which has resulted in a 90% decline in global air travel. Avianca has not flown a regularly scheduled passenger flight since late March and most of its 20,000 employees have gone without pay through the crisis. While Avianca was already weak before the coronavirus outbreak, its bankruptcy filing highlights the challenges for airlines that cannot count on state rescues to avoid bankruptcy restructuring. An Avianca representative told Reuters it is still trying to secure government loans.
Updated at 20.59 BST
10 May 2020 20.24 BST Meanwhile in Poland, the head of the electoral commission has said that the speaker of parliament has 14 days to declare the date of a new presidential election, according to Reuters. Poland had been due to hold a presidential election on Sunday and, while the vote was not officially cancelled or postponed, the electoral commission had said on Thursday it could not be held due to the coronavirus crisis.
Updated at 20.32 BST
10 May 2020 20.22 BST The municipality of Kos, the Greek island home to Hippocrates, regarded as the father of medicine and author of the Hippocratic oath, has made this video thanking medical staff worldwide.


theguardian--2020-05-10--Trump is culpable in deaths of Americans, says Noam Chomsky

Donald Trump is culpable in the deaths of thousands of Americans by using the coronavirus pandemic to boost his electoral prospects and line the pockets of big business , Prof Noam Chomsky has said .
In an interview with the Guardian , the radical intellectual argued the US president was stabbing average Americans in the back while pretending to be the country ’ s saviour during the worst health crisis in at least a century .
He said Trump , who will seek re-election later this year , had cut government funding for healthcare and research into infectious disease for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ That ’ s something that Trump has been doing every year of his term , cutting it back more .
So [ his plan is ] let ’ s continue to cut it back , let ’ s continue to make sure that the population is as vulnerable as we can make it , that it can suffer as much as possible , but will of course increase profits for his primary constituents in wealth and corporate power.
” Chomsky also said the president had abandoned his duties by forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combating the virus : “ It ’ s a great strategy for killing a lot of people and improving his electoral politics.
” Asked to clarify if he viewed Trump as culpable in the deaths of Americans , he said : “ Yes but it ’ s much worse than that , because the same is true internationally .
To try and cover up his criminal attacks against the American people , which have been going on all of this time , he ’ s flailing about to try and find scapegoats.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to freeze payments to the World Health Organization , would lead to deaths in Yemen and across the African continent .
Chomsky was speaking in an interview to mark the launch of the Progressive International , a global initiative to unite , organise and mobilise progressive forces around the world .
First convened by Bernie Sanders , the Vermont senator , and Yanis Varoufakis , the former Greek finance minister , it aims to mount a fightback against the increasing rise of rightwing populist movements around the globe .
Other members include Katrín @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell , the authors Naomi Klein and Arundhati Roy , and Rafael Correa , the former president of Ecuador .
In September , pandemic permitting , the council will convene for an inaugural summit in Reykjavik .
Also speaking in an interview to mark the launch , Varoufakis said articles he and Sanders wrote in the Guardian two years ago were among catalysts for launching the Progressive International .
He said : “ It ’ s been urgent for quite a while now .
If anything I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the party too late .
I hope not.. ” Expressing anger at the EU response to the pandemic as a “ very sad dereliction of duty ” , he said the crisis could tear apart the euro single currency bloc .
“ I don ’ t think the eurozone can survive it .
But it can survive long enough to deplete huge amounts of wealth and social capital .
Europe is rich enough , it can pretend and extend.
” EU leaders have agreed to draw up a €540bn ( £480bn ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a deep split between countries demanding grants for stricken economies , such as Italy and Spain , and northern members such as Germany who favour loans .
The launch of Progressive International comes amid growing calls to drastically alter the global economic and political status quo as Covid-19 continues to expose and exacerbate entrenched levels of inequality and poverty .
Pressure had also been mounting since the 2008 financial crisis to reverse more than four decades of government retreat from intervening in the economy , amid widespread dissatisfaction with modern capitalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightwing nationalist responses and the growing urgency to combat global heating , McDonnell said the new organisation would help develop and promote a more progressive vision of the future .
Speaking to the Guardian , he said : “ This initiative comes at just the right time .
It ’ s about the nature of society we want .
It ’ s also about how we tackle the real threat upon us from climate change.
” Comparing the threats from rightwing populism to the rise of Nazism in 1928 when he was born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted in the response to Covid-19 .
He said : “ One is let ’ s take the savage , Reagan , Thatcher approach and make it worse .
That ’ s one way .
The other way is to try to dismantle the structures , the institutional structures that have been created ; that have led to very ugly consequences for much of the population of much of the world , [ and ] are the source of this pandemic .
To dismantle them and move on to a better world.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are forces fighting back .
The International is going to be facing similar attacks .
To overcome them , it depends on the peasants with the pitchforks .
”

Richard Partington Economics correspondent

Donald Trump is culpable in the deaths of thousands of Americans by using the coronavirus pandemic to boost his electoral prospects and line the pockets of big business, Prof Noam Chomsky has said.
In an interview with the Guardian, the radical intellectual argued the US president was stabbing average Americans in the back while pretending to be the country’s saviour during the worst health crisis in at least a century.
He said Trump, who will seek re-election later this year, had cut government funding for healthcare and research into infectious disease for the benefit of wealthy corporations.
Chomsky said: “That’s something that Trump has been doing every year of his term, cutting it back more. So [his plan is] let’s continue to cut it back, let’s continue to make sure that the population is as vulnerable as we can make it, that it can suffer as much as possible, but will of course increase profits for his primary constituents in wealth and corporate power.”
Chomsky also said the president had abandoned his duties by forcing individual state governors to take responsibility for combating the virus: “It’s a great strategy for killing a lot of people and improving his electoral politics.”
Asked to clarify if he viewed Trump as culpable in the deaths of Americans, he said: “Yes but it’s much worse than that, because the same is true internationally. To try and cover up his criminal attacks against the American people, which have been going on all of this time, he’s flailing about to try and find scapegoats.”
The professor said Trump’s decision to freeze payments to the World Health Organization, would lead to deaths in Yemen and across the African continent.
Chomsky was speaking in an interview to mark the launch of the Progressive International, a global initiative to unite, organise and mobilise progressive forces around the world.
First convened by Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator, and Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, it aims to mount a fightback against the increasing rise of rightwing populist movements around the globe.
Other members include Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the Icelandic prime minister, former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, the authors Naomi Klein and Arundhati Roy, and Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador. In September, pandemic permitting, the council will convene for an inaugural summit in Reykjavik.
Also speaking in an interview to mark the launch, Varoufakis said articles he and Sanders wrote in the Guardian two years ago were among catalysts for launching the Progressive International.
He said: “It’s been urgent for quite a while now. If anything I’m worried that we’re coming to the party too late. I hope not..”
Expressing anger at the EU response to the pandemic as a “very sad dereliction of duty”, he said the crisis could tear apart the euro single currency bloc. “I don’t think the eurozone can survive it. But it can survive long enough to deplete huge amounts of wealth and social capital. Europe is rich enough, it can pretend and extend.”
EU leaders have agreed to draw up a €540bn (£480bn) package of emergency measures. However, there is a deep split between countries demanding grants for stricken economies, such as Italy and Spain, and northern members such as Germany who favour loans.
The launch of Progressive International comes amid growing calls to drastically alter the global economic and political status quo as Covid-19 continues to expose and exacerbate entrenched levels of inequality and poverty.
Pressure had also been mounting since the 2008 financial crisis to reverse more than four decades of government retreat from intervening in the economy, amid widespread dissatisfaction with modern capitalism from supporters and detractors.
Faced with rightwing nationalist responses and the growing urgency to combat global heating, McDonnell said the new organisation would help develop and promote a more progressive vision of the future.
Speaking to the Guardian, he said: “This initiative comes at just the right time. It’s about the nature of society we want. It’s also about how we tackle the real threat upon us from climate change.”
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Comparing the threats from rightwing populism to the rise of Nazism in 1928 when he was born, Chomsky said two approaches were being promoted in the response to Covid-19.
He said: “One is let’s take the savage, Reagan, Thatcher approach and make it worse. That’s one way. The other way is to try to dismantle the structures, the institutional structures that have been created; that have led to very ugly consequences for much of the population of much of the world, [and] are the source of this pandemic. To dismantle them and move on to a better world.”
“It’s not easy. There are forces fighting back. The International is going to be facing similar attacks. To overcome them, it depends on the peasants with the pitchforks.”