shareblue--2020-04-03--GOP senator sold travel stock day before Trump's European travel ban

Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) sold $ 46,027 worth of online travel stock on the same day Donald Trump announced a ban on travel from Europe to slow the spread of the coronavirus , Bloomberg reported on Friday Loeffler had purchased the stock just days earlier .
The senator and her husband , Jeffrey Sprecher , purchased shares in Booking Holdings , which handles online travel booking , on March 6 — the same day she toured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with Trump for a coronavirus response update .
On March 10 and 11 , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced he was temporarily restricting travel from European countries .
`` These transactions are consistent with historical portfolio activity and include a balanced mix of buys and sells , '' a Loeffler spokesperson told Bloomberg Friday .
`` Her stock portfolio is managed independently by third-party advisors , and she is notified [ afterward ] . ''
Loeffler and her husband — CEO of the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange — were already under fire for selling stocks after she received a confidential briefing on the dangers of the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the duo began selling up to $ 3.1 million worth of stocks .
They also invested in a teleworking software company .
Other senators , including Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina , are facing similar allegations that they violated the 2012 Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge ( STOCK ) Act , which prohibits members of Congress from using nonpublic information for personal financial gain .
On Tuesday , Loeffler also disclosed that her husband purchased up to $ 415,000 in stock in DuPont de Nemours , a chemical company that makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Loeffler was appointed to the Senate by Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp in January to temporarily fill the seat of former Sen. Johnny Isakson who recently retired .
Georgia Rep. Doug Collins ( R ) is challenging her in the November special election for the remainder of Isakson 's term .
Collins attacked Loeffler over the controversy on Monday , saying , `` I am disgusted , but I ca n't say that I am surprised by the actions of Loeffler and those who would put their own interest above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Securities and Exchange Commission warned on March 23 that `` trading in a company ’ s securities on the basis of inside information may violate the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws . ''
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the SEC and Justice Department are investigating whether the senators used non-public information about the coronavirus pandemic to make stock trades .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) sold $46,027 worth of online travel stock on the same day Donald Trump announced a ban on travel from Europe to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported on Friday
Loeffler had purchased the stock just days earlier.
The senator and her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, purchased shares in Booking Holdings, which handles online travel booking, on March 6 — the same day she toured the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with Trump for a coronavirus response update. On March 10 and 11, they sold the stock, just before Trump announced he was temporarily restricting travel from European countries.
“These transactions are consistent with historical portfolio activity and include a balanced mix of buys and sells,” a Loeffler spokesperson told Bloomberg Friday. “Her stock portfolio is managed independently by third-party advisors, and she is notified [afterward].”
Loeffler and her husband — CEO of the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange — were already under fire for selling stocks after she received a confidential briefing on the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jan. 24. That day, the duo began selling up to $3.1 million worth of stocks. They also invested in a teleworking software company.
Other senators, including Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina, are facing similar allegations that they violated the 2012 Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, which prohibits members of Congress from using nonpublic information for personal financial gain.
On Tuesday, Loeffler also disclosed that her husband purchased up to $415,000 in stock in DuPont de Nemours, a chemical company that makes protective equipment in high demand because of the pandemic.
Loeffler was appointed to the Senate by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in January to temporarily fill the seat of former Sen. Johnny Isakson who recently retired. Georgia Rep. Doug Collins (R) is challenging her in the November special election for the remainder of Isakson’s term.
Collins attacked Loeffler over the controversy on Monday, saying, “I am disgusted, but I can’t say that I am surprised by the actions of Loeffler and those who would put their own interest above that of the American people.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission warned on March 23 that “trading in a company’s securities on the basis of inside information may violate the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws.”
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the SEC and Justice Department are investigating whether the senators used non-public information about the coronavirus pandemic to make stock trades.
Loeffler has denied any wrongdoing.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Daily Cuomo: States don't want to fight the government — they need help

The Trump administration has repeatedly said that states should not rely on the federal government for help with equipment to fight coronavirus .
NEW YORK GOV .
ANDREW CUOMO : There 's a lot of conversations about how we should respond to this governmentally or from an intergovernmental perspective .
People want to say , `` Well , this is a state 's rights question versus federal interference .
Who should decide what 's done on a state level ? ''
There is no governor who is arguing that their states ' rights are being trampled , right ?
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue .
No one is standing up saying , `` The federal government is trampling my rights . ''
I 've said that on other occasions but no governor , Democrat or Republican , is saying that here .
Every state is saying the same thing : `` I need help .
I need assistance . ''
So I do n't consider this a situation where the federal government is interfering with a state 's right , this is a situation that is a — by definition — a national disaster emergency situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal assistance .

From an April 3 press conference:
NEW YORK GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: There’s a lot of conversations about how we should respond to this governmentally or from an intergovernmental perspective. People want to say, “Well, this is a state’s rights question versus federal interference. Who should decide what’s done on a state level?”
There is no governor who is arguing that their states’ rights are being trampled, right? So it’s not a states’ rights issue. No one is standing up saying, “The federal government is trampling my rights.” I’ve said that on other occasions but no governor, Democrat or Republican, is saying that here.
Every state is saying the same thing: “I need help. I need assistance.” So I don’t consider this a situation where the federal government is interfering with a state’s right, this is a situation that is a — by definition — a national disaster emergency situation where the states need and welcome the federal assistance.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Government agency caught changing website to match Kushner's false claims

The website for the Strategic National Stockpile updated its `` About '' section describing how the stockpile is used — making changes that better fit White House adviser Jared Kushner 's description of the stockpile that he made at Thursday 's daily coronavirus task force briefing .
Kushner , Trump 's son-in-law , took to the podium for the first time Thursday with the task force to defend the administration 's response .
`` The notion of the federal stockpile was it 's supposed to be our stockpile .
It 's not supposed to be states ' stockpiles that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As of Friday morning , the website 's `` about '' section completely refuted Kushner 's claim that stockpile is not meant for states to use .
`` When state , local , tribal , and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts , the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency , '' the website read on Friday morning .
`` Organized for scalable response to a variety of public health threats , this repository contains enough supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Not even a few hours later , the text mysteriously changed — after Kushner faced a cascade of criticism for wrongly describing what the stockpile is intended for .
`` The Strategic National Stockpile 's role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies , '' the website now reads .
`` Many states have products stockpiled , as well .
The supplies , medicines , and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be immediately available . ''
The new description still refutes Kushner 's claim that the SNS is `` not supposed to be states ' stockpiles that they then use . ''
It says states can use it when they do not have immediate access to materials — which is the exact situation states like New York currently find themselves in .
New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Thursday his state is set to run out of its stockpiled ventilators in less than a week and needs help from the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country have pleaded for the Trump administration to provide critical equipment from the national stockpile to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic .
But Trump has been slow to act and has even blamed governors for not finding the equipment — like ventilators and respirator masks — that they desperately need .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The website for the Strategic National Stockpile updated its “About” section describing how the stockpile is used — making changes that better fit White House adviser Jared Kushner’s description of the stockpile that he made at Thursday’s daily coronavirus task force briefing.
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, took to the podium for the first time Thursday with the task force to defend the administration’s response.
“The notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile. It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use,” he said.
As of Friday morning, the website’s “about” section completely refuted Kushner’s claim that stockpile is not meant for states to use.
“When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency,” the website read on Friday morning. “Organized for scalable response to a variety of public health threats, this repository contains enough supplies to respond to multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously.”
Not even a few hours later, the text mysteriously changed — after Kushner faced a cascade of criticism for wrongly describing what the stockpile is intended for.
“The Strategic National Stockpile’s role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies,” the website now reads. “Many states have products stockpiled, as well. The supplies, medicines, and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of adequate amounts of these materials may not be immediately available.”
The new description still refutes Kushner’s claim that the SNS is “not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use.”
It says states can use it when they do not have immediate access to materials — which is the exact situation states like New York currently find themselves in.
New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday his state is set to run out of its stockpiled ventilators in less than a week and needs help from the federal government to procure more.
Governors across the country have pleaded for the Trump administration to provide critical equipment from the national stockpile to help battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Trump has been slow to act and has even blamed governors for not finding the equipment — like ventilators and respirator masks — that they desperately need.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Ben Carson falsely claims it's Trump critics who didn't take coronavirus seriously

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson defended Donald Trump 's slow response to the coronavirus crisis on Thursday , claiming that it was actually Trump 's critics that downplayed the pandemic .
In a Fox News interview , Carson told host Sean Hannity that Trump was not getting enough credit `` for being incredibly courageous in imposing the travel ban so early on , '' referencing a Jan. 31 order that temporarily restricted entry for some foreign nationals who had traveled in China recently .
`` Now you have people saying , oh you 're too late .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out and have fun and to mix , '' Carson complained .
When host Sean Hannity suggested the same critics had been the ones impeaching Trump , Carson answered , `` Yeah , '' before urging Americans to maintain social distancing and wash their hands and clothes .
But it was Trump who spent weeks telling Americans that there was no reason to worry as the coronavirus was totally under control .
`` The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA , '' Trump claimed in a Feb. 24 tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the number of cases was just `` 15 people '' and `` within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero . ''
`` Because of all we ’ ve done , the risk to the American people remains very low , '' he said .
As of Thursday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 213,000 COVID-19 cases in the United States and 4,513 deaths .
It was not until March 14 that Trump finally embraced `` social distancing '' — in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was still claiming the pandemic was `` something that we have tremendous control over . ''
Last week , Trump said he hoped to see America 's churches `` packed '' for Easter , on April 12 , defying public health experts .
He tweeted that only the media wanted him to `` keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success . ''
On Monday , he backed down , acknowledging that social distancing would have to continue at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 — sometimes over objections from Republican lawmakers .
Meanwhile , Republicans lawmakers have taken a different tack .
Asked early last month about what precautions he was taking , Sen. Jim Inhofe ( R-OK ) answered none and offered to shake hands with reporters .
Rep. Don Young ( R-AL ) told seniors on March 13 that they should `` go forth with everyday activities '' despite the `` blown out of proportion '' `` beer virus . ''
And Sen. John Cornyn ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle of Corona beer on March 14 , writing , `` Be smart ; do n't panic .
We will get us through this . ''
Rep. Devin Nunes ( R-CA ) urged on the same day that Americans should `` go out to a local restaurant '' or a `` local pub . ''
He later claimed he meant take-out or drive-thru , though few pubs have drive-thru windows .
On Tuesday , he demanded that social distancing efforts end within two weeks to protect the economy .
On Jan. 22 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus case in the United States .
`` It 's one person coming in from China , and we have it under control .
It 's going to be just fine , '' he replied .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson defended Donald Trump’s slow response to the coronavirus crisis on Thursday, claiming that it was actually Trump’s critics that downplayed the pandemic.
In a Fox News interview, Carson told host Sean Hannity that Trump was not getting enough credit “for being incredibly courageous in imposing the travel ban so early on,” referencing a Jan. 31 order that temporarily restricted entry for some foreign nationals who had traveled in China recently.
“Now you have people saying, oh you’re too late. The same people who were telling people to go out and have fun and to mix,” Carson complained.
When host Sean Hannity suggested the same critics had been the ones impeaching Trump, Carson answered, “Yeah,” before urging Americans to maintain social distancing and wash their hands and clothes.
But it was Trump who spent weeks telling Americans that there was no reason to worry as the coronavirus was totally under control.
“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA,” Trump claimed in a Feb. 24 tweet.
Two days later, he bragged that the number of cases was just “15 people” and “within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero.” “Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low,” he said.
As of Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 213,000 COVID-19 cases in the United States and 4,513 deaths.
It was not until March 14 that Trump finally embraced “social distancing” — in a two-word tweet. But a day later, he was still claiming the pandemic was “something that we have tremendous control over.”
Last week, Trump said he hoped to see America’s churches “packed” for Easter, on April 12, defying public health experts. He tweeted that only the media wanted him to “keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success.”
On Monday, he backed down, acknowledging that social distancing would have to continue at least until May.
Democrats have pushed for stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 — sometimes over objections from Republican lawmakers.
Meanwhile, Republicans lawmakers have taken a different tack.
Asked early last month about what precautions he was taking, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) answered none and offered to shake hands with reporters.
Rep. Don Young (R-AL) told seniors on March 13 that they should “go forth with everyday activities” despite the “blown out of proportion” “beer virus.”
And Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) tweeted a photo of a bottle of Corona beer on March 14, writing, “Be smart; don’t panic. We will get us through this.”
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) urged on the same day that Americans should “go out to a local restaurant” or a “local pub.” He later claimed he meant take-out or drive-thru, though few pubs have drive-thru windows. On Tuesday, he demanded that social distancing efforts end within two weeks to protect the economy.
On Jan. 22, Trump was asked about the first known coronavirus case in the United States. “It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine,” he replied.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Kushner claims national emergency stockpile isn't for states — but he's wrong

White House adviser Jared Kushner on Thursday defended the federal government 's slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic — and in the process wrongly claimed that the Strategic National Stockpile of medical supplies is not actually intended for state and local use .
`` The notion of the federal stockpile was it 's supposed to be our stockpile .
It 's not supposed to be states ' stockpiles that they then use , '' Kushner said at Donald Trump 's daily coronavirus task force briefing .
The Strategic National Stockpile website says the exact opposite .
`` When state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request federal assistance to support their response efforts , the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency , '' it reads .
`` Organized for scalable response to a variety of public health threats , this repository contains enough supplies to respond to multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously . ''
States do have their own stockpiles .
But some governors say there is not enough equipment in them to handle the COVID-19 pandemic .
And they 're pleading for Donald Trump to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and personal protective equipment for medical professionals on the front lines .
New York Democratic Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , for example , said Thursday that his state will exhaust its stockpile of ventilators in less than a week .
However , Trump has been slow to respond , questioning how many ventilators states really need , and telling governors to procure the devices and other emergency equipment themselves .
Meanwhile , California , which received items from the national stockpile , reported that many of the ventilators do n't work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respirator masks from the stockpile that were expired and rotted .
Kushner — Trump 's son-in-law — took to the podium on Thursday for the first time at a coronavirus task force briefing to defend the administration 's response .
`` When you have governors saying federal government has not given them what they need , I would urge you to ask them , 'Have you looked within your state to make sure you have not been able to find the resources ? '
'' he said .
Kushner is tasked with solving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite having no experience in the given areas .
Trump tasked Kushner with brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians , even though he has no experience or background in the decades-long conflict between the two groups .
And according to the Washington Post , Kushner has taken it upon himself to form a `` shadow '' coronavirus task force to help with the pandemic .
The Post reported that Kushner 's shadow task force is `` causing confusion '' in the administration , with staff not knowing whether Kushner 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House adviser Jared Kushner on Thursday defended the federal government’s slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic — and in the process wrongly claimed that the Strategic National Stockpile of medical supplies is not actually intended for state and local use.
“The notion of the federal stockpile was it’s supposed to be our stockpile. It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpiles that they then use,” Kushner said at Donald Trump’s daily coronavirus task force briefing.
The Strategic National Stockpile website says the exact opposite.
“When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency,” it reads. “Organized for scalable response to a variety of public health threats, this repository contains enough supplies to respond to multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously.”
States do have their own stockpiles.
But some governors say there is not enough equipment in them to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. And they’re pleading for Donald Trump to go into the national stockpile to provide lifesaving ventilators and personal protective equipment for medical professionals on the front lines.
New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for example, said Thursday that his state will exhaust its stockpile of ventilators in less than a week.
However, Trump has been slow to respond, questioning how many ventilators states really need, and telling governors to procure the devices and other emergency equipment themselves.
Meanwhile, California, which received items from the national stockpile, reported that many of the ventilators don’t work, and Montgomery County in Alabama got N95 respirator masks from the stockpile that were expired and rotted.
Kushner — Trump’s son-in-law — took to the podium on Thursday for the first time at a coronavirus task force briefing to defend the administration’s response.
“When you have governors saying federal government has not given them what they need, I would urge you to ask them, ‘Have you looked within your state to make sure you have not been able to find the resources?'” he said.
Kushner is tasked with solving multiple high-level problems the United States faces despite having no experience in the given areas.
Trump tasked Kushner with brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, even though he has no experience or background in the decades-long conflict between the two groups.
And according to the Washington Post, Kushner has taken it upon himself to form a “shadow” coronavirus task force to help with the pandemic.
The Post reported that Kushner’s shadow task force is “causing confusion” in the administration, with staff not knowing whether Kushner’s requests are to be considered official orders.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-04-03--Biden offers to teach Trump 'some lessons' on handling a pandemic

Joe Biden said Thursday that he wants to speak with Donald Trump in the hope that Trump can `` learn some lessons '' from the Obama administration on how to deal with the coronavirus outbreak .
`` We 've been through this in a slightly different way in the past , and I hope they can learn some lessons from what we did right and maybe what we did wrong , '' the former vice president said during a virtual press briefing .
Biden 's aides have said they 're working to arrange a phone call with Trump to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would `` love '' to speak with Biden .
The prospective Democratic presidential nominee has touted his work in addressing the Ebola crisis that unfolded in 2014 as a possible model for how the federal government should deal with the current pandemic .
The coronavirus outbreak has sickened and killed exponentially more individuals nationwide , with the infection rate topping 1 million on Thursday .
In recent weeks , Biden has offered his own proposals , which include expanding health care access , bolstering banks ' lending ability , and pushing out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday that he hoped Trump would expand use of the Defense Production Act , shifting U.S. manufacturing capabilities toward urgently needed medical supplies .
But he said if he spoke with Trump , he would n't try to claim credit for Trump 's moves .
`` I think there 's things that the president can use early on from the experience we had before ... and if he did , I was n't going to be out there saying he took my idea , '' Biden said .
`` It 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most effectively get things done now . ''
Biden repeated his willingness to talk to Trump during a virtual fundraiser later Thursday with 115 plaintiffs ' attorneys .
`` I 'm happy to hear he 'll take my call , '' Biden said .
Earlier Thursday with reporters , Biden casually mentioned previous conversations with Trump , calling them `` respectful '' and `` straightforward . ''
Trump and Biden would have encountered each other between Trump 's 2016 election victory and Inauguration Day .
A Biden aide confirmed after Thursday 's briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former vice president launched his presidential bid last April .
Separately , Biden dismissed efforts from his last remaining primary rival , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , to turn the pandemic into a new justification for his `` Medicare for All '' government insurance plan .
Biden praised Sanders as `` passionate '' but said Medicare for All would n't `` make a difference '' in the nation 's ability to combat COVID-19 .
Biden maintains that his proposal to add a government plan — a `` public option '' — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. to reach universal coverage without disrupting the health care delivery system as much as a single-payer overhaul would .
And he said Thursday that a government-run system also would face challenges in responding to the pandemic .
`` The idea that this would have stopped the virus from occurring , the idea it would have been able to be implemented earlier , the idea it would have fundamentally changed anything — it 's just not accurate , '' Biden told reporters .
Sanders has made his renewed push for Medicare for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign as he , like Biden , holds online town halls and makes the rounds of cable news and late-night talk shows .
`` People are asking , 'How does it happen where we spend twice as much per person on health care as any other nation , and yet our public health system is so weak ? '
'' Sanders said on NBC 's `` Late Night with Seth Meyers '' earlier this week .
Sanders ' plan posits an entirely government-financed model displacing private insurance and ending individuals ' out-of-pocket costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private insurance premiums and the proposed `` Medicare-like '' public plan for certain middle-income Americans , with cost-free enrollment in the public plan for low-income residents .
Policy differences aside , Biden was careful Thursday when a donor asked him about the prospects of Sanders conceding .
`` Our staffs have been talking , Bernie 's staff and mine .
I do n't know where it 's going to go , '' Biden said .
But he emphasized his `` significant respect for Sen. Sanders and his supporters '' and said he knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' it is for a candidate to end a White House bid .
Biden , meanwhile , criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 's stated opposition to a fourth coronavirus response package .
Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have discussed a massive infrastructure plan , with Trump floating a $ 2 trillion price tag .
`` The majority leader of the Senate was wrong and slow last time around , '' Biden said , referring to the $ 2.2 trillion economic aid package Trump recently signed , `` and he 's wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even as Biden insisted he wanted a good-faith call with Trump and would be happy for Trump to take his recommendations on dealing with the crisis , he continued to criticize Trump 's response to the crisis and suggested it was difficult for Americans to trust him .
Implementing the package Trump signed last week , Biden said , `` takes more than tweets and press conferences . ''
`` He had n't had a great record so far when it comes to delivering real help to the American people in a timely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hope this time is different . ''
Biden also left little doubt about what kind of tone he expects between now and Election Day , even if he and Trump manage a cordial telephone chat .
`` I think it 's going to be an ugly campaign , '' he told his video assembly of donors .

Joe Biden said Thursday that he wants to speak with Donald Trump in the hope that Trump can “learn some lessons” from the Obama administration on how to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’ve been through this in a slightly different way in the past, and I hope they can learn some lessons from what we did right and maybe what we did wrong,” the former vice president said during a virtual press briefing.
Biden’s aides have said they’re working to arrange a phone call with Trump to discuss his coronavirus response. Trump said Wednesday he would “love” to speak with Biden.
The prospective Democratic presidential nominee has touted his work in addressing the Ebola crisis that unfolded in 2014 as a possible model for how the federal government should deal with the current pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak has sickened and killed exponentially more individuals nationwide, with the infection rate topping 1 million on Thursday.
In recent weeks, Biden has offered his own proposals, which include expanding health care access, bolstering banks’ lending ability, and pushing out supplies to hospitals faster. Biden said on Thursday that he hoped Trump would expand use of the Defense Production Act, shifting U.S. manufacturing capabilities toward urgently needed medical supplies. But he said if he spoke with Trump, he wouldn’t try to claim credit for Trump’s moves.
“I think there’s things that the president can use early on from the experience we had before … and if he did, I wasn’t going to be out there saying he took my idea,” Biden said. “It’s a matter of the president doing what can most effectively get things done now.”
Biden repeated his willingness to talk to Trump during a virtual fundraiser later Thursday with 115 plaintiffs’ attorneys. “I’m happy to hear he’ll take my call,” Biden said.
Earlier Thursday with reporters, Biden casually mentioned previous conversations with Trump, calling them “respectful” and “straightforward.”
Trump and Biden would have encountered each other between Trump’s 2016 election victory and Inauguration Day.
A Biden aide confirmed after Thursday’s briefing that the two have not spoken since the former vice president launched his presidential bid last April.
Separately, Biden dismissed efforts from his last remaining primary rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, to turn the pandemic into a new justification for his “Medicare for All” government insurance plan. Biden praised Sanders as “passionate” but said Medicare for All wouldn’t “make a difference” in the nation’s ability to combat COVID-19.
Biden maintains that his proposal to add a government plan — a “public option” — to existing private health insurance markets would allow the U.S. to reach universal coverage without disrupting the health care delivery system as much as a single-payer overhaul would. And he said Thursday that a government-run system also would face challenges in responding to the pandemic.
“The idea that this would have stopped the virus from occurring, the idea it would have been able to be implemented earlier, the idea it would have fundamentally changed anything — it’s just not accurate,” Biden told reporters.
Sanders has made his renewed push for Medicare for All a theme of his new virtual campaign as he, like Biden, holds online town halls and makes the rounds of cable news and late-night talk shows.
“People are asking, ‘How does it happen where we spend twice as much per person on health care as any other nation, and yet our public health system is so weak?'” Sanders said on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” earlier this week.
Sanders’ plan posits an entirely government-financed model displacing private insurance and ending individuals’ out-of-pocket costs. Biden’s approach expands subsidies for private insurance premiums and the proposed “Medicare-like” public plan for certain middle-income Americans, with cost-free enrollment in the public plan for low-income residents.
Policy differences aside, Biden was careful Thursday when a donor asked him about the prospects of Sanders conceding.
“Our staffs have been talking, Bernie’s staff and mine. I don’t know where it’s going to go,” Biden said.
But he emphasized his “significant respect for Sen. Sanders and his supporters” and said he knows “first-hand … what a personal decision” it is for a candidate to end a White House bid.
Biden, meanwhile, criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s stated opposition to a fourth coronavirus response package.
Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have discussed a massive infrastructure plan, with Trump floating a $2 trillion price tag.
“The majority leader of the Senate was wrong and slow last time around,” Biden said, referring to the $2.2 trillion economic aid package Trump recently signed, “and he’s wrong and slow this time around.”
Even as Biden insisted he wanted a good-faith call with Trump and would be happy for Trump to take his recommendations on dealing with the crisis, he continued to criticize Trump’s response to the crisis and suggested it was difficult for Americans to trust him.
Implementing the package Trump signed last week, Biden said, “takes more than tweets and press conferences.”
“He hadn’t had a great record so far when it comes to delivering real help to the American people in a timely fashion,” Biden added. “I hope this time is different.” Biden also left little doubt about what kind of tone he expects between now and Election Day, even if he and Trump manage a cordial telephone chat. “I think it’s going to be an ugly campaign,” he told his video assembly of donors.