inquisitr--2020-03-19--Ilhan Omar & Other Democrats Praise Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Response

Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar took to Twitter Wednesday night to praise Donald Trump ‘ s recent handling of the coronavirus pandemic , Fox News reported .
“ Politics aside , this is incredible and the right response in this critical time , ” she said in response to the news of the Trump administration ’ s recent decision to suspend mortgage foreclosures , invoke the Defense Production Act to ensure production of necessary supplies , and demand cash payments for Americans .
Omar referenced Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley ’ s assertion that “ unprecedented times require unprecedented leadership ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country will survive the coronavirus pandemic and “ build together.
” The 38-year-old then urged against letting politics hide “ good policy.
” As noted by Fox News , Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo also praised the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic while speaking to reporters on Tuesday .
“ His team is on it .
They ’ ve been responsive… .
I want to say thank you , ” he said .
Per RealClearPolitics , CNN ’ s Dana Bash praised Trump ’ s leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , pointing to his new tone as he addressed COVID-19 .
“ Let ’ s all take a breath and remember we are all in this together , ” she tweeted in response to criticism of her recent praise .
Before the recent wave of praise , Trump was widely criticized for his response to ongoing global health crisis According to TIME , the president ’ s first mistake came even before the COVID-19 pandemic , when he allowed then-National Security Adviser John Bolton to dismantle the National Security Council ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demote its pandemic experts .
“ We definitely would have been sending up flares , ” the unit ’ s former senior director , Beth Cameron , told TIME .
The experts at the office were responsible for the coordination of dozens of institutions in times of a global health emergency .
Thus far , Trump has avoided responsibility for the decision to scrap the unit , and Bolton has defended the decision to reorganize the NSC .
Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Laurie Garrett previously suggested that Trump destroyed the pandemic response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama .
In recent days , the Trump administration has been working fast to save the struggling economy .
The administration recently pushed a $ 500 billion economic rescue plan , which would involve sending checks to millions of Americans as early as April 6 .


inquisitr--2020-03-19--Top GOP Senator Reportedly Warned Wealthy Donors Of Coronavirus Crisis Weeks Ago, Kept Quiet In Publ

Top GOP Senator Reportedly Warned Wealthy Donors Of Coronavirus Crisis Weeks Ago, Kept Quiet In Public

Republican Richard Burr , the three-term North Carolina senator and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , warned a group of wealthy constituents and campaign contributors on February 27 that the coronavirus outbreak was “ akin to the 1918 pandemic , ” according to a recording of the meeting cited by National Public Radio .
Despite delivering what NPR called his “ dire ” message to the Tar Heel Circle — a group that reportedly charges membership fees of up to $ 10,000 — Burr made no public comments about the warning he gave to the private group .
Burr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools would need to be closed 16 days before the schools announced closings .
He also purportedly warned that the U.S. military would likely need to be mobilized to assist in containing the pandemic and treating victims of the virus .
On the same day that Burr delivered his alarming but prescient warnings to the Tar Heel Circle , Trump said at a press briefing that the coronavirus could “ disappear , ” saying that it would be like a “ miracle , ” as quoted by NPR .
The so-called “ Spanish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the United States , somewhat less than 1 percent of the country ’ s population in that year .
That death toll would be equivalent to more than 2 million fatalities in the current U.S. population of about 327 million .
At the February 27 Tar Heel Circle luncheon , Burr told the group that coronavirus was “ much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history , ” as quoted by NPR .
According to records obtained and reported by NPR , member businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political committees donated upward of $ 100,000 to Burr ’ s 2016 reelection campaign for a third term in the Senate .
Burr , who once declared that there was “ no separation ” between himself and Donald Trump , has since announced that his current term will be his last , and he will not seek a fourth term in 2022 .
On February 7 , Burr and Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander authored an op-ed for Fox News .
In that essay , the two Republicans claimed that “ the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health “ preparedness and response framework ” put in place by Congress .
The Fox News op-ed included no warnings as stark as those Burr delivered in his private talk to the Tar Heel Group , which came 13 days before the U.S. State Department issued an official warning against travel to Europe due to the coronavirus crisis there .
A spokesperson for Burr told NPR that the Tar Heel Circle luncheon was simply part of the Republican senator ’ s efforts to “ educate the public about the tools and resources our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
”

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inquisitr--2020-03-19--Donald Trump Says Officials Are Looking At Anti-Malaria Drug For Treating Coronavirus

Not long after Australian researchers reported the potential of the anti-malaria drug chloroquine for treating coronavirus , United States President Donald Trump said Thursday that American officials are looking into it for the same purpose .
“ Some people are looking at chloroquine — or some people would add ‘ hydroxy ’ — hydroxychloroquine , ” Trump said during a Thursday press briefing , per Raw Story .
“ Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine.
” The president noted that it ’ s a common drug for treating malaria and is also used in a different form for “ serious arthritis.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around for years and is understood to be safe .
As reported by The Hill , the president claimed that the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) is going to approve the drug for use against COVID-19 and he intends to ensure the drug is made available “ almost immediately.
” As reported by ABC News , chloroquine has been used for combating malaria since 1944 and is given as both a pre-infection preventative drug as well as a post-infection treatment .
Although a parasite causes malaria , studies have reportedly shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) — when administered both before and after infection .
Dr. Len Horovitz , a pulmonologist and internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City , pointed to the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating SARS — which is in the same family of coronaviruses as COVID-19 — when used in vitro with primate cells .
In China , research suggests that chloroquine may decrease the time that patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia spend in the hospital .
As of now , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug in China and more scheduled in the United States , England , Thailand , and South Korea .
Per Axios , a senior Health and Human Services official and another source with direct knowledge of the situation claimed that the pharmaceutical company Bayer is planning to donate a large amount of chloroquine to the United States .
As of now , remdesivir is also in clinical trials to treat COVID-19 , but new data suggests that chloroquine may be just as effective .


inquisitr--2020-03-19--Tulsi Gabbard Drops Out Of 2020 Race, Endorses Joe Biden

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii ended her long-shot campaign to become the Democratic nominee for president in 2020 .
Gabbard took to Twitter on Thursday , as The Washington Post reported , and said she will support front-runner Joe Biden in the presidential race .
Gabbard had stuck with her campaign for far longer than many of her more popular competitors yet she never garnered enough support to be considered a real contender for the top spot .
Still , she had continued to run despite being left out of the debates between the other Democratic hopefuls — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s now endorsing .
“ Although I may not agree with the vice president on every issue , I know that he has a good heart , and he ’ s motivated by his love for our country and the American people .
I ’ m confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha , respect and compassion , and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart , ” Gabbard said in her announcement .
She added that knew Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family .
“ I ’ m grateful to have called his son Beau a friend who also served in the National Guard , ” she added .
Gabbard , who was born in American Samoa , announced last year that she wasn ’ t going to run for re-election to the House of Representatives .
On Thursday , Gabbard also expressed her appreciation for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders ’ efforts to improve the lives of citizens in the country .
The 38-year-old Iraq War veteran ran on a platform of ending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has referred to as “ endless ” conflicts .
She has also been critical of the size of the United States ’ military system .
“ As a veteran of two Middle East deployments , I know firsthand the cost of war , ” she said .
Gabbard suffered devastating defeats to her campaign early on , nabbing zero percent of the state delegates in Iowa .
She received about 3.3 percent of the vote in New Hampshire .
She was also forced to address Hillary Clinton , whom she had called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton suggested that Gabbard was being groomed to interfere in the 2020 elections and an aide added that Gabbard might be being groomed by the Russians .
The accusations prompted Gabbard to sue Clinton .
When pushed on why she wasn ’ t as critical of Biden , who also supported the Iraq War initially , she said the former vice president had apologized for his vote .
Gabbard ’ s exit leaves Biden and Sanders competing for the Democratic nomination .
The winner will then take on President Donald Trump in November @

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii ended her long-shot campaign to become the Democratic nominee for president in 2020. Gabbard took to Twitter on Thursday, as The Washington Post reported, and said she will support front-runner Joe Biden in the presidential race.
Gabbard had stuck with her campaign for far longer than many of her more popular competitors yet she never garnered enough support to be considered a real contender for the top spot. Still, she had continued to run despite being left out of the debates between the other Democratic hopefuls — including former Vice President Biden, the candidate she’s now endorsing.
“Although I may not agree with the vice president on every issue, I know that he has a good heart, and he’s motivated by his love for our country and the American people. I’m confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha, respect and compassion, and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart,” Gabbard said in her announcement.
She added that knew Biden and appreciated her relationship with him and his family.
“I’m grateful to have called his son Beau a friend who also served in the National Guard,” she added.
Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa, announced last year that she wasn’t going to run for re-election to the House of Representatives.
On Thursday, Gabbard also expressed her appreciation for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders’ efforts to improve the lives of citizens in the country.
The 38-year-old Iraq War veteran ran on a platform of ending the wars in the Middle East, which she has referred to as “endless” conflicts. She has also been critical of the size of the United States’ military system.
“As a veteran of two Middle East deployments, I know firsthand the cost of war,” she said.
Gabbard suffered devastating defeats to her campaign early on, nabbing zero percent of the state delegates in Iowa. She received about 3.3 percent of the vote in New Hampshire.
She was also forced to address Hillary Clinton, whom she had called a war “hawk,” after Clinton suggested that Gabbard was being groomed to interfere in the 2020 elections and an aide added that Gabbard might be being groomed by the Russians. The accusations prompted Gabbard to sue Clinton.
When pushed on why she wasn’t as critical of Biden, who also supported the Iraq War initially, she said the former vice president had apologized for his vote.
Gabbard’s exit leaves Biden and Sanders competing for the Democratic nomination. The winner will then take on President Donald Trump in November.


inquisitr--2020-03-19--Donald Trump Will Win Only 42 Percent Of The Vote In 2020 Election Due To GDP Drop, ‘Economist’ Mode

Donald Trump Will Win Only 42 Percent Of The Vote In 2020 Election Due To GDP Drop, ‘Economist’ Model Predicts

The economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has left Trump 's re-election chances in deep trouble , according to 'The Economist ' magazine 's statistical model .
Donald Trump reportedly “ made clear ” that he wanted coronavirus testing slowed in the early stages of the pandemic , fearing that increased case numbers would damage his chances at reelection in November , according to a Politico reporter who covers the White House .
But new results from a major magazine ’ s election forecasting model show that the president ’ s alleged plan may have backfired in a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data journalist G. Elliott Morris of The Economist , the magazine ’ s model now predicts that Trump will manage to capture only 42 percent of the vote on November 3 .
That would be significantly lower than the 46 percent he won in 2016 — a popular vote total that trailed Democrat Hillary Clinton by two percentage points .
Even with 6 percent again voting for “ other ” candidates , as in 2016 , the Economist prediction would mean that the Democratic candidate — who now appears likely to be former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clear majority , with 52 percent of the vote .
While Trump in 2016 won the presidency without winning the popular vote , no candidate in a presidential election since the turn of the 20th century has ever won more than 50 percent of the popular vote and lost the presidency in the Electoral College .
In American history ’ s only example of the above situation , Ohio ’ s Rutherford B. Hayes defeated New York ’ s Samuel Tilden in the election of 1876 , according to 270ToWin.com .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the vote , but lost the Electoral College after a long legal battle over 20 disputed electoral votes , in what 270ToWin called “ one of the most disputed presidential elections in American history.
” According to Morris , the Economist prediction was arrived at after the financial institution J.P. Morgan issued its projections for quarterly gross domestic product growth in 2020 on Wednesday .
With markets tumbling and the economy grinding down due to the coronavirus outbreak , economists at the big bank predict a massive 14 percent plunge in second-quarter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times report .
That precipitous drop , coupled with a negative 10-point net approval rating for Trump — approximately where his rating now stands — led to the dire projection regarding his re-election chances , according to Morris .
He added that he would “ bet ” the president exceeds 42 percent , “ but the point is nevertheless clear : he ’ s in trouble.
” A 14-percent drop in GDP would make the projected second-quarter 2020 decline far worse than the biggest one of the 2008 economic collapse .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fell by 8.4 percent .


inquisitr--2020-03-19--GOP Senator Says ‘No More Than’ 3.4 Percent Of Population Will Die Of Coronavirus, About 11 Million

GOP Senator Says ‘No More Than’ 3.4 Percent Of Population Will Die Of Coronavirus, About 11 Million Deaths

Senator Ron Johnson sought to downplay the deadly impact of the coronavirus pandemic , but cited some frightening numbers .
As the United States death toll from coronavirus infection hit 143 on Wednesday , with the total number of cases topping 8,000 , according to New York Times figures , one Republican senator this week attempted to calm fears about the overall impact of the virus — but may have inadvertently stoked those fears instead .
Wisconsin GOP Senator Ron Johnson , a key Donald Trump ally in the senate , told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that acquiring coronavirus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe no more than 3.4 percent of our population .
Johnson added that he believed the actual total could be “ far less.
” “ We don ’ t shut down our economy because tens of thousands of people die on the highways , ” Johnson said in the interview with Journal Sentinel Washington Bureau Chief Craig Gilbert .
But if Johnson ’ s upper-end figure were correct , far more than “ tens of thousands ” of Americans would die from coronavirus infection .
The U.S. population is currently about 330.4 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure is equal to more than 11.2 million people who under Johnson ’ s estimate would die from contracting coronavirus .
By comparison , the 1918 “ Spanish flu ” pandemic — considered the deadliest disease outbreak in U.S. history , killed an estimated 675,000 Americans .
That figure was less than one percent of the U.S. population in that year .
The 11.2 million figure is approximately twice the population of Johnson ’ s home state of Wisconsin , as well .
Johnson may have mistaken the estimated mortality rate for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported at 3.4 percent , for a percentage of the actual population that would supposedly die as a result of the infection .
But a British study by Imperial College London , conducted by one of the world ’ s leading infectious disease specialists , also presents a grim picture of the possible death toll in the U.S .
According to a summary of the report by The Washington Post , the study led by Professor Neil Ferguson found that left unchecked , COVID-19 — the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus — would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But with extreme “ social distancing ” measures lasting up to 18 months , that figure could be reduced into the thousands , the report said .
Johnson has long been known as a close Trump ally and defender in the Ukraine scandal that led to Trump ’ s impeachment , even saying that he did not trust the United States ’ own FBI or CIA .
In his interview with The Journal Sentinel , Johnson added that despite his seeming to minimize the impact of the coronavirus pandemic , he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently underway in the U.S. were an example of “ overreacting.
” “ I am hopeful we… can , in the end , put this all in perspective and we can get the economy back on track , ” he told the paper .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Sources Close To Donald Trump Say Senator Richard Burr ‘Needs To Resign’ After Stock Dumping, Report

Sources Close To Donald Trump Say Senator Richard Burr ‘Needs To Resign’ After Stock Dumping, Report Claims

Republican Richard Burr could soon be feeling pressure from the top to resign his position and leave the U.S. Senate after a report that he dumped as much as $ 1.7 miillion worth of stock after receiving a closed-door briefing on the coronavirus weeks ago .
This week , a report from ProPublica found that Burr started a major sell-off of his stocks on February 13 , the early days of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States .
Burr is the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , which had received a closed-door briefing about the devastating projection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dump between roughly $ 500,000 and $ 1.7 million of stock .
Two week after the stock sell-off , Burr spoke at a private event in Washington in which he delivered a sobering warning about the potential of the COVID-19 virus , one that contrasted with more optimistic projections from Trump .
The president at the time was telling Americans that the outbreak would soon be contained and disappear , but since then it has continued to spread across the country with more than 10,000 cases across the country and growing quickly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign after the report of his stock sell-off , with critics saying he quietly pulled out his stock using knowledge of how devastating the outbreak would be — all while failing to adequately warn Americans about what was to come .
There may also be pressure from the top for him to leave , ABC News senior producer John Santucci reported on Twitter .
“ Hearing from sources close to President Trump that Burr needs to resign , ” he noted on Thursday night .
While it was not clear who Santucci was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire from some of Trump ’ s allies .
Speaking on Fox News on Thursday night , host and Trump backer Tucker Carlson demanded that Burr explain why he made the stock sales or else resign his position .
Burr has pushed back , saying that there was nothing improper about his stock sales and telling ProPublica that he had filed a disclosure for the transaction long before the stock market dive .
“ Senator Burr filed a financial disclosure form for personal transactions made several weeks before the U.S. and financial markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing coronavirus outbreak , ” a Burr spokesperson said .
“ As the situation continues to evolve daily , he has been deeply concerned by the steep and sudden toll this pandemic is taking on our economy .
”


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Donald Trump Might Use Coronavirus As Excuse To Delay November Election, Warns Democratic Senator

During a press conference on Wednesday , Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio issued a dire warning about the 2020 presidential election .
Per The Hill , discussing Ohio ’ s decision to delay its Tuesday primary due to the coronavirus outbreak , Brown suggested that President Donald Trump might use the crisis as an excuse to delay the November election .
Trump , Brown argued , might use the state of Ohio ’ s decision as a precedent .
As The Hill notes , citing the coronavirus outbreak , Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , a Republican , pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take place this Tuesday to June 2 .
According to Brown , the state should have made the decision earlier , as to avoid setting a bad precedent .
“ I wish they had done this earlier .
I think they could have done this on Friday .
He ’ s in the arena doing this , I ’ m not , ” the senator said of the governor .
“ I ’ m not super critical of him .
I just wish they had done this earlier , ” he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his decision to postpone the primary , noting that holding the election would put both voters and poll workers at risk of catching the virus .
“ We should not force them to make this choice , the choice between their health and their constitutional rights and duties , ” he said , pointing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines , according to which large gatherings need to be avoided .
According to data , 90 coronavirus cases have been reported in the state of Ohio so far .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ very likely ” that the November election will be held as planned , given that the president — even if he wanted to — would not be able to postpone it .
Trump would need congressional approval to do so .
Furthermore , according to the publication , state officials and local parties “ have flexibility ” to delay primary elections , but not general elections .
Declaring a national emergency would also not enable Trump to delay the November election .
In November , Trump will most likely face off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are the only two candidates remaining in the Democratic presidential primary , but Biden has racked up a more than 200 delegate lead .
Following underwhelming finishes in Iowa , New Hampshire , and Nevada , Biden won South Carolina and amassed a significant number of delegates on Super Tuesday , coasting to victory in most competitions that followed .
On Thursday , he landed another high-profile endorsement , with New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand deciding to formally back his hid .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Kirsten Gillibrand Endorses Joe Biden For President

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has endorsed Joe Biden for President of the United States , reports The Washington Post .
Gillibrand , herself a former White House hopeful , is joining a dozen former competitors to back Biden ’ s bid for the White House .
In a statement , Gillibrand praised Biden for running “ the strongest campaign , ” adding that he is the best candidate to take on President Donald Trump in November .
Gillibrand also suggested that Biden is uniquely positioned to be a “ healer , ” and bring the United States together as the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cause a major economic recession .
“ His ability to empathize and absorb the fears of the country right now is essential , ” the senator said of the former vice president .
Gillibrand failed to make a significant impact in the presidential race , but one of the defining moments of her campaign was a fiery clash with Biden .
During a debate in July , she confronted the former vice president about an op-ed he wrote to explain his vote against expanding a child-care tax credit .
“ So under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am I serving in Congress resulting in the deterioration of the family ?
” Gillibrand asked Biden on the debate stage .
“ I just want to know what he meant when he said that , ” she added .
As The Washington Post notes , in the op-ed defending the vote , Biden criticized the United States Senate for wanting to “ make it easier ” for upper-income families to be eligible for the tax credit .
Biden has said that he will pick a female running mate , but there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the role .
According to the senator , the former vice president ’ s decision to share the ticket with a woman is “ smart.
” “ I certainly would consider supporting [ him ] in any way that he wants me to , ” Gillibrand said when asked about the possibility of joining the ticket , adding that she can also be “ very effective ” for Biden as a senator .
The entire Democratic Party presidential primary field has coalesced around Biden , whose only remaining competitor in the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , Sanders would need a miracle to make a comeback , given that Biden has racked up a more than 200 delegate lead .
Biden , who had long been polling as the national frontrunner , collapsed in Iowa , New Hampshire , and Nevada , winning only South Carolina .
The South Carolina victory — in combination with a number of high profile endorsements and with many of his competitors abruptly dropping out of the race — was enough to propel him to victory on Super Tuesday , when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has endorsed Joe Biden for president of the United States, reports The Washington Post. Gillibrand, herself a former White House hopeful, is joining a dozen former competitors to back Biden’s bid for the White House.
In a statement, Gillibrand praised Biden for running “the strongest campaign,” adding that he is the best candidate to take on President Donald Trump in November.
“He’s the absolute best candidate to defeat President Trump, and I think he is the person who has gained the trust and the respect of the American people in a way that no one else has.”
Gillibrand also suggested that Biden is uniquely positioned to be a “healer” and bring the United States together as the coronavirus pandemic rages across the country, threatening to cause a major economic recession.
“His ability to empathize and absorb the fears of the country right now is essential,” the senator said of the former vice president.
Gillibrand failed to make a significant impact in the presidential race, but one of the defining moments of her campaign was a fiery clash with Biden. During a debate in July, she confronted the former vice president about an op-ed he wrote to explain his vote against expanding a child care tax credit.
“So under Vice President Biden’s analysis, am I serving in Congress resulting in the deterioration of the family?” Gillibrand asked Biden on the debate stage. “I just want to know what he meant when he said that,” she added.
As The Washington Post notes, in the op-ed defending the vote, Biden criticized the United States Senate for wanting to “make it easier” for upper-income families to be eligible for the tax credit.
Biden has said that he will pick a female running mate, but there is no indication that Gillibrand is being considered for the role. According to the senator, the former vice president’s decision to share the ticket with a woman is “smart.”
“I certainly would consider supporting [him] in any way that he wants me to,” Gillibrand said when asked about the possibility of joining the ticket, adding that she can also be “very effective” for Biden as a senator.
The entire Democratic Party presidential primary field has coalesced around Biden, whose only remaining competitor in the race is Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. However, Sanders would need a miracle to make a comeback, given that Biden has racked up a more than 200-delegate lead.
Biden, who had long been polling as the national front-runner, collapsed in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, winning only South Carolina. The South Carolina victory — in combination with a number of high-profile endorsements and with many of his competitors abruptly dropping out of the race — was enough to propel him to victory on Super Tuesday, when he first took a significant lead over Sanders.


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Donald Trump Jokes During Coronavirus Conference, Says ‘Media Has Ben Much Nicer’ Because Of Social

Donald Trump Jokes During Coronavirus Conference, Says ‘Media Has Ben Much Nicer’ Because Of Social Distancing

On Thursday , during a White House press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic , President Donald Trump cracked jokes with reporters present at the event .
Per Mediaite , before delivering his prepared remarks , Trump said that the practice of social distancing has made the media “ much nicer.
” “ I think with social distancing , the media has been much nicer .
I don ’ t know what it is , ” Trump said , noting that reporters are now maintaining a safe distance between each other , with empty chairs between them .
“ But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get me now , ” he added .
The president was apparently in a jovial mood , as he kept cracking jokes and making similar comments throughout the entirety of the conference .
He jokingly suggested that only two or three reporters that he likes should stay to question him , which one reporter described as “ anti-media humor.
” The Trump administration ’ s response to the crisis has been criticized by members of the press and Democratic Party politicians , with many suggesting that the president initially downplayed the severity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week , when asked whether the rich and the well-connected are able to “ go to the front of the line ” and get tested , Trump said that he “ wouldn ’ t say so , ” but noted that “ perhaps that ’ s been the story of life.
” “ That does happen on occasion and I ’ ve noticed where some people have been tested fairly quickly , ” he said .
Both the Trump administration and the United States Congress have begun undertaking measures to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sinking economy .
On Thursday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced a $ 1 trillion emergency economic aid proposal .
This followed a similar economic aid package passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives .
The Republican proposal — which includes aid for industries and businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis — also suggests giving direct cash payments to American citizens .
Some GOP lawmakers have expressed opposition to direct cash payments , with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham saying that it would be better to “ beef up the unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to tackle the pandemic , Trump ’ s approval rating has increased .
Two weeks ago , according to a new poll by YouGov and The Economist , 56 percent of Americans disapproved of how Trump was handling the coronavirus crisis .
This week , 45 percent approve , and 46 percent disapprove of how the president is handling the situation .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Joe Biden And Bernie Sanders Both Beat Donald Trump By Wide Margins In New Poll

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are both comfortably ahead of Donald Trump in a new national poll .
The poll , released on Friday by The Economist and YouGov , found that both Democratic challengers are ahead of the Republican president and outside of the poll ’ s margin of error .
It found that both Biden and Sanders had the support of 48 percent of voters , while Trump earned the support of 41 percent in each of the separate polls .
The poll found that nearly all voters had made up their mind on one side or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they remained undecided between Trump and Biden while another 2 percent said they were not planning to vote in November .
In the polling of Sanders against Trump , six percent said they were undecided while two percent said they would not vote .
As The Hill noted , Biden has a wide lead over Sanders in the Democratic primary , turning around an early deficit with a big win in South Carolina that has propelled him to wins in a string of key states , including Texas , Michigan , and Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in pledged delegates with an unfavorable election map ahead .
There were reports this week that Sanders is in the stages of exploring an exit from the race .
It was not clear yet how Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus could affect national polling .
The poll from The Economist and YouGov was conducted between March 15 March 17 , as the virus was spreading rapidly across the United States .
After taking some initial criticism for statements downplaying the severity of the virus and predicting that all cases in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter of a few days , Trump has since earned more praise for his handling of the crisis .
As The Inquisitr reported , a new poll found that a majority of Americans approved of the way Trump was handling the coronavirus .
Still , Trump has struggled in polls against Biden , who appears a lock to win the Democratic Party ’ s nomination and face Trump in November .
As the poll tracking website Real Clear Politics showed , Biden led Trump by an average of 7.4 points in an aggregate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of the campaign has also shown that Biden leads Trump in a number of key swing states , including Florida , which Trump won in 2016 .
Biden also performed well against Trump in key states of Michigan and Pennsylvania .

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are both comfortably ahead of Donald Trump in a new national poll.
The poll, released on Friday by The Economist and YouGov, found that both Democratic challengers are ahead of the Republican president and outside of the poll’s margin of error. It found that both Biden and Sanders had the support of 48 percent of voters, while Trump earned the backing of 41 percent in each of the separate polls.
The poll found that nearly all voters had made up their mind on one side or the other, with just 5 percent saying they remained undecided between Biden and the president and another 2 percent saying they were not planning to vote in November. In the polling of Sanders against Trump, 6 percent said they were undecided while 2 percent said they would not vote.
As The Hill noted, Biden has a wide lead over Sanders in the Democratic primary, turning around an early deficit with a big win in South Carolina that has propelled him to victories in a string of key states, including Texas, Michigan, and Florida. Sanders now faces a significant deficit in pledged delegates with an unfavorable election map ahead. There were reports this week that Sanders is in the stages of exploring an exit from the race.
It was not clear yet how Trump’s handling of the coronavirus could affect national surveys. The poll from The Economist and YouGov was conducted between March 15 and March 17, as the virus was spreading rapidly across the United States. After taking some initial criticism for statements seemingly downplaying the severity of the virus and predicting that all cases in the U.S. would clear up in a matter of a few days, Trump has since earned more praise for his handling of the crisis.
As The Inquisitr reported, a new poll found that a majority of Americans now approved of the way Trump was handling the coronavirus.
Still, the president has struggled in polls against Biden, who appears a lock to win the Democratic Party’s nomination. As the poll tracking website Real Clear Politics showed, Biden led Trump by an average of 7.4 points in an aggregate of all national polling.
Polling over the course of the campaign has also shown that Biden leads Trump in a number of key swing states, including Florida, which the president won in 2016. The former vice president also performed well against Trump in the key states of Michigan and Pennsylvania.


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Ivanka Trump Reportedly Gets Coronavirus Test Results Back

President Donald Trump ‘ s daughter and senior adviser , Ivanka Trump , has been tested for coronavirus , according to a new report from The Hill .
Trump , who did not show symptoms of the virus , was tested after an Australian government official she met with earlier this month reported his positive diagnosis .
According to a senior administration official , the test came back negative , but the president ’ s daughter is working from home and engaging in social distancing .
“ Over the last week , Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump has followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the official revealed to The Hill .
“ At the advisement of her doctors , due to lack of symptoms and consistently healthy physician checks , Advisor Trump will be working from the White House today , ” they said , explaining that Trump will follow the official White House procedure and undergo various health check-ups .
As the publication notes , the president ’ s daughter was present in the White House briefing room during Friday ’ s coronavirus crisis news conference .
She is also expected to participate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business owners later in the day .
A number of Trump administration officials met with the Australian government representative on March 5 , during his visit to Washington D.C .
The president ’ s daughter was reportedly tested last week .
The president has also been tested for coronavirus .
Trump took the test after it was revealed that Brazilian officials he had dined with at his Mar-a-Lago resort caught the virus .
According to White House physician Sean P. Conley , the president is not at high risk for exposure to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press events to brief the public about what is being done to tackle the coronavirus crisis .
Both the commander-in-chief and his administration have been criticized for how they have handled the outbreak .
with critics suggesting that the president initially downplayed the severity of the crisis .
In recent weeks , however , the administration and the United States Congress have introduced measures to combat the spread of the virus and revive the economy .
Both the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and the GOP-controlled Senate have introduced economic aid packages , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in emergency economic aid .
This has helped shift public perception about how the government is handling the crisis , according to latest polling .
According to a new poll by YouGov and The Economist , 45 percent approve , and 46 percent disapprove of how Trump is handling the unprecedented crisis .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--National Coronavirus Testing Website Hasn’t Launched Yet Despite Announcement By Donald Trump

Donald Trump reportedly jumped the gun when he announced at a press conference last week that Google was building a national website to help with screening for the coronavirus .
Now , one week after Trump said that the site would be “ quickly done , ” it has yet to go live .
As Tech Crunch reported , Trump caught the company off guard when he delivered a speech on the federal response to the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic last week and said that the company was creating a national website that would guide people to a testing facility if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website as a way to criticize the Obama administration , claiming that his predecessor failed with the rollout of the Obamacare website .
As The Verge noted , Trump did not give a timeline in his announcement of the Google site , but suggested it would be faster than Obama rolled out the health care site .
“ Google is going to develop a website — it ’ s going to be very quickly done , unlike websites of the past — to determine if a test is warranted and to facilitate testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
“ We have many , many locations behind us , by the way .
We cover this country and large parts of the world , by the way .
We ’ re not gon na be talking about the world right now , but we cover very , very strongly our country .
Stores in virtually every location .
Google has 1,700 engineers working on this right now .
They have made tremendous progress.
” The report noted that Google ’ s site is being created by a sister company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to focus on just the San Francisco Bay Area — a site that did launch earlier in the week .
But Trump presented the site as a national resource , with the coordinator of the White House coronavirus response team even displaying a flow chart showing how it would work .
The Google site has still not launched , and in the week since Trump first announced it would be coming the coronavirus has spread even further across the country .
There are now more than 15,000 confirmed cases across the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent between Thursday and Friday alone .
Trump , after being initially criticized for an early response that critics said downplayed the severity of the outbreak , has since earned more praise for his response to the virus .
As The Inquisitr reported , a majority of Americans now approve of Trump ’ s handling of the crisis , a flip from last week when a majority expressed disapproval .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Barack Obama’s Ebola Czar Slams Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Response: ‘I’d Have To Say It’s An F’

During an appearance on CNBC on Friday , former President Barack Obama ‘ s Ebola czar , Ron Klain , revealed his thoughts on Donald Trump ‘ s handling of the coronavirus crisis , which has been increasingly approved by the American public .
“ Fairly , I ’ d have to say it ’ s an F and I ’ ll tell you why , ” Klain said , per Breitbart .
The 58-year-old political operative first pointed to Trump ’ s travel ban , which he notes was only partial .
Although Klain questioned whether a full travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also acknowledged that the partial ban would be insufficient in stopping all individuals with coronavirus from entering the country .
While Klain acknowledged that Dr. Anthony Fauci , an immunologist with the National Institutes of Health of the United States , was right that the ban bought the U.S. some time , he suggested that this window was wasted .
He pointed to the other countries that used their window of opportunity to increase testing , strengthen hospitals , and bolster the production of medical devices and personal protective equipment .
Klain noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but called the “ failed response ” a result of the poor decisions of American leaders .
“ I think we ’ re seeing the consequences of that , ” he said .
“ There ’ s no reason why America is testing at a fraction of the rate of South Korea , there ’ s no reason why we didn ’ t ramp up like Singapore to deal with this.
” Although the Obama administration alumni acknowledged the improvement in the response in recent weeks , he suggested that the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect the crisis .
The Trump administration ’ s recent response to the virus is a sharp shift from the president ’ s previous downplaying of the crisis .
As reported by CNBC , the White House has , in recent days , pushed for increased U.S. testing capacity , faster vaccine development , and relief packages to help Americans and small businesses struggling amid the halted economy .
According to Business Insider , Obama ’ s administration reportedly believed a pandemic was something that the Trump administration could face and thus briefed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 .
In addition , a simulation ran in 2019 — the “ Crimson Contagion ” — allegedly predicted the failed federal government response that was reportedly behind the problems with the Trump administration ’ s early approach to COVID-19 .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Donald Trump Slams ‘Terrible’ NBC Reporter For Asking Him To Speak To Scared Americans

Donald Trump attacked NBC reporter Peter Alexander on Friday at his daily coronavirus press briefing .
As NBC reports , the president called the White House correspondent a “ terrible reporter ” when he asked what Trump would say to the millions of Americans who are frightened by the ongoing pandemic .
“ Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things is maybe giving Americans a false sense of hope and misrepresenting preparedness right now ?
” Alexander asked .
Trump replied that he didn ’ t believe so and went on to defend his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president said that while he didn ’ t have evidence , he had a good feeling about the situation , particularly over the malarial drug that some experts are saying can help treat coronavirus victims .
“ Smart guy , I feel good about it , ” he insisted , saying we have “ nothing to lose ” in trying the medication .
At that point , the NBC reporter followed up with another question .
“ What do you say to Americans who are scared , though ?
Nearly 200 dead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you witnessed , who are scared right now , ” Alexander submitted .
“ I say that you ’ re a terrible reporter , ” Trump responded .
“ I think that ’ s a very nasty question .
And I think it ’ s a very bad signal that you ’ re putting out to the American people.
” “ You ’ re doing sensationalism , ” he continued , calling out NBC and its parent company Comcast , which he referred to as “ con-cast.
” He said that American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the type of questions that Alexander was asking , saying that he should get back to reporting instead of sensationalism .
“ You ought to be ashamed of yourself , ” he concluded .
Alexander was defended by CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins , who asked the president if attacking her colleague was the appropriate way to address the situation during a crisis of this nature .
In regards to the malarial medication , Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said that there was only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to help patients and cautioned that there hadn ’ t been clinical trials .
He declined to make a definitive claim about the drug ’ s efficacy .
Trump , however , insisted that he has been right about many things in the past and believed that time would tell on the drug .
Later on in the conference , Trump returned to attacking Alexander , saying that he had worked with the journalist in the past and felt that he wasn ’ t good at his job .
The interaction comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media has been much nicer since they began adhering to social distancing recommendations .
Meanwhile , stocks took another dive as the president spoke at the conference , despite trending upward on Thursday .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Majority Of Americans Now Approve Of Donald Trump’s Handling Of Coronavirus, Poll Says

A new ABC/Ipsos poll of the general American population released Friday revealed that 55 percent of respondents said they approve of President Donald Trump ‘ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation , while 43 percent said they disapprove .
As reported by Newsweek , the poll surveyed 512 American adults from Wednesday through Thursday and has a 5 percent margin of error .
According to Newsweek , the new results are a flip from last week , when the previous iteration of the survey released March 13 found that 54 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent approved .
The recent poll echoes the results from a Harris poll released Thursday that surveyed 2,050 U.S. adults across two waves .
As reported by Breitbart , the survey showed an increase in approval of Trump ’ s coronavirus handling from 51 to 56 percent in just days .
“ The separate polls demonstrate that Americans across the board are increasingly approving of the way the president is handling the coronavirus pandemic , ” the publication noted .
The change in public approval of Trump ’ s COVID-19 approach comes after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar , praised the president ’ s recent response to the pandemic .
Much of the praise came after the Trump administration ’ s announcement of cash payments for Americans , as well as other plans to provide economic relief for the country .
In addition to financial relief , Trump has implemented vast travel restrictions to affected countries and invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure the necessary equipment is created to deal with the virus .
The administration also announced Thursday that the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow for off-label treatment amid promising studies from other countries that suggest it may be effective in treating coronavirus patients .
As reported by Politico , Trump has been engaging in daily White House briefings with the coronavirus task force to address reporters and announce new federal actions .
The publication noted the “ solemn ” approach and contrasted it to his “ widely criticized ” initial response .
Despite the approval , Trump ’ s approach has not been met positively by everyone .
As The Inquisitr reported , New York City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his pleas to Trump ’ s White House have fallen on deaf ears .
According to de Blasio , all of his recent requests for additional medical supplies have yet to be answered .
Per Politico ’ s report , Trump told reporters Thursday that the federal government is “ not a shipping clerk ” and pushed the responsibility to governors for acquiring necessary medical supplies .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Dr. Anthony Fauci Appears To Facepalm As Donald Trump Rants About ‘Deep State’ In Coronavirus Confer

Dr. Anthony Fauci Appears To Facepalm As Donald Trump Rants About ‘Deep State’ In Coronavirus Conference

Donald Trump spoke at the White House on Friday about the coronavirus outbreak , and while much of the briefing focused on what the administration was doing to control the pandemic , he took a brief aside to attack the State Department .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , head of the National Institutes of Health , didn ’ t seem to agree with the president ’ s comments , after he was caught on camera putting his hand on his face and grimacing while standing behind Trump .
Journalist Max Lewis posted a clip of Trump ’ s Friday speech on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president .
In the clip , Trump said that he wanted Mike Pompeo , the current Secretary of State , to “ go back to the State Department — or as they call it , the Deep State Department — and do his job.
” As Trump concluded his remarks and left the podium so reporters could ask further questions , Fauci could be seen raising his palm to his forehead and smiling uncomfortably as he wiped his fingers across his face .
Fauci has led the response to the coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the president ’ s task force .
The immunologist has served under numerous administrations and has been regarded by some as being forthright about the threat that the virus poses to the world .
He recently said that the U.S. had failed in its responsibility to test citizens for the virus , but was careful to say that neither the president , nor the CDC deserved blame for the lack of test kits .
On Friday , Fauci warned people that the pandemic will likely force Americans to continue to bunker down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the New York Post reported .
“ If you look at the trajectory of the curves of outbreaks in other areas it ’ s at least going to be several weeks , ” Fauci said .
“ I can not see that all of a sudden next week or two weeks from now it ’ s going to be over .
I don ’ t think there ’ s a chance of that — I think it ’ s going to be several weeks.
” On the bright side , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. , which could help get the spread of COVID-19 under better control , or at least paint a more accurate picture of the disease .
He said that the U.S. is reaching a point where nearly everyone who needs it can get it .
“ As I ’ ve said , it wasn ’ t as much as it should have been , ” he added .
“ But now we ’ re very much in the right direction , flooding the system with it…It ’ s not a perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there very rapidly.
” Trump has often referred to the “ deep state ” within the government , claiming that he has been working to ferret out bad actors inside the White House .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Donald Trump Announces U.S.-Mexico Border Closed To Non-Essential Travel

After closing the U.S.-Canada border to all non-essential travel , Donald Trump announced that the southern border of the United States will similarly be limited in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
As Business Insider reports , the countries reached an agreement that halts all travel between the two except for trade and commerce .
“ As we did with Canada , we ’ re also working with Mexico to implement new rules at our ports of entry to suspend nonessential travel , ” the president said during his daily coronavirus press conference .
“ These new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade and commerce.
” On Wednesday , the administration announced that it was closing the Canadian border , effective on Friday , to all non-essential travel .
Essential travel is defined as medical-related travel , educational travel , trade , and emergency or public needs-related travel .
Vacation travel has been banned entirely between both the U.S. and Canada and the U.S. and Mexico .
All Americans are advised not to travel internationally during the pandemic , and on Thursday , the administration advised all Americans abroad to either return to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the immediate future .
On Tuesday , the Trump administration said that it planned to turn away anyone seeking asylum or anyone else attempting to cross the border illegally because the risk of spreading the virus among detention facilities at the southern border was too great .
Officials argue that if the virus were to catch hold in the immigrant population being held at the border , it could spread rapidly and eventually weaken the United State ’ s defenses .
Trump has also argued in the past that the American infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrants shouldn ’ t be allowed into the country .
As The New York Times reported , green card holders and foreigners with appropriate documentation could still cross .
“ Border Patrol agents would immediately return to Mexico anyone who tries to cross the southern border between the legal ports of entry .
Under the policy , asylum seekers would not be held for any length of time in an American facility nor would they be given due process .
Once caught , they would be driven to the nearest port of entry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the Times reported .
Officials state that the new policies will remain in place as long as the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic .
Mexico reported 118 cases of the virus on Friday , while the U.S. has over 14,000 .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Kansas GOP Official Says Lack Of Chinese Immigrants Has Protected His State From Coronavirus

Marvin Rodriguez , the Republican chairman of the County Commissioners in Riley County , Kansas , claimed last week that the reason his state isn ’ t seeing as many cases of coronavirus infection is that they don ’ t have a large number of Chinese immigrants .
Rodriguez compared the state to Italy , claiming that the European country has more Chinese people than Kansas and , as a result , has more cases of COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m paraphrasing , but he said we don ’ t have a problem here because Italy has a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have that problem here , ” Manhattan , Kansas Mayor Usha Reddi told the Kansas City Star .
Rodriguez was speaking at a meeting aimed at declaring a state of emergency in the city of Manhattan .
While the measure was ultimately put in place , the GOP politician said that he believes the move is an over-reaction that would ultimately hurt the area ’ s economy .
After being questioned by a journalist with the Star via telephone , he sought to amend his statements .
Rodriguez said that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive , but that he is aware that Italy has an existing problem with its nationalized health system .
On top of that , he claims , a friend in the Navy said that there is a large Asian population in the country .
“ There ’ s a garment industry and a lot of Chinese [ in Northern Italy ] .
If we were like Italy , we ’ d have it already.
” Being that Kansas , like all U.S. states , already has confirmed COVID-19 , Reddi feels that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asian-American members of the local community uncomfortable .
When confronted by the Star about the potentially volatile situation his words could create , Rodriguez didn ’ t respond directly .
Instead , he went on to suggest that perhaps China had put the virus out intentionally , though he didn ’ t expand on why he might think they would do so .
“ Well , they say it came out of China , ” he said , “ and I ’ m not putting it past the Chinese government in communist China.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that China could have exported a virus on purpose , he responded that the rate of spread seemed suspicious .
“ Normally , this kind of thing spreads slowly , ” he said , “ I put two and two together .
I ’ ve been around a long time , girl.
” In recent days , President Donald Trump has also sought to put blame on China for the coronavirus pandemic .
He has repeatedly called COVID-19 the “ Chinese virus , ” a term that critics say is both racist and @ @


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Trump Appointee’s Simulation Predicted Failed Federal Government Response To A Virus Last Year, Repo

Trump Appointee’s Simulation Predicted Failed Federal Government Response To A Virus Last Year, Report Says

A Thursday report from The New York Times claims that a Donald Trump appointee last year used a simulation called “ Crimson Contagion ” to predict the poor coordination between federal and local agencies that has allegedly defined the United States ’ initial response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The simulation was reportedly run by the Trump administration ’ s Department of Health and Human Services from January 2019 to August 2019 .
The program reportedly simulated a respiratory virus that begins in China and infects 110 million Americans , with 7.7 million hospitalizations and 586,000 deaths .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the simulated incorporation of a dozen agencies and another dozen states , the federal government would be “ underfunded , underprepared and uncoordinated ” in the case of a battle with a virus with no treatment .
“ The draft report , marked ‘ not to be disclosed , ’ laid out in stark detail repeated cases of ‘ confusion ’ in the exercise , ” The New York Times report reads .
The New York Times report claims that there have been three occasions of the past four years of U.S. government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama administrations — that the shortcomings of the federal government ’ s response to a pandemic were broached .
In response to the report , the White House allegedly said that it responded to the 2019 simulation with an executive order to increase both the availability and quality of flu vaccines .
It also claimed to have pushed for increased funding for the Health and Human Services ’ global pandemic threat program .
“ Any suggestion that President Trump did not take the threat of COVID-19 seriously is false , ” said Judd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regardless , Trump administration officials have not explained why the rollout for coronavirus testing was so slow and not up to the speed that the simulation recommended .
Although Congress was reportedly briefed on the findings in December — around the time the virus was emerging in China — testing for COVID-19 in the U.S. has continued to lag behind other countries .
Per The New York Times , research conducted over the last five years suggests that the federal government had “ considerable knowledge ” of the risks a pandemic would cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration is now “ scrambling ” to address .
As noted by The Washington Post , a recent study from Imperial College London claims that the U.S. must pursue a “ wide adoption ” of measures to reduce coronavirus transmission and decrease the demand that is placed on health care services .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Trump Administration Asking States To Delay Releasing Unemployment Numbers As Economy Tanks

To prevent further unsettling on Wall Street , the Trump administration has requested that state labor officials hold off on releasing data on the numbers of recent unemployment claims they ’ ve received .
According to The New York Times , the Labor Department sent an email Wednesday requesting that states release only generalities like “ a large increase ” rather than provide specific numbers of the unemployment claims they ’ re receiving , a move likely made to reduce the impact that the coronavirus is having on the economy .
The request is yet another indication that the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses are forced to shutter temporarily during the coronavirus outbreak and the stock market has continually dropped to levels below where they were before President Donald Trump took office .
“ States should not provide numeric values to the public , ” Gay Gilbert , administrator of the Labor Department ’ s Office of Unemployment Insurance , wrote in the email .
Instead , they should “ provide information using generalities to describe claims levels ( very high , large increase ) .
” Reportedly , some states were unsettled by the directions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consult with their attorney general to determine if they should withhold the numbers .
It ’ s already clear that people are losing their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis , with a 33 percent spike last week alone in unemployment filings nationwide .
Experts at Goldman Sachs estimate that 2.25 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the past week , eight times the amounts from previous weeks .
There are concerns that the national unemployment rate could reach as high as 20 percent as a result of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been seen in the United States since the Great Depression .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that without a rescue package from the Senate , that number wasn ’ t outside the realm of possibility .
When asked about Mnuchin ’ s predictions , Trump dismissed the concerns , as reported by CNN .
“ I don ’ t agree with that — that ’ s an absolute total worst-case scenario , ” the president said in response .
“ We ’ re nowhere near it.
” The exact numbers will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email sent out to the states by the Labor Department .
The COVID-19 outbreak has had an unprecedented impact on the country , with businesses like airlines and restaurants devastated as people hunker down in their homes .
Most recently , the entire state of California was given the order to stay at home in order to prevent the spread of the disease .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Bill de Blasio Says Donald Trump’s White House Is No Longer Answering His Pleas For Coronavirus Help

In an appearance on MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe on Friday , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed that President Donald Trump ‘ s White House has stopped answering his pleas for help amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The federal government doesn ’ t even exist at this moment , ” he said , per Raw Story .
De Blasio noted that New York City has the highest number of COVID-19 infections in the United States and urged self-reliance in the face of the Trump administration ’ s alleged unresponsiveness .
His comment came as host Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House and the federal government to coordinate the provision of crucial medical equipment to states .
According to de Blasio , he recently reached out to Vice President Mike Pence and was forwarded to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , with whom he claims to have had a “ great conversation.
” “ Then all of my subsequent requests we heard nothing , ” de Blasio said .
“ We put it all in writing.
” The 58-year-old mayor told Scarborough and co-host Willie Geist that he has not received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since his contact with Azar .
As reported by The New York Times , de Blasio used his MSNBC appearance to claim that New York City has approximately 4,000 cases of coronavirus as of Friday morning .
He noted that the current numbers represent roughly 30 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the United States and 70 percent of those in the state of New York .
“ We have to take really intense , radical action right away , ” he said .
De Blasio also said that the city has run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ intense strain ” on the hospital system .
“ We literally will not have the things we need to save people ’ s lives , ” he said .
According to de Blasio , the city will have “ nothing left ” in two to three weeks should the federal government fail to provide the city and state with the necessary supplies .
Per The New York Times , the state of New York needs 50,000,000 surgical masks , 15,000 ventilators , and 3,000,000 N95 masks .
Although Trump has pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their respective states , he acknowledged that the federal government was outbidding many .
Scarborough took to Twitter Friday morning and claimed that the president could not subcontract the pandemic to the country ’ s mayors and governors .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Joe Scarborough Warns Donald Trump’s Failure To Address Coronavirus Could Lead To ’50-State Hurrican

Joe Scarborough Warns Donald Trump’s Failure To Address Coronavirus Could Lead To ’50-State Hurricane Katrina’

In a series of Friday morning tweets , MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe host , Joe Scarborough , urged Donald Trump to take better control of his government ’ s coronavirus response and warned of the repercussions of failing to do so , Raw Story reported .
“ The Federal Government ’ s continued failed and lax response re : tests and medical supplies will turn this crisis into a 50-state Hurricane Katrina , ” Scarborough tweeted .
According to the host , Trump ’ s call for individual states to purchase their own medical supplies is not the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president to coordinate with the White House and the federal government to “ lean into the crisis ” and provide medical supplies , testing , and ventilators .
As reported by Fortune , the federal government has been hindering governors who are attempting to purchase medical supplies by outbidding them .
When Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker broached the issue with Trump , the president reportedly acknowledged the problem of pricing , but continued to push for governors to obtain their own medical equipment .
“ Prices are always a component of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And maybe that ’ s why you lost to the feds , OK , that ’ s probably why.
” Scarborough also pushed Trump to consider an outline of a proper pandemic response in The Atlantic , which urged for suppression — a “ campaign to reduce the infectivity of a pandemic.
” “ The US must rapidly build up medical infrastructure for the coming storm this fall , ” Scarborough wrote , urging for an increase in testing for all citizens and investment in strengthening the country ’ s medical systems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fall will be disastrous , ” he concluded .
Per The Atlantic report , mass testing should target even those without symptoms , which is allegedly not currently possible with America ’ s current medical infrastructure .
According to the publication , this path forward will ensure that those infected are quarantined with “ absolute diligence.
” In positive news , the publication notes that a recent analysis from Imperial College indicated that serious mitigation efforts could slow down the spread of the virus and reduce the number of sick people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But even in this case , the publication points out that the fall and next winter will be more difficult if the proper efforts aren ’ t taken to reduce infectivity .
While Scarborough is among many who have criticized Trump ’ s coronavirus response , the president has also received praise in recent weeks .
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar was one of multiple Democrats who praised Trump ’ s administration for pledging to give cash payments to Americans , among their many other decisions .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--GOP Senator Says China Should ‘Foot The Bill’ For Coronavirus Damage In U.S.

On Thursday ’ s edition of Tucker Carlson Tonight , GOP Senator Josh Hawley told host Tucker Carlson that he believes there should be an investigation into the origins of coronavirus , which allegedly came from Wuhan , China .
As reported by Newsweek , Hawley also suggested that China should be forced to pay for the damages caused by the spread of COVID-19 in the United States .
“ We ought to have an international investigation into where this came originated , ” Hawley said , pointing to reports of the virus starting in the East Asian country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ aggressive response ” to the pandemic .
While his recent coronavirus approach has received praise , Newsweek noted that the president previously downplayed the severity of the crisis .
Although some theories suggest COVID-19 was the product of laboratory research in China — some going so far as to suggest it was a bioweapon — Science Daily reported that it is the product of natural evolution .
Kristian Andersen , an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research and co-author of a recent paper on the subject , claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Researcher Josie Golding , who was not involved in the study , said the recent data by Andersen and her team should end “ any speculation about deliberate genetic engineering.
” Regardless , the recent spike in U.S. cases has pushed Trump and his allies to take aim at China for its handling of the outbreak .
The president has used the “ Chinese virus ” tag to refer to the coronavirus , which he claims is intended to remind Americans of the origins of the disease .
Writing for CNN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on China is partly a political play .
He noted that Trump has aligned himself with Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas , who called for the Communist Party of China to be held “ accountable ” for its role in the spread of the coronavirus .
Collinson suggested that it may not be long before Trump begins to float the idea of China paying for coronavirus damages , echoing Hawley ’ s recent comments to Carlson .
“ Just wait for Donald Trump to demand that China pay for the pandemic — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the wall , ” Collinson wrote .


inquisitr--2020-03-20--Donald Trump Jokes During Coronavirus Conference, Says ‘Media Has Been Much Nicer’ Due To Social Dis

Donald Trump Jokes During Coronavirus Conference, Says ‘Media Has Been Much Nicer’ Due To Social Distancing

On Thursday , during a White House press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic , President Donald Trump cracked jokes with reporters present at the event .
Per Mediaite , before delivering his prepared remarks , Trump said that the practice of social distancing has made the media “ much nicer.
” “ I think with social distancing , the media has been much nicer .
I don ’ t know what it is , ” Trump said , noting that reporters are now maintaining a safe distance between each other , with empty chairs between them .
“ But I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will get me now , ” he added .
The president was apparently in a jovial mood , as he kept cracking jokes and making similar comments throughout the entirety of the conference .
He jokingly suggested that only two or three reporters that he likes should stay to question him , which one reporter described as “ anti-media humor.
” The Trump administration ’ s response to the crisis has been criticized by members of the press and Democratic Party politicians , with many suggesting that the president initially downplayed the severity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week , when asked whether the rich and the well-connected are able to “ go to the front of the line ” and get tested , Trump said that he “ wouldn ’ t say so ” but noted that “ perhaps that ’ s been the story of life.
” “ That does happen on occasion and I ’ ve noticed where some people have been tested fairly quickly , ” he said .
Both the Trump administration and the United States Congress have begun undertaking measures to combat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sinking economy .
On Thursday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced a $ 1 trillion emergency economic aid proposal .
This followed a similar economic aid package passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives .
The Republican proposal — which includes aid for industries and businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis — also suggests giving direct cash payments to American citizens .
Some GOP lawmakers have expressed opposition to direct cash payments , with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham saying that it would be better to “ beef up the unemployment system.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tackle the pandemic , Trump ’ s approval rating has increased .
Two weeks ago , according to a new poll by YouGov and The Economist , 56 percent of Americans disapproved of how Trump was handling the coronavirus crisis .
This week , 45 percent approve , and 46 percent disapprove of how the president is handling the situation .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Lou Dobbs, Who Said ‘National Left-Wing Media’ Is Overhyping Coronavirus, Now In Self-Quarantine

Fox Business Network host Lou Dobbs has been criticized for coverage of the coronavirus that critics say downplayed the severity of the outbreak , taking aim at the “ national left-wing media ” for what he said was “ playing up fears of the coronavirus ” in order to drive down the stock market .
Now , Dobbs is off the air an in self-isolation after reportedly coming in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 .
As The Daily Beast noted , substitute host David Asman told viewers on Friday ’ s edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay in self-isolation after a team member on the show tested positive .
Asman noted that Dobbs is not showing any symptoms of the virus , but has decided to take necessary precautions in an abundance of caution .
As the report noted , the announcement that he was in self-isolation came after Dobbs has been one of the biggest critics of the panic that accompanied the spread of the virus .
Dobbs , one of the most vocal defenders of Donald Trump , echoed early tones from the White House that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overblown and that it would pass quickly .
Dobbs has shifted his tone in recent days as Trump has done the same , and now devotes much of his show to praising Trump ’ s response to the outbreak .
Dobbs has joined a number of others close to Trump affected by the spread of the coronavirus .
On Friday , the office of Vice President Mike Pence announced that a staff member had tested positive , the first known case of a White House staffer contracting the virus .
A spokesperson for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any direct contact with the individual .
Earlier in the month , several Republican lawmakers decided to self-quarantine after coming into contact with a man at the Conservative Political Action Conference who later tested positive at a New Jersey medical facility .
Trump himself was in close contact with a Brazilian official who spent a weekend with the president at Mar-a-Lago , even posing while standing next to Trump , and days later tested positive for coronavirus .
Trump himself was tested later in the week , and the results came back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox News family of networks have been accused of following Trump ’ s initial lead in downplaying the coronavirus , though like Dobbs many have now shifted their tone .
Earlier this week , Fox News host Jesse Watters admitted on the air that he should have taken the warnings more seriously .
Watters had said on the air days prior that he was not worried about contracting the coronavirus and that he would “ beat it ” with positive thinking .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Joe Biden: Donald Trump Is ‘Behind The Curve’ In Combating Coronavirus Crisis

During a conference call with members of the press on Friday , Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden weighed in on how President Donald Trump is handling the coronavirus outbreak .
Per The Hill , Biden ripped into Trump for being “ behind the curve ” in combating the virus .
“ He ’ s all over the map .
In a crisis we need leadership that ’ s straightforward , clear and reliable , ” the former vice president told reporters , adding that “ the federal government needs to step up and lead.
” Biden then explained what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own plan for the federal government to tackle the outbreak .
The former vice president , he said , would ensure that the government provides testing for all who need it , activate the Defense Production act , provide $ 100 billion for local governments to mobilize reserve corps , and use the Department of Defense to assist with logistics .
In order to save the sinking economy , Biden told reporters , he would “ surge dollars ” into it , helping workers and small businesses survive the looming crisis .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans on holding similar conferences in the future .
“ Everything from providing access to where I physically live and being able to broadcast from there , as well as our headquarters , is underway , ” he said .
As The Hill notes , after widespread criticism , the Trump administration is now undertaking significant measures to fight the spread of the virus .
The president is putting the Defense Production Act “ into gear , ” and he has halted all nonessential travel between the U.S. and Mexico , imposing similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been too proactive during the coronavirus outbreak , but he has addressed the issue multiple times .
His only remaining rival in the Democratic Party presidential primary race , Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont , has been holding virtual roundtables and proposing concrete policy solutions .
Biden has what appears to be an insurmountable delegate lead over Sanders , and seems poised to run against Trump in the general election .
After the Iowa , New Hampshire , and Nevada contests Sanders emerged as the national frontrunner and favorite to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president ’ s campaign resurrected following a convincing victory in the state of South Carolina .
Days before Super Tuesday , a number of moderate candidates dropped out of the race , endorsing Biden and helping him win the delegate-rich contest .
On Thursday , Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York , became the latest former White House hopeful to endorse Biden for president , demonstrating that virtually the entire Democratic field has coalesced around him .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Employee In Mike Pence’s Office Tests Positive For Coronavirus, First Known Case For White House Sta

Employee In Mike Pence’s Office Tests Positive For Coronavirus, First Known Case For White House Staff

An employee working in the office of Vice President Mike Pence has tested positive for the coronavirus in what is the first known case of the virus among White House staff .
As The Hill reported on Friday , Pence ’ s office issued a statement on Friday evening noting that the staff member had a positive test but that the employee was not in any close contact with either Pence or Donald Trump .
There were no further details on the identity of the staffer or whether the person was showing symptoms of the virus .
Trump already had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing positive for coronavirus .
The president was in proximity to a Brazilian official who visited him at his Mar-a-Lago resort and tested positive days later .
The president also attended the Conservative Political Action Conference , a major event for the conservative movement , with a man who later tested positive for coronavirus at a New Jersey health facility .
The man came into contact with a number of top officials and leaders of the conference , but was never in close proximity to Trump .
Some of the lawmakers who came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into self-quarantine , though none ended up testing positive for COVID-19 .
Trump was tested for the virus this week as well , but the results were negative .
Just two days before the positive test for the staffer in Pence ’ s office , two members of congress tested positive for COVID-19 , the novel coronavirus that has spread quickly across the country and led to widespread closures and shelter in place orders .
Members of congress have been in Washington this week , crafting and approving economic relief packages for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both Trump and Pence have been visible throughout the week , providing daily briefings about the spread of the virus and the federal government ’ s response .
The virus has spread to all corners of the United States , with a total of 16,600 Americans testing positive by Friday afternoon .
A total of 200 had died from the virus so far as well , The New York Times noted in its running count of the virus ’ s spread .
Some of the harder hit communities , including New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an attempt to stop the spread of the disease .
Both states have instituted some measure of shelter in place orders , closing all non-essential businesses and recommending people stay in their homes except necessary trips .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Donald Trump Says Coronavirus Is Hurting His Family Business

On Saturday , during the daily coronavirus crisis press conference , President Donald Trump discussed the impact the outbreak has had on his family business .
Per The Hill , Trump acknowledged that his private enterprises are suffering because of the pandemic .
“ I wouldn ’ t say you ’ re thriving when you decide to close down your hotels and your businesses , ” the president said when asked about his Trump Organization properties .
“ I ’ m very unlevered in everything , so that ’ s good , ” he stated , adding that other similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sickened nearly 20,000 Americans so far , the COVID-19 pandemic has forced business across the United States to close , causing major financial losses .
Some businesses , as the president pointed out during the press conference , are doing well .
Walmart , as Trump noted , is doing well despite the coronavirus , namely because Americans have been stockpiling goods .
According to Trump , neither he nor anyone in his administration has spoken to the Trump Organization .
According to reports , at least four Trump Organization properties have closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the president ’ s hotels laying off staff .
State and local officials across the country have ordered hospitality businesses closed .
This is the case in the state of Florida , where Gov .
Ron DeSantis recently ordered all bars and restaurants to close .
Among them is Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago beach club in Palm Beach property , which the president has refereed to as the “ Southern White House.
” Now , with the coronavirus pandemic raging , Trump says he has no plans to visit his Florida property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president also said during Saturday ’ s press conference that he does not know whether the Trump Organization will seek government assistance .
During the press briefing , Trump discussed a variety of issues related to the coronavirus crisis , and attacked the media .
The president attacked and criticized The Washington Post , suggesting that the publication ’ s recent report about the U.S. intelligence community ’ warnings is false .
“ I saw the story .
I think it ’ s a disgrace , but it ’ s the Washington Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live with it .
It ’ s a very inaccurate story , ” Trump told reporters present at the event , shifting the blame to China , and arguing that the country not only failed to contain the pandemic , but also refused to share information about it .
“ As you know , China kicked The Washington Post out , and they kicked The New York Times out , ” he added , pointing to the Chinese government ’ s recent decision to expel American journalists .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Donald Trump Attacks ‘The Washington Post’ During Coronavirus Briefing

On Friday , The Washington Post published an explosive report alleging that U.S. intelligence agencies have long been warning President Donald Trump about a potential coronavirus outbreak .
According to the publication , the agencies were “ issuing ominous , classified warnings ” in the months of January and February , but both lawmakers and the president downplayed the threat of the virus .
On Saturday , during the daily coronavirus press briefing , Trump was asked about The Post ‘ s reporting .
Per The Hill , a journalist with One America News Network ( OANN ) posed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attack the publication .
“ I think the Washington Post covers us very inaccurately , ” he said .
Trump shifted the blame to China , suggesting that the country should have warned the United States about the virus earlier .
He also argued that his decision to restrict travel to China may have slowed down the spread of the virus in the U.S .
However , the Trump administration created a task force in late February , a month after initial reports about the virus being present in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told us more about what was going on [ in ] China long prior to us reading about it , even though the news isn ’ t exactly disseminated , ” Trump said , adding that the Chinese government has expelled American journalists .
“ As you know , China kicked The Washington Post out , and they kicked The New York Times out , ” he said .
As The Hill notes , it is being reported that the Chinese government has embarked on an effort to purge and censor critics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is manipulating statistics related to the coronavirus pandemic .
Critics have argued that the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus crisis is inadequate .
Former Vice President Joe Biden — the candidate most likely to win the Democratic presidential nomination — argued during a recent press call that Trump is “ behind the curve ” in combating the virus .
According to Biden , the federal government should provide $ 100 billion for local governments to mobilize reserve corps , activate the Defense Production Act , ensure free coronavirus testing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Defense to help manage the outbreak .
The former vice president also said that he would “ surge dollars ” into the economy , in order to soften the blow of the looming crisis .
Bot the Trump administration and the United States Congress have proposed various fiscal stimulus measures .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Michael Bloomberg Spent Total Of $900M On Failed Presidential Campaign — Almost $16M Per Delegate

Michael Bloomberg spent a total of $ 900 million on his failed presidential campaign , dishing out nearly $ 300 million per month and what ended up being a total of $ 16 million for each of the 58 pledged delegates he had won by the time he dropped out of the race .
The former New York City Mayor and billionaire was a late entrant into the race for the Democratic nomination , jumping in late last year and filling the airwaves with advertisements that took aim at Donald Trump as he presented himself as the strongest to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He saw a bump in polling but ultimately failed to turn that into enough voter support , dropping out after Super Tuesday to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden .
As The Hill reported , new filings with the Federal Election Commission show the massive amounts of cash that Bloomberg spent on the campaign , which included a total of $ 875 million through the end of February along with debts of close to $ 32 million .
As the report noted , the majority of that went into ads taking on Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg campaign spent more than $ 500 million on television advertising alone , as well as more than $ 100 million on digital ads , ” the report noted .
“ It also dropped more than $ 15 million on polling.
” The billionaire media mogul also took sharp aim at Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders , throwing a “ communist ” jab at the self-professed Democratic socialist during a debate earlier this year .
Bloomberg employed an unusual campaign strategy , purposely sitting out the first four contests in Iowa , New Hampshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on the delegate-rich states voting on Super Tuesday .
After rising in the polls and siphoning support from Biden , Bloomberg saw a dip after coming under fire from competitors in a debate .
He came out of the contests with just 58 pledged delegates and won just one race — in American Samoa , where a total of 351 people voted .
Bloomberg ’ s endorsement of Biden was credited with helping the former vice president consolidate support among the party ’ s more moderate voters , helping Biden to surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now seen as a nearly insurmountable lead in the race for the nomination .
Bloomberg said this week that he would be transferring $ 18 million to Democratic National Committee and would be consolidating his campaign ’ s support with the party .
The former New York City mayor has also vowed to continue spending money for advertisements over the course of the campaign to attack Trump .

Michael Bloomberg spent a total of $900 million on his failed presidential campaign, dishing out nearly $300 million per month and what ended up being a total of $16 million for each of the 58 pledged delegates he had won by the time he dropped out of the race.
The former New York City mayor and billionaire was a late entrant into the race for the Democratic nomination, jumping in late last year and filling the airwaves with advertisements that took aim at Donald Trump as he presented himself as the strongest to take on the incumbent Republican in November. He saw a bump in polling but ultimately failed to turn that into enough voter support, dropping out after Super Tuesday to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden.
As The Hill reported, new filings with the Federal Election Commission show the massive amounts of cash that Bloomberg spent on the campaign, which included a total of $875 million through the end of February along with debts of close to $32 million. As the report noted, the majority of that went into ads taking on Trump.
“The filings show that the Bloomberg campaign spent more than $500 million on television advertising alone, as well as more than $100 million on digital ads,” the report noted. “It also dropped more than $15 million on polling.”
The billionaire media mogul also took sharp aim at Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, throwing a “communist” jab at the self-professed Democratic socialist during a debate earlier this year.
Bloomberg employed an unusual campaign strategy, purposely sitting out the first four contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina to focus on the delegate-rich states voting on Super Tuesday. After rising in the polls and siphoning support from Biden, Bloomberg saw a dip after coming under fire from competitors in a debate. He came out of the contests with just 58 pledged delegates and won just one race — in American Samoa, where a total of 351 people voted.
Bloomberg’s endorsement of Biden was credited with helping the former vice president consolidate support among the party’s more moderate voters, helping Biden to surge ahead of Sanders and take what is now seen as a nearly insurmountable lead in the race for the nomination.
Bloomberg said this week that he would be transferring $18 million to Democratic National Committee and would be consolidating his campaign’s support with the party. The former New York City mayor has also vowed to continue spending money for advertisements over the course of the campaign to attack Trump.


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Donald Trump’s Presidency Hinges On His Actions Over The Next Two Days, Journalists Claim

In the recent edition of POLITICO ’ s Playbook newsletter , journalists Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman predicted that the next two days will determine whether Donald Trump ‘ s presidency will sink or swim amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The pair noted the concerning stock market levels that are reminiscent of 2017 and the necessity of Trump working with Congress to deliver a legislative package as one-third of the country remains in their homes .
According to the report , Trump ’ s relationship with Congress is already “ rocky .
However , it notes that the stimulus package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin .
“ The fates of Trump ’ s presidency — and the American economy — is in the hands of a Congress and federal bureaucracy he has spent years berating , ” the newsletter reads .
As reported by POLITICO , the $ 2 trillion package is currently in the Senate , where lawmakers have reportedly reached an “ impasse.
” Although the report notes that both Democrats and Republicans hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tomorrow , it claims that “ hard bargaining ” will be required to achieve this .
Unresolved issues allegedly include financial assistance to hospitals and health-care providers , increased unemployment insurance payments , and a fund to address “ looming revenue shortfalls ” in state governments .
In a recent article for The Atlantic , Peter Nicholas echoed Palmer and Sherman and claimed that Trump ’ s handling of COVID-19 would define his presidency .
Steve Bannon , the former Trump White House chief strategist , spoke to Nicholas for his piece and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Consult poll released Friday showed that the public ’ s approval of Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic has been rising , Breitbart reported .
The survey , which was taken from March 17 to 20 , found that of the approximately 2,000 voters surveyed , 53 percent approved of Trump ’ s approach to COVID-19 , and 39 percent disapproved .
The approval is reportedly a 10 percent increase in net support of the president ’ s coronavirus response since the last poll that covered March 13 to 16 .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Ebola czar , Ron Klain , have criticized Trump ’ s handling of the crisis .
Klain pointed to the United State ’ s low testing rate relative to countries like South Korea and the early failures he believes will continue to fuel the crisis as time goes on .


inquisitr--2020-03-21--Mike Pence Will Be Tested For Coronavirus Today After Staffer Tests Positive

Vice President Mike Pence announced today during a Coronavirus Task Force press briefing that he and his wife , Karen Pence , will be tested for COVID-19 after a member of his staff tested positive for the virus .
According to CNBC , while Pence reportedly didn ’ t come in close contact with the individual who tested positive for the virus , he and his wife are exercising caution and have opted to get tested themselves .
“ While the White House doctor has indicated that he has no reason to believe I that I was exposed and no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique position that I have as Vice President and the leader of the Coronavirus Task Force , both I and my wife will be tested for the coronavirus later this afternoon , ” said Pence .
Pence ’ s press secretary , Katie Miller , released a statement explaining that the individual on the vice president ’ s staff had mild cold-like symptoms for just a day-and-a-half and hadn ’ t been in the White House since Monday .
Neither Pence nor President Donald Trump were thought to have been in contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual , ” Miller said .
“ Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines.
” The individual is the first White House staffer to receive a positive diagnosis for the virus , which has spread rapidly across the U.S. in recent weeks .
Trump was tested for the virus last week after appearing at an event at Mar-a-Lago with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro .
A member of the Brazilian leader ’ s staff tested positive for the disease .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daughter , Ivanka , was also tested for the virus after she met with an Australian government official who tested positive for the virus , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
According to a spokesperson , her diagnosis came back negative , but she is taking extra precautions and is working from home and practicing social distancing , as recommended by the CDC .
Since then , the White House has taken extra precautions to prevent the spread of the virus .
Temperature checks are administered to anyone who comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , and the press room is sanitized and all journalists are tested prior to each press briefing .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the head of the NIAID , has said that testing will be widely available to all Americans in the near future after weeks of shortages .