occupydemocrats--2020-04-26--Pelosi draws line in sand with McConnell, tells governors that she’ll fight for virus stimulus aid

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) may have as well have been humming the Rolling Stones classic when she appeared on CNN ‘ s State of the Union with Jake Tapper this morning to discuss the latest coronavirus relief package passed by Congress .
The Democratic leader has been facing criticism from both the progressive wing of her own party and from state governors and local elected officials over the latest relief bill that did not include financial assistance to states and cities whose tax revenue — and thus their ability to pay crucial government employees like police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials — has been decimated by the shuttering of so many businesses during the pandemic .
With her counterpart in the Senate — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) — already on record as having said that he ’ d prefer states to declare bankruptcy rather than provide federal funds to help them deal with the largest economic crisis of our lifetimes , a fierce battle is expected over the next steps that Congress must take in an effort to revive an American economy that may soon need a ventilator of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their coffers grow increasingly empty as they face the unforeseen expenditures and free-falling tax revenue that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused , Speaker Pelosi offered governors and mayors some hope for assistance as she and her fellow Democrats negotiate the next relief legislation with GOP leaders in both the House and Senate .
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According to The Hill : “ Pelosi said after the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act passed at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats had moved to work on CARES 2 before the “ intervention ” to refund the Paycheck Protection Program that ran out of money earlier this month.
” “ In this deal , Democrats received an additional $ 75 billion for hospitals and health centers and $ 25 billion to increase coronavirus testing both through the state and federal governments.
” Pointing to her party ’ s success in clawing more money from the tight-fisted Republicans who seemingly care more about the interests of their corporate donors than those of their working-class constituents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders keep the faith that the Democrats will not leave them high and dry .
“ The intervention came , we made the most of it , ” the Speaker said .
“ As I say to members : Judge it for what it does .
Don ’ t criticize it for what it doesn ’ t. ” “ Just calm down .
We will have state and local , and we will have it in a very significant way , ” Pelosi reassured the restive governors and mayors .
Making sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pockets of the already wealthy and corporations that have existing banking relationships and the financial sophistication to navigate the bureaucratic loan application processes will be crucial for future relief packages .
Making sure that Democrats and progressives keep the heat on the administration to ensure that aid goes to the people who need it the most will be a challenge , but pressure from constituents who may now find themselves with lots of idle time to call their representatives can help ensure the outcome is better than it may otherwise be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get what they want at least get the bare minimum of what they need .
You can view a clip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s appearance on CNN ‘ s State of the Union in the excerpt attached to the tweet below .
Original reporting by Justine Coleman at The Hill .
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“You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need.” — Mick Jagger/Keith Richards
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) may have as well have been humming the Rolling Stones classic when she appeared on CNN‘s State of the Union with Jake Tapper this morning to discuss the latest coronavirus relief package passed by Congress.
The Democratic leader has been facing criticism from both the progressive wing of her own party and from state governors and local elected officials over the latest relief bill that did not include financial assistance to states and cities whose tax revenue — and thus their ability to pay crucial government employees like police, firefighters, sanitation workers, and medical officials — has been decimated by the shuttering of so many businesses during the pandemic.
With her counterpart in the Senate — Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)— already on record as having said that he’d prefer states to declare bankruptcy rather than provide federal funds to help them deal with the largest economic crisis of our lifetimes, a fierce battle is expected over the next steps that Congress must take in an effort to revive an American economy that may soon need a ventilator of its own to survive.
As states see their coffers grow increasingly empty as they face the unforeseen expenditures and free-falling tax revenue that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused, Speaker Pelosi offered governors and mayors some hope for assistance as she and her fellow Democrats negotiate the next relief legislation with GOP leaders in both the House and Senate.
“The governors are impatient. I’m a big fan of Governor Cuomo. My own governor, Gavin Newsom, has been spectacular, my mayor, Mayor Breed. The state and local have done their jobs magnificently,” Pelosi told Tapper this morning. “They should be impatient. Their impatience will help us get an even bigger number.”
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According to The Hill:
“Pelosi said after the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed at the end of March, she and other Democrats had moved to work on CARES 2 before the “intervention” to refund the Paycheck Protection Program that ran out of money earlier this month.” “In this deal, Democrats received an additional $75 billion for hospitals and health centers and $25 billion to increase coronavirus testing both through the state and federal governments.”
Pointing to her party’s success in clawing more money from the tight-fisted Republicans who seemingly care more about the interests of their corporate donors than those of their working-class constituents, Speaker Pelosi asked that the local leaders keep the faith that the Democrats will not leave them high and dry.
“The intervention came, we made the most of it,” the Speaker said. “As I say to members: Judge it for what it does. Don’t criticize it for what it doesn’t.” “Just calm down. We will have state and local, and we will have it in a very significant way,” Pelosi reassured the restive governors and mayors.
Making sure that federal assistance doesn’t land all in the pockets of the already wealthy and corporations that have existing banking relationships and the financial sophistication to navigate the bureaucratic loan application processes will be crucial for future relief packages.
Making sure that Democrats and progressives keep the heat on the administration to ensure that aid goes to the people who need it the most will be a challenge, but pressure from constituents who may now find themselves with lots of idle time to call their representatives can help ensure the outcome is better than it may otherwise be and that the people who can’t get what they want at least get the bare minimum of what they need.
You can view a clip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s appearance on CNN‘s State of the Union in the excerpt attached to the tweet below.
“The intervention came, we made the most of it,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says about the latest relief bill and why it doesn’t include more help for state and local governments. “Judge it for what it does. Don’t criticize it for what it doesn’t.” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/icolqTdymM — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 26, 2020
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Original reporting by Justine Coleman at The Hill.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Twitter goes wild with viral clip of slurring Trump: “He’s high as a kite.”

Donald Trump has never been what one might consider an intellectual giant but there are moments when his incoherence and ignorance dip into something even more disturbing , something that seems like genuine cognitive decline .
As a 73-year-old man , it makes sense that his mental acuity would be eroding over time but often it feels like it ’ s eroded completely .
During a meeting with industry executives at the White House today , Trump looked genuinely confused on camera , his eyes red and wet as he blinked around at his surroundings .
A clip from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aaron Rupar , shows Trump mumbling as people file into the room .
While it sounds like he ’ s saying “ Hello everybody , ” his voice and tone are so oddly garbled that it almost sounds like he ’ s saying “ I love everybody.
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It ’ s possible that his apparent complete lack of energy is due to the stress of his botched COVID-19 response getting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to discount the theory that his age is what ’ s really catching up with him .
Whatever the explanation , this is not the kind of thing that instills confidence in the White House .
A pandemic rages and this confused old man is leading us .
The video clip quickly went viral as Twitter users piled in to offer theories—ranging from suggestions that the president was high on drugs to assessments that he is severely mentally unwell— as well as jokes about the bizarre behavior .
Trump ’ s rough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a podium to speak a bit later .
He slurred his words to the point that they were almost impossible to understand .
Something isn ’ t quite right here .
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Donald Trump has never been what one might consider an intellectual giant but there are moments when his incoherence and ignorance dip into something even more disturbing, something that seems like genuine cognitive decline. As a 73-year-old man, it makes sense that his mental acuity would be eroding over time but often it feels like it’s eroded completely.
During a meeting with industry executives at the White House today, Trump looked genuinely confused on camera, his eyes red and wet as he blinked around at his surroundings. A clip from the meeting, shared by Vox’s Aaron Rupar, shows Trump mumbling as people file into the room. While it sounds like he’s saying “Hello everybody,” his voice and tone are so oddly garbled that it almost sounds like he’s saying “I love everybody.”
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It’s possible that his apparent complete lack of energy is due to the stress of his botched COVID-19 response getting to him, but it’s also hard to discount the theory that his age is what’s really catching up with him. Whatever the explanation, this is not the kind of thing that instills confidence in the White House. A pandemic rages and this confused old man is leading us.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1254869376538468355?s=20
The video clip quickly went viral as Twitter users piled in to offer theories—ranging from suggestions that the president was high on drugs to assessments that he is severely mentally unwell— as well as jokes about the bizarre behavior.
https://twitter.com/JoJoFromJerz/status/1254876329322983426?s=20
Omg. He doesn’t look well. This is not good. Isn’t there a single person working for him who will get him the medical help he needs. Why aren’t his kids intervening? They rather hold onto power and let him suffer? — Alexandra Chalupa (@AlexandraChalup) April 27, 2020
"ellloerrrybudddy" — Trumpy Trumpy (parody) (@outofcontroljb) April 27, 2020
He. Is. Drugged. God help the United States of America. — SarahCA (@SarahBCalif) April 27, 2020
Man is mentally ill & it shows pic.twitter.com/L6eytQE9Pg — Rad_Meg_DC (@megdcrad) April 27, 2020
JFC HE’S HIGH AS A DAMNED KITE! — YOUR GIRL (@NUTGATHERIN) April 27, 2020
He looks like death warmed over.
Sad.
/snort — MakeAmericaNorwegianAgain (@pieper444) April 27, 2020
That's no bleach. Donald is a drug addict who abuses Adderall and benzodiazepines. The media needs to start calling out that fact. He is unstable, dangerous, stupid, and high AF. — Bob Resists (@ResistsBob) April 27, 2020
When you snorted so much Addy that you actually manage to look worse than a joke meme of you looking like shit. pic.twitter.com/TwCSfn3s01 — Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 27, 2020
How FUCKING HIGH IS HE? — Super Granny #BLM #WearAMask EX-REP (@SuperPenelopes) April 27, 2020
He looks like he is waaaaay under the influence of strong narcotics. — Tan Tan (@TanTan15444634) April 27, 2020
He's so weird and gross — miss speech (@miss_speech) April 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/JoJoFromJerz/status/1254877758636900352?s=20
He’s high as a kite. Look at his eyes. — Henrynathanmia (@henrynathanmia) April 27, 2020
Dementia is a bitch. — Frederick C. Trump (@TrumpFrederick) April 27, 2020
Trump’s rough day continued when he got up to a podium to speak a bit later. He slurred his words to the point that they were almost impossible to understand. Something isn’t quite right here.
Trump begins his April 27 #TrumpPressConference with some reading difficulties pic.twitter.com/V1AnjAh9NK — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Howard Stern endorses Joe Biden and outrageously urges Trump to “take an injection of Clorox”

Donald Trump may have been all chummy with Howard Stern before Trump started his run for president , having been a frequent guest on the shock jock ’ s radio programs from the 90s onward until 2015 .
Now , however , Trump ’ s dreadful handling of the coronavirus pandemic has turned Stern into a fervent supporter of former Vice President Joe Biden — whom the Sirius-XM radio star endorsed on his program today — and led him to aim his literally caustic wit at both the president and his supporters , many of whom are Stern ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s idiotic musings about the possibility that injections of disinfectants into the bloodstream — a practice know in the mortuary industry as embalming , as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-NY ) pointed out — could help treat patients infected with the COVID-19 virus .
“ I would love it if Donald would get on TV and take an injection of Clorox and let ’ s see if his theory works , ” Stern said on his program today .
“ Hold a big rally , say fuck this coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let them hug each other and kiss each other and have a big rally.
” “ And all take disinfectant and all drop dead , ” he added .
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The exact quote from the president about disinfectants and UV light— which he later disavowed as a sarcastic comment to reporters , despite the fact that video footage from the press briefing he made them in indicates otherwise — was : Stern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ire against Trump ’ s stupidity and incompetence .
A listener from New York named Mike called in to the show to urge Stern and his sidekick Robin Quivers to drop the political rants , but Stern doesn ’ t see Trump ’ s failure to properly deal with the pandemic as a political issue .
The radio host wondered aloud about Trump ’ s political chances after the public fiasco that his obvious inability to deal with a crisis of this magnitude has caused .
Stern made his own status as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told his listeners that not only would he endorse Joe Biden but that he would take an inanimate object over the current president if that was the choice he was given .
This is not the first time that Howard Stern has criticized Trump , although it was by far the angriest response to the president that he ’ s made publicly to date .
In a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone , Stern said : “ I was at Mar-a-Lago around when it was announced that Donald was going to run for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I thought , Ha-ha-ha .
So , knowing Donald , I can tell you with some assurance that I don ’ t believe that he thought anyone would buy in .
Lo and behold , people did .
But I ’ m pretty sure that there was no intention of actually being president.
” After admitting that he himself voted for Hillary Clinton because she was actually “ into the job , ” Stern proved that he was prescient about how Trump would handle the presidency .
Now Stern has joined the ranks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be a lot happier with Trump not being in the White House .
We ’ d all be a lot safer too .
Original reporting by Brian Niemietz at The New York Daily News and by Joe Concha at The Hill .
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Donald Trump may have been all chummy with Howard Stern before Trump started his run for president, having been a frequent guest on the shock jock’s radio programs from the 90s onward until 2015.
Now, however, Trump’s dreadful handling of the coronavirus pandemic has turned Stern into a fervent supporter of former Vice President Joe Biden — whom the Sirius-XM radio star endorsed on his program today — and led him to aim his literally caustic wit at both the president and his supporters, many of whom are Stern’s own fans.
Stern was enraged by Trump’s idiotic musings about the possibility that injections of disinfectants into the bloodstream — a practice know in the mortuary industry as embalming, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-NY) pointed out — could help treat patients infected with the COVID-19 virus.
“I would love it if Donald would get on TV and take an injection of Clorox and let’s see if his theory works,” Stern said on his program today. “Hold a big rally, say fuck this coronavirus, with all of his followers, and let them hug each other and kiss each other and have a big rally.” “And all take disinfectant and all drop dead,” he added.
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The exact quote from the president about disinfectants and UV light— which he later disavowed as a sarcastic comment to reporters, despite the fact that video footage from the press briefing he made them in indicates otherwise — was:
“Is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?” Trump suggested during a White House briefing. “Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
Stern faced pushback from his listeners after turning his ire against Trump’s stupidity and incompetence.
A listener from New York named Mike called in to the show to urge Stern and his sidekick Robin Quivers to drop the political rants, but Stern doesn’t see Trump’s failure to properly deal with the pandemic as a political issue.
“I don’t recognize any of this as being Republican, I don’t recognize it as being anything political. I see it as insanity,” Stern said. “I don’t know what is going on there, but I don’t have a good feeling.”
The radio host wondered aloud about Trump’s political chances after the public fiasco that his obvious inability to deal with a crisis of this magnitude has caused.
“What’s it going to take? I don’t get it,” Stern said about the president’s uninformed medical speculations. “I don’t think there is anyone left who will vote for him.”
Stern made his own status as a Never Trumper quite obvious when he told his listeners that not only would he endorse Joe Biden but that he would take an inanimate object over the current president if that was the choice he was given.
“I am all in on Joe Biden,” he said. “You see the wall that’s right next to you, I’ll vote for the wall over a guy who tells me that I should pour Clorox into my mouth. Listen, I think we are in deep shit. I think we could have been ahead of this curve.”
This is not the first time that Howard Stern has criticized Trump, although it was by far the angriest response to the president that he’s made publicly to date.
In a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone, Stern said:
“I was at Mar-a-Lago around when it was announced that Donald was going to run for president, and like everyone else, I thought, Ha-ha-ha. So, knowing Donald, I can tell you with some assurance that I don’t believe that he thought anyone would buy in. Lo and behold, people did. But I’m pretty sure that there was no intention of actually being president.”
After admitting that he himself voted for Hillary Clinton because she was actually “into the job,” Stern proved that he was prescient about how Trump would handle the presidency.
“Donald, I knew he would spend more time golfing than serving the White House. What can I say? I don’t get the focus of the administration, and I don’t get its divisiveness. I think Donald was a lot happier not being in the White House,” Stern told Rolling Stone.
Now Stern has joined the ranks of those publicly declaring that they would also be a lot happier with Trump not being in the White House.
We’d all be a lot safer too.
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Original reporting by Brian Niemietz at The New York Daily News and by Joe Concha at The Hill.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Trump claims he’s “just asking” about denying Democratic states virus budget relief money

The intense tribalism that has almost entirely consumed American politics has had the disturbing effect of dehumanizing our fellow citizens to the point that we forget they ’ re our fellow Americans entirely .
Spending battles become a tug-of-war over whose voters and whose constituencies deserve to be allocated desperately needed resources , and in a time of insurmountable nationwide crisis , those struggles can and have become deadly as medical equipment and supplies are turned into political pawns .
Nobody has exacerbated the political divide in the United States more than President Donald Trump himself , who has spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Democrats , “ the Left ” and the people in Blue States are trying to destroy America and our way of life despite having been voted into office to represent all Americans , not just the white ones who voted for him .
But since his first day in office , Trump has made it appallingly clear that he cares very little for those that don ’ t support him and is perfectly willing to let the citizens of states whose governors he considers to be “ unfriendly ” die from lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( as in the case of Puerto Rico ) hurricane relief .
It appears he ’ s also willing to let them go bankrupt .
On Monday morning , the President publicly asked why American taxpayers should be “ bailing out ” Democrat-run and managed states and cities like Illinois .
This argument is an echo of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s statements last week , in which he made it clear he would prefer it if states facing huge budget deficits from the coronavirus crisis went bankrupt rather than spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
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The pandemic is projected to blow a half-trillion-dollar hole in the budgets of America ’ s 50 states .
If the states are not bailed out , the shortfall is likely to trigger crushing austerity , massive job losses , and an abrupt end to critical public services that could push our economy into years of recession or even a great depression to rival the 1929 crash .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portrayed as a one-sided partisan battle by the President and Majority Leader , because years of economic recession would hurt the whole nation equally , especially America ’ s working-class families , regardless of whether they vote red or blue .
The idea that federal funding and services should be distributed as a reward for political allegiance , as opposed to every citizen deserving the same standard of living , public services , and protections by nature of their citizenship itself , is utterly reprehensible .
For the second time in two decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation and leave the next president an economic catastrophe to clean up as suffering rains down on America ’ s most vulnerable families — and now they ’ re publicly debating deliberately making it worse out of sheer spite .
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The intense tribalism that has almost entirely consumed American politics has had the disturbing effect of dehumanizing our fellow citizens to the point that we forget they’re our fellow Americans entirely.
Spending battles become a tug-of-war over whose voters and whose constituencies deserve to be allocated desperately needed resources, and in a time of insurmountable nationwide crisis, those struggles can and have become deadly as medical equipment and supplies are turned into political pawns.
Nobody has exacerbated the political divide in the United States more than President Donald Trump himself, who has spent the past three years telling his supporters that Democrats, “the Left” and the people in Blue States are trying to destroy America and our way of life despite having been voted into office to represent all Americans, not just the white ones who voted for him.
But since his first day in office, Trump has made it appallingly clear that he cares very little for those that don’t support him and is perfectly willing to let the citizens of states whose governors he considers to be “unfriendly” die from lack of medical equipment, supplies, or (as in the case of Puerto Rico) hurricane relief.
It appears he’s also willing to let them go bankrupt. On Monday morning, the President publicly asked why American taxpayers should be “bailing out” Democrat-run and managed states and cities like Illinois.
Why should the people and taxpayers of America be bailing out poorly run states (like Illinois, as example) and cities, in all cases Democrat run and managed, when most of the other states are not looking for bailout help? I am open to discussing anything, but just asking? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2020
This argument is an echo of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statements last week, in which he made it clear he would prefer it if states facing huge budget deficits from the coronavirus crisis went bankrupt rather than spend a dime in federal money to help them.
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The pandemic is projected to blow a half-trillion-dollar hole in the budgets of America’s 50 states. If the states are not bailed out, the shortfall is likely to trigger crushing austerity, massive job losses, and an abrupt end to critical public services that could push our economy into years of recession or even a great depression to rival the 1929 crash.
It is deeply ironic that this is being portrayed as a one-sided partisan battle by the President and Majority Leader, because years of economic recession would hurt the whole nation equally, especially America’s working-class families, regardless of whether they vote red or blue.
The idea that federal funding and services should be distributed as a reward for political allegiance, as opposed to every citizen deserving the same standard of living, public services, and protections by nature of their citizenship itself, is utterly reprehensible.
For the second time in two decades, we are seeing irresponsible Republicans gut the nation and leave the next president an economic catastrophe to clean up as suffering rains down on America’s most vulnerable families — and now they’re publicly debating deliberately making it worse out of sheer spite.
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Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Senior Trump official mocks Kushner’s pandemic work: “could be in his office just googling ‘coronavi

Senior Trump official mocks Kushner’s pandemic work: “could be in his office just googling ‘coronavirus’”

If one were to assemble a comprehensive list of ideal possible candidates to help lead the White House ’ s coronavirus efforts it would likely include countless qualified names from the medical field and others with decades of varied experience in government work .
One name that list would certainly not include would be that of the president ’ s slumlord son-in-law .
Unfortunately , nepotism is a far more powerful force in the Trump administration than actual talent or competency so we find ourselves entrusted into the hands of Jared Kushner in the midst of an unprecedented and deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Beast offers a look at Kushner ’ s COVID-19 efforts and it ’ s anything but reassuring .
The First Daughter ’ s husband was originally tasked with assembling a coronavirus shadow task force and building a powerful alliance between the private and public sectors to curb the spread of the virus and stabilize the country .
So far , it seems the 39-year-old Kushner is completely out of his depths .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Beast that in recent weeks Kushner has seemed unengaged with the pandemic .
One went so far as to say it ’ s “ unclear ” what Kushner and his team have actually been working on with regards to COVID-19 over the past two weeks .
Another official revealed that they hadn ’ t heard from the team in “ about a week.
” The lack of adequate medical supplies is one of the most pressing issues of the coronavirus crisis and some state officials claim that Kushner ’ s operations have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult for them to hold on to much-needed supplies .
Reportedly , FEMA has actually confiscated supplies purchased by the states .
Juliette Kayyem , former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , had some particularly harsh words regarding Kushner ’ s role in coordinating the Federal Emergency Management Agency ’ s medical supply disbursement strategy .
“ He muddied up a process that was really not needing a fix .
What that does is disempower FEMA because if at any moment Jared or one of his henchmen demand assets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s planning gets disrupted , ” said Kayyem .
“ I ’ ve never seen operations on something this scale being run out of the White House .
Usually it ’ s policy and communications that they handle… but you would never run logistical operations out of the White House , ” she added .
Congress is currently probing Kushner ’ s FEMA activity .
Representative Bennie Thompson ( D-MA ) is Chairman of the Committee and Homeland Security , which is spearheading the probe .
Thompson said there are reports “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states looking to acquire [ personal protective equipment ] and other medical equipment.
” On top of that , the White House is ” providing Congress with little details on their current operations and how they will improve.
” “ It is incredibly troubling that Jared Kushner , someone with no public health or emergency management experience , seems to have a leading role in leading the response to this pandemic , ” added Thompson .
One senior administration official involved in Kushner ’ s virus task force gave an absolutely brutal assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] could be in his office just googling ‘ coronavirus , ’ show the results to the president , and still get a gold sticker from his dad-in-law .
He is solving the coronavirus like he ’ s bringing peace to the [ Middle East ] , ” said the official , referencing one of Kushner ’ s other major portfolio assignments .
It appears President Trump though—never one to be swayed by a subordinate ’ s failures so long as they display adequate loyalty—continues to back Kushner .
Two sources familiar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Daily Beast that Trump has said the media should be fawning over his son-in-law for his efforts .
One crucial fact has emerged .
It may not be clear what exactly the president ’ s son-in-law is doing to curb this outbreak but one thing is definitely , painfully clear : Jared Kushner should not be in charge of any of the government ’ s COVID-19 efforts .
Lives are at stake and his ineptness is a liability we simply can not afford right now .
Original reporting by Erin Banco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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If one were to assemble a comprehensive list of ideal possible candidates to help lead the White House’s coronavirus efforts it would likely include countless qualified names from the medical field and others with decades of varied experience in government work.
One name that list would certainly not include would be that of the president’s slumlord son-in-law. Unfortunately, nepotism is a far more powerful force in the Trump administration than actual talent or competency so we find ourselves entrusted into the hands of Jared Kushner in the midst of an unprecedented and deadly pandemic.
A new report from The Daily Beast offers a look at Kushner’s COVID-19 efforts and it’s anything but reassuring. The First Daughter’s husband was originally tasked with assembling a coronavirus shadow task force and building a powerful alliance between the private and public sectors to curb the spread of the virus and stabilize the country. So far, it seems the 39-year-old Kushner is completely out of his depths.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Four administration officials told The Daily Beast that in recent weeks Kushner has seemed unengaged with the pandemic. One went so far as to say it’s “unclear” what Kushner and his team have actually been working on with regards to COVID-19 over the past two weeks. Another official revealed that they hadn’t heard from the team in “about a week.”
The lack of adequate medical supplies is one of the most pressing issues of the coronavirus crisis and some state officials claim that Kushner’s operations have disrupted supply chains and made it more difficult for them to hold on to much-needed supplies. Reportedly, FEMA has actually confiscated supplies purchased by the states.
Juliette Kayyem, former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, had some particularly harsh words regarding Kushner’s role in coordinating the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s medical supply disbursement strategy.
“He muddied up a process that was really not needing a fix. What that does is disempower FEMA because if at any moment Jared or one of his henchmen demand assets to be redistributed at their discretion, FEMA’s planning gets disrupted,” said Kayyem.
“I’ve never seen operations on something this scale being run out of the White House. Usually it’s policy and communications that they handle… but you would never run logistical operations out of the White House,” she added.
Congress is currently probing Kushner’s FEMA activity. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MA) is Chairman of the Committee and Homeland Security, which is spearheading the probe. Thompson said there are reports “that the administration is causing chaos for states looking to acquire [personal protective equipment] and other medical equipment.” On top of that, the White House is ” providing Congress with little details on their current operations and how they will improve.”
“It is incredibly troubling that Jared Kushner, someone with no public health or emergency management experience, seems to have a leading role in leading the response to this pandemic,” added Thompson.
One senior administration official involved in Kushner’s virus task force gave an absolutely brutal assessment of his performance.
“[Jared] could be in his office just googling ‘coronavirus,’ show the results to the president, and still get a gold sticker from his dad-in-law. He is solving the coronavirus like he’s bringing peace to the [Middle East],” said the official, referencing one of Kushner’s other major portfolio assignments.
It appears President Trump though—never one to be swayed by a subordinate’s failures so long as they display adequate loyalty—continues to back Kushner. Two sources familiar with the president’s conversations about Kushner told The Daily Beast that Trump has said the media should be fawning over his son-in-law for his efforts.
One crucial fact has emerged. It may not be clear what exactly the president’s son-in-law is doing to curb this outbreak but one thing is definitely, painfully clear: Jared Kushner should not be in charge of any of the government’s COVID-19 efforts. Lives are at stake and his ineptness is a liability we simply cannot afford right now.
Original reporting by Erin Banco and Asawin Suebsaen for The Daily Beast.
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occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Iowa Democrat torches her Republican governor for re-opening businesses before it is safe to do so

It ’ s often hard to believe that membership in a political party can determine how a person is reacting to the coronavirus outbreak in this country , but the varying responses to how and when to lift social distancing restrictions and reopen businesses is proving to be a pretty reliable indicator of party affiliation .
A study by the Pew Research Center shows that Democrats take the health threats posed by the pandemic more seriously than Republicans do , with 78 % of Democrats saying that the outbreak is a major threat to the health of the U.S. population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of GOP respondents reaching that conclusion .
Republicans , on the whole , seem to to be more focused on the economic consequences of the extended business shutdown than Democrats as most of the states that are beginning to relax restrictions on businesses reopening have a GOP governor , mirroring the Pew Research studies of the opinions of people of opposing parties about the different measures instituted to stop the spread of the disease .
So it was not surprising to see the tweeted reaction of Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer ( D-IA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim Reynolds to allow the opening of businesses and religious establishments— including many in which it will be quite difficult to maintain social distancing guidelines that medical experts still recommend .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
The responses to Representative Finkenauer tweet demonstrate that the partisan divide in attitudes towards the COVID-19 virus and the relative value of human life versus a healthy economy is still quite polarized .
Those Iowans who value science and human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people for whom “ give me liberty or give me death ” will now prove to be more than just an abstract patriotic slogan from the history books .
If only their choice of individual freedom didn ’ t infringe upon their responsibility to prevent their behavior from causing harm to others with their thoughtless insistence on returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles prematurely and potentially spreading the virus — which is easily transmitted by people who show no outward symptoms of infection .
All the talk of food shortages , life savings wiped-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
won ’ t matter much if you ’ re one of the unlucky ones hooked up to a ventilator , in a coma , and struggling to breathe .
It ’ ll matter even less if you become one of the faceless statistics in the mounting daily death toll .
One opinion poll that would be even more interesting to see results from than the political party-based attitudes covered by the Pew research study is how people ’ s reactions vary if they know someone who has been infected with the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the pandemic , or if their only exposure is through watching the televised stories about the devastation it has caused in the areas hardest hit .
One can only hope that once the pandemic becomes personal for those misguided “ freedom fighters ” they will begin to understand that their responsibilities to others far outweigh their desire to go to the beach or the barber .
With state and federal tax revenues plummeting , perhaps a one time tax on the billionaire class is the payback that they should be eagerly willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the years of prosperity the rigged economic system in this country has granted them .
Just an idea , before “ Eat the rich ” becomes more than an abstract slogan and instead morphs into a survival strategy .
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It’s often hard to believe that membership in a political party can determine how a person is reacting to the coronavirus outbreak in this country, but the varying responses to how and when to lift social distancing restrictions and reopen businesses is proving to be a pretty reliable indicator of party affiliation.
A study by the Pew Research Center shows that Democrats take the health threats posed by the pandemic more seriously than Republicans do, with 78% of Democrats saying that the outbreak is a major threat to the health of the U.S. population as a whole, while only 56% of GOP respondents reaching that conclusion.
Republicans, on the whole, seem to to be more focused on the economic consequences of the extended business shutdown than Democrats as most of the states that are beginning to relax restrictions on businesses reopening have a GOP governor, mirroring the Pew Research studies of the opinions of people of opposing parties about the different measures instituted to stop the spread of the disease.
So it was not surprising to see the tweeted reaction of Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) to the move by Republican Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to allow the opening of businesses and religious establishments— including many in which it will be quite difficult to maintain social distancing guidelines that medical experts still recommend.
Gov announces opening of churches, malls, retail, fitness centers in 77 counties as if every county is its own island and then says if she sees a spike will have to consider closing things down again … what would she call over 2,000 more cases over last week? Unbelievable — Abby Finkenauer (@Abby4Iowa) April 27, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
The responses to Representative Finkenauer tweet demonstrate that the partisan divide in attitudes towards the COVID-19 virus and the relative value of human life versus a healthy economy is still quite polarized.
Hmm. @IAGovernor @KimReynoldsIA has decided that it's Ok to pee in some parts of the swimming pool, but not in others? — Jim in the House (@JimLieberman1) April 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/FrothyFatCoffee/status/1254818789184516096?s=20
https://twitter.com/FrothyFatCoffee/status/1254824717405454342?s=20
https://twitter.com/FrothyFatCoffee/status/1254825662449246208?s=20
https://twitter.com/FrothyFatCoffee/status/1254819215980167172?s=20
https://twitter.com/FrothyFatCoffee/status/1254818681961381891?s=20
All the Cornona cafes, corona clubs and corona concessions will be open.
ENJOY! — Gagin Seimen (@Gagin_Seimen) April 27, 2020
In Republican run states 1+1= -5! — Walter Jensen (@wajj2020) April 27, 2020
@IAGovernor is in over her head. Are people still allowed to travel to other counties? If so, this will reduce any effectiveness of social distancing. Sorry surrounding states, you are exposed, too. — PinkTutus (@Pinktutus2) April 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/MrBissonette/status/1254831203435327488?s=20
100% agree with you. People in infected zones can now travel to uninfected zones to patronize their businesses. #WayTooSoonIowa — ChefJeff (@IBChefJeff) April 27, 2020
This tweet is written like someone who has never driven a gravel road in rural Iowa and it shows… — Quick Time Tweets (@DirkTheDaring3) April 27, 2020
It's astoundingly anti science.
Her trumpy leadership is going to get more Iowans killed. — Gagin Seimen (@Gagin_Seimen) April 27, 2020
Those Iowans who value science and human life over money face fierce pushback from the people for whom “give me liberty or give me death” will now prove to be more than just an abstract patriotic slogan from the history books.
If only their choice of individual freedom didn’t infringe upon their responsibility to prevent their behavior from causing harm to others with their thoughtless insistence on returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles prematurely and potentially spreading the virus — which is easily transmitted by people who show no outward symptoms of infection.
All the talk of food shortages, life savings wiped-out, small businesses shuttered forever, etc. won’t matter much if you’re one of the unlucky ones hooked up to a ventilator, in a coma, and struggling to breathe.
It’ll matter even less if you become one of the faceless statistics in the mounting daily death toll.
One opinion poll that would be even more interesting to see results from than the political party-based attitudes covered by the Pew research study is how people’s reactions vary if they know someone who has been infected with the virus, if they know someone who died from the pandemic, or if their only exposure is through watching the televised stories about the devastation it has caused in the areas hardest hit.
One can only hope that once the pandemic becomes personal for those misguided “freedom fighters” they will begin to understand that their responsibilities to others far outweigh their desire to go to the beach or the barber.
With state and federal tax revenues plummeting, perhaps a one time tax on the billionaire class is the payback that they should be eagerly willing to pay to thank the nation for the years of prosperity the rigged economic system in this country has granted them.
Just an idea, before “Eat the rich” becomes more than an abstract slogan and instead morphs into a survival strategy.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Trump’s press secretary claims he’s too busy to eat after he spends all weekend tweeting

Donald Trump had a particularly unhinged weekend as it seemed like he was even more incapable than usual of staying away from Twitter .
The president blasted out tweet after tweet , ranging from an embarrassing rant about “ Noble prizes ” to the laugh-out-loud absurd claim that he is the “ hardest working president in history.
” All of this wasted energy on social media could have been directed at the one thing the president should be focused on right now : the COVID-10 pandemic .
The CDC estimates almost a million Americans have been infected and over 52,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indulge in his Twitter addiction rather than devoting himself entirely to the coronavirus , Trump is failing us all .
After such a red-letter weekend , it was inevitable that his goons would appear on television to spin his weekend internet meltdown .
Kayleigh McEnany , Press Secretary for the Trump campaign , went on Fox News to do damage control .
She claimed that Trump ’ s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has said that the president is so busy , his daily schedule so absolutely packed , that Meadows worries he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ get a bite to eat here and there.
” Yes , this White House ’ s official claim is now that Donald J. Trump , a man who can ’ t seem to focus on anything beyond attacking his perceived enemies on Twitter is , in fact , working himself so aggressively that members of his staff are worried that he isn ’ t eating enough .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Consider for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have for the American voter if they think this is a narrative they can convincingly peddle .
We can all see how President Trump actually spends his time .
If we didn ’ t already know that he wastes much of his time watching cable news during his so-called “ Executive Time ” we would need only glance at his overactive Twitter account to see how he really spends his day .
McEnany ’ s claim , like this entire presidency , is a bad joke being played on the American people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to hear what YOU have to say .
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Donald Trump had a particularly unhinged weekend as it seemed like he was even more incapable than usual of staying away from Twitter. The president blasted out tweet after tweet, ranging from an embarrassing rant about “Noble prizes” to the laugh-out-loud absurd claim that he is the “hardest working president in history.”
All of this wasted energy on social media could have been directed at the one thing the president should be focused on right now: the COVID-10 pandemic. The CDC estimates almost a million Americans have been infected and over 52,000 people have died. By choosing to indulge in his Twitter addiction rather than devoting himself entirely to the coronavirus, Trump is failing us all.
After such a red-letter weekend, it was inevitable that his goons would appear on television to spin his weekend internet meltdown.
Kayleigh McEnany, Press Secretary for the Trump campaign, went on Fox News to do damage control. She claimed that Trump’s Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has said that the president is so busy, his daily schedule so absolutely packed, that Meadows worries he won’t make enough time to “get a bite to eat here and there.”
Yes, this White House’s official claim is now that Donald J. Trump, a man who can’t seem to focus on anything beyond attacking his perceived enemies on Twitter is, in fact, working himself so aggressively that members of his staff are worried that he isn’t eating enough.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Consider for a moment how little respect this administration must have for the American voter if they think this is a narrative they can convincingly peddle. We can all see how President Trump actually spends his time. If we didn’t already know that he wastes much of his time watching cable news during his so-called “Executive Time” we would need only glance at his overactive Twitter account to see how he really spends his day.
McEnany’s claim, like this entire presidency, is a bad joke being played on the American people. These people should be ashamed.
We all witnessed Trump's full-day Twitter meltdown yesterday and yet Kayleigh McEnany is on Fox News trying to convince you he's too busy to eat pic.twitter.com/KeayIXZVBF — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-04-27--Trump’s weekend-long war with media drags into Monday with fresh pair of Twitter attacks

President Trump ’ s weekend-long tirade against the mainstream media and the American journalists studiously documenting his administration ’ s catastrophic response to the COVID-19 pandemic continued on Monday morning with a fresh pair of tweets declaring the media to once again be the “ ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE.
” The president ’ s frustration is clearly extremely high coming off a week in which his efforts to control the media narrative were seriously derailed by a public outcry over his bizarre and dangerous comments that suggested people could ingest or possibly inject disinfectant cleaners into their bodies in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a very familiar pattern at this point — the more negative coverage he receives in the media and the more frustrated he feels about them , the more he smears and attacks them .
Monday ’ s Twitter attacks follow on the heels of a stunning weekend-long tantrum about the mainstream media and their coverage of him , particularly the fallout from his controversial “ disinfectants inside the body ” remarks and reports that he wanted to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar .
Add your name to reject Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Highlights include the President debating the meaning of the word “ noble ” after appearing to mix up the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes , lashing out at his usually beloved FOX News , and desperately trying to convince the nation that he is in fact working hard and not sitting in his bedroom watching television and eating cheeseburgers in between his nonstop tweeting and re-tweeting ( the president has made 35 Twitter posts in the past 22 hours . )
While the latest tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain no less dangerous to the free press that keeps our government accountable and the public informed on what ’ s really happening in Washington — and as the death toll from the coronavirus continues to grow , so does the urgency that we hold the President and his cronies accountable for allowing it to happen .
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President Trump’s weekend-long tirade against the mainstream media and the American journalists studiously documenting his administration’s catastrophic response to the COVID-19 pandemic continued on Monday morning with a fresh pair of tweets declaring the media to once again be the “ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE.”
There has never been, in the history of our Country, a more vicious or hostile Lamestream Media than there is right now, even in the midst of a National Emergency, the Invisible Enemy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2020
FAKE NEWS, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2020
The president’s frustration is clearly extremely high coming off a week in which his efforts to control the media narrative were seriously derailed by a public outcry over his bizarre and dangerous comments that suggested people could ingest or possibly inject disinfectant cleaners into their bodies in order to combat the coronavirus.
It’s a very familiar pattern at this point — the more negative coverage he receives in the media and the more frustrated he feels about them, the more he smears and attacks them.
Monday’s Twitter attacks follow on the heels of a stunning weekend-long tantrum about the mainstream media and their coverage of him, particularly the fallout from his controversial “disinfectants inside the body” remarks and reports that he wanted to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Highlights include the President debating the meaning of the word “noble” after appearing to mix up the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, lashing out at his usually beloved FOX News, and desperately trying to convince the nation that he is in fact working hard and not sitting in his bedroom watching television and eating cheeseburgers in between his nonstop tweeting and re-tweeting (the president has made 35 Twitter posts in the past 22 hours.)
Reports that H.H.S. Secretary @AlexAzar is going to be “fired” by me are Fake News. The Lamestream Media knows this, but they are desperate to create the perception of chaos & havoc in the minds of the public. They never even called to ask. Alex is doing an excellent job! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
….Even the Radical Left Do Nothing Democrats laughed at the Fox suggestion. No respect for the people running @FoxNews. But Fox keeps on plugging to try and become politically correct. They put RINO Paul Ryan on their Board. They hire “debate questions to Crooked Hillary”…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
….schedule and eating habits, written by a third rate reporter who knows nothing about me. I will often be in the Oval Office late into the night & read & see that I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom. People with me are always stunned. Anything to demean! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2020
While the latest tweets are fairly generic Trump outbursts, they remain no less dangerous to the free press that keeps our government accountable and the public informed on what’s really happening in Washington — and as the death toll from the coronavirus continues to grow, so does the urgency that we hold the President and his cronies accountable for allowing it to happen.
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Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-28--Trump shirks responsibility for virus deaths at Monday presser and blames “somebody a long time ago”

Despite his political handlers advising Donald Trump that he is only hurting himself by continuing to hold coronavirus pandemic press briefings , the president was at it again today .
After Trump ’ s ramblings about disinfectant and UV rays as possible treatments for COVID-19 infections at his briefing last Thursday , his Friday briefing was cut short with no questions taken from the media , and he skipped holding any press conferences over the weekend , preferring to air his grievances and make his self-aggrandizing claims on social media instead .
When the scheduled Monday press briefing was initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this morning , people thought that we ’ d have a much-needed reprieve from the incoherent ramblings of a mentally-failing pseudo-leader peddling misinformation to the public .
When the White House press office restored the briefing to the schedule later in the day , it became clear that Trump simply couldn ’ t accept the concept of “ less is more ” when it comes to his public appearances .
Anyone expecting some useful information to emerge from today ’ s extravaganza was instead treated to infomercials in the form of appearances from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were working to fight the virus and reopen the economy as Trump seemingly attempts to offload as much of the federal response to the pandemic to the for-profit private sector as only a Republican could .
As usual , Vox ‘ s Aaron Rupar provided tweeted live commentary on the press conference as it was happening that gave us some informative video excerpts to show you as we summarize the president ’ s latest antics .
It was only after the parade of suits was finally over that the juicy bits of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evasion to new heights as he managed to assign responsibility to a crisis that only developed in this country beginning in January to “ somebody a long time ago ” as if he were reading a fairy tale , which , in a sense , he was .
The president did manage to unveil a meticulously labeled 8-part plan that seemed to go to every length possible to disengage the federal government from participation in testing and disaster relief , relying on the states and the private sector to do the heavy lifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump hasn ’ t seemed to learn much about viral transmission .
Once the question and answer section of the briefing began , the president was ready to reembark upon his misinformation train .
Trump ’ s answer that fatality reporting in the U.S. is accurate compared to other countries not only undermines the conspiracy theories that he himself tweeted out only yesterday , it also simply isn ’ t true since adequate testing capabilities haven ’ t been available to determine whether the COVID-19 virus was the cause of many deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which deaths are counted and which aren ’ t .
For instance , according to The New York Times , in the nation ’ s epicenter of the disease in New York City , “ more than 27,000 people have died since the beginning of March — 20,900 more than normal , and 4,200 more than have been captured by official death statistics.
” One of the reasons that Trump ’ s advisors may find that his briefings are harming him in the polls is his tendency to say things that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaks to reporters .
Today was no different in that respect .
Asked about Attorney General William Barr ’ s efforts to roll back state emergency quarantine measures in the guise of constitutional overreach , Trump seemed to want to have his cake and eat it too .
Let the states take responsibility for protecting their citizens , he seemed to be saying , yet let the federal government sue them when they don ’ t reopen their economies as quickly as he ’ d like .
Brian Karem actually expected Trump to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused !
?
!
?
He ’ s been around Trump long enough to know better .
He probably just wanted to see the look on Trump ’ s face when he asked the question .
ABC ‘ s Jonathan Karl gave Vice President Mike Pence an opportunity to admit to past mistakes and let America know what the administration has learned from them , but Pence squandered the opportunity in favor of layering more manure on the Rose Garden lawn .
When we said we ’ d have four million tests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have results is essentially the message that the administration was conveying .
Kind of like a student telling their teacher : “ when I said I did my homework , I didn ’ t say I ’ d bring it back to school for you to see .
right ?
” The supposed “ news ” network that has supplanted Fox News as the president ’ s virtual state media is invariably called upon when they lob their butt-kissing softball questions to Trump .
This time they gave him a setup for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not his strong suit .
The economic devastation caused by the preventable pandemic that Trump failed to control properly is now forcing the president to wax nostalgiac over the economy now lost and resort to fables of the future as his presumptuously predicted rebound arrives .
Trump also admitted to never having read the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee report released last week that confirmed that Russia interfered on his behalf in the 2016 elections , despite having called the Russia investigation a hoax as recently as yesterday in his now infamous ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet .
The vagaries of Twitter threading forces us to repeat that last post in order to show you how Trump avoids a question about whether a president who presided over a higher number of deaths than Americans killed during the Vietnam war should be reelected by trying to move the goalposts .
While many Americans would disagree with the president ’ s estimation of the quality of his decisions , at least at today ’ s presser , his decision to avoid recommending any new deadly treatments for COVID-19 infections was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even better one .
We can only hope he realizes that America really doesn ’ t want a president who avoids responsibility for more fatalities than caused by the Vietnam war and leaves office tomorrow .
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Despite his political handlers advising Donald Trump that he is only hurting himself by continuing to hold coronavirus pandemic press briefings, the president was at it again today.
After Trump’s ramblings about disinfectant and UV rays as possible treatments for COVID-19 infections at his briefing last Thursday, his Friday briefing was cut short with no questions taken from the media, and he skipped holding any press conferences over the weekend, preferring to air his grievances and make his self-aggrandizing claims on social media instead.
When the scheduled Monday press briefing was initially taken off the official White House calendar this morning, people thought that we’d have a much-needed reprieve from the incoherent ramblings of a mentally-failing pseudo-leader peddling misinformation to the public.
When the White House press office restored the briefing to the schedule later in the day, it became clear that Trump simply couldn’t accept the concept of “less is more” when it comes to his public appearances.
Anyone expecting some useful information to emerge from today’s extravaganza was instead treated to infomercials in the form of appearances from corporate CEOs touting how hard their companies were working to fight the virus and reopen the economy as Trump seemingly attempts to offload as much of the federal response to the pandemic to the for-profit private sector as only a Republican could.
As usual, Vox‘s Aaron Rupar provided tweeted live commentary on the press conference as it was happening that gave us some informative video excerpts to show you as we summarize the president’s latest antics.
Trump is doing that thing where he invites a bunch of corporate executives to the White House to give free promos for their companies pic.twitter.com/nrZokahq8J — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
It was only after the parade of suits was finally over that the juicy bits of the briefing took place.
Trump took blame evasion to new heights as he managed to assign responsibility to a crisis that only developed in this country beginning in January to “somebody a long time ago” as if he were reading a fairy tale, which, in a sense, he was.
Trump: "There has been so much unnecessary death in this country. It could have been stopped and it could have been stopped short, but somebody a long time ago, it seems, decided not to do it that way. And the whole world is suffering because of it." https://t.co/9T8aUPjUrs pic.twitter.com/VPx2ah8aUy — CBS News (@CBSNews) April 27, 2020
The president did manage to unveil a meticulously labeled 8-part plan that seemed to go to every length possible to disengage the federal government from participation in testing and disaster relief, relying on the states and the private sector to do the heavy lifting.
"I think you will see a lot of schools open up, even for a short period of time … in terms of what this vicious virus goes after, young people seem to do very well." — Trump, ignoring that kids can spread the virus to others pic.twitter.com/ajdCwjgDRa — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
Despite being surrounded by epidemiologists lately, Trump hasn’t seemed to learn much about viral transmission.
Once the question and answer section of the briefing began, the president was ready to reembark upon his misinformation train.
Asked about some of his conspiratorial retweets, Trump claims "numerous countries" are falsifying their coronavirus death tolls pic.twitter.com/f74w3Kv2nx — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
Trump’s answer that fatality reporting in the U.S. is accurate compared to other countries not only undermines the conspiracy theories that he himself tweeted out only yesterday, it also simply isn’t true since adequate testing capabilities haven’t been available to determine whether the COVID-19 virus was the cause of many deaths that occurred and states have differing standards on which deaths are counted and which aren’t.
For instance, according to The New York Times, in the nation’s epicenter of the disease in New York City, “more than 27,000 people have died since the beginning of March — 20,900 more than normal, and 4,200 more than have been captured by official death statistics.”
One of the reasons that Trump’s advisors may find that his briefings are harming him in the polls is his tendency to say things that are easily fact-checked as outright lies when he speaks to reporters. Today was no different in that respect.
Trump on his call today with governors: "These were not complaining people. These were people that were — they had everything they needed. They have their ventilators. They have their testing." (Many governors are not shy about saying that more testing is needed.) pic.twitter.com/8HRF8K6RHd — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
Asked about Attorney General William Barr’s efforts to roll back state emergency quarantine measures in the guise of constitutional overreach, Trump seemed to want to have his cake and eat it too. Let the states take responsibility for protecting their citizens, he seemed to be saying, yet let the federal government sue them when they don’t reopen their economies as quickly as he’d like.
Trump angrily brushes aside a question from @BrianKarem about his disinfectant injections remarks and the ensuing rise in control to poison control hotlines pic.twitter.com/wvVK66ocdt — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
Brian Karem actually expected Trump to take responsibility for the damage his words caused!?!?
He’s been around Trump long enough to know better. He probably just wanted to see the look on Trump’s face when he asked the question.
ABC‘s Jonathan Karl gave Vice President Mike Pence an opportunity to admit to past mistakes and let America know what the administration has learned from them, but Pence squandered the opportunity in favor of layering more manure on the Rose Garden lawn.
KARL: So when you promised 4 million tests 7 weeks ago, you were just talking about tests being sent out, not completed? PENCE: "Precisely correct" pic.twitter.com/exxdP7RnB3 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
When we said we’d have four million tests, we never said that we’d have results is essentially the message that the administration was conveying. Kind of like a student telling their teacher: “when I said I did my homework, I didn’t say I’d bring it back to school for you to see. right?”
The supposed “news” network that has supplanted Fox News as the president’s virtual state media is invariably called upon when they lob their butt-kissing softball questions to Trump. This time they gave him a setup for his likely next round of pardons.
"Nobody except one country can be held accountable for what happened. Nobody is blaming anybody here." — Trump blames China for the coronavirus but then in the next breath claims he's not blaming anyone pic.twitter.com/jLmZtwyRNi — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
Coherence is not his strong suit.
The economic devastation caused by the preventable pandemic that Trump failed to control properly is now forcing the president to wax nostalgiac over the economy now lost and resort to fables of the future as his presumptuously predicted rebound arrives.
Trump also admitted to never having read the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee report released last week that confirmed that Russia interfered on his behalf in the 2016 elections, despite having called the Russia investigation a hoax as recently as yesterday in his now infamous (and deleted) “Noble” prize tweet.
Trump on Kim Jong Un: "He didn't say anything last Saturday. Nobody knows where he is, so he obviously couldn't have said it." pic.twitter.com/SkpNu6qdJu — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
The vagaries of Twitter threading forces us to repeat that last post in order to show you how Trump avoids a question about whether a president who presided over a higher number of deaths than Americans killed during the Vietnam war should be reelected by trying to move the goalposts.
.@Olivianuzzi : If a POTUS loses more Americans over six weeks than died in the Vietnam War, does he deserve to be reelected? TRUMP: "If you look at what the original projections were, 2.2 million — we're probably headed to 60,000, 70,000 …we've made a lot of good decisions." pic.twitter.com/J6YzS7jWoz — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020
While many Americans would disagree with the president’s estimation of the quality of his decisions, at least at today’s presser, his decision to avoid recommending any new deadly treatments for COVID-19 infections was a good one.
Resigning immediately would be an even better one.
We can only hope he realizes that America really doesn’t want a president who avoids responsibility for more fatalities than caused by the Vietnam war and leaves office tomorrow.
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Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-28--Trump suggests holding virus relief money hostage unless cities hand over undocumented migrants

“ Never let a good crisis go to waste ” is a common political proverb , and it appears that President Trump and his team see the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to advance their heinous white supremacist agenda .
During this evening ’ s coronavirus presser , President Trump floated the idea of holding budget relief money hostage unless liberal cities ended their sanctuary city policies and handed over undocumented immigrants for internment and deportation .
“ Now if it ’ s COVID-related , ” Trump said , “ I guess we can talk about it , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including sanctuary city adjustments , because we have so many people in sanctuary cities , which I don ’ t even think are popular even by radical-left folks because what ’ s happening is people are being protected that shouldn ’ t be protected and a lot of bad things are happening with sanctuary cities.
” The people here being “ protected ” are undocumented migrants , and what they are being “ protected ” from is being dumped over the border in Mexico into the hands of vicious cartel bandits or being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus crisis is projected to blow a half-trillion-dollar hole in the budgets of America ’ s 50 states .
If the states are not bailed out , the shortfall is likely to trigger crushing austerity , massive job losses , and an abrupt end to critical public services that could push our economy into years of recession or even a great depression to rival the 1929 crash .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Senate Majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would rather let states go bankrupt than spend any federal money on what his office derisively referred to as “ blue state bailouts ; ” the President indicated he was amenable to that approach with a tweet on Monday wondering why taxpayers had to pay for blue states .
But threatening to force economic recession and the layoffs of thousands of public employees from sanctuary cities unless they allow the President ’ s goons to go house-to-house rounding up undocumented migrants is one of the most appalling things the president has ever proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president regurgitating some half-baked idea from Stephen Miller that he will be talked out of as soon as someone less sadistic is in the room , the ease with which he is willing to play political games with the livelihoods and safety of so many people in pursuit of a reprehensible racist agenda shared by few outside his inner circle is a sharp reminder of why we need to run him out of office as soon as legally possible .

“Never let a good crisis go to waste” is a common political proverb, and it appears that President Trump and his team see the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to advance their heinous white supremacist agenda.
During this evening’s coronavirus presser, President Trump floated the idea of holding budget relief money hostage unless liberal cities ended their sanctuary city policies and handed over undocumented immigrants for internment and deportation.
Trump suggests any relief for states hit hard by COVID will require ending "sanctuary city" policies and turning residents over to ICE. pic.twitter.com/BSxqfPu0id — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 28, 2020
“Now if it’s COVID-related,” Trump said, “I guess we can talk about it, but we’d want certain things also, including sanctuary city adjustments, because we have so many people in sanctuary cities, which I don’t even think are popular even by radical-left folks because what’s happening is people are being protected that shouldn’t be protected and a lot of bad things are happening with sanctuary cities.”
The people here being “protected” are undocumented migrants, and what they are being “protected” from is being dumped over the border in Mexico into the hands of vicious cartel bandits or being tossed in an ICE concentration camp. The “adjustments” would likely mean an end to the sanctuary city policy of not cooperating with federal immigration police.
The coronavirus crisis is projected to blow a half-trillion-dollar hole in the budgets of America’s 50 states. If the states are not bailed out, the shortfall is likely to trigger crushing austerity, massive job losses, and an abrupt end to critical public services that could push our economy into years of recession or even a great depression to rival the 1929 crash.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already indicated he would rather let states go bankrupt than spend any federal money on what his office derisively referred to as “blue state bailouts;” the President indicated he was amenable to that approach with a tweet on Monday wondering why taxpayers had to pay for blue states.
But threatening to force economic recession and the layoffs of thousands of public employees from sanctuary cities unless they allow the President’s goons to go house-to-house rounding up undocumented migrants is one of the most appalling things the president has ever proposed.
While this could just be the president regurgitating some half-baked idea from Stephen Miller that he will be talked out of as soon as someone less sadistic is in the room, the ease with which he is willing to play political games with the livelihoods and safety of so many people in pursuit of a reprehensible racist agenda shared by few outside his inner circle is a sharp reminder of why we need to run him out of office as soon as legally possible.
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-28--New insider report shows Trump’s impeachment score-settling set virus response back 6 weeks

While Donald Trump has proudly declared that his response to the coronavirus pandemic rates a 10 out of 10 , only he and his blindly devoted followers — and an increasingly smaller percentage of even those Fox News-injecting true believers , at that — would give him high marks for the swiftness and seriousness with which the president treated the threat of the COVID-19 invasion in the early months of the crisis when he could have done the most to prevent the disease from spreading to the extent that it has .
Gabriel Sherman , Vanity Fair ‘ s special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the early months of the outbreak and some of the events that triggered Trump ’ s thinking and response at the time in a new article based on interviews with White House insiders and people who know and are friends of the president .
The article demonstrates the role played by presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner during what Sherman calls “ two months of magical thinking.
” The account opens with a description of a call on March 19th between Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just one day before New York Governor Mario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeSantis was still resisting calls to shut down Florida ’ s beaches as images of flocks of spring breakers partying in close proximity to each other flooded the airwaves , even when his Republican predecessor and current Senator representing the state were calling his position reckless .
“ Trump ’ s view of the situation was complicated , though .
For weeks , his top medical advisers , Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci , had been hectoring him about the seriousness of the crisis and the necessity of swift action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the beginning…we were going to get cases in the United States , ’ Fauci told me , ” Sherman writes .
“ ’ We knew we were in for a very serious problem.
’ ” “ Sometimes , Trump listened .
The disease was coming closer to his own circle—chief of staff Mark Meadows and communications director Stephanie Grisham were self-quarantining—and the number of cases in New York City had reached 4,000 .
But the substrate of his thinking hadn ’ t evolved , and it kept reappearing .
He worried about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reelection .
He vented to friends that the doctors were alarmist , and that the crisis was something Democrats and the media were doing to him .
‘ Trump was obsessed with Pelosi , Schiff , the media , just obsessed .
He would say , “ They ’ re using it against me !
” ’ recalled a Republican in frequent contact with the White House .
‘ It was unhinged.
’ ” Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump himself had already been downplaying the potential severity of the pandemic for weeks , saying that it was under control and that it would disappear in warm weather like “ magic.
” Still , at an advisor ’ s persistent recommendation , he agreed to call DeSantis to make him close the beaches .
“ ’ Ron , what are you doing down there ?
’ Trump said , according to a person briefed on the call.
” “ ’ I can ’ t ban people from going on the beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ ’ These pictures look really bad to the rest of the country , ’ Trump said.
” “ ” Listen , we ’ re doing it the right way , ’ DeSantis said.
” “ DeSantis ’ s intransigence backed Trump into a corner .
The 41-year-old governor was a Trump protégé and a crucial ally in a must-win state .
‘ Trump is worried about Florida , electorally , ’ said a Republican who spoke with Trump around this time .
Trump did something he rarely does : He caved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay open.
” “ ’ I understand what you ’ re saying , ’ Trump said , and hung up.
” Political survival easily bested the health and safety of the people of Florida with a large population of high-risk retirees .
Sherman points out that Jared Kushner reinforced his father-in-law ’ s paranoia that “ the media and Democrats were hyping the crisis for political purposes ” and was more focused on the effects of any shutdown-related economic damage would have on Trump ’ s chances for a second term .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , is how central a role the unelected — and unconfirmed by the Senate — Kushner has played in setting White House policy .
This from a man who needed his father-in-law to intervene just to get a security clearance waiver to work in the White House when his background check raised issues that would have prevented any mere mortal from receiving one .
Sherman details many other inside peeks at the behind-the-scenes workings at the White House in his article — which you can read in its entirety here — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s response to the pandemic was set back by six weeks of White House dithering , Let ’ s skip ahead , however , to his closing paragraphs which present a portrait of a president caught between inaction and despair , in unfamiliar territory with no smartass nicknames with which to defeat an “ invisible enemy , ” as the president likes to call COVID-19 .
“ The virus was a threat Trump couldn ’ t bully , and his record of inaction something he couldn ’ t erase .
Later in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , announcing an immigration ban , with little detail about how it would work .
Beaches in Florida , bowling alleys and nail salons in Georgia were reopened—magical thinking had reemerged .
But beneath the bluster was a darker reality .
‘ He ’ s paralyzed , ’ a former official said .
Trump reversed course and criticized Georgia ’ s move to reopen .
‘ This is not what [ Trump ] likes to do , ’ added a former West Wing official .
‘ There ’ s no boogeyman he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hope .
‘ The economy will be back in two months , just wait , ’ he told a friend .
But the fall was still a long way away .
‘ If I have any rallies at all , they won ’ t be until the convention , ” he told another friend in mid-March.
” “ The thought seemed to depress him .
‘ The campaign doesn ’ t matter anymore , ’ he recently told the friend .
‘ What I do now will determine if I get reelected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s the standard , start your election day celebrations now and send our congratulations to President-elect Biden .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

While Donald Trump has proudly declared that his response to the coronavirus pandemic rates a 10 out of 10, only he and his blindly devoted followers — and an increasingly smaller percentage of even those Fox News-injecting true believers, at that — would give him high marks for the swiftness and seriousness with which the president treated the threat of the COVID-19 invasion in the early months of the crisis when he could have done the most to prevent the disease from spreading to the extent that it has.
Gabriel Sherman, Vanity Fair‘s special correspondent, did a deep dive into the early months of the outbreak and some of the events that triggered Trump’s thinking and response at the time in a new article based on interviews with White House insiders and people who know and are friends of the president.
The article demonstrates the role played by presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner during what Sherman calls “two months of magical thinking.”
The account opens with a description of a call on March 19th between Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just one day before New York Governor Mario Cuomo shut down his state and while DeSantis was still resisting calls to shut down Florida’s beaches as images of flocks of spring breakers partying in close proximity to each other flooded the airwaves, even when his Republican predecessor and current Senator representing the state were calling his position reckless.
“Trump’s view of the situation was complicated, though. For weeks, his top medical advisers, Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci, had been hectoring him about the seriousness of the crisis and the necessity of swift action, testing, lockdowns. ‘We knew from the beginning…we were going to get cases in the United States,’ Fauci told me,” Sherman writes. “’We knew we were in for a very serious problem.’” “Sometimes, Trump listened. The disease was coming closer to his own circle—chief of staff Mark Meadows and communications director Stephanie Grisham were self-quarantining—and the number of cases in New York City had reached 4,000. But the substrate of his thinking hadn’t evolved, and it kept reappearing. He worried about the economy, which was crucial to his reelection. He vented to friends that the doctors were alarmist, and that the crisis was something Democrats and the media were doing to him. ‘Trump was obsessed with Pelosi, Schiff, the media, just obsessed. He would say, “They’re using it against me!”’ recalled a Republican in frequent contact with the White House. ‘It was unhinged.’”
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
By this point, Trump himself had already been downplaying the potential severity of the pandemic for weeks, saying that it was under control and that it would disappear in warm weather like “magic.” Still, at an advisor’s persistent recommendation, he agreed to call DeSantis to make him close the beaches.
Here’s Sherman’s recreation of the call:
“’Ron, what are you doing down there?’ Trump said, according to a person briefed on the call.” “’I can’t ban people from going on the beach,’ DeSantis snapped, surprising Trump.” “’These pictures look really bad to the rest of the country,’ Trump said.” “”Listen, we’re doing it the right way,’ DeSantis said.” “DeSantis’s intransigence backed Trump into a corner. The 41-year-old governor was a Trump protégé and a crucial ally in a must-win state. ‘Trump is worried about Florida, electorally,’ said a Republican who spoke with Trump around this time. Trump did something he rarely does: He caved. He told DeSantis the beaches could stay open.” “’I understand what you’re saying,’ Trump said, and hung up.”
Political survival easily bested the health and safety of the people of Florida with a large population of high-risk retirees.
Sherman points out that Jared Kushner reinforced his father-in-law’s paranoia that “the media and Democrats were hyping the crisis for political purposes” and was more focused on the effects of any shutdown-related economic damage would have on Trump’s chances for a second term.
“’Jared kept saying the stock market would go down, and Trump wouldn’t get reelected,’ a Republican briefed on the internal debates said (a person close to Kushner denies this). Kushner’s position was supported by Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council chief Larry Kudlow. Trump sided with them. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump minimized the threat in his first public comments. ‘It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control,’ he told CNBC. (The White House and Treasury Department deny Mnuchin and Kudlow were against closing flights),” Sherman writes.
The real revelation in the Vanity Fair article, however, is how central a role the unelected — and unconfirmed by the Senate — Kushner has played in setting White House policy.
“’Jared is running everything. He’s the de facto president of the United States,’ a former White House official told me. The previous chief of staff John Kelly, who’d marginalized Kushner, was long gone, and Mick Mulvaney, a virtual lame duck by that point, let Kushner run free. ‘Jared treats Mick like the help,’ a prominent Republican said,” according to Sherman.
This from a man who needed his father-in-law to intervene just to get a security clearance waiver to work in the White House when his background check raised issues that would have prevented any mere mortal from receiving one.
Sherman details many other inside peeks at the behind-the-scenes workings at the White House in his article — which you can read in its entirety here — but the upshot is that America’s response to the pandemic was set back by six weeks of White House dithering,
Let’s skip ahead, however, to his closing paragraphs which present a portrait of a president caught between inaction and despair, in unfamiliar territory with no smartass nicknames with which to defeat an “invisible enemy,” as the president likes to call COVID-19.
“The virus was a threat Trump couldn’t bully, and his record of inaction something he couldn’t erase. Later in April, he tried to change the subject, announcing an immigration ban, with little detail about how it would work. Beaches in Florida, bowling alleys and nail salons in Georgia were reopened—magical thinking had reemerged. But beneath the bluster was a darker reality. ‘He’s paralyzed,’ a former official said. Trump reversed course and criticized Georgia’s move to reopen. ‘This is not what [Trump] likes to do,’ added a former West Wing official. ‘There’s no boogeyman he can attack.'” “Trump clung to hope. ‘The economy will be back in two months, just wait,’ he told a friend. But the fall was still a long way away. ‘If I have any rallies at all, they won’t be until the convention,” he told another friend in mid-March.” “The thought seemed to depress him. ‘The campaign doesn’t matter anymore,’ he recently told the friend. ‘What I do now will determine if I get reelected,'” Sherman concludes.
If that’s the standard, start your election day celebrations now and send our congratulations to President-elect Biden.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Gabriel Sherman at Vanity Fair.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-28--Republican Senate candidate argues that Trump told us to inject disinfectant to “give hope”

By far the most jaw-dropping moment of last week was when the President of the United States suggested that injecting disinfectants into the bodies of COVID-19 patients might be a helpful remedy for their illness .
For obvious reasons , Trump was pilloried by the press for his dangerous and idiotic suggestion and mocked across the entire social media landscape .
He ultimately decided the best way to dig his way out of embarrassment was by ludicrously claiming that his comments ( which came across as entirely sincere ) were in fact made sarcastically .
Almost as bad as Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who flocked to defend it in an obsequious attempt to garner his support and the support of his voters .
Corky Messner , a Republican hoping to secure his party ’ s nomination in New Hampshire so that he can run against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen ( D ) in November , shamelessly defended Trump ’ s disinfectant suggestion during a radio interview last week .
Messner laughably claimed that President Trump is “ doing a great job through this crisis ” before diving facefirst into full-on disinfectant injection apologia .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Trump sometimes , you know , talks in aspirational ways that you know , that… To give hope , perhaps ?
And that ’ s who he is .
And I think that all of us can—as consumers of that information—and we can get educated and understand what exactly he ’ s talking about , ” rambled Messner .
“ And I don ’ t think it ’ s a good idea that in the midst of this crisis that , you know , the kind of shots that people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helpful .
I think overall he ’ s done a really , really good job with this , ” fawned Messner .
A spokesperson for the New Hampshire Democratic Party , Josh Marcus-Blank , slammed Messner on Twitter for refusing to break ranks with Trump even when it comes to “ spreading blatant disinformation that could kill people.
” In Messner ’ s pathetic defense of the president ’ s idiocy we find a truly unvarnished look at how the modern Republican Party works .
GOP politicians are willing to defend literally anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how wrong , or stupid , or outright dangerous as long as they think it will help their political careers to do so .
These shameless opportunists are a disgrace to this country and should be nowhere even remotely close to the levers of power .

By far the most jaw-dropping moment of last week was when the President of the United States suggested that injecting disinfectants into the bodies of COVID-19 patients might be a helpful remedy for their illness.
For obvious reasons, Trump was pilloried by the press for his dangerous and idiotic suggestion and mocked across the entire social media landscape. He ultimately decided the best way to dig his way out of embarrassment was by ludicrously claiming that his comments (which came across as entirely sincere) were in fact made sarcastically.
Almost as bad as Trump’s unscientific suggestion were the Republicans who flocked to defend it in an obsequious attempt to garner his support and the support of his voters.
Corky Messner, a Republican hoping to secure his party’s nomination in New Hampshire so that he can run against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) in November, shamelessly defended Trump’s disinfectant suggestion during a radio interview last week.
Messner laughably claimed that President Trump is “doing a great job through this crisis” before diving facefirst into full-on disinfectant injection apologia.
“I think that you know, as we know, President Trump sometimes, you know, talks in aspirational ways that you know, that… To give hope, perhaps? And that’s who he is. And I think that all of us can—as consumers of that information—and we can get educated and understand what exactly he’s talking about,” rambled Messner.
“And I don’t think it’s a good idea that in the midst of this crisis that, you know, the kind of shots that people are taking at the president is just not helpful. I think overall he’s done a really, really good job with this,” fawned Messner.
A spokesperson for the New Hampshire Democratic Party, Josh Marcus-Blank, slammed Messner on Twitter for refusing to break ranks with Trump even when it comes to “spreading blatant disinformation that could kill people.”
Colorado Corky won't disagree with Trump even when he's spreading blatant disinformation that could kill people. #nhpolitics https://t.co/kFa5todCll — Josh Marcus-Blank (@jmarcusblank) April 25, 2020
In Messner’s pathetic defense of the president’s idiocy we find a truly unvarnished look at how the modern Republican Party works. GOP politicians are willing to defend literally anything their party leader says, no matter how wrong, or stupid, or outright dangerous as long as they think it will help their political careers to do so. These shameless opportunists are a disgrace to this country and should be nowhere even remotely close to the levers of power.
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