occupydemocrats--2020-04-01--Wolf Blitzer interrupts Pence on live TV to contradict his denial of Trump’s virus belittlement

Republicans can not be allowed to rewrite the history of this pandemic .
As the number of COVID-19 patients rises and more lives are claimed , Trump and his lickspittle cronies will deploy all of their not insubstantial experience with lying to convince the American people that the White House has handled this outbreak masterfully since the beginning .
The recorded reality , of course , is that Trump downplayed and in some ways continues to downplay the risks posed by the virus .
Infamously , he went so far as to call the coronavirus a Democratic “ hoax ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time feuding with the governors doing the actual work of curbing the spread of the coronavirus than focusing on his duties as president .
History will record his administration ’ s handling of this crisis as an unmitigated , unprecedented disaster .
Vice President Pence , true to his lapdog nature , appeared on CNN and defended Trump in a conversation with Wolf Blitzer .
Pence started out by heaping blame on China and while that Communist authoritarian state deserves blame for lying about its coronavirus numbers , the White House deserves full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Blitzer pointed out that the president has downplayed the virus from the start and Pence tried unsuccessfully to argue otherwise .
Not surprisingly , the vice president came out of the exchange looking like nothing more than an apologist for a failed regime .
“ Yeah , I ’ ll just point out , it would have been good if the president wouldn ’ t have been belittling the enormity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he was .
Now he ’ s finally on board , ” said Blitzer .
“ Well , Wolf , respectfully , I ’ d take issue with two things that you just said .
I don ’ t believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus , ” Pence responded .
“ Let me just interrupt , respectfully , Mr. Vice President .
What I ’ m suggesting that he was saying at one point , it wasn ’ t as bad as the regular flu and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Blitzer .
“ He seemed to be suggesting at one point there were 15 cases , it would get down to zero very quickly .
That was what I was basing that sentence on .
” “ Well , the president is an optimistic person , ” Pence said , as if that in any way excuses Trump ’ s failings .

Republicans cannot be allowed to rewrite the history of this pandemic. As the number of COVID-19 patients rises and more lives are claimed, Trump and his lickspittle cronies will deploy all of their not insubstantial experience with lying to convince the American people that the White House has handled this outbreak masterfully since the beginning.
The recorded reality, of course, is that Trump downplayed and in some ways continues to downplay the risks posed by the virus. Infamously, he went so far as to call the coronavirus a Democratic “hoax” and then went on to spend more time feuding with the governors doing the actual work of curbing the spread of the coronavirus than focusing on his duties as president. History will record his administration’s handling of this crisis as an unmitigated, unprecedented disaster.
Vice President Pence, true to his lapdog nature, appeared on CNN and defended Trump in a conversation with Wolf Blitzer. Pence started out by heaping blame on China and while that Communist authoritarian state deserves blame for lying about its coronavirus numbers, the White House deserves full blame for its own fumbled response.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Blitzer pointed out that the president has downplayed the virus from the start and Pence tried unsuccessfully to argue otherwise. Not surprisingly, the vice president came out of the exchange looking like nothing more than an apologist for a failed regime.
“Yeah, I’ll just point out, it would have been good if the president wouldn’t have been belittling the enormity of this crisis, the coronavirus pandemic, as he was. Now he’s finally on board,” said Blitzer.
“Well, Wolf, respectfully, I’d take issue with two things that you just said. I don’t believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus,” Pence responded.
“Let me just interrupt, respectfully, Mr. Vice President. What I’m suggesting that he was saying at one point, it wasn’t as bad as the regular flu and he was talking about automobile accidents,” said Blitzer. “He seemed to be suggesting at one point there were 15 cases, it would get down to zero very quickly. That was what I was basing that sentence on. ”
“Well, the president is an optimistic person,” Pence said, as if that in any way excuses Trump’s failings.
Watch the full back-and-forth below.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-02--Trump brags he’s #1 on Facebook and talks “Mexican violence” in unhinged virus presser

When Donald Trump realized that the daily coronavirus press briefings that he had pawned off to his servile Vice President Mike Pence were beginning to get great ratings , he suddenly decided that he would be the one to lead them each day .
This from a president who prior to the health crisis hadn ’ t had even his press secretary hold a daily press briefing for months on end .
Yet as Trump became reliant upon the daily televised press conferences to replace his frequent and now impossible-to-hold political rallies , his regular dissemination of overly optimistic misinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ untested pharmaceuticals against it , and the length that people will need to continue social distancing and locking themselves in at home have led some major news networks to cease broadcasting the entirety of at least Trump ’ s portion of the briefings on a live basis to avoid accidentally allowing the president ’ s unfiltered and unverified information from being transmitted as broadly as the virus itself has been in major hot spots .
With CNN and MSNBC taking a cautious approach to Trump ’ s deft combination of campaign propaganda sprinkled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiological experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci , the some of the more discerning public may miss a few of the more contemptible moments that take place in the sparsely populated and carefully spaced White House briefing room .
They may have missed , for instance , the completely irrelevant prologue to the meat of the briefing intended to update the nation on the progress of the federal efforts to fight COVID-19 that instead focused on a very different and currently significantly less important topic .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives to save the stock market !
Eventually , the press conference got back to the main subject at hand and the president was asked about his unsettling tweet from earlier today threatening Iran with what certainly sounded like a threat of war that had people wondering what the hell he was thinking about .
As it turns out , at least part of that mysterious cipher that is Trump ’ s mind was thinking about his popularity on Facebook .
At least the president feels that Iran deserves a warning about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than he felt he should do for the American people while he was downplaying the effects that the pandemic was going to have on their health , both physical and financial .
Trump displayed his lack of concern for human life — other than politically-expedient fetuses — with his response to a question about how undocumented immigrants would survive during the pandemic .
Nothing like certainty to reassure the public !
A few other Twitter commentators pointed out choice moments from the briefing , unfortunately unaccompanied by video clips , but worth noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s anecdotes and rally claims will tell you , any time Trump quotes some unspecified person as addressing him as “ Sir , ” you can be pretty sure that this is a story that the president pulled out of his nether regions , just as when he says “ nobody knew ” indicates that he just learned something for the first time , no matter how obvious it may have been to everyone else .
Apparently , violence on the other side of the border is more interesting for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surprisingly , the exchange did not trigger a monologue on how much better his slightly modified NAFTA trade agreement — the one that he renamed the USMCA — was than the original deal negotiated during the administration of President George H.W .
Bush .
Eventually , Trump turned the podium over to the nominal head of the Coronavirus Task Force , Vice President Mike Pence , who managed to turn evasiveness while answering one reporter ’ s question into such an art form that even Trump was impressed with his weaselly ways .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ such fun up there as the death toll in the United States has surpassed 4,600 , exceeding the number of reported deaths in China and placing it only behind Italy and Spain among the nations of the world .
Anyone questioning why those major news outlets no longer see fit to carry Trump ’ s press briefing appearances on a live basis — especially now that they have begun to stretch out into 2-hour affairs with many irrelevant detours from the information about the pandemic that the everyone is waiting for — need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the viewers of those networks are not missing anything important except perhaps some unintentional comedy mixed in with the self-serving political propaganda .
If enough people stop watching the live press briefings and the ratings go down , Trump will likely stop attending them and leave it to experts like Dr. Fauci , who remains one of the few credible sources of information about the pandemic still working in the administration , to deliver the straight facts on his own .
Trump only wants to be involved if he can be number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon may reach when it comes to fatalities related to the virus , thanks to the president ’ s early inaction .

When Donald Trump realized that the daily coronavirus press briefings that he had pawned off to his servile Vice President Mike Pence were beginning to get great ratings, he suddenly decided that he would be the one to lead them each day.
This from a president who prior to the health crisis hadn’t had even his press secretary hold a daily press briefing for months on end.
Yet as Trump became reliant upon the daily televised press conferences to replace his frequent and now impossible-to-hold political rallies, his regular dissemination of overly optimistic misinformation about the disease, the efficacy of untested pharmaceuticals against it, and the length that people will need to continue social distancing and locking themselves in at home have led some major news networks to cease broadcasting the entirety of at least Trump’s portion of the briefings on a live basis to avoid accidentally allowing the president’s unfiltered and unverified information from being transmitted as broadly as the virus itself has been in major hot spots.
With CNN and MSNBC taking a cautious approach to Trump’s deft combination of campaign propaganda sprinkled with a smattering of crucial information from epidemiological experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the some of the more discerning public may miss a few of the more contemptible moments that take place in the sparsely populated and carefully spaced White House briefing room.
They may have missed, for instance, the completely irrelevant prologue to the meat of the briefing intended to update the nation on the progress of the federal efforts to fight COVID-19 that instead focused on a very different and currently significantly less important topic.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, William Barr is out here talking about families being destroyed by … [checks notes] … drug trafficking. Completely beyond parody. pic.twitter.com/gszYvLWMdt — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 1, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Eventually, the press conference got back to the main subject at hand and the president was asked about his unsettling tweet from earlier today threatening Iran with what certainly sounded like a threat of war that had people wondering what the hell he was thinking about.
Upon information and belief, Iran or its proxies are planning a sneak attack on U.S. troops and/or assets in Iraq. If this happens, Iran will pay a very heavy price, indeed! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2020
As it turns out, at least part of that mysterious cipher that is Trump’s mind was thinking about his popularity on Facebook.
REPORTER: You used to say you don't want to give the enemy a heads up. Do you feel like maybe you did by tweeting a threat to Iran? TRUMP: "No. I'm just giving them a warning." pic.twitter.com/HjOtFSVUxq — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 1, 2020
At least the president feels that Iran deserves a warning about a potential upcoming disaster, which is more than he felt he should do for the American people while he was downplaying the effects that the pandemic was going to have on their health, both physical and financial.
Trump displayed his lack of concern for human life — other than politically-expedient fetuses — with his response to a question about how undocumented immigrants would survive during the pandemic.
TRUMP: "We're gonna have a boom economy. I think it's gonna go up rather quickly. Maybe very quickly. And maybe slowly." #analysis pic.twitter.com/d4lFAQ5Px4 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 1, 2020
Nothing like certainty to reassure the public!
A few other Twitter commentators pointed out choice moments from the briefing, unfortunately unaccompanied by video clips, but worth noting nonetheless.
Trump says "the professionals" came to him and told him that, sir, you're going to have to shut the country down. He says he responded, "What does that mean" and was told, "Sir, you're going to have to shut it down." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 1, 2020
As experienced students of the president’s anecdotes and rally claims will tell you, any time Trump quotes some unspecified person as addressing him as “Sir,” you can be pretty sure that this is a story that the president pulled out of his nether regions, just as when he says “nobody knew” indicates that he just learned something for the first time, no matter how obvious it may have been to everyone else.
Reporter asks Trump a question about reports of increased domestic violence.
Trump: Mexican violence?
Reporter: Domestic violence.
Trump: Oh. — Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) April 1, 2020
Apparently, violence on the other side of the border is more interesting for the president than garden variety domestic violence. Surprisingly, the exchange did not trigger a monologue on how much better his slightly modified NAFTA trade agreement — the one that he renamed the USMCA — was than the original deal negotiated during the administration of President George H.W. Bush.
Eventually, Trump turned the podium over to the nominal head of the Coronavirus Task Force, Vice President Mike Pence, who managed to turn evasiveness while answering one reporter’s question into such an art form that even Trump was impressed with his weaselly ways.
"I think that's one of the greatest answers I've ever heard. Because Mike was able to speak for 5 minutes and not even touch your question" — Pence was so evasive in response to a question about health care for uninsured people that even Trump teased him about it pic.twitter.com/ckmoN6EMuX — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 1, 2020
So glad that they’re having such fun up there as the death toll in the United States has surpassed 4,600, exceeding the number of reported deaths in China and placing it only behind Italy and Spain among the nations of the world.
Anyone questioning why those major news outlets no longer see fit to carry Trump’s press briefing appearances on a live basis — especially now that they have begun to stretch out into 2-hour affairs with many irrelevant detours from the information about the pandemic that the everyone is waiting for — need only watch the clips above to see why the viewers of those networks are not missing anything important except perhaps some unintentional comedy mixed in with the self-serving political propaganda.
If enough people stop watching the live press briefings and the ratings go down, Trump will likely stop attending them and leave it to experts like Dr. Fauci, who remains one of the few credible sources of information about the pandemic still working in the administration, to deliver the straight facts on his own.
Trump only wants to be involved if he can be number one, a position that America itself soon may reach when it comes to fatalities related to the virus, thanks to the president’s early inaction.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox.
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--2020-04-02--Trump’s victory-lap tweet about oil production immediately backfires as Russia refutes his claim

Earlier today , Donald Trump tweeted out a claim that he spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudia Arabia , who in turn spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin , ultimately resulting in an understanding that both countries will be cutting oil production to boost gas prices .
Sidestepping the deeply disturbing fact that the president referred to bin Salman—a man who had a journalist murdered and dismembered—as a “ friend , ” one can ’ t help but think that Trump should be far more focused on combatting the coronavirus directly .
Oil prices will rebound eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals are facing dire shortages of necessary medical supplies .
People are dying en masse , the profitability of massive fossil fuel companies is far from this country ’ s most pressing concern .
Trump is , as always , more concerned with the profits of corporations than the lives of individual Americans .
Now it turns out that Trump may have once again been lying to the American people .
Bloomberg News reports that the deal alluded to in the tweet may not even exist .
After the president blasted out his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exporting Countries convened a so-called “ urgent meeting ” at Saudia Arabia ’ s urging .
The group which includes Russia wanted to reach a consensus on what would constitute a “ fair agreement.
” It appears they were blindsided by Trump ’ s claim .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
According to a Bloomberg source “ familiar ” with the White House ’ s conversations with Saudia Arabia , there was much confusion within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sudden tweet .
Staffers were unsure what he meant by it and if the numbers he posted were accurate or entirely fabricated .
Were Trump ’ s tweet true , presumably his administration would have been informed about the details of the deal before he announced it .
Additionally , a spokesperson for the Russian government says the conversation Trump referenced never actually occurred and that the Russians have not reached any agreement with the Saudis to scale back oil production .
The problem with parsing the truth here is that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matched only by President Trump ’ s .
Neither is reliable in any sense of the word .
Regardless of who ’ s telling the truth , the world has again found itself batted about in a sea of confusion because the United States is led by a pathological lair uniquely unsuited for office .
Perhaps Trump decided to blast out misinformation to make himself look good or in the hopes of wishing some new reality into existence .
Needless to say , this is an incredibly weak form of diplomacy that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required results .
Trump is too lazy to do the legwork of actually reaching an agreement with these nations , so he ’ d rather just claim a false victory .
This is not leadership .

Earlier today, Donald Trump tweeted out a claim that he spoke with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudia Arabia, who in turn spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ultimately resulting in an understanding that both countries will be cutting oil production to boost gas prices.
Sidestepping the deeply disturbing fact that the president referred to bin Salman—a man who had a journalist murdered and dismembered—as a “friend,” one can’t help but think that Trump should be far more focused on combatting the coronavirus directly.
Oil prices will rebound eventually, but in the short term, hospitals are facing dire shortages of necessary medical supplies. People are dying en masse, the profitability of massive fossil fuel companies is far from this country’s most pressing concern. Trump is, as always, more concerned with the profits of corporations than the lives of individual Americans.
Just spoke to my friend MBS (Crown Prince) of Saudi Arabia, who spoke with President Putin of Russia, & I expect & hope that they will be cutting back approximately 10 Million Barrels, and maybe substantially more which, if it happens, will be GREAT for the oil & gas industry! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2020
Now it turns out that Trump may have once again been lying to the American people. Bloomberg News reports that the deal alluded to in the tweet may not even exist.
After the president blasted out his tweet, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries convened a so-called “urgent meeting” at Saudia Arabia’s urging. The group which includes Russia wanted to reach a consensus on what would constitute a “fair agreement.” It appears they were blindsided by Trump’s claim.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
According to a Bloomberg source “familiar” with the White House’s conversations with Saudia Arabia, there was much confusion within the administration in the wake of Trump’s sudden tweet. Staffers were unsure what he meant by it and if the numbers he posted were accurate or entirely fabricated. Were Trump’s tweet true, presumably his administration would have been informed about the details of the deal before he announced it.
Additionally, a spokesperson for the Russian government says the conversation Trump referenced never actually occurred and that the Russians have not reached any agreement with the Saudis to scale back oil production.
The problem with parsing the truth here is that the Kremlin’s reputation for mendacity is matched only by President Trump’s. Neither is reliable in any sense of the word. Regardless of who’s telling the truth, the world has again found itself batted about in a sea of confusion because the United States is led by a pathological lair uniquely unsuited for office.
Perhaps Trump decided to blast out misinformation to make himself look good or in the hopes of wishing some new reality into existence. Needless to say, this is an incredibly weak form of diplomacy that is more likely to backfire than yield the required results. Trump is too lazy to do the legwork of actually reaching an agreement with these nations, so he’d rather just claim a false victory. This is not leadership.
https://twitter.com/alexisgoldstein/status/1245807353326374913?s=20
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-02--Adam Schiff demands investigation into Trump’s bungled virus response

With the coronavirus pandemic now having led to more deaths than the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11th , 2001 , Congressman Adam Schiff ( D-CA ) is calling for an independent commission along the lines of the one that was established after 9/11 to investigate the failures in planning and preparedness that left the nation so unprepared for the COVID-19 outbreak .
Schiff , already a pariah in right-wing circles for his leading role in the impeachment of Donald Trump , will likely face even more vitriol with his calls for an investigation into the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease , particularly in the early phases of the appearance of the virus on American shores — a time when quick action may have been able to lessen the rapid spread of the disease .
As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee , Representative Schiff has already instructed staffers to review the intelligence materials presented to the committee that warned of the looming pandemic to see what was known about dangers that the COVID-19 was predicted to pose .
Further investigation will have to wait until the crisis passes its peak and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to face opposition from Republican defenders of Donald Trump and his handling of the crisis .
“ We will need to delay the work of the commission until the crisis has abated to ensure that it does not interfere with the agencies that are leading the response , ” Schiff explained in an email to The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius .
“ But that should not prevent us from beginning to identify where we got it wrong and how we can be prepared for the next pandemic.
” Add your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Congressman Schiff ’ s call for the independent investigatory commission echoes the concerns that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) expressed on CNN ‘ s State of the Union this past Sunday when she said of the president and his administration ’ s lagging response to the crisis : Asked directly whether she was claiming that the administration ’ s foot-dragging approach to the pandemic had caused the death toll in this country to explode beyond what it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been slowed or contained by quick testing and earlier quarantine orders , the Speaker responded : Since that Sunday interview , those numbers have more than doubled , with 238,823 cases and 5,768 deaths in the United States as of Thursday afternoon .
Besides the independent investigatory commission that Schiff is advocating , the Trump administration will also face oversight of how they plan on managing and spending the $ 2 trillion allocated by the economic stimulus package passed by Congress .
Pelosi announced today that she had appointed Representative James Clyburn ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan panel she said would be focused on rooting out waste , fraud and abuse , ” according to The Washington Post .
According to The Washington Post : The new special oversight committee will nominally have the power to subpoena officials from the Trump administration to provide testimony , but , as the House impeachment hearings last year demonstrated , the chances of the White House honoring those subpoenas seem slim .
Given that Trump has already been impeached once for obstruction of Congress and was let off the hook by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has little impetus to abide by the rules this time .
Let ’ s hope that with multiple committees closely monitoring his administration ’ s every public move , the chances for Trump to mismanage the trillions in relief funds for his own benefit will be minimal .
However , the chances that these committees will be sitting around with no questionable actions or transactions to investigate are as low as the number of ventilators left in the nation ’ s strategic reserves at this point .
Original reporting by Alex Henderson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erica Werner and Paul Kane at The Washington Post .
Join millions calling for AG Barr to resign after he defied his constitutional obligations in order to protect Trump !

With the coronavirus pandemic now having led to more deaths than the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11th, 2001, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) is calling for an independent commission along the lines of the one that was established after 9/11 to investigate the failures in planning and preparedness that left the nation so unprepared for the COVID-19 outbreak.
Schiff, already a pariah in right-wing circles for his leading role in the impeachment of Donald Trump, will likely face even more vitriol with his calls for an investigation into the federal government’s less than optimal response to the disease, particularly in the early phases of the appearance of the virus on American shores — a time when quick action may have been able to lessen the rapid spread of the disease.
As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Representative Schiff has already instructed staffers to review the intelligence materials presented to the committee that warned of the looming pandemic to see what was known about dangers that the COVID-19 was predicted to pose.
Further investigation will have to wait until the crisis passes its peak and Congress officially authorizes the commission, which is likely to face opposition from Republican defenders of Donald Trump and his handling of the crisis.
“We will need to delay the work of the commission until the crisis has abated to ensure that it does not interfere with the agencies that are leading the response,” Schiff explained in an email to The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. “But that should not prevent us from beginning to identify where we got it wrong and how we can be prepared for the next pandemic.”
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Congressman Schiff’s call for the independent investigatory commission echoes the concerns that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressed on CNN‘s State of the Union this past Sunday when she said of the president and his administration’s lagging response to the crisis:
“I don’t know what the scientists said to him, when did this president know about this, and what did he know? What did he know and when did he know it? That’s for an after-action review.”
Asked directly whether she was claiming that the administration’s foot-dragging approach to the pandemic had caused the death toll in this country to explode beyond what it could have been had the infection rate had been slowed or contained by quick testing and earlier quarantine orders, the Speaker responded:
“Yes, I am. I’m saying that….. Because we weren’t prepared, we now have 2,000 deaths and 100,000 cases.”
Since that Sunday interview, those numbers have more than doubled, with 238,823 cases and 5,768 deaths in the United States as of Thursday afternoon.
Besides the independent investigatory commission that Schiff is advocating, the Trump administration will also face oversight of how they plan on managing and spending the $2 trillion allocated by the economic stimulus package passed by Congress.
Pelosi announced today that she had appointed Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) to chair a “special bipartisan panel she said would be focused on rooting out waste, fraud and abuse,” according to The Washington Post.
“Where there’s money there’s also frequently mischief,” Speaker Pelosi said as she made the announcement of the new panel.
According to The Washington Post:
“Pelosi told reporters on a conference call that her new committee would be modeled after the World War II-era committee run by then-Sen. Harry Truman (D-Mo.), whose role in investigating the implementation of billions of dollars in defense contracts eventually led to his elevation to vice president.” “She said that this new committee needed to serve as an everyday watchdog of the more than $2 trillion already allocated to fight the novel coronavirus and the virtual lockdown it has placed on the economy.”
The new special oversight committee will nominally have the power to subpoena officials from the Trump administration to provide testimony, but, as the House impeachment hearings last year demonstrated, the chances of the White House honoring those subpoenas seem slim. Given that Trump has already been impeached once for obstruction of Congress and was let off the hook by a compliant and complicit GOP-controlled Senate, the president has little impetus to abide by the rules this time. Let’s hope that with multiple committees closely monitoring his administration’s every public move, the chances for Trump to mismanage the trillions in relief funds for his own benefit will be minimal. However, the chances that these committees will be sitting around with no questionable actions or transactions to investigate are as low as the number of ventilators left in the nation’s strategic reserves at this point. Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter. Original reporting by Alex Henderson at RawStory and by David Ignatius and Erica Werner and Paul Kane at The Washington Post.
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--2020-04-02--Trump trashes virus-ravaged “complainer” states for their “insatiable” need for medical supplies

A disturbing fact to reflect on at any length is that , had he not had the good fortune of being born to a father who managed to hand him over $ 400 million through tax evasion schemes , Donald J. Trump would be whiling away in obscurity or—if his crooked tendencies asserted themselves in an impoverished or middle-class version of his life—possibly rotting behind bars .
Simply put , the man is an atrocious businessman who never could have built up his ill-gotten empire without massive inherited privilege .
Unfortunately for the world , Trump was born into unimaginable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with a lot of racism ) to fail his way right into the White House , where he now presides over a country he lacks the empathy to truly care for or the skills to competently govern .
Having such a monstrous ignoramus serve as president would have been a mess under normal circumstances , but having him at the wheel during a global pandemic iss proving absolutely disastrous .
As medical facilities around the country struggle to deal with an increasing influx of patients whilst simultaneously working around severe shortages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is busy casting doubt on the severity of the situation .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
This morning , Trump took to Twitter to boast about the “ massive amount ” of supplies being delivered by the federal government to the states .
As usual , he ’ s far more focused on making himself look in control than he is in giving an accurate representation of the hurdles still ahead .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican governor was forced to speak out against the president after Trump claimed that he hadn ’ t heard of any problems with access to testing kits .
Clearly , Trump can not be trusted to accurately describe what his administration is doing .
He will always present things in a way that is most advantageous to himself , regardless of the mortal consequences .
The tweet then immediately pivoted back to downplaying the outbreak .
Trump accused some states of having “ insatiable appetites.
” He added that they are “ never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing politics to make him look bad .
It truly can not be articulated how absolutely vile this line of rhetoric is .
These states are “ insatiable ” because people are getting sick and dying in unprecedented droves as the president twiddles away with petty partisan feuds .
Trump wasn ’ t done there though .
He went on to say that the “ complainers , ” by which he means the governors and state officials working around the clock to save lives , should have been better prepared .
At a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of support they can get , the President of the United States is attacking them .
Trump refuses to take responsibility for tackling this pandemic , simultaneously papering over his own colossal failures while casting aspersions on those breaking their backs to compensate for such a pronounced lack of federal leadership .
By the time all of this is over Donald Trump will have the blood of countless Americans on his hand .

A disturbing fact to reflect on at any length is that, had he not had the good fortune of being born to a father who managed to hand him over $400 million through tax evasion schemes, Donald J. Trump would be whiling away in obscurity or—if his crooked tendencies asserted themselves in an impoverished or middle-class version of his life—possibly rotting behind bars. Simply put, the man is an atrocious businessman who never could have built up his ill-gotten empire without massive inherited privilege.
Unfortunately for the world, Trump was born into unimaginable wealth which in turn allowed him (along with a lot of racism) to fail his way right into the White House, where he now presides over a country he lacks the empathy to truly care for or the skills to competently govern. Having such a monstrous ignoramus serve as president would have been a mess under normal circumstances, but having him at the wheel during a global pandemic iss proving absolutely disastrous.
As medical facilities around the country struggle to deal with an increasing influx of patients whilst simultaneously working around severe shortages of necessary supplies and personal protection equipment, Trump is busy casting doubt on the severity of the situation.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
This morning, Trump took to Twitter to boast about the “massive amount” of supplies being delivered by the federal government to the states. As usual, he’s far more focused on making himself look in control than he is in giving an accurate representation of the hurdles still ahead.
It’s worth noting that earlier this week a Republican governor was forced to speak out against the president after Trump claimed that he hadn’t heard of any problems with access to testing kits. Clearly, Trump cannot be trusted to accurately describe what his administration is doing. He will always present things in a way that is most advantageous to himself, regardless of the mortal consequences.
The tweet then immediately pivoted back to downplaying the outbreak. Trump accused some states of having “insatiable appetites.” He added that they are “never satisfied” and implied that they are playing politics to make him look bad. It truly cannot be articulated how absolutely vile this line of rhetoric is. These states are “insatiable” because people are getting sick and dying in unprecedented droves as the president twiddles away with petty partisan feuds.
Trump wasn’t done there though. He went on to say that the “complainers,” by which he means the governors and state officials working around the clock to save lives, should have been better prepared. At a time when these people need every ounce of support they can get, the President of the United States is attacking them.
Trump refuses to take responsibility for tackling this pandemic, simultaneously papering over his own colossal failures while casting aspersions on those breaking their backs to compensate for such a pronounced lack of federal leadership. By the time all of this is over Donald Trump will have the blood of countless Americans on his hand.
Massive amounts of medical supplies, even hospitals and medical centers, are being delivered directly to states and hospitals by the Federal Government. Some have insatiable appetites & are never satisfied (politics?). Remember, we are a backup for them. The complainers should… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2020
….have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit. Other states are thrilled with the job we have done. Sending many Ventilators today, with thousands being built. 51 large cargo planes coming in with medical supplies. Prefer sending directly to hospitals. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2020
Rob Haffey Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-03--“I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” says Trump after CDC tells nation to wear masks

On top of being a stunningly incompetent leader , Donald Trump is perhaps the most abysmal role model in the world .
His hateful followers frequently ape his odious behavior , oblivious to how stupid and often downright dangerous it often is .
Idiocy flows from the Oval Office on a daily basis with no sign of stopping .
During his regular coronavirus press conference today , the president brought up the CDC ’ s suggestion that people wear nonmedical face coverings to curb the transmission of the virus .
While the precaution isn ’ t mandatory , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they aren ’ t doing so already .
Trump , true to ignorant form , immediately undermined the message by admitting that he himself doesn ’ t intend to wear a face covering .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
“ This is voluntary .
I don ’ t think I ’ m going to be doing it , ” Trump said , implicitly signaling to his lunatic MAGA crowd that they can ignore the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans at this point realize that they ’ re best served by doing the opposite of just about everything Trump says .
Everyone should wear facial coverings until directed otherwise by the experts .
Understandably , reporters were curious why the president would ignore the CDC and needlessly endanger himself and others by refusing to cover his face .
His answer was predictably nonsensical .
“ I just don ’ t want to wear one myself .
It ’ s a recommendation .
They recommend it .
Uh , I ’ m feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I just don ’ t want to be doing… I don ’ t know , somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk .
The great Resolute Desk .
I think uh , wearing a face mask as I greet presidents , prime ministers , dictators , kings , queens .
I don ’ t know .
Somehow I don ’ t see it for myself .
I just don ’ t .
Maybe I ’ ll change my mind , ” Trump rambled on .
His response failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reticence is rooted solely in vanity .
The president simply doesn ’ t like the aesthetics of facial masks and would rather endanger himself and others than change his appearance .
It ’ s the same bizarre compulsion that drives him to dye his skin such a ludicrous shade of orange .
Make sure to scroll down and let us know what YOU think in our new comment section !

On top of being a stunningly incompetent leader, Donald Trump is perhaps the most abysmal role model in the world. His hateful followers frequently ape his odious behavior, oblivious to how stupid and downright dangerous it often is. Idiocy flows from the Oval Office on a daily basis with no sign of stopping.
During his regular coronavirus press conference today, the president brought up the CDC’s suggestion that people wear nonmedical face coverings to curb the transmission of the virus. While the precaution isn’t mandatory, it’s advice that every American should heed if they aren’t doing so already.
Trump, true to ignorant form, immediately undermined the message by admitting that he himself doesn’t intend to wear a face covering.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
“This is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” Trump said, implicitly signaling to his lunatic MAGA crowd that they can ignore the CDC’s warning.
Hopefully, most Americans at this point realize that they’re best served by doing the opposite of just about everything Trump says. Everyone should wear facial coverings until directed otherwise by the experts.
Trump announces the CDC is now recommending people wear face coverings to stop spread of coronavirus, but then immediately says "I don't think I'm going to be doing it." pic.twitter.com/GRDLrNNJMD — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 3, 2020
Understandably, reporters were curious why the president would ignore the CDC and needlessly endanger himself and others by refusing to cover his face. His answer was predictably nonsensical.
“I just don’t want to wear one myself. It’s a recommendation. They recommend it. Uh, I’m feeling good,” he said.
“I just don’t want to be doing… I don’t know, somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk. The great Resolute Desk. I think uh, wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens. I don’t know. Somehow I don’t see it for myself. I just don’t. Maybe I’ll change my mind,” Trump rambled on.
His response failed to offer any legitimate rationale and shows his reticence is rooted solely in vanity. The president simply doesn’t like the aesthetics of facial masks and would rather endanger himself and others than change his appearance. It’s the same bizarre compulsion that drives him to dye his skin such a ludicrous shade of orange.
Watch the interaction below.
REPORTER: Why are you opposed to wearing a mask? TRUMP: “I just don’t want to wear one myself … I’m feeling good. I just don’t want to be doing– somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk. The great Resolute Desk … I don’t see it for myself.” pic.twitter.com/7dWmQQY3Aw — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 3, 2020
Make sure to scroll down and let us know what YOU think in our new comment section!
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-03--Lawmakers in both Houses of Congress demand probe into firing of Captain Crozier

The uproar around the abrupt dismissal of Captain Brett Crozier of the coronavirus-ravaged aircraft carrier U.S.S Theodore Roosevelt has reached the halls of Congress .
Democratic lawmakers in both the House and the Senate are calling for an investigation into the firing of the captain , who decided that the health of his 3,000 sailors was more important than the Navy ’ s classified message regulations .
Senators Richard Blumenthal ( D-CT ) and Chris Van Hollen ( D-MD ) have issued a letter , co-signed by 15 of their colleagues , demanding an immediate “ formal investigation ” into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inspector General , Gen. Glenn Fine .
“ It is essential that your office conduct a comprehensive investigation to avoid any potential conflicts of interest within the Navy chain of command , and we encourage you to evaluate all relevant matters associated with the dismissal and the outbreak on the ship , ” wrote the Senators in their letter .
They were joined by Reps. Ted Lieu ( D-CA ) and Ruben Gallego ( D-AZ ) , both veterans , who issued their own directive to Gen. Fine over the termination of Capt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were taught that protecting the health and safety of troops was one of the highest priorities of any commander ” begins the missive : Over the past day , Captain Brett Crozier of the U.S.S .
Theodore Roosevelt has become a symbol of American resilience and determination in a time of crisis .
Faced with a nightmare scenario as coronavirus stalked the 3,000 man crew of his aircraft carrier and displeased with the response he was getting from the Navy , Captain Crozier made the brave and risky decision to widely share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channels , in which he made it clear that leaving the uninfected sailors aboard the vessel was needlessly putting them at risk .
“ We are not at war .
Sailors do not need to die .
If we do not act now , we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors , ” wrote Crozier in his letter , which he CC ’ d to 20 or 30 people .
The letter found its way to the San Francisco Chronicle and led to his rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted it was because Crozier went outside the chain of command .
If Capt .
Crozier was really fired for embarassing the Trump administration and the Pentagon — as was hinted today by Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly when he complained the Crozier had painted the Navy in a “ negative light ” — then punitive action must be taken .
Make sure to scroll down and let us know what YOU think in our new comment section !

The uproar around the abrupt dismissal of Captain Brett Crozier of the coronavirus-ravaged aircraft carrier U.S.S Theodore Roosevelt has reached the halls of Congress. Democratic lawmakers in both the House and the Senate are calling for an investigation into the firing of the captain, who decided that the health of his 3,000 sailors was more important than the Navy’s classified message regulations.
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have issued a letter, co-signed by 15 of their colleagues, demanding an immediate “formal investigation” into the matter by the Pentagon’s Inspector General, Gen. Glenn Fine.
DOD IG must immediately investigate the COVID-19 crisis on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Navy must provide urgent assistance to the entire crew & the island of Guam to contain the spread. — Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) April 2, 2020
“It is essential that your office conduct a comprehensive investigation to avoid any potential conflicts of interest within the Navy chain of command, and we encourage you to evaluate all relevant matters associated with the dismissal and the outbreak on the ship,” wrote the Senators in their letter.
They were joined by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), both veterans, who issued their own directive to Gen. Fine over the termination of Capt. Crozier. “As veterans, we were taught that protecting the health and safety of troops was one of the highest priorities of any commander” begins the missive:
Today @RubenGallego & I sent a letter to @DoD_IG requesting an investigation of @SECNAV Modly. He relieved Captain Crozier of command after Capt Crozier warned sailors would die from #coronavirus if they weren’t evacuated from the ship. Commanders should not be afraid to warn. pic.twitter.com/NmM6Ht6wHy — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 3, 2020
Over the past day, Captain Brett Crozier of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt has become a symbol of American resilience and determination in a time of crisis. Faced with a nightmare scenario as coronavirus stalked the 3,000 man crew of his aircraft carrier and displeased with the response he was getting from the Navy, Captain Crozier made the brave and risky decision to widely share his letter to Navy officials through non-classified channels, in which he made it clear that leaving the uninfected sailors aboard the vessel was needlessly putting them at risk.
“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors,” wrote Crozier in his letter, which he CC’d to 20 or 30 people. The letter found its way to the San Francisco Chronicle and led to his rapid dismissal by the Navy, who officially insisted it was because Crozier went outside the chain of command.
If Capt. Crozier was really fired for embarassing the Trump administration and the Pentagon — as was hinted today by Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly when he complained the Crozier had painted the Navy in a “negative light” — then punitive action must be taken.
Make sure to scroll down and let us know what YOU think in our new comment section!
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-03--AOC tears into Laura Ingraham for insulting her virus concerns: “why are you on TV again?”

Perhaps no recurring bit in the right-wing bubble is more representative of the Republican Party ’ s utter disdain for the working class than their mockery of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) for being a former bartender .
Apparently , being a reality television hack makes you qualified for the office of the Presidency but working a real job like most Americans means you ’ re a joke deserving of cruel ridicule .
The attacks say far more about those engaging in them than those targeted .
Despite the constant bad faith attacks , AOC continues to bravely advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , she tweeted about the fact that the coronavirus pandemic is hitting communities of color particularly hard because of decades of deliberate economic and social disenfranchisement by America ’ s white majority .
This prompted a snarky response from FOX News ’ resident white supremacist Laura Ingraham , who disparaged AOC as a “ Doctor of Mixology , ” an obvious and tired reference to her past career as a bartender .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the last person to be questioning anyone ’ s credentials , Ocasio-Cortez immediately fired back by pointing out that Twitter was recently forced to remove her tweets promoting a coronavirus treatment that led to a man accidentally killing himself and hospitalizing his wife : Indeed , why is a woman like Laura Ingraham , who openly promoted rabid white supremacist Paul Nehlen on her show as a victim of censorship by tech companies , allowed on television at all ?
Nothing she has ever said or done has any value to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divison and a sower of hatred , and all the props to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez for refusing to take her insults lying down .

Perhaps no recurring bit in the right-wing bubble is more representative of the Republican Party’s utter disdain for the working class than their mockery of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for being a former bartender. Apparently, being a reality television hack makes you qualified for the office of the Presidency but working a real job like most Americans means you’re a joke deserving of cruel ridicule. The attacks say far more about those engaging in them than those targeted.
Despite the constant bad faith attacks, AOC continues to bravely advocate for the marginalized and disenfranchised. Earlier today, she tweeted about the fact that the coronavirus pandemic is hitting communities of color particularly hard because of decades of deliberate economic and social disenfranchisement by America’s white majority.
COVID deaths are disproportionately spiking in Black + Brown communities. Why? Because the chronic toll of redlining, environmental racism, wealth gap, etc. ARE underlying health conditions. Inequality is a comorbidity. COVID relief should be drafted with a lens of reparations. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 3, 2020
This prompted a snarky response from FOX News’ resident white supremacist Laura Ingraham, who disparaged AOC as a “Doctor of Mixology,” an obvious and tired reference to her past career as a bartender.
The Doctor of Mixology will save us! https://t.co/I6mH9tGyFj — Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) April 3, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Seeing as the hatemongering propagandist is the last person to be questioning anyone’s credentials, Ocasio-Cortez immediately fired back by pointing out that Twitter was recently forced to remove her tweets promoting a coronavirus treatment that led to a man accidentally killing himself and hospitalizing his wife:
Didn’t you just put a doctor on your show who faked their employment at Lenox Hill hospital and touted a COVID “treatment” that you tweeted & Twitter had to remove because a man may have died trying self-administer it? I’m sorry, why are you on TV again? https://t.co/Lfc6RvtBDS — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 3, 2020
Indeed, why is a woman like Laura Ingraham, who openly promoted rabid white supremacist Paul Nehlen on her show as a victim of censorship by tech companies, allowed on television at all? Nothing she has ever said or done has any value to our society. She is an agent of divison and a sower of hatred, and all the props to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez for refusing to take her insults lying down.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-03--Dr. Fauci shreds Fox & Friends for asking why U.S. doctors aren’t following Dr. Oz’s advice

Dr. Anthony Fauci has the profoundly unenviable job of helping guide this country through one of the worst health crises it ’ s ever seen while bound at the hip to the most ignorant president to ever slink into the Oval Office .
The good doctor hasn ’ t been afraid to push back against the president ’ s misinformation when necessary and has somehow managed to maintain his role as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease despite Trump ’ s well-demonstrated penchant for firing not based on competency , but loyalty .
Fauci ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s media apparatus at Fox News , which disseminates and magnifies every untrue thing he says with abject credulity while often stewing in their own falsities .
Luckily for the rest of us , Fauci doesn ’ t take kindly to being made party to nonsense .
During an appearance on Fox News , he addressed claims made by professional snake-oil salesman Dr. Oz , himself a disreputable member of President Trump ’ s Council on Sports , Fitness , and Nutrition .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives to save the stock market !
Fox host Steve Doocy asked Fauci why prescribing hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug touted by some in the right-wing media bubble as a miracle solution to COVID-19 , isn ’ t a more widespread practice by physicians .
Doocy accompanied the query with a clip of Dr. Oz asking Fauci what he thinks of a Chinese study which claims that the drug is responsible for a “ statistically significant improvement in recovery from fever , from cough , and in pneumonia as well.
” “ Yeah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
So that was not a very robust study .
It is still possible that there is a beneficial effect , but the study that was just quoted , on a scale of strength of evidence that ’ s not overwhelmingly strong , ” said Fauci .
The doctor went on to tear apart Doocy ’ s observation that a percentage of doctors “ feel ” that hydroxychloroquine is effective .
“ We don ’ t operate on how you feel .
We operate on what evidence is and data is , ” @ @ @

Dr. Anthony Fauci has the profoundly unenviable job of helping guide this country through one of the worst health crises it’s ever seen while bound at the hip to the most ignorant president to ever slink into the Oval Office. The good doctor hasn’t been afraid to push back against the president’s misinformation when necessary and has somehow managed to maintain his role as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease despite Trump’s well-demonstrated penchant for firing not based on competency, but loyalty.
Fauci’s difficult job is made more so by Trump’s media apparatus at Fox News, which disseminates and magnifies every untrue thing he says with abject credulity while often stewing in their own falsities. Luckily for the rest of us, Fauci doesn’t take kindly to being made party to nonsense.
During an appearance on Fox News, he addressed claims made by professional snake-oil salesman Dr. Oz, himself a disreputable member of President Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Fox host Steve Doocy asked Fauci why prescribing hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug touted by some in the right-wing media bubble as a miracle solution to COVID-19, isn’t a more widespread practice by physicians. Doocy accompanied the query with a clip of Dr. Oz asking Fauci what he thinks of a Chinese study which claims that the drug is responsible for a “statistically significant improvement in recovery from fever, from cough, and in pneumonia as well.”
“Yeah, you want my response to that? So that was not a very robust study. It is still possible that there is a beneficial effect, but the study that was just quoted, on a scale of strength of evidence that’s not overwhelmingly strong,” said Fauci.
The doctor went on to tear apart Doocy’s observation that a percentage of doctors “feel” that hydroxychloroquine is effective.
“We don’t operate on how you feel. We operate on what evidence is and data is,” said Fauci.
Watch the exchange below.
Dr. Anthony Fauci responds to Dr. Oz's advocacy for HCQ as a covid treatment: "That was not a very robust study." Fauci also says some may "feel" HCQ is an effective treatment, and "there is a suggestion" it could be, but we can't "make that majestic leap" to assume it's a cure. pic.twitter.com/A623tHuPYC — Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) April 3, 2020
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-03--Trump’s Navy Secretary trashes “overwhelmed” Crozier and complains he made Navy look bad

Over the past day , Captain Brett Crozier of the U.S.S .
Theodore Roosevelt has become a symbol of American resilience and determination in a time of crisis .
Faced with a nightmare scenario as coronavirus stalked the 3,000 man crew of his aircraft carrier and displeased with the response he was getting from the Navy , Captain Crozier made the brave and risky decision to widely share his letter to Navy officials through non-classified channels , in which he made it clear that leaving the uninfected sailors aboard the vessel was needlessly putting them at risk .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not need to die .
If we do not act now , we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors , ” wrote Crozier in his letter , which he CC ’ d to 20 or 30 people .
The letter found its way to the San Francisco Chronicle and led to his rapid dismissal by the Navy , who officially insisted it was because Crozier went outside the chain of command .
But not content with just firing the man , President Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined right-wing propagandist Hugh Hewitt to smear Crozier and paint him as being emotionally unfit for command .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
“ I had just lost confidence in this particular commanding officer ’ s ability to manage through this crisis based on the actions he displayed last week .
And without going into too many details on it , because I have detailed that in my statement yesterday , I just lost confidence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more telling was his next sentence , which was to complain that “ I think he put the spotlight on the Navy in a negative light when all the things he was asking for we ’ re surging for him…and I just can ’ t have a commanding officer who gets overwhelmed and uses that type of judgment in the middle of a crisis.
” While Modly quickly added that “ this is not an indictment of his entire career .
He ’ s had an absolutely incredible career .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done some amazing things , ” it begs the question of why he felt the need to publicly disparage the man ’ s judgment if his firing was solely for sending unclassified communications .
Though Navy higher-ups might not have appreciated Crozier stepping over the line to raise the alarms , his sailors certainly did , as evidenced by the raucous send-off they gave their beloved captain : It is a sad day for our military when the safety of our sailors is deemed less important than adherence to regulations .
The original @ @ @ @ @ @

Over the past day, Captain Brett Crozier of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt has become a symbol of American resilience and determination in a time of crisis. Faced with a nightmare scenario as coronavirus stalked the 3,000 man crew of his aircraft carrier and displeased with the response he was getting from the Navy, Captain Crozier made the brave and risky decision to widely share his letter to Navy officials through non-classified channels, in which he made it clear that leaving the uninfected sailors aboard the vessel was needlessly putting them at risk.
“We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors,” wrote Crozier in his letter, which he CC’d to 20 or 30 people. The letter found its way to the San Francisco Chronicle and led to his rapid dismissal by the Navy, who officially insisted it was because Crozier went outside the chain of command.
But not content with just firing the man, President Trump’s Acting Navy Secretary, Thomas Modly, joined right-wing propagandist Hugh Hewitt to smear Crozier and paint him as being emotionally unfit for command.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
“I had just lost confidence in this particular commanding officer’s ability to manage through this crisis based on the actions he displayed last week. And without going into too many details on it, because I have detailed that in my statement yesterday, I just lost confidence in his ability” said Modly.
But more telling was his next sentence, which was to complain that “I think he put the spotlight on the Navy in a negative light when all the things he was asking for we’re surging for him…and I just can’t have a commanding officer who gets overwhelmed and uses that type of judgment in the middle of a crisis.”
While Modly quickly added that “this is not an indictment of his entire career. He’s had an absolutely incredible career. I’m envious of it. He’s done some amazing things,” it begs the question of why he felt the need to publicly disparage the man’s judgment if his firing was solely for sending unclassified communications.
Though Navy higher-ups might not have appreciated Crozier stepping over the line to raise the alarms, his sailors certainly did, as evidenced by the raucous send-off they gave their beloved captain:
It is a sad day for our military when the safety of our sailors is deemed less important than adherence to regulations.
The original interview can be read here.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts