hotair--2020-03-14--Trump: I've been tested for coronavirus; Update: Negative

I hope he ’ s negative , firstly for his own sake and secondly because of the lesson that would be drawn by the public if he ’ s positive and turns out to be one of the septuagenarians lucky enough to shake the illness without medical intervention .
“ They told us this disease kills senior citizens , ” people would say .
“ Trump didn ’ t even miss a day of work !
” Social distancing would go right out the window for much of the population , assuming they ’ re seriously practicing it at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad lesson is bound to be drawn either way .
If he ’ s negative , people will look at all the contact he ’ s had lately with the infected and conclude that the disease isn ’ t as easily transmitted as the experts claim .
At least four people who were at Mar-a-Lago last weekend with him have tested positive , including the press secretary to the president of Brazil and the mayor of Miami .
BuzzFeed has a map of all the COVID-19 exposures around Trump over the past week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to White House meetings to CPAC .
If he ’ s negative , he ’ s lucky .
Many average joes won ’ t be as lucky , especially elderly ones : I don ’ t think the White House will tell us if he ’ s positive .
They ’ d be nervous about the public drawing the conclusion I described up top and wary of the blowback they ’ d get for Trump ’ s decision to continue to keep close quarters with every important official in the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus test .
Watch , then read on .
Question : If he was tested yesterday , what was the White House doctor doing putting out this letter last night ?
I understand the political reasons for not testing him .
It seems unfair for VIPs to be insta-tested when the great unwashed masses are forced to do without ; plus , the administration wants to send the message at a moment when tests are being rationed that only those presenting symptoms that make infection seem likely should have a test wasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test .
I think that ’ s the wrong approach to an official as important as the president , who ’ s in constant contact with other important officials .
But if that ’ s the message , stick to it .
Don ’ t have him turn around 12 hours after this was released and say that he was tested out of an abundance of caution anyway .
Why can ’ t they get their story straight on anything , even something as easy as this ?
How did they go out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building a website that will help direct patients nationwide to local testing locations when Google ’ s doing no such thing ?
It ’ s a separate company under the Google umbrella that ’ s working on a site .
They ’ re planning a trial in the Bay Area , not a nationwide run .
The site wasn ’ t even supposed to be accessible by the general public , although the company ’ s now going to open it up to everyone after the White House caught them off-guard by hyping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coronavirus czar get this flow chart if there ’ s no actual website set to roll out tomorrow night ?
Anyway .
There ’ s another person whose name you ’ ll know who was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend along with COVID-19 .
Ironically , he ’ s the one person on the opinion side of Fox News who ’ s been treating this crisis with the full seriousness it deserves .
That ’ s Tucker Carlson , who reportedly shook hands with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro while his infected press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t a pure pleasure trip for Carlson , though .
He was there , according to the NYT , to warn Trump that COVID-19 isn ’ t fake news : A few days ago , after a Carlson monologue about the threat from COVID-19 that appeared to be aimed squarely at influencing Trump , I wrote that “ We may have arrived at a state of such dysfunction in terms of how the president processes information that having people like Anthony Fauci and the head of the CDC assure him daily that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply can ’ t get through to him .
To really penetrate his consciousness , they need to appeal to a higher authority : Fox News primetime hosts.
” Maybe Tucker believes that too .
The fate of America may hang not on what Fauci and Deborah Birx are telling POTUS but what the 8 p.m. host on his favorite channel is saying .
Fortunately for all of us , Fauci , Birx , and Carlson are broadly in sync .
Meanwhile , as I ’ m writing this , news is breaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar-a-Lago last weekend .
That ’ s five people who were there and later tested positive , if in fact she ’ s positive .
I ’ m going to guess that she had some face time with Trump given her job , too .
I ’ ll leave you with these two praiseworthy clips of Carlson from last night , one of which has him grilling top HHS official Seema Verma about her refusal to say on Thursday whether we have enough ventilators in our stockpile for all of the people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do not .
Update : Yes , the president is negative , says the White House .

I hope he’s negative, firstly for his own sake and secondly because of the lesson that would be drawn by the public if he’s positive and turns out to be one of the septuagenarians lucky enough to shake the illness without medical intervention. “They told us this disease kills senior citizens,” people would say. “Trump didn’t even miss a day of work!” Social distancing would go right out the window for much of the population, assuming they’re seriously practicing it at all.
On the other hand, a bad lesson is bound to be drawn either way. If he’s negative, people will look at all the contact he’s had lately with the infected and conclude that the disease isn’t as easily transmitted as the experts claim. At least four people who were at Mar-a-Lago last weekend with him have tested positive, including the press secretary to the president of Brazil and the mayor of Miami. BuzzFeed has a map of all the COVID-19 exposures around Trump over the past week or so, from his Florida resort to White House meetings to CPAC.
If he’s negative, he’s lucky. Many average joes won’t be as lucky, especially elderly ones:
47 of 95 (49.5%) tested employees at the Life Care Center of Kirkland have tested positive for #COVID19. 19 patients have died. 37 people have died across Washington State. This is just the tip of the iceberg. — DCGomez (@AllThingsNatSec) March 14, 2020
I don’t think the White House will tell us if he’s positive. They’d be nervous about the public drawing the conclusion I described up top and wary of the blowback they’d get for Trump’s decision to continue to keep close quarters with every important official in the government’s task force while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test. Watch, then read on.
Question: If he was tested yesterday, what was the White House doctor doing putting out this letter last night?
I understand the political reasons for not testing him. It seems unfair for VIPs to be insta-tested when the great unwashed masses are forced to do without; plus, the administration wants to send the message at a moment when tests are being rationed that only those presenting symptoms that make infection seem likely should have a test wasted on them. No symptoms, no test. I think that’s the wrong approach to an official as important as the president, who’s in constant contact with other important officials. But if that’s the message, stick to it. Don’t have him turn around 12 hours after this was released and say that he was tested out of an abundance of caution anyway.
Why can’t they get their story straight on anything, even something as easy as this? How did they go out there yesterday and announce that Google is building a website that will help direct patients nationwide to local testing locations when Google’s doing no such thing? It’s a separate company under the Google umbrella that’s working on a site. They’re planning a trial in the Bay Area, not a nationwide run. The site wasn’t even supposed to be accessible by the general public, although the company’s now going to open it up to everyone after the White House caught them off-guard by hyping it.
Where the hell did Trump’s coronavirus czar get this flow chart if there’s no actual website set to roll out tomorrow night?
Anyway. There’s another person whose name you’ll know who was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend along with COVID-19. Ironically, he’s the one person on the opinion side of Fox News who’s been treating this crisis with the full seriousness it deserves. That’s Tucker Carlson, who reportedly shook hands with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro while his infected press secretary stood nearby. It wasn’t a pure pleasure trip for Carlson, though. He was there, according to the NYT, to warn Trump that COVID-19 isn’t fake news:
Off the air, Mr. Carlson has been urging Mr. Trump to take the threat of coronavirus more seriously. Last Saturday, Mr. Carlson drove from his residence in Florida to Mar-a-Lago, the president’s Florida resort, and spoke directly with Mr. Trump about the virus, according to a person with knowledge of their conversation.
A few days ago, after a Carlson monologue about the threat from COVID-19 that appeared to be aimed squarely at influencing Trump, I wrote that “We may have arrived at a state of such dysfunction in terms of how the president processes information that having people like Anthony Fauci and the head of the CDC assure him daily that this is much more threatening than the flu simply can’t get through to him. To really penetrate his consciousness, they need to appeal to a higher authority: Fox News primetime hosts.” Maybe Tucker believes that too. The fate of America may hang not on what Fauci and Deborah Birx are telling POTUS but what the 8 p.m. host on his favorite channel is saying. Fortunately for all of us, Fauci, Birx, and Carlson are broadly in sync.
Meanwhile, as I’m writing this, news is breaking:
Last night, @GOPChairwoman's doctor determined a test for COVID-19 was necessary given her symptoms. We will provide an update when the test results are available. pic.twitter.com/oLla7pLaDH — Michael Ahrens (@michaelahrens) March 14, 2020
Yes, McDaniel was also at Mar-a-Lago last weekend. That’s five people who were there and later tested positive, if in fact she’s positive. I’m going to guess that she had some face time with Trump given her job, too.
I’ll leave you with these two praiseworthy clips of Carlson from last night, one of which has him grilling top HHS official Seema Verma about her refusal to say on Thursday whether we have enough ventilators in our stockpile for all of the people who will soon need them. Spoiler: We do not.
Tucker Carlson talking about coronavirus testing failures: "Why was the richest, most advanced country on the planet not prepared?" He said "government incompetence played an awfully big role in all of this." pic.twitter.com/qMWyFt29GK — Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 14, 2020
CMS Administrator Seema Verma asked 4 times in 5 minutes whether there is a shortage of ventilators in the U.S. Verma dodges 4 times. Asked how many are stockpiled: “We’re still assessing” Asked if there are enough for case uptick: "I don’t want to make drastic predictions" pic.twitter.com/7pA5WhhLVG — JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) March 14, 2020
Update: Yes, the president is negative, says the White House.


hotair--2020-03-15--Just say no to more government power in this pandemic

There ’ s a theory put forth by Farhad Manjoo in The New York Times that everyone becomes a socialist in a pandemic .
It ’ s incorrect , but worth exploring further given the response by businesses regarding coronavirus and the overreaction by governments across the nation .
The ‘ evidence ’ includes the litany of companies now offering sick leave to employees who end up missing work due to coronavirus .
Manjoo believes it ironic Uber and Lyft are offering sick leave to drivers who either contract the virus or end up in quarantine due to their opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 .
The bill requires companies to reclassify independent contractors as employees and offer benefits .
“ Overnight , workplaces across the country were transformed into Scandinavian Edens of flexibility , ” Manjoo quips at the current changes in business practice .
“ Can ’ t make it to the office because your kid has to unexpectedly stay home from school ?
Last week , it sucked to be you .
This week : What are you even doing asking ?
Go home , be with your kid !
” Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embracing mandatory sick leave .
Individual businesses are simply adjusting policies in the wake of an extraordinary situation : a new virus rapidly moving across the globe .
The alternative is corporations suddenly losing hundreds of workers and , thus , unable to meet the demands of consumers .
All this , for those wondering , is not due to government fiat but a market change .
It makes sense to offer sick leave or work from home ability to keep the virus from spreading further .
Politicians and government , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted last week there are Republicans who believe it ’ s time to enact a temporary measure to make sure hospitals treat coronavirus patients who do not have or are not covered by insurance .
“ You can look at it as socialized medicine , ” Rep. Ted Yoho ( R-Fla. ) told HuffPost on Tuesday .
“ But in the face of an outbreak , a pandemic , what ’ s your options ?
” Yoho , one of the most anti-Obamacare lawmakers in Congress , said it would be a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for testing and treatment of the uninsured , while also saying he ’ s “ not OK with socialized medicine.
” “ Sometimes you have to do things that you have to do for your country , but as far as socialized medicine , no , ” Yoho said .
“ Does this fall into that ?
Yeah , I guess you could throw it in there , but hopefully it ’ s not the long-term.
” Hundreds of local governments are banning assemblies of more than 250 .
Austin forced South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closure of all bars and restaurants starting at 9p on Sunday ( take out and delivery is okay , for now ) .
California ’ s executive order on coronavirus includes the power for agencies to commandeer “ hotels and other places of temporary residence , medical facilities , and other facilities that are suitable for use as temporary residence or medical facilities as necessary for quarantining , isolating , or treating individuals ” who may have coronavirus or might be in the incubation period .
The city of Dallas made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base to not come into the city .
Social media wants a national lockdown until the danger passes .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wrote in The New York Times it was time for President Donald Trump to use the military to fight coronavirus by leveraging “ its expertise , equipment and people power to retrofit and equip existing facilities — like military bases or college dormitories — to serve as temporary medical centers .
Then we can designate existing hospital beds for the acutely ill. ” We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we might get coronavirus camps .
Lovely ( please note sarcasm and any coronavirus camp suggestion should be tossed in a burn pile. )
!
Let ’ s not forget one of the reasons why the U.S. appears completely behind the curve on coronavirus response is a self-inflicted wound…by the CDC and Washington state ’ s government !
Via The New York Times ( emphasis mine ) : Dr. Helen Y. Chu , an infectious disease expert in Seattle , knew that the United States did not have much time .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of the coronavirus had landed in her area…Dr .
Chu had a way to monitor the region .
For months , as part of a research project into the flu , she and a team of researchers had been collecting nasal swabs from residents experiencing symptoms throughout the Puget Sound region .
To repurpose the tests for monitoring the coronavirus , they would need the support of state and federal officials .
But nearly everywhere Dr. Chu turned , officials repeatedly rejected the idea , interviews and emails show , even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries outside of China , where the infection began… Federal and state officials said the flu study could not be repurposed because it did not have explicit permission from research subjects ; the labs were also not certified for clinical work .
Reason also reported Washington state officials told Chu to stop her tests .
Yes , there ’ s reason to be concerned about coronavirus .
The elderly , people with suppressed immune systems , and others are at risk .
Coronavirus appears to be moving quickly through the country , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine .
Wash your hands , stay home if you ’ re sick , and contact your health provider ahead of time if you think you may be infected .
Let ’ s not give the government more power to dictate our lives , even during a pandemic .
Common sense isn ’ t a government-forced lockdown of life .
It is reducing regulations so companies can get a vaccine out quicker to the general populace and not telling private labs to stop testing if they have found a way to detect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to embrace socialism or a top-heavy approach to fighting a pandemic , temporary or not .
‘ Temporary ’ tends to become long-term in the hands of the government .

There’s a theory put forth by Farhad Manjoo in The New York Times that everyone becomes a socialist in a pandemic. It’s incorrect, but worth exploring further given the response by businesses regarding coronavirus and the overreaction by governments across the nation.
The ‘evidence’ includes the litany of companies now offering sick leave to employees who end up missing work due to coronavirus. Manjoo believes it ironic Uber and Lyft are offering sick leave to drivers who either contract the virus or end up in quarantine due to their opposition to California’s job-killing Assembly Bill 5. The bill requires companies to reclassify independent contractors as employees and offer benefits.
“Overnight, workplaces across the country were transformed into Scandinavian Edens of flexibility,” Manjoo quips at the current changes in business practice. “Can’t make it to the office because your kid has to unexpectedly stay home from school? Last week, it sucked to be you. This week: What are you even doing asking? Go home, be with your kid!”
Let’s throttle back the idea businesses are suddenly embracing mandatory sick leave. Individual businesses are simply adjusting policies in the wake of an extraordinary situation: a new virus rapidly moving across the globe. The alternative is corporations suddenly losing hundreds of workers and, thus, unable to meet the demands of consumers. All this, for those wondering, is not due to government fiat but a market change. It makes sense to offer sick leave or work from home ability to keep the virus from spreading further.
Politicians and government, of course, make everything worse.
Huffington Post noted last week there are Republicans who believe it’s time to enact a temporary measure to make sure hospitals treat coronavirus patients who do not have or are not covered by insurance.
“You can look at it as socialized medicine,” Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) told HuffPost on Tuesday. “But in the face of an outbreak, a pandemic, what’s your options?” Yoho, one of the most anti-Obamacare lawmakers in Congress, said it would be a “wise thing” for the government to pay for testing and treatment of the uninsured, while also saying he’s “not OK with socialized medicine.” “Sometimes you have to do things that you have to do for your country, but as far as socialized medicine, no,” Yoho said. “Does this fall into that? Yeah, I guess you could throw it in there, but hopefully it’s not the long-term.”
Hundreds of local governments are banning assemblies of more than 250. Austin forced South by Southwest to close. Ohio ordered the closure of all bars and restaurants starting at 9p on Sunday (take out and delivery is okay, for now). California’s executive order on coronavirus includes the power for agencies to commandeer “hotels and other places of temporary residence, medical facilities, and other facilities that are suitable for use as temporary residence or medical facilities as necessary for quarantining, isolating, or treating individuals” who may have coronavirus or might be in the incubation period. The city of Dallas made a similar decree. San Antonio ordered coronavirus evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base to not come into the city. Social media wants a national lockdown until the danger passes.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wrote in The New York Times it was time for President Donald Trump to use the military to fight coronavirus by leveraging “its expertise, equipment and people power to retrofit and equip existing facilities — like military bases or college dormitories — to serve as temporary medical centers. Then we can designate existing hospital beds for the acutely ill.”
We’re not getting FEMA camps, but we might get coronavirus camps. Lovely (please note sarcasm and any coronavirus camp suggestion should be tossed in a burn pile.)!
Let’s not forget one of the reasons why the U.S. appears completely behind the curve on coronavirus response is a self-inflicted wound…by the CDC and Washington state’s government! Via The New York Times (emphasis mine):
Dr. Helen Y. Chu, an infectious disease expert in Seattle, knew that the United States did not have much time. In late January, the first confirmed American case of the coronavirus had landed in her area…Dr. Chu had a way to monitor the region. For months, as part of a research project into the flu, she and a team of researchers had been collecting nasal swabs from residents experiencing symptoms throughout the Puget Sound region. To repurpose the tests for monitoring the coronavirus, they would need the support of state and federal officials. But nearly everywhere Dr. Chu turned, officials repeatedly rejected the idea, interviews and emails show, even as weeks crawled by and outbreaks emerged in countries outside of China, where the infection began… Federal and state officials said the flu study could not be repurposed because it did not have explicit permission from research subjects; the labs were also not certified for clinical work.
Reason also reported Washington state officials told Chu to stop her tests.
Yes, there’s reason to be concerned about coronavirus. The elderly, people with suppressed immune systems, and others are at risk. Coronavirus appears to be moving quickly through the country, although a vast majority of people will be fine. Wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, and contact your health provider ahead of time if you think you may be infected.
Let’s not give the government more power to dictate our lives, even during a pandemic. Common sense isn’t a government-forced lockdown of life. It is reducing regulations so companies can get a vaccine out quicker to the general populace and not telling private labs to stop testing if they have found a way to detect the virus.
We don’t need to embrace socialism or a top-heavy approach to fighting a pandemic, temporary or not. ‘Temporary’ tends to become long-term in the hands of the government.


hotair--2020-03-15--Open thread: The one, the only, one-on-one Bernie-Biden debate

For those practicing their social distancing , tonight ’ s eleventh debate in the Democratic presidential primary cycle will provide an example of sorts .
For one thing , the DNC made sure not to have a younger woman expose the two elderly frontrunners unnecessarily to any viruses .
Sorry , Tulsi Gabbard , but you ’ re doing it for America !
Actually , it ’ s rather amazing that this debate will take place at all .
It ’ s almost assuredly too late for it to have any real impact on the nomination now , especially with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to coronavirus concerns .
Joe Biden has a 154-delegate lead at the moment and is getting closer to halfway to the magic number of 1,991 — the number of delegates needed for a first-ballot win at the convention .
Bernie Sanders would need to win somewhere north of 55 % of all the rest of the primaries to catch up in the proportional-allocation system .
It ’ s not even certain Bernie can hit 55 % in any one state , let alone all the rest of them .
Still , Sanders is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As I wrote earlier at The Week , Sanders has one shot at taking down Biden , and that ’ s tonight .
But Biden has something to prove , too — that he ’ s not just falling into the nomination by default : The Biden tsunami of the past week has been stunning .
Before Biden won in South Carolina — his first-ever presidential primary win — the question appeared to be whether the Democratic establishment could prevent Sanders from using a split field to gain enough delegates to win on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won or virtually tied in the first three contests of the season ( Iowa , New Hampshire , and Nevada ) while Biden had finished largely out of contention in all three .
This raises a key question , both for Sunday ’ s debate and for the general election .
Did Biden stage an impressive and historic comeback to prove his electoral mettle ?
Did Sanders suffer a historic collapse instead ?
Or did everyone misread the 2016 electoral cycle as a populist uprising , when in fact it might have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the partisan divide : Hillary Clinton ?
… After winning South Carolina and having the remaining center-lane candidates drop out , Biden began winning in places he ’ d barely visited — Minnesota , Massachusetts , Maine , and arguably Texas — where Sanders had been presumed to be ahead .
Polls suggested that Sanders would score a huge delegate advantage over Biden in progressive California , but Biden finished within seven points of Sanders and with just 50 fewer delegates .
The impression this leaves is of a candidate who is winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument .
Exit polls favoring electability over policy amplify that impression .
Sanders must believe that to be true , too , which is why he ’ s defying the delegate math for a few more days to take a direct run at Biden on stage .
All Biden has to do at Sunday ’ s debate is survive it without doing too much damage to his own case .
Sanders can only win now if Biden stumbles so badly as to make himself the more dangerous choice in a general election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the Fidel apologist the safe choice .
Speaking of safe , how strange is it that the DNC is allowing this to go on at all ?
This debate got moved from Arizona and a live audience to Washington DC and a CNN studio because of the coronavirus outbreak , but it would have been almost as easy to just cancel it over that issue .
Giving Sanders a free shot in a one-on-one forum at the obvious nominee is a major risk , especially given questions about Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faults and health issues , Bernie ’ s energy has been constant in these debates , while Biden has a tendency to fade as they go on .
When there are several candidates on stage at once , that isn ’ t as noticeable , but if Biden starts slowing down , he ’ s got nowhere to hide .
Strange , then , that the DNC didn ’ t invite Tulsi Gabbard to join the debate .
Gabbard has won two delegates and has refused to exit the race , and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks from the left .
One has to wonder if this isn ’ t a sop to Sanders and the Bernie Bros — to give him one last unfettered shot to make his case and then to withdraw after Tuesday ’ s round of primaries .
That ’ s a risk , but it ’ s also a test of Biden ’ s stamina to see if he can keep up against Sanders — and prove he can maintain his stamina against Donald Trump .
The debate will air on CNN tonight at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jake Tapper , and Univision ’ s Ilia Calderón moderating .
We may or may not be updating this post during the debate , but we ’ ll likely be commenting on Twitter , so you can follow along below with the Townhall crew .

For those practicing their social distancing, tonight’s eleventh debate in the Democratic presidential primary cycle will provide an example of sorts. For one thing, the DNC made sure not to have a younger woman expose the two elderly frontrunners unnecessarily to any viruses. Sorry, Tulsi Gabbard, but you’re doing it for America!
Actually, it’s rather amazing that this debate will take place at all. It’s almost assuredly too late for it to have any real impact on the nomination now, especially with some states now postponing their primaries due to coronavirus concerns. Joe Biden has a 154-delegate lead at the moment and is getting closer to halfway to the magic number of 1,991 — the number of delegates needed for a first-ballot win at the convention. Bernie Sanders would need to win somewhere north of 55% of all the rest of the primaries to catch up in the proportional-allocation system. It’s not even certain Bernie can hit 55% in any one state, let alone all the rest of them.
Still, Sanders is not yet going quietly into retirement. As I wrote earlier at The Week, Sanders has one shot at taking down Biden, and that’s tonight. But Biden has something to prove, too — that he’s not just falling into the nomination by default:
The Biden tsunami of the past week has been stunning. Before Biden won in South Carolina — his first-ever presidential primary win — the question appeared to be whether the Democratic establishment could prevent Sanders from using a split field to gain enough delegates to win on a first ballot. Sanders had either won or virtually tied in the first three contests of the season (Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada) while Biden had finished largely out of contention in all three. This raises a key question, both for Sunday’s debate and for the general election. Did Biden stage an impressive and historic comeback to prove his electoral mettle? Did Sanders suffer a historic collapse instead? Or did everyone misread the 2016 electoral cycle as a populist uprising, when in fact it might have been a rejection of one specific person across the partisan divide: Hillary Clinton? … After winning South Carolina and having the remaining center-lane candidates drop out, Biden began winning in places he’d barely visited — Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maine, and arguably Texas — where Sanders had been presumed to be ahead. Polls suggested that Sanders would score a huge delegate advantage over Biden in progressive California, but Biden finished within seven points of Sanders and with just 50 fewer delegates. The impression this leaves is of a candidate who is winning by default, not by skill or argument. Exit polls favoring electability over policy amplify that impression. Sanders must believe that to be true, too, which is why he’s defying the delegate math for a few more days to take a direct run at Biden on stage. All Biden has to do at Sunday’s debate is survive it without doing too much damage to his own case. Sanders can only win now if Biden stumbles so badly as to make himself the more dangerous choice in a general election, and it will take a historic stumble to make the Fidel apologist the safe choice.
Speaking of safe, how strange is it that the DNC is allowing this to go on at all? This debate got moved from Arizona and a live audience to Washington DC and a CNN studio because of the coronavirus outbreak, but it would have been almost as easy to just cancel it over that issue. Giving Sanders a free shot in a one-on-one forum at the obvious nominee is a major risk, especially given questions about Biden’s overall stamina. For all his other faults and health issues, Bernie’s energy has been constant in these debates, while Biden has a tendency to fade as they go on. When there are several candidates on stage at once, that isn’t as noticeable, but if Biden starts slowing down, he’s got nowhere to hide.
Strange, then, that the DNC didn’t invite Tulsi Gabbard to join the debate. Gabbard has won two delegates and has refused to exit the race, and she has defended Biden in previous debates against attacks from the left. One has to wonder if this isn’t a sop to Sanders and the Bernie Bros — to give him one last unfettered shot to make his case and then to withdraw after Tuesday’s round of primaries. That’s a risk, but it’s also a test of Biden’s stamina to see if he can keep up against Sanders — and prove he can maintain his stamina against Donald Trump.
The debate will air on CNN tonight at 8 pm ET, with Dana Bash, Jake Tapper, and Univision’s Ilia Calderón moderating. We may or may not be updating this post during the debate, but we’ll likely be commenting on Twitter, so you can follow along below with the Townhall crew.
A Twitter List by EdMorrissey


hotair--2020-03-16--Movie theaters are closing because of coronavirus, some worry they may never reopen

Regal Cinemas announced today that they are closing all theaters as of tomorrow : In sign of what many are expecting is to come for all theaters in the U.S. , Regal Cinemas is shutting down all their locations starting Tuesday , March 17 as a precaution amid the current circumstances .
All theaters will remain closed until further notice .
Regal is the second-biggest chain in the U.S. with 7,155 screens in 542 theaters in 42 states , and is the first big chain out of the top 3 to close .
Other chains have not followed suit thus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chain in the U.S. ( which operates the biggest movie theater in my town ) , has posted guidance which , as of today , takes a series of steps including reducing capacity of each theater by 50 percent and additional cleaning of hard surfaces within the theater .
Similarly , AMC Theaters , which is the largest chain in the U.S. , posted a statement from the CEO on its website Friday which reads in part : To give you more empty space around you within our theatres , we are capping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal seating capacity for every showtime in every auditorium at all AMC theatres nationwide .
Once we hit 50 % of an auditorium ’ s capacity , movie screenings will show as being Sold Out , even though by definition there will be a large number of unfilled seats .
This will begin Saturday , March 14 , and for now , will continue until April 30 .
In some locatioins , such as New York and Los Angeles , theaters have been ordered closed by mayors , something which has never happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall for theaters , Universal is releasing films that are currently in theaters to streaming services weeks before they normally would do so : The company will also make films that are currently in theaters available on-demand starting as early as Friday , March 20 .
These films include the horror movies “ The Hunt ” and “ The Invisible Man , ” as well as “ Emma , ” an adaptation of Jane Austen ’ s novel from Focus , Universal ’ s specialty label .
The films will be available for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail price of $ 19.99 in the U.S. and for roughly the same price in international markets .
The announcement is a blow to movie theaters , which have long resisted any attempts to shorten the amount of time that movies are available exclusively on the big screen .
One animated film , “ Trolls World Tour ” which was set to be released in theaters next month will be released for rental online the same day .
For the moment , major tent-pole films like the next installment in the Fast & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film have pushed back their release dates in hopes that they can be shown in theaters once the danger of the coronavirus is passed .
But there ’ s some concern that the virus could be a death blow to theaters already struggling with declining attendance .
Looking at the last 20 years of attendance figures , the number of tickets sold in North America peaked in 2002 , when cinemas sold about 1.6 billion .
In 2019 , attendance totaled roughly 1.2 billion , a 25 percent drop — even as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 percent .
Cinemas have kept ticket revenue high by raising prices , but studio executives say there is limited room for continued escalation .
Offerings in theaters may also grow more constrained .
Even before the pandemic , major studios were starting to route smaller dramas and comedies toward streaming services instead of theaters .
And now comes the coronavirus , which has prompted people to bivouac in their homes , theaters to put in place social-distancing restrictions and studios to postpone most theatrical releases through the end of April .
Rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Partners media research firm , predicted that the disruption would speed the ascendance of streaming .
“ The behavior was already shifting , but this hits the accelerator pedal , ” Mr. Greenfield said .
“ I think most of the global exhibition business will be in bankruptcy by the end of the year.
” He added , “ Now studios are going to think more and more about why they are relying on third parties to distribute their content.
” Movies are typically in theaters exclusively for the first 90 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming and home purchase .
During the first week of release , the theater typically keeps about 50 percent of the box office and passes on the other 50 percent to the distributor .
That percentage increases in the theater ’ s favor as the weeks pass until it is keeping as much as 60 percent of the box office .
All of that adds up to billions of dollars .
It ’ s not hard to imagine how a company like Disney would see a big advantage in being able to release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thereby cut out the expensive middleman .
My family subscribed to Disney+ the week it went online .
I really enjoyed their exclusive Star Wars show , The Mandalorian , but I haven ’ t watched anything on the service since .
Disney is probably aware it needs fresh content to keep subscribers around and releasing films online the same day as in the theater could give Disney+ a big boost .
Even without the coronavirus , a lot of people might prefer to watch a new film at home in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheap , rather than go out .
Frankly , I might choose that option occasionally .
Taking my family of 5 to the theater usually costs around $ 45 for tickets ( that ’ s a discount price ) and at least $ 20 for popcorn and drinks .
Paying $ 20 at home would save money and be more convenient .
Plus you can pause if someone needs to get up and go to the bathroom .
But the truth is I love movie theaters and have since my parents were going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat .
I love the old movie palaces like Disney ’ s flagship El Capitan in Hollywood or the Chinese Theater right across the street .
I like the big screen and the big sound of my local Cinemark theater here in Orange County .
And I have a lot of clear memories of movie theaters as a child : Waiting for the lights to go down at Star Wars as I looked through the printed program .
Waiting in line for a midnight show of Star Trek : The Motion Picture ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Seeing John Carpenter ’ s The Thing in a theater whose AC was stuck so that it was about 68 degrees in the middle of summer .
I just can ’ t imagine a world without movie theaters .
But for now the best thing is for them to close .
In a few weeks or months when they reopen , I hope everyone will go back to the theaters .

Regal Cinemas announced today that they are closing all theaters as of tomorrow:
In sign of what many are expecting is to come for all theaters in the U.S., Regal Cinemas is shutting down all their locations starting Tuesday, March 17 as a precaution amid the current circumstances. All theaters will remain closed until further notice. Regal is the second-biggest chain in the U.S. with 7,155 screens in 542 theaters in 42 states, and is the first big chain out of the top 3 to close.
Other chains have not followed suit thus far. Cinemark, the third largest chain in the U.S. (which operates the biggest movie theater in my town), has posted guidance which, as of today, takes a series of steps including reducing capacity of each theater by 50 percent and additional cleaning of hard surfaces within the theater. Similarly, AMC Theaters, which is the largest chain in the U.S., posted a statement from the CEO on its website Friday which reads in part:
To give you more empty space around you within our theatres, we are capping ticket availability to 50% of the normal seating capacity for every showtime in every auditorium at all AMC theatres nationwide. Once we hit 50% of an auditorium’s capacity, movie screenings will show as being Sold Out, even though by definition there will be a large number of unfilled seats. This will begin Saturday, March 14, and for now, will continue until April 30.
In some locatioins, such as New York and Los Angeles, theaters have been ordered closed by mayors, something which has never happened before:
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have ordered movie theaters in their respective cities to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the first time in modern history that cinemas have shuttered en masse not due to weather concerns.
With the writing on the wall for theaters, Universal is releasing films that are currently in theaters to streaming services weeks before they normally would do so:
The company will also make films that are currently in theaters available on-demand starting as early as Friday, March 20. These films include the horror movies “The Hunt” and “The Invisible Man,” as well as “Emma,” an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel from Focus, Universal’s specialty label. The films will be available for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. and for roughly the same price in international markets. The announcement is a blow to movie theaters, which have long resisted any attempts to shorten the amount of time that movies are available exclusively on the big screen.
One animated film, “Trolls World Tour” which was set to be released in theaters next month will be released for rental online the same day. For the moment, major tent-pole films like the next installment in the Fast & Furious series and the next James Bond film have pushed back their release dates in hopes that they can be shown in theaters once the danger of the coronavirus is passed. But there’s some concern that the virus could be a death blow to theaters already struggling with declining attendance.
Looking at the last 20 years of attendance figures, the number of tickets sold in North America peaked in 2002, when cinemas sold about 1.6 billion. In 2019, attendance totaled roughly 1.2 billion, a 25 percent drop — even as the population of the United States increased roughly 15 percent. Cinemas have kept ticket revenue high by raising prices, but studio executives say there is limited room for continued escalation. Offerings in theaters may also grow more constrained. Even before the pandemic, major studios were starting to route smaller dramas and comedies toward streaming services instead of theaters. And now comes the coronavirus, which has prompted people to bivouac in their homes, theaters to put in place social-distancing restrictions and studios to postpone most theatrical releases through the end of April. Rich Greenfield, a founder of the LightShed Partners media research firm, predicted that the disruption would speed the ascendance of streaming. “The behavior was already shifting, but this hits the accelerator pedal,” Mr. Greenfield said. “I think most of the global exhibition business will be in bankruptcy by the end of the year.” He added, “Now studios are going to think more and more about why they are relying on third parties to distribute their content.”


hotair--2020-03-16--Christie to Trump: "Now is not a time for subtlety" on coronavirus

It ’ s not often that anyone accuses Donald Trump of being overly subtle , but in this case perhaps it takes a former governor from New Jersey to recognize it .
Chris Christie offers praise for Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus outbreak thus far , especially his timely decisions to impose travel restrictions on China and Europe , but says it ’ s time to really take the rhetorical gloves off .
Recalling his own exhortation to “ get the hell off the beach ” just before Hurricane Sandy hit , Christie advises Trump to fully flex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on our health-care system is not yet calculable , but we should prepare for the worst .
As a condition for receiving emergency aid , every governor should be directed by the president to submit plans this week to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to take over facilities for use as supplemental hospitals in case the need for our approximately 924,000 hospital beds nationwide exceeds capacity in any state .
Federal Emergency Management Agency funds , available through the national emergency declaration , should be used to purchase ventilators , masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the coming crisis .
None of this will be wasted ; they can and should be stored for any future crisis .
… As in past disasters , the president should use the Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant ( CDBG ) program to enable governors to support local businesses and help prevent permanent closures .
These businesses must be saved .
These programs worked very well in the aftermath of Sandy .
This in particular is a good idea , at least in principle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the executive .
It should be noted , however , that the CDBG program worked after Hurricane Sandy in large part because the damage was relatively localized , although it certainly didn ’ t seem that way at the time .
The program still cost billions of dollars that required approval by Congress in the end too , so Trump will still find his hands tied at some point if this Congress doesn ’ t act to fund it .
He can direct the program ’ s block-grant policies , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once the current appropriation runs out .
The idea about taking over unused space for emergency hospitals is also a good one , although there is some debate as to who should direct it .
Maryland governor Larry Hogan ordered the state to start reopening closed facilities and look for other space as well under his own authority : “ We have never faced anything like this before , ” Hogan said during a news conference , where he announced other actions .
“ This is going to be much harder , take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost anyone is currently understanding.
” Hogan also announced a prohibition on social , community , recreational or religious gatherings of more than 50 people in close proximity .
The governor said the state is planning to make up to 6,000 more hospital beds available , in part by reopening closed hospitals .
In contrast , New York governor Andrew Cuomo complained that the federal government should be providing the space rather than the states : New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that he is mobilizing the N.Y. National Guard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into emergency hospital space in anticipation that the curve of new infections will almost certainly not be flattened enough to prevent the state ’ s hospital systems from being overwhelmed .
Cuomo called on the federal government , specifically the Army Corps of Engineers , to build such emergency facilities , saying they have the greatest capability to quickly expand the total number of beds throughout the country .
And Cuomo said that all elective surgeries scheduled in the state could be postponed .
Christie doesn ’ t mention the dispute , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts .
His approach would put Trump in position to facilitate and incentivize these actions by the states rather than order them at the federal level , which seems more appropriate — especially since it allows states to scale this as they need to do so .
Does using the Army Corps of Engineers to build out new facilities make as much sense as using National Guard personnel to prep already-existing space , especially when the Corps of Engineers will be a very limited resource nationwide ?
Christie ’ s main point , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about policy as it is about tone .
He argues that Americans still aren ’ t taking the crisis seriously enough , and that it takes tough talk from the top to wake people up .
They won ’ t get the hell off the beach until the man in charge tells them to do so , Christie tells Trump : More must be done to prepare for increasing case numbers and to effectively communicate what must be done to reduce the threat .
I fear Americans are not yet taking this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the French Quarter in New Orleans and airports such as O ’ Hare International in Chicago to see ample evidence of this fact .
Leaders must change this behavior .
… Finally , all public officials , through their words and actions , must reinforce the urgency of the threat .
When I told people in New Jersey to “ Get the hell off the beach ” in preparation for a hurricane , they knew I meant it and followed my lead .
Now is not a time for subtlety .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this threat and work together to stop it .
That ’ s as close as Christie gets to criticizing Trump for his earlier attempts to minimize the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak , which proves that Christie knows his audience .
The message is still unmistakable — Trump needs to start talking tough to get everyone on the same page .

It’s not often that anyone accuses Donald Trump of being overly subtle, but in this case perhaps it takes a former governor from New Jersey to recognize it. Chris Christie offers praise for Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak thus far, especially his timely decisions to impose travel restrictions on China and Europe, but says it’s time to really take the rhetorical gloves off. Recalling his own exhortation to “get the hell off the beach” just before Hurricane Sandy hit, Christie advises Trump to fully flex his executive muscle now:
The stress on our health-care system is not yet calculable, but we should prepare for the worst. As a condition for receiving emergency aid, every governor should be directed by the president to submit plans this week to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to take over facilities for use as supplemental hospitals in case the need for our approximately 924,000 hospital beds nationwide exceeds capacity in any state. Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, available through the national emergency declaration, should be used to purchase ventilators, masks, hospital beds and other medical supplies to address the coming crisis. None of this will be wasted; they can and should be stored for any future crisis. … As in past disasters, the president should use the Department of Housing and Urban Development and its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to enable governors to support local businesses and help prevent permanent closures. These businesses must be saved. These programs worked very well in the aftermath of Sandy.
This in particular is a good idea, at least in principle, and one that could be directed through the executive. It should be noted, however, that the CDBG program worked after Hurricane Sandy in large part because the damage was relatively localized, although it certainly didn’t seem that way at the time. The program still cost billions of dollars that required approval by Congress in the end too, so Trump will still find his hands tied at some point if this Congress doesn’t act to fund it. He can direct the program’s block-grant policies, but only Congress can fund them — at least once the current appropriation runs out.
The idea about taking over unused space for emergency hospitals is also a good one, although there is some debate as to who should direct it. Maryland governor Larry Hogan ordered the state to start reopening closed facilities and look for other space as well under his own authority:
“We have never faced anything like this before,” Hogan said during a news conference, where he announced other actions. “This is going to be much harder, take much longer and be much worse than almost anyone is currently understanding.” Hogan also announced a prohibition on social, community, recreational or religious gatherings of more than 50 people in close proximity. The governor said the state is planning to make up to 6,000 more hospital beds available, in part by reopening closed hospitals.
In contrast, New York governor Andrew Cuomo complained that the federal government should be providing the space rather than the states:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that he is mobilizing the N.Y. National Guard to seek out facilities that can be converted into emergency hospital space in anticipation that the curve of new infections will almost certainly not be flattened enough to prevent the state’s hospital systems from being overwhelmed. Cuomo called on the federal government, specifically the Army Corps of Engineers, to build such emergency facilities, saying they have the greatest capability to quickly expand the total number of beds throughout the country. And Cuomo said that all elective surgeries scheduled in the state could be postponed.
Christie doesn’t mention the dispute, although he approvingly cited Hogan’s earlier efforts. His approach would put Trump in position to facilitate and incentivize these actions by the states rather than order them at the federal level, which seems more appropriate — especially since it allows states to scale this as they need to do so. Does using the Army Corps of Engineers to build out new facilities make as much sense as using National Guard personnel to prep already-existing space, especially when the Corps of Engineers will be a very limited resource nationwide?
Christie’s main point, though, isn’t so much about policy as it is about tone. He argues that Americans still aren’t taking the crisis seriously enough, and that it takes tough talk from the top to wake people up. They won’t get the hell off the beach until the man in charge tells them to do so, Christie tells Trump:
More must be done to prepare for increasing case numbers and to effectively communicate what must be done to reduce the threat. I fear Americans are not yet taking this virus seriously enough. One need only look at the French Quarter in New Orleans and airports such as O’Hare International in Chicago to see ample evidence of this fact. Leaders must change this behavior. … Finally, all public officials, through their words and actions, must reinforce the urgency of the threat. When I told people in New Jersey to “Get the hell off the beach” in preparation for a hurricane, they knew I meant it and followed my lead. Now is not a time for subtlety. We must forcefully communicate the grave nature of this threat and work together to stop it.
That’s as close as Christie gets to criticizing Trump for his earlier attempts to minimize the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak, which proves that Christie knows his audience. The message is still unmistakable — Trump needs to start talking tough to get everyone on the same page.


hotair--2020-03-16--Trump calls for limiting gatherings to 10 people, says epidemic could last until July or August

He sounded a lot different than usual at today ’ s press conference .
Let me stress : A lot different .
I wonder what ’ s changed to make him take on this newly somber no-BS tone about what we ’ re in for .
By nature he ’ s someone who instinctively puts the most optimistic face on endeavors in which he ’ s involved .
This isn ’ t optimism , though .
This is hard reality : Scott Gottlieb is hopeful that with aggressive social distancing measures we might turn the corner on this thing by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now recommending those measures — no gatherings of more than 10 people , please — but his timeline is much longer .
Although I think Gottlieb meant that late April is when cases will begin to fall whereas Trump may mean that July or August is when the crisis might substantially abate .
Was there bad medical news behind the scenes today that ’ s driving his new sobriety , maybe ?
This is ominous : Reportedly Bill de Blasio ’ s aides were so exasperated by his inability to grasp the threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and graphs , that some threatened to quit if he didn ’ t order the city ’ s schools and restaurants shut down ASAP .
Maybe someone in the White House had more luck getting through to Trump .
The days of “ this ’ ll be over soon ” are gone : Maybe it was the news elsewhere about ever more draconian lockdowns that made an impression on him .
Six Bay Area counties will soon be under “ shelter in place ” orders , i.e.
, don ’ t leave your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike DeWine said he ’ d file a lawsuit to try to force the postponement of tomorrow ’ s presidential primaries in Ohio until June in order to prevent transmission of the virus at the polls .
In France , Emmanuel Macron announced that the country was on a “ war ” footing and that family gatherings should be banned .
Measures like this seemed unimaginable a week ago .
Now they seem inevitable .
We ’ re all in a daze .
Or maybe it was the crushing day on Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I nearly fell off my chair on Friday when it came out that he was sending autographed printouts of the day ’ s market rally around to friends .
Not only was that idiotic in light of how much wealth has been lost lately , Friday ’ s rally notwithstanding , but it ’ s the sort of thing a politician might reasonably do only if they truly believed the worst was behind them .
You don ’ t declare “ Mission Accomplished ” on day seven of the war , after you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casualties followed by one good day .
You declare “ Mission Accomplished ” once you have reason to think that the tide has turned irrevocably , as George W. Bush could tell you .
Today feels like the day he learned in the hardest possible way that this mission will take a long time to accomplish .
No more autographs for day-long rallies , knowing what tomorrow could bring : Maybe the market tanking again forced him to give up on the happy talk .
His new assessment of what ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Fiscal stimulus will help revive markets .
Sober leadership will help calm markets .
But nothing ’ s going to end the uncertainty that ’ s made markets manic depressive except controlling the spread of the virus .
Solve the public health problem and you solve the economic problem .
Easier said than done , I know , but he ’ s got the right idea now .
Susan Collins grumbled on Friday that it ’ d be better if he stopped speaking publicly about coronavirus and let Pence do it instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak about it going forward the way he did today , that won ’ t be necessary .
If he ’ s going to revert to bad habits tomorrow , then yeah , hand it off to Pence .
Don ’ t even carry his remarks live on TV when he starts riffing .
There ’ s good news swirling amid all the bad if you look closely .
The very first shot in the coronavirus vaccine trial was administered today , the first step in a year-long journey .
A Chinese study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ significantly ” reduce the transmission of the virus , a good omen as summer approaches .
Limited data also suggests that Gilead ’ s experimental antiviral drug remdesivir , which proved ineffective against Ebola several years ago , actually is effective against COVID-19 .
And although the virus apparently can be transmitted through the air , the best evidence is that that doesn ’ t happen easily .
You need to be in prolonged close quarters with an infected person , like a family member , to have a meaningful risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an elevator with a stranger who ’ s infected is unlikely to result in transmission .
So rest easy .
In time , everything ’ s going to be okay .
I think .
In lieu of an exit question , two tweets for your consumption .
One is of White House coronavirus czar Deborah Birx appealing directly to young Americans not to be vectors of disease for vulnerable older people by avoiding contact with each other .
The second is , uh , reality .

He sounded a lot different than usual at today’s press conference. Let me stress: A lot different.
Trump: "I really think the media's been very fair" — Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) March 16, 2020
I wonder what’s changed to make him take on this newly somber no-BS tone about what we’re in for. By nature he’s someone who instinctively puts the most optimistic face on endeavors in which he’s involved. This isn’t optimism, though. This is hard reality:
JUST IN: Pres. Trump says guidelines to combat coronavirus outbreak could last until July or August, if not longer. https://t.co/1TBAL8cn2G pic.twitter.com/XTSBDibhsJ — ABC News (@ABC) March 16, 2020
Scott Gottlieb is hopeful that with aggressive social distancing measures we might turn the corner on this thing by the end of April. Trump is now recommending those measures — no gatherings of more than 10 people, please — but his timeline is much longer. Although I think Gottlieb meant that late April is when cases will begin to fall whereas Trump may mean that July or August is when the crisis might substantially abate.
Was there bad medical news behind the scenes today that’s driving his new sobriety, maybe? This is ominous:
From an ER doc in New York City on shift today: “Today. Is. F’ing. Nuts. It kinda blew up here. And sending home lots of people undoubtedly positive because we don’t test on discharged patients. This has been spreading a long time.” — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 16, 2020
Reportedly Bill de Blasio’s aides were so exasperated by his inability to grasp the threat to NYC, despite presentations with charts and graphs, that some threatened to quit if he didn’t order the city’s schools and restaurants shut down ASAP. Maybe someone in the White House had more luck getting through to Trump. The days of “this’ll be over soon” are gone:
President Trump: “I’ve spoken actually with my son. He says, ‘How bad is this?’ It’s bad. It’s bad … We’re going to be hopefully a best-case, not a worst-case.” pic.twitter.com/4doPeF0P8j — MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 16, 2020
Maybe it was the news elsewhere about ever more draconian lockdowns that made an impression on him. Six Bay Area counties will soon be under “shelter in place” orders, i.e., don’t leave your home unless you really need to. Mike DeWine said he’d file a lawsuit to try to force the postponement of tomorrow’s presidential primaries in Ohio until June in order to prevent transmission of the virus at the polls. In France, Emmanuel Macron announced that the country was on a “war” footing and that family gatherings should be banned. Measures like this seemed unimaginable a week ago. Now they seem inevitable. We’re all in a daze.
Or maybe it was the crushing day on Wall Street that shook Trump out of complacency. I nearly fell off my chair on Friday when it came out that he was sending autographed printouts of the day’s market rally around to friends. Not only was that idiotic in light of how much wealth has been lost lately, Friday’s rally notwithstanding, but it’s the sort of thing a politician might reasonably do only if they truly believed the worst was behind them. You don’t declare “Mission Accomplished” on day seven of the war, after you’ve had a week of rising casualties followed by one good day. You declare “Mission Accomplished” once you have reason to think that the tide has turned irrevocably, as George W. Bush could tell you.
Today feels like the day he learned in the hardest possible way that this mission will take a long time to accomplish. No more autographs for day-long rallies, knowing what tomorrow could bring:
The Dow fell 12.94% today. The worst day in 1929 was a decline of 12.82%. — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 16, 2020
Dow closes 3,000 points down, wiping out 96% of the gains of Trump’s presidency. — Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) March 16, 2020
Maybe the market tanking again forced him to give up on the happy talk. His new assessment of what’s going to turn this around is exactly right:
"The market will take care of itself. The market will be very strong once we get rid of coronavirus" – Trump, finally. getting it. — Michael Brendan Dougherty (@michaelbd) March 16, 2020
Fiscal stimulus will help revive markets. Sober leadership will help calm markets. But nothing’s going to end the uncertainty that’s made markets manic depressive except controlling the spread of the virus. Solve the public health problem and you solve the economic problem. Easier said than done, I know, but he’s got the right idea now.
He’s even tweeting good advice:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239646763222474754
Susan Collins grumbled on Friday that it’d be better if he stopped speaking publicly about coronavirus and let Pence do it instead. If he’s going to speak about it going forward the way he did today, that won’t be necessary. If he’s going to revert to bad habits tomorrow, then yeah, hand it off to Pence. Don’t even carry his remarks live on TV when he starts riffing.
There’s good news swirling amid all the bad if you look closely. The very first shot in the coronavirus vaccine trial was administered today, the first step in a year-long journey. A Chinese study suggests that high temperature and high humidity “significantly” reduce the transmission of the virus, a good omen as summer approaches. Limited data also suggests that Gilead’s experimental antiviral drug remdesivir, which proved ineffective against Ebola several years ago, actually is effective against COVID-19. And although the virus apparently can be transmitted through the air, the best evidence is that that doesn’t happen easily. You need to be in prolonged close quarters with an infected person, like a family member, to have a meaningful risk of inhaling droplets containing the virus. Riding an elevator with a stranger who’s infected is unlikely to result in transmission.
So rest easy. In time, everything’s going to be okay. I think. In lieu of an exit question, two tweets for your consumption. One is of White House coronavirus czar Deborah Birx appealing directly to young Americans not to be vectors of disease for vulnerable older people by avoiding contact with each other. The second is, uh, reality.
Dr. Birx’s message to millennials: “They are the core group that will stop this virus … we’re asking all of them to hold their gatherings to under 10 people.” pic.twitter.com/igMMIR1Rck — MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 16, 2020


hotair--2020-03-16--Bay Area counties announce 'shelter in place' rules starting at midnight and lasting for 3 weeks (Up

Bay Area counties announce 'shelter in place' rules starting at midnight and lasting for 3 weeks (Update)

This is pretty incredible news .
Six counties in the Bay Area , including San Francisco , will begin a “ shelter in place ” order tonight at midnight that is expected to last at least 3 weeks .
The San Francisco Chronicle reports this is one step shy of a full lock down : The directive begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco , Santa Clara , San Mateo , Marin , Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million .
It is to stay in place until at least April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Sonoma , Solano and Napa — were not immediately included .
The order falls just short of a full lockdown , which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission , and it wasn ’ t immediately clear how , or to what degree , it would be enforced .
The order calls for the sheriff or chief of police to “ ensure compliance.
” In Italy and other places that have instituted lockdowns , travel outside the home has been restricted without permission and police have been ordering people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a reason to be in public… In the six Bay Area counties , non-essential gatherings of any size are now banned , along with non-essential travel “ on foot , bicycle , scooter , automobile or public transit.
” People may travel for shopping for necessary supplies , accessing health care , and providing aid to family and friends who need assistance , and for non-residents , returning to their home outside the Bay Area .
Airports , taxis , and public transit — including BART — will remain operational , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to keep six feet apart when possible .
In essence , everyone is to work at home or simply not work .
However , there is a fairly long list of companies that will be exempt : Grocery stores , food banks , pharmacies , restaurants for takeout food and delivery only , veterinary services , pet-food stores , gas stations , auto repair shops , hardware and other home-supply stores and home repair services , banks and laundry services .
Child-care facilities are allowed to remain open as long as rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups are restricted .
Residential care facilities for adults , children and seniors will remain open as will food banks and other non-profits that serve the needy .
Delivery services that take food , goods or services directly to residences are allowed to operate .
So I guess that means Domino ’ s Pizza can still deliver pizzas starting at midnight but Pizza Hut ’ s dining room is closed .
The real question that no one seems able to answer yet is how any of this will be enforced .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police are supposed to “ ensure compliance.
” Since people are still free to leave their homes for necessities like food or going to work at any of the many businesses that remain open , how do you enforce this new rule ?
Will police be stopping people on the street to ask where they are going ?
What happens if they simply lie and say they ’ re going to the grocery store ?
It just seems like this ultimately comes down to some kind of honor system .
I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes .
But the real question is whether or not other big metro areas will be following this example soon .

This is pretty incredible news. Six counties in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, will begin a “shelter in place” order tonight at midnight that is expected to last at least 3 weeks. The San Francisco Chronicle reports this is one step shy of a full lock down:
The directive begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million. It is to stay in place until at least April 7. Three other Bay Area counties — Sonoma, Solano and Napa — were not immediately included. The order falls just short of a full lockdown, which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission, and it wasn’t immediately clear how, or to what degree, it would be enforced. The order calls for the sheriff or chief of police to “ensure compliance.” In Italy and other places that have instituted lockdowns, travel outside the home has been restricted without permission and police have been ordering people back home if they don’t have a reason to be in public… In the six Bay Area counties, non-essential gatherings of any size are now banned, along with non-essential travel “on foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile or public transit.” People may travel for shopping for necessary supplies, accessing health care, and providing aid to family and friends who need assistance, and for non-residents, returning to their home outside the Bay Area. Airports, taxis, and public transit — including BART — will remain operational, but only for essential travel and people are expected to keep six feet apart when possible.
In essence, everyone is to work at home or simply not work. However, there is a fairly long list of companies that will be exempt:
Grocery stores, food banks, pharmacies, restaurants for takeout food and delivery only, veterinary services, pet-food stores, gas stations, auto repair shops, hardware and other home-supply stores and home repair services, banks and laundry services. Child-care facilities are allowed to remain open as long as rules limiting the size and composition of the groups are restricted. Residential care facilities for adults, children and seniors will remain open as will food banks and other non-profits that serve the needy. Delivery services that take food, goods or services directly to residences are allowed to operate.
So I guess that means Domino’s Pizza can still deliver pizzas starting at midnight but Pizza Hut’s dining room is closed. The real question that no one seems able to answer yet is how any of this will be enforced. According to a separate story in the Chronicle, the police are supposed to “ensure compliance.”
The shelter-in-place order is not a mandatory lockdown for residents, which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission. But the health orders issued by the counties calls for the sheriff or chief of police to “ensure compliance” in order to safeguard public health.
Since people are still free to leave their homes for necessities like food or going to work at any of the many businesses that remain open, how do you enforce this new rule? Will police be stopping people on the street to ask where they are going? What happens if they simply lie and say they’re going to the grocery store? It just seems like this ultimately comes down to some kind of honor system. I guess we’ll find out how that goes. But the real question is whether or not other big metro areas will be following this example soon.
Update: Here’s the announcement.


hotair--2020-03-16--Coronavirus is the new excuse for universal basic income

The latest installment in our series on Never Letting a Perfectly Good Crisis Go To Waste comes to us courtesy of Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii who , for some reason , still seems to believe she ’ s in the running to be President .
This actually took place on Friday , but I ’ m only just getting around to it now .
Apparently seeking to stand out from the crowd , as Congress debated various relief packages to help the nation through the coronavirus crisis , Gabbard introduced a resolution that would assure $ 1,000 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis has passed .
Yes , it ’ s a ( theoretically ) short-term version of the Democratic dream of a basic income guarantee , also known as Universal Basic Income .
( The Hill ) Multiple lawmakers have proposed economic stimulus packages and universal basic income ( UBI ) programs as the coronavirus begins to take a larger toll on the American economy .
On Friday , Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ( D-Hawaii ) , a 2020 presidential candidate , introduced a resolution that would provide a UBI of $ 1,000 a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer presents a public health emergency.
” “ The coronavirus pandemic has created a threat to the health and well-being of the American people , as well as to our country ’ s economic stability , ” Gabbard said in a statement .
“ While some in Washington are focused on taking care of Wall Street , everyday Americans get left behind .
That ’ s wrong… Taking care of all Americans will stimulate our economy during this downturn.
” As with so many Democratic wishlist items , the list of reasons why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To start with , much like most of Bernie Sanders ’ schemes , there is no consideration given to the cost .
Stop and think about the totals here for a moment .
There are roughly 340 million people in America at present .
( Assuming half of them haven ’ t either succumbed to the virus or , as Joe Biden recently said , been killed off in gun violence . )
Sending all of us that amount of money is going to cost 340 billion ( with a B ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flattened curve ” of COVID-19 only lasts three months – an optimistic estimate in the opinion of many medical professionals – you ’ re talking about more than a trillion dollars .
You ’ re going to need one heck of a magical money tree in the White House rose garden to float that kind of cabbage .
If you were only going to send the money to the very poor the costs would approach something more manageable , but where would you draw the cutoff line ?
There are still plenty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 54K per year who are barely making ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck .
And that ’ s the median household income in the country .
So… great .
Instead of a trillion dollars in three months , you ’ re only talking about a half of a trillion .
Super .
We ’ ve discussed the basic income guarantee here frequently in the past .
One of the only solid examples of the theory being put into practice is the experiment they ’ ve been running in Stockton , California .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t look very promising .
It ’ s a lovely socialist dream whereby we would support those unable or unwilling to work , but it falls apart rapidly in practice .
Besides , Congress is already working overtime to lessen the economic impact of this crisis .
They ’ re extending unemployment benefits for the duration of the epidemic , paying for extended sick leave for workers , and even offering food aid to low-income families with children who may be missing meals at school .
I rarely get the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to admit that both Congress and the President have worked together quickly to take concrete action to help those most adversely affected by the economic impacts caused by the coronavirus outbreak .
I should point out before closing that this terrible idea is no longer confined just to Democrats like Gabbard .
We learned today that Mitt Romney is calling for at least a one-time UBI payment .
Unless and until we see that the impact of these relief measures isn ’ t enough , there ’ s no need to cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the one Gabbard is proposing .
But that ’ s probably not the point of her resolution anyway .
She and her Democratic colleagues probably just want the chance to get Americans used to the idea of a basic income guarantee so they ’ ll begin to think of it as being part of “ the new normal.
” But in a post-pandemic world , everyone will eventually have to go back to work and carry on as we always have .
And universal basic income is not “ normal ” in @ @ @ @ @

The latest installment in our series on Never Letting a Perfectly Good Crisis Go To Waste comes to us courtesy of Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii who, for some reason, still seems to believe she’s in the running to be President. This actually took place on Friday, but I’m only just getting around to it now. Apparently seeking to stand out from the crowd, as Congress debated various relief packages to help the nation through the coronavirus crisis, Gabbard introduced a resolution that would assure $1,000 per month to every American until the COVID-19 crisis has passed. Yes, it’s a (theoretically) short-term version of the Democratic dream of a basic income guarantee, also known as Universal Basic Income. (The Hill)
Multiple lawmakers have proposed economic stimulus packages and universal basic income (UBI) programs as the coronavirus begins to take a larger toll on the American economy. On Friday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), a 2020 presidential candidate, introduced a resolution that would provide a UBI of $1,000 a month to every American “until COVID-19 no longer presents a public health emergency.” “The coronavirus pandemic has created a threat to the health and well-being of the American people, as well as to our country’s economic stability,” Gabbard said in a statement. “While some in Washington are focused on taking care of Wall Street, everyday Americans get left behind. That’s wrong… Taking care of all Americans will stimulate our economy during this downturn.”
As with so many Democratic wishlist items, the list of reasons why this is a terrible idea is lengthy. To start with, much like most of Bernie Sanders’ schemes, there is no consideration given to the cost. Stop and think about the totals here for a moment. There are roughly 340 million people in America at present. (Assuming half of them haven’t either succumbed to the virus or, as Joe Biden recently said, been killed off in gun violence.) Sending all of us that amount of money is going to cost 340 billion (with a B) dollars per month. If the “flattened curve” of COVID-19 only lasts three months – an optimistic estimate in the opinion of many medical professionals – you’re talking about more than a trillion dollars. You’re going to need one heck of a magical money tree in the White House rose garden to float that kind of cabbage.
If you were only going to send the money to the very poor the costs would approach something more manageable, but where would you draw the cutoff line? There are still plenty of people out there earning up to $54K per year who are barely making ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck. And that’s the median household income in the country. So… great. Instead of a trillion dollars in three months, you’re only talking about a half of a trillion. Super.
We’ve discussed the basic income guarantee here frequently in the past. One of the only solid examples of the theory being put into practice is the experiment they’ve been running in Stockton, California. And an initial analysis of the results didn’t look very promising. It’s a lovely socialist dream whereby we would support those unable or unwilling to work, but it falls apart rapidly in practice.
Besides, Congress is already working overtime to lessen the economic impact of this crisis. They’re extending unemployment benefits for the duration of the epidemic, paying for extended sick leave for workers, and even offering food aid to low-income families with children who may be missing meals at school. I rarely get the opportunity to say this, but even I have to admit that both Congress and the President have worked together quickly to take concrete action to help those most adversely affected by the economic impacts caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
I should point out before closing that this terrible idea is no longer confined just to Democrats like Gabbard. We learned today that Mitt Romney is calling for at least a one-time UBI payment.
NEW from @MittRomney: “Every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy.” — Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) March 16, 2020
Unless and until we see that the impact of these relief measures isn’t enough, there’s no need to cut our own throats with a trillion-dollar boondoggle like the one Gabbard is proposing. But that’s probably not the point of her resolution anyway. She and her Democratic colleagues probably just want the chance to get Americans used to the idea of a basic income guarantee so they’ll begin to think of it as being part of “the new normal.” But in a post-pandemic world, everyone will eventually have to go back to work and carry on as we always have. And universal basic income is not “normal” in that world at all.


hotair--2020-03-16--Trudeau: Sorry, world, but Canada is closed -- to everyone but the US

How does one say “ keep out ” in Quebeçois ?
Justin Trudeau put out the “ closed due to illness ” sign for the whole Canadian union today as his government tries to limit its exposure to the coronavirus pandemic .
The only non-Canadians now allowed entry are “ at this time US citizens , ” Trudeau announced , and declared that air carriers will be responsible for checking travelers for symptoms regardless of nationality : Canada is barring entry to all travellers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures being introduced to stop the spread of COVID-19 .
There will be exceptions for air crew , diplomats , immediate family members of citizens and , “ at this time , ” U.S. citizens , Trudeau said .
The prime minister also said no one who is displaying symptoms will be permitted to board a flight to Canada , and that air operators will be required to complete a basic health assessment of every passenger based on guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada .
In order to enforce these new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricted to four airports for the foreseeable future : Toronto , Montreal , Calgary and Vancouver .
Screening for symptoms also includes Canadian citizens and permanent residents , and the airlines held responsible for violations with them as well .
If Canadians get snared by displaying symptoms , Trudeau promised support but not necessarily re-entry : “ To help asymptomatic Canadians to return home , our government will set up a support program for Canadians who need to get on a plane .
Canadian travellers will be able to get financial assistance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home or temporarily covering basic needs while they wait to come back to Canada.
” Trudeau had flirted with the idea of closing the US-Canada border too , but apparently had second thoughts about the economic impact .
However , Trudeau explained , Americans will have to self-quarantine for two weeks as a condition of entry : The Canadian leader added that the U.S. and Canadian economies are closely integrated , requiring further investigation into whether the Canadian-U.S. border may eventually have to be shut down .
“ We are not ruling out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary measures when they become necessary , ” Trudeau said .
Americans now entering Canada will need to answer a questionnaire about their health when arriving at the border , and will need to acknowledge an obligation to self-isolate for 14 days .
The outbreak is picking up steam in Canada , including at Trudeau ’ s house .
His wife Sophie was diagnosed with it after displaying symptoms of the COVID-19 virus on returning home from abroad .
Trudeau made this announcement outside of his house where the couple are self-quarantining as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moves are similar to those announced by the Trump administration only more extensive , effectively closing the border to all human traffic while keeping the exchange of goods in operation .
The Hollywood Reporter notes that the entertainment industry might be hardest hit , given that it is entirely dependent on people crossing borders to produce material in Canada : Elsewhere in the Canadian production sector , top executives began to react to the latest cross-border restrictions , including a curtailment of international flights , and its impact on expanding Hollywood film and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with the situation regarding COVID-19 as it unfolds in real time .
With things changing so quickly we can ’ t comment on any specifics .
This is an unprecedented situation , not only locally but globally and we continue to work in the best interest of the professional artists and technicians of IATSE Local 891 through this difficult time , ” Phil Klapwyk , business representative for IATSE Local 891 in Vancouver , told THR in a statement .
Hollywood can still ship product across the border , but a two-week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not the most critical point of the economic damage , but it still might cost quite a few jobs over the next couple of months as the outbreak plays itself out .
Speaking of Trump , he took a lot of heat at home and abroad over his unilateral imposition of travel restrictions .
Trudeau noted that he consulted with the G-7 before closing Canada ’ s borders , a step Trump neglected , but the effect is the same , with an even broader scope .
Will Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnecessary and too late as they did with Trump — or has everyone learned their lesson about what social distancing entails for national policymaking ?

How does one say “keep out” in Quebeçois? Justin Trudeau put out the “closed due to illness” sign for the whole Canadian union today as his government tries to limit its exposure to the coronavirus pandemic. The only non-Canadians now allowed entry are “at this time US citizens,” Trudeau announced, and declared that air carriers will be responsible for checking travelers for symptoms regardless of nationality:
Canada is barring entry to all travellers who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today — one of a set of extraordinary new measures being introduced to stop the spread of COVID-19. There will be exceptions for air crew, diplomats, immediate family members of citizens and, “at this time,” U.S. citizens, Trudeau said. The prime minister also said no one who is displaying symptoms will be permitted to board a flight to Canada, and that air operators will be required to complete a basic health assessment of every passenger based on guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
In order to enforce these new restrictions, inbound international flights will get restricted to four airports for the foreseeable future: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Screening for symptoms also includes Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and the airlines held responsible for violations with them as well. If Canadians get snared by displaying symptoms, Trudeau promised support but not necessarily re-entry:
“To help asymptomatic Canadians to return home, our government will set up a support program for Canadians who need to get on a plane. Canadian travellers will be able to get financial assistance to help them with the costs of returning home or temporarily covering basic needs while they wait to come back to Canada.”
Trudeau had flirted with the idea of closing the US-Canada border too, but apparently had second thoughts about the economic impact. However, Trudeau explained, Americans will have to self-quarantine for two weeks as a condition of entry:
The Canadian leader added that the U.S. and Canadian economies are closely integrated, requiring further investigation into whether the Canadian-U.S. border may eventually have to be shut down. “We are not ruling out any measures. But we will take necessary measures when they become necessary,” Trudeau said. Americans now entering Canada will need to answer a questionnaire about their health when arriving at the border, and will need to acknowledge an obligation to self-isolate for 14 days.
The outbreak is picking up steam in Canada, including at Trudeau’s house. His wife Sophie was diagnosed with it after displaying symptoms of the COVID-19 virus on returning home from abroad. Trudeau made this announcement outside of his house where the couple are self-quarantining as she recovers from the illness. These moves are similar to those announced by the Trump administration only more extensive, effectively closing the border to all human traffic while keeping the exchange of goods in operation.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that the entertainment industry might be hardest hit, given that it is entirely dependent on people crossing borders to produce material in Canada:
Elsewhere in the Canadian production sector, top executives began to react to the latest cross-border restrictions, including a curtailment of international flights, and its impact on expanding Hollywood film and TV production here. “We are dealing with the situation regarding COVID-19 as it unfolds in real time. With things changing so quickly we can’t comment on any specifics. This is an unprecedented situation, not only locally but globally and we continue to work in the best interest of the professional artists and technicians of IATSE Local 891 through this difficult time,” Phil Klapwyk, business representative for IATSE Local 891 in Vancouver, told THR in a statement.
Hollywood can still ship product across the border, but a two-week quarantine will play hob with production schedules. It’s not the most critical point of the economic damage, but it still might cost quite a few jobs over the next couple of months as the outbreak plays itself out.
Speaking of Trump, he took a lot of heat at home and abroad over his unilateral imposition of travel restrictions. Trudeau noted that he consulted with the G-7 before closing Canada’s borders, a step Trump neglected, but the effect is the same, with an even broader scope. Will Europe criticize Trudeau for taking this step as unnecessary and too late as they did with Trump — or has everyone learned their lesson about what social distancing entails for national policymaking?


hotair--2020-03-16--What is happening with the coronavirus in Russia?

The official number of coronavirus cases in Russia as of today in 93 ( a 47 % jump from yesterday ) but the number of reported deaths is still zero .
If that seems miraculous , it could be because it ’ s probably not true .
“ We sign a non-disclosure agreement , so we can not give journalists ’ information , ” one physician told The Daily Beast .
Asked about rumors that there are some 6,000 Russians known to have coronavirus symptoms , the doctor did not say that was wrong .
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ All these rumors we come across , irresponsible declarations about a huge number of infected patients in Moscow , are not true , ” he said Sunday the television show A Week in Town .
“ Some politicians obviously want to inflame this topic , as often happens in difficult times .
On the contrary , we are interested in immediately telling our citizens about novel coronavirus cases.
” The Daily Beast suggests there ’ s a very specific reason the numbers are being downplayed right now .
As I wrote last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laying the groundwork to make himself president for life .
The final step in the process is set to take place next month : In Russian terms , he ’ ll be the 21st century version of a czar .
But there ’ s a hitch .
Although the Russian parliament passed the necessary amendments to the constitution on March 11 with a vote of 383 to 0 , they are supposed to receive popular approval in a plebiscite scheduled for April 22 .
And if the coronavirus pandemic takes off in Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen to have taken off—the new czar might have to wait for his quasi-constitutional quasi-coronation .
The Kremlin insists that in spite of the growing fear of an outbreak , the plebiscite will take place as scheduled .
So what we ’ re hearing from Putin is that there is “ nothing critical ” happening on the coronavirus front , the main sources of news about sick people in Russia are both fake and foreign : “ Their goal is clear , to spread panic among our population , ” Putin told a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this weekend , it was still business as usual in Russia : Yesterday an expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences named Alexander Saversky told the Moscow Times , “ It looks like our authorities are taking measures that make it look like they ’ re doing something without really doing something — and that is the correct move.
” He added , “ It ’ s better not to foment hysteria.
” However , today things are starting to change .
The Mayor of Moscow ( quoted above denying any cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new restrictions similar to the ones being made here in the U.S. From the Moscow Times : • Moscow has banned all public events larger than 50 people from now until April 10 , Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a new decree .
Older citizens are also advised to stay at home .
• From March 21 to April 12 , all schools and universities will be closed , Sobyanin said… • President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a special working group within the State Council to fight the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge of the new group , which will also include government officials .
• Russia ’ s Science and Higher Education Ministry recommended that higher educational institutions switch to distance learning from Monday .
So changes are belatedly happening but it ’ s unclear what motivated the sudden change of heart .

The official number of coronavirus cases in Russia as of today in 93 (a 47% jump from yesterday) but the number of reported deaths is still zero. If that seems miraculous, it could be because it’s probably not true.
“We sign a non-disclosure agreement, so we cannot give journalists’ information,” one physician told The Daily Beast. Asked about rumors that there are some 6,000 Russians known to have coronavirus symptoms, the doctor did not say that was wrong. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, however, vehemently denied such stories. “All these rumors we come across, irresponsible declarations about a huge number of infected patients in Moscow, are not true,” he said Sunday the television show A Week in Town. “Some politicians obviously want to inflame this topic, as often happens in difficult times. On the contrary, we are interested in immediately telling our citizens about novel coronavirus cases.”
The Daily Beast suggests there’s a very specific reason the numbers are being downplayed right now. As I wrote last week, President Putin has just finished laying the groundwork to make himself president for life. The final step in the process is set to take place next month:
In Russian terms, he’ll be the 21st century version of a czar. But there’s a hitch. Although the Russian parliament passed the necessary amendments to the constitution on March 11 with a vote of 383 to 0, they are supposed to receive popular approval in a plebiscite scheduled for April 22. And if the coronavirus pandemic takes off in Russia before then—or, rather, can be seen to have taken off—the new czar might have to wait for his quasi-constitutional quasi-coronation. The Kremlin insists that in spite of the growing fear of an outbreak, the plebiscite will take place as scheduled. So what we’re hearing from Putin is that there is “nothing critical” happening on the coronavirus front, the main sources of news about sick people in Russia are both fake and foreign: “Their goal is clear, to spread panic among our population,” Putin told a governmental conference on March 4.
As of this weekend, it was still business as usual in Russia:
Russia is one of the few European countries still staging big football games, amid the coronavirus crisis. Zenit St Petersburg beat FC Ural 7-1, this afternoon. Here their fans sing “We’re all going to die!” pic.twitter.com/vN2YbhioIm — Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) March 14, 2020
Dublin may have cancelled St Patrick’s Day festivities for 2020, but Moscow is having its annual shindig right now. A huge crowd at the Izvestia hall for a party celebrating Ireland’s patron saint, and all things Irish. pic.twitter.com/3PRfpT9F0C — Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) March 14, 2020
Yesterday an expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences named Alexander Saversky told the Moscow Times, “It looks like our authorities are taking measures that make it look like they’re doing something without really doing something — and that is the correct move.” He added, “It’s better not to foment hysteria.”
However, today things are starting to change. The Mayor of Moscow (quoted above denying any cover up of cases) has just announced new restrictions similar to the ones being made here in the U.S. From the Moscow Times:
Moscow has banned all public events larger than 50 people from now until April 10, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a new decree. Older citizens are also advised to stay at home.
From March 21 to April 12, all schools and universities will be closed, Sobyanin said…
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a special working group within the State Council to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Putin put Sobyanin in charge of the new group, which will also include government officials.
Russia’s Science and Higher Education Ministry recommended that higher educational institutions switch to distance learning from Monday.
So changes are belatedly happening but it’s unclear what motivated the sudden change of heart.