democracynow--2020-03-18--Delay or Hold Primaries: Can the 2020 Election Be Safeguarded Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic?

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , as we turn to the results of Tuesday ’ s primaries for the Democratic presidential nomination , which were marred by chaos , confusion and fears over the spread of coronavirus at polling places .
Former Vice President Joe Biden consolidated his lead as he won Florida and Illinois by a wide margin and scored a victory in Arizona .
In Illinois , which recorded its first coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election judges — many of them elderly and highly at risk — refused to participate in Tuesday ’ s primary .
At least 200 Chicago polling places were moved away from highly sensitive sites , including nursing homes and senior centers .
At the Thurgood Marshall Public Library , scores of mostly African-American voters waited for up to two hours in a cramped lobby for their turn to cast a ballot .
Ohio was also scheduled to vote Tuesday , but Republican Governor Mike DeWine delayed his state ’ s primary until June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He defied a federal judge .
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez came under intense criticism for supporting in-person voting during the outbreak .
Well , for more , we ’ re joined by Vanita Gupta , former head of the Justice Department ’ s Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration , now president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , the nation ’ s oldest and largest civil rights coalition .
They issued a call with 100 voting rights groups for states to proceed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And we continue with Ro Khanna , the Democratic congressmember from California , co-chair of Bernie Sanders ’ presidential campaign .
Welcoming you both to Democracy Now !
Vanita Gupta , can you lay out why you feel these elections should continue , these primaries , in the midst of this pandemic ?
When people are trying to figure out how to stay home , being told that you should go home , not go to work , to protect yourselves in the community , they ’ re also being told to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think this is a good idea at this point ?
VANITA GUPTA : So , the Leadership Conference actually has not this week kind of taken any position on whether in-person voting should go forward or not .
I think the important thing is that every state and locality needs to make that decision for themselves based on conditions that exist in the state .
And we understand that .
What we are saying , very emphatically , is that states need to enact a series of election reforms and policies immediately in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and certainly the November election , that states are actually prepared .
We don ’ t know what the conditions are going to be , what the kind of look of the pandemic is going to be , over the summer .
A lot of states have actually postponed their upcoming primaries into June .
And the problem is there ’ s a lot of uncertainty .
And so , what we are saying is that states need to be better prepared to have things like vote by mail , absentee ballots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of security that we need .
We are asking that if their states choose to have in-person voting , that they actually follow CDC election guidance that requires social distancing in lines , that requires disinfecting and hand sanitization , understanding the incredible challenges that the country is facing right now .
The problem is , is we can not undermine our democracy in the next several months , even as we are facing unprecedented public health challenges .
And so we need states to enact these measures in order to allow democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health for all of us .
AMY GOODMAN : Ro Khanna , what is your position ?
Ro Khanna , your position , as you ’ re co-chair of Bernie Sanders ’ campaign , presidential campaign , on whether these primaries should go forward as scheduled ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , Amy , I was not able to hear Vanita Gupta .
Let me just say I have tremendous respect and admiration for her .
I actually think she should be one day a candidate for the Supreme Court .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may respectfully disagree .
I believe the right to vote is sacred , but I also think that there was such concern about people ’ s safety , such concern about exposing people to groups of exposure , and concern about whether people really would feel comfortable exercising their vote .
I don ’ t see what the harm really would be to having had those elections delayed the way that the governor of Ohio , frankly , did .
So , that would have been my recommendation , if I were advising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
AMY GOODMAN : And what would it mean , Ro Khanna , if the primaries are delayed for an indefinite period of time ?
I mean , the governor of New York , Governor Cuomo , said we ’ re talking about 45 days before this even peaks .
So we ’ re going through the primary season .
What would you suggest ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , I think we have to consider the health and safety of people first .
And there is no way that we should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregating in groups , if that ’ s going to mean more exposure to the coronavirus and if that means even one or two people are at the risk of death or serious illness .
I mean , that ’ s just not something we do as a nation that values the dignity of life of every human being .
So I would suggest that you could have vote by mail .
I would suggest alternative means of participating and some delay as much as possible .
These are difficult decisions , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life of our population has to be first .
VANITA GUPTA : Amy , if I could , because Congressman Khanna — VANITA GUPTA : — did not hear me , unfortunately .
He and I actually quite agree with this , and that the safety and health of our communities has to come first .
What the Leadership Conference and over 200 national civil and human rights groups have been saying , that are deep in the space on voting rights , is that we have to make sure that safety comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared with the kind of measures of vote by mail , absentee ballot , making sure that we ’ ve got polling place adjustments for states that decide to go forward after assessing their own conditions .
We need extended periods of early voting , so that people can actually have much more time to vote by mail than currently exists .
There ’ s a series of measures that states need to enact , given this highly unusual , atypical set of circumstances around this pandemic , so that we can both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a democracy that is able to move forward .
It is long past time for states , red or blue , to enact these kinds of commonsense measures that would allow people to vote from the comfort of their homes securely and safely , because we need to be ready by November .
There can be no postponement of the November general election .
The good news right now is that states have many , many months to prepare and to get these measures in place .
If they are not able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one thing , although I think these postponements give states the time to do this .
But certainly there can be no excuse for delaying a November election , given that states have the time .
And Congress needs to fund it .
In any COVID-19 package that goes forward moving now , we need to make sure that election reform and funding exists to fund these kinds of changes , so that we are absolutely ready come November .
AMY GOODMAN : Let me ask you , Vanita Gupta , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100 medical professionals , who wrote an open letter calling for the next round of presidential primaries to be postponed until May because of the coronavirus epidemic — pandemic .
They write , “ We have seen long lines of voters in states like Texas and Michigan .
The amount of time standing in line with hundreds or even thousands of other voters substantially increases the likelihood someone will get sick.
” So , we are not talking far into the future .
They are talking about postponing the next round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing you ’ re proposing , they ’ re asking , “ Can that be put in place ?
” VANITA GUPTA : Yeah .
I mean , look , we have to respect — we ’ ve got to , as we said , put the health and safety of voters first .
We need to — that ’ s why states are making these decisions .
Increasingly , more and more states are postponing their primaries .
What we are saying at the Leadership Conference is that use the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would allow for secure , safe vote by mail , no-excuse absentee ballot measures and the like .
A lot of states still don ’ t have those measures in place .
They need to have a whole bunch of guardrails that would be associated with vote by mail , as well , put those in place now to be ready .
That ’ s what we are saying .
The danger is — and you know this — that election reforms and voting rights work is often kind of put to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan support .
This is a moment where the nation needs to come together , where Republican and Democratic secretaries of states , governors , senators and members of the House of Representatives in Congress need to come together and enact these reforms , that we have listed in great detail , and make sure that they are funded so that states can get to work and get these measures put in place to address the very kinds of concerns that are like really important and listed in this letter from public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask you , Vanita Gupta , about the recent reports that the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is urging conservative judges to retire now while Republicans still control the White House and Senate , so that they can confirm their replacements .
The New York Times writes , quote , “ Senator Mitch McConnell , … who has used his position as majority leader to build a judicial confirmation juggernaut for President Trump over the past three years , has been personally reaching out to judges to sound them out on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a worthy successor if they gave up their seats soon , according to multiple people with knowledge of his actions , ” telling them , as having senior status , they will continue to be paid , so that while the Republicans control the Senate , they can replace those judges .
We just have 30 seconds .
If you can talk about the significance of this move and , in the midst of this pandemic , what people should be paying attention to ?
VANITA GUPTA : Look , we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening to our federal courts .
The federal courts impact every part of our life .
And Senator McConnell has been single-minded about packing the courts with extreme judges , nominees who are rated not qualified by the ABA , totally undiverse .
Two-thirds of the appellate judges that have been confirmed in the Trump administration are white men , many of them carrying very extreme views against gay marriage , trying to undermine voting protections and voting rights in this country .
They ’ re very young .
These people will serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so , even as we are grappling with the enormous kind of democracy burdens that the pandemic is causing us , let ’ s not lose sight of what ’ s happening to our federal courts , which will have impact not only on our lives , but our children ’ s and our grandchildren ’ s lives .
And this is why , when it comes to November , we need a pro-civil rights Senate .
We need a pro-civil rights administration , that is going to do the right thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard-fought civil rights protections for all of our communities .
But I don ’ t think any of us were surprised that Senator McConnell has been quietly , but now openly , doing this to further pack our courts .
And he will continue to do it , until we stand up as a country and say that those hard-fought protections are worthy and most important of being protected moving forward by our federal courts .
AMY GOODMAN : Vanita Gupta , I want to thank you for being with us .
AMY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Civil and Human Rights , she was head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice in the Obama administration .
And also , great thanks to Congressmember Ro Khanna of California .
This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The War and Peace Report .
When we come back , millions of restaurant workers around the country are losing their jobs .
What will happen to them ?
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, as we turn to the results of Tuesday’s primaries for the Democratic presidential nomination, which were marred by chaos, confusion and fears over the spread of coronavirus at polling places. Former Vice President Joe Biden consolidated his lead as he won Florida and Illinois by a wide margin and scored a victory in Arizona. In Illinois, which recorded its first coronavirus death on Tuesday, more than 800 election judges — many of them elderly and highly at risk — refused to participate in Tuesday’s primary. At least 200 Chicago polling places were moved away from highly sensitive sites, including nursing homes and senior centers. At the Thurgood Marshall Public Library, scores of mostly African-American voters waited for up to two hours in a cramped lobby for their turn to cast a ballot. Ohio was also scheduled to vote Tuesday, but Republican Governor Mike DeWine delayed his state’s primary until June 2nd after declaring a public health emergency. He defied a federal judge. Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez came under intense criticism for supporting in-person voting during the outbreak.
Well, for more, we’re joined by Vanita Gupta, former head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, now president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalition. They issued a call with 100 voting rights groups for states to proceed with elections while protecting public health. And we continue with Ro Khanna, the Democratic congressmember from California, co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.
Welcoming you both to Democracy Now! Vanita Gupta, can you lay out why you feel these elections should continue, these primaries, in the midst of this pandemic? When people are trying to figure out how to stay home, being told that you should go home, not go to work, to protect yourselves in the community, they’re also being told to go out to vote. Why do you think this is a good idea at this point?
VANITA GUPTA: So, the Leadership Conference actually has not this week kind of taken any position on whether in-person voting should go forward or not. I think the important thing is that every state and locality needs to make that decision for themselves based on conditions that exist in the state. And we understand that. What we are saying, very emphatically, is that states need to enact a series of election reforms and policies immediately in order to ensure that upcoming primaries, and certainly the November election, that states are actually prepared. We don’t know what the conditions are going to be, what the kind of look of the pandemic is going to be, over the summer. A lot of states have actually postponed their upcoming primaries into June. And the problem is there’s a lot of uncertainty.
And so, what we are saying is that states need to be better prepared to have things like vote by mail, absentee ballots, no-excuse absentee ballots, with the kind of security that we need. We are asking that if their states choose to have in-person voting, that they actually follow CDC election guidance that requires social distancing in lines, that requires disinfecting and hand sanitization, understanding the incredible challenges that the country is facing right now. The problem is, is we cannot undermine our democracy in the next several months, even as we are facing unprecedented public health challenges. And so we need states to enact these measures in order to allow democracy to go forward, while maintaining public health for all of us.
AMY GOODMAN: Ro Khanna, what is your position? Ro Khanna, your position, as you’re co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ campaign, presidential campaign, on whether these primaries should go forward as scheduled?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, Amy, I was not able to hear Vanita Gupta. Let me just say I have tremendous respect and admiration for her. I actually think she should be one day a candidate for the Supreme Court. That said, you know, here we may respectfully disagree. I believe the right to vote is sacred, but I also think that there was such concern about people’s safety, such concern about exposing people to groups of exposure, and concern about whether people really would feel comfortable exercising their vote. I don’t see what the harm really would be to having had those elections delayed the way that the governor of Ohio, frankly, did. So, that would have been my recommendation, if I were advising any of the governors of these states.
AMY GOODMAN: And what would it mean, Ro Khanna, if the primaries are delayed for an indefinite period of time? I mean, the governor of New York, Governor Cuomo, said we’re talking about 45 days before this even peaks. So we’re going through the primary season. What would you suggest?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, I think we have to consider the health and safety of people first. And there is no way that we should be exposing people to the risk of congregating in groups, if that’s going to mean more exposure to the coronavirus and if that means even one or two people are at the risk of death or serious illness. I mean, that’s just not something we do as a nation that values the dignity of life of every human being. So I would suggest that you could have vote by mail. I would suggest alternative means of participating and some delay as much as possible. These are difficult decisions, but I just think that the safety and life of our population has to be first.
VANITA GUPTA: Amy, if I could, because Congressman Khanna —
AMY GOODMAN: Yes, Vanita Gupta.
VANITA GUPTA: — did not hear me, unfortunately. He and I actually quite agree with this, and that the safety and health of our communities has to come first. What the Leadership Conference and over 200 national civil and human rights groups have been saying, that are deep in the space on voting rights, is that we have to make sure that safety comes first, but that states are adequately prepared with the kind of measures of vote by mail, absentee ballot, making sure that we’ve got polling place adjustments for states that decide to go forward after assessing their own conditions. We need extended periods of early voting, so that people can actually have much more time to vote by mail than currently exists. There’s a series of measures that states need to enact, given this highly unusual, atypical set of circumstances around this pandemic, so that we can both protect voters’ public health while maintaining a democracy that is able to move forward.
It is long past time for states, red or blue, to enact these kinds of commonsense measures that would allow people to vote from the comfort of their homes securely and safely, because we need to be ready by November. There can be no postponement of the November general election. The good news right now is that states have many, many months to prepare and to get these measures in place. If they are not able to in advance of the primaries, that is one thing, although I think these postponements give states the time to do this. But certainly there can be no excuse for delaying a November election, given that states have the time. And Congress needs to fund it. In any COVID-19 package that goes forward moving now, we need to make sure that election reform and funding exists to fund these kinds of changes, so that we are absolutely ready come November.
AMY GOODMAN: Let me ask you, Vanita Gupta, about the group of 1,600 individuals, including more than 100 medical professionals, who wrote an open letter calling for the next round of presidential primaries to be postponed until May because of the coronavirus epidemic — pandemic. They write, “We have seen long lines of voters in states like Texas and Michigan. The amount of time standing in line with hundreds or even thousands of other voters substantially increases the likelihood someone will get sick.” So, we are not talking far into the future. They are talking about postponing the next round of presidential primaries, saying the very thing you’re proposing, they’re asking, “Can that be put in place?”
VANITA GUPTA: Yeah. I mean, look, we have to respect — we’ve got to, as we said, put the health and safety of voters first. We need to — that’s why states are making these decisions. Increasingly, more and more states are postponing their primaries. What we are saying at the Leadership Conference is that use the time of this postponement to get measures in place that would allow for secure, safe vote by mail, no-excuse absentee ballot measures and the like. A lot of states still don’t have those measures in place. They need to have a whole bunch of guardrails that would be associated with vote by mail, as well, put those in place now to be ready. That’s what we are saying.
The danger is — and you know this — that election reforms and voting rights work is often kind of put to the side and doesn’t have bipartisan support. This is a moment where the nation needs to come together, where Republican and Democratic secretaries of states, governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives in Congress need to come together and enact these reforms, that we have listed in great detail, and make sure that they are funded so that states can get to work and get these measures put in place to address the very kinds of concerns that are like really important and listed in this letter from public health experts.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to ask you, Vanita Gupta, about the recent reports that the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is urging conservative judges to retire now while Republicans still control the White House and Senate, so that they can confirm their replacements. The New York Times writes, quote, “Senator Mitch McConnell, … who has used his position as majority leader to build a judicial confirmation juggernaut for President Trump over the past three years, has been personally reaching out to judges to sound them out on their plans and assure them that they would have a worthy successor if they gave up their seats soon, according to multiple people with knowledge of his actions,” telling them, as having senior status, they will continue to be paid, so that while the Republicans control the Senate, they can replace those judges. We just have 30 seconds. If you can talk about the significance of this move and, in the midst of this pandemic, what people should be paying attention to?
VANITA GUPTA: Look, we cannot lose sight of what’s happening to our federal courts. The federal courts impact every part of our life. And Senator McConnell has been single-minded about packing the courts with extreme judges, nominees who are rated not qualified by the ABA, totally undiverse. Two-thirds of the appellate judges that have been confirmed in the Trump administration are white men, many of them carrying very extreme views against gay marriage, trying to undermine voting protections and voting rights in this country. They’re very young. These people will serve in these positions for a lifetime.
And so, even as we are grappling with the enormous kind of democracy burdens that the pandemic is causing us, let’s not lose sight of what’s happening to our federal courts, which will have impact not only on our lives, but our children’s and our grandchildren’s lives. And this is why, when it comes to November, we need a pro-civil rights Senate. We need a pro-civil rights administration, that is going to do the right thing and ensure the enforcement of long-, hard-fought civil rights protections for all of our communities. But I don’t think any of us were surprised that Senator McConnell has been quietly, but now openly, doing this to further pack our courts. And he will continue to do it, until we stand up as a country and say that those hard-fought protections are worthy and most important of being protected moving forward by our federal courts.
AMY GOODMAN: Vanita Gupta, I want to thank you for being with us.
VANITA GUPTA: Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, she was head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice in the Obama administration. And also, great thanks to Congressmember Ro Khanna of California.
This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. When we come back, millions of restaurant workers around the country are losing their jobs. What will happen to them? Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-03-18--"It's Inadequate": Rep. Ro Khanna Says White House Stimulus Plan Helps Big Business, Not Workers

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : The number of reported cases of coronavirus in the United States has surged to more than 6,200 , though the devastating lack of tests means the number infected is exponentially higher .
Deaths have topped 107 .
Millions are staying home to avoid spreading the disease .
Nearly one in five households in the United States have already experienced a layoff or work reduction due to the pandemic , according to a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll .
On Tuesday , the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inject more than $ 1 trillion into the U.S. economy to fight the unprecedented drop in economic activity .
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the stimulus package would rapidly deliver a $ 1,000 check to most American adults , with more direct payments likely in the months ahead .
AMY GOODMAN : Mnuchin called the pandemic “ worse than 9/11 ” for the airline industry and called for a $ 50 billion bailout .
This comes as the Democrat-led House passed a multibillion-dollar package Monday that significantly weakened paid sick leave measures it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed the House Monday evening after changes were made that were called “ technical corrections.
” The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that , quote , “ Democratic aides were alarmed by the changes , which were passed with no objections because House lawmakers are away from Washington [ on recess ] .
The changes weren ’ t shown to most lawmakers before the vote , ” unquote .
Well , for more , we go to Congressmember Ro Khanna , Democrat from California , member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In response to the pandemic , he ’ s also co-sponsored a bill for an emergency Earned Income Tax Credit that would give up to $ 6,000 to everyone who made less than $ 130,000 last year .
His Bay Area district has been hit hard by the coronavirus , and about 7 million residents there have been told to stay home for all but the most crucial outings until April 7th .
They are sheltering in place .
Congressmember Khanna , welcome back to Democracy Now !
In a moment we want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results and Joe Biden ’ s sweep and should the primaries go on .
But right now let ’ s go right to what ’ s happening in the House , the discussions of unemployment insurance increasing , of paid leave being guaranteed .
Is this happening ?
REP. RO KHANNA : It is .
We need to do all of the above .
I mean , we need a massive stimulus .
The first thing we need is a cash infusion to ordinary Americans , many of whom have seen paychecks reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed unemployment insurance claims .
We need to extend unemployment insurance .
We need to beef up the paid leave .
The House took the first step .
But as you know , large corporations were excluded .
They shouldn ’ t be .
And we need a guarantee of paid leave , not just for the coronavirus , but if people are sick , we don ’ t want them coming into work .
So , there ’ s a lot of work that remains to be done .
AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pressures are being brought on the House ?
Let ’ s talk about that paid leave .
Yes , in the end , apparently , with Nancy Pelosi negotiating with Mnuchin , the exemptions were made for companies that have more than 500 workers or less than 50 .
We ’ re talking about , at first , the bill passed would affect maybe 20 % of workers getting paid sick leave , but now it sounds like it ’ s going to be much less than that .
REP. RO KHANNA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There ’ s no doubt about it .
That said , Amy , I mean , every House Democrat believes in paid leave and believes that it should apply to companies larger than 500 .
The problem is that we ’ re negotiating with Trump and McConnell to get anything done .
I do believe , though , that we have a lot of leverage .
I mean , this president needs a deal .
The economy is on the verge of a real crisis .
And we should make sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually going to help .
And we know , from all the economists , that that means paid leave .
It means getting money into the pockets of those who are unemployed and the working class .
So we need to reexplore this and , in this third package we do , make sure that we don ’ t have the exemptions for companies over 500 , and make sure we ’ re reimbursing not just for coronavirus , but for a period of up to two weeks , if there are small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOODMAN : So , talk about what the White House is now proposing .
At first , President Trump — I mean , until in the last few days , he ’ s been saying , “ Who even knew anything like this could happen like a month ago ?
” referring to the pandemic .
Now he ’ s saying he ’ s always known there was a pandemic .
And the White House and Steve Mnuchin are proposing this $ 1 trillion bailout , originally asking for much less .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this ?
What guarantee , as he has had a stream of corporate executives at the White House over the last few weeks , that it ’ s the workers that will benefit , that there will be strings attached to the massive amount of money that could transfer to U.S. corporations and wealthy individuals ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , what we need to do is have — if we are going to have a trillion dollars , have that directed to increasing unemployment insurance , have that directed towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s making under $ 150,000 or $ 130,000 , so that people actually who need the money are getting it .
What we shouldn ’ t have is large bailouts for industry .
Frankly , what the president ought to be doing is invoking the Defense Production Act , so that we can have some of these industries producing ventilators .
We have a huge shortage of ventilators here .
In Britain , they ’ ve converted Rolls-Royce factories to producing ventilators .
What we ought to be doing is moving our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce medical supplies .
So , the last thing we need is bailouts for large industries that look like just a handout to shareholders .
We need to give the money to working-class Americans , to Americans that are hurting , to the poor and low-wealth that Reverend Barber talks about , about 140 million Americans who are double the poverty line or less .
That ’ s who needs to get the money .
And then we ought to reorient our economy towards producing things that are going to help us deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : After yesterday ’ s primaries , Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders spoke Tuesday night from his campaign headquarters in Burlington , Vermont , laying out a plan for how the U.S. should respond to the coronavirus pandemic .
This is a part of what he said .
AMY GOODMAN : Ro Khanna , you ’ re co-chair of Bernie Sanders ’ presidential campaign .
Elaborate on how this is being presented in the U.S. Congress , with most Americans , even before the pandemic was spreading to the extent it was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All .
But what would this mean right now ?
And how can this be enforced in the House and then get it passed through the Republican-led Senate ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , Senator Sanders said it ’ s commonsense .
We don ’ t want someone to face a bill of a few thousand dollars if they ’ re sick and going to the doctor at this point .
And what the senator is saying is , it ’ s not just making sure people are getting tested for coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if someone has other symptoms , if someone is ill , you don ’ t want them to be going to work .
You don ’ t want them to avoid going to a doctor or going to a hospital or having — engaging someone even on the phone or through telehealth , because of a bill .
And so , for at least a period of three months or six months , we ought to say that the basic healthcare of every American is going to be covered .
This is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re only as safe as the least insured among us .
And we are hopeful that this is something that everyone can get around .
I mean , it ’ s not , as Senator Sanders said , Medicare for All .
It ’ s an emergency three-to-six-month plan to give people healthcare .
We ’ ve seen in a country like South Korea that has been far better at testing based on a single-payer approach .
AMY GOODMAN : Testing .
Let ’ s talk about testing .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are available to people , despite what the president keeps saying , that every American can get a test .
We know that the lack of tests are fueling this pandemic in the United States , that public health officials can ’ t see where there are outbreaks , that people can ’ t know whether they are — have tested positive , though have symptoms and are desperately trying to .
I mean , it now has been documented that the U.S. could have used the World Health Organization tests — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other countries .
They didn ’ t .
They put out a flawed test of their own .
And now can you tell us , is there an accounting of where these tests are ?
Can they be made available ?
What can you do as a congressmember ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , Amy , it is the biggest national scandal that we did not use the World Health Organization tests .
I asked in committee both the director of the CDC and a senior official at the NIH , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization tests ?
” And they were unable to give us an answer .
They had really no explanation , other than , I think , an overreliance on everything had to be American-made , which is fine if we had the capacity , but we didn ’ t , because we had systematic underinvestment in public health .
Our CDC budget should have been much higher .
But the point is that at some point there has to be a reckoning why we didn ’ t use those World Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest mistake made .
Now all of us in Congress are pushing for tests to be widely available .
There has been progress on these tests that should be deployed .
The challenge is , we ’ re probably still a week or two weeks out .
And then we need telehealth .
And some of us have been calling and have a plan with COVID Alliance to get a national telehealth center , because we don ’ t want every American rushing to go get a test .
You have to first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the profile that would require a test .
And a lot of that can be done through telehealth by consultation with doctors and nurses , so that we don ’ t overburden our healthcare facilities .
Unfortunately , that hasn ’ t yet been set up .
AMY GOODMAN : And what about the Federal Reserve of emergency reserve , the devastating effect of this on healthcare workers and the kinds of just personal protective equipment that people can have access to ?
REP. RO KHANNA : It ’ s mind-boggling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involve the Defense Production Act to do two things .
First , we ought to be producing as many N95 masks as possible .
I ’ ve heard so many stories from my district of doctors and nurses .
They only are having one mask that they ’ re wearing throughout the day for different multiple procedures .
And that ’ s just frankly unsafe .
We need to protect the people who are on the frontlines of this crisis .
And second , as so many experts have said , we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators .
And if that happens in this country , we ’ re going to have awful choices about who we save and who doesn ’ t get saved .
And I don ’ t understand why there ’ s not outrage and a cry in this country to turn every possible production facility into producing ventilators so that we have as much supply as possible .
That really ought to be an urgent challenge .
There ’ s 57 members of Congress who have written to the president to do that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics .
We just need great production of ventilators and production of masks in this country .
AMY GOODMAN : Very quickly , before we go to break , then we ’ ll also be joined by Vanita Gupta talking about the primaries yesterday , one of the hardest-hit nations is Iran , where researchers warn the rate of infections won ’ t peak 'til May , that there could be as many as three-and-a-half million people who will die .
Amidst everyone 's focus , of course , on their personal health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s very little reporting on what the U.S. did yesterday , which was imposing fresh sanctions on Iran , keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as the people of Iran are dealing with this coronavirus pandemic , calling on the Islamic republic to release detained Americans .
Can you respond to this ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , we have to have some sense of humanitarian concern .
It ’ s wrong for us not to be assisting Iran to deal with its own crisis .
And there is a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcends any border or any politics .
And I have called repeatedly for making sure that our sanctions are not in any way impeding humanitarian aid , medical aid getting to the Iranian people so that they can deal with this crisis .
And second , as we ’ ve seen , there is no such thing as a disease that is contained within one nation .
The more the disease spreads in a place like Iran , the more it hurts the entire world .
It ’ s not going to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is something that is yet again a misguided administration policy in Iran .
AMY GOODMAN : Ro Khanna , please stay with us , Democratic congressmember from California .
His community , the greater Bay Area , is now under orders to shelter at home .
This is Democracy Now !
We ’ ll be back in 30 seconds .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s cellist Yo-Yo Ma .
As the coronavirus pandemic spread , he took to social media Monday to share a song of comfort , a song from Bach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He dedicated the song to the healthcare workers on the frontlines , writing , quote , “ Your ability to balance human connection and scientific truth in service of us all gives me hope .
”

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: The number of reported cases of coronavirus in the United States has surged to more than 6,200, though the devastating lack of tests means the number infected is exponentially higher. Deaths have topped 107. Millions are staying home to avoid spreading the disease. Nearly one in five households in the United States have already experienced a layoff or work reduction due to the pandemic, according to a new PBS/NPR/Marist poll. On Tuesday, the Trump administration said it will support a plan to inject more than $1 trillion into the U.S. economy to fight the unprecedented drop in economic activity. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said the stimulus package would rapidly deliver a $1,000 check to most American adults, with more direct payments likely in the months ahead.
TREASURY SECRETARY STEVEN MNUCHIN: Americans need cash now, and the president wants to get cash now. And I mean now in the next two weeks.
AMY GOODMAN: Mnuchin called the pandemic “worse than 9/11” for the airline industry and called for a $50 billion bailout. This comes as the Democrat-led House passed a multibillion-dollar package Monday that significantly weakened paid sick leave measures it tried to enact days earlier. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed the House Monday evening after changes were made that were called “technical corrections.” The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that, quote, “Democratic aides were alarmed by the changes, which were passed with no objections because House lawmakers are away from Washington [on recess]. The changes weren’t shown to most lawmakers before the vote,” unquote.
Well, for more, we go to Congressmember Ro Khanna, Democrat from California, member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. In response to the pandemic, he’s also co-sponsored a bill for an emergency Earned Income Tax Credit that would give up to $6,000 to everyone who made less than $130,000 last year. His Bay Area district has been hit hard by the coronavirus, and about 7 million residents there have been told to stay home for all but the most crucial outings until April 7th. They are sheltering in place.
Congressmember Khanna, welcome back to Democracy Now! In a moment we want to talk to you about the primary results and Joe Biden’s sweep and should the primaries go on. But right now let’s go right to what’s happening in the House, the discussions of unemployment insurance increasing, of paid leave being guaranteed. Is this happening?
REP. RO KHANNA: It is. We need to do all of the above. I mean, we need a massive stimulus. The first thing we need is a cash infusion to ordinary Americans, many of whom have seen paychecks reduced, many of them who have already filed unemployment insurance claims. We need to extend unemployment insurance. We need to beef up the paid leave. The House took the first step. But as you know, large corporations were excluded. They shouldn’t be. And we need a guarantee of paid leave, not just for the coronavirus, but if people are sick, we don’t want them coming into work. So, there’s a lot of work that remains to be done.
AMY GOODMAN: But what is happening? What kind of pressures are being brought on the House? Let’s talk about that paid leave. Yes, in the end, apparently, with Nancy Pelosi negotiating with Mnuchin, the exemptions were made for companies that have more than 500 workers or less than 50. We’re talking about, at first, the bill passed would affect maybe 20% of workers getting paid sick leave, but now it sounds like it’s going to be much less than that.
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, it’s inadequate. There’s no doubt about it. That said, Amy, I mean, every House Democrat believes in paid leave and believes that it should apply to companies larger than 500. The problem is that we’re negotiating with Trump and McConnell to get anything done. I do believe, though, that we have a lot of leverage. I mean, this president needs a deal. The economy is on the verge of a real crisis. And we should make sure that we are pushing for things that are actually going to help. And we know, from all the economists, that that means paid leave. It means getting money into the pockets of those who are unemployed and the working class. So we need to reexplore this and, in this third package we do, make sure that we don’t have the exemptions for companies over 500, and make sure we’re reimbursing not just for coronavirus, but for a period of up to two weeks, if there are small businesses that need that reimbursement.
AMY GOODMAN: So, talk about what the White House is now proposing. At first, President Trump — I mean, until in the last few days, he’s been saying, “Who even knew anything like this could happen like a month ago?” referring to the pandemic. Now he’s saying he’s always known there was a pandemic. And the White House and Steve Mnuchin are proposing this $1 trillion bailout, originally asking for much less. But who will profit, in fact, in this? What guarantee, as he has had a stream of corporate executives at the White House over the last few weeks, that it’s the workers that will benefit, that there will be strings attached to the massive amount of money that could transfer to U.S. corporations and wealthy individuals?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, what we need to do is have — if we are going to have a trillion dollars, have that directed to increasing unemployment insurance, have that directed towards direct cash grants to every American who’s making under $150,000 or $130,000, so that people actually who need the money are getting it. What we shouldn’t have is large bailouts for industry.
Frankly, what the president ought to be doing is invoking the Defense Production Act, so that we can have some of these industries producing ventilators. We have a huge shortage of ventilators here. In Britain, they’ve converted Rolls-Royce factories to producing ventilators. What we ought to be doing is moving our economy to a footing where we can produce medical supplies.
So, the last thing we need is bailouts for large industries that look like just a handout to shareholders. We need to give the money to working-class Americans, to Americans that are hurting, to the poor and low-wealth that Reverend Barber talks about, about 140 million Americans who are double the poverty line or less. That’s who needs to get the money. And then we ought to reorient our economy towards producing things that are going to help us deal with this coronavirus crisis.
AMY GOODMAN: After yesterday’s primaries, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders spoke Tuesday night from his campaign headquarters in Burlington, Vermont, laying out a plan for how the U.S. should respond to the coronavirus pandemic. This is a part of what he said.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: We need to make certain that everybody in our country who needs to go to a doctor can get the healthcare they need regardless of their income. This is kind of a no-brainer, something that should have happened in our country many, many years ago. But in the midst of this crisis, what I believe we must do is empower Medicare to cover all medical bills during this emergency. Now, this is not Medicare for All. We can’t pass that right now. But what this does say is that if you’re uninsured, if you are underinsured, if you have high deductibles, if you have high copayments, if you have out-of-pocket expenses, Medicare will cover those expenses, so that everybody, regardless of their healthcare needs — and I’m not just talking about the coronavirus, but their healthcare needs in the midst of this crisis — will get all the healthcare that they need.
AMY GOODMAN: Ro Khanna, you’re co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign. Elaborate on how this is being presented in the U.S. Congress, with most Americans, even before the pandemic was spreading to the extent it was, for example, being for Medicare for All. But what would this mean right now? And how can this be enforced in the House and then get it passed through the Republican-led Senate?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, Senator Sanders said it’s commonsense. We don’t want someone to face a bill of a few thousand dollars if they’re sick and going to the doctor at this point. And what the senator is saying is, it’s not just making sure people are getting tested for coronavirus. If someone has the flu, if someone has other symptoms, if someone is ill, you don’t want them to be going to work. You don’t want them to avoid going to a doctor or going to a hospital or having — engaging someone even on the phone or through telehealth, because of a bill. And so, for at least a period of three months or six months, we ought to say that the basic healthcare of every American is going to be covered. This is going to make us safer, because we’re only as safe as the least insured among us. And we are hopeful that this is something that everyone can get around. I mean, it’s not, as Senator Sanders said, Medicare for All. It’s an emergency three-to-six-month plan to give people healthcare. We’ve seen in a country like South Korea that has been far better at testing based on a single-payer approach.
AMY GOODMAN: Testing. Let’s talk about testing. Let’s talk about the devastating lack of tests that are available to people, despite what the president keeps saying, that every American can get a test. We know that the lack of tests are fueling this pandemic in the United States, that public health officials can’t see where there are outbreaks, that people can’t know whether they are — have tested positive, though have symptoms and are desperately trying to. I mean, it now has been documented that the U.S. could have used the World Health Organization tests —
REP. RO KHANNA: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: — like South Korea and other countries. They didn’t. They put out a flawed test of their own. And now can you tell us, is there an accounting of where these tests are? Can they be made available? What can you do as a congressmember?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, Amy, it is the biggest national scandal that we did not use the World Health Organization tests. I asked in committee both the director of the CDC and a senior official at the NIH, “Why did we not use the World Health Organization tests?” And they were unable to give us an answer. They had really no explanation, other than, I think, an overreliance on everything had to be American-made, which is fine if we had the capacity, but we didn’t, because we had systematic underinvestment in public health. Our CDC budget should have been much higher. But the point is that at some point there has to be a reckoning why we didn’t use those World Health Organization tests. It was probably the biggest mistake made.
Now all of us in Congress are pushing for tests to be widely available. There has been progress on these tests that should be deployed. The challenge is, we’re probably still a week or two weeks out. And then we need telehealth. And some of us have been calling and have a plan with COVID Alliance to get a national telehealth center, because we don’t want every American rushing to go get a test. You have to first see if you’re symptomatic and have the profile that would require a test. And a lot of that can be done through telehealth by consultation with doctors and nurses, so that we don’t overburden our healthcare facilities. Unfortunately, that hasn’t yet been set up.
AMY GOODMAN: And what about the Federal Reserve of emergency reserve, the devastating effect of this on healthcare workers and the kinds of just personal protective equipment that people can have access to?
REP. RO KHANNA: It’s mind-boggling, Amy, why we don’t involve the Defense Production Act to do two things. First, we ought to be producing as many N95 masks as possible. I’ve heard so many stories from my district of doctors and nurses. They only are having one mask that they’re wearing throughout the day for different multiple procedures. And that’s just frankly unsafe. We need to protect the people who are on the frontlines of this crisis. And second, as so many experts have said, we are at real danger of running out of ventilators. And if that happens in this country, we’re going to have awful choices about who we save and who doesn’t get saved. And I don’t understand why there’s not outrage and a cry in this country to turn every possible production facility into producing ventilators so that we have as much supply as possible. That really ought to be an urgent challenge. There’s 57 members of Congress who have written to the president to do that. But this shouldn’t be about politics. We just need great production of ventilators and production of masks in this country.
AMY GOODMAN: Very quickly, before we go to break, then we’ll also be joined by Vanita Gupta talking about the primaries yesterday, one of the hardest-hit nations is Iran, where researchers warn the rate of infections won’t peak 'til May, that there could be as many as three-and-a-half million people who will die. Amidst everyone's focus, of course, on their personal health and the community health, there’s very little reporting on what the U.S. did yesterday, which was imposing fresh sanctions on Iran, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as the people of Iran are dealing with this coronavirus pandemic, calling on the Islamic republic to release detained Americans. Can you respond to this?
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, we have to have some sense of humanitarian concern. It’s wrong for us not to be assisting Iran to deal with its own crisis. And there is a sense of the worth of human life that transcends any border or any politics. And I have called repeatedly for making sure that our sanctions are not in any way impeding humanitarian aid, medical aid getting to the Iranian people so that they can deal with this crisis. And second, as we’ve seen, there is no such thing as a disease that is contained within one nation. The more the disease spreads in a place like Iran, the more it hurts the entire world. It’s not going to stay just in Iran. So, this is something that is yet again a misguided administration policy in Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: Ro Khanna, please stay with us, Democratic congressmember from California. His community, the greater Bay Area, is now under orders to shelter at home. This is Democracy Now! We’ll be back in 30 seconds.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: That’s cellist Yo-Yo Ma. As the coronavirus pandemic spread, he took to social media Monday to share a song of comfort, a song from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3. He dedicated the song to the healthcare workers on the frontlines, writing, quote, “Your ability to balance human connection and scientific truth in service of us all gives me hope.”


democracynow--2020-03-18--Headlines for March 18, 2020

Headlines for March 18, 2020

Confirmed cases of coronavirus have topped 200,000 worldwide , with over 8,000 deaths reported .
One of the hardest-hit nations is Iran , where researchers warn the rate of infections won ’ t peak until May and that as many as 3.5 million people could die .
Officially , Iran has reported just under a thousand deaths , but the World Health Organization believes the actual death toll could be five times higher .
Italy reported 345 new cases in the last 24 hours , with the death toll topping 2,500 .
In Spain , Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a few dozen lawmakers allowed to attend in person .
Spain has had 533 deaths among nearly 12,000 confirmed cases and is under a nationwide lockdown .
In Madrid , migrants climbed onto the roof of an immigration jail Tuesday , protesting poor medical treatment as prisoners become ill .
In Latin America , the Guatemalan government has temporarily suspended the arrival of U.S. deportation flights transporting Central American asylum seekers as part of an asylum agreement with the U.S .
In Africa , at least 30 nations — covering more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Tunisia ’ s president ordered a 12-hour nightly curfew and asked workers to donate half their salaries to fighting the pandemic .
Ivory Coast has closed schools and joined other West African nations in barring flights from affected countries .

Confirmed cases of coronavirus have topped 200,000 worldwide, with over 8,000 deaths reported. One of the hardest-hit nations is Iran, where researchers warn the rate of infections won’t peak until May and that as many as 3.5 million people could die. Officially, Iran has reported just under a thousand deaths, but the World Health Organization believes the actual death toll could be five times higher.
Italy reported 345 new cases in the last 24 hours, with the death toll topping 2,500.
In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed a mostly empty parliament Wednesday, with only a few dozen lawmakers allowed to attend in person. Spain has had 533 deaths among nearly 12,000 confirmed cases and is under a nationwide lockdown.
In Madrid, migrants climbed onto the roof of an immigration jail Tuesday, protesting poor medical treatment as prisoners become ill.
In Latin America, the Guatemalan government has temporarily suspended the arrival of U.S. deportation flights transporting Central American asylum seekers as part of an asylum agreement with the U.S.
In Africa, at least 30 nations — covering more than half the continent — have confirmed COVID-19 cases. Tunisia’s president ordered a 12-hour nightly curfew and asked workers to donate half their salaries to fighting the pandemic. Ivory Coast has closed schools and joined other West African nations in barring flights from affected countries.


democracynow--2020-03-19--Trump Continues Calling the Coronavirus "Chinese" Despite Reports of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
AMY GOODMAN : That was the opening line of President Trump ’ s news conference about coronavirus on Wednesday .
Later in the conference , he was questioned by ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega .
AMY GOODMAN : “ It comes from China , ” he said .
PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor also questioned Trump at his news conference .
AMY GOODMAN : Yamiche Alcindor was referring to an incident reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who describes herself in her Twitter profile as a “ Chinese born West Virginian.
” She tweeted on Tuesday , “ This morning a White House official referred to # Coronavirus as the 'Kung-Flu ' to my face .
Makes me wonder what they ’ re calling it behind my back , ” she said .
Well , for more , we ’ re joined by Elizabeth OuYang , the former president of OCA-New York , a civil rights group , where she advocated for victims of hate crimes and fair media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney ; community advocate , who teaches at Columbia and New York University .
Liz , thanks so much for joining us .
Can you respond to President Trump repeatedly saying this , calling the coronavirus the “ Chinese virus ” ?
ELIZABETH OUYANG : Certainly .
There ’ s a big difference in saying that the virus originated in China versus calling it a “ Chinese virus.
” By calling it a “ Chinese virus , ” it is implying , for people who have limited interaction with persons of Asian descent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread , that it ’ s people who are Chinese , or they think are Chinese , who have this virus .
And this leads to a domino effect of both economic ostracization as well as social ostracization , that leads to people not going to Chinese business establishments because they ’ re afraid that they have the virus , or it — on the other extreme , it leads to hate crimes , that we ’ ve seen , you know , from California to New York , whether it be cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the cars or actual physical assaults of women and men of Asian descent who people think may have the virus because they are Asian , and they ’ re attacked , kicked , sprayed with things on the subway , all these things .
AMY GOODMAN : And then you have Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas quick to defend President Trump ’ s use of the term “ Chinese virus.
” AMY GOODMAN : Critics say Senator Cornyn wasn ’ t just being openly racist , he ’ s also bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East respiratory syndrome , which was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012 .
And the swine flu originated in the United States in 2009 , before spreading around the world , according to the CDC .
So , Liz OuYang , if you can talk about — further about what this means , especially as this pandemic rips through this country ?
ELIZABETH OUYANG : People need to understand that pandemics and novel pathogens could come from barns of a state fair or the Astroturf of a college football field .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irresponsible — these irresponsible statements , it further fuels divisiveness and misguided information , and takes us away from where we need to be focused , and that is , helping people most vulnerable in getting the disease , elderly or people with respiratory illnesses , and making sure that they ’ re protected .
I ’ ve never been to Wuhan .
And , you know , I am as frightened as my non-Asian neighbors , non-Asian-American neighbors , as well , of the disease .
And we need to unite together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minority of color for this illness .
As your previous speaker said , this pandemic goes beyond borders , has no racial exclusivity to it .
People of all races , unfortunately , are coming down with it .
And if you think only people of Chinese descent have it or may have it , then you miss the white lawyer from Miami who came to — who flew to New York and was infected .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , we want to thank you so much , Elizabeth OuYang , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OCA-New York , advocate for victims of hate crimes and fair media representation of Asian Americans .
And that does it for our broadcast .
I want to thank the incredibly dedicated team of Democracy Now !
, most of whom are working from their homes in self-isolation .
This is a very difficult time , but they are every day devoted to producing this stellar newscast , Democracy Now !
Thank you to them all .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I would like to begin by announcing some important developments in our war against the Chinese virus. We will be invoking the Defense Production Act just in case we need it.
AMY GOODMAN: That was the opening line of President Trump’s news conference about coronavirus on Wednesday. Later in the conference, he was questioned by ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega.
CECILIA VEGA: Why do you keep calling this the “Chinese virus”? There are reports of dozens of incidents of bias against Chinese Americans in this country. Your own aide, Secretary Azar, says he does not use this term. He says ethnicity does not cause the virus. Why do you keep using this?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Because it comes from China.
CECILIA VEGA: A lot of people say it’s racist.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s not racist at all. No, not at all. It comes from China. That’s why. Comes from China. I want to be accurate.
CECILIA VEGA: And no concerns about Chinese Americans in this country?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Yeah, please, John? Please.
CECILIA VEGA: To the aides behind you, are you comfortable with this term?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, I have a great — I have great love for all of the people from our country, but, as you know, China tried to say at one point — maybe they stopped now — that it was caused by American soldiers. That can’t happen. It’s not going to happen, not as long as I’m president. It comes from China.
AMY GOODMAN: “It comes from China,” he said. PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor also questioned Trump at his news conference.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: There are some — at least one White House official who used the term “kung flu,” referring to the fact that this virus started in China. Is that acceptable? Is it wrong? Are you worried that having this virus be talked about as a “Chinese virus,” that that might focus —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I wonder who said that. Do you know who said that?
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: I’m not sure of the person’s name. But would you condemn the fact that “kung flu” —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Say the term again.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: A person at the White House used the term “kung-flu.”
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, just the term.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: My question is —
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: “Kung flu.”
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: Do you think that’s wrong? “Kung flu.”
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR: And do you think using the term “Chinese virus,” that puts Asian Americans at risk, that people might target them?
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: No, not at all. No, not at all. I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China.
AMY GOODMAN: Yamiche Alcindor was referring to an incident reported by CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, who describes herself in her Twitter profile as a “Chinese born West Virginian.” She tweeted on Tuesday, “This morning a White House official referred to #Coronavirus as the 'Kung-Flu' to my face. Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back,” she said.
Well, for more, we’re joined by Elizabeth OuYang, the former president of OCA-New York, a civil rights group, where she advocated for victims of hate crimes and fair media representation of Asian Americans; civil rights attorney; community advocate, who teaches at Columbia and New York University.
Liz, thanks so much for joining us. Can you respond to President Trump repeatedly saying this, calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus”?
ELIZABETH OUYANG: Certainly. There’s a big difference in saying that the virus originated in China versus calling it a “Chinese virus.” By calling it a “Chinese virus,” it is implying, for people who have limited interaction with persons of Asian descent and information about how this virus is spread, that it’s people who are Chinese, or they think are Chinese, who have this virus. And this leads to a domino effect of both economic ostracization as well as social ostracization, that leads to people not going to Chinese business establishments because they’re afraid that they have the virus, or it — on the other extreme, it leads to hate crimes, that we’ve seen, you know, from California to New York, whether it be cars being vandalized and racist graffiti scrawled all over the cars or actual physical assaults of women and men of Asian descent who people think may have the virus because they are Asian, and they’re attacked, kicked, sprayed with things on the subway, all these things.
AMY GOODMAN: And then you have Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas quick to defend President Trump’s use of the term “Chinese virus.”
SEN. JOHN CORNYN: Well, I think China is to blame, because the culture where people eat bats and snakes and dogs and things like that, these viruses are transmitted from the animal to the people. And that’s why China has been the source of a lot of these viruses, like SARS, like MERS, the swine flu.
AMY GOODMAN: Critics say Senator Cornyn wasn’t just being openly racist, he’s also bad at geography. MERS stands for Middle East respiratory syndrome, which was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. And the swine flu originated in the United States in 2009, before spreading around the world, according to the CDC. So, Liz OuYang, if you can talk about — further about what this means, especially as this pandemic rips through this country?
ELIZABETH OUYANG: People need to understand that pandemics and novel pathogens could come from barns of a state fair or the Astroturf of a college football field. And so, when so-called leaders defend this irresponsible — these irresponsible statements, it further fuels divisiveness and misguided information, and takes us away from where we need to be focused, and that is, helping people most vulnerable in getting the disease, elderly or people with respiratory illnesses, and making sure that they’re protected.
I’ve never been to Wuhan. And, you know, I am as frightened as my non-Asian neighbors, non-Asian-American neighbors, as well, of the disease. And we need to unite together to fight it, and not scapegoat a minority of color for this illness. As your previous speaker said, this pandemic goes beyond borders, has no racial exclusivity to it. People of all races, unfortunately, are coming down with it. And if you think only people of Chinese descent have it or may have it, then you miss the white lawyer from Miami who came to — who flew to New York and was infected.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we want to thank you so much, Elizabeth OuYang, for joining us, former president of OCA-New York, advocate for victims of hate crimes and fair media representation of Asian Americans.
And that does it for our broadcast. I want to thank the incredibly dedicated team of Democracy Now!, most of whom are working from their homes in self-isolation. This is a very difficult time, but they are every day devoted to producing this stellar newscast, Democracy Now! Thank you to them all.