What’s on my mind? Nine days of COVID-19 in the land of the free and the home of the brave. The US now has the third-highest number of confirmed cases in the world. Globally, there are now 467,000 confirmed cases.
On the federal government's and his own virus missteps, President Donald J. Trump declared: “I don’t take responsibility at all.” - MSNBC, March 16, 2020
On his response to the coronavirus, Trump said: “I’d rate it a 10.” - Huffpost, March 16, 2020
On how he views himself v. COVID-19: “I’m a wartime president. It’s a war.” - BBC, March 18, 2020
On his responsibility to arm governors with the critical equipment and potentially life-saving supplies their states need to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Trump replied that the federal government is “not a shipping clerk.” - Politico, March 19, 2020
More than 52,976 people in the United States have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus. More than 163 deaths from COVID-19 were reported in the United States today, making this the deadliest day in the US since the coronavirus pandemic began. - Summary from CNN, March 24, 2020
“New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo begged the Trump administration on Tuesday for more ventilators, warning that the peak of the coronavirus could hit the state in 14 days. Cuomo said the state needs at least 30,000 of the breathing machines to care for the influx of coronavirus patients that is expected to hit New York in two weeks. So far, the state has procured 7,000, but has only received 400 from the federal government.”- The Hill, March 24, 2020
“Doctors, nurses and other frontline health workers in the coronavirus crisis are faced with a critical lack of personal protective equipment and have taken to begging for equipment online … The shortages have been devastating. Seamstresses have been asked to make masks for hospital workers. As one hospital’s equipment supply diminished, one anesthesiologist wore a plastic bag over his head during a procedure. Construction companies have been asked to donate existing supplies of respirator masks.”- The Guardian, March 24, 2020
“Am I strong in my language vis à vis the federal government? Yes, I am ... How can you be in a situation where (people are) possibly dying because they can’t get a ventilator, but a federal agency is saying, ‘I’m going to leave the ventilators in the stockpile.’ Have we really come to that point?
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending the state 400 ventilators. Four hundred ventilators? I need 30,000 ventilators. You want a pat on the back for sending 400 ventilators?” - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, daily press briefing, PCSP TV, March 24, 2020
“KUOW is monitoring White House briefings for the latest news on the coronavirus - and we will continue to share all news relevant to Washington State with our listeners. However, we will not be airing the briefings live due to a pattern of false or misleading information provided, that cannot be fact-checked in real time.” - KUOW Public Radio, Washington, DC, March 24, 2020
“I would love to have the country opened up and raring to go by Easter … You’ll have packed churches all over our country. I think it will be a beautiful time.” - President Donald J. Trump, Fox News Virtual Town Hall, March 24, 2020
“It’s a two-way street. They have to treat us well. They can’t say, ‘Oh, gee, we should get this, we should get that.’” - Donald Trump during Fox News’ virtual town hall, stating he’ll help Democrat governors struggling to contain coronavirus outbreaks - but only if they stop criticizing him, March 25, 2020
“If we don’t get more funding from the feds, I don’t know how we write the budget … I know the politics of ‘play nice and don’t put any pressure on any other elected official’ ... (If) you don’t play nice in the sandbox … they’ll say you have sharp elbows. This is not a time to play nice in the sandbox.
“If you are hurting the people of the state, I’m going to fight for the people of New York to the best of my ability. We need more federal help …” - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, daily press briefing, PCSP TV, March 25, 2020
“Some very smart people have suggested that the coronavirus briefings should come from the CDC or the Department of Health and Human services - with public health experts, doctors, and other public officials giving scientifically accurate information to the press and the American people ...
“Trump has to do the briefings. Because he won’t be able to hold a rally for months. He’s an egomaniac. A charlatan who needs an audience to get his juices going.
“And so, we have this spectacle now - three, four, five times a week. What will Trump do today? Take credit for some positive development? Of course. Blow up at a ‘nasty’ reporter? Good chance. Give out a piece of dangerously irresponsible information? You bet.” - The Al Franken Newsletter, alfranken.com, March 25, 2020
“The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success. The real people want to get back to work ASAP. We will be stronger than ever before!”- Twitter account of @realDonaldTrump, March 25, 2020, 4:45 pm EST
“New York City hospital sets up makeshift morgues to prepare for coronavirus deaths.” - CNN, March 25, 2020
More than 65,778 people in the United States have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The country reported more than 200 COVID-19 deaths today - a new high for single-day fatalities. To date, the US has had at least 544 deaths from the virus - 40% of them, New Yorkers. - Summary from CNN, March 25, 2020
