Minnesota congressmen took Delta flight after flying with Trump
Three Minnesota congressmen are facing backlash over taking a commercial flight home from Washington, D.C., on Friday night just two days after they shared Air Force One with President Trump.
U.S. Reps. Pete Stauber, Tom Emmer and Jim Hagedorn all were on the same Delta Airlines flight despite the airline’s restrictions on passengers recently exposed to COVID-19. Trump announced early Friday morning he had tested positive for the virus.
Delta’s policy says customers who know they were exposed to the virus in the last 14 days cannot travel on the company’s aircraft. The airline defines exposure as face-to-face contact with someone carrying the virus, or sustained contact for more than 15 minutes less than six feet apart.
President’s physician says Trump is fever-free
The president’s physician, who was among the officials who caused confusion earlier in the day over President Trump’s COVID-19 treatment, said late Saturday that Trump was fever-free and active, but that the president’s prognosis would depend on what happens in coming days.
“While not yet out of the woods, the team remains cautiously optimistic,” Dr. Sean Conley wrote in a memo released late Saturday.
Conley wrote that Trump had “made substantial progress since diagnosis” and that he spent part of the day tending to business in his suite at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Trump took his second dose of remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug that may speed up recovery among coronavirus patients, and did not need supplemental oxygen on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Conley was evasive about whether Trump had been treated with supplemental oxygen since his diagnosis, though other sources confirmed that the president had been so short of breath that he had been given supplemental oxygen Friday morning.
President Trump tweets video from hospital: ‘I feel much better now’
President Trump said Saturday that he is feeling better since checking himself into a hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, and he hoped to return to the White House and the campaign trail soon, but he acknowledged that his outcome depends on what unfolds in coming days.
“I came here, wasn’t feeling so well. I feel much better now. We’re working hard to get me all the way back. I have to be back, because we still have to make America great again,” Trump said in a four-minute video he shared on Twitter. “Over the next period of a few days, I guess that’s the real test. So we’ll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days.”
Trump, who checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday, was recorded wearing a blazer and sitting at a table in the hospital’s presidential suite, in front of an American flag and a flag of the president of the United States.
Trump, 74, offered little detail about his medical treatment other than to say he was taking “therapeutics,” which he described broadly as “miracles coming down from God.”
Trump said First Lady Melania Trump, who was also infected with the virus and is quarantined at the White House, was recovering well, and noted that she was younger.
“Melania is really handling it very nicely. As you’ve probably read, she’s slightly younger than me, just a little tiny bit,” he said of his 50-year-old wife, adding that younger people respond to the virus better than older people. “Melania is handling it statistically like it’s supposed to be handled.”
Chris Christie checks himself into a hospital after testing positive for coronavirus
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced Saturday he was checking himself into a hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
“While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure,” Christie tweeted.
He is among a growing number of elected officials and others in close proximity to President Trump in recent days to come down with the virus. Christie helped Trump prepare for Tuesday’s debate with Democrat Joe Biden.
Christie was tested Friday evening for the virus and received a positive test result Saturday morning. He announced his decision to check into Morristown Medical Center one day after President Trump checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after his own positive coronavirus test.
Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe will not testify before Senate Judiciary Committee
Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe will not testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, citing news that two members of the panel said they have tested positive for the coronavirus, his lawyer said Saturday.
“Mr. McCabe was still prepared to testify voluntarily and in person on October 6 as recently as the latter part of this past week. However, since that time, it has been reported that at least two members of your Committee — Senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis — have tested positive for Covid-19,” Michael R. Bromwich, McCabe’s lawyer, wrote in an Oct. 3 letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “Under these circumstances, an in-person hearing carries grave safety risks to Mr. McCabe, me, and senators and staff who would attend.”
Bromwich added that “the full scope” of the potential outbreak among members of the committee and its staff won’t be known by Tuesday.
McCabe was set to testify about the FBI’s investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign’s potential ties with Russia.
Bromwich said that McCabe had previously stipulated that he would only testify in person, because “a witness answering questions remotely via videoconference is at a distinct disadvantage in answering those questions.”
McConnell delays Senate return after GOP lawmakers contract coronavirus
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Saturday that the Senate will not return to session until Oct. 19 after three lawmakers tested positive for the coronavirus.
“On Monday, I intend to obtain a consent agreement for the Senate to meet in pro forma sessions for the next two weeks,” McConnell said in a statement. “Previously-scheduled floor activity will be rescheduled until after October 19th.”
The Senate had been scheduled to return to Washington next week, but in recent days, three GOP senators — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — announced they had contracted the virus.
Lee and Tillis — members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — attended the White House ceremony Sept. 26 when Trump announced he was choosing Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee.
The confirmation hearing process for Barrett will go on as planned, McConnell said, with the Senate Judiciary Committee convening Oct. 12. Republicans could attend virtually, he added.
“The Senate’s floor schedule will not interrupt the thorough, fair, and historically supported confirmation process previously laid out by Chairman Graham,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized McConnell’s decision Saturday to recess the Senate but proceed with committee hearings.
“If it’s too dangerous to have the Senate in session, it is also too dangerous for committee hearings to continue,” he said in a statement. “Leader McConnell and Chairman Graham’s monomaniacal drive to confirm Judge Barrett at all costs needlessly threatens the health and safety of Senators, staff, and all those who work in the Capitol complex. Their decision to move ‘full steam ahead’ with a Supreme Court nominee who could take away the healthcare of 20 million Americans a month before Election Day is turning an illegitimate process into a reckless and dangerous one.”
White House doctor says Trump doing ‘very well’ at hospital
President Trump’s doctor says he is doing “very well” as he spends the weekend at a military hospital for treatment of COVID-19.
Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley said Trump has been fever-free for 24 hours as he updated the nation on the president’s condition from the hospital Saturday morning. Trump was admitted Friday after testing positive for the coronavirus.
While Conley said the president is not currently on oxygen, he refused to say whether the president had ever been on oxygen, despite repeated questioning. He said that Trump’s symptoms, including a cough and nasal congestion, “are now resolving and improving.”
“He’s in exceptionally good spirits,” said another doctor, Sean Dooley.
The decision to have Conley brief reporters marked a change in strategy for an administration that has so far been less than transparent about the virus’ spread inside the White House. It was Bloomberg News — not the White House — that broke the first news that a close aide to Trump had been infected. And aides had declined to share basic health information about the president, including a full accounting of his symptoms, what tests he’s undertaken and the results.
Trump’s physician provides update on the president’s health
Chinese leader sends sympathy message to Trump
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of sympathy on Saturday to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump following their coronavirus diagnosis, state TV reported.
“My wife, Peng Liyuan, and I express our sympathies to you and your wife and wish you a fast recovery,” state TV on its website cited the message as saying.
Chinese-U.S. relations have tumbled to their lowest point in decades amid disputes over trade, technology, security, Beijing’s tightening of control over Hong Kong and complaints about abuses in China’s Muslim northwestern region of Xinjiang.
Trump has blamed China, where the coronavirus outbreak began in December, for mishandling the outbreak and allowing it to spread.
What’s in store for Trump now that he has COVID-19?
President Trump is now one of medicine’s most closely watched patients. But for all the medical care he commands, the president, who tested positive for coronavirus infection Friday and is reported to be suffering from “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, now confronts the same uncertainties that more than 7.3 million Americans have faced since the virus first appeared in the United States.
He could well be among the lucky patients — roughly half of those who test positive for the coronavirus — to emerge virtually untouched by illness. He could be among the nearly 3% of coronavirus-infected Americans who die of COVID-19.
Or his spin of the biological wheel of fortune could place him somewhere in the vast middle.
Landing in that “pretty lucky” zone still leaves plenty of room for misery. His symptoms could last a couple of days before he regains his strength. But he could also endure two weeks of coughing and fever, develop breathing problems that require days or weeks of mechanical ventilation and find himself weakened and exhausted until well past the Nov. 3 election.
“Here’s the thing that’s scary about this virus: It’s a probability game,” said Dr. Gregory A. Poland, an immunologist at the Mayo Clinic. “You don’t get to pick whether you’re going to get sick, die or have long-term outcomes.”
For the doctors at Trump’s bedside, the same uncertainty reigns.
Tracing the path of COVID-19 to — and from — President Trump
When President Trump announced early Friday morning that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House quickly became ground zero for the most high-profile contact-tracing effort of the pandemic.
The president and First Lady Melania Trump were tested after learning that Hope Hicks, an advisor in Trump’s inner circle, had contracted the virus. Officials have not yet explained how Hicks may have become infected, and it is unclear whether she passed it on to the president — or if perhaps the reverse might be true. But a chain was forming.
Now dozens of high-profile people who had recently met with the president at fundraisers, press events, on the debate stage and even aboard Air Force One are either getting tested or are releasing results they’ve already received.
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Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said she was positive. So did Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway. Vice President Mike Pence, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden were negative.
For now.
President Trump taking remdesivir for COVID-19, doctor says
President Trump is now taking remdesivir, a therapeutic treatment that has shown promise in speeding up recovery time from COVID-19, his doctor said Friday evening.
Dr. Sean Conley, the president’s physician, said Trump does not require any supplemental oxygen and is “doing very well” after arriving at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier in the day.
Conley said he recommended the president move to the hospital “for further monitoring.” Conley said he worked in consultation with specialists from Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins University.
The doctor had previously said that Trump had been given an experimental “antibody cocktail” from pharmaceutical company Regeneron as well as zinc, vitamin D, famotidine and a daily aspirin as part of his treatment regimen.
What is Trump’s prognosis now that he has COVID-19?
President Trump is now one of medicine’s most closely watched patients. But for all the medical care he commands, the president, who tested positive for coronavirus infection Friday and is reported to be suffering from “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, now confronts the same uncertainties that more than 7.3 million Americans have faced since the virus first appeared in the United States.
He could well be among the lucky patients — roughly half of those who test positive for coronavirus — to emerge virtually untouched by illness. He could be among the nearly 3% of coronavirus-infected Americans who die of COVID-19.
Or his spin of the biological wheel of fortune could place him somewhere in the vast middle.
Kellyanne Conway confirms she has COVID-19 after daughter posts on TikTok
Kellyanne Conway announced Friday night that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
Conway, a former White House official and top advisor to President Trump, said on Twitter that she tested positive Friday night. She said she had a light cough and described her symptoms as mild. “I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians,” Conway said. “As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic.”
She was seen maskless at an event last Saturday for the announcement of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
So far, five others have tested positive who attended that event: Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and the Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame.
Her daughter, Claudia Conway, posted a video on TikTok before the White House official announced she tested positive. The teen captioned the video with: “update my mom has covid.”
Claudia Conway also noted that she’s “furious” at the president: “[W]ear your masks .... protect yourselves and those around you.”
From gloating to tears, Americans confront Trump’s COVID illness amid mounting crises
The news broke late at night, and by Friday morning a nation confronting a pandemic, economic crisis, racial divisions and plummeting stature in the world awoke to another trauma: The president, who had long scoffed at a disease that has killed more than 208,000 Americans, had contracted COVID-19.
It was startling. But it fit the surreal narrative of this conflicted country. Some wept; others gloated. A helicopter lifted the president from the White House to a hospital. Another blow — as quick and brash as a tweet — had landed in the midst of an upcoming election thrown into turmoil like so much else in this numbing, baffling, maddening year.
In health and in sickness, Trump has laid bare our divisions.
White House virus outbreak could complicate Supreme Court confirmation
Senate Republicans pledged to plow ahead with the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court despite President Trump’s diagnosis of COVID-19 and the potential for an outbreak among their ranks.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the virus the “biggest enemy” standing in the way of confirming Barrett, given the close margin of votes he is working with.
With two Republicans already opposed to confirming a nominee so close to the November election, McConnell can afford to lose only one more vote on the Senate floor and still confirm Barrett. Because senators must be in the chamber to cast a vote, any absence of a Republican because of illness or necessary quarantine could put the vote tally at risk.
Republicans are “keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our jobs,” McConnell said on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show. “Every precaution needs to be taken. We don’t anticipate any Democratic support at all ... and therefore everybody needs to be in an all-hands-on-deck mind-set.”
The mask debate continues in Huntington Beach, despite Trump’s hospitalization
Along the pier in Huntington Beach on Friday, the talk of President Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis and hospitalization was fierce.
This Orange County city became a national symbol of the fight against wearing masks earlier this year and was the scene of several protests by Trump supporters demanding that Gov. Gavin Newsom reopen the economy.
There was concern for the president from voters on both sides of the political spectrum.
How long does it take for COVID-19 symptoms to appear?
It can take time for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen following exposure to the coronavirus. While most people experience only mild symptoms or none at all, it can take roughly a week or so before severe illness strikes for those who do end up experiencing life-threatening symptoms.
Here are some facts about how long it can take for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen among patients who develop severe illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to start feeling shortness of breath is five to eight days.
- After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to start to experience acute respiratory distress syndrome is eight to 12 days.
- After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to be admitted to the intensive care unit is 10 to 12 days.
“Clinicians should be aware of the potential for some patients to rapidly deteriorate one week after illness onset,” the CDC said on its website.
Sen. Thom Tillis tests positive for the coronavirus
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said Friday that he has tested posted for the coronavirus, making him the fifth person to contract the virus who attended the White House announcement for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
“Over the last few months, I’ve been routinely tested for COVID-19, including testing negative last Saturday, but tonight my rapid antigen test came back positive,” Tillis said in a statement. “I will be following the recommendations of my doctor and will be self-isolating at home for 10 days and notifying those I’ve been in close contact with. Thankfully, I have no symptoms and I feel well.”
Earlier Friday, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who like Tillis is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he had tested positive.
The two were also at the White House on Saturday for the announcement of Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. So far, at least five people have tested positive who attended that event: President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Lee, Tillis and the Rev. John I. Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame.
Most people at the Barrett event were unmasked — and many were spotted shaking hands or hugging other attendees.
In California Trump Country, supporters struggling to process the president having COVID-19
Mike Murray was lying on the couch late Thursday, scrolling through his Facebook feed on his phone when he saw the news that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Almost immediately, Murray started seeing people on social media celebrating the president’s illness and mocking him, and that stock market futures were tumbling.
“I did not sleep well because of it,” said Murray, a member of the Republican Central Committee in conservative Placer County. “It’s sad. I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody, and seeing some of the comments, people laughing and mocking — there’s an old man that just got COVID and you’re putting up smiling emojis.”
President Obama and Kamala Harris wish Trump well during virtual fundraiser
As President Trump was preparing to head to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, former President Obama and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris during a virtual fundraiser Friday expressed wishes for the president and first lady to have a speedy recovery from COVID-19.
“Although we’re in the midst of a big political fight, and we take that very seriously, we also want to extend our best wishes to the president of the United States [and] the First Lady,” Obama said, adding that he and wife Michelle were hopeful that the Trumps and all those affected by the pandemic receive appropriate care.
“It’s important I think for all of us to remember that even when we’re in the midst of big political battles with issues that have a lot at stake, that we’re all Americans and we’re all human beings, and we want to make sure everybody is healthy,” Obama said.
Harris added that she and her husband are praying for the Trumps, and that their illness was a reminder that Americans must take the coronavirus seriously.
“The threat of this virus is real for all of us,” Harris said. “Let it be a reminder to all of us that we must remain vigilant and take care of ourselves and take care of each other.”
The pair spoke at a grass-roots virtual fundraiser, with a suggested contribution of $25 to $1,000, though access was granted for any donation amount.
In the midst of the event, the Trump campaign sent out a fundraising appeal with a vastly different tone, slashing at the Democrats.
“Lyin’ Obama and Phony Kamala Harris are calling up their Liberal MEGA DONORS to come and rescue Joe Biden’s failing campaign — They’re holding a COASTAL ELITE fundraiser RIGHT NOW,” the email said. “We all know that Sleepy Joe isn’t fit to be YOUR President. We know it. You know it. And even Obama knows it — that’s why he’s holding a fundraiser with Kamala instead of Joe, who is probably already asleep in his basement.”
Biden was campaigning in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Friday afternoon.
Trump releases video message before heading to Walter Reed
Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis raises question: How will the presidential campaign go on?
For months, the presidential race has been stubbornly static, but that changed Friday with news President Trump has COVID-19. In a sudden reversal, Joe Biden — the Democrat mocked for sheltering against the deadly disease — was traveling the country while his rival was forced to drop off the campaign trail.
The fundamentals of the contest appeared unchanged. Biden continues to hold a steady lead in national polls as well as the battleground states needed to win the White House.
Trump heading to Walter Reed after coronavirus diagnosis
President Trump is being transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday evening as he suffers from symptoms of COVID-19, and the White House said he’s expected to remain there for a few days.
His doctor released a letter Friday afternoon saying Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits,” and White House officials said he had only mild, cold-like symptoms. Kayleigh McEnany, the press secretary, said Trump was going to the hospital only “out of abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts.”
Officials identify at least 11 coronavirus infections tied to ‘pre-debate planning’
Officials have identified at least 11 coronavirus infections linked to “pre-debate planning and setup” for the recent presidential debate in Cleveland, the city announced Friday, raising additional concerns about political and campaign events as a source for outbreaks.
Concerns about social distancing and a lack of mask wearing among Republican officials in particular have escalated after President Trump announced Thursday night that he and the First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. Others recently infected include top Trump aide Hope Hicks and GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee.
Two days earlier, Trump shared a debate stage in Cleveland with Democratic nominee Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. It’s not clear whether Trump was infected during, at or after the debate.
Biden said he tested negative for the coronavirus Friday.
The men maintained physical distance and did not shake hands, but the event was indoors and the pair did not wear masks. Several of Trump’s family members in the audience, whose seats were kept distanced, also refused to wear masks, defying protocols set by the Cleveland Clinic.
The city of Cleveland’s announcement Friday did not give details on who was infected, just that “we are aware of 11 cases stemming from pre-debate planning and setup, with the majority of cases occurring among out of state residents.”
The city’s statement added that “everyone affiliated with the debate — with credentials to be in the event perimeter — was tested upon arrival. Only those with negative test results were allowed within the pavilion.”
A spokesperson for the city of Cleveland referred a reporter back to the city’s statement when pressed for more details. The Commission on Presidential Debates did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The next debate is scheduled for Oct. 7 between vice presidential candidates Mike Pence, the Republican, and Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris at the University of Utah. The next presidential debate was scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami. It’s not clear whether the events will proceed as planned.
Joe Biden makes an appearance in Michigan
Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared at a United Food and Commercial Workers union event Friday in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The event was delayed to give the campaign time to take extra precautions.
“We wanted to make sure that we were doing everything by the numbers,” he said.
Biden said he got two coronavirus tests Friday and had canceled an event scheduled to take place later at headquarters on the recommendation of doctors.
“This is not a matter of politics; it’s a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously,” Biden said.
“I hope that all those who are fighting this virus, including the first family and so many Americans today, recover and recover soon,” Biden said.
‘Hydroxychloroquine — stand back and stand by!’ Black radio listeners heap scorn on Trump
Listeners to radio stations catering to Black audiences heaped scorn, mockery and expressions of comeuppance on President Trump on Friday over news that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.
Some even used one of the Republican’s favorite attack lines against him by suggesting the news was a hoax.
“Wasn’t he just making fun of Biden at the debate for being extra cautious??!!” one listener wrote on the Facebook page for Dallas’ KKDA-FM after it posted an announcement about the test results. “Well maybe you should take notes from Biden, ‘Mr. President.’”
At Tuesday’s debate with his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump mocked Biden for consistently wearing a mask during campaign appearances, a practice he hasn’t adhered to as faithfully.
“Bleach should work just fine,” a listener at the Dallas station sarcastically counseled the president.
She was referring to Trump’s suggestion early in the pandemic that people who are infected with the virus could be treated with bleach. Trump has said his comment was made in jest.
The biting humor embedded in many reactions reflects Trump’s strained relationship with Black voters, 88% of whom chose his opponent Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to the Pew Research Center. He doesn’t stand to fare much better in November, according to recent opinion polls. Many see him as a racist who uses his office to egg on white supremacists and the armed militias that have shown up at demonstrations against police brutality, and to accuse Black Lives Matter activists of being un-American.
Trump failed to unambiguously condemn white supremacists during the debate, but he issued a rebuke to them Thursday. Trump also was forced to defend himself at the debate against the former vice president’s assertions that he’s downplayed the danger of the virus and that he’s not done enough to stem the pandemic, which has killed more than 208,000 people in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. Over a third of those deaths have been of Black people, even though they represent only 13% of the U.S. population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found.
Some Black radio listeners seemed to take pleasure in rhetorically giving Trump a taste of his own medicine with their reactions. “Hydroxychloroquine — Stand back and Stand by!” a listener at WEDR-FM in Miami wrote on the station’s Facebook page, borrowing both from Trump’s promotion of another unproven virus remedy and his message to the far-right group Proud Boys during the debate.
“Should have kept that mask up buddy,” another WEDR listener wrote. One man summed up his reaction with a single word: “Karma.” Other radio listeners said they believed the positive test result would be used by the Trump campaign to gain sympathy for the president and distract from other problems swirling around him with the election only 32 days away, such as a New York Times report revealing that he’s deeply in debt and has paid little in federal taxes.
But the tone running through most posts on the radio stations’ social media pages, and on air, was of profound distrust.“
Who knows if this is true,” a listener of the Dallas station wrote. “It could be a political stunt.” “They are lieeeeeeeennnnnngggg,” exclaimed another. WURD FM/AM morning show host Malcolm Kenyatta told listeners in his city, Philadelphia, that he understood the skepticism expressed by many Black residents who called in to share their reactions. He told them that Trump’s penchant for lying had finally caught up with him by making it hard for Americans to see him as honest in his time of distress.
Kenyatta then spoke directly to Trump. “But the deep thing is, now you have it,” Kenyatta said. “Now you get to see the experience of these 205,000 people who have died. Now you get to see the experience of the millions of people who’ve been infected. Now you get to see the experience of the families that lost loved ones to this thing.”
‘He lies so much.’ Trump’s falsehoods come home to roost as many liberals doubt he has COVID-19
In the hours since President Trump rocked American politics and the course of the presidential campaign by announcing he had tested positive for the coronavirus, many liberals across the U.S. have grappled with the same question: When do you believe a serial liar?
White House staff have since said that Trump is suffering from mild symptoms as other top Republican figures have also announced positive test results. But on Friday, liberal social media posts and group chats have been rife with conspiratorial speculation that such an announcement, one month before the election, could be a ploy by a president who is himself a conspiracy theorist who has downplayed COVID-19’s seriousness, and who has been acting increasingly erratically as polls show him trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“Here’s how wrecked Trump’s credibility is at this point: I’ve got a cellphone full of texts from people who aren’t sure whether to believe Trump actually has covid,” MSNBC host Joy Ann Reid tweeted. “‘He lies so much,’ one friend just texted. ‘Is he just doing this to get out of the debates?’ others are texting.” Read more >>>
Update from President Trump’s physician
Trump suffering ‘mild symptoms’ of COVID-19, cancels campaign events
President Trump and the first lady are suffering mild, cold-like symptoms from COVID-19, his chief of staff confirmed Friday amid rising concerns about the effect of the president’s infection as aides, lawmakers and the Pentagon sought to reassure a nervous public.
Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the coronavirus, his office announced, alleviating immediate concerns about the presidential line of succession should Trump’s symptoms worsen to the point that he is unable to perform his duties.
With only 32 days until an election likely to hinge on voters’ views of Trump’s management of the pandemic, Trump remained isolated in the White House residence. Aides insisted he was working, but his normal activities clearly came to a halt.
He didn’t tweet or take part in a planned conference call with governors to discuss the pandemic. His campaign also canceled planned rallies and events featuring the president or members of his family during a critical final stretch in the race, although some may be held virtually. Read more >>>
Rep. Ilhan Omar blasts Trump for ‘actively spreading’ virus
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a frequent target of President Trump’s, is blasting him for what she calls “actively spreading a deadly virus.”
Omar said earlier this year that her father died of the virus, and she said in a statement Friday that she doesn’t wish it on anyone.
The representative says the nation has been waiting for months to hear Trump say America “will get through this together.” And she says he’s saying that now because it’s about him.
Trump announced earlier Friday that he and the first lady had tested positive for the coronavirus.
She criticized Trump for holding a rally and fundraiser this week in Minnesota without wearing a mask, saying he exposed hundreds of people in a state where cases are already rising.
People who attended Trump rallies in Minnesota and Pennsylvania urged to get tested
President Trump’s infection with the coronavirus led public health authorities in Minnesota and Pennsylvania on Friday to urge people who attended his recent rallies in those states to get tested for the virus if they notice symptoms of COVID-19.
In New Jersey, where Trump hosted a fundraiser indoors Thursday at his Bedminster golf club, health officials opened a contact tracing investigation to determine the potential risk of exposure to guests and staff.
The Minnesota Health Department released a statement saying there was a risk of coronavirus exposure Wednesday at Trump’s fundraiser inside a mansion outside Minneapolis and at a rally in Duluth, where several thousand people gathered largely without masks in an open airplane hangar. Community transmission of COVID-19 was high in the Duluth area prior to the rally, “and people attending the rally may have been infectious without realizing it,” the statement said.
Even those not showing symptoms should consider getting tested five to seven days after the event, it continued. And anyone who had direct contact with Trump “needs to quarantine and should get tested. It is important to understand that quarantine for 14 days is necessary regardless of test results.”
The Duluth rally was one of many that Trump has held in defiance of public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Minnesota health guidelines limit public gatherings to 250 people, each spaced at least six feet apart.
At Trump’s fundraiser outside Minneapolis, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was among the many guests not wearing masks or taking social distancing precautions, WCCO radio reported.
Pennsylvania’s Department of Health on Friday encouraged people who attended Trump’s campaign rally at Harrisburg International Airport on Saturday to get tested if they were feeling sick, according to the Associated Press. The thousands of Trump supporters who attended were required to get their temperatures taken at a security checkpoint.
Senate Democrat pushes to delay Barrett’s Supreme Court hearing
Democratic Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut said the Senate shouldn’t go back to work until everyone who has had exposure to the White House is tested for the coronavirus. He said he would get tested before going to the Capitol again.
“We can’t move forward on Amy Coney Barrett or anything else until we know whether there was some super-spreader event at the White House or at that debate,” Murphy said during an appearance on MSNBC. Barrett is
President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court.
Murphy said that despite reports that Barrett had recovered from COVID-19 earlier this year, it’s not certain how long antibodies last and that she should quarantine.
“It’s so clear to me today that the White House still doesn’t get it,” Murphy said. “The White House is still modeling terrible behavior.”
He pointed to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who briefed reporters Friday morning without a mask, and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who had a mask-free visit with Barrett recently, as persons who should also quarantine, he said.
“If they [senators] stick to CDC guidelines, that means we’re not in session next week, but we’re also not likely in session the next week,” Murphy said. “And then tell me how exactly do you do Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination? Then you are really, truly ramming this process through if you try to do it in the final two weeks before the election.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Fox News that Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are determined to move forward with the Barrett nomination. “We believe this nominee needs a fair, thorough, timely process,” he told the cable news channel Friday afternoon.
He said the Senate is already holding many meetings virtually, “so there’s no reason why this can’t go on.”
“My guess is you would want to have her there in person,” he said when asked if Barrett might appear virtually.
Vice presidential debate will go on as scheduled
The vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris next week will go on as scheduled after Friday’s announcement that President Trump tested positive for the coronavirus.
An official with the Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed that no changes are anticipated to the Wednesday night debate in Salt Lake City. The University of Utah also released a statement confirming it remains ready to host the debate.
Both Pence and Harris underwent tests for the coronavirus on Friday and tested negative.
Pence’s physician said in a memo that the vice president was not considered a “close contact” of anyone infected with COVID-19 and was not required to quarantine.
“Vice President Mike Pence remains in good health and is free to go about his normal activities,” said Navy Lt. Commander Dr. Jesse Schonau in a statement.
Trump’s attendance at New Jersey fundraiser ‘deemed safe,’ press secretary says
White House operations cleared President Trump to go to New Jersey on Thursday for a campaign fundraiser at his gold club in Bedminster, N.J., Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during an appearance on Fox News.
“It was deemed safe for the president to go,” she said.
Some questions have arisen about when Trump learned of senior aide Hope Hicks’ positive coronavirus test. She started exhibiting signs Wednesday evening and tested positive on Thursday.
As one of Trump’s closest advisors, she had been traveling with him for several days. McEnany said she did not know when Trump learned about Hicks.
She said the White House will continue its current safety protocols. The president announced his own positive diagnosis within an hour of receiving it.
“I spoke to him and he is in very good spirits and is having mild symptoms right now,” McEnany told Fox News.
“I’m not going to get into” the president’s exact symptoms, she said.
Trump campaign: Events involving president will be postponed or moved online
All previously announced campaign events involving President Trump will be postponed or moved online following his positive coronavirus test, his campaign said.
“All other campaign events will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we will make any relevant announcements in the days ahead,” his campaign announced, adding that Vice President Mike Pence, who has tested negative, will continue with his campaign schedule.
Biden campaign to continue door-to-door canvassing in key states
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign is forging ahead with plans to resume door-to-door canvassing efforts in key battleground states.
For months, the Biden campaign has operated largely remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with staff and volunteers hosting virtual events and reaching out to voters through texts, phone calls, mail and social media.
That’s set to change this weekend as several hundred newly trained volunteers fan out to knock on doors in Nevada, Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania to target likely voters who are hard to reach over the phone or online.
“We’re now expanding on our strategy in a targeted way that puts the safety of communities first and foremost and helps us mobilize voters who are harder to reach by phone now that we’re in the final stretch and now that Americans are fully dialed-in and ready to make their voices heard,” Biden campaign manager Jennifer O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.
In the last month, Democrats have opened more than 100 field offices in battleground states with social distancing in place and conducted campaign literature drops without face-to-face contact.
GOP officials have spent the summer conducting regular door-to-door canvassing — a tactic that was strongly criticized by Democratic operatives.
“The Trump campaign is risking the lives of their staff, the lives of voters, and risking becoming a super spreader organization during the middle of a pandemic,” a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee tweeted in August.
The Biden campaign’s decision to pick up door-to-door canvassing comes after Democratic officials in closely contested states voiced concern that the lack of in-person contact was giving an advantage to President Trump and Republicans.
According to the Biden campaign, all volunteers will be trained on COVID-19 safety measures, provided with personal protective equipment and complete a temperature check before participating in campaign activities. Volunteers will also send texts to voters beforehand to tell them to expect a knock on their door.
Biden, after testing negative for the coronavirus on Friday, will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., to deliver remarks on rebuilding the economy for working families.
Notre Dame president tests positive after attending White House event for Supreme Court nominee
University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins has tested positive for the coronavirus after attending the announcement Saturday at the White House of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
President Trump and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, were in attendance on Saturday and have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Many at the event were not wearing masks and were spotted shaking hands and hugging others in attendance.
Biden to travel to Michigan
Democrat Joe Biden will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday to deliver remarks on building back the economy better for working families, according to the campaign.
Mayor Garcetti, who attended the debate, tested negative on Thursday, office says
The following is a statement from L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office:
“Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti attended Tuesday’s presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, at the invitation of the Biden campaign. He followed the medical guidance and procedures at the event provided by the Cleveland Clinic, including being tested upon arrival and wearing a mask at all times.
“He did not interact with President Trump, his family, or his staff.
“Upon his return to Los Angeles, Mayor Garcetti was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday morning, and tested negative.
“Mayor Garcetti offers his best wishes to the president and first lady for a full and quick recovery.”
Democrats say it’s premature to move forward with Supreme Court hearing
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the latter of whom is top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, called it “premature” for Republicans to pursue a hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in 10 days after President Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis and rejected the idea of a remote hearing.
“We do not know the full extent of potential exposure stemming from the president’s infection and before the White House puts in place a contact tracing plan to prevent further spread of the disease,” the senators said in a statement. “The unfortunate news about the infection of our colleague Senator Mike Lee makes even more clear that health and safety must guide the schedule for all Senate activities, including hearings.”
A virtual hearing is “not an acceptable substitute,” they said, pointing to the fact that all circuit court nominees have appeared in person during the pandemic. “There is far more at stake for the American people with this Supreme Court nomination, including the Affordable Care Act being struck down and more than 7 million COVID survivors being denied health coverage. It’s critical that Chairman Graham put the health of senators, the nominee, and staff first — and ensure a full and fair hearing that is not rushed, not truncated, and not virtual. Otherwise, this already illegitimate process will become a dangerous one.”
How might a mild or asymptomatic case alter the 2020 campaign? And other questions
Common questions that have come up since President Trump announced he tested positive for the coronavirus include what happens if he dies, is he at greater risk and how does the transition of power play out?
Melania Trump reports ‘mild symptoms’
Melania Trump tweeted Friday morning that she’s “feeling good” and suffering from “minor symptoms” after she and President Trump tested positive for COVID-19.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said the president is also experiencing “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, though he did not provide further details.
“As all of you know, the president and the first lady tested positive for COVID-19. They remain in good spirits,” Meadows said at a morning briefing.
What if a candidate dies before an election?
Both the Democratic and Republican parties have rules for how to choose a new candidate if their nominee dies or withdraws prior to the election.
The problem, according to UC Irvine law professor Rick Hasen, is that ballots have already been printed and early voting has begun.
“What’s most likely is that the election would take place on time with the deceased or incapacitated candidate’s name on the ballot, and then there would be a question if legislatures would allow presidential electors of each state to vote for someone other than the deceased candidate,” Hasen wrote in a post on his Election Law blog.
Not every state has laws addressing this possibility, leading to more uncertainty.
“If we are unfortunate enough to have a presidential candidate die or become incapacitated this close to the election, what happens next is likely to be uncertain and messy,” Hasen said. “It could leave room for political gaming as well under arcane rules of the electoral college.”
McConnell: ‘Full steam ahead’ with Barrett nomination
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Joe Biden sends Trump best wishes while his campaign keeps low profile
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden reacted to news that President Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus by sending well wishes to the president — and not saying much else.
“Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” Biden tweeted Friday morning, roughly eight hours after Trump revealed his diagnosis.
Trump is 74, male and obese. All put him at greater risk of severe COVID-19
President Trump may be the leader of the free world, but as far as the coronavirus is concerned, he is a 74-year-old male with obesity.
Each of those three attributes — his age, sex and weight status — increases his risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19.
Statement from Trump’s doctor on president’s infection and condition
Sean Conley, the president’s physician, issued a statement after the president announced that he and his wife, Melania, had both tested positive for the coronavirus.