This is what I hoped the President would say on Wednesday. Still hope it's what he'll say now.
I do appreciate that he starts with a note of recognition and gratitude for the federal employees who are working to fight COVID-19.
"Additional cases in the United States are likely"
Good.
Good.
"We have taken the most aggressive action in modern history" to fight the disease.
No. Not even close. They lost a month of potential preparedness while reassuring the country there was a low risk of the exact scenario we're now seeing unfold.
No. Not even close. They lost a month of potential preparedness while reassuring the country there was a low risk of the exact scenario we're now seeing unfold.
"We have taken the most aggressive measures of any country"
Holy shit no we haven't.
China shut down entire cities and hit pause on its economy. Japan is closing schools. S. Korea has tested ~40k people. We've done nothing approaching that level of aggressiveness.
Holy shit no we haven't.
China shut down entire cities and hit pause on its economy. Japan is closing schools. S. Korea has tested ~40k people. We've done nothing approaching that level of aggressiveness.
"Whatever the circumstance is, we're prepared"
Not when we've got what looks like multiple distinct chains of transmission in several areas of the West Coast, and missed them til now due to failed testing strategy.
Not when we've got what looks like multiple distinct chains of transmission in several areas of the West Coast, and missed them til now due to failed testing strategy.
And ends with an appeal to the media and public not to induce panic, as if the problem with public perception is the media's reporting - rather than the White House's muddled, contradictory, and misleading messaging over the past few weeks.
Counterpoint:
Counterpoint:
Pence is doing much better than Trump, but I'd rather be hearing from Fauci, Redfield, Birx.
I think travel bans, at this point, are just closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.
Good that ASPR is taking new measures - but a month+ late.
Good that ASPR is taking new measures - but a month+ late.
Azar stresses that risk is *currently* low, but this could change rapidly. That's a much better balance.
Also stresses that most people who contract it will recover; that's an important message as well.
Emphasizes that travel restrictions remain at core of the policy.
Also stresses that most people who contract it will recover; that's an important message as well.
Emphasizes that travel restrictions remain at core of the policy.
Fauci - country "as a whole" remains low risk, but this is an evolving situation.
Strategies inside the country and outside the country. Defends China travel ban as successful in keeping cases out (this is plausible).
Strategies inside the country and outside the country. Defends China travel ban as successful in keeping cases out (this is plausible).
Also have a strategy for preventing domestic spread.
Affirm that more cases will emerge, these should be expected, US will not be immune to the risk of spread like we're seeing in other countries.
THANK YOU.
Affirm that more cases will emerge, these should be expected, US will not be immune to the risk of spread like we're seeing in other countries.
THANK YOU.
Reporter - do you regret using the term "hoax" in the context of Coronavirus last night?
Trump: nope.
(Argues the hoax is criticism of his administration's response, not the disease itself - same vibe as on Puerto Rico)
Trump: nope.
(Argues the hoax is criticism of his administration's response, not the disease itself - same vibe as on Puerto Rico)
Trump and Fauci deny that Fauci is muzzled. That's good news.
So far I think this is a much better conference that Wednesday's. Still not great, but better. Outlining more specific actions, very different tone, less politicking (so far).
And overall there's much less of a vibe of trying to play down the risk. Striking a much better tone.
Imagine if they'd started doing this 2-3 weeks ago (when Redfield acknowledged to CNN that community spread was likely). Might have avoided a market crash....
Imagine if they'd started doing this 2-3 weeks ago (when Redfield acknowledged to CNN that community spread was likely). Might have avoided a market crash....
Reporters should ask him:
- How can US actions be described as the most aggressive in the world, when we have conducted only about 1% as many tests as South Korea and spun our wheels for several weeks on flawed CDC kits?
- How can US actions be described as the most aggressive in the world, when we have conducted only about 1% as many tests as South Korea and spun our wheels for several weeks on flawed CDC kits?
And:
- The country's largest nurse's association today issued a statement sounding the alarm on risks to hospital staff due to inadequate infection prevention and control. Does he believe that US hospitals are fully ready to handle a surge in cases?
- The country's largest nurse's association today issued a statement sounding the alarm on risks to hospital staff due to inadequate infection prevention and control. Does he believe that US hospitals are fully ready to handle a surge in cases?
And:
- Why weren't the measures announced by FDA, to authorize privately-developed diagnostic tests, taken a month ago? If this decision had been made earlier, would it have enabled earlier detection of cases of community transmission on the West Coast?
- Why weren't the measures announced by FDA, to authorize privately-developed diagnostic tests, taken a month ago? If this decision had been made earlier, would it have enabled earlier detection of cases of community transmission on the West Coast?
And that's a wrap.
Overall, a better conference than Wednesday. Strikingly different tone.
Feel surer that they recognize the seriousness of this; still not evident that they've got a clear plan and tight process to execute it.
And it's very jarring to see no women up there.
Overall, a better conference than Wednesday. Strikingly different tone.
Feel surer that they recognize the seriousness of this; still not evident that they've got a clear plan and tight process to execute it.
And it's very jarring to see no women up there.
So I think they touched on each of these messages at least a bit; but would have delivered on them much more persuasively if they'd left more of the talking to Azar/Fauci/Redfield.
