The Commentariat -- October 3, 2020

Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: Reality Chex still is bobbing up & down, but for very short periods of time. If you can't access the site, try again.

Mid-Morning/Late Morning/Afternoon Update:

From Saturday's New York Times live coronavirus updates: "President Trump's vital signs were concerning over the last day and he was not out of danger, a person close to the situation said on Saturday, even as doctors mounted an aggressive effort to treat him and the coronavirus infected an ever widening swath of the president's aides and allies. While doctors maintained during a televised briefing that Mr. Trump was 'doing very well' after a night at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, they refused to provide critical details and left open the impression that the president was actually known to be sick a day earlier than previously reported.... Shortly after the upbeat briefing by the doctors, a person familiar with the president's health gave a far more sober assessment to reporters at Walter Reed on the condition of anonymity. 'The president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care,' this person said. 'We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery.' Two people close to the White House said in separate interviews with The New York Times that the president had trouble breathing on Friday and that his oxygen level dropped, prompting his doctors to give him supplemental oxygen while at the White House.... During his televised briefing, Dr. Sean P. Conley, the White House physician, told reporters outside Walter Reed that the president was not currently on supplemental oxygen ... but repeatedly declined to say definitively whether he had ever been on oxygen." Read on. Somebody is lying here, Dr. Conley. ~~~

     ~~~ Update: The "person close to the situation" turns out to be Mark Meadows. Jonathan Lemire, et al., of the AP: "... Donald Trump went through a 'very concerning' period Friday and the next 48 hours 'will be critical' in his care as he battles the coronavirus at a hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday. Meadows' comments contradicted the rosy assessment of Trump's condition offered by his staff and doctors, who took pains not to reveal the president had received supplemental oxygen at the White House before his hospital admission. 'We're still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,' said a weary Meadows.... [Dr. Sean] Conley ... revealed that Trump began exhibiting 'clinical indications' of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known."

~~~ Maeve Reston of CNN: "An attempt by ... Donald Trump's doctor to reassure the public about Trump's condition following his infection with Covid-19 only created widespread confusion and concerns about transparency on Saturday, as a source familiar with the President's health told reporters that the next 48 hours will be critical in determining how he fares.... Moments earlier on Saturday morning, the President's physician, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley, had offered an upbeat assessment of the President's condition stating that he was feeling well, that he had been 'fever-free' for 24 hours and that his symptoms -- which included an 'extremely mild cough,' nasal congestion and fatigue -- 'are resolving and improving.'... Conley offered scant and insufficient details about the President's vital signs. He acknowledged that the President had a fever at one point, but refused to say what it was.... Conley ... declined to say when Trump had his last negative Covid-19 test...."

Chris Christie has tweeted that he has tested positive for Covid-19. Christie was part of the team that prepped Trump for the presidential debate. He has previously said that no one in the small room wore a mask. A CNN story is here.

White House Misuses Covid-19 Testing Device. Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "For months, the White House's strategy for keeping President Trump and his inner circle safe has been to screen all White House visitors with a rapid test. But one product they use, Abbott's ID Now, was never intended for that purpose and is known to deliver incorrect results. In issuing an emergency use authorization, the Food and Drug Administration said the test was only to be used by a health care provider 'within the first seven days of symptoms.' The ID Now has several qualities in its favor: It's portable, doesn't need skilled technicians to operate and delivers results in 15 minutes. Used to evaluate someone with symptoms, the test can quickly and easily diagnose Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. But in people who are infected but not yet showing symptoms, the test is much less accurate, missing as many as one in three cases.... Still, the Trump administration has routinely used the test to screen people without symptoms, allowing anyone who tested negative to go without a mask during meetings and official proceedings."

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: "... in the end, the con man in the Oval Office could not con the virus.... He seemed oddly intent on tempting fate. Certainly, he put a lot of his fans, especially older ones in the most vulnerable demographic (like Herman Cain, who died of Covid after attending a Trump rally in Tulsa, Okla.), at risk with his dismissiveness about the virus, laxity on testing and tracing, and his insistence on continuing rallies.... Democrats tried to be nice. On Friday, the Biden campaign paused their negative ads, and Barack Obama said at a virtual fund-raiser that despite being in a fight 'with issues that have a lot at stake,' we're still Americans and 'we want to make sure everybody is healthy.' (At the same moment, the Trump campaign issued an attack on 'lyin' Obama.')"

Dave Alsup & Susannah Cullinane of CNN: "The Michigan Supreme Court ruled Friday that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had no authority to issue or renew executive orders relating to Covid-19 beyond April 30. The Democratic governor extended the state's coronavirus emergency declaration by executive order April 30 after the Republican-controlled Legislature advanced a bill that would not have renewed the original declaration.... Whitmer noted that the court's ruling would not take effect for at least 21 days and that her emergency declaration and orders would remain in place until then. She stressed that the coronavirus pandemic remains a clear danger...."

Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the third senator to announce in the past two days that they had contracted the virus. Johnson's office said in a statement on Saturday that he was exposed to an individual on Sept. 29 who has since tested positive for the virus."

Missed this earlier this week: Cristina Marcos of the Hill (Sept. 29): "The House adopted a resolution on Tuesday to affirm the chamber's support for a peaceful transfer of power after President Trump last week declined to commit to it if he loses reelection. Lawmakers adopted the measure in a bipartisan 397-5 vote.... The five Republicans who voted against the resolution were Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Clay Higgins (La.), Steve King< (Iowa) and Thomas Massie (Ky.).... Tuesday's vote followed one last week on a virtually identical measure in the Senate, which lawmakers in that chamber passed unanimously."

~~~~~~~~~~

The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

** Ashley Parker & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post (in Election Live Updates): "Two administration officials said that [Donald] Trump is preparing to depart for Walter Reed Medical Center Friday evening around 5:30 p.m. The visit is 'out of an abundance of caution,' the official said, adding that the president may remain there for several days. Trump spent Friday working and making calls from his residence, and plans to continue working from the hospital, the official said. Walter Reed has an executive office suite set up for this very purpose, including both a residence and an office space, the official said. The official stressed that Trump is not seriously ill, but because of his age, as well as other risk factors, he and aides decided to take this additional step." Reis Thebalt: "Trump has received an 'antibody cocktail' treatment after testing positive for the coronavirus, and he is now 'fatigued but in good spirits,' his physician said late Friday afternoon. The experimental treatment, a drug made by the pharmaceutical company Regeneron, is one of the most promising known, and experts say it could be the best bet for fighting the virus." The updates are free to non-subscribers. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McC Update: Trump lumbered out to Marine 1 of his own volition. He was wearing a suit & a mask. Others in the vicinity were all wearing masks as far as I could observe.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here. (also linked yesterday): "In a brief video message the president tweeted shortly after arriving at Walter Reed, he looked tired. He declared that he is 'doing very well' and suggested that he was visiting the hospital only as a precaution.... After landing at Walter Reed just after 6:30 p.m., he entered his S.U.V. for the short drive from the landing site to the medical facility. The president has a low-grade fever, nasal congestion and a cough, according to two people close to Mr. Trump. He was not planning to transfer his authority to Vice President Mike Pence, according to a White House spokesman, Judd Deere.'The president is in charge,' he said.... Hours before Mr. Trump announced his infection on Twitter, he told an audience that 'the end of the pandemic is in sight.'"

Mrs. McCrabbie: White House spokespeople, including Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have claimed Donald Trump's symptoms are "mild." However, they were apparently not mild enough to allow him to participate Friday in an ironically scheduled teleconference about "seniors & coronavirus," and mike pence had to fill in. This would have been a good opportunity for Trump to say, "For God's sake, don't do what I did!" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Michael Crowley & Annie Karni of the New York Times: "Vice President Mike Pence, the first in line to occupy the Oval Office if President Trump becomes too ill to carry out his duties, tested negative for the coronavirus on Friday and planned to resume campaign appearances, including at the vice-presidential debate on Wednesday night.... Mr. Pence worked from his official residence at the Naval Observatory, a few miles from the White House, the rest of the day, filling in for Mr. Trump on a conference call and preparing for his debate next week with Senator Kamala Harris.... The debate's host, the University of Utah, said on Friday that the event would proceed as planned on Oct. 7.... Some health officials on Friday questioned Mr. Pence's intention to carry on in public despite his exposure to Mr. Trump, although [a] statement from his doctor suggested that his interactions with the president had not met C.D.C. quarantine guidelines."

Nicholas Fandos & Nick Corasaniti of the New York Times look at what happens if the president is incapacitated or dies in office. ~~~

~~~ Garrett Graff in Politico Magazine: "... while the news that Trump has tested positive and is showing symptoms of Covid-19 is worrisome, true fear about the future of the Republic shouldn't settle in until either the vice president falls ill or the vice president takes over. Both these scenarios could lead to potential power struggles and fraught questions about whom military and government officials should be listening to.... Given the current makeup of the executive branch, it's not hard to imagine a scenario in which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo might, with the help of an aggressive attorney general, William Barr, challenge any attempt by Nancy Pelosi to ascend to the presidency if both Trump and Pence are incapacitated by Covid-19 -- perhaps even preemptively putting out a legal opinion that Pompeo is legally next in line for the acting presidency." Thanks to unwashed for the link.

The Washington Post's live updates of election developments Saturday are here: "Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to a campaign official, becoming the latest person in the president's orbit to receive a diagnosis." The page is free to nonsubscribers. ~~~

     ~~~ Alex Isenstadt of Politico: "Donald Trump's campaign manager has tested positive for Covid-19, dealing another blow to his reelection effort on a day that saw the president and the head of the Republican National Committee report contracting the disease as well. Bill Stepien received his diagnosis Friday evening and was experiencing what one senior campaign official described as 'mild flu-like symptoms.' People familiar with the situation said the 42-year-old Stepien plans to quarantine until he recovers." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Maybe we should stop calling events like biker rallies "superspreaders" & admit that the #RealSuperspreader is #Covfefe-1, a/k/a Donald Trump.

Dan Berman & Jim Acosta of CNN: "Former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway announced Friday night that she has tested positive for coronavirus, the latest major political figure to say they have Covid-19 after attending a Rose Garden event last Saturday where ... Donald Trump announced his Supreme Court pick."

Wow! Trumpbots Must Be Chastened Now! Uh, No. Tina Nguyen of Politico: "Donald Trump's coronavirus diagnosis has stunned MAGA world, but it hasn't changed how it reacts to bad news: blame others, accuse the left of craven behavior and cling tighter to the president.... The president's backers furiously descended upon commentators who pointed out Trump's comorbidities, such as his borderline obesity and age, which raise the risk of serious infection. Conservatives accused journalists and liberals of celebrating or even questioning Trump's diagnosis.... Some swiftly predicted rosy outcomes -- the president was already healthy, he could take hydroxychloroquine, a much-hyped drug Trump has touted as a Covid-19 treatment.... Others concocted theories that the Democrats were, somehow, trying to steal the election once again. Meanwhile, the president was unusually silent. After his post-midnight tweet announcing he had the virus, Trump went silent until nearly 7 p.m., leaving his fervent online fan base without guidance on his preferred narrative." Read on to get a better appreciation of how smart your fellow Americans are.

Justin Baragona of the Daily Beast: "Appearing on the president's favorite morning program Fox & Friends, [Chris] Wallace excoriated the Trumps for refusing to adhere to the safety restrictions put in place by the Cleveland Clinic at the debate hall.... The Fox News Sunday host, who was Tuesday night's debate moderator, pointed out that his wife and four of his children were also at the hall, and they noticed that the first family didn't wear masks. Wallace, meanwhile, highlighted that the Biden family and contingent were all wearing face coverings throughout the evening.... During a later appearance on Fox News' America's Newsroom..., wanted Fox viewers to know that the neuroradiologist [Dr. Scott Atlas, who appears frequently on Fox 'News,'] was not an actual expert on the novel coronavirus.... 'Dr. Scott Atlas is not an epidemiologist, is not an infectious disease specialist. He has no training in this area at all.... There are a number of top people on the president's coronavirus task force who have had grave concerns about Scott Atlas and his bona fides,' [Wallace said]."

Julia Davis of the Daily Beast: "The shocking announcement that ... Donald Trump has contracted the coronavirus was promptly followed by well-wishes from the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday sent President Trump a telegram, wishing a speedy recovery to the U.S. president and the first lady. According to a Kremlin readout of the telegram, Putin wrote, 'I am sure that your inherent vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with the dangerous virus.'... Meanwhile..., initial reactions in the Russian state media encompassed a full spectrum of emotions -- ranging from sympathy to schadenfreude. Discussing Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, Evgeny Popov, the host of Russian state media news talk show 60 Minutes, said, 'Our candidate got sick.'... Deputy of the State Duma Aleksey Zhuravlyov smugly noted [on the show], 'I'm glad that COVID got involved in the presidential race and it will most likely win. Not Joe Biden or Trump, but COVID will win.' Popov pondered out loud, 'So we've been interfering and interfering, but all of that was for naught?' The program's hosts ... baselessly claimed that the Democrats are 'celebrating' Trump's diagnosis, but state media reporter Denis Davydov in the U.S. ... pointed out that ... 'Those are just the Russian bots.'..."

David Corn of Mother Jones: "So now when the coronavirus hits the West Wing, infects the president, a top aide, his wife, and perhaps others and triggers yet another crisis, a crucial element will be missing: trust. Can the public believe anything Trump and his minions say about this latest development? Of course, not. Test results do speak for themselves -- assuming they are reliably reported. But many other questions -- how these infections came to be, what is the president's condition, who else may be at risk -- need answers. And there is no reason to accept White House statements or Trump tweets on these and related matters. A man who would lie about events that are publicly witnessed -- the size of a crowd, a performance at a debate -- would certainly lie about private affairs unseen by the voters." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Jordain Carney of the Hill:"Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) said on Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the second GOP senator who was at the White House on Saturday to be diagnosed with the virus."

Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said on Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.... 'Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday's test came back positive. On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days,' Lee said in a statement." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Susan Svrluga & Paulina Firozi of the Washington Post: "The president of the University of Notre Dame has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, school officials announced Friday. The announcement came several days after he attended a White House ceremony. The Rev. John I. Jenkins had been self-isolating on campus after the Sept. 26 event announcing Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame alumna, as President Trump's Supreme Court nominee. Jenkins had been criticized by students for not wearing a mask or following other public-health protocols at the event, and expressed regret to campus earlier this week.... In [a] statement to campus, Jenkins said, 'My symptoms are mild and I will continue work from home. The positive test is a good reminder for me and perhaps for all of how vigilant we need to be.'" An ESPN story is here. Mrs. McC: Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who also has tested positive, attended the Supreme announcement, too. It would be ironic if Trump contracted the virus at an event aimed at jamming through a Supreme Court nominee. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Seung Min Kim, et al., of the Washington Post: "Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this year but has since recovered, three officials familiar with her diagnosis told The Washington Post. Two of the officials said she tested positive for the virus in the summer. All of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose her medical condition." (Also linked yesterday.)

Brian Schwartz of CNBC: "Republican donors who attended ... Donald Trump's fundraiser at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club are panicking after being around the commander in chief hours before he announced that he was infected with the coronavirus. GOP donors have been reaching out to Trump campaign and GOP officials for any guidance following the event.... After publication of this article, donors who attended the gathering were sent an email [from the Trump campaign] with an 11:18 a.m. ET time stamp. The email reminds them that no one was permitted within six feet of the president and advises them to contact their doctor if they start feeling coronavirus symptoms.... About 30 to 50 donors came close to the president Thursday night, this person added, while noting most of the interaction with Trump took place outdoors.... The gathering had tickets costing up to $250,000. Dr. Rich Roberts, a longtime Republican donor, told The Lakewood Scoop on Friday that Trump privately met with about 19 people at the event." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "Three White House reporters tested positive for COVID-19 Friday after President Trump confirmed he was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier in the day. The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) said in a letter to White House reporters that the three unidentified individuals had all been at the building within the last week and that the White House Medical Unit is beginning the process of contact tracing for each person. The WHCA added that several White House journalists are self-isolating pending testing."

David Li of NBC News: "At least 11 positive coronavirus tests can be traced to organizers of this week's presidential debate in Cleveland, city officials said Friday.... The city specifically said positive tests were traced to people involved in organizing the debate.... The city's announcement also came shortly after the Cleveland Clinic, which oversaw Covid-19 protocols at the debate, said it's confident that guests at Tuesday night's event were safe from the coronavirus.... Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes said she personally witnessed members of the president's entourage declining masks from health care providers -- from the Cleveland Clinic -- inside the hall at Case Western Reserve University.... U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said Trump's wife entered the hall just ahead of him but he kept a safe social distance away. But he too was amazed to see so many people without masks at the debate. 'And they walk in without masks, it was really a level of arrogance you rarely see,' Ryan told MSNBC."

Hill: "Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden have tested negative for COVID-19, his doctor confirmed on Friday. 'Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected,' said Kevin O'Connor, Biden's primary care physician, in a statement." Mrs. McC: A reminder that these tests may have been administered too early to detect contagion from Trump or other Trump team members Tuesday night. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Natasha Korecki, et al., of Politico: "The Biden campaign is testing those who attended the first presidential debate with the former vice president for Covid-19. A source familiar with the situation told Politico that, in the wake of ... Donald Trump's confirmation that he has tested positive himself, the Biden campaign has 'rapid testing capability and is testing everyone who attended the debate.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Nicholas Wu & Cristal Hayes of USA Today: "Senate Democrats argued Friday it was 'premature' to move forward with confirmation hearings for ... Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett as two members of the committee that will hold the proceedings tested positive for COVID-19. Both Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tested positive for COVID-19, days after meeting in-person with Barrett, sparking worries from Democrats about the safety of the hearings. Despite the concerns, Senate Republican leaders say they want to move ahead with confirmation hearings for Barrett, which are slated to begin Oct. 12. Both Lee and Tillis are members of the 22-member Senate Judiciary Committee that will hold the hearings and ultimately decide whether his confirmation will move forward for a vote in the full Senate.... On Twitter Friday evening, [Judiciary Committee chair Lindsey] Graham rebuffed Democratic calls to postpone the hearings and said things will go on as planned on Oct. 12, noting he was also tested for COVID-19 and found to be negative. He added that 'any Senator who wants to participate virtually will be allowed to do so.' But just hours after the tweets, another member of his panel [Tillis] also tested positive." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Perhaps Graham also will let senators remotely vote Barrett out of committee. Although the House has changed its rules to allow for remote voting during the pandemic, I don't believe the Senate has done so. (Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong on this.) If neither Tillis nor Lee could vote for Amy Comey Barrett, then the vote would be a tie if Democrats stick together. I suppose Graham could temporarily replace Tillis & Lee on the committee. However, as RAS pointed out in yesterday's thread, if these two senators can't participate in the full Senate confirmation vote, if Mitt Romney Lisa Murkowski & Susan Collins stick to their objections to Trump's nomination (okay, good luck with Collins), and if Democrats & Independents stick together, Barrett would not be confirmed. Nonetheless, I feel Graham & McConnell will figure out how to pull off Barrett's confirmation. ~~~

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. -- Chuck Schumer & Dianne Feinstein, in a statement ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Carl Hulse & Nicholas Fandos of the New York Times: "A coronavirus outbreak that infected President Trump and spread to the Senate threw a fresh element of uncertainty on Friday into the politically fraught fight over installing Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court before Election Day, as Republicans vowed to press ahead and Democrats insisted on a pause.... Top Republicans insisted they would move ahead at an uncommonly swift pace to hold hearings on Judge Barrett&'s nomination by Oct. 12, send her nomination to the full Senate by Oct. 22 and confirm her as soon as Oct. 26 ... -- even if it meant breaking Senate norms and considering a lifetime judicial nomination by videoconference. But the latest outbreak raised the possibility that Republicans could lose their slim majority in the Judiciary Committee or on the Senate floor.... Top Democrats ... declared that a fully virtual hearing for a candidate for a lifetime appointment to the nation's highest court would be unacceptable."

Emily Cochrane & Jim Tankersley of the New York Times: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California on Friday suggested that President Trump's coronavirus diagnosis could help to break a stalemate over a stimulus package to counter the economic toll of the pandemic, even as she remained far from an agreement with the administration on the contours of a bipartisan compromise. Congressional aides and Washington policy analysts remained more pessimistic, saying that Mr. Trump's diagnosis and a monthly jobs report that fell short of forecasters' expectations were unlikely to motivate Democrats and Republicans to break a monthslong deadlock and make a deal. But after several days of lengthy conversations with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Ms. Pelosi sounded upbeat on Friday about the prospects of an eventual agreement. 'This kind of changes the dynamic, because here they see the reality of what we have been saying all along: This is a vicious virus,' Ms. Pelosi said on MSNBC. She later urged airlines to delay furloughing tens of thousands of employees, vowing that the House would soon pass relief for those workers either as stand-alone legislation or as part of a broader package."

Jasper Jolly of the Guardian: "Amazon has revealed that almost 20,000 of its workers in the US have contracted Covid-19 after months of demands for public disclosure from activists." --s (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Presidential Race, Etc.

The New York Times' live updates of election developments Friday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Arpan Lobo, et al., of the Detroit Free Press: "Wearing a blue surgical mask, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden pleaded with the American people to follow guidance that will slow the spread of COVID-19 during a visit to Grand Rapids on Friday. The former vice president's comments were his first in public after ... Donald Trump and first lady Melania announced they had tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus. 'This is not a matter of politics. It is a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously,' Biden said. 'It's not going away automatically. We have to do our part to be responsible. It means following the science, listening to the experts, washing our hands, social distancing, It means wearing a mask in public, it means encouraging others to do so as well. It means having masking mandates nationwide.' The event took place outside a United Food and Commercial Workers hall on the northeast side of Grand Rapids. 'Essential workers here in Grand Rapids won't forget how the UFCW members saw their jobs turned suddenly into a life and death task,' Biden said. "

Bill Powell of Newsweek: "As President Trump headed to Walter Reed hospital in the wake of his COVID-19 diagnosis, former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign announced that it was pulling all negative campaign ads. Biden had already said he and his wife would 'continue to pray for the health and safety of the President and the First Lady.'... [Trump] campaign manager Bill Stepien issued a statement saying that all campaign events involving the president were 'being moved to virtual events, or were temporarily postponed.' Trump's participation in the second debate, on October 15, was now in question, also dependent on whether his illness worsens over the next two weeks." Mrs. McC: It is emblematic that the Trump campaign is having to scramble to come up with a new campaign plan while Biden, who has conducted his own campaign respecting the limitations imposed by the virus, has had to make few adjustments.

Natasha Korecki & Alex Isenstadt of Politico: "The Commission on Presidential Debates has agreed to seat Kamala Harris and Mike Pence 12 feet apart at the vice presidential debate next week, after the Biden campaign raised health and safety objections to the original spacing between the two candidates because of Covid concerns. As of Friday evening, however, the commission would not accede to the Biden campaign's request that Harris and Pence stand during the debate. Instead, the two will be seated, which was the preference of the Trump campaign, a source familiar with the discussions told Politico."

Alexander Burns of the New York Times: "... it seemed all but foreordained that the coronavirus pandemic would dominate the campaign to the end. And for all of the tumult of the race between President Trump and Joseph R. Biden Jr. -- for all of the other currents battering the country and its leaders in an election year -- the issue of the virus has never retreated as the overwhelming factor.As a singular force in the country's political life, the pandemic has resisted Mr. Trump's efforts to change the subject and quashed the wishful thinking of countless voters who shared his hope it would fade quickly.... And after all of the efforts by Mr. Trump to dismiss the disease as a threat..., his diagnosis confirmed with a neon exclamation point the impossibility of that goal.... Mr. Trump has been the world's loudest critic of prudent pandemic-control policy, and his contracting the disease that he dismissed as a threat even this week is an irony of Sophoclean proportions, whether or not it changes how voters think about him."

Matt Zapotosky & Devlin Barrett of the Washington Post: "Bracing for possible civil unrest on Election Day, the Justice Department is planning to station officials in a command center at FBI headquarters to coordinate the federal response to any disturbances or other problems with voting that may arise across the country, officials familiar with the matter said. Though the Justice Department monitors elections every year to ensure voters can cast their ballots, officials' concerns are more acute this year that toxic politics, combined with the potential uncertainty surrounding vote tallies, could lead to violent demonstrations or clashes between opposing factions, those familiar with the matter said."

Kentucky Senate Race+. Travis Waldron & Kevin Robillard of the Huffington Post: "Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Amy McGrath this week released a new television ad that features a supporter praising ... Donald Trump and attacking her opponent, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The ad is standard fare for McGrath, who needs to court Trump supporters to defeat McConnell in a state the president is likely to win by double-digits. But it isn't running only in deep-red Kentucky. The ad is also appearing in the Cincinnati, Ohio, media market ― meaning a Democratic candidate is paying for a television spot praising Trump in a state where former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign is spending millions of dollars to win in November." Mrs. McC Note to Amy: This is not how you thread the needle.

Texas. Elise Viebeck of the Washington Post: "Voting rights advocates have filed suit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, contending that his new order limiting mail-ballot drop-off locations to one per county burdens voters and 'undermines the public's confidence in the election itself.' The complaint, filed late Thursday in federal court, seeks to block enforcement of an order Abbott (R) issued Thursday and to allow counties to offer multiple ballot drop-off locations ahead of a projected rise in mail voting during the general election."

** Scot Stedman & Eric Levai of Forensic News: "[A]ccording to documents exclusively obtained by Forensic News... [b]y the fall of 2013, Yugra Bank (or 'Jugra'; 'Ugra') was the 106th largest bank in Russia.... [T]his small regional bank in Russia was able to quietly transfer nearly one-third of a billion dollars into a Deutsche Bank subsidiary on Wall Street in New York. The principals of the bank, mainly majority shareholder Alexey Khotin, are now accused of embezzling millions by Russian authorities after a falling-out with his political connections. Khotin and others in his inner circle are said to have had close ties to the intelligence services of Russia.... The remarkable episode is just one example of how dark Russian money connected to the upper-echelon of Putin's siloviki -- former Russian military and intelligence officials -- flowed into the Deutsche Bank division [DBTCA] that lent Donald Trump hundreds of millions of dollars.... DBTCA issued large loans to Donald Trump in 2012 and again in 2015 for his properties in Miami, Chicago and Washington, DC, totaling approximately $340 million... According to the New York Times, Trump still owes $297 million to Deutsche Bank for the loans for these properties." --s (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

"Bomb Trains" Are So 2020. Sarah Okeson of DC Report: "An energy company tied to a hedge fund that loaned millions to the Trump Organization and the Kushner Companies will benefit after Team Trump approved railroads running 'bomb trains' through our nation. They are loaded with liquefied natural gas with more explosive power than the atom bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.... Drue Pearce, the political appointee who is deputy administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, helped shepherd the regulation through the agency. Trump in April 2019 had called for federal rules to be rewritten so trains could carry liquefied natural gas." --s (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Marisa Iati, et al., of the Washington Post: "Police and civilian witnesses sharply disagreed about whether Louisville officers announced themselves before breaking down Breonna Taylor's door in March and shooting her, newly revealed grand jury recordings show, laying bare a core disagreement about what happened in the moments before she was killed. These divergent accounts were among those included in a trove of audio recordings made public Friday, a highly unusual release that pierced the typical secrecy shrouding the grand jury process. But prosecutors' recommendations to jurors weighing whether any officers should be charged in Taylor's death were not recorded, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office said, an absence that legal analysts said leaves pivotal questions unanswered about how his office handled the case." Mrs. McC: How convenient. Sounds like a cover-up to me. ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' story is here.

Beyond the Beltway

New York. Luis Ferré-Sadurní & Jesse McKinley of the New York Times: "Lovely Warren, the Rochester, N.Y., mayor whose leadership has come under attack after her administration mishandled the death of a Black man who had been placed in a hood by the police, was indicted on Friday on two unrelated felony campaign finance charges."

Oklahoma. Josh Dulaney of The Oklahoman: "A man who posted anti-child-trafficking slogans is accused of murdering his girlfriend's infant daughter.... Authorities arrested Joshua Paul Jennings, 33, on a complaint of child abuse.... The Daily Beast reported that Jennings posted the QAnon-linked slogan #SaveOurChildren on his Facebook page." --s (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Way Beyond

China. Emma Graham-Harrison & Helen Davidson of the Guardian: "Soon after China imposed the new national security law that effectively ended Hong Kong's limited autonomy, a hawkish legal academic in Beijing spelt out a warning to Taiwan. The law was not just about ending a year of protests in Hong Kong, Tian Feilong said in an interview with DW News, it was also sending a message to Taipei -- and to Washington, which has recently approved new arms sales and high-level visits by US officials to self-rule Taiwan. The provisions being used to crush dissent across Hong Kong could provide a template, he argued, for tackling 'the Taiwan problem'. 'I believe that in the future, you could just change the name of the Hong Kong national security law, and substitute instead "Taiwan national security law",' said Tian." --s (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

News Lede

New York Times: "Bob Gibson, the St. Louis Cardinals' Hall of Fame right-hander who became one of baseball's most dominating pitchers, winning 251 games in 17 seasons with an intimidating fastball and an attitude to match, died on Friday. He was 84."

Comments

[Akhilleus]

Biden, in the wake of Covid Man being hospitalized, takes down all negative (ie, true) ads. If their positions were reversed, would Trump do the same?

Never in life. He’d double and triple down on negative ads and go before the MAGA morons and make fun of Biden for being weak and a loser.

Want a bet? Here he is four years ago making stupid faces and ripping Hillary Clinton for having the flu:

https://mobile.twitter.com/therecount/status/1311926144795635712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1311926144795635712%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdigbysblog.net%2F

He is a reprehensible little toad.

But now he’s getting the kind of treatment he denied to tens of thousands who are no longer alive. Because of him.

[wto406]

This may be a bit inappropriate, but I think it applies to the current situation: Karma's a bitch.

[unwashed]

Garrett Graff has another interesting take on the succession question on Politico.

[PD Pepe]

It's been interesting to listen to those who tippy toe around the news of a president who defied Covid cautions, who lied to the nation re: the severity of this virus, who after learning that Hope Hicks tested positive went ahead with a rally thereby putting more people at risk. And this is the man that "we send our prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery." Even Rachel, whose fury at Fatty matches ours did a comparison with someone who dies from an addiction–-they brought it on themselves–-but we still have a humane sorrow for their death, therefore we certainly must wish Trump the best. I say, and I use her phrase–-Bull Pocky! One's addiction cannot be compared to this man's operations that are responsible for thousands of deaths. No, Rachel, sorry––I do not wish him well–-and for me, a deeply empathetic human, this is rare. And!––– I feel just dandy about these feelings, in fact I think they are absolutely justified.

@safari: the posting of the Guardian story above: I recall that as Trump prepared to enter the White House he, on December 2nd, took a phone call from the president of Taiwan, breaking with nearly four decades of American diplomatic practice. From what I understand, is that the US has friendly relations with Taiwan but Presidents since Reagan have avoided speaking directly with its president because , as part of the "One China" policy, the US formally recognizes only the Beijing government. If I recall correctly, Trump wanted to disregard China's policy and in effect, say "If I want to talk to Taiwan's president, I'm damn well gonna do it!" Seems to me this is where Jared gets involved with "everything China"–-one of this many forays into places unknown and no one knew exactly what he knew or what he was negotiating.

This, right from the beginning, is another example of these crooks taking over the White House and running it like a family business.

[Akhilleus]

Heard a sound bite(me) in which the ever insufferable McAninny, after the fat little king was flown off to Walter Reed for more top secret experimental la-la-la, said that he was still “in charge” and “working very hard” despite his health condition. Puh-leeese. “Working hard” for this fat slug is getting to the Oval Office any time before noon and staying more than four hours.

I have no doubt that little donnie works hard at some things. Like grifting and gouging and lying and stealing. Things that benefit him personally. But turn off the gaslight, ninny, no one believes Trump works hard for the country.

Unless killing 200,000 Americans, destroying democracy, sowing hatred, profiting off the misery of others, and sexually assaulting scores of women can be considered hard work.

I thought he did that shit for fun.

[Forrest Morris]

I have a do-it-yourself Covid test if anyone is interested.

[PD Pepe]

Here's Leon Panetta on PBS last night very, very worried about Fatty being in hospital and not carrying out his many, many duties as chief cook and bottle washer:

"First of all, is the president able to fulfill the duties of the presidency? And if he's now being moved to a hospital, is he able to complete those duties? Is the chief of staff and the vice president in a position where they can implement their responsibilities?"

I'm shouting at this point––"what duties!!!!" So thank you Ak, for giving us a sneak peek on all those so called duties. I'm sure someone in the West Wing can wing it till the Cow comes home. Nasty? you bet!

[unwashed]

I hear people saying that that abortion of Melanie's planting is now going to be called The 'Rona Garden.

[Akhilleus]

The traitors leave no steaming dog turd unturned.

I read that, should the half-pence AND fat fuck both become impaired, unable to function, or become slightly dead, Fatso Barr and the other traitors are preparing a putsch to take control of the country and piss on the Constitution, AGAIN (a daily ritual for confederates), and shove Pompouseo into the White House so as to deny Nancy Pelosi her place in the constitutionally mandated line of succession.

Remember, no one elected Barr. No one elected Pompouseo, but they will gleefully grab power and throw the founding document of this nation onto the R trash heap where they’ve already dumped ethics, morality, rule of law, and honor.

Treason never sleeps. It is the soul of the Republican Party.

[safari]

@ PD

Great memory of Drumpf taking the phone call from Taiwan, I had totally forgotten about that. At this point, given that he's so enthralled with Dictator Xi, I'm 100% POTUS would throw Taiwan under the bus if he could get some trademark deals and maybe a licensing deal on one of Taiwan's tallest skyscrapers.

After the Forensic News Russia/Deutsche Bank connection, I'm getting more and more convinced that the Traitor in Chief sold out the richest country in the history of the planet for a $350 million dollar loan. Given that he has a history of being the absolute worst businessman in America, selling us out for crumbs on the dollar would be right on character. A competent crook would've demanded $50 billion outright and an island to escape to directly from the White House. tRUmp? "Cover my bills for a few years, but take my assets later when I can't pay".

If I were working for the Biden/Kamala campaign, I'd demand a giant plastic sheet be put up between Kamala and Corona mike. 12 feet doesn't cut it and pence should be required to self-quarantine seeing as though his entire inner circle has now been overtaken by 'herd mentality'. Make sure the camera angles clearly show the plastic protection so everyone knows the US is a danger zone right now and no one is safe.

The fact that the super spreader event was the GOP's corrupt, pro-life power grab to steal a Supreme Court is karma at its best. If the Senate tries to confirm her through a sham videoconference with Senators laying in bed with ice packs on their heads, there couldn't be a more illegitimate process imaginable. Being a woman of faith, she should see the obvious signs being sent through her nomination and pull her name from the running. She can ruin plenty of lives from the position she's already at.

[Jeanne]

It was fun to read yesterday and today "my" blogs: this one and Charlie's and sometimes HuffPo...I so agree with everyone. Several commenters simply said "tots and pears." I may be sending "tots" out around me, about the Cheater-in-chief, but those tots are none-too-prayerful. I will not care a bit if something dire happens to any of these people. They held a biggie spreader event in the former Rose Garden, and the supposedly nonpartisan Supreme Court candidate appeared to not meet a single Democrat, judging by the people testing positive and the videos of the event. I am glad that all that spitting and bubbling and spraying of bad bugs was limited, as I saw it, to the party of Denial. I will be really upset if Joe got sprayed on Tuesday...seeing as how the repugnant side of the hall remained maskless.

Yesterday, daughter and I walked out of a second-hand store that featured a maskless proprietor and two people walking in behind us carrying their masks. I intend to call them and tell them they have lost a customer...It is pure arrogance. And with yesterday's news, pure stupidity.

Stay safe, everyone, and don't feel badly as more and more idiots test positive-- they do it purposely.

[periscope]

The pretender and his inner circle are getting the absolute best therapeutics and treatments available to anyone. So y'all can get prepared to see them in public without masks again soon, with the arrogance that immunity confers, (like judge Barret), more vigorously promoting the idea that the disease is "flu-like". You might expect them to learn a lesson from this, but I think it is equally likely that he will raise the call for everyone to "take one for the team"... to quote lieutenant governor of Texas; but I am frequently wrong. The repugnant survivor will lead by example?

Meanwhile, same as every damn day, the OM dominates the news cycle. The policy cures for what ails the rest of us are not addressed.

[RAS]

What's taking the My Pillow Guy so long to get to Walter Reed with his miracle covid cure?

[Bonnie]

You might want to check this out....

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/10/02/whatever-removes-donald-trump-miserable-bastard-public-life-good?cd-

Whatever Removes Donald Trump—a Miserable Bastard—From Public Life Is Good

( Jeffrey C. Isaac is James H. Rudy Professor of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington. His books include: Democracy in Dark Times (1998); The Poverty of Progressivism: The Future of American Democracy in a Time of Liberal Decline; and Arendt, Camus, and Modern Rebellion.)

[Akhilleus]

Bonnie,

You had me with Arendt and Camus but the addition of modern rebellion seals the deal. I’ll be checking this out. Thanks.