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Political
'Nothing More Could Have Been Done:' Trump's Final Phone Call To Woodward
Biden Slams Trump As
On August 14, the coron- avirus pandemic was on fire in the U. S. More than 168,000 Americans had died, with more than 1,300 deaths that day alone. But when President Donald Trump called legendary journalist Bob Woodward, it was to find out one thing: He had recently learned that Wood- ward's new book "Rage" was done and would be com- ing out in September, and Trump wanted to find out how he'd be portrayed.
It was their 19th conversa- tion, following 18 interviews that formed a key component of Woodward's book. Trump had privately told Woodward in February he knew critical details about how deadly the virus was, and in March admitted he was playing it down.
CNN has obtained excerpts of the 10-minute conversa- tion, which show Trump was more focused on the economy than the public health crisis. As the two de- bated Trump's response to
Fires Ravage West
'Climate Arsonist' As
BOB WOODWARD AND PRESIDENT TRUMP
Joe Biden on Monday tore into what he called Presi- dent Donald Trump’s lack of "leadership" in combating climate change, bashing him as a "climate arsonist" and vowing “action” on the matter as wildfires continued to rav- age the West Coast.
In a speech from Wilming- ton, Delaware, the Demo- cratic presidential nominee repeatedly hit Trump for denying climate change and painted a contrast in how he’d do better if elected.
“It requires action, not de- nial. It requires leadership, not scapegoating,” Biden said. “It requires a president to meet the threshold duty of the office — to care for every- one. To defend us from every attack — seen and unseen.”
Later, Biden blasted the White House for playing pol- itics with climate science.
“Hurricanes don’t swerve to avoid red states or blue states,” he said. “It’s not a partisan phenomenon, it’s science.”
“And our response should be the same, grounded in sci- ence,” he added.
Biden’s comments came as the wildfires raging across California, Oregon and Wash- ington killed at least 33 peo-
the pandemic, Trump fi- nally asked: "So you think the virus totally supersedes the economy?"
"Oh sure. But they're re- lated, as you know," Wood- ward responded.
"A little bit, yeah," Trump replied.
"Oh, a little bit?" Wood- ward asked.
"I mean, more than a little bit. But the economy is doing -- look, we're close to a new stock market record," Trump said.
Woodward and Trump continued to debate
Trump's response to the pandemic and how it will be critical to the presidential election. When Wood- ward told Trump that the election will be a contest be- tween him, former Vice President Joe Biden "and the virus," Trump insisted, "Nothing more could have been done."
He added: "I acted early." " It's a plague"
Since the critical details of
what Trump withheld about the virus have become pub- lic, the President has tried to shift the conversation.
JOE BIDEN
ple, with dozens of others missing and tens of thou- sands more forced to flee their homes.
Trump traveled to Cali- fornia on Monday to speak to local officials about the wild- fires — where the president's opinions on climate change diverged from those held by the authorities with whom he was meeting.
After the role of climate change was raised several times during a meeting with California Gov. Gavin New- som, a Democrat, Trump interjected, “It will start get- ting cooler.”
“Just watch. I don’t think science knows, actually,” Trump said.
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