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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 14 SepteMber 2020

pronouncements. He told Trump himself told Wood-
the USA Today editorial ward on March 19 that he
board on Feb. 17 that the had deliberately minimized
CDC would be testing peo- the danger. "I wanted to
ple for the coronavirus in always play it down," the
five major cities when they president said. "I still like
showed up at clinics with playing it down because
flu-like symptoms. I don't want to create a
If that testing showed the panic."
virus had slipped into the Critics have long noted
country in places federal how Trump's public com-
officials didn't know about, ments failed to sync up with
"we've got a problem," those of public health offi-
Fauci said. Still, the head- cials, contributing to confu-
line put the spotlight on sion among Americans.
his remark that the dan- As Trump left for India on
ger posed by the virus was Feb. 23, he told report-
slight. It read: "Top disease ers that the virus was "very
official: Risk of coronavirus much under control" and
in USA is 'minuscule.'" that the small number of
Larry Gostin, a professor at infected people in the U.S.
Georgetown University who were "very well confined."
has advised Republican But two days later, the
In this Feb. 19, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump pauses as he speaks at a rally in Phoenix. and Democratic admin- CDC's Messonnier told re-
Associated Press istrations on public health porters, "It's not so much a
issues, said there should question of if this will hap-
Continued from Front focused his concern on the pandemic, with leading be no confusing honest pen anymore, but more
The White House has tried seasonal flu then playing experts advising the public mistakes and expressions really a question of when it
to answer that criticism by out. But a day later, Fauci against it, saying to leave of uncertainty from public will happen and how many
pointing to selected com- had spoken of alarming the masks for health care health officials with Trump's people in this country will
ments from U.S. health ex- potential implications from workers. "Seriously people effort to minimize the threat have severe illness."
perts to suggest they were the new virus, saying, "Not — STOP BUYING MASKS!" of COVID-19. Stocks plunged follow-
on the same page with only do we not have an U.S. Surgeon General Je- "It is irrefutable that he has ing her remarks and, soon
Trump all along. appreciation of the mag- rome Adams tweeted on played down the epidemic after, Trump appointed
White House press secre- nitude, even more disturb- Feb. 29. Officials later rec- and sidelined trusted sci- Vice President Mike Pence
tary Kayleigh McEnany ing is that we don't have an ommended that people entists, and in some cases, to lead the White House
highlighted comments from appreciation of where the wear face coverings in muzzled them," Gostin said. coronavirus task force. At
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the na- magnitude is going." public and around peo- He added: "I categorically the news conference an-
tion's top infectious disease Mixed safety messages ple who don't live in their deny the idea that there nouncing Pence's selec-
expert, to try to make the added to confusion. There household, based on a re- wasn't a strong consensus tion, Trump was asked if he
case that Trump didn't lie to was considerable discus- view of the latest evidence. of public health experts at agreed with the inevitabil-
the public. She cited a Feb. sion about mask-wearing People could find different the time saying this was a ity of COVID-19 in the Unit-
17 interview in which Fauci in the early days of the takeaways within Fauci's very serious problem." ed States.q

Bloomberg to spend at least $100M to help Biden in Florida

Associated Press states, would significantly and diversity makes cam- 2 Billion Dollars, and then quickly endorsing Biden.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- complicate Trump's path to paigns there expensive. giving the worst and most One of the world's wealthi-
mer New York City Mayor reaching the 270 Electoral In a sign that Bloomberg's inept Debate Performance est men with a net worth
Michael Bloomberg is com- College votes needed to planned investment put in the history of Presidential estimated to exceed $60
mitting at least $100 million secure a second term. Trump on alert, however, Politics. Pocahontas ended billion, Bloomberg prom-
to help Joe Biden's presi- Republicans, however, feel the president tweeted out his political career on first ised throughout his cam-
dential campaign in the confident in their chanc- his disdain for Bloomberg question, OVER! Save NYC paign that he would help
crucial battleground state es in the state, pointing on Sunday morning, ref- instead," he tweeted. Democrats try to defeat
of Florida. to GOP wins in 2018 and erencing the attacks the The billionaire Bloomberg Trump regardless of how his
Bloomberg's late-stage in- stronger-than-expected businessman received at launched his own cam- own White House bid fared.
fusion of cash reflects Dem- turnout in 2016 as evidence a Democratic primary de- paign for the Democratic He exited the presidential
ocrats' concerns about the the state is trending in their bate in February from Mas- nomination late last year race pledging to spend
tight race in a state that is a direction. They've invested sachusetts Sen. Elizabeth amid worries about Biden's "whatever it takes" to de-
priority for President Donald millions in Florida focused Warren. strengths. Despite spending feat Trump, and has al-
Trump. A victory for Biden on Latino outreach and "I thought Mini Mike was $1 billion on his campaign, ready invested millions to
in Florida, the largest of the boosting their field opera- through with Democrat pol- Bloomberg struggled and support Democrats up and
perennial battleground tion, and the state's size itics after spending almost dropped out in March, down the ballot. q