Trump refuses to force the production of life-saving medical equipment, Democrats fight to eliminate a corporate slush fund from Mitch McConnell’s stimulus bill, and the coronavirus pandemic upends the 2020 campaign. Then, health care workers share stories about how they’re grappling with this crisis.

Crooked has started a Coronavirus Relief Fund for organizations supporting food banks, health care workers, restaurant workers, seniors, kids who depend on school lunches, and others in need. Donate: crooked.com/coronavirus

We played clips from listeners around the country in today’s episode about how they’ve been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. if you’d like to share your story, send a voice note or video to 323 405-9944.

Show notes

Coronavirus

• NYT: Trump Says Coronavirus Cure Cannot ‘Be Worse Than the Problem Itself’
• NYT: The Virus Can Be Stopped, but Only With Harsh Steps, Experts Say
• Science: ‘I’m going to keep pushing.’ Anthony Fauci tries to make the White House listen to facts of the pandemic
• WaPo: Governors and mayors in growing uproar over Trump’s lagging coronavirus response
• NBC News: Trump says he’s activated National Guard in New York, California and Washington state
• Politico: Trump predicts victory over coronavirus ‘much sooner’ than expected
• NBC News: Coronavirus updates: Global cases top 300,000, John Hopkins University reports
• NYT: New York State now has roughly 5 percent of the world’s cases. 
• NYT: Trump Writes to Kim Jong-un Offering Help in Virus Fight, North Korea Says
• WaPo: U.S. intelligence reports from January and February warned about a likely  pandemic 
• WaPo: In hard-hit areas, testing restricted to health care workers, hospital patients 
• AP: Trump’s big promises on COVID-19 often fall short 
• NPR: Fact-Checking 5 Trump Administration Claims On The Coronavirus Pandemic
• Politico: States still waiting on coronavirus tests as Trump tells them to do more 
• Politico: Fauci: ‘Clearly, more needs to be done’ on coronavirus testing 
• Reuters: ‘Test, test, test’: WHO chief’s coronavirus message to world 
• Vox: “We are desperate”: Trump’s inaction has created a crisis in protective medical gear 
• Politico: Short-term thinking plagues Trump’s coronavirus response 
• Politico: Medical staff describe shortages and rationing of masks as White House assures they’re available ’now’ 
• NYT: ‘At War With No Ammo’: Doctors Say Shortage of Protective Gear Is Dire 
• CNN: FEMA chief: Trump hasn’t used Defense Production Act 
• NYT: Governments and Companies Race to Make Masks Vital to Virus Fight 
• Daily Beast: President Trump Says Has Not Compelled Companies to Make Coronavirus Gear Despite Nationwide Shortages
• CNN: Pressure mounts for Trump to actually use Defense Production Act 
• Lawfare: What’s in Trump’s Executive Order on the Defense Production Act? 
• CAP: To Respond to the Coronavirus, Trump Should Take 6 Immediate Steps on the Defense Production Act 

Congressional Action

• WaPo: Senate to resume talks on massive economic stimulus bill for the coronavirus after Democrats block vote on legislatio
• CNN: Democratic senators move to force Trump’s hand to ramp up medical equipment production
• NYT: Senate Democrats blocked action on a trillion-dollar stimulus plan.
• WaPo: Senate falls far short of votes needed to advance coronavirus bill as clash between Republicans and Democrats intensifies 
• Politico: Senate fails to advance coronavirus rescue package
• CBS News: No deal yet as Senate pushes massive stimulus to save economy from coronavirus 
• Roll Call:  Senate GOP preps stimulus text; Democrats say no deal yet
• Politico: Senate closing in on deal for $1.6 trillion rescue package 
• WSJ: Coronavirus Rescue Bill Moving Toward a Final Senate Vote Monday 
• Axios: McConnell releases Phase 3 coronavirus stimulus proposal 
• WSJ: McConnell Unveils GOP Stimulus Plan Amid Coronavirus Crisis 
• WaPo: No deal on vast coronavirus stimulus bill as crunch time arrives on Capitol Hill 
• NBC News: Top Democrats say they’re not yet ready to sign off on coronavirus stimulus package
• The Hill: Senators urge Congress to include election funds in coronavirus stimulus 
• Axios: Senate Republicans enter quarantine ahead of critical coronavirus vote 
• The Hill: McConnell delays initial coronavirus stimulus vote as lawmakers scramble for deal 
• Data for Progress: VOTERS SUPPORT A ROBUST MONTHLY CASH PAYMENT 
• NYT: Coronavirus Stimulus Package Spurs a Lobbying Gold Rush 

Polling and 2020

• ABC News: Coronavirus upends nation, as three in four Americans’ lives changed by pandemic: POLL 
• Politico: Poll: Majority of Americans now approve of Trump’s coronavirus management 
• Morning Consult: Voters Are Warming to Trump’s Handling of Coronavirus 
• FiveThirtyEight: How unpopular is Donald Trump? 
• FiveThirtyEight: Americans’ Views On The Coronavirus Are Shifting Fast 
• The Hill: Trump gets polling boost, but will it last?
• The Atlantic: Red and Blue America Aren’t Experiencing the Same Pandemic 
• The Upshot: American Partisanship May Find Its Limits in Coronavirus 
• USA Today: New ad from conservative group targets Trump on coronavirus messaging 
• WaPo: Trump is frantically rewriting his epic failures. Don’t let him. 
• The Hill: Maddow hits Trump’s ‘happy talk’ on virus: ‘I would stop putting those briefings on live TV’
• WaPo: The media must stop live-broadcasting Trump’s dangerous, destructive coronavirus briefings 
• Press Think: Today we are switching our coverage of Donald Trump to an emergency setting (piece cited by Sullivan)
• Politico: ‘There’s no playbook for this’: Biden trapped in campaign limbo 
• NYT: Biden Addresses a Visibility Question: ‘How Do We Get More of You?’
• LA Times: What is a housebound Joe Biden doing all day?
• CNN: Live broadcasts, online fundraising, one-on-one calls: How the Biden campaign is adjusting its tactics amid the coronavirus
• ABC News: As the coronavirus upends the 2020 race, Biden seeks to offer a possible presidency preview 
• The Hill: Obama ebola czar hits Trump virus response in Biden campaign video 
• Politico: Biden plans shadow coronavirus briefings
• CNN: Biden to Trump on coronavirus: ‘Stop saying false things that will make you sound like a hero’ 
• NBC News: Biden trashes Trump over coronavirus response: ‘Step up and do your job, Mr. President’ 
• CNBC: Joe Biden urges ‘every CEO in America’ to commit to no stock buybacks for a year 
• Politico: Trump wanted to bury Biden after the primary. Now he can’t.