Thursday News: Will Remdesivir Work?; “Polls Had Trump Stewing, and Lashing Out at His Own Campaign”; “Trump and Kushner Engage in Revisionist History in Boasting of Success”; “Is McConnell trying to lose the majority?”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, April 30.

• Russia’s coronavirus outbreak is getting bad. Putin says the worst is yet to come. (“The crisis continues to be a massive challenge for the Russian dictator.”)
• Economic Scars From Coronavirus Crisis Emerge as Countries Begin to Reopen (“France’s economy has its deepest contraction on record, Chinese manufacturers grow pessimistic, global death toll exceeds 227,000”)
• Coronavirus live news: South Korea records no new domestic cases for first time since February (“Trump claims China wants to block his re-election; 100 cases of unusual illness among children in at least six countries; UK deaths top Spain and France”)
• Deaths soar in country that didn’t lock down. Officials identify big reason why. (“Unlike its European neighbors, Swedish officials did not institute lock down measures to combat the Covid-19 epidemic. “)
• At Least 89 Vaccines Are Being Developed. It May Not Matter. (“A coronavirus vaccine won’t stop the pandemic without all countries having access to it.”)
• U.S. passes 60,000 dead as hopes rise for a promising drug therapy
• A Next-Generation Coronavirus Test Raises Hopes And Concerns (“An antigen test could be quick, and much simpler and cheaper than the PCR tests now used to spot people infected with the novel coronavirus. But some scientists worry about an antigen test’s accuracy.”)
• U.S. Social-Distancing Guidelines Set to Expire (“After 45 days, the federal campaign to slow the spread of the coronavirus is expected to fade away. The weekly unemployment report is expected to show that millions more have joined the jobless rolls in the U.S.”)
• Exclusive: Trump says China wants him to lose his bid for re-election
• Economists agree: No quick rebound from recession is likely
• Remdesivir: the antiviral drug is being touted as a possible coronavirus treatment – but will it work? (“Hopes are high for the drug and US expert Dr Anthony Fauci says it shows promise. But there are conflicting reports”)
• Welcome to the worst economy ever
• Gilead says early results of coronavirus drug trial show improvement with shorter remdesivir treatment
• ‘Clear-cut’ evidence coronavirus drug remdesivir works, Fauci says
• Trump seizes on pandemic to speed up opening of public lands to industry (Totally unacceptable.)
• Why Trump Was Deaf to All the Warnings He Received (“The president’s incuriosity and paranoia hobbled his response”)
• A tale of two summers: White House diverges from health experts over what’s to come (“The president and his top aides are contending with public health officials who paint a less optimistic picture of a return to life as Americans knew it.”)
• ‘W-shaped’ recovery may be too optimistic, Fed’s Powell suggests
• Trump and Kushner Engage in Revisionist History in Boasting of Success (“President Trump has framed the political narrative on his own terms. Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, presented a similarly revisionist account Wednesday.”)
• Yes, we still need briefings on the pandemic — but without Trump (“America needs daily information, clarity, compassion and hope. We don’t get any of that with this guy on stage”)
• This crisis could last a long time. Congress needs to be able to govern from afar.
• Documents show FBI debated how to handle investigation of Michael Flynn
• Per Trump, Puritan Medical to Make up to 40M Swabs Monthly (IF this is true, why wasn’t it done weeks ago?)
• The coronavirus changes the terms of political debate (“Americans want health care and more government.”)
• Mitch McConnell is gaslighting Democrats (again) (“He is framing necessary stimulus measures as concessions. Democrats should call his bluff.”)
• Is McConnell trying to lose the majority? (“His lack of focus on the biggest issue of our time is stunning.”)
• Michael Moore Just Declared War on the Climate Movement (“‘Planet of the Humans,’ the new doc produced by the lefty provocateur, seems to be succeeding mostly at pissing off activists.” And in completely destroying Moore’s reputation.)
• Joe Grogan to Resign as Top White House Domestic Policy Adviser
• GOP senator gives activists grim 2020 assessment amid fears over holding Senate
• Trump presented with grim internal polling showing him losing to Biden
• Exclusive: Trump says he does not believe polls that show Biden ahead in presidential race
• Polls Had Trump Stewing, and Lashing Out at His Own Campaign
• Joe Biden Names Advisers to Oversee Search for Running Mate (“The former vice president has said he will pick a woman for the role”)
• Trump erupts at campaign manager as reelection stress overflows
• Poll shows Trump, Biden in tight race in Texas
• Biden up 50-42 over Trump in New Hampshire: poll
• Justin Amash’s run is a bad idea. But is he relevant? (“An exercise in ego and futility.”)
• Why I’m skeptical about Reade’s sexual assault claim against Biden: Ex-prosecutor
• I Take Tara Reade’s Allegations Against Biden Seriously, and I’m Still Voting for Him. Here’s Why. (“The notion that this should be disqualifying to Biden in a race against Trump is patently ridiculous. Anybody who claims otherwise is using sexual assault as a political football.”)
• The evidence you need to see regarding Reade and Biden. (“there are the heaps upon heaps of Reade’s own online postings and documented contradictions in her multiple and ever-changing stories…in 2018, Reade had been writing multiple gushing posts praising Vladimir Putin, some of which were actually written in Russian. This is a Republican dirty trick. Don’t fall for it. Pass it on.”)
• Republicans Are Absolutely Deluded if They Think Only Blue States Need a Bailout
• Many field hospitals went largely unused, will be shut down
• David Letterman criticizes Mike Pence for ‘taunting’ COVID-19 patients by not wearing mask
• Dozens of Decomposing Bodies Found in Trucks at Brooklyn Funeral Home
• Trump Appointees Manipulated Agency’s Payday Lending Research, Ex-Staffer Claims
• Trump says he will visit Arizona next week, maybe Ohio
• End of Trump’s social distancing policy spurs fears of virus rebound
• Trump won’t use the Defense Production Act for medical supplies. But he’ll use it for meat.
• The Jungle, Revisited in the Time of Coronavirus
• Trump Makes Crucial 2020 Bet on States Reopening With His Advice
• Florida governor announces plan to slowly reopen Sunshine State on Monday after coronavirus shutdown
• Top Lindsey Graham Donor Switches Sides, Now Backs Democratic Rival (“Richard Wilkerson had served on Graham’s short-lived presidential campaign. Now he’s backing the senator’s rival, Jaime Harrison.”)
• Appeals court, in blow to Kobach, strikes down Kansas law requiring proof of citizenship to vote
• Editorial: Pandemic puts Warner in the spotlight (and not just for tuna melt)
• Clean Energy Can Help Solve Dual COVID-19 and Climate Crises
• VHHA Statement on Governor Northam’s Decision to Allow Scheduled Medical Procedures to Resume
• Governor Northam Announces Expansion of Payment Relief for Student Loan Borrowers
• Virginia hospitals, dentists can do elective procedures again starting Friday
• Del. Jay Jones considering bid for Virginia attorney general (Yep, we’ve known this for months now.)
• As COVID-19 spreads, most Virginia jails remain overcrowded
• Live Video, Highlights: Gov. Ralph Northam’s Wednesday (4/29) Virginia COVID-19 Briefing
• The Atlantic Coast Pipeline Is a Bad Investment: Time to End It for Good
• How Should Virginia Allocate Federal Relief Money?
• Surreal Veto Session
• Wednesday (4/29) Virginia Data on COVID-19 Finds +622 Confirmed/Probable Cases (to 14,961), +94 Hospitalizations (to 2,259), +30 Deaths (to 522) From Yesterday
• AG Mark Herring Encourages Virginians to Utilize Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services, Including Through Insurance Purchased on Healthcare.gov
• At the cusp of historic energy investments in Virginia, COVID-19 handed us a lemon. Let’s make lemonade.
• Virginia prisons illegally withheld records on strip searches, judge rules
• As virus spreads in Virginia long-term care facilities, push for aid intensifies
• Northam urges ‘larger role’ for feds on poultry worker safety but advocates press state to step up
• Failure to file death certificates electronically could be behind lag in demographic reporting on COVID-19 deaths
• Editorial: Social distancing isn’t so easy among Virginians
• Virginia’s most populous county moves forward on body camera plan
• Editorial: COVID-19 and voting in upcoming elections
• Editorial: Financial pressure grows on Va. college campuses
• Sen. Mark Warner speaks with Sentara RMH president, other Harrisonburg leaders
• Economic issues dominate Roanoke Democrats final forum
• UVA Health Announces Major Spending Cuts
• Fatal overdoses rose statewide in 2019, but fell in Roanoke for first time in three years
• “ODU will open this fall,” university president says. Timing and nature of opening to be determined. (“A specific plan for reopening is expected in mid-June. The plan may require some “major shifts” to keep the reopening safe.”)
• Richmond and Henrico are buying meals from local restaurants for their first responders
• Heavy downpours likely today with possible areas of flooding