Growing up in rural West Virginia was not always easy, but it has shaped who I am. I was proud to take my dear friend
@vladduthiersCBS
home, on those country roads:
Next year,
@weijia
will be the first woman of color to serve as President of
@whca
.
But her story begins in an unexpected small town — and she took
@vladduthiersCBS
back home to share the emotional journey to reaching her dreams.
.
@kaitlancollins
allowed me to ask a follow up question after the President called on her, and then
@Yamiche
deferred to Kaitlin. I am fortunate to work alongside them.
Why did Trump end WH briefing?
@weijia
asked Trump why he sees this as "a global competition" when 80K have died. He said: "Ask China."
He tried to move on but wouldn’t let
@kaitlancollins
ask her Q.
He called on me but I motioned for Kaitlin to ask her Q so Trump walked off.
Jared Kushner is in charge of the medical supply chain that delivers critical items to the doctors and nurses who are on the frontlines everyday. Yesterday he said it was “OURS”, so I asked what he meant. Trump did not like the question.
Just now I asked the President if he was kidding when he said he told his people to slow down testing, which is how White House officials explained the comment.
He said, “I don’t kid.”
He also said again testing is a double-edged sword, and praised the job the U.S. has done.
Mr. Trump is making remarks in Dallas about police and injustice. He’s talking about a few “bad apples”.
The WH has not answered our question about why the Dallas police chief, sheriff, or district attorney-all of whom are African American-were not invited to the event.
Trump complains about tough questions from two standout women correspondents,
@PaulaReidCBS
&
@weijia
, and suggests they should act more like ‘50s housewives.
“It wasn’t Donna Reed, I can tell you that,” he said, referring to TV housewife actress.
NEW:
@POTUS
is directing all states to prioritize teachers and school staff for the COVID vaccine using the program with pharmacies. He wants every educator to receive their first shots by the end of this month.
McEnany: "The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open...When he says open, he means open and full, kids being able to attend each and every day at their school. The science should not stand in the way of this."
NEW: Despite Trump’s fight to stay, last night White House staff received a detailed email from his exec. office with directions on the departing process. Employees will start leaving the week of 01/04.
Note addresses everything from cleaning microwaves to ethics debriefing.
.
@cbsnews
has learned Hope Hicks tested negative for COVID-19 Wednesday morning, so she boarded AF1. She developed symptoms during the day and received a second test, which came back positive. The White House knew about this Wed evening but Trump still had a fundraiser Thursday.
We have asked WH officials countless times why they don’t wear masks, and they always tell us it’s because they tested negative that day.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t have COVID-19, and that doesn’t mean you aren’t contagious.
Case/Point.
.
@POTUS
has ordered that U.S. flags on federal grounds, including at the White House, be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the Atlanta shootings.
#StopAsianHate
At his rally just now President Trump told supporters the coronavirus “affects elderly people...people with heart problems and other problems. That’s what it really affects. That’s it.”
Except seven months into the pandemic, we know that’s not it.
At least 4 White House reporters have pressed
@PressSec
about why the President claimed mailing out applications for absentee ballots is illegal, but she has deferred to
@TeamTrump
.
The Harvard Law School graduate does not want to discuss the law.
I asked President Trump if he was being selfish for not getting tested and possibly spreading
#Coronavirus
to others. He said he would “probably” get one.
“It’s wrong. It’s Un-American. And it must stop.”
-
@POTUS
on the attacks against Asian Americans.
Less than a week ago.
Praying for the families of the victims in Atlanta tonight.
I asked Trump why he said no Americans were hurt after Iran retaliated for the Solemaini strike even though 11 US service members were airlifted. He said he heard they had “headaches” but does not consider potential traumatic brain injuries to be serious compared to losing limbs.
President Trump just claimed if he’s re-elected in November, he will “forgive” the pay roll tax payment, which his executive action will allow workers to delay.
He does not have the power to do that. Congress does.
President Biden gets a standing ovation at the
#kennedycenterhonors
after David Letterman says it’s nice that the Presidential box is filled again. (For the first time since 2016)
So I asked him about what he was doing in February. (Rallies.)
And what he has to say to the many Americans who wonder why he did not warn them sooner that the virus was spreading like wildfire at the time.
(He told me to relax.)
Just now: The flag at the White House was just lowered to honor the victims in the Boulder shooting. It was raised last night following the Atlanta killings, up for less than 24 hours.
After spending months apart due to the coronavirus pandemic, 89-year-old Jean and 91-year-old Walter Willard, who have been married for 70 years, were reunited at their nursing home in Troy, New York.
From the pool before reporters left the White House a few minutes ago:
“We saw the President for a few frames before he got into the SUV, wearing a red hat and white polo shirt. We believe Lindsay Graham, wearing an almost identical outfit, got in on the other side.”
Republicans have said they’re worried that the President has not presented a clear vision for a second term.
Tonight he did not name a single agenda item when directly asked.
NEW: The President will announce that all employers with 100 or more employees will be required to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or require testing at least once a week, and they’ll have to provide paid time off.
The new rule will impact over 80 million workers in private sector.
Just remarkable.
“The 43 men went home Sunday after each working 12-hour shifts all day and night for a month straight, producing tens of millions of pounds of the raw materials that will end up in face masks and surgical gowns...”
There was no widespread testing then, and there is no widespread testing now. That’s why the President did not have an answer to his own question.
As for how many cases in the U.S. it takes to spread the
#coronavirus
?
One.
President Trump asks
@CBSNews
reporter how many cases and deaths there were in the U.S. when he restricted travel with China.
She did not know the answer.
White House Chief of Staff said “we discovered that right as Marine One was taking off yesterday” for the NJ fundraiser about when he learned that Hope Hicks tested positive. The President still held the fundraiser.
.
@VP
starts his remarks at the podium by offering condolences to the more than 41K Americans who have died from the virus, something
Trump did not mention.
Thankfully
@jonkarl
pressed him again. Trump said the supplies are being saved for surges, and ultimately said yes, they are for the states. He was adamant Kushner didn’t misspeak, despite this discovery by
@LEBassett
:
On March 13th, many of these retailers—also in the Rose Garden—talked about their plans to test, including at drive-thrus.
On April 16th, the President called the idea of federal testing in parking lots “ridiculous”.
Today, they’re back to touting just that.
Confusing.
NEW w/
@PaulaReidCBS
: At today’s COVID task force meeting doctors told VP Pence the situation is dire and worsening. If nothing changes, there could be 2000 deaths/day by Christmas, overrunning hospitals.
Docs urging VP or POTUS to make remarks from podium to stress mitigation.
Some personal news:
I was born in China. I grew up in my family’s restaurant in rural West Virginia. And here I am, covering The White House.
Often, I’ve felt like an “Other”— an all too familiar feeling for many proud Americans.
I hope you’ll see some of your story in mine.
The intrepid
@weijia
is writing OTHER, a memoir about conflicting identity from growing up in West Virginia to asking tough questions in the White House press room.
The White House has called a lid, which means we will not see or hear from President Trump for the rest of the day. (In the past they have called the press pool back after a lid was called, but it’s very rare.)
On top of being a real reporter,
@acosta
is a gracious colleague. Both at home and on foreign trips with the President, he has stood up for me even though we are technically competitors.
I can tell you
@Acosta
definitely has sources on the task force, he has broken stories I have matched and matched stories I have broken from inside that group. No way to do that without real sources.
NEWS: Tonight, Walter Reed Medical Center sent employees in the complex a text message to issue a 40-minute long “shelter in place” with a note that the alert was “not a drill”. The shelter in place alert went out at 9:06pm and it was lifted at 9:47pm, all per
@nancycordes
Exclusive: Our sharp
@CBSNews
photographer captured a good spirited Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman returning to work after testifying in
#ImpeachmentHearings
. Here, Vindman is with his twin brother clearly wanting to be seen as they take a selfie in front of the West Wing.
The
@USPS
is sending letters to some states warning mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to be counted in the Presidential election because their deadlines are too tight.
So far
@CBSNews
has confirmed Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Michigan—all critical swing states.
Every person I have interviewed about the attacks in the AAPI community has brought up the fact that words matter. Specifically, the words that have been used recklessly and dangerously.
.
@POTUS
’ words from the podium matter:
Biden calls out the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans during the pandemic, saying they're "attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated"
"They are forced to live in fear for their lives just walking down streets in America. It's wrong, it's un-American and it must stop"
NEW: In a live Fox News radio interview just now, the President said he did not go to the White House bunker on Friday night as protests unfolded nearby.
He said he went during the DAY to “inspect” the shelter “for a very short period of time.”
The President is hosting an event w/ farmers and discussing a food relief initiative.
After a speaker from Virginia wrapped up, the President attacked the Democratic Governor and warned they are going after second amendment rights: There will be “no one to guard your potatoes.”
The President has said “very strong” tests are being conducted on and off of planes, but airline sources told
@CBSNews
that’s not true. When I traveled to Phoenix earlier this month, there was no screening of temperatures and symptoms.
NEW: Tonight
@POTUS
will call out the hate crimes against the Asian American community in his prime time address, a White House official tells me. The decision to do so was very deliberate, and the message will be “very forceful”.
The protest then headed to in front of the White House. A protester was taken by the USSS in front of Pennsylvania Ave into an adjacent federal building. Unclear what he did.A couple men then splintered off from the group and spray painted “F*ck Trump” on the building.
@cbsnews
The President is planning to host a huge event at the White House in less than 2 hours.
His doctor has not issued an update since Thursday.
So we don’t know if Trump is cleared for public engagements, if he has received any negative test results, or if he’s still contagious.
JUST IN: The President will hold a formal press briefing tomorrow for the first time since April 27th.
The topic is “testing”, which great because I have a lot of questions.
Chuck Grassley tells Lucy Koh, a Korean American judicial nominee in a hearing today, that her Korean background reminds him of his daughter-in-law telling him that Koreans have "a hard work ethic" and "can make a lot out of nothing."
"So I congratulate you and your people.'"
Dr. Fauci reminds Americans there are "very well thought out" federal guidelines for reopening, and warns against prematurely open up:"My concern is we will start to see little spikes that will turn into outbreaks." Trump has encouraged states that are not following guidelines.
The President just announced he's sending "hundreds of skilled law enforcement officials" to the city of Chicago, despite the mayor's demand for federal agents to stay out:
During the President’s speech, he suggested that it was our choice to sit closer together. We sit in the seats the White House sets up for us.
In this case, the ones they RE-set:
Champ and Major Biden have moved into their new home! The First Lady’s office passes along:
“Champ is enjoying his new dog bed by the fireplace and Major loved running around on the South Lawn.”
NEW: On the flight home from Wisconsin, the President told us he plans to pardon someone “very, very important” tomorrow who is not Edward Snowden or Michael Flynn.
.
@shearm
, while fighting COVID-19, took time to personally reach out to those of us who were around him. Thank you for doing your own contact tracing.
We were both on AF1 last Saturday night when the President came back to talk to us.
I have not heard from the White House.
“Where’s David? David? David?” The President asks, as he tells the Georgia rally crowd how much they love
@Perduesenate
.
He is in quarantine after coming into close contact with someone on his campaign who tested positive for COVID-19.
My colleague
@weijia
has never lacked courage. She works so hard, slept under her desk while pregnant between double shifts, inexplicably figured out how to nurse while traveling around the world & pursues truth from government while enduring racist abuse from multiple directions
The Vatican shared that President Biden and Pope Francis met privately for one hour and 15 minutes, which is a long time for the Pope to spend with any world leader. President Obama’s one on one meeting lasted for 50 minutes. President Trump’s was 30 minutes.
The president has arrived at his Virginia golf club.
He has not tweeted so far this morning. He and the WH have not yet acknowledged the passing of
@repjohnlewis
Reminds me of the time Trump said he was being “sarcastic” when he wondered if disinfectants could be injected as a virus treatment.
In both cases one is left to wonder why jokes are appropriate amid a deadly pandemic.
.
@realdonaldtrump
Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law. I did my duty & you're damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration. Your personal feelings don't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do.
And now the blame game behind the scenes is brewing. A senior Trump campaign official is blaming the President’s son in law for commandeering the legal strategy unsuccessfully, telling
@NicoleSganga
, “Jared Kushner f***** it up.”
The moment you’ve been waiting for:
The President is not wearing a mask while touring the
@Ford
plant in Michigan, even though it’s company policy,
@UAW
said he should, and the state attorney general wrote an open letter asking him to follow the rules.
Today the President claimed, “Even professionals like Anthony were saying, this is no problem. This is late in February. This is no problem, this is gonna blow over.”
Dr. Fauci has said “it became clear that we were in real trouble”in mid to late January due to community spread.
Last week I checked my Facebook messages for the first time in months. Among them, a desperate plea for help from an SIV applicant hiding from the Taliban. Today we learned that he, his wife, and 3 children including a 6 month old baby are in Qatar waiting to come to America 🇺🇸❤️
Kamala Harris sent a strong message to girls watching her first national address as Vice President-elect: "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last."
I’m glad those who don’t have
@HBO
can watch this Trump
@jonathanvswan
interview in its entirety because it’s truly a public service. One of the most honest conversations the President has had in public:
Trump says “I don’t care” about briefing ratings.
He has tweeted about them 7 times in the past 23 days.
#coronavirus
numbers he hasn’t tweeted:
787,960 U.S. cases
42,364 U.S. deaths
I’ve had great “ratings” my whole life, there’s nothing unusual about that for me. The White House News Conference ratings are “through the roof”(Monday Night Football, Bachelor Finale ,
@nytimes
) but I don’t care about that. I care about going around the Fake News to the PEOPLE!
All three of the people who have Omicron in the U.S. were fully vaccinated, and one (the man from Minnesota) had a booster shot. The other two did not. Doctors say the good news is that their symptoms are mild, which shows the vaccine works to prevent severe cases.
Dr. Rick Bright is a career—not political—official who was leading the effort to develop a
#coronavirus
vaccine as the director of
@BARDA
.
That level of expertise is not mediocre.
"Have you studied him? Have you reported on him?" -- Trump takes umbrage after
@weijia
describes Dr. Bright, the HHS official who says he was ousted after he resisted Trump's hydroxychloroquine push, as "gifted"
Tomorrow, President Biden is expected to make remarks at sundown during a candle-lighting ceremony to mourn a once unthinkable mark in the pandemic: By that time the death toll is expected to be more than 500K American lives lost to COVID-19.
Along with “stand back and stand by”, I keep thinking about what the President asked for when pressed about condemning White Supremacists.
“What do you want me to call them? Give me a name. Who would you like me to condemn?”
Why does he need a name?
Why not...all of them?