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| What Governors Say About Trump’s Response to Coronavirus | What Governors Say About Trump’s Response to Coronavirus |
| (8 days later) | |
| Vice President Mike Pence, fresh from a conference call with nearly all of the nation’s governors, spoke this week about how much those governors appreciated President Trump’s leadership in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. | Vice President Mike Pence, fresh from a conference call with nearly all of the nation’s governors, spoke this week about how much those governors appreciated President Trump’s leadership in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. |
| “The president’s leadership has made the difference here,” Mr. Pence said at a White House news conference on Monday. “I heard it again today from 47 governors.” | “The president’s leadership has made the difference here,” Mr. Pence said at a White House news conference on Monday. “I heard it again today from 47 governors.” |
| The governors, who find themselves grappling with an escalating national health crisis, have begun raising their own voices in a mix of frustration, gratitude, alarm and pleas for assistance. | The governors, who find themselves grappling with an escalating national health crisis, have begun raising their own voices in a mix of frustration, gratitude, alarm and pleas for assistance. |
| The usual partisan stances have been scrambled. Mr. Trump has won praise, particularly from Republican governors, but other members of his party have criticized him for confusing messages and a sluggish response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, some Democrats who are usually critics of the president have praised the federal government and urged a spirit of cooperation, even those Mr. Trump has verbally pummeled. | The usual partisan stances have been scrambled. Mr. Trump has won praise, particularly from Republican governors, but other members of his party have criticized him for confusing messages and a sluggish response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, some Democrats who are usually critics of the president have praised the federal government and urged a spirit of cooperation, even those Mr. Trump has verbally pummeled. |
| But across the board, governors from both parties say that they are hesitant to be too publicly cutting at a time when their states desperately need federal resources. And as the coronavirus crisis deepens by the day, they have made a realization: They are on the front lines. | But across the board, governors from both parties say that they are hesitant to be too publicly cutting at a time when their states desperately need federal resources. And as the coronavirus crisis deepens by the day, they have made a realization: They are on the front lines. |
| “What I have been saying to other governors is, ‘You’re on our own,’” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Wednesday. | “What I have been saying to other governors is, ‘You’re on our own,’” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Wednesday. |
| One split reality in federal-state relations — political rancor at the top but working relationships in lower ranks — has been most evident in Washington State, where more than 200 cases of the coronavirus have been reported. | One split reality in federal-state relations — political rancor at the top but working relationships in lower ranks — has been most evident in Washington State, where more than 200 cases of the coronavirus have been reported. |
| Mr. Trump said last week that he had a lot of problems with Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, calling him a “snake.” Yet Mr. Inslee’s office reported a productive relationship with the federal government. | Mr. Trump said last week that he had a lot of problems with Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, calling him a “snake.” Yet Mr. Inslee’s office reported a productive relationship with the federal government. |
| Last week, Mr. Inslee, who has been an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump on issues like immigration and school safety, hosted Mr. Pence, the head of the federal coronavirus task force. The two men greeted each other with a friendly (and virus-conscious) elbow bump. Some 33 federal workers were dispatched to Washington State, state officials said, and a request for supplies from the strategic national stockpile — additional N95 respirators, masks, gowns and gloves — has been fulfilled. Another batch of supplies is on the way. | Last week, Mr. Inslee, who has been an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump on issues like immigration and school safety, hosted Mr. Pence, the head of the federal coronavirus task force. The two men greeted each other with a friendly (and virus-conscious) elbow bump. Some 33 federal workers were dispatched to Washington State, state officials said, and a request for supplies from the strategic national stockpile — additional N95 respirators, masks, gowns and gloves — has been fulfilled. Another batch of supplies is on the way. |
| “The vice president has made himself available to governors on a regular basis, has done regular check-ins and has moved the ball forward on some key asks that we’ve made of the federal government, including expanding who can be tested,” Casey Katims, an adviser to Mr. Inslee, said on Tuesday. | “The vice president has made himself available to governors on a regular basis, has done regular check-ins and has moved the ball forward on some key asks that we’ve made of the federal government, including expanding who can be tested,” Casey Katims, an adviser to Mr. Inslee, said on Tuesday. |
| Some governors, even those who appear frustrated with Mr. Trump over a dearth of coronavirus testing kits, have been hesitant to attract his wrath on Twitter. Others have been less reserved. | Some governors, even those who appear frustrated with Mr. Trump over a dearth of coronavirus testing kits, have been hesitant to attract his wrath on Twitter. Others have been less reserved. |
| In an interview on Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, said the federal government had “not lived up to its expectations” when it came to making coronavirus tests available. Mr. Cuomo of New York, a Democrat and a frequent critic of the president, has described the administration’s response as “bad government and poor planning.” | In an interview on Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat, said the federal government had “not lived up to its expectations” when it came to making coronavirus tests available. Mr. Cuomo of New York, a Democrat and a frequent critic of the president, has described the administration’s response as “bad government and poor planning.” |
| Mr. Trump, for his part, has accused Mr. Cuomo and his brother, the CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, of politicizing the outbreak in an effort to harm him. | Mr. Trump, for his part, has accused Mr. Cuomo and his brother, the CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, of politicizing the outbreak in an effort to harm him. |
| One Republican governor, Larry Hogan of Maryland, mixed criticism and praise. Mr. Trump, he said on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “hasn’t communicated the way I would and the way I might like him to.” | One Republican governor, Larry Hogan of Maryland, mixed criticism and praise. Mr. Trump, he said on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “hasn’t communicated the way I would and the way I might like him to.” |
| Mr. Hogan hastened to add that “the rest of the team has been doing a pretty good job.” | Mr. Hogan hastened to add that “the rest of the team has been doing a pretty good job.” |
| Mark Sanford, a Republican and a former governor of South Carolina said he was not surprised that governors and administration officials had found a way to work together amid the coronavirus crisis. There is professionalism among the federal government’s disaster response ranks, he said, and the reality that governors must often be practical problem solvers, rather than strict ideologues. | Mark Sanford, a Republican and a former governor of South Carolina said he was not surprised that governors and administration officials had found a way to work together amid the coronavirus crisis. There is professionalism among the federal government’s disaster response ranks, he said, and the reality that governors must often be practical problem solvers, rather than strict ideologues. |
| “I’d suspect most governors would sort of take as a simple reality that Trump likes to be obnoxious and to attempt to push people around,” said Mr. Sanford, a noted critic of the president who briefly sought the Republican nomination for president. “Different governors will come up with different strategies in dealing with that, some more confrontational than others, but at the end of the day their motivation is going to be that they’re able to meet a challenge and be credited for meeting that challenge.” | “I’d suspect most governors would sort of take as a simple reality that Trump likes to be obnoxious and to attempt to push people around,” said Mr. Sanford, a noted critic of the president who briefly sought the Republican nomination for president. “Different governors will come up with different strategies in dealing with that, some more confrontational than others, but at the end of the day their motivation is going to be that they’re able to meet a challenge and be credited for meeting that challenge.” |
| Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who worked in the George W. Bush administration, said that governors and the president’s team stood to benefit from appearing to be collaborating in such circumstances. “In times like these, voters don’t want to see their political leaders sniping at each other,” he said. “They want to see competent, nonpartisan cooperation.” | Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who worked in the George W. Bush administration, said that governors and the president’s team stood to benefit from appearing to be collaborating in such circumstances. “In times like these, voters don’t want to see their political leaders sniping at each other,” he said. “They want to see competent, nonpartisan cooperation.” |
| Updated August 4, 2020 | |
| One notable flash of peace came on Sunday from Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat and one of Mr. Trump’s most vocal critics. At a news conference, Mr. Newsom described the process of managing a cruise ship on which at least 21 people tested positive for the virus. He also praised Mr. Trump, saying the president had said “everything we could have hoped for” during a phone call. | One notable flash of peace came on Sunday from Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat and one of Mr. Trump’s most vocal critics. At a news conference, Mr. Newsom described the process of managing a cruise ship on which at least 21 people tested positive for the virus. He also praised Mr. Trump, saying the president had said “everything we could have hoped for” during a phone call. |
| “We are very grateful for this partnership,” Mr. Newsom said. | “We are very grateful for this partnership,” Mr. Newsom said. |
| The administration’s challenge in delivering coronavirus testing kits to the states has been one of the most pressing concerns among governors. On Friday in Atlanta, Mr. Trump said “anyone who wants a test can get a test.” His health and human services secretary, Alex M. Azar II, later clarified that only people who have consulted with a doctor or medical professional could get a test. | The administration’s challenge in delivering coronavirus testing kits to the states has been one of the most pressing concerns among governors. On Friday in Atlanta, Mr. Trump said “anyone who wants a test can get a test.” His health and human services secretary, Alex M. Azar II, later clarified that only people who have consulted with a doctor or medical professional could get a test. |
| In New York, Andrew Cuomo said he had been frustrated by a testing process hampered by federal bureaucracy. | In New York, Andrew Cuomo said he had been frustrated by a testing process hampered by federal bureaucracy. |
| About 1,000 people in the state have been tested, and Mr. Cuomo estimated that hundreds of thousands more were awaiting testing. The process has been slowed because New York is waiting for private laboratories to be allowed to test for the virus, a step that requires federal approval, he said. While Mr. Cuomo said he was hoping to ramp up testing in the coming days, “It depends how fast they can authorize these private labs.” | About 1,000 people in the state have been tested, and Mr. Cuomo estimated that hundreds of thousands more were awaiting testing. The process has been slowed because New York is waiting for private laboratories to be allowed to test for the virus, a step that requires federal approval, he said. While Mr. Cuomo said he was hoping to ramp up testing in the coming days, “It depends how fast they can authorize these private labs.” |
| For states with a small number of cases, testing does not appear to be troubled, he said. But in New York, where more than 170 people already have tested positive for the virus, that is not the case. | For states with a small number of cases, testing does not appear to be troubled, he said. But in New York, where more than 170 people already have tested positive for the virus, that is not the case. |
| “What number of tests do you need?” Mr. Cuomo said. “I have a population of 18 million. What do I need, two million?” | “What number of tests do you need?” Mr. Cuomo said. “I have a population of 18 million. What do I need, two million?” |
| He declined to characterize the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on the whole. | He declined to characterize the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak on the whole. |
| “I try not to comment,” he said, “because the president then tweets nasty things about me.” | “I try not to comment,” he said, “because the president then tweets nasty things about me.” |