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| Coronavirus US live – Pelosi calls Trump 'a poor leader' and dismisses his attacks | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| House speaker says ‘we’re close’ to a deal on approving extra money for small businesses hurt by pandemic | House speaker says ‘we’re close’ to a deal on approving extra money for small businesses hurt by pandemic |
| In her interview with ABC News this morning, House speaker Nancy Pelosi also cautioned against overplaying the significance of protests against stay-at-home measures that have been taking place in states including Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, this week. | |
| She said the protests and Donald Trump’s support for the demonstrators amounted to “a distraction” from failures in the White House response to the coronavirus pandemic. | |
| “I wouldn’t exaggerate the protests across the country. There are some in some places, largely where there’s a Democratic governor. But I think of it largely as a distraction and the president’s embrace of it as a distraction from the fact that he has not appropriately done testing, treatment, contact tracing, and quarantine.” | |
| As the Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports, Trump and rightwing media have supported the demonstrators but they appear to represent a minority opinion: | |
| Democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi has dismissed Donald Trump’s almost daily attacks on her and other members of the Democratic leadership during the coronavirus crisis, saying she does not “pay that much attention” to the president’s tweets against her. | |
| “As I’ve said, he’s a poor leader. He’s always trying to avoid responsibility and assign blame.” | |
| Pelosi also restated her concerns about how the president will handle the next phase of the pandemic. | |
| “I’m afraid that he’s going to act on the set basis of what he’s acted before. It’s a hoax. It’s magically going to disappear,” she said. “That’s not based on science. This isn’t magical. This is scientific.” | |
| Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, also says the tea leaves look good for a small business deal this week. | |
| “I’m very hopeful we can come to an agreement tonight, or early tomorrow morning,” he told Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union, adding that he and House speaker Nancy Pelosi have been in discussions “almost 24/7” with treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin. | |
| “Many of the things we have asked for, on the banking side, on the testing side, the hospital side, they’re going along with,” he said. | |
| “Testing is the key, every expert says it. We will not be able to get the economy going full pledge unless we have testing,” Schumer said, noting that Democrats had proposed $30bn in the so-called ‘Covid 2’ bill to fund manufacturing and supply chains, more widespread and free testing, and contact tracing. | |
| One interesting footnote to Schumer’s conversation with Tapper: he was asked about reports that progressive New York congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez had not ruled out a primary challenge for his New York Senate seat. | |
| “I’m totally focused on this Covid,” he said. “We are the epicenter. And I’ve found throughout my career, you do your job well and everything else works out OK.” | |
| Tapper also wanted to know if reports that an additional $1 trillion or more will be needed in the next government stimulus package are accurate. | Tapper also wanted to know if reports that an additional $1 trillion or more will be needed in the next government stimulus package are accurate. |
| “I don’t think that’s the case,” Mnuchin said, adding that “another $300bn should be sufficient to reach almost everybody.” | “I don’t think that’s the case,” Mnuchin said, adding that “another $300bn should be sufficient to reach almost everybody.” |
| Mnuchin was also defensive about the roll-out of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website allowing taxpayers to log on and check the status of their stimulus money, worth up to $3,400 for a family of four. The website was beset with problems at launch and many who had hoped to upload direct deposit details for quicker payment were greeted with error messages. | Mnuchin was also defensive about the roll-out of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website allowing taxpayers to log on and check the status of their stimulus money, worth up to $3,400 for a family of four. The website was beset with problems at launch and many who had hoped to upload direct deposit details for quicker payment were greeted with error messages. |
| Mnuchin said more than 40 million taxpayers had accessed the site successfully, and five million had been able to upload details. Others who are eligible will receive a paper check, controversially with Donald Trump’s name on it. Reports this week suggested the vanity project would hold up the checks. | Mnuchin said more than 40 million taxpayers had accessed the site successfully, and five million had been able to upload details. Others who are eligible will receive a paper check, controversially with Donald Trump’s name on it. Reports this week suggested the vanity project would hold up the checks. |
| Apparently, there is a difference between having Trump’s name merely printed on the checks, and having the president sign them, which Mnuchin said he rejected because that would have caused delays. | Apparently, there is a difference between having Trump’s name merely printed on the checks, and having the president sign them, which Mnuchin said he rejected because that would have caused delays. |
| “That was my idea,” he said. “He is the president and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.” | “That was my idea,” he said. “He is the president and I think it’s a terrific symbol to the American public.” |
| The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: | The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reports: |
| On CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper points out that Sunday marks 50 days since the first coronavirus death was recorded in the US. | On CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper points out that Sunday marks 50 days since the first coronavirus death was recorded in the US. |
| His first guest was treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been under fire since the first round of government stimulus money for business, some $340bn, was exhausted inside two weeks. Some of the money went to successful large companies, while many small businesses received nothing. | His first guest was treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been under fire since the first round of government stimulus money for business, some $340bn, was exhausted inside two weeks. Some of the money went to successful large companies, while many small businesses received nothing. |
| Mnuchin concurs with Pelosi that a new funding deal is close, and tells Tapper it could be signed off by the middle of this week. He says he’s going to make sure that smaller operators are taken care of this time. | Mnuchin concurs with Pelosi that a new funding deal is close, and tells Tapper it could be signed off by the middle of this week. He says he’s going to make sure that smaller operators are taken care of this time. |
| “That’s something we did correct already,” he said, pointing out the average loan was $250,000. “There were some big businesses, but the majority is going to small businesses. I know there’s other people who are still waiting in line and we’re going to try to make sure all the banks get to them quickly in this next batch of money.” | “That’s something we did correct already,” he said, pointing out the average loan was $250,000. “There were some big businesses, but the majority is going to small businesses. I know there’s other people who are still waiting in line and we’re going to try to make sure all the banks get to them quickly in this next batch of money.” |
| He said he had had discussions with congressional leaders including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, and that: “We’re very close to a deal today.” | He said he had had discussions with congressional leaders including Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, and that: “We’re very close to a deal today.” |
| “I’m hoping the Senate can reach an agreement tomorrow and the house can take it up on Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll be back up and running.” | “I’m hoping the Senate can reach an agreement tomorrow and the house can take it up on Tuesday, Wednesday we’ll be back up and running.” |
| According to a new NBC/WSJ poll, a majority of Americans are concerned that states may start re-opening too soon. | According to a new NBC/WSJ poll, a majority of Americans are concerned that states may start re-opening too soon. |
| The poll found that 58% of interviewees were worried the US would move too quickly to ease stay-at-home restrictions, causing further spread and more deaths from the coronavirus, while it found that 32% were more worried the US would take too long to loosen them and hurt the economy. | The poll found that 58% of interviewees were worried the US would move too quickly to ease stay-at-home restrictions, causing further spread and more deaths from the coronavirus, while it found that 32% were more worried the US would take too long to loosen them and hurt the economy. |
| The White House last week issued its guidelines for governors on the criteria for re-opening their states after imposing stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus. But the guidelines were still full of unanswered questions on how the plans would work. | The White House last week issued its guidelines for governors on the criteria for re-opening their states after imposing stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus. But the guidelines were still full of unanswered questions on how the plans would work. |
| Good morning live blog readers | Good morning live blog readers |
| US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she believed lawmakers are very close to a deal on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. | US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she believed lawmakers are very close to a deal on approving extra money to help small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. |
| “We’re close,” Pelosi said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” broadcast on Sunday. “I think we’re very close to an agreement.” | “We’re close,” Pelosi said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week” broadcast on Sunday. “I think we’re very close to an agreement.” |
| The Associated Press reports: | The Associated Press reports: |