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On Politics: Hopeful Virus News (This Is Not a Drill) On Politics: Hopeful Virus News (This Is Not a Drill)
(about 5 hours later)
Good morning and welcome to On Politics, a daily political analysis of the 2020 elections based on reporting by New York Times journalists.Good morning and welcome to On Politics, a daily political analysis of the 2020 elections based on reporting by New York Times journalists.
First, some good news on the coronavirus-treatment front. The drug maker Moderna announced yesterday that it had reached a milestone in the hunt for a virus vaccine: After an initial round of testing, the first vaccine to be tried in human subjects appeared to be safe and to stimulate an immune response against the virus. The nation’s top health officials have warned, over and over, that a coronavirus vaccine will not arrive quickly; even an accelerated search would probably last into 2021. So far, Moderna has run successful tests on just eight people, all of them between the ages of 18 and 55 — and the results don’t yet prove that this vaccine can prevent people from getting sick. Still, yesterday’s news sent stocks soaring, with Wall Street experiencing its best day in roughly six weeks. The S&P 500 rose by more than 3 percent, and stock benchmarks in Europe were 4 to 6 percent higher.
And now, some slightly more outlandish news on the coronavirus-treatment front: President Trump said yesterday that he had been taking hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, as a preventive measure against the virus — even though its effectiveness as a treatment for Covid-19 has not been proven, and public health officials have warned that its risks probably outweigh any possible benefits. Late last month, after Trump and some conservative commentators began to push the drug as a virus treatment, the Food and Drug Administration released a public health advisory that warned “against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for Covid-19 outside of the hospital setting or a clinical trial.” On Monday, Trump — who continues to test negative for the virus — told reporters at the White House, “All I can tell you is, so far I seem to be OK.” The drug poses a particular threat of side effects in people who have an elevated risk of heart disease; in 2018, the White House physician reported that Trump’s LDL cholesterol level was 143, far higher than the ideal level of 100 or less.
Until yesterday, the big question hanging over the Capitol was when the Senate would pass the next stimulus bill. Now, apparently, there’s a new one: When will the stimulus funding that has already been passed even be used? Most of the $500 billion that Congress allocated in March to support businesses and local governments has not yet been doled out, according to a report released Monday by the congressional commission overseeing that money. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department are responsible for distributing it in the form of loans; Jerome Powell, the Fed chair, and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, will testify today before the Senate Banking Committee — where they’ll probably be met with pointed questions about what’s causing the holdup. “When it comes to helping Main Street businesses, we should err on the side of doing a little too much, rather than doing too little,” said Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who sits on the banking committee.
California has introduced a first-of-its-kind program, offering relief checks to undocumented immigrants who were denied federal assistance under the March stimulus package. The $75 million initiative will send $500 checks to individuals, or $1,000 payments to households, and it has the capacity to serve roughly 150,000 recipients, according to state officials. The funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with requests vetted by 12 nonprofit organizations designated by the state. The program proved immediately popular: An hour after phone lines had opened for inquiries yesterday morning, many of them had crashed. By 90 minutes in, 630,000 calls had been made to just one of the 12 nonprofits, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. “We knew the number of applicants would be high, but we were just overwhelmed,” said Angelica Salas, the group’s executive director.
President Trump made his hydroxychloroquine reveal at a round table with restaurant executives at the White House on Monday.President Trump made his hydroxychloroquine reveal at a round table with restaurant executives at the White House on Monday.
By Kathy Gray
Michigan became the latest state to begin to ease restrictions on strict stay-at-home orders that kept thousands of businesses closed and residents stuck inside their homes.Michigan became the latest state to begin to ease restrictions on strict stay-at-home orders that kept thousands of businesses closed and residents stuck inside their homes.
As it happens, nearly all of the counties where businesses will be allowed to reopen this week trend Republican — an example of how Americans’ experiences of the coronavirus often differ along political lines.As it happens, nearly all of the counties where businesses will be allowed to reopen this week trend Republican — an example of how Americans’ experiences of the coronavirus often differ along political lines.
Gretchen Whitmer, the state’s Democratic governor, announced yesterday that restaurants, bars and retail shops in certain northern counties could begin reopening on Friday, in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Most establishments have been shuttered since Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order on March 23.Gretchen Whitmer, the state’s Democratic governor, announced yesterday that restaurants, bars and retail shops in certain northern counties could begin reopening on Friday, in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Most establishments have been shuttered since Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order on March 23.
The resort towns along the Great Lakes beaches have experienced only 1 percent of the state’s 51,915 confirmed coronavirus cases, and a similarly small share of its 4,915 virus-related deaths.The resort towns along the Great Lakes beaches have experienced only 1 percent of the state’s 51,915 confirmed coronavirus cases, and a similarly small share of its 4,915 virus-related deaths.
“Keep your wits about you,” Whitmer said in announcing the decision. “Let’s not all go rushing out and force a closure eventually. What we want to do is keep moving forward.”“Keep your wits about you,” Whitmer said in announcing the decision. “Let’s not all go rushing out and force a closure eventually. What we want to do is keep moving forward.”
The announcement came on the same day that more than 130,000 autoworkers across the United States returned to work, including many in Michigan.The announcement came on the same day that more than 130,000 autoworkers across the United States returned to work, including many in Michigan.
And it presented a stark example of the cultural and geographic divides that persist in Michigan, particularly with regard to the pandemic. The areas that are reopening are primarily rural, while the urban and suburban centers that have been particularly hard hit by the virus will continue to be locked down until at least May 28.And it presented a stark example of the cultural and geographic divides that persist in Michigan, particularly with regard to the pandemic. The areas that are reopening are primarily rural, while the urban and suburban centers that have been particularly hard hit by the virus will continue to be locked down until at least May 28.
The political divide is just as glaring. All but one of the 32 counties that are now reopening voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and only three of them supported Whitmer for governor in 2018.The political divide is just as glaring. All but one of the 32 counties that are now reopening voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and only three of them supported Whitmer for governor in 2018.
Whitmer has been blasted by Trump and other Republicans, and in recent weeks she has been the target of protests calling for an end to government-mandated social distancing. Republicans in the Legislature are suing her over the stay-at-home order.Whitmer has been blasted by Trump and other Republicans, and in recent weeks she has been the target of protests calling for an end to government-mandated social distancing. Republicans in the Legislature are suing her over the stay-at-home order.
Updated September 1, 2020
Those legislative leaders said her action yesterday was too little, too late. “This is a positive step that we’ve been requesting for over a month now, but the vast majority of Michigan is still held captive in the nation’s worst lockdown,” Lee Chatfield, who is the speaker of the Republican-held state House and represents a district in Northern Michigan, wrote on Twitter.Those legislative leaders said her action yesterday was too little, too late. “This is a positive step that we’ve been requesting for over a month now, but the vast majority of Michigan is still held captive in the nation’s worst lockdown,” Lee Chatfield, who is the speaker of the Republican-held state House and represents a district in Northern Michigan, wrote on Twitter.
Despite three raucous rallies recently in Lansing, where some people carried military-style rifles and Confederate battle flags, Whitmer’s approval ratings have jumped during the coronavirus crisis. Sixty-three percent of Michigan voters said they approved of her job performance, according to a Fox News poll released last month.Despite three raucous rallies recently in Lansing, where some people carried military-style rifles and Confederate battle flags, Whitmer’s approval ratings have jumped during the coronavirus crisis. Sixty-three percent of Michigan voters said they approved of her job performance, according to a Fox News poll released last month.
New York Times EventsNew York Times Events
Join us today at 4 p.m. Eastern as we kick off “Unfinished Work,” our new series investigating the continuing battle for women’s rights in America. This week we’ll explore the road to the 19th Amendment and the women who made it happen — including women of color whose work toward winning truly equal voting rights for all has been less celebrated. Then we’ll take a closer look at the legacy and impact of the 19th Amendment on the present-day fight for equality.Join us today at 4 p.m. Eastern as we kick off “Unfinished Work,” our new series investigating the continuing battle for women’s rights in America. This week we’ll explore the road to the 19th Amendment and the women who made it happen — including women of color whose work toward winning truly equal voting rights for all has been less celebrated. Then we’ll take a closer look at the legacy and impact of the 19th Amendment on the present-day fight for equality.
The virtual event will feature Valerie Jarrett, board chair of When We All Vote and co-chair of the United State of Women. Special guests are Martha S. Jones, the Society of Black Alumni presidential professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University; Kate Clarke Lemay, historian at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution; and Susan Ware, honorary women’s suffrage centennial historian at Radcliffe’s Schlesinger Library at Harvard University. The host will be Jennifer Schuessler, a culture reporter at The Times.The virtual event will feature Valerie Jarrett, board chair of When We All Vote and co-chair of the United State of Women. Special guests are Martha S. Jones, the Society of Black Alumni presidential professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University; Kate Clarke Lemay, historian at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution; and Susan Ware, honorary women’s suffrage centennial historian at Radcliffe’s Schlesinger Library at Harvard University. The host will be Jennifer Schuessler, a culture reporter at The Times.
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Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.