CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: March 17th

March 17, 2020

WRITER

Glenn gives the latest coronavirus numbers, updating YOU on everything needed to know as Americans and officials monitor China's new COVID-19 virus:

Daily Stats as of 5:30 AM CT (from John's Hopkins)

Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 185,461 (up from 171,105 yesterday)
Total Confirmed Deaths Worldwide: 7,332 (up from 6,531 yesterday)
Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 79,935 (up from 77,783 yesterday)
162 Countries have confirmed cases (up from 158 yesterday) 3 more have suspected cases
6% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization), down from 7% yesterday and down from 19% just 3 weeks ago
US has 4,743 Confirmed Cases and 93 Deaths, up from 3,802 cases and 69 deaths yesterday
In the US, only West Virginia does not have at least 1 Active Case https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-west-virginia-only-state-no-case-ac32ce6d-5523-4310-a219-7d1d1dcb6b44.html

The Economy or Lives: You Can Only Pick Onehttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/economy/coronavirus-economy-impact.html

In a script that is playing out in similar fashion all over the world, Governments are forced to pick between saving lives and economic activity.
US and Western economies are particularly impacted...in the US, 70% of total economic activity is generated via Consumer spending.
Across the US, Small Businesses appear to be the hardest hit, especially those that directly serve consumers such as bars, restaurants, dry cleaners, etc.
A study from Case Western University estimates that nearly 50% of service jobs in the US will be impacted, with as many as 1 million jobs lost in the next 30 days.
Experiences from other countries seem to leave governments little choice: either shut down activities where people congregate, or risk COVID-19 deaths to skyrocket.
In Italy, Iran and Wuhan, China, the Case Fatality Rate was 6%, 9% and 3.5%, respectively, compared to an estimated 1% or lower Case Fatality Rate in countries that practiced active social distancing and extreme isolation.
By limiting human to human interaction through Social Distancing and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions such as wearing masks to prevent shedding virus through respiration, washing hands, people can help "Flatten The Curve" to ensure a total Case Fatality Rate of 1% or less.

US Testing First of Its Kind Vaccinehttps://news.yahoo.com/participants-receive-first-dose-experimental-191933437.html

As TheBlaze reported nearly two weeks ago, a new kind of experimental Vaccine is now entering human trials.
The vaccine is unique in that it does NOT use the live virus as are used in traditional vaccines.
Rather the new approach was to synthetically construct an RNA strand that copies the genetic code of the Virus to teach human cells to produce antibodies.
Viruses work by taking over human cells and turning each cell into a virus-producing factory, which is how they replicate.
The synthetically-produced RNA strand used in the new Vaccine does not self-replicate, but should still activate antibody production.
Researchers warned that even if the human trials started this week are successful, it may still be 18 months before the new Vaccine could be widely distributed. The Trump administration vowed on Monday that 'all barriers' would be removed to accelerate testing and production if successful.

Shut Down All Non-Essential Businesses - Who Defines What Is Essential?https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/extraordinary-measures-tom-cotton-calls-for-shutting-down-all-nonessential-business

Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, said the United States must shut down all but essential businesses and government agencies to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"The time has come for extraordinary measures to combat the Chinese coronavirus," Cotton tweeted Monday. "What seems extreme today will seem obvious tomorrow."
Cotton, chairman of the economic policy subcommittee of the Senate Banking Committee, said he is drafting legislation that would give "cash stipends" to workers and their families affected by COVID-19, "so they can buy food and pay the bills during this crisis," Cotton said.
So far, 'an essential business' definition has varied by state but does seem to include Grocery stores, pharmacies, medical facilities and, in some markets restaurants for pick up.

Shelter in Place Order in 6 Counties in California, More Expected Todayhttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/san-francisco-orders-residents-to-stay-inside-except-for-essential-needs.html

Over 7 Million Californians have been ordered to shelter in place at home for 3 weeks.
Order is effective as of Midnight last night. Residents are allowed outside for walks, to acquire food/medicine from local stores, or to travel to medical appointments.
All non-essential activity outside the home is effectively illegal, although law enforcement are being asked to practice patience and provide guidance and warnings rather than arrest people who refuse to comply.
Similar "house-arrest" orders are being considered throughout the country and elsewhere in California, including Alameda Country, LA County and Orange Country, officials indicated.
In total, including similar activity restrictions in Washington, New York, Pennsylvania and other locations, an estimated 30 million Americans are currently experiencing some degree of travel or activity restrictions.
So far, the ACLU's only response to COVID-19 is a strongly anti-Trump landing page indicating that Trump will help "Lead" the Panic and asking for Donations to defeat him in November 2020. https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-coronavirus-outbreak-a-civil-liberties-perspective/

European Union To Close All Boarders to Non-EU Citizenshttps://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3075467/europe-shut-border-month-unprecedented-response-coronavirus

For the next 15 Days at least, all travel will be restricted into the EU, with all non-EU residents requiring special travel permits for medical reasons to enter any EU member state.
The ban on travel to the EU does include bans on travel from Asia, Africa, The Middle East and S America.
So far, The EU has yet to accuse itself of racism or bigotry for enacting a travel ban, although officials in Brussels officially rebuked The US for it's travel-restrictions just last Thursday and that official rebuke has yet to be rescinded.

National Supply Chain Fine, But How to Balance Local Needshttps://mynbc15.com/news/local/baldwin-county-stores-struggle-to-keep-shelves-stocked-amid-coronavirus-pandemic, https://finance.yahoo.com/news/grocery-store-supply-chain-shocked-202411516.html

Overall, there is plenty of food & medical supplies to stock America's store shelves...when measured Nationally.
The challenge for some markets is ensuring regional supply chains can keep up with "surge" buying caused by local orders for residents to stay put for 2-3 weeks or longer.
While stores like Kroger, Wal-mart, etc do have regionally located warehouses, localized buying sprees as residents stock up for long-stints at home can empty regional logistics facilities, requiring retailers to shift stock from one region to another.
Further disruptions may be caused by lack of labor itself, as residents are ordered to 'shelter in place', warehouse workers, truck drivers and stocking clerks may fail to show up for shifts.
Suddenly, Doctors and Nurses aren't the only "essential workers" in the US.... In a shelter-at -home economy, The Stockboy at your local grocer may be just as important.

POLL: Do you think Trump is going to win the election?

Kevin Dietsch / Staff, Chip Somodevilla / Staff, Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Image

It feels like all of the tension that has been building over the last four years has finally burst to the surface over the past month. Many predicted 2024 was going to be one of the most important and tumultuous elections in our lifetimes, but the last two weeks will go down in the history books. And it's not over yet.

The Democratic National Convention is in August, and while Kamala seems to be the likely candidate to replace Biden, anything could happen in Chicago. And if Biden is too old to campaign, isn't he too old to be president? Glenn doesn't think he'll make it as President through January, but who knows?

There is a lot of uncertainty that surrounds the current political landscape. Trump came out of the attempted assassination, and the RNC is looking stronger than ever, but who knows what tricks the Democrats have up their sleeves? Let us know your predictions in the poll below:

Is Trump going to win the election?

Did the assassination attempt increase Trump's chances at winning in November?

Did Trump's pick of J.D. Vance help his odds?

Did the Trump-Biden debate in June help Trump's chances?

Did Biden's resignation from the election hand Trump a victory in November?

Do the Democrats have any chance of winning this election?

What is the Secret Service trying to hide about Trump's assassination attempt?

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor, Anadolu / Contributor | Getty Images

This past weekend we were mere inches away from a radically different America than the one we have today. This was the first time a president had been wounded by a would-be assassin since 1981, and the horrific event has many people questioning the competency and motives of the supposedly elite agents trusted with the president's life.

The director of the Secret Service apparently knew about the assassin's rooftop before the shooting—and did nothing.

Kimberly Cheatle has come under intense scrutiny these last couple of weeks, as Secret Service director she is responsible for the president's well-being, along with all security operations onsite. In a recent interview with ABC, Cheatle admitted that she was aware of the building where the assassin made his mark on American history. She even said that she was mindful of the potential risk but decided against securing the site due to "safety concerns" with the slope of the roof. This statement has called her competence into question. Clearly, the rooftop wasn't that unsafe if the 20-year-old shooter managed to access it.

Glenn pointed out recently that Cheatle seems to be unqualified for the job. Her previous position was senior director in global security at America's second-favorite soda tycoon, PepsiCo. While guarding soda pop and potato chips sounds like an important job to some, it doesn't seem like a position that would qualify you to protect the life of America's most important and controversial people. Even considering her lack of appropriate experience, this seems like a major oversight that even a layperson would have seen. Can we really chalk this up to incompetence?

Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / Contributor | Getty Images

The Secret Service and DHS said they'd be transparent with the investigation...

Shortly after the attempted assassination, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Secret Service, launched an investigation into the shooting and the security protocols in place at the rally. The DHS promised full transparency during the investigation, but House Republicans don't feel that they've been living up to that promise. Republican members of the House Oversight Committee are frustrated with Director Cheatle after she seemingly dodged a meeting scheduled for Tuesday. This has resulted in calls for Cheatle to step down from her position.

Two FBI agents investigate the assassin's rooftop Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Why is the Secret Service being so elusive? Are they just trying to cover their blunder? We seem to be left with two unsettling options: either the government is even more incompetent than we'd ever believed, or there is more going on here than they want us to know.

Cheatle steps down

Following a horrendous testimony to the House Oversight Committee Director Cheatle finally stepped down from her position ten days after the assassination attempt. Cheatle failed to give any meaningful answer to the barrage of questions she faced from the committee. These questions, coming from both Republicans and Democrats, were often regarding basic information that Cheatle should have had hours after the shooting, yet Cheatle struggled with each and every one. Glenn pointed out that Director Cheatle's resignation should not signal the end of the investigation, the American people deserve to know what happened.

What we DO and DON'T know about Thomas Matthew Crooks

Jim Vondruska / Stringer | Getty Images

It has been over a week since 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks narrowly failed to assassinate President Trump while the president gave a speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennslyvania. Despite the ongoing investigations, we still know very little about the would-be assassin, which has left many wondering if the agencies involved are limiting the information that Congress and the public are receiving.

As Glenn has pointed out, there are still major questions about the shooter that are unanswered, and the American people are left at the whim of unreliable federal agencies. Here is everything we know—and everything we don't know—about Thomas Matthew Crooks:

Who was he?

What we know:Thomas Crooks lived in Bethel Parks, Pennsylvania, approximately an hour south of Butler. Crooks went to high school in Bethel Parks, where he would graduate in 2022. Teachers and classmates described him as a loner and as nerdy, but generally nice, friendly, and intelligent. Crooks tried out for the school rifle team but was rejected due to his poor aim, and reports indicate that Crooks was often bullied for his nerdy demeanor and for wearing camo hunting gear to school.

After high school, Crooks began work at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a dietary aide. In fact, he was scheduled to work on the day of the rally but requested the day off. He passed a background check to work at the facility and was reportedly an unproblematic employee. Crooks was also a member of a local gun club where he practiced shooting the day before the rally.

It was recently revealed that sometime before his attempted assassination, Crooks posted the following message on Steam, a popular computer application used for playing video games: "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds." Aside from this, Crooks posted no warning or manifesto regarding his attack, and little other relevant information is known about him.

What we don't know:It is unclear what Crook's political affiliations or views were, or if he was aligned with any extremist organizations. Crooks was a registered Republican, and his classmates recall him defending conservative ideas and viewpoints in class. On the other hand, the Federal Election Commission has revealed he donated to a progressive PAC on the day Biden was inaugurated. He also reportedly wore a COVID mask to school much longer than was required.

Clearly, we are missing the full picture. Why would a Republican attempt to assassinate the Republican presidential nominee? What is to gain? And why would he donate to a progressive organization as a conservative? This doesn't add up, and so far the federal agencies investigating the attack have yet to reveal anything more.

What were his goals?

What we know: Obviously we know he was trying to assassinate President Trump—and came very close to succeeding, but beyond that, Crooks' goals are unknown. He left no manifesto or any sort of written motive behind, or if he did, the authorities haven't published it yet. We have frustratingly little to go off of.

What we don't know: As stated before, we don't know anything about the movies behind Crooks' heinous actions. We are left with disjointed pieces that make it difficult to paint a cohesive picture of this man. There is also the matter that he left explosives, ammo, and a bulletproof vest in his car. Why? Did he assume he was going to make it back to his car? Or were those supplies meant for an accomplice that never showed up?

The shocking lack of information on Crooks' motives makes it seem likely that we are not being let on to the whole truth.

Did he work alone?

What we know: Reportedly, Crooks was the only gunman on the site, and as of now, no other suspects have been identified. The rifle used during the assassination attempt was purchased and registered by Crooks' father. However, it is unlikely that the father was involved as he reported both his son and rifle missing the night of the assassination attempt. Crooks' former classmates described him as a "loner," which seems to corroborate the narrative that he worked alone.

What we don't know: We know how Crooks acquired his rifle, but what about the rest of his equipment? He reportedly had nearly a hundred extra rounds of ammunition, a bulletproof vest, and several homemade bombs in his car. Could these have been meant for a co-conspirator who didn't show? Did Crooks acquire all of this equipment himself, or did he have help?

There's also the matter of the message Crooks left on the video game platform Steam that served as his only warning of the attack. Who was the message for? Are there people out there who were aware of the attack before it occurred? Why didn't they alert authorities?

We know authorities have access to Crooks' laptop and cellphone that probably contain the answers to these pertinent questions. Why haven't we heard any clarity from the authorities? It seems we are again at the mercy of the federal bureaucracy, which begs one more question: Will we ever know the whole truth?

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

JIM WATSON / Contributor, Chris duMond / Stringer, Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Bill Pugliano / Stringer | Getty Images

Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Tom Williams / Contributor | Getty Images

Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Noam Galai / Stringer | Getty Images

Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Lexington Herald-Leader / Contributor | Getty Images

Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

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