FRANCESCA: That is Francesca (ph) calling from Paris, France, leaning out my window, applauding all of the hospital employees in France and around the globe who’re busting their butts to maintain us secure and wholesome. This podcast was recorded at…
SUSAN DAVIS, HOST:
2:11 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1.
(APPLAUSE)
FRANCESCA: Issues might have modified by the point you hear this, however we’ll be clapping in gratitude each night time. OK, here is the present.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE BIGTOP ORCHESTRA’S “TEETER BOARD: FOLIES BERGERE (MARCH AND TWO-STEP)”)
DAVIS: I believe that is one factor we will all clap at, Scott. That was fairly life affirming proper there.
SCOTT DETROW, BYLINE: Yeah. You already know, I’ve a buddy who lives in Manhattan, and she or he despatched me video the primary night time they did that in New York Metropolis. And I didn’t count on to be moved as a lot as I used to be. I ended up crying watching the video. But it surely’s simply – you realize, we’re all by ourselves in quite a lot of methods, however there’s a lot neighborhood occurring. And moments like that, I believe, have actually been significant for lots of people.
DAVIS: We will use a little bit feel-good proper now.
DETROW: Yeah.
DAVIS: Hey there. It is the NPR POLITICS PODCAST.
I am Susan Davis. I cowl Congress.
DETROW: I am Scott Detrow, and I am overlaying the White Home.
DAVIS: Say what now, Scott?
DETROW: Yeah, you realize, the primaries slowed down a little bit. And the White Home beat is a little bit bit extra busy for the time being, so I am serving to the White Home group for some time all through this coronavirus disaster.
DAVIS: Scott, you’re the final jack-of-all-trades. Every time there may be…
DETROW: (Laughter)
DAVIS: …A beat that is on hearth that wants anyone despatched to it, Scott Detrow is on the case. And we recognize you for it.
DETROW: I’ve collected quite a lot of beats through the years.
DAVIS: You completely have. And we’ll begin the podcast in the present day speaking in regards to the White Home as a result of yesterday on the White Home briefing, President Trump introduced some fairly breathtaking numbers in regards to the toll the coronavirus may tackle the nation, saying that we have to be ready to see an estimated 100,000 to 240,000 People doubtlessly die from the virus.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Whenever you see 100,000 people who’s – and that is at a minimal quantity. Now, what we’re taking a look at – and as many individuals as we’re speaking about – no matter we will do beneath that quantity and considerably beneath that quantity – we have carried out that via actually nice mitigation. We have carried out that via quite a lot of very devoted American people who, you realize – 100,000 is, in response to modeling, a really low quantity.
DAVIS: Now, public well being officers say these numbers are based mostly on present assumptions. It may get loads higher than that. However, Scott, the president was fairly clear. There’s some powerful days for the nation forward.
DETROW: And it is coming in a wave most probably over the following few weeks. Already, extra individuals have died from the coronavirus in the USA than died on 9/11, which, I believe, for many people is the, you realize, horrific marker in our lives. And now we’re speaking a few demise toll that is going to exceed quite a lot of American wars, and it is simply completely incomprehensible. And I believe watching that briefing final night time, it actually jumped out to me that this was a second that President Trump was very somber, very critical about this seemingly demise toll in a approach that he simply had not been up till that time in these briefings.
DAVIS: Nicely, the White Home has a plan to fight the virus, and so they’ve stated that their technique is to let states and native governments take the lead, the federal authorities clearly serving as backup, passing trillions of {dollars} in help that’s on its approach. However we wished to usher in a few of our native NPR station reporters to speak about the way it’s occurring the bottom within the states.
Welcome to the podcast. Please introduce yourselves.
SERGIO MARTINEZ-BELTRAN, BYLINE: Hello, I’m Sergio Martinez-Beltran. And I cowl state politics for WPLN information in Nashville, Tenn.
BENTE BIRKELAND, BYLINE: And I am Bente Birkeland. I cowl politics for Colorado Public Radio.
DAVIS: First, how are you guys doing and form of what’s life in your communities like proper now?
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: Nicely, you realize, simply one thing humorous – I assumed I had a regular-sized closet till I needed to get in it to document this…
DETROW: (Laughter).
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: …Podcast. After which I notice it is a tiny – perhaps a kid-sized closet. However, you realize…
DETROW: Every part’s relative.
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: (Laughter) However, you realize, we’re in self-quarantine, working from dwelling. The entire state is just about working from dwelling at this level. Now we have virtually 20,000 state staff working from dwelling as nicely, so, yeah, it is just about a ghost city for now.
BIRKELAND: The identical story in Colorado – we now have a work-from-home order, and Colorado Public Radio staff are working from houses. State authorities of us – our state legislature is on a short lived pause, so it is a radical shift from only a few weeks in the past by way of how our state was working.
DAVIS: Nicely, the president’s determination to let the states lead isn’t with out some criticism. This morning on Morning Version, retired Military Gen. Stanley McChrystal talked to Rachel Martin, and he was important of the president right here. And we should always notice that McChrystal is consulting for the town of Boston on how they’re responding to the virus.
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STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL: We shouldn’t be combating COVID-19 as 50 separate fights, 50 separate states and territories and, definitely, not at particular person municipal ranges. This must be a collaborative national-level battle.
DAVIS: So, Sergio, Bente, what is the view from the states on this?
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: So I am not seeing quite a lot of pushback, no less than in Tennessee. You already know, Gov. Invoice Lee is a Republican, and he is been very grateful for the federal authorities. In reality, yesterday, he introduced that the state had obtained a federal grant that will assist with psychological well being providers in underserved areas. Now, that grant was already, you realize, within the works earlier than the pandemic. However nonetheless, he is been very grateful about it. And he is speaking a few partnership with the federal authorities and the federal delegation, so no less than in Tennessee, Gov. Invoice Lee has not been criticizing the president.
BIRKELAND: In Colorado, we now have a Democratic governor, Jared Polis, however he is largely tried to keep away from criticizing President Trump, I might say. Up to now in our state, individuals have tried to place politics on the again burner. We’re seeing a few of that come up a little bit bit now, and we may even see extra as issues proceed. However Gov. Polis has talked in regards to the wants the state has and what he’d wish to see from the federal authorities by way of extra private protecting gear for well being care employees and ventilators and issues we’re listening to from states throughout the nation. However he additionally praised President Trump for giving Colorado a serious catastrophe declaration, and that may give us extra federal sources.
DAVIS: So do the states really feel like they’re getting what they want as of proper now?
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: I believe for now, the governor of Tennessee thinks that we’re receiving what we want at this level. However I believe he is very open to ask for extra, and he is truly anticipating extra assist from the federal authorities. You already know, it is anticipated that this illness will peak someday in April, no less than in Tennessee, so he is preparing for that and to ask for extra sources.
BIRKELAND: And I would not go up to now in Colorado as to say that folks really feel just like the state has what it wants. However by way of actually broad criticisms of the president, we’re not seeing that as a lot as we sometimes do. Now we have Democrats in command of each department of state authorities right here.
DETROW: And, Sue, in the event you broaden it out, I might say there’s been two massive areas of criticism for the federal authorities from governors. And a few of this flared up on a name that President Trump had with a number of governors earlier this week. The primary is a choice that the White Home made early on to have states attempt to purchase quite a lot of the gear they want themselves. The federal authorities is attempting to amass this gear and distribute it however so are the states, and that has led to a scenario that quite a lot of governors from each events have been annoyed at. One thing that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who’s been very high-profile all through this disaster, addressed yesterday when he was chatting with reporters.
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ANDREW CUOMO: It is like being on eBay with 50 different states, bidding on a ventilator. After which FEMA will get concerned, and FEMA begins bidding. So FEMA is driving up the worth.
DETROW: So you have had this with ventilators, with testing kits. The opposite level to say – it is one thing that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who’s, in fact, a Republican, instructed NPR earlier this week. They only disagree when President Trump says that testing is at an sufficient degree at this level. Hogan was saying it is simply not. We’d like extra assessments. We have to know who has this and who does not earlier than we will transfer ahead.
BIRKELAND: That is one thing we have heard loads in Colorado. Our governor repeatedly says we’re chasing this ghost, and we do not understand how many individuals have this or the place it is spreading. And I believe throughout the board, individuals really feel prefer it’s so tough to handle with out having all the data and information.
DAVIS: Scott, do you suppose that there’s political dangers for President Trump right here in that he has a really acknowledged and clear technique proper now that there does not appear to be overwhelming pushback from, as we’re listening to – that governors proper now are going together with it. However on the similar time, he is had a really fraught relationship with a few of them.
DETROW: Yeah. And you’ve got seen him tweak his method at completely different factors within the final couple weeks. There was a stretch the place he was actually going arduous after Michigan Gov., Gretchen Whitmer, who was criticizing the federal response. He turned to the private assaults that he typically turns to when he is criticized – nicknames, issues like that; actually blasting her personally. After which he abruptly backed off that over the previous couple of days and has made a degree to say, I am working with Michigan. I had a great name with the governor of Michigan. You already know, as I am certain you do keep in mind, Michigan is among the most essential states for the 2020 election. So I believe that was a part of the considering there. And likewise, Michigan is a state that’s among the many second wave of states that is actually seeing the numbers spike up, particularly within the Detroit space.
DAVIS: It is such an uncommon time as a result of I believe Bente’s so proper when she says that folks appear to have put politics to the aspect. I really feel that even in congressional campaigns and on the White Home. I imply, we have type of put marketing campaign season on pause. But it surely’s – we will not neglect that we’re nonetheless in the course of a presidential election. And it looks like that is going to have a serious impression on how this performs out in our elections. We simply do not know what that impression is but.
DETROW: Completely.
DAVIS: Nicely, let’s take a fast break. And after we get again, we’ll discuss extra about how states are addressing the pandemic.
And we’re again. And because the nation faces this pandemic, we now have seen states take very completely different approaches to it. I am interested in how your states have responded to this. Had been they fast to it? Had been they sluggish to it? And form of what did your governors grapple with as they made these selections?
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: The governor issued, this week, what he calls a safer-at-home order. For Gov. Invoice Lee, that signifies that nonessential companies, equivalent to barbershops and nail salons, will stay closed till April 14. After which important companies will be capable of stay open. Now, it isn’t a mandated shelter-in-place. The governor, you realize, has been very frightened about violating private liberties, so he says that by simply doing this encouragement, he is secure. And he’ll be capable of work issues out. And it is essential to notice, you realize, that we’re additionally seeing a rise within the numbers. Proper now over 80% of counties within the state are reporting circumstances, and we now have over 2,200 general confirmed circumstances within the state. That is from March 5, the place we reported the primary case within the state.
BIRKELAND: And in Colorado, our Democratic governor type of took a incremental method. We do have a statewide stay-at-home order that is been in impact for a few week now, however he wasn’t fast to leap on that. He was actually frightened in regards to the financial penalties, began off closing the ski business after which faculties after which bars and eating places. And he stated he was ready to see if these can be efficient sufficient. He considers these to be fairly excessive orders and hoped the state would not should do a stay-at-home order. However issues have been simply spreading too rapidly, and folk have been nonetheless transferring round an excessive amount of. And in order that’s why he put that in place.
DETROW: And, Sue, this dialog is bringing again my many, a few years that I spent as a state authorities reporter. And simply taking a look at all the steps that governors in Colorado and Tennessee and throughout the nation are taking for public well being functions, they’ll immediately make these governors’ lives a lot tougher later this yr when it is time for the state finances. It has been a few decade or so of fairly regular financial progress, and that has led to a lot simpler finances seasons, conversations about what to do with more money, proper? A whole lot of states are going to face huge, huge, huge deficits due to the economic system shutting down. So Andrew Cuomo goes to have this huge reputation that he is collected examined when he has to preside over some actually drastic finances cuts.
DAVIS: And this is not the one disaster your states are dealing with. I imply, Sergio, I take into consideration – Tennessee simply bought hit fairly arduous with some tornadoes.
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: Sure. And I am so glad you are bringing that up. You already know, we’re nonetheless in restoration mode in a approach. It was on Tremendous Tuesday, so, you realize, that is when lethal tornadoes touched down in Tennessee. There have been a number of deaths. You already know, counties have been destroyed. After which three days later, we had our first case of coronavirus in Tennessee, so it has been type of loopy actually. I imply, the governor and the legislature has been attempting to, like, rush issues and work on, you realize, a finances. We – Scott, we handed a finances within the state. It was an emergency finances. It was $900 million lower than what was initially proposed – quite a lot of cuts. However the normal meeting determined that it was the most effective factor to do, you realize? They wished to adjourn no less than till June after which come again and move, you realize, urgent laws. However for now, they’ve this emergency finances that – you realize, we do not know if it is going to be sufficient when the fiscal yr begins and this pandemic begins slowing down.
DAVIS: Yeah, I used to be on a convention name in the present day with Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi in regards to the subsequent section of laws Congress must do. And he or she, time and again and again, saved coming up to now that state governments are going to wish considerably more cash to make up for all these finances shortfalls and all the opposite form of inflow of money they’ll must get well. If it is a 50-state technique to battle it, it is also going to be a 50-state technique to get well from it. And that is going to be very, very costly.
BIRKELAND: And I believe state lawmakers and governors are nonetheless wrapping their heads across the concept of – they should recalibrate every thing once they do come again. It is a complete new world. And their legislative priorities that they wished to concentrate on – they could should be utterly scrapped.
DAVIS: All proper. Let’s depart it there for in the present day. Sergio Martinez-Beltran of WPLN in Nashville and Bente Birkeland of Colorado Public Radio, thanks each a lot for being on the podcast.
DETROW: Due to each of you.
BIRKELAND: Thanks.
MARTINEZ-BELTRAN: Thanks for having me.
DAVIS: And a reminder for our listeners – we’re fascinated with doing a Q&A episode later this week to reply your questions in regards to the politics and economics in regards to the coronavirus since these are the questions in our wheelhouse. Do not ask us well being care questions. We won’t offer you medical recommendation, however we might love to listen to your questions in any other case. And you’ll ship them to us through e-mail at nprpolitics@npr.org.
I am Susan Davis. I cowl Congress.
DETROW: I am Scott Detrow. I am overlaying the White Home.
DAVIS: And thanks for listening to the NPR POLITICS PODCAST.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE BIGTOP ORCHESTRA’S “TEETER BOARD: FOLIES BERGERE (MARCH AND TWO-STEP)”)
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