Thursday, July 9, 2020

Global USA >60,000 new cases yesterday! Things not going in the right direction at all, yet continued happy talk from the VP and the White House. Clearly I am the “skunk at the picnic”. Bob Redfield defending the fact that Trump forced CDC to change guidelines that Trump felt was too strict to open the schools. Bob is losing a lot of credibility. Trump wants to open the schools at all costs. Clearly he does not care about the safety of the chidren, PRESS: Hill TV with Steve Clemons – The Future of Healthcare; Press conference at IAS on COVID-19; CNN continues to quote me in opposition to Trump and as the ony person telling the truth. July 10. 2020 – Global – 12,000,000/546,000; USA – 3,110,000/133,000 Another record day with 68,000 cases. Approaching my prediction of ~100,000. Important meeting with Pence who asked to see for 20 minutes before today’s Task Force meeting. He obviously is concerned over the press making an open conflict between me and Trump. He explained how much respect and affection he had for me. He then asked me for advice about how we are doing. I said that I would be coldly honest with him. He agreed to accept that. I then told him that he is completely losing credibility when we have >60,000 new cases with increased hospitalizations and deaths and he starts off at the Pressers saying “We are in a good place”. I stressed that it would be best to establish credibility first by coming out right off and saying we have a big problem, but we are trying to address it in the Southern states that are involved as well as prevent such resurgences in other states. Then and only then could he say that we are in a better place and shape to respond than we were before. BUT, you must admit the problem first. He agreed and was clearly grateful that I was open and honest with him. I then told him that 19 years ago in this same room I sat with VP Cheney to discuss the Anthrax attacks. I have a photo of Cheney and me right here Pence asked where in the room I did this with Cheney and where was the picture taken. He then called in the WH photographer and took a photo of exactly where Cheney and I were sitting. He seemed to really enjoy that historic context. At the end of the TF meeting, he again thanked me for his conversation. Also, Mark Meadows called me and asked that we meet next week to straighten out the conflict between me and Trump. We shall see how that meeting turns out. I see him on Monday. PRESS: Podcast with American Dissected; CNN (especially Don Lemon, but also several others at CNN) hammering away at the Fauci versus Trump issue.