Sunday, April 5, 2020

(Sunday) – Major news-outlets (Wash Post, NY Times) starting to write detailed stories of how the USG (esp. Trump) dropped the ball in response to COVID-19. CDC getting bashed (in some respects rightly so). Much Monday morning quarterbacking. Thus far, I am coming out OK, but the response in general in being bashed. Global – 1,100,000/57000; USA – 311000/7700; Cases predicted to continue to rise and deaths increase over next week. Nice article in Washington Post on the relationship between Deb Birx and me. Beautiful profile of me on BBC audio featuring Chris and Peter Staley. I was sitting on steps of EEOB on a conference call reviewing countermeasure portfolio (BARDA) when a photographer from across the landscape (on Pebble beach) shot me and focused on my pokadot socks. It got tweeted around the country. “Birx has her scarfs and Fauci has his socks” Geeeez. Very amusing and notable dynamics at the TF meeting today. It is Sunday and we were supposed to have a relatively low-key meeting without a subsequent press conference. HOWEVER, as we began the TF meeting, we learned that the POTUS was joining us. He came in and in his usual rambling self starting going all over the lot and then said that we should have a press conference in 30 minutes since he wanted to give “good news’. Deb had been saying that the cases were starting to stabilize in NYC and in a couple of days we could speak about it. Jared wanted to talk about some good stuff regarding supply chain tomorrow. POTUS would have none of it. He wanted a press conference now. Everyone started scrambling to prepare. Of note, ADM John Polowczwk (“Adm P”) gave some data on supply chain. The POTUS loved and told John to get over to the WH for the press conference. John was dressed in his Combat Fatigues and clearly was terrified of appearing on TV when the rules are that you should wear the standard formal dress (not dress level) for TV appearances out of the combat zone. He felt that he would be reprimanded by superiors at the Pentagon. It was clear that he was very nervous and almost frozen. When people in the room explained to POTUS what was going on, POTUS said “Last time I looked, I was Commander in Chief and so get your ass down here now”. Then POTUS said: “Get Gen. Milley (Chair of the Joint Chiefs) on the phone and clear this up. Just then a Deputy Chair General go on the phone (not sure who it was) and said: “John, you are good to go. Get over to the White House in your combat fatigues.” All ended well, although Joh was still clearly nervous as he stood before the cameras at the WH briefing Room. Press: Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan; Press briefing in the White House press room after the TF meeting.