V25, N32 Thursday, April 30, 2020

Holcomb faces pressure to reopen Governor will announce reopening sequence on Friday as deaths mount By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – As Gov. Eric Holcomb prepares for what he describes as “halftime” on the COVID-19 pandem- ic, he faces pressure to begin reopening the state’s economy while infectious cases and deaths continue to mount and elude the apex. He is expected to revise his shutdown order at 2:30 p.m. Friday. On Thursday, Holcomb will meet with Vice President Mike Pence in Kokomo, where he will likely be lob- bied to reopen swiftly. His presumptive day of clusters that have not been adequately addressed. Democratic opponent, former state health commissioner So, that worries me deeply.” Woody Myers, says the state still lacks the necessary Holcomb and his pandemic response team will be adequate testing capacity. “We are not even at the end in the process of putting what is being billed as a gradual of the beginning of novel coronavirus, of COVID-19 in reopening order – in the governor’s hoops parlance the Indiana,” Dr. Myers said Wednesday. “We haven’t seen a sustained decrease in the number of cases. We certainly Continued on page 3 know that there are pockets that are being found every Future shock arrives By BRIAN A. HOWEY TRAFALGAR — I moved to a new condo in the early stages of this pandemic, and as I restored my per- sonal library, I found a coverless paperback edition of Alvin Toffler’s “Future Shock.” “What it has proven is that a In his introduction for the 1970 landmark book, Toffler explained, “I coined the term ‘future shock’ to drug can block this virus. This describe the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in will be the standard of care.” individuals by subjecting them to - Dr. Anthony Fauci, after Gilead too much change in too short of time.” Sciences report a major study With this coronavirus pan- run on the drug remdesivir had demic, we have essentially come to another pivot point in American shortened the time for COVID culture which has begun to unfold patients to recover by an average over the past six weeks, joining the American Revolution, the Civil of four days. Page 2 War, the 1929 stock market crash and column on Page 10. We read about the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor the Black and Bubonic plagues. Now and World War II, the assassination we get to experience one. A pandem- of President Kennedy, and 9/11 as ic inspires paranoia, loneliness, and events that inextricably changed our fears of a second Great Depression. lives. What we can’t quite fath- Howey Politics Indiana The dreary month of April om is how our culture is about to WWWHowey Media, LLC ends with more than a quarter million change. A few months back, entering c/o Business Office Hoosiers out of work, at least a thou- a convenience or liquor store with PO Box 6553 sand of us dead, while our favorite a mask on could get you shot by stores, restaurants and bars are on an alarmed clerk. Some of us fret- Kokomo, IN, 46904 the ropes. ted about a $1 trillion federal www.howeypolitics.com Toffler writes of budget deficit and the disap- the human experience pearance of Republican deficit Brian A. Howey, Publisher over the past 50,000 hawks. Within six weeks, that’s Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington years, with 62-year risen to $4 trillion and prompt- lifespans accounting ed Mitch McConnell to ponder Mary Lou Howey, Editor for 800 such lifetimes, shutting off the money spigot a Susan E. Joiner, Editor about 650 of which were year before a COVID vaccine is spent dwelling in caves. available. Subscriptions For most Hoosiers, the Derek Thompson writes 799th and 800th lives in The Atlantic that the wob- HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 were outside the agrar- bling department stores and HPI Weekly, $350 ian experience. shopping malls will be put out Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager Toffler wrote of a “super in- of their miseries, and that only 30% (765) 452-3936 telephone dustrialist” age marked by the advent of restaurants will likely make it. (765) 452-3973 fax of the car and airplane a century ago. “We are entering a new evolutionary [email protected] The new game changers of our time, stage of retail, in which big com- Google and the iPhone, are about to panies will get bigger, many mom- Contact HPI enter their third decade. I’ve long writ- and-pop dreams will burst, chains [email protected] ten that Americans face an existential will proliferate and flatten the idio- Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 crisis about every 80 years. COVID syncrasies of many neighborhoods, has arrived about 79 years after Pearl more economic activity will flow into Washington: 202.256.5822 Harbor. e-commerce, and restaurants will Business Office: 765.452.3936 In 1994, Toffler told New undergo a transformation unlike any- Scientist magazine, “We coined the thing the industry has experienced © 2020, Howey Politics phrase ‘future shock’ as an analogy since Prohibition,” Thompson writes. Indiana. All rights reserved. to the concept of culture shock. With “Some of these changes are violent future shock you stay in one place but interruptions to modern life, like the Photocopying, Internet forward- your own culture changes so rapidly closing of gyms and cessation of sit- ing, faxing or reproducing in any that it has the same disorienting effect down restaurant service. But in the form, whole or part, is a violation as going to another culture.” long term, COVID-19 probably won’t of federal law without permission In most of our lifetimes, the invent new behaviors and habits out from the publisher. ramifications of these cultural pivots of thin air as much as it will acceler- seemed to impact our lives around ate a number of preexisting trends.” the fringes. JFK’s death gave way to I excerpted Thompson’s Jack E. Howey the Beatles, Vietnam war protests, Atlantic article in Tuesday’s HPI Daily editor emeritus Watergate and the growing distrust Wire, just above a Muncie Star Press 1926-2019 of government. Sept. 11 brought the story about Jack’s Camera Shop notion of entering an airline without downtown closing its brick and mor- shampoo bottles in your luggage and tar shop. “It was a tough call, but if with your shoes and belts off, along we continued we wouldn’t have even with billions of dollars of security been able to make the online jump,” costs. said Mike Powell. The pandemic of 2020 is the More disturbing in that April arrival of what was once an academic 28 Daily Wire was the notion of food exercise, as Craig Dunn writes in his shortages. “The food supply chain is Page 3 breaking,” wrote board chairman John Tyson in a full-page from the White House, which stalled, then called on pri- advertisement published Sunday in The New York Times, vate enterprise, which couldn’t deliver. Washington Post and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette following “It turns out that everything has a cost, and the closure of packing plants in Logansport and in Water- years of attacking government, squeezing it dry and drain- loo, Iowa. “There will be limited supply of our products ing its morale inflict a heavy cost that the public has to pay available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our in lives,” Packer continues. “All the programs defunded, facilities that are currently closed.” stockpiles depleted, and plans scrapped meant that we Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot talked of the had become a second-rate nation. Then came the virus Cubs and White Sox returning to the friendly confines as and this strange defeat.” well as 35th and Shields, sans fans. Fox News reported Associated Press reporter Calvin Woodward put that 80% of survey respondents wouldn’t feel safe return- it this way on April 24: “When the coronavirus pandemic ing to work. A Politico/Morning Consult poll revealed 73% came from distant lands to the United States, it was met think Americans should continue social distancing, even with cascading failures and incompetencies by a system if it means continued damage to the U.S. economy, while that exists to prepare, protect, prevent and cut citizens a 79% believe that second wave is very or somewhat likely. check in a national crisis. The molecular menace posed by Toffler adds, “Future shock is a time phenomenon, the new coronavirus has shaken the conceit of ‘American a product of the greatly accelerated rate of change in soci- exceptionalism’ like nothing big enough to see with your ety. It arises from the superimposition of a new culture on own eyes.” an old one.” Through all this uncertainty, alarm, disease and While President death, there are rays of hope. Trump kicked off his rule Hoosier first responders are hold- with what was roundly ing parades for health care workers described as a “dystopian” in The Region. Sewing clubs have element (or, as George W. sprung up to fill the need for PPE Bush said of the inaugural the federal stockpile was unable to address, “That was some deliver. weird shit”), George Packer Driving north of SR135 in in The Atlantic describes Trafalgar last Saturday was to find a America as a “failed state,” line of about 50 cars waiting to pick writing: “Every morning in up a drive-thru meal from the Crow- the endless month of March, bar Inn and Lounge. These were Americans woke up to find themselves citizens of a failed Hoosiers ready and willing to support their local watering state. With no national plan – no coherent instructions at hole after a month of distress. all – families, schools, and offices were left to decide on “Trafalgar is a special place,” owner Brian Mas- their own whether to shut down and take shelter. When chino told Fox59 last year. “People definitely bend over test kits, masks, gowns, and ventilators were found to be backwards to help you out and my wife and I are blessed in desperately short supply, governors pleaded for them that Trafalgar accepted us.”. v

is speculation that the official data represents only those Reopening, from page 1 known cases and does not reflect deaths and infections “second quarter” – though the governor has said it won’t not officially tied to COVID-19. be like “flipping on the light switch.” Holcomb will be making his reopening decisions “When I say we’re going to make the final deci- not in isolation, but in a stew of unknowns. Because of a sion at midnight Thursday, maybe the ink will still be wet lack of a coherent federal coordination, resulting in less on Friday, we’re going to use all of our time to be best than 2% of the American population being tested, Hol- informed on Friday,” Holcomb said at his pandemic brief- comb and ISDH and county health officials don’t know the ing on Tuesday. “We’re not going to try to short-circuit extent of the virus spread, because many human vectors it, we’re not going to cut corners. We’re going to use the have been and are asymptomatic. On Tuesday, Holcomb latest information.” and chief medical officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver announced It will be the beginning of the process that comes that OptumService will conduct 100,000 tests per month at with the hard part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the re- 50 locations around the state. opening of business that was effectively shut down six “Launching this partnership with Optum further weeks ago, resulting in the most jobless claims since the expands Indiana’s COVID-19 testing capacity,” Holcomb Great Depression. The virus has resulted in more than explained. “These free tests will be available in locations 900 deaths and 16,000 infections, according to official across the state, ensuring even more Hoosiers who have data from the Indiana State Department of Health. There symptoms or an affected family member can get tested for Page 4 ing, appearing at the Mayo Clinic, but refusing to wear a face mask in violation of the Clinic’s policy. Trump an- nounced a “blueprint” that would give states federal resources to test 2% of their populations monthly, a drop in the pandemic bucket. “They had everything they needed. They had their ventilators; they had their testing,” Trump told the governors. “We’re getting them what they need.” Also on that conference call, Trump encouraged governors to reopen schools this coronavirus.” academic year. “Some of you might start to think about The resulting data won’t be available until June school openings,” Trump told the governors. “I think it’s or July, well after Holcomb & Company will have to make something … they can seriously consider and maybe get crucial decisions on what businesses can reopen, whether going on it.” K-12 schools and universities will be able to physically On Tuesday, Trump signed a War Production Act open for the fall semester, or whether they will have to order mandating meatpacking plants to reopen. Late last continue on a virtual, online basis. It will impact restau- week, Tyson and Indiana Packers plants in Logansport and rants, that experienced the loss of close to an estimated Delphi closed, with scores of COVID cases affecting work- $1 billion in revenue this terrible month. ers, some of whom stayed home due to the risk. “This testing ... is a key part of the whole equa- Holcomb will be making these decisions with the tion that we have to get dialed in correctly,” Holcomb said, state nearing the apex of the curve, while hotspots con- which is a distinct departure from the Trump administra- tinue to develop among the meat packing industry, nursing tion’s position. In early March, President Trump errone- homes, the prison system and in some county jails, and ously said that any American wanting a test could get one. in the northwest Region adjacent to Chicago, where cases It simply wasn’t true. and deaths continue to rise. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hog- Trump and Pence have been pushing governors sett extended his stay-at-home order to May 15 today. to quickly reopen their economies. Last week, the two Holcomb was asked on Tuesday whether Lake pressed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on that front before County was ready to reopen with Chicago still in the throes Trump undercut him, saying he “strongly disagreed” with of the upward coronavirus curve. He was also pressed the decision. “No governor wants to endure the same on Trump’s order to reopen the meatpacking plants. He wrath as Brian Kemp,” a top adviser to a Republican gover- stressed a regional approach. “Questions will be answered nor said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to CNN. by the numbers. It’s not just looking at the positive cases,” Trump and Pence have been remarkably inconsis- he said. “It’s where does that lead you? I have always said tent on the federal COVID response, downplaying COVID we have to make sure we protect the health care system, for six crucial weeks in February and March, and promis- the health care network. We’re very fortunate ... right out ing testing that didn’t materialize for weeks. On Monday, of the gate, our health care system ... we’re going to col- a reporter asked Pence what happened to the four million laborate. We’re going to pool our resources. We’re going tests he had promised by mid-March, a threshold that to be able to, if resources are depleted or rooms are filled wasn’t achieved until April 20. Pence responded by claim- up in one hospital, we can partner with another nearby in ing four million tests were conducted by early April, but a that district. That has enabled us to make progress along lag in processing the tests made the numbers seem lower. the way.” “So when you said four million tests, you were talking On that front, the Holcomb administration gets about tests being sent out, not actually completed?” asked high marks on its management of this pandemic despite the reporter. “Precisely correct,” said Pence. the lack of testing and tracing data. In preparation for the On Tuesday, Pence stepped on his own messag- pandemic surge, the state doubled the number of ICU Page 5 beds (3,264 capacity and ventilators (3,189 capacity). On Heerens said. “You hear the governor and Dr. (Kristina) Tuesday, ISDH reported 43.4% of ICU beds available with Box talk almost every day about the facts and data. Facts 17.5% in use due to COVID, while 79.9% of ventilators and data are so important in crafting the executive orders were available (8.2% were being used by COVID patients). so they stay in bounds with the law. “I’ve just got to stress ... we don’t know when “I think what’s important here, as the facts and this is going to taper off, but we do know it’s going to take data change, that you make timely adjustments to the awhile,” Holcomb said. “So we know we’re going to oper- executive orders to keep them in bounds with the law,” He- ate in this posture; we’re going to have to approach this in rens continued. “Those are things we have started to do. two- or three-week increments. To date, that allows us to So on Monday we allowed elective (surgical) procedures to make these decisions.” resume. The emergency management for state provides “As much as we’ve done over the last couple of for 30-day increments. He can renew that, as he has done months, we’ve got a lot more to do and a lot more work once already. That’s important because these situations are ahead of us,” Holcomb said on Tuesday. “I know a lot limited in duration, they are temporary and not intended to of folks understandably – and we are too, – are focused be permanent. This is a limited situation.” on this Friday. Our daily lives, our once daily habits have changed. That’s why we are working around the clock on Holcomb and Pence those updates, but I want to underscore everything that Toward the end of Tuesday’s virtual press confer- you’ve been doing, to flatten the curve, to slow the spread ence, Holcomb was asked about his relationship with Vice we find ourselves in a position to make the new decisions President Pence, who will be in Kokomo later today visit- about how we move forward. It’s all been an effort to slow ing the GM plant that is now making ventilators. Holcomb the spread, flatten the curve and not overwhelm the health will join the vice president. “You should ask him,” Holcomb care system. That’s just been essential. Your non-actions said, though the former Indiana governor no longer avails have been instrumental in putting us in this position. We’re himself to Hoosier reporters. going to get the work done between now and 2:30 Friday Pence was the initial face of the coronavirus fed- with some updates.” eral response, until President Trump saw the daily briefings At Wednesday’s briefing, Holcomb added, “We’re as a way to reach his political base. He eclipsed Pence, going to have this month, after month, after month. It’s HHS Sec. Alex Azar and Surgeon General Jerome Adams how we manage the cases,” adding that this will be “the for much of the past month, claiming his “ratings” were new normal.” Said Holcomb, “We’re in the second quarter,” good. Trump and Pence now appear to view reopening the he said, using a basketball analogy. “We’re coming out of economy as crucial to their reelection chances in Novem- the locker at halftime.” ber. But reopening economies too soon is fraught with While Purdue University said it would continue policy and political danger, with epidemiologists warning employees working from home through June and President that a premature response brings the risk of another spike Mitch Daniels stressing the goal to reopen campus for the in cases, necessitating additional societal restrictions. fall semester, Holcomb said, “As for colleges and universi- While the Trump administration has proved to be ties, just like K-12, that’s a decision not too far off. It’s in a riot of ineptitude and contradiction, Gov. Holcomb has the month of May where we’re going to have to make that emerged from this crisis widely viewed as a wise leader. He decision. We’re going to receive input from our institu- has kept the lines of communication with Trump and Pence tions of higher learning and will also be working with them open, but has staked his own course. to (determine) how they will safely accommodate their “Our requests tend not to sit on a desk very long,” students; what the numbers are on the ground. So stay Holcomb said of his predecessor, though the governor has tuned.” said for weeks he has pushed the Trump administration for Holcomb lauded the 6.8 million Hoosiers, most more testing. “We’ve had a good shooting percentage for of whom followed his stay-at-home order that took effect requests we’ve asked for, waivers we’ve asked for. I don’t on March 17. “Make no mistake about it, all of the invest- want to assume any favoritism because the administra- ments we need to make, you can’t relax your physical tion has been good at constant contact, not just with me distancing,” Holcomb said Tuesday. “That’s made quite a because the vice president calls Indiana his home state. difference. The proof is in the numbers. I don’t want to They’ve been in contact with everybody, so they are very take a step back because we relaxed our behaviors. Our accessible.” Friday plan will reflect ... so that we can continue this On that front, even Democratic governors from progress.” Michigan and Washington have said that Pence has been Holcomb addressed the constitutionality of his ex- accessible and frequently in contact. ecutive orders. “I’m confident everything has been consti- “Last week he called when I was in here,” Holcomb tutional,” he said, before his general counsel, Joe Heerens, said. “And he called after the fact, just to check in. I don’t addressed the presser. “From that first executive order on think they are showing any favoritism, but just appreciating March 6 issued by the governor, we crafted the executive our requests don’t linger.” v orders in a way that keeps them in bounds with the law,” Page 6

n Exclude small businesses, with fewer than 100 employees, from obligations to pay higher unemployment Dr. Myers releases insurance premium rates for at least one year. “Although Gov. Holcomb acknowledges small busi- business recovery plan nesses are our economic drivers, he’s done little if any- thing to help them survive social distancing measures and By BRIAN A. HOWEY forced closures other than informing them they’re eligible INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s presumptive Demo- for federal assistance,” Myers said. “Hoosiers are strong cratic nominee for governor, Dr. Woody Myers, is releasing and we’ll rise above the health and economic crises even a small business recovery plan to help better protect work- stronger if we act now on a comprehensive recovery plan. er lives and speed economic recovery. The plan, titled Help It will take vision and creativity and, most importantly, for Hoosier Small Businesses Amid the Coronavirus Eco- strong leadership.” nomic Fallout, is the latest installment of Myers’ Map – A New Way. “Since the start of the pandemic I’ve proposed Indiana take a more aggressive Myers tests negative approach to fighting the coronavi- Dr. Myers was tested for coronavirus and reported rus,” Myers said. “I was the first to last weekend he was negative. “I am happy to share the call for the closure of schools, an good news that I received my coronavirus test results inventory of health resources, help today and am, fortunately, negative,” Myers said Sunday. for working families, and more “I now understand in a very personal way the anxiety testing. I’ve laid out my vision thousands of Hoosiers feel every day waiting for their for making Indiana a leader in building a national medical test results. But, testing is so important, both as a part of supply chain so that health care professionals never face taking care of yourself and your family and for providing medical supply shortages again and we aren’t dependent good public health information so we can actively target on foreign suppliers. resources to fight the virus. We must do more as a state to “Preparing to reopen our economy should involve ensure that any Hoosier that wants a test, gets a test.” a plan to help small businesses and Hoosier workers recov- Last Friday, Myers said the state isn’t doing er,” the doctor, successful businessman and former Indiana enough COVID-19 testing. He said state should be con- state health commissioner, continued. “This plan addresses ducting 10,000 tests per day to meet guidelines from that and more.” national experts. Researchers at Harvard University have The latest plan pledges that as governor, Myers suggested a daily minimum of 152 tests per 100,000 would: individuals. “We’ve got to ramp it up,” Myers said. “If we n Establish a state stimulus program to infuse are going to reopen the economy sooner rather than later more money into our small businesses, including those then we have got to dramatically increase the availability hard-hit minority-, women-, veteran-, and disability-owned of testing in our state.” businesses for payroll, operational expenses, and working capital to help bail out our biggest job creators. 5th CD n Form a Small Business Recovery Task Force to help get Hoosier businesses back up and running and to Burton endorses Henderson identify and remove legislative obstacles now in their way. Former congressman Dan Burton announced his n Create a robust Buy Indiana First campaign to endorsement of Beth Henderson for Congress. “I sup- encourage Hoosiers to buy from Indiana small businesses. port Beth Henderson because she is a strong supporter n Establish an incentive program to support of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, the Right to Hoosier manufacturers producing protective medical equip- Life — and she is a fiscal conservative,” said Burton. “Beth ment for Indiana medical professionals and first-respond- will work with President Trump and Vice President Pence ers. to solve our Health Care Problems. Beth also supports a n Delegate small business navigators to help strong national defense and a strong American foreign small business owners, and in particular those in our mi- policy. She’s nice but she is tough!” “It’s such an honor to nority communities, sort through loan and grant programs receive Congressman Burton’s endorsement,” said Hender- and apply for financial assistance. son. “He is the epitome of a public servant, and my goal is n Create a state-subsidized meals program to to represent the 5th District with the same level of integri- make meals for Hoosier homebound seniors prepared by ty and dedication that Congressman Burton demonstrated local restaurants and to the fullest extent possible using throughout his career.” Henderson has been named to food grown by Hoosier farmers to support our restaurant the NRCC’s Young Guns program yesterday and has been industry, create jobs, and generate sales tax revenue for endorsed by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas on Friday. Hen- local governments, while also providing an important pub- derson has also been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, lic service. Indiana Right to Life, Luke Kenley, and State Rep. Tony Cook. Page 7 Brizzi begins TV ads CNN. Shifting the blame away from himself, Trump berated Former Marion County prosecutor and candidate Parscale for a recent spate of damaging poll numbers, for Indiana’s 5th CD Carl Brizzi launched his first TV ad even at one point threatening to sue Parscale. It’s not on Monday. Brizzi takes a stand to punch back and hold clear how serious the President’s threat of a lawsuit was. the Chinese government accountable. “China lied about President Trump told Reuters on Wednesday the virus. They poisoned Americans and caused unneces- he does not believe opinion polls that show his likely sary deaths. They have destroyed our economy costing us Democratic presidential opponent, Joe Biden, leading in trillions. They have even infiltrated our southern border. the 2020 race for the White House (Reuters). During an China is not a responsible global actor. President Trump interview in the Oval Office, the Republican president said and I will hold the Chinese government accountable. We’ll he did not expect the election to be a referendum on his build the wall and break our dependency on China.” HPI handling of the coronavirus pandemic and added he was Republican Primary Status: Tossup surprised the former vice president was doing well. “I don’t believe the polls,” Trump said. “I believe the people Presidential 2020 of this country are smart. And I don’t think that they will put a man in who’s incompetent.” Trump blasts campaign manager, polls Said Republican pollster Geoff Garin: “What we’re As he huddled with advisers on Friday evening, seeing in polls is that Trump’s personal ratings have gone President Donald Trump was still fuming over his sliding down even more than his job approval ratings. And what poll numbers and the onslaught of criticism he was facing that tells me is that all of Trump’s antics are taking a toll for suggesting a day earlier that ingesting disinfectant on his vote because now more than ever people see his might prove effective against coronavirus (CNN). Within lack of judgment and lack of temperament as being conse- moments, the President was shouting -- not at the aides in quential.” v the room, but into the phone -- at his campaign manager Brad Parscale, three people familiar with the matter told Page 8

Now, instead of grilling reality television show con- testants about their weekly tasks, he’s the moderator and In your face, from host of a daily reality show who is publicly grilling subor- dinates and putting high-ranking guest stars on the spot. LBJ to Trump It’s the Trump version of a tree falling in a forest with no one to hear. If the grilling happened and no cameras were By PETE SEAT present, did it really happen? INDIANAPOLIS — Everyone who had something The interrogations range from the mundane – like he wanted met the same fate. The imposing 6-foot 3-inch when he asked House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to senator turned vice president turned president would confirm the day of an upcoming vote at the most recent hover above his target, inches from their face, cajoling Earth Day and Arbor Day event; to the harmless – asking them into political submission. then-Secretary Jim Mattis to confirm that we are, in fact, It was called the “Johnson “making ourselves very strong again;” to the potentially Treatment” and was such a harmful – inquiring as to whether Acting Under Secretary dominant part of Johnson’s lore William Bryan and the Department of Homeland Security that it commands an exhibit at would study the feasibility of an “injection” of disinfectants his presidential library. into the human body to combat coronavirus. (For the Seven presidents later, record, Trump later called this line of questioning “sarcas- George W. Bush became known, tic” and said he never once asked anyone to actually inject at least privately, for grilling ad- disinfectant into their body.) visors in what we called “policy Sometimes, he doesn’t ask a question, but time” in the Bush White House. instead calls people up to the microphone to “say a few In a timely reflection written on words.” Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway the occasion of the dedication were both called up to great fanfare at a Fort Wayne rally of the George W. Bush President Center, former National the day before the 2018 election. And Mike Braun, our Economic Council Director Keith Hennessey, now a Stan- then-candidate and now senator, was welcomed on stage ford lecturer, wrote about the “Bush Treatment” – my at multiple events, iconic blue shirt and all. Improvisation- description, not his. al theatre training should be a prerequisite for senior staff “Every meeting was a dialogue,” Hennessey re- and all future political endorsements. called. “And you had to be ready at all times to be grilled Away from the campaign trail, Trump asked three by him and to defend both your analysis and your recom- players and the chairman of the Stanley Cup champion St. mendation. That was scary.” Louis Blues to, you guessed A decade after Bush left office, it, “say a few words,” during a the current occupant of the White House victory celebration in the Rose has his own way of doing things. Like Garden. And who could forget Johnson he twists arms through negotia- when Trump put every single tion and charm. Like Bush he peppers member of his cabinet on the aides with questions. But this president spot, “Apprentice” style, to doesn’t do it in private. He does it all share their thoughts on the in the eye of the camera. This is the first six months of the adminis- “Trump Treatment.” And no one is im- tration? mune. Trump puts the media We were first introduced on the spot, too, by demand- to the Trump Treatment in “The Ap- ing they turn the camera to prentice” boardroom. It was there that show crowd sizes at rallies or pre-candidate Trump “would ask a lot of dismissing their questions as very to-the-point questions, he would “unfair” as he did with Fox New put people on the spot, he would get in- Radio’s Jon Decker on Monday. formation about contestants that would I have yet to hear a question make the other ones mad at them,” come from Decker in over 10 according to Mike DeMatteo, a member years of knowing him that is of the show’s production crew. A former worthy of a response, so kudos contestant, Season 6’s Heidi Androl, to Trump on that one. echoed the observation. “One thing he So, why does Trump do it? I can’t pretend to loves to do [in the boardroom] is put people on the spot understand his psyche (I’m not a paid television commen- – he’s said he’s never debated before, but he’s certainly tator, after all). But I do have a few ideas. One idea is that been a moderator in many instances on ‘The Apprentice’.” the hard, impossible to answer, questions are often asked Page 9 of senior administration officials as a way to provide Trump Come to think of it, we may have just figured out cover. Think I’m crazy? He/she agrees! Trump’s question- the opening exhibit at the Donald J. Trump Presidential ing of Acting Under Secretary Bryan fits into this category. Library and Museum. Step right up and say a few words. Another idea is he likes to lend the Trump aura, The television cameras are rolling and the hot lights are free of charge, to those around him from time to time. glowing. You’re on the spot. v For all the grief he gets for his ego, Trump regularly steps aside and welcomes others to the podium to get their Pete Seat is a former White House spokesman for moment in the spotlight. Yet another idea is that he thinks President George W. Bush and campaign spokes- the public grillings demonstrate leadership and show man for former Director of National Intelligence curiosity. His critics knock him for lacking intellectual heft, and U.S. Senator Dan Coats. Currently he is a vice so what better way to show he’s thinking an issue through president with Bose Public Affairs Group in India- than to ask questions in front of everyone? More transpar- napolis. He is also an Atlantic Council Millennium ency and fewer leaks could put the New York Times out of Fellow and author of the 2014 book,“The War on business. Millennials.”

legislature and courts thought the virus would help them. They counted on fear of the virus to suppress Democratic COVID isn’t Republican votes, especially in Milwaukee, in refusing to postpone the primary election. Turned out, however, that it wasn’t a or Democrat virus Republican-friendly virus. Angry Democrats stood in line to By JACK COLWELL vote anyway, helping to pull off a major upset, defeating a SOUTH BEND – Is that coronavirus a Republican Wisconsin Supreme Court ultra-conservative judge sup- or a Democrat? ported by President Trump. President Trump, who takes everything so person- In Indiana, Democrats hope that the president’s ally, must think the virus is a Democrat. He resents it for handling of the pandemic will diminish his high popularity ruining the robust economy he was counting on to assure with Hoosiers and bring more Democratic victories in legis- reelection. He fumes about what the virus did to him. lative races. Well, a poll last week by Indy Politics/Change Unfair. No sympathy for him from the “fake news” White showed Trump with a lead of 13 percentage points over House reporters or from Demo- Biden in Indiana. Doesn’t look like the coronavirus han- crats promoting a “hoax” about dling has much pro-Democratic appeal with Hoosiers. his handling of the pandemic. In Michigan, it’s a different story. A new Fox poll Wait. Could that virus be shows Biden with a lead of 8 percentage points in the key a Republican? Look at the way battleground state. A Reuters poll shows the same per- Joe Biden, now virtually sure to centage. And Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, ridiculed by Trump be Trump’s Democratic challenger, as Half-Whit-mer, is shown in polls with much higher ap- is forced to do interviews from his proval than Trump. With all of the attention, she is emerg- basement, with not exactly quality ing as a top contender for the Democratic nomination for video. He can’t get out for fund- vice president. raising events to try to catch up In New York, where the coronavirus has been so with Trump’s huge lead in funds. devastating, so deadly, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has shot up Bernie and Barack endorse him, in approval ratings. From days not long ago when he was and that GOP coronavirus knocks it out of headline news. hovering around 50% and regarded as not very likable, Unfair. Cuomo zoomed to an amazing 77% approval. Affix a political label on the virus? Dr. Anthony In the nation, a new Hill-HarrisX poll finds 58% Fauci wouldn’t do so. There’s no scientific or medical basis approving of Trump’s performance in stimulating jobs and for that. But the virus certainly has become political. The 51% approving of his handling of the coronavirus out- coronavirus is blamed by one side or the other in this break. Skyrocketing approval in New York for a Democratic culturally divided nation as a threat to take away guns, to governor doesn’t mean much for the presidential race. prevent access to abortion, to block religious worship, to Trump never had a chance to carry New York anyway. But subvert the right to vote, to kill the economic future of the approval ratings nationally give an indication of whether young, to kill off senior citizens. he maintains the base needed to win. While this terrible virus should be confronted in a Is the coronavirus a Republican or a Democrat? v bipartisan way, there is limited bipartisanship. So, is the coronavirus a Republican or a Democrat in its political Colwell has covered Indiana politics over five de- impact? cades for the South Bend Tribune. In Wisconsin, Republicans controlling the state Page 10

for any alarm. In March and early April, the plague spread westward through London from the poorer neighborhoods Studying the London into the wealthier parishes. Those who had the financial resources loaded up their belongings and their most valu- panemic of 1665 able servants and moved out of congested London, bound By CRAIG DUNN for the safer rural areas. The poor and laborers were left KOKOMO — A person’s memory can be a strange behind to weather the storm. Defoe’s uncle was a saddle thing. Long ago experiences may be repressed for many maker and was in a prime occupation to witness the years before some event triggers their remembrance. Just scourge which was to come. the other night I woke in the early morning hours and the Most people were in denial when the plague following thought crossed my mind, “Journal of the Plague entered their parish. They had not altered their personal Year.” I know I read something like this. Who was the habits in any way and were shocked when they first heard author? Who was the evil teacher who forced me to read the wails and crying coming from homes where the plague it? What in the world was it about? All that I could remem- had taken its toll. Soon, the king issued an edict delegat- ber was that some old English author wrote a boring book ing power to mayors and public officials to take whatever about a plague in London. Who actions they felt were important to stop the spread of the was tormenting me like this? disease. The king also banned dramatic plays, festivals, The next morning I took organized fights and any other public gatherings. my cup of coffee and headed There was a desperate scramble for vinegar for my computer. I was curi- which was used to wipe down everything and everyone in ous whether there had been homes seeking to avoid the unseen pathogen. Homes with anything in that book that even any resident having the plague were ordered locked up, vaguely resembled the experi- with the windows closed, for 40 days or until either every- ence that we are all having at one was healthy or everyone was dead. The homes were this time in history. Much to guarded in 12-hour shifts by two watchmen, who made my shock and amazement, life sure that no one escaped. Minimal food was delivered and in 1665 London, England, held left in a basket by the door, but mainly it was those homes much in common with our mod- who were prepared and had adequate provisions who ern day version of the plague. survived the 40 days. This led to a scramble by those with As I began to reread Daniel Defoe’s Journal of the “Plague resources to stockpile needed or perceived necessities. Year,” it dawned on me that perhaps it wasn’t that bad The poor or those who failed to prepare were left to suffer. an idea to make the book required reading in an English The dirtiest work of caring for the sick, removing Literature course. I wish I could tell my late teacher, Mrs. refuse, making food and serving as watchmen was done Heaton, that she was a pretty good teacher. by those who were poor and didn’t have the luxury of Daniel Defoe’s book was published in 1722. He remaining indoors or escaping to the countryside. had been only five years old at the time of the great 1665 Of course, people suffered separation and isolation London Plague. The journal is reported to have been no better in 1665 than they do today and, inevitably, the originally written by Defoe’s uncle Henry Foe. Whether the search for food and provisions drove many a quarantined book is non-fiction or historical fiction is not important. person to crawl out of a window and try and escape. This The parallels of the London plague of 1665 and the Co- reasonable action achieved little but the further spread of vid-19 plague of today are surprisingly similar and perhaps the disease. instructive. As the bodies began to literally pile up in the In early 1665, a rumor began that the Bubonic streets, people flocked into churches seeking divine pro- Plague had started up again in France, born by traveling tection from the plague. Eventually, most of the churches merchant sailors from Turkey. The plague had first moved in London came to the conclusion that they had become a from a very small village and then infected merchants do- breeding ground for the transmission of the plague. Minis- ing business with the Dutch in Holland. At first, the English ters joined the migration to the countryside and left their felt safe from the disease because of separation of Holland parishes empty. The few churches that remained open from England by the English Channel. That comfort soon quickly succumbed to the disease and the plague sliced dissipated in February when the first reported cases of the through clergy and parishioner with equal deadliness. plague showed up on the east side of London. It wasn’t long before those towns surrounding Despite learning of the presence of the plague in London grew suspicious and then intolerant of anyone on their city, most people did not give it a second thought and the road from London. Small militias denied passage to went about their lives like there was no danger. London the London immigrants as thousands desperately tried to was divided into over 60 parishes at the time and until escape. the plague showed up in your parish, there was no call The disease ran its course throughout the summer and autumn of 1665 as over 25% of London’s population Page 11 died from the plague. One hundred thousand souls were The wonder of life went on, the misery of the piled into horse-drawn carts and taken to mass graves plague was forgotten and I was forced to read a journal where they were buried by king’s decree six feet deep. in my freshman literature class about events in a land far As the disease began its gradual decline from away. Defoe finished this journal with a short verse which the peak deaths of 2,000 or 3,000 Londoners per day, the summed up his feelings: citizens of the city began to feel liberated and almost over- “A dreadful plague in London was night the streets went from nearly empty to completely In the year sixty-five, full. Life returned to a state of normalcy. Many of those Which swept an hundred thousand souls who thronged the streets with raised arms praising God for Away; yet I alive!” v his deliverance soon slipped into their former sinful selves.

centers. Many times, County A did not want to be included with County B and lobbied to be associated with County C. It’s raining regions Often it was difficult to decide if Greene County should be By MORTON J. MARCUS with Monroe or Vigo. Did Kosciusko belong with Elkhart or INDIANAPOLIS — Sequestration gives me time Allen? Is LaPorte County appropriately aligned with Lake for more things with limited use. Recently, I’ve been devel- and Porter to the west or St. Joseph to the east? oping a comprehensive spreadsheet of Indiana regions. Slowly, organizing regions became a laissez faire Regions, composed of individual counties, sug- circus whereby any two consenting and contiguous coun- gest cooperation in taking advantage of their differences. ties could become a region. Any county could belong to as Together, counties also can achieve many regions as there were reasons for regions to exist. common goals they could not Of course, every region required a regional stra- attain on their own. Back in the tegic plan, preceded by a regional analysis of strengths mid-1970s, Indiana was cut up into and weaknesses plus opportunities and threats (SWOT). many different county configura- These analyses and plans could be provided by in-house tions called regions. No one set of neophytes or out-house consultants. The time and money regions served all purposes. Many allocated to such efforts was measured in minutes and were in response to federal or state hours or months and years. funding administrative require- Often little substantive difference could be ments. found between the five-page stapled report and that of 50 There were always disagree- pages, except for the paper and binding used in the final ments about which counties should material manifestation of the effort. Graphics (now called be associated with which other visualizations) and PowerPoint presentations became de counties. Library and hospital regions could not possibly rigueur. be alike. So too, transportation planning and economic Regions were always composed of next-door development regions, despite their similar natures, were counties. However, it might be best to organize counties always different. according their similarities rather than their proximities. Sometimes the reason for regions was to re- Counties with strong manufacturing profiles might be bet- duce administrative costs for the state. Dealing with nine ter focused if not lumped together with counties where regions was easier for tourism or agriculture dominate. legislators and administra- Today regions are founded on tors than confronting 92 ground transportation and political counties. Regions could be maps. Perhaps our regional con- used to require cooperation cepts need modernization. among neighbors despite Next week, if noth- historic hostilities and com- ing more exciting comes along, petitive incentives. I might have some additional Some regional thoughts about Hoosier regional alignments encompassed thinking. v all 92 counties in the state. Others focused on only a Mr. Marcus is an economist. few counties and bounced Reach him at mortonjmar- rural counties around [email protected]. Follow his because they had no views and those of John Guy clear ties to nearby urban on “Who gets what?” Page 12

for some of the largest hotel chains, airlines and cruise lines in the world in the CARES Act, but he worked to strip McConnell’s insane war every dollar meant for local government from this latest COVID-19 relief bill. Even President Trump tweeted as late on local government as Tuesday, April 21, that once this most recent package By SHAW FRIEDMAN was signed, he wanted to begin discussions about legisla- LaPORTE — As an attorney who represents tion for “fiscal relief to state/local governments for lost several local government entities, it was just a week ago revenues from COVID-19.” that I was closely following negotiations on the COVID As much as this Democratic partisan would like 3.5 package and had become very hopeful that Saturday, to blame the president for this, I can’t. There’s every indi- April 18. Why? cation that had McConnell not objected, the White House Because both the non- would have gone along with the Pelosi/Schumer relief plan partisan National Association of for local government. Mitch McConnell, with his insane Counties and the non-partisan hatred of both Chuck Schumer and local government, was Association of Indiana Coun- the heart-breaking veto on a much-needed deal for local ties (AIC) had just sent emails governments across Indiana, where cash-strapped EMS, out to members backing the health departments, law enforcement and EMA depart- Pelosi/Schumer package of aid ments are on the front lines fighting this virus. to local government entities With the failure of the COVID 3.5 Act to include which was being included in the any money for local government, the only major pot of latest Covid-19 relief bill that funds local governments can pursue now is the $2.4 bil- would also extend the Paycheck lion designated for Indiana in the CARES Act. Of that, the Protection program and provide governor has discretion on designating up to 45% of the needed aid to hospitals and ad- total to local government, but there are tough restric- ditional testing. Why, even the tions in the CARES Act on what qualifies as a reimbursable president’s chief negotiator, Steve Mnuchin, had signaled expense and every dollar will have to be vetted by the new he would not oppose this cash infusion to America’s cit- Indiana Relief and Recovery Committee before distribu- ies, towns and counties that are on the front lines of this tion is made. By contrast, the money that was designated country’s fight against the COVID-19 virus. in the Pelosi/Schumer Plan – backed by NACO and the The plan was simple and straightforward. The Association of Indiana counties – would have meant an allocation was based strictly on population and so of the immediate, no-strings-attached distribution to cash-starved $29.5 billion set aside for America’s counties, $596 mil- Indiana cities, towns and counties. lion was to be allocated to Indiana’s 92 counties. LaPorte Mitch McConnell only believes in restrictions and County, based on our 110,000 population, was in line for impediments when it comes to distributions to local gov- an immediate cash infusion of $9,743,450 to help us deal ernment. He couldn’t stomach a measly $29.5 billion for not only with COVID-19 related expenses but make up America’s counties, yet he greased the skids for the $450 for significant lost tax revenues during this crisis. Cash- billion bailout of airlines, hotel chains and cruise ships in starved local government entities throughout Indiana and the CARES Act. Despite many of those same corporations throughout the country stood on the brink that weekend undertaking stock buybacks and paying obscene executive of a much needed “bailout” by the federal government. compensation, few of them used bailouts after the 2008 And then along came Mitch. That’s right, recession to increase wages or payroll. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose insane Even the president’s well-honed populist instincts hatred of local government is only matched by his utter tell him that’s wrong; he declared on March 25, “I don’t disdain for Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. By Tuesday want to give a bailout to a company and then have some- morning, April 21, McConnell’s negotiators had told Pelosi body go out and use that money to buy back stock in the and Schumer that if they still wanted help for local hospi- company and raise the stock price and then get a bonus. tals and additional testing dollars, they’d have to drop the So I may be a Republican, but I don’t like that. I want local government distribution, so that cities, towns and them to use the money for the workers.” counties around the country would receive not a single You will never hear such sentiments expressed dime in this relief package. In fact, McConnell was quoted by McConnell. In reality, it’s the wily and unprincipled on April 22 as saying he’d rather let state governments Mitch McConnell who tells the White House how things are declare bankruptcy and would “oppose additional aid for going to be and once again local governments around the state and local governments in future coronavirus relief country get nothing, while McConnell’s corporate buddies bills.” (Source: CBS News, April 23, 2020). get the bailouts. Mind you, Mitch McConnell had no problem al- Just 10 days ago, those of us who represent locating $450 billion in no-strings-attached bailout money county governments in Indiana could practically touch that $596 million that was coming here to support our first re- Page 13 sponders and those on the front lines. And just like that – Shaw Friedman serves as LaPorte County attorney poof – in an instant, it was all gone because of the whims and represents other local government entities. He of one power-mad Senate majority leader. v is a longtime HPI contributor.

makers and civic leaders are thinking about how to insu- late consumers from damage right now. Unfortunately, the Time to watch Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was estab- lished in the wake of the last great recession to serve as credit reporting a watchdog for consumers, just issued guidance relaxing By ERIN MACEY expectations for – wait now – credit reporting companies! INDIANAPOLIS — In the middle of a flood, the Yes, that’s right, the CFPB quickly assured credit primary focus is keeping your head above water. As Hoo- reporting companies that they will not be expected to sier families scramble to attend to their health, meet their follow requirements for resolving disputes about credit basic needs, and care for children that are suddenly out of reports. So as consumers and creditors work together on school or childcare, it is likely that their credit reports and payment arrangements in these unprecedented times, credit scores are not top of mind. any misreporting – which is more common than you might Unfortunately, like a flood, the COVID-19 pan- expect even under ordinary circumstances – will not be demic and its economic consequences have the potential required to be corrected in a timely manner. to create lasting damage long after the risk of drowning As former CFPB director Richard Cordray has passed. It is essential for our pointed out in a recently released white paper, there are policymakers and civic leaders ample consumer-focused steps the CFPB could be taking to be forward thinking about the to protect consumers in the wake of this crisis. Foreclosure potential long-term impact of this prevention, debt forbearance, oversight of debt collec- crisis and put measures in place tion and tighter – not more relaxed – supervision of credit to protect consumers. reporting companies would keep Hoosiers’ heads above That must include credit water and prevent lasting damage. reports. Credit reporting agencies Where is the guidance urging creditors to work (CRAs) or credit bureaus collect with borrowers on adjusted repayment terms or make and use data from creditors to generous use of “natural or declared disaster” coding rate consumers’ “creditworthi- meant to protect people’s credit? These are logical steps ness,” scoring consumers on for a consumer-focused entity to take. factors like payment history, the In the absence of leadership from the CFPB, we amount of debt a borrower has, the length of his or her need to see congressional action to direct the creditors credit history, any recent credit applications, and the types and credit reporting agencies to shield Hoosiers from of credit borrowed. This means that paying bills late, lean- damage. Sens. Sherrod Brown and Brian Schatz recently ing heavily on available credit, opening new accounts, or introduced legislation to require a four-month moratorium declaring bankruptcy to save assets, steps many Hoosiers on all negative credit reporting, with further protection for may need to take during the COVID-19 crisis, can show up those who suffer lasting harm. on credit reports and damage credit scores. It deserves consideration, and we should take This is troubling, because these reports and scores it one major step further. A credit score is an attempt to have far-reaching implications for Hoosiers’ lives. They not reflect consumers’ likelihood of being able to make future only factor into who can get a loan and on what terms, but payments. We should make sure, coming out of this crisis, they also affect insurance coverage and costs, job oppor- that they are able to do so. During the same event that tunities, housing, and other basic services. sparked Congress to create the CFPB, Hoosier taxpayers Before the crisis, an estimated one in four gave generously to save drowning financial institutions. It unemployed adults reported going through a credit check is time for Congress and Wall Street to return the favor. when applying for a job, and one in 10 reported that As Hoosiers work to handle their most immediate needs, information on their credit report led to them being denied policymakers and leaders should be looking to the future a job opportunity. Similarly, many landlords – nearly half, to protect credit scores and the financial situations they according to a Transunion survey – run credit checks when purport to represent. evaluating prospective tenants. Insurance companies also v use credit report data to determine how likely an individual is to make a claim and set premiums accordingly. In short, Erin Macey, PhD, is a senior policy analyst for the credit reports end up being a sort of gatekeeper for op- Indiana Institute for Working Families and the In- portunity. diana Community Action Association. Given all of this, one would hope that our policy- Page 14 rise in blood pressure? Lots of people will say no. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a friend or acquain- Let’s keep differences tance suggest tuning it all out. “It’s just too much,” one said. “I don’t need all that negativity.” in perspective Another had a slightly different take. “I think I need to take a Facebook break,” she said. “Arguing with By KELLY HAWES stupid people is tiring and unproductive. No wonder our CNHI News Bureau country is in big trouble.” ANDERSON — Someone on Twitter said she had A lot of people just don’t engage on current interviewed a guy for a landscaping job and decided not events. They go to Facebook to reconnect with old friends to hire him because he had a bumper sticker supporting or to laugh at the silly jokes. They go for the funny dog President Donald J. Trump. “Now I’m video or that picture of a friend as a senior in high school. feeling a little guilty about it,” she I understand that, I guess. It’s more fun to talk about the said. “Should I?” hairstyles decades in the past than to fight over our presi- Her followers were pretty much dent’s latest misstatement of facts. And unlike our choice unanimous in their response. “Abso- of presidential candidates, a cute dog video is something lutely not!” one said. “These people nearly all of us can agree on. need to be shunned!” That sort of To be clear, I have no plans to stop weighing in sentiment seems common on social on politics. I understand the debate can be frustrating, but media, but is it really necessary? I still think there’s merit in airing the issues on social me- I understand some disagreements dia. A respectful exchange of ideas might not sway those go deep, and some of us clearly look who have already made up their minds, but it could make at the world from entirely different perspectives. Take this a difference for the folks who are still mulling their choices. Facebook exchange concerning a newspaper report on the And it’s those people, after all, who decide every election. current pandemic. One woman suggested there was no Still, politics isn’t everything. Sometimes after way so many nursing home residents had died of COV- connecting with an old friend on Facebook, I’m surprised ID-19. “Most of them were already sick,” she said. “If they to discover that we agree politically. Or that we don’t. And had been healthy, they might not have died.” when we disagree, I wonder whether it’s really worthwhile Another woman fervently disagreed. “How can to fight about it. We already have that previous connec- you still NOT understand that just because someone has tion. We shared the same teacher or our kids were in the an ‘underlying condition’ does not mean they should be same club at school. Can’t we just hang onto that? dead!?” she asked. “IF they did not have the COVID virus, And what about professional connections? Do we they would still be alive today regardless of having any really need to vote the same way as the guy who cuts our underlying condition like diabetes.” hair? Are those Twitter users right? Do we really need to Maybe she should have stopped right there. In- shun all those folks on the other side? v stead, she kept typing. “Seriously,” she said, “some people either need to pay better attention in school or our schools Kelly Hawes is a columnist for CNHI News Indiana. need to do a better job because reading comprehension He can be reached at kelly.hawes@indianamedia- doesn’t seem to have taken hold here very well!” group.com. Find him on Twitter @Kelly_Hawes. I’m guessing neither woman changed her mind as a result of that exchange, so was the fight really worth the Page 15

likely Democratic nominees in all four of these races raised substantially more money than the incumbents in the first The race for the Senate three months of 2020. Former astronaut Mark Kelly (D) has almost centers on ‘core four’ double the cash on hand of McSally, even though McSally By KYLE KONDIK herself has otherwise been one of the cycle’s standout and J. MILES COLEMAN fundraisers (Kelly has just been incredible). Gardner still CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – There is a widespread holds a two-to-one cash-on-hand edge on former Gov. consensus that, in the battle for the Senate, there are four John Hickenlooper (D), his likeliest fall opponent, but races that may effectively decide the majority. Hickenlooper outraised him substantially, about $4 million Dubbed the “core four” by one operative, the to $2.5 million, in the first quarter. Maine House Speaker races in Republican-held Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Sara Gideon (D) roughly tripled Collins’ fundraising this North Carolina are the ones that past quarter; Collins retains a small cash edge, but assum- the Democrats seem to have ing she is nominated, Gideon will the best chance of flipping. (For inherit a $4 million warchest that sports fans, the “core four” term Collins’ opponents started raising may ring a bell: It describes the in 2018 as Collins backed Brett four players at the heart of the Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the New York Yankees’ dynasty of the late 1990s and early Supreme Court. And former state Sen. Cal Cunningham 2000s.) (D) more than doubled up Tillis this quarter, although Tillis The general belief is that in order to win a Senate retains a more than two-to-one cash edge. We’ll have to majority, Democrats have to sweep all four. see what the pandemic does to fundraising in the second The Senate currently features a 53-47 Republican quarter, and certainly outside groups on both sides will be majority, and the seat likeliest to flip this fall is Alabama, spending millions on these races. held by Sen. Doug Jones (D). If that happens, Demo- The advantage for Republicans, if they retain crats need to win at least four currently Republican seats one, is that Democrats need to win all four of these races to forge a 50-50 tie that they hope a Democratic vice and the presidency just to get to 50-50, assuming Republi- president would break in their favor (Crystal Ball contribu- cans flip Alabama and no other seats change hands. tor Seth Moskowitz went over the math last week, and But this is also why it’s worth looking at some of observed that if Democrats were winning these four races, these other races to see if the map is truly expanding as they probably also would be winning the presidency). Republicans (mostly) play defense across the country. Based on the state of play in the core four races, Our own short answer is that no other the race for the Senate overall is something of a coin flip. Republican-held seat currently matches the vulnerability of We have the Democrats narrowly favored against Sens. the “core four.” However, at least one race could eventually Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), while enter that category. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) are in The best Democratic target right now outside the Toss-up races. core four is Montana, Our sense is that in our view. Its emer- Gardner and McSally gence as a Senate bat- currently trail in both of tleground represents their races (there have the best argument, for been recent public polls Democrats, that they showing that in Arizona, are truly expanding the but Colorado hasn’t Senate map beyond had public polling in the core four. months). Gov. Steve North Carolina is Bullock’s (D-MT) late the likeliest candidate for entry into the race last most expensive Senate month prevented first- race of 2020, and we term Sen. Steve Daines don’t see a clear favor- (R-MT) from coasting ite now; we don’t see a to reelection: We were favorite in Maine either. prepared to move the One alarm- race to Safe Republican ing development for prior to Bullock’s entry; Republicans is that the we now list it as Leans Republican. Page 16 Based on what we can piece together, the race voted for a Republican in the popular election era, which seems like it’s neck and neck at the moment. But does is a testament to an ancestral Democratic tradition in the that actually make it a Toss-up? We are not quite there state. Bullock is a reasonably popular governor at a time yet. when governors in general are attracting widespread ac- As Moskowitz noted in his Senate overview for us claim for their handling of the coronavirus crisis. last week, it is very rare for an incumbent senator to lose So this is a real race, to be sure. Just one where reelection while that senator’s party is winning the state we continue to see a GOP edge. for president. There are only four examples of that hap- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) also appears to retain an pening in the last seven presidential election cycles, and advantage in another Leans Republican seat, although there were confounding circumstances in three of those the state could hypothetically dip into Toss-up territory four races. Donald Trump would really have to crater in at some point. Meanwhile, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has order to lose Montana, which he carried by 20 points in been outraised by 2018 nominee John James (R) in three 2016. straight quarters, although their cash on hand is about the So just generically, history is really against same. We rate that race Leans Democratic, mirroring our Bullock winning. rating for president (which is more bullish for Democrats More broadly, we at the Crystal Ball have been in Trump-won Michigan than other forecasters). Joe Biden very skeptical in recent years of Democratic Senate can- (and Peters) have generally led recent polls there. didates trying to capture GOP-held seats in red states. Our other race in the leans category, the Geor- That instinct has served us well in recent years: picking gia Senate special, is one we may essentially have to set Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) in 2014 against an independent aside until November. The likeliest scenario is that either when others were skeptical of him winning; never moving appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) or Rep. Doug Collins Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) from Likely (R, GA-9) will advance to an early January runoff following Republican the same cycle despite his race seeming very an all-party primary and be opposed by the Rev. Raphael competitive at times (he won by 15 points); and always fa- Warnock (D). Democrats see Warnock as an electrify- voring the Republicans in an open-seat race in Tennessee ing candidate who can rally black turnout in the runoff; last cycle (now-Sen. Marsha Blackburn ended up winning Republicans, meanwhile, point to Warnock’s problematic by 11 points). divorce and history that suggests Republicans are favored In other words, we are really going to need com- in a runoff election turnout model. pelling evidence to move Montana to Toss-up. We think The eventual winner will have to defend the Bullock’s chances are decent, but we also think Daines has seat in the 2022 regular election (the same is also true of to be looked at as a small favorite still. Arizona). Still, Montana is not as Republican as Trump’s Beyond these seats in the Toss-up and Leans cat- 20-point margin suggested, and the incumbent presiden- egories, there are many other races in the Likely category tial party often sees their performance sag from first elec- on the periphery of the competitive Senate map. That tion to second election in Montana, as friend of the Crystal group gets a little bigger this week as we move two previ- Ball Jacob Smith has documented. Democrats have won ously Safe Republican seats, Alaska and South Carolina, to the governorship four times in a row, and Sen. Jon Tester Likely Republican. v (D-MT) has been elected three times in recent years. Prior to Daines’ 2014 victory, the seat he now holds had never Page 17 John Krull, Statehouse File: He said it was a joke. kind of behavior they say is crucial to maintaining public The president of the United States stood before the nation safety? Pence’s other explanation was even lamer. “Since at one of the daily briefings on the deadliest pandemic in I don’t have the coronavirus, I thought it’d be a good op- modern memory that he has done his best to turn into portunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these campaign appearances. And he suggested that the corona- researchers, these incredible health-care personnel, and virus that now has killed almost as many Ameri- look them in the eye and say thank you,” he said. cans as the Vietnam War could be cured if people Perhaps someone should explain to him how to started ingesting disinfectants or began exposing put on a mask. If it is covering your eyes, you are themselves to sunlight. Then, when the disbelief probably doing it wrong. Then again, perhaps this over the sheer dangerous stupidity of his remarks comes from the top, from a president who has turned first to scorn and then outrage, Donald always believed that rules and norms are for other Trump, as usual, didn’t own up to his colossal screw-up. people. Even as he announced the CDC guidelines this No, he did what he always does. He searched around for month, President Trump declared that he didn’t plan to fol- someone else to blame — in this case, everyone. He said low them. “This is voluntary,” he said. “I don’t think I am he was being sarcastic and that it wasn’t his fault if no one going to be doing it.” 2 else got the joke. It’s hard to believe that most Americans don’t find the deaths of more than 50,000 of their fellow David McIntosh, Fox News: A lot of people citizens in little more than a month to be a gut-buster, but are suffering right now during the coronavirus pandemic. that’s The Donald for you. He’s got a peculiar sense of Some because of the illness itself. Others because of the humor and finds laughs in the strangest places. By now, economic hardship caused by the shutdown. We can and Trump’s inability to empathize with or even acknowledge should continue working together to destroy the “silent the suffering of fellow human beings doesn’t come as a enemy,” as the president has called it. But as we discuss surprise. Nor is it a shock that he sees his great office as plans for the next phase of American life, however, I hope an opportunity for personal gain and self-aggrandizement policymakers will remember the burden of red tape on rather than a duty and a responsibility. What is still puz- working people across the country. Before the coronavirus zling is the hold this president maintains over his devoted threatened to overwhelm our health care systems, physi- working-class supporters — the people who put him in cians weren’t allowed to practice medicine across state office. v lines. Hospitals in some states had to receive permission from the state government to add more beds. Puerto Rico, Karen Tumulty, Washington Post: The thing D.C., and other U.S. territories were not allowed to pur- that immediately stands out from footage of Vice President chase personal protective equipment from foreign sup- Pence visiting the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., pliers.Those rules and regulations, however, were rolled on Tuesday is what’s missing: Pence is the only guy there back as part of the mobilization against the pandemic and not wearing a mask. The medical center has a rule about the value of those rollbacks is indisputable. They should masks, and as it noted in a tweet that was subsequently be made permanent. But that is simply a first step. As the deleted, the vice president was made aware of it. The economy is reopened, Congress and President Trump must policy has been in place since April 13. It could hardly be cut red tape throughout the economy in order to make it clearer: “Mayo Clinic is requiring all patients and visitors to easier for employers to restore jobs, create jobs, and de- wear a face covering or mask to help slow the spread of liver essential goods and services to the American people. COVID-19.” Beyond that, Pence’s bare face violated a rec- Extending the rollback of red tape to cover the reopening ommendation by the federal government’s own Centers for of the economy will help ensure a quicker economic recov- Disease Control and Prevention, which states that masks ery that isn’t delayed by bureaucratic obstacles. Just as the are helpful in “public settings where other social distancing Trump administration’s initial rollback of regulations before measures are difficult to maintain.” Like, say, a hospital. So the pandemic helped spur a 3 percent economic growth why didn’t the man who is leading the Trump administra- rate, another round of major reform of federal regulation tion’s response to the coronavirus pandemic wear one? will be key to reigniting our economy. To kick-start recov- Was he worried that it looked undignified? Unmanly? Is a ery throughout the economy, the federal government must mask too uncomfortable? Not worth the bother? Or maybe do three things: First, immediately use existing authority he just forgot and left his at home. Though the clinic’s to simplify regulations, including waiving fines and penal- regulation notes: “If a patient or visitor does not have a ties when the business has made a good-faith effort to mask, Mayo Clinic will provide one.” Pence’s excuse, he comply. Second, Congress should grant President Trump later told reporters, is that he is tested for the coronavi- the authority to suspend regulations. Removing red tape rus “on a regular basis,” as is everyone around him. But will both allow healthcare workers to fight the coronavirus what if he had been exposed, say, since the last time he more effectively and businesses to more easily reopen and was tested? And beyond that: What kind of signal did his rehire employees. Third, simplified and reduced regula- lapse send? Shouldn’t people in positions such as his be tions should be made permanent to create certainty and role models? Aren’t they supposed to demonstrate the incentivize more investment as the economy reopens. v Page 18 ISDH announces South Bend officials Drug trials suggest tracing program say it’s too soon COVID drug works

WASHINGTON — The Indiana SOUTH BEND — Momentum WASHINGTON — The promise State Department of to reopen Indiana’s economy of an effective treatment against the Health is making plans from the coronavirus pandemic coronavirus — an experimental drug to expand statewide lockdown could soon collide with that can speed the recovery of COV- coronavirus contact South Bend area leaders’ worries ID-19 patients — raised hopes Thurs- tracing efforts (Lanich, it’s coming too soon (Parrott, day for faster progress in battling NWI Times). Beginning South Bend Tribune). On Tues- the pandemic and restoring wrecked May 11, 500 centralized day came two more signs of that mo- economies and livelihoods (AP). The contact tracers will begin work to help mentum to end the order: news that U.S. government and others say they track the spread of COVID-19.Contact Simon Properties planned to reopen are working to make the medication tracers will be responsible for con- the University Park Mall on Saturday, available to patients as quickly as necting with those who have tested and a tweet from Mishawaka Mayor possible. News of the medical ad- positive for the coronavirus and con- Dave Wood that implored, “Mishawaka vance lifted world markets, outshining ducting a case investigation. Infected hang tight and keep strong. Reopen- gloomy economic data showing the individuals will receive a text message ing coming VERY soon!” But Dr. Mark U.S. economy contracted nearly 5% in or email requesting that they contact Fox, St. Joseph County’s deputy health January-March in the worst downturn a centralized call center that will be officer, said Wednesday he doesn’t since the Great Recession. California- open 12 hours a day, seven days a think the South Bend region’s econo- based biotech company Gilead Scienc- week, State Health Commissioner my is ready to even begin reopening. es and the U.S. government reported Dr. Kristina Box said Wednesday. “My sense is the state of the epidemic in a major study run by the U.S. The state is contracting with health is different in this part of the state National Institutes of Health that the services provider Maximus to staff its than what they have experienced in drug remdesivir shortened the time it call center with contact tracers trained Indianapolis,” Fox said, reiterating his takes for COVID-19 patients to recov- by ISDH epidemiologists. Though the perception that the South Bend region er by four days on average — from 15 state is still finalizing its contract with is a couple of weeks behind central days to 11. The study, involving 1,063 Maximus, Box said she expects the Indiana in its infection peak. “We coronavirus patients around the world, program, call center and technology haven’t seen a consistent decrease also showed a trend toward fewer platform included, will cost $43 million in the number of cases. In fact, our deaths among those on the drug, said a year. number of hospitalizations increased Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. govern- this week compared to last week. ment’s top infectious diseases expert. Hogsett to extend Those indicators make us worry that “What it has proven is that a drug can we’re behind Indianapolis and would block this virus,” he said. “This will be order to May 15 the standard of care.” make us concerned about letting the INDIANAPOLIS — Mayor Joe gas off the current mitigation strate- Delta suspends Hogsett and Marion County health gies.” officials will announce their intentions direct flight to Paris to extend Marion County’s stay-at- Guard deployed home order until May 15 (WIBC). “It’s to Westville prison INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s clear from talking to state leaders first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight has and community stakeholders that the WESTVILLE — The Indiana been suspended until at least next challenges we face here in Indianapo- National Guard arrived Wednesday at spring amid the COVID-19 pandemic, lis are unique – a city filled with large the local Westville Correctional Facility which has halted international travel venues, densely populated neighbor- to begin supplementing for the staff and led to multibillion-dollar losses for hoods, and active business centers. To that has been hard hit by an outbreak the air travel industry (IBJ). Atlanta- ensure that we see continued prog- of COVID-19 at the prison (Kasarda, based Delta Air Lines Inc. has halted ress in our fight against this virus, we NWI Times). “They are helping with its nonstop, year-round service from must recommit to our social distancing perimeter, exterior work,” said Dave Indianapolis International Airport efforts even as we plan for the future,” Bursten, chief communications officer to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport said Mayor Hogsett. “I appreciate with the Indiana Department of Cor- through at least winter, a Delta Governor Holcomb’s partnership as he rection. Guard medics also are helping spokesperson told IBJ on Wednesday. and his team continue to address the inside the prison’s infirmary. diverse needs of Hoosier communities.