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Amid chaos at the White House as the coronavirus pandemic worsened, Donald Trump took to referring derisively to the Covid taskforce chaired by his vice-president as that fucking council that Mike has.

The revelation about the presidents contempt for his key advisory body is one among many in a new book, Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administrations Response to the Pandemic That Changed History, which is published in the US on Tuesday. The Guardian obtained a copy.

Previous revelations from the book have included that Trump wanted to send infected Americans to Guantnamo Bay and that he mused about John Bolton, his national security adviser, being taken out by Covid.

Authors Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta, both Washington Post reporters, also report in depth on how the extraordinary influence of outside consultants to Trump, including the controversial Stephen Moore, relentlessly undermined the work of the presidents scientific advisers.

The book is a deeply reported account of the beginning of a pandemic that has killed more than 600,000 in the US and a federal response hamstrung by incompetence and infighting.

Trumps derisive term for his taskforce, the authors write, was a signal that he wished it would go away and didnt want anyone to exert leadership.

Many on the taskforce didnt want the responsibility either, fearful of the consequences.

Under the chairmanship of Vice-President Mike Pence who is shown resisting his own appointment to replace the outmatched health secretary, Alex Azar the taskforce was led by Dr Deborah Birx, a US army physician widely praised for her role in the fight against Aids but whose star waned under Trump.

Abutaleb and Paletta portray Birx as a confident leader unafraid to challenge powerful men, but also someone who overplayed her hand when she decided to praise and flatter Trump as a way to manage him.

Of an interview Birx gave to the rightwing Christian Broadcasting Network, in which she praised Trumps ability to analyse and integrate data, the authors write: It was the kind of sycophancy one expected from Pence or [treasury secretary] Steve Mnuchin, not a government scientist.

The authors also say Birx worked well with Pence and was admired by fellow workers, though by April 2020, the chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was deriding the taskforce as useless and broken.

Birx served until the end of the Trump administration in January this year. Unlike her fellow taskforce member Dr Anthony Fauci, now chief medical adviser to Joe Biden, she did not remain in public service.

Abutaleb and Paletta also report that in March, as cases spiraled and the US death toll passed 1,000, unofficial adviser Stephen Moore, Trumps emissary [from] the conservative establishment strode into the Oval Office to convince the president to end shutdowns and get the economy moving.

Moore is an economist who in 2019 was nominated by Trump to the board of the Federal Reserve, only to withdraw after outlets led by the Guardian reported controversies in his past.

He told Abutaleb and Paletta Trumps controversial and soon dropped promise to reopen the US economy by Easter was the smart thing to do, because the economic costs of this are mounting and theres not a lot of evidence that lockdowns are working to stop the spread.

Lockdowns to stop the spread of Covid-19 remain in use around the world.

Moore is also quoted attacking Fauci, a common target for conservative ire over subjects including mask-wearing and the origins of Covid in China.

Fauci is the villain here, Moore says. He has the Napoleon complex, and he thinks he is the dictator who could decide how to run the country.

Moore also says conservative activists he advised as they staged protests against lockdowns and masks and who he famously claimed were successors of the great civil rights protester Rosa Parks asked: Whats wrong with this fucking Fauci? Sometimes theyd call him Fucky, not Fauci.

Originally posted here:
Trump contempt for White House Covid taskforce revealed in new book - The Guardian

American News Jun 30, 2021 9:57 PM EST

The identity of the person who fatally shot Capitol Hill rioter and US Armed Forces veteran Ashli Babbitt still remains unknown to the public and her family, even amidst an ongoing lawsuit from the family to discover the identity of said shooter.

The identity of the person who fatally shot Capitol Hill rioter and US Armed Forces veteran Ashli Babbitt on January 6 still remains unknown to the public as well as her family, even amidst an ongoing lawsuit from the family to discover the identity of said shooter.

The Spectator, a UK based outlet, is floating the idea that a Secret Service agent, one of whom that was in former Vice President Mike Pences security detail, was the one who allegedly shot her.

"Sources close to and within the intelligence community tell Cockburn that Babbitt was actually shot by a member of then-vice president Mike Pences protective detail," writes The Spectator. Cockburn is the outlets political gossip columnist that engages in "Mischief, mayhem and Washington gossip," according to their website.

"The VPs detail, of course, is provided by US Secret Service, not the Capitol Police. One person asserted to Cockburn over drinks in DC that this is 'basically an open secret' in the intelligence community," they continue.

Law enforcement sources told The Spectator that the shooter, who was suspected as being a Capitol Hill officer, was identified as such "in order to protect the reputation of the Secret Service."

Another theory considered by Cockburn is the idea that the shooter was suspected to be a Capitol Hill officer because it's an "attempt to protect Pence from further anger or threats from Capitol rioters who wanted him to refuse to certify the results of the election on January 6."

Officers are usually named when involved in a shooting, but "the unnamed officers lawyer says that his client is being kept anonymous due to threats against his life," wrote The Spectator.

Babbitts husband, Aaron Babbitt, is suing the Metropolitan Police Department for $10 million for the identity of her shooter after the Justice Department ruled that it would not pursue criminal charges against the shooter.

Were independent and cant be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

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The Spectator floats theory that Ashli Babbitt was shot by Mike Pence's protective detail - The Post Millennial

Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration

Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration has been forced more into the spotlight with the president's illness from coronavirus. Here's a look back at Pence's career.

Dwight Adams, dwight.adams@indystar.com

Former vice president Mike Pence is showing no signs of slowing on the speaker circuit.

"The best days for the Republican party and the greatestnation are yet to come," Pence recently proclaimedto a crowd inSimi Valley, California. Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library,the former vice president laid out his vision fortheconservative movement andaddressed a defining question for his party in thepost-Trump era: What should the Republican Party stand for?"

That central theme is also forging Pence'sown politicalfuture.

'Un-American': Mike Pence uses strongest language yet on refusal to deny election results

Omnipresent: Mike Pence looks at the 2024 presidential race but sees Donald Trump everywhere

Since leaving office his final days tainted by the U.S. Capitol insurrection Pence remained mostly quiet in the early months of 2021. Beginning in April, he quickly bounced back into the public spotlight, fueling speculation thatIndiana's former governoris eyeing a 2024 presidential run.

These days, Pence is working with multiple conservative organizations and deliveringspeeches in crucial electionstates, wherehe's been greetedwith applause, met withsome booing and in New Hampshire earlier this month, he walked on stage to the '70s classic rock staple "Takin' Care of Business."

With that spirit, Pence has been trying toenergize conservative crowds,sharing endless accolades of former President Trump and their White House administration. That said,he also is also trying to build upon his own voicein the Republican party.

"I learned a lot serving alongside President Donald Trump. Some people think we're a little bit different," Pence said, prompting a few laughs from the audience.

He can also do one thing his former boss and potential 2024 competitor cannot: tweet. Sometimes, with the familiarly sporadic all-caps.

In his public appearances and online presence, Pence hascontinued to advocate for traditional conservative values a strong national defense, free market economics and anti-abortion but he's also speaking out about more hot-button topics, including border security,Chinaand "patriotic education."

"We must expose the messthe radical left has used to corrupt the minds of America's youth," Pence said Thursday,criticizing the "Defund the Police" movement,dismissing the idea of systemic racism and calling for the end of critical race theory in schools. He did not speak about the coronavirus pandemic,which has killed more than 600,000 Americans, or his role on the White House task force with the exception of blaming China for not being more transparent about the origins of the virus.

As he pushes ahead with those talking points at speeches and guest appearancesthis summer, here's a detailed look at what Pence's post-vice presidency life has looked like:

Pence made a swift move to his native Indiana on Jan. 20, delivering his vice presidential farewell address from his hometown of Columbus. At the airport there, with Back Home Again in Indianasetting the mood, Pence announced he and his wife Karen would eventually move back to his home state.

Earlier that same day, he hadattended the inauguration of President Joe Biden, unlike Trump, who broke with a longtime presidential tradition. The former president had attacked Pence online for certifying the results of the 2020 election, all while a mob ofrioters stormed the U.S. Capitol and disrupted the certification process.During the riot, some peoplechanted Hang Mike Pence and Bring out Pence," according to video shown during Trump's impeachment trial.

Trump and Pence reportedly met face to facea week after the incident.

Capitol riot footage: Mike Pence sheltering with insurrectionists near

Video from the riots in Washington, D.C. shows Vice President Mike Pence evacuating with his family as insurrectionists were 100 feet away.

USA TODAY

After the insurrection and the tumultuous conclusion of the Trump administration, the Pences reportedly vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In February, Pence then joinedthe Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C.as a distinguished visiting fellow,"where he advisespolicy experts and writes a monthly column. The latest one criticized the Biden administration's actions on border security.

He also signed on to be a scholar at theYoung AmericaFoundation, a conservative youth movement, where he will deliver speeches at college campuses and student conferences.

After a bit of a break, Pence dove back into the political spotlight with a flurry of professional and personal announcements. In early April, he announced the launch of his own political advocacy group and the release of his upcoming memoir, covering his rise from Columbus to the White House.

The two-book deal with Simon & Schuster raised concerns among its employees and others in the publishing industry, who criticized the company for publishing the former Trump administration official. Their demands to cancel the book deal, centered around Pences track record on LGBTQ issues, marginalized communities and his handling of the coronavirus crisis, were not met. At the time,Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp told employees canceling would go against their mission to publish a diversity of voices and perspectives.

The book deal could help the former vice president earn millions, with CNN previously reporting Pences deal with Simon & Schuster is in the $3 million to $4 million range, according to publishing industry sources.

Pence took time to take care of personal business in April, too. He had a pacemaker installed after reportedly experiencing "symptoms associated with a slow heart rate." The surgery was successful, according to his office. In 2016, upon being named the Republican vice presidential nominee, Pence disclosed he had an asymptomatic left bundle branch block.

All that set the stage for his first public address since leaving office, at a Palmetto Family Council event in Columbia, South Carolina. Pence praised the Trump administration and criticized President Joe Bidens first 100 days in front of a crowd of friendly conservatives.

"Had enough?" Pence said during his speech, slammingthe administrations liberal policies. "I have."

Mike Pence's South Carolina speech: Praise for Trump, attacks on Biden, silence on Jan. 6

As he tries to look to the future of the Republican party, the events of Jan. 6 continue to cast a dark shadow over Pence.

The House had passed a bipartisan bill creating an independent commission to study the Capitol Riot in May, but itlater failed to pass the Senate.In his home state, Rep. Trey Hollingsworthwas the only Indiana House Republican to support the commission, while Pence's brother Rep. Greg Pence voted against it.

'A day of darkness': Pelosi announces House select committee to investigate Jan. 6 attack

Later that month, the Pences moved into a$1.93 million, 7-bedroom mansion in Carmel, just in time to attend the Indianapolis 500.

Pence finally spoke more extensively about the elephant in the room at a June dinner hosted by Hillsborough County Republicans in Manchester, New Hampshire. He called the U.S. Capitol riot a dark day in American history and noted the disagreement between him and Trump, who continuously refused defeat in the 2020 election and insisted Pence had the power to block the certification of Bidens win.

I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on that day, Pence said, noting he and Trump have spoken many times since leaving office. But I will always be proud of what we accomplished for the American people for the last four years.

At another recent event, Pence was met with boos and and chants of traitor! Some hecklers reportedly had to be removed from his speech at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Orlando, Florida, where Pence addressed a group of conservative activists aiming to win back the majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

In his California speech, he used his strongestlanguage yet to describe his actions on Jan. 6:"There's almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone." Pence said, reasserting that he had no authority to rejectany electoral votes certified by states.

Pence will continue his speaking tourin Des Moines, Iowa, at the Family Leadership Summit on July 16, among agathering of "Christians seeking cultural transformation in the family, church, government and more."

In August, he will attendYoung America's Foundation conservative student conference in Houston and he seems eager to keep going.He recently retweeted a link on how college campuses can apply to host the the former vice president as a guest speaker.

IndyStar reporters Kaitlin LangeandSarah Nelson and USA TODAY reportersMaureen Groppe and David Jackson contributed to this report.

Contact IndyStar reporter Rashika Jaipuriar atrjaipuriar@gannett.comandfollow her on Twitter@rashikajpr.

More:
What Mike Pence is saying about the future of the Republican Party - IndyStar

Gail: Wow, great analogies. Plus, it is indeed possible you spend more time thinking about Pence than you ought to.

Bret: Heres a guy who makes his career on the Moral Majority wing of the Republican Party, until he hitches his wagon to the most immoral man ever to win a big-ticket presidential nomination. Phyllis Schlafly deciding to elope with Larry Flynt would have made more sense. Then Pence spends four years as the most servile, toadying, obsequious, fawning, head-nodding, yes-sirring, anything-you-say-boss vice president in history. Hell do anything for Trumps love but not, as the singer Meat Loaf might have said, attempt to steal the presidential election in broad daylight.

For this, Trump rewards Pence by throwing him to a mob, which tried to hunt him down and hang him. But even now, Pence cant get crosswise with his dark lord, so the idea of him ever taking the party in an anti-Trump direction seems like a fantasy.

Gail: You have convinced me that Pence is too much of a wimp to rebel. But you can never tell look what happened to Mitt Romney.

Bret: Unlike Pence, Romney is a true Christian, with actual principles. As for Nikki Haley, I just dont see her winning the Republican nomination. Shes just not Trumpy enough. My bet is on the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina as his vice-presidential nominee. Crazy?

Gail: Oh, God. What a combo. l hear theres a Ron Be Gone movement in Florida. Maybe they can combine it with a Tim, Dont Get In. Or just Not Scott.

Bret: DeSantis is a very shrewd guy. Hes made a point of staying close to Trump, personally, and hes also been very good at baiting the media. His handling of the pandemic was better than most liberals will ever give him credit for, because, unlike Andrew Im still standing Cuomo, he made a point of protecting nursing homes. With Scott on the ticket, he could also peel off some of the Black vote or at least make white suburban voters feel comfortable about voting for a G.O.P. ticket that progressives will inevitably attack as racist.

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Opinion | The Mike Pence Saga Tells Us More Than We Want to Know - The New York Times

President Donald Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis in October caught the White House so off guard that it was left with no plans in place to swear in Vice President Mike Pence if Trump died or became severely ill, a new book says.

More of the internal panic and scrambling around Trump's COVID-19 illness was detailed in an excerpt, published in The Washington Post on Thursday, of "Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History." The book, written by The Post's reporters Yasmeen Abutaleb and Damian Paletta, is set to be released next Tuesday.

Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on October 1, throwing the functions of government and the 2020 presidential election into chaos and the White House into a tailspin, with aides unprepared for the possibility of Trump dying or becoming too sick to carry out the duties of his office, the book said.

Read more: Entire paychecks going to daycare, swiping free food: 8 congressional staffers break down how they stretch their salaries in expensive DC

Trump was at high risk for severe illness and death because of his age and weight. And his condition was said to be far more serious than the White House let on at the time.

Under the Presidential Succession Act, Pence would have taken over as commander in chief if Trump had died.

A president can also temporarily transfer the powers of the presidency to the vice president under Section 3 of the 25th Amendment. President George W. Bush briefly handed the reins to his vice president, Dick Cheney, when he went under anesthesia for colonoscopies, for example.

The book excerpt also detailed the White House's frantic behind-the-scenes efforts in October to secure a "compassionate use" exception from the Food and Drug Administration to use a monoclonal antibody, an experimental treatment not available to the public.

After treatment with antiviral therapies and steroids during a short stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Trump returned to the White House and recovered. But the episode did not, as many aides had hoped, help Trump take the virus more seriously in the White House's coronavirus protocols and policy response.

Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prayed that Trump would recover and that his illness would make him turn a corner and "show some humility," the book said. But when Trump returned, he walked up to the Truman Balcony and defiantly took off his mask, shoving it in his pocket, and gave a thumbs-up to the cameras below.

"Right then, Redfield knew it was over," Abutaleb and Paletta wrote. "Trump showedin that moment that he hadn't changedat all. The pandemic response wasn't going to change, either."

Continued here:
WH had no plans to swear in Pence if Trump died of COVID-19: book - Business Insider