Politics Complicate Covid Tensions Between White House, GOP Governors
As the administration tries to ramp up pandemic response efforts in the face of the delta surge, some Republican governors see opportunities to take on President Joe Biden.
Politico:
It’s Governors Vs. The White House This School Year. And No One Is Winning.
Governors’ varied approaches to Covid-19 safety protocols this school year reflect those same fractures over what it means to trust the science. Republican state executives increasingly see the fight against masking kids as one of their best chances to show off their political power — and beat Biden on the national stage. The aggressive tactics and the promise of federal intervention have made for a rocky back-to-school season, as Covid-19 cases among children continue to surge. (Perez Jr., Payne and Mays, 8/25)
CNN:
Joe Biden And Ron DeSantis Square Off Over Coronavirus Response, With Cases In Florida Surging
President Joe Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have found their chosen rhetorical rivals in the fight against the coronavirus: each other. And neither seems eager to back down anytime soon. The recent uptick in direct rhetoric between the Biden White House and the Republican governor with unbridled political aspirations reached its crescendo earlier this month, when Biden suggested DeSantis' actions were "not good" for Floridians and the governor responded that he didn't want to "hear a blip" from Biden on coronavirus. (Merica, 8/24)
On how the CDC responded to covid —
Politico:
CDC Pandemic Response Limited By Patchy Data On Breakthrough Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using outdated and unreliable data on coronavirus breakthrough infections to help make major decisions, such as who gets booster shots, according to three officials with direct knowledge of the situation. The agency originally tried to track all infections in vaccinated people, from mild to severe. But in May it decided to focus on the most severe cases, saying that would allow it to better monitor overall conditions and make more informed, targeted policy decisions. (Banco, 8/25)
In news about the vice president, Vietnam and Havana syndrome —
The Wall Street Journal:
Kamala Harris Pushes Ahead With Vietnam Trip Despite Possible Havana Syndrome Incident
Vice President Kamala Harris temporarily delayed a flight from Singapore to Vietnam on Tuesday after her office was made aware of what the State Department called a “possible anomalous health incident” in Hanoi. Government officials have used that language to describe what is more commonly called Havana Syndrome, a series of unexplained medical symptoms first experienced by State Department personnel stationed in Cuba beginning in late 2016. After an assessment, the decision was made to continue the trip, the State Department said. (Parti and Solomon, 8/24)
Axios:
VP Harris Delayed Due To "Anomalous Health Incident" In Hanoi
Vice President Kamala Harris' Tuesday flight from Singapore to Vietnam was delayed roughly three hours due to a "recent possibly anomalous health incident" in Hanoi, per a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam. That phrasing is how the U.S. government typically refers to the mysterious symptoms associated with Havana syndrome that has sickened hundreds of U.S. officials in recent years. (Garfinkel, 8/24)
The Hill:
Two US Diplomats To Be Evacuated From Vietnam After 'Acoustic Incidents': Report
Two U.S. diplomats have reportedly been evacuated out of Vietnam due to reported "Havana syndrome" incidents this week. The incidents were apparently the cause of Vice President Harris's flight delay to Singapore on Tuesday. Senior U.S. officials told NBC News that the "anomalous health incident" that Harris's office cited for the delays was, in fact, suspected cases of Havana syndrome, the mysterious illness that has primarily affected diplomats in overseas offices. It was first detected in 2016 when it affected CIA officials in Havana. (Choi, 8/24)
Also —
The Wall Street Journal:
Supreme Court Reinstates ‘Remain In Mexico’ Policy For Asylum Applicants
The Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a Trump-era policy that requires asylum applicants to wait in Mexico while their claims are evaluated by U.S. authorities. The three liberal justices dissented. President Biden canceled the Trump administration Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly called the Remain in Mexico policy, responding to criticism that it forced vulnerable migrants to wait out their cases in violent border cities. Lower courts found the administration failed to follow proper procedures in ending the policy and that the alternative of paroling into the U.S. asylum applicants en masse may violate federal law. (Bravin, 8/24)
