What, Me Worry? Trump Campaign Carries On Like Normal

Politico: Few Covid Safeguards As Trump Campaign Restarts Rallies
The Trump campaign is hitting the road after being sidelined by the coronavirus for a week, while taking few precautions to ensure the rallies don’t become new hot spots. While President Donald Trump recovers at the White House, Vice President Mike Pence, members of Trump’s family and other proxies are fanning out to battlegrounds like Arizona, Florida, Nevada and North Carolina. Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, also currently infected, is floating the idea of having the president hold a live rally next Thursday instead of participating in a virtual debate with Joe Biden. (Goldberg, Miranda Ollstein and Roubein, 10/8)

The Washington Post: Trump Struggles To Project A Sense Of Normalcy After Canceled Debate 
Trailing in the polls, stricken with the novel coronavirus and stuck in isolation at the White House, President Trump has tried to project an image of strength and normalcy that belies his troubled circumstances. On Thursday, he spent an hour phoning into a television interview, released two video messages aimed at key voting groups, began planning rallies for next week and promised senior citizens free access to the experimental drug he falsely claimed was “a cure” for covid-19. (Olorunnipa, Parker and Dawsey, 10/8)

AP: Next Trump-Biden Debates Uncertain, Though Oct. 22 Is Likely
The campaign’s final debates between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden were thrown into uncertainty Thursday as the rival camps offered dueling proposals for the remaining faceoffs that have been upended by the president’s coronavirus infection. The chair of the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates told The Associated Press that the final debate, scheduled for Oct. 22, was still slated to go on with both candidates present as planned. But next Thursday’s debate seemed to be gone, after the Trump team objected to the commission’s format change. (Miller and Weissert, 10/9)

In polling news —

The Hill: Biden More Trusted Than Trump To Lead Health Care System: Survey 
More Americans trust Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden than President Trump to lead the nation's health care system amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Gallup/West Health poll released Thursday. Fifty-two percent of American adults surveyed told Gallup they trust the former vice president to lead the health care system most efficiently as the country battles COVID-19, compared with 39 percent who said the same of Trump. Another 9 percent chose “other candidate.” (Axelrod, 10/8)

Reuters: Trump's Handling Of Coronavirus Pandemic Hits Record Low Approval
Americans are steadily losing confidence in President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with his net approval on the issue that has dominated the U.S. election hitting a record low in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll taken Tuesday through Thursday, after Trump’s COVID-19 infection and weekend hospitalization, found 37% of American adults approved of the president’s handling of the pandemic and 59% disapproved. (Whitesides, 10/8)

In other election news —

Reuters: More Than 6.6 Million Americans Have Already Voted, Suggesting Record Turnout
Americans are rushing to cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election at an unprecedented pace, early voting numbers show, indicating a possible record turnout for the showdown between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. With less than four weeks to go before Election Day, more than 6.6 million Americans already have voted, more than ten times the number who had at this time in 2016, according to the United States Elections Project, which compiles early voting data. (Whitesides, 10/8)

KHN: Pandemic Erects Barriers For Prized Bloc Of Voters In Nursing Homes, Senior Facilities
The convergence of the coronavirus pandemic and election season has complicated this year’s voting for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care centers. Many seniors who need help to get or fill out their ballots may be stymied by shifting rules about family visits. Voting procedures — whether in person or by mail — are under increased scrutiny, adding to the confusion. Facilities that used to host voting precincts likely won’t do so this year because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. (Bluth, 10/9)

Politico: Health Officials Scrambling To Produce Trump's ‘Last-Minute’ Drug Cards By Election Day 
Caught by surprise by President Donald Trump’s promise to deliver drug-discount cards to seniors, health officials are scrambling to get the nearly $8 billion plan done by Election Day, according to five officials and draft documents obtained by POLITICO. The taxpayer-funded plan, which was only announced two weeks ago and is being justified inside the White House and the health department as a test of the Medicare program, is being driven by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, the officials said. The administration is seeking to finalize the plan as soon as Friday and send letters to 39 million Medicare beneficiaries next week, informing seniors of Trump's new effort to lower their drug costs, although many seniors would not receive the actual cards until after the election. (Diamond, 10/8)