Tony's Diary Package — page 161

New York Times and among several. 142,000/67,000 ~ to thank people in the meetings. All was well until Olivia Troye called me in a panic today saying that the POTUS does not want the VP to wear a mask since it is a bad optic for opening up (I cannot understand this reasoning). Nonetheless , the VP will not wear a mask and so we are saying that he should not come. I refuse to give in. Poor Olivia is caught in the middle. We shall see what happens. PRESS: Several articles about me in print papers - New York Times and Washington Post among several. May 4, 2020 - Global - 3,350,000/239,000; USA - 1,142,000/67,000 Continued tension in GOP states wanting to re-open in defiance of many of the recommended guidelines and Dem states the opposite. It is almost a political and ideological dichotomy CNN - Jake Tapper did a segment last night on the inadequate response of the Trump administration to the pandemic. I came out relatively well. VP Call with Governors from Sit Room. Again, it seemed like a lot of happy talk, particularly from GOP governors saying that they are doing well and 40 states have submitted their plans for re-opening. They seem to indicate that most have what they need regarding tests, etc. Yet, when you spek to the locals, that is not always the case. Real crazy-town today. VP wanted to come to VRC to thank people in the labs at VRC working on a COVID-19 vaccine. However, despite the problem he got into at Mayo, his staff (Olivia Troye) told me he would not wear a mask. This despite the fact that he did wear one at GM and admitted that it was a mistake not to wear one at Mayo. Turns out the reason is that Trump did not want him to wear a mask since it would be a bad signal in his quest to re-open the country (totally crazy!). Nonetheless, we worked out a compromise whereby he would come to VRC, not go upstairs and would have a Task Force meeting in the first floor conference room. No one would wear masks, but the