Tony's Diary Package — page 206

Global USA Spoke with Howard Zucker, Commissioner of Health for NY State. He wanted advice about a possible National Policy for opening up universities. I referred him to CDC, but also to Silvia Burwell to see what she is doing with AU. PRESS: NEJM Poodcast about our HIV paper in the series for the 50th Anniversary of NAM; June 16, 2020 - Global USA Laura Ingraham calls me "Deep State" for asking people to wear masks. RECOVERY trial from UK showed good effect of Dexamethasone on COVID-19 patients on ventilators or Oxygen, but not on early patients. Media pushing a major breach between me and the White House. Big issue is that Pence wrote an OpED in the WSJ saying that there were no increase in cases; the apparent increase was due to increased testing. He got blasted since I (and to some extent Deb) said that the increase in cases was due to BOTH increase in testing AND actual increase in cases in CA, AZ, NC, TX, AL, etc.. Politico writes: With help from Myah Ward VEEP IN THOUGHT -- Since February there has been a rift inside the White House between the scientists and the politicians over how to contain the spread of coronavirus. Anthony Fauci has been the consistent advocate of a forceful response and an opponent of any sugar-coating of the perils Americans face. President Donald Trump has been the reluctant warrior against the disease who took some major steps early on but soon grew impatient of the stay-at-home restrictions, the masks, and -- most of all -- the economic calamity that might jeopardize his re-election. Vice President Mike Pence, the chair of the president's coronavirus task force, often played the role of bridge between the factions. At the awkward task force briefings that dominated afternoon television in March and April, the three roles of the three men played out as theater: Fauci the doomsayer, Trump the misinformed optimist, and Pence the child of a troubled marriage trying to smooth things over during mom and dad's public fights.