Tony's Diary Package — page 226

NFL Players aying there will not be Dancing with the Stars 100. 40,000 new pooled testing. I told him that our response regarding contact tracing and isolation was a "Fucking disaster and an abject failure" Also, he fully appreciates that the CDC is not up to the task. They cannot respond o a domestic or global pandemic. Had good conversation with DeMaurice Smith Director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). I clarified the misunderstanding re: my saying there will not be an NFL this Fall/Winter. Did 1.5 hour Zoom with CondeNaste led by Anna Wintour. This is the overarching organization of mlost of the major magazines such as Vanity Fair, Wired, Self, Vogue, Bon Apetit. I have been invited to appear on Dancing with the Stars - no thanks! PRESS: Toronto Radio KISS 92.5; picture of me with my Nats Mask in the Sports Section of the Washington Post June 26, 2020 - Global - 9,300,000/480,000; USA - 2,420,000/125,000. 40,000 new cases yesterday, the most for a single day. Spoke woth Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL giving advice about their opening. My talk with Mark Meadows yesterday precipitated a major firestorm of disagreement in the WH. Some elements led by VP and his staff (particularly Katie) felt we should have a TF meeting and then have a Press Conference with me and Deb leading and run by the VP. Apparently, Kayleigh and Alyssa and the POTUS team (probably Jared and the economy team) were against this. Triggered much rancor, but finally we did it. Clearly, the lines are dividing in the WH. Clearly, I am precipitating this since Deb still cannot get herself to speak up even though she lives in the WH. At the Press Conference, unfortunately, the VP continues to stress the bright side about how well we have done when the southern part of the country is on fire. I came in and spoke of the danger to the entire country even though the map looks like there are more good parts than bad parts of the country. I stressed that we are a heterogeneous country, but we are not disconnected within the country and an outbreak anywhere is a danger even to those sections that have done well. I stressed that the young people have both a personal and a societal responsibility. If they get infected, they are feeding the dynamics of the outbreak and are part of the problem, not part of the solution. It is up to them. The press killed the VP following the press conference saying that he did happy talk when the country is in serious trouble. They are correct. At least the press that I added a reality check to the story.