The Sunshine State recorded more than 15,000 new infections on Sunday -- the highest number of new cases in a single day by any state -- as the pandemic raged across southern and western heartlands including Texas, Georgia and Arizona. The surge came two months after many states, disregarding government guidelines, opened up bars, gyms, hair salons and other businesses.
Fresh controversy is boiling meanwhile over Trump's aggressive push to get schools fully operational within weeks, after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos failed repeatedly to outline a plan to do so safely in a CNN interview Sunday.
The White House also intensified a stunning whispering campaign against the nation's top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, accusing him of making mistakes and of refusing to prioritize the President's interests.
Fauci, who has not spoken to the President for weeks, has contradicted Trump's false claims that the United States is leading the world in the coronavirus fight. He's also refuted Trump's claim that 99% of Covid-19 cases are "totally harmless."
Fauci's positions have evolved with the science -- including his stance on masks, which he initially said weren't proven to be beneficial in everyday life and should be reserved for health care workers. The White House apparently sees no irony in attacking his track record when the President spent months denying the virus would be a problem, praising China for its handling of it and predicting a miracle that would cause it to disappear.
And the fact that the administration is mounting a political campaign-style attack one of its own senior officials, who has been one of the nation's most respected public health experts for decades, tells an extraordinary tale about its priorities in the pandemic.
Trump's election worries drive opening policy
Trump's fixation on his electoral prospects and desire to ignite an economic comeback were behind his assurances that it was safe to ease stay-at-home orders without waiting for infection curves to properly flatten. The push was eagerly embraced by some GOP governors, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is now facing heavy criticism as his state sees runaway infection rates.
The alarming acceleration of the pandemic, with average countrywide new cases hitting 60,000 a day, suggests that the dark days endured by New York and New Jersey months ago may not turn out to be America's most harrowing tussle with the virus.
New reports are emerging of full intensive care units, a shortage of protective equipment for front-line medical workers and problems with an underpowered national testing system -- exactly the deficiencies that complicated the early fight against Covid-19.
Trump's earlier impatience may come back to bite him less than four months from Election Day. Some governors and city mayors are slowing or reversing reopenings. Economic and social damage from the pandemic could therefore last far longer than originally hoped as news of job losses in re
