The pandemic is producing a ‘Trump bump’ in the polls – but it may not last | Simon Tisdall

Despite his contradictory, ill-considered response to coronavirus, a growing chunk of Americans see a man in charge. But making himself the face of the crisis may yet backfire

The rise in Donald Trump’s approval ratings – it would be misleading to call it a surge – appears to have shocked his opponents. Critics in the Democratic party and the media have noisily condemned and ridiculed his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, as have some scientists and economists.

But it seems a growing chunk of the America public does not agree.

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Coronavirus US live: Donald Trump predicts ‘a very, very painful two weeks’

Dr. Fauci said “I believe we acted early,” in response to a question about whether the US could have done more, earlier. But he conceded that earlier action could have helped.

Dr. Birx, as well, evaded the question, asserting that it remains to be seen whether the disease was spreading through the US in February or earlier.

Fact check: Hydroxychloroquine cure

Trump once again touted hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus cure, asserting that it won’t kill people because it has already been used to treat other conditions. But the drug can have serious side effects even when it is used as recommended, to treat malaria, as well as lupus and arthritis.

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Trump says Republicans would ‘never’ be elected again if it was easier to vote

President dismissed Democratic-led push for voter reforms amid coronavirus pandemic during Fox & Friends appearance

Donald Trump admitted on Monday that making it easier to vote in America would hurt the Republican party.

The president made the comments as he dismissed a Democratic-led push for reforms such as vote-by-mail, same-day registration and early voting as states seek to safely run elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Democrats had proposed the measures as part of the coronavirus stimulus. They ultimately were not included in the $2.2tn final package, which included only $400m to states to help them run elections.

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Donald Trump in ‘near tie’ with Joe Biden, new poll finds

Washington Post-ABC News poll puts former vice-president ahead by 49% to 47% among registered voters

Donald Trump has gained ground on his probable challenger in November’s presidential election and is in a “near tie” with Joe Biden, according to a new poll released on Sunday.

The Washington Post-ABC News poll put the former vice-president ahead by 49% to 47% among registered voters. In February, the same poll put the US president seven points behind.

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#WhereIsJoe: Biden campaign tries to stay relevant amid coronavirus

The Democratic frontrunner faces an unprecedented political challenge as he seeks traction while working from home

Video conferences from a basement, glitchy internet and bouts of restlessness. Joe Biden, like the rest of America, is working from home.

The former vice-president’s confinement began abruptly on 10 March, when he touched down in Cleveland for a primary-night campaign event only to learn that the state’s governor had called for all major indoor events to be canceled as the nation slowly grasped the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Coronavirus US live: House passes $2.2tn economic stimulus package

Donald Trump will be signing the stimulus package at 4pm this afternoon.

Will be signing the CARE Act in the Oval Office today at 4:00 P.M. Eastern! https://t.co/0WnTNFZPZD

Donald Trump just released an ad called “Hope” that uses sound bytes from various public figures that make it appear they are praising the president for his efforts combating Covid-19.

Reposting - the president, who has accused Democrats of politicizing the coronavirus, is out with an ad using various public statements in misleading ways to highlight his response https://t.co/QwrG5AivMY

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Coronavirus US live: US now has more cases than any other country – as it happened

The Guardian’s Vivian Ho reports:

California’s homeless census was already troubled. Covid-19 is making it impossible.

Related: California's homeless census was already troubled. Covid-19 is making it impossible

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Will the coronavirus crisis spell triumph or disaster for Donald Trump?

The president was slow to address the pandemic that is plunging the US into recession but could an economic bounceback come in time to aid his re-election hopes

On the day of Donald Trump’s election, economists predicted calamity.

Related: Record 3.3m Americans file for unemployment as the US tries to contain Covid-19

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Trump’s deluge of Facebook ads have a curious absence: coronavirus

Campaign ads continue to focus on the southern border even as pandemic has killed hundreds of Americans

As the reality of the coronavirus crisis took hold in the US, Donald Trump’s Facebook campaign remained focused on a different “crisis” – the supposed threat of immigrants entering the US through the southern border.

Related: Facebook to remove misleading Trump 'census' ads

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Coronavirus US live: California governor says 1m people filed for unemployment in state

Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards updated reporters on a major spike in the Covid-19 death toll and contraction rate in the state, which remains a major coronavirus hotspot.

There are now 1,975 confirmed cases, a day-on-day increase of 407, and 65 deaths, a day-on-day increase of 19.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a briefing on Wednesday that 1 million people have filed for unemployment in the state since March 13th.

Gov @GavinNewsom says 1 million Californians have filed for unemployment since March 13. For context, CA usually gets 2500 claims a day, or about 22,500 in the 9 business days since 3/13. Instead: *one million.*#coronavirus #COVID19

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Coronavirus US live: stimulus bill fails in Senate as experts urge Trump not to roll back social restrictions

The death toll in New York City is now approaching 100. The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the city on Monday was 12,339 with 99 deaths. There are just over 20,000 confirmed cases in New York state as a whole and 157 deaths. For context, there are around 41,200 confirmed cases in the entire United States.

The State Department says it is trying to help around 13,500 US citizens who wish to return home from abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic. An official told reporters on Monday that the department is looking at chartering planes to repatriate Americans abroad, and priority would be given to those in need. “If we have somebody who is 70 years old with an underlying condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, that person is going to get a higher priority on one of those flights, than the hale and hearty 20 year old,” the official said.

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Trump talks himself up as ‘wartime president’ to lead America through a crisis

The president initially scoffed at the coronavirus. Now he seems convinced he can lead – and secure four more years in November

Bill Clinton used to lament that his time as US president was broadly peaceful, and lacked a historic test of his mettle. Donald Trump believes that his moment has arrived: a crisis on a par with leading a nation at war.

Related: Lay off those war metaphors, world leaders. You could be the next casualty… | Simon Tisdall

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A Citizen’s Guide to Beating Donald Trump review: dispatches from a time before the virus

David Plouffe went to the White House with Obama then predicted a Clinton victory. Has he learned from that reverse? Have we?

On Tuesday, Joe Biden and his juggernaut left Bernie Sanders’ dream in tatters. The former vice-president swept primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois. Fact: Sanders looks a lot less appealing without Hillary Clinton to kick around.

Related: MBS review: why Trump and the west took a pass on the Khashoggi killing

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Mike Bloomberg transfers $18m to Democratic National Committee

Former presidential candidate will also transfer offices in six battleground states to help defeat Trump

Mike Bloomberg is transferring $18m (£15.5m) from his presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee in the largest single such transfer ever made.

The largesse is the latest sign of the billionaire businessman’s continued involvement in the presidential race since ending his own campaign this month after a lacklustre showing on Super Tuesday. In the 3 March primaries the former New York city mayor won only one US territory.

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US coronavirus news: Mexican border closed to non-essential travel as New York ordered to stay at home – live

Here’s where the day stands so far:

Well, that was an eventful daily coronavirus briefing. Here are some of the highlights:

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Tulsi Gabbard quits 2020 Democratic presidential race

Hawaii congresswoman who assembled eclectic group of supporters backs Joe Biden and thanks Bernie Sanders

The controversial Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has dropped out of the Democratic presidential race. She had been the last woman in the contest – albeit a very long shot from the start – after Elizabeth Warren decided to quit within two days of a poor showing on Super Tuesday.

Gabbard, who won two Democratic delegates, both in American Samoa, endorsed Joe Biden as she suspended her campaign, a surprise move given she was one of few Democrats in Congress to back Bernie Sanders in 2016.

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Bernie Sanders reassesses campaign after Biden builds formidable lead

The Vermont senator’s presidential campaign has seen little but bad news recently as it admits ‘losing the battle over electability’

The Vermont senator Bernie Sanders got thumped in the latest round of Democratic presidential primary contests and, once again, Sanders and his team are reassessing their path forward.

It’s becoming a familiar cycle: former vice-president Joe Biden beats Sanders, the darling of progressive grassroots voters; the Sanders campaign concedes the situation isn’t ideal, and spends some time reassessing. That’s what happened earlier this month after the Super Tuesday contests on 3 March, and this Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

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Sanders to ‘assess campaign’ after Biden sweeps to victory amid coronavirus crisis – live updates

News of Bernie Sanders assessing his campaign comes after Joe Biden made an overture to Sanders supporters last night.

In a video following Biden’s wins, Biden said he and Sanders shared common goals on regarding healthcare, inequality and the climate crisis.

“So let me say especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you. I know what to stake, [...]

I know what we have to do. Our goal is as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party, and then to unify the nation.

The Sanders’s campaign has just issued the following statement via campaign manager Faiz Shakir:

The next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with his supporters to assess his campaign. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people the most vulnerable

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Sanders pressured to exit in push for unity against twin threats: virus and Trump

Joe Biden’s latest string of victories prompts renewed calls for senator to call it quits for the national good

For more than three years it seemed impossible to millions of Americans that anything could be more important than voting for an alternative to Donald Trump.

Yet right now the US president is no longer seen as the most pressing threat to national security. The coronavirus crisis has temporarily turned the US presidential election into a sideshow.

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Biden wins Florida and Illinois primaries as he edges towards Democratic nomination – live

Bernie Sanders is not currently winning a single Florida county, underscoring the scale of Joe Biden’s victory there.

Bernie Sanders got crushed in Florida in 2016, but he still managed to win 9 counties and get 33% of the vote.

Now looks like he's not going to win single county and is just shy of 23%. pic.twitter.com/E5a4iNMKLM

Joe Biden will soon start delivering a primary-night speech after winning Florida and Illinois. (Watch his remarks here.)

Biden is hoping to pull off a sweep tonight once Arizona’s polls close in about 45 minutes.

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