| Another Day, Another Grueling Coronavirus Briefing
As our winners and losers attest, today's Covid-19 briefing was quite a show. Even before it began, spottings of former press secretary Sean Spicer and First Daughter Ivanka Trump caused a stir, and even the opening acts caught our attention.
Task force member Dr. Deborah Birx delivered the disturbing — especially for about half of us — news that the coronavirus is killing twice as many men as women. Something to think about when you're wheezing out your last "AKSHUALLY..."
And before Trump completely lost it on media winner Peter Alexander for pressing him about creating a "false sense of hope," Trump spent several minutes speculating about the efficacy of the untested malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, even as Dr. Anthony Fauci tried to tamp down expectations.
Trump also caused a stir by referring to the U.S. State Department as the "Deep State Department" — directing the quip at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and prompting a classic reaction from Fauci.
It was a bad day for reporters trying to get useful information, as Yamiche Alcindor discovered when she tried to find out when all symptomatic Americans would be able to get tested for Covid-19, and got run around the block by Trump, who replied that not every one of the 325 million people in the United States needs to be tested.
Stay Home, Pretty Please!
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo continued to be a steady and informative presence during the coronavirus crisis. At today's press conference, which wrapped up before the Trump show, Cuomo announced that 100 percent of non-essential businesses in the state are closed, and that New Yorkers should “remain indoors to the greatest extent to protect physical and mental health.”
But Cuomo took great pains to point out that this is not a "shelter-in-place" order, just a strong shelter-mostly-in-place suggestion.
Loeffler Behind
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) faced a pretty uncomfortable grilling from Fox News' Ed Henry that might have landed Henry in the Mediaite winners' circle on any other day. Loeffler is one of several senators facing scrutiny for stock trading activity following a classified January briefing on the coronavirus, but in advance of the precipitous stock market plunges that followed weeks later.
Loeffler kept the denials coming, but Henry didn't give up, and let his skepticism show through.
How Ya Like Me Now?
Trump started the day on pretty solid footing, as a new poll showed that 55 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the coronavirus crisis. And that was before the administration announced that they were postponing tax day until July!
Only time will tell if Trump's performance at today's briefing and the continued issues with coronavirus testing and protective equipment will have an effect on those numbers, but Trump can always count on himself for a boost. 6.5.0 | 
