Today's Trump liefest

He's holding press conferences daily because he's not able to hold campaign rallies.

And rapidly.  In a steep decline.

Trump notes the virus has spread to 148 countries. He says, "You talk about a spread. You talk about a violent spread." He adds, "Not even believable."

Trump: "I had calls during the week with all sorts of representatives and systems, like the hospital system." 

He talks with systems.

Trump: "Walmart, as an example, has been really helpful to us." He adds, "And I guess, I assume, they're doing pretty well, because people are certainly buying, more than even a clip at Christmas, by substantial numbers. Pretty amazing. But they're doing incredible."

I'm sure Walmart's success will be a comfort to his out-of-work supporters.

Trump says he had a great phone call with religious leaders, "a very significant call."

Trump says he thinks they're "very close" to a solution on the coronavirus legislation, says leaders from both parties are working in good faith. 

Trump is listing actions he's announced this week and thanking companies for helping with the situation. "Hanes, everybody knows Hanes, great company, great consumer products, cotton, company, is retrofitting its manufacturing capabilities...to produce masks."

Trump touts what "possibly" may be "very successful" medicines to help people and help people not get sick, this time not getting into details. (Again, Fauci and FDA commish Hahn have made clear there are no proven safe and effective treatments.)

Trump claims that governors are "loving what we're doing." 

That's not what I've heard.

Trump: "Stay at home and save lives." Trump tells Americans that "the history books" will never forget their response. He says, "We're going to be celebrating a great victory in the not-too-distant future."

Pence says he and Trump promised religious leaders they would advise Americans to "go ahead and make that donation" to their religious entities even while they're not in the pews right now.

Pence thanks religious leaders for suspending services and going online. He says "the chorus of prayers" from around the country is "making the difference that it always has in the life of this nation."

Pence says that, on Monday, they will detail their progress on Trump's strategy on procuring and distributing personal protective equipment and medical supplies.

So...we ARE a shipping clerk?

Pence says the member of his staff who tested positive is "doing well" and had mild cold-like symptoms, has not been to the White House since Monday. Pence says he himself wasn't exposed, but given his unique position leading the task force, he's going to be tested.

Pence: "More than 195,000 Americans and more" have been tested, not including county hospitals or "health care labs around the nation," and "only 19,343" have tested positive.

Fauci: "I can tell you for sure" that "we are clearly having an effect" with social distancing, but it can't accurately be quantified right now.

Fauci: "Remember there was an always an issue with testing. I think we're getting to the solution that everybody in the country is looking for." (Trump has never acknowledged the obvious "issue" with testing, repeatedly saying they're easy to get and that he hasn't heard issues.)

Pence says HHS just placed an order for "hundreds of millions" of N95 masks to be made available for health workers. (He doesn't give a timeline.) 

So you see, press pressure DOES help.

Trump on what he'd advise people worried about losing their jobs tomorrow: "Stay where you are. And we'll see what happens. Now, if they don't (keep their jobs), we have unemployment, we have checks, we have a lot of things happening. A lot of very positive things. [...] "Well, what they do right now is keep receiving their paycheck. And hopefully their companies are gonna be in a very strong position...we think we're gonna have a tremendous bounceback."

That'll reassure 'em.

Asked why he hasn't compelled any company to make anything using the Defense Production Act, he says, "We have so many companies making so many products." He says that's preferable, companies volunteering, to invoking the act.

Trump says that if the federal government is competing against states to procure vital equipment, the feds will "drop out of the bidding" because they want the states to go first. 

Asked if he's spoken with Pelosi about the legislation, Trump says, "I've spoken with - I'm not gonna say who I speak with, but I've spoken with, directly or indirectly, everybody. Many, many times." 

I wonder how you speak with someone indirectly.

Trump: This was the greatest economy in the history of the world before all this happened with the virus, and "we can be back very, very quickly."

Trump says he is "strongly recommending" a prohibition on stock buybacks for bailout recipients. 

Trump laments "the throwing away of the mask." He says they can be santized and reused. He explains, "We have very good liquids for doing this." 

Not for paper masks!

Trump says he asks "how is it possible" for the country to be using so many masks. He explains that it's because they're thrown out after use.

A reporter reads quotes from doctors who can't get protective masks. Trump touts progress on masks, blames other administrations, and says, "Many doctors -- and I've read many, many doctors -- can't believe the great job that we've done." 

None of us believe that.

After Trump fights

@JDiamond1

's factual statement about doctors not being able to get masks, Fauci comes up and says, "I get the calls every night, the way you get emails. It's a serious issue. We don't want that to happen. But it is happening. You're not making things up."

Reporter: I want to read you some things doctors on the front lines are saying. Trump: "You mean the ones that are saying good things or bad things?"

Trump: "Nobody would have believed, nobody would have thought possible, that this could happen." (Experts and US intelligence had repeatedly warned of pandemic risks.) 

And, in fact, Obama's team held a mock pandemic scenario for the incoming Trump people, who apparently didn't manage to take it to heart.

Trump: This is a "tragedy," but you read about 1917 and you don't think, "in a modern age," that this could ever happen. He adds, of the virus: "It is genius. It comes back. And it's too bad."

The tragedy is his presidency.  And, pretty much anything is smarter than he is.

Trump: It would be a gift from God if these medications work, so "we're going to pray to God that it does work."

Bookmark that.  Because if they work, he will absolutely take the credit.

Asked if he expects his business to seek government assistance, the president says, "I don't know. I just don't know what the government assistance would be for what I have. I have hotels." He adds everyone knew he was tremendously successful when he was elected.

He might not know, but WE do.

"Reporter" for wildly sycophantic network OANN asks Trump a fawning question inviting him to bash the Washington Post. He says, "I love whoever you're with. Because that's such a nice question." He then bashes the Post and praises OANN.

Asked why he praised China's response and "transparency" on Jan. 24, Trump says, "Because it's true." Reminded he's now saying China wasn't transparent about the virus, he says, "They were transparent at that time." 

Don't think you're going to catch him in a lie. He's got another one to cover it.

Asked for an updated number of ventilators, Trump says a ventilator is a "very complex machine," marvels at how many are needed, says "so many companies" are making them "right now," and defers to Pence.

They need to start asking more "why didn't you" questions and get this thing over with.

Trump: "When you hear the number of tests that we'll be providing and are now -- it's incredible. And I've heard a lot of governors say the same thing." As usual, he's combining hyperbole and vagueness.

Trump: "China has worked very hard." He adds, "China's not a beneficiary here. China has lost thousands thousands of people. China has gone through hell over this...I just wish they could've told us earlier. I have great respect for that country...for the leader of that country (China), and like him. He's a friend of mine. But I wish they...would have told us earlier..." 

Somebody finally convinced him that blaming China and calling it the China virus was hurting the trade deal he wants. 

He may be done.  I know I am.

Remember when Wilbur Ross said the virus would be good for American businesses and Trump said it would be good for domestic tourism?  Good times.