Pelosi still ‘at the table’ after Trump scuttled virus aid talks
“My impression was their approach to how to handle this was different WASHINGTON — from mine and what I House Speaker Nancy Pelinsistedwe do in the Senate, osi said Thursday that she's which is towear a mask and “at the table” ready to negopractice social distancing,” tiate a coronavirus aid packMcConnell said at a camage after President Donald paign stop in northernKenTrump halted talks and left tucky for his own reelecthe economy reeling, his tion.
GOP allies scrambling and The sharpwords fromall millions of Americans withsides after Trump lashed out additional support out at Congress come durweeks before ElectionDay. ing the final weeks in a
Pelosi said she told campaign year fast turning Trump's chief negotiator, into a referendum on Treasury Secretary Steven Trump's handling of the Mnuchin, she is willing to pandemic. consider a measure to prop Republican allies are up the airline industry, peeling away from Trump, which is facing widespread with some calling his decilayoffs. But that aid, she sion to withdrawfromvirus said, must go alongside aid talks a mistake. broader legislation that inNormally, the splintering cludes the kind of COVID could provide grounds for a testing, tracing and health robust package, but with practices that Democrats other Republicans refusing say are needed as part of a to spend more money, it national strategy to “crush appears no relief will be the virus.” coming with Americans al
“Lives are at stake,” Pelosi ready beginning early votsaiding.attheCapitol.“Thisis deadly serious.” McConnell held outhope
In a stunning admission, that “we ought to continue Senate Majority Leader to talk” evenas severalof his Mitch McConnell said own senators said they do Thursday he had stopped not want to pass more aid. going to the White House More than 212,000 Ameribecause he disagreed with cans have died and millions its coronavirus protocols. more are infected with a His last visitwasAug. 6. virus that shows no signs of abating heading into what public health experts warn will be a difficult flu season and winter.
The president blew up negotiations this week when he announced his withdrawal, and then quickly reversed course and reached out for fresh aid. It all came in a head-spinning series of tweets and comments days after he returned to the White House after his hospitalization withCOVID-19.
First he told the Republican leaders in Congress on Tuesday to quit negotiating on an aid package. By Wednesdayhewas trying to bring everyone back to the table for his priority items— including $1,200 stimulus checks for almost all adult Americans.
Democrats have made it clear they will not do a piecemeal approach until the Trump administration signs off on a broader, comprehensive plan they are proposing for virus testing, tracing and other actions to stop its spread. They have scaled back a $3 trillion measure to a $2.2 trillion proposal. The WhiteHouse presented a $1.6 trillion counteroffer. Talkswere ongoing when Trump shut them down.