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Obama: U.S. still waiting for a "coherent national plan" on coronavirus

Former President Obama at an Obama Foundation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in December. Photo: Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Former President Obama tweeted Wednesday the U.S. is still waiting for a "coherent national plan" to manage the novel coronavirus, as he praised Massachusetts for its response to the pandemic.

Why it matters: Obama rarely comments on Trump administration policies, though he did call for Americans last month to stay home and maintain social distancing protocols. He also urged mayors at a town hall this month to "speak the truth" about the outbreak.

The big picture: Obama's comments come as President Trump and some governors look to reopen economies. Massachusetts has implemented strict measures to curb COVID-19's spread. The state has extended orders to close schools, along with businesses like bars and restaurants, until May.

  • Its contact-tracing program was the first statewide effort in the U.S., and it's "still rapidly bringing on staff," the Boston Globe notes.

Go deeper

Russell Contreras
14 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Resurrecting Martin Luther King's office

King points to Selma, Alabama on a map at his Southern Christian Leadership Conference office in Atlanta in January 1965. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Contributor

Efforts to save the office where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., planned some of the most important moments of the civil rights movement are hitting roadblocks amid a political stalemate.

Why it matters: The U.S. Park Service needs to OK agreements so a developer restoring the historic Prince Hall Masonic Lodge in Atlanta — which once housed King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference — can tap into private funding and begin work.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Jonathan Swan
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy
Off the Rails

Episode 4: Trump turns on Barr

Photo illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photos: Drew Angerer, Pool/Getty Images

Beginning on election night 2020 and continuing through his final days in office, Donald Trump unraveled and dragged America with him, to the point that his followers sacked the U.S. Capitol with two weeks left in his term. Axios takes you inside the collapse of a president with a special series.

Episode 4: Trump torches what is arguably the most consequential relationship in his Cabinet.

Attorney General Bill Barr stood behind a chair in the private dining room next to the Oval Office, looming over Donald Trump. The president sat at the head of the table. It was Dec. 1, nearly a month after the election, and Barr had some sharp advice to get off his chest. The president's theories about a stolen election, Barr told Trump, were "bullshit."

Go deeper (6 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Protests outside fortified capitols draw only small groups

Armed members of the far-right extremist group the Boogaloo Bois near the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing on Jan. 17. About 20 protesters showed up, AP notes. Photo: Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images

Small groups of protesters gathered outside fortified statehouses across the U.S. over the weekend ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday.

The big picture: Some protests attracted armed members of far-right extremist groups but there were no reports of clashes, as had been feared. The National Guard and law enforcement outnumbered demonstrators, as security was heightened around the U.S. to avoid a repeat of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots, per AP.

See photos (<1 min. read)Arrow