October 2: Trump's Covid diagnosis

It’s unclear whether he misspoke, but White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who this morning described Trump’s coronavirus as “mild,” this afternoon described Trump as having a ��very moderate case,” but said he was doing “just fine.”

He declined to say what time Trump was “barking out orders,” saying that he is an “early riser, as a general rule.”

Kudlow reiterated there was continuity of government: “We’re going about our business. The government is functioning, there's no question about that. And we just hope for a speedy recovery in the residence,” he said. 

Kudlow graded Friday’s jobs report as an “A-minus” and reiterated much of what he said about the stimulus bill earlier this morning. 

“We're in the neighborhood of $1.5 trillion, it's not precise, but we're in that neighborhood, and we're still way, way below where the other side is. Look, you know, we don't need a gigantic humongous bill. I mean with all respect I know there's political differences and ideological differences, but we can really do that another time,” he said, calling for deals in “targeted key areas.”

Money for states, he said, is still an area of “considerable disagreement,” adding that that should be done “later.”

Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, who attended Tuesday’s presidential debate, said he has tested negative for Covid-19. 

Read the tweet:

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden decided to go ahead with his campaign travel to Michigan this morning after getting back a negative Covid-19 test. 

Three days ago Biden shared a debate stage with Donald Trump – who has now tested positive for Covid-19 – and while their podiums on debate night were more than socially distanced (CNN's Dan Merica reported more than 12 feet apart), they were still indoors in a room that had dozens of people in the audience.

Some of those people, including members of Trump’s family, were not masked. 

Pressed on the thinking behind their decision to go ahead with the Michigan trip today after the negative Covid-19 test, a Biden official said:

Christianné Allen, the spokesperson for Rudy Giuliani, just confirmed that the former New York City mayor and President Trump’s lawyer has tested negative for coronavirus.

Earlier she confirmed that Giuliani is in New York and was quarantining there while he awaited his results.

The Cleveland Clinic, that advises the Commission on Presidential Debates, confirmed that not all individuals adhered to mask wearing requirements during Tuesday’s presidential debate.

In an earlier statement on Friday, the Cleveland Clinic said it believes there is a “low risk of exposure to our guests,” and it had safety requirements that align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, “including social distancing, hand sanitizing, temperature checks and masking.

"Most importantly, everyone permitted inside the debate hall tested negative for Covid-19 prior to entry. Individuals traveling with both candidates, including the candidates themselves, had been tested, and tested negative by their respective campaigns," the organization said.

The Cleveland Clinic has not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment about when or how attendees were tested.

Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for Covid-19 and does not need to quarantine, his physician said in a memo Friday.

Pence tested negative Friday morning, Dr. Jesse T. Schonau said in a statement, confirming a tweet from the vice president's office earlier in the day.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance is that close contact is defined as a person standing within six feet or closer for 15 minutes or more.

The statement from Pence's doctor implies the vice president hasn’t been in close range of the President, or anyone else who has tested positive at the White House, at a rally or on a stage.

CNN has reported that Pence was in the Oval Office with the President on Tuesday. 

Pence is still planning on traveling to Salt Lake City Monday ahead of his scheduled debate with Sen. Kamala Harris Wednesday, an administration official told CNN. 

In a memo released moments ago, his physician says he does not need to quarantine because he was not considered a close contact with President Trump. 

Some more insight: During an interview on CNN, former acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser cautioned that frequent testing is one of the best ways to track Covid-19 infections.

Besser also underscored that negative tests are not a shield against the virus.

“You could be infected and not have a positive test for close to two weeks, which is why the recommendations are that you be quarantined and you stay away from people in that period," he added.

Shawn Wood, the community liaison and communications specialist for the University of Utah, told CNN that the school is still moving forward with plans to hold the vice presidential debate there on Wednesday.

At this point, the Commission on Presidential Debates has not responded to repeated inquiries as to whether or not plans for future debates will change as a result of the President’s Covid-19 diagnosis.

As of today, both Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris have tested negative and the Trump campaign says Pence will continue his campaign duties as normal. 

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem attended the closed-press fundraiser in Minneapolis with President Trump on Wednesday, her spokesperson, Ian Fury, told CNN on Friday. 

When asked if the governor would get tested for Covid-19 due to the President's positive test, Fury told CNN in a statement that she tested negative on Tuesday night, the evening prior to the event. 

On Monday, Noem announced that she will be calling a special session of the state legislature to meet on Oct. 5. The purpose is to consider legislations related to the use of Coronavirus Relief Funds, a press release issued by the state said. 

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany reiterated that President Trump is “in very good spirits and having mild symptoms,” but is making calls from the White House residence and will appear publicly in some capacity in the coming days. 

She suggested that Trump will appear publicly in the coming days but declined to provide additional details. 

“It's safe to say that you'll be seeing and hearing from the President as he moves forward with his working schedule. We're exploring a number of different ways to do that. But he wants to talk to the American people. I can tell you this about President Trump: This man loves the American people, loves speaking to them directly. And nothing's going to stop them from doing just that,” she said.

She was asked about a New York Times report questioning whether Trump should remain on the ballot, calling it a “ridiculous assertion.” 

More details: McEnany tested negative yesterday and today, Fox News host Harris Faulkner said, which McEnany confirmed.

She said she didn’t know when the President was made aware of Hope Hicks’ diagnosis but Trump learned of his diagnosis last night and the tweet was put out “within an hour. 

She said she was “unaware” of Hicks’ diagnosis but “immediately” when she got a positive result, contact tracing was put into place.

“Rest assured, we will always do what is in the best interest of the American people and those around, and I have confidence in the White House medical unit to make the right decisions as they did with Hope and with others,” she said.

McEnany couldn’t say that any protocols are changing at the White House in light of the news.

“We put in place safety procedures, the White Hose Correspondents’ Association has spaces between the chairs, we wear masks in the White House when we can't socially distance. The president, we make sure we're always six feet away and we stay away from each other. So we'll go forward with those same procedures, and we believe that we will protect those here in the White House as we come to work, as we’re essential workers,” she said.

White House staffers, of course, have been observed largely eschewing masks and social distancing during public events.