Andrew and Steve gathered with David Sanger to discuss the NYT's recent investigative team’s efforts, which chronicled the momentous White House decisions taken in early April to step back and push lead responsibility on to the states. This occurred at the same time that the President balked on any national testing strategy, refused to embrace masks, and persisted in escalating pressure upon states to reopen before they were ready. Overly optimistic scientific models created the false impression that the pandemic had peaked in the United States. A White House slow to recognize its mistakes as summer began permitted the virus to raced out ahead, ushering in today’s crisis, twice the scale of March and April. The NYT team concluded that these decisions are among the most catastrophic undertaken by any White House. 

David Sanger is a premier national security correspondent for the New York Times.