Trump vs. The WHO

President Trump yesterday slammed the World Health Organization for "missing the call" on the coronavirus, and he blasted the organization for its "very China-centric" approach. Trump also said he would "strongly consider" cutting off U.S. funding, more than half a billion dollars a year, to the global body.

There's no denying that the WHO "acted as Beijing's handmaid." WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus did little to press China for the truth when it was obvious that there was a massive problem in Wuhan. 

In fact, the WHO blindly accepted China's lies every step of the way, even telling the world in mid-January that Covid-19 wasn't contagious. When President Trump imposed travel restrictions on China, Ghebreyesus blasted Trump with rhetoric that parroted the Chinese Communist Party. 

The president is not alone in condemning the WHO as an ineffective, pro-China bureaucracy. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida is promising to investigate the WHO and Sen. Lindsey Graham is demanding that Ghebreyesus resign. Other foreign leaders have taken to referring to the WHO as the "Chinese Health Organization."

And there are many Americans, especially among the president's evangelical base, who have long warned that communist China could not be trusted and must be held accountable for a host of issues, including its abysmal record of human rights abuses. I was interviewed recently by Politico regarding China's bad behavior on the world stage. 

Hard Truths

There's growing evidence that coronavirus is hitting the black community particularly hard. The president expressed deep concern about this during yesterday's White House press briefing. He instructed Dr. Fauci and the CDC to collect the most accurate statistics they can regarding the extent of the virus's disproportionate impact on black Americans. 

Of course, some on the left are suggesting it is because of racism. I'm sure it won't take long before they suggest that is why Trump has allegedly been "dragging his feet" in response to the crisis. The disease is not racist, and the response to it is not racist.

Several reporters yesterday pressed the president on what he planned to do about it. But as Dr. Fauci explained, Covid-19's death rate is directly linked to pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and asthma, all of which are disproportionally present in the black community. 

Once again, this is a reminder that as we are fighting the coronavirus, we need to do more to fight those diseases in the black community when this is all over to improve the overall health of all Americans.

Media Myths & Hollywood Hoaxes

The New York Times, the Huffington Post and MSNBC's "Morning Joke" – I mean "Morning Joe" – are all pushing a story that President Trump is promoting hydroxychloroquine because he has a financial interest in the company that manufactures the drug. 

Predictably, some Hollywood celebrities are once again demanding Trump's impeachment over this latest example of fake news. 

Here are the facts:

·     There are three Trump family trusts. Each of those trusts own shares in the Dodge & Cox mutual fund. 

·     According to the president's financial disclosure forms, the Trump family trusts listed their interests in the Dodge & Cox mutual fund in the lowest investment range – between $1,000 and $15,000. 

·     So the three family funds together have a minimum of $3,000 to a maximum of $45,000 invested in the mutual fund. 

·     Dodge & Cox also files financial disclosures forms, and it holds a 3.3% stake in the company that manufactures hydroxychloroquine.

·     So the Trump family interest is 3.3% of $3,000 or 3.3% of $45,000. At most, the president's financial stake in the drug company is about $1,500. 

It is beyond ludicrous that the left-wing smear machine believes that our billionaire president is promoting a specific drug over $1,500. He routinely donates his presidential salary, which far exceeds that amount.

Abortion Is Not Essential

As we have reported, Planned Parenthood has been arguing that it should be allowed to stay open as an "essential service" during the coronavirus crisis. While the entire country is focused on taking extreme measures to save lives, Planned Parenthood remains committed to its extreme agenda of abortion-on-demand.

Well, I'm pleased to report that a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a Texas order deeming Planned Parenthood "non-essential." 

The court's 2-to-1 majority opinion ruled that in health emergencies states can restrict a variety of rights, including "one's right to peaceably assemble, to publicly worship, to travel, and even to leave one's home. The right to abortion is no exception."

2020 Update

In case you were wondering, yes, there was a primary election in Wisconsin yesterday. But a judge has gagged state officials from announcing the results until next week. 

Nevertheless, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders isn't waiting to learn how he did. He dropped out of the Democrat presidential primary race today, a decision Sanders described as "difficult and painful." 

Sanders's move clears the way for Joe Biden to secure the Democrat nomination to take on President Trump this November.

Chag Sameach – A Joyous Festival

Tonight, Jews all over the world will celebrate the miracle of Passover, commemorating the liberation of their people from ancient Egypt. This year's celebrations, amidst the plague of the coronavirus, may be somewhat more subdued due to social distancing and limits on the size of gatherings. But that's where technology like Zoom and FaceTime can bridge the gap and help bring us together.

The Book of Exodus tells us that Moses was sent by God to tell Pharaoh to "Let my people go." When Pharaoh refused, a series of plagues were inflicted on the Egyptian people. Through it all, Pharaoh's heart hardened and he still refused to end the bondage of the Jews.

The final plague that God used to free the Jews from Pharaoh and Egyptian captivity was to kill all the firstborn males.

Forewarned by God, Jews marked their doors with the blood of a lamb, and, as a result, He passed over their homes. Pharaoh finally relented and released the Hebrew people. (Exodus, Chapter 12.) God told the Jewish people to mark the day as a memorial day and to observe it as a feast to the Lord forever.

God was with His people then as He liberated the Jews of Egypt and led them to the promised land of Israel. He is with them now.

To all of our Jewish friends, Chag Sameach, a joyous festival!