Dr Fauci told the real story of what will happen when states reopen in a coronavirus Senate hearing today

In a move that set social media on fire, even Mitt Romney was fiercely critical of the president's horrible response to this crisis

In today's Senate hearing, Dr Anthony Fauci made a powerful case against prematurely reopening the American economy. His words were compelling enough on their own, but the format of the hearing itself also wordlessly depicted why states who are lifting coronavirus lockdowns are making a dangerous decision. In a Republican-controlled Senate hearing that was supposed to make the case for people to go back to work, the chairman, as well as almost all the witnesses, had to participate via Zoom because they had been exposed to people who tested positive for coronavirus in their own workplace.

The surreal Senate hearing took place before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after the White House blocked Fauci from testifying before the House last week. The chairman of the committee, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), had to run the hearing from his home. Senator Alexander is currently in self-quarantine after a staffer in his office tested positive for Covid-19. Fauci, CDC Director Robert Redfield, and FDA head Stephen Hahn also had to testify from self-quarantine after being exposed to a White House staffer who has coronavirus.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence's Press Secretary Katie Miller and President Trump's valet, who also serves him Diet Cokes, also tested positive. The quarantine of coronavirus task force officials comes after we learned of these positive cases. The White House has notoriously flouted CDC guidelines by not wearing masks, gloves, or sufficiently social distancing. This is the result.

We've long known the president’s coronavirus response has been horrid. But now, Trump is undercutting his own response by pushing red states to reopen too soon, even going as far as to egg on anti-lockdown protests. Trump wants Americans to go back to work while the White House, which is supposed to be the most secure workplace in the country, can't prevent coronavirus from spreading among their own staff. Irony has truly died a thousand deaths in this administration.

In today's hearing, there was bipartisan agreement between Chairman Alexander and ranking member Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) that the US needs more testing to successfully reopen, and that the current rate is "not enough." This explains President Trump's impromptu briefing yesterday where he oversold America's testing levels and claimed that we "have prevailed" against coronavirus. Clearly, Trump was trying to set a narrative before this hearing made headlines.

Dr Fauci began his testimony on a hopeful note, discussing progress in coronavirus treatments and the fact we are in phase one of clinical trials for a vaccine. His scientific outlook on the months ahead drew a stark contrast to President Trump's baseless wishful thinking. The Q&A, however, was largely focused on whether America is ready to reopen. The resounding answer: no.

Senator Murray asked Fauci about his warnings of "needless suffering and death" if we reopen too soon, and the fact Trump has been sending the opposite message. Fauci warned that if some areas prematurely open without the capability to respond effectively, we could see new spikes and outbreaks. He reaffirmed the need for identification, isolation, and contact tracing while pointing out that he's concerned about states reopening before they meet the CDC guidelines by hitting 14 days of consecutive coronavirus case declines.

In reference to those guidelines, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) asked CDC Director Redfield about reporting that CDC guidance was created to safely reopen the economy but was shelved by the White House. Redfield dodged the question by saying the new guidance will be posted soon.

Then, in a moment that set social media on fire, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) appeared to join the conservative media chorus that has essentially been volunteering Americans for the coronavirus Hunger Games. Paul used much of his time to argue that there won’t be a surge if we reopen the economy right now, in spite of every single scientific model saying otherwise. Paul also downplayed the effect of coronavirus on children, to which Fauci responded by pointing out the strange health issues children are facing due to the virus, some of which have proven fatal.

In another notable remark, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) pointed out President Trump's inaction in February and early March, asserting that our testing is nothing to celebrate whatsoever. Echoing Senator Tim Kaine's (D-VA) comments, Romney highlighted the fact the US and South Korea had their first coronavirus case confirmed the same day — January 20 — but the US death toll is now over 80,000 while South Korea's toll is only 256.

The one constant throughout the hearing was that President Trump's message was repeatedly undercut. Trump has asserted that coronavirus will disappear, probably soon. Today, Fauci said that this virus won't just disappear. Trump has reportedly been questioning whether the coronavirus death toll is inflated. Today, Fauci said the death toll is "almost certainly" higher than has been confirmed so far. Trump has been promising a vaccine "soon." Today, Fauci said that vaccines are unlikely by this fall.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) asked Fauci if we have the coronavirus contained, which has been a common refrain among Trump officials throughout this crisis. Fauci responded by saying that we do not have it completely under control. He went on to point out a fact many of us have been screaming from our quarantined rooftops: if we reopen prematurely, it will not only cause more deaths, but it will further damage the economy: ”There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak you may not be able to control ... not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided, but [that] could even set you back on the road to get to an economic recovery.”

Fauci's health expertise is unparalleled. He's been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984 and advised every president since Ronald Reagan on multiple health crises. Who should we believe? Him, or the guy who said coronavirus fears were a Democratic hoax and suggested people should inject themselves with disinfectant? I know who my money is on.