President Trump’s Acquittal and Democratic Presidential Race
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted to acquit President Trump of two impeachment charges, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was the lone GOP lawmaker to join Democrats in finding the president guilty of the first charge.The next day, President Trump celebrated his acquittal with a defiant speech from the White House where he railed against the investigations that have dogged his presidency while heaping praise on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other political allies. Also this week, Trump delivered his third State of the Union address. He claimed credit for the strong economy and vowed “to never let socialism destroy American health care.” The issue has taken center stage in the 2020 presidential race. Meanwhile, both Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg are claiming victory in the Iowa caucuses, the results of which were delayed and thrown into confusion amid calls from Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez for a recanvassing of the votes.
Guests:
- Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent, NPR
- Carla Marinucci, senior political writer, Politico
Containing Coronavirus
The coronavirus epidemic has now spread to more than two dozen countries, infecting more than 31,000 people worldwide so far. Most of the confirmed cases and deaths are in China, the epicenter of the outbreak, where more than 600 people have died from it. In the U.S., there are now 12 confirmed cases, including four in the Bay Area. Last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency and announced drastic steps to contain the spread of the coronavirus, including barring entry to non-U.S. citizens who recently traveled to China and a mandatory two-week quarantine for Americans who traveled to Hubei province where the illness has been traced to the city of Wuhan.
Guests:
- U.S. Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove)
- Dr. Charles Chiu, infectious disease expert and professor, UCSF
Maternal Mental Health Documentary
A new KQED Radio documentary explores the tragic story of Carol Coronado. In May 2014, she killed her three daughters, ranging in age from 3 months to 2 years old. At trial, her lawyers argued that she suffered from postpartum psychosis, a rare medical condition that can occur after childbirth and sometimes result in deadly violence. The case highlights how the legal system in most of the U.S. hasn’t caught up with medical science, while a recent law passed in California now requires screening of new moms for postpartum mental illness.