As the Surgeon General warned this will be the “hardest and the saddest” week in terms of American lives, Joe Biden and Donald Trump set aside partisan political issues to swap ideas on saving the nation. The former Vice President reached out to the White House and spoke with President Trump for around 15 minutes. The President genuinely appreciated the call. “We had a really wonderful, warm conversation. He gave me his point of view, and I fully understood that, and we just had a very friendly conversation.”

The virus crisis goes beyond political bickering

On Monday, Vice Admiral Jerome Adams issued a grim warning. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized, it’s going to be happening all over the country and I want America to understand that.”

With that message as a backdrop, the two rivals set aside their political differences to discuss America’s critical challenge. Afterward, Trump described the conversation as “really good, really nice.” They generally agreed they weren’t going to discuss details of what they discussed.

Joe Biden agrees. “I laid out what I thought he should be doing. I laid out four or five specific points that I thought were necessary. I indicated that it is about taking responsibility, and being the commander in chief, taking on the responsibility.” Biden seems somewhat surprised that Trump “was very gracious in his conversation. I had an opportunity to tell him what I would have done, what I thought, the lessons we learned.”

Even though they agreed not to go into political specifics, Biden told reporters that “he suggested that Trump fully implement the Defense Production Act, appoint a supply commander to oversee it, ramp up drug testing and open up a new enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act among other suggestions.”

“He had suggestions, Trump acknowledged, that “doesn’t mean I agree with those suggestions.” Still, the conversation was “very friendly.”

In the works for a week

During one of last week’s virus briefings, a reporter asked President Trump if he would take a call from Biden, to discuss the crisis. Trump agreed wholeheartedly. “I would absolutely take his call. I would love to speak with him, sure.” Biden’s deputy political campaign manager Kate Bedingfield quickly released a statement advising “Our teams will be in touch and we will arrange a call.”

As President Trump tapped out one of his iconic tweets Monday morning, about the date of the DNC convention being moved, he got to thinking about that date Biden wanted to make with him and wondered if he’d been “stood up.”

“Joe Biden wanted the date for the Democrat National Convention moved to a later time period. Now he wants a “Virtual” Convention, one where he doesn’t have to show up. Gee, I wonder why? Also, what ever happened to that phone call he told the Fake News he wanted to make to me?”

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1247185910673952776

Now that they had a constructive dialog, Ms. Bedingfield issued a political statement confirming “Vice President Biden and President Trump had a good call. VP Biden shared several suggestions for actions the Administration can take now to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and expressed his appreciation for the spirit of the American people in meeting the challenges facing the nation.”

On Tuesday night Biden reminded America he’s got “soul.” He told his followers “I talk about restoring the soul of America. You’re seeing the soul of America now. Look what Americans are doing, average Americans. They’re not asking anything about — they’re not talking about divisions based on race, ethnicity or any of that malarkey. What they’re talking about is they’re reaching out and helping everyone.”

Following the chaotic Tuesday night Wisconsin Primary, Bernie Sanders decided to throw in the towel Wednesday morning. It’s back quarantine in the beach house for America’s favorite Socialist.