We're just beginning to understand how the coronavirus is transforming our country. Our top focus for the foreseeable future is healing the sick and stopping the disease.

As the crisis has deepened, more and more Americans are staying home and practicing social distancing, understanding that even if the disease might not hurt them, spreading it may hurt those they love and others in the community.

Across the country, many are providing critical services during this crisis -- at hospitals, emergent care facilities, grocery stores, pharmacies and elsewhere. Teachers are retooling lessons for students at home. Postal workers are still delivering the mail. Neighbors are shopping for those unable to shop for themselves.

More than anything else, Americans are yearning for competent leadership. Trump's misrepresentations and failures early-on cost us lives and preparedness. That negligence allowed the coronavirus to get an 8-10 week head-start here. We are still struggling as a country to provide the equipment and tests needed to win this battle sooner, rather than later.

Yesterday as US deaths rose above 3000, the President was tweeting about his TV ratings. But elsewhere around the country, local leaders, governors, legislators and others were focused on the work at hand.

The most recent COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress provides essential support for state and local governments on the front lines of this pandemic, as well as health care workers, American families losing jobs and income, and small businesses. While precious days were wasted in the Senate on a highly partisan attempt to jam through a bad bill, in the end, we were able to prevail on most things. But more action will be needed before this crisis is over.

In these trying times, we need to remember that when the pandemic is gone, our country will need to regroup and rebuild. The full impact of the pandemic will depend on the success of our response, but one thing is clear -- we must be prepared to keep moving forward.

Each of us must stay engaged and committed to the critical work before us: defeating COVID-19 -- and, in November, defeating Trump.

Thank you for all you do,

Chris

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