(CNN) - Marine One was idling on the South Lawn Friday as President Donald Trump's advisers were inside the White House making a last-minute push to get him to board the helicopter.
The President, who had recently tested positive for coronavirus, was reluctant to go to the hospital, multiple sources familiar with what happened later told CNN. Though Trump had developed symptoms and was now on experimental drugs, he didn't want to be "hospitalized," he said.

Aware of his hesitancy to appear seriously ill or convey the serious nature of his condition, Trump's aides now appear to be scrambling to provide a portrait of a mildly ill commander-in-chief. But on Friday, medical officials were concerned about his vitals and thought it would be better to monitor his response with the vast resources that Walter Reed National Military Medical Center provided. Trump was told the facility was a more prudent place for him to be in case his condition deteriorated.

"The White House is fully committed to providing transparent and regular updates on the President's condition and recovery," Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.
A decision was made by senior officials to schedule his departure after markets closed to avoid an inevitable tumble, two people familiar with the matter said.

Covid-19 makes us think about our mortality. Our brains aren't designed for that. https://t.co/ofFrHjt6gL

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 4, 2020

"Jeez. The reason I was able to stay sequestered in my home is because some Black woman was able to stack the grocery shelf."
-Joe "a lil racism is fine" Biden pic.twitter.com/LMqu7zE9g3

— Nate's Liver - Commentary (@SilERabbit) October 5, 2020

"Third World" refugee here. I have a PhD in English and I won a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. What have you done? @LaurenWitzkeDE https://t.co/QLS8pRToKq

— viet thanh nguyen (@viet_t_nguyen) October 10, 2020

Almost the whole country is in the "Uncontrolled Spread" category https:/t.co/BuuW28dyJl 1 pic.twitter.com/sVPx8Tncp5

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 18, 2020

RED WAVE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2018

Deaths, hospitalizations and at least 68 COVID-19 cases after weeklong church event

At least two people are dead, four hospitalized and at least 68 positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed following a weeklong convocation event at a church in North Carolina.

The week of events took place at the United House of Prayer for All People in Charlotte, North Carolina.

US signs anti-abortion declaration with group of largely authoritarian governments | The Guardian |

The US has today signed an anti-abortion declaration with a group of about 30 largely illiberal or authoritarian governments, after the failure of an effort to expand the conservative coalition.

...
The "core supporters" of the declaration are Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia and Uganda, and the 27 other signatories include Belarus (where security forces are currently trying to suppress a women-led protest movement), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya.

Secretary Pompeo said in his remarks, "Under President Trump's leadership, the United States has defended the dignity of human life everywhere and always. He's done it like no other President in history. We've also mounted an unprecedented defense of the unborn abroad. ... Today, we're taking the next step, as we sign the Geneva Consensus Declaration. At its very core, the Declaration protects women's health, defends the unborn, and reiterates the vital importance of the family as the foundation of society."

So Trump and his Cabinet are pro-life? 😖

An estimated 299,028 excess deaths occurred from late Jan through Oct 3, 2020, with 198,081 (66%) excess deaths attributed to COVID-19. The largest percentage increases were seen among adults aged 25-44 years and among Hispanic or Latino persons. [_link]

— Athalia Christie (@AthaliaChristie) October 20, 2020