After making up powers, Trump retreats on 'total' authority

After several states on both coasts created regional partnerships that would coordinate on re-opening plans, Donald Trump apparently decided his "I don't take responsibility at all" posture toward the pandemic made him look weak.

And so the president adopted a radically new position on Monday, stating his belief that he has "the ultimate authority" over state decisions regarding the coronavirus crisis. "The president of the United States calls the shots," Trump told reporters, adding, "When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total, and that's the way it's going to be. It's total. It's total. And the governors know that."

They really don't. In fact, as became clear yesterday, practically every fair-minded observer from the left, right, and center could agree on one thing: Trump's declaration was spectacularly wrong. If governors intend to leave stay-at-home orders in place as the crisis continues, the president doesn't have the power to overrule their directives.