POLITICO's Pulse Check

Which do you want first, the good news or the bad news? Host Dan Diamond talks with health reporter Adam Cancryn and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how some of the best signs for returning to normalcy — like effective vaccines and at-home testing — are emerging just as we enter what could be the most dangerous phase of the pandemic. But first: If Dan were sitting on your shoulder giving you advice...

Finally, some good pandemic news! Host Dan Diamond discusses the promising preliminary data on Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine with health reporter Sarah Owermohle and Jeremy Siegel — and answers some of the biggest questions you might have about it. But first: Sarah's cat stops by with some breaking mews.  Mentioned on the show: Pfizer touted promising results from its coronavirus vaccine. President...

Candidates talked nonstop about coronavirus on the campaign trail. But how much did the health crisis influence the vote? As Joe Biden inches toward a slim victory with a divided Senate, host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how Covid played — or didn't play — into the results. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Puls...

"Pulse Check" presents a special episode of POLITICO's new podcast "Global Translations". Once there is a working Covid vaccine, manufacturers across the globe will need to scale up production to produce billions of doses — meaning billions of pharmaceutical-grade glass vials, rubber stoppers, packaging, storage and refrigeration. In a special airing of POLITICO's Global Translations podcast, host...

It's an election that will be defined by health policy, particularly how the two candidates plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how President Trump and Joe Biden differ on their Covid responses and other key health issues. Sign up for Global Pulse, a new weekly newsletter about the global health agenda. And stay up-to-date on the late...

As Asian countries return to semi-normal life and European nations reimpose lockdown measures, the U.S. continues to reopen — despite an alarming surge in cases. POLITICO's Dan Diamond talks with Global Pulse author Carmen Paun and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about the differing approaches to the Covid outbreak. But first: If you could choose anywhere in the world, where would you hide out for the du...

This week, the NBA wrapped up a championship and “The Bachelorette” launched a new season. What did the two events have in common? Meticulous planning for coronavirus safety. Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how the White House's own protocols stack up with what we've seen on TV. But first: What would it take to win Dan's rose? (Hint: ample social distancing)Stay up-to-da...

The U.S. health department made a wish list of more than 30 celebrities including Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift and Billy Joel to appear in their ad campaign to "inspire hope" about coronavirus, but they ended up with only Dennis Quaid, CeCe Winans and Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer. Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about HHS' latest PR blunder. But first, yep, Dan did call Garth Br...

The Democratic senator joined POLITICO's podcast to discuss what administration officials have told him about the coronavirus response, and why he thinks talking about the Affordable Care Act is the best way to stop Republicans from naming a new Supreme Court justice. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. And subscribe to...

HHS spokesman Michael Caputo says he's taking a leave of absence for health reasons. Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about the latest turbulence within Trump's health department and his own reporting on Caputo's rocky tenure. But first — isn't Dan supposed to be on vacation? Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse n...

Is Trump rushing a vaccine to help boost support ahead of November? Are Democrats purposefully undermining confidence in his administration's public health efforts? Host Dan Diamond talks with health reporter Sarah Owermohle and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about the politicization of the vaccine race. But first, what do Dan, Sarah and Jeremy have in common with the pandemic? Stay up-to-date on the la...

The election is two months away, and Covid is still front in center on the campaign trail. Host Dan Diamond talks with health care reporter Dan Goldberg and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how the pandemic could influence voters — and whether the Trump administration will be able to prevent another surge ahead of Election Day. But first: We've got ourselves a double-Dan situation, don't we? Stay up...

In February, Vice President Mike Pence took the reins of the nation's Covid response as head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Six months later, host Dan Diamond talks with health reporter Adam Cancryn and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about Pence's rocky tenure — and how it meshes with the GOP's messaging on the pandemic at the RNC this week. But first, Dan and Adam get a visit from future Je...

It's a story that made waves across the Capitol: The Pentagon was considering cutting more than $2 billion from military health care programs. Then both Biden and Trump — and a slough of lawmakers — cried foul. Host Dan Diamond and Pentagon reporter Lara Seligman tell Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel how they broke the story. Dan Diamond is the host of POLITICO Pulse Check and author of the POLITICO Pulse...

Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about Joe Biden's historic announcement that Kamala Harris will be his running mate — and what her history on health care means for the November election. But first, sure, Dan did get to talk with Dr. Fauci on last week's show ... but that doesn't mean he didn't miss having Jeremy around. Dan Diamond is the host of POLITICO Pulse Check and autho...

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious-disease expert, joins host Dan Diamond to talk about the state of the coronavirus outbreak, the progress on vaccines and testing stumbles, and how he's protecting his own mental health during the crisis. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. And subscribe to our latest n...

On March 27th, host Dan Diamond and POLITICO's Sarah Owermohle wrote a story together about how hydroxychloroquine was dividing President Trump and his health officials. Four months later ... they're reporting the same story. Déjà vu, anyone? Dan talks with Sarah and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about why Trump keeps repeating himself — despite mounting evidence that says the drug is ineffective as a...

Host Dan Diamond talks with health care reporter Mohana Ravindranath and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how the Covid outbreak is reshaping the telehealth industry. But first, Jeremy (almost literally) runs into a health care celebrity. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. And subscribe to our latest newsletter POLITICO...

Host Dan Diamond talks with health reporter Adam Cancryn and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about the latest twist in POLITICO's investigation of the health department. But first, what should Dan and Adam call their new soap opera about HHS?Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. And subscribe to our latest newsletter POLITICO Fu...

Host Dan Diamond and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel look back at the past 6 months of the coronavirus pandemic — and discuss what's next for 2020. But first, Dan puts a damper on Jeremy's 2021 wedding plans. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW CDC official Nancy Knight joined Pulse Check last year to di...

John Bolton's newly-released memoir has made waves across Washington, D.C., with explosive allegations about how President Trump handled foreign policy. But what does Bolton's experience in the White House tell us about the Trump administration's coronavirus response? Host Dan Diamond talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how Trump's relationship with China's President Xi has influenced his ha...

Hydroxychloroquine is out. Dexamethasone is in. Host Dan Diamond talks with health reporter Sarah Overmohle and Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about the elusive search for a coronavirus treatment — and the latest on the high-speed race for a vaccine. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW FDA ended its con...

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams joins host Dan Diamond to discuss America's dual pandemics: the coronavirus crisis and systemic racism in the health care system, and how the killing of George Floyd is affecting him personally. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW Some public health experts are en...

Host Dan Diamond talks with Samantha Artiga — who heads up the Kaiser Family Foundation’s work on health disparities — on the intersection of the coronavirus pandemic and protests on racial inequality spurned by the death of George Floyd. Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW Health disparities are...

Host Dan Diamond talks with Nightly author Renuka Rayasam and  Dispatch Host Jeremy Siegel on the contrasts between national and regional responses to Covid-19. More and more states are re-opening even as the national death toll mounts to more than 100,000.Stay up-to-date on the latest Covid-19 news by subscribing to the POLITICO Nightly and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. MENTIONED ON THIS SHOW U.S....