March 17, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode

In the U.S., nearly 100 people have died from novel coronavirus among 5,200 confirmed cases. With the infection expected to spread more broadly and businesses and organizations shutting down, what is the latest federal government response? Lisa Desjardins, Yamiche Alcindor and Nick Schifrin join Judy Woodruff to discuss efforts by Congress, the White House and the Departments of Defense and State.

On Tuesday, Wall Street recouped some of Monday’s record losses, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average regaining 1,000 points in apparent reaction to the prospect of a major economic stimulus package. How would that help Americans reeling from the pandemic? Harvard University economist Jason Furman, who worked for the Obama administration after the financial crisis, discusses with Judy Woodruff.

Voters cast primary ballots Tuesday in the midst of a global pandemic. Despite concerns over crowded polling stations, Arizona, Florida and Illinois pressed on with their elections, while Ohio delayed its own. Stephanie Sy reports from Phoenix and Judy Woodruff gets updates from WTTW’s Paris Schutz outside Chicago, Karen Kasler of Ohio Public Radio and TV and David Smiley of the Miami Herald.

On Tuesday, three states forged ahead with holding their Democratic primaries despite the extraordinary circumstances the novel coronavirus pandemic has introduced. Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest reports from Arizona, Florida and Illinois and the delegate stakes in each state for former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

A new HBO series based on Philip Roth's novel “The Plot Against America" reimagines another period of national trauma, but with a fictive twist. In his world, Roth has national hero and aviator Charles Lindbergh winning the 1940 presidential election amidst anti-Semitic activity. Jeffrey Brown spoke with Roth when the book was published in 2004, and we share an excerpt.

In our news wrap Tuesday, rockets struck near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the latest in a series of assaults, including one on a coalition military base only hours earlier. There were no reports of injuries. Also, Russian company Concord Management says it will sue the U.S. for $50 billion in damages, claiming it was falsely accused of funding interference in the 2016 presidential election.

On Monday, nearly 7 million people in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area were ordered by city and county officials to stay home to try to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The city’s Democratic mayor, London Breed, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss the public health considerations that went into that decision and how she is working to support businesses as they subsequently lose income.

The Trump administration is pushing for a huge new economic relief package to fight financial damage done by the novel coronavirus. One hundred people have died nationwide out of 5,200 confirmed cases so far. Most Americans seem to be heeding government direction to stay isolated, but health officials urged young people still flocking to bars to change their behavior. William Brangham reports.