And then there were three

Why is Mike Pence in charge of coronavirus messaging? The New York Times explains:

The decision to put Mr. Pence in charge was made on Wednesday after the president told some people that the vice president didn’t “have anything else to do,” according to people familiar with the president’s comments.

But as the Times also notes (with a straight face), Pence is “one of three people designated as the administration’s primary coronavirus official.” Pence has appointed Dr. Deborah L. Birx as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator. And Alex M. Azar II chairs a coronavirus task force.

Pence’s record on public health is an odd one. Here, from Slate, is a summary.