About covid19. Foreign nationals reporter on january 31st the president restricted travel from china. The next week, in a phone call, mr. Trump told woodward what hed been learning about the virus. This was february 7th. It goes through air, bob. Thats always tougher than the touch. The touch, you dont have to touch things, right . But the air, you just breathe the air. Thats how its passed. So thats a very tricky one. Thats a very delicate one. Its also more deadly than your, you know, your even your strenuous flus. This is deadly stuff. Reporter three weeks after that call, the president said this to the public. Its a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for. And well essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner. Yeah, go ahead. In that february 7th interview, its clear that the president knows what the stakes are, but hes not sharing that with the public at that time. Yes. This is the tragedy. A president of the United States has a duty to warn. The public will understand that, but if they get the feeling that theyre not getting the truth, then youre going down the path of deceit and coverup. Did the president ever disclose to you why he wasnt telling the public what the stakes were with the coronavirus . So in march, i asked exactly that question, you know, whats going on . And the president said well, i think, bob, really, to be honest with you sure, i want you to be. I wanted to i wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down. Yes, i because i dont want to create a panic. I think he did not understand the american public. And he said, well, i dont want to create a panic. We know from history when the public is told the truth, they organize, we have a problem, were going to step up, and trump thought, oh, well, theyll panic when theres a crisis when the president particularly knows something, its time to tell the public in some form. He failed. You write in the book that the president s handling of the virus reflects his instincts, habits and style. What are those . Denial. Making up his own facts. Reporter at age77, bob woodward has fact checked nine president s. Rage is his 20th book. Its published by simon schuster, part of viacomcbs. The title rage comes from him. He said he brings out rage in people, and he doesnt know whether thats a positive or a negative or good thing or a bad thing. And also it describes a condition in the country now. Theres a lot of rage out there. Reporter his interviews for rage started in the overrule office, then continued for months in phone calls, many out of the blue from mr. Trump. Yes. I mean, you have an audiotape of this where they come on. Mr. Woodward, the president. Mr. Woodward, the president. Hi, bob. President trump, how are you . How are you . Im turning my recorder on here as i always do. Okay. Just so i have it started in december 2019, before the virus was on anyones radar. So we were talking a lot about north korea. Reporter in mr. Trumps first year, north korea tested its first intercontinental missile. Woodward says the president gave defense secretary james mattis authority to shoot down any north Korean Missile aimed at the u. S. North korea dominated their earliest interviews. I think the public did not realize, and trump told me repeatedly. He said you dont know how close we were to war. Reporter instead, north korean dictator kim jongun offered to meet. They did. Three times. Woodward has more than two dozen letters exchanged in their diplomatic courtship. Kim says to trump, our meetings, our relationship is out of a fantasy film. He says, there is a magical force between us. Even now, i cannot forget that moment of history when i firmly held your excellencys hand as the whole world watched. Did the cia have a look at kims letters . Yes. And what did they make of them . They never figured out who was writing them. But the analysts concluded that theyre masterpieces because theyre they are appealing to trumps sense of grandiosity. Reporter woodwards interviews took a sharp turn may 25th after george floyd was killed by Minneapolis Police officers. Black lives matter. Reporter the black lives Matter Movement black lives matter. Reporter reignited. Black lives matter. Do you think there is systematic or institutional racism in this country . Well, i think there is everywhere. I think probably less here than most places or less here than many places. Okay. But is it here in the way it has an impact on peoples lives . I think it is and its unfortunate, but i think it is. Reporter woodward asked mr. Trump if a privileged life left him out of touch. And do you have any sense that that privilege has isolated and put you in a cave to a certain extent, as it put me and i think lots of white privileged people in a cave and that we have to work our way out of it to understand the anger and the pain, particularly black people feel in this country. No, you really drank the koolaid, didnt you. Listen to you, wow. No, i dont feel that at all. He was ridiculing me for reflecting what the whole movement after george floyd is. Reporter by the time of their final interviews in august, mr. Trump had become the leader of the one nation suffering the most from the virus. The president came to this conclusion. You and i nothing more could have been done. Nothing more could have been done. Nothing more could have been done. Does he remember what he told me back in february about its more deadly than the flu . I mean, it almost took my breath away that there was such certainty when he was absolutely wrong about the issue that defines the position of this country right now. You can see the full report on our website, cbsnews. Com. The overnight news will be right back. A lotta folks are asking me lately how to get their dishes as clean as possible. I tell them, you should try cascade Platinum Plus the power of oxi. Cascade platinum oxi penetrates and breaks down food soils some detergents can leave behind, washing away even the smallest food residue, so it doesnt redeposit on your dishes. And oxi is cascades most powerful clean, formulated without any chlorine bleach, for a deep hygienic clean you can see and feel. Cascade the power of oxi. The 1 recommended brand in north america. Discover whats good pantene nutrient blends swipe, lift, spin, dry. Slam, pan, still. Fresh move, move, move, move aaaaand still fresh. Degree. Ultimate freshness activated when you move. Ultimate freshness over time, you go noseblind to the odors in your home. background music but others smell this. upbeat music thats why febreze plug has two alternating scents and eliminate odors for 1200 hours. Breathe happy febreze. La la la la la. Theres an organization in ohio helping special needs kids adapt to live during the yes, i do have fun, mom. Reporter prepandemic 11yearold kingston ferrell loved visiting lifetown village in columbus, ohio. A realistic simulated town for special needs kids. When the pandemic hit and lifetown had to shut down, how hard was that on kingston . Its hard because hes used to routine. Reporter the sixth grader is autistic and repeatedly asked his mom when the free program would reopen. When she inquired they contacted me within ten minutes. Reporter within days, life town launched life town on the go, bringing a miniature village to kingtons front yard. When life town pulled up in front of your house, kingston, what did you think . Were you happy . Yes. Show me what you did when life town showed up on your front yard. Good job. So, two. Reporter the interactive village helps special Needs Children practice important life skills like grocery shopping. Put it in your bag. Reporter and withdrawing money from the bank. You guys want to Work Together and fill out your withdrawal slip. Okay. It gives him some normalcy. I mean, he probably already feels outcast. Reporter they cater to more than 2,500 students across ohio, and with generous donations coming in, theyre expanding one an army of volunteers in one massachusetts town has mobilized a rescue of a neighbors home that was literally falling apart. They call themselves the glorious gladiators. Steve hartman found their story on the road. Reporter any electrician can flip a switch. But only john kinney of woburn, massachusetts can make a customer light up like this. Please dont pinch me because i dont want to wake up. Thats one fine electrician. Oh, 1,000 times over. Reporter last month, 72yearold gloria scott called john to fix a ceiling light, but he soon discovered that broken light was the least of her problems. Too poor to make any house repairs and too prideful to ask for help, glorias house was in total disrepair. No lights. No running water. I think i seen her on a friday and it stuck with me over the weekend. I said i got to go back there, you know . Reporter so john returned and started working for free. He also started a Facebook Page titled nice old lady needs help where he called on other tradespeople to join him. On the Facebook Page you said, its not like were trying to rebuild her whole house. Yeah, now it looks like we are. Reporter it sure does. This whole porch is going to get rebuilt. You can see up there thats where a lot of the raccoons and stuff were getting in. Reporter theyve been at it about a month now, putting in all new electrical, all new plumbing, new windows and walls and ceilings. Almost everything is getting repaired or replaced. From the Backyard Lawn to the front porch steps. Wow. Its what youre suppose do. Reporter its what youre supposed to do. Seems the whole town of woburn has bought into that mantra. Even those who cant build are rakes. Sending gift baskets, supplying the workers with food. Look at these peopl words for it, you know . Its not going to end with this house, though, either is it . I dont want it to. Thats why we put a name to it, the glorious gladiators and we want to keep going with this. Reporter john would like to see chapters of glorious gladiators across the country helping seniors in similar situations, seniors like gloria scott who had a broken light but now shines brightly thanks to an elelectrician hard wired for kis in. Steve hartman, on the road, in woburn, massachusetts. They say its what youre supposed to do, and thats the overnight news for this tuesday. For some of you, the news continues. For others, check back later for cbs this morning and follow us online any time at cbsnews. Com. Reporting from the nations capital, im kris van cleave. Its tuesday, september 15th, 2020. This is the cbs morning news. Bracing for sally. The hurricane is expected to bring life threatening storm surge, powerful winds and flash flooding. Where the storm is right now and how residents are getting ready. Out of control wildfires. Dozens of people are dead as flames burn across the west. Why today will be another tough day on the front lines. Ambush. The reward increases to find the shooter as we learn more about the heroic efforts of the female deputy shot in the jaw. The jaw. Good morning. Good to be with you