memeorandum: Former Gov. Deval Patrick endorses Biden, plans to join him in Mississippi with Vivica Fox (Geoff Pender/The Clarion Ledger)

5:15 PM ET, March 6, 2020

Top Items:

Robinson Meyer / The Atlantic:

Exclusive: The Strongest Evidence Yet That America Is Botching Coronavirus Testing — It's one of the most urgent questions in the United States right now: How many people have actually been tested for the coronavirus? — This number would give a sense of how widespread the disease is …

Discussion: VICE, Washington Post, ProPublica, TIME, FactCheck.org, SELF, Press Watch and Raw Story

Emily Baumgaertner / Los Angeles Times:

Chaos at hospitals due to shortage of coronavirus tests — As COVID-19 cases spike, the test kits needed to help stem the spread of the disease remain in short supply, with healthcare workers across the state reporting widespread failings in the federal government's response to the growing crisis.

Discussion: The Verge

Justin Sink / Bloomberg:

Trump Aides Respond to Rising Infections: Virus Is ‘Contained’ — The number of U.S. cases exceeds 200, death count at 14 — CDC hasn't said how many Americans have been tested for virus — Two of President Donald Trump's top aides each described the coronavirus outbreak as …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and KTLA

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

What Went Wrong? — Thomas Frieden, CDC Director from 2009 to 2017: “The CDC got this right with H1N1 and Zika, and produced huge quantities of test kits that went around the country. I don't know what went wrong this time.” — This is a very, very big question, one I suspect we'll be discussing long after the crisis is passed.

Discussion: Balloon Juice and YouTube

Hanna Trudo / The Daily Beast:

Dems Pounce After Trump Says He Intends to Cut Entitlements — Any cuts would represent a change of direction, as Trump has generally maintained that he won't trim programs like Social Security and Medicare. — President Donald Trump said he intends to cut entitlement programs during …

Discussion: Politico, Vox, The Hill, Breitbart, Raw Story, One America News Network, The Intellectualist, ABC News and The American Independent

Zach Montellaro / Politico:
DNC sets up Biden vs. Bernie clash in next debate

Discussion: Townhall, NBC News and Dem Primary Tracker 2020

Wall Street Journal: Behind Biden's Rise, a Boost From Centrists—and Trump

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
After Super Tuesday, Joe Biden Is A Clear Favorite To Win The Nomination

Discussion: The Week

Mark Murray / NBC News:
President Trump plays on Sanders' supporters dislike of Joe Biden

Discussion: New York Times and The Hill

Michelle L. Price / Associated Press:
New threshold for next debate likely rules out Tulsi Gabbard

Discussion: Vox and KRON4

Paul Steinhauser / Fox News: Michigan's primary winners in past presidential contests

Joanna Walters / The Guardian:
Trump campaign sues CNN for ‘false’ statements about Russia and 2020 election - live

Discussion: CNN and Patterico's Pontifications, more at Mediagazer »

Nate Cohn / New York Times:
Bernie Sanders Might Have a Michigan Problem

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight and Outside the Beltway

Alex Roarty / McClatchy Washington Bureau: Citing concern over Sanders' challenges in Florida, Democratic super PAC postpones ad blitz

Zack Beauchamp / Vox:

Elizabeth Warren's exit interview is a warning for the dirtbag left — Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders onstage at the Democratic primary debate in South Carolina on February 25, 2020. Win McNamee/Getty Images — Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders supporters, and how online meanness backfires.

Discussion: New York Times, Politico, Fox News, Outside the Beltway, POLITICUSUSA, The Hill, Breitbart and The Week

Fred Barbash / Washington Post:

Warren calls out Sanders for ‘organized nastiness’ and ‘bullying’ by his supporters — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called out Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for not taking steps to control the “organized nastiness” of some of his supporters during the presidential campaign.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Moderate Voice, The Sun, Outside the Beltway and Associated Press

Ryan Grim / The Intercept:
Elizabeth Warren Should Endorse Bernie Sanders — Not for Him, but for Herself and Her Mission

Discussion: CNBC and The Independent

Chantal Da Silva / Newsweek: Warren Urged by National Organization for Women Not to Endorse Sanders: He Has ‘Done Next to Nothing for Women’

Eli Yokley / Morning Consult:
Biden Boasts 16-Point Lead Over Sanders in Democratic Presidential Race

Discussion: The Daily Caller and New York Post

Tyler Olson / Fox News:
March 10 primaries: Here are the states voting, and the delegates at stake

Discussion: Associated Press, ABC News, The Week and Bangor Daily News

Ken Klippenstein / The Nation:

‘This Was a Grift’: Bloomberg Staffers Explain Campaign's Demise — When Elizabeth Warren embarrassed Bloomberg on the debate stage, his lackluster campaign was effectively over. — Michael Bloomberg ended his presidential campaign on Wednesday after being walloped on Super Tuesday.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, National Review and Raw Story

Alex Thompson / Politico:
‘Bailey’ vs. ‘blood and teeth’: The inside story of Elizabeth Warren's collapse

Discussion: Reason and CNN

Allyson Chiu / Washington Post:

‘This is absolutely abhorrent’: Nazi flag at Sanders rally sparks outcry, concerns about safety — Moments after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took the stage at his campaign rally in Phoenix Thursday night, the crowd was on its feet cheering madly for the Democratic presidential candidate.

Discussion: NBC News, CNN, The Independent, Breitbart, Daily Kos, VICE, POLITICUSUSA, Common Dreams, New York Post, The Hill, The Week, HuffPost, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Raw Story

Helen Chernikoff / The Forward:

I saw a Nazi flag at a Sanders rally and I had to act — for my Jewish dad — Editor's note: A teenaged boy and a friend tore down the Nazi flag a protestor unfurled at Thursday's Bernie Sanders rally in Phoenix. This is the teenager's account of the event, lightly edited for clarity.

BuzzFeed News:
A Man Unfurled A Nazi Flag And Shouted Jewish Slurs At A Bernie Sanders Rally

Discussion: Right Wing Watch, Talking Points Memo and The Daily Dot

Nihar Kabinittal / Associated Press:
Nazi flag display at Sanders rally sparks broad condemnation

Discussion: Common Dreams and The Hill

Anita Kumar / Politico:

Trump cancels, then re-reschedules trip to CDC after coronavirus scare — President Donald Trump abruptly canceled and then re-scheduled a Friday visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta as the coronavirus outbreak escalates. — Trump told reporters early Friday morning …

Discussion: American Oversight, Associated Press, The Hill, IJR and Breitbart

CNN:
Trump muddles coronavirus message as response team struggles to match ‘wishful thinking’

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, No More Mister Nice Blog and FOX31 Denver

Politico:
A presidency of two for coronavirus: Trump hands his sidekick the job of a savior

Discussion: Associated Press, The Hill, Florida Politics, No More Mister Nice Blog and Breitbart

CNN:

Six former wrestlers say Rep. Jim Jordan knew about abusive OSU doctor — Watch Drew Griffin's report on what Jim Jordan knew about the OSU abuse allegations at 5 p.m. ET, on CNN's “The Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer. — (CNN)Tito Vazquez says he still remembers the day three decades ago when …

Fox News:

Trump campaign sues CNN over ‘false and defamatory’ statements, seeks millions in damages — EXCLUSIVE: President Trump's re-election campaign filed a libel lawsuit against CNN on Friday for publishing “false and defamatory” statements about seeking Russia's help in the 2020 election.

Discussion: Townhall, The Guardian, Variety, New York Post, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, The Sun, Law & Crime, Deadline and The Wrap

Marcus Kolga / Toronto Sun:

Is Toronto under the sway of Kremlin propaganda? — Last Spring, an application was made to the City of Toronto to have a street named in honour of a respected Russian pro-democracy opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who was assassinated five years ago just steps away from the Kremlin.

Greg Olear / PREVAIL: Bern & Rave at Close of Day / Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Campaign

Anton Troianovski / New York Times:
As Bernie Sanders Pushed for Closer Ties, Soviet Union Spotted Opportunity

Discussion: Fox News, Media Matters for America, Townhall, The Federalist, Washington Post, Mother Jones, Politico, The Rush Limbaugh Show, National Review, Louder With Crowder, The Daily Dot, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Outside the Beltway, Slate and Twitchy

Brad Heath / Reuters:

Americans divided on party lines over risk from coronavirus: Reuters/Ipsos poll — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans who now find themselves politically divided over seemingly everything are now forming two very different views of another major issue: the dangers of the new coronavirus.

U.S. Department of Justice:

Former Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Indicted on Theft of Government Property and Scheme to Defraud the United States Government — A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned a 16-count indictment against a former Acting Inspector General …

Discussion: The Federalist

Matt Naham / Law & Crime: Former Obama Admin Acting DHS Inspector General Indicted on Theft, Fraud Charges

Steven Nelson / New York Post:

How the White House protects Trump and his staff from coronavirus … WASHINGTON — The White House is holding meetings on how to reduce the threat of coronavirus infecting President Trump and his staff after quietly tightening visitor rules last month, The Post has learned.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller and The Intellectualist

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Judiciary Committee says McGahn ruling leaves only extreme options — such as arrests — to get White House info

Discussion: The Hill

NBC News:

Officials: U.S. has ‘persuasive’ intel Taliban do not intend to abide by terms of peace deal — “They have no intention of abiding by their agreement,” one official said. Trump said Friday, “Countries have to take care of themselves.” — WASHINGTON — The U.S. government …

New York Times:

First U.S. Colleges Close Classrooms as Virus Spreads. More Could Follow. — The University of Washington said it would move to online classes for its 50,000 students. With colleges nationwide about to empty for spring break, students fear they might not be coming back.

Discussion: VICE, The Verge and Daily Kos

Andrew Desiderio / Politico:

Romney to vote for subpoena seeking records on Hunter Biden's Ukraine work — Sen. Mitt Romney will vote in favor of a subpoena seeking records about the work Joe Biden's son Hunter did for the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma, a spokeswoman for the Utah Republican said on Friday.