memeorandum: Oligarchy vs. Democracy in the Age of a Pandemic (Teri Kanefield/DemCast)

12:35 PM ET, April 5, 2020

Top Items:

Navy Captain Removed From Carrier Tests Positive for Covid-19 — Captain Crozier was fired after a leak of a letter he had emailed to Navy leaders detailing the service's failures in dealing with a coronavirus outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. — Capt. Brett E. Crozier …

Discussion: Politico, CNN, The National Interest, HuffPost and Raw Story

New York Times:

Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Warns of ‘a Lot of Death’ While Also Revisiting Easter Sunday Services — President Trump warns of what could be “the toughest week,” while also saying he would like to consider relaxing social distancing rules for Easter services.

Discussion: The Root

San Francisco Chronicle: A Captain's Choice — Brett Crozier chose his crew over his career.

Jack Arnholz / ABC News:
Esper supports Navy's dismissal of aircraft carrier captain

Discussion: Bloomberg and The Hill

Washington Post:
This is what was so unusual about the U.S. Navy making Captain Brett Crozier step down.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Task & Purpose and The National Interest

Peter Baker / New York Times: Trump Proceeds With Post-Impeachment Purge Amid Pandemic

David Zweig / New York Times:

Stranded in the Maldives by Coronavirus Travel Restrictions — Surrounded by a fleet of staff, who are also stranded, one couple is trapped in an eternal honeymoon in the Maldives. — Olivia and Raul De Freitas are currently on their honeymoon, at a five-star resort, in the Maldives …

ABC News:

Biden says call with Trump over coronavirus response hasn't happened — Biden reiterated he was open to speaking with the president. — Former Vice President Joe Biden said a suggested call between himself and President Donald Trump about the novel coronavirus response hasn't happened …

Discussion: Washington Post, Mediaite, The Hill, Bloomberg, Talking Points Memo, NBC News and Political Wire

Rishika Dugyala / Politico:

Biden: I will wear a mask in public — Joe Biden said he will wear a mask in public, drawing a contrast between President Donald Trump and himself amid the coronavirus pandemic. — On Sunday, the former vice president and current de facto Democratic presidential nominee emphasized one phrase repeatedly: “Follow the science.”

Discussion: Althouse, New York Times and HuffPost

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Why Gretchen Whitmer's stock is rising with Team Biden — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's rising profile during the coronavirus pandemic has boosted her stock with Joe Biden's presidential campaign, with some allies making the case that she would make a perfect running mate for the former vice president.

ABC News:
Biden says 2020 convention may be ‘virtual,’ will wear mask in public amid COVID-19 outbreak

Discussion: Breitbart

Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
Some top Sanders advisers urge him to consider withdrawing

Discussion: The Week, The Daily Beast, NewsOne, New York Times, The Guardian, The Hill, Raw Story and NBC News

Holly Otterbein / Politico:
Sanders' ‘narrow path’ to victory gets even narrower

Discussion: The Week, Slate and Washington Post

Mary Spicuzza / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Joe Biden says Democrats ‘may have to do a virtual’ national convention instead of a massive meeting in Milwaukee

Discussion: The Hill

Zack Budryk / The Hill:

Surgeon general: ‘This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives' — U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned Sunday amid the coronavirus pandemic that the week ahead would be the “hardest and the saddest” of “most Americans' lives.”

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog

Ben Kamisar / NBC News:
Surgeon General implores holdout governors to ‘give us a week’

Discussion: The Hill

Kevin Freking / Associated Press:
Surgeon general warns US of ‘saddest week’ and ‘9/11 moment’

Discussion: The Hill and WFLA-TV

Matthew Mosk / ABC News:

George W. Bush in 2005: ‘If we wait for a pandemic to appear, it will be too late to prepare’ — A book about the 1918 flu pandemic spurred the government to action. — In the summer of 2005, President George W. Bush was on vacation at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, when he began flipping through …

Discussion: National Review, Political Wire and Mediaite

Dan Balz / Washington Post: America was unprepared for a major crisis. Again.

Michelle Stoddart / ABC News:
Trump discusses opening the country as coronavirus peak approaches

Discussion: One America News Network and Breitbart

Michael Biesecker / Associated Press:

U.S. ‘wasted’ months before preparing for virus pandemic — WASHINGTON (AP) — As the first alarms sounded in early January that an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China might ignite a global pandemic, the Trump administration squandered nearly two months that could have been used to bolster …

Discussion: Axios and Politico

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

He Went to Jared — Heaven help us, we're at the mercy of the Slim Suit crowd. — A few years ago, when some photos by Times photographers adorning our office walls were swapped out for others, I found one headed for the dumpster. — It captured the scene when Andy Card came over to whisper …

Wall Street Journal:

The Big Question for Sports: When Will You Feel Safe Around 20,000 Strangers Again? — President Trump wants sports back soon. But fans might not be ready. — Sports will be back. At some point in the possibly distant future, athletes will head back to work in arenas, ballparks and stadiums …

Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
How long until sports can return? You might not like the answer.

Discussion: Axios and Associated Press

Madeline Holcombe / CNN:

The US enters crucial weeks of coronavirus fight after a grim milestone of most deaths reported in one day — (CNN)The US reached a grim milestone with the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths reported in one day, and officials are warning the next two weeks will be crucial in the fight to stop the spread.

Discussion: FOX31 Denver, The Week and KTLA

Sarah Westwood / CNN:
Surgeon General: This week will be like a ‘Pearl Harbor’ and ‘9/11’ moment

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Beast and The Guardian

Kansas City Star:

COVID-19 reshuffles 2020 Missouri governor race between Parson and Galloway — A little more than a month ago, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was running TV ads making the case that a booming economy, record-low unemployment and his accomplishments as governor should earn him four more years in office.

Renatta Signorini / Greensburg Tribune-Review:

State police cite Pa. woman for ‘going for a drive’ amid stay-at-home order — A York County woman this week was the first person in Pennsylvania to be cited for violating Gov. Tom Wolf's stay-at-home order, according to state police. — The 19-year-old woman was given a nontraffic citation for allegedly …

Alex Harris / Miami Herald:

After hours waiting for Miami hospital bed, cruise passenger's family calls 911. It was too late — UPDATE, 11 a.m. Sunday: Wilson Maa, 71, passed away Saturday night at Larkin Community Hospital in Hialeah from complications associated with COVID-19. The family's statement is included at the bottom of this story.

Reuters:

Exclusive: Pressed by Trump, U.S. pushed unproven coronavirus treatment guidance — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In mid-March, President Donald Trump personally pressed federal health officials to make malaria drugs available to treat the novel coronavirus, though they had been untested for COVID-19, two sources told Reuters.

Discussion: РБК

Jonathan Allen / NBC News:

Two months in, Trump's coronavirus response creates more chaos — Analysis: Amid America's biggest crisis in generations, the president's actions have often complicated problems rather than resolved them. — WASHINGTON — More than two months into what President Donald Trump calls a “war” …