memeorandum: The Times Took 19 Days to Report an Accusation Against Biden. Here's Why. (Ben Smith/New York Times)

11:25 PM ET, April 13, 2020

Top Items:

Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Insists He Has ‘Total’ Authority to Supersede Governors — States on both coasts are starting to debate how and when they could reopen. The closure of a major meat processing plant could affect the nation's food supply. — RIGHT NOW With criticism …

Discussion: TalkLeft, Axios, The Hill, @politifact, HuffPost, Bloomberg, NBC News, Law & Crime, Forbes, IJR, The US Sun and Daily Kos

California Governor:

California, Oregon & Washington Announce Western States Pact — West Coast states agree region will move toward reopening based on health outcomes — SACRAMENTO — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced an agreement …

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Times, Axios, NPR, New York Post, Patterico's Pontifications and Climate Online

CNN:
Governors on East and West coasts form pacts to decide when to reopen economies

Discussion: New Yorker and No More Mister Nice Blog

Jeremy B. White / Politico:
Trump claims ‘total authority’ over state decisions

Discussion: Associated Press and The Hill

governor.wa.gov:
Washington, Oregon and California announce Western States Pact

Discussion: Breitbart, Politico, The Hill and The Daily Beast

John Yoo / National Review:
No, Trump Can't Force States to Reopen

Discussion: Reason

Mark Sherman / Associated Press:
States largely have authority over when to shut down, reopen

Discussion: Breitbart

Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:

Upset Victory in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Gives Democrats a Lift — A liberal challenger's surprise triumph over a Trump-backed incumbent demonstrated strong turnout and vote-by-mail efforts for the Democrats in a key general election state. — Democrats scored an enormous political …

Discussion: Fox News

Patrick Marley / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Liberal Jill Karofsky defeats conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Daniel Kelly — MADISON - Dane County Circuit Judge Jill Karofsky won the race for Wisconsin Supreme Court, narrowing the conservative majority after a tumultuous election conducted in the midst of a global pandemic …

Discussion: The Week, Slate, Political Wire and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Daniel Bice / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

All seven Supreme Court justices voted absentee, even those who hadn't in the past — (Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) — When the state Supreme Court took up Gov. Tony Evers' last-minute order to delay the April 7 election, they didn't have to worry about one possible consequence of their decision.

Washington Post:

Liberal challenger defeats conservative incumbent in Wisconsin Supreme Court race — A liberal challenger defeated the conservative incumbent for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, a key race at the heart of Democratic accusations that Republicans risked voters' health and safety …

Discussion: New York Times, Mother Jones and courthousenews.com

James Carville / NBC News:
Trump poll numbers look good for Biden. But Republicans can still win in 2020 — if they cheat.

Discussion: The Hill and One America News Network

Tara Golshan / HuffPost:
Democrats Signal Funding Fight For Expanded Vote-By-Mail Elections

Discussion: CNN, Old North State Politics and New York Post

Ben Jacobs / New York Magazine:

Where the Risk of Coronavirus Comes With Unparalleled Access — The White House briefing room is a low-ceilinged claustrophobic space. Built on top of a swimming pool where Franklin Delano Roosevelt exercised and John F. Kennedy canoodled, the room has 49 chairs set into the floor …

Nancy Cook / Politico: Trump's grand reopening council triggers a slew of new questions

Washington Post:
Independent Rep. Justin Amash says he's looking ‘closely’ at White House run

Discussion: The Hill

Susan Page / USA Today:
Trump on the defensive: A White House coronavirus briefing becomes a campaign rally

Discussion: Raw Story and Washington Post

Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Trump uses coronavirus briefing to fire back at critics

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico and Vox

Washington Post:
Conservative groups mobilize and push White House to try and reopen economy despite coronavirus pandemic

Discussion: Spectator USA and Townhall

Politico:
‘Almost sinful’: Pelosi skewers Trump over threats to reopen country too soon

Discussion: Associated Press, Fox News and The Daily Caller

Griff Witte / Washington Post:

South Dakota's governor resisted ordering people to stay home. Now it has one of the nation's largest coronavirus hot spots. — As governors across the country fell into line in recent weeks, South Dakota's top elected leader stood firm: There would be no statewide order to stay home.

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Kos, The Guardian, NPR, Fox News, Seeking Alpha and The Gateway Pundit

Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:

Anti-malarial drug touted by Trump was subject of CIA warning to employees — The CIA has privately advised its workforce that taking an anti-malarial drug touted by President Trump and some of his supporters as a promising treatment for the novel coronavirus has potentially dangerous side effects, including sudden death.

Ben Smith / New York Times:

The Times Took 19 Days to Report an Accusation Against Biden. Here's Why. — Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The New York Times, said the article was published when there was enough reporting “to present to readers for them to make their own judgment.”

Discussion: Fox News, Power Line, Washington Free Beacon, NB Blog, Instapundit, The Daily Caller, Vanity Fair, Twitchy, Slate, Townhall, Redstate, The Bread Line, Breitbart, The Week, RakeBack and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Samantha J. Gross / Miami Herald:

DeSantis deems pro wrestling ‘essential business’ amid statewide stay-at-home order — Count professional wrestling among the essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies that can stay open despite coronavirus-related restrictions statewide. — WWE will continue taping …

Discussion: Raw Story

ESPN:

WWE deemed ‘essential business’ in Florida, will resume live shows — WWE was deemed an “essential business” in Florida, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said Monday, allowing the company to resume live television shows from its Orlando training facility and Full Sail University in Winter Park.

Discussion: CBSSports.com, The Hill and New York Post

Lee Brown / New York Post:

Virginia pastor who defiantly held church service dies of coronavirus — He practiced what he preached — then he died of coronavirus. — An evangelical pastor died of COVID-19 just weeks after proudly showing off how packed his Virginia church was — and vowing to keep preaching “unless I'm in jail or the hospital.”

Discussion: Raw Story, Queerty, Friendly Atheist, LGBTQ Nation and WRIC-TV

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Never Spoken to Joe Biden. Here's What She Would Say. — In an interview, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said she intended to support the presumptive Democratic nominee, but the “process of coming together should be uncomfortable for everyone involved.”

New York Times:
Bernie Sanders Endorses Joe Biden for President

Discussion: New York Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Daily Kos

Bruce Bartlett / USA Today:
Ex-Republican on Trump coronavirus failures: Our lives depend on electing Joe Biden.

Discussion: Too Much Information

Tyler Olson / Fox News:
Sanders aide calls Biden sexual assault allegation ‘credible’

Discussion: New York Times, Outside the Beltway, One America News Network, ABC News, Power Line and Politico

US Census / 2020Census.gov:

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham Statement on 2020 Census Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19 — APRIL 13, 2020 — The 2020 Census is underway and more households across America are responding every day.

Discussion: House Committee …, Fox News, Just The News, NPR, The Hill and Talking Points Memo

Mike Schneider / Associated Press:
Lawmaker: Trump officials want delay in census due to virus

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story and Axios

CNN: Trump says he will ask for a delay to the 2020 census

Miami Herald:

Everyone on exclusive Fisher Island, even the staff, can get tested for coronavirus — Fisher Island — an exclusive enclave of multi-million dollar condos and homes and one of the wealthiest ZIP Codes in the country — has purchased thousands of rapid COVID-19 blood test kits from the University …

Discussion: Raw Story, CBS Miami, Florida Politics and Fox News

Jessica Piper / Bangor Daily News:

Poll: Mainers trust state government more than feds on coronavirus response — Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom.

Discussion: The Hill and POLITICUSUSA

Scottie Andrew / CNN:

Nearly 30% in the US believe a coronavirus theory that's almost certainly not true — (CNN)Despite evidence from infectious disease experts suggesting otherwise, nearly 30% of Americans in a new Pew poll said they believe the novel coronavirus was likely created in a lab.

Discussion: The Guardian and Vox

Tim Mak / WBUR:

A Month After Emergency Declaration, Trump's Promises Largely Unfulfilled04:32 — One month ago today, President Trump declared a national emergency. — In a Rose Garden address, flanked by leaders from giant retailers and medical testing companies, he promised a mobilization of public …

Discussion: Business Insider Malaysia, Daily Kos and Raw Story

Marc Lipsitch / New York Times:

Who Is Immune to the Coronavirus? — About this question, too, decisions with great consequences are being made, as they must be, based on only glimmers of data. — Mr. Lipsitch is an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist. — Among the many uncertainties that remain …

Discussion: Vox

Miami Herald:

We're looking like ‘Flori-duh’ again, Gov. DeSantis. Any idea how that happened? — You know what Florida really needs right now? — A governor. — But in Ron DeSantis, Florida, at this most challenging time of the coronavirus, has a hesitant leader who continues to split the baby …

Cassandra Fairbanks / The Gateway Pundit:

GOP Rep. Massie Warns US is ‘Weeks Away, Not Months,’ From Food Shortages — Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie is warning that the United States could be just weeks away from major food shortages due to the coronavirus shutdown. — He warned that livestock could end up being euthanized and fruits …

Discussion: IJR

Eli Yokley / Morning Consult:

Net Approval for Trump's Handling of Coronavirus Dips Underwater — For first time, a plurality of voters disapprove of the president's COVID-19 response — President Donald Trump listens during a daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White House.

Keith Zubrow / CBS News:

White House advisor to 60 Minutes: Show me your pandemic story — White House trade advisor Peter Navarro challenged 60 Minutes to show him our past reporting on pandemics. — The term “personal protective equipment,” known as PPE, has quickly become a fixture in the American lexicon.

Discussion: Redstate, The Root, War on the Rocks, POLITICUSUSA, The Hill and Talking Points Memo