memeorandum: Georgia political wunderkind Niles Francis dishes on his state's primary (Matthew Kassel/Jewish Insider)

10:55 AM ET, June 9, 2020

Top Items:

Trump's latest attempt to tag Biden as a radical flops — Joe Biden declared he opposed a growing movement on the left to defund police departments. — President Donald Trump and Republicans are determined to make him own it anyway. — Trump lit into Biden on Twitter …

Discussion: The Daily Beast and NBC News

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Trump to restart MAGA rallies this month despite coronavirus — Donald Trump is planning to restart rallies in the next two weeks in a major turning point for the president since the coronavirus shut down traditional campaigning. — Trump's advisers are still determining where the rallies …

Discussion: Townhall, NPR, CNBC, Gizmodo, Axios, Breitbart, fox8.com, The Guardian, Disrn, Washington Post, Raw Story, Mediaite, Associated Press, NBC News, CNN and The Hill

Andrew Marantz / New Yorker:

Bernie Sanders Is Not Done Fighting — The senator on the protests, his phone calls with Joe Biden, and when to compromise. — In 1997, during his fourth term as a U.S. representative, Bernie Sanders published a political memoir called “Outsider in the House.”

ABC News:
Biden targets young voters amid anger over racial inequality in new digital ad

Discussion: The Hill

Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:

“He's Going to Broom Kushner and Parscale”: “Malignantly Crazy” About Bad Poll Numbers, Trump Is Thinking of Replacing His Son-In-Law — After a botched response to two national crises, Trump's polls are cratering, and “no one is telling him what he wants to hear,” says a source, igniting a new round of grumbling about Kushner.

Discussion: CNN, Raw Story, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Daily Caller, The Mahablog, Deadline, The Federalist and POLITICUSUSA

David Roth / New Republic:

American Psycho — To understand how Jared Kushner received the opportunity to fail at managing the federal response to the Covid-19 pandemic, you mostly need to know that he is married to the president's daughter. But to truly grasp the distinctive style of failure that Kushner has brought …

Discussion: Raw Story

Anita Kumar / Politico:
Trump gets the 2016 band back together as he tumbles in polls

Discussion: Raw Story

The Daily Beast:

Trump Camp Runs Ads on D.C. Cable to Ease the Boss' Anxieties and Buck Up Congressional GOPers — The president has been worried about his standing electorally. So his team gave him some content to watch on his favorite cable networks. — With their boss growing increasingly agitated …

Discussion: The American Independent, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story

Washington Post:

14 states and Puerto Rico hit highest seven-day average of new coronavirus infections — The Washington Post is providing this important information about the coronavirus for free. For more free coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter where all stories are free to read.

Discussion: NBC News and Slate

Wall Street Journal: New Coronavirus Cases Accelerating in More Than a Dozen U.S. States

WGRZ-TV:

Protester injured in Niagara Square still hospitalized — The 75-year-old man who was injured when shoved by Buffalo Police officers during a protest in Niagara Square last week is still in the hospital recovering. — BUFFALO, N.Y. — The 75-year-old man who was injured when shoved …

Discussion: Axios, Bloomberg, Gizmodo, VICE, The Daily Dot and Vanity Fair

Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Trump claims 75-year-old man shoved by Buffalo police could be part of ‘set up’

Discussion: Politico, Mother Jones, ABC News and POLITICUSUSA

Mike Bunge / KIMT-TV:

St. Paul man arrested for burning down of Minneapolis police precinct — Accused of arson in federal court. — Photo Gallery — 5 Images — ST. PAUL, Minn. - A federal charge has been filed against a St. Paul man for the burning down of the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Sarah Pulliam Bailey / Washington Post:

Liberty's Jerry Falwell Jr. apologizes for tweet; director of diversity resigns — Faced with outrage from black alumni and the resignation of at least three African American staffers, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. has deleted and apologized for a two-week-old tweet that showed …

Discussion: Mediaite and Blue Virginia

Elizabeth Williamson / New York Times:
Falwell's Blackface Tweet Brings Racial Dissent to Liberty University

Discussion: The Daily Dot

Ashley Southall / New York Times:

Officer Who Violently Shoved Protester in Brooklyn to Face Charges — The police officer, who was recorded knocking down a young woman that questioned his order, surrendered himself on Tuesday. — A New York City police officer surrendered to face criminal charges on Tuesday …

Alicia Lee / CNN:

Florida police organization offers to hire cops who were fired or resigned over police misconduct — (CNN)As the cries for police reform grow louder across the nation, some police departments are holding their officers accountable, firing or suspending those accused of excessive force during recent protests.

Discussion: The Hill and Brevard County Sheriff' …

Florida Today:
Brevard County Fraternal Order of Police: disciplined and jailed cops should apply here

Discussion: Orlando Sentinel

Paul Murphy / Financial Times:

Hackers for hire targeted hundreds of institutions, says report — Researchers found 28,000 web pages set up to steal passwords from elected officials, lawyers and journalists — A hackers-for-hire group dubbed “Dark Basin” has targeted thousands of individuals and hundreds of institutions around …

more at Techmeme »

Reuters: Exclusive: Obscure Indian cyber firm spied on politicians, investors worldwide

Nate Cohn / New York Times:

Wave of New Polling Suggests an Erosion of Trump's Support — Joe Biden appears in a stronger position to oust an incumbent president than any challenger since Bill Clinton in the summer of 1992. — The coronavirus pandemic, a severe economic downturn and the widespread demonstrations …

Discussion: The American Independent

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:

‘The Future Is Blue, Not Purple’: Is This the Year Georgia Flips? — With both Senate seats in play and President Trump up for re-election in November, Georgia Democrats are telling anyone who will listen: This time, it's real. — ATLANTA — There's a joke about Atlanta's most popular sports teams …

The Daily Beast:

Team Trump ‘Desperately’ Wants Bush to Endorse Biden. Some Dems Love the Idea, Too. — A president once reviled could prove to be an easy punching bag for Trump or a signal of bipartisan appeal for Biden. Choose your own adventure. — President Donald Trump and his political lieutenants …

Discussion: The American Spectator, The Hill, Just The News and Redstate

Matthew Kassel / Jewish Insider:

Georgia political wunderkind Niles Francis dishes on his state's primary — WHIZ KID — The 18-year-old just graduated from high school but he regards his pastime as simply a hobby — Those who follow Niles Francis's lively Twitter page — featuring his incisive and sometimes caustic commentary …

New York Times:

Trump Rebuffs Protests Over Systemic Racism and Calls Police ‘Great People’ — In a meeting with law enforcement officials, Mr. Trump said he opposed any defunding or dismantling of police departments, which many demonstrators have been demanding to address police violence.

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Contemptor and The Moderate Voice

Betsy Woodruff Swan / Politico:

Dan Bongino expected to testify at House police brutality hearing — Trump ally and frequent cable news commentator Dan Bongino is expected to testify Wednesday in a high-profile House Judiciary Committee hearing on police brutality, according to a communication reviewed by POLITICO.

Jon Allsop / Columbia Journalism Review:

Have we normalized the COVID-19 death toll? — In early May, Charlie Warzel, a columnist at the New York Times, saw a tweet that hit him “like a ton of bricks.” In the tweet, Eric Nelson, who works in book publishing, imagined a future in which Americans simply get used to the death toll from COVID-19 …

Mary Papenfuss / HuffPost:

Donald Trump Jr.'s Mongolia Hunting Trip Cost Taxpayers $77,000 — The president's son apparently hunted with a major GOP donor and bagged a rare sheep. — Donald Trump Jr.'s trip last summer to Mongolia to kill an endangered sheep cost American taxpayers nearly $77,000 in Secret Service costs alone …

Discussion: CREW and Raw Story

Maddie Stone / Washington Post:

New bill would prohibit the president from nuking a hurricane — The measure is a direct response to President Trump's reported suggestion of using nuclear bombs to defuse Atlantic tropical cyclones — Last August, Axios reported that President Trump repeatedly asked top national security officials …

Washington Post:

Big majorities support protests over Floyd killing and say police need to change, poll finds — Americans overwhelmingly support the nationwide protests that have taken place since the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, and they say police forces have not done enough …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA

USA Today:

What Never Trump Republicans deserve: The thanks of a grateful nation, and nothing more — Key “Never Trump” Republicans have figured out something obvious that eluded them in 2016: Stopping Donald Trump requires getting behind the one person who can finish the job — the Democratic nominee for president.

Alex Gangitano / The Hill:

Lobbying firm cuts ties to Trent Lott amid national anti-racism protests — Lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs announced Monday evening it is severing ties with former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) following days of anti-racism protests across the country. — Mark Ruehlmann, chair and global CEO …

Christian Schneider / The College Fix:

After tweet supporting ‘good police officers,’ Arizona State revokes journalism dean offer — Arizona State University has rescinded a job offer to the new dean of its journalism school after students complained of past microaggressions and other insensitive comments.

New York Times:

Axios Allows Its Reporters to Join Protests — In a company memo, the chief executive of the politics news site said he supported staff members' right to march, adding that the publisher would cover bail for any employee who is arrested. — In an unusual move at a news media organization …

Discussion: Fox News, American Greatness, Just The News, The Hill and Marginal REVOLUTION, more at Mediagazer »

NBC News:

Bon Appétit, Refinery29 editors step down as calls for racial justice continue to reshape media landscape — Less than 24 hours after James Bennet resigned as editorial page editor of The New York Times, the social upheaval over racial injustice continues to force changes across the media industry.

Discussion: New York Times, Axios, Vanity Fair and NPR, more at Mediagazer »

Dana Hedgpeth / Washington Post:

Live updates: Most temporary fencing around Lafayette Square will be removed by Wednesday, National Park Service says — As the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police stretched into their 11th day in Washington, District leaders proposed significant reforms …

USA Today:

Virginia judge blocks Gov. Ralph Northam's order to take down Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond for 10 days — A Virginia judge has issued an 10-day injunction that prevents Gov. Ralph Northam's administration from removing an iconic but controversial statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond.

Discussion: National Review and Blue Virginia

CNBC:

Texas reports a record number of hospitalized coronavirus patients after state reopened early — There are currently 1,935 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the state, topping the previous hospitalization record of 1,888 patients on May 5, according to new data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Discussion: NPR, Fox News and The Hill

David Petraeus / The Atlantic:

Take the Confederate Names Off Our Army Bases — As I have watched Confederate monuments being removed by state and local governments, and sometimes by the forceful will of the American people, the fact that 10 U.S. Army installations are named for Confederate officers has weighed on me.

Discussion: Politico, Just The News, Fox News, Mediaite and National Review

Paul Walsh / Star Tribune:

Officers slashed tires on vehicles parked amid Minneapolis protests, unrest — Dozens of vehicles left in Kmart lot were targeted, said one victimized driver. — TEXT SIZE — Two law enforcement agencies acknowledged Monday that officers patrolling Minneapolis during the recent protests knifed …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Sputnik News, Reason, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and MinnPost

Jon Gambrell / Associated Press:

Amid US tension, Iran builds fake aircraft carrier to attack — DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As tensions remain high between Iran and the U.S., the Islamic Republic appears to have constructed a new mock-up of an aircraft carrier off its southern coast for potential live-fire drills.

Discussion: Breitbart