memeorandum: Navarro mocks Fauci's first pitch (Quint Forgey/Politico)

1:55 PM ET, July 27, 2020

Top Items:

‘She had no remorse’: Why Kamala Harris isn't a lock for VP — When former Sen. Chris Dodd, a member of Joe Biden's vice presidential search committee, recently asked Kamala Harris about her ambush on Biden in the first Democratic debate, Dodd was stunned by her response.

Discussion: The Week, Outside the Beltway, The Hill and Real Clear Politics

Ryan Lizza / Politico:

Biden's VP shortlist comes up short — Joe Biden has a dilemma when it comes to choosing a running mate. — The Democratic presidential nominee wants to pick someone who is like him (or at least the way he saw himself as vice president): loyal, trusted, experienced, apolitical, someone with whom he will bond.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, JustOneMinute, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Post and Breitbart

Carrie Dann / NBC News:

Biden leads in North Carolina as voters give Trump poor marks on virus, race relations — Republican Sen. Thom Tillis trails his Democratic challenger, as well, in a new NBC News/Marist poll. — WASHINGTON — Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 7 points in the key swing state of North Carolina …

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Hill, Bloomberg and Washington Times

Joel B. Pollak / Breitbart:
Joe Biden Thinks the Rioters Are Very Fine People

Discussion: The Federalist

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: Sneak peek at the Dem convention

Discussion: CNN and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

One question still dogs Trump: Why not try harder to solve the coronavirus crisis? — Both President Trump's advisers and operatives laboring to defeat him increasingly agree on one thing: The best way for him to regain his political footing is to wrest control of the coronavirus.

Discussion: ABC News, Vanity Fair, Daily Kos, Raw Story, The Hill, The Week and POLITICUSUSA

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

How Fox News may be destroying Trump's reelection hopes — It would be a peculiarly apt form of poetic justice if the entity that has done so much to help President Trump run this country into the ground — Fox News — ends up playing an outsize role in helping destroy his chances at reelection.

Discussion: Raw Story and Contemptor, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

National Guard commander says police suddenly moved on Lafayette Square protesters, used ‘excessive force’ before Trump visit — Guard major to testify before Congress that warnings couldn't be heard, tear gas was used — An Army National Guard commander who witnessed protesters forcibly removed …

Discussion: Political Wire and Raw Story

Ellen Knickmeyer / Associated Press:
Officer challenges account of violent clearing of protesters

Discussion: Axios

Associated Press:

On Portland's streets: Anger, fear, and a fence that divides — PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The party at the Salmon Street Springs fountain, a riverfront landmark in the heart of Portland, was just getting started. — Dozens of drummers beat out entrancing rhythms and a crowd of hundreds danced joyfully …

Discussion: Redstate, TheBlaze, The Daily Caller, National Review, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Breitbart and Reason

Washington Post:

Trump administration sending more federal agents to reinforce Portland courthouse — The Trump administration is sending more federal agents to Portland, Ore., as officials consider pushing back harder and farther against the growing crowds and nightly clashes with protesters, vandals, and rioters, The Washington Post has learned.

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Byron York's Daily Memo: Spinning the riots with the Wall of Moms and Leaf-Blower Dads

Discussion: New York Times, NPR and KRON4

Bloomberg:

Trump National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien Has Coronavirus — President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has tested positive for Covid-19, according to people familiar with his situation, Bloomberg News reports. — O'Brien has been out of the office since late last week, one of the people said.

Discussion: Associated Press, Reuters, Talking Points Memo and Axios

Washington Post: Live updates: Trump's national security adviser tests positive for coronavirus

Bloomberg:
Trump National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien Has Coronavirus

Discussion: CNBC, NBC News, UPI, POLITICUSUSA, Breitbart, New York Post, The Daily Caller, Just The News, The Hill, Sara A. Carter and Towleroad Gay News

Daniel Lippman / Politico:
Trump's national security adviser tests positive for Covid-19

Discussion: Bloomberg, The Week, globalnews.ca and KRON4

Katie Rogers / New York Times:

Melania Trump Will Revamp White House Rose Garden — The first lady's renovation of the garden, a signature showcase of power used by presidents for decades, is taking place as her husband enters a crucial stretch of his re-election effort. — WASHINGTON — Melania Trump, the first lady …

Discussion: The Inquisitr, Mediaite, New York Post and Raw Story

Peter Nicholas / The Atlantic:
Don't Count Trump Out — Let's stipulate right away …

Discussion: Vox

Derek Thompson / The Atlantic:

You Can Stop Cleaning Your Mail Now — As a COVID-19 summer surge sweeps the country, deep cleans are all the rage. — National restaurants such as Applebee's are deputizing sanitation czars to oversee the constant scrubbing of window ledges, menus, and high chairs.

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Washington Post:

GOP, White House aim to temporarily reduce weekly unemployment benefit from $600 to $200 — House Democrats have proposed keeping $600 benefit in place through January but the program is set to expire later this week; $200 would be bridge as states move to new system

Discussion: Axios, Daily Kos, Raw Story and Balloon Juice

Alayna Treene / Axios:
Senate Republicans grow weary with White House over stimulus bill

Discussion: Politico, American Prospect, IJR, Associated Press, Raw Story, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post

Erik Wasson / Bloomberg:
Republicans Would Cut Unemployment Payments in Virus Relief Plan

Discussion: The Hill

Rob Copeland / Wall Street Journal:

Google to Keep Employees Home Until Summer 2021 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic — Search engine giant pushes back return to normalcy — SAN FRANCISCO—Google will keep its employees home until at least next July, people familiar with the matter said, making the search-engine giant …

Discussion: The Week, The Wrap, globalnews.ca, MyNorthwest.com, Mediaite, Variety, New York Post, The Verge and KOIN-TV, more at Techmeme »

CNN:

EXCLUSIVE: Inside John Roberts' surprising streak of liberal wins — (CNN)Chief Justice John Roberts did not flinch. — When Roberts joined liberals on the Supreme Court to preserve an Obama-era program shielding young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children …

Discussion: Political Wire

Lois Beckett / The Guardian:

Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the US in 25 years — As Trump rails against ‘far-left’ fascism, new database shows leftwing attacks have left far fewer people dead than violence by rightwing extremists — Donald Trump has made warnings about the threat of antifa and “far-left fascism” …

Willem Marx / NBC News:
Jihadist plots used to be U.S. and Europe's biggest terrorist threat. Now it's the far right.

Discussion: Redstate

gilmermirror.com:

Louie Gohmert Supporters Alleged to Have Beaten Up Opponent's Campaign Manager at Protest, Calls for Texas Rangers to Investigate — TYLER, Texas—Armed supporters of Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) brutally beat and assaulted Ryan Miller, the campaign manager for Gohmert's opponent …

Gary Bass / KLTV-TV:
Hank Gilbert campaign claims staffer was assaulted, injured at downtown Tyler rally

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Paul Benson and Hank Gilbert

Quint Forgey / Politico:

Navarro mocks Fauci's first pitch — White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday refused to extinguish his bitter feud with Dr. Anthony Fauci, mocking the nation's top infectious disease expert for missing home plate with his ceremonial first pitch on Major League Baseball's Opening Day.

Discussion: Fox News, The Hill, IJR, The Daily Beast and Breitbart

Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:

Sinclair Pulls the Plug on Fauci Propaganda — This Time — Will the broadcasting company now drop a program attacking the prominent public health expert, or just repackage it? — Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. is one of the largest television station operators in the country …

Discussion: Poynter and Vox, more at Mediagazer »

Joe Biden:

The Biden Agenda for Women — Joe Biden is going to build our country back better after this economic crisis and that includes ensuring we get closer to full inclusion of and equality for women. Women — particularly women of color — have never had a fair shot to get ahead in this country.

Charles Sykes / The Bulwark:

Burn It All Down? — The Senate Republicans who protected and enabled Trump have to be held accountable. — Senate Republicans “have enabled Trump's despicable behavior,” Matt K. Lewis writes over at the Daily Beast, “while doing nothing to mitigate his worst instincts.

Discussion: Raw Story and National Review

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

U.S. Conservatism Down Since Start of 2020 — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' ideological bent has shifted in the first half of 2020 with fewer people self-identifying as politically conservative in May and June than at the start of the year. There has been a corresponding increase …

Discussion: Washington Post and The Hill

Peter Beinart / New York Times:

The Real Reason Biden Is Ahead of Trump? He's a Man — It's a lot easier to run a cautious, inoffensive campaign when you're not up against a culture of misogyny. — Mr. Beinart writes about politics and foreign policy. — A narrative has formed around the presidential race …