memeorandum: POLITICO Playbook PM: Why the Capitol needs testing (Politico)

2:30 PM ET, July 29, 2020

Top Items:

Jake Sherman / Politico:

Louie Gohmert, who refused to wear a mask, tests positive for coronavirus — Rep. Louie Gohmert — a Texas Republican who has been walking around the Capitol without a mask — has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple sources. — Gohmert was scheduled to fly to Texas …

Michael Goodwin / New York Post:

AG Barr destroys Jerry Nadler in another House Democrat testimony disaster — He came, he saw, he ate their lunch. Bill Barr, denied a meal break, made himself a happy meal out of Democratic amateurs. — Another congressional hearing, another Dem disaster.

Discussion: National Review and Power Line

Patrick Cunningham / KETK.com:

WATCH NOW: Gohmert to isolate for next 10 days, still believes in personal freedom for wearing masks — WASHINGTON (KETK) - East Texas congressman Louie Gohmert told KETK News in an interview Wednesday morning that he will isolate himself for the next 10 days after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Discussion: The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Axios, The American Independent, Raw Story, The Week, POLITICUSUSA and Cynthia McLaughlin …

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook PM: Why the Capitol needs testing

Discussion: Political Wire, Wall Street Journal, The Hill and Raw Story

Madeline Charbonneau / The Daily Beast:
GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert Suggests Mask Wearing Gave Him Coronavirus

Discussion: Politico, Slate and Raw Story

Tyler Olson / Fox News:
Jim Jordan says Dems cut off GOP video at Barr hearing: Here's the full version

Discussion: Breitbart and Axios

Ramesh Ponnuru / Bloomberg:

Some Never Trumpers Are Becoming Never Republicans — But others in the GOP who have consistently opposed the president will help rebuild the party. — “Never Trump” is a house divided. Some of the conservatives and former Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump have decided …

Discussion: National Review

Stuart Stevens / New York Times:

We Lost the Battle for the Republican Party's Soul Long Ago — Only fear will motivate the party to change — the cold fear only defeat can bring. — Mr. Stevens is a Republican political consultant. — After Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential race, the Republican National Committee chairman …

Discussion: Raw Story

Mona Charen / The Bulwark:
The GOP Needs to Hit Rock Bottom

Discussion: Raw Story and The Bulwark Podcast

Mike Baker / New York Times:

Federal Tactical Teams to Withdraw From Portland, Governor Says — Gov. Kate Brown of Oregon said the teams that have clashed with protesters will begin a withdrawal on Thursday. The Oregon State Police will help secure the federal courthouse. — Federal tactical teams that have clashed …

Discussion: The Federalist, KGW-TV, Townhall, TheBlaze, The Week, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice, Twitchy and KOIN-TV

Orion Rummler / Axios:

Oregon governor announces “phased withdrawal” of federal agents from Portland — The Trump administration has agreed to a “phased withdrawal” of Customs and Border Protection and ICE agents from Portland, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) announced on Wednesday. — Why it matters …

Discussion: National Review, Department of Homeland …, State of Oregon, Breitbart and The Hill

Christina Johnsen / Polls:

Parity in Presidential Race; GOP Leads in Both Senate Contests — Most support mask mandates; concern about voter fraud and disenfranchisement — West Long Branch, NJ - Donald Trump and Joe Biden are engaged in a tight race for Georgia's electoral votes according to the Monmouth ("Mon-muth") University Poll.

Discussion: Townhall, Fox News, Bloomberg and Kelly Loeffler

Harry Enten / CNN:
Trump has lost his economic edge over Biden

Discussion: The Inquisitr and Raw Story

CNN:

EXCLUSIVE: How Brett Kavanaugh tried to sidestep abortion and Trump financial docs cases — (CNN)Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh urged his colleagues in a series of private memos this spring to consider avoiding decisions in major disputes over abortion and Democratic subpoenas …

Discussion: National Review, Vanity Fair, The Week, Reason, Patterico's Pontifications, Gothamist and SCOTUSblog

Associated Press:

Biden's notes: ‘Do not hold grudges’ against Kamala Harris — WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Joe Biden was uncharacteristically tight-lipped on Tuesday about the final stretch of his search for a vice president. But the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee seemed prepared to talk …

Discussion: Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Washington Post, The Hill, IJR, Morning Consult, The Gateway Pundit, Townhall, New York Times, Mediaite, Axios and Contemptor

Politico:
Tech CEOs take the oath, begin their defense at epic antitrust hearing

Discussion: Reuters and Fox News, more at Techmeme »

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: How to translate congressional code

Discussion: The Week, The Hill, Political Wire and New York Times

Axios:

Exclusive: Trump never raised Russia's Taliban bounties with Putin — President Trump has never confronted Vladimir Putin with intelligence indicating Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. troops, he told “Axios on HBO” in an interview on Tuesday. — Why it matters: Democrats have seized on the issue …

John Kass / Chicago Tribune:

Column: What happened to an America where you could freely speak your mind? — The angry left-handed broom of America's cultural revolution uses fear to sweep through the our civic, corporate and personal life. — It brings with it attempted intimidation, shame and the usual demands for ceremonies of public groveling.

Discussion: The Editorial Board

Joel B. Pollak / Breitbart:
John Kass Defies Chicago Tribune Cancel Culture: ‘I Will Not Apologize for Writing About Soros’

Discussion: Power Line, Fox News and Spectator USA

Paul LeBlanc / CNN:

Lindsey Graham campaign ad features image of opponent with digitally altered darker skin tone — (CNN)Sen. Lindsey Graham's reelection campaign posted an advertisement to Facebook earlier this month featuring a digitally altered image of his opponent — who is Black — with a darker skin tone.

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Hill

Russell Berman / The Atlantic:

Why the Democrats Can't Nail Bill Barr — House Democrats have been waiting for more than a year to grill Attorney General Bill Barr, a man they've accused of all manner of professional misconduct—including repeatedly and inappropriately intervening to protect President Donald Trump …

Discussion: New Republic, New York Times, Althouse, The Daily Beast, Slate, Mediaite and The Hill

CNN:
Barr's falsehoods and fallacies undermine his own department

Discussion: The Inquisitr and Breitbart

Tal Axelrod / The Hill:
Pelosi bashes Barr after testimony: ‘He was like a blob’ and ‘henchman’ for Trump

Discussion: Vox, LifeZette and Liberty Unyielding

Joe DePaolo / Mediaite:

WATCH: Peter Navarro Attacks Dr. Fauci and Pushes Hydroxychloroquine in Wild 19-Minute Slugfest With John Berman on CNN — White House trade advisor Peter Navarro and CNN's John Berman renewed the wild clash they had three weeks ago on Wednesday morning — with the two doing battle for 19 minutes in an off-the-rails throwdown.

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA

Kevin Liptak / CNN:
Trump abruptly ends briefing after being pressed over retweeting misinformation

Discussion: WHDH-TV and KTLA

Michael Crowley / New York Times:
‘Nobody Likes Me,’ Trump Complains, Renewing Defense of Dubious Science

Discussion: The Daily Beast and New York Post, more at Mediagazer »

Claudia Sahm / macromom blog:

Economics is a disgrace — This post is personal one. It is a painful one. I adapted the reflections that I sent to Janet Yellen, Ben Bernanke, and Peter Rosseau recently. I have largely redacted names, except for public interactions or my own correspondences.

Jaclyn Peiser / Washington Post:

‘Umbrella Man’ went viral breaking windows at a protest. He was a white supremacist trying to spark violence, police say. — With an umbrella in his left hand and a hammer in his right, the man in black lobbed his weapon so nonchalantly into an auto parts shop's windows that it surprised …

Discussion: OutKick, WISH-TV and Minneapolis Star Tribune

Julie Wernau / Wall Street Journal:
Minneapolis Police Identify Man Suspected of Inciting Violence

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Sahan Journal, Sophia Rashid and The Daily Beast

CNN:

US to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany in move that will cost billions and take years — (CNN)The US is moving forward with President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany, a decision that has attracted bipartisan congressional opposition and roiled key allies who see the move as a blow to NATO.

Discussion: Axios and Daily Kos

Lolita C. Baldor / Associated Press:
Officials: US is bringing 6,400 troops home from Germany

Discussion: Politico, Fox 59 and One America News Network

New York Times:

Michigan Threatens to Slip From Trump as He Goes Quiet on Airwaves — The president has started spending more money on ads in much smaller Electoral College prizes like Iowa and Nevada, and in recent days his campaign stopped buying ads in Michigan entirely.

Discussion: The Hill, The Daily Caller, The Week and Raw Story

Ally Mutnick / Politico:

Republicans suddenly sweating falling deep into House minority — A slew of dismal summer polls and a persistent fundraising gap have left some Republicans fretting about a nightmare scenario in November: That they will fall further into the House minority.

Discussion: NBC News and Raw Story

Donald G. McNeil Jr / New York Times:

A Viral Epidemic Splintering Into Deadly Pieces — There's not just one coronavirus outbreak in the United States. Now there are many, each requiring its own mix of solutions. — Once again, the coronavirus is ascendant. As infections mount across the country, it is dawning on Americans …

Tim Elfrink / Washington Post:

A Nevada library wanted to back Black Lives Matter. The sheriff said he wouldn't respond to 911 calls there. — The Douglas County, Nev., public library wanted to take a stand this week: “Everyone is welcome,” read a proposed diversity statement, which added that the library …

Discussion: Douglas County, NV Sheriff, Reno Gazette-Journal, Fox News, INSIDER, The Hill, The Root and Douglas County, Nevada

Mike Allen / Axios:

Exclusive: Lincoln Project's $4 million ad blitz targets Alaska, Maine and Montana Senate seats — The Lincoln Project, a group founded by “never Trump” Republicans that has produced some of the cycle's most memorable ads, today begins spending $4 million to blitz Senate races in Alaska, Maine and Montana.

Discussion: The Hill

Cameron Easley / Morning Consult:

Suburbanites Aren't Big on the Federal Government's Portland Presence — 47% of suburban voters disapprove of DHS presence in the city, poll shows — 37% of suburban voters strongly object to the federal government's presence in Portland, Ore., compared with 26% who strongly approve of it.

Philip Weiss / Mondoweiss:

Israel is ridiculous, antiquated and based on lies about other people's land, Seth Rogen says, but he's afraid to tell other Jews — Writer/comedian Seth Rogen was on the Marc Maron podcast yesterday, promoting his new movie “An American Pickle,” which involves Jewish life in the U.S. Maron raised …

Discussion: Breitbart, Algemeiner.com, middleeastmonitor.com and Episodes

Orion Rummler / Axios:

Trump: Republicans who oppose funding FBI building in stimulus “should go back to school” — President Trump said Wednesday that Senate Republicans who oppose using the next coronavirus stimulus package to fund a new $1.75 billion headquarters for the FBI “should go back to school.”

Discussion: Politico and Political Wire