memeorandum: Biden looks to seal election after Trump's week from hell (Marc Caputo/Politico)

9:20 PM ET, October 3, 2020

Top Items:

The White House Is Spreading Virus and Lies — The White House is at war with the virus, with itself, and with reality — though not necessarily in that order. — With President Trump hospitalized for COVID-19 at Walter Reed medical center, officials spent Saturday sowing doubt …

Discussion: Washington Post, Twin Cities, ABC7, Talking Points Memo and Deadline, more at Mediagazer »

Associated Press:

Official: Next 48 hours critical for Trump on virus fight — BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — President Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care as he battles the coronavirus at a military hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday.

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, CNN, The Hill, Washington Post, Slate, STAT, The Sun, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Dot, Twin Cities, NPR, POLITICUSUSA, KXAN-TV, KSNG-TV, Associated Press, Reuters and Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:

“This Is Spiraling Out of Control”: Allies Panic About Trump's Hospital Stay as White House Deflects — The White House's history of lying makes it difficult to assess the truth of Trump's condition. But allies are bracing for an election blowout, and at least one G-7 nation is predicting president Ivanka.

Discussion: Raw Story and Twitchy

Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:

Maggie Haberman on the Fallout from Trump's Hospitalization — On Saturday, the day after President Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with symptoms of covid-19, the country remained in a state of confusion about his medical status.

Discussion: New York Times, Raw Story and Associated Press

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Covering a cover-up in real time — What is the actual state of President Trump's health — now and over the past 24 hours? — Why it matters: It's one of the most high-stakes questions in the world, and I cannot answer it, despite having spent since 5 a.m. on Friday on my phone with sources inside and close to the White House.

Discussion: Slate, The Daily Caller, STAT and Political Wire

New York Times:

A White House Long in Denial Confronts Reality — The infections were a byproduct, former aides said, of the recklessness and top-down culture of fear that President Trump created at the White House and throughout his administration. — WASHINGTON — As America locked down this spring during …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA

Marc Caputo / Politico:

Biden looks to seal election after Trump's week from hell — Joe Biden is on the campaign trail. Donald Trump is in the hospital. — In a role reversal, the president who mocked his rival for being weak and hiding “in his basement” is stuck in isolation under doctors' supervision …

Discussion: Political Wire, Fox News, Breitbart, KXAN-TV, Real Clear Politics, WCDC-TV and CBS Philly

Washington Post:

Little evidence that White House has offered contact tracing, guidance to hundreds potentially exposed — Hours before President Trump tested positive for the novel coronavirus and just one day before he was admitted to the hospital, he mingled with more than 200 people at his New Jersey golf club for a campaign fundraiser.

Discussion: Politico

CNN:

Advisers made last-minute push to get reluctant Trump to Walter Reed — Source tells reporters Trump's vitals are ‘very concerning’ — (CNN)Marine One was idling on the South Lawn Friday as President Donald Trump's advisers were inside the White House making a last-minute push to get him to board the helicopter.

Discussion: Vox, CNBC and The Daily Beast

Washington Post:

Rose Garden event suspected of virus outbreak alarms D.C. officials — A mostly maskless White House event last weekend suspected at the center of a coronavirus outbreak that has afflicted President Trump was held in conflict with a D.C. government ban on gatherings of more than 50 people …

Washington Post:
Biden campaign says it will now disclose the result of every coronavirus test

Discussion: Bloomberg, Political Wire, Fox News, Axios, CNN, Mother Jones, abc7NY, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, CBS Philly, NBC Boston, Real Clear Politics, Common Dreams and Associated Press

CNN:
Attorney General Barr chooses not to quarantine despite possible exposure to Covid-19

Discussion: Law & Crime, The Daily Beast, ABC7, Florida Politics, PinkNews, BuzzFeed News and Washington Post

Reuters: White House chief of staff says Trump is doing very well

New York Times:
Covid-19 Live Updates: Trump Is Hospitalized as More Aides Test Positive

Discussion: Fox News, BuzzFeed News, Axios, Politico, ABC News, NPR, Breitbart, Common Dreams, Daily Kos, New York Post, Conservative News Today, Florida Politics, Mediaite, IJR, Al Jazeera, Balloon Juice, The Guardian, Outside the Beltway, Twin Cities and ABC7

ABC News: Trump family, aides flouted Cleveland hotel mask mandate ahead of debate

Axios:
The GOP's great depression

Discussion: The Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Raw Story, NBC News, Associated Press and The Week

Los Angeles Times:
New questions emerge about timing and severity of President Trump's coronavirus infection

Discussion: Associated Press

Washington Post:
White House gives confusing and incomplete answers about Trump's health as president says he is ‘feeling well’

Discussion: NPR, Raw Story and The Dispatch

Associated Press: Trump's diagnosis shows US vulnerability to the coronavirus

Wall Street Journal:
White House Gives Mixed Signals on Trump's Health

Discussion: Washington Post, Breitbart, Denver Post, TMZ.com, The Week, Vox and One America News Network

New York Times:
Trump's Symptoms Described as ‘Very Concerning’ Even as Doctors Offer Rosier Picture

Discussion: NBC News, Political Wire, Politico, NPR, Bloomberg, Occupy Democrats, Vanity Fair, Vox and Slate

ABC News:
Trump COVID-19 live updates: President was on oxygen on Friday, sources say

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Associated Press, Task & Purpose and Al Jazeera

Politico:
White House triggers questions and confusion about Trump's coronavirus case

Discussion: Fox News, TheBlaze, Raw Story, The Atlantic, emptywheel, The Hill, Gothamist, Mother Jones, Daily Kos, Bloomberg, Breitbart, Mediaite and KSNG-TV

Associated Press:
Eric Trump set to speak with N.Y. investigators Monday about family business

Discussion: Washington Post, Reuters, New York Times, Breitbart, The Hill, Slate, Political Wire, The Guardian, The American Spectator, Daily Kos and RochesterFirst

McKay Coppins / The Atlantic:
Pence in the Wings — Above the fireplace in the vice-presidential residence hangs a plaque …

Discussion: Daily Kos, CNN, Politico and The Daily Beast

Apoorva Mandavilli / New York Times:
The White House relied on a rapid test, but used it in a way it was not intended.

Discussion: Raw Story, Slate, DCReport.org, The Dispatch and CNBC

Briana Reilly / madison.com:

After testing positive for COVID-19, Ron Johnson says he's still against mask mandates — After testing positive for COVID-19, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said his view on mask mandates hasn't changed, as Wisconsin Republican leaders have voiced their support for striking down the state's order requiring face coverings be worn.

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Times, Law & Crime, The Hill, The Daily Beast, Breitbart, Raw Story and Politico

Justin Rohrlich / The Daily Beast:

GOP Sen. Ron Johnson Went to Oktoberfest Party While Awaiting COVID-19 Test Results — He insists he stayed 12 feet away from guests and only took his mask off when it was time to address the crowd. … U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson attended an Oktoberfest fundraising dinner on Friday evening …

Brianne Pfannenstiel / Des Moines Register:
Sen. Chuck Grassley won't seek coronavirus test after attending meeting with infected senator

Discussion: ABC News, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, New York Post, USA Today and TheBlaze

Jake Sherman / Politico:
The virus slams into a broken Washington

Discussion: The Hill

Claudia Grisales / NPR:
McConnell Seeks Agreement To Delay Senate's Return Amid Positive Coronavirus Tests

Discussion: Associated Press, Redstate, Bloomberg, Fox News, Esquire, The Hill, New York Times, One America News Network, Vox, Roll Call, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Mahablog, Al Jazeera, Talking Points Memo, Washington Times, TheBlaze, Townhall and Political Wire

CNN:
Chris Christie checks into hospital as a precaution after positive Covid-19 test

Discussion: National Review, Townhall, Slate, Deadline, KXAN-TV, Florida Politics, The Dispatch and CBS News

Oliver Darcy / CNN:
ABC News says staff that came into contact with Christie will ‘self isolate for 14 days’

Discussion: Variety and KXAN-TV, more at Mediagazer »

Emma Newburger / CNBC:
Chris Christie tests positive for coronavirus, checks into hospital as precautionary measure

Discussion: Politico, Associated Press, The Hill, Forbes, Axios and CANNONFIRE

Bill Glauber / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: BILL GLAUBER , PATRICK MARLEY | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

CNN:
Senate GOP's third positive Covid-19 case threatens quick Barrett confirmation

Discussion: Washington Post, Mother Jones, Axios, The Guardian, Forbes, Occupy Democrats, Florida Politics, UPI, Bangor Daily News, CNBC, The Hill, The Daily Caller, Law & Crime, Common Dreams, Slate, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos, LifeSiteNews, Bloomberg and Politico

Tony Plohetski / Austin American-Statesman:

Texas Attorney Ken Paxton took bribes, abused office, executives in his office say — Top aides of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have asked federal law enforcement authorities to investigate allegations of improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential crimes against the state's top lawyer.

Discussion: KVUE-TV, The Hill, Raw Story and Political Wire

Miranda Devine / New York Post:

'I'm going to beat this,' Trump tells Rudy Giuliani of COVID-19 during phone call — President Donald Trump phoned Rudy Giuliani from his hospital bed Saturday afternoon to declare he feels so healthy, “I could get out of here right now.” — The former Big Apple mayor said his friend …

Discussion: Redstate, The Daily Beast and Raw Story

Nate Cohn / New York Times:

Poll Finds Voters in Two Crucial States Repelled by Trump's Debate Behavior — NEW YORK TIMES/ — SIENA COLLEGE POLL — Joe Biden leads Donald Trump in Florida and Pennsylvania. Both states are crucial to Mr. Trump's re-election chances. — 2016 Election Result NYT/Siena — Pennsylvania

Discussion: The Hill, The American Independent, Florida Politics, POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, Politico and Slate

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Sex Scandal Roils North Carolina Senate Race — North Carolina has played a key role in Democrats' hopes to take control of the Senate this year. Republican Thom Tillis is considered an uninspiring figure, while the Democrats seemed to have found a strong challenger in veteran Cal Cunningham.

Discussion: New York Times, The Daily Beast and NBC News

Politico:
Sexts and coronavirus: Must-win Senate race upended down the stretch

Discussion: The Hill, Raleigh News & Observer, National File, Reuters, Townhall, Vox, CNN, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Associated Press, Big League Politics and Talking Points Memo

Tory Newmyer / Washington Post:
N.C. Democratic challenger apologizes for intimate texts to a woman who is not his wife

Discussion: Axios and National Review

John Zogby Strategies:

Biden Leads Trump 49%-47%; New John Zogby Strategies/EMI Research Solutions Poll Taken After President Checks Into Walter Reed — In a new poll of 1006 likely voters nationwide, former Vice-President Joe Biden holds on to a two-point lead over President Donald Trump, 49% to 47% with 4% not sure.

Discussion: Townhall, Newsbusters and Breitbart