Trump tries to make the election about Barack Obama, Democrats come up short in a California special election, Joe Biden announces a set of policy unity task forces, and Democratic strategists offer his campaign plenty of advice. Then Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal talks to Jon about her Paycheck Guarantee Act and her role as the co-chair of Biden’s health care unity task force.

Show notes

Trump vs Obama

• Mother Jones: “Obamagate” Is Trump’s Latest Lie to Smear Joe Biden
• CNN: Breaking down ‘Obamagate,’ Trump’s latest theory about the ‘deep state’ and Obama’s role in the Russia investigation
• NY Mag: Obamagate’ As Explained by President Trump
• Vox: It took one question for a reporter to expose Trump’s latest baseless Obama conspiracy theory
• Guardian: Trump deepens ‘Obamagate’ conspiracy theory with Biden unmasking move
• Politico Magazine: With Obamagate, Trump returns to a favorite distraction tactic
• Slate: Not Even the People Ranting About “Obamagate” Know What It Is
• The Atlantic: Trump Has Lost the Plot
• WaPo: As pandemic upends the country, Trump and Biden seek to make Obama central to their campaigns
• NY Mag: Obamagate’ Is Trump’s Name for the Crimes He’s Trying to Commit Himself
• Vanity Fair: Trump’s New Coronavirus-Deflection Strategy: OBAMAGATE!
• WaPo: Why Trump needs the pandemic to be polarized
• Washington Monthly: Trump Wants to Make the 2020 Election a Referendum on Obama
• NYT: McConnell, With Majority at Risk, Returns to an Old Target: Obama
• WaPo: As coronavirus roils the nation, Trump reverts to tactic of accusing foes of felonies
• CNN: Here are the two groups of voters who may determine 2020
• Mediaite: Biden Spox Trashes CBS’ Herridge Over Report on Unmasking List: ‘Rightwing Hack,’ Conduit for ‘Conservative Media Manipulation’
• ABC: Biden pushes back on Trump’s testing claims, labels coronavirus response ‘incompetent’
• Axios: “Joe Biden’s presence on the list could turn it into an election year issue, though the document itself does not show any evidence of wrongdoing.”
• Politico:  Intel chief releases info on ‘unmasking’ of Flynn to Capitol Hill
• WaPo: GOP senators release list of Obama officials, including Biden, who ‘unmasked’ Michael Flynn
• CNN: GOP senators release list of Obama officials in latest effort to undermine Russia probe
• NYT: Ex-F.B.I. Official Is Said to Undercut Justice Dept. Effort to Drop Flynn Case
• WaPo: Court asks retired judge to oppose Justice Dept. effort to drop Michael Flynn case, examine if ex-Trump adviser committed perjury
• NYT: Judge Hesitates to Accept Justice Dept. Move to Drop Flynn Charge
• Vox: The Justice Department’s move to drop Michael Flynn’s case is on hold
• Politico: Federal judge mulls contempt charge against Michael Flynn
• WaPo: The Flynn case isn’t over until the judge says it’s over
• Lawfare: Why the Flynn Interview Was Predicated
• Daily Beast: Manafort Walks. His Fellow Inmate Is Facing 12 More Years.
• NBC News: Paul Manafort released from prison to home confinement amid coronavirus concerns

CA-25

• WaPo: Republican Mike Garcia wins Democratic-held House seat in California in a boost for GOP
• NYT: Republican Wins House Seat in California Special Election
• LA Times: Democrat Christy Smith concedes to Republican Mike Garcia in election to fill Katie Hill’s seat
• Politico: GOP wins special election in California after Democrat concedes
• CNN: Republicans win back California House seat they lost in 2018 after Democrat concedes
• HuffPo: Republicans Flip Katie Hill’s Old House Seat
• Vox: California’s special election to fill Katie Hill’s House seat, explained
• WaPo: Republicans hold House seat in Wisconsin, aim to reclaim California district in special election
• AP: Trump-backed Tom Tiffany retains northern Wisconsin congressional seat for GOP
• Politico: Republicans and Democrats barrel toward collision on vote-by-mail
• FiveThirtyEight: How The Elections In Nebraska And Wisconsin Managed Amid The Pandemic
• HuffPo: Trump Rails Against Ballot Fraud – But Under GOP Definitions, Committed It In March
• Dallas Morning News: Texas AG asks Supreme Court to order election officials to reject mail ballots from people scared to catch COVID-19
• NYT: Democrats’ Vote-by-Mail Effort Won in Wisconsin: Will It Work Elsewhere?
• CNN: Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down state’s stay-at-home order

2020

• Politico: Biden, Sanders name leaders of their ‘unity task forces’
• Vox: Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are building new, policy-focused task forces
• NPR: Biden And Sanders Announce Task Forces To Find Party Unity Over Policy
• AP: Ocasio-Cortez among top Dems promoting Biden-Sanders unity
• ABC News: Biden, Sanders announce AOC, Kerry, Jayapal as co-chairs of unity task forces
• Vanity Fair: Can AOC Help Biden Win Over The Left?
• Mother Jones: Joe Biden Wants to Hear From Sanders’ Policy Wonks. Will It Be Enough to Win Over Bernie’s Fans?
• San Francisco Chronicle: Rep. Pramila Jayapal ‘concerned’ about whether Biden can motivate young progressives
• Politico: Youth Climate Activists Once Opposed Joe Biden. Now, They Say They’ll Vote for Him.
• San Francisco Chronicle: Young progressives aren’t thrilled about Biden. Some fear that will help Trump, again
• NYT: Biden Has an Edge on Trump. So Why Are Democrats Worried?
• WaPo: Biden campaign launches expansion in the face of Democratic worries — but no word on plans to leave his house
• ABC News: Joe Biden to scale up campaign as Democratic anxiety grows ahead of general election fight with Trump
• AP: Biden plans to stay home, testing limits of virtual campaign
• Politico: Biden adds states director, deputy in hiring spurt
• NYT: Biden and Trump Teams Each Raised Over $60 Million in April
• NYT: ‘Am I on Camera?’ Joe Biden’s Foray Into Virtual Campaigning
• CNN: Biden’s campaign rushes to blunt Trump’s digital advantage
• The Guardian: Biden’s lead over Trump widens – but strain on his virtual campaign grows
• Politico: Internal Biden campaign rift opens over how to compete with Trump online
• NYT: Biden Is Losing the Internet. Does That Matter?
• NYT: How to Outflank Trump Online
• NYT: How Joe Biden Can Defeat Trump From His Basement
• NYT: What Joe Biden Needs to Do to Beat Trump
• CNBC: Joe Biden raises over $46 million in March as he faces pressure to attract more small-dollar donors
• AP: Biden plans to stay home, testing limits of virtual campaign
• Politico: Why It Doesn’t Matter That Trump Is Beating Biden Online
• MSNBC: Biden defends his decision to campaign from home during virus
• Vanity Fair: Who You Calling Sleepy Joe?: Biden on His Youth Agenda, Internet Memes, and Fighting Trump From His House
• Business Insider: Democrats are suggesting a ‘Fortnite’-style event for their convention, turning Biden into a gargantuan, digital avatar over the Grand Canyon
• Axios: Biden to test local virtual campaign events
• Politico: The Biden campaign faces a mind-boggling challenge: How to make Joe go viral