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Trump reignites the debate over when to re-open the country against the advice of public health experts in his own administration, his campaign launches a Blame China strategy, and Democrats use their leverage to fight for a relief bill that helps workers and voters. Then Salon writer Amanda Marcotte talks to Tommy about her reporting on a sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden.

Crooked non-medical masks, with proceeds going to the Coronavirus Relief Fund: crooked.com/store

Show notes

Coronavirus

• Axios: Leading coronavirus modeling shows that social distancing is working
• WaPo: Trump administration has many task forces — but still no plan for beating covid-19
• CNN: Trump spends Easter weekend pondering the ‘biggest decision’ of his presidency 
• NYT: Torn Over Reopening Economy, Trump Says He Faces ‘Biggest Decision I’ve Ever Had to Make
• WaPo: Who is telling Trump to reopen the economy?
• Axios: Some Trump aides eye May 1 start to coronavirus reopening
• WaPo: As social distancing shows signs of working, what’s next? Crush the curve, experts say.
• USA Today: Trump eager to ‘reopen’ nation but governors will decide when to ease coronavirus lockdown
• LA Times: Can Trump reopen the economy on May 1? Not really
• Lawfare: Trump Can’t Reopen the Country Over State Objections
• CNN: Trump wants to reopen country soon. But power really lies with governors
• CBS News: New Jersey governor says reopening economy too soon “could be throwing gasoline on the fire”
• NYT: Governor Cuomo urged caution in the rush to reopen New York’s economy.
• Politico: Health officials bearish on Trump’s drive to re-open economy by May 
• The Hill: Public health officials push back on May opening
• Axios: Surgeon general: Most of the U.S. won’t be able to reopen May 1 
• NYT: U.S. Is Nowhere Close to Reopening the Economy, Experts Say
• RCP: Public Approval of President Trump’s Handling of the Coronavirus
• FiveThirtyEight: How Americans View The Coronavirus Crisis And Trump’s Response 
• CNN: Trump keeps wanting to reopen the economy. Voters disagree.
• FiveThirtyEight: Most Americans Like How Their Governor Is Handling The Coronavirus Outbreak 
• WaPo: A plan to defeat coronavirus finally emerges, but it’s not from the White House 
• Vox: I’ve read the plans to reopen the economy. They’re scary. 
• WaPo: Apple, Google debut major effort to help people track if they’ve come in contact with coronavirus
• Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security: A National Plan to Enable Comprehensive COVID-19 Case Finding and Contact Tracing in the US
• NYT: Lockdown Can’t Last Forever. Here’s How to Lift It. 
• Scientific American: When Can We Lift the Coronavirus Pandemic Restrictions? Not Before Taking These Steps 
• Center for Strategic and International Studies: A Covid-19 Response Corps Can Help Stop the Pandemic
• WBUR: Why Charlie Baker Thinks ‘Contact Tracing’ Cases May Help Mass. Slow — Or Stop — COVID-19
• CAP: A National and State Plan To End the Coronavirus Crisis
• AEI: National coronavirus response: A road map to reopening
• NYT: Joe Biden: My Plan to Safely Reopen America
• NYT: New Trump Ad Suggests a Campaign Strategy Amid Crisis: Xenophobia
• NYT: China Hawks in Congress See an Opportunity in Coronavirus
• Politico: Trump’s evangelical supporters want China to pay a price for coronavirus
• Politico: Republicans whack China over coronavirus as Trump plays nice
• The Guardian: Trump threatens to hold WHO funding, then backtracks, amid search for scapegoat 
• The Atlantic: Gary Locke Is Mad About That Trump Ad 
• CNN: Fact Check: Trump’s new anti-Biden ad is filled with deceptive images and audio clips
• NYT: He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump’s Failure on the Virus 
• WaPo: Trump’s new ad attacking Biden on China is a complete and utter mess 
• WaPo: Trump’s China-bashing ad is more ridiculous than you thought 
• CNN: Trump repeatedly praised China’s response to coronavirus in February
• Daily Beast: Democrats Fear Trump’s New 2020 Strategy Is Working 
• WaPo: The coronavirus crisis is turning Americans in both parties against China
• The Nation: China Is Going to Be a Republican Wedge Issue
• CNN: Biden campaign says he backs Trump’s China travel ban 

Stimulus

• Politico: Clash hardens over coronavirus aid as GOP leaders reject Dem demands
• Wapo: GOP leaders refuse Democrats’ coronavirus demands, won’t negotiate over small-business lending
• CNN: Republicans double down on small business funding amid congressional stalemate over more Covid-19 aid
• Axios: Hill negotiations over interim coronavirus stimulus stall
• WSJ: Democrats Hope Coronavirus Stimulus Talks Reach a Deal Next Week 
• Politico: ‘Let’s hope to heck that it works’: Pandemic pressure mounts on Congress
• The Hill – Pressure for quick action on next relief bill strains GOP unity
• WaPo: A liberal congresswoman and a conservative senator want the federal government to pay workers’ salaries
• WaPo: Sidelined by coronavirus pandemic, Congress cedes stage and authority to Trump
• Axios: The coronavirus pandemic threatens low-wage jobs
• NYT: ‘Sudden Black Hole’ for the Economy With Millions More Unemployed 
• Vox: Coronavirus stimulus checks are on the way 
• NYT: Keep Workers On, or Lay Them Off? Small Businesses Face Hard Choices
• AP: ‘Absolute Chaos’ as Businesses Try to Tap Into Rescue Funds 
• NYT: Black-Owned Businesses Could Face Hurdles in Federal Aid Program
• Politico: 5 Increasingly Hardball Versions of the Next Stimulus
• NY Mag – Dems Must Block Further Stimulus Until These 3 Demands Are Met
• Vox: The debate over a post office bailout, explained
• Axios: Cuomo rips Congress for ignoring state governments in stimulus bill 
• Vox: Stimulus measures should be made automatic now, before Republicans flip-flop on deficits again
• NYT Upshot: Could the Pandemic Wind Up Fixing What’s Broken About Work in America?
• New Yorker – How Mitch McConnell Became Trump’s Enabler-in-Chief
• WaPo: GOP pushes voting by mail — with restrictions
• Politico: Mayors, governor call out racial health disparities highlighted by coronavirus