| | | | | |  | | By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun | Presented by |  | | | JOE BIDEN -- the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee -- said in a radio interview that "you ain't black" if it's hard for you to decide between supporting him and DONALD TRUMP. BIDEN appeared on "THE BREAKFAST CLUB" with host Charlamagne tha God and said: "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." CTG responded: "It don't have nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact I want something for my community." More from Quint Forgey … Full interview CLEANUP! … BIDEN SPOKESWOMAN @SymoneDSanders: "The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let's be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump's any day. Period." -- "LET'S BE CLEAR" or "make no mistake" are the two phrases that usually precede a walkback. IF YOU WONDER why the TRUMP TEAM is suggesting more debates than usual, here's your answer. AS NYT's JONATHAN MARTIN said on Twitter: "This morning should end once and for all the question of which party is more eager to get Biden out of his basement. … The Trump premise is essentially that Biden will gaffe his way into making the race competitive — more of a choice less of a referendum. It's possible. But it's also possible voters won't care and a static race will remain so." -- NYT'S ASTEAD HERNDON: "if this happened in the primary, every reporter would've been dispatched to South Carolina and listen to 100 people tell them 'we don't care'" MORE FROM THE BIDEN INTERVIEW … TO PEOPLE QUESTIONING HIS COGNITIVE HEALTH: "I say I can hardly wait to meet with that guy who is the stable genius." -- CTG asked BIDEN why he won't admit the 1994 crime bill was damaging for the black community. BIDEN: "It wasn't the crime bill. It was the drug legislation. It was the institution of mandatory minimums -- which I opposed." -- ON MARIJUANA: "I know a lot of weed smokers." -- VEEPSTAKES: "I'm not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple." MORE … BIDEN appeared on CNBC's "SQUAWK BOX" this morning: -- ON THE BIPARTISAN PPP: "What we're doing now is upside down: The bigger you are, the faster you get the money. The smaller you are, you don't get the money." -- ON AMAZON: "I think Amazon should start paying their taxes, OK? I don't think any company -- I don't give a damn how big they are, the lord almighty -- should absolutely be in a position where they pay no tax and make billions and billions and billions of dollars, number one. Number two: I think that companies should be in a position where they start paying their employees a decent wage and protect their employees. … "The whole notion of this is, are you playing the game fairly -- like it was set up long before? What's the capitalist system all about? The capitalist system [is] about everybody dealing fairly and dealing straight up with the American people and with their employees." -- ON REPEALING TRUMP TAX CUTS DURING THE PANDEMIC: "I would repeal the $2 trillion tax cut for the folks making over a million bucks a year. … The corporate tax rate I'd move back to what I had proposed, at 28%." | | | | A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association: Maintaining access to affordable health insurance is critical, especially today. See our proposals to ensure Americans stay covered, providing security when they need it most. | | | BREAKING -- "Tara Reade's lawyer drops her as a client," by Natasha Korecki: "In a statement, Douglas Wigdor, who has represented victims of sexual assault in the past, said the decision did not have to do with the question of whether Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, as Reade has alleged. The announcement came a day after defense lawyers in California said they were reviewing whether she misrepresented her credentials in past cases where she testified as an expert witness. "Wigdor asserted he made the decision earlier in the week. … Wigdor, a 2016 donor to President Trump and the Republican National Committee who has also represented accusers of Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein, reiterated his belief that Reade was subjected to unfair media scrutiny." POLITICO Happy Friday afternoon. CALLING ALL CHINA WATCHERS: The trajectory of the U.S.-China relationship will determine whether this century is judged a bright or a dismal one. POLITICO's David Wertime is launching a new China newsletter that will be worth the read. Sign up here. APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY STATE, per new BLS data … NEVADA is by far the highest, at 28.2%, followed by MICHIGAN (22.7%) and HAWAII (22.3%). The release HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE LATEST -- "Antimalarial drug touted by President Trump is linked to increased risk of death in coronavirus patients, study says," by WaPo's Ariana Eunjung Cha and Laurie McGinley: "The study, published Friday in the medical journal the Lancet, is the largest analysis to date of the risks and benefits of treating covid-19 patients with antimalarial drugs. It is based on a retrospective analysis of medical records, not a controlled study in which patients are divided randomly into treatment groups — a method considered the gold standard of medicine. But the sheer size of the study was convincing to some scientists. … "For those given hydroxychloroquine, there was a 34 percent increase in risk of mortality and a 137 percent increased risk of a serious heart arrhythmias. For those receiving hydroxychloroquine and an antibiotic — the cocktail endorsed by Trump — there was a 45 percent increased risk of death and a 411 percent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias." WaPo … The study HMM -- "'This is a bad practice': Doctors question FDA protocol for plasma treatment of coronavirus patients," by Yahoo's Alexander Nazaryan: "In its understandable rush to make convalescent plasma available, the FDA did not mandate that blood banks test the blood they collect for the very coronavirus antibodies that make the treatment promising. Of the three levels of testing donated blood for antibodies, only the least rigorous — and hence the least exact — is mandated. "That has put the medical establishment in an uncomfortable position, with many touting the treatment but some also warning against it. … Promising as the treatment may be, it has been administered in what some say is a counterproductive manner. And while convalescent plasma has doubtlessly helped many people, its benefits have been blunted by what critics say is a haphazard federal response." Yahoo | | | | HELP THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST: Families in the DMV have been crushed by layoffs, and they are trying to keep kids home from school and are worried about their health. Our neighbors need us now more than ever. You can help. From grab-and-go dinners for kids to boxes of groceries for seniors, your support will help provide millions of meals for people in the greater Washington, D.C., community who need it the most during this crisis. Please support the Capital Area Food Bank's Covid-19 response today. | | | | | VEEPSTAKES -- "Two Very Different Democrats: What a Biden-Warren Ticket Might Be Like," by NYT's Adam Nagourney and Jonathan Martin: "Joseph R. Biden Jr. speaks with Elizabeth Warren about once a week. They review the latest developments on the Covid-19 crisis and the collapsing economy. They trade ideas about how a Democratic president, like Mr. Biden, might rescue the country. They exchange tales about their lives sheltered in place … "Should Mr. Biden select Ms. Warren, the Democratic ticket would be a marriage of contrasting policy ideas and governing philosophies unlike any seen since Jimmy Carter, the moderate governor of Georgia, chose Walter F. Mondale … In a sign of Ms. Warren's willingness to demonstrate flexibility, an aide said that if asked to do so, whether or not she was on the ticket, she would drop her opposition to high-dollar fund-raising." NYT -- VAL DEMINGS talks to BUZZFEED'S HENRY GOMEZ: "'I believe my real life, on-the-ground experience — dealing with real people, real families, real issues, critical issues, crisis management — would be a valued asset to Vice President Biden,' Demings told BuzzFeed News. 'I started out as a social worker right out of college working with families that needed emergency services and abused children, children that were in foster care.' "'Police work is tough, right? But working with broken children and broken families? That's a job that will really break your heart. But it was all done with the goal of restoring, rebuilding, and healing. And then I became a law enforcement official with a social worker's heart. I've seen people at their best and I've seen people at their worst.'" BuzzFeed IMMIGRATION FILES -- "Trump Administration Changes Rules for Migrant Children During Pandemic," by WSJ's Michelle Hackman, Alejandro Lazo and Alicia Caldwell: "The Trump administration is reversing longstanding policies on the treatment of children and families who come into the U.S. illegally, citing laws and court rulings related to the coronavirus pandemic as reasons for changes it has long sought. "The government has in recent weeks returned minors who cross the border alone to their home countries faster than before—sometimes in a matter of hours. It has also begun making parents decide whether their children should be released or held with them indefinitely in immigration detention … In court documents filed Friday of last week, ICE listed 'parent does not wish to separate' as the reason for denying the release of 177 children." WSJ WHO'S ON FIRST -- "U.S. wants WHO review of COVID-19 response to start 'now,'" by AP's Jamey Keaten in Geneva: "The United States says it wants the World Health Organization to start work 'now' on a planned independent review of its coordinated international response to the COVID-19 outbreak, at a time the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized the agency and is threatening to cut off U.S. funding for it. "Adm. Brett Giroir, an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, sent a letter to the U.N. health agency's executive board meeting on Friday saying the United States believes the WHO can 'immediately initiate' preparations such as bringing together independent health experts and setting up guidelines for the review." AP | | | | GO BEYOND OUR BORDERS FROM YOUR HOME: Global Translations, presented by Bank of America, is the only newsletter focused on essential global news, trends and decisions layered with critical contextual analysis from the sharpest minds around the world. From how countries are dealing with economic crisis, to technology advances, trade challenges and climate change, Global Translations offers a unique perspective that cannot be found anywhere else. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | FOLLOW THE MONEY … "'Dark money' networks hide political agendas behind fake news sites," by the Center for Responsive Politics' Anna Massoglia: "Acronym is behind Courier Newsroom, a network of websites emulating local news outlets. Courier has faced scrutiny for exploiting the collapse of local journalism to spread 'hyperlocal partisan propaganda.' It claims to operate 'independent from' Acronym and says ownership is shared with 'other investors.' But a new tax return obtained by OpenSecrets lists Acronym as the full owner of Courier as of Dec. 31, 2018, the most recent date on record. "Websites affiliated with Courier Newsroom that appear to be free-standing local news outlets are actually part of a coordinated effort with deep ties to Democractic political operatives. … Courier's newest digital operation masquerading as local news outlet, Cardinal & Pine, spent more than $20,000 on digital advertising targeting North Carolina since launching its first Facebook ad campaigns in late March. The page's ads give the appearance of news but are mostly focused on the coronavirus pandemic or on criticizing President Donald Trump." CASH DASH -- "Joe Biden Finds Bernie Sanders's Donors Elusive," by WSJ's Chad Day and Julie Bykowicz: "About 60,000 people who gave to the Vermont senator during the Democratic primary had also chipped in to Mr. Biden's campaign by the end of April, according to the Journal's analysis of Federal Election Commission data filed this week. That group amounted to just under 3% of the roughly 2.2 million total Sanders donors the Journal identified in public filings." WSJ PROTOCOL'S EMILY BIRNBAUM: "Who's advising Joe Biden on tech policy? No one in particular": "At a moment when the biggest issues in technology are ascendant in national politics, Joe Biden has often been difficult to pin down. And that may not change anytime soon: The presumptive Democratic nominee does not have a top adviser focused on tech policy, according to campaign materials and party veterans, including some who have offered informal advice to Biden on tech. "The lack of tech leadership in the campaign marks a contrast with his Democratic predecessors, as well as some of Biden's competitors in the Democratic primary, and reflects a belief that issues like online misinformation, privacy regulation and alleged anticompetitive behavior by tech's giants will not be pivotal to unseating President Trump. To some advocates for reforming the tech industry, though, Biden — whose written policy prescriptions largely avoid venturing into tech — is missing an opportunity to lead in areas that have gained new prominence and urgency." Protocol FOR YOUR RADAR -- NYT/ISLAMABAD: "Jetliner With 99 Aboard Crashes Into Crowded Pakistani Neighborhood," by Salman Masood BONUS BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: James Hooley, head of the British Embassy's political section. A fun fact about him: "When I was at high school I had a small part in a children's TV program and the odd walk-on part in a couple of other shows on at the time. It felt very exciting, and I thought I might go to drama school or something like that. But I decided against and ended up studying political science instead. I did a couple of university productions, but I'm certain the acting world has not been deprived of a great talent!" Playbook Q&A | | | |   | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
