Tipsheet: Culture war hits coronavirus crisis

View in your browser     The Memo: Culture war hits coronavirus crisis BY NIALL STANAGE    President Trump stoked the culture war on Friday with a series of fiery tweets calling for what he termed the liberation of three states, all of which have Democratic governors. Trump was apparently backing protestors in Minnesota, Michigan and Virginia who have bridled against restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus crisis. His tweets were the latest — and starkest — example of how even the debate over the deadly virus is increasingly being strained by the centrifugal forces of a polarizing president and a polarized media. Read the full story here     Governors complain testing is weak spot in Trump plan BY PETER SULLIVAN A lack of widespread testing is a potential weak point in President Trump's plan to reopen the economy. Read the full story here     White House says US has enough tests for first phase of reopening BY PETER SULLIVAN   The White House on Friday said that states have enough coronavirus tests to be able to enter the first phase of its plan for reopening the economy. Read the full story here     Trump attacks Pelosi as 'political hack' over late-show appearance BY JESSE BYRNES   President Trump went after Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a tweet late Friday, attacking the Democratic leader as "an incompetent political hack" and calling on her to return to Washington as lawmakers wrestle over another coronavirus relief bill. Read the full story here       Hospitals fear being shortchanged in coronavirus funding BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL   The Trump administration has been moving quickly to distribute CARES Act funding to hospitals and doctors, but providers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic are worried they will be shortchanged. Read the full story here     McCarthy says he supports incorporating hospital funding into small business aid package BY TAL AXELROD   House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday he would support adding funding for hospitals to a package intended to help small businesses in a new sign the partisan debate over the next phase of coronavirus legislation may be easing. Read the full story here     Biden told to think economy with VP pick BY AMIE PARNES   Joe Biden is being advised by some Democrats to select a running mate with strong economic credentials as the country faces a steep climb out of a coronavirus-fueled recession, according to sources close to the campaign.  Read the full story here     Trump says he'll deliver commencement address at West Point BY BRETT SAMUELS   President Trump on Friday said he will deliver the commencement address at West Point's graduation ceremony, which is expected to be modified to accommodate social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read the full story here     Google reports 18M coronavirus-related malware and phishing emails being sent daily BY CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO   Google saw more than 18 million malware and phishing emails related to the novel coronavirus on its service per day last week, the company revealed Thursday. Read the full story here     US oil prices hit 18-year low BY RACHEL FRAZIN   U.S. crude oil prices slipped to a new 18-year low on Friday, ending the week on a decline.  Read the full story here     A tale of two governors: COVID-19 provides sharp leadership contrasts between Virginia's Northam, Maryland's Hogan BY MARK J. ROZELL   OPINION | The arrival and spread of the COVID-19 virus has showcased the significantly differing leadership styles of the governors of Maryland and Virginia. Whereas Maryland’s Larry Hogan acted early, urgently and decisively, Virginia’s Ralph Northam slow-walked his responses, taking far fewer executive actions and with much less actionable specificity. Read the full story here     How to flatten the jobless curve by revisiting unemployment benefits BY BRENT ORRELL AND MASON BISHOP   OPINION | The coronavirus challenge calls for rethinking both the purpose and the administration of unemployment benefits as well as modernizing the way these benefits are delivered. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Rallies against stay-at-home orders grow as Trump sides with protesters BY TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA, SHAWN BOGURG AND ARELIS R. HERNANDEZ   Protesters at state capitols across the country this week expressed their deep frustration with the stay-at-home orders that are meant to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, pushing a message that is rapidly coalescing among the nation’s conservatives: Reopen the country. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Coronavirus testing needs to triple before the US can reopen, experts say BY KEITH COLLINS   As some governors consider easing social distancing restrictions, new estimates by researchers at Harvard University suggest that the United States cannot safely reopen unless it conducts more than three times the number of coronavirus tests it is currently administering over the next month. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Spending overseers are sidelined as stimulus checks roll out BY NATALIE ANDREWS The federal government is spending $2.2 trillion to aid American businesses and households in response to the coronavirus outbreak. But efforts to keep an eye on how the money is being spent are off to a slow start, in part because of the pandemic itself. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Nations debate easing lockdown as economic hardship grows BY FRANK JORDANS AND KEN MORITSUGU As unemployment rises and many around the world face the first rent payments after losing their jobs, governments are wrestling with when and how to ease restrictions designed to control the coronavirus pandemic. Read the full story here     Reuters: Voting by mail in the spotlight as US Congress debates how to secure November elections BY RICHARD COWAN   Congress is scrambling for ways to safeguard the Nov. 3 U.S. elections amid the coronavirus pandemic, with a partisan fight shaping up over a Democratic proposal to require states to offer the option of voting by mail. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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