WARNINGS. Trump ignored coronavirus warnings in classified presidential memos in January and February: “U.S. intelligence agencies issued warnings about the novel coronavirus in more than a dozen classified briefings prepared for President Trump in January and February, months during which he continued to play down the threat, according to current and former U.S. officials.”
LOCKDOWN PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY. Kermit the Frog “Rainbow Connection”.
VACCINE RACE. Oxford University’s Jenner Institute is in the lead: “The Oxford scientists now say that with an emergency approval from regulators, the first few million doses of their vaccine could be available by September — at least several months ahead of any of the other announced efforts — if it proves to be effective.”
OUTSIDER DISH Tom Cruise refused to share a hotel room with Rob Lowe back in 1983.
WOOF FOR HELP. Jim Parsons’s blind dog gets lost in his new NYC place.
CORE. Sean Penn’s nonprofit is expanding free coronavirus testing sites in L.A., Detroit, New Orleans, and Atlanta: “This is right now an active shooter scenario, the virus is. And its principal focus is on people of color, the elderly, the indigenous. But it doesn’t really care who else is in the way.”
MAYO CLINIC. Pence flouts mask order.
UP IN THE AIR. JetBlue to require all passengers to wear masks. “Starting May 4, all JetBlue Airways passengers will be required to wear a face covering, the strictest policy so far in the U.S. and one that follows the New York-based airline’s requirement that flight attendants wear a mask or face covering while on duty. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines earlier Monday said they will require thousands of employees to wear face masks and provide masks for passengers.”
AG. Bill Barr tells federal prosecutors to watch local governments’ lockdown restrictions: “Many policies that would be unthinkable in regular times have become commonplace in recent weeks, and we do not want to unduly interfere with the important efforts of state and local officials to protect the public,” Barr wrote. “But the Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis. We must therefore be vigilant to ensure its protections are preserved, at the same time that the public is protected.”
BACK TO WORK? House of Representatives won’t be coming back to D.C. next week: “The change of course comes as members expressed concern about returning to Washington while some areas in the region are developing into coronavirus hot spots. Hoyer said the decision to delay the return, which had been briefly scheduled for May 4, came after he talked with the Capitol physician, Brian Monahan, who said he recommended against taking the risk involved in members returning.”
FIRST LOOK OF THE DAY. Becoming.
TRUMP’S BEST WORDS OF THE DAY. Coronavirus briefing edition. “Here are some of the words Trump has said while in total command of his faculties at these coronavirus briefings”
QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY. Antoni Porowski makes shaksuka.
MOVIE FOOD OF THE DAY. Deadpool’s Chimichangas.
TOM OF FINLAND TRIBUTE OF THE DAY. Albron.
TOP MODEL TUESDAY. Laith Ashley.
