Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GOP Strategists Fear Trump's Continued Attacks On Mail-In-Voting Will Backfire On Party In November
The New York Times: Republicans Fear Trump’s Criticism Of Mail Voting Will Hurt Them
President Trump has relentlessly attacked mail voting, calling it a free-for-all for cheating and a Democratic scheme to rig elections.None of the charges are true. But as eight states and the District of Columbia vote on Tuesday in the biggest Election Day since the coronavirus forced a pause in the primary calendar, it is clear that Mr. Trump’s message has sunk in deeply with Republicans, who have shunned mail ballots. Republican officials and strategists warned that if a wide partisan gap over mail voting continues in November, Republicans could be at a disadvantage, an unintended repercussion of the president’s fear-mongering about mail ballots that could hurt his party’s chances, including his own. (Gabriel, 6/2)
The Washington Post: As Trump Attacks Voting By Mail, GOP Builds 2020 Strategy Around Limiting Its Expansion
The strategy, embraced by Trump’s reelection campaign, the Republican National Committee and an array of independent conservative groups, reflects the recognition by both parties that voting rules could decide the outcome of the 2020 White House race amid the electoral challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Helping drive the effort is William Consovoy, a veteran Supreme Court litigator who also serves as one of Trump’s personal lawyers. Consovoy’s Virginia-based law firm is handling a battery of legal actions on behalf of the RNC, several state GOPs and an independent group called the Honest Elections Project, which is connected to a Trump adviser. (Gardner, Boburg and Dawsey, 6/1)
And presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden speaks out about racial disparities —
The Associated Press: 'Hate Just Hides': Biden Vows To Take On Systematic Racism
Joe Biden vowed to address institutional racism in his first 100 days in office as he sought to elevate his voice Monday in the exploding national debate over racism and police brutality. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee offered emotional support and promised bold action during an in-person discussion with black leaders in Delaware and a subsequent virtual meeting with big-city mayors who are grappling with racial tensions and frustrated by a lack of federal support. (Jaffe, Peoples and Weissert, 6/2)
Politico: 'The Scar Is Apparent': Biden Links Coronavirus Pandemic To Push For Racial Justice
The pandemic, which in America has affected minorities at disproportionate rates, had helped expose “institutional cracks across the board,” Biden argued. In doing so, the former vice president suggested the pandemic may have helped prime a new set of voters for the kinds of systemic changes he and fellow Democrats have called for. Biden argued Monday that such inequities may have awakened Americans who had previously been indifferent or passive to the struggles of minorities in America. (Oprysko, 6/1)
