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--> A midday take on what's happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha--breaks down crying hysterically.

IN THE WHITE HOUSE



‘I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom’ is a mood:

Over the weekend, President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE slammed a New York Times report about his work habits in the White House. https://bit.ly/2VGALHb

President Trump tweeted: “I work from early in the morning until late at night, haven’t left the White House in many months (except to launch Hospital Ship Comfort) in order to take care of Trade Deals, Military Rebuilding etc., and then I read a phony story in the failing @nytimes about my work … schedule and eating habits, written by a third rate reporter who knows nothing about me. I will often be in the Oval Office late into the night & read & see that I am angrily eating a hamburger & Diet Coke in my bedroom. People with me are always stunned. Anything to demean!” https://bit.ly/2zuYd1f

Read Trump’s full tweets on the New York Times report: https://bit.ly/2VGALHb

What sparked these tweets — tbh, watching this much television would ruin anyone’s mood:

The New York Times’s Katie Rogers and Annie Karni, “As his administration grapples with reopening the economy and responding to the coronavirus crisis, President Trump worries about his re-election and how the news media is portraying him.”

What Trump watches on an average morning: “He has been up in the White House master bedroom as early as 5 a.m. watching Fox News, then CNN, with a dollop of MSNBC thrown in for rage viewing … And he makes time to watch Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s briefings from New York, closely monitoring for a sporadic compliment or snipe.”

Tidbit — what Trump’s average night looks like: “After he is done watching the end of the daily White House briefing — which is held seven days a week and sometimes goes as late as 8 p.m. — Mr. Trump watches television in his private dining room off the Oval Office. Assorted aides who are still around will join him to rehash the day and offer their assessments on the briefings. Comfort food — including French fries and Diet Coke — is readily available.”

The full New York Times report: https://nyti.ms/2YgLdXk





THE WHITE HOUSE DISPUTED THE REPORT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW YORK POST:





“President Trump’s schedule is so packed amid the coronavirus crisis that he sometimes skips lunch, his aides told The Post — refuting a report that the commander-in-chief spends his days obsessing over TV coverage and eating fries.” https://bit.ly/2yJJ38f

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsHouse moves toward spending vote after bipartisan talks House Democrats mull delay on spending bill vote Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE told The New York Post: “I can tell you that the biggest concern I have as a new chief of staff is making sure he gets some time to get a quick bite to eat.”

Meadows elaborated: “I can tell you that he will go back in and have a lunch just off the Oval Office and more times than not it is interrupted by several phone calls. If he gets more than 10 minutes of time in a given day, I haven’t seen in the five weeks I’ve been here.”





Late this morning — Trump is not happy about the coronavirus coverage:





President Trump slammed the news coverage of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. https://bit.ly/3eVBQ5v

He tweeted: “There has never been, in the history of our Country, a more vicious or hostile Lamestream Media than there is right now, even in the midst of a National Emergency, the Invisible Enemy!”





Just announced — Not today!:





The White House just canceled its scheduled daily Coronavirus Task Force meeting for today. https://bit.ly/2xTQp9a

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News: “We’re looking at different ways to showcase this president leading. The briefing is a key component of that. We will have briefings this week. But again, the media needs to not read into what’s happening and look at this as an opportunity for the president to speak to the American people.”





It’s Monday — welcome back. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

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NEWS FROM THE SUPREME COURT



Sidestepping out of this one:





Via The Hill’s John Kruzel, “The Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a major Second Amendment ruling, saying that New York City’s repeal of a controversial gun regulation had rendered the legal challenge moot.” https://bit.ly/2KAgi0n

The ruling: “In an unsigned two-page opinion, a majority of the justices opted to return the case to the lower courts for further litigation rather than reconsider the scope of an individual’s right to bear arms for the first time in a decade.”

Which justices dissented: Conservative Justices Samuel Alito Samuel AlitoAbortion, gun rights, ObamaCare at stake with Supreme Court pick READ: Supreme Court justices mourn death of Ginsburg, 'an American hero' Ginsburg death sets up battle over future of court MORE, Neil Gorsuch Neil GorsuchThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump, GOP allies prepare for SCOTUS nomination this week Abortion, gun rights, ObamaCare at stake with Supreme Court pick Conservative group launches .2 million campaign urging GOP senators to fill Ginsburg's seat MORE and Clarence Thomas Clarence ThomasGOP senator attacks Biden: 'I'm not sure what he recalls' Abortion, gun rights, ObamaCare at stake with Supreme Court pick Rush Limbaugh encourages Senate to skip hearings for Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE.





Pay up, Congress:





Via The Hill's Nathaniel Weixel and John Kruzel, “Congress must keep its promise to give insurers billions of dollars in unpaid ObamaCare funds, the Supreme Court ruled Monday.” https://bit.ly/2W0VR1Y

What the decision means: The ruling is “a victory for insurers, but comes well after the funding could have had an impact on the ObamaCare law.”

Back story: “The risk corridor program was meant as a temporary financial incentive that Congress offered insurers to stabilize premiums and encourage participation in the insurance exchanges. The program sought to discourage insurers from setting premiums high by protecting those with sicker customers than expected. Insurers that made money were supposed to pay into a fund, which was used to reimburse plans that lost money. However, insurers quickly lost money and the program paid out more than it took.”





WHERE THINGS STAND





Coronavirus Cases in the U.S.: 967,585

Deaths in the U.S.: 54,931

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y





WHERE EACH STATE STANDS ON REOPENING:





https://cnn.it/3cQ0X7W





LATEST WITH CORONAVIRUS RELIEF



The Senate could be back in D.C. next week:





The Senate is expected to return to Washington, D.C. next week after a five-week break. https://bit.ly/2KzG7NY

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told reporters about a call with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Senate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes MORE (R-Ky.): "Yeah, we're coming back," Scott said. "That's what McConnell said on the call. ... He didn't say how long we're coming back, but he said we're coming back."

When the Senate will likely return: Monday, May 4. Yikes, that means it’s almost May!





Round five: ding, ding:





Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, lawmakers are already in disagreement over the next phrase of coronavirus relief. https://bit.ly/2VEk1QJ

What Democrats want: Another piece of legislation to be considered as soon as lawmakers return to Washington on May 4.

What McConnell wants: A pause before the next bill.

The confusing part — is it phase four or five?: “Though the previous four bills have passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, congressional leaders are clashing over the timeline and details of the somewhat confusingly named ‘phase four’ legislation, which would actually be the fifth bill to respond to the crisis.”





FIVE FIGHTS TO WATCH:





State and local governments Changes to small business aid Voting Food assistance Infrastructure

Context and details for each: https://bit.ly/2VEk1QJ





Schumer wants Trump’s name to stop appearing on stimulus checks:





Via Politico’s Marianne Levine, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' Jacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-N.Y.) will introduce a provision to prevent President Trump from putting his name on coronavirus stimulus checks. https://politi.co/2Wgtflx

What Schumer will call the act: The “No PR Act”

Schumer said in a statement: “President Trump unfortunately appears to see the pandemic as just another opportunity to promote his own political interests. The No PR Act puts an end to the president’s exploitation of taxpayer money for promotional material that only benefits his re-election campaign.”





NOTABLE TWEETS:



Lovely…:







Tidbit from flight yesterday:







ON TAP:





The House and Senate are out. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.

2 p.m. EDT: President Trump and Vice President Pence participate in a video teleconference with governors.

4 p.m. EDT: President Trump and Vice President Pence meet with industry executives to discuss their responses to COVID-19.





WHAT TO WATCH:





Canceled — 5 p.m. EDT: The White House canceled its daily Coronavirus Task Force briefing. https://bit.ly/2xTQp9a





NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:





Today is National Prime Rib Day.





And to brighten your Monday afternoon, here’s a support dog who met his hero at Walt Disney World: https://bit.ly/2KA1izD