Tipsheet: Nerves on display as Dems face do-or-die moment in Detroit

View in your browser     Nerves on display as Dems face do-or-die moment in Detroit BY JONATHAN EASLEY AND AMIE PARNES Democratic presidential hopefuls are already throwing punches ahead of next week’s debates in Detroit, underscoring the pressure candidates are under to have a big moment and ensure their survival in the crowded race. The timing and ferocity of the infighting reflects a stark reality for many of the candidates – it’s desperation time for those who are struggling to qualify for the third debate and who may be making their final appearance in front of a national audience next week. Read the full story here     Buttigieg momentum slows after swift rise BY MAX GREENWOOD After a meteoric rise in the 2020 race, signs are emerging that Pete Buttigieg’s momentum may be stalling out. Read the full story here     Democrats wrestle with 'tough on crime' histories BY ZACK BURDYK Democratic presidential hopefuls, including former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) are wrestling with their past “tough on crime” positions as the primary battle heats up. Read the full story here     Booker chases breakout moment by going after Biden BY JULIA MANCHESTER After struggling to gain momentum in the 2020 presidential race, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has been given a chance for a breakout moment at next week's debate: a faceoff with former Vice President Joe Biden, with whom he has already tussled for weeks.  Read the full story here       Trump slams Cummings as a 'brutal bully,' claims Baltimore district 'far worse' than southern border BY JESSICA CAMPISI   President Trump slammed House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Twitter early Saturday as a “brutal bully,” claiming the longtime congressman's Baltimore district is “FAR WORSE” and "more dangerous" than the southern border. Read the full story here     Cummings fires back at Trump: 'It is my constitutional duty to conduct oversight' BY TAL AXELROD Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) fired back at President Trump on Saturday after the president bashed him as a “brutal bully” and cast his Baltimore district as “dangerous” and “disgusting.”  Read the full story here     Puerto Rico resignations spur constitutional crisis BY RAFAEL BERNAL Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló's resignation has thrust the U.S. territory into uncharted constitutional waters, as the scandal that ended his administration also broke the established line of succession. Read the full story here     U.S. and U.K. divide increases on Iran BY ELLEN MITCHELL Britain’s refusal to go along with the Trump administration’s fiery approach to recent Iranian aggression has experts and lawmakers concerned about the state of the “special relationship” between two historically close allies.  Read the full story here     Trump says US working with UK's Boris Johnson on 'very substantial trade agreement' BY TAL AXELROD President Trump said Friday that the U.S. is working with newly minted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a “substantial” trade agreement. Read the full story here     Trump administration rejects Utah request for partial Medicaid funding BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL The Trump administration will not allow Utah or any other state to use federal funding to partially expand Medicaid, dealing a blow to conservative states that envisioned a new way to take advantage of ObamaCare. Read the full story here     Time for a new Apollo project: A climate-friendly economy BY CAROLYN KOUSKY Opinion | Like the goal to walk on the moon, decarbonizing is a bold and audacious undertaking. Like the Apollo project, this new effort could harness the best in Americans, reposition our country as a leader in science and technology, build on decades of research, generate new jobs, inspire young and old, and create advances that will have enduring benefits throughout society.  Read the full story here     Congratulations for Congress passing changes helping American workers BY WILLIAM SPRIGGS Opinion | The looming stalemate between the victory for American workers and the economy and the Republican Senate under Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) highlight Washington’s new dysfunction. It is another instance where advances in science go ignored and though 55 percent of Americans support the legislation, a different order of political gamesmanship gets played. This may be pushed to the voters in November 2020, when voters can target those who held up the process. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Little-known makers of generic drugs played central role in opioid crisis, records show By Aaron C. Davis, Shawn Boburg and Robert O'Harrow Jr. Douglas S. Boothe was the leader of a little-known generic-drug maker seven years ago when federal agents approached his company with an urgent plea: Slash production of an addictive pain medication that was fueling a national crisis. Read the full story here     POLITICO: How conservative operatives steered millions in PAC donations to themselves By MAGGIE SEVERNS and DEREK WILLIS After recruiting thousands of donors for the American Conservative Union — the powerful organization behind the annual CPAC conference — a Republican political operative pushed the same contributors to give millions to a PAC that promised to go after then-President Barack Obama, but then steered much of their donations to himself and his partners. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Russian police arrest over 1,000 in Moscow election protest By JIM HEINTZ Russian police cracked down fiercely Saturday on demonstrators in central Moscow, beating some people and arresting more than 1,000 who were protesting the exclusion of opposition candidates from the ballot for Moscow city council. Police also stormed into a TV station broadcasting the protest. Read the full story here     Reuters: Ethanol vs. environment: Democratic hopefuls campaign on clashing agendas By Jarrett Renshaw and Humeyra Pamuk The competing stances, shared by Democratic candidates including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, illustrate how the party’s growing orthodoxy on climate change often clashes with local political realities. Read the full story here     CNN: Hong Kong: Thousands back on streets 24 hours after violent clashes By Helen Regan, James Griffiths and Joshua Berlinger, CNN Thousands of pro-democracy protesters returned to the streets of Hong Kong Sunday, less than 24 hours after an initially peaceful demonstration descended into violence, the latest confrontation amid a deepening political crisis. Read the full story here   Did a friend forward you this email? 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