New York Times: “Mr. Biden is one of the very few people in the nation with the potential to prevent a protracted standoff between an increasingly isolated Mr. Cuomo and the rest of the Democratic Party. That has strained Mr. Biden’s efforts to stay firmly on the sidelines as the governor faces a fusillade of calls to resign.”

“Mr. Biden and Mr. Cuomo have not spoken, people close to both men said.”

New York Times: “With Albany engulfed in controversy, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul has sought to exude an attitude of normalcy through her carefully controlled public appearances and statements. In recent days, she has tended to local Chambers of Commerce, addressed events focused on women and deployed a stream of often-chipper, emoji-laden tweets. On Friday, she livestreamed her Covid-19 vaccination.”

“Yet as Mr. Cuomo confronts the greatest political crisis of his decade in power, it is clear that his little-known lieutenant governor has entered a new, challenging and increasingly high-profile phase of her own.”

Gary Pearce writes on North Carolina’s political transformation since 2008 and why its political future is so difficult to predict:

“Democrats here have been inspired by Democrats in Georgia, which went for President Biden and elected two Democratic senators. Efforts have begun to replicate Georgia Democrats’ voter registration and turnout juggernaut.”

“But North Carolina isn’t Georgia. We’re more rural. While both states have over 10 million people, Georgia’s rural population is about 1.8 million; North Carolina’s is over 3 million. Georgia has more Black voters — 30% of the total electorate, compared to North Carolina’s 20%.”

Insider: “12 Republicans and 10 Democrats tell Insider they’re waiting their turn, abiding by the vaccination distribution guidelines they’ve helped set or waiting for the vaccine supplies in their state to increase.”

“One senior level staffer for a Democratic governor told Insider she’s worried about her boss, who hasn’t been vaccinated because he won’t jump the line… Health officials contacted by Insider said it’s certainly fair for governors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to help encourage others to do so.”

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) railed against a proclamation by the governor of neighboring Colorado that encourages people to avoid meat for one day a week, calling it a “direct attack on our way of life” and signing a pro-meat declaration of his own, the AP reports.