‘I am Batman,’ Trump tells boy on helicopter ride  —  Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)A helicopter landed here just after noon on Saturday, causing a short but violent windstorm.  Large trees shivered; small ones bent nearly sideways.  Dust swirled up from the parking lot, stinging the eyes of the onlookers.

Lord Mandelson's failed ‘mass resignation’ bid to attempt to stop Jeremy Corbyn winning Labour leadership  —  It also emerged that Liz Kendall urged Yvette Cooper to stand down because Andy Burnham is the only candidate who can win - but Miss Cooper refused.

Boxing out Biden  —  At fundraiser, Clinton and Obama supporters revel in unity and hope the vice president will take a pass.  —  Getty  —  EDGARTOWN, Mass. - As Joe Biden considers a possible run for president, the donors he'd need to be viable appear to be ruling him out.

With High-Profile Help, Obama Plots Life After Presidency  —  WASHINGTON — The dinner in the private upstairs dining room of the White House went so late that Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn billionaire, finally suggested around midnight that President Obama might like to go to bed.

Chris Christie's presidential run: Time to call it a day, Guv |  Mulshine  —  President Obama and Chris Christie after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 - and right before Obama's re-election: Rand Paul reminded voters of this moment during the first debate.  It's as close to president as Christie will ever get.

An Amazonian's response to “Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace”  —  Disclaimer and proviso: “The postings on this site are my own and don't represent Amazon's position in any way whatsoever”.  —  Update: I really appreciate the notes of thanks this post has received, here and on other social media avenues.

How Trump Is Winning Over Conservatives Without the Bona Fides  —  No one plays the music of conservatism better than Trump, which allows him to make crowds go wild without mentioning issues like taxes, the deficit, profligate spending, or abortion.  —  “Keep dropping the truth bomb!” …

Bernie Sanders Has Heard About That Hashtag  —  What is your elevator pitch for socialism?  My elevator pitch is that the United States has a grotesque level of income and wealth inequality where the top one-tenth of 1 percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent …

Bangkok bomb: Deadly blast rocks Thailand capital  —  A bomb has exploded close to a shrine in the centre of Thailand's capital, Bangkok, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more.  —  A second bomb has been found in the area and made safe, officials say.

Obama Administration Warns Beijing About Covert Agents Operating in U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has delivered a warning to Beijing about the presence of Chinese government agents operating secretly in the United States to pressure prominent expatriates …

Hillary Clinton Seeks to Connect With Iowans, but Celebrity Gets in Way  —  DES MOINES — On a sunny Saturday afternoon at the Iowa State Fair, Tom Harkin, a former senator and a popular political figure here, reaffirmed his support for his “great friend for almost 25 years,” Hillary Rodham Clinton …