If Not Trump, What?  —  Donald Trump now looks set to be the Republican presidential nominee.  So for those of us appalled by this prospect — what are we supposed to do?  —  Well, not what the leaders of the Republican Party are doing.  They're going down meekly and hoping for a quiet convention.

Will Ferrell pulls out of Reagan Alzheimer's comedy  —  Will Ferrell has backed out of a comedy about Ronald Reagan's struggle with Alzheimer's disease following outrage from the former president's family.  —  The 48-year-old comic confirmed Friday that while he had seen the script …

Today, I want to update you on some important progress we've made to protect our communities from gun violence.  As I said in January, these commonsense steps are not going to prevent every tragedy, but what if they prevented even one?  We should be doing everything we can to save lives …

Live updates from California Republican Party convention: Trump arrives for lunch speech as protests get more intense  —  Welcome to a special edition of Essential Politics, our live feed from the California Republican Party convention in Burlingame.  Here's a quick glance at the agenda.

Protests rage outside Trump rally in Orange County; 17 arrested, police car smashed  —  Hundreds of demonstrators filled the street outside the Orange County amphitheater where Donald Trump held a rally Thursday night, stomping on cars, hurling rocks at motorists and forcefully declaring …

11-year-old protects Talladega home against intruder  —  Chris Gaither, 11, shot a home intruder Wednesday morning  —  Home school student Chris Gaither, 11, was alone Wednesday morning when he heard a noise.  —  Someone had broken into his house and walked upstairs.

NRCC blasts ‘60 Minutes’ story, hidden cameras  —  The National Republican Congressional Committee Friday accused “60 Minutes” of broadcasting a piece with “largely false information” and Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) of spreading lies on the broadcast— the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter Republican …

Lawmakers reject John Wayne Day over racism concerns  —  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — What a California lawmaker intended as a benign resolution honoring a late, world-renowned movie icon exploded into an emotional debate over decades-old racist comments.  —  The state Assembly defeated …

Supreme Court Gives FBI More Hacking Power  —  The Supreme Court on Thursday approved changes that would make it easier for the FBI to hack into computers, including those belonging to victims of cybercrime.  The changes will take effect in December, unless Congress adopts competing legislation.

Unmasking the Men Behind Zero Hedge, Wall Street's Renegade Blog  —  The veil is lifted on a secretive website.  —  Colin Lokey, also known as “Tyler Durden,” is breaking the first rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club.  He's also breaking the second rule of Fight Club.

The problem with Ted Cruz  —  has run an outsider's juggernaut campaign, the likes of which nobody has seen in modern politics.  —  Democrats publicly say they are thrilled to face him in the general election.  But, privately, they fret that the master marketer and media maestro …

Journalism Professor Will Go to War for Free Speech, as Long as It Doesn't Mock Him  —  You may have heard about the latest dustup between Jeff Jarvis, a media futurist and journalism professor, and his satirical online alter-ego, @ProfJeffJarvis, who was created several years ago …

China Blocks U.S. Navy Flotilla's Visit to Hong Kong  —  WASHINGTON — The Chinese government on Thursday denied a Navy flotilla access to the port in Hong Kong, Pentagon officials said Friday, the latest sign of escalating tension between the United States and China.