Top Items:
NBC News:
Trump Allies Plot Candidate Intervention After Disastrous 48 Hours — Key Republicans close to Donald Trump's orbit are plotting an intervention with the candidate after a disastrous 48 hours led some influential voices in the party to question whether Trump can stay at the top …
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Washington Post:
GOP reaches ‘new level of panic’ over Trump's candidacy — The Republican Party was in turmoil again Wednesday as party leaders, strategists and donors voiced increasing alarm about the flailing state of Donald Trump's candidacy and fears that the presidential nominee was damaging the party …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Politico, BuzzFeed, CBS Pittsburgh, Daily Wire, Hot Air, Mediaite, Politicus USA, The Week and The Resurgent
Jonathan Karl / ABC News:
Senior GOP Officials Exploring Options if Trump Drops Out — Republican officials are exploring how to handle a scenario that would be unthinkable in a normal election year: What would happen if the party's presidential nominee dropped out? — ABC News has learned that senior party officials …
Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
If Trump Drops Out, The Result Will Be A Horrible Legal Quagmire — Republican leaders have entered the denial phase of grief again. — After months of overt racism, religious bigotry, mockery of veterans and people with disabilities, and otherwise erratic behavior, Republican presidential candidate Donald …
Discussion:
Heat Street
Nick Gass / Politico:
Gingrich blasts Trump's ‘very self-destructive’ behavior — Donald Trump's behavior over the past week has been “very self-destructive” to his campaign, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday, comparing the Republican nominee to a Hall of Fame quarterback who is in the midst of an interception-throwing slump.
John Harwood / CNBC:
Ally of Trump staffer Paul Manafort: The staff is ‘suicidal,’ he's mailing it in — Donald Trump's behavior in recent days, from criticizing the parents of a fallen American soldier to declining to endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan, has strained the nerves of his campaign staff as he falls behind in the polls.
NBC News:
GOP Reels After Unprecedented 24 Hours From Trump — First Read is a morning briefing from Meet the Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter. — GOP, Trump go from ‘unraveling’ to ‘break glass’ mode
Discussion:
ABC News, Sputnik International, Wall Street Journal, Daily Kos, Washington Post and Mediaite
John Harwood / CNBC:
Former top Gingrich ally calls Trump nom ‘mistake of historic proportions’ — Vin Weber, a key early lieutenant in the Newt Gingrich revolution that transformed the U.S. House of Representatives and the GOP, rejected the candidacy of Donald Trump on Wednesday as “a mistake of historic proportions” for his party.
Discussion:
Politico and Talking Points Memo
New York Times:
Mike Pence Splits With Donald Trump on Paul Ryan Endorsement
Mike Pence Splits With Donald Trump on Paul Ryan Endorsement
Discussion:
CNN, BuzzFeed, Townhall.com, The Atlantic, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Media Matters for America, Politico, The Daily Beast, The Mahablog, Heat Street, Daily Wire, The Resurgent, France 24, Washington Post, ABC News, Business Insider, Booman Tribune, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, National Review and Talking Points Memo
Patrick Marley / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Walker, Johnson, Ryan skipping Trump event
Walker, Johnson, Ryan skipping Trump event
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Week
Julia Hahn / Breitbart:
The Legend Speaks — Schlafly Thunders for Ryan Ouster: ‘Get Rid of Him!’
The Legend Speaks — Schlafly Thunders for Ryan Ouster: ‘Get Rid of Him!’
Discussion:
WND, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit and Paul Nehlen
Washington Post:
Donald Trump transcript: The Republican nominee in his own words
Donald Trump transcript: The Republican nominee in his own words
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, NBC News, Politico, Shakesville, Daily Kos, Media Matters for America, Hullabaloo, Althouse, Mediaite, The Colorado Independent, Daily Wire and Political Wire
Ivan Levingston / CNBC:
What happens if a candidate—say Donald Trump—drops out of the presidential race
What happens if a candidate—say Donald Trump—drops out of the presidential race
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, RedState and Talking Points Memo
Chris Geidner / BuzzFeed:
Obama Commutes Sentences Of More Than 200 People Serving Federal Sentences — Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images — WASHINGTON — President Obama commuted the sentences of 214 people serving federal sentences on Wednesday — the most commutations issued by a president in a single …
Discussion:
New York Times, Hit & Run, Crime and Consequences Blog, Daily Kos and The Week
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Neil Eggleston / Blog Daily Listings RSS:
President Obama Commutes the Sentences of 214 Additional People — Today began like any other for 214 federal inmates across the country, but ultimately became a day I am confident they will never forget. This morning, these individuals received a message from the President: your application for clemency has been granted.
Discussion:
The Atlantic, ThinkProgress, Politico, The San Diego Union …, ABC News, USA Today, NBC News and New Urban Legends
Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:
Obama just commuted the sentences of a record number of inmates
Obama just commuted the sentences of a record number of inmates
Discussion:
TalkLeft
Julian Hattem / The Hill:
Trump denies asking why nukes aren't used — 's presidential campaign denied a report on Wednesday that the Republican presidential nominee had three times asked a foreign policy adviser why the U.S. could not use its vast nuclear arsenal. — “There is no truth to this,” …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Mashable, AOL, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hot Air, Infowars and Joe.My.God.
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Esme Cribb / Talking Points Memo:
Former Nuke Weapons Officer Goes Off: Trump Is ‘So Damn Dangerous’
Former Nuke Weapons Officer Goes Off: Trump Is ‘So Damn Dangerous’
Discussion:
Mother Jones, RedState, Mediaite, Daily Wire, Raw Story, The Week, Media Matters for America and Daily Kos
Tarini Parti / BuzzFeed:
Republican Donors Panic As Trump Melts Down — WASHINGTON — Republican donors weren't expecting a traditional campaign from Donald Trump, but they weren't expecting the level of this week's implosion either. — “I don't know what he's doing — trying to commit suicide?” said Stan Hubbard …
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Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Over the last 24 hours, Donald Trump has insulted his party's …
Over the last 24 hours, Donald Trump has insulted his party's …
Discussion:
TheStreet.com, Washington Post, The Atlantic, Daily Kos, Politico, Business Insider, New York Times, Raw Story and The Week
Katherine Krueger / Talking Points Memo:
Reports: Priebus ‘Apoplectic,’ Trump Aides ‘Suicidal’ After String Of Blunders
Reports: Priebus ‘Apoplectic,’ Trump Aides ‘Suicidal’ After String Of Blunders
Discussion:
twitchy.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Politico, Washington Post, BizPac Review and Mediaite
New York Times:
Voices From Donald Trump's Rallies, Uncensored — “Trump that bitch!” — “Build a wall — kill them all.” — New York Times reporters have spent over a year covering Donald J. Trump's rallies, witnessing so many provocations and heated confrontations at them that the cumulative effect can be numbing …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, Little Green Footballs, Politicus USA and Mediaite
Jim Galloway / Political Insider blog:
Updates: Georgia GOP elector who balked on Donald Trump resigns — Update at 5:15 p.m.: The Georgia GOP elector who balked on whether to support Donald Trump has resigned, said Georgia GOP spokesman Ryan Mahoney. More details to come in a separate post. — I just finished …
Discussion:
Washington Post, New York Magazine, Vox, Mother Jones, Raw Story, Josh Blackman's Blog and The Resurgent
Wall Street Journal:
George W. Bush Delivers Critique of Donald Trump's Policies — Former president stops short of putting his remarks in the context of the 2016 presidential campaign — Without naming Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, former President George W. Bush delivered an incisive critique …
Discussion:
The Hill, Daily Wire, Occupy Democrats, AOL, Washington Free Beacon, The Federalist, The Daily Caller and RedState
Lauren Fox / Talking Points Memo:
Freedom Caucus Blasts House GOP Leaders For Kansas Rep's Primary Loss — Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) released a scathing statement Wednesday morning blasting House GOP leaders for the primary loss of fellow Freedom caucus member Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), a fifth generation farmer who found himself without …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
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Molly Ball / The Atlantic:
A Tea Party Defeat in Kansas
A Tea Party Defeat in Kansas
Discussion:
CNN, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, Washington Post and Politico
German Lopez / Vox:
The list of jokes Donald Trump allowed and banned at his Comedy Central roast is amazing — Donald Trump will let you make fun of his hair, his family, his sex life, and his failed businesses. But if you question his wealth, that's a step too far for the Donald.
Discussion:
Business Insider, Vulture, alan.com and The Week
Dana Blanton / Fox News:
Fox News Poll: Clinton leads Trump by 10 points, both seen as flawed — Sixty-one percent of voters think Hillary Clinton is dishonest, yet she's opened up a big lead over Donald Trump in the latest Fox News Poll. — Here's why: majorities think Clinton is nevertheless qualified to be president …
New York Times:
Fox News Sexual Harassment Inquiry Is Said to Look at What Others Knew — Investigators looking into sexual harassment accusations against the former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes are also examining whether other executives knew of improper behavior by Mr. Ailes and failed to act on it, people briefed on the inquiry said Wednesday.
Discussion:
Politico, LawNewz, Washington Post and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:
Trump Tells Virginia Town It's Failing, Cites the Wrong Place — Whoever prepped Trump for his visit to Ashburn apparently has never been there before. — ASHBURN, Virginia — When Fawad Rahimyar learned Donald Trump was coming to his neck of the woods, he hopped on Facebook.
Discussion:
alan.com and No More Mister Nice Blog
Michael Hainey / Esquire:
Clint and Scott Eastwood: No Holds Barred in Their First Interview Together — Think your old man is a ball-buster? Try being the son of Clint Eastwood. And then try making a name for yourself in the family business. This month, as Clint and Scott Eastwood go head-to-head at the box office …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Fox News Insider and Business Insider
Wichita Eagle:
Berger beats Bruce, McGinn keeps seat in ‘brutal’ night for conservatives — Updated at 1:35 a.m.: One of Gov. Sam Brownback's closest allies in the Legislature lost his bid for re-election Tuesday night amid a wave of conservative losses. — Brownback isn't on the ballot this year …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Kansas City Star, Associated Press and Raw Story
Mary McGuire / WFLA-TV:
‘Pinky’ the flamingo dies after attack by man at Busch Gardens — TAMPA, FL (WFLA) — An Orlando man has been arrested for picking up, and throwing a beloved flamingo named “Pinky” to the ground at Busch Gardens Tampa on Tuesday. Pinky's injuries were so severe, she had to be euthanized.
Jamelle Bouie / Slate:
A Trump Victory Is a Scary Thought. A Disputed Loss Might Be Scarier. — Why his “rigged” comments are so corrosive and dangerous. — We have a tradition in the United States. When you lose an election, you take the L, and you move on. It's what John Adams did after he lost …