memeorandum: Learning From Trump in Retrospect (Mike Konczal)

9:45 PM ET, December 3, 2016

Top Items:

Green Party Drops Statewide Pennsylvania Recount — HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP/KDKA) - Green Party-backed voters dropped a court case Saturday night that had sought to force a statewide recount of Pennsylvania's Nov. 8 presidential election, won by Republican Donald Trump, in what Green Party …

Discussion: BuzzFeed, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos, Law News and Hot Air

The Eagle:

The Latest: Green Party drops statewide Pennsylvania recount — HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Latest on the Green Party's effort to force a statewide recount of the Nov. 8 presidential election in Pennsylvania: (all times local): — The Green Party is dropping its court case seeking a recount …

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:

Stein to hold rally outside Trump Tower — Green Party candidate Jill Stein is scheduled to hold a press conference and rally outside Trump Tower in New York on Monday, defending her push for recounts in several states. — “We won't stand down as Donald Trump

Discussion: RedState

Caitlin McCabe / Philly.com:

Jill Stein campaign drops recount effort in Pa. — Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein discontinued her statewide recount effort in Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon after a Commonwealth Court judge mandated the campaign post a $1 million bond to press on with its challenge.

Discussion: Associated Press, Lawyers, Guns & Money and TheBlaze

Scott Adams' Blog:

Scott Adams' Blog — By now you know that President Elect Trump took a call from the President of Taiwan and simultaneously lit on fire the underpants of the mainstream media and maybe the leadership of China too. — Apparently taking a phone call from the president of Taiwan …

Discussion: neo-neocon and Talking Points Memo

The Guardian:
China lodges complaint with US over Trump's Taiwan phone call

Discussion: Occupy Democrats, Telegraph, Reuters, Common Dreams, The Hill, BBC, Daily Wire, Raw Story, Infowars, Vox, The American Conservative, The Week, Mediaite, The Diplomat and Rare

NBC News:
Donald Trump's Call With Taiwan President Was No Surprise: Official

Discussion: Mother Jones, Bloomberg, CNN, New York Times, The Guardian, The Diplomat, NBC News, TheBlaze, RedState, BizPac Review, Washington Post, Death and Taxes and Joe.My.God.

Jane Perlez / New York Times:
Taiwan Call Gives China a Clue on What to Expect From Donald Trump

Discussion: Politicus USA, Sputnik International, WTVR-TV, Business Insider, twitchy.com and The Last Refuge

globaltimes.cn:
Trump-Tsai phone call and the One-China policy

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Guardian and Reuters

Lauren Fox / Talking Points Memo:
China Warns Trump After His Controversial Call With Taiwan

Discussion: Gothamist, The Gateway Pundit, BuzzFeed, BBC, NBC News and Unqualified Offerings

Emily Rauhala / Washington Post:
China blasts ‘petty’ Taiwan call with Trump

Tim Nudd / Adweek:

Can You Figure Out the Mystery Inside This Remarkable Ad About High School Love? — A message deeper than idle sketches — Here's a pretty amazing ad from BBDO New York, with a mystery at its core. — At the outset, we meet Evan, a high school kid who can't wait for summer break.

Discussion: Hot Air

East Bay Times:

Oakland: At least nine dead after massive fire at live-work space party … OAKLAND — In what may be the deadliest structure fire in Oakland's history, at least nine people died in a blaze that broke out late Friday at an electronic music party at a Fruitvale district live-work space, officials said.

KTVU-TV:
9 dead, 25 unaccounted for in three-alarm Oakland fire

Discussion: CNN, The Guardian and SFist

Art Swift / Gallup:

Americans' Support for Electoral College Rises Sharply — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' support for keeping the Electoral College system for electing presidents has increased sharply. Weeks after the 2016 election, 47% of Americans say they want to keep the Electoral College …

Discussion: RedState

New York Times:

In Trump's Security Pick, Michael Flynn, ‘Sharp Elbows’ and No Dissent — WASHINGTON — Days after Islamist militants stormed the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012, Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn reached a conclusion that stunned some of his subordinates at the Defense Intelligence Agency …

Discussion: The American Conservative

Thomas E. Ricks / New York Times: The General Who Should Lead the Pentagon

Tana Ganeva / Washington Post:

He got life without parole for pot. And he was just denied clemency. — This post has been updated to include quotes from The Watch's interview with Ferrell Scott. — Ferrell Scott was sentenced to life in prison for possession and conspiracy to distribute marijuana …

Discussion: USA Today

Brad King:

So Far Appalachia: The Myth of the Rural, White Working Class + Voting Against Their Self Interest — I'm writing a book about Appalachia. More specially, I'm writing a memoir of my family, which helped settled what is now the poorest county in the country: Clay County, which The New York Times dubbed …

Discussion: Points and Figures

Michael McCaul / Fox News:

Rep. McCaul: Yes, we will build a wall, put Mexico on a “payment plan” and enforce the law — FILE: Undated: Unidentified people in Mexico crossing the Rio Grande to enter the United States illegally, in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. (AP) — Donald Trump campaigned on a big promise …

Discussion: PoliPundit.com and BizPac Review

Wall Street Journal:

Trump's Company Has No Plans to Invest in Taiwan, Aides Say — Reports of possible investments circulated after President-elect's call with Taiwan's leader — After a phone call with Taiwan's leader that broke with decades of U.S. diplomatic protocol, a representative for U.S. President-elect Donald …

Discussion: The Guardian and Mediaite

Gail Collins / New York Times:

Trump, Finally Explained — Do you remember “50 First Dates”? It was a Drew Barrymore movie about a woman with short-term amnesia who wakes up every morning with no memory whatsoever of the day that went before. — I am thinking it's the perfect Donald Trump analogy.

New York Times:

Extremists Turn to a Leader to Protect Western Values: Vladimir Putin — As the founder of the Traditionalist Worker Party, an American group that aims to preserve the privileged place of whiteness in Western civilization and fight “anti-Christian degeneracy,” Matthew Heimbach knows whom …

New York Times:

Will Ivanka Trump Be the Most Powerful First Daughter in History? — Ivanka Trump is about to become the most influential first daughter since Alice Roosevelt Longworth. But can she do so without damaging her own brand? — When Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the House of Representatives …

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Political Wire and Oliver Willis

New York Times:

The Scourge of Racial Bias in New York State's Prisons — A New York Times investigation draws on nearly 60,000 disciplinary cases from state prisons and interviews with inmates to explore the system's inequalities and the ripple effect these can have. — The racism can be felt …

Hollywood Reporter:

Madonna Repeatedly Slams Donald Trump, Says She's “Ashamed to be an American” at Miami Fundraiser — The musician also kissed Ariana Grande and teased ex-husband Sean Penn, who crawled through her legs at one point as the two tried to coerce the audience to bid higher.