memeorandum: WBUR Poll: Republican Gov. Baker More Popular Than Democrat Sen. Warren 04:56 (Simón Rios/WBUR)

1:55 PM ET, January 23, 2017

Top Items:

Sources say Trump's CIA visit made relations with intel community worse — U.S. government sources tell CBS News that there is a sense of unease in the intelligence community after President Trump's visit to CIA headquarters on Saturday. — An official said the visit …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Moderate Voice, Mother Jones, CNN, Political Wire, Mediaite, Politicus USA, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Crooked Timber, Eschaton and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

I believe the president is entitled to:

I believe the president is entitled to significant deference when it comes to his choices for the cabinet. I also believe given the uncertainty surrounding the future direction of our foreign policy that a higher degree of scrutiny is justified in evaluating whoever is nominated to serve as secretary of state.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider, Politico, Axios, New York Magazine, Hot Air, The Week, New York Times and IJR

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Rubio to vote for Tillerson

Discussion: ABC News and Political Wire

New York Times:

Rocky First Weekend for Trump Troubles Even His Top Aides — WASHINGTON — President Trump's first weekend in office unfolded much the way things often did during his campaign: with angry Twitter messages, a familiar obsession with slights and a series of meandering and at times untrue statements …

Jack Shafer / Politico:

Put on Your Big-Boy Pants, Journos — Extraordinary times—and we are living in an extraordinary time—do not necessarily call for extraordinary measures on the part of the press, as comforting as a full berserking might make many of us feel. The opening minutes of the Trump administration …

Discussion: Salon, PressThink, CNN, Hot Air, TheBlaze, RedState, Media Matters for America and Politifact.com Truth …, more at Mediagazer »

Ryan Struyk / ABC News:
The Note: President Trump's First Monday at the Office

Discussion: Politico, BizPac Review, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, RedState and Associated Press

CNBC:

Trump to sign executive order to renegotiate NAFTA and intent to leave TPP — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday intends to sign an executive order that will put in motion the renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). — President Trump is also expected to sign …

Discussion: Forbes, Motherboard, Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller and The Hill

Jacob Pramuk / CNBC:

Trump tells business leaders he wants to cut regulations by 75% or ‘maybe more’ — Trump meets with CEOs and pledges to cut taxes ‘massively’ — President Donald Trump on Monday told a range of business leaders that he believes his administration can cut regulations by 75 percent or “maybe more.”

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Bloomberg:
Trump to Sign Executive Orders on Nafta, TPP Trade Deals, Official Says

Discussion: Politico, Business Insider and AOL

CNN:
TPP withdrawal Trump's first executive action Monday, sources say

Discussion: The Atlantic, ABC News, New York Magazine, Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Axios and Althouse

Ben Smith / New York Times:

Why BuzzFeed News Published the Dossier — Since BuzzFeed News published a 35-page dossier of unverified allegations about ties between President Donald J. Trump and Russia, I've heard a chorus of criticism from journalists who say we abdicated our role as gatekeeper, and a chorus of thanks …

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, Politico and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

We Are Dissidents; We Are Legion — On Friday, Donald J. Trump, the embodiment, instrument and provocateur of American animus, was installed — and I use that word with purpose and displeasure — as America's 45th president. He delivered a particularly inauspicious speech to a seemingly sparse crowd …

Discussion: Raw Story, The Week and Daily Kos

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
BuzzFeed editor: Public deserved to see Trump dossier

Discussion: RedState

Simón Rios / WBUR:

WBUR Poll: Republican Gov. Baker More Popular Than Democrat Sen. Warren 04:56 — Play — Over four years in office, Elizabeth Warren has staked her claim as the Senate's liberal lion. And many Massachusetts voters like it — 51 percent view her favorably.

Discussion: RedState, Power Line, Mediaite, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Politicker and TheBlaze

Lauren Dezenski / Politico:
Poll shows Warren is no sure bet for re-election next year

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon

Wall Street Journal:

U.S. Eyes Michael Flynn's Links to Russia — U.S. counterintelligence agents have investigated communications that President Donald Trump's national security adviser had with Russian officials. Michael Flynn is the first person inside the White House whose links are known to have faced scrutiny …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CNBC, Washington Free Beacon, The Slot, NBC News, Raw Story, alan.com, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, The Week, Political Wire and Instapundit, more at Mediagazer »

Cyra Master / The Hill:
Flynn's communications with Russia investigated: report

Discussion: RedState, CANNONFIRE and Talking Points Memo

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

Hillary Clinton plots her next move — LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In a series of private meetings and phone calls at their home in Chappaqua, in New York City and in Washington, Bill and Hillary Clinton are slowly starting to puzzle through their political future, according to over a dozen people …

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller, The Week and Political Wire

BBC:

Madonna says White House comments ‘taken out of context’ — A row has erupted over Madonna's comments about US President Donald Trump during a speech at the weekend. — While taking part in a protest march in Washington DC on Saturday, the singer said she had thought “an awful lot about blowing up the White House”.

Discussion: Page Six, The Other McCain, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys, TheBlaze and Outside the Beltway

Billy House / Bloomberg:
Trump Aide Says He Won't Release Taxes, Breaking Campaign Pledge

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, Shareblue, The Verge, taxpolicycenter.org, NPR, The Week, ABC News, RT and Mashable

Evan Osnos / New Yorker:

Doomsday Prep for the Super-Rich — Some of the wealthiest people in America—in Silicon Valley, New York, and beyond—are getting ready for the crackup of civilization. — Steve Huffman, the thirty-three-year-old co-founder and C.E.O. of Reddit, which is valued at six hundred million dollars …

Tim Alberta / Politico:

Meet the ‘New Ted Cruz’ — It was a sleepy Wednesday morning last June when Ted Cruz tipped his hand. — John McCain had sponsored an amendment to expand the FBI's online surveillance capabilities, and it was a no-brainer for the many devout constitutionalists on Cruz's Senate staff.

Discussion: The Daily Caller and The Week

Kenneth P. Vogel / Politico:

Trump's biggest donors consider abandoning new political arm — Tensions between President Donald Trump's senior political aides and a pair of his most important donors are threatening to upend plans for an outside political group expected to play a key role in advancing his agenda.

Jessie Hellmann / The Hill:

Trump reinstates ban on US funds promoting abortion overseas — President Trump on Monday morning signed an executive order blocking foreign aid or federal funding for international nongovernmental organizations that provide or “promote” abortions. — The order comes one day after the 44th anniversary …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Center for American Progress

Stephen Rodrick / Rolling Stone:

The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence — He's trampled on the rights of women, LGBTQ folks and the poor. Then there's the incompetence. Meet, quite possibly, the next president — During his time as Indiana governor, Mike Pence made a name for himself as virulently anti-abortion and anti-LGBT.

Discussion: The Week

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:

Republicans: Schumer Broke His Word on Pompeo Confirmation — An inside look at the behind-the-scenes drama. — Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency, testifies during his Senate Select Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Dirksen Building, January 12, 2017.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, The Daily Caller, Power Line, Instapundit and New York Times

Robert Pear / New York Times:

Trump's Health Plan Would Convert Medicaid to Block Grants, Aide Says — WASHINGTON — President Trump's plan to replace the Affordable Care Act will propose giving each state a fixed amount of federal money in the form of a block grant to provide health care to low-income people on Medicaid …

Discussion: Vox, ThinkProgress and Daily Kos

Judith Thurman / New Yorker:

Philip Roth E-Mails on Trump — In 2004, the writer published “The Plot Against America,” about an election that upends the country. Has it happened here? — In 2004, Philip Roth published “The Plot Against America.” The four main characters of the novel, which takes place between June …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Axios

New York Times:

Foreign Payments to Trump Firms Violate Constitution, Suit Will Claim — WASHINGTON — A team of prominent constitutional scholars, Supreme Court litigators and former White House ethics lawyers intends to file a lawsuit Monday morning alleging that President Trump is violating the Constitution …

Sasha Savitsky / Fox News:

NBC won't comment on ‘SNL’ writer's controversial Barron Trump tweet — NBC won't comment on a “Saturday Night Live” writer's tweet that went after President Donald Trump's youngest son Barron. — Katie Rich said Friday in a now-deleted tweet that Barron Trump “will be this country's first homeschool shooter.”

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post, IJR, TheBlaze, KFOR-TV and Instapundit