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Americans Now Evenly Divided on Impeaching Trump — PPP's new national poll finds that Donald Trump's popularity as President has declined precipitously just over the last two weeks. On our first poll of his Presidency voters were evenly divided on Trump, with 44% approving of him and 44% also disapproving.
Discussion:
Liberal Values, The Stranger …, AOL, RedState, Politicus USA, Daily Kos, Political Wire and Althouse

National security adviser Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador, despite denials, officials say — National security adviser Michael Flynn privately discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with that country's ambassador to the United States during the month before President Trump took office …
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NBC News, Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, CNN, Daily Kos, Daily Wire, The Guardian, Axios, Shakesville, Washington Monthly, Business Insider, RedState, NPR, ThinkProgress, Hot Air, emptywheel, Just Security, Bleeding Heartland, Occupy Democrats, Vox, Washington Times, FreakOutNation, Lawfare, New York Magazine, alan.com, The Daily Caller, The Week and Mother Jones, more at Mediagazer »
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Flynn Is Said to Have Talked to Russians About Sanctions Before Trump Took Office — WASHINGTON — Weeks before President Trump's inauguration, his national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, discussed American sanctions against Russia, as well as areas of possible cooperation …
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NBC News, Talking Points Memo, Hullabaloo, The Atlantic, Politicus USA, Media Matters for America, Washington Post, AOL, Gothamist, Daily Wire, Daily Kos, RedState, Just Security and Axios

Pence was told Flynn didn't discuss sanctions, aides say
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story and Mediaite

Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government — Being president is harder than Donald Trump thought, according to aides and allies who say that he's growing increasingly frustrated with the challenges of running the massive federal bureaucracy. — In interviews, nearly two dozen people who've spent …
Discussion:
The Concourse, Booman Tribune, The Week, Occupy Democrats, Hullabaloo, Raw Story, Mediaite, Gothamist, alan.com, Axios, The Mahablog and The Slot, more at Mediagazer »


Anger erupts at Republican town halls — Murfreesboro, Tennessee (CNN)More than seven years after angry anti-Obamacare town halls erupted across the country, raw emotions are boiling over again — this time, as the Republican Party under President Donald Trump gears up to dismantle Barack Obama's legacy.
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ThinkProgress, TIME, Vox, Shakesville, KOMO, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Business Insider, Washington Post, BizPac Review, Common Dreams, alan.com, Mediaite, New York Magazine, ACASignups.net and Millennial
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Watch: Utahns instigate while Chaffetz rebuffs their calls to investigate
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NBC News, Wilderness.org, Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice and DCist

Protesters swarm Chaffetz town hall
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ThinkProgress, Slate, Latest from Crooks and Liars, Mother Jones, Politico and RedState


First on CNN: Trump nixes Elliott Abrams for State Department job — (CNN)CNN has learned that Elliott Abrams will not get the number two position at the State Department, according to Republican sources. — President Donald Trump met with Abrams and the sources said that the meeting went …
Discussion:
Salon, New York Magazine, Political Wire, Hot Air, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Daily Caller, The Week and Hit & Run


White House Rewriting Trump's Controversial Travel Ban Order: Sources — Donald Trump learning how things work 21:41 — Still regrouping from a federal appeals court's refusal to reinstate President Trump's controversial ban of nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries …
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Talking Points Memo, CNN, Political Wire, TheBlaze, Above the Law, The Geller Report, The Daily Caller, NPR, New York Post, CNBC, Daily Wire, New York Times, BizPac Review, 6, CBS New York, WGN-TV, Occupy Democrats, Axios, MyNorthwest.com, FiveThirtyEight, Jamie Dupree, 105.9 FM and AM 630, IJR, The Daily Signal, ABC News, Snopes.com and New York Magazine
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3 key Trump mistakes that led to the travel ban court defeat
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, New York Times and Economist

Trump brings up vote fraud again, this time in meeting with senators — President Donald Trump can't stop—won't stop—talking about the election. — On Thursday, during a meeting with 10 senators that was billed as a listening session about Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch …

UNDER FIRE, CONWAY MAINTAINS SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENT — WASHINGTON (AP) — Kellyanne Conway, the high-profile White House counselor, has come under fire from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, fact checkers and the media. But she's so far maintained the support of her boss, President Donald Trump.
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The Daily Beast, 105.9 FM and AM 630, ABC News, fox8.com and TheBlaze
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Solidcore gym founder calls out Ivanka Trump after workout
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CNN, IJR, Washington Free Beacon, The Federalist, twitchy.com, Fox News Insider, Washington Post and Washington Times


The Madness of King Donald — I guess I should start by saying this is not a blog. Nor is it what one might call a column. It's an experiment of sorts to see if there's something in between those two. Most Fridays, from now on, I'll be writing in this space about, among other things …
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Breitbart, New York Times, RealClearPolitics, Mother Jones, Althouse, IJR, Fox News, Washington Post, Heavy.com and 105.9 FM and AM 630


Education Secretary Betsy DeVos physically blocked by protesters from entering D.C. school — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was physically blocked by protesters from entering Jefferson Academy in SW, D.C. Friday morning. This was her first visit to a public school.
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, Power Line and Common Dreams
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Protesters briefly block Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's visit to a D.C. school
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Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Lid, RedState, LGBTQ Nation, AOL, Hot Air, KTLA, Politics K-12, The Daily Signal, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, DCist, The Week, Towleroad and The Slot


Readout of the President's Call with President Xi Jinping of China — President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China had a lengthy telephone conversation on Thursday evening. The two leaders discussed numerous topics and President Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our “one China” policy.
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Politico, Washington Post, Vox, WTVR-TV and Sputnik International
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Trump has some awkward exchanges with the Japanese prime minister
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ABC News, Associated Press and Axios


Katy Perry gets political: Listen to her new song ‘Chained to the Rhythm’ — Pop Music Critic — You know America's in a troubling spot when even Katy Perry is singing about the illusion of freedom. — That's the subject of “Chained to the Rhythm,” the once-carefree pop star's new single …
Discussion:
twitchy.com


Hundreds of thousands rally in Iran against Trump, chant ‘Death to America’: TV — Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday to swear allegiance to their clerical leaders and reject U.S. President Donald Trump's warning that he had put the Islamic Republic “on notice”, state TV reported.
Discussion:
The Hill, MichelleMalkin.com, CNN, Associated Press, IJR, The Daily Caller, Daily Wire, BizPac Review, The Geller Report, Hot Air, RedState and Washington Free Beacon


How to Read (and How Not to Read) Today's 9th Circuit Opinion — Today's 9th Circuit decision is a bit less of a big deal than it will play in the press tomorrow; it will play big both because of the high stakes of the current litigation and because of some rhetorical excess in the opinion itself.
Discussion:
Josh Blackman's Blog, ABC News, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Washington Post, RedState, ThinkProgress, MelaniePhillips.com, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, Politico, Infowars, Towleroad, rubber hose, Talking Points Memo, SCOTUSblog, The Slot, Axios, CBS New York and Constitutional Law Prof Blog

No, Donald Trump's father didn't create racist ads for a mayoral bid — A pair of ads allegedly created by President Trump's father Fred for a 1970s mayoral bid circulated widely on the Internet this week. They were ads, one titled “Dope Man” and the other “Real New Yorkers,” presenting two depictions of the city during that decade.
Discussion:
Mediaite
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Sidney Blumenthal taken in by Fred Trump campaign ads that appear to be fake
Discussion:
RedState


White House: Cohn-Led Tax Plan Is Real and It's Phenomenal — Congressional leaders have been consulted, official says — Cohn has said he's focused on tax cuts for low earners — Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. president Gary Cohn is leading the effort to craft President Donald Trump's plan …
Discussion:
Political Wire and Axios


Steve Bannon Cited Italian Thinker Who Inspired Fascists — ROME — Those trying to divine the roots of Stephen K. Bannon's dark and at times apocalyptic worldview have repeatedly combed over a speech that Mr. Bannon, President Trump's ideological guru, made in 2014 to a Vatican conference …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, No More Mister Nice Blog and Raw Story


Americans See US World Standing as Worst in a Decade — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans believe the world at large sees the U.S. more unfavorably (57%) than favorably (42%), their worst assessment of the country's image in 10 years. A year ago, Americans' perceptions were more positive than negative.
Discussion:
Vox


Le Pen: French Jews Will Have to Give Up Israeli Citizenship — Asked specifically about Jews and Israel, she said: 'Israel isn't an EU member.' — In a France ruled by the far-right Marine Le Pen, Jewish citizens will be forced to give up their Israeli citizenship, the Front National party leader said on Thursday.


Daytime TV's New Star? Sean Spicer — He is no match for “The Young and the Restless.” But he is beating “The Bold and the Beautiful.” — Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary whose early tenure has prompted political fireworks and late-night parodies, may be struggling to settle in behind the lectern.
Discussion:
LGBTQ Nation


Protest Erupts in Downtown L.A. Following Reports of Immigration Raids at Homes Across Southern California — While immigration advocates say more than 100 people were detained Thursday as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials conducted home raids across three Southern California counties …
Discussion:
Washington Post, abc7.com, Gothamist, Los Angeles Times, Common Dreams and twitchy.com


Mexican Citizen Sentenced To 8 Years In Prison For Voter Fraud In TX — DALLAS (CBS11) - The family of a woman convicted of voter fraud is speaking out after a Tarrant County jury sentenced her to eight years in prison. — Prosecutors say the reason officials at the elections department …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit


Mexico warns citizens after US deportation of undocumented mother — (CNN)Mexico warned its citizens living in the United States on Friday to “take precautions” and remain in contact with consular officials a day after the deportation of an undocumented mother following a routine visit with US immigration authorities.