memeorandum: Priebus: Reports of Trump campaign-Russia contact ‘exaggerated’ (Madeline Conway/Politico)

2:10 PM ET, February 17, 2017

Top Items:

David Brooks / New York Times:

What a Failed Trump Administration Looks Like — I still have trouble seeing how the Trump administration survives a full term. Judging by his Thursday press conference, President Trump's mental state is like a train that long ago left freewheeling and iconoclastic, has raced through indulgent …

Discussion: Liberal Values and NBC News

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

The Silence of the Hacks — The story so far: A foreign dictator intervened on behalf of a U.S. presidential candidate — and that candidate won. Close associates of the new president were in contact with the dictator's espionage officials during the campaign, and his national security adviser …

Evan McMullin / New York Times:

A Party to the Russian Connection — President Trump's disturbing Russian connections present an acute danger to American national security. According to reports this week, Mr. Trump's team maintained frequent contact with Russian officials, including senior intelligence officers, during the campaign.

Discussion: Politicus USA

New York Times:
Bring On the Special Prosecutor

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Common Dreams, Simple Justice, Salon, CNN, Hullabaloo and IJR

David Leonhardt / New York Times:
A Big Week for Health Care

Discussion: Vox and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Michael Goodwin / New York Post:

Sorry media — this press conference played very different with Trump's supporters — MORE FROM: — Maybe it's not a coincidence that Barnum & Bailey is folding its tents this year. After all, how could the circus possibly compete with Donald Trump? — The president proved once again that he is the greatest show on earth.

Discussion: The Atlantic, Althouse, Washington Monthly, BizPac Review, Geller Report and Liberal Values

Asawin Suebsaeng / The Daily Beast:

Journalists Whisper at Trump's Crazy Press Conference: ‘This Is Insane’ — On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump's staff corralled the White House press corps into the East Room of the White House so that he could sing the praises of his new Labor Secretary pick, Alexander Acosta.

Discussion: Salon, CNBC, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Real Clear Politics, American Greatness and Vox

John Podesta / Washington Post:
Trump's dangerous strategy to undermine reality

Discussion: Politico

Mark Hensch / The Hill:
Trump: ‘Fake media not happy’ with press conference

Discussion: Washington Post, Raw Story, RedState and Sputnik International

George Prayias / Rush:
Trump Triumphs Over Press

Discussion: Business Insider

Stephen Collinson / CNN:
An amazing moment in history: Donald Trump's press conference

Discussion: US News, Chicago Tribune, Media Matters for America, Associated Press, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite

Wall Street Journal:

Jared Kushner Delivers Critique of CNN to Time Warner Executive — Trump's son-in-law and adviser complains that coverage has been slanted against the president — Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser, has expressed the administration's deep concerns about CNN's news coverage.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, Politico, TheBlaze, New York Magazine, Mediaite and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Erin Corbett / Raw Story:
‘Little Jared complaining about me’: Ana Navarro slams Kushner for complaints about her Trump coverage

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Brooke Seipel / The Hill:
Ana Navarro hits Kushner for complaining about CNN: 'Oh, baby boy, I'm so sorry'

Discussion: The Guardian and RedState, more at Mediagazer »

Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:

A Jewish Reporter Got to Ask Trump a Question. It Didn't Go Well. — Jake Turx is a newly minted White House correspondent for a publication that has never before had a seat in the White House press corps: Ami Magazine, an Orthodox Jewish weekly based in Brooklyn.

Discussion: RedState, ThinkProgress, Newsmax, CNN, BizPac Review, Haaretz, Washington Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Mediaite, The Week and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

New York Times:
In 77 Chaotic Minutes, Trump Defends ‘Fine-Tuned Machine’

Discussion: Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, Mother Jones, The Week, Balloon Juice and Eschaton, more at Mediagazer »

Associated Press:

Trump Weighs Mobilizing National Guard for Immigration Roundups — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (GARANCE BURKE) — (AP) — The Trump administration is considering a proposal to mobilize as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants, including millions living nowhere near …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, RedState, IJR, Snopes.com and Eschaton

Teresa Welsh / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Trump wouldn't be first president to mobilize National Guard for immigration enforcement

Discussion: TheBlaze

Dara Lind / Vox:
The Trump administration proposed deputizing some National Guard units to arrest immigrants

Discussion: Slate, Hot Air, Daily Wire, Business Insider, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Week

Tim Alberta / Politico:

'I'm a Dead Man Walking' — None of this feels normal. The congressman greets me inside his Washington office wearing a wrinkly collared shirt with its top two buttons undone, faded denim jeans and grungy, navy blue Crocs that expose his leather-textured feet.

Discussion: AOL, Balloon Juice, Raw Story, The Week and Axios

Amy Harder / Wall Street Journal:

Senate Set to Confirm Scott Pruitt as EPA Chief — Move would likely lead to a rollback of Obama-era climate and environmental regulations — WASHINGTON—The Senate is set to confirm Scott Pruitt on Friday to be President Donald Trump's administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency …

Discussion: Axios and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Emily Atkin / New Republic:
Scott Pruitt Deserves as Much Outrage as Betsy DeVos

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, Business Insider and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Coral Davenport / New York Times:
E.P.A. Workers Try to Block Pruitt in Show of Defiance

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air, Gizmodo, Washington Times, CNBC, The Week, Washington Free Beacon, Common Dreams, The Daily Caller, The Hill, Gothamist, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, BillMoyers.com, Daily Wire, Politico and Political Wire

Associated Press:

Chaffetz seeks charge of ex-Clinton aide in email inquiry — WASHINGTON — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, who has refused Democratic requests to investigate possible conflicts of interest involving President Donald Trump, is seeking criminal charges …

Discussion: Political Wire and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Page Six:
Hillary ‘a big fan’ of her ‘SNL’ impersonator Kate McKinnon

Discussion: Fox News Insider, Washington Times, Mashable, AOL, Mediaite, New York Magazine and New York Post

Laurel Raymond / ThinkProgress:
Republicans won't investigate Trump, but they're still going after Hillary's emails

Discussion: garnetnews.com

Oliver Holmes / The Guardian:

Suspect in North Korea killing ‘thought she was taking part in TV prank’ — Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, duped and ‘not aware it was assassination attempt by alleged foreign agents’, says head of police — An Indonesian woman arrested for suspected involvement in the killing …

CNN:

Officials: Mike Dubke to be named as White House communications director — Washington, D.C. (CNN)Crossroads Media founder Mike Dubke is expected to be named as White House Communications Director, two administration officials tell CNN. — The appointment is expected to be announced as early as Friday, the officials say.

Discussion: RedState, Hot Air, The Root, Need To Know Network, The Week and Washington Times

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
GOP strategist Dubke to run White House communications

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Post and New York Magazine

James Hohmann / Washington Post:

The Daily 202: The price of loyalty to Trump is high and rising — THE BIG IDEA: Donald Trump has an unending need to feel like he's in total control of his surroundings. That helps explain why he's felt so frustrated and lashed out so much over the past month.

Discussion: Politico, AOL, The Daily Caller and Sputnik International

CBS News:
Vice Admiral Robert Harward turns down national security adviser job

Discussion: New York Times, Balloon Juice, Reuters, Washington Post, CNN, Politico, USA Today, Business Insider, The Daily Beast, CBS New York, The Week, Media Matters for America, Mother Jones, Instapundit, CBS Philly, Talking Points Memo, War in Context and ThinkProgress

Cristina Marcos / The Hill:

Democrats raise questions about Trump's mental health — A growing number of Democrats are openly questioning President Trump's mental health. — Rep. Earl Blumenauer — (D-Ore.) in a floor speech this week called for a review of the Constitution's procedures for removing a president.

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times, alan.com, Booman Tribune, The Week, NBC News and New York Magazine

BostonGlobe.com:

Christie says Trump made him order the meatloaf at meal together — TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says President Donald Trump made him order meatloaf when they dined together at the White House this week. — Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, joined Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Discussion: IJR, Towleroad, The Week, Political Wire and The Daily Caller

Margaret Brennan / CBS News:

State Dept. carries out layoffs under Rex Tillerson — While Rex Tillerson is on his first overseas trip as Secretary of State, his aides laid off staff at the State Department on Thursday. — Much of seventh-floor staff, who work for the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources …

Discussion: RedState

Sydney Brownstone / The Stranger …:

Detained Dreamer's Lawyers Say Government Doctored Document to Justify False Gang Affiliation — Daniel Ramirez Medina's lawyers say the government doctored his request to be removed from the Northwest Detention Center's gang unit. — Lawyers for Daniel Ramirez Medina, the twice-authorized …

Discussion: Seattle City Council Insight, The Atlantic, ThinkProgress and The Seattle Times

Sheera Frenkel / BuzzFeed:

White House Staff Are Using A “Secure” App That's Really Not So Secure — Some senior officials are using a new messaging app that may not be as secure as it claims. “We would not recommend this app to someone looking for secure messaging,” one expert told BuzzFeed News.

Discussion: Axios

Aram Roston / BuzzFeed:

Betsy DeVos's Brother Is Setting Up A Private Army For China, Sources Say — The controversial Blackwater founder says he is setting up bases in two Chinese provinces, but his company says “this does not involve armed personnel.” — Red Army soldiers marching. — VCG / Getty

Mark Zuckerberg / Facebook:

Building Global Community — On our journey to connect the world, we often discuss products we're building and updates on our business. Today I want to focus on the most important question of all: are we building the world we all want? — History is the story of how we've learned …