memeorandum: Many Americans Disapprove of Trump But Are Open to His Agenda, Poll Finds (Michael C. Bender/Wall Street Journal)

8:15 AM ET, February 27, 2017

Top Items:

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:

A divided White House still offers little guidance on replacing Obamacare — A meeting Friday afternoon between President Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, his former rival in the GOP primaries, had no set agenda. But Kasich came armed with one anyway: his hope to blunt drastic changes …

Discussion: Politicus USA and Vox

Wall Street Journal:

GOP's New Plan to Repeal Obamacare: Dare Fellow Republicans to Block Effort — GOP lawmakers gamble that setting bill in motion to strike Affordable Care Act will help break through intraparty disagreements — WASHINGTON—Republican leaders are betting that the only way for Congress …

Discussion: CBS News and New York Magazine

Bloomberg:
Millions May Lose Coverage in Obamacare Repeal, Governors Told

Discussion: Axios, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times and Politicus USA

Benny Johnson / IJR:

Inside Trump's Secret Dinner: A Side of the President You Don't Ever See — The animosity between the press and President Trump has reached a fever pitch in recent days. Much of the grudge match stems from access, or lack thereof, between the President and the press.

Discussion: AMERICAN DIGEST and twitchy.com

Axios:

Exclusive: Spicer arranged CIA, GOP intelligence push-back — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer personally picked up the phone and connected outside officials with reporters to try to discredit a New York Times article about Trump campaign aides' contact with Russia …

Discussion: Mother Jones, The Week, Washington Post, Politico, The Guardian and NBC News, more at Mediagazer »

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Sean Spicer targets own staff in leak crackdown

Discussion: Washington Post, BizPac Review, Washington Monthly, Hullabaloo, Raw Story, The Slot, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, Politicus USA, Axios, New York Magazine, Political Wire and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »

Philly.com:

‘Beyond belief’: 75-100 headstones toppled at Jewish cemetery — Stacy Silver prayed as she drove with her husband to Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia's Wissinoming section Sunday: Please don't let my mother and great-grandmother be among the victims. — When Silver, 50, of Cherry Hill …

Discussion: The Week, Washington Post, New York Times, New York Magazine and NBC New York

6abc.com:
Dozens of headstones damaged at Philadelphia Jewish cemetery

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Balloon Juice, Talking Points Memo and ThinkProgress

Mike Parker / Daily Express:

OJ Simpson set to walk free 24 years early to enjoy pension millions — DISGRACED former American football star OJ Simpson is set to walk free from prison exactly nine years into his 33-year sentence. — A parole board hearing scheduled for the week beginning July 3 - six days before his 70th birthday …

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Damian J. Penny

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:

The DNC isn't enough: Democrats demand more leadership changes — ATLANTA — The race for the Democratic National Committee leadership is over, resolved with a Tom Perez chairmanship and a deputy role for Keith Ellison that momentarily quelled even the angriest Bernie Sanders-wing protesters in the room.

Matt Bruenig:
Be clear about what happened to Keith Ellison

Discussion: Washington Post

Jeff Stein / Vox:
Keith Ellison's supporters say Israel attacks helped sink his DNC bid

Discussion: Washington Post and Fox News Insider

New York Times:

Trump to Ask for Sharp Increases in Military Spending, Officials Say — WASHINGTON — President Trump will instruct federal agencies on Monday to assemble a budget for the coming fiscal year that would include sharp increases in Defense Department spending; major cuts to other agencies …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Fox News, The Atlantic, Politico, Mother Jones and KTLA

Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:

These Iowans voted for Trump. Many of them are already disappointed. — CLINTON, Iowa — Tom Godat, a union electrician who has always voted for Democrats, cast his ballot for Donald Trump last year as “the lesser of two evils” compared to Hillary Clinton. — He's already a little embarrassed about it.

Molly O'Toole / Foreign Policy:

Trump Administration Seeks to Loosen Hiring Requirements to Beef Up Border Patrol — According to an internal memo, laxer standards are needed to expand the number of Border Patrol agents, but that could come at a cost in security. — The Trump administration is seeking to loosen …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Guardian and New York Times

Carrie Wells / Baltimore Sun:

Ivanka Trump attends Monster Jam truck rally in Baltimore … First Daughter Ivanka Trump attended Baltimore's Monster Jam truck rally on Sunday. It's her second time in the city in several days. — Trump posted several pictures to Twitter and Instagram showing her and one of her sons at the truck rally.

Andrew Higgins / New York Times:

Trump Embraces ‘Enemy of the People,’ a Phrase With a Fraught History — MOSCOW — The phrase was too toxic even for Nikita Khrushchev, a war-hardened veteran communist not known for squeamishness. As leader of the Soviet Union, he demanded an end to the use of the term “enemy of the people” …

Megan Garvey / Los Angeles Times:

Correction: ‘Moonlight’ wins best picture. ‘La La Land’ was read in error — In a moment that will go down as one of the strangest and most shocking in Oscar history, “Moonlight” was named Oscar winner for best picture only after “La La Land” was announced first. — The room was in disarray as they sorted out the error.

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Kent Babb / Washington Post:

Transgender wrestler Mack Beggs identifies as a male. He just won the Texas state girls title. — CYPRESS, Tex. — Booed and bloody, Mack Beggs dropped to his knees to celebrate. He was, after four wins and two days and all the rest, a state champion. — In a 12-2 victory …

Discussion: Off the Kuff and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Michael Florek / Dallas Morning News:
Transgender wrestler Mack Beggs ended contentious weekend with state title, but the controversy isn't going anywhere

Discussion: NBC News, Hot Air, The Guardian and Reuters

Monica Davey / New York Times:

He's a Local Pillar in a Trump Town. Now He Could Be Deported. — WEST FRANKFORT, Ill. — Ask residents of this coal-mining crossroads about President Trump's decision to crack down on undocumented immigrants and most offer no protest. Mr. Trump, who easily won this mostly white southern Illinois county …

Discussion: Raw Story

Michael C. Bender / Wall Street Journal:

Many Americans Disapprove of Trump But Are Open to His Agenda, Poll Finds — WSJ/NBC News poll shows negative views at a historically high level for a new president but support from a ‘critical middle’ — President Donald Trump remains a historically divisive figure after one month on the job …

Discussion: Instapundit and Political Wire

Jeremy Herb / Politico:

Nominee for Navy Secretary withdraws — President Donald Trump's nominee for Navy secretary, Philip Bilden, withdrew from consideration Sunday, becoming the second Pentagon pick unable to untangle his financial investments in the vetting process. — “Mr. Philip Bilden has informed …

Discussion: Raw Story, Politicus USA, BizPac Review, New York Times, Daily Kos, Mediaite, New York Magazine, The Week and Mother Jones

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

Trump, Archenemy of Truth — Donald Trump's unrelenting assault on the media is in fact an assault on the implacability of truth, the notion of accountability and the power of free speech. It is also a bit of a bow to the conspiracy theorizing that Trump is wont to do.

Discussion: Raw Story