Top Items:
Oliver Darcy / Business Insider:
‘There are no sacred cows’: Breitbart's honeymoon with establishment wing of Trump White House may be over — Breitbart, the website that has fervently supported President Donald Trump's campaign and nascent presidency, signaled this week that its brief cease-fire with the establishment wing …
Discussion:
Axios
RELATED:
The Hill:
Battle erupts over ‘TrumpCare’ — A war of words has broken out over the GOP's ObamaCare replacement bill, with Democrats branding the legislation “TrumpCare” in their attempt to derail it. — The White House is rejecting the term, which Democrats from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Discussion:
Politico, ABC News and Political Wire
Andrew W. Gurman / AMA Wire:
Physicians reject House ACA replacement bill — The American Health Care Act (AHCA), released by Congress this week, is intended to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But as introduced, it does not align with the health reform objectives that the AMA set forth in January to protect patients.
Discussion:
ama-assn.org, USA Today, Vox, Sputnik International, The Week, Morning Consult, ThinkProgress, NBC News, Mother Jones, CNBC, Talking Points Memo and Shadowproof
Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
GOP health care plan: Influential hospitals, doctor groups come out against House proposal — A constellation of influential groups representing the nation's hospitals and physicians came out Wednesday against a House Republican proposal to overhaul the Affordable Care Act …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Politico, Daily Kos, Axios, New York Magazine, Real Clear Politics and Business Insider
Matt Fuller / The Huffington Post:
Conservatives Pick Up ‘Mixed Messages’ From White House On Health Care
Conservatives Pick Up ‘Mixed Messages’ From White House On Health Care
Discussion:
Breitbart, Hot Air, Daily Kos, Morning Consult, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, CNN, Talking Points Memo and Politico
ProPublica:
Meet the Hundreds of Officials Trump Has Quietly Installed Across the Government — A Trump campaign aide who argues that Democrats committed “ethnic cleansing” in a plot to “liquidate” the white working class. A former reality show contestant whose study of societal collapse inspired …
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Mediaite, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Axios
Matthew Boyle / Breitbart:
Exclusive — Sen. Rand Paul on Paul Ryan's Obamacare Lite: Speaker ‘Trying to Pull the Wool Over the Eyes of the President’ — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a top conservative in the U.S. Senate, unloaded on House Speaker Paul Ryan's Obamacare 2.0 replacement plan—that does not repeal Obamacare …
Discussion:
Politico, Daily Wire, Washington Post, twitchy.com, The Week and The Atlantic
RELATED:
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Rand stands up to Trump on Obamacare
Rand stands up to Trump on Obamacare
Discussion:
Breitbart, New York Magazine, Fox News, Fox News Insider, CNBC, Daily Wire, Mediaite, Morning Consult, ThinkProgress, Axios and American News
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Paul Ryan Won't Admit His Plan Is Obamacare, Only Less of It
Paul Ryan Won't Admit His Plan Is Obamacare, Only Less of It
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, Vox, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Democracy Journal, YouTube and Daily Kos
Eliana Johnson / Politico:
Ryan disappoints his friends with Obamacare replacement bill
Ryan disappoints his friends with Obamacare replacement bill
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Washington Post and The Daily Signal
Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Huntsman offered Russia ambassadorship — Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has been offered the job of U.S. ambassador to Russia and is in the process of submitting paperwork to accept the position, two administration sources have confirmed. — Huntsman, who served as ambassador …
Discussion:
RedState, ABC News, Talking Points Memo, Axios, Political Wire, Mediaite, Joe.My.God. and fox13now.com
David Wasserman / FiveThirtyEight:
Purple America Has All But Disappeared — President Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton was among the narrowest in history, and the country is deeply split on his job performance so far. But if you feel like you hardly know anyone who disagrees with you about Trump, you're not alone …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Axios
Wall Street Journal:
Ivanka Trump's Landlord Is a Chilean Billionaire Suing the U.S. Government — President Donald Trump's daughter and her husband, White House adviser Jared Kushner, live in a Kalorama house owned by a Chilean business titan. His company is suing the U.S. over a Minnesota mine — By
Discussion:
The Hill, Business Insider, The Daily Caller, The Week, Raw Story and Washington Post
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Sean Spicer wrongly claims Fox reporter's phones were ‘tapped’ — White House press secretary Sean Spicer wrongly claimed Wednesday that a Fox News reporter had his phones tapped while Barack Obama was president. — “James Rosen had his phone, multiple phones tapped,” Spicer said at the daily press briefing.
Discussion:
Raw Story
RELATED:
Bryan Lowry / Kansas City Star:
Report: Brownback to be named ambassador to the UN for food and agriculture — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will be named the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for Food and Agriculture, according to a public radio report. — A possible appointment to the Trump administration for Brownback …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Political Wire
The Texas Tribune:
Ted Cruz: New health care bill doomed in the Senate without changes — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday that he has “significant concerns” about the new House health care plan, though he's optimistic those differences can be resolved. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz gave a pessimistic prediction Wednesday …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, Fox News Insider and CBS Philly
RELATED:
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Cruz: House's ObamaCare repeal bill can't pass the Senate
Cruz: House's ObamaCare repeal bill can't pass the Senate
Discussion:
RedState
Associated Press:
China gives green light for Trump branded massage parlours, bars and concierge services — China has granted preliminary approval for 38 new Trump trademarks, paving the way for President Donald Trump and his family to develop a host of branded businesses from hotels to insurance to bodyguard …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune and Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The Trump Organization's trademark for escort services in China isn't what you might think
The Trump Organization's trademark for escort services in China isn't what you might think
Discussion:
NPR
Thomas Gibbons-Neff / Washington Post:
Marines have arrived in Syria to fire artillery in the fight for Raqqa — Marines from an amphibious task force have left their ships in the Middle East and deployed to Syria, establishing an outpost from which they can fire artillery guns in support of the fight to take back the city of Raqqa …
Discussion:
Fox News, WAVY-TV, Business Insider, TheBlaze, The Daily Caller, New York Magazine, Axios and Balloon Juice
Lauren Dezenski / Politico:
Comey: 'You're stuck with me' — CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — James Comey said Wednesday at a Boston College conference on cybersecurity that he plans to serve his entire 10-year term as FBI director. — “You're stuck with me for another 6 ½ years,” Comey told attendees from the law enforcement and private sectors.
Discussion:
Reuters, NPR, IJR, The Daily Caller, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire
RELATED:
Emily Steel / New York Times:
Fox Is Said to Settle With Former Contributor Over Sexual Assault Claims — Last summer, as it wrapped up multiple settlements after the Roger Ailes sexual harassment scandal, Fox News and its parent company, 21st Century Fox, were trying hard to end the ugliest chapter in its 20-year history.
Discussion:
Raw Story, more at Mediagazer »
Barbara Starr / CNN:
Federal criminal probe being opened into WikiLeaks' publication of CIA documents — (CNN)A federal criminal investigation is being opened into WikiLeaks' publication of documents detailing alleged CIA hacking operations, several US officials told CNN Wednesday.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Mashable and Mediaite
RELATED:
Kevin Poulsen / The Daily Beast:
Russia Turns Wikileaks CIA Dump Into Disinformation
Russia Turns Wikileaks CIA Dump Into Disinformation
Discussion:
Foreign Policy, Business Insider, Washington Post, Balloon Juice and Breitbart
Kate Bennett / CNN:
CNN/ORC Poll: Melania Trump's approval ratings are way up — Photos: — First lady Melania Trump — The first lady walks with Sara Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, February 15. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington to strengthen US-Israel relations …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Politico and AOL
Joseph Muscat / timesofmalta.com:
Watch: The Azure Window is lost and gone forever — ‘It is as we never had an Azure Window’ — The site where the Azure Window once stood is now unrecognisable. Video: Marietta Marra — Updated 2.39pm - Added Environment Minister comments — The Azure Window has collapsed …
Ben Steverman / Bloomberg:
Republicans Give Rich Investors a Tax Break in Obamacare Revamp — The top 0.1 percent can expect their tax bills to fall an average of $165,000 if the NIIT is nixed. Most taxpayers, even high earners, will scarcely feel the savings. — by — House Republicans have a plan to remake …
Discussion:
CRFB Papers and Blog Posts and Vox
Reuters:
Islamic State leader Baghdadi abandons Mosul fight to field commanders, U.S. and Iraqi sources say — U.S. and Iraqi officials believe the leader of Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has left operational commanders behind with diehard followers to fight the battle of Mosul …
Michael Calore / Wired:
Worried the CIA Hacked Your Samsung TV? Here's How to Tell — A data dump from WikiLeaks says the CIA can spy on you through your internet-connected Samsung television, which means government spies could know a lot more about you than whether you love Girls. — MORE SPYING
Discussion:
Politico, WDSU-TV, Sputnik International, Just Security, The Daily Caller, Scared Monkeys and LewRockwell
Chicago Tribune:
Man who beat murder case killed minutes after leaving jail — Kamari Belmont, inset, was fatally shot shortly after leaving Cook County Jail on March 6, 2017, according to authorities. — A man who beat his murder case when prosecutors failed to give him a speedy trial was killed minutes …
Discussion:
WGN-TV
CyberDust ID / blog maverick:
Some Thoughts on Fixing Obamacare - Shoot Holes in this Please — I'm not a healthcare policy expert. Not by a long shot. The challenges facing healthcare in this country are enormous. While I may not have answers, there is no downside to generating discussion on alternatives.
Discussion:
Business Insider
Page Six:
More On: — “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon watched his show's ratings take a hit yet again on Tuesday as competitor “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” won its fifth straight week in overall viewers — and sources say Fallon's being forced to change his strategy to win back eyeballs.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, IJR and Gothamist