memeorandum: Pence praises moderate Islam in Indonesia (CNN)

6:40 PM ET, April 20, 2017

Top Items:

Some Republicans Think They May Have A Health Care Deal — The reality is they may be even further away from an Obamacare replacement than before. — WASHINGTON GOP moderates and conservatives are nearing a deal on health care that in theory could get the Republican alternative …

Discussion: The Atlantic, Citizen Times, Hit & Run, Talking Points Memo, RedState, CNBC, The Daily Signal, New York Magazine, IJR, Vox, Business Insider, Shareblue, Daily Kos, News, Indy Week, Common Dreams, The Week, Balloon Juice and Axios

Adam Cancryn / Politico:

White House pressures GOP leaders on Obamacare showdown next week — A frantic and impatient White House is pressuring House GOP leaders for another showdown vote on repealing Obamacare next week so it can notch a legislative win before President Donald Trump reaches the milestone of his first 100 days in office.

Discussion: Vox, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Business Insider, LifeNews.com, Hot Air, The Resurgent, NPR and CNN

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
The GOP has a new plan to destroy Obamacare. It's even crueler than the last one.

Discussion: Political Insider, Political Insider blog, CNN, Health Affairs Blog, Shakesville and Daily Kos

Ezra Klein / Vox:
The GOP's biggest health care achievement has been making Obamacare more popular

Discussion: Politicus USA

Benjamin Siegel / ABC News:
Republicans float health care compromise ahead of Trump's 100-day mark

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo and Business Insider

Center for American ProgressCenter …:
Latest ACA Repeal Plan Would Explode Premiums for People with Pre-Existing Conditions

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Politicus USA and Business Insider

Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:

AG Jeff Sessions: Judges shouldn't ‘psychoanalyze’ Trump to see if executive orders are lawful — (CNN)Attorney General Jeff Sessions said this week that judges shouldn't “psychoanalyze” President Donald Trump when determining whether his executive orders are lawful.

Discussion: Washington Post, ABC News, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Axios, Shareblue, Occupy Democrats, Business Insider, Political Wire, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Hullabaloo, Balloon Juice, Joe.My.God., Booman Tribune and The Week

Madeline Conway / Politico:
Sessions dismisses Hawaii judge in travel ban case as ‘sitting on an island in the Pacific’

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:

Sources: Fox News payout to Bill O'Reilly will be tens of millions of dollars — Ex-Fox analyst: Bill O'Reilly was untouchable — Bill O'Reilly will be paid tens of millions of dollars on his way out of Fox News. — “It is a staggering amount,” said a source personally involved in the exit maneuverings.

New York Times:
Bill O'Reilly Payout Could Be as High as $25 Million

Discussion: The Hill, RedState, Power Line, HBR.org, Politicus USA, LGBTQ Nation, IJR, The Root, TheBlaze, Scared Monkeys, Axios, CBS Philly, Right Wing Watch, Refinery29, Washington Free Beacon, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Media Matters for America, more at Mediagazer »

Brooke Seipel / The Hill:

Sarah Palin visits White House with Kid Rock, Ted Nugent — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) visited President Trump at the White House late Wednesday, bringing along musicians Ted Nugent and Kid Rock. — Palin has been an outspoken supporter of Trump since his campaign …

Ted Nugent / Deer & Deer Hunting:
Deer & Deer Hunting Blogger Has Dinner with President Trump at the White House

Discussion: CNN, Talking Points Memo, Media Matters for America, twitchy.com and New York Magazine

Glenn Thrush / New York Times: Sarah Palin Dines With Trump at White House

Washington Post:

Justice Dept. debating charges against WikiLeaks members in revelations of diplomatic, CIA materials — Federal prosecutors are weighing whether to bring criminal charges against members of the WikiLeaks organization, taking a second look at a 2010 leak of diplomatic cables and military documents …

Discussion: RedState, Talking Points Memo, The Intercept, RT, Infowars and Common Dreams

CNN:

Sources: US prepares charges to seek arrest of WikiLeaks' Julian Assange — Washington (CNN)US authorities have prepared charges to seek the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, US officials familiar with the matter tell CNN. — The Justice Department investigation of Assange …

Discussion: Axios, Raw Story and IJR

Brian Beutler / New Republic:

The Democrats' Existential Crisis Won't Resolve Itself — The party will have to fix it—and here's how they might do so. — Jon Ossoff, a documentary filmmaker and political neophyte, has already accomplished far more than anyone expected in his bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Discussion: Washington Post and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Bernie Sanders's strange behavior — Bernie Sanders has embarked on a “Come Together and Fight Back” tour with with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez. But he's not really helping on that first part. — Over the last few days, Sanders's has at times offered some odd comments for a guy pushing for Democratic unity.

Discussion: American Greatness, Hot Air, naked capitalism, New York Times, twitchy.com, Mediaite, The Resurgent, Zpolitics, Common Dreams, Washington Free Beacon, Breitbart and Wall Street Journal

CNN:
Sanders, Perez unity tour is off to a bumpy start

Discussion: Politico, LifeNews.com, Rewire, NBC News, IJR and Mediaite

CNN:

French police officer killed, Champs-Elysees in Paris closed, CNN affiliate says — Paris (CNN)One police officer and an attacker have been killed in a shooting in Paris on Thursday, the French Interior Ministry said. — A car stopped at 102 Champs-Elysees, in front of a police van, ministry spokesman Pierre Henry Brandet said.

Discussion: Breitbart, The Guardian, RedState, Daily Express, ITV, Reuters, France 24, Business Insider, Bearing Arms, RT, Mediaite and IJR

Julien Pretot / Reuters:
One police officer killed, two wounded in Paris shooting

Discussion: Infowars and Politico

Barney Henderson / Telegraph:
Live Paris attack: police officer and suspect shot dead on Champs Elysees

Discussion: TheBlaze and Vox Popoli

Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed:

Here's A Rundown Of Alex Jones' Surreal Testimony In Court Today — “I just want to be with the kids, swim in the pool, and eat hamburgers.” — Reporting From — AUSTIN — Alex Jones' cross-examination in his 10-day custody trial began today with an unusual question:

Discussion: Mother Jones, more at Mediagazer »

Yonhap News Agency:

U.S. sends nuclear sniffer plane to Korea: source — The U.S. Air Force dispatched a nuclear sniffer aircraft Thursday to the east of the Korean Peninsula amid the possibility of North Korea's imminent nuclear test, a government source said. — “The WC-135 Constant Phoenix …

Discussion: Daily Mail and The National Interest

Kanga Kong / Bloomberg:
South Korea Tells Trump It's Actually Never Been a Part of China

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Telegraph, Hot Air and Raw Story

Ryan Browne / CNN:
US official: With eye on North Korea, China puts bombers on ‘high alert’

Discussion: Reuters and The Daily Caller

Ellen Huet / Bloomberg:

Juicero Offers All Customers a Refund — CEO's response comes a day after Bloomberg reported that some investors were puzzled to find the produce packs could be hand squeezed. — Juicero Inc., which makes a $400 internet-enabled juice machine, is offering customers refunds after Bloomberg reported …

Discussion: Refinery29, CBS San Francisco and Mashable

Juicero:
A Note from Juicero's New CEO

Discussion: Mother Jones, Bloomberg, New York Magazine and The Verge

Jake Sherman / Politico:

Chaffetz says ‘absolutely’ no scandal is forcing him out — Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz — who shocked the political establishment when he announced his retirement earlier this week — said that he has already started looking for post-congressional employment, and hopes to serve on boards …

Discussion: Axios

Washington Post:

Trump's treasury secretary: The tax cut ‘will pay for itself’ — The Trump administration plans to rely on controversial assumptions about economic growth to offset steep cuts to business and individual tax rates, a chief architect of the plan said Thursday.

Wall Street Journal: Do You Want Reagan's Economy or Obama's?

Emily Smith / Page Six:

Hillary camp scrambling to find out who leaked embarrassing info — MORE FROM: … The knives are out in Hillary Clinton's camp about who leaked embarrassing information to the authors of a bombshell new book about her “doomed presidential campaign.” — There is a witch hunt underway …

Discussion: The Rush Limbaugh Show, Betsy's Page, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, MichelleMalkin.com, The Daily Caller, twitchy.com and Washington Free Beacon

Emily Wenger / muscatinejournal.com:

Grassley says he expects Supreme Court Justice resignation within the year … Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, accepts a National Association of Manufacturers Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence from Gage Kent, chairman of the board and CEO of Kent Corporation and a NAM board member …

Discussion: RedState, Hot Air, ABC News, Outside the Beltway, Daily Wire, IJR, Talking Points Memo, LifeNews.com, Business Insider, Political Wire, Washington Free Beacon, AOL and New York Magazine

Steven Shepard / Politico:

Donald Trump gets his 100-day report card — As Donald Trump nears the 100-day mark in the White House, voters are grading his performance on a partisan curve. — Republicans are inclined to give him good grades on his performance in office so far — mostly A's and B's.

Discussion: RedState, Occupy Democrats, Townhall.com, The Daily Caller and The Week

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Democrats Have Big Enthusiasm Edge for 2018

Discussion: Daily Kos

Bill Dentzer / Idaho Statesman:

Marathon in Meridian: Rep. Labrador tells town hall, 'We're going to disagree' — Nearly 800 people turned out Wednesday night for a town hall meeting with 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador that went more than three hours, dominated by people with critical questions about the Trump administration …

Discussion: Spokesman.com, Idaho Press Tribune and Talking Points Memo

Alexander Smith / NBC News:

General Motors Quits Venezuela After Officials Seize Plant — General Motors said Wednesday it has been forced to stop operating in Venezuela after one of its plants was illegally seized by local authorities. — The seizure, in the country's industrial hub of Valencia …