Top Items:
Josh Dawsey / Politico:
Trump loses patience with his White House counsel — White House counsel Don McGahn has largely stepped back from managing Donald Trump's response to the expanding Russia investigation, but that hasn't stopped the president from lashing out at him about it anyway.
Discussion:
The Hill, Axios, Political Wire, Washington Post and Raw Story
RELATED:
Ashley Parker / Washington Post:
Trump is struggling to stay calm on Russia, one morning call at a time — President Trump has a new morning ritual. Around 6:30 a.m. on many days — before all the network news shows have come on the air — he gets on the phone with a member of his outside legal team to chew over all things Russia.
Discussion:
The Hill, Politico, Salon, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, Balloon Juice and The Week
Mike Allen / Axios:
One of the dumbest political mistakes in the modern era — President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey is rightly seen as a terrific legal blunder: He undercut an investigation that might have shown he never colluded with the Russians, and spawned one that could result in obstruction of justice charges.
Discussion:
Bloomberg
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
White House-media relations at breaking point as Spicer searches for replacement — Five months into Donald Trump's presidency, White House-media relations are hanging by a thread. — The White House is facing daily criticism from the news media over its decision to reduce the frequency …
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
‘Fox & Friends’ propagates the most astounding piece of pro-Trump propaganda yet — Merely placing sweet little questions before President Trump isn't enough anymore, apparently. These days, the treatment dished out by the “Fox & Friends” crew to Trump needs to include a bit of slander for the opposition.
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Free Beacon, Raw Story, Breitbart, SARAH PALIN, Fox News Insider, Althouse and Bangor Daily News
RELATED:
Fox News:
Trump says Comey-Mueller friendship ‘bothersome’
Trump says Comey-Mueller friendship ‘bothersome’
Discussion:
RedState, Raw Story, ABC News, Shakesville, The New Civil Rights Movement and The Last Tradition
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Trump Indicates Tape Tweet Was Meant to Affect Comey Testimony
Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Trump says tape bluff was to keep Comey honest
Trump says tape bluff was to keep Comey honest
Discussion:
Mother Jones, RedState, Daily Wire, Bipartisan Report, New York Magazine, Raw Story, The Week, ZeroPointNow, Mediaite and IJR
Media Matters for America:
Fox & Friends praises Trump for his false threat of having tapes of interactions with Comey
Fox & Friends praises Trump for his false threat of having tapes of interactions with Comey
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Alayna Treene / Axios:
Trump “tapes” scapegoat: Obama administration
Trump “tapes” scapegoat: Obama administration
Discussion:
Salon, ThinkProgress, Hullabaloo and Political Wire
Washington Post:
Don't make things worse — The secrecy extended into the White House. — Rice , Haines and White House homeland-security adviser Lisa Monaco convened meetings in the Situation Room to weigh the mounting evidence of Russian interference and generate options for how to respond.
Avik Roy / Forbes:
The New Senate Republican Bill Will Transform American Health Care — The hotly-anticipated Senate Republican health care bill came out on Thursday morning. The airwaves quickly filled up with predictable talking points from both sides. But once the dust settles, it will emerge …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Federalist, Politico, neo-neocon and Axios
RELATED:
Dylan Scott / Vox:
What the health insurance industry gets out of the Senate health care bill
What the health insurance industry gets out of the Senate health care bill
Discussion:
Axios, New York Magazine, Balloon Juice and Business Insider
New York Times:
The Senate's Unaffordable Care Act
The Senate's Unaffordable Care Act
Discussion:
Mashable, Washington Post, Hullabaloo, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Daily Kos, Mediaite, The FADER, Liberal Values, Vox, Media Matters for America, Power Line and IJR
Jim Newell / Slate:
Dissent is all part of the script. Trumpcare is right where Republicans want it.
Dissent is all part of the script. Trumpcare is right where Republicans want it.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Balloon Juice
Matt Shuham / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Sen.: Assessing O'Care Repeal Bill Depends On How You Define ‘Better’
GOP Sen.: Assessing O'Care Repeal Bill Depends On How You Define ‘Better’
Discussion:
The Week and Political Wire
Jonathan Cohn / HuffPost:
If You Love High Deductibles, Then You'll Love The Senate Health Bill
If You Love High Deductibles, Then You'll Love The Senate Health Bill
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo and The Week
Paul Gutierrez / KHGI-TV:
Nebraska Democratic Party official caught on tape saying he's glad Scalise got shot — FILE - In this March 8, 2017 file photo, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Scalise was shot Wednesday, June 14, 2017, at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Va., congressional officials say.
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Free Beacon, The Week, twitchy.com and SARAH PALIN
RELATED:
Paul Gutierrez / KPTM:
Nebraska Democratic Party official ousted after controversial audio recording surfaces — OMAHA, Ne (FOX42KPTM) - A Nebraska Democratic Party official is now in hot water. An audio recording was posted on YouTube Thursday with Phil Montag, a technology chairman, voicing how glad …
Mike McIntire / New York Times:
F.B.I. Investigating Deals Involving Paul Manafort and Son-in-Law — Federal investigators are examining financial transactions involving Paul Manafort and his son-in-law, who embarked on a series of real estate deals in recent years fueled by millions of dollars from Mr. Manafort, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, Political Wire and Bipartisan Report
RELATED:
Associated Press:
California bans state travel to Texas, 3 other states over anti-LGBT laws — SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California's attorney general blocked state-funded travel to Texas and three other states on Thursday in response to what he considers anti-LGBT rights laws enacted this year.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Daily Caller and TheBlaze
RELATED:
Adam Ashton / Sacramento Bee:
Texas, three more states on California's banned travel list
Texas, three more states on California's banned travel list
Discussion:
Joe.My.God. and The Last Tradition
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation:
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll - June 2017: ACA, Replacement Plan, and Medicaid — Ashley Kirzinger, Bianca DiJulio, Liz Hamel, Bryan Wu, and Mollyann Brodie — KEY FINDINGS: — As the Senate prepares to hold a vote on a plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) …
Discussion:
Axios and Political Wire
Tamara Keith / NPR:
Despite Claims To Contrary, Trump Has Signed No Major Laws 5 Months In — President Trump is set to sign a bill today that will make it easier for the secretary of Veterans Affairs to fire and discipline employees. The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act …
Discussion:
Politicus USA and Washington Times
RELATED:
Donovan Slack / USA Today:
Trump to sign VA bill to protect whistleblowers, expedite firing of problem workers
Trump to sign VA bill to protect whistleblowers, expedite firing of problem workers
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite and AOL
CNN:
Why Democrats can't quit Nancy Pelosi — Washington (CNN)Nancy Pelosi is sending a defiant message to House Democrats who are grumbling about her leadership: Come at me. — But while Pelosi's critics are increasingly vocal, they have not yet answered critical questions about who would fill …
Discussion:
Breitbart, Instapundit, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Free Beacon, Politico, TheBlaze and Washington Post
RELATED:
BuzzFeed:
Memo Shows Preet Bharara Was Concerned After Phone Call From White House — “Hi Mr. Bharara, this is Madeline Westerhout calling from President Donald Trump's office.” — Former US Attorney Preet Bharara sent an email to Justice Department officials in New York to express concern …
Sam Stein / HuffPost:
All That Stands Between Democrats And A Massive Freakout Is This Man — The pressure is on Ralph Northam to score a win in his race for Virginia governor. Barack Obama is going to come off the sidelines to help. — Having lost a series of tantalizingly close congressional elections …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Fenit Nirappil / Washington Post:
Obama returning to campaign trail to stump for Northam in Virginia governor's race
Obama returning to campaign trail to stump for Northam in Virginia governor's race
Discussion:
Washington Times and The Daily Caller
Lee Fang / The Intercept:
Prominent Democratic Fundraisers Realign to Lobby For Trump's Agenda — After President Donald Trump's upset election victory, Democratic insiders who worked on Hillary Clinton's failed presidential bid weren't necessarily relegated to the sidelines. Many, in fact, are cashing in as lobbyists — by working to advance Trump's agenda.
Melissa Quinn / Washington Examiner:
Sen. Rand Paul: Health insurance should cost $1 per day … Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Friday morning he believes consumers should be able to buy health insurance for $1 per day. — “What I'd like to do is legalize inexpensive insurance, and you should be able to get insurance for $1 a day.
Discussion:
RedState
David A. Fahrenthold / Washington Post:
The banquet business was booming at Mar-a-Lago. Then Trump became president. — For eight straight years, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society held its Palm Beach fundraiser gala at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club. — But then Trump became president. — And, at this year's gala, his security put a damper on the silent auction.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Baxter Oliphant / Pew Research Center:
Bipartisan support for some gun proposals, stark partisan divisions on many others — Republicans and Democrats find rare common ground on some gun policy proposals in the U.S. Large majorities in both parties continue to favor preventing people with mental illnesses from buying guns …
Discussion:
National Review and Pew Research Center