As Trump ranted and rambled in Phoenix, his crowd slowly thinned  —  PHOENIX — Just before President Trump strolled onto the rally stage on Tuesday evening, four speakers took turns carefully denouncing hate, calling for unity and ever so subtly assuring the audience that the president is not racist.

James Clapper calls Trump speech ‘downright scary and disturbing’  —  (CNN)James Clapper, former director of National Intelligence, said Wednesday morning he questioned President Donald Trump's fitness for office.  —  “I really question his ability to be — his fitness to be — in this office …

Trump Holds Steady After Charlottesville; Supporters Think Whites, Christians Face Discrimination  —  PPP's newest national poll finds that Donald Trump's approval rating is pretty steady in the wake of the Charlottesville attack, probably because his supporters think that whites and Christians …

Exclusive: Hillary Clinton in her own words  —  Hillary Clinton reflects on the 2016 campaign in her new book ‘What Happened.’ Morning Joe has an exclusive first look. ...  more Duration: {{video.duration.momentjs}}

The strange story of that ‘Blacks for Trump’ guy standing behind POTUS at his Phoenix rally  —  At a number of political rallies over the year, a character calling himself “Michael the Black Man” has appeared in the crowd directly behind Donald Trump, impossible to miss and possibly planted.

Bundy Ranch standoff trials … A federal jury in Las Vegas did not return any guilty verdicts Tuesday against four men accused of taking up arms against federal agents during the Bundy Ranch standoff in 2014.  —  Jurors dealt government prosecutors a stinging defeat in the case when …

West Wing gets new look in Trump White House renovations  —  Chilled air is now circulating through the West Wing via a new HVAC system.  New wallpaper - chosen by the president himself - is up in the Oval Office.  Visitors to the White House can now see the Rose Garden better at night.

State Dept. science envoy resigns with letter that spells out ‘Impeach’  —  The science envoy for the State Department has resigned following President Trump's response to the violent clashes at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.  —  Daniel Kammen announced his resignation …

White House has paperwork ready for Joe Arpaio pardon  —  (CNN) The White House has prepared the paperwork for President Trump to pardon former sheriff Joe Arpaio when he makes the final decision to do so, CNN has learned.  —  An administration official said the White House …

Rescued piglets served up as sausages to firefighters  —  A litter of piglets whose bacon was saved from a barn fire has been served up as dinner to the firefighters who rescued them.  —  The 18 piglets and two sows survived the fire in Wiltshire in February, which saw 60 tonnes of hay catch fire.

After angry rally, Trump calls for healing in Nevada  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Reno, Nevada (CNN)Hours after his irate campaign rally in Phoenix, President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for national healing.  —  “It is time to heal the wounds that divide us and to seek a new unity based …

Fake news?  Trump supporters circulate photo of Phoenix rally crowds ... but it's not … Ah social media is a glorious place.  You see something, it looks cool, and so you retweet it.  —  And sometimes that gets you into trouble.  —  Such was the case Tuesday night …

Wall Street Journal Editor Admonishes Reporters Over Trump Coverage  —  Gerard Baker, the editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, has faced unease and frustration in his newsroom over his stewardship of the newspaper's coverage of President Trump, which some journalists there say has lacked toughness and verve.

The Insidious Libertarian-to-Alt-Right Pipeline … Libertarianism has an alt-right problem.  Many prominent leaders of the alt-right have, at some point, identified as libertarian.  I am curious as to... why?  —  Milo Yiannopoulos has billed himself (and has been billed by others) as libertarian.

MSESPN Pulls Asian Announcer Named Robert Lee Off UVa Game To Avoid Offending Idiots  —  UPDATE: ESPN ISSUES OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON MOVING ROBERT LEE FROM VIRGINIA GAME:  —  “We collectively made the decision with Robert to switch games as the tragic events in Charlottesville were unfolding …

The President of Blank Sucking Nullity  —  Put a cone on it.  —  W  —  O  —  R  —  D  —  F  —  C  —  T  —  O  —  R  —  Y  —  MY FATHER IS CONVINCED that his dog is embarrassed.  He doesn't mean the rudimentary way that dogs ever show embarrassment …

CNN's Big Secret  —  BREAKING: Host reveals that journalists don't like Trump.  —  Now it can be told.  A CNN host named Brian Stelter confided to his audience this week about conversations occurring off-camera and off the record across the media landscape.  According to Mr. Stelter:

'He's anti-left, anti-PC, anti-stupid': Trump supporters in their own words  —  Trump is breath of fresh air.  He's totally not a political person.  He's a businessman: he's anti-left, he's anti-PC, he's anti-stupid.  He just wants to go in and make the best deal for Americans that he can.

‘This Is Not Hazing.  This Is Rape’: Inside a Texas Town's Football Nightmare … LA VERNIA, Texas—When Jennifer's* son made varsity—as a freshman, no less—it should have been cause for celebration.  —  Here, football is king.  The town is one of the oldest communities in the Lone Star State …