Gary Cohn, Trump's Adviser, Said to Have Drafted Resignation Letter After Charlottesville  —  WASHINGTON — A prominent Jewish member of President Trump's administration said that the White House “can and must do better” in consistently condemning hate groups.

Outer bands of Hurricane Harvey swipe Texas as more residents flee  —  (CNN)The outer bands of Hurricane Harvey have begun swiping the Texas coast as 35 inches of rain and “catastrophic” storm-surge flooding is predicted following landfall late Friday or early Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Trump Divorces the GOP Congress  —  Republicans need to think of Trump as a political independent.  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.  —  A biographer says Donald Trump once told him that he informed second wife Marla Maples …

Kasich, Hickenlooper eye joint 2020 bid  —  Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) — “the Johns,” as insiders are calling them — have been making a flurry of joint appearances to talk about state-driven improvements to health care.

At CIA, a watchful eye on Mike Pompeo, the president's ardent ally  —  As CIA director, Mike Pompeo has taken a special interest in an agency unit that is closely tied to the investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, requiring the Counterintelligence Mission Center to report directly to him.

“There's Been a Slightly Hysterical Tone About Race”  —  Author Mark Lilla thinks Democrats' focus on identity politics is destroying the party.  —  On this week's episode of my podcast, I Have to Ask, I spoke with Mark Lilla, a professor of the humanities at Columbia University and the author …

Mnuchin viewed eclipse from roof of Fort Knox  —  Louise Linton, wife of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, drew accusations of elitism this week for an Instagram glamour shot of her stepping off a government jet — and for her mockery of an online critic as “adorably out of touch.”

Jim Brown Gives Us ‘The Real Deal’ On Colin Kaepernick, Flag, Activism  —  Jim Brown says he can appreciate Colin Kaepernick's desire to fight for a righteous cause, but the Pro Football Hall of Famer and iconic social activist disagrees with his method.  —  “I want to be in his corner …

The real reason Trump is not a Republican … John C. Danforth was a Republican U.S. senator from Missouri from 1976 to 1995.  —  Many have said that President Trump isn't a Republican.  They are correct, but for a reason more fundamental than those usually given.

My Weekend at the Falwells' South Beach Flophouse  —  “It's actually that one,” our Uber driver said, pointing with one hand and shifting into reverse with the other.  “Right here?”  I asked, thinking he must have gotten the address wrong.  All I saw was a liquor store.  —  “That's it,” he said, crawling to a stop.

Trump Fences Himself In With Border Wall Spending Threat  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump handed Democrats a gift this week with his vow to shut down the government if he doesn't soon get money for his border wall.  —  Democrats may be only too happy to let him follow through on his threat since …

Trump Hotel at Night: Lobbyists, Cabinet Members, $60 Steaks  —  WASHINGTON — It was nearing midnight at the Trump International Hotel, and the president's son was eating macaroni and cheese.  —  Enveloped in the smooth tones of jazzy hotel music, soft light from a million tiny chandelier crystals …

Spies Like Us: A Conversation With John le Carré and Ben Macintyre  —  BRISTOL, England — Their subject is spying.  Their obsessions are secrecy and betrayal.  They are Englishmen of a certain background, old friends and admirers of each other's work.  One writes novels; the other, nonfiction.

Trump Staffer Responsible For Finding Positive News Stories Resigns  —  As director of rapid response, Andy Hemming was tasked with recirculating positive news to journalists.  —  President Donald Trump's administration parted ways with yet another staffer this week.

Trump is losing  —  The Quinnipiac poll confirms that most Americans haven't lost their minds or their consciences: … That's not all.  According to the poll, “Voters disapprove 63 - 31 percent, including 56 - 38 percent among white voters, of the way Trump is handling race relations.

Sage Steele: People don't watch ‘SportsCenter’ to hear about Charlottesville  —  Sage Steele has made clear for weeks that her vision of the revamped morning “SportsCenter” she will co-host starting next week will be heavy on highlights; “people I talk to want more of that,” she said this spring.

Franken seen as reluctant 2020 candidate  —  say they believe the Minnesota senator could be talked into running for the White House if he believes he's the Democrat best positioned to defeat President Trump.  —  But they say Franken would need to be convinced, and argue that the former …

U.S. imposes first economic sanctions against Venezuela  —  The U.S. imposed its first economic penalties against Venezuela on Friday, hitting the South American country's financial sector in an attempt to starve President Nicolás Maduro's government of cash.

Cuomo opens new Tappan Zee Bridge, slams ‘complacency’  —  ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo borrowed from his father's rhetoric and cast the opening of a new bridge over the Hudson River as a rebuke of cynical politics, arguing that New York will lead, not follow, on infrastructure development.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster issues executive order cutting off state, local money from abortion clinics  —  Gov. Henry McMaster issued an abrupt executive order Friday cutting off all public funding from abortion clinics in South Carolina.  —  He also directed the South Carolina Medicaid agency …