Even in visiting hurricane-ravaged Texas, Trump keeps the focus on himself  —  The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter's insights … As rescuers continued their exhausting and heartbreaking work in southeastern Texas on Tuesday afternoon, as the rain continued to fall …

Rep. Rohrabacher says ‘rendezvous’ being set up with Trump to relay info from WikiLeaks' Assange on DNC hack  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said Monday that a “rendezvous” is being set up between him and President Donald Trump to relay information he received …

Mattis freezes transgender policy; allows troops to continue serving, pending study  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late Tuesday announced that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military pending the results of a study by experts.

Special counsel subpoenas Manafort's former attorney and spokesman  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Washington (CNN)Special Counsel Robert Mueller has issued subpoenas to a former lawyer for Paul Manafort and to Manafort's current spokesman, an aggressive tactic that suggests an effort to add pressure on the former Trump campaign chairman.

Houston Police officer drowns in Harvey floodwaters  —  A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car in Harvey floodwaters, according to three department officials.  —  The officer, an HPD veteran who has been with the department for more than 30 years, was in his patrol car driving …

Trump Jr. agrees to transcribed interview with Senate panel  —  Trump Jr., Manafort to testify before Senate  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has agreed to sit down for a transcribed interview with the Senate judiciary committee …

Statement Regarding Kenneth Storey  —  The following was sent to The University of Tampa community this morning:  —  On Sunday, Aug. 27, visiting assistant professor of sociology Kenneth Storey made comments on a private Twitter account that do not reflect UT's community views or values.

Trump appointee: Comment calling Obama's mother a ‘w@!re’ result of ‘Internet crimes’ against me  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump's appointee to a Department of Energy post says inflammatory comments that appeared to have been made by him online were the result of …

Sean Spicer finally gets to meet Pope Francis  —  Sean Spicer has finally met Pope Francis.  —  A group of legislators and politicians from around the world gathered in Italy this week for a meeting of the International Catholic Legislators Network, where they were received by Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Melania's stiletto sideshow  —  As the first lady departed to see storm fallout in Texas, Twitter erupted with critiques of her shoe choice.  —  Melania Trump, the former model and reluctant first lady, often lets her fashion choices do the talking for her.

Ted Cruz's claim that two-thirds of the Hurricane Sandy bill ‘had nothing to do with Sandy’  —  “The problem with that particular bill is it became a $50 billion bill that was filled with unrelated pork.  Two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy.”  —  Hypocrisy watch!

KKK Hoods & Russian Flags Appear In Trump Tower Gift Shop  —  Shoppers looking for MAGA hats at Trump Tower this week may have encountered a Ku Klux Klan hood or a photo of President Putin, and asked themselves whether what they were seeing was real merchandise.

Republicans Divided in Views of Trump's Conduct; Democrats Are Broadly Critical  —  In their own words: How people describe Trump's presidency  —  In his first seven months as president, Donald Trump has generally drawn high job approval ratings among Republicans.

The Newseum Deserves to Die  —  You know that triumphant feeling that sweeps from your brain to your toes when one of your enemies stumbles and falls into a mass of his own excrement?  Such delight overwhelmed me yesterday as the Newseum—that gilded monument to journalistic vanity …

Judge dismisses Sarah Palin's lawsuit against New York Times  —  Lawsuits against media outlets are piling up  —  A federal judge in Manhattan on Tuesday dismissed Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit against the New York Times.  —  “Nowhere is political journalism so free, so robust …

Yes, That's a Huge Floating Mass of Live Fire Ants in Texas  —  When there is flooding along the Gulf Coast, there are fire ants.  The invasive ants congregate into living rafts, drifting through water until they reach solid ground again.  It's a time-honed survival strategy.

Georgia lawmaker: Talk of ditching Confederate statues could cause Democrat to ‘go missing’  —  A Georgia Republican lawmaker warned a Democratic former colleague who criticized his support for Civil War monuments on Facebook that she won't be “met with torches but something a lot more definitive” …

How Trump Kills the G.O.P.  —  It's ironic that race was the issue that created the Republican Party and that race could very well be the issue that destroys it.  —  The G.O.P. was founded to fight slavery, and through most of its history it had a decent record on civil rights.

Conservative Talker Neal Boortz Wins for Worst, Ugliest, Most Uncalled-for Hurricane Comment to Date  —  Just a short time ago, a woman suffering through the terrible flooding and loss in Texas was on camera on CNN when she unleashed what was not only surely pent-up rage and frustration at her situation …

Finland says no fighter deal with Boeing after Trump's comments  —  HELSINKI (Reuters) - President Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday denied that Finland was buying new fighter jets from American planemaker Boeing (BA.N), following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Body-slammed reporter wants to know why Rep. Gianforte still won't grant interview  —  Reporter recounts fight with GOP candidate  —  Ben Jacobs, the reporter who was assaulted by Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte, says Gianforte has reneged on what Jacobs believed was a commitment to grant him an interview.

Helping After Harvey  —  Prudie counsels a Houston native whose girlfriend is reluctant to support flood victims who may have voted for Trump. … Mallory Ortberg: Good morning, everyone!  Let's chat.  —  Q. That's not what I had in mind: I come from the Houston area and have been heartbroken …