memeorandum: 'I think he's barbecuing': A helicopter view of the Texas flood with the California National Guard (Matt Pearce/Los Angeles Times)

1:15 AM ET, September 3, 2017

Top Items:

AP EXCLUSIVE: Toxic waste sites flooded; EPA not on scene — https://apnews.com/27796dd13b9549b0ac76 aded58a15122 — Link copied! — HIGHLANDS, Texas (AP) — As Dwight Chandler sipped beer and swept out the thick muck caked inside his devastated home, he worried whether Harvey's floodwaters …

Discussion: Dallas Morning News, Washington Monthly, CBS Denver, Raw Story and Gizmodo

Max Greenwood / The Hill:

Trump goes hands-on in return to storm-ravaged Gulf Coast — President Trump appeared in good spirits Saturday while taking a more hands-on approach during his second visit to Texas in less than a week in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. — In Houston, Trump and first lady Melania handed …

Julia Manchester / The Hill:

Trump praises Coast Guard, swipes at media in Texas — President Trump praised the Coast Guard and took a swipe at the media Saturday during a stop on his trip to Texas to visit victims and local responders in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. — “I hear the Coast Guard saved 11,000 people …

Discussion: Raw Story, HuffPost and New York Times

New York Times:
Trump Returns to Texas, With Words of Encouragement and Triumph

Discussion: Shareblue

Alice Ollstein / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Cites ‘Happiness’ At Texas Shelter As Harvey Death Toll Climbs

Discussion: Business Insider, The Daily Caller, ROMPER and Balloon Juice

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Trump jokes his hands are ‘too big’ while serving food to Harvey victims

Discussion: Raw Story, Splinter, The Gateway Pundit and Politicus USA

CNN:
Trump returns to Gulf Coast for test as ‘comforter in chief’

Discussion: ABC News, FOX6Now.com, IJR, Common Dreams, TheBlaze, KTLA, Shareblue, Infowars, twitchy.com, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit and ROMPER

Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
President Trump returning to Texas to meet with ‘families’ affected by Harvey

Discussion: Associated Press, The Gateway Pundit, Politico and Metro

CBS News:
Trump visits Harvey victims in Houston — live updates

Discussion: Bloomberg, Instapundit, The Gateway Pundit, twitchy.com, Politicus USA, IJR, Fox News Insider, The Guardian and Mediaite

Damian Paletta / Washington Post:

Trump preparing withdrawal from South Korea trade deal, a move opposed by top aides — President Trump has instructed advisers to prepare a withdrawal from the United States' free-trade agreement with South Korea, several people close to the process said, a move that would stoke economic tensions …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Politico, RedState, CNN, Axios and The Daily Caller

Josh Delk / The Hill:

GOP senator blasts Trump's ‘18th-century views of trade’ — (R-Neb.) blasted the Trump administration on Saturday for having “18th-century views of trade” after it was reported that President Trump was preparing to withdraw the U.S. from its free trade agreement with South Korea.

Discussion: Jamie Dupree and RedState

Associated Press:
Trump weighs pulling out of free trade deal with South Korea

Discussion: Politico

Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Trump considering ending South Korea trade pact

Discussion: InsideTrade Daily News

CNN:

Justice Department: No evidence Trump Tower was wiretapped — (CNN)The Justice Department said in a court filing Friday evening that it has no evidence to support President Donald Trump's assertion in March that his predecessor, Barack Obama, wiretapped the phones in Trump Tower before last year's election.

Discussion: Axios and Shareblue

Robert King / Washington Examiner:

Justice Department confirms no evidence Obama wiretapped Trump Tower — The Department of Justice has acknowledged in a court filing no evidence of any wiretaps on Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign, directly contradicting a claim President Trump made in March.

Discussion: RedState

Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Justice Dept: No evidence of Trump Tower wiretapping

Discussion: Politicus USA, Business Insider, Politico, Little Green Footballs, Mediaite and Joe.My.God.

Mkahn / Lawfare:
DOJ Filing Says No Evidence that President Obama Wiretapped Trump Tower

Discussion: New York Magazine and Raw Story

The White House:

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts — President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: — James Thomas Abbott of Virginia to be a Member …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Ken Ward Jr / Charleston Gazette-Mail: Trump nominates former coal exec to run MSHA

Kenneth Chang / New York Times:

Jim Bridenstine to Be Nominated by Trump to Lead NASA — Representative Jim Bridenstine, Republican of Oklahoma, will be nominated by President Trump to serve as NASA's next administrator, the White House said on Friday night. — Mr. Bridenstine, a strong advocate for drawing private companies …

Discussion: Engadget, GeekWire and The Verge

Julie Pace / Associated Press:

Trump's summer of discontent bleeds into high-stakes fall — https://apnews.com/09374b11b8494515b50d e5a5538014f6 — Link copied! — WASHINGTON (AP) — After a summer of staff shake-ups and self-made crises, President Donald Trump is emerging politically damaged, personally agitated …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times:

Three homes burned as wildfire torches more than 5,000 acres — A fast-moving brush fire that began Sept. 1 and exploded overnight in the Verdugo Mountains was threatening homes and keeping the 210 Freeway closed. (Sept. 2, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

Discussion: LAist and KTLA

CBS Los Angeles:
2 Homes Burned As Sun Valley Blaze Explodes To 5,000 Acres

Discussion: NBC News, LAist and KTLA

New York Times:

Long List of Top Democrats Have 2020, and Money, on Their Minds — WASHINGTON — Aides to Senator Kamala Harris of California say that her fund-raisers in Martha's Vineyard and the Hamptons this summer have been all about helping Democrats in 2018. Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s allies …

Jacqueline Thomsen / The Hill:

Minneapolis bar closes over owner's donation to David Duke campaign — A bar in Minneapolis, Minn., shut its doors Friday after it was revealed the owner had donated to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke's failed Senate campaign, The Star Tribune reported.

Discussion: Star Tribune and Raw Story

Kaya Yurieff / CNNMoney:

Tech billionaire Michael Dell pledges $36 million to Harvey relief efforts — Harvey brings ‘hell’ to Texas residents — Tech billionaire and Houston native Michael Dell has committed $36 million to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. — The pledge from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is the largest contribution to date.

Discussion: IJR and FOX6Now.com