memeorandum: Russian hacker wanted by U.S. tells court he worked for Putin's party (Jack Stubbs/Reuters)

7:15 PM ET, September 30, 2017

Top Items:

James Fallows / The Atlantic:

From Donald Trump, a New Low — The purpose of my 152-installment Trump Time Capsule series during the 2016 campaign was to record, in real time, things Donald Trump said or did that were wholly outside the range for previous serious contenders for the White House.

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Washington Post:

Trump called San Juan's mayor a weak leader. Here's what her leadership looks like. — When Hurricane Maria destroyed the infrastructure of Puerto Rico, the mayor of San Juan became the spokeswoman of a stranded people. — Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto told the world of the “horror” …

Discussion: CNN, Business Insider, Washington Free Beacon, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, CBS Boston, CBS New York, Bangor Daily News, PRI, National Review, The Last Refuge, The Week, Shareblue, Mashable and IJR

New York Times:

One Day in the Life of Battered Puerto Rico — 6 a.m. — Near Corozal — The sun rose Wednesday morning in the low mountains of north-central Puerto Rico, near the town of Corozal, to reveal the world that Hurricane Maria has made: shattered trees, traffic lights dangling precipitously …

Discussion: NBC News, emptywheel and New York Magazine

Mike Allen / Axios:

Trump's new feud — Three days before flying to Puerto Rico, President Trump this morning attacked the mayor of San Juan, the capital. Yesterday, the mayor took to TV to lash out at the administration for a disaster response that she said could come “close to a genocide” if logistics aren't figured out.

Discussion: Washington Post, IJR, Mediaite and Political Wire

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Trump Lashes Out at Puerto Rico Mayor Who Criticized Storm Response — WASHINGTON — President Trump lashed out at the mayor of San Juan on Saturday for criticizing his administration's efforts to help Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, accusing her of “poor leadership” and implying that the island …

Discussion: Raw Story, Refinery29, The Mahablog, Outside the Beltway, Daily Kos, CNN, Mediaite, Vox, ThinkProgress, CNBC and Axios

Juana Summers / CNN:

Trump attacks San Juan mayor over hurricane response — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump launched an attack on San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz on Saturday for criticizing the White House's hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, accusing her of …

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Trump slams Puerto Rico: ‘They want everything to be done for them’

Discussion: neo-neocon, Breitbart, twitchy.com, Patterico's Pontifications, No More Mister Nice Blog, RedState, The Week, Mediaite, Politico and The Daily Caller

NBC News:
Puerto Rico Crisis: San Juan Mayor Pleads for Federal Aid, Trump Hits Back

Discussion: US News, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Chicago Tribune, ThinkProgress, AOL, NPR, NBC News, Little Green Footballs, The Week, twitchy.com and Balloon Juice

Michelle Ye Hee Lee / Washington Post:
Did President Trump add $33 million to Puerto Rico's debt by bankrupting a golf course there?

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo and Washington Free Beacon

David Nakamura / Washington Post:
On Twitter, Trump attacks mayor of San Juan for ‘poor leadership’ amid deepening crisis

Discussion: The Hill, Mediaite, FiveThirtyEight, ABC News, Mother Jones, Splinter, The Guardian, IJR, CBS Dallas, Mashable, CNN, Vox, Raw Story, Hullabaloo and Political Wire

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Trump: ‘Fake news’ is trying to ‘disparage’ first responders in Puerto Rico

Discussion: Washington Post, Mediaite, RedState, Vox, Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice and ABC News

Ellen Mitchell / The Hill:
‘Not enough’ troops, equipment in Puerto Rico, says general in charge of relief

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Shareblue, ThinkProgress, Mediaite, IJR and Politico

David E. Sanger / New York Times:

U.S. in Direct Communication With North Korea, Says Tillerson — BEIJING — The Trump administration acknowledged on Saturday for the first time that it is in direct communication with the government of North Korea over its missile and nuclear tests. — “We are probing, so stay tuned,” …

Discussion: Politico, Daily Kos, New York Magazine, NPR, ABC News, Axios and The Week

Los Angeles Times:

Tillerson reveals U.S. is in direct contact with North Korea — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson walks by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi before a meeting in Beijing on Sept. 30, 2017. (Andy Wong / Pool photo) — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged in Beijing on Saturday …

Discussion: Political Wire

Nick Wadhams / Bloomberg:
U.S. Talking With North Korea on Nuclear Program, Tillerson Says

Discussion: The Week

Reuters:
U.S. ‘probing’ to see if North Korea interested in dialogue: Tillerson

Discussion: ThinkProgress and SARAH PALIN

Adam Coleman / Houston Chronicle:

Local high school football players kicked off team after protest during anthem — Two Victory & Praise Christian Academy football players were kicked off the team for protesting during the national anthem at a game Friday night. — Cedric Ingram-Lewis raised his fist while cousin Larry …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Splinter and AOL

Dakota Smith / Los Angeles Times:

Garcetti is increasingly traveling outside California, raising eyebrows back in L.A. — L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and his wife, Amy Wakeland, arrive at the opening ceremony of the 131st International Olympic Committee Session in Lima, Peru, on Sept. 12. Some of Garcetti's travel over the last year …

Jack Stubbs / Reuters:

Russian hacker wanted by U.S. tells court he worked for Putin's party — MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian hacker arrested in Spain on a U.S. warrant said on Thursday he previously worked for President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party and feared he would be tortured and killed if extradited, RIA news agency reported.

Robert Booth / The Guardian:

Boris Johnson caught on camera reciting Kipling in Myanmar temple — Foreign secretary's impromptu recital of colonial-era poem was so embarrassing the UK ambassador was forced to stop him — The foreign secretary has been accused of “incredible insensitivity” after it emerged he recited part …

Joe Pompeo / Vanity Fair:

ABC Poaches Tara Palmeri, a Politico Rising Star — The white-hot West Wing beat is minting new journalism name-brands. — Tara Palmeri, part of the new gaggle of White House reporters who have been churning out juicy scoops about the As-the-World-Turns Trump West Wing …

Catherine Herridge / Fox News:

Special counsel investigators start questioning White House staffers — Investigators have begun questioning White House staffers as part of the special counsel's Russia probe, two sources confirmed to Fox News. — Sources said that retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, the chief of staff …

Discussion: The Hill