‘A Soulless Coward’: Coach Gregg Popovich Responds to Trump  —  In an exclusive here at The Nation, the Spurs coach speaks about Trump's latest outrage.  —  We've all seen San Antonio Spurs' future Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich in a state of exasperation on the sidelines, or in post-game news conferences.

Trump gives his own performance a Trump-sized endorsement  —  Friends say President Donald Trump has grown frustrated that his greatness is not widely understood, that his critics are fierce and on TV every morning, that his poll numbers are both low and “fake,” and that his White House is caricatured as adrift.

Trump forced to walk back ridiculous falsehood about Obama  —  Part of the problem with Donald Trump's presidency is his profound ignorance of history.  This tends to get him into trouble because, when Trump does something he's proud of, he boasts that he's the first president to do it …

McCain slams ‘half-baked, spurious nationalism’ sweeping US in passionate speech  —  Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., slammed “half-baked, spurious nationalism” in an impassioned speech while accepting the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia this evening.  —  McCain, who was presented with the medal …

You Need To Read This  —  The following is a rush transcript of President Trump's comments a few moments ago on Obamacare.  There may be small textual errors.  But it will give you a broad sense of what he said.  It's important to read.  —  Health care is moving along.

Malta car bomb kills Panama Papers journalist  —  Daphne Caruana Galizia, a blogger whose investigations focused on corruption, was described as a ‘one-woman WikiLeaks’ … The journalist who led the Panama Papers investigation into corruption in Malta was killed on Monday in a car bomb near her home.

The Danger of President Pence  —  Trump's critics yearn for his exit.  But Mike Pence, the corporate right's inside man, poses his own risks.  —  On September 14th, the right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, who last year published a book titled “In Trump We Trust,” expressed what a growing number of Americans …

‘Today’ editor fired over Lawrence O'Donnell meltdown leak … NBC has tracked down and fired the staffer who leaked the infamous — and wildly entertaining — tape of Lawrence O'Donnell's meltdown during which he swore at his crew because of “insanity in my earpiece.”

Corker: Trump criticism had been ‘building for some time’  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)He called the White House “an adult day care center.”  He suggested President Donald Trump was setting the nation on a course to “World War III.”  And he said Trump “concerns me,” …

Ex-DEA agent: Opioid crisis fueled by drug industry and Congress  —  Whistleblower Joe Rannazzisi says drug distributors pumped opioids into U.S. communities — knowing that people were dying — and says industry lobbyists and Congress derailed the DEA's efforts to stop it

Here's the Memo the Kremlin-Linked Lawyer Took to the Meeting With Donald Trump Jr.  —  No dirt on Clinton, a passing mention of adoptions, and a lot on Bill Browder and the Magnitsky Act.  —  Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya arrived at a June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr. armed …

Miami politician says aliens took her on a spaceship.  Now she's running for Congress.  —  WASHINGTON  —  Florida has a U.S. senator who once flew aboard the Space Shuttle.  —  A congressional candidate from Miami can go one better: Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera says she's been aboard a spaceship too.

Stephen Sondheim, Theater's Greatest Lyricist  —  Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks to the man who has consistently remade the American musical over his 60-year career — and who is trying to surprise us one more time.  —  Sondheim: I hope you don't mind doing this upstairs, I'm feeling a bit under the weather.

Bowe Bergdahl pleads guilty to desertion, faces up to life in prison  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Fort Bragg, North Carolina (CNN)US Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl could spend the rest of his life behind bars after he pleaded guilty Monday to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.

Trump's dumbfounding, expansive press conference with Mitch McConnell, annotated  —  President Trump took part in an extensive Q&A with reporters Monday in which he falsely accused his predecessors of not calling the families of fallen soldiers, suggested Puerto Rico shouldn't need food …

Post-Maria, Trump's approval rating on hurricanes down 20 points  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  WASHINGTON (CNN)President Donald Trump's approval rating for handling the federal government's response to recent hurricanes has dropped 20 points in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

Top Trump Official John Kelly Ordered ICE to Portray Immigrants as Criminals to Justify Raids  —  A directive to immigration officials across the country to try to portray undocumented immigrants swept up in mass raids as criminals came directly from then-Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, The Intercept has learned.

EPA Chief Pruitt Looks To Kneecap Environmental Groups With New Policy  —  The head of the Environmental Protection Agency in effect declared trench warfare on environmental groups on Monday, ending a practice he dubbed “Sue & Settle” by which the EPA would often settle lawsuits brought …

Hill Russia investigators probe GOP operative who sought Clinton emails  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)House and Senate investigators are turning their attention to a Republican operative's hunt for Hillary Clinton's private emails from Russian hackers — and his possible connections to senior members of the Trump campaign.

California Tells Pet Stores Their Dogs and Cats Must Be Rescues  —  In a blow to commercial animal breeders and brokers, California pet stores will soon have to get their puppies, kittens and rabbits from shelters and rescue centers only.  —  Individuals can still buy from private breeders.

Gov. Rick Scott declares state of emergency ahead of white nationalist's speech  —  Citing past clashes and protests, Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Monday declared a state of emergency in advance of a speech white nationalist Richard Spencer is scheduled to give at the University of Florida.

‘I was running downstairs in heels with a cup of coffee and fell backwards!’:  Hillary Clinton appears on British TV show to promote her book hobbling on crutches and wearing a protective boot after BREAKING her toe  —  Hillary Clinton hobbled away from filming a British TV show interview …