Kelly Speaks About Son's Death and Criticizes Congresswoman Wilson  —  WASHINGTON — John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, delivered an emotional, personal defense of President Trump's call this week to the widow of a slain soldier, describing the trauma of learning about his own son's death …

George W. Bush's unmistakable takedown of Trumpism — and Trump  —  For the past nine years, George W. Bush has largely stayed out of presidential politics; he declined to criticize his successor, Barack Obama, and he chose not to endorse but largely ignored President Trump.

LAPD investigating Harvey Weinstein after a woman in L.A. accuses him of rape  —  Los Angeles police are investigating new allegations against Harvey Weinstein after an Italian model-actress reported that the producer sexually assaulted her in 2013.  (Al Powers / Associated Press)

Trump is thrashing around in a straitjacket of GOP lies  —  THE MORNING PLUM:  —  It is common enough for lawmakers to set policy goals and devise talking points that are designed to build a case for them.  But in the battle over President Trump's ongoing sabotage of Obamacare …

Senators Demand Online Ad Disclosures as Tech Lobby Mobilizes  —  WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain and two Democratic senators will move on Thursday to force Facebook, Google and other internet companies to disclose who is purchasing online political advertising, after revelations …

Trump just publicly accused the FBI of having conspired against him  —  The tweet is not only false, but creepily authoritarian.  —  As president, Donald Trump is in charge of the FBI.  Which makes it incredibly striking that, in a Thursday morning tweet, Trump accused the bureau …

A Cub Scout questioned a Colorado state senator at a meeting.  Now he's been kicked out of his den.  —  Sen. Vicki Marble spoke to Broomfield scouts last week  —  A Cub Scout in Broomfield has been kicked out of his den, allegedly for asking pointed questions of a Colorado state senator at meeting organized by the Boy Scouts.

Richard Spencer: Protesters heckle him at Univ. of Florida talk  —  (CNN)Protesters greeted white supremacist Richard Spencer with boos and chants during his speech Thursday afternoon at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  —  It was Spencer's first planned visit to a college campus since …

Trump gives his team a ‘10’ for its Puerto Rico hurricane response  —  President Donald Trump on Thursday gave the federal government the highest marks for its response to the hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico.  —  “I'd say it was a 10,” the president, who sat beside Puerto Rico …

LEAKED MEMO REVEALS WHITE HOUSE WISH LIST  —  Since federal courts first enjoined President Donald Trump's Muslim travel ban, lawyers for his administration have been at pains to insist that anti-Muslim animus is not a driving force of policymaking in his government.

Signaling Frustration, Senior House Republican Plans to Quit Early  —  In a sign of mounting frustration among Republicans in Washington, Representative Pat Tiberi of Ohio, a senior lawmaker with close ties to his party's leaders, is expected to resign and take up an executive post …

Brennan: Trump Aides May Need to Talk Him Out of War  —  Former CIA Director John Brennan, noting that President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with North Korea to a dangerous level, said Thursday that Cabinet members and other senior officials may need to step in as “governors” over the president to prevent war.

Why rumors of a Gorsuch-Kagan clash at the Supreme Court are such a bombshell.  —  Following his nomination to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch was packaged by his wealthy benefactors as the judicial equivalent of a carrot cake: mild and wholesome with the occasional hint of spice.

Trump Isn't Hitler.  But the Lying ...  It is a commonly accepted rule among those who are in the business of argument, especially online, that he or she who invokes Adolf Hitler, either in oratory or essays, automatically forfeits the argument.  —  The reference is deemed far too extreme …

Steve Bannon's Motley Crew of Challengers  —  One is fresh out of prison.  Another held a town hall to discuss ‘chemtrail’ theories.  —  Steve Bannon, the failed presidential adviser and alt-right sympathizer, has declared war on incumbent Republicans, particularly Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Trump leaning toward Powell for Fed chair, officials say  —  Powell has been heavily favored by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who is leading the search.  —  Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell is the leading candidate to become the chair of the U.S. central bank …

Trump pick for top environmental post called belief in global warming a ‘kind of paganism’  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump's nominee to be the White House senior adviser for environmental policy in 2016 described the belief in “global warming” as a “kind of paganism” for “secular elites.”