Political Guardrails Gone, a President's Somber Duty Skids Into Spectacle  —  WASHINGTON — Blame it on these bitter political times.  —  The feud over President Trump's call to the widow of a fallen soldier might never have escalated had Mr. Trump done what any of his predecessors almost certainly …

Montini: John McCain mocks Donald Trump's deferment ‘bone spurs’ (without naming him)  —  Sen. John McCain doesn't have to speak President Donald Trump's name to excoriate him.  —  He doesn't exactly call the president a draft dodger.  But... in a way... he does.

EXCLUSIVE: US Preparing to Put Nuclear Bombers Back on 24-Hour Alert  —  If the order comes, the B-52s will return to a ready-to-fly posture not seen since the Cold War.  —  BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — The U.S. Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed bombers back on 24-hour ready alert …

Why Is Bill Browder Banned from America?  —  Vladimir Putin keeps putting William Browder on Interpol's wanted list, or trying to.  As far as I'm concerned, these attempts are the equivalent of medals of freedom.  —  Remember who Browder is: He is the financier whose lawyer was Sergei Magnitsky …

FBI watched, then acted as Russian spy moved closer to Hillary Clinton  —  was beginning her job as President Obama's chief diplomat, federal agents observed as multiple arms of Vladimir Putin's machine unleashed an influence campaign designed to win access to the new secretary of State, her husband Bill Clinton

Is tone of Trump-Russia probe changing?  —  Have you noticed?  In recent public comments, the lawmakers investigating the Trump-Russia affair, along with some of the commentators who dissect its every development, seem to be focusing more on the facts of Russia's attempts to interfere …

A Presidential Bellwether Is Still Waiting to Start Winning Under Trump  —  TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Nobody is tired of winning here.  —  Not at the Crossroads Cafe, where regulars pick at politics over breakfast.  Not at the Rotary Club, where the meeting dutifully opens with the invocation …

‘I Was Willing to Do Everything’: Mothers Defend Sons Accused of Sexual Assault  —  Four women met late last month at a restaurant in a Twin Cities suburb, where they spoke for hours, so intently their waiter had trouble getting their drink orders.  —  Each had a son who had been accused at college of sexual assault.

Million dollar bracket in the works for GOP tax plan  —  The Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee — engaged in a high-pressure, high-stakes tax policy rewrite — are currently exploring not cutting the income tax rate for people who earn $1 million or more per year.

Former NPR CEO opens up about liberal media bias … Most reporters and editors are liberal — a now dated Pew Research Center poll found that liberals outnumber conservatives in the media by some 5 to 1, and that comports with my own anecdotal experience at National Public Radio.

Still Waiting for FEMA in Texas and Florida After Hurricanes  —  HOUSTON — Outside Rachel Roberts's house, a skeleton sits on a chair next to the driveway, a skeleton child on its lap, an empty cup in its hand and a sign at its feet that reads “Waiting on FEMA.”

Trump shamefully ignores “nightmare” HIV crisis brewing in rural America  —  As a candidate, Donald Trump promised to bring an end to the opioid epidemic that experts have described as the “defining public health challenge of our time.”  With an estimated 150 Americans dying …

Harvey Weinstein and the Impunity of Powerful Men  —  For women speaking up about their experiences with harassment and assault, being heard is one kind of power, and being free is another.  —  In 2015, in a hotel hallway in New York, the movie producer Harvey Weinstein insisted …

A Newly Assertive C.I.A. Expands Its Taliban Hunt in Afghanistan  —  WASHINGTON — The C.I.A. is expanding its covert operations in Afghanistan, sending small teams of highly experienced officers and contractors alongside Afghan forces to hunt and kill Taliban militants across the country …

Statement by Mark Fabiani on Behalf of Bill O'Reilly Relating to the New York Times Smear Piece  —  Once again, The New York Times has maliciously smeared Bill O'Reilly, this time even failing to print a sworn affidavit from his former lawyer, Lis Wiehl, repudiating all allegations against Bill O'Reilly.

Fake Facebook post shows military widow criticize congresswoman, defend Trump  —  The widow of Army Sgt. La David Johnson, Myeshia, has said a Facebook post criticizing Rep. Frederica Wilson  —  (D-Fla.), which has been reportedly circulating since Oct. 17 from a person claiming to be her, is fake, according to ABC News.

Tesla Strikes Deal With Shanghai to Build Factory in China  —  Arrangement could enable electric-car maker to slash production costs; firm would still likely incur 25% import tariff  —  Electric-car maker Tesla Inc. TSLA -1.91% has reached an agreement to set up its own manufacturing facility in Shanghai …

Here Are the 20 Lies Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly Told in Just 4 Minutes  —  So far, The Response has taken at least three shots at encompassing the rage-inducing awfulness of Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly's disgraceful defense of Donald Trump's attacks and lies about deceased …