memeorandum: Virginia ad features minority kids chased by truck with Gillespie sticker, Confederate flag (Fenit Nirappil/Washington Post)

11:35 AM ET, October 31, 2017

Top Items:

Upstairs at home, with the TV on, Trump fumes over Russia indictments — President Trump woke before dawn on Monday and burrowed in at the White House residence to wait for the Russia bombshell he knew was coming. — Separated from most of his West Wing staff — who fretted …

The Daily Beast:

Steve Bannon Tells Trump To Bring In New Lawyers as He Looks For Ways to Kneecap Mueller … Steve Bannon spoke on the phone with his old boss, Donald Trump, on Monday and offered a message: get yourself some new lawyers. — The former White House chief strategist has grown increasingly concerned …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Raw Story

Ezra Klein / Vox:

It sure looks like there was collusion between the Trump operation and Russia — Look at the whole story and tell me this isn't suspicious. — Two things are true about the indictments unsealed by special counsel Bob Mueller Monday: — They don't provide a “smoking gun” …

Discussion: The Intercept, Weekly Standard, New York Times, Fast Company, Shareblue Media, ThinkProgress, CNBC, The Daily Signal, The Root, Fox News, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, Mashable, IJR, Media Matters for America and The Guardian

Scott Shane / New York Times:

Trump Campaign Got Early Word Russia Had Democrats' Emails — WASHINGTON — The indictment of a 30-year-old campaign aide — so green that he listed Model United Nations in his qualifications — shifted the narrative on Monday of the Trump campaign's interactions with Russia …

Discussion: Yahoo, Raw Story, Business Insider, Power Line, Washington Post, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress, Michael J. Totten's blog, New York Magazine, Mediaite, IJR, Weekly Standard, RedState, Axios, Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit and The Atlantic

Associated Press:

Trump fumes as Mueller probe enters new phase with charges — WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Robert Muller's charges Monday against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and two other aides marked a new phase in his sprawling investigation into Russia and President Donald Trump …

Discussion: Vox, Hullabaloo, Politico, Talking Points Memo and CNN

BuzzFeed:

Washington's Legions Of Lobbyists See Danger In Special Counsel's Indictment Of Manafort — Violations of the federal law that requires US citizens that represent foreign governments to register have long gone unprosecuted. Is that about to change? — Reporting From Washington, DC

Michelle Goldberg / New York Times:

The Plot Against America — On Monday morning, after America learned that Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and Manafort's lobbying partner, Rick Gates, had been indicted and turned themselves in to federal authorities, the president tried to distance himself from the unfolding scandal.

Discussion: Bloomberg, Washington Post, The Guardian, Lawfare, ABC News, Media Matters for America, CBS Miami, The Gateway Pundit, Slate, The Atlantic, 105.9 FM and AM 630, CNN, RedState, Talking Points Memo, miamiherald, Business Insider and IJR

Bloomberg:

Mueller Raises Pressure on Trump With Papadopoulos-Russia Link — Using junior aide as cooperating witness, he's after others — Court filing suggests campaign aides aware of Russian attempts — The first charges unsealed in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of the presidential election suggest …

Discussion: Politicus USA and NBC News

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:
Special counsel's office: Papadopoulos ‘small part’ of ‘large scale investigation’

Discussion: The Daily Beast, The Hill, Raw Story, Just Security, Business Insider, Politico and Axios

NBC News:
Sources: Podesta Group, Mercury Are Companies ‘A’ and ‘B’ in Indictment

Discussion: National Review, Political Wire, Scared Monkeys, The Federalist, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Business Insider, IJR, RedState and Mediaite

Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Bannon pushing Trump to take action on Mueller: reports

Discussion: RedState and Politico

Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Both Campaigns Sought Russian Dirt. Clinton's Way Was Legal.

Discussion: Vox, JustOneMinute, CNN, bizpacreview.com, Booman Tribune, Lawfare, Politico and Right Wing Watch

Marcy Wheeler / The Intercept:
Monday's Indictment is Very, Very Bad News For Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Discussion: Daily Kos

John Cassidy / New Yorker:
Robert Mueller Is Just Beginning to Put the Pressure On

Discussion: Raw Story, Shareblue Media and New York Times

Rosalind S. Helderman / Washington Post:
Who's who in the George Papadopoulos court documents

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, PolitiFact, New York Post, The Guardian, Politico, emptywheel and Bloomberg

New York Times:
Is the White House Scared Yet?

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, The Guardian, Mashable, NPR, The Week, Washington Post, Just Security, Daily Kos, Real Clear Politics, New York Magazine, Toronto Star and CNN

CNN:
Trump ‘seething’ as Mueller probe reaches former aides

Kenneth P. Vogel / New York Times:
Under Mueller Scrutiny, Democratic Donor Tony Podesta Resigns From Lobbying Firm

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, Breitbart, Washington Free Beacon and The Gateway Pundit

Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Republican Judiciary chairman: Trump should let Mueller do his job

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, The Week and Politicus USA

J.J. Gallagher / ABC News:
Trump ex-adviser ‘probably’ discussed Russia with staffer charged in Mueller probe

Discussion: Daily Kos and Associated Press

James S. Robbins / USA Today:
If you care about foreign election interference, Manafort indictments miss real threat

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Hill, Breitbart, National Review and Hit & Run

Wall Street Journal: The Manafort Indictment — Mueller's charges relate …

Harry Litman / New York Times:
Why George Papadopoulos Is More Dangerous Than Paul Manafort

Discussion: Business Insider, Althouse, ThinkProgress, The Mahablog, Political Wire and New York Magazine

Sam Thielman / Talking Points Memo: First Charges In Mueller's Russia Probe Stem From Trump Admin's Earliest Days

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:

Ta-Nehisi Coates Schools John Kelly On History Of Civil War And ‘Compromise’ — After White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday night said that the Civil War was the result of “the lack of an ability to compromise” and called Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee an “honorable man,” author Ta-Nehisi Coates tore into Kelly on Twitter.

Discussion: Shareblue Media, ThinkProgress, Splinter, The Root, The Guardian, Raw Story and Mashable

Dave Lawler / Axios:

Kelly wants investigation into allegations surrounding Clinton — In a Fox News interview, John Kelly said he thought an investigation was needed into funding from Hillary Clinton's campaign and the DNC for the research behind the Trump/Russia dossier, and Clinton's involvement in the Uranium One deal.

Discussion: Vanity Fair and ABC News

Maggie Astor / New York Times:
John Kelly Pins Civil War on ‘Lack of Ability to Compromise’

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Splinter

Sophie Tatum / CNN:
Kelly: ‘Lack of an ability to compromise’ led to Civil War

Discussion: Raw Story, Daily Kos, Reuters, Media Matters for America and Business Insider

Washington Post:
John Kelly calls Robert E. Lee an ‘honorable man’ and says ‘lack of compromise’ caused the Civil War

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
Kelly defends Confederate statues: 'History's history'

Discussion: Politico

Fenit Nirappil / Washington Post:

Virginia ad features minority kids chased by truck with Gillespie sticker, Confederate flag — As Virginia's heated gubernatorial election draws near, a Democratic group on Monday released an ad featuring a pickup truck flying a Confederate flag and sporting a bumper sticker …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, NewsBusters, Fox News, 105.9 FM and AM 630, Bloomberg, Daily Kos and IJR

Larry O'Connor / Mediaite:
Virginia Governor's Race Turns Ugly With Ad Depicting Republicans As Racist Predators

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, 105.9 FM and AM 630 and TheBlaze

Public Policy Polling:

Support For Impeachment At Record High — PPP's newest national poll finds a record level of support for impeaching Donald Trump. 49% of voters support impeaching him, to 41% who are opposed to doing so. This marks the 6th month in a row we've found a plurality of voters in favor of impeaching Trump …

Discussion: Political Wire and Politicus USA

Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:

Preet Bharara Reads Bob Mueller's Tea Leaves — Subscribe to Off Message on Apple Podcasts here. Subscribe via Stitcher here. — NEW YORK—Preet Bharara won't say whether he was investigating President Donald Trump when he was fired in March or whether he's seen anything that's informed …

Discussion: The Week

Nancy Scola / Politico:

Google, Facebook will testify to lawmakers they've splashed with cash — When Google and Facebook testify before Congress on Russian election interference this week, they'll face committees filled with lawmakers who have collectively received hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations from the companies.

Discussion: Axios, more at Mediagazer »

Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Facebook estimates 126 million people were served content from Russia-linked pages

Discussion: Politico, CNN, CBS Miami, Washington Post, The Week, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:

White House releases Trump, Pence official portraits — President Trump is seen smiling broadly in his official portrait that will hang in federal buildings across the country. — The White House released the official photographs of Trump and Vice President Pence on Tuesday.

Discussion: IJR and The Week

Alice Paul Tapper / New York Times:

I'm 10. And I Want Girls to Raise Their Hands. — Last year on a fourth-grade field trip, I noticed that all the boys stood in the front and raised their hands while most of the girls politely stayed in the back and were quiet. It made me upset. — On the car ride home I told my mom about what happened.

Ben Blanchard / Reuters:

China considers three-year jail terms for disrespecting national anthem, flag — BEIJING (Reuters) - China's largely rubber-stamp parliament is considering jail terms of up to three years for people who disrespect the national anthem or flag in public, while an existing anthem law will be applied …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and IJR