Top Items:
Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:
“I Have Power”: Is Steve Bannon Running for President? — On a whirlwind tour around the globe, Trump's former aide and alter ego reveals what really went down in the White House, his unfettered thoughts on Javanka, his complicated relationship with his erstwhile boss—and his own political ambitions.
CNN:
Top FBI official grilled on Comey, Clinton in Hill testimony — Washington (CNN)FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe faced numerous questions this week about his interactions, conversations and correspondence with his one-time boss, former FBI Director James Comey, spanning both the FBI's Russia investigation …
Discussion:
IJR, Politicus USA, Power Line, Instapundit and RedState
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Ryan Struyk / CNN:
Most Americans doubt Trump on Russia probe, while Mueller approval tilts positive — Berman: Trump wrong to claim collusion ‘disproven’ — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — 56% of Americans think Trump's public statements on the Russia probe have been mostly or completely false
Discussion:
Shareblue Media and TheBlaze
Natasha Bertrand / Business Insider:
A trio of House Republicans lobbing attacks on Mueller have been in touch with the White House
A trio of House Republicans lobbing attacks on Mueller have been in touch with the White House
Discussion:
Raw Story, Daily Kos, RedState, IJR, TheBlaze, AOL, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Shakesville, Fox News Insider, Politico, Fox News, ABC News and The Hill
New York Times:
Defying Trump, U.N. General Assembly Condemns U.S. Decree on Jerusalem — UNITED NATIONS — A lopsided majority of United Nations members rebuked the United States on Thursday, denouncing its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ignoring President Trump's threats to retaliate …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, bizpacreview.com, National Review, Mediaite and Townhall.com
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Washington Post:
U.N. resoundingly rejects U.S. decision on Jerusalem in pointed rebuke … The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a measure rejecting the Trump administration's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, which was repeatedly criticized as undermining prospects for peace.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Guardian, Just Security and Al Jazeera English
Cora Lewis / BuzzFeed:
Five Women Are Accusing A Top Left-Leaning Media Executive Of Sexually Harassing Them — Don Hazen, the executive editor of AlterNet, was placed on “indefinite leave” after BuzzFeed News asked his oversight board about accusations that he inappropriately touched employees, sent lewd emails, and showed them explicit photographs.
Discussion:
NewsBusters and The Daily Caller, more at Mediagazer »
Kelsey Snell / NPR:
McConnell Ready To ‘Move On’ From Obamacare Repeal, Others In GOP Say Not So Fast — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants 2018 to be a year of bipartisanship, even if that means moving on from GOP dreams of cutting welfare and fully rolling back the Affordable Care Act.
Discussion:
The Hill, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Axios, Balloon Juice, IJR and Politico
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Paul Demko / Politico:
Obamacare sign-ups surge, despite Trump's declaration on ‘repeal’
Obamacare sign-ups surge, despite Trump's declaration on ‘repeal’
Discussion:
cms.gov, ACA Signups and Balloon Juice
Dylan Scott / Vox:
8.8 million people signed up for Obamacare coverage despite Trump's sabotage
8.8 million people signed up for Obamacare coverage despite Trump's sabotage
Discussion:
ABC News, New York Times, ACA Signups, Talking Points Memo, Axios and The Nevada Independent
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Judge dismisses suits claiming Trump violated emoluments clause — A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a pair of lawsuits claiming that President Donald Trump's failure to divest himself of his real estate empire and other business holdings violated the Constitution's provision banning receipt of foreign …
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Post and The Week
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Sharon LaFraniere / New York Times:
Judge Dismisses Suit Against Trump Over Business Dealings
Christina Wilkie / CNBC:
Congress races to fund the government and avert a shutdown — Congress races to pass a short-term spending bill aimed at averting a partial government shutdown at midnight Friday. — The measure also contains a provision that would allow President Trump to sign the GOP tax bill immediately …
Discussion:
New York Times, NPR, Hot Air, National Review, The Daily Caller, AOL, Washington Free Beacon and IJR
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Dylan Scott / Vox:
This Congress's clear priorities: corporations, not children
This Congress's clear priorities: corporations, not children
Discussion:
Splinter, New York Magazine, Politico, New York Times, Politics K-12, Denver Post, The Daily Beast and Washington Post
Mike DeBonis / Washington Post:
Senate passes stopgap spending bill, allowing Congress to avert partial government shutdown
Senate passes stopgap spending bill, allowing Congress to avert partial government shutdown
Discussion:
IJR, The Atlantic, The Daily Caller, ThinkProgress and Bloomberg
NBC News:
Prosecutors ask FBI agents for info on Uranium One deal — On the orders of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Justice Department prosecutors have begun asking FBI agents to explain the evidence they found in a now dormant criminal investigation into a controversial uranium deal that critics …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, ThinkProgress, Project Republic, The Hill, Axios, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Talking Points Memo, New Republic, The Gateway Pundit, IJR, Business Insider, Raw Story, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Daily Caller, The Week, bizpacreview.com, RedState, Mediaite, Law & Crime, New York Magazine and No More Mister Nice Blog
Avery Anapol / The Hill:
Trump praises ‘Fox & Friends’ for being named ‘most influential’ because he watches it — on Thursday praised “Fox & Friends” after a media website named it the “most influential” because he watches it. — “Was @foxandfriends just named the most influential show in news?” Trump tweeted.
Discussion:
Townhall.com, Mediaite, IJR, Raw Story, Washington Times, Washington Free Beacon, Reuters and RedState
Bloomberg:
Mueller Is Looking Into a U.S. Foundation Backed by Russian Money — Foundation got $500,000 in undisclosed Russian donations — Representatives attended meeting with Trump campaign officials — Sara Peterson flew to Moscow in 2012 to take home two Russian orphans just as the Kremlin …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, U.S. Department … and Towleroad
mypalmbeachpost:
EXCLUSIVE: Trump's Mar-a-Lago tax deal veiled from IRS review — PALM BEACH POST INVESTIGATION … Donald Trump stands in the living room at Mar-a-Lago, 1992. Photo by Katie Deits / Zuma Press — PALM BEACH — Donald Trump's deal with the town of Palm Beach to turn Mar-a-Lago …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Mother Jones
Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:
Sore loser Roy Moore lashes out at Doug Jones' gay son — He's blaming everyone but himself. — Republican Roy Moore has still not conceded his loss in the Alabama Senate race, and in recent days, has seemed to pin the blame at minority groups he is known for despising.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Newsroom, Washington Examiner, New York Daily News and The Montgomery Advertiser
Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:
All 6 Defendants Not Guilty In Key Felony Trial Of Trump Inauguration Protesters — The case could determine the fate of many of the nearly 200 people arrested during the inauguration. — All six defendants in a crucial trial involving demonstrators arrested during President Donald Trump's inauguration …
Discussion:
New York Magazine and The Stranger …, more at Mediagazer »
Washington Post:
Trump advisers vent frustrations about 2018 strategy as president listens … Within hours of celebrating President Trump's biggest legislative achievement, at the South Portico of the White House on Wednesday, his aides and outside advisers had a spirited, and at times tense …
Discussion:
Politico
New York Times:
Trump Administration Considers Separating Families to Combat Illegal Immigration — The Trump administration is considering a new policy that would separate parents from their children when families are caught entering the country illegally, according to officials who have been briefed on the plans.
Cristiano Lima / Politico:
Pence makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan — Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, where he met with military officials and government leaders, then addressed American troops at Bagram Airfield, reaffirming U.S. commitment to the 16-year-old war.
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Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:
Pence pays surprise visit to Kabul
Pence pays surprise visit to Kabul
Discussion:
ABC News, The Gateway Pundit and Shakesville
Jordan Pascale / Virginian-Pilot:
Virginia officials will randomly pick winner of tied House of Delegates race on Dec. 27 — Politicos, mark your calendars for Wednesday Dec. 27. — That's the day the Virginia Board of Elections will randomly pick the winner of the high stakes and tied 94th House District race. — The impact?
Discussion:
Vox, NBC News, Business Insider, Refinery29, Shakesville, NPR, The Atlantic and Washington Post
John Judis / Talking Points Memo:
The Politics of the Republican Tax Bill: A Dissenting View — I am not a fan of the new tax bill that the Republican Congress passed. It will widen the gap between the wealthy and everyone else and increase the likelihood over a decade or so of another crash.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune, Mother Jones and JustOneMinute
Luke Nozicka / Des Moines Register:
President Trump commutes sentence of Sholom Rubashkin, ex-Iowa slaughterhouse executive — President Donald Trump on Wednesday commuted the prison sentence of former Iowa slaughterhouse executive Sholom Rubashkin, who was sentenced to 27 years for bank fraud and money laundering, the White House said.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Atlantic, The White House, Associated Press, 24Ahead, The Daily Caller, The Week and Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Bakari T Sellers / The Guardian:
A new generation of young black politicians is coming - the Democrats should listen — Democrats have every right to feel optimistic after a major win in Alabama, but keeping up momentum will require more than taking black voters for granted … he recent upset in the special election …
Joseph Pisani / Associated Press:
Papa John's Founder To Step Down As CEO After Backlash Over NFL Comments — NEW YORK (AP) — Papa John's founder John Schnatter will step down as CEO next month, about two months after he publicly criticized the NFL leadership over national anthem protests by football players — comments for which the company later apologized.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Balloon Juice
Manohla Dargis / New York Times:
Review: In ‘The Post,’ Democracy Survives the Darkness — THE POST - NYT Critic's Pick - Directed by Steven Spielberg - Biography, Drama, History, Thriller - PG-13 - 1h 55m — Steven Spielberg's exhilarating drama “The Post” is about a subject that's dear to the heart of journalists: themselves!
Discussion:
Splinter
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Senate poised to punt on disaster aid — The Senate is poised to delay a House-passed disaster relief bill until January as lawmakers appear unable to reach a deal to speed up consideration of the legislation. — Sen. John Cornyn — (R-Texas), whose state was hit by Hurricane Harvey earlier this year …
Discussion:
Politicus USA
ProPublica:
Dozens of Companies Are Using Facebook to Exclude Older Workers From Job Ads — Among the companies we found doing it: Amazon, Verizon, UPS and Facebook itself. “It's blatantly unlawful,” said one employment law expert. — A few weeks ago, Verizon placed an ad on Facebook to recruit applicants …
Discussion:
CBS Pittsburgh, New York Magazine, Daily Mail, The Verge and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Thomas B. Edsall / New York Times:
You Cannot Be Too Cynical About the Republican Tax Bill — The rush to enact the tax bill was designed to mask — as a break for the middle class — what is in fact a $1.4 trillion package of benefits for key donors and lobbyists, the richest members of Congress, President Trump, his family and other families like his.
Discussion:
Rewire, IJR, Bloomberg, Balkinization, MarketWatch, Althouse, Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and Mother Jones