memeorandum: Judge Trump by His Record, Not Gossip (Jonathan S. Tobin/National Review)

9:15 AM ET, January 5, 2018

Top Items:

Sarah Rumpf / RedState:

Furious Trump Fires Off Tweet With New Nickname for Bannon — President Donald Trump seems absolutely furious about the upcoming Michael Wolff book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, and he's making sure everyone knows it, firing off another tweet not only attacking the book …

Discussion: The Hill, TVNewser, AOL, bizpacreview.com, Washington Times, Breitbart, ABC News, Raw Story, Washington Press, Mashable, The Daily Caller, The Week, Mediaite, Althouse, NBC News and Axios, more at Mediagazer »

Rosalind S. Helderman / Washington Post:

Mercer issues rare public rebuke of former ally Bannon — Stephen K. Bannon's main financial backer is formally cutting ties with the former Trump adviser. — In a new statement Thursday, billionaire conservative donor Rebekah Mercer said that she has not spoken to Bannon …

Michelle Goldberg / New York Times:

Everyone in Trumpworld Knows He's an Idiot — One of the more alarming anecdotes in “Fire and Fury,” Michael Wolff's incendiary new book about Donald Trump's White House, involves the firing of James Comey, former director of the F.B.I. It's not Trump's motives that are scary …

Joe Scarborough / Washington Post:

I asked Trump a blunt question: Do you read? — Michael Wolff's tantalizing takedown of President Trump's White House is so tightly packed with tales of political convulsion and personal betrayal that official Washington will be buzzing off its sugar high for weeks.

Discussion: Hullabaloo and AOL

Wall Street Journal:

Breitbart Owners Debate Ousting Bannon Amid Trump Feud — Former White House strategist's longtime benefactors, billionaires Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, are distancing themselves from him — President Donald Trump's growing feud with Steve Bannon is threatening …

Discussion: Daily Mail, The Guardian, Occidental Dissent, RedState, The Gateway Pundit, The Rush Limbaugh Show, The Root, CNNMoney, IJR, Daily Wire, Mediaite, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, twitchy.com, Splinter and Washington Free Beacon, more at Mediagazer »

Mike Allen / Axios:

The Wolff lines on Trump that ring unambiguously true — There are definitely parts of Michael Wolff's “Fire and Fury” that are wrong, sloppy, or betray off-the-record confidence. But there are two things he gets absolutely right, even in the eyes of White House officials …

Discussion: Raw Story

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Bannon allies say statement praising Trump Jr. was spiked after Trump went nuclear — Breitbart News chairman Stephen Bannon on Wednesday was about to issue a statement praising Donald Trump Jr. — and disputing his quotes in a book from Michael Wolff, but the statement was spiked after President Trump

Discussion: RedState, Politico, TODAY.com, The Week, CANNONFIRE, The Gateway Pundit and Breitbart

New York Times:

Led by the Mercers, Bannon's Allies Abandon Him — WASHINGTON — Enthusiasm for Stephen K. Bannon's plans for a fiery Republican revolution had already been fading among some of the donors and candidates upon whom he was relying to upend the party's establishment.

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Raw Story

John Cassidy / New Yorker:

Michael Wolff's Withering Portrait of President Donald Trump — Michael Wolff, the author of the new book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” extracts from which set the Internet ablaze on Wednesday, is an experienced magazine journalist. Among the publications on his résumé …

Discussion: Daily Kos and Washington Post

Jack Shafer / Politico:

Trump Got Wolffed — President Donald Trump could have saved himself a lot of grief if he—or one of his people—had read Michael Wolff's 2008 book, The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch, before permitting the writer seemingly unfettered access to the White House and his underling Steve Bannon.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, The Daily Beast, Balloon Juice, Washington Press, Splinter, New Republic, NewsBusters, New York Magazine, thecut, Mediaite and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

James Fallows / The Atlantic:
It's Been an Open Secret All Along

Discussion: New York Times, USA Today, Washington Press and Politico

Jonathan S. Tobin / National Review: Judge Trump by His Record, Not Gossip

Margaret Carlson / The Daily Beast:
The Worst Thing Donald Trump Says in Michael Wolff's Book

Discussion: Politico

Virginia Heffernan / Los Angeles Times:
Why believe Michael Wolff? Because, for now, this stuff is too good not to

Discussion: The Mahablog

Mike Allen / Axios:
Trump's legal threats backfire as Wolff book surges

Discussion: Politico and The Week

Ashley Parker / Washington Post:
Trump's effort to stop publication of scathing book is a break in precedent

Discussion: Betsy's Page, The Week, Washington Free Beacon, Business Insider, NBC News, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, CNBC, Fox News Insider and Talking Points Memo

Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:
Michael Wolff, fabulist

Discussion: USA Today, Washington Post and Business Insider

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:
Situation All Fouled Up, Not Normal

Discussion: Washington Post, The Daily Gazette, Washington Press, twitchy.com, RedState, IJR, The Week, Politico and ABC News

CNNMoney:
Wolff's Trump book going on sale four days early amid furor

Discussion: bizpacreview.com, The Week, Mediaite, IJR, TheBlaze and thecut, more at Mediagazer »

Politico:
Nerdcast: Trump blasts Bannon

Discussion: ABC News and The Week

Michael Scherer / Washington Post:
'Yesterday morning, he was key. Today, I'm not sure': Bannon's allies start to abandon him

Discussion: New Republic, ABC News and The Daily Beast

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Michael Wolff, From Local Media Scourge to National Newsmaker

Discussion: The FADER, British GQ and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:

Obstruction Inquiry Shows Trump's Struggle to Keep Grip on Russia Investigation — WASHINGTON — President Trump gave firm instructions in March to the White House's top lawyer: stop the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, from recusing himself in the Justice Department's investigation into whether …

CNN:

Ryan backed Nunes in spat with Justice Dept. over Russia documents, sources say — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — (CNN)House Speaker Paul Ryan backed his fellow congressional Republican, House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, during a meeting over the Russia investigation Wednesday …

Discussion: Raw Story, The Week and Shareblue Media

John Solomon / The Hill:

FBI launches new Clinton Foundation investigation — The Justice Department has launched a new inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play politics or other illegal activities while Hillary Clinton — served as Secretary of State, law enforcement officials and a witness tells The Hill.

Discussion: The Stream, Daily Wire, The Daily Caller, Reuters, bizpacreview.com, RedState, Splinter, Washington Times, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite

Eric Tucker / Associated Press:

AP Source: Trump had lawyer urge AG against Russia recusal — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Attorney General Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Department's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign …

Discussion: New York Magazine

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Trump ordered WH lawyer to stop Sessions from recusing himself in Russia probe: report

Discussion: bizpacreview.com, Shareblue Media, Washington Press and Politicus USA

John Solomon / The Hill:
Comey's original Clinton memo released, cites possible violations

Discussion: Breitbart, The Last Refuge, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Wire and Viking Pundit

Sara Carter / Sara A. Carter:
Mueller's “Pit Bull” Andrew Weissmann under scrutiny as Rosenstein agrees to turn over documents to Nunes

Discussion: Washington Post

Washington Post:
At Trump's behest, top White House lawyer urged Jeff Sessions not to step aside from Russia probe

Discussion: Shareblue Media, Washington Press, Raw Story, Politicus USA and Mediaite

Anita Kumar / McClatchy Washington Bureau:

Tillis no longer involved in key Senate negotiations on Dreamers — WASHINGTON — Editor's note: This story has been updated to include additional comments from Sen. Thom Tillis' office. — Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who has sought to make immigration one of his signature issues …

Discussion: Breitbart

Ted Hesson / Politico: Inside the faltering Dreamer talks

Apple Support:

About speculative execution vulnerabilities in ARM-based and Intel CPUs — Security researchers have recently uncovered security issues known by two names, Meltdown and Spectre. These issues apply to all modern processors and affect nearly all computing devices and operating systems.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, BGR, Axios, New York Times, The Week, Mashable, NBC News, NPR, KTLA, MacRumors, The Verge, Gizmodo, 9to5Mac and Vox, more at Techmeme »

Patricia Mazzei / New York Times:

Those Iguanas Falling From Trees in Florida? They Probably Aren't Dead — Read the latest on the “bomb cyclone” winter storm hitting the East Coast with Thursday's live updates. — Beware the falling iguanas in South Florida. — When temperatures dip into the 30s and 40s …

Discussion: Washington Post, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Breitbart and Balloon Juice

CBS News:
Frozen iguanas falling from trees during cold snap in Florida

Discussion: The Guardian, The Daily Caller, AOL and The Week

Beth Reinhard / Washington Post:

Woman who accused Roy Moore of unwanted sexual contact sues him for defamation — In a lawsuit that echoes a civil case against President Trump, an Alabama woman on Thursday sued failed U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore and his campaign for defamation, citing harsh personal attacks she faced …

Discussion: Politico, al.com, Advocate, The Daily Caller, Vox, Washington Press and thecut

Laura Meckler / Wall Street Journal:

Trump Administration Seeks $18 Billion Over Decade to Expand Border Wall — Expansion would cover about half of the entire southwest border, as described in document sent to senators — WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is asking Congress for nearly $18 billion to construct more than 700 miles …

Trisha Calvo / Consumer Reports:

Avoid Romaine Lettuce for Now, Consumer Reports Says — This salad green is likely the cause of recent cases of E. coli food poisoning — Over the past seven weeks, 58 people in the U.S. and Canada have become ill from a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, likely from eating romaine lettuce.