Top Items:
In Touch Weekly:
‘In Touch’ Explosive Interview With Stormy Daniels: Donald Trump Cheated on Melania With Me … Allegations of an affair between President Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels recently resurfaced after a Wall Street Journal article reported that the porn star was paid a reported $130,000 to stay silent.
RELATED:
Erin Gloria Ryan / The Daily Beast:
InTouch to Drop 5,000 Words From Stormy Daniels on Sex With Trump — According to the source, the transcript contains details of “[w]hat he's like in bed, pillow talk, she talks about what he's like down there...” — On Wednesday, InTouch magazine ran excerpts from an interview …
Discussion:
Right Wing Watch, Talking Points Memo, The Moderate Voice, In Touch Weekly, Washington Press, Raw Story, Washington Post and Mediaite
Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
This is why the Stormy Daniels story is so dangerous
This is why the Stormy Daniels story is so dangerous
Discussion:
Hullabaloo
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Inside the room: What Steve Bannon told Congress yesterday — Steve Bannon made one conspicuous slip up in his closed-door hearing on Tuesday with the House Intelligence Committee, according to four sources with direct knowledge of the confidential proceedings.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Hullabaloo, Business Insider, The Week, CNBC, Washington Press, Raw Story, ACS Blog, TheBlaze, Politicus USA, Mediaite and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
CNN:
Bannon will do interview with special counsel, avoiding grand jury for now
Bannon will do interview with special counsel, avoiding grand jury for now
Discussion:
The Atlantic, NBC News, New York Times, Townhall.com, Taylor Marsh, The Daily Caller, The Resurgent, Little Green Footballs, The Week, Politicus USA, Vox and CNBC
Associated Press:
The Latest: Bannon to meet with Mueller's investigators
The Latest: Bannon to meet with Mueller's investigators
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, CNBC, Washington Monthly, Los Angeles Times, The Week, The Atlantic, Raw Story, Mediaite, Eschaton and CNN
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Judge hears suit on Trump White House use of encrypted apps
Judge hears suit on Trump White House use of encrypted apps
Discussion:
Axios, theGrio, Hullabaloo and Mediaite
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Trump's Physical Revealed Serious Heart Concerns, Outside Experts Say — WASHINGTON — Cardiologists not associated with the White House said Wednesday that President Trump's physical exam revealed serious heart concerns, including very high levels of so-called bad cholesterol …
Discussion:
CNN and Washington Free Beacon
RELATED:
Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Sanjay Gupta: By all standards, Trump has heart disease
Sanjay Gupta: By all standards, Trump has heart disease
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Conservative Review, Towleroad, Breitbart and Patterico's Pontifications
BuzzFeed:
Investigators Are Scrutinizing Newly Uncovered Payments By The Russian Embassy — US authorities are poring over hundreds of newly uncovered payments from Russian diplomatic accounts. Among them are transactions by former ambassador Sergey Kislyak 10 days after the 2016 presidential election …
Discussion:
Washington Press, Washington Monthly, Politicus USA, The Week, RedState, JustOneMinute and Shakesville
Lawrence Bonk / Mediaite:
Ashleigh Banfield Fires Back After Getting Insulting Email from Writer of Aziz Ansari Piece … HLN's Ashleigh Banfield has not been shy in her dismissal of Katie Way, the Babe.net writer who reported anonymous allegations against Aziz Ansari, suggesting that she has “chiseled away” …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, The Verge, Washington Free Beacon and The Stranger …, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Maxwell Tani / Business Insider:
Read the email the writer behind the Aziz Ansari sexual misconduct story wrote slamming an HLN anchor who criticized her — HLN anchor Ashleigh Banfield was one of the most prominent major television personalities to criticize a piece on Babe.net about an unpleasant sexual experience …
Discussion:
IJR, Mediaite, thecut and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »
New York Times:
‘Vision, Chutzpah and Some Testosterone’ — The Times editorial board has been sharply critical of the Trump presidency, on grounds of policy and personal conduct. Not all readers have been persuaded. In the spirit of open debate, and in hopes of helping readers who agree with us better understand …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Balloon Juice
Hollywood Reporter:
Michael Wolff's ‘Fire and Fury’ to Become TV Series (Exclusive) — Endeavor Content has purchased rights to the best-selling exposé of the Trump White House and plans to adapt it for the small screen. — Michael Wolff's controversial Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is coming to television.
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Post, New York Times, Breitbart, The Guardian, VICE, The Comeback, Washington Press, IJR, Business Insider, Mediaite, Mashable, The Daily Caller and twitchy.com, more at Mediagazer »
Tara Golshan / Vox:
An archconservative revolt is taking the government closer to shutdown — With less than three days to fund the government, tensions are only escalating in Congress. — Congress has three days to avert a government shutdown, and House Speaker Paul Ryan is stuck.
Discussion:
Politico, Axios, The Atlantic, Roll Call and IJR
RELATED:
Matt Fuller / HuffPost:
With A Possible Shutdown Hours Away, Republicans Are Negotiating With Themselves
With A Possible Shutdown Hours Away, Republicans Are Negotiating With Themselves
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Politico and New Republic
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Trump's credibility crisis on Capitol Hill
Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
Kelly calls some of Trump's campaign pledges on immigration, wall ‘uninformed,’ meeting attendees say — White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly told Democratic lawmakers Wednesday that the United States will never construct a physical wall along the entire stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border …
Discussion:
National Review, Fox News, The Atlantic, Axios, New York Magazine, Raw Story, Political Wire and Mediaite
Reuters:
Exclusive: Trump takes hard line on immigration, rejects ‘horrible’ bipartisan plan — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday aligned himself solidly with conservative Republicans on immigration, criticizing a proposed bipartisan deal as “horrible” on border security and …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Guardian, Talking Points Memo, NBC News, Political Wire, Politico, Breitbart, CNBC and IJR
RELATED:
Steve Holland / Reuters:
Exclusive: Trump says Russia helping North Korea skirt sanctions; Pyongyang getting close on missile — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday Russia is helping North Korea get supplies in violation of international sanctions and that Pyongyang is getting …
Discussion:
New York Times, Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress, ABC News, CNN, Axios, Washington Press, Raw Story, Political Wire, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Politico and Mediaite
Jennifer Jacobs / Bloomberg:
How Michael Wolff Got Into the White House for His Tell-All Book — Some of president's staff thought they were authorized to talk — Wolff's working title suggested sympathetic view of Trump — Author Michael Wolff's pitch to the White House to win cooperation for his book included …
Discussion:
BloombergQuint, Balloon Juice, Washington Post, Daily Wire, National Review, New York Magazine, RedState, Towleroad, The Week, Splinter and CNN, more at Mediagazer »
Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:
Trump averages a ‘fake’ insult every day. Really. We counted. — Donald Trump did not coin ‘fake news’ — President Trump has used the word “fake” more than 400 times since he was inaugurated. — More than once a day, on average, he has publicly assailed “fake news,” “fake polls,” “fake media,” and “fake stories.”
Discussion:
Medium, The Daily Caller, Poynter, Knight Foundation and Mashable, more at Mediagazer »
Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:
Sources: Rupert Murdoch Was Hospitalized with Serious Back Injury — The accident, which happened on his son Lachlan's yacht, comes at a delicate time for the 86-year-old's empire. — Rupert Murdoch suffered a serious back injury while vacationing on his son Lachlan's yacht in the Caribbean earlier …
Discussion:
NBC News, Daily Wire and IJR
Politico:
Full text: Jeff Flake on Trump speech transcript — Prepared remarks for Sen. Jeff Flake, who delivered a speech to the Senate on Jan. 17, 2018. — Mr. President, near the beginning of the document that made us free, our Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, CNN, ABC News, Fox News, Hit & Run, Vox, Boing Boing, Booman Tribune, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Washington Monthly, The Root, Washington Free Beacon and TheBlaze
John W. Schoen / CNBC:
Few large US companies say they'll use tax savings to boost wages, CNBC survey finds — Despite a handful of high-profile announcements, the recent cuts in corporate taxes haven't yet had a meaningful impact on American companies' plans to boost investment or raise workers' pay, a CNBC survey of large companies found.
Apple:
Apple accelerates US investment and job creation — $350 Billion Contribution to US Economy Over Next Five Years — Cupertino, California — Apple today announced a new set of investments to build on its commitment to support the American economy and its workforce, concentrated in three areas …
Discussion:
Curbed, Business Insider, Breitbart, The Verge, Engadget, Mashable and The Gateway Pundit, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:
Anita Balakrishnan / CNBC:
Apple announces plans to repatriate billions in overseas cash, says it will contribute $350 billion …
Apple announces plans to repatriate billions in overseas cash, says it will contribute $350 billion …
Discussion:
Power Line, Reuters, Clayton Cramer and IJR, more at Techmeme »
Jennifer Haberkorn / Politico:
Trump to shield health care workers who claim moral objections — The Trump administration is poised to overhaul the HHS civil rights office as part of a broader plan to protect health workers who don't want to perform abortions, treat transgender patients seeking to transition or provide …
Discussion:
Friendly Atheist, Washington Blade, LifeNews.com, thecut, The Daily Caller, IJR, Splinter and Jezebel
RELATED:
Melissa McEwan / Shakesville:
Trump Administration Revives the “Conscience Clause”
Trump Administration Revives the “Conscience Clause”
Discussion:
Towleroad
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
The Case for New California — California was once the land of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and John Birch socialites; a state that revolted against taxes and immigrants before it was cool. Now, it's a stronghold of the #Resistance, replete with sanctuary cities, legal reefer, and equal-pay laws.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, USA Today, Breitbart, Fox News, Mother Jones, Business Insider, Daily Wire and CBS13
Lacey Rose / Hollywood Reporter:
Ellen Pompeo, TV's $20 Million Woman, Reveals Her Behind-the-Scenes Fight for “What I Deserve” — The 'Grey's Anatomy' star recalls in her own words the personal struggles and advice from Shonda Rhimes that led to a milestone: highest-paid actress on a primetime drama.
Discussion:
RedState, The Daily Beast, The A.V. Club, Mashable, Just Jared, Washington Post, Jezebel and The Ringer
Lindy West / New York Times:
Aziz, We Tried to Warn You — In 1975, 42 years before the comedian Aziz Ansari reportedly brought a date home to his apartment and repeatedly tried to initiate sex with her after she told him “next time” and “I don't want to feel forced,” Susan Brownmiller published “Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape.”
Discussion:
ThinkProgress
David Ignatius / Washington Post:
The truth about the FBI's Russia probe — “Does this concern you at all?” asks a tart email message from a Trump supporter who wonders why the mainstream media doesn't take a closer look at allegations that the Justice Department's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election has been tainted by bias.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Conservative Daily Post, The Gateway Pundit, Althouse and Conservative Review
Beth Greenfield / Yahoo:
Gay couple sues printing company over homophobic wedding pamphlets … Two men who ordered programs for their September — wedding from a popular printing company but instead received a boxful of anti-gay pamphlets warning, “Satan entices your flesh with evil desires,” …
Discussion:
New York Post, ThinkProgress, Towleroad, Splinter and Friendly Atheist
Ben Protess / New York Times:
He Leaked a Photo of Rick Perry Hugging a Coal Executive. Then He Lost His Job. — As a photographer for the Department of Energy, Simon Edelman regularly attended meetings with Secretary Rick Perry and snapped pictures for official purposes. — Now he is out of a job …
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Apple Gives Employees $2,500 Bonuses After New Tax Law — Company giving bonuses to most global employees in stock units — Bonus program follows Apple pledge to increase U.S. spending — Apple Inc. told employees Wednesday that it's issuing a bonus of $2,500 worth of restricted stock units …
Discussion:
CNBC, Axios, The Daily Caller, AOL and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Unexpected defeat in rural Wisconsin special election sets off alarm bells for Republicans — THE BIG IDEA: Ten months is an eternity in politics, but a stunning Democratic victory Tuesday in a special election deep in the heart of Trump country suggests a blue tsunami could be forming.
Brandon Morse / RedState:
Katie Couric's Return to Broadcasting Proves that Lying Is Okay If You're Lying About the Right Thing — Disgraced journalist Katie Couric was figuratively run out of town after she was caught blatantly lying in her anti-gun documentary “Under the Gun,” and was discovered intentionally trying …
Discussion:
Instapundit, TVNewser and Washington Free Beacon
Washington Post:
Letter of resignation from members of the National Park System Advisory Board — In this Jan. 15 letter, National Park System Advisory Board Chair Tony Knowles, the former governor of Alaska, lays out why he and eight other board members are resigning.
Discussion:
NPR, Conservative Daily Post, Alaska Public Media, ThinkProgress, New York Magazine, AOL, Vox, New York Times, Grist, Mashable and Talking Points Memo