Former Wives of Top White House Aide Rob Porter Both Told FBI He Abused Them  —  As the FBI conducted a background check on an incoming senior White House official last year, the bureau learned of the man's history of domestic abuse.  Rob Porter, a top aide to President Donald Trump …

FBI lovers' latest text messages: Obama ‘wants to know everything’  —  Newly revealed text messages between FBI paramours Peter Strzok and Lisa Page include an exchange about preparing talking points for then-FBI Director James Comey to give to President Obama, who wanted “to know everything we're doing.”

Trump's ‘marching orders’ to the Pentagon: Plan a grand military parade … President Trump's vision of soldiers marching and tanks rolling down the boulevards of Washington is moving closer to reality in the Pentagon and White House, where officials say they have begun to plan …

In Conversation: Quincy Jones  —  In both music and manner, Quincy Jones has always registered — from afar, anyway — as smooth, sophisticated, and impeccably well-connected.  (That's what earning 28 Grammy awards and co-producing Michael Jackson's biggest-selling albums will do.)

Sweeping budget deal would add $400 billion in federal spending, end months of partisan wrangling … Congressional leaders on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping budget deal that would add about $400 billion in federal spending over the next two years, delivering the military funding boost demanded …

Donald Trump's Hair Illusion Came Undone and We All Missed It  —  Last Friday, at the end of one of those frenetic weeks of news that now happen every week, President Trump boarded Air Force One.  The wind whipped across the tarmac with unusual force.  Trump, who normally has a MAGA hat for such occasions, was unusually unprepared.

Democrats flipped a Missouri state legislature seat that Trump won by 28 points  —  Special elections are painting a bleak outlook for the GOP.  —  Democrats had another good Tuesday night of special elections, this time in Missouri, where Mike Revis won a 3-point victory in House District 97 …

No, Trump has not been ‘contained.’ He's still as big a threat as ever.  —  THE MORNING PLUM:  —  Here's where we are today: President Trump's allies fear that refusing an interview with the special counsel, as his lawyers want, could trigger a destructive showdown that could go all the way to the Supreme Court.

Russian Trolls Ran Wild On Tumblr And The Company Refuses To Say Anything About It  —  Tumblrs run by Russian trolls generated hundreds of thousands of interactions with anti-Hillary Clinton, pro-Bernie Sanders content.  —  Russian trolls posed as black activists on Tumblr and generated hundreds …

Trump wants to talk to Mueller despite lawyers' concerns  —  (CNN)President Donald Trump's lawyers have aimed to hit the brakes on a potential sit-down with Robert Mueller, but Trump remains eager to speak with the special counsel, according to his allies.  —  One person familiar …

Openly gay figure skater Adam Rippon declined chance to speak with Vice President Pence  —  PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - Vice President Pence is set to arrive here soon to lead the official U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympic opening ceremony, a delegation that is making a strong political statement …

Cash for Coalition Against Trump Going Into Consultants' Pockets Instead … Omar Siddiqui couldn't make it to an August fundraiser in Beverly Hills for the Democratic Coalition Against Trump.  But he ponied up the $2,000 ticket price after the group's senior adviser, Scott Dworkin, sent him a personal invitation.

Here's what the critics are saying about “Black Panther” — it's a “masterpiece”  —  The first reviews of the Marvel film are streaming in, and they're even better than expected  —  “Black Panther,” the new Marvel film starring Chadwick Boseman, was always going to make history …

Meghan McCain believes Trump won't mock her father  —  President Donald Trump won't be trashing Sen. John McCain anytime soon.  —  After months of criticizing the war veteran over his stance on a GOP health bill and more, the president called the Arizona Republican's daughter Meghan in the fall …

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Treason, Trump, and the Democrats  —  RESPONSE TO...  TRUMP AND THE T-WORD  —  My piece on Trump's “treasonous” comments and the many examples of Democrats doing something similar over the past decade kicked up a lot of responses, some thoughtful like Jonah's, and many more reflexively partisan.