Top Items:
Michael A. Cohen / BostonGlobe.com:
John Kelly was supposed to be ‘the adult in the room.’ He's anything but — John Kelly is the perfect Donald Trump staffer — he's a bad person who is bad at his job. — While this might seem like a harsh judgment, consider the evidence. — This week, the White House has been embroiled in controversy …
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Washington Post:
As Jared Kushner's security clearance is delayed, White House hesitates to act on others with possible problems … White House Counsel Donald McGahn and other Trump administration officials have been so vexed by Jared Kushner's months-long inability to obtain a permanent security clearance …
Discussion:
Raw Story, 89.3 KPCC, The Mahablog, NPR, Washington Times, Shareblue Media and Politico
Mary Jordan / Washington Post:
Hope Hicks: The quiet one in Trump's White House suddenly feels the glare … In a White House full of noise, she is the quiet one. Not the TV gladiator, not press room warrior, not a general. Certainly not the Mooch. — Hope Hicks, the discreet aide always at President Trump's side whose desk …
Haley Britzky / Axios:
Trump's history of defending the accused
Trump's history of defending the accused
Discussion:
Washington Post, Vox, Shareblue Media, ThinkProgress and New York Times
Jacqueline Thomsen / The Hill:
Gillibrand: If Trump wants due process, we'll have hearings on allegations against him
Gillibrand: If Trump wants due process, we'll have hearings on allegations against him
Discussion:
Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Political Wire, twitchy.com, ABC News, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite and Deadline
CNN:
Dozens of Trump officials still lack full security clearance
Dozens of Trump officials still lack full security clearance
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Boing Boing and Mediaite
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
The White House's broken promise on the Democratic memo
The White House's broken promise on the Democratic memo
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and The Week
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
White House lurches into crisis mode, again
White House lurches into crisis mode, again
Discussion:
Washington Post
The Hill:
Trump declines to approve release of Dem counter-memo
Trump declines to approve release of Dem counter-memo
Discussion:
Politico, Mother Jones, Splinter, Joe.My.God., twitchy.com and Sarah Palin
Wall Street Journal:
John Kelly and Hope Hicks Face Scrutiny as Trump Questions Response to Abuse Allegations
John Kelly and Hope Hicks Face Scrutiny as Trump Questions Response to Abuse Allegations
Karoun Demirjian / Washington Post:
Trump will not release Democrats' memo on FBI surveillance
Trump will not release Democrats' memo on FBI surveillance
Discussion:
New York Magazine and The Week
Luis Alonso Lugo / Talking Points Memo:
WH Website Still Lacks Spanish Version A Year Into Trump Admin
CNN:
Kim Jong Un's sister is stealing the show at the Winter Olympics — (CNN)If “diplomatic dance” were an event at the Winter Olympics, Kim Jong Un's younger sister would be favored to win gold. — With a smile, a handshake and a warm message in South Korea's presidential guest book …
Discussion:
NewsBusters, twitchy.com, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Sarah Palin and The Diplomat
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Pence upstaged by 2 Koreas' efforts to warm ties — Vice President Mike Pence's efforts to keep North Korea from stealing the show at the Winter Olympics proved to be short-lived, quickly drowned out by the images of the two Koreas marching and competing together, as the South appeared …
Discussion:
ABC News, One America News Network, Shareblue Media, Breitbart and The Diplomat
Brent D. Griffiths / Politico:
Fred Warmbier criticizes North Korean Olympic spirit
Fred Warmbier criticizes North Korean Olympic spirit
Discussion:
One America News Network, Breitbart and Jezebel
Lauren Gardner / Politico:
Top official departs ‘rudderless’ railroad safety agency — A top official charged with overseeing the safety of the nation's railroads has resigned “effective immediately,” the Department of Transportation said Saturday after POLITICO raised questions about whether he was simultaneously working …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Axios, NPR and Shareblue Media
Sarah Ruiz-Grossman / HuffPost:
ICE Set To Deport Undocumented Father Whose 5-Year-Old Son Is Battling Cancer — The agency chose not to grant the Arizonan another stay despite his child's leukemia. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to deport an undocumented man from Mexico whose child is battling cancer.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Hullabaloo
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
Sinclair Broadcast Group solicits its news directors for its political fundraising efforts … The nation's largest TV station owner is gearing up to fight for deregulation, and it wants some of its own newsroom managers to join the effort. — Sinclair Broadcast Group is asking its executives …
Discussion:
Axios and Political Wire
Laura M. Holson / New York Times:
How Joy Reid of MSNBC Became a Heroine of the Resistance — The daughter of immigrants, she spars fiercely with supporters of President Trump, both on the air and in the Twitter ether. — In early January, Joy-Ann Reid invited Pastor Mark Burns to be a guest on her MSNBC show …
CNN:
Woodward and Bernstein: Trump's Russia response ‘eerily similar’ to Nixon's leading up to Saturday Night Massacre — Woodward and Bernstein adapted this piece from their 1976 book, “The Final Days.” This excerpt is appearing both in The Washington Post and on CNN. — (CNN)We're here again.
Discussion:
Mediaite
Yaniv Kubovich / Haaretz:
Israel Downs Iranian Drone, Strikes Syria; Israeli F-16 Shot Down — One pilot in serious condition Israel attacks Syrian, Iranian targets in fresh strike Rocket sirens sound throughout northern Israel — An Israeli F-16 was downed Saturday morning after Israel intercepted an Iranian drone launched from Syria into Israeli territory.
Discussion:
RedState
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Isabel Kershner / New York Times:
Israel Strikes Iran in Syria, Losing Jet, as Conflict Moves Into Perilous Phase
Israel Strikes Iran in Syria, Losing Jet, as Conflict Moves Into Perilous Phase
Discussion:
Power Line, Axios, JustOneMinute and The Daily Caller
Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:
The Democrats' secret weapon to take back statehouses — Donald Trump has certainly helped. But Democrats' massive success in flipping statehouse seats in special elections this past year isn't happening by accident. — The party's dominance — it's flipped 35 seats …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Fired Official Was Exploring Resolution to 9/11 Case Precluding Death Penalty — WASHINGTON — Before his sudden firing last week, the Pentagon official who oversaw military commission trials at Guantánamo Bay was exploring potential plea deals to end the long-delayed prosecution …
VICE:
How One Subway Closure in Queens Wrecked a Community — In early 2019, the L train in New York City will shut down for 15 months to repair damage caused during Hurricane Sandy. Leading up to the closure, VICE will be providing relevant updates and policy proposals, as well as profiles …