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Three big takeaways from Trump's humiliating Pennsylvania failure … THE MORNING PLUM: — Democrat Conor Lamb is clinging to a lead of around 600 votes in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District, but most news organizations have refrained from calling the race.
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Pa. 18 congressional district results: Democrat Conor Lamb maintains lead with absentee votes counted — In a highly-watched special election in western Pennsylvania, Democrat Conor Lamb is maintaining a slim lead over Republican Rick Saccone. — With all precincts fully reporting …
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight, Mother Jones, Washington Post, Daily Kos and CNN


The ‘Enthusiasm Gap’ Could Turn A Democratic Wave Into A Tsunami — It's a busy time of year, so we'll keep this relatively short. But I wanted to echo and underscore a point made by FiveThirtyEight contributor Nathaniel Rakich in his article on Tuesday's special election in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District.
Discussion:
New York Times, Politico, NPR, Townhall.com, Daily Kos and Washington Free Beacon

Republicans prepare for recount in Pennsylvania special election
Discussion:
Axios, Washington Post, Vox and Political Wire

Pennsylvania's special election, by the numbers
Discussion:
Washington Post, ABC News, Vox and CNN

Democrat Conor Lamb apparent winner in Pennsylvania upset, deals blow to Trump
Discussion:
ABC News, Los Angeles Times, The Hill, NBC News, Reuters, Politico, Roll Call, Common Dreams, Boing Boing, Axios, WREG-TV, NTK Network and Mediaite

Democrat Conor Lamb is the apparent winner of a House seat …
Discussion:
New York Times, ThinkProgress, The Daily Beast, Vox, IJR, New Republic and The Root

Pennsylvania's special election isn't an isolated incident. The GOP is in trouble.
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics, New York Magazine, RedState and Politicus USA

Paul Ryan on Republican struggling in Pennsylvania race: ‘Both of these candidates ran as conservatives’
Discussion:
New Republic and Joe.My.God.

'It's not over yet:' Nail-biter Pennsylvania special election heads into 2nd day
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Fox News, Townhall.com, theGrio and IJR


Andrew McCabe, a Symbol of Trump's F.B.I. Ire, Faces Possible Firing — WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is reviewing a recommendation to fire the former F.B.I. deputy director, Andrew G. McCabe, just days before he is scheduled to retire on Sunday, people briefed on the matter said.
Discussion:
Politico, Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, Axios, NY State of Politics, CNBC, The Gateway Pundit, NBC News, Political Wire, KTLA, Daily Kos and Joe.My.God.
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FBI disciplinary office recommends firing former deputy director Andrew McCabe … The FBI office that handles employee discipline has recommended firing the bureau's former deputy director over allegations that he authorized the disclosure of sensitive information to a reporter …


Trump plans to name Larry Kudlow his top economic advisor, replacing Gary Cohn: Sources — President Donald Trump plans to name Larry Kudlow as his top economic advisor, sources told CNBC. — Trump could announce his decision to choose Kudlow as his National Economic Council director as soon as Thursday.
Discussion:
Politico, CNN, National Review, TheStreet, Daily Kos, Splinter, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Fox News, Raw Story, KTLA and IJR
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Kudlow to be top White House economic adviser as Trump adds longtime loyalist
Discussion:
Politico, ABC News, The Daily Beast, Media Matters for America, Forbes, Breitbart, Mother Jones, Shareblue Media and Mediaite

Lawrence Kudlow Says He's Accepted Post as Trump's White House Economic Adviser
Discussion:
Vox, Common Dreams and NPR

Trump's New Economic Adviser Lawrence Kudlow Has Been Wrong About Everything for Decades
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Lawyers, Guns & Money


Seaside High teacher accidentally fires gun in class, students injured — SEASIDE, Calif. — A teacher who also serves as a reserve police officer accidentally fired a gun inside a Seaside High School classroom Tuesday, police said, and three students were injured.
Discussion:
Monterey County Herald, Vox, New York Times, CNN, The Guardian, New York Magazine, KTLA, The Daily Beast, Shakesville, Raw Story, The Root, VICE News, Mediaite, Joe.My.God., thecut, fox8.com and Splinter
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Teacher accidentally fires gun in California class, 3 hurt — SEASIDE, Calif. (AP) — A teacher in Northern California accidentally fired his gun inside a classroom, injuring three students, police said. — Dennis Alexander, who is also a reserve police officer, was pointing the gun …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Instapundit


Gun-trained teacher accidentally discharges firearm in Calif. classroom, injuring student … A teacher who is also a reserve police officer trained in firearm use accidentally discharged a gun Tuesday at Seaside High School in Monterey County, Calif., during a class devoted to public safety.
Discussion:
Monterey County Weekly, Talking Points Memo, Hullabaloo, IJR, Common Dreams, Outside the Beltway, CityLab and Boing Boing


National School Walkout: Live Updates — Thousands of students, emboldened by a growing protest movement over gun violence, stood up in their classrooms on Wednesday and walked out of their schools in a nationwide demonstration, one month after a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Florida.
Discussion:
NBC News, USA Today, Fox News, The Daily Beast, TIME, The FADER, gadflyonthewallblog, The Verge, Mashable, Sun-Sentinel, Media Matters for America, NewsHounds blog, Monterey County Herald, Vox, Common Dreams, Hyperallergic, Billy Penn, Refinery29, Outside the Beltway, Houston Public Media, Raw Story, MY CENTRAL JERSEY and EdSource
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NATIONAL SCHOOL WALKOUT LIVE: Thousands of students begin rally in solidarity to end gun violence
Discussion:
National Review, CBS News, CNN, Joe.My.God., News & Guts Media, The Daily Caller and twitchy.com

Viacom to Support Courageous Youth Activists Who Have Had Enough of Gun Violence


“Trump Wants Them Out of There”: After Swinging the Axe at Tillerson, Trump Mulls What to Do with McMaster, Sessions, Jared, and Ivanka — With tariffs done, Trump's sights are now on the Iran deal—and, possibly, the Russia investigation. “The president is finally realizing he is the president …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story and CNBC


First on CNN: Emails show Ben, Candy Carson selected $31,000 dining set — Washington (CNN)Newly released emails cast doubt on claims by Secretary Ben Carson and his spokesman that he had little or no involvement in the purchase of a $31,000 furniture set for his Department of Housing and Urban Development dining room.


Donald Trump Jr. and wife headed for divorce, friends say — Donald Trump Jr. and his wife, Vanessa Trump, are struggling through marital problems and friends say they are heading for divorce, multiple sources have exclusively confirmed to Page Six. — Vanessa and the eldest son …
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Daily Caller and Joe.My.God.

Theranos, CEO Holmes, and Former President Balwani Charged With Massive Fraud — Holmes Stripped of Control of Company for Defrauding Investors — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Silicon Valley-based private company Theranos Inc., its founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes …
Discussion:
Politico, BuzzFeed, CNBC, CBS Los Angeles, Mashable, STAT, Boing Boing, The Verge, Gizmodo, Engadget and CBS San Francisco, more at Techmeme »
RELATED:

Theranos chief executive Elizabeth Holmes charged with massive fraud
Discussion:
Breitbart


Taking Action Against Britain First — People come to Facebook to express themselves freely and share openly with friends and family, sometimes this can include their political views. Some political opinions might be controversial, but it is important that different views can be shared …
Discussion:
Gizmodo, Boing Boing, The Verge, New York Times, Hit & Run, NBC News, The Next Web, Engadget, VICE News, Front Page Magazine and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »


CNN Moves Chris Cuomo to Prime Time — CNN is turning to one of its morning anchors to shore up prime time. — Chris Cuomo, the outspoken co-host of “New Day” who has gained prominence — and received some right-wing blowback — for his coverage of the Trump administration …
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, CNNMoney and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »


Trump is open to short-term DACA deal, White House tells GOP leaders … White House officials have told key Republican leaders on Capitol Hill that President Trump is open to cutting a deal in an upcoming spending bill to protect young immigrants from deportation in exchange for border wall funding …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, CNBC, Breitbart and Political Wire
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Dems are angry over Hillary Clinton's latest comments — Democrats are angry that Hillary Clinton — continues to discuss what went wrong during the 2016 presidential election against President Trump — Even some of Clinton's own former aides and surrogates say the former Democratic presidential nominee …


Scott Pruitt's $25,000 soundproof phone booth? It actually cost more like $43,000. … Before Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt could install a secure, soundproof phone booth in his office last fall, officials had to create space for the addition in a nearby closet area.
Discussion:
American Oversight, Talking Points Memo and thecut


Axios PM — Subscribe — 1 big thing: “The most toxic working environment on the planet” — In 14 months covering this White House, Axios' Jonathan Swan emails, he's never registered such a mood of acute anxiety from within the West Wing. — What we're hearing: Nobody knows what exactly …
Discussion:
miamiherald and Politico


A pardon expert emailed me his life's work. Then he killed his two sons and himself. — A White House correspondent tries to reconcile a professor's valuable contribution to the study of the presidential mercy with his horrific final acts. — EDITOR'S NOTE: A version of this essay also appears in the Columbia Journalism Review.


Beware of Devin Nunes's Next Move — This week Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee announced that they will be ending their investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, having found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the Trump administration.