How Michael Cohen, Denied White House Job, Was Seen as Its Gatekeeper  —  After paying off a pornographic film actress and doing other tasks to help his boss win the presidency, Michael D. Cohen was surprised to find that the doors to the White House were mostly closed to him.

Israel retaliates after Iran ‘fires 20 rockets’ at army in occupied Golan Heights  —  Iranian forces stationed in Syria fired about 20 rockets at Israeli military positions in the Golan Heights just after midnight on Thursday, according to Israel's army, which appeared to retaliate with multiple strikes across Syria.

Trump gives freed Americans flag-waving, wee-hours welcome  —  JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AP) — Staging a made-for-TV, still-of-the-night arrival ceremony, President Donald Trump welcomed home three Americans freed by North Korea and declared their release a sign of promise toward his goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

Trump is no longer the worst person in government … Donald Trump, with his feral cunning, knew.  The oleaginous Mike Pence, with his talent for toadyism and appetite for obsequiousness, could, Trump knew, become America's most repulsive public figure.  And Pence, who has reached this pinnacle …

Why the Democrats Just Lost the Senate  —  While Nancy Pelosi is shopping for speaker's gavels, Chuck Schumer should be preparing for another term as minority leader.  —  For Democrats, the Don Blankenship dream is over.  The coal-mining baron and ex-con was a pleasant diversion …

STATEMENT BY SASC CHAIRMAN JOHN McCAIN ON THE NOMINATION OF GINA HASPEL TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE CIA  —  Washington, D.C. ­- U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today on the nomination of Gina Haspel to be Director of the CIA:

Baltimore County Executive, Democratic candidate for governor Kevin Kamenetz dies  —  Kevin Kamenetz, Baltimore County Executive and Democratic candidate for governor died this morning of cardiac arrest.  —  Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz — a Democratic candidate for governor …

Pence says it's time for Mueller to wrap it up  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence says it's time for special counsel Robert Mueller to conclude his probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election.  —  He says: “In the interests of the country, I think it's time to wrap it up.”

Don Jr. moving on from Vanessa with Fox host Kimberly Guilfoyle  —  Amid his divorce from his wife of 12 years, Donald Trump Jr. has started dating stunning Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle.  —  Multiple sources exclusively tell Page Six that Don Jr. and Guilfoyle, a co-host of “The Five …

McCain Confirms He Gave Trump Dossier to Comey: ‘Duty Demanded I Do’ It … In his new book, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) confirms that he gave a controversial dossier about President Trump to former FBI chief James Comey.  —  “I agreed to receive a copy of what is now referred to as 'the dossier …

“People Get Subpoenas, Shit Gets Real”: What John Edwards Should Teach the Media About Covering Trump  —  If you were in Las Vegas and could win $1 million by placing a simple prop bet on whether Trump enjoyed some pee play with Russian hookers in Moscow in 2013, would you bet yes or no?

‘Defective at its core’: How Trump opted to scrap Iran deal  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — It was all there on paper in black and white, down to the precise number of centrifuges: the terms of a potential “fix” that President Donald Trump had demanded for the United States to stay in the Iran nuclear deal.

Adelson gives $30 million to help GOP save the House  —  The donation to the Congressional Leadership Fund is a big boost to Republicans facing a tough midterm environment.  —  Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has cut a $30 million check to the House GOP-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund …

Salem executives pressured radio hosts to cover Trump more positively, emails show  —  Executives at Salem Media Group, a conservative media company that syndicates some of the country's most recognized talk radio hosts and operates a batch of popular commentary websites …

The Obama Legacy Deserves To Be Destroyed  —  Smash the rickety legacy of executive abuse!  —  It's strange that a president who had such a transformative effect on our national discourse will leave such a negligible policy legacy.  But Barack Obama, whose imperial term changed …

Eric Greitens takes aim at Republicans, leaves liberal measures on midterm ballot  —  Embattled Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, is declining to block from the November ballot three initiatives that could boost Democratic turnout in the midterm.  —  Greitens faces possible impeachment …

CNN poll: Democrats' 2018 advantage is nearly gone  —  CNN Poll: Trump approval holding steady  —  Washington (CNN)The generic congressional ballot has continued to tighten, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, with the Democrats' edge over Republicans within the poll's margin of sampling error for the first time this cycle.