A Liberal's Case for Brett Kavanaugh  —  The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be the next Supreme Court justice is President Trump's finest hour, his classiest move.  Last week the president promised to select “someone with impeccable credentials, great intellect, unbiased judgment …

Trump pardons Oregon ranchers at center of 40-day standoff  —  on Tuesday pardoned a pair of Oregon ranchers whose arson conviction became a focus for opponents of federal government land ownership.  —  Dwight Hammond, 76, and his son Steven Hammond, 49, were convicted in 2012 and sent to prison on arson charges.

Brutal poll: Democrats' Senate dream slips away  —  To win the Senate, Democrats need to keep all 10 seats they're defending in states that President Trump won in 2016 — plus pick up two more seats.  —  Why it matters: That's not happening.  A new Axios/SurveyMonkey poll of key states shows Dems …

Mike Pompeo: Qassem Soleimani is causing trouble in Iraq and Syria ... we need to raise the cost for him  —  US Secretary of State speaks exclusively to The National about America's commitment to Gulf security  —  United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on a mission to garner …

EU official criticizes Trump over attitude toward allies  —  BRUSSELS (AP) — A senior European Union official lashed out Tuesday at President Donald Trump, lambasting the U.S. leader for his constant criticism of European allies and urging him to remember who is friends are when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.

Giuliani works for foreign clients while serving as Trump's attorney  —  Rudolph W. Giuliani continues to work on behalf of foreign clients both personally and through his namesake security firm while serving as President Trump's personal attorney — an arrangement experts say raises conflict …

Dick Durbin's Supreme Sacrifice  —  Trading Democratic Senate seats to block Trump's nominee.  What could go wrong?  —  In Tennyson's hands the light brigade's disastrous frontal assault on Russian troops in the Crimean War produced some stirring verse.  But suicidal charges are less advised for political parties.

Secret tape recordings rock Georgia governor race  —  Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle can be heard saying the Republican primary had devolved into “who could be the craziest.”  —  ATLANTA — Another secret recording is shaking up Georgia's Republican primary runoff in the governor's race.

In honor of Trump visit, Brits launch campaign to lift ‘American Idiot’ to top of the charts  —  President Trump loved seeing “American Idiot,” the Green Day Broadway musical, on its opening night in 2010, calling it “an amazing theatrical experience!” on Twitter.

Another former OSU wrestler says Jim Jordan knew about alleged abuse  —  (CNN)A fifth former OSU wrestler has told CNN that Jim Jordan knew about the actions of Dr. Richard Strauss, the former Ohio State University medical doctor who treated athletes, and called Jordan, who is now a US Congressman …

NBC's Capitol Hill Reporter Demonstrates Why So Many Dislike the Press  —  Every time I criticize the mainstream press, I am treated to a saccharine lecture on how wrong I am to cast aspersions about America's most valuable profession.  “You don't understand,” I am informed.

Republicans pull endorsement of New Jersey candidate, citing ‘bigotry’  —  The National Republican Congressional Committee has withdrawn its endorsement of a candidate in New Jersey, after reporters dug up a offensive comments he'd made about black and Hispanic people.

Anatomy of a Trump rally: 76 percent of claims are false, misleading or lacking evidence  —  We're doing something new today: Analyzing every factual claim from President Trump's campaign rally in Montana on July 5.  —  According to The Fact Checker's database, the president had made 3,251 false …

Business Insider Pulls Conservative Column About Scarlett Johansson Playing Trans Man … Business Insider removed a post about portrayals of trans individuals in Hollywood after staff complained internally about the column, saying the article did not meet the publication's standards.

All 12 boys, coach rescued from flooded Thai cave  —  MAE SAI, Thailand (AP) — All 12 boys and their soccer coach have been rescued from a flooded cave in northern Thailand, the Thai navy SEALs said Tuesday, ending an 18-day ordeal that riveted people around the world.

Hecklers spoil another Mitch McConnell meal by blaring ‘Fight The Power’  —  Provided by Ben Norton, Louisville Courier Journal  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may need to start ordering takeout in Louisville.  —  The Kentucky Republican abruptly left Sarino …