Top Items:
John Santucci / ABC News:
Special counsel Mueller wants to ask Trump about obstruction of justice: Sources — Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office wants to ask President Donald Trump about obstruction of justice, sources close to the White House tell ABC News. According to sources, the president learned within …
Discussion:
demwritepress.com, The Daily Caller, Associated Press, Mother Jones, Political Wire, Mediaite, Raw Story, LifeZette, Washington Post and Townhall
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Washington Post:
Mueller offers to limit investigators' questions for Trump in special counsel's latest effort to secure presidential interview — Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III renewed negotiations with President Trump's lawyers about a presidential sit-down after an extended standoff, according to two people briefed on the negotiations.
Discussion:
Mediaite
Eileen Sullivan / New York Times:
Trump Calls on Sessions to ‘Stop the Rigged Witch Hunt Right Now’ — WASHINGTON — President Trump called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday to end the special counsel investigation, an extraordinary appeal to the nation's top law enforcement official to end an inquiry directly in to the president.
Washington Post:
Trump calls Manafort prosecution ‘a hoax,’ says Sessions should stop Mueller investigation — President Trump on Wednesday said Attorney General Jeff Sessions should terminate the investigation into Russian election interference and called the prosecution of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort “a hoax.”
Discussion:
The Hill, The Atlantic, CNN, Axios, Shareblue Media, Vox, Weekly Standard, NPR, ThinkProgress, New York Post, Lawfare, CBS Denver, IJR, The Gateway Pundit, CNBC, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Contemptor, The Guardian and Breitbart
Aaron Rupar / ThinkProgress:
In desperate tweet, Trump begs Sessions to end Mueller investigation
In desperate tweet, Trump begs Sessions to end Mueller investigation
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, Raw Story, Daily Kos and Booman Tribune
Marc Fisher / Washington Post:
Manafort on trial: A scorched-earth prosecutor and not a mention of Trump
Manafort on trial: A scorched-earth prosecutor and not a mention of Trump
Discussion:
The Guardian, Splinter, Yahoo! Finance, RedState, Shakesville and Fox News Insider
Isaac Stanley-Becker / Washington Post:
‘We are Q’: A deranged conspiracy cult leaps from the Internet to the crowd at Trump's ‘MAGA’ tour — On Tuesday evening, the dark recesses of the Internet lit up with talk of politics. — “Tampa rally, live coverage,” wrote “Dan,” posting a link to President Trump's Tampa speech in a thread on 8chan …
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New Republic, Vox, Right Wing Watch, Axios, Hullabaloo, The Federalist, CNN, No More Mister Nice Blog, CANNONFIRE, ThinkProgress, The Nation, Hot Air, East Bay Times, Daily Kos and Shakesville
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Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
As the bizarre QAnon group emerges, Trump rallies go from nasty to dangerous — Hostility toward the media at Trump rallies is nothing new. It infected the presidential campaign and has marred every raucous gathering of supporters since the election. — But on Tuesday night in Tampa …
Discussion:
Commentary Magazine, HuffPost, Townhall and Daily Wire, more at Mediagazer »
New York Times:
What Is QAnon: Explaining the Internet Conspiracy Theory That Showed Up at a Trump Rally — Do you remember Pizzagate? It's a little like that: a web of baseless conspiracy theories. And its supporters were highly visible at an event for the president in Florida.
Discussion:
Right Wing Watch and Contemptor
Avery Anapol / The Hill:
Trump rally attendee holds up sign linked to conspiracy theory
Trump rally attendee holds up sign linked to conspiracy theory
Discussion:
Mediaite
Amanda Terkel / HuffPost:
Kirsten Gillibrand Pays The Price For Speaking Out Against Al Franken — A number of Democratic donors are furious at her for calling for Franken's resignation and may not support her in 2020. — No one in Congress is more associated with the Me Too movement than Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Daily Caller, BostonGlobe.com and Mediaite
Monmouth University Polling Institute:
Gap Narrows in CD12 Special — Motivated base and gains among independents boost Dem — West Long Branch, NJ - The race to fill the open seat in Ohio's 12th Congressional District has shifted from a Republican advantage last month to a toss-up now, according to the Monmouth University Poll.
Discussion:
Politico, Vox, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire
Rush Limbaugh / Rush Home:
President Trump Calls the Show! — RUSH: So I have this note on the call screener computer: “On the hotline...” We don't have a hotline. “On the hotline, you're receiving a phone call in recognition of your anniversary broadcast. You'll want to take this immediately.” Okay.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, National Review, The Rush Limbaugh Show, Conservative Review and Althouse
Kansas City Star:
Kobach promised cities help. It cost them millions — and powered his political rise — Kris Kobach likes to tout his work for Valley Park, Mo. He has boasted on cable TV about crafting and defending the town's hardline anti-immigration ordinance. He discussed his “victory” there at length on his old radio show.
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Media Matters for America, Balloon Juice, Kansas Democratic Party, New Republic and Eschaton
New York Times:
Facing Losses, Condé Nast Plans to Put 3 Magazines Up for Sale — Anna Wintour is staying, but the once-plush company behind Vogue and The New Yorker lost $120 million last year. — Condé Nast, the company behind Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, became …
U.S. Department of Justice:
Three Members of Notorious International Cybercrime Group “Fin7” In Custody for Role in Attacking Over 100 U.S. companies — Victim Companies in 47 U.S. States; Used Front Company ‘Combi Security’ to Recruit Hackers to Criminal Enterprise — Three high-ranking members …
Discussion:
Gizmodo, CBS Baltimore, The Daily Caller, Motherboard, The Verge, Engadget and fox13now.com, more at Techmeme »
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Eric Geller / Politico:
3 leaders of notorious cybercrime group arrested in Europe
3 leaders of notorious cybercrime group arrested in Europe
Discussion:
One America News Network
Charles Bethea / New Yorker:
News Outlets Are Prewriting Stories About Officials Getting Fired to Keep Up with the Trump Era — The resignations, firings, and ousters of senior government officials have always been big news. In 1991, two weeks after announcing that he'd stay on through the end of President George H. W. Bush's term …
Discussion:
Breitbart, Townhall and Outside the Beltway
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Sarah Huckabee Sanders uses a debunked story to blame the media for damaging the hunt for bin Laden — White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders just accused the media of hindering the American government's pursuit of Osama bin Laden just a few years before 9/11. But she may want to check her evidence.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Week and Contemptor
Meagan Day / Vox:
Democratic socialism, explained by a democratic socialist — It's not just New Deal liberalism. — “They are not traditional socialists. There is no call for communal ownership of production,” said an MSNBC anchor while attempting to define “democratic socialism,” a term that has burst onto …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Washington Blade
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Grace Gottschling / Campus Reform:
Democratic Socialists set up shop on campuses nationwide
Democratic Socialists set up shop on campuses nationwide
Discussion:
Daily Wire
Amina Dunn / Pew Research Center:
Trump's approval ratings so far are unusually stable - and deeply partisan — Over the course of an eventful first 18 months in office, President Donald Trump's approval ratings have remained remarkably stable. There has also been a wider gap between Republicans' and Democrats' views …
WCMH-TV:
Urban Meyer placed on paid administrative leave — COLUMBUS (WCMH/AP) — Ohio State University head coach Urban Meyer may have known about abuse allegations against former wide receivers coach Zach Smith, according to a report from a college football insider.
Discussion:
smokeroom.com
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Olivia Messer / The Daily Beast:
Texts Reveal Ohio State's Urban Meyer Knew His Aide Abused Wife in 2015: Report
Texts Reveal Ohio State's Urban Meyer Knew His Aide Abused Wife in 2015: Report
Discussion:
The Big Lead
Associated Press:
Pastor praises Trump as ‘pro-black’ at prison reform event — President Donald Trump was lauded by inner-city pastors, including one who said he may go down as the “most pro-black president” in recent history, during a White House roundtable on Wednesday that was focused on efforts to reform the prison system.
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Maria Sacchetti / Washington Post:
Attorney group: Child died ‘soon after’ release from ICE family detention facility — The American Immigration Lawyers Association said Wednesday that a migrant toddler died shortly after being released from an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Dilley, Tex.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Gizmodo, The Week, Reveal and Hill Reporter
CNN:
CNN exclusive: TSA considering eliminating screening at smaller airports — Washington (CNN)The Transportation Security Administration is considering eliminating passenger screening at more than 150 small and medium-sized airports across the US, according to senior agency officials and internal documents obtained by CNN.
Discussion:
The Verge and Boing Boing
Ryan Gallagher / The Intercept:
Google Plans to Launch Censored Search Engine in China, Leaked Documents Reveal — Google is planning to launch a censored version of its search engine in China that will blacklist websites and search terms about human rights, democracy, religion, and peaceful protest, The Intercept can reveal.
Cameron Joseph / Talking Points Memo:
Top House Republican: Man Killed His Wife ‘Because The Woman Was Unfair’ — One of the House's most powerful Republicans had some interesting things to say on domestic violence during a recent event back in his district. — Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), the chairman of the influential House Rules Committee …
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
The Trump team is running a disinformation campaign about Russian interference — Most of the headlines from Vice President Pence's cybersecurity speech Tuesday focused on how he clearly enunciated what President Trump won't: that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. And he did.
Discussion:
Morning Call, Associated Press and MSNBC
James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Koch network warns of ‘McCarthyism 2.0’ in conservative efforts to harass professors — THE BIG IDEA: — COLORADO SPRINGS—Leaders of the donor network led by billionaire Charles Koch say they want college students to study Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and Mao Zedong.
Dan Desai Martin / Shareblue Media:
GOP senator: Obamacare is ‘done’ if we gain Senate seats in midterms — If Republicans gain one or two seats in the 2018 elections, they plan on pursuing legislation to take away health care from millions of people. — Republicans are clear about their goals if they can win a couple …
Stephanie Murray / Politico:
Poll: Biden leads Trump in early 2020 match-up — Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 7 percentage points in a head-to-head match-up, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. — A plurality of registered voters, 44 percent, said they'd choose Biden …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Daily Wire, POLITICUSUSA, Contemptor, TheBlaze and Mediaite
Julie Hirschfeld Davis / New York Times:
White House Weighs Another Reduction in Refugees Admitted to U.S. — WASHINGTON — The White House is considering a second sharp reduction in the number of refugees who can be resettled in the United States, picking up where President Trump left off in 2017 in scaling back a program intended …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Splinter, Shakesville, Daily Kos and Political Wire
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Trump's Tampa circus proves you can't reason with his base — For once, the most memorable thing about one of the president's rallies was not his baldfaced lies nor his attacks on reality. Rather, Trump's Tampa rally will be remembered for the reporting of CNN's Jim Acosta.
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Common Dreams and Talking Points Memo
Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Poll: Senate race between Cruz, O'Rourke a dead heat — The Texas Senate race between Sen. Ted Cruz — (D-Texas) is neck and neck, according to a new poll released Wednesday. — The 2018 Texas Lyceum Poll showed Cruz leading O'Rourke by a hair — 41-39 percent among likely voters.
Discussion:
Politico and Political Wire
CNN:
Corey Stewart aide compared GOP establishment to a ‘house negro,’ disparaged civil rights leaders — Senate candidate takes personal shot at Cuomo — (CNN)A top consultant and spokesman for Corey Stewart, the Republican nominee for US Senate in Virginia, has used the term “house negro” …
Discussion:
Mediaite
Alexi McCammond / Axios:
Meet the 81 candidates Obama is endorsing in 2018 — President Obama released a list of 81 candidates he's endorsing ahead of the 2018 midterm election. — Why it matters: Obama is the left's answer to President Trump's continued presence in the primaries.
CNN:
Iran readying massive military exercise in Persian Gulf, officials say — Washington (CNN)Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard forces are expected to begin a major exercise in the Persian Gulf as soon as within the next 48 hours that could be aimed at demonstrating their ability to shut …
Discussion:
Fox News and The Daily Caller