Top Items:
New York Times:
Trump Pushes for Interview With Mueller Against Lawyers' Advice — WASHINGTON — President Trump pushed his lawyers in recent days to try once again to reach an agreement with the special counsel's office about him sitting for an interview, flouting their advice that he should not answer …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, CNN, ABC News, emptywheel, The Hill, ThinkProgress, vagazette.com, Raw Story, USA Today, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, AOL, POLITICUSUSA, Daily Kos, CNBC, Townhall, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, Washington Times, Talking Points Memo, HuffPost, The Week, The Gateway Pundit, CBS Pittsburgh, New Republic, Sputnik International, Mediaite, TheBlaze, IJR, CBS Denver and Political Wire
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Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: Trump mulls a pre-election shutdown with Rush, and a pre-election anti-Pelosi ad — DRIVING THE DAY — SIREN ... REPUBLICANS are becoming increasingly concerned that they will lose the special election in Ohio's 12th congressional district, which would be a horrible sign for their election prospects this fall.
Discussion:
Monmouth University …, NBC News, New York Times, Contemptor, Talking Points Memo and Daily Kos
Jen Psaki / CNN:
Donald Trump has no earthly clue about how real people buy groceries — Jen Psaki, a CNN political commentator, was the White House communications director and State Department spokeswoman during the Obama administration. She is vice president of communications and strategy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Discussion:
Associated Press, New York Times and BloombergQuint
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump's lawyers fear a Mueller interview. The reason reveals the danger Trump faces.
Trump's lawyers fear a Mueller interview. The reason reveals the danger Trump faces.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Mother Jones and Roll Call
Axios:
Ivanka says family separation was White House “low point” — Ivanka Trump said during an Axios interview on Thursday that she agrees with White House colleagues who describe family separation as “a low point in the White House”: — “That was a low point for me as well.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mother Jones, CNN, Politico, ABC News, Associated Press, Business Insider, Shareblue Media, Splinter, The Daily Beast and Refinery29
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Nash Jenkins / TIME:
Ivanka Trump Says Family Separation at the Border Was a ‘Low Point’ — President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump said on Thursday that the separation of immigrant families at the border was “a low point.” — “That was a low point for me as well,” the 36-year-old Trump …
Seung Min Kim / Washington Post:
National Archives says it won't be able to produce all Kavanaugh documents until end of October — The National Archives said Thursday it won't be able to produce the full cache of documents requested by Senate Republicans on Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh until the end of October …
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Lisa Blatt / Politico:
I'm a Liberal Feminist Lawyer. Here's Why Democrats Should Support Judge Kavanaugh. — Sometimes a superstar is just a superstar. That is the case with Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who had long been considered the most qualified nominee for the Supreme Court if Republicans secured the White House.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, One America News Network, Reason, Washington Free Beacon and National Review
Joe Simonson / The Daily Caller:
Latest New York Times Hire Also Had Relationship With White Nationalist Hacker — The New York Times seems to be going through a redux with its latest hire of Sarah Jeong — who The Daily Caller News Foundation has just learned also had multiple correspondences with the white nationalist …
Discussion:
The Federalist
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Kevin D. Williamson / National Review:
The Times Can Hire and Fire Whomever It Likes — For some mysterious reason, my name keeps coming up in connection with that of Sarah Jeong, a writer recently hired by the New York Times editorial board. I am not familiar with her work, but there is a social-media campaign currently under way …
Discussion:
twitchy.com, more at Mediagazer »
Coral Davenport / New York Times:
Trump Unveils His Plan to Weaken Fuel Efficiency Rules — Want the latest climate news in your inbox? You can sign up here to receive Climate Fwd:, our email newsletter. — WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled its long-awaited proposal to dramatically weaken …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Caller, Engadget and Axios
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Emily Williams / BostonGlobe.com:
A black Smith College student was eating her lunch when an employee called police — The rising sophomore at Smith College was quietly eating her lunch in a campus common room when a police officer approached her Tuesday afternoon. — A college employee had called police to report someone who …
Discussion:
Shakesville, Raw Story and VICE News
Washington Post:
Aide to Trump-confidant Roger Stone ordered to appear before Mueller grand jury — A former aide to longtime President Trump confidant Roger Stone must testify before the special counsel's grand jury, a federal judge in Washington ruled Thursday. — The judge rejected a challenge from Andrew Miller …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Raw Story
NBC News:
Mueller wants to interview Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, lawyer says — The son of a Russian oligarch helped set up the now infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting. — Special counsel Robert Mueller has requested an interview with Russian pop star Emin Agalarov, who helped set …
Discussion:
Political Wire, The Week and Raw Story
Mike Fleming / Deadline:
Fox, Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Win Hot Package On Multi-Million Dollar Theft Of McDonald's Monopoly Game — EXCLUSIVE: Fox is poised to win the hot lit property in the marketplace at the moment, a giant Happy Meal that everyone wanted. Ben Affleck is attached to direct …
Politico:
Manafort trial Day 3: An 'M'-shaped flower bed and a Rick Gates guarantee — Special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors spent Thursday morning introducing witnesses who detailed the elaborate and unusual payment methods Paul Manafort used to fund his lavish lifestyle.
Discussion:
ABC News
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Kristen Young / capecodtimes.com:
Woman accused of hitting car in Hyannis after confrontation over bumper sticker — Tuesday — BARNSTABLE — A Taunton woman accused of intentionally driving into a man's car a month ago after becoming enraged by a Trump bumper sticker pleaded not guilty Monday in Barnstable District Court …
Discussion:
Daily Wire, Townhall, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Raw Story, TheBlaze and PJ Media Home
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A.J. Katz / TVNewser:
Here Are the Cable News Morning Show Ratings for July 2018 — TVNewser has received a number of emails lately asking for a break down of cable news morning show ratings, specifically for 6-9 a.m. ET shows. — Ask, and you shall receive. At least for the month of July. Will we do more of these?
Discussion:
Mediaite, Breitbart, Washington Post, POLITICUSUSA, IJR, Washington Times, The Daily Caller and Daily Wire
Heidi Przybyla / NBC News:
Trump's undermining of Obamacare violates the Constitution, new lawsuit charges — Four cities are charging that the president is failing to execute the law by actively undercutting the Affordable Care Act. — WASHINGTON — After congressional Republicans repeatedly failed last year …
Discussion:
Brookings, Townhall, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, Hill Reporter and The Democrats
Sky News:
Not drinking alcohol in middle age increases dementia risk, says report — Not drinking in middle age can increase the risk of dementia as much as drinking too much, according to a report. — The study tracked the drinking habits of 9,000 London civil servants between the ages of 35 and 55 from 1985 to 1993.
Fredreka Schouten / USA Today:
Exclusive: Fired-up liberals raise $1 billion on website for candidates, causes ahead of midterms — WASHINGTON - The online fundraising platform ActBlue this week surged past the $1 billion mark in contributions to Democratic candidates and causes in this election cycle.
Discussion:
Axios
Brian Beutler / Crooked Media:
Facebook Is The World's Biggest Right-Wing Media Company — The conservative movement, led by President Trump, has been engaged in a months-long campaign to intimidate tech-media platforms like Facebook out of policing disinformation, and into maximizing the reach of right-wing content …
Will Sommer / The Daily Beast:
Leather Addict Buzz Bissinger Calls Out Manafort's ‘Ridiculous’ Ostrich Jacket … Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's federal fraud trial this week has featured a surprising fashion sideline, with prosecutors introducing extravagant receipts meant to prove how Manafort spent his offshore money.
Discussion:
Washington Post
John Kass / Chicago Tribune:
Media don't want to understand Trump voters, all 63 million of them — This courtroom sketch depicts Paul Manafort, fourth from right, standing with his lawyers in front of U.S. district Judge T.S. Ellis III, rear, and the selected jury, left, during the jury selection at the Alexandria Federal Courthouse …
Discussion:
alicublog
Thomas B. Edsall / New York Times:
The Democratic Party Picked an Odd Time to Have an Identity Crisis — Can its unruly coalition take shape against Trump without one wing predominating? — The Democratic Party is a traditional political organization dedicated to winning elections. It is also a social justice movement, the political home of societal change.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Lee Smith / RealClearInvestigations:
Privately, Intel Officials Back Shutting Out Brennan, Clapper — President Trump has been criticized for politicizing the intelligence community by threatening to strip the security clearances of former top officials including John Brennan and James Clapper.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and Real Clear Politics
Nathaniel Meyersohn / CNNMoney:
Brookstone files for bankruptcy and will close all of its mall stores — The truth about the retail apocalypse — Brookstone filed for bankruptcy and will close its remaining 101 mall stores. — The mall and airport seller, best known for massage chairs, quirky gadgets, and travel luggage …
Discussion:
CBS Boston
Elisabetta Povoledo / New York Times:
Pope Declares Death Penalty Inadmissible in All Cases — ROME — Pope Francis has declared the death penalty inadmissible in all cases “because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” the Vatican announced on Thursday, in a shift in Roman Catholic teaching on the issue.
Discussion:
Associated Press, USA Today, New Republic, Daily Wire, Outside the Beltway, CNN, Hit & Run, Jezebel, Common Dreams, Friendly Atheist and VICE News
Charles Fain Lehman / Washington Free Beacon:
Americans Having Fewer Kids Now Than in Past 42 Years — Fertility rate down yet again, CDC says — The U.S. fertility rate hit a 42-year low in the first quarter of 2018, new data released Wednesday by the Center for Disease Control show. — New numbers from the National Vital Statistics System …
Washington Post:
How Republicans trick Facebook and Twitter with claims of bias — Nikki Usher is a visiting associate professor in the College of Media at the University of Illinois and an associate professor at The George Washington University. Her latest book is “Interactive Journalism: Hackers, Data, and Code.”
Essex Porter / KIRO:
PSE sends racial slur to black woman — SEATTLE - An African-American woman says Puget Sound Energy emailed her a racial slur to use as the temporary password to her online account. — Erica Conway believes the insult was deliberate and wants the company to get to the bottom of it.
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
Bolton: Trump ‘will not tolerate interference’ in U.S. elections — National security adviser John Bolton said in a letter to Senate Democrats Thursday that President Donald Trump is doing more to defend U.S. elections from foreign influence than any previous administration …
Discussion:
New York Times and Washington Post
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
SENATE VOTES TO RELEASE DOCS ON ALLEGED RUSSIAN AGENT — Flake checks in from Zimbabwe — GRAHAM-TRUMP RELATIONSHIP MAY BE TESTED AGAIN — Pelosi and Trump dominate deadlocked Ohio special election — THE INVESTIGATIONS — The Senate acted yesterday afternoon to release documents relevant …
Discussion:
Daily Wire
Michael F. Cannon / Washington Examiner:
Obamacare is now optional — At long last, the Trump administration has created a “freedom option” for people suffering under Obamacare. A final rulemaking issued Wednesday reverses an Obama-era regulation that exposed the sick to medical underwriting. The new rule will expand consumer protections …