Backfire.  —  At 12:30 in the afternoon on September 27, I don't think there were many serious political thinkers or activists on the Right who thought Brett Kavanaugh would survive that morning's testimony by his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford.  —  Eight days later—today—Kavanaugh all but secured his appointment.

Grassley Says Workload Discourages Women Senators From Joining Judiciary Panel, Then Walks Back Remark  —  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) predicted that there would be more Republican women on his panel next year, after suggesting that the panel's workload was a deterrent.

F.B.I. Review of Kavanaugh Was Limited From the Start  —  WASHINGTON — An exasperated President Trump picked up the phone to call the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, last Sunday.  Tell the F.B.I. they can investigate anything, he told Mr. McGahn, because we need the critics to stop.

The battle over accusations goes on as Kavanaugh nomination advances  —  Kavanaugh classmates ignored by the FBI speak out, reveal new text message.  —  WASHINGTON — As Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, closed out his executive summary of allegations of sexual misconduct …

Melania Trump's latest white hat evokes colonialist comparison  —  (CNN)When first lady Melania Trump first stepped out in front of the press Friday in Nairobi, Kenya, she was wearing an outfit suitable for the setting.  She was at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, ready to pet …

My statement on winning the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize  —  This morning the Nobel Committee informed me that I was selected as a co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize.  I am incredibly honored and humbled by their support and I share this award with Yazidis, Iraqis, Kurds …

Investigation at Yale Law School  —  An inquiry into the actions of a prominent professor reveals why it's so hard to report inappropriate behavior at the top law school in the country.  —  One afternoon late in her first year at Yale Law School, Linda sat down to create a contemporaneous record …

'I'm Doing My Workout,' Mayor Tells Homeless Woman Seeking Help  —  Video shows Mayor Bill de Blasio told 72-year-old Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, “I can't do this now.”

Lawsuits point to large trove of unreleased Kavanaugh White House documents  —  New details have emerged about potentially thousands of Brett Kavanaugh's White House emails and other records related to the Senate hacking scandal from early in the George W. Bush administration …

LaCroix ingredients: Lawsuit alleges “all natural” claim is false  —  LaCroix sparkling water is facing a lawsuit alleging its claims of “all natural” and “100 percent natural” are misleading because of artificial ingredients.  —  “Testing reveals that LaCroix contains a number of artificial ingredients …

Nunes buried evidence on Russian meddling to protect Trump.  I know because I'm on the committee  —  No one really expected President Donald Trump, who benefited from Russia's 2016 election interference, to counter that hostile regime's active measures: Russia wanted him to win, and when they hacked, he invited them to hack more.

The War That Never Ends  —  The vote on Brett Kavanaugh is likely to be taken this weekend.  But, the impact of the battle over his confirmation is likely to have short and long-term consequences.  —  As for the short term, the consensus seems to be building among both Democratic …

Tennessee Senate race: Phil Bredesen goes all in on pledge to break with Democrats  —  (CNN)Democratic Senate hopeful Phil Bredesen is going all out to highlight his pledge to break with his own party as he seeks to win in conservative Tennessee.  —  Bredesen, a popular former governor …

A journalist's disappearance may rev up a Middle East rivalry  —  Want smart analysis of the most important news in your inbox every weekday along with other global reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know?  Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter.  —  We still do not know what has happened to Jamal Khashoggi.

Trump abruptly replaces federal personnel director after just 7 months  —  President Trump on Friday abruptly replaced his federal personnel director after just seven months, leaving the agency that oversees 2.1 million civil servants with no permanent leadership at a time when the White House …

Take a Tour of Manafort's Multimillion-Dollar Homes, Going Up for Sale  —  As part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors, Paul Manafort, President Trump's disgraced campaign chairman, forfeited his New York homes worth about $22 million to the government.  —  An 1890s Brooklyn brownstone with gilded details.