Superior ruthlessness isn't why Republicans control the Supreme Court  —  They had some good luck — and, most importantly, they had the votes.  —  A strange explanation for Brett Kavanaugh's ascension to the Supreme Court emerged soon after the Senate confirmed him.

Kanye West Expected to Visit Trump at the White House  —  President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are expected to meet with the musician Kanye West on Thursday at the White House, two people familiar with the plans said.  —  Mr. West, who has faced a backlash over his vocal support …

Trump Campaign Aide Requested Online Manipulation Plans From Israeli Intelligence Firm  —  WASHINGTON — A top Trump campaign official requested proposals in 2016 from an Israeli company to create fake online identities, to use social media manipulation and to gather intelligence …

Kavanaugh catapults Marsha Blackburn into lead in key Tennessee Senate race  —  GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn holds her first sustained lead in the race for an open Tennessee Senate seat, catapulted ahead of Democrat Phil Bredesen by the partisan battle …

Scoop: Trump has accepted Nikki Haley's resignation  —  President Trump has accepted Nikki Haley's resignation as UN Ambassador, according to two sources briefed on their conversation.  The timing of her departure is still unclear.  —  What we're hearing: Haley discussed her resignation …

Taylor Swift's Instagram Post Has Caused A Massive Spike In Voter Registration  —  Since Taylor Swift flexed her star power Sunday with an Instagram post that encouraged her 112 million followers to register to vote, Vote.org has experienced an unprecedented flood of new voter registrations nationwide.

Is Ted Cruz “Tough As Texas”?  —  Is Ted Cruz really “Tough as Texas”?  Hardly.  Here's one Texan's take on that Ted Cruz fella... - Directed by Richard Linklater

POLITICO race ratings: The GOP House is crumbling  —  There are now 209 seats either firmly or leaning in the Democratic column — only 9 shy of the 218 needed to win control.  —  The Republican House majority continues to show signs of collapsing, with Democrats steadily gaining ground toward erasing …

The one conspiracy theory that Republicans won't believe  —  The Party of Trump has proved itself keen to propagate any conspiracy theory, no matter how ridiculous or racist.  —  Well, almost any conspiracy theory.  —  There were the microwave ovens that surveil your every move.

Full report: Skripal Poisoning Suspect Dr. Alexander Mishkin, Hero of Russia  —  Read The Insider Russian report on this same topic here.  —  In a preceding report on the investigation into the two suspects in the Skripals poisoning case, Bellingcat and its reporting partner the Insider disclosed …

The Kavanaugh cash surge  —  The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation fight has led to a huge increase in donations to Democrats and groups that support them — and Republicans say the battle has been good for their fundraising, too.  —  Why it matters: It's tangible evidence that the bitter Supreme Court showdown …

Heidi Heitkamp was ready to vote ‘yes’ on Kavanaugh.  Then she watched him with the sound off.  —  Sen. may lose seat after voting no on Kavanaugh  —  Bismarck, North Dakota (CNN)Sen. Heidi Heitkamp was ready to vote ‘yes’ on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Migrant Children in Search of Justice: A 2-Year-Old's Day in Immigration Court  —  Migrant Children in Search of Justice: A 2-Year-Old's Day in Court  —  Immigration courts are full of children like Fernanda.  A relative brought her to the United States from Honduras, and now her grandparents are trying to get her back.

Hurricane Michael Intensifies to Category 2; May Be Florida Panhandle's Strongest Landfall in 12 Years Wednesday  — Michael is expected to landfall along the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast Wednesday.  — Storm surge, damaging winds and heavy rain are likely impacts along the northeastern Gulf Coast.

Democrat Wexton leads Rep. Comstock by 12 points in northern Va. district, survey finds  —  President Trump's unpopularity fuels a clear lead for Democrat Jennifer Wexton over Rep. Barbara Comstock (R), putting a prized northern Virginia district within reach for Democrats …

Shock report: US paying more for illegal immigrant births than Trump's wall  —  Americans are paying more to cover the costs of illegal immigrants having children in the United States than Congress plans to give President Trump in border wall funding this year, according to an explosive new analysis of Census Bureau data.

Kavanaugh will be on the US supreme court for life.  Here's how we fight back  —  We are in, it seems, for decades of misery for labor unions, voting rights and regulation of businesses.  Or are we?  —  Brett Kavanaugh has been confirmed, and he will serve as a justice on the supreme court for the rest of his life.

Sen. Lindsey Graham to run for re-election in 2020, has ‘zero interest’ in Trump appointment  —  HIDE TRANSCRIPT SHOW TRANSCRIPT  —  EASLEY, S.C. —  After a heated confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court's newest associate justice Brett Kavanaugh, Sen. Lindsey Graham had a warm homecoming in front of constituents in Easley.

Some of Hitler's last relatives are living secret lives on Long Island  —  They're the Hitlers next door.  —  Some of Adolf Hitler's last surviving relatives have been living under the radar on Long Island for decades, according to a new report.  —  Hitler's great-nephews Alexander …

Weiner on track for early release … Disgraced ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner has finally found something he can do without screwing it up.  —  Nearly a year after he began his 21-month prison sentence for sexting with an underage girl, Weiner, 54, is set to be released early for good conduct.

Kavanaugh and the fallacy of cause and effect  —  Journalists are idealists.  We get into this business because we want to right wrongs, call out bad guys, and help underdogs.  Yet these days, so much of what we do is either ignored by a public who no longer reads us or dismissed by a political class intent on casting us as partisans.

Health Care Crowds Out Jobs, Taxes in Midterm Ads  —  Once mum on health care, Democrats are hammering the issue in political ads as GOP attempts to tout tax cuts and economy  —  Eight years ago, the newly passed Affordable Care Act was so widely criticized that it contributed …

US student detained in Israel for alleged boycott support  —  JERUSALEM (AP) — In a first-of-its-kind case, Israel has held an American graduate student at its international airport for a whole week, accusing her of supporting a Palestinian-led boycott movement against the Jewish state.