memeorandum: You don't bring a novice to a knife fight. That's why Democrats need Nancy Pelosi. (Jill Lawrence/USA Today)

9:00 AM ET, December 11, 2018

Top Items:

After Ayers Turns Down Chief of Staff Job, Trump Is Left Without a Plan B — WASHINGTON — President Trump has often bragged about having his pick of only the best people to serve in his administration. — Being publicly rejected by his first choice for chief of staff …

Discussion: USA Today, Politico, BuzzFeed News, Raw Story, Hullabaloo, Brookings, National Review, The Daily Beast, Washington Free Beacon, Mercury News, Hit & Run, Bloomberg and Talking Points Memo

Jim Acosta / CNN:

Trump concerned about being impeached, sees it as a ‘real possibility,’ source says — (CNN)President Donald Trump has expressed concern that he could be impeached when Democrats take over the House, a source close to the President told CNN Monday. The source said Trump sees impeachment as a “real possibility.”

Discussion: Raw Story and Vox

Associated Press:

Some Trump allies starting to worry about investigations — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's intensifying legal troubles are unnerving some of his fellow Republicans. Despite his brash stance, they believe the turmoil has left him increasingly vulnerable as he gears up for what is sure to be a nasty fight for re-election.

Discussion: Shareblue Media

Bob Brigham / Raw Story:

‘The bottom is going to fall out’: White House reporter says Republicans are privately discussing abandoning Trump — Donald Trump is facing “looming problem” as Republicans contemplate abandoning the president as more evidence of wrongdoing comes to light, Los Angeles Times White House …

Paul Waldman / Washington Post:

Smart Republicans are already abandoning Trump. But they're still culpable. — Nick Ayers is a shrewd operator. Currently serving as chief of staff to Vice President Pence, Ayers has the political experience most top White House aides lack and was expected by everyone …

Discussion: The Atlantic and Raw Story

CNN:
CNN Poll: Approval ratings for Trump, Mueller fall

Discussion: Feeds

Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:
“It Got Back to Trump That Kelly Was Bad-Mouthing Him”: After Firing John Kelly on Impulse …

Discussion: Baltimore Sun, Shareblue Media, New York Times and The Daily Beast

Mike Allen / Axios:
Trump's “reality tremor” as Mueller fallout piles up

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times, Associated Press and The Gateway Pundit

Kaitlan Collins / CNN:
Amid chief of staff search, Trump increasingly anxious over political future

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, NorthJersey.com, Townhall, ABC News and Political Wire

Washington Post:
‘There was no Plan B’: Trump scrambles to find chief of staff after top candidate turns him down

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Conservative News Today, Washington Press, New York Post, CNN, Associated Press, Fox News Insider, NPR, Sputnik International, Raw Story and IJR

The Hill:
Meadows looks to make his move

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Daily Wire

Wall Street Journal: Thank You, John Kelly

Rahm Emanuel / The Atlantic:
Trump Doesn't Want a Chief of Staff

Discussion: Politico

Washington Post:

We are former senators. The Senate has long stood in defense of democracy — and must again. — By 44 Former U.S. Senators — As former members of the U.S. Senate, Democrats and Republicans, it is our shared view that we are entering a dangerous period, and we feel an obligation to speak …

Discussion: Axios, Conservative News Today, Joe.My.God., HuffPost, Politico and CNN

Pete Madden / ABC News:

Maria Butina, accused Russian agent, reaches plea deal with prosecutors that includes cooperation — Maria Butina, a 30-year-old Russian gun rights activist who stands accused developing a covert influence operation in the United States, has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and cooperate with federal …

Discussion: Washington Press, NPR, HuffPost, Balloon Juice, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Splinter, Law & Crime, Boing Boing, Joe.My.God., Washington Post, Moms Demand Action …, Talking Points Memo, Vox and National Newswatch

Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:

Maria Butina Agrees to Cooperate With U.S. — Butina has inked an agreement with prosecutors and becomes the first Russian since the 2016 election to confess to a crime connected to efforts to influence American politics. — Betsy Woodruff — Maria Butina, a Russian national …

Discussion: News Agency UNIAN, ABC News and Talking Points Memo

Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Dan Bongino Out at NRATV

Discussion: Mediaite, Joe.My.God. and Talking Points Memo

Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Sources: Dan Bongino Out at NRATV

Discussion: Big League Politics and twitchy.com

Anna Massoglia / OpenSecrets.org:
NRA leader, Jack Abramoff and GOP operative tied to alleged Russian spy Maria Butina have long history …

Discussion: Shakesville

Tim Stelloh / NBC News:

Time's 2018 ‘Person of the Year’ is killed and imprisoned journalists — Time magazine is spotlighting a handful of journalists who have one thing in common: They were targeted for their work. — “The Guardians.” — That's what Time magazine is calling the journalists behind 2018's …

Discussion: Townhall, twitchy.com and TODAY.com

Eun Kyung Kim / TODAY.com:

TIME's 2018 Person of the Year: ‘The Guardians and the War on Truth’ — Four journalists and one newspaper “are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world.” — A group of journalists whose work has landed them in jail — or cost them their lives — have been named TIME's Person of the Year for 2018.

Discussion: Joe.My.God. and The Daily Caller

Coral Davenport / New York Times:

Trump Prepares to Unveil a Vast Reworking of Clean Water Protections — The proposed new rule would chip away at wetlands safeguards put in place during the administration of President George H.W. Bush. — TRUMP ADMINISTRATION — As Trump Turns to Sanctions, One Group Earns Big Paydays: Lobbyists

Discussion: New Republic, Raw Story and Axios

Erica Orden / CNN:

How Michael Cohen could help the feds get the Trump Organization — Feds: Cohen broke the law at Trump's direction — New York (CNN)In most respects, Michael Cohen was a frustrating witness for New York investigators. — He toyed with, but wouldn't commit to, “full cooperation” with prosecutors, according to court filings.

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Sudden shift in get-Trump talk; now it's campaign finance, not Russia

Discussion: Instapundit, Hit & Run and Shareblue Media

CNN: GOP shrugs at Trump's involvement in Cohen payments

Laurence H. Tribe / BostonGlobe.com:

Constitution rules out a sitting president's immunity from criminal prosecution — Only President Trump seems not to have noticed — or at least refuses to acknowledge — that the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in his Dec. 7 memo regarding Michael Cohen's sentencing …

Discussion: Raw Story

David Badash / Alternet:
Harvard law professor issues scathing takedown of DOJ policy that bars prosecutors from indicting a sitting president

Discussion: Raw Story

Tablet Magazine:

In an email to Tablet the Women's March wrote: … But whatever concerns were popping up were ultimately no match for the steamroller of the event's progress. And when the day came, the reality far exceeded expectations. Estimates for the March on Washington range between half a million …

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Front Page Magazine, Daily Wire and twitchy.com

Jill Lawrence / USA Today:

You don't bring a novice to a knife fight. That's why Democrats need Nancy Pelosi. — Everything that happens next year in the House amounts to a Democratic audition — and platform — for the 2020 presidential, Senate and House elections. — CONNECT — Nancy Pelosi is running …

Erica Werner / Washington Post:
Pelosi, Schumer to meet with Trump, offer $1.3 billion for border as shutdown looms

Discussion: Townhall, POLITICUSUSA and Splinter

Gary Fineout / Associated Press:

Thousands of mailed ballots in Florida were not counted — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida officials say thousands of mailed ballots were not counted because they were delivered too late to state election offices. — The Department of State late last week informed a federal judge …

Discussion: Florida Politics, Splinter, Tampa Bay Times and Seymour Tribune

Jackie Salo / New York Post:

9-year-old kills self after racist taunts from class: family … A black 9-year-old girl in Alabama allegedly took her own life after facing relentless bullying and racism in class, according to reports. — McKenzie Adams' relatives said she hanged herself Dec. 3 in her home in Linden …

Nicole Russell / Washington Examiner:

‘Supergirl’ now has a transgender character just to be ‘woke’ — Television has introduced the first transgender superhero in the fourth season of CW's “Supergirl.” The character, Nia Nal, is played by Nicole Maines, who is an actress and activist. She is also transgender in real life as well.

Matt Donnelly / Variety:

Academy Looks Warily at Oscar Host Options As Board Meeting Looms — Kevin Hart's abrupt departure as Oscars host has left the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences scrambling to find someone to take the gig. As of now, the situation remains fluid as the group's leadership explores options …

Discussion: Conservative News Today, The Guardian, Louder With Crowder, Breitbart, Mediaite and The Daily Caller

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

Jared Kushner did what? — The New York Times reports: … As a preliminary matter, we should recognize this as yet another example of why a president should not put a relative in a position of power — especially if the relative possesses questionable judgment and is utterly unqualified for the job.

Discussion: New York Daily News, Politico, Shareblue Media, Mediaite and CNN

miamiherald:

Epstein sex abuse victims press judge for decision on tossing his lenient plea deal — Victims of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who have waged a decade-long fight for justice, on Monday pressed a federal judge to finally take action on their motion to throw out a controversial plea agreement …

Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli / Politico:

How Macron gave Italian populists a boost — Europe's best friend, Emmanuel Macron, handed Italian populists a helping hand by announcing a spending spree of his own. — During a 13-minute televised address to the nation on Monday night, the French president promised a minimum wage increase and tax cuts …

Discussion: One America News Network

Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:

Faith leaders to U.S. authorities: Migrants have international right to U.S. asylum — “Our sacred texts tell us to tear down walls, to welcome the immigrant and to treat everyone as if they are God's children,” said a religious leader. — Over 200 religious leaders and advocates gathered …

Discussion: cbp.gov, New York Times, Townhall and ImmigrationProf Blog

Dakota Smith / Los Angeles Times:

Mayor Garcetti's speech at USC shut down by protesters — Mayor Eric Garcetti was forced to halt a speech Monday at USC after demonstrators began shouting at him and criticizing his approach to the city's homelessness crisis, the Los Angeles Police Department's use of force and other issues.