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10:05 AM ET, December 21, 2018

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 Top Items: 
Axios:
Pre-Christmas Trump: Rebuked, rampaging  —  The last member of an informal alliance of top Trump officials with enough swat or stature to stand up to President Trump — the Committee to Save America, as Jim VandeHei and I called these officials 16 months ago — resigned in epic fashion.
RELATED:
Axios:
What should worry Trump most: Republican allies are turning on him  —  Another reason this is a historic week — and what President Trump should really worry about — is that lots of different Republicans have been turning on him over different topics.  —  Why it matters: A former Trump aide …
Helene Cooper / New York Times:
Jim Mattis, Defense Secretary, Resigns in Rebuke of Trump's Worldview  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, whose experience and stability were widely seen as a balance to an unpredictable president, resigned Thursday in protest of President Trump's decision to withdraw American forces …
Jamie Ross / The Daily Beast:
Trump Already Souring on Next Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney Over ‘Terrible Human Being’ Jibe, Says Report  —  Donald Trump is reportedly already turning on Mick Mulvaney—who hasn't even started his new job as acting White House chief of staff yet—due to a two-year-old video uncovered by The Daily Beast …
Discussion: POLITICUSUSA
Washington Post:
‘A tailspin’: Under siege, Trump propels the government and markets into crisis  —  President Trump began Thursday under siege, listening to howls of indignation from conservatives over his border wall and thrusting the government toward a shutdown.  He ended it by announcing the exit …
Associated Press:
Trump call with Turkish leader led to US pullout from Syria  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American troops from Syria was made hastily, without consulting his national security team or allies, and over strong objections from virtually everyone involved …
Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Mattis Puts Trump's Presidency in Peril  —  This resignation stings because it's not about policy, it's about values.  —  Donald Trump may not know it yet, but his presidency is collapsing.  —  His tweets Thursday announcing the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis by the end of February were polite and respectful.
New York Times:
U.S. to Withdraw About 7,000 Troops From Afghanistan, Officials Say  —  President Trump made the decision at the same time he decided he was pulling American forces out of Syria, one official said.  —  Turmoil in Congress, National Security and Markets: The State of Play  —  A lot has happened in the last couple days.
Discussion: Politico
Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:
The Year in Trump Freakouts  —  Jim Mattis is out, the President is leaving Syria without consulting anyone, and that's just this week in crises of the President's own making.  —  President Trump is ending the year as he began it: outraging Washington with a Twitter diktat, one that was cheered in Moscow and jeered on Capitol Hill.
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
In budget brinkmanship, Republicans once again hold themselves hostage  —  House Republicans are ending their eight-year run in the majority exactly the way it began — grabbing a hostage and seeking ransom.  —  This week's standoff, like so many others this decade, pits an alienated House GOP caucus …
Associated Press:
Analysis: As advisers leave, Trump's guardrails come off  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Last year, during one particularly frenetic stretch in Donald Trump's presidency, a top Republican senator said there were three men guarding the country from chaos: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis …
David Frum / The Atlantic:
No More Excuses  —  For almost two full years, James Mattis …
Discussion: New York Times, CNN and The Root
Jeffrey Goldberg / The Atlantic:
Mattis Always Understood Trump's Severe Defects
Discussion: The Week
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration Is Considering Substantial Afghan Troop Drawdown
James N. Mattis / Washington Post:
Read the Jim Mattis resignation letter
John Podhoretz / Commentary:   What the Mattis Resignation Means
Washington Post:
Mattis resigns after clash with Trump over troop withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan
Fred Kaplan / Slate:
The Last Grown-Up Is Gone  —  James Mattis is not “retiring with distinction.”
Discussion: CNN, The Atlantic and NPR
Paul Szoldra / Task & Purpose:
In 2014, Mattis Said What Would Make Him Resign In Protest. In 2018, He Actually Did It
Discussion: New York Times
Washington Post:
‘A morning of alarm’: Mattis departure sends shock waves abroad
Discussion: Sydney Morning Herald
Washington Post:   ‘A sad day for America’: Washington fears a Trump unchecked by Mattis
Nick Wadhams / Bloomberg:   Mattis's Exit Takes Leash Off Trump's ‘America First’ Doctrine
Julia Ioffe / Washington Post:
Please don't wish me ‘Merry Christmas’  —  It's impolite and alienating to assume I follow your religion.  —  'Twas five nights before Christmas, and my Lyft driver was the umpteenth person to wish me a “Merry Christmas” that day.  He probably just meant it the way most people do …
Erin Dunne / Washington Examiner:
In leaving Syria, the US sells out its Kurdish allies to bloodthirsty Turkey  —  In the fight against the Islamic State, the Kurds have been our best and most reliable ally.  In Syria, in partnership with U.S. Special Operations, the Kurdish-led militia, known as the Syrian Democratic Forces …
Discussion: The Hill, The Resurgent and NPR
RELATED:
Washington Post:   Turkish president announces delay of planned offensive in Syria, welcomes Trump decision to pull out troops
Hugh Hewitt / Washington Post:   In withdrawing from Syria, Trump makes a major error
Joyce Karam / The National:   Trump decided to leave Syria after call with Erdogan, says US defence official
NBC News:
Founder of viral fundraiser for Trump's border wall has questionable news past  —  Brian Kolfage told NBC News he didn't want to mention his previous projects because he “didn't want it to be a distraction.”  —  An internet fundraiser for Donald Trump's border wall took in more than $7 million …
Washington Post:
Ethics officials said Whitaker should recuse from the Mueller probe, but his advisers told him not to, officials say  —  A senior Justice Department ethics official concluded acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker should recuse from overseeing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's probe …
RELATED:
NBC News:
Mueller may submit report to attorney general as soon as mid-February, say sources
Discussion: Law & Crime and The Week
New York Times:
A Top Aide's Exit Plan Raises Eyebrows in the White House  —  WASHINGTON — After weeks of discussions about his future, Zachary D. Fuentes, the 36-year-old deputy White House chief of staff, had a plan.  —  Mr. Fuentes told colleagues that after his mentor, John F. Kelly …
Ken Meyer / Mediaite:
Brian Kilmeade Goes Off on Sarah Sanders Over Syria: Trump Just ‘Refounded ISIS’ By Leaving  —  Brian Kilmeade grilled Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday by saying President Trump essentially “refounded ISIS” if he pulls the U.S. military out of Syria.  —  The White House press secretary gave …
John Wagner / Washington Post:
Trump threatens government shutdown ‘will last for a very long time’ if Democrats oppose House bill that includes border wall money  —  President Trump on Friday threatened that a partial government shutdown would last “for a very long time” if Congress does not meet his demand Friday …
Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Nikki Haley Isn't So Sure About the UN  —  The departing ambassador has a question for the American public: Should the U.S. remain a member?  —  As Nikki Haley finishes her tenure this month, the woman who has spent the last two years representing the U.S. at the United Nations has a question …
 
 
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‘Vice’ Review  —  The best superhero origin story of the year
Julie Zauzmer / Washington Post:
‘Hand yourself over to human justice’: Pope Francis tells priests guilty of abuse that the church won't shield them
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Signage Up for Section of 134 Highway Renamed After President Barack Obama
Tyler Pager / New York Times:
After Big Losses, a N.Y. House Republican Clashes With Her Party
Associated Press:
After Year of the Woman, 2020 buzz so far focuses on the men
Caitlin Flanagan / The Atlantic:
Kirsten Gillibrand's Invocation of ‘Intersectionality’ Backfires
Sarah D / Los Angeles Times:
He lost his reelection bid in California.  Now, Jeff Denham could be joining the Trump administration
Jacqueline Thomsen / The Hill:
Trump faces new test with midterm election interference report
Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and Raw Story
 Earlier Items: 
Steven Shepard / Politico:
Gallup retreats from political polling again under new leadership
Washington Post:
President Trump has made 7,546 false or misleading claims over 700 days
Alex Thompson / Politico:
Perez nixes ‘undercard’ debates for 2020 primary
Zoya Sheftalovich / Politico:
Gatwick reopens after airport implements anti-drone measures
Washington Post:
As stocks drop, Trump fears he's losing his best argument for re-election
New York Times:
Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees
 

 
From Techmeme:

Lee-Anne Mulholland / The Keyword:
Google files its proposed remedies in the DOJ's search antitrust lawsuit, including letting browser companies have multiple default agreements across platforms

Reuters:
Albania bans TikTok for a year from January 2025, part of a broader plan to make schools safer following the killing of a 14-year-old near a school in November

Timothy B. Lee / Ars Technica:
Exploring the scaling challenges of transformer-based LLMs in efficiently processing large amounts of text, as well as potential solutions, such as RAG systems
 
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