memeorandum: The campaign to confirm a diplomatic novice to America's top U.N. post (Gabby Orr/Politico)

10:20 AM ET, December 26, 2018

Top Items:

Did a Queens Podiatrist Help Donald Trump Avoid Vietnam? — In the fall of 1968, Donald J. Trump received a timely diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels that led to his medical exemption from the military during Vietnam. — For 50 years, the details of how the exemption came about …

Discussion: CNN, POLITICUSUSA, Joe.My.God., Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Raw Story, The Week and Mediaite

Jamelle Bouie / Slate:

The Path to the Presidency Could Be Harder for White Democrats in 2020 — Before Barack Obama's election in 2008, the relationship between white racial views and partisanship wasn't as clear-cut as one might think. Yes, Republicans won the large majority of white voters who believed black disadvantage …

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:

Black Voters, a Force in Democratic Politics, Are Ready to Make Themselves Heard — BALTIMORE — The first “Amen!” rang out after a couple of minutes, as Senator Elizabeth Warren, speaking to an almost all-black audience at Morgan State University's winter commencement, described how America has …

Daniel Strauss / Politico:

Brown seeks Obama meeting as he considers presidential run — Sen. Sherrod Brown hasn't decided whether he's running for president — but he's checking off a lot of the boxes that come along the way. — The Ohio Democrat is reaching out to fellow senators and party officials in early primary and caucus states.

Discussion: Joe.My.God.

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: Shutdown standoff continues

Discussion: Political Wire

Department of Homeland Security:

CBP Shares Additional Information about Recent Passing of Guatemalan Child — An eight year-old Guatemalan national, previously apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, died shortly before midnight on December 24 at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Discussion: Townhall, Hullabaloo, Splinter and Bloomberg

Associated Press:
US says 2nd Guatemalan child dies in immigration custody

Discussion: Mediaite

Lenny Bernstein / Washington Post:
An 8-year-old migrant has died in U.S. custody on Christmas Day

Discussion: ThinkProgress, NBC News, CBS News and RedState

Nomaan Merchant / Associated Press:
CBP orders medical checks after second child's death

Discussion: Axios, YouTube, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos, The Week, No More Mister Nice Blog, Law & Crime and KTLA

New York Times:
8-Year-Old Migrant Child From Guatemala Dies in U.S. Custody

Discussion: CNBC, Balloon Juice and Department of Homeland …

Eliott C. McLaughlin / CNN:
8-year-old Guatemalan boy dies in US custody on Christmas

Discussion: ImmigrationProf Blog and The Gateway Pundit

Daniella Silva / NBC News: Guatemalan boy, 8, dies in immigration custody after being diagnosed with a cold

CNN:

Trump's frustration with Mnuchin rising after failed attempt to calm markets, source says — (CNN)President Donald Trump's frustration with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is ratcheting up further after markets suffered their worst Christmas Eve drop ever following Mnuchin's attempts …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and The Week

David J. Lynch / Washington Post:
Economic growth is slowing all around the world

Discussion: Bloomberg

Wall Street Journal:
As Market Rout Continues, Trump Stands Firm on Fed, Border Wall

Discussion: Washington Post and Reuters

Washington Post:
Trump vows not to reopen federal government until wall funding is secured

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and The Week

Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner / NBC News:

Trump becomes first president since 2002 not to visit troops at Christmastime — Though he called military personnel on Tuesday, Trump did not visit a hospital or a military base. — On Christmas Day, President Donald Trump took part in a long-running practice of presidents …

Discussion: HuffPost, Daily Kos, Raw Story and Political Wire

Charles Lane / Washington Post:

I thought fraud in reporting was done for. I was wrong. — Nearly 30 years ago, the Cold War's end opened Germany's border to the formerly Soviet-dominated east. Asylum seekers from poor and war-torn nations poured across it. A violent backlash from ultra-right-wing Germans ensued.

Veronica Stracqualursi / CNN:

Ruth Bader Ginsburg released from hospital after cancer surgery — Washington (CNN)Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday and is recuperating at home after undergoing surgery, according to a court spokesperson.

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, Vox, Joe.My.God., Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Mediaite and CBS Baltimore

New York Times:

A Gutted I.R.S. Makes the Rich Richer — With enforcement enfeebled, as much as 20 percent of potential tax revenues go uncollected. — The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.

Darlene Superville / Associated Press:

Post-holiday, partial government shutdown to gain impact — WASHINGTON (AP) — Christmas has come and gone but the partial government shutdown is just getting started. — Wednesday brings the first full business day after several government departments and agencies closed up over the weekend due …

Discussion: Axios and KTLA

Gabby Orr / Politico:

The campaign to confirm a diplomatic novice to America's top U.N. post — Less than two years ago, Heather Nauert was conducting interviews on “Fox and Friends.” Now, she's preparing to navigate the world's raging geopolitical issues as one of America's top diplomats.

Ilya Arkhipov / Bloomberg:

Russia Considers Constitution Changes as Putin Faces Term Limits — Speaker of parliament suggests discussing amendments — Analysts see Kremlin effort to allow Putin to extend rule — The speaker of Russia's parliament raised the possibility of changing the constitution …

Hannah Alani / Post and Courier:

Do a ‘marginal’ number of 7-year-olds believe in Santa? That's what Trump told a SC girl. — Collman Lloyd, 7, talks to President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve inside her Lexington kitchen. Trump asked Lloyd if she still believed in Santa. “Yes, sir,” she replied. Erica Lloyd/Provided

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Breitbart, twitchy.com, BuzzFeed News, Mediaite, Balloon Juice, Associated Press, The Week, Politico, Washington Times, Raw Story, MyNorthwest.com, TMZ.com and Bloomberg

Rebecca Kheel / The Hill:

Mattis works from Pentagon on Christmas, tells troops: ‘You hold the line’ — Defense Secretary James Mattis wished U.S. troops a merry Christmas and worked Christmas Day after President Trump pushed the secretary out two months earlier than he planned to resign.

Discussion: Breitbart, Joe.My.God., The Daily Caller, Mediaite and IJR