The president shapes the public character of the nation.  Trump's character falls short.  —  Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah and the party's 2012 nominee for president, will be sworn into the U.S. Senate on Thursday.  —  The Trump presidency made a deep descent in December.

GOP congressman will support Democratic rules, says he may face ‘consequences’ for it  —  A Republican lawmaker said Wednesday he will vote for a set of House rule changes drafted by the incoming Democratic leadership — a rare move for what is typically a strict party-line vote and one …

Harry Reid Has a Few Words for Washington  —  The former Senate majority leader on President Trump and Senator Chuck Schumer, and on why he doesn't regret ending the filibuster for judicial appointments.  —  Early on the afternoon of Dec. 11, about an hour after an Oval Office meeting between President Trump …

In shutdown, national parks transform into Wild West — heavily populated and barely supervised  —  JOSHUA TREE, Calif. — The government shutdown has left America's national parks largely unsupervised.  No one is at the gate.  No one is collecting a fee.  The visitor centers are closed.

Apple warns on Q1 results as iPhones and Apple Watch sales disappoint  —  Apple has lowered its Q1 guidance in a letter to investors from CEO Tim Cook Wednesday.  —  Apple lowered revenue guidance to $84 billion, down from the $89 to $93 billion it had previously projected.

I Don't Hate Women Candidates — I Just Hated Hillary and Coincidentally I'm Starting to Hate Elizabeth Warren  —  “How does Warren avoid a Clinton redux — written off as too unlikable before her campaign gets off the ground?”  — Politico, 12/31/18  —  I have no problem with women.

Former NY Times editor rips Trump coverage as biased  —  President Trump appears content to ride out partial government shutdown stalemate over border security funding  —  A former executive editor of the New York Times says the paper's news pages, the home of its straight-news coverage, have become “unmistakably anti-Trump.”

Jay Inslee Is Betting He Can Win the Presidency on Climate Change  —  OLYMPIA, Wash.—What if a meteor were hurtling toward the Earth, about to kill millions and reshape life on the planet as we know it?  —  And what if the president, instead of doing anything to help …

Democrats to ask for 10 years of presidential tax returns in new bill  —  Fact Check: Trump's false tax return claims  —  (CNN)Democrats are making presidential tax returns a focal point in one of their first pieces of legislation, an effort to build the case to the American people …

Sen. Amy Klobuchar to decide soon on presidential bid  —  The Minnesota senator says she hasn't made a final decision, but already has thoughts on message, political path.  —  TEXT SIZE  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Wednesday that she is “getting close to a decision” about running for president in 2020.

Trump illegally asked Russia to help him win in 2016.  He shouldn't get away with it.  —  Trump's public request for Russian help in finding Hillary Clinton's emails was a violation of US law.  There are ways to hold him accountable.  —  CONNECT  —  Prosecutors triggered a national firestorm …

No One Can Get A Marriage License In DC During The Government Shutdown  —  WASHINGTON — Danielle Geanacopoulos and Dan Pollock are no strangers to a government shutdown, having gone through a few when they used to work in Congress.  —  But when the two former congressional staffers walked …

MSD Commission releases report on Parkland school shooting, recommends arming Florida teachers  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The commission investigating the Florida high school massacre has turned in its recommendation that teachers who volunteer and undergo training be allowed to carry guns.

New Documents Suggest The Steele Dossier Was A Deliberate Setup For Trump  —  After nearly two years since the Steele dossier was published, it remains the cornerstone of the case for collusion.  The dossier model has also given rise to similar operations.  —  A trove of recently released …

‘They destroyed me.’ Wells Fargo's mistake forced her to sell her home … Michaela Christian lost a long battle with Wells Fargo in 2013 to save her Las Vegas home, a defeat she says changed the course of her life.  When the bank refused to modify her mortgage, Christian moved in with a friend and scrambled to rebuild her life.

Tesla shares tumble 9% as company misses Wall Street vehicle delivery estimates, cuts prices  — Tesla boosted production during the quarter, churning out 86,555 vehicles, up 8 percent from 80,142 during the third quarter.  —  Tesla disappointed investors Wednesday, announcing …

Why Twitter Is Even More Toxic Than You Think  —  It's important to understand the platform's true influence.  —  One of the first things you learn when you start your professional life is that the people who care the most have the most influence.  —  It's true in every business, from entertainment to the law to politics.

Trump Fears His Jilted Ex-Advisers Will Come Back to Haunt Him  —  A number of top Trump officials have become critics in exile.  That could pose a major problem in the re-election campaign.  —  It was mid-November, and Donald Trump was once again enveloped in political scandals and legal woes.

N.Y. Police Official Who Took Las Vegas Trip and Gifts Acquitted of Corruption Charges  —  [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]  —  A police commander was acquitted of federal corruption charges on Wednesday after a seven-week trial in which prosecutors contended …