Top Items:
New York Times:
Biden and Democratic Rivals Exchange Attacks Over His Remarks on Segregationists — Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Wednesday lashed out at his Democratic rivals who had assailed his fond recollections of working relationships with segregationists in the Senate, refusing to apologize and defending his record on civil rights.
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Joshua Jamerson / Wall Street Journal:
Top South Carolina Democrat Weighs Endorsing in 2020 Primary — James Clyburn still plays the role of presidential kingmaker back home, though he sometimes feels unappreciated on Capitol Hill — CHARLESTON, S.C.—For all the debate in Washington about Rep. James Clyburn's place in the Democratic Party …
Discussion:
Politico and Political Wire
Christopher Cadelago / Politico:
Biden appears to be softening his stance on the death penalty — Joe Biden said in a 1992 speech that criminal justice legislation he was pushing was so strict that “we do everything but hang people for jaywalking.” Two years later, his signature crime bill made dozens of additional offenses punishable by death.
Rick Klein / ABC News:
The Note: Biden's good old days less good for his campaign
The Note: Biden's good old days less good for his campaign
Discussion:
Politico and Daily Wire
Washington Post:
Biden faces backlash over comments about the ‘civility’ of his past work with racist senators
Biden faces backlash over comments about the ‘civility’ of his past work with racist senators
Discussion:
NPR, BBC, The Daily Beast and CBS News
Maggie Severns / Politico:
Biden defiant as Democrats unleash barrage of criticism
Biden defiant as Democrats unleash barrage of criticism
Discussion:
CNN, Newser, Breitbart, Fox News and One America News Network
A.G. Sulzberger / Wall Street Journal:
Accusing the New York Times of ‘Treason,’ Trump Crosses a Line — The Founders considered it the gravest of crimes. Tossing the charge around is irresponsible and wrong. — First it was the “the failing New York Times.” Then “fake news.” Then “enemy of the people.”
Discussion:
Conservative News Today, CNN, Deadline and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Associated Press:
Iran says Revolutionary Guard shoots down US drone — TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Thursday it shot down a U.S. drone amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over its collapsing nuclear deal. The U.S. military declined to immediately comment.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, Townhall, VICE and Common Dreams
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Luis Martinez / ABC News:
Iran says it's ‘completely ready for war’ after US military confirms it shot down American drone — In a major provocation, Iran shot down an unarmed and unmanned U.S. RQ-4A Global Hawk drone while it was flying in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, U.S. Central Command confirmed in a statement.
Discussion:
Fox News, Political Wire, twitchy.com, The Daily Beast, PJ Media Home, WSVN-TV and Mediaite
New York Times:
Iran Says It Shot Down a U.S. Drone, Escalating Tensions — Iran said Thursday that it had shot down a United States drone, days after American officials blamed Iran for attacks on international shipping, in the latest escalation in tensions that have raised fears of war between the two countries.
Discussion:
Power Line
HuffPost:
18 Years Later, The House Finally Repeals The President's 9/11 War Authority — But how hard are Democrats willing to fight to actually prevent war? — WASHINGTON ― House Democrats passed a nearly $1 trillion appropriations bill on Wednesday, complete with funding for the military, health programs and the Energy Department.
Discussion:
Issues & Insights, courthousenews.com, Common Dreams and The American Conservative
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Tara Golshan / Vox:
House Democrats vote to repeal 9/11-era law used to authorize perpetual war
House Democrats vote to repeal 9/11-era law used to authorize perpetual war
Discussion:
Politico, New York Times, Axios and Hullabaloo
Erin Banco / The Daily Beast:
Trump Tells His Team to Tone Down the Tough Talk on Iran
Trump Tells His Team to Tone Down the Tough Talk on Iran
Discussion:
The Federalist, One America News Network, Talking Points Memo, Washington Examiner, Politico and CNN
Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
State Department official didn't disclose ties to the boyfriend of Russian agent Maria Butina — The State Department official in charge of U.S. arms control negotiations with Moscow and her husband had a years-long friendship with GOP operative Paul Erickson, the former boyfriend …
New York Times:
Deutsche Bank Faces Criminal Investigation for Potential Money-Laundering Lapses — Federal authorities are investigating whether Deutsche Bank complied with laws meant to stop money laundering and other crimes, the latest government examination of potential misconduct at one of the world's largest …
Discussion:
Washington Press, New York Post, Political Wire, CNBC, Vanity Fair, Talking Points Memo, The Guardian and Bloomberg
Brian Bennett / TIME:
‘My Whole Life Is a Bet.’ Inside President Trump's Gamble on an Untested Re-Election Strategy — ‘My whole life is a bet,’ the President of the United States says, resting his forearms on the edge of the Resolute desk in the Oval Office. — It's a steamy evening in mid-June …
Bryan Bender / Politico:
Senators get classified briefing on UFO sightings — Three more U.S. senators received a classified Pentagon briefing on Wednesday about a series of reported encounters by the Navy with unidentified aircraft, according to congressional and government officials — part of a growing number …
Discussion:
Splinter, The Sun, Axios and New York Post
Alexander Mallin / ABC News:
Feds arrest Syrian refugee accused of plotting terrorist attack on Pittsburgh church — The Department of Justice announced the arrest of a Syrian refugee on Wednesday in connection with an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on a Christian church in Pittsburgh.
Discussion:
U.S. Department of Justice, WPXI-TV, RedState, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Wire and TheBlaze
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Isaac Stanley-Becker / Washington Post:
Horns are growing on young people's skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests. — Mobile technology has transformed the way we live — how we read, work, communicate, shop and date. — But we already know this. — What we have not yet grasped is the way the tiny machines …
Jennifer Jacobs / Bloomberg:
Trump Believes He Has the Authority to Replace Powell at Fed — President is not planning to demote Fed chairman, for now — Powell says he will serve his full term despite criticism — President Donald Trump has told confidants as recently as Wednesday that he believes …
Discussion:
Politico and Political Wire
New York Times:
Saudis Called Khashoggi ‘Sacrificial Animal’ as They Waited to Kill Him — Key takeaways from the United Nations report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi: — • Saudi officials carried out an extensive cover-up of Mr. Khashoggi's killing in a Saudi consulate in October, scrubbing down rooms …
Discussion:
The Intercept, Politico and ThinkProgress
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CNN:
CUOMO PRIME TIME — THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. — [21:00:00] JOHN BERMAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR, NEW DAY: All right, friends. Thank you very much for watching with - this with us and helping us understand it. — The news continues.
Discussion:
Townhall
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Nikki Schwab / New York Post:
Pelosi blows off AOC ‘concentration camp’ remarks
Pelosi blows off AOC ‘concentration camp’ remarks
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, The Hill, Splinter, RedState, Patterico's Pontifications, Front Page Magazine, Jewish Journal, Human Events, Daily Wire and twitchy.com
Matthew Choi / Politico:
Trump: I wasn't going to live-tweet debates, but now I may — President Donald Trump said he hadn't thought about live-tweeting the first Democratic debates but now that the media has brought it up, he just might. — Several people close to the president told POLITICO and The Wall Street Journal …
Discussion:
Fox News, New York Post and Axios
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Nancy Cook / Politico:
Trump's plan for the Dem debates: Make it about him
Trump's plan for the Dem debates: Make it about him
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun-Times:
Illinois Democrats Reps. Sean Casten, Jan Schakowsky call for Trump impeachment inquiry — Freshman Casten, who flipped a suburban Chicago district in 2018, is among the 44 House Democrats facing the toughest GOP challenges in 2020, and only the third in this group to back an impeachment inquiry.
Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:
'These People Aren't Coming From Norway': Refugees in a Minnesota City Face a Backlash — As more Somali refugees arrive in St. Cloud, white anti-immigration activists have pressed an increasingly explicit anti-Muslim agenda. — ST. CLOUD, Minn. — John Palmer, a former university professor, has always had a cause.
Helen Christophi / courthousenews.com:
Feds Tell 9th Circuit: Detained Kids ‘Safe and Sanitary’ Without Soap — SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - The Trump administration argued in front of a Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday that the government is not required to give soap or toothbrushes to children apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border …
Brittany Crocker / USA Today:
Cracker Barrel turns away Grayson Fritts, detective who called for LGBTQ executions in Tennessee — CLEVELAND, Tenn. — A Cracker Barrel in Cleveland, Tennessee, refused to host Knox County Sheriff's Office Detective Grayson Fritts and his church group, citing the restaurant chain's zero-tolerance policy …
Discussion:
The Tennessean
Laura Barrón-López / Politico:
Republicans fear campaign arm is stumbling in fight for the House — The House GOP campaign arm is under fire from Republicans who are growing increasingly anxious about the party's plan to win back the chamber in 2020. — Republicans still don't have an answer to Democrats' online fundraising behemoth ActBlue.
Tom Llamas / ABC News:
Biden sidesteps questions about his son's foreign business dealings but promises ethics pledge — Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden declined to answer questions on the campaign trail this week about his son's overseas business dealings in countries where the then-vice president …
Discussion:
Political Wire
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Now, word of a mysterious third ‘scope memo’ for Robert Mueller — The 448-page Mueller report has been public for two months, so it might seem strange that the Justice Department's original instructions to special counsel Robert Mueller, outlining what he was assigned to investigate, are still a secret.
Discussion:
Power Line and The Gateway Pundit
Washington Post:
Former Trump business partner Felix Sater set to testify Friday before House Intelligence Committee — Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer, is set to testify Friday before the House Intelligence Committee about his experience working on a proposed Trump tower project in Moscow during …
Sarah Jones / The Cut:
Patrick Shanahan Would Have Fit Right In at the Trump White House — Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is not the first Trump administration official to resign over domestic violence allegations, which he did on Tuesday amid reports from USA Today and the Washington Post …
Discussion:
Wonkette, The Slot and ThinkProgress
Jeff Stein / Washington Post:
Steel industry begins to idle plants, shows signs of weakness — despite Trump's support — U.S. Steel announced it will temporarily halt production at two domestic plants despite the boost from the Trump administration's tariffs, as a steel industry singled out for federal support shows signs of weakening.
Discussion:
Reason
Washington Post:
With Maduro entrenched in Venezuela, Trump loses patience and interest in issue, officials say — Last winter, the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro seemed a sure bet to President Trump, a quick foreign policy win at a time when other initiatives in Asia …
Discussion:
Mother Jones
Monmouth University Polling Institute:
Biden Tops Electability Ratings — Most Dems interested in first debates, but not excited — West Long Branch, NJ - Former Vice President Joe Biden maintains his front-runner status among Democratic voters nationwide, but Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is now virtually tied with Vermont …
Discussion:
Vanity Fair, USA Today, Washington Times, CNN, Washington Post and Politico
Katherine Krueger / Splinter:
Meghan McCain Snaps and Calls Joy Behar a ‘Bitch’ on the Air — Things are tense on Splinter's fave gab-fest, The View. After reports of behind-the-scenes bickering, the drama played out in front of the camera on Wednesday morning, as Meghan McCain finally snapped and called Joy Behar, her frequent nemesis and co-host, a “bitch.”