Top Items:
Maggie Astor / New York Times:
Only 7 Candidates Have Qualified for the Next Democratic Debate — While 20 presidential candidates debated this past week, far fewer are assured the chance of doing so again in September. — So you made it through the second set of Democratic debates. Congratulations! Ready to talk about the next ones?
Discussion:
Fox News, Washington Post, The Mahablog, IJR, The Atlantic, Outside the Beltway, ABC News, Vox, Splinter, The Week, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Crime Report and American Prospect
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Bret Stephens / New York Times:
Democrats Are Not Up To Their Historic Responsibility — Defeating Trumpism means abandoning the politics of extremes. — To adapt a line from Huey Lewis, I want a new party — one that won't make me sick. — I have written so often (and so recently) about the ways Donald Trump's G.O.P. makes …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Jana Winter / Yahoo News:
Exclusive: FBI document warns conspiracy theories are a new domestic terrorism threat — The FBI for the first time has identified fringe conspiracy theories as a domestic terrorist threat, according to a previously unpublicized document obtained by Yahoo News. (Read the document below.)
Discussion:
Latest from Crooks and Liars, New York Post, Mediaite and Political Wire
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Majority of House Democrats now support impeachment inquiry — The impeachment dam has broken. — More than half of House Democrats say they would vote to launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, a crucial threshold that backers said will require Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reconsider her steadfast opposition.
Discussion:
Sun-Sentinel, New York Times, BuzzFeed News, Taylor Marsh, Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, Shareblue Media and NRCC
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Ted Deutch / Sun-Sentinel:
No more debate. Impeachment inquiry is underway — Although Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony may not have been a summer blockbuster, it confirmed the damning conclusions of his report. The investigation revealed substantial evidence that President Trump obstructed justice.
Discussion:
Roll Call, The Daily Beast, Representative Nita Lowey, Orlando Sentinel, Common Dreams, National Review, Vox, The Week, Florida Politics and Splinter
David Levinsky / Burlington County Times:
Constituents push for Trump impeachment at Rep. Andy Kim town hall
Constituents push for Trump impeachment at Rep. Andy Kim town hall
Discussion:
NRCC
BBC:
Trump's former top adviser: tariffs backfiring on US — US President Donald Trump's trade war with China is backfiring and impacting the US economy, according to his former chief economic adviser. — The tariff battle has had a “dramatic impact” on US manufacturing and capital investment, Gary Cohn told the BBC.
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Washington Post:
Trump says he will impose new tariffs on $300 billion of imports from China starting next month, ending brief cease-fire in trade war — President Trump unexpectedly announced on Thursday that he will impose new tariffs on $300 billion worth of imports from China, effectively taxing every product that Americans buy from China.
Discussion:
Vox and Political Wire
Dave Lawler / Axios:
Trump says U.S. will hit remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports with 10% tariffs
Trump says U.S. will hit remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports with 10% tariffs
Fred Imbert / CNBC:
Dow drops 300 points, giving up big earlier gain after Trump says US adding more tariffs on China
Dow drops 300 points, giving up big earlier gain after Trump says US adding more tariffs on China
Discussion:
The Week and Patterico's Pontifications
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
The mistakes Biden's opponents made will haunt them — In defending achievements like the Affordable Care Act and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, former vice president Joe Biden clearly positioned himself as President Barack Obama's heir and the dominant, perhaps the only …
Discussion:
New Republic, Reason and USA Today
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Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The Democratic debates offered an interesting sneak peek at a post-Trump world
The Democratic debates offered an interesting sneak peek at a post-Trump world
Discussion:
Breitbart
Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
4 winners and 3 losers from the second night of the July Democratic debates
4 winners and 3 losers from the second night of the July Democratic debates
Discussion:
Washington Post, Jacobin, New York Post, Breitbart, The Root, Axios and twitchy.com
Kirsten Powers / USA Today:
Don't mock Marianne Williamson, Democrats need her spiritual politics in dark Trump era
Don't mock Marianne Williamson, Democrats need her spiritual politics in dark Trump era
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Rewire.News and Breitbart
Frank Bruni / New York Times:
Debate Disappointment: I Wanted So Much More From Joe Biden
Debate Disappointment: I Wanted So Much More From Joe Biden
Discussion:
Breitbart, Deadline and Mother Jones
Cleve R. Wootson Jr / Washington Post:
Faced with criticism, Kamala Harris slapped back that her accusers were all wrong
Faced with criticism, Kamala Harris slapped back that her accusers were all wrong
Discussion:
Vox and BuzzFeed News
Associated Press:
After ‘Send her back!’ chant, Ohio rally a test for Trump — CINCINNATI (AP) — President Donald Trump's latest rally will be a test for both candidate and crowd. — The Cincinnati gathering Thursday night will be Trump's first since his audience chanted “Send her back!” …
Discussion:
NBC News, Politico, Talking Points Memo, National Review, Mediaite and Splinter
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Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump's racism and hate are about to face another big test
Trump's racism and hate are about to face another big test
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Washington Press and Daily Kos
Fox News:
DOJ will not prosecute Comey for leaking memos after IG referral: sources — The Justice Department has decided against prosecuting former FBI Director James Comey for leaking classified information following a referral from the department's inspector general, sources familiar with the deliberations told Fox News.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, New York Post and Townhall
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Evan Perez / CNN:
Justice Dept. won't prosecute James Comey over handling of FBI memos, despite watchdog referral
Justice Dept. won't prosecute James Comey over handling of FBI memos, despite watchdog referral
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, The Last Refuge and RedState
Maxwell Tani / The Daily Beast:
Fox News Stars Go After Tomi Lahren for Sexist Jab at Kamala Harris — “Do you have any idea how damaging this is to women who've actually been sexually harassed, assaulted or demeaned in the workplace?” one of Lahren's Fox co-workers tweeted at her. — Several of Tomi Lahren's Fox News colleagues …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, TVNewser, The Wrap and Mediaite
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Wall Street Journal:
Families Go Deep in Debt to Stay in the Middle Class — Wages stalled but costs haven't, so people increasingly rent or finance what their parents might have owned outright — The American middle class is falling deeper into debt to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.
James Arkin / Politico:
Corey Lewandowski ‘seriously considering’ New Hampshire Senate run — President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, is mulling a run against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). — “I'm seriously considering it,” Lewandowski wrote in a text message to POLITICO today.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
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Laut / brennancenter.org:
Voter Purge Rates Remain High, Analysis Finds — Using data released by the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in June, a new Brennan Center analysis has found that between 2016 and 2018, counties with a history of voter discrimination have continued purging people from the rolls at much higher rates than other counties.
Discussion:
Splinter
A.O. Scott / New York Times:
What America Gets Wrong About Tracy Flick — In “Election,” she's preyed upon by a teacher and almost cheated out of her rightful victory. But somehow she's the villain. — Even if you've never seen “Election,” Alexander Payne's 1999 comedy about high school politics run amok, you probably know something about Tracy Flick.
Donie O'Sullivan / CNN:
Facebook announces first takedown of influence campaign with ties to Saudi government — Washington (CNN Business)Facebook said Thursday it had found evidence of something cyber security and national security experts have long suspected: people tied to the government of Saudi Arabia …
Discussion:
Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »
Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:
Liberal Watchdog Group That Targeted Google And Devin Nunes Paid Fusion GPS $140K For Research — A liberal watchdog group that has investigated the Trump administration, companies like Google and Republican California Rep. Devin Nunes hired Fusion GPS for research last year.
Max Read / New York Magazine:
Is Andrew Yang the Doomer Candidate? — How will Democratic candidates respond to the crisis of climate change? Over the course of two early August debates, the front-runners outlined their ambitious plans to save the future. Elizabeth Warren pledged to put $2 trillion toward research …
Discussion:
The Atlantic
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Graham threat to bust panel rules roils Senate tensions — Tensions are boiling over in the Senate over Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) threat to ram through legislation to overhaul U.S. asylum laws, including changing the number of days minors crossing the border can be held in custody.
Rob Copeland / Wall Street Journal:
Fired by Google, a Republican Engineer Hits Back: 'There's Been a Lot of Bullying' — Search giant's culture wars flame anew; a senior executive contacts law enforcement over leaks — MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Kevin Cernekee was still a “Noogler”—Google's term for a new employee …
Discussion:
New York Post, Daily Wire, NB Blog and Fox News
Washington Post:
‘How the hell is this not inciting violence?’ Gun store erects billboard with minority lawmakers' faces … The sign warns of the “4 Horsemen” — typically a reference to biblical imagery symbolizing the end of the earth: conquest, war, famine and death. — But the North Carolina billboard …
Hailey Fuchs / Washington Post:
As Democrats debated without mentioning federal judges, the Senate confirmed 13 more Trump nominees — The president's ability to nominate judges to lifetime appointments on the federal courts never came up during the two nights of debate this week involving the Democratic candidates.
Discussion:
Political Wire
Los Angeles Times:
Judge overturns IRS rule that shielded political donors' identities — A federal judge in Montana overturned an Internal Revenue Service rule that allowed many political nonprofit groups to keep their donor lists private. — The ruling upends a change the IRS made last year that permitted …
HuffPost:
Charlotte Is Starting To Regret Hosting Trump's Renomination Convention — President Donald Trump's racist and xenophobic statements have drawn official condemnation from a city that is now predominantly black and Latino. — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Republican Party leaders scoping out locations …