What the Web's Smartest Liberals and Conservatives Are Saying About Wednesday's Democratic Debate  —  Welcome to the instant spin room.  —  The second night of the second Democratic debate on Wednesday is going to be your last shot to watch some of those second-tier candidates whose names we'll all soon forget.

Jeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNA  —  Jeffrey E. Epstein, the wealthy financier and accused sex trafficker, had an unusual dream: He hoped to seed the human race with his DNA by impregnating women at his vast New Mexico ranch.  —  Mr. Epstein over the years confided …

U.S. has intel that Osama bin Laden's son and heir Hamza is dead, say officials  —  The officials would not provide details of how Hamza bin Laden died, or if the U.S. played a role.  It is unclear if the U.S. has confirmed his death.  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. has obtained intelligence …

Trump Orders Navy to Strip Medals From Prosecutors in War Crimes Trial  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump intervened Tuesday once again on behalf of a Navy SEAL who was charged but acquitted of war crimes in the death of a captured Islamic State fighter in Iraq, ordering the military to punish …

James Comey's next reckoning is imminent — this time for leaking  —  The Justice Department's chief watchdog is preparing a damning report on James Comey's conduct in his final days as FBI director that likely will conclude he leaked classified information and showed a lack of candor …

Ben Carson Booted From Baltimore Church Property; Defends Trump Tweets While Discussing City's Problems  —  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Dr. Ben Carson, the U.S. Housing & Urban Development Secretary, was in Baltimore Wednesday to talk about opportunity zones and federal programs that might help Baltimore revitalize its poorest communities.

The debate format is an embarrassment.  Here's how to make it better.  —  About 40 minutes after the start of Tuesday night's Democratic debate, I got an email from a Washington Post reader with this subject line: “I don't care for this.”  —  He was complaining, of course …

NeverTrumpers skewer ‘Moscow Mitch’  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has eliminated the last vestiges of the filibuster for appointees and has rubber-stamped a slew of corrupt, incompetent and unfit nominees — many of them executive branch picks who already washed out and partisan judges with scant experience.

Watchdog tells Democrats he can't probe White House security clearances until Trump asks  —  Four top Senate Democrats responded by asking Trump himself to order an investigation into White House security clearances for Kushner, Ivanka and others.  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration's …

Trump attacks CNN's Don Lemon over debate question  —  President Trump took aim at Don Lemon Wednesday, calling him “the dumbest man on television” over a question the CNN host asked during Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate.  —  “CNN's Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television …

Fox's Cavuto Calls Out Lou Dobbs in Fiery Clash: What Has Trump Done to Contain Deficits and the Debt?!  —  A panel between some of the biggest Fox Business anchors got heated between Neil Cavuto and Lou Dobbs over whether President Donald Trump has done enough to address deficits and the debt.

US President Donald Trump, in phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offered assistance to Moscow in fighting wildfires in Siberia, the Kremlin press-service said Wednesday.  —  According to the statement, Putin has informed the US president that a large air group has been deployed …

AP FACT CHECK: Democratic debate rhetoric under scrutiny  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten more Democrats jousted on a Detroit stage Wednesday in what was probably the last of the traffic-jammed, double-barreled presidential debates.  —  A look at the veracity of their rhetoric as the contenders fought …

Marianne Williamson isn't funny.  She's scary.  —  Williamson's views on depression and illness are dangerous.  The media is complicit in spreading them.  —  Self-help guru Marianne Williamson was the breakout star of CNN's first Democratic debate — at least if internet chatter and pundits are to be believed.

House Republican retirements reflect transformation of party in Trump era  —  Rep. K. Michael Conaway has long been in charge of cleaning up messes made by other Republicans.  —  In 2007 Conaway, a CPA, oversaw an audit of National Republican Congressional Committee finances that exposed a nearly $1 million embezzlement scheme.

RNC chair defends GOP donor platform in tense meeting  —  Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel grew visibly emotional during a meeting with senior GOP officials on Wednesday, as she insisted that she isn't personally profiting off a new, President Donald Trump-endorsed small-donor platform.

You'll get “nowhere near” the full $125 from Equifax, the FTC says  —  Washington, D.C. (CNN Business)So many people are seeking cash payments from Equifax following its disastrous 2017 data breach, there may not be enough claims money for everyone to receive a $125 check, the Federal Trade Commission warned on Wednesday.

Ocasio-Cortez Justifies Violence Against Israel: Palestinians ‘Have No Choice But To Riot’  —  Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocaiso-Cortez (D-NY) appeared to justify Palestinian violence against Israel this week during an interview, saying that Palestinians “have no choice but to riot” against Israel.