memeorandum: Trump's transparent attempt to manipulate American Jews (Zack Beauchamp/Vox)

8:00 AM ET, August 16, 2019

Top Items:

Trump Eyes a New Real-Estate Purchase: Greenland — In conversations with aides, the president has—with varying degrees of seriousness—floated the idea of buying the autonomous Danish territory — WASHINGTON—President Trump made his name on the world's most famous island.

W. Dale Nelson / Associated Press:

Wanna Buy Greenland? The United States Once Did — WASHINGTON (AP) _ The United States in 1946 proposed to pay Denmark $100 million to buy Greenland after flirting with the idea of swapping oil-rich land in Alaska for strategic parts of the bleak Arctic island, documents in the National Archives show.

Discussion: 6abc and WPIX 11 New York

Damian Paletta / Washington Post:

Trump aides look into U.S. purchasing Greenland after directives from president — President Trump has pushed top aides to investigate whether the U.S. government can purchase the giant, ice-smothered island of Greenland, two people with direct knowledge of the directive said.

Discussion: The Week

Hayes Brown / BuzzFeed News:
Trump Is Reportedly Considering Buying Greenland Which Sure Why Not At This Point

Discussion: The Independent, Patterico's Pontifications and Daily Kos

Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen / Reuters:
Greenland tells Trump it is open for business but not for sale

Discussion: Politico, Telegraph, CNBC and Political Wire

Peter Beinart / The Forward:

Netanyahu Banned Omar And Tlaib Because The Occupation Must Be Hidden To Survive — Most establishment American Jewish leaders think Israel's decision to bar Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from visiting the West Bank was, in the words of The Democratic Majority for Israel, “unwise.”

Discussion: NPR, CNN, Tablet Magazine and BostonGlobe.com

Toluse Olorunnipa / Washington Post:

Governing by grievance, Trump wields official powers against political enemies — By pressuring the Israeli government to bar entry by two members of Congress, President Trump once again used the power and platform of his office to punish his political rivals.

Discussion: Human Events, Townhall, UPI, Vanity Fair, Haaretz, Vox, American Military News, twitchy.com and Common Dreams

Zack Beauchamp / Vox:

Trump's transparent attempt to manipulate American Jews — Trump's support for Israel denying entry to Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib is a clear attempt to pit Jews against Democrats. — Wednesday night, a pickup truck pulled up to a densely packed group of Jewish protesters outside …

Discussion: New York Times, PJ Media Home, One America News Network, middleeastmonitor.com, Washington Post and Breitbart

Liza Hearon / HuffPost:

Israel To Allow Rashida Tlaib To Visit Family In West Bank — The Democratic congresswoman from Michigan wrote a letter requesting entry to see her elderly grandmother. — Israel has decided to allow Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) to enter the country and visit with her family in the West Bank, Reuters reported Friday.

Discussion: Washington Post, Axios and Townhall

Bari Weiss / New York Times:

King Bibi Bows Before a Tweet — After Trump cowed the Israeli leader into reversing course on Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the biggest loser was Israel itself. — Ms. Weiss is an Op-Ed staff editor and writer. Her first book, “How to Fight Anti-Semitism,” will be published in September.

Discussion: Tablet Magazine

Emily Tamkin / New Republic:
Ilhan Omar Is Already Changing Washington

Discussion: Front Page Magazine, Big League Politics and VICE

New York Post:

Jeffrey Epstein's gal pal Ghislaine Maxwell spotted at In-N-Out Burger in first photos since his death — Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam and former lover Ghislaine Maxwell has been discovered — at In-N-Out Burger. — The 57-year-old was photographed alive and well Monday by an eagle-eyed diner …

Discussion: Fox News, CANNONFIRE, The Week, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, The Independent, VICE, Law & Crime, Mediaite and New York Times

Washington Post:

Trump, banking on strong economy to win reelection, frets over a possible downturn — BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — Mounting signs of global economic distress this week have alarmed President Trump, who is worried that a downturn could imperil his reelection, even as administration officials acknowledge …

Discussion: Political Wire and The Week

Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:

Trump has a dream team for mismanaging a recession — President Trump inherited a good economy, and for roughly 2½ years managed (mostly) not to mess it up. As with his business empire, he also somehow convinced much of the public that this windfall was due to his personal talents rather than luck.

Discussion: MarketWatch, Spectator USA, Fox News and POLITICUSUSA

Paul Krugman / New York Times:
From Trump Boom to Trump Gloom

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Daily Beast and Washington Post

New York Times:

Citing Economy, Trump Says That ‘You Have No Choice but to Vote for Me’ — MANCHESTER, N.H. — President Trump doubled down on his economic argument for re-election on Thursday night amid increasing concerns about a recession, declaring that even Americans who hate him “have no choice” …

Discussion: Political Wire, Vanity Fair and The Week

Washington Post:
At rally, Trump defends economic record amid worries of a downturn

Discussion: Breitbart and Fox News

Matthew Choi / Politico: Trump praises N.H. lawmaker who called for shooting Hillary Clinton

Paul Steinhauser / Fox News:
Democrats protest Trump ahead of, and during, his NH rally

Discussion: Washington Post and Breitbart

Prynard / Iowa Starting Line:

Poll: Elizabeth Warren Jumps Out To Big Lead In The Iowa Caucus — Elizabeth Warren's early investment in Iowa is paying off. — A new Iowa Starting Line-Change Research poll shows the senator opening up a commanding lead in the Iowa Caucus. Warren was the top pick of 28% …

Discussion: Power Line, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, National Review, Mediaite and Political Wire

John Bowden / The Hill:
Fox News poll shows Trump losing to Biden, Warren, Sanders and Harris

Discussion: Fox News

Dana Blanton / Fox News:
Fox News Poll: Biden still leads Democratic race, Warren climbs into second

Discussion: The Hill, The Week, POLITICUSUSA and Political Wire

Ashley Feinberg / Slate:

The New York Times Unites vs. Twitter — In a transcript of the newspaper's crisis town-hall meeting, executive editor Dean Baquet grapples with a restive staff and outside scrutiny. — “What I'm saying is that our readers and some of our staff cheer us when we take on Donald Trump …

Discussion: CNN, Washington Examiner, Splinter and twitchy.com, more at Mediagazer »

Charlie Warzel / New York Times:

How an Online Mob Created a Playbook for a Culture War — On August 15, 2014, an angry 20-something ex-boyfriend published a 9,425-word screed and set in motion a series of vile events that changed the way we fight online. The post, which exhaustively documented the last weeks of his breakup …

Discussion: We Hunted The Mammoth

Richard Behar / Forbes:

Jeffrey Epstein Spent Time Alone With Young Female Prison Visitor — Contributing Editor of Investigations, Forbes magazine — The day after he was taken off suicide watch, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein spent at least two hours locked up alone with a young woman …

Discussion: Big League Politics and New York Times

William D. Cohan / Vanity Fair:

Anthony Scaramucci Calls Trump “Crazy” and “Narcissistic,” — A few days into his jihad against his former boss, Anthony Scaramucci discusses his view of Trump's increasing mental problems, his racist tactics, and why he hopes an Arya Stark will rise up to kick him out of office.

David Siders / Politico:

O'Rourke: ‘I will not in any scenario run for the United States Senate’ — Beto O'Rourke has to keep finding new ways to tell people he isn't running for Senate. — On Thursday night it was MSNBC and The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell. — “You know the question's going to keep coming up …

Felicia Sonmez / Washington Post:
Trump says the U.S. should build more psychiatric institutions in response to rising gun violence

Discussion: Politico and One America News Network

Justice News:

Statement by United States Attorney William M. McSwain on the Shooting of Six Philadelphia Police Officers — What I witnessed last night was true heroism by the Philadelphia police. But the crisis was precipitated by a stunning disrespect for law enforcement - a disrespect so flagrant …

Discussion: CNN, The Gateway Pundit, American Greatness, New York Post, CBS Philly and Townhall

Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:
Trump-Appointed Federal Prosecutor Launches Extraordinary Attack On Philly DA Larry Krasner

Discussion: Politico, CNN and New York Post

Michael Corkery / New York Times:

Overstock C.E.O. Takes Aim at ‘Deep State’ After Romance With Russian Agent — They met at a libertarian conference in Las Vegas in July 2015, where they discussed Milton Friedman, Anton Chekhov and John Locke. — He was the philosophizing founder and chief executive of Overstock.com …

Discussion: The Week and Talking Points Memo

Washington Post:

Trump met his commitments to LGBTQ Americans. He has our endorsement. — Robert Kabel is chairman of Log Cabin Republicans. Jill Homan is the vice chairwoman of Log Cabin Republicans. — While the chasm between left and right in this nation continues to grow, and even the definition …

Discussion: PinkNews, Washington Blade and Breitbart

Caitlin Dickerson / New York Times:

Migrant Children Are Entitled to Toothbrushes and Soap, Federal Court Rules — A federal appeals court panel ruled on Thursday that the government must provide detained migrant children with basic hygiene supplies such as toothbrushes and sleeping mats, ending a debate that incited national outrage …

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, NPR and CNN

Brett Samuels / The Hill:

Trump mocks appearance of rally protester: 'That guy's got a serious weight problem' — President Trump on Thursday mocked the weight of a protester who briefly interrupted his rally in Manchester, N.H. — “That guy's got a serious weight problem. Go home, start exercising,” …

Discussion: PJ Media Home and CBS Boston

New York Daily News:

Twitter's debate-chilling problem: The social media site's arbitrary policies allow foreign nations to censor American — often without explanation — I am the president of the Crime Prevention Research Center, whose account Twitter locked because it tweeted a link to a Daily News article …

Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:

“You're the Man”: Fox News Emails With Trump Treasury Department Reveal Coziness — “The first two blocks are on the tax plan. You'll like it,” Fox Business host David Asman told a Treasury aide. — A trove of Treasury Department emails released to the non-profit organization Democracy Forward …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Oregonian:

Joey Gibson faces felony charge in fight at NE Portland's Cider Riot, preparing to turn self in — Joey Gibson has been charged with rioting in connection to a May Day fight at a Northeast Portland cidery, according to his attorney. — Gibson, the leader of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Law & Crime

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:

July 2019 was hottest month on record for the planet — Polar sea ice melted to record lows — Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share by email Print — Much of the planet sweltered in unprecedented heat in July, as temperatures soared to new heights in the hottest month ever recorded.