memeorandum: In Venezuela's oil capital, life is a struggle. So is death. (Washington Post)

12:40 PM ET, September 20, 2019

Top Items:

Whistleblower complaint about President Trump involves Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter — A whistleblower complaint about President Trump made by an intelligence official centers on Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter, which has set off …

Anna Nemtsova / The Daily Beast:

Ukrainian Official: Trump is Looking for Dirt ‘To Discredit Biden’ — Ukraine officials see no indication Biden or his son broke their laws. If Trump wants them investigated in Kyiv, his government will need to say why and what for. — KYIV—Ukraine is ready to investigate …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Atlantic, Washington Post, NBC News, Spectator USA, CNN, Daily Kos, The Resurgent, Law & Crime, Mediaite, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Alternet.org

New York Times:

‘Urgent Concern’ About the President — A whistle-blower's report has alarmed the intelligence agencies' watchdog. Why won't the administration share it with Congress? — The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher. It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, Daily Kos, The Week, The Daily Caller, Althouse, Talking Points Memo and Politico

Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg:

How Long Will Republicans Tolerate Trump's Lawlessness? — There's only so much Democrats can do about the president's increasingly bold misconduct. — I was going to write today about how House Democrats are handling the impeachment question. But the truth is, it's largely irrelevant.

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Times and The Week

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

As whistleblower scandal deepens, Trump bets on the coverup working — President Trump and his minions went to great lengths in 2016 to coordinate with a foreign power's interference in our election on his behalf. Then Trump engaged in extensive corruption and lawlessness to try to prevent it from coming to light.

Discussion: Deadline, New York Post and Shareblue Media

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Why Ukraine being the focus of Trump's whistleblower complaint is particularly ominous

Discussion: Raw Story, ABC News, Alternet.org and The Daily Beast

Associated Press: Trump defends himself against whistleblower complaint

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
‘Of course I did’: Giuliani acknowledges asking Ukraine to investigate Biden

Discussion: Vox, Washington Post, CNN, U.S. Political News …, Outside the Beltway, BizPac Review, The Week and Raw Story

Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Hannity: ‘I Was Happy’ That Whistleblower Complaint Is About Ukraine

Discussion: Raw Story

Politico: POLITICO Playbook: How Trump has handcuffed Washington

The Daily Beast:
Trump Whistleblower Saga Threatens to Blow Up 2020 Campaign

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, The Week, KTLA and Raw Story

Colby Itkowitz / Washington Post:
Giuliani admits to asking Ukraine about Joe Biden after denying it 30 seconds earlier

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Shareblue Media and Breitbart

Ken Dilanian / NBC News:
Annual complaints to intel watchdog hotline have more than doubled since Trump took office

Discussion: CNBC and Daily Kos

Mayor Bill de Blasio / NBC News:

Why I'm ending my 2020 presidential campaign — and what I promise to do next — My presidential campaign may be over, but I am going to keep fighting for working people — and ensuring that New York City remains the vanguard of progressivism. — There is a framed picture hanging …

Discussion: Politico, Vox, Axios, The Root, IJR, VTDigger, Talking Points Memo, CNN, Deadline, Reason, VICE, Breitbart, Slate, The Daily Caller, PJ Media Home, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Rolling Stone, CBS New York, New York Times, The Resurgent and Towleroad Gay News

Adam Edelman / NBC News:
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio drops 2020 bid

Discussion: WTVR-TV, CNBC and Florida Politics

Zach Montellaro / Politico: DNC set to squeeze Dem debate stage again

Brooklyn Eagle: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio drops 2020 presidential bid

New York Post:
Bill de Blasio finally pulls the plug on his sputtering presidential bid

Discussion: Mediaite

Jeffery C. Mays / New York Times:
De Blasio Quits Presidential Race; Trump Gloats

Discussion: Althouse

Alexandra Svokos / ABC News:
Bill de Blasio ends 2020 presidential campaign

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway and U.S. Political News …

Matthew Continetti / Washington Free Beacon:

Kavanaugh and the Crisis of Legitimacy — It is impossible to separate the latest attack on Justice Brett Kavanaugh from the political strategy of the Democratic Party. On September 16, two days after the New York Times “Sunday Review” section told of another allegation …

Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:

Why They'll Never Stop Targeting Kavanaugh — The continuing assault reflects both a fixation and an effort to deprive the court of its legitimacy. — Here are the reasons, in no certain order, that the accusations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh will never stop and his foes on the progressive left never let up.

Discussion: twitchy.com

Becket Adams / Washington Examiner: NYT reporters haven't kept their story straight about Brett Kavanaugh asking them to lie

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:

Young Black Voters to Their Biden-Supporting Parents: ‘Is This Your King?’ — An organic effort by black millennials and Gen Z-ers to influence older family members against Mr. Biden may be important in the Democratic primary. — HOUSTON — A groan erupted at a debate watch party …

Discussion: Slate and Washington Blade

New York Times:

Why Republicans Play Dirty — They fear that if they stick to the rules, they will lose everything. Their behavior is a threat to democratic stability. — Mr. Levitsky and Mr. Ziblatt are political scientists and the authors of “How Democracies Die.” — The greatest threat …

NBC News:

Trump admin ignored its own evidence of climate change's impact on migration from Central America — An internal report obtained by NBC News showed migration surged from those areas where climate change is hurting crops and farmers. — GUATEMALA CITY — Research compiled one year ago …

Fadel Allassan / Axios: Trump administration ignored internal report on climate change and migration

Des Moines Register:

New Iowa Poll to be released Saturday, will show how presidential candidates are faring in first-in-the-nation caucus state — Results of a new Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll on Democratic presidential candidates will be released online at 7 p.m. CST Saturday.

Wall Street Journal:
Kamala Harris's Iowa Strategy Is Well-Worn—and Risky

Discussion: Political Wire

Andrew Kaczynski / CNN:

GOP Senate candidate Jason Lewis said Republicans have ‘dual loyalties’ to Israel, ‘Jewish lobby’ controls the party — GOP rep. defends prior comments on ‘slut’ women — (CNN)Jason Lewis, a Republican running for US Senate in Minnesota, once said Republicans had “dual loyalties” to Israel …

Discussion: Political Wire

Christina Zhao / Newsweek:

GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw Tries to Hide in Elevator While Confronted by Combat Veterans Over His Support for Trump: ‘Do Your Duty’ — Republican congressman Dan Crenshaw unsuccessfully tried to lose two combat veterans by ducking into a private elevator as they confronted him about his support …

Discussion: Daily Wire, Splinter, twitchy.com and Raw Story

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

How Trump's Florida ‘field general’ got kneecapped — In the homestretch of the 2018 campaign for Florida governor, Donald Trump walked into the hold room before a big rally, looked GOP nominee Ron DeSantis in the eye and pointed to a nearby political operative.

Discussion: Raw Story

Bess Levin / Vanity Fair:

Trump: My Crimes Can't Be Investigated While I'm President — The president's latest attempt to keep his tax returns hidden is a novel one. — As you may or may not have heard, Donald Trump refused to release his tax returns while running for president, claiming, falsely …

Discussion: Hullabaloo, VICE, Fox News and Bloomberg

Michael Gold / New York Times:
Trump Lawyers Argue He Cannot Be Criminally Investigated

Discussion: Daily Wire, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Caller, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Hill, Axios, Daily Kos and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Washington Post:

HUD Secretary Ben Carson makes dismissive comments about transgender people, angering agency staff — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson expressed concern about “big, hairy men” trying to infiltrate women's homeless shelters during an internal meeting, according to three people present …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, Washington Blade, VICE, The Daily Caller, BizPac Review, Splinter, The Root, WTKR-TV, The Guardian, Out Magazine, Alternet.org, Towleroad Gay News, Raw Story and Mediaite

Alexi McCammond / Axios:

Democrats target over 26,000 local races to unseat Republicans — Contest Every Race, a new coalition of Democratic groups, is launching a seven-figure campaign to challenge Republican incumbents in 26,849 down-ballot local races, Axios has learned. — Why it matters: 2020 is more than just the presidential election.

New York Times:

For Trump, a Time of Indecision — WASHINGTON — Speaking to a Fox News reporter near the Mexican border on Wednesday, President Trump seemed taken aback when asked if the White House were preparing to roll out gun control proposals the next day, a timeline administration officials had suggested was likely.

Discussion: Raw Story

Kareem Fahim / Washington Post:

Twitter suspends account of former top Saudi aide implicated in Khashoggi killing — ISTANBUL — Twitter said Friday it has suspended an account belonging to Saud al-Qahtani, a former adviser to Saudi Arabia's royal court who was implicated by Saudi, American and Turkish officials in an operation …

Discussion: Twitter, CNN and ABC News, more at Techmeme »

Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:

“It Won't End Well”: Trump and His Obscure New National-Security Chief — Flattery will get you everywhere with Donald Trump. The President demonstrated this powerfully on Wednesday, when he named the State Department's little-known hostage negotiator, Robert O'Brien …

Washington Post:

In Venezuela's oil capital, life is a struggle. So is death. — MARACAIBO, Venezuela — The hospital had run dry of painkillers and antibiotics, leaving Neiro Vargas moaning in agony. The 43-year-old security guard had been brought in with a gunshot to the neck. On the seventh day, his heart gave out.