Trump downplays U.S. alliance with Syrian Kurds, saying 'they didn't help us in the Second World War'  —  President Trump said Wednesday that it would be “easy” for the United States to form new alliances if Syrian Kurds leave the fight against the Islamic State to fend off a Turkish attack …

Trump Urged Top Aide to Help Giuliani Client Facing DOJ Charges  — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to interfere in case  — 2017 episode bears hallmarks of Trump approach to Ukraine call  —  President Donald Trump pressed then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to help persuade …

Fox News Poll: Record support for Trump impeachment  —  Just over half of voters want President Trump impeached and removed from office, according to a Fox News Poll released Wednesday.  —  A new high of 51 percent wants Trump impeached and removed from office, another 4 percent want him impeached …

The 'I'm rubber, you're glue' presidency: Trump turns to schoolyard taunts in impeachment battle  —  The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter's insights  —  After House Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, the Oval Office occupant countered with a creative offer of his own: Impeach me?

Read the whistleblower's memo about Trump's Ukraine call, as described to CBS News  —  Washington — CBS News has learned the full contents of what appears to be a memo written by the whistleblower one day after President Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July.

The House Can Play Hardball, Too.  It Can Arrest Giuliani.  —  Two ways that Democrats in the House can match the White House's aggressive tactics.  —  Josh Chafetz is the author of “Congress's Constitution.”  —  In his letter to House leadership, the White House counsel, Pat Cipollone …

Trump warns McConnell about disloyal Republicans  —  Washington (CNN)Even as the White House appears to settle on the legal tactics to stave off Democrats' impeachment demands, uncertainty and unease over Trump's messaging approach remains high among his Republican allies, who see the ever-growing inquiry consuming the White House.

Apple Removes App That Tracked Hong Kong Police  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Apple removed an app late Wednesday that enabled protesters in Hong Kong to track police, a day after facing intense criticism from Chinese state media for it, plunging the technology giant deeper into the complicated politics …

George Conway and other prominent conservatives call for ‘expeditious’ impeachment probe  —  More than a dozen prominent conservative lawyers, including George T. Conway III, offered their legal reasoning for an “expeditious” impeachment probe into President Trump, creating a document they hope …

Must the House Vote to Authorize an Impeachment Inquiry?  —  Since taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm election of 2018, the Democrats have been exploring how it might be possible to pursue an impeachment inquiry while retaining some plausible deniability about whether they are actually doing so.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spends $300 on hairdo at Last Tangle Salon in Washington, D.C.  —  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has allowed life in Washington to go to her head — literally.  —  The self-declared socialist, who regularly rails against the rich and complains about the cost …

Ousted Ukraine envoy expected to testify in impeachment probe despite White House vow not to cooperate, congressional aides say  —  Congressional investigators expect that Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, will appear as planned for a Friday deposition in the House's ongoing …

Matt Drudge, an influential figure in conservative media, sours on Trump as he faces impeachment  —  New York (CNN Business)President Donald Trump, facing an ever-deepening scandal that threatens to swallow his presidency, appears to have lost a key ally in conservative media: The Drudge Report.

Bernie Sanders Says He Knew of Heart Attack Three Days Before Disclosing It  —  “I think we did it appropriately and did it as quickly as we could,” Mr. Sanders said.  “No apologies.”  —  Bernie Sanders acknowledged on Wednesday that he knew he had suffered a heart attack three days …

Farewell, Tomahawk Chop!  —  The Daily Caller reports on the latest victory for political correctness: “Braves Axe ‘Tomahawk Chop’ During Game Five After Complaint From Cardinal With Cherokee Heritage.” … Axing the tomahawk didn't do the Braves much good tonight, as they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 13-1.

Note to Republicans: Trump will betray you just like he betrayed the Kurds  —  In The Art of the Deal, President Trump presents his deal making — by which he means his avarice and swindling — as an artistic enterprise.  “Deals are my art form,” he writes in his best-selling book that he didn't write.

Trump is in free fall.  We need insights on his fitness from Mattis, Kelly and others.  Now.  —  With the future of our constitutional order in the balance, don't they have an obligation to speak the truth and inform the public about Trump?  —  CONNECT  —  The president of the United States …

Yale Law School Establishes Religious-Liberty Clinic  —  I'm very pleased to learn that Yale law school has established a for-course-credit Free Exercise Clinic, under the direction of Professor Kate Stith.  Michael Helfand, a visiting professor from Pepperdine law school, will also lead the course.

Scoop: House Democrats want testimony from Trump's former Russia advisor  —  The House committees investigating President Trump and Ukraine have requested that his former Russia advisor Fiona Hill appear for a deposition on Oct. 14, as well as turn over several documents dating back to January of 2017.

Trump defends diplomat's wife who killed teenage Briton in crash: 'We've all done it'  —  Donald Trump has defended the wife of a US diplomat who killed a British teenager in a road accident, suggesting it is difficult to drive on the other side of the road and that “we've all done it”.  —  More follows...

Impeached and re-elected  —  It's looking more likely by the day that President Trump will be impeached by the House for his dealings with Ukraine.  But if he is acquitted by the Senate — and then goes on to win a second term — Democrats will face a predicament neither party has confronted in U.S. history.

Sylvie Goulard sticks to her guns at second Parliament hearing  —  French pick for European Commission stands ground on ethics and portfolio.  —  Sylvie Goulard, the French nominee for the next European Commission, gave only a little ground to her critics at a second confirmation hearing on Thursday …

The Note: Biden on offense calling for impeachment  —  The TAKE with MaryAlice Parks  —  Former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are tangling one-on-one, maybe to their mutual — though fleeting — benefit.  —  On Wednesday, Biden joined the majority of his Democratic primary opponents …