Top Items:
ABC News:
‘Take her out’: Recording appears to capture Trump at private dinner saying he wants Ukraine ambassador fired — Trump apparently heard discussing firing Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. — A recording reviewed by ABC News appears to capture President Donald Trump telling associates …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, National Review, Political Wire, Daily Kos, The American Independent, Law & Crime, Contemptor, The Week and The Guardian
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BBC:
Neo-Nazi Rinaldo Nazzaro running US militant group The Base from Russia — The American founder of US-based militant neo-Nazi group The Base is directing the organisation from Russia, a BBC investigation has found. — Rinaldo Nazzaro, 46, who uses the aliases “Norman Spear” and “Roman Wolf” …
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Jason Wilson / The Guardian:
Revealed: the true identity of the leader of an American neo-Nazi terror group — The white supremacist group the Base has been a target of FBI raids and its members accused of planning a race war. The Guardian can now reveal the identity of its secretive leader
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story
Spencer Ackerman / The Daily Beast:
Regime Critic Says Saudis Tried to Kidnap Him on U.S. Soil — Abdulrahman Almutairi is a Saudi social-media influencer who criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. If not for the FBI, he says, he might've met Jamal Khashoggi's fate. — A suspected agent of the Saudi government attempted …
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Nation, Axios, The Philadelphia Inquirer, BuzzFeed News, Washington Post and Slate, more at Mediagazer »
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Wall Street Journal:
Report Alleging Saudi Hack of Bezos Phone Puzzles Security Experts — Investigation by FTI appears to be inconclusive, several specialists in cybersecurity say — A report concluding that Saudi Arabia likely hacked into Jeff Bezos ' smartphone has spurred questions and confusion among cybersecurity experts …
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian:
Saudi Arabia 'planned to spy on Khashoggi's fiancee in UK'
Stephanie Armour / Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration Plans Action Against California Over Abortion-Coverage Requirement — The administration is expected to say that the state's requirement violates federal law — WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is planning on Friday to announce action against California …
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David Brooks / New York Times:
Joe Biden Is Stronger Than You Think — Here's why he is still winning. — It was yet another epic failure of political punditry. Go back to the early months of Joe Biden's presidential campaign and read what the consultants and commentators were saying about him: His support is just name recognition; he'll fade!
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Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Kamala Harris Is Said to Be Weighing an Endorsement of Joe Biden — The move, which would be unlikely to happen until after the Senate impeachment trial, could enhance her chances of becoming vice president but could also anger liberals in California. — Senator Kamala Harris is weighing …
Discussion:
Slate, The Week, The Hill and JustOneMinute
Nihar Kabinittal / ABC News:
‘This is no time to take a risk’: Biden ad leans into electability as caucuses approach
‘This is no time to take a risk’: Biden ad leans into electability as caucuses approach
Discussion:
Associated Press, CNN and The Hill
Politico:
Trump's trial may hinge on Lamar Alexander — If you want to know how President Donald Trump's impeachment trial could play out, keep your eye on Lamar Alexander. — On the most important question of the trial — whether to subpoena witnesses — the 79-year-old Tennessee Republican senator is a wild card.
Discussion:
Vox, Redstate, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Post, Reason, The Hill, ABC News, Axios, NBC News, POLITICUSUSA and Associated Press
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Ben Terris / Washington Post:
Mitch McConnell doesn't care what you think. He just wants to win.
Mitch McConnell doesn't care what you think. He just wants to win.
Discussion:
Twitchy
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
When Senate Republicans were quite concerned about Trump and Ukraine — As we head into the last day of House Democrats' opening arguments in President Trump's impeachment trial, we are getting closer to the point at which GOP senators will have to decide whether they want additional evidence and witnesses.
Discussion:
The Hill and Mother Jones
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Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
A GOP senator trafficked in flimsy allegations to impugn Alexander Vindman. And then Trump retweeted it.
A GOP senator trafficked in flimsy allegations to impugn Alexander Vindman. And then Trump retweeted it.
Joseph Morton / Omaha World-Herald:
What's at stake for Sens. Sasse, Ernst, both of whom face reelection after impeachment vote
What's at stake for Sens. Sasse, Ernst, both of whom face reelection after impeachment vote
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Raw Story
Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
A Major Fear for Democrats: Will the Party Come Together by November? — Even the goal of defeating President Trump isn't enough for some voters to commit to backing the eventual Democratic nominee, expressing a clear aversion to a candidate who is too liberal or centrist for their tastes.
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David Edwards / Raw Story:
Lindsey Graham screeches at reporters over impeachment: Trump ‘did nothing wrong in his mind’ — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close ally of President Donald Trump, on Thursday complained that the president's impeachment trial should end quickly because the American people “need a break.”
Discussion:
HuffPost and HuffPost Canada
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David Moye / HuffPost:
Lindsey Graham Bizarrely Defends Trump: ‘He Did Nothing Wrong In His Mind’
Lindsey Graham Bizarrely Defends Trump: ‘He Did Nothing Wrong In His Mind’
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
New York Times:
Coronavirus Live Updates: China's Travel Limits Cover 35 Million People — Shanghai Disneyland shut down, and the youngest victim so far was identified as a 36-year-old man. — RIGHT NOW A second case was confirmed in the U.S., as health officials were preparing for an outbreak that could last months.
Discussion:
CNBC, Popular Science, The Week, Gothamist, ITV, LewRockwell, Balloon Juice, Fox News, Vox and Washington Post
Matthew Continetti / Washington Free Beacon:
Nadler's Folly — Jerry Nadler must have missed the day in law school where they teach you about persuasion. The House Democrat made a critical error early in the trial of President Trump. He didn't just say that Republican senators, who voted to begin the proceedings without calling witnesses, were part of a cover up.
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Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
The honest Trump defense that is too embarrassing to advance — House impeachment managers have demonstrated through a painstaking presentation of facts and law that: 1) President Trump wanted a foreign government to help him win reelection by announcing an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden …
Axios:
Trump impeachment team looks at shorter trial defense — President Trump's team is considering using just a portion of the 24 hours they're given for arguments in his impeachment trial. — Why it matters: A truncated defense would likely reflect a decision not to contest facts …
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CNN:
34 US service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries after Iranian missile strike — Trump downplays service members' concussions: I heard they had headaches — Washington (CNN)Thirty-four US service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries following …
Ezra Klein / New York Times:
Why Democrats Still Have to Appeal to the Center, but Republicans Don't — Polarization has changed the two parties — just not in the same way. — Mr. Klein is the author of “Why We're Polarized.” — American politics has been dominated by the Democratic and Republican Parties since the Civil War.
Donie O'Sullivan / CNN:
Exclusive: This site pays Americans to write ‘news’ articles. Signs indicate it originates in Iran — New York (CNN)American Herald Tribune bills itself as a “genuinely independent online media outlet.” Set up in 2015, it publishes in English and pays Americans to write articles.
Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:
Adam Schiff Stands Up and Speaks the Truth at Mitch McConnell's Upside-Down Stalinist Show Trial — Yes, say Senate Republicans, we know there's evidence that makes Trump's guilt even clearer. But we will sit as judges to disallow it before we sit as jurors to “exonerate” him. — BEAST INSIDE
Discussion:
Raw Story and Washington Post
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Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
John Roberts comes face to face with the mess he made — There is justice in John Roberts being forced to preside silently over the impeachment trial of President Trump, hour after hour, day after tedious day. — The chief justice of the United States, as presiding officer, doesn't speak often …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and Raw Story
NBC News:
‘Crying Nazi’ involved in ‘Unite the Right’ rally arrested by the FBI — Christopher Cantwell became one of the most familiar faces of the rally after he was featured in a documentary that showed him chanting “Jews will not replace us.” — A New Hampshire man who was involved in the violent 2017 …