Biden Gets No Immediate Convention Bounce, but Still Leads Trump  —  Democratic nominee earns best favorability ratings yet in post-DNC poll  — In a post-convention poll, former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 9 points among likely voters, compared with an 8-point margin earlier in the week.

Court orders Donald Trump to pay legal fees in Stormy Daniels suit  —  (CNN)A California Superior Court judge has ordered President Donald Trump to pay $44,100 to Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, to reimburse her attorneys' fees in the legal battle surrounding her nondisclosure agreement.

Kanye West's Presidential Campaign Is Both Proceeding and Unraveling  —  The last 48 hours have presented a series of new challenges for Kanye West's haphazard campaign for president.  —  In a span of two days, West was booted from the ballot in five states: Illinois, Montana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

A Glimmer of Hope for Trump?  How Bush Mounted a Comeback in 1988  —  For Biden, a cautionary tale.  For Trump, a search for his own Willie Horton.  —  George H.W. Bush was in trouble.  It was July 1988 and Michael Dukakis, the Democratic candidate for president, was on a roll after his party's convention in New York.

Trump is leading Republicans to an unwanted record in the popular vote  —  (CNN)American elections tend to swing on a pendulum.  No one party usually holds power for too long.  Since 1952, for example, only once has a party won the presidency three elections in a row.

Mnuchin Paved Way for Postal Service Shake-Up  —  At President Trump's behest, the Treasury Secretary sought out appointees who would restructure the United States Postal Service.  —  WASHINGTON — In early February, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin invited two Republican members …

Ex-CIA director John Brennan questioned for 8 hours in U.S. Attorney John Durham's probe, a Brennan adviser says  —  Former CIA director John Brennan was interviewed for eight hours Friday by the federal prosecutor specially assigned by Attorney General William P. Barr to review …

Another Putin Critic Apparently Poisoned  —  Will the West take action against whoever may have harmed Aleksei Navalny?  —  The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values.  It is separate from the newsroom.

McSally asks supporters to ‘fast a meal’ so they can donate to her campaign  —  In an audio clip, Sen. Martha McSally asked supporters to “fast a meal” so they can donate to her campaign but her people said it was just a joke.

President Trump's attempt to bypass Congress on stimulus is offering only limited economic relief  —  Just two weeks after President Trump approved executive actions aimed at bypassing stalled stimulus negotiations with Congress, only one state has said it is paying new jobless benefits …

More Than 550,000 Primary Absentee Ballots Rejected In 2020, Far Outpacing 2016  —  Audio will be available later today.  —  An extraordinarily high number of ballots — more than 550,000 — have been rejected in this year's presidential primaries, according to a new analysis by NPR.

Navy SEAL banned by Delta over mask flap wants meeting with CEO  —  Robert O'Neill, the retired Navy SEAL credited with killing terrorist Osama Bin Laden, said Friday he would like the opportunity to speak with Delta CEO Ed Bastian Bastian to reach a resolution after the airline banned …

National Enquirer Chief David Pecker Out After AMI Merger  —  The tabloid king has been dethroned as the financially troubled American Media Inc. merges with a company that markets face masks and vitamin supplements.  —  American Media Inc.'s longtime chairman and chief executive David Pecker …

Tennessee governor signs bill increasing punishments for certain protests  —  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) quietly signed a bill into law ramping up punishments for certain kinds of protests, including losing the right to vote.  —  The GOP-controlled state General Assembly passed the measure …

POLITICO Playbook: USPS battle hits House floor  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  THE BATTLE OVER THE USPS is going to hit the House floor this afternoon.  Speaker NANCY PELOSI has called the chamber back in a rare move during the August recess to force a vote on a bill that would provide $25 BILLION …

CREW Gets Hope Hicks' Financials  —  Late on Friday, CREW received Hope Hicks' financial disclosure forms filed when she reentered the Trump administration.  The forms show that her time away from the White House was lucrative for the once and future senior Trump aide.

Ohio Republicans try to regroup in crucial state for Trump  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — Complications pummeled Ohio Republicans this week as they sought to put up a united front headed into the GOP's national convention.  —  One of their best-known politicians threw his support behind Democrat Joe Biden …

Appeals court sets September 1 hearing on deadline for Trump's financial records subpoena  —  (CNN)A federal appeals court denied President Donald Trump's attempt to halt the enforcement of a subpoena for his financial records but at the same time set a rapid schedule for oral arguments in the case …