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Mark Milley's crisis — When Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley goes before Congress on Sept. 28, he may face some of the most hostile questioning of any modern four-star general. — Driving the news: Newly released excerpts from “Peril” by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa …
Discussion:
USA Today, The Daily Beast, HotAir, Mediaite, National Review, Defense One, Forbes, RedState, Digby's Hullabaloo, Raw Story, Insider, Washington Post, Gizmodo, Washington Examiner, CNN, Fox News, The National Pulse, Rolling Stone, Becker News, BizPac Review, Trending Politics, The Federalist, New York Magazine, IJR, Outside the Beltway, Wall Street Journal, CNN and Twitchy
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Biden says he has ‘great confidence’ in Milley after book reveals top general, fearing Trump, conferred with China to avert war — President Biden said Wednesday that he has “great confidence” in Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after a new book revealed …
Discussion:
The Hill, NBC News, Insider, CNBC, Washington Examiner, New York Post, Reuters, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, MARK WRHEL, Mediaite, Political Wire and The Guardian

Trump Acting Defense Sec. Miller says he ‘did not’ authorize Milley China calls, says he should resign — In a statement to Fox News, Miller said that the United States Armed Forces, from its inception, has “operated under the inviolable principle of civilian control of the military.”
Discussion:
Insider

Claims that Milley made ‘secret’ calls to Chinese leaders exaggerated, sources say — Claims in an upcoming book that a frantic Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley made secret calls to his Chinese counterpart are greatly exaggerated, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Insider, CBS News, Washington Post, KTLA, Ground News, IJR and Louder With Crowder
Tiana Lowe / Washington Examiner:
Mark Milley must go
Mark Milley must go
Discussion:
National Review, Insider, The Spectator World, Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, CNN and New York Times
The Daily Beast:
Trump Calls Allies to Demand Gen. Mark Milley Be ‘Arrested’ for ‘Treason’
Trump Calls Allies to Demand Gen. Mark Milley Be ‘Arrested’ for ‘Treason’
Discussion:
HotAir, CNN, Insider, Daily Kos, TheBlaze, Mediaite, Digby's Hullabaloo, BizPac Review, National Review, Raw Story, RedState, 6abc and d1994
Tucker Carlson / Fox News:
Mark Milley committed treason, and others were implicated
Mark Milley committed treason, and others were implicated
Discussion:
National Review, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, RedState, Breitbart, BizPac Review, HotAir, Washington Post and Insider

Newsom's Anti-Trump Recall Strategy Offers Republicans a Warning for 2022 — California Democrats were able to nationalize the vote — thanks to an avalanche of money, party discipline and, above all, an easily demonized opponent. — SAN LEANDRO, Calif. — California basks in its clairvoyance.
Discussion:
Newsweek, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, HotAir, Vanity Fair, The American Independent, Al Jazeera, Vox, Reason, Bloomberg and Twitchy, more at Mediagazer »
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Does the GOP Really Want to Do This Again? — Blowout in California — In the end, it wasn't even remotely close. California voters rejected a GOP-led recall of Governor Gavin Newsom by a landslide margin of 64-36 — a 28-point shellacking. — Yes, this is what we should have expected …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Associated Press and Balloon Juice

Frustrated California Voters May Have Lost The Recall, But The War On Newsom Isn't Over — Some California residents were stunned, but others said they are determined to use the power they amassed to create the recall to keep fighting to hold the governor accountable for his tyranny.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, National Review and Rolling Stone

There's no upside for the GOP from the California recall
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars
Perry Bacon / Washington Post:
Newsom's winning recall strategy offers a playbook for Democrats in 2022
Newsom's winning recall strategy offers a playbook for Democrats in 2022
Discussion:
HotAir, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Los Angeles Times and National Review
Stephanie Sierra / ABC7:
CA recall price tag ‘could be’ more than $300M, secretary of state says, as experts call for reform
CA recall price tag ‘could be’ more than $300M, secretary of state says, as experts call for reform
Discussion:
CNBC, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Crooks and Liars, NBC News, CNN and American Prospect

Gymnasts testify as Congress investigates FBI's handling of Larry Nassar sexual abuse case — A report said the FBI made “fundamental” errors in the investigation. — By Katie Kindelan via — U.S. elite gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman are testifying …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Washington Times, d1994, Insider, UPI and Washington Post
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Simone Biles Breaks Down at FBI's Nassar Failures: ‘I Blame an Entire System’
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Forbes, CNN, Raw Story and Law & Crime
Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
FBI fires agent who failed to pursue tips about sex abuse by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar
FBI fires agent who failed to pursue tips about sex abuse by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar

Facebook Tried to Make Its Platform a Healthier Place. It Got Angrier Instead. — Internal memos show how a big 2018 change rewarded outrage and that CEO Mark Zuckerberg resisted proposed fixes — In the fall of 2018, Jonah Peretti, chief executive of online publisher BuzzFeed …
Discussion:
The Verge, more at Techmeme »

This is how a Republican lie is born — This is what happens when an entire political party takes leave of reality. — On Tuesday morning, one of the most senior and important Republican senators used one of the most prominent settings in official Washington to level one of the most serious …
Discussion:
C-SPAN.org, The American Independent, Summit News, MyNorthwest.com and CNN
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White House avoids questions about Biden ‘responsibility’ for civilian casualties in drone strike
Discussion:
Townhall
Alan Fram / Associated Press:
Maverick Dem senators meeting with Biden on spending plan
Maverick Dem senators meeting with Biden on spending plan
Discussion:
New York Times, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

The pandemic marks another grim milestone: 1 in 500 Americans have died of covid-19 — At a certain point, it was no longer a matter of if the United States would reach the gruesome milestone of 1 in 500 people dying of covid-19, but a matter of when. A year? Maybe 15 months? The answer: 19 months.
Discussion:
Vox

Mercer family played bigger role in 2020 election than thought, giving nearly $20 million to dark-money GOP fund — The wealthy family led by Robert and Rebekah Mercer invested nearly $20 million last year into a dark money fund that allows donors to keep secret the ultimate destination of their contributions.
Discussion:
Raw Story

1 in 500 US residents has died of Covid-19 — 'It's bad to the bone': Unvaccinated man describes Covid-19 fight — (CNN)The United States has reached another grim milestone in its fight against the devastating Covid-19 pandemic: 1 in 500 Americans have died from coronavirus since the nation's first reported infection.
Discussion:
The Hill, Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Gizmodo, Reason, Lawyers, Guns & Money, New York Post, Mercury News, Breitbart and PoPville
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CNN Poll: Most Americans feel democracy is under attack in the US — (CNN)Most Americans feel democracy is under attack in this country (56%), according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS, as 51% say it is likely that elected officials in the US will successfully overturn the results …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times and Political Wire

Capitol Police officers face discipline for photos with rioters — A Capitol Police officer facing disciplinary action told investigators that he posed for a photo with a suspect during the Jan. 6 riot in order to identify him later. — But the officer never shared that plan with his supervisor …
Discussion:
The Hill, The Daily Beast, Sacramento Bee, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, POLITICUSUSA, Insider, Washingtonian, Washington Post and NBC News
Quinnipiac University Poll:
Nearly 7 In 10 Say Recent Rise In COVID-19 Deaths Was Preventable, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Job Approval For Supreme Court Drops To All-Time Low — mail_outline — With the number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States now topping 650,000, an overwhelmingly majority …

This pastor will sign a religious exemption for vaccines if you donate to his church — A pastor is encouraging people to donate to his Tulsa church so they can become an online member and get his signature on a religious exemption from coronavirus vaccine mandates.
Discussion:
HotAir, Washington Examiner, The Hill and MSN

Once again, the GOP's answer is ‘no.’ Democrats should take it and run. — Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in a statement on Tuesday announced a compromise voting reform bill supported by Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine (Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin III (W.Va.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) …
Discussion:
Politico, American Edge Project and Off the Kuff
CNN:
California Recall Exit Polls — Exit polls are surveys of a random sample of voters taken as they leave their polling place on election day. Absentee and early voters are represented by either telephone polls or in-person exit polls at early voting locations.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Sabato's Crystal Ball, The Hill and Breitbart

Third Republican drops out of race to replace Cheney after Trump endorses challenger — Former President Trump's endorsement of Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman in the GOP primary to take out Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has pushed out a third candidate in under a week, further clearing what was a crowded field.

Afghanistan: Taliban leaders in bust-up at presidential palace, sources say — A major row broke out between leaders of the Taliban just days after they set up a new government in Afghanistan, senior Taliban officials told the BBC. — Supporters of two rival factions reportedly brawled …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, TheBlaze, The Daily Caller, Fox News and Reuters

Republicans seek Pennsylvania voters' personal information as they try to review the 2020 results. — Pennsylvania Republicans moved on Wednesday to seek personal information on every voter in the state as part of a brewing partisan review of the 2020 election results, rubber-stamping …
Discussion:
CNN, BuzzFeed News, exploreClarion.com, Forbes, CBS Pittsburgh and 6abc

Court reinstates Nunes suit over reporter's tweet — A federal appeals court has rejected Rep. Devin Nunes' defamation suit over a magazine story about his relatives in Iowa, but the court revived the lawmaker's claim that he was libeled when a reporter linked to the story in a tweet more than a year after it was first published.