memeorandum: In Israel, Stefanik denounces Biden and praises Trump. (Isabel Kershner/New York Times)

6:10 AM ET, May 20, 2024

Top Items:

Farnaz Fassihi / New York Times:

Helicopter Carrying Iran's President Has Crashed, State Media Reports — Rescuers are trying to locate the helicopter on which President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian were traveling, state media reported. Their status is unknown.

Arsalan Shahla / Bloomberg:

Iran State TV Says ‘No Sign of Life’ at Helicopter Crash Site — Raisi was in Iran's East Azerbaijan province to inaugurate dam — President's entourage includes foreign minister, also missing — Iranian President Raisi Missing After Helicopter Crash

Discussion: New York Times, Associated Press, Fox News, Middle East Monitor, Tasnim News Agency, UPI, NBC News, The Sun, Al-Monitor, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, prima donna …, Breitbart and Fortune

Reuters:

Iranian President Raisi feared dead as helicopter wreckage found — Hopes are fading that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister have survived a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain and icy weather, an Iranian official said on Monday after search teams located the wreckage.

Discussion: Mehr News Agency, Al-Monitor, The Times of Israel, Interesting Engineering, Fox News, Associated Press, The Kyiv Independent, Human Events, Al Jazeera, Reuters and The Sun

Jon Gambrell / Associated Press:

Iran's president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after an hourslong search through a foggy …

Discussion: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, The Times of Israel, The Daily Beast, Twitchy, Washington Post, New York Times, Reuters, Politico, UPI, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Human Events, RTÉ, USA Today, Al-Monitor and Fox News

U.S. Department of Defense:

Joint Statement From the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of National Defense of the Republic of Niger — Representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of National Defense of the Republic of Niger met from May 15 to 19, 2024, in Niamey, Republic of Niger …

Discussion: UPI, Task & Purpose, Washington Post, New York Times and CBS News

Myah Ward / Politico:

Trump at NRA convention floats a 3-term presidency — The former president has more recently shut down the proposition of seeking a third term, which is barred by the Constitution. — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday floated the idea of a third term if he wins in November.

Victoria Bekiempis / The Guardian:

Trump floats idea of three-term presidency at NRA convention — During a bombastic speech in Dallas, GOP frontrunner asks: ‘Are we going to be considered three-term? Or two-term?’ — Donald Trump flirted with the idea of being president for three terms - a clear violation of the US constitution …

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Axios:

Senate Democrats don't believe Biden's bad polls, either … - “No, I do not think that they are accurate,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told Axios. … - “The polls showed that I was down when I entered my race. … - Now, Democrats say the polls are missing key voter dynamics on their side.

Discussion: Conservative Brief

Maeve Reston / Washington Post: After years of Democratic dominance, Nevada could be slipping from Biden's grasp

Victoria Bekiempis / The Guardian:

Biden vows to fight ‘poison of white supremacy’ at Morehouse speech — Speech warmly received at historically Black college despite backlash from students in weeks leading to address over war — Joe Biden told graduating students of Morehouse College that American democracy has failed the Black community …

Discussion: NPR, Axios, Associated Press, Fox News, Louisiana Illuminator, RedState, The Daily Beast, New York Times, Reuters, Business Insider, USA Today, Mediaite, UPI, NBC News, New York Post, WFLA-TV, Al Jazeera and Politico

Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
At Atlanta fundraiser, President Biden tells supporters that Georgia shows the “power of the vote”

Discussion: Hartford Courant, The White House, New York Post, Washington Examiner, RedState, New York Times, The Gateway Pundit, Twitchy and Bloomberg

Wall Street Journal:
Biden and Trump Hunt for Breakthrough Moment in Stagnant Election

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, Conservative Brief, New York Times, Washington Examiner, BizPac Review, Washington Post and CBS News

Kaia Hubbard / CBS News:

Hungary's far-right PM Viktor Orbán has made “some smart decisions,” Sen. J.D. Vance says — Washington — Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, rumored to be one of former President Donald Trump's vice-presidential contenders, said Sunday that the U.S “could learn from” …

Discussion: New York Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Mediaite

Andrew Solender / Axios:

Democrats tee up showdown with GOP over non-citizen voting … - This dynamic has played out repeatedly in the 118th Congress - with House Republicans using their majority to try to overturn progressive D.C. laws and squeeze Democrats in the process. — Republicans' campaign apparatus …

Discussion: The Hill and Associated Press

New York Post:

RFK Jr. lists voting address at Westchester home — that's in foreclosure and neighbors have never seen him — Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lists his residence to vote as a tony Westchester County address — which is in foreclosure proceedings for non-payment, court records show.

Discussion: Democrats

Isabel Kershner / New York Times:

In Israel, Stefanik denounces Biden and praises Trump. — Two key members of the wartime government have demanded that Israel's leader come up with a decisive strategy for Gaza, with one issuing an ultimatum. — Here's what we're covering: — Netanyahu may face little risk from a rival's political ultimatum, analysts say.

Discussion: USA Today, Digby's Hullabaloo, The Times of Israel, ABC News, Forbes and RedState

Barak Ravid / Axios:
Bibi blocks Israeli intel chiefs' meetings with U.S. officials

Discussion: The Times of Israel, SpyTalk and Washington Examiner

Chris Geidner / Law Dork:

Exclusive: Justice Alito sold Bud Light stock amidst anti-trans boycott effort — At 4:37 p.m. on Sunday, August 13, 2023, far-right, anti-LGBTQ influencer Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok posted a pre-transition photograph of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, calling her “a dude,” on Twitter, now known as X.1

Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:

Sen. Marco Rubio won't commit to accepting 2024 election results — Rubio blamed Democrats for opposing “every Republican victory since 2000. Every single one.” — Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, widely seen as a potential vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump …