"STOP THIS RIGGED WITCH HUNT RIGHT NOW"

Trump wants to force the issue, it seems

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-jeff-sessions-stop-russia-now
President Donald Trump took some swings at a favorite punching bag again on Wednesday: beleaguered Attorney General Jeff Sessions. . . . 

[NB: Stop investigating me, right now! And don't call it obstruction of justice!]

More: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/01/trump-calls-on-sessions-to-stop-mueller-probe-755030
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Wednesday afternoon said Trump's tweet was not an order, rather the "president's opinion." . . . 

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/white-house-the-president-is-not-obstructing-he-is-fighting-back
Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Trump “is not obstructing, he’s fighting back.” . . . 

https://thinkprogress.org/sarah-sanders-trump-sessions-not-obstructing-fighting-back-russia-4017a1f05f4d/
Suffice it to say there is no “fighting back” exception to obstruction of justice charges . . . [read on]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1785123
Trump's lawyers change their mind, now say please don't listen to Trump [read on]

Okay, so we know he didn't clear this order -- clearly an ill-considered directive to Sessions -- with his legal team, who are scrambling to explain it away. It's an incendiary escalation of rhetoric. So the question is, Why now? Josh Marshall has the same question . . .

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/something-big-is-happening-in-the-background
Something Big Is Happening in The Background

[NB: We've just been told that Mueller is looking into Trump's tweets to assess his state of mind in interfering with or impeding the investigation. And he keeps giving Mueller material.] 

One theory

https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/01/mueller-wants-to-ask-trump-about-obstruction-of-justice/
“Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office wants to ask President Trump about obstruction of justice,” sources close to the White House tell ABC News. “The president learned within the last day that the special counsel will limit the scope of questioning and would like to ask questions both orally and written for the President to respond to.” “According to sources familiar with the President’s reaction Wednesday morning, that was the genesis for his early morning tweet storm.”

More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/i-dont-buy-this-explanation
I Don’t Buy This Explanation

I don't believe this really, but I'm sure they want us to believe it

https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/01/trump-is-pushing-for-interview-with-mueller/
“President Trump pushed his lawyers in recent days to try once again to reach an agreement with the special counsel’s office about him sitting for an interview, flouting their advice that he should not answer investigators’ questions,” the New York Times reports. “Mr. Trump has told advisers he is eager to meet with investigators to clear himself of wrongdoing, the people said. In effect, he believes he can convince the investigators for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, of his belief that their own inquiry is a ‘witch hunt.’

[NB: If Trump was really determined to testify, I think we all know that would happen. He ignores advice all the time when it goes against what he wants. Remember that Giuliani told us that this was the week the decision was coming. The decision will almost certainly be, No. But they don't want anyone thinking that Trump is afraid to testify.]

So, we see the pattern. Trump didn't collude, but it wouldn't be a problem if he did. He didn't obstruct justice . . . but it wouldn't be a problem if he did. Is anybody buying this crap?

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/giuliani-argues-trump-has-legal-right-to-obstruct-russia-probe-says-he-hasnt

Get in line. . .

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/07/is-trump-ready-to-cook-giuliani
“Don McGahn Hates Rudy with Intensity of 1,000 Burning Suns”

I'm a little concerned by conservative pundits I am starting to agree with -- on this issue

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/collusion-is-a-question-of-loyalty-not-legality/566606/
[David Frum] Lying to Congress is a crime, . . . Money laundering is a crime. Tax evasion is a crime. Obstruction of justice is a crime. Lying to federal investigators is a crime. . . . The Trump presidency’s connections to Russia are a national-security issue first, a criminal-justice issue only second. . . . “Collusion is not a crime” in the same way that a counter-intelligence investigation is not a criminal prosecution. Aspects of collusion may be criminal, but collusion itself is above all a threat to national security: the installation of a president beholden to some greater or lesser degree to a hostile foreign power. . . .  Collusion is worse than a crime

Here's a thought experiment: what if collusion with foreign governments was okay?

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/08/lets-all-collude/

In other Russia news. . .

The evolution of Russia lies

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/life-comes-at-you-fast-3 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-timeline-of-team-trumps-flip-flopping-on-robert-mueller

Paul Manafort's surreal trial

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/day-one-of-the-manafort-trial-was-a-surreal-spectacle/566537 

Day two of the trial: a summary

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/08/manafort-trial-day-2-international-wire

Trump embraces, and then distances, Paul Manafort, all in one tweet

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-boosts-manafort-credibility-then-quickly-backpedals

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/01/trump-manafort-trail-755442

W-h-a-a-a-t?  https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-offers-up-bizarre-comparison-between-manafort-and-al-capone
Trump Offers Up Bizarre Comparison Between Manafort And Al Capone

Maria Butina: the money trail

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/suspicious-butina-erickson-transactions-under-scrutiny-federal-investigators

What's this all about?

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1784993
On Oct. 31, 2016, a week before the election, Slate published an article titled “Was a Trump server communicating with Russia?”. . . Somewhere in Trump Tower, a server belonging to the Trump Organization, was communicating with a pair of servers at a bank in Moscow. . .

In other news . . . 

Trump's rate of lying is actually going UP. And look at this poll of Trump supporters

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1785074 

More: https://crooksandliars.com/2018/08/watch-heres-real-trump-derangement
A Republican voter insisted to MSNBC this week that “everything” President Donald Trump says is true...

Trump 101

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/08/01/what-winning-looks-like-to-a-delusional-president/

1. Present distorted version of status quo.
2. Create crisis over distorted version of status quo.
3. Restore status quo (often at substantial cost).
4. Take credit for status quo. [read on]

Is Trump really going to give the rich another tax cut, without going through Congress?

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/08/white-house-various-people-want-new-capital-gains-tax-cut.html

Trump takes us backward on health care

https://slate.com/business/2018/08/trump-has-brought-back-the-type-of-junk-health-insurance-that-obamacare-was-meant-to-ban.html

Trump almost gives up the secret that is no secret. His kids cross the line between private investment and government influence, acting as conduits for Trump's ongoing involvement in his own companies

https://thinkprogress.org/donald-trump-eric-trump-political-stuff-florida-b855232117c6/
According to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, during the flight from Washington, D.C. to Florida, a reporter asked Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley why Eric was traveling with his father in the first place.

“I don’t know,” Gidley replied. 

Damn them

https://thinkprogress.org/toddler-died-ice-detention-863fcd5e357e/
Migrant toddler died after release from ICE detention, lawyers group says

https://thinkprogress.org/employee-at-immigrant-shelter-in-arizona-arrested-for-allegedly-sexually-abusing-teen-girl-7c73f67e2ac3/
Employee at immigrant shelter in Arizona arrested for allegedly sexually abusing teen girl

This is a huge development that is getting little to no attention. Looks like China is making a major move against Taiwan

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/china-is-trying-to-wipe-taiwan-off-the-map.html

Another broken North Korea promise 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/08/trumps-boast-about-getting-remains-from-korea-is-collapsing.html
“We got back our great fallen heroes, the remains sent back today, already 200 got sent back,” boasted Donald Trump earlier this summer. Unsurprisingly, this is false. . . .

More: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/08/north-korea-missile/566429/

What happens when you let Stephen Miller formulate foreign policy -- nothing good

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1785078 

I hope you weren't counting on Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski to stand up on the Kavanaugh vote

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/08/collins-murkowski-seem-to-be-preparing-to-support-kavanaugh.html 

Another Playboy model paid off in a shady arrangement set up by Michael Cohen

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/unsealed-lawsuit-in-broidy-case-populated-with-many-familiar-faces 

Colonel Sanders has to explain Trump's out-of-touch comment that you need an ID in a grocery store

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/wh-defends-trump-grocery-store-id
WH Defends Trump’s Grocery ID Claim: You’ll Need It If You ‘Buy Beer And Wine’

[NB: What Trump said: ““If you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card, you need ID”] 

What is "democratic socialism"?

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/08/i-still-have-one-question-about-democratic-socialism/

The numbers are looking good for the midterms . . . so far

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/08/01/how-the-electorate-is-shaping-up-for-the-2018-midterm-elections/

Obama's 2018 endorsements

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/1/17640018/obama-endorsements-2018

More: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/obamas-2018-endorsement-list-includes-jacky-rosen-but-not-beto-orourke-or-alexandria-ocasio-cortez.html

There's still Russian material on Facebook -- and the messages (and target audience) are very revealing

https://thinkprogress.org/if-facebook-is-removing-pages-why-is-all-this-russian-material-still-up-7ee4b7059b63/

It should be a national emergency

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/08/will-the-country-respond-to-dan-coats-blinking-red-warning-of-russian-attacks.html
“The Warning Lights Are Blinking Red Again”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/senate-rejects-additional-funding-for-election-security-despite-intel-warnings
Senate Rejects Additional Funding for Election Security Despite Intel Warnings

The Trump-Koch war spells real trouble for the GOP 

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/republican-lawmakers-scramble-balance-trump-koch-dispute

There's a reason why Trump's GOP endorsements all sound the same

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/why-so-many-trumps-endorsements-sound-exactly-the-same

Jim Jordan (R-OH), former wrestling coach and abuse enabler, is in big trouble

https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/01/former-coach-urged-jordans-accusers-to-recant/
Former Coach Urged Jordan’s Accusers to Recant

Trump rally brings fringe conspiracy theories mainstream

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-tampa-rally-qanon-conspiracy-goes-mainstream-68037c87f50b/ 
QAnon

More on QAnon: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/30/qanon-4chan-rightwing-conspiracy-theory-explained-trump

https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-is-qanon-the-craziest-theory-of-the-trump-era-explained 

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/1/17253444/qanon-trump-conspiracy-theory-reddit

The kind of people they are

https://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/they-seem-so-nice.html

Trump is almost on the verge of endorsing attacks on the press

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/1/17639110/trump-tampa-rally-cnn-jim-acosta 

More: https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/01/trump-rallies-go-from-nasty-to-dangerous/
Trump Rallies Go From Nasty to Dangerous 

Colonel Sanders tries to defend it: https://www.thedailybeast.com/sarah-huckabee-sanders-defends-verbal-attacks-on-cnns-jim-acosta

People are getting fed up with Colonel Sanders

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/08/nicolle-wallace-hopes-never-air-another

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/08/reporter-loses-patience-sarah-sanders

Fox World consistently attacks and denigrates its competitors -- and Trump gives them material

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/07/hannity-celebrates-trumps-rally-crowds

Sean Hannity reflects on his relation to Trump

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hannity-boasts-that-nobody-knows-nature-of-his-relationship-with-trump

Bonus item: I love pieces like this. Here is Melania "gardening." An hilarious reading of the photo, her designer sunglasses, and her $1400 plaid "work" shirt

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/melania-trump-looks-very-out-of-place-in-a-garden-especially-compared-to-michelle-obama.html

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CONSPIRACY, NOT COLLUSION

Trump picks up the "collusion is not a crime" mantra

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1784794
"Collusion is not a crime, but that doesn’t matter because there was No Collusion (except by Crooked Hillary and the Democrats)!"

[NB: So, let's see -- there was no collusion, but even if there was it isn't a crime. Except collusion by Hillary and the Dems. THAT's a great scandal!]

More:  [B]oth Trump and Rudy are right … to the extent that there is no federal crime called “collusion.” However, if they reference just under half of the 132 federal indictments handed down by Robert Mueller’s investigation, they’ll spot something that is a crime: Conspiracy. Specifically “Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the United States” in charges against Russian intelligence agents, “Conspiracy against the United States” in charges against Paul Manafort and Konstantin Kilimnik, “Conspiracy to defraud the United States” in charges against Russian nationals and three Russian front companies, and just plain “Conspiracy” in charges against Rick Gates. Conspiracy. It’s what collusion is called when it comes to court. All of which Trump’s legal team has known all along. Trump has known all along. Which is why “collusion” has been the go-to word rather than “conspiracy” all along. 

https://www.vox.com/world/2018/7/31/17634146/trump-collusion-crime-russia-mueller

It’s still possible Mueller will find that the Trump campaign committed crimes that fall under the US legal code, such as a conspiracy to defraud the United States. Working with a foreign power to sway an election would almost certainly qualify under that statute. But that’s not all: There are also laws against election fraud, hacking, and even wire fraud. As Vox’s Ezra Klein noted last year, there’s already tons of evidence pointing in the collusion direction, and it could involve some of these crimes. Here are a few examples . . .  [read on]

Look at the letter from Rod Rosenstein authorizing the Mueller investigation. Proving "collusion" isn't in it

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3726408-Rosenstein-letter-appointing-Mueller-special.html
“any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump”

[NB: Links or coordination? Hell, yeah!]

Report: Trump obstructed justice -- and Mueller can prove it 

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/report-trump-knew-flynn-under-fbi-investigation-obstruction 
Trump knew that there was an ongoing criminal investigation into Flynn and his interactions with Russian officials when he asked then-FBI director James Comey on Feb. 14, 2017 to let Flynn “go.” Reporter Murray Waas said that he reviewed a White House memo that “explicitly states that when Trump pressured Comey he had just been told by two of his top aides — his then chief of staff Reince Priebus and his White House counsel Don McGahn — that Flynn was under criminal investigation.” According to Waas, “people familiar with the matter” have told him that both Priebus and McGahn also testified to Special Counsel Robert Mueller that they personally provided this information to Trump during a Jan. 26, 2017 meeting. These details flatly contradict the case that Trump’s personal legal team has made in denying the obstruction of justice allegations. In a confidential January 29 letter to the special counsel leaked to the New York Times in June, two of Trump’s attorneys say that the President knew only that Flynn had been interviewed by the FBI. Trump believed the bureau’s investigation was over and that Flynn had been cleared, his attorneys claimed. . . .

More: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/donald-trump-says-he-didnt-try-to-end-the-mike-flynn-investigation-rudy-giuliani-isnt-so-sure.html

Did Michael Cohen go to Prague?

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/07/31/were-way-off-the-heart-of-the-russia-investigation/
The whole ball game involves determining whether the dossier was anywhere close to accurate when it stated that the hackers were paid jointly by the Kremlin and the Trump campaign and that Cohen had traveled to Prague (accompanied by three colleagues) to discuss, among other things, how to make final payments to the hackers and to facilitate them going to ground, especially in the event that Hillary Clinton won the election. If Mueller has evidence that Cohen did indeed make a trip to Prague despite all his denials, then he probably can close this case if Cohen agrees to cooperate. . . .

The Paul Manafort trial begins

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/paul-manafort-opening-statement-virginia
Manafort Previews His Defense: It’s Rick Gates’ Fault

The prosecution's case: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/paul-manafort-trial/566504/

Manafort's strategy?

https://www.vox.com/2018/7/31/17605138/paul-manafort-mueller-investigation-plea-deal
Paul Manafort says “no chance” of a deal with prosecutors as his trial begins

https://www.vox.com/2018/7/31/17604848/paul-manafort-trial-trump-mueller-russia

Prison or pardon: a former prosecutor explains Manafort’s risky legal strategy

Kellyanne says the trial of Trump's former campaign manager has nothing to do with the campaign 

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/conway-emphasizes-manafort-trial-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-campaign

[NB: Why, they barely know the man.]

Mueller keeps spreading the work around so he can focus on the big things, and firing him won't make all the investigations go away

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/mueller-pawns-off-possible-fara-cases

Analyses like this drive me crazy. It is true that Trump won't be charged with crimes. Any consequences would have to come from the political process of impeachment and the court of public opinion. And it is true that Republicans in general have shown little inclination to take the Trump-Russia matter very seriously up until now. But handicapping in advance Trump's chances of surviving this is pointless: no one knows anything until they see what Mueller's report says, and what he can prove. I continue to expect stunning revelations and a command of detail and documentation, as we have seen in his court filings so far. I expect a professional, thorough report that makes its case carefully and without rhetoric and hyperbole. And I expect that the disclosures of what Trump and his people actually did will shock people. No one knows what the climate will be like when that gets released. Readers of PBD understand the politics of spin and distraction and muddying the waters -- we see it every day. But we still live in a world of facts, and facts have a way of stubbornly imposing themselves on the conversation

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/31/politics/donald-trump-rudy-giuliani/index.html

I love claims that Michael Cohen isn't a very credible witness. Well, of course he's not. But he's matched up against a bunch of proven liars who have no room for complaint

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trumps-theater-of-the-absurd

In Russia news. . . 

Giuliani brags that he "killed" a NYT story about the Trump Tower meeting

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/07/rudys-attempt-hide-second-trump-tower  

More: https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/ex-exec-says-its-impossible-trump-didnt-know-of-meeting/
A former Trump Organization executive told CNN that it is “impossible” Donald Trump would not have known about the 2016 Trump Tower meeting between campaign officials and a Russian lawyer offering damaging information on Hillary Clinton.

Was there a Trump Tower pre-meeting, or not?

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1784874

I love the principle of WikiLeaks. Free access to information. But somehow that got lost

https://twitter.com/rj_gallagher/status/1024066244121686016
[19 Nov 2015] WikiLeaks says "we believe it would be much better for GOP to win.". . . [read on]

[NB: This terrific timeline is full of WikiLeaks coordination with Donald Junior. Thanks to RR for the link.]

More: https://thinkprogress.org/dump-of-wikileaks-messages-shines-light-on-assanges-conspiracy-theories-324923bf22a3/
Call it the Wikileaking of Wikileaks. . . . [read on]

And we ask again, if it were Obama . . .

https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/many-republicans-dont-see-issue-with-russian-meddling/
Many Republicans Don’t See Issue with Russian Meddling 

In other news . . . 

The immigration family separation story just keeps getting worse and worse

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-admin-migrant-children-drugs-1613b2124f50/
Trump administration ordered to stop giving psychotropic drugs to migrant children without consent

More: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1784869
Watch Trump officials refuse to answer whether they'd put their own kids in migrant family jails 

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/the-trump-administration-was-warned-separation-would-be-horrific-for-children.html
The Trump Administration Was Warned Separation Would Be Horrific for Children, Did It Anyway

Trump says he doesn't care about the political ramifications of a government shutdown to get what he wants on immigration -- but he's waiting until after the election to do it

https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/trump-again-threatens-a-government-shutdown/ 

Now we know: the decision to add a question on citizenship to the census wasn't the Justice Dept's idea at all 

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-administration-pushed-doj-to-add-census-citizenship-question-9b4ea5816bf5/

Another Big Lie

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/doj-finally-admits-it-has-no-data-to-support-trump-lie-on-foreign-terrorists 
President Donald Trump and his administration have repeatedly peddled the lie that, according to government data, foreigners who come to the United States are more likely to be convicted of terrorism and “terrorism-related” offenses than native-born Americans. A new statement from the Justice Department to Lawfare makes the lie more clear than ever. . . .

This is genuinely surprising

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/in-it-for-the-long-haul-kelly-agrees-to-stay-on-as-chief-of-staff-through-2020
White House chief of staff John Kelly announced to staff Monday that he’d agreed to stay in that position through the 2020 election, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. . . .

It's a familiar story by now

First: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/koch-brothers-official-calls-out-trump
Officials with the Libertarian-leaning network of donors tied to billionaire Charles Koch decried President Donald Trump for his “divisive” rhetoric at a gathering over the weekend, The Washington Post reported. Koch network co-chair Brian Hooks cited Trump’s “tremendous lack of leadership” as contributing to the “deterioration of the core institutions of society” and said the “divisiveness of this White House is causing long-term damage.”...

Then: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-slams-globalist-koch-brothers
President Donald Trump lashed out at the “globalist” Koch Network on Twitter Tuesday, just days after a Koch official criticized Trump’s leadership skills and “divisive” rhetoric at a network gathering over the weekend. He called the mega donor network “a total joke” in “real Republican circles” and “highly overrated,” while suggesting he personally made the Koch brothers “richer”...

More: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/koch-and-trumps-tug-of-war-for-the-gop/566396/
The Kochs and Trump Fight for Control of the GOP 

https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/01/trump-feud-with-koch-network-exposes-gop-rift/
Trump Feud with Koch Network Exposes GOP Rift

War on the Right: https://www.vox.com/2018/7/31/17634070/trump-koch-tweet

GOP wealthy donors really aren't comfortable with Trump

https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/07/31/the-uneasy-relationship-between-trump-and-wealthy-republicans/

Iran says no, we aren't going to meet with Trump

https://www.vox.com/world/2018/7/31/17634238/iran-trump-meeting-foreign-ministry-nuclear-deal

In Fox World, the serious issue isn't that North Korea is still building nukes, or that Trump lied when he said he had solved the problem -- but that we found out about it

https://crooksandliars.com/2018/07/fox-and-friends-more-worried-about-leak

It's happening again

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/facebook-identified-political-influence-campaign-midterms
Facebook announced on Tuesday that it has identified an ongoing political influence campaign on its platform ahead of the November midterm elections, and has removed 32 pages and accounts “involved in coordinated inauthentic behavior.” . . .

More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/facebook-busts-election-trolls-who-look-a-lot-like-the-russians

A simple question: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1784914
Why are Republicans so opposed to protecting November's election from Russian hackers?

Trump admin argues that increased gas mileage is a BAD thing

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/to-nix-obama-fuel-standard-white-house-argues-that-better-gas-mileage-is-dangerous

I remember when George H.W. Bush visited a grocery store, and marveled at the price scanner like he was seeing something from science fiction. Trump's another out-of-touch guy who clearly doesn't spend much time in grocery stores

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/in-pitch-for-voter-id-trump-falsely-claims-that-id-needed-to-grocery-shop

Judge blocks release of 3-D printer gun blueprints

https://thinkprogress.org/federal-judge-blocks-the-release-of-3d-printed-gun-blueprints-3b362156fbd7/

More: https://www.vox.com/2018/7/31/17634558/3d-printed-guns-trump-cody-wilson-defcad 

Another campaign ad that looks like a satire, but is actually serious (thanks to RR for the link)

https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/an-actual-ad-in-the-florida-governors-race/

Shameless flattery works! (with Trump) https://crooksandliars.com/2018/07/desantis-pledges-loyalty-trump-bizarre-new
DeSantis Pledges Undying Loyalty To Trump In Bizarre New Ad

https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/desantis-used-fox-news-to-catch-trumps-attention/
DeSantis Used Fox News to Catch Trump’s Attention

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/key-statewide-race-donald-trump-finds-his-mini-me
NBC News’ First Read team this morning described DeSantis as “Trump’s mini-me” – a mantle the congressman seemed eager to embrace . . .

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/31/trump-floridarepublicans-desantis-scott-751244
The president is trying to make the midterms all about him. 

I agree!

https://www.thedailybeast.com/democratic-leadership-is-too-damn-old
Democratic Leadership Is Too Damn Old 

Whenever Bob Woodward has a new book coming out, it's an Event. He gets his sources and he tells great stories

https://politicalwire.com/2018/07/31/white-house-braces-for-new-woodward-book/
“It’s gonna be killer. Everyone talked with Woodward.”

Trump keeps amping up his war against the press

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/31/trump-criticize-media-751422
Trump blasts media as 'unhinged' and 'crazy'

Sometimes the news can be a little grim. Here's a corrective

http://prospect.org/article/six-reasons-hope-trump-times
Six Reasons for Hope in Trump Times

Bonus item: Seth Meyers reviews the incoherence of the new Trump defense strategy

https://www.thedailybeast.com/seth-meyers-savages-rudy-giulianis-insane-collusion-defense-trumps-lawyer-is-lying-about-his-lying-lawyers-lies

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