In This Episode
Republicans respond to a second credible allegation of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh by accusing Democrats of a smear campaign, and The New York Times may have given Trump the excuse he’s been looking for to fire Rod Rosenstein. Then Lovett and Dan talk to The New York Times’ Mark Leibovich about politics, Paul Ryan, and his new book “Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times.”
Show Notes:
Kavanaugh
- New Yorker: Senate Democrats Investigate a New Allegation of Sexual Misconduct, from Brett Kavanaugh’s College Years
- New York Times: Christine Blasey Ford Reaches Deal to Testify at Kavanaugh Hearing
- Washington Post: Senate Judiciary panel’s top Democrat calls for delay in Kavanaugh hearing after new allegation
- Washington Post: Trump calls sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh ‘totally political,’ vows to back him ‘all the way’
- Vox: What we know — and still don’t — about the sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh
- Vox: Republicans reportedly knew about Brett Kavanaugh’s second accuser — and then tried to speed up his confirmation
- Politico: Kavanaugh confirmation in renewed peril after second assault claim
- CNBC: Senate panel contacts Michael Avenatti after his claim of damaging information about Brett Kavanaugh
- Vox: What does Michael Avenatti have on Brett Kavanaugh? What we know so far
Republican cover-up/reaction
- Politico: Ed Whelan taking ‘leave of absence’ after posting Kavanaugh theory
- Vox: Ed Whelan’s tweets have created a second Kavanaugh scandal
- Mother Jones: The Kavanaugh Affair Careened Off a Cliff Today
- Washington Post: Conservatives hyped a pundit who promised to prove Kavanaugh innocent. Then they saw his theory
Trump decides to attack
- New York Times: Grassley Extends Negotiation Deadline for Christine Blasey Ford
- Los Angeles Times: Trump asked why Kavanaugh’s accuser didn’t report him at the time. History provides some answers
- CNN: Susan Collins ‘appalled’ by Trump’s tweet about Christine Blasey Ford
- Time: Trump Attacked Brett Kavanaugh’s Accuser. Now People Are Revealing #WhyIDidntReport
McConnell and others saying they’ll plow through and confirm
- Washington Post: ‘Kavanaugh will be on the U.S. Supreme Court’: McConnell just erased any doubt about Republicans’ intentions to hear Ford out
- CNN: McConnell called Trump to say Kavanaugh tweets weren’t helpful
- Daily Beast: Republicans Fret That Kavanaugh Push Will Crush Them in Midterm Elections
What happens now?
- New York Times: Brett Kavanaugh Vows Not to Withdraw After Facing New Allegations
- Washington Post: The Daily 202: Can Kavanaugh survive? 10 questions after a second woman accuses him of sexual misconduct
Rosenstein
- CNN: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to meet Trump Thursday
- Axios: Exclusive: Rod Rosenstein is resigning
- Washington Post: Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing Russia probe, has offered to resign
- New York Times: Rod Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General, Is Expected to Leave Job
- New York Times: Rod Rosenstein Suggested Secretly Recording Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment
- Washington Post: McCabe memos say Rosenstein considered secretly recording Trump
- Politico: DOJ’s Rosenstein, allies deny he considered secretly recording Trump
- Vox: The Times’s big new Rod Rosenstein story has major implications for Mueller’s probe
- Vanity Fair: “THE STRATEGY WAS TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING REALLY BIG”: TRUMP WANTED TO NUKE ROSENSTEIN TO SAVE KAVANAUGH’S BACON
- Washington Post: The New York Times’ resounding scoop on Rod Rosenstein- Op-Ed
- The Atlantic: Who Stands to Benefit From the New Leak About Rod Rosenstein?
- Washington Post: Trump holds his fire as advisers urge him not to dismiss Rosenstein
- Esquire: The New York Times‘ Rosenstein Story Is Just a Game of Telephone
- Vox: Meet Noel Francisco, the man who will oversee the Mueller probe if Trump fires Rosenstein
- The Atlantic: What Rosenstein’s Exit Would Mean for Mueller’s Russia Investigation
- Washington Post: Even if he fires Rosenstein, it’s too late to protect Trump from Mueller
Michael Cohen
- ABC News: Michael Cohen spoke to Mueller team for hours; asked about Russia, possible collusion, pardon: Sources
- New York Times: Michael Cohen Has Spoken Repeatedly About Trump With Mueller’s Prosecutors
- Vox: Michael Cohen tweets, then deletes, praise of himself for talking to Mueller
- Wall Street Journal: Ex-Trump Lawyer Tried to Help Pay Legal Fees for Manafort, Gates
Polls
- Fox News: General Congressional Ballot
- NBC News/Wall Street Journal: General Congressional Ballot
- FiveThirtyEight: Forecast
- Rasmussen: President Trump Approval
- Gallup: President Trump Approval
- NBC News/Wall Street Journal: President Trump Approval
- Fox News: President Trump Approval
Candidate of the Day: Jacky Rosen- Nevada
- Jacky’s Platform
- The Hill: Heller embraces Trump in risky attempt to survive in November
- CNBC: Trump jumps into the Nevada Senate race — ground zero in the midterm fight over Obamacare
- The Hill: Trump tax law takes center stage in Nevada Senate race
Mark Leibovich
- New York Times Magazine: The NFL Stiff-Armed Trump. Now He Is Heckling From the White House
- New York Times Magazine: This Is the Way Paul Ryan’s Speakership Ends
- Washington Post: Are these the last days of the NFL?
- New York Times: Is America’s Most Popular Sport Under Siege?
- The Atlantic: Trump’s Divisive and Relentless Politicization of the NFL
- Boston Globe: ‘We’re going to hate this book’: Mark Leibovich still loves the Patriots, even if the feeling isn’t mutual
