Friday News: Trump’s “Addled and Ominous Interview”; Trump’s “Contempt for the Rule of Law”; Gillespie Shows His True Colors

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, July 21.

• Donald Trump’s Addled and Ominous Interview with the Times
• The Republicans Have Three Health Care Bills And No Clear Paths Forward (“And it’s raining CBO scores.”)
• A new interview reveals Trump’s ignorance to be surprisingly wide-ranging (“He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.” The stupidest president in U.S. history?)
• Trump Aides Scour Mueller’s Team in Effort to Discredit
• We’re on the Brink of an Authoritarian Crisis (“If Trump fires Robert Mueller or pardons himself, Republicans won’t do a thing about it—and our democracy will be changed forever.”)
• Trump’s Contempt for the Rule of Law
• Krugman: Health Care in a Time of Sabotage
• Don’t get distracted: The GOP’s cruel health-care plan isn’t dead yet
• The NY Times missed an opportunity to press Trump on health care specifics
• Anything They Can Do, Trump Can Do Better (“No matter what the subject, the president finds someone to compare himself to. And in every comparison, he comes out the winner.”)
• The GOP’s repeal-and-replace plan should stay dead (“On Thursday, the CBO reminded Republican senators of why.”)
• Donald Trump’s lost opportunity (“Instead of reshaping U.S. politics, he has been a standard Republican, albeit an incompetent one.”)
• Trump’s breathtaking surrender to Russia (Or FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43, Obama…)
• The CBO found a huge problem with the Republican health care bill (“Some of BCRA’s health plans could end up violating the law.”)
• Obama stood up to Russian interference. Now Trump must follow through.
• McCain’s absence leaves big hole in Senate
• Trump’s war of attrition against Obamacare (“The administration can do plenty to undermine the law even if Republicans are unable to repeal it.” Wildly irresponsible.)
• Scaramucci under consideration for White House communications post (“Longtime supporter and financier has been in talks with President Trump’s communications shop.”)
• There Is No One Trump Won’t Throw Under the Bus (“He will fire Robert Mueller—it’s clear from what he said to The New York Times.”)
• GOP senator says public won’t have ‘luxury’ of learning about health care plan before a vote
• Trump officially nominates climate-denying conservative talk radio host as USDA’s top scientist (“The Trump administration’s war on science continues apace.”)
• Oh, Look. Trump’s New Judge Compared Abortion to Slavery. (“Plus, Agriculture’s new director of scientific research isn’t big on science.”)
• Trump could place himself in even more legal jeopardy if he pardons his inner circle (“Let me introduce you to something called the Fifth Amendment, Mr. President.”)
• Repeal of Obama-era environmental rules dominates Trump’s regulatory agenda (“Environmental groups, scientists plan to hold Trump accountable.”)
• Senate heads to new healthcare vote with no clear plan
• Please go back to tweeting, Mr. President: Trump reveals his massive ignorance on health care (“Where is this $12-a-year health insurance? Beneath the amusing word salad, Trump’s lack of comprehension is scary”)
• Can Republicans Do the Impossible on Health Care? (“Probably not but maybe.”)
• News. Traffic. Weather. Trump. (“How Sinclair Broadcast Group and Boris Epshteyn took administration propaganda from the Oval Office to the local news.”)
• The Russia Probe Is Headed Toward Places Trump Doesn’t Want It To Go
• Trump Is Mobilizing for War Against the Rule of Law
• Mark Warner: ‘Extremely disturbing’ if Trump is considering pardons at this stage of Russia probe
• Sen. Kaine on health care: ‘We can’t afford to get this wrong’
• Ahead of first Northam-Gillespie debate, one question looms large: Should Virginia work with Trump?
• Gillespie shifts from avoiding Trump to dropping the president’s name (“The Republican running for Virginia governor appears to be heeding advice that he must shore up support from Trump voters.”)
• A few questions for Mr. Northam and Mr. Gillespie
• Rep. Donald Beyer on why he dislikes the president — and what he would tell him (” I haven’t found any value that he epitomizes that I respect, that I appreciate. I’m sorry to say that. There’s not a single thing that the president has done that I would turn to my children and say, ‘Emulate that.'”)
• Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s environmental impact statement is expected Friday
• Virginia Supreme Court dismisses complaint alleging improper political activity by judges
• Editorial: Don’t keep courts database under wraps
• Virginia Democratic Leaders Stop in Charlottesville for ‘Trump Gillespie Tour’
• Despite criticisms, new study finds Metro workers’ pay and benefits are typical for industry. (“Report for Va. government blunts complaints that Metro’s labor costs are excessive.”)
• McConnell declines McAuliffe’s invitation to RAM health clinic for poor (Of course he does.)
• Editorial: VB review of contracts could be valuable
• Navy SEAL monument dedicated at Virginia Beach Oceanfront
• Loudoun supervisors approve 62 percent pay raise in 5-4 vote
• Loudoun County supervisor’s daughter among those sick after eating at Sterling Chipotle
• How Virginia Beach schools will spend $6.75 million they’ll get from a tax hike (“In a surprise move, 3 Chesapeake schools will add full-day kindergarten this fall”)
• Richmond panel agrees to rebate $111,000 real estate tax bill after challenge by Stone Brewing
• Peak summer conditions, with increased storm risks this weekend