memeorandum: Republicans can't repeal Obamacare because they can't replace it (Dylan Scott/Vox)

11:15 AM ET, July 24, 2017

Top Items:

CNN:

READ: Jared Kushner's statement on Russia to congressional committees — Bolding below included as submitted in statement — STATEMENT OF JARED C. KUSHNER TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES — I am voluntarily providing this statement, submitting documents, and sitting for interviews in order …

Discussion: Shareblue, Raw Story, The Atlantic, Business Insider, AOL, Mediaite and The Week

New York Times:

‘I Did Not Collude,’ Kushner Says in Prepared Remarks to Senators — WASHINGTON — President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said on Monday that he had been unaware that a June 2016 meeting he attended at Trump Tower was set up in hopes that a Russian lawyer would provide the Trump campaign …

Discussion: Mediaite, Daily Kos and Refinery29

Rebecca Ballhaus / Wall Street Journal:
Jared Kushner Details Russia Meetings, Denies Collusion

Discussion: The Hill, Reuters, Business Insider, Shakesville, The Gateway Pundit and Washington Post

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Kushner to detail four meetings with Russian officials in congressional testimony, but says ‘I did not collude’

Discussion: NBC News

CNN:
Kushner: No additional contacts with Russians

Discussion: The Root, Raw Story, TheBlaze, Business Insider, The Week and Mediaite

Mike Allen / Axios:
Jared Kushner tells Congress: “I did not collude”

Discussion: RedState and ABC News

Associated Press:
The Latest: Kushner blames aide for faulty questionnaire

Discussion: Vox and ABC News

Annie Karni / Politico:
Kushner defends his Russia contacts: ‘I did not collude’

Discussion: ABC News and The Resurgent

John King / CNN:

A chill emanating from the White House reaches State Department — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)Talk of a potential “Rexit” at Foggy Bottom, new tests for President Trump on immigration, tax reform and media relations and a big challenge for the nation's oldest civil rights organization …

Steven Perlberg / BuzzFeed:

Anthony Scaramucci On Hot Mic: I Called On CNN To Send A Message To Jeff Zucker — “I have to call on CNN and send a message to Zucker that we are back in business,” Scaramucci said on a hot mic Sunday in between morning show appearances. — Anthony Scaramucci is already working to smooth …

Discussion: JustOneMinute, TVNewser, Fox News, Raw Story and The Last Tradition, more at Mediagazer »

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Trump wishes Reince would take the hint — A much-discussed question at the top of the White House: just what magnitude of indignity would it take for Chief of Staff Reince Priebus to resign? — President Trump knew that appointing Anthony Scaramucci as communications director would humiliate Reince, who fought hard against it.

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos, The Hill, Political Wire and The Week

Tara Palmeri / Politico:
Priebus sidelined as Washington outsiders' power grows

Discussion: RedState

Josh Dawsey / Politico:
GOP despairs at inability to deliver

Discussion: Political Wire

Mike Allen / Axios:

Exclusive: Trump ponders Rudy Giuliani for attorney general — President Trump is so unhappy with Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he has raised the possibility of bringing back Rudolph Giuliani to head the Justice Department, according to West Wing confidants.

Discussion: CNBC, Mediaite, RedState, Business Insider, The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit

Chuck Schumer / New York Times:

A Better Deal for American Workers — Americans are clamoring for bold changes to our politics and our economy. They feel, rightfully, that both systems are rigged against them, and they made that clear in last year's election. American families deserve a better deal so that this country works …

Discussion: NTK Network, Politico, NBC News, Fusion, twitchy.com, Washington Post and The Week

The Daily Beast:
Schumer Rips Hillary: Don't Blame Comey or Russia, ‘Blame Yourself’

Discussion: Mediaite, Washington Monthly, Washington Post and Politico

Associated Press:
Democrats attempt rebranding with populist new agenda

Discussion: Politico, Axios and Scared Monkeys

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Dems to unveil ‘better deal’ messaging campaign Monday

Discussion: Washington Post, ABC News, Pirate's Cove and Liberal Values

The Guardian:

Jared Kushner sealed real estate deal with oligarch's firm cited in money-laundering case — Donald Trump's son-in-law bought part of old New York Times building from Soviet-born tycoon, Guardian investigation into Russian money in NYC property market finds

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Trump Has Averaged 50% or Higher Job Approval in 17 States — WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump, who has averaged 40% job approval since his inauguration, received approval ratings of 50% or higher in 17 states in the first half of 2017. Residents in an equal number of states gave him approval ratings below 40%.

Discussion: Political Wire, The Week and Politicus USA

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

The Kook, ‘the Mooch’ and the Loot — On Friday, a “president” with no political experience brought on a communications director with no communications experience. — Trump tapped Anthony Scaramucci, a Wall Street snake investment huckster, to be the new communications director …

Discussion: CNBC, Raw Story, The Week and Balloon Juice

Matthew Boyle / Breitbart:
Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, has been caught misstating his background on live television on Sunday.

Discussion: Philly.com, Daily Wire, Raw Story, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Conservative News Today and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Anthony Scaramucci, New Communications Chief, Woos Trump on TV

Discussion: The Week

David E. Sanger / New York Times:

For Trump and Putin, Sanctions Are a Setback Both Sought to Avoid — WASHINGTON — Throughout 2016, both Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin complained that American-led sanctions against Russia were the biggest irritant in the plummeting relations between the two superpowers.

Discussion: Raw Story

Robin Eberhardt / The Hill:
Putin told Trump that Russian hackers were too good to get caught: report

Discussion: Washington Post, The Week, field negro, The Guardian, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, twitchy.com and Business Insider

David Durenberger / USA Today:

Former GOP senator: Resist the bullying. Don't vote for a mystery health care bill. — There will be no do-overs on this. Take it from me: a no vote this week is the only one that will be defensible in the years to come. — CONNECT — What do you do when you are a U.S. senator …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

Olivia Nuzzi / New York Magazine:

Joe and Mika (and Donald): A Beltway Love Story — Joe, Mika, and their star-crossed relationship with the president. — It was Joe Scarborough's 53rd birthday, April 9, 2016, and his youngest child, an 8-year-old boy named Jack, was trying to tell him something. “Dad, look at the birthday cake,” he said.

Discussion: Mediaite and Raw Story

USA Today:

Poll: Americans split 42%-42% on impeaching Trump — WASHINGTON — Just six months after his inauguration, Americans already are split down the middle, 42%-42%, over whether President Trump should be removed from office, a new USA TODAY/iMediaEthics Poll finds.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Week and Axios

Dylan Scott / Vox:

Republicans can't repeal Obamacare because they can't replace it — “I've seen how we've struggled with this.” — Seven years ago, just as the Affordable Care Act was becoming law, senior Republicans decided they would not campaign only to repeal it. No, they would vow to repeal the law …

Discussion: Politico

Haroon Siddique / The Guardian:

‘Too late’: Charlie Gard's parents end legal fight over critically ill baby — Chris Gard and Connie Yates announce decision as high court judge was preparing to oversee latest round of five-month legal battle — Charlie Gard's parents have ended their legal fight over treatment …

Discussion: IJR, The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller