Liberals, You're Not as Smart as You Think  —  I know many liberals, and two of them really are my best friends.  Liberals make good movies and television shows.  Their idealism has been an inspiration for me and many others.  Many liberals are very smart.  But they are not as smart, or as persuasive, as they think.

Trump team sends mixed signals to Europe  —  National security adviser John Bolton on Sunday carefully doubled down on President Donald Trump's threat that European countries could be sanctioned by the United States if they continue to be involved with Iran.

In wide-open 2020 presidential field, Democrats are road-testing messages — and trying to redefine their party  —  The future of the Democratic Party has been booking late night TV gigs, waking up for morning drive-time radio and showing up at watering holes in rural counties to try out new material.

This Is How a Newspaper Dies  —  It's with a spasm of profits.  —  For a preview of the newspaper industry's coming death, turn your gaze to Colorado, where the withering and emaciated Denver Post finds itself rolling in profits.  —  The Post's controlling owner, “vulture capitalist” …

The White House's John McCain death joke controversy, explained  —  “He's dying anyway,” White House communications aide Kelly Sadler joked in a meeting.  The comment leaked, and the Trump administration still hasn't apologized.  —  A White House aide's joke that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) …

ISIS knifeman, 20, who killed one and injured four in rampage near Paris opera house is named as a refugee from Chechnya who ‘was on anti-terror watchlist’ and claimed asylum in France a decade ago  — Armed police swooped on Paris as a terrorist rampaged through part of the city while shouting ‘Allah Akbar’

Education Department Unwinds Unit Investigating Fraud at For-Profits  —  WASHINGTON — Members of a special team at the Education Department that had been investigating widespread abuses by for-profit colleges have been marginalized, reassigned or instructed to focus on other matters, according to current and former employees.

Donald Trump's Mommy Issues  —  He may not have bonded successfully with his mother and that made him the adult—and the politician—that he is.  —  Donald Trump is easily the most psychoanalyzed president of modern times.  His decision-making style and behavior have been hotly debated by journalists …

Police find large weapons cache in Waikiki raid prompted by disturbing online posts  —  The FBI and Honolulu police are investigating after finding a large cache of loaded weapons during a raid of a Waikiki hotel room that sources say was prompted by disturbing posts on social media.

How to be the next Trump  —  Most coverage of President Trump focuses on the negative aspects of his style: the making-it-up-as-he-goes, the lying, the management-by-chaos.  —  Yes, but: The Trump Way does offer future candidates and presidents some valuable lessons in navigating contemporary politics.

Are My Friends Really My Friends?  —  The quantity of human interactions has increased, but the quality is arguably diminished.  —  “You've got enough friends, a new one is bad for you,” says a petulant character named Max in “Kicking and Screaming,” Noah Baumbach's 1995 cult movie …

How California Could Bust Up the Two-Party System  —  The editorial board represents the opinions of the board, its editor and the publisher.  It is separate from the newsroom and the Op-Ed section.  —  California's Republican Party is in crisis.  Voters are leaving it in droves …

Trump picks bigot pastor who claims Jews are going to Hell to lead prayer at new Jerusalem embassy  —  Pastor Robert Jeffress, a Fox News contributor, megachurch Baptist preacher from Dallas, and close Trump ally and surrogate, has been chosen by the Trump administration to lead a prayer …

Schools' culture of tolerance lets students like Nikolas Cruz slide  —  Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie, center, appears at a news conference with Sheriff Scott Israel, left, and Gov. Rick Scott on Feb. 14, the day Nikolas Cruz killed 17 staff and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Donald Trump's Scottish resort paid by US taxpayers for ‘VIP visit’  —  Sorry, we're having problems with our video player at the moment, but are working to fix it as soon as we can  —  Waiting for Video...  Donald Trump's flagship Scottish resort received thousands of pounds in US taxpayers' money …

A Surge of Women Candidates, but Crowded Primaries and Tough Races Await  —  These are the 476 female House candidates this year.  —  ARDMORE, Pa. — Just as the women's marches and #MeToo helped define 2017, the surging numbers of female candidates have defined the midterm races now underway.

Mueller Indicted A Russian Company That Didn't Even Exist, Court Transcripts Say  —  This week, one of the Russian companies accused by Special Counsel Robert Mueller of funding a conspiracy to meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was revealed in court to not have existed during …

Family of Suicide Bombers Attacks Churches in Indonesia  —  Attackers came from a single family; first time children involved in carrying terrorism in country  —  JAKARTA, Indonesia—A family of suicide bombers, including children, killed at least seven people and injured dozens in attacks …    SL 

Is the 2018 Democratic Wave Receding?  —  In America's hothouse political environment, people overreact to single events all the time.  The latest special election or primary; the latest poll; the latest over-the-top boast or cry of panic from a party leader — you can be sure multiple confident predictions …

Trump doesn't respect the independence of any institution around him  —  Trump made clear in an interview with a candidate for chair of the Fed that he didn't see the agency as independent.  It's a habit.  —  This week, Kevin Warsh, former Federal Reserve governor — who was among …

Indonesia church attacks: death toll rises after bombs target Sunday masses  —  Forty people also injured in the blasts in Surabaya, the country's second-largest city  —  At least eleven people have been killed and dozens injured in multiple suicide bombings at three churches in Surabaya …

Paul Ryan says Trump will be an asset for Republicans  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan said Saturday he thinks President Donald Trump will be an asset to GOP candidates this fall in states like Wisconsin that he narrowly won, even as he warned fellow Republicans that a “blue wave” …

Wife hung fake Picasso after taking real thing amid contentious divorce  —  A woman locked in a contentious divorce with her bond-trader husband took a Picasso off his wall — and replaced it with a forgery she made herself.  —  Sue Gross didn't wait until she and Wall Street titan Bill Gross …

For six decades, ‘the man with the golden arm’ donated blood — and saved 2.4 million babies … In 1951, a 14-year-old Australian boy named James Harrison awoke from a major chest operation.  Doctors had removed one of his lungs in a procedure that had taken several hours — and would keep him hospitalized for three months.