Biden bites back: Key moments from the second Dem debate  —  Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker telegraphed that Wednesday night's debate could turn into a brawl.  It did.  —  Flanked by the African American senators, the former vice president absorbed blows over his criminal-justice record …

Jeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNA  —  Jeffrey E. Epstein, the wealthy financier and accused sex trafficker, had an unusual dream: He hoped to seed the human race with his DNA by impregnating women at his vast New Mexico ranch.  —  Mr. Epstein over the years confided …

Trump Orders Navy to Strip Medals From Prosecutors in War Crimes Trial  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump intervened Tuesday once again on behalf of a Navy SEAL who was charged but acquitted of war crimes in the death of a captured Islamic State fighter in Iraq, ordering the military to punish …

U.S. has intel that Osama bin Laden's son and heir Hamza is dead, say officials  —  The officials would not provide details of how Hamza bin Laden died, or if the U.S. played a role.  It is unclear if the U.S. has confirmed his death.  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. has obtained intelligence …

Democrats Are Not Up To Their Historic Responsibility  —  Defeating Trumpism means abandoning the politics of extremes.  —  To adapt a line from Huey Lewis, I want a new party — one that won't make me sick.  —  I have written so often (and so recently) about the ways Donald Trump's G.O.P. makes …

James Comey's next reckoning is imminent — this time for leaking  —  The Justice Department's chief watchdog is preparing a damning report on James Comey's conduct in his final days as FBI director that likely will conclude he leaked classified information and showed a lack of candor …

NH Primary Source: Talk at RNC meeting of recruiting Lewandowski to run for US Senate  —  LEWANDOWSKI FOR SENATE?  Don't look now but.....  GOP sources tell New Hampshire Primary Source that President Donald Trump's former campaign manager is the subject of serious discussion about being recruited …

Democratic debate on CNN sees steep ratings drop  —  The first night of CNN's Democratic debate in Detroit drew 8.7 million television viewers, a steep drop from last month's event hosted by NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo.  —  The June event brought in 15.3 million viewers across the three networks on Night One …

NeverTrumpers skewer ‘Moscow Mitch’  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has eliminated the last vestiges of the filibuster for appointees and has rubber-stamped a slew of corrupt, incompetent and unfit nominees — many of them executive branch picks who already washed out and partisan judges with scant experience.

RNC chair defends GOP donor platform in tense meeting  —  Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel grew visibly emotional during a meeting with senior GOP officials on Wednesday, as she insisted that she isn't personally profiting off a new, President Donald Trump-endorsed small-donor platform.

US President Donald Trump, in phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offered assistance to Moscow in fighting wildfires in Siberia, the Kremlin press-service said Wednesday.  —  According to the statement, Putin has informed the US president that a large air group has been deployed …

Ben Carson Booted From Baltimore Church Property; Defends Trump Tweets While Discussing City's Problems  —  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Dr. Ben Carson, the U.S. Housing & Urban Development Secretary, was in Baltimore Wednesday to talk about opportunity zones and federal programs that might help Baltimore revitalize its poorest communities.

Watchdog tells Democrats he can't probe White House security clearances until Trump asks  —  Four top Senate Democrats responded by asking Trump himself to order an investigation into White House security clearances for Kushner, Ivanka and others.  —  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration's …

What America Gets Wrong About Tracy Flick  —  In “Election,” she's preyed upon by a teacher and almost cheated out of her rightful victory.  But somehow she's the villain.  —  Even if you've never seen “Election,” Alexander Payne's 1999 comedy about high school politics run amok, you probably know something about Tracy Flick.

Fox's Cavuto Calls Out Lou Dobbs in Fiery Clash: What Has Trump Done to Contain Deficits and the Debt?!  —  A panel between some of the biggest Fox Business anchors got heated between Neil Cavuto and Lou Dobbs over whether President Donald Trump has done enough to address deficits and the debt.

Trump attacks CNN's Don Lemon over debate question  —  President Trump took aim at Don Lemon Wednesday, calling him “the dumbest man on television” over a question the CNN host asked during Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate.  —  “CNN's Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television …

‘Constant chaos’: Senate Republicans eye summer exit  —  'All of us want to get back to where there's a lot of sanity.  And that's back home,' says Mike Rounds.  —  Senate Republicans' long, hot summer of Trump is finally ending.  And for many in the GOP, it can't come soon enough.