The Lead with Jake Tapper

Rosenstein denies NYT report that he discussed 25th Amendment & secretly recording Trump; Rosenstein discussed recruiting cabinet officials to invoke 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office; NYT: McConnell, Ryan express worry of Trump midterm impact; Trump puts aside past grudge to campaign for Sen. Heller; Sen. Cruz, Rep. O'Rourke debate tonight in tight Texas race; "This is life" premiers Sunday on CNN after "Parts Unknown" via Knit

Ford Atty: she's prepared to testify next week, but not Monday; Source: Kavanaugh & Ford have both received a slew of death threats in recent days; Emails obtained by CNN: Kavanaugh's wife has received multiple graphic emails; CNN: Kavanaugh's wife receives email threat; subject: "f*** you and your rapist husband"; Dems demand FBI probe into assault claims against Kavanaugh; Sen. Whitehouse: "really bad practice" in Senate right now; Sen. Whitehouse: Dems willing to investigate Kavanaugh as...

Trump on Kavanaugh: hard to believe anything happened; Grassley: focus on making Ford "comfortable" to speak; Anita Hill questions if Ford hearing will be a "sham"; FBI completed investigation of Anita Hill claims in 3 days; Trump: "I have no attorney general"; Trump: I'm disappointed in AG Sessions "for many reasons"; Trump: nothing to worry about if Manafort tells the truth; North Korea makes deal with South Korea, U.S. talks stall via Knit

Hopefully the woman will come forward; GOP: Kavanaugh accuser Ford can testify privately; Trump: don't think FBI should investigate Kavanaugh; Mark judge's lawyer says judge has "no memory of alleged incident" with Kavanaugh; Kavanaugh friend says "I never saw Brett act in the manner Dr. Ford describes"; "Pussy riot" accuses Kremlin of poisoning band member; Family of poisoned band member: we were "shocked"; Russian Pres. has long history of trying to silence critics; Stormy: Trump said "I...

Trump: Kavanaugh "one of the finest people"; Kavanaugh "unequivocally" denies allegations; Key GOP Kavanaugh vote weighs in on allegations; GOP Sen. Collins: need to hear testimony under oath on allegations; Dems call for FBI investigation into Kavanaugh allegations via Knit

4 confirmed dead as Hurricane Florence thrashes Carolinas; Florence clobbering Carolinas, will pour for four days; Thousands without power in Beaufort, North Carolina; Paul Manafort pleads guilty to conspiracy, obstruction; Mueller: "Manafort to cooperate on "any and all matters"; Ex-Trump campaign chief pleads guilty to conspiracy, obstruction charges; Over 620,000 customers without power in Carolinas via Knit

Outer bands of Hurricane Florence pound Carolina coast; Florence doubles in size as hurricane starts to hit coast; Trump falsely claims Dems inflated Puerto Rico death toll; Coast Guard deploys resources in preparation for Florence via Knit

FEMA: today is the "last good day to evacuate"; NC Gov: the time to prepare is almost over; Military base on NC coast defends not ordering evacuations; Trump touts readiness for Florence: "we are fully prepared"; San Juan mayor: the president is adding insult to injury; Merkley: WH diverted nearly $10 million from FEMA to ICE; FEMA: we were underprepared for Puerto Rico after Maria; Wash Post: Manafort in talks to plead guilty in second trial; Trump admin authorizes new sanctions for...

Trump warns Category 4 storm "tremendously wet"; Trump: "17 years since September 11!"; More officials dispute Woodward book account of presidency; Woodward: key person told me book is true, but denied publicly; Don Jr: op-ed writer is "subverting the will of the people"; Trump Jr: Mueller will do "anything" to get my father; Strzok atty: Trump peddling "conspiracy theories"; McConnell: Republicans in "knife fight" for majority; Republicans fearful over Sen. Cruz's tight Texas race;...

"Fear" book; WH affirms Trump request that DOJ investigate op-ed author; Pence: I would take lie detector to prove op-ed not mine; Source: WH changes phone policy again amid paranoia; 55% say it's inappropriate for staff to work against Pres; New CNN poll: 32% say of Americans Trump isn't honest; New CNN poll: 60% say Trump doesn't respect the rule of law; Perjury threat hangs over Trump's answers in defamation case; Avenatti pushing to find "truth" behind hush money deal; Trump admits...

Obama slams op-ed: this isn't how democracy works; Nikki Haley pens op-ed: when I challenge Trump, I do it directly; Trump: I don't want NYT op-ed author to be in meetings; Trump on Woodward book: I don't talk the way I'm quoted; Obama slams Trump, "crazy stuff" coming out of WH; Presidents 44 & 45 slam each other in dueling speeches; Obama: we're supposed to stand up to bullies; Trump reacts to new ad: "what was Nike thinking?"; Decorated US soldier killed by Afghan police officer; U.S....

Source: Warren: Trump officials should invoke 25th amendment if they think he's unfit for office; Officials' denial statements being printed for Trump; VP Pence: NYT op-ed author "ought to resign"; Source: officials' denial statements being printed for Trump; Trump on "gutless" op-ed: author must be turned over to govt.; Corker: It's harder to find out who wouldn't write NYT op-ed; Graham: South Carolina won't take any NYT op-ed seriously; Sen. Rand Paul: lie detector test acceptable to find...

Trump's Supreme Court pick faces grilling on Capitol Hill; Senior WH official blasts President in NYT op-ed; Unnamed current Trump official: I am part of the "resistance"; Trump official tells NYT: Trump "impetuous, adversarial, petty & ineffective via Knit

Bob Woodward book reveals "Crazytown" inside White House; CNN: Trump irritated he wasn't interviewed for Woodward book; Woodward: Trump's own lawyers told Mueller that Trump couldn't testify because he was incapable of telling the truth; Trump called Woodward to complain he wasn't interviewed for book; Woodward says he made several requests; Bob Woodward: Senior White House Aides stole papers off Trump's desk "to protect country"; WH on Woodward book: "nothing more than fabricated stories";...

Graham acknowledges Kavanaugh could overturn Roe vs. Wade; Trump blames Sessions for two GOP congressman indicted; Is Trump laying groundwork to fire AG Sessions; Trump to hit the road to stump for key midterm battles; Trump to campaign for former rival "lyin' Ted" in Texas; Three states could elect first black governors in November; Could Dems take back gov's office in key Trump state?; Pressure on AZ gov to fill McCain's vacated Senate seat via Knit

A star-studded funeral for the "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin; Giuliani to CNN: I am preparing a rebuttal to Mueller; Trump: it's "fine" if we don't make a deal with Canada via Knit

Republicans privately to Trump: don't fire Sessions yet; Trump denies Jared Kushner-Ivanka Trump role in McGahn exit; Trump again tries to discredit recorded tape of himself; Trump, Cohen on tape discussing Enquirer payments; Trump Org. received immunity in Michael Cohen case; Trump to Bloomberg: Sessions' job safe until at least November elections; Report: Trump resents Sessions for lacking ivy league degree, think Sessions talks like he has "marbles in his mouth"; Trump Org. CFO received...

GOP candidate warns voters not to "monkey this up"; Bernie-backed Dem faces Trump-styled candidate in Florida; Former McCain rivals Obama, Bush surprised by eulogy invite; Trump praises outgoing WH counsel as "good guy"; Dems rally behind embattled AG Sessions over Mueller investigation; Some GOP Senators suggest Sessions on his way out; Sanders rips Amazon for workers who require food stamps; The real-world implications of Trump's "truthful hyperbole"' via Knit

McConnell backs up sessions amid waning support; Source: support in senate for Sessions waning; McConnell: "I have total confidence in the attorney general and I think he ought to stay exactly where his is."; McConnell has "total confidence" in AG Sessions while other Republicans suggest a change; Source: AG sessions getting calls of support from fmr colleagues in congress; Giuliani: haven't heard from special counsel in 3 weeks; Three AZ GOP primary candidates wrestle to cozy up to Trump;...

Senate re-convenes for first time since McCain's death; Sen. Majority Leader honors Senator John McCain; Arizona governor facing pressure over McCain's successor via Knit