WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook and Twitter executives pledged on Wednesday to better protect their social media platforms in the 2018 elections and beyond, and told Congress of aggressive efforts to root out foreign intrusions aimed at sowing divisions in American democracy.

2. Texas Democrat Beto O'Rourke Shakes Up Senate Race With Cruz - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — If elections were decided by viral videos and fawning media profiles, Democrat Beto O'Rourke would win Texas' Senate race in a landslide.

Video of the candidate defending NFL players' right to protest during the national anthem had been viewed by millions even before NBA star LeBron James called it a "must-watch." Another of O'Rourke, a three-term congressman, cruising through a Whataburger parking lot on a skateboard is almost as popular, increasing the onetime punk rocker's already considerable street cred.

3. Racism Quickly Becomes an Issue in Florida Governor's Race - Thursday, August 30, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Racism immediately became an issue in the Florida governor's race on Wednesday as both nominees made predictions: The Democrat said voters aren't looking for a misogynist, racist or bigot, while the Republican said voters shouldn't "monkey this up" by choosing his African-American opponent.

4. I Never Said That! High-tech Deception of 'Deepfake' Videos - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hey, did my congressman really say that? Is that really President Donald Trump on that video, or am I being duped?

New technology on the internet lets anyone make videos of real people appearing to say things they've never said. Republicans and Democrats predict this high-tech way of putting words in someone's mouth will become the latest weapon in disinformation wars against the United States and other Western democracies.

5. Trump Meets With Video Game Execs and Critics - Friday, March 9, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump revived a debate over the link between gun violence and graphic depictions of violence in video games Thursday, bringing members of the video game industry and some of their most vocal critics to the White House.

6. Seeking Independence - Thursday, December 21, 2017

Former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga came to Memphis this week for the first time in seven years to call for a new generation of independent candidates for office he says can stop 20 years of elected leaders in Washington putting “party before country.”

7. Corker’s Public Disagreement with Trump A Defining Moment in His Political Career - Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Many politicians have touchstones outside the world of politics and holding office they will return to and use in their political life.

In the case of U.S. Sen. Bob Corker the tell or indication of that touchstone, he has said, is the sweat on his upper lip that has served as an indication a business deal was near but not yet done.

8. Trump Rescinding DACA Program Protecting Young Immigrants - Wednesday, September 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday began dismantling the government program protecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared the Obama administration's program "an unconstitutional exercise of authority" that must be revoked.

9. Last Word: Milhaus Sells, Voucher Debate Gets Heated and Boyd's Fly Around - Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Highland Row isn’t fully open yet and it is already up for sale as part of a real estate portfolio. The owner, Milhaus, based in Indianapolis, is a development, construction and property management company that works in mixed use development. And the portfolio being on the market could turn into a recapitalization.

10. Warren, Tulane Complexes Find Buyer - Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The court-appointed receiver in the Memphis federal court case involving Global Ministries Foundation has an offer to buy the Tulane and Warren apartment complexes owned by GMF.

Cleveland, Ohio-based Millenia Housing Development Ltd. has offered the receiver $3 million for both properties, according to court documents and a legal notice in the Tuesday, March 14, edition of The Daily News.

11. Puzder Withdraws Nomination to be Trump's Labor Secretary - Thursday, February 16, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's nominee for labor secretary abruptly withdrew his nomination Wednesday after Senate Republicans balked at supporting him, in part over taxes he belatedly paid on a former housekeeper not authorized to work in the United States.

12. Tillerson Heading for Confirmation as Secretary of State - Tuesday, January 24, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state headed for approval in a key Senate committee Monday after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio announced his support, backing off from a challenge to the new president.

13. Last Word: Haslam To Talk Gas Tax, Rallings Talks Protesters and Beale Street - Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam talks gas tax Wednesday in Nashville. Actually, he will be rolling out his full list of legislative priorities in the capitol. But much of the attention will be on what he proposes in the way of the state’s gas tax – something he’s talked about but not committed a specific position to for the last two years.

14. Trump’s Turn - Saturday, January 7, 2017

If the election of Donald Trump was a mystery, there are even more questions about what will he do once he takes office Jan. 20. The clues may or may not be in the conduct of his campaign.

“Donald Trump campaigned without being tied to the traditional parameters of conservative-liberal dialogue that we’ve come to know over the past 20 or 30 years,” said Memphis attorney John Ryder, who is legal counsel to the Republican National Committee. “The hopeful part about that is that allows him to move past those divisions and enter new territory.”

15. Riding Momentum - Saturday, December 31, 2016

Around this time each year, everyone tends to start fetishizing the blank slate a bit, with its attendant allure of reinvention and that sweeping away of the old order to make way for what comes next.

16. Presidential Election Tops Busy Year for Memphis Voters - Friday, December 30, 2016

2016 was an eventful election year in Shelby County, ending with the most popular voting cycle in Shelby County politics: the U.S. presidential general election in November. Slightly more than 60 percent of the county’s voters cast a ballot either during early voting in October or on the Nov. 8 Election Day.

17. Tennessee Electors Pledge Not to Budge From Trump Support - Monday, December 19, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A flood of emails, phone calls and letters isn't expected to influence the decisions of Tennessee's 11 members of the Electoral College when they cast their ballots Monday at the state Capitol.

18. Last Word: Boca, Poe Killed by Politics and Embedding In The Real Memphis - Monday, December 5, 2016

BOCA BOWL – As expected, the University of Memphis Tigers football team is going south for the post season. They got and accepted Sunday the formal invitation to play in the Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 20 against Western Kentucky. Ticket information should be forthcoming Monday for those of you who didn’t get enough during the Emerald Coast Classic with the basketball Tigers not too long ago.

19. After The Vote - Saturday, November 12, 2016

If you stood in certain places during the last days of the 2016 campaign in Memphis you could see the 2018 elections even if you couldn’t see Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s national victory over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

20. Early Voting Opens with Raw Election Appeals - Wednesday, October 19, 2016

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen’s choice of cap usually has some logo related to the University of Memphis or the Grizzlies and, occasionally, to baseball legend and childhood inspiration Minnie Minoso.

21. Last Word: Haslam on Trump, Midtown Apartment Blitz and Beyond Parks - Monday, October 10, 2016

Trump vs. Clinton or Giants vs. Packers? America Chooses.

While there is so much discussion – and rightfully so – about the unprecedented direction this Presidential campaign as a whole has taken in so many ways, the speed of the conduct of the campaign and news cycle reaction has also become a factor. Many of you are probably reading this at a point in which the reaction to what happened over 90 minutes before 10 p.m. on a Sunday night has already made parts of the debate irrelevant or old news.

22. HUD Serves GMF With Search Warrants - Friday, August 5, 2016

Agents with the Inspector General’s office of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development served search warrants Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the Memphis offices of Global Ministries Foundation and showed up at GMF-owned apartment complexes in Indianapolis, Ind., and the offices of the Gill Group, a real estate company in Dexter, Mo.

23. Outnumbered Democrats Hope To Ride Anti-Trumpmentum - Thursday, August 4, 2016

State Rep. Raumesh Akbari identified herself with the “Fighting 26,” also known as the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus, when she took the podium to support Hillary Clinton at Philadelphia’s Democratic National Convention.

24. Senator Seeks Reconvening of Congress Over Zika Virus - Saturday, July 30, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on the Zika virus in Florida (all Eastern times):

4 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is asking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to reconvene Congress so lawmakers can pass an emergency spending bill to fight the spread of the Zika virus.

25. Last Word: ServiceMaster Incentives, Muvico Memories and the Beale Street Cover - Friday, June 10, 2016

It looks like the conversion of Peabody Place mall to the new headquarters of ServiceMaster is a $33.3 million job. That could be a running total depending on a PILOT amendment to come.

26. Last Word: The Hot Seat, The Cohen-Rubio Letter and a New Historical Marker - Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The hottest seat in a room of hot seats in city government can be being director of the Memphis Animal Shelter.

You wouldn’t think that from the job description, which seems pretty basic. Round up stray animals and put them up for adoption. But that’s being overly simplistic because it begs a lot of questions about how many animals and what happens if you run out of space.

27. Global Ministries Continues to Take More Heat - Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The receiver for the Warren and Tulane Apartments is in place with the notice filed in Memphis federal court last week that Foresite Realty Management LLC had accepted the job and that its bonding is in place.

28. Last Word: Barbecue Underground, Schools Budget Background and Bikes - Monday, May 16, 2016

Tony Montana is angry. Never women and children, he’s telling the man controlling the car bomb.

He continues yelling at him even after he’s shot him. The close captioning confirms his ongoing anger.

29. Election Commission Certifies March Results - Saturday, March 26, 2016

Shelby County Election commissioners certified Monday, March 21, the results of the March 1 presidential primaries and the countywide primaries for General Sessions Court Clerk in Shelby County.

In the Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump carried Shelby County with rival Ted Cruz a close second, followed by Marco Rubio. Trump carried the state by a wider margin.

30. Election Commission Certifies March Election Results - Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Shelby County Election commissioners certified Monday, March 21, the results of the March 1 presidential primaries and the countywide primaries for General Sessions Court Clerk in Shelby County.

In the Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump carried Shelby County with rival Ted Cruz a close second, followed by Marco Rubio. Trump carried the state by a wider margin.

31. Gov. Haslam Takes Issue With Trump on Immigration, Abortion - Friday, March 4, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam said Wednesday that Donald Trump would need to make major policy changes before he could consider supporting the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.

32. Trump And Clinton Take Tennessee, Shelby County - Thursday, March 3, 2016

He drew 10,000 people to a Millington aircraft hangar last weekend. And Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump got about twice as many votes in Shelby County in Tuesday’s Tennessee primaries.

33. Trump, Clinton Carry Shelby in Tennessee Primaries - Wednesday, March 2, 2016

A lot of walk-up business at the polls Tuesday, March 1, meant some late election results for Shelby County in the Tennessee presidential primaries.

But there was little doubt about the outcome statewide even though the Republican primary was close in Shelby County.

34. Stop Trump Efforts Intensify As Election Day Arrives - Tuesday, March 1, 2016

It’s hard to gauge how far it is going. But the “Stop Trump” effort among local and state Republicans includes trying to talk Democrats into crossing over and voting in Tuesday’s Tennessee Republican presidential primary.

35. Clinton Visits Churches, Trump Rallies In Millington - Monday, February 29, 2016

Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton made surprise appearances at two Memphis churches Sunday, Feb. 28, the day after Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump drew a crowd of 10,000 less than 12 hours earlier in Millington.

36. Trump Rallies 10,000 In Millington - Saturday, February 27, 2016

Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump told a crowd of 10,000 in a hangar at the Millington Regional Jetport that the Republican Party is different and larger because of his supporters.

“We’ve got a Republican party but a lot of outsiders are coming in because they like what I say. We’re going to get a lot of people coming in and we don’t care where they’re coming from. We have to win, right?” Trump said. “We’re going to get independents. We’re going to get Democrats. Remember the term Reagan Democrats? … If you don’t get them, you’re really not going to win, folks.”

37. Haslam Endorses Rubio In Tennessee Primary - Saturday, February 27, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries.

38. The Moving Election - Saturday, February 27, 2016

The Trump balloons were a late arrival to the Shelby County Republican party’s annual Lincoln Day Gala, the local party’s largest annual fundraiser.

They were an unsubtle accent in a room of 500 people where unabashed hand-to-hand campaigning kept the buzz of conversation at a steady level for most of the evening.

39. Last Word: Carson Cancels, Haslam Endorses, Bank Numbers and Kobe's Exit - Friday, February 26, 2016

Presidential campaigns and the security concerns that come with them aren’t something that comes up a lot in terms of press coverage in this election cycle.
But it has come up leading into what will be a busy weekend locally and in the region among the presidential contenders.
Republican candidate Ben Carson was scheduled to attend both Sunday services at Highpoint Church in East Memphis.
Leaders of the church emphasized it was a non-political event in which Carson would talk about his personal story and his faith but would not make a political pitch.
This is not unprecedented.
In 2008, Republican contender Mike Huckabee attended an ordination ceremony for two ministers at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova – an event that was billed also as a nonpolitical event.
And so the reporters who came to cover the candidate who would win the Tennessee Republican primary days later watched not from the sanctuary but from the room where Bellevue’s video and audio feeds are coordinated. Huckabee talked politics with reporters after the service as he made a run for some barbecue to-go from Corky’s on his way to another city on the campaign trail.

40. Haslam Endorses Rubio In Tennessee Primary - Friday, February 26, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries.

In a statement released Thursday morning, Feb. 25, by the Rubio campaign, Haslam talked about  the need for a Republican presidential nominee who can win in the November general election.

41. Haslam Endorses Rubio - Thursday, February 25, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries -- Republican and Democratic.

42. Last Word: Early Voting Begins, Marc Gasol's Right Foot and TNReady's Problem - Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Trump and Sanders win big in New Hampshire with a Republican scramble for second the only matter to be decided in the nation’s first Presidential primaries. That as the road to Tennessee begins to see some traffic in the distance.
Meanwhile, Marc Gasol goes from a “right mid-foot injury” on the Grizzlies DL to a fractured right foot.

43. Early Voting Opens in Tennessee Presidential Primaries - Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Tennesseans can begin casting their ballots in the presidential primaries on Wednesday, Feb. 10, the day after the votes were counted in New Hampshire on the political road to the summer conventions.

44. Last Word: Post Caucus, Fincher's Exit, 1919 Handwriting and Your Rolodex - Tuesday, February 2, 2016

That close (very little light between index finger and thumb) between Clinton and Sanders in Iowa Monday evening.
Both live to fight another day in another state—New Hampshire.
And because it is Iowa – they each get to declare victory as long as they don’t go into a lot of detail about the totals.
This is one of those cases where it is like horsehoes and hand grenades – close does count.

45. Cutting taxes, school choice, tort reform drive Sen. Kelsey - Saturday, January 30, 2016

State Sen. Brian Kelsey calls himself “a proud conservative who likes to get results.”

46. Last Word: Time and The Greensward, Crosstown High and Race and Sports - Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Remember how the schools merger story of about five years ago would change by the hour at times? That story has met its equal in what is becoming the first major challenge of the new Strickland administration at City Hall – the Overton Park Greensward.
So much happened before noon Tuesday on the first day of the short work week that it required waiting for the dust to settle on several fronts.
Here is the latest on a very fluid and volatile situation that could very well change as you are reading this.
Luckily we report at a time when you can change stories on line to keep up with such changes.
Zoos and parks and protests featuring brass bands suggest to a casual observer that this is not very serious as controversies go.
And maybe that was the case about a year and a half ago when a group of high school students decided to block the gravel driveway from the zoo parking lot onto the greensward.
But consider this:
The Memphis Zoo is working toward a March 1 opening of its new exhibit, Zambezi River Hippo Camp, a $22-million attraction that from what we saw just a few months ago will likely draw big crowds to the zoo in the spring.
The zoo was preparing for that starting with the removal of 27 trees from the north end of the greensward.
The best Mayor Jim Strickland could get from both sides – the zoo and Overton Park Conservancy – at his meeting with them Tuesday was a commitment to take his proposal for mediation to their respective boards.
The zoo board has authorized its leaders to file a lawsuit in Chancery Court over the greensward and it’s very likely the zoo would go to court before the March 1 opening because of the crowds on their way.
If the work to come by the zoo in advance of the March 1 opening involves heavy machinery, the reaction is likely to draw a much bigger protest than the ones Memphis Police have so far watched from a distance without making arrests.
As in all pressing political dramas, this controversy has the accelerant of timing.

47. The Week Ahead: Jan. 18, 2016 - Monday, January 18, 2016

How was your weekend Memphis? Here are some local events to keep on your radar this week, from a full slate of MLK activities to a David Bowie tribute to a Marco Rubio fundraiser…

48. An Emotional Obama Unveils His Plan to Cut Gun Violence - Wednesday, January 6, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama, at one point wiping tears from his cheek, unveiled his plan Tuesday to tighten control and enforcement of firearms in the U.S., using his presidential powers in the absence of legal changes he implored Congress to pass.

49. March 1 Presidential Primary Begins Complex Process - Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Shelby County’s first election of 2016 seems like a simple affair. The Tennessee presidential primaries and countywide primaries for General Sessions Court Clerk are the only items on the ballot.

But the ballot approved last week by the Shelby County Election Commission includes 224 names. Only three of those names are the contenders in the two primaries for clerk. And another 17 are the presidential candidates.

50. Vanderbilt Poll Finds Support for Modest Gas Tax Increase - Monday, December 7, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – As Gov. Bill Haslam crisscrosses the state trying to build support for a gas tax increase, a new Vanderbilt University poll finds voters are willing to pay more to improve roads and bridges.

51. Kasich Makes Fundraising Stops in Tennessee - Thursday, December 3, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate John Kasich said Tuesday that his visit to Tennessee is aimed at avoiding having to scramble for support in the state's March 1 primary if he emerges as a strong contender from the earliest contests.

52. Presidential Primary Ballot Set in Tennessee - Thursday, December 3, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When Tennessee voters go to the polls for the March 1 presidential primary, they will be able to choose among either 14 Republicans or three Democrats.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett on Tuesday released the final list of candidates that will appear on the Super Tuesday ballot.

53. 8 Tennessee Lawmakers Sign on as Marco Rubio Delegates - Wednesday, December 2, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio's list of Tennessee delegates includes former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, state House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick and state Sens. Brian Kelsey and Jack Johnson.

54. Senate Approves Temporary Spending Bill; House to Follow - Thursday, October 1, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — A temporary funding measure aiming to keep the government open past a midnight deadline sailed through the Senate on Wednesday and was expected to make its way shortly through a divided House and on to President Barack Obama.

55. May 8-14, 2015: This week in Memphis history - Saturday, May 9, 2015

2014: Republican presidential contenders Marco Rubio and Rand Paul visit Memphis for the Republican National Committee spring meeting at The Peabody. Rubio speaks at a closed gathering at Rendezvous restaurant. Paul meets privately with African-American pastors, then, in a public speech to RNC members, criticizes efforts by Republicans in state legislatures across the country to impose voter ID standards.

56. Congress OKs Bill Reshaping Medicare Doctors' Fees - Thursday, April 16, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – Conservatives hated that it's expected to swell federal deficits over the coming decade. Liberals complained that it shortchanged health programs for children and women.

57. Jindal Offers Political Red Meat On Foreign Policy - Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Some politicians considering a bid for president will talk a lot about the details of running a nationwide campaign at a point like this – more than a year and a half until the Presidential general election but less than a year out from the Presidential primaries.

58. Tennessee's Corker Won't Rule Out Presidential Bid - Thursday, August 14, 2014

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker said Wednesday he isn't ruling out joining the field of Republicans running for president in 2016, but any decision would wait until next year.

59. Common Core Spawns Widespread Political Fights - Tuesday, March 25, 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — More than five years after U.S. governors began a bipartisan effort to set new standards in American schools, the Common Core initiative has morphed into a political tempest fueling division among Republicans.

60. Health Care Tactics Split Republican Senate Rivals - Friday, December 27, 2013

ATLANTA (AP) – Republicans who want to regain control of the Senate will first have to do battle among themselves in 2014 primary elections, due largely to differences over how to proceed against the law they deride as "Obamacare."

61. Bipartisan Budget Agreement Nears Final Passage - Thursday, December 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate lined up Wednesday to give final congressional approval to legislation scaling back across-the-board cuts on programs ranging from the Pentagon to the national park system, adding a late dusting of bipartisanship to a year more likely to be remembered for a partial government shutdown and near-perpetual gridlock.

62. Builders of Obama's Health Website Saw Red Flags - Wednesday, October 23, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Crammed into conference rooms with pizza for dinner, some programmers building the Obama administration's showcase health insurance website were growing increasingly stressed. Some worked past 10 p.m., energy drinks in hand. Others rewrote computer code over and over to meet what they considered last-minute requests for changes from the government or other contractors.

63. Tricky Obstacles Ahead to Averting Shutdown - Monday, July 29, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Despite pressure from some liberal Democrats for a September showdown in hopes of ending huge automatic, government-shrinking spending cuts, Washington appears on track to avert what would be the first government shutdown in nearly two decades.

64. Obama Wants Small-Business Bill This Year - Wednesday, February 1, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Seeking cooperation in a polarized climate, President Barack Obama called on Congress Tuesday to act quickly on bipartisan measures that would extend tax breaks for small businesses and help startup companies raise money. He said he would sign the legislation "right away."

65. Senate Unveils Next Piece of Obama Jobs Bill - Monday, October 24, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama's allies in the Senate on Friday unveiled the next piece of his failed $447 billion jobs measure to get a vote in the Senate: an almost $70 investment in infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.

66. House Disaster Vote Sets up Showdown With Senate - Thursday, September 22, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Despite opposition from Democrats and some tea party Republicans, the GOP-controlled House on Wednesday took up $3.7 billion in disaster relief as part of a bill to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month.

67. 112th Congress Convenes; Boehner Elected Speaker - Thursday, January 6, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly elected speaker John Boehner hailed the Republican Party's return to control of the House Wednesday, vowing a more open legislative process but acknowledging that "a great deal of scar tissue has built up on both sides of the aisle."