Report: Obama had a plan in case Trump lost the election and wouldn’t accept the results

The Obama White House plan, according to interviews with [Ben] Rhodes and Jen Psaki, Obama's communications director, called for congressional Republicans, former presidents, and former Cabinet-level officials including Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, to try and forestall a political crisis by validating the election result . In the event that Trump tried to dispute a Clinton victory, they would affirm the result as well as the conclusions reached by the U.S. intelligence community that Russian interference in the election sought to favor Trump, and not Clinton.

Today in History: July 23, 2018

Today's Highlight in History: On July 23, 1829, William Austin Burt received a patent for his "typographer," a forerunner of the typewriter. In 1885, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, died in Mount McGregor, New York, at age 63. In 1914, Austria-Hungary presented a list of demands to Serbia following the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb assassin; Serbia's refusal to agree to the entire ultimatum led to the outbreak of World War I. In 1945, French Marshal Henri Petain, who had headed the pro-Axis Vichy government during World War II, went on trial, charged with treason.

Condoleezza Rice mocks Putin over ‘absurd’ missile threats

Condoleezza Rice calls on Schiff to move on from the Russian investigation. The former secretary of state and David Kennedy are on 'Fox & Friends' to also discuss their new documentary 'American Creed.' Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday called out Russian President Vladimir Putin for what she labeled his "absurd" claims touting his country's nuclear firepower against the United States.

U.S. State Dept criticized over quiet release of human rights report

The U.S. State Department released its annual report on human rights around the world on Friday but the release was overshadowed by criticism that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson gave the report little of the traditional attention or fanfare. Tillerson declined to unveil the report in person, breaking with precedent established during both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Evan Vucci/AP Rex Tillerson likely to face pointed questions from both sides

Friend of Russia and foe of sanctions in his corporate life, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, is an unorthodox choice for a Republican White House. He may feel perfectly at home in Trump's iconoclastic administration.

Continue reading Exxon’s Rex Tillerson brings the Trump and Bush worlds together

Now, they're finding common cause with Trump over his pick to lead the State Department: Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who has long orbited their same political, philanthropic and business worlds. Former President George W. Bush, who has largely avoided politics since leaving office in 2009, heaped praise on Tillerson in a recent phone call to Sen. Bob Corker, the Tennessee lawmaker who will oversee the secretary of state confirmation hearings.

Exxon-Mobil Corporation chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson . Photo: Reuters

President-elect Donald Trump announced Exxon-Mobil Corporation's Rex Tillerson as his choice for secretary of state on Tuesday, praising the business leader as a successful international dealmaker who has led a global operation. Trained as an engineer, the silver-haired oilman is 64 and has never worked in government, but his global deal-making experience could be an asset in defending US interests.

Bernie Sanders, Comfort Dogs, Wicked, Meat Loaf, The Beehive, Kevin Keller: NEWS

Bernie Sanders not yet ready to drop out : "The major political task that we face in the next five months is to make certain that Donald Trump is defeated and defeated badly," Sanders said. "And I personally intend to begin my role in that process in a very short period of time."