TRUMP’S ‘MELTDOWN.’ In Phoenix last night, Vanity Fair’s Maya Kosoff reports, the president “ranted about being mistreated by the media in the wake of Charlottesville, relentlessly attacked an array of enemies including both of Arizona’s Republican senators, and portrayed himself as the true victim of a violent clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters that left one woman dead.”
■ The Tribune’s Rex Huppke: An apology to Donald Trump, from the “fake news” media.
■ CNN: Trump “rewrote the history of his response to violence in Charlottesville.”
■ Observer’s Joe Lapointe: “Cranky Old Man Throws a Temper Tantrum.”
■ But, as the president raged on, hundreds left early.
■ … And protesters outside got tear-gassed.
■ One of Trump’s spiritual advisers: Trump “has been raised up by God. … When you fight against the plan of God, you are fighting against the hand of God.”
■ Ex-National Intelligence Director James Clapper is questioning Trump’s fitness for office—especially his capacity for “exercising a nuclear option, which is pretty damn scary.”
■ The Secret Service has agreed to stop erasing the log of White House visitors.
■ Keith Olbermann: “Trump’s presidency is going to end quicker than we think.”
‘IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND HIGHLY INSENSITIVE.’ Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s wife, Louise Linton, has apologized for being a jerk on Instagram.
■ Newser: After her “let them eat cake moment,” Linton is eating crow.
■ The woman Linton mocked is using her newfound fame to help a friend who suffered a stroke.
‘RAUNER IS DONE.’ Conservative commentator Joe Walsh has tweeted his disapproval of the governor’s plans to sign into law bills allowing automatic voter registration and limiting local law enforcement’s role in federal immigration crackdowns.
■ He’s also signed a bill protecting parolees from being arrested simply for being seen with alleged gang members.
■ Rauner is distancing himself from a statement his office made on his behalf about a drawing some called racist.
■ Developing: Secretary of State Jesse White’s set to back J.B. Pritzker for governor.
■ Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy is declining to comment on the arrest of his brother and niece for what police call inciting a party crowd “into an angry mob.”
SEX CRIMES UNPUNISHED. A Tribune analysis finds that police and Department of Children and Family Services cutbacks have strained the center that investigates abuse cases involving victims as young as a few months old.
■ The Daily Beast: “This Is Not Hazing. This Is Rape”: Inside a Texas Town’s Football Nightmare.
EXXON MOBIL’S LIES. In a finding that could fuel investors’ legal complaints against the company, the first “academic, empirical analysis” of its 40-year history of climate change communications finds it “misled the public about the state of climate science and its implications.”
ECLIPSE’S DARK SIDE. Record traffic jams across the country—including a “nightmare” along Illinois roads.
■ The Tribune’s Mary Schmich on Tom Skilling’s tears during the eclipse: “By expressing his wonder, he made it easier for other people to feel theirs.”
POPULAR IN SCHOOL? A new study finds little correlation between that and happiness over a lifetime.
■ A mom defends her son’s long hair against a Texas dress code.
■ Down with dress codes.
SPORTS SECTION.
■ Deadspin’s Barry Petchesky on the decision to remove an Asian-American football play-by-play guy from a Charlottesville game because of his name: “ESPN shot itself in the dick.”
■ A host rebukes “Chuck in St. Charles,” a racist caller to The Score.
■ R.I.P., “Comcast SportsNet Chicago.”
■ Pearl Jam is set to debut a film documenting its two Wrigley Field shows last year.
#HAPPYBIRTHDAY. The hashtag is 10 years old today.
■ And here are some of the most popular.
THANKS. To Chris Marsh for a suggestion fueling today’s issue.