Obamacare Survives

After seven years of campaign promises, billions of dollars raised, and dozens of show votes, the Republican dream of repealing and replacing Obamacare appears to be dead. Ultimately it was Arizona Sen. John McCain who cast the decisive vote early Friday morning, joining Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins in voting against the “skinny repeal” measure which would have kept the GOP’s hopes alive. The defeat left the GOP and the President with almost nothing to show legislatively from the first six months of Republican control. Now the party is moving on to tax reform, where despite months of work, there is still no clear outline for the GOP plan.

New White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci’s explosive interview with The New Yorker is still reverberating through the West Wing. In a normal White House, Scaramucci would have tendered his resignation already for launching an assault on two top aides—and at minimum he would have apologized for his attack on his colleagues. Instead, he’s going to continue his efforts to oust chief of staff Reince Priebus from the administration. But Priebus, like Attorney General Jeff Sessions, isn’t taking the hint. Neither is resigning anytime soon, despite pressure from the President, in part because they don’t want to give their critics the satisfaction of their departure.

High drama in the Senate. The White House’s attacks on gay rights. And a Russia sanctions bill heads to Trump’s desk.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

Who’s Afraid of Donald Trump? Good Question.

Washington defies the President [TIME]

Anthony Scaramucci Called Me to Unload About White House Leakers, Reince Priebus, and Steve Bannon

He started by threatening to fire the entire White House communications staff. It escalated from there. [The New Yorker]

President Trump Goes to War With His Staff

Trump green-lights criticism [TIME]

How McCain tanked Obamacare repeal

The maverick senator delivers a stunning rebuke to President Donald Trump and his own party leadership [Politico]

‘Wait for the show’: High drama and low voices in a long, weird night at the Capitol.

Watching the healthcare vote fail [Washington Post]

Russia probe could reveal Trump’s closest-held secrets

Investigation spreading to Trump Organization records [USA Today]

Sound Off

“Reince is a f—-ng paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac” —Anthony Scaramucci to The New Yorker.

“Better not to comment” —Scaramucci to reporters on the continued fall-out from his interview.

Bits and Bites

In One Day, Trump Administration Lands 3 Punches Against Gay Rights [New York Times]

McMaster ousts senior official on National Security Council [Washington Post]

Meet the Women Senators Who Helped Stop the Health Care Bill [TIME]

Russia Sanctions Bill Heads to Donald Trump as Moscow Retaliates [Associated Press]

Sanders: Scaramucci let passion ‘get the best of him’ on Priebus, Bannon remarks [Politico]

Sessions calls Trump criticism over Russia recusal ‘kind of hurtful’ [Fox News]

Trump Organization employees must agree to keep info about Trump family secret [CBS]

Business Roundtable launching multi-million dollar push backing tax reform [Politico]

Paul Ryan Is ‘Disappointed and Frustrated’ With Health Care Vote Failure [Associated Press]

Watch the Moment John McCain Voted Against the Obamacare ‘Skinny Repeal’ [TIME]

Steve Bannon’s Shadow Press Office May Violate Federal Law [Center for Public Integrity]