UPDATE: After popular request, I finally received a copy of “the map” McGurk is using and added it to the transcript to make it easier. /SD
Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Brett McGurk follows up on the “around the globe” update speech delivered by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. With this update McGurk explains the current status of the D-ISIS campaign in Syria and Iraq. (additional emphasis regionally) WATCH:

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[Transcript] MS NAUERT: Good to see you back. I know, it’s Friday late in the day, summertime. So you all get good camper awards for coming in today. Thank you so much for being here on this Friday. We have our Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Brett McGurk, who’s here with us. I know you heard from Brett just a couple weeks ago at the end of the ISIS – D-ISIS coalition meeting here in Washington. And so Brett wanted to come in today to provide you all with an update as to where things stand in the campaign.
So without further ado, Brett’s here with that.
MR MCGURK: Thank you. Okay, thanks everybody for coming. I thought what I’d do today – you heard from the Secretary for a kind of trip around the world six months in here since he arrived about everything going on in the world and the activity here at the State Department. And what I thought I’d do is drill in a little bit more on what he discussed about the very important – one of our key priorities here at the department, about the campaign against ISIS.
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After spending 72 hours looking specifically at the motives of those pushing almost identical paragraphs including the catchphrases: “holdovers”, “purging loyalists“, “unfettered access” and “Caroline Glick“; it comes as no surprise to hear the administration perceives the anti-McMasters crowd as having “jumped the shark”… “reached too far”, and  “exposed their agenda” etc.
Ironically HR McMaster appears to be safer than ever in his position as National Security Adviser not specifically because of anything he has done, but as an actual outcome of the piranha approach taken by his detractors.  The severity of his opposition’s group-think actually exposed the common denominator.

“General McMaster and I are working very well together.  He is a good man and very pro–Israel. I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country.”

~ President Donald Trump, August 4th, 2017

HR McMaster might not get the Afghanistan policy outcome he prefers, but his position as NSA appears safe; and we won’t have to go to war against Iran to appease his opposition.  This looks like a genuine win/win/win.  Bannon wins on Afghanistan policy; McMaster wins on Iran policy; America-First wins because we’re not going into another war in either Iran or North Korea.  Perfect.

WASHINGTON […]  John Kelly, Trump’s new chief of staff, has told McMaster he supports him remaining as national security adviser, Politico reported, citing two unnamed senior White House aides.

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Chuck Schumer reveals the economic campaign priorities for 2018.  Look familiar?

(LINK)

Essentially the “Better Deal” plan is to copy, identically copy, President Trump’s MAGAnomic economic and trade policy.   Heck, the only thing missing is +”Build a Wall”.
It’s enough to make you wonder if Schumer copied his homework.
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The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July exceeding expectations and forecasts by over 25,000.  The measured unemployment rate dropped to 4.3%.  The number of employed Americans hit 153.5 million, the highest since February 2009.  Year-over-year measures of wage rates remained at 2.5%; however, additional private sector jobs analysis shows wage rate growth substantially higher than fed measures.

Media economists say: “It’s difficult to find anything really negative in the report.” But they sure are trying…

(Via CNBC)  The U.S. economy continued a strong summer, adding 209,000 jobs in July while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, the lowest since March 2001, according to a government report Friday.

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A visibly angered U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a passionate press conference earlier today to announce a stunning new anti-leak initiative: Mr Sessions has asked leakers to stop.
Additionally, during the much heralded press conference with Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Attorney General Sessions warned those who leak classified intelligence he is now talking to senior officers within the intelligence community.
The incredibly harsh “just don’t do it” program, as launched by an obviously angered Sessions, includes three seismic measures.  They are:

♦First – A jaw-dropping appointment of Rod Rosenstein to monitor the intelligence community for possible leaks.
♦Second – A strong conversation with the NSA (Mike Rogers) about possible help stopping leaks.
♦Third – A  stern review of DOJ policies toward leak investigation standards.

The DC-based intelligence leaking community has officially been put on notice. No-one expected the Attorney General to go this far.  The “Just Don’t Do It” request has stunned and visibly shaken the anti-Trump forces in Washington. According to several DC officials, and sources who know a guy in Starbucks, “no-one is safe now”.

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FULL Transcript Below:
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And remember, there are some people who think the “UniParty” isn’t real. Meanwhile, republicans led the way in the Senate to initiate a rules process blocking President Trump from recess appointments during the upcoming Senate break.   The pro-forma session process requires all Senators to agree to the rules maneuver; they did.
There are over 100 Trump nominations awaiting confirmation from the Senate.  The Senators will not return until after Labor Day.

WASHINGTON DC – […] Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), doing wrap up for the entire Senate, locked in nine “pro-forma” sessions — brief meetings that normally last roughly a minute.
The move, which requires the agreement of every senator, means the Senate will be in session every three business days throughout the August recess.

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Newly formed Circa News agent Sara Carter (Sinclair Media Group) appears on Sean Hannity to discuss her ongoing campaign against Trump’s National Security Adviser HR McMaster.
As we pointed out yesterday, the entire Sara Carter presentation of a letter from current NSA McMaster to former NSA Susan Rice appears to be a propaganda narrative. –DETAILS HERE–  Toward that end, Carter appears with Sean Hannity and misleads the audience about McMasters letter to Susan Rice.
Notice at 02:00 of the video Carter states Susan Rice has access to classified intelligence.  Technically this is correct, but only to historic intelligence work-product that Susan Rice previously saw or created.  Rice’s access is time-restricted. Carter infers Rice has access to current intelligence, which is entirely false; she does not.  Watch:

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Again, here’s the actual letter from McMaster to Rice. You can clearly see the time-restriction on the authorization memo.
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According to numerous media reports Robert Mueller has empaneled a grand jury so that subpoenas can be dispatched to begin taking testimony in the ongoing investigation into Russian interference within the 2016 election.  Apparently Donald Trump Jr. in the first batch of recipients.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Grand jury subpoenas have been issued in connection with a June 2016 meeting that included President Donald Trump’s son, his son-in-law and a Russian lawyer, two sources told Reuters on Thursday, in a sign that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is gathering pace.
The sources added that Mueller had convened a grand jury in Washington to help investigate allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. (link)

Attorney Jay Sekulow weighed in earlier (video below)
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The ongoing saga of intelligence community and DC government official leaks targeted to undermine the presidency of Donald Trump has created a large group of people wondering why Attorney General Jeff Sessions has done nothing about it.
In an effort to respond to the growing voices of inquiry the Attorney General and those who advocate on his behalf, has been teasing out a “leak  investigation” announcement for approximately three weeks.

The latest “DOJ announcement” date was established as tomorrow, Friday August 4th.  However, on the eve of the announcement the Department of Justice is positioning a lowering of expectations.

WASHINGTON – […] Sessions will be joined by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina on Friday in Washington to discuss “leaks of classified material threatening national security,” the Justice Department said Thursday afternoon. (read more)

Tomorrow’s pending discussion marks the possible announcement that might actually lead to a future briefing wherein the DOJ could announce the potential for a formal investigation into a series of leaks that have damaged the Trump administration since he took office in January.  Fingers crossed.
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Earlier today President Trump together with VA Secretary David Shulkin launched the new TeleHealth program.  A VA healthcare initiative that allows VA Patients to schedule and change appointments, as well as reach VA client services, via a mobile app they can use on their smartphones and computers.
Advances in technology have enabled the VA to take advantage of platforms to provide VA services, but until now no-one ever put it into use.

[Transcript] 11:40 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I’d like to begin by thanking Secretary David Shulkin for the incredible progress that he’s making at the VA — tremendous strides. Thank you very much, David. We appreciate it. The veterans appreciate it, I can tell you that.
Today, I’m pleased to announce another historic breakthrough that will expand VA services to many more patients and veterans. We will do this through telehealth services. It’s what it’s called — telehealth services.
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