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Congressional Democrats blasted President Trump on Tuesday for warning that North Korea will be met "with fire and fury" by the U.S. if it continues to ratchet up tensions involving its nuclear program.

The president made the remark during a briefing on the opioid epidemic from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey where he's on a 17-day vacation.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Mr. Trump said. "As I said, they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."

Earlier in the day, it was revealed that a new U.S. intelligence assessment concludes that North Korea has developed the ability to build a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on top of a ballistic missile, including an intercontinental missile that can reach the U.S., reported CBS News' David Martin.

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North Korea has made headway in its nuclear ambitions, developing a warhead that could fit on a ballistic missile that could reach the United Sta...

Several key Democratic lawmakers said that Mr. Trump's heated rhetoric will only make the situation worse.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, who previously served as a top member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted that isolating North Korea "has not halted their pursuit of nuclear weapons." She said "diplomacy is the only path forward." Feinstein went on to say Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who's currently in Asia, should discuss the reopening of North Korea talks with U.S. regional partners.

Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-New York, said that the president's remark sounded more like a statement from "the 'Supreme Leader' of North Korea than from the President of the United States."

Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the president has undermined U.S. credibility by drawing "an absurd red line."

Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, tweeted a statement that said, "This is not a time for escalating rhetoric that threatens to bring the world to the brink of war."

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, tweeted that Mr. Trump's threat is "dangerous" and "risks war."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-California, tweeted that the president's remark was "reckless."

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, said that this is "not the time" to issue more threats and to test North Korea's long-range missiles.

The House and Senate have gone on their month-long recess for August and aren't scheduled to return to Capitol Hill until September.

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, also had some tough words for the president.

"I take exception to the president's comments because you've got to be sure that you can do what you say you're going to do," he said in an interview on KTAR Phoenix. "I don't believe that President Reagan or President Eisenhower or other presidents that I've admired would have said the same thing. They might have done as much as we could but not that kind of rhetoric, I'm not sure how it helps."

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Democrats blast Trump's "fire and fury" warning to North Korea - CBS News

Bill Kristol. (CC BY 2.0)

President Trumps gibes about the failure of our foreign-policy establishment and his call for a still-rudimentary America first policy have led hawkish Republican neoconservatives to close ranks with indispensable nation Democrats. A remarkably unrepentant establishment has moved to resistance. If the United States is to avoid the limited choice between the delusional and the disastrous, a new progressive stance on foreign policy is utterly imperative.

Each week we cross-post an excerpt from Katrina vanden Heuvels column at the WashingtonPost.com. Read the full text of Katrinas column here.

The neoconsled by the likes of Bill Kristol, Max Boot, and Dick Cheneywere the ideological motor behind President George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq, the worst foreign-policy debacle since the Vietnam War. The indispensable-nation crowdpersonified by Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and Michele Flournoywere initial supporters of the Iraq War, championed President Barack Obamas surge in Afghanistan, and helped orchestrate the disastrous regime change in Libya. Neither the neocons nor the indispensable-nation crowd has been instructed nor daunted by failure.

Illustrative of their emerging alliance, as Glenn Greenwald reports, is yet another Beltway foreign-policy initiative: the Alliance for Securing Democracy. The Alliance describes itself as a bipartisan, transatlantic initiative focused on Russia. Its purpose is to develop comprehensive strategies to defend against, deter and raise the costs on Russian and other actors, while working to expose Vladimir Putins ongoing efforts to subvert democracy in the United States and Europe. Consider this an updated version of Kristol and Robert Kagans 1997 Project for the New American Century, which fulminated for the invasion of Iraq. The Alliances advisory council includes Jake Sullivan, Clintons foreign-policy adviser, and Mike Morell, acting CIA director under Obama. They sit comfortably with Kristol, Mike Chertoff, homeland-security secretary under Bush, and hawkish former Republican congressman Mike Rogers. With a record of catastrophic foreign policy fiascoes, the establishment comes together to strike back.

Read the full text of Katrinas column here.

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Hawkish Democrats Have Some Unsavory New Friends - The Nation.

The Democrats are consumed by in-fighting, though this is masked by endless expressions of anxiety over their opponents policies. To the extent that Democrats have identified a way to recover from an election that saw so many of their core voters defect or decline to cast a ballot, it has been to again appeal to the labor voter who couldnt care less about the American lefts addiction to identity politics. But the liberal activist class is ready to bolt if Democrats become a party that welcomesyuck!social conservatives again. Bernie Sanders and his semi-socialist wing is trying to excise centrism from the party by making support for government-run health insurance programs a litmus test, much to the consternation of Democrats tasked with winning back control of Congress.

Among the few things Democrats seem to agree upon is that their core message must be an anti-Trump message. Its the execution thats been the problem. Democrats are pretty sure that they will benefit from frustration with an unpopular executive and his partys failure to govern effectively. Beyond the broadest strokes, however, there is confusion among Democrats as to how they should go about making themselves an anti-Trump vehicle. The opposition party is occasionally guilty of leaving observers with the impression that they resent even having to make an effort.

Take, for example, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuels attempt to crystallize Democratic antipathy toward the Trump administrations illegal immigration policies into some sort of coherent and actionable prescription. The city is suing the Justice Department in the effort to prevent law-enforcement officials from withholding federal grant money as a result of its status as a sanctuary city.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions attempt to compel sanctuary citiesmunicipalities in which illegal immigrants have some reassurance about their status as residents so that they can maintain a cooperative relationship with local law enforcementhas encountered resistance in the courts. But the Trump administration is its own worst enemy on this matter, as well as most others. Democrats barely register as a nuisance, and they only have themselves to blame for that condition.

Democrats have yet to find a smart way to concisely explain why cities that dont fully cooperate with federal law enforcement should still expect to get federal grant money, wrote Axios reporter Jonathan Swan. Emanuel is trying to lead the way here.

Is there a good messenger for this message? Its certainly not Rahm Emanuel, who is under fire for overseeing a police force mired in accusations of corruption and anti-minority bias. Maybe its not the messenger; maybe its the message. Perhaps Democrats have failed to craft a compelling case against the GOPs antipathy toward sanctuary cities because they resent having to make an argument at all.

It is a welcome mat to racism, said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal when an anti-sanctuary cities measure went before the House earlier this year. Amid debate in the House, Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch insisted that the GOPs proposed immigration plans were inhumane and un-American and merited no debate.

Surely these Democrats speak for many of their grassroots compatriots. If your opponents position is racist, it is also unthinking and, therefore, illegitimate. Why should anyone devote their time to crafting a compelling argument designed to counter a claim that is rooted in abject bigotry?

The idea that there is only one legitimate opinion on an issue is liberating. For those who convince themselves that theirs is the only righteous point of view, engaging their opponents would mean giving unacceptable opinions a platform they dont deserve.

There are not two sides of the issue of same-sex marriage rights, said BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith when defending his publications attack on two popular HGTV hosts on the mere suspicion they may harbor unspeakable opinions.

[T]here are some stories which do not have two sides, wrote former CNN producer Hardy Spire. The climate change debate is one of them.This claim, written in 2014, was made to reinforce the notion that Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn had no business debating with scientist Bill Nye. Nye now hosts a ludicrous Netflix program promoting multifarious notions of social justice while Blackburn chairs the U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

The condescension that is now in vogue on the left that Trump voters must be convinced not to cast ballots against their interest (presuming their interests are best served by an ever-expanding welfare state and a crippling tax burden on their prospective employers) frees liberals from having to engage Trump supporters honestly. They have convinced themselves that anyone who doesnt share their point of view is the electoral equivalent of a pack mule.

For the left, this comforting contrivance has become a security blanket. Liberals have grown more convinced of the singular legitimacy of their beliefs even as they watch their works crumbling around them at an accelerating pace. Assuming bad faith in your political opponents is, though, a relatively painless way to go through life. Maybe thats all that really matters.

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Do Democrats Resent Having to Make an Argument? - Commentary Magazine

Their target here -- Rep. Ed Royce -- is like several other established Republican incumbents in California who progressives hope can be toppled in a wave of anti-Trump backlash. In their bid to win the 24 seats necessary to take control of the House, Democrats are focusing on California -- and particularly a swath of seven Republican-held seats clustered in or near Orange County.

The reason those seats are being targeted: 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton bested Trump in all seven districts in the 2016 election. Clinton was the first Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to carry Orange County, and her victory there reflected the rapid demographic changes in the increasingly young, diverse and educated region.

Royce hadn't planned a town hall meeting during the August recess -- so Indivisible, Planned Parenthood and other groups scheduled one without him. Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez, who represents a nearby Southern California district, attended and fielded questions for hours instead.

Meanwhile, five Democrats who are running against Royce mingled with the crowd of hundreds.

"There's just a lot of built-up anger," said Gil Cisneros, who won a $266 million lottery prize in 2010 and is now challenging Royce. "We have to find a way to keep that going."

"In some ways, this is an opportunity to really bring new people into the fold," said Sam Jammal, a former chief of staff to Rep. Tony Cardenas, an Obama administration Commerce Department official who is also running in the district.

The event underscored the opportunities and challenges confronting Democrats headed into the 2018 midterm elections: The party's base is energized enough to draw a massive crowd on a Thursday night 15 months away from the election. But it has also attracted candidates in droves, which means a long, expensive primary season before a Democrat can fully focus on Royce, who already has $3.1 million in the bank.

Royce and Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Mimi Walters' districts are located in Orange County. Rep. Darrell Issa's district extends from its south toward San Diego.

Rep. Steve Knight represents the suburbs north of Los Angeles. And Reps. David Valadao and Jeff Denham represent California's Central Valley, not as near to Orange County as others but areas with similar demographics and recent election results that have led Democrats to believe their seats are also within reach.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the first time has moved its Western regional office to Irvine, California -- a decision that reflects the group's early commitment to the region. The House Democrats' campaign arm has six staffers working in that office and six more organizers in target districts across the state.

Republicans are moving more slowly, but emphasizing the jam-packed fields of challengers and underscoring the rifts those primary fights could expose within the Democratic Party.

"While Republicans are focused on their districts, Democrats are tearing one another apart in brutal, expensive races to the left," said Jack Pandol, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. "Thus far, Democrats' big promises in California have won them nothing except more friendly fire that they are struggling -- and failing -- to control."

An influx of outside spending is also already reaching the districts of Royce, Valadao, Knight and Denham.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan, has opened field offices in each of the four districts, and could open offices in more competitive California districts in the coming months.

The affiliated group American Action Network plans to launch television advertising in the districts of Valadao, Knight and Denham at the end of this week that will give the three Republicans air cover as the party starts a tax reform push, touting popular planks of such an effort. Already, it has launched both English- and Spanish-language radio ads in those districts.

Its organizers are also playing up individual House Republicans' district-focused strengths, such as Denham's work on water issues.

"California is really a state that we know that Democrats are going to be targeting, so we need to start early and be out there talking to voters about what these members are doing back in DC on their behalf," said Ruth Guerra, a CLF spokeswoman.

He said his group will be on more than 200 college campuses in eight states in the 2018 cycle, organizing young people who will be part of a grassroots program that emphasizes face-to-face conversations and texts with potential voters. In the 2016 election cycle, Steyer said, young people were 23% more likely to vote if they'd spoken with NextGen organizers than if they had not.

That's particularly important in California, where the sky-high costs of advertising in the Los Angeles media market could keep Democrats -- especially those who face competitive primaries -- from keeping up with their Republican foes on the airwaves.

In Rohrabacher's district, Hans Keirstead, a pioneer in stem cell research who sold his business for more than $100 million in 2014 and later bought it back, has given Democrats a top recruit with a science and business background in a district where Republican registration outpaces Democrats.

Keirstead, a 50-year-old Canadian immigrant, said he plans to offer himself as an expert voice on health care with decades of experience in scientific research and pharmaceutical trials and approval -- something he said Congress needs.

"The breadth and depth in health care experience is lacking" on Capitol Hill, he said, arguing that Republicans and Democrats "both want experts there -- and they both want change."

He faulted Trump's administration for slashing spending on Obamacare digital and television outreach and narrowing the enrollment period. "That had a direct effect of increasing premiums," he said.

Then, he said, Trump's threats to end government payments to health insurers caused insurers to "hedge" and increase premiums again.

"Here, months later, we say, 'oh, look at the rising premiums, continually rising.' It was just cresting to decrease," Keirstead said. "That crippling of Obamacare for nothing more than political gain really disappointed me. I just thought, putting politics in front of peoples' health -- it's just so disgusting."

"We're cutting off the future of medicine and health care," he said.

Royce and Rohrabacher's offices did not respond to CNN interview requests.

California Republicans say they are optimistic that their incumbents' fundraising advantage and their survival in 2016 will position them well in the midterms -- when the party expects a gubernatorial race could help draw some additional Republican votes.

"The fact of the matter is, in a presidential election with near-record turnout, these Republicans won rather handily, even though Hillary Clinton won their districts. They will more than likely outperform their margin of victory in 2018," said Jim Brulte, the California Republican Party chairman.

"We are aware that Nancy Pelosi wants to be speaker. We are aware that she believes her return to the speakership runs through some of these seven California districts," Brulte said. "We are confident we will hold them -- but we don't take anything for granted."

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Democrats' road to a House majority runs through 7 California seats - CNN International

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) spent close to a decade as a legislator in Sacramento after a stint on the Torrance City Council. He has kept a relatively low profile since being elected to Congress in 2014 as the successor to longtime Rep. Henry Waxman.

Lieu is a new darling among Democrats in the Trump era, building a reputation for brash tweets regularly challenging the president and his allies.

Lieu also has a new role as one of the regional vice chairs in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the partys campaign arm dedicated to winning control of the House in 2018. His turf is House races in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Lieu was the main attraction at an Aliso Viejo town hall organized by liberal activists in Orange County who are working to oust Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa).

The Times sat down with the Democrat in the high schools indoor basketball court to talk Twitter, 2018 and politics in the era of Donald Trump. The transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What I am doing is not unique. It is happening in other districts. Linda Sanchez is going to Ed Royces district. This is happening in different parts of the country. One of the points is to highlight that youve got certain members of Congress who are afraid to hold town halls.

I think that is unfortunate. I think they should hold town halls and answer questions of their constituents and address their constituents directly. But if they are not going to do that, then I think Democrats should step in and do the town halls for them.

I think there is a lot of activism and energy from people all over America, and some of them are being represented by members that appear to be ignoring their constituents. And this is a way to answer questions and to provide updates and information about whats happening in Washington, D.C.

I havent endorsed any of them, but I have talked to many of them. There are 23 seats in America that Hillary Clinton won that have a Republican incumbent. Seven are in California, five are in Southern California. One of the reasons this happened is, last term in many of these districts, we didnt have a top-tier candidate [and] we didnt have a second-tier candidate. We largely ignored many of these districts. Thats not happening this time.

We have actually the opposite problem. We have a huge amount of enthusiasm and a lot of high-quality candidates. We are going to have a lot of messy primaries in a lot of these districts. But at the end of the day, there will be a strong general election candidate going into November in every single one of these targeted districts. We are going to have a very different field of candidates than last term.

We are going to have five, six candidates running in the primaries maybe more [and] some districts with double-digit numbers of Democrats running.

No, I think it is actually a reflection of their energy and activism that we are seeing among many Americans. And I believe competition is healthy and is good. At the end of every primary, there is going to be a strong, tested Democrat running.

Follow these congressional races by signing up for our free Essential Politics email newsletter

I tell them dont go negative. You should talk about yourself and what you want to do for the community. Especially if there is multiple candidates running because then it is not even clear what happens when you go negative. So lets say you go negative on candidate A, maybe thats helping candidate C instead of yourself. And its hurting Democrats if you do really go profoundly negative in the primary. Most of them dont. They actually realize the most effective use of their money is to make sure they stand out in front of the voters and the voters understand their story.

We are going to have a lot of messy primaries in a lot of these districts. But at the end of the day, there will be a strong general election candidate.

Rep. Ted Lieu

Why Dana Rohrabacher's name keeps coming up in the Russia investigation

There are different structural things happening specifically in California. One of which is there is a very interesting governors race. And there is going to be a very interesting lieutenant governors race. A lot of statewide races for Democrats are of very low interest to Republicans because historically Republicans understand they just dont win statewide races. So you have a bunch of Democrats being drawn out next November in a way that Republicans will not be. Second, I supported what is now a law, which is if you go to the DMV, you are automatically registered to vote unless you specifically opt out. That will go into effect around spring of next year.

Which means by [next] November, we are going to have hundreds of thousands of new voters. Many of whom skew younger.

And third, when you dont have a presidential election, you can run 100 different congressional campaigns. In a presidential, all the oxygen is sucked up by two candidates. ... But individual congressional races, it is very hard for them to get their message out. Now, next November, you can run all these different congressional races.

So the candidate running in Dana Rohrabachers seat is going to have different issues than a candidate running in Wisconsin. And you can get that message out to local media because you dont have two presidential candidates dominating the whole election cycle. So that, I believe, is helpful for challengers.

My view is this is an all hands on deck moment for Americans, and everyone should want to get involved.

Rep. Ted Lieu

[W]e are raising money. We will be using those funds to support Democratic candidates to take back the House primarily in California but also Nevada.

One is direct donations to candidates. But those are capped. And then two, to get people to show up. Especially in our districts, like Karens and mine, you have these volunteers that just want to go help take back the House. So giving them a district to go to and helping them get there and then helping them do the right thing there are ways to do voter registration that are more effective than others. Going to a supermarket and doing it is probably not the best way to do it, but going to specific neighborhoods and precincts and targeting those is a much more effective way.

Democracy is messy. And I actually think it is good that we have so many different groups that are not necessarily coordinated because to me, we are in such an abnormal time in our nations history. To me, it has moved beyond the realm of not normal. I think we are actually moving into the realm of criminal. You have certain actions by this administration that appear to me to violate federal laws. My view is this is an all hands on deck moment for Americans, and everyone should want to get involved. And they can get involved in their own way. I am glad there are so many different groups. I think it is OK it is not coordinated.

I do my own.

There are a lot of followers now. It just sort of exploded since January.

javier.panzar@latimes.com

Twitter: @jpanzar

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Ted Lieu explains what he thinks it will take for Democrats to win the House in 2018 - Los Angeles Times