| | | | The days of brushing off sexual misconduct are over | | | Accusations of sexual harassment and assault made against President Donald Trump during the 2016 election are making headlines (again) following the double standard he has applied to allegations of sexual abuse against Alabama Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore and accusations of Sen. Al Franken groping and kissing a woman without consent. What most recently opened the floodgates was The New York Times' explosive expose on Harvey Weinstein in October.
All the revelations are horrifying. Thanks to the brave women and men who have spoken out about everyone from Weinstein to Franken, sexual harassment is now not only a topic of conversation but the topic driving conversation. Not only do current politicians have to address it, candidates -- and all aspiring politicians -- must do so also. And it seems as more news breaks about alleged assaults from powerful men, the pool of aspiring politicians has grown beyond the typical white, male candidate.
"We need elected officials without baggage, without regrets and without fake apologies," progressive strategist Rebecca Katz told CNN's Greg Krieg on Thursday. "The best way to make sure we get that is to nominate and elect young people who know better and women who wouldn't be put in these situations in the first place."
Efforts to encourage "people who know better" to run for office are seemingly working. Tuesday marked the first-ever National Run for Office Day, a holiday created by the organization Run for Something with the goal of pushing Americans to "tap into their potential to lead." Per Amanda Litman, Run for Something's co-founder, 2,000 people signed up on that day alone.
And, as CNN reported last week: About 19,000 women contacted Emily's List about standing for election in the entire 2016 cycle, and just since the election of Trump. Advocacy group She Should Run has had an average of 15,000 inquiries since the 2016 election. Applications to Emerge America's training courses for female candidates from 2016 to 2017 is up 87%. "People are signing up to run in droves, especially young women, LGTBQ Americans and people of color," Litman told me earlier this week. "The reality has been that 'you can't be what you can't see.'... We're here to build the bench, and after Tuesday, we can really see that happening. Now on to special elections and 2018."
On to 2018, indeed. It's hard to imagine these issues not having an incredibly important impact one year from now.
--Saba | | While many -- including Ivanka Trump -- have denounced Roy Moore, the Alabama GOP continues to back him. CNN's Miranda Green reports:
"A group of Alabama Republican women led by Kayla Moore gathered Friday to defend her husband, Senate nominee Roy Moore, in the wake of sexual allegations against him.
Seven women besides Kayla Moore served as character witnesses for Moore, pushing back on allegations that the 70-year-old candidate had pursued sexual relationships with teenagers when he was in his early 30s -- and blaming the media and the Republican establishment for spreading lies about him.
'We're in a battle," Kayla Moore said, addressing members of the media from the steps of a courthouse. ... She blamed the Washington establishment for attacking her husband and called him "an officer and a gentleman.'"
For more, read Miranda's full story here. | | In case it wasn't clear earlier, Chris is out of office today (and Monday!). So here are Saba's recommended reads of the day:
Regrets? Chris Christie Has a Few. From Politico's Josh Dawsey
The Washington Post's Anna Fifield talked to recent North Korean escapees about how the secretive country has changed under the "Great Successor."
Also in WaPO: "Explaining Islam" by Abigail Hauslohner from earlier this week about how members of a local mosque in Las Cruces, New Mexico, want to dispel rumors about Muslims.
From USA Today's Andrea Mandell: Will #OscarsSoWhite return in 2018? It's possible.
Another great reason Saba has Bart: Getting a Dog May Save Your Life, Especially If You're Single. | | CNN's Jeremy Diamond reported that President Trump "has begun paying his personal legal bills stemming from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign out of his own pocket, relieving the Republican Party of future payments, the White House's special counsel on the matter announced.
Trump, who claims a multibillion-dollar net worth, is also working with the Office of Government Ethics and tax law experts to fund the legal payments of White House staffers who have become embroiled in the Justice Department's special counsel investigation."
Read more in Jeremy's story here. | | CNN's Eric Bradner writes:
"Former Vice President Joe Biden didn't rule out a 2020 presidential run as he kicked off his book tour this week. 'I'm a great respecter of fate ... but who knows what the situation is going to be a year and a half from now. I don't have any idea. I'm in good health now. I'm in good shape, knock on wood, as my mother would say. But I just, I don't know, he said on NBC's "Today."
—Is Biden too old to run for president? He's 74 and would be 77 on election day 2020, and in his 80s his entire second term, if he wins and is re-elected. The Washington Post's Paul Kane made an interesting point in a recent chat with Chris Cillizza: "The distance from 74 to 86 is big for any human, let alone one that would spend eight years of that span in the toughest job in the world,' Kane said. "I've watched, up close, as number of senators who were incredibly sharp and energetic in their mid-70s, turn very slow and plodding by their early 80s. We have to think, as a society, whether we want the leader of the free world to be challenging Father Time."
— Vice's Eve Peyser throws cold water on the idea Biden could win a Democratic primary, pointing out -- among other things -- his role in the Anita Hill sexual harassment hearing in 1991, his involvement passing a 1994 crime bill, his anti-populist trade stance and some potentially controversial abortion positions.
—Reading in: Joe Biden's book tour swings through Washington at a Friday night event at the Warner Theatre.
Read more on other #2020 contenders in Eric's full memo here. | | CNN's Zach Cohen reported on some interesting sky art ... from his story:
"Navy officials were faced with an unusual controversy after residents of Okanogan County, Washington, noticed a sky drawing many said looked like male genitalia on Thursday.
'US Navy air crew, flying an F/A-18 Growler (Electronic Attack Aircraft) assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 130 based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., flew an air pattern over Okanogan County, Washington, on Thursday, November 16, that left a condensed air trail resembling an obscene image to observers on the ground,' Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Leslie Hubbell said.
"Several individuals also took to social media to post photos of the phallic drawing."
Read Zach's full story here. | | | Halloween may have ended a long time ago, but we felt it was still a good time for a throwback to this Darth Vader spotting at the White House. Happy Friday! Remind people you know to subscribe to The Point. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | | | | |
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