| | | | Hope Hicks' totally ridiculous explanation for why she quit | | Here's how Hope Hicks explained her decision to resign as White House communications director, according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman, who broke the story:
"She told colleagues that she had accomplished what she felt she could with a job that made her one of the most powerful people in Washington, and that there would never be a perfect moment to leave."
Ahem. Cough. Throat clear. Nervous looking around. Collar tug. Cough. So, no. Whatever the opposite of the perfect time to leave the White House is -- the "imperfect time"? -- this is it. Hicks is not only the third Trump White House communications director to resign in just over a year, but she also leaves: Hicks' departure is another major negative story amid that laundry list. Whatever you thought of her credentials to be the head of the White House's communications operation -- Hicks had little practical experience in dealing with the media -- there is no debate that she was one of the few aides who Trump trusted totally.
Simply put: This is a White House in crisis. Hicks' departure adds to that sense that the sky is falling around and on Trump. There's no spin to put out that. You can't polish a turd. And when you try to, it tends to get all over the place.
Read my full take here.
--Chris | | "I like taking the guns early. Take the gun first, go through due process second."
-President Donald Trump, during a bipartisan meeting Wednesday with lawmakers to discuss school safety and gun measures | | | | The amazing Janelle Monáe's latest single, "Make Me Feel." | | HONORING THE LATE BILLY GRAHAM | | | CNN's Daniella Diaz and Jeremy Diamond reported Wednesday: "President Donald Trump was among those high-profile Washington leaders who honored the late Rev. Billy Graham on Wednesday, while the influential evangelist lies in honor at the US Capitol. " 'Billy Graham carried his message around the world, but his heart -- as Franklin will tell you -- was always in America,' Trump said during a ceremony on Capitol Hill, which also included House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. 'He took his message to the poorest places, to the downtrodden and to the brokenhearted, to inmates in prison and to the overlooked and neglected. He felt a great passion to those that were neglected,' Trump said. 'God loves you -- that was his message -- God loves you.'
"Graham, an evangelical minister and spiritual confidant to American presidents, died at age 99 last week."
Read more in CNN's coverage here. | | CNN's Betsy Klein uncovered that the White House chief calligrapher has a higher security clearance than Jared Kushner, White House adviser -- and President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
She writes: "Scrutiny over White House clearances in recent weeks has raised questions about top secret versus secret clearance, the application process and the levels of access afforded to those who achieve it. Kushner was among those White House officials whose security clearance was downgraded from top secret to secret, a significant move cutting back on the information he can access.
"A 2015 report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence pegged the total at 2,885,570 people for confidential and secret clearances and 1,363,483 for top secret clearances. According to information obtained by CNN from a US government official as of November 2017, among those with top secret clearance is White House chief calligrapher Patricia Blair."
Related: Chris wrote about "Kushner's fall from Secretary of Everything to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯." | | From CNN's Hunter Schwarz: "Reigning NBA champs the Golden State Warriors visited the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture on Tuesday in lieu of the traditional White House visit. The Warriors, who are in Washington to play the Wizards on Wednesday, visited the museum with a group of young students. Steph Curry said in an Instagram story video, 'We're here checking out our history and culture.'"
Check out more pictures from their visit here. | | BYE BYE TO TRUMP'S LEHIGH HONORARY DEGREE? | | CNN's Jennifer Hansler reported Wednesday:
"Faculty members at Lehigh University have voted overwhelmingly in favor of rescinding President Donald Trump's honorary degree.
"Trump was presented with the honorary degree in 1988, when he was chosen by the graduating class as commencement speaker. It was standard for all commencement speakers to be given honorary diplomas at that time, Lehigh spokesperson Lori Friedman told CNN.
"More than 80% of voting-eligible faculty affirmed the motion asking that the Pennsylvania college's board of trustees revoke the honor. Only 14% voted against the motion. It will now be conveyed to the board, according to Faculty Steering Committee Chairman Doug Mahoney."
Read more in Jenny's story here. | | | Don't forget to tell people 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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