| | | | | President Donald Trump meets Wednesday with members of the World Series champions Chicago Cubs in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images | | | The President of the United States of America Tweeted About a Facelift: Happy Energy Week!
Melania Trump Responds: She stands by POTUS, per statement
Navy Seal Challenges WH: Robert O'Neill would like Sarah Huckabee Sanders to go check out a VA hospital | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
President Donald Trump goes to the Department of Energy today to give remarks because -- in case you've forgotten -- it's Energy Week.
The White House will also keep an eye on the House today as two bills having to do with the administration's immigration agenda will come up for vote. Both "Kate's Law" and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act are expected to pass.
Later, Trump and the first lady will welcome new South Korean leader Moon Jae-in for the start of his two-day visit.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
Welp, today it's Mika and Joe's turn.
But First Tweets:
The President kicked off the day at 8:30 with a tweet about ... the sugar trade. But then he turned his ire on Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, pointedly aiming deeply personal attacks at the morning duo (who last month announced their engagement). Today's "Morning Joe" content spent a good deal on Trump -- and he didn't like it. His tweets came shortly after this one from White House social media director Dan Scavino: | | Credit: @DanScavino/Twitter
Trump's tweets set off a firestorm of response, everything from cries of sexism to frustration that with these two statements, the President has shifted attention away from policy and toward, quite frankly, un-presidential behavior. | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
Guys, it's a lot. I don't think anyone is going to ignore this today or let it pass under the "Oh, well" banner. I also have the feeling it's going to be a doozy of a White House press briefing today. It's on-camera, at 2 p.m., with Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the helm.
(But let me say this. I also think with this tweet from Mika, showing a child with Cheerios and a jab at little hands, really got down to Trump's level, when she could have clapped back with a more powerful condemnation about cyberbullying and name-calling. #justsaying)
The First Lady Responds:
In case you thought Melania Trump might admonish her husband for what many consider to be his morning cyberbullying, she didn't. In fact, she's doing quite the opposite. Asked for comment by CNN about Trump's tweets and how the first lady feels, her communications director, Stephanie Grisham, replied with this comment: "As the first lady has stated publicly in the past, when her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder."
MSNBC Responds:
Per a network representative: "It's a sad day for America when the president spends his time bullying, lying and spewing petty personal attacks instead of doing his job."
Trump in Peak Form:
According to stories from people on the inside of Wednesday's fund-rasier for 2020, the President, sans teleprompter, covered a range of topics, from his dislike of Nancy Pelosi to his dislike of CNN, to his accomplishments with Justice Neil Gorsuch and his hope for tax reform.
Meanwhile, Outside Papier-Maché Making a Comeback:
I often wonder if business at Michaels stores has gone up with all the posters and the really painstakingly elaborate anti-Trump protest stuff. On Wednesday, this giant -- legit terrifying -- Trump effigy marched in front of the Trump International Hotel, where the fund-raiser was held. Note the wearer's head below the tie. I mean, how long did it take to make this? | | | Credit: Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images | | Time Takes a Cover Break:
After a series of compelling politics-centric covers, this week Time magazine is shifting to another obsession: "Game of Thrones," season seven of which premieres July 16 on HBO. (Time Warner is the parent company for both HBO and CNN). While the accompanying story on how they make the show is pretty cool, the behind-the-scenes look at the cover shoot is also fascinating. | | Credit: Time.com
Speaking of Dramatic Death:
Sadly, what could be D.C.'s oldest tree met a Red Wedding-style ending this week. I'm not a big nature person, but I was moved by the story of this tree, a 325-year-old oak in northwest Washington's Shepherd Park neighborhood. It had to be taken down after a huge crack was discovered in its trunk. A 😥 quote from neighbor Dana Ju, on whose property part of the tree stood: | | Credit: screenshot, wamu.org
Here's the tree before, and then the stump after, with some 330 rings: | | What Washington Is Talking About:
I was going to say the Senate Republicans working on a rewrite of the health care bill or "Kate's Law," which the House is expected to pass today, but who am I kidding? Everyone is talking about the President of the United States of America tweeting that a morning show host had a facelift.
What America Is Talking About:
Ten years ago today, Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone.
Poll of the Day:
Senate Repubs' health care bill has a 17% approval rating, per an NPR-PBS NewsHour-Marist poll. More than half disapprove, and about a quarter said they haven't heard enough to have an opinion. | |
Navy Seal Who Was Part of Bid Laden Raid Challenges White House:
White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pointed to improvements at the Veterans Administration as one of the Trump administration's successes Tuesday, but now, Robert O'Neill, the author of "The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior," is saying otherwise, calling it a "damn insult to vets." | | Credit: @mchooyah/Twitter
O'Neill also invited Huckabee to go with him to a VA hospital to "see how awful they are. I'm sure daddy got you better healthcare..and that job!"
Orrin Hatch Likes Bacon, Political Civility:
PETA tweeted Wednesday, asking people to share their "best argument for eating bacon." @SenOrrinHatch responded with photos of him eating a Crown Burger, a Utah chain that offers burgers with not only bacon but also pastrami and Utah's condiment of choice, fry sauce. If you're ever in Utah, try the fry sauce. | | Credit: @senorrinhatch/Twitter
Hatch also seemed to weigh in on Trump's tweet this morning, tweeting an op-ed he published in Time on Wednesday about political civility. "It's incumbent on all of us, then -- from the President to Congress on down -- to be responsible for our speech," he wrote.
Other Repubs Respond to Trump's Tweet:
Speaker Ryan said, "Obviously I don't see that as an appropriate comment," Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted, "Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America," Sen. Ben Sasse tweeted, "Please just stop. This isn't normal and it's beneath the dignity of your office," and Sen. Susan Collins tweeted, "This has to stop -- we all have a job -- 3 branches of gov't and media. We don't have to get along, but we must show respect and civility."
Assuming we'll also be hearing a lot of "I'm not going to comment on every tweet" from a lot of frustrated Republicans today.
Chaffetz's Next Job:
Rep. Jason Chaffetz is heading to Fox News as a contributor, the network announced Wednesday.
Hugh Jackman's Next Job:
The actor will play former Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, a Democratic presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988, in an upcoming film titled "The Frontrunner," per The Hollywood Reporter. For those who, like me, are too young to know about Hart or who haven't read Yahoo News reporter Matt Bai's excellent book "All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid" about his 1988 campaign, Hart was the Democratic front-runner until revelations of an extramarital affair that seemed to foreshadow the tabloid political scandals from the '90s to today. Bai co-wrote the screenplay for the film, along with Jay Carson, Hillary Clinton's former press secretary, who's since gone Hollywood and worked as a producer for "House of Cards," and Jason Reitman, who directed "Juno" and "Thank You for Smoking." If the movie is anything like the book, "The Frontrunner" is gonna be amazing. I'm stoked about this.
How Katy Perry Pulled Off Her Livestream:
She hired Fly on the Wall Entertainment, the production company behind "Big Brother." K.P. "wanted it to be streamed live and she didn't want to see any of the crew," executive producer Allison Grodner said. "She wanted to feel like she was just her and not on a television show."
Street Art Sighting:
Turns out Putin signs at Gay Pride parades aren't limited to the United States. Sent in all the way from Mexico City is this pink poster of the Russian President under the word "KILLER." | | Credit: Iván Ceja
Send me your pics of political street art to coverlinehunter@cnn.com, tweet me @hunterschwarz or tag @cnncoverline on Instagram. | | | | | | |
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