| | | | | President Donald Trump addresses new American citizens in a recorded video message shown this week at a naturalization ceremony in Newark, New Jersey. Credit: John Moore/Getty Images | | | How to Get Things Done in DC: Or at least how to fix the sidewalks
Pope Francis Is Anti-Fake News: "Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes"
Burger King Takes a Stand on Net Neutrality: For those who like their Whoppers "woke" | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
The President hosts mayors for a working discussion this afternoon. He later departs the White House en route to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
Posting pics of idyllic Swiss hotel room views. | | Credit: @acosta/Instagram
News on the Russia Investigation Front:
According to a CNN exclusive Tuesday night, former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates has lawyered up with a new defense attorney who specializes in white collar crime, a signal Gates could be ready to cut a deal with special counsel Robert Mueller's team. In October, Gates pleaded not guilty to eight charges of money laundering and failing to register foreign lobbying and other business. Former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort is his longtime business partner. The hiring of the new lawyer suggests negotiations are ongoing between Gates' team and prosecutors. ... Related: A new CNN poll shows most Americans, 8 out of 10, think President Donald Trump should testify if Mueller calls upon him to do so in the Russia investigation.
Our Daily Melania:
I completely forgot yesterday to mention that Monday was the Trumps' 13th wedding anniversary. And I guess I forgot because there was nothing to remind me. Unlike Barack and Michelle Obama, who would coo at each other via social media on anniversaries, Melania Trump and POTUS didn't so much as post an Instagram. Nada, nothing. I even checked with both West Wing and East Wing spokespeople to see if they went out to dinner, or had dinner at the White House, or, well, anything -- didn't hear back. Look, far be it for me to speculate about what goes on inside a marriage, because I've learned it's almost always different than you might think it is, but the radio silence on this one was worth noting. Here's Betsy Klein's piece on the day that wasn't.
Someone Who Does Dine Out:
Michelle Obama loves a good, hip new restaurant, and she was spotted having dinner with former White House chef Sam Kass at one of the hottest places Tuesday night. The former first lady was at Maydan, a restaurant with an eclectic and exotic menu featuring dishes inspired by the Middle East, Russia and Eastern Europe. They ate in the private second-floor dining room, according to The Washingtonian, whose food editor, Anna Spiegel, just happened to be there.
Speaking of the Obamas:
Also reported by The Washingtonian, Barack Obama apparently married a couple of former staffers this weekend at District Winery. That's a pretty cool story to tell the kids some day.
Marie Claire Story:
The magazine did a digital story this week that kind of annoyed me, tbh. The feature, "All the White House Women You Haven't Heard of," is a mini-compilation of important Trump administration women who work hard at their jobs and some of whom juggle at being moms. (Mercedes Schlapp, for instance, has five kids.) It got me thinking of all the glossy, lady magazine stories done on the working women of the Obama White House. Most of those were styled out and shot by professional photographers, with reported accompanying personal profiles. This one wasn't, which is a shame because I see it as a missed opportunity, not a partisan thing. For example, here's the opening art: | | Credit: marieclaire.com
How Things Get Fixed in DC:
WAMU reporter Martin Austermuhle tweeted this pic of a sidewalk spray paint warning on Van Ness Street in northwest Washington, where some concerned citizen apparently tripped and broke his or her nose. | | | Within 20 minutes of his tweet Tuesday, Mary Cheh, Ward 3 council member, had responded and was on it. Twitter, man. | | What Washington Is Talking About:
The Senate is expected to vote on the nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, Alex Azar, and Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall is testifying before the Senate Budget Committee.
What America Is Talking About:
LeBron James scored his 30,000th point as an NBA player Tuesday night, the eighth in league history to reach that milestone, and the youngest, at 33 years (and 24 days) old.
Poll of the Day:
About eight in 10 Americans believe President Donald Trump should testify under oath before special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, according to a CNN poll released Tuesday. That includes 95% of Democrats, and 59% of Republicans. | | Credit: CNN
Biden Accuses McConnell of Killing Joint Statement on Russian Interference:
Former Vice President Joe Biden said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to sign a bipartisan letter from the Obama administration condemning Russian interference during the campaign. "McConnell wanted no part of having a bipartisan commitment that we would say essentially, 'Russia's doing this, stop,'" Biden said while speaking Tuesday at an event for the Council on Foreign Relations.
Top Democrats Say Russia Interference Is Happening Right Now:
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked for social networks to investigate an allegation by the group Alliance for Securing Democracy that Russian trolls are at it again. The group says Russia-connected accounts are pushing hashtags such as #ReleaseTheMemo in support of the release of a classified Republican memo critical of the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign.
Facebook's Questionnaire About Trusted Media Outlets Is Not Lengthy:
The survey was prepared by the company, it told BuzzFeed, and these are the two questions it asks about media outlets:
Question 1: Do you recognize the following websites?
⚪ Yes
⚪ No
Question 2: How much do you trust each of these domains?
⚪ Entirely
⚪ A lot
⚪ Somewhat
⚪ Barely
⚪ Not at all
Pope Francis Is Anti-Fake News:
In a statement released for World Communications Day, Pope Francis warned of the dangers of "fake news," and traced its roots back to "the 'crafty serpent' in the Book of Genesis, who, at the dawn of humanity, created the first fake news." He said:
"The tragedy of disinformation is that it discredits others, presenting them as enemies, to the point of demonizing them and fomenting conflict. Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth."
Burger King Takes a Stand on Net Neutrality:
It made an ad explaining net neutrality with Whoppers. What is going on? | | Credit: Burger King/YouTube
Street Art Sighting:
Work from pop artist John Stango is now up at Artist's Proof Gallery in Georgetown, including the below oversize portraits of Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Stango told me he got his start making graphic shirts for stores such as Bloomingdale's but now focuses on prints of American political and pop culture figures. During the 2016 campaign, he did a Trump and Hillary Clinton print that was displayed at the Washington W Hotel. Someone slashed the Trump print, but it still sold before the Clinton one did. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
If you spot political street art, I'd love to see it. Here's how you can reach me:
1. Tweet me @hunterschwarz.
2. Tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz.
3. Email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com. | | | | | | |
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