| | | | | Flag bearer Erin Hamlin leads Team USA during the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games Friday. Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images | | | It's Games Time: VP Pence sat next to Kim Jong Un's sister at the PyeongChang Opening Ceremony
"I Was Haunted by Tweets": Omarosa's stunning confessions on "Big Brother"
What Washington is Talking About: The overnight shutdown | | | | Kate Bennett is off. Her section will return Monday. | | What Washington is Talking About:
While you were sleeping, there was another government shutdown. It was the second in as many months, but Congress already voted to end it.
What America is Talking About:
The opening ceremony, particularly Tongan flag bearer and taekwondo fighter Pita Taufatofua, who also marched shirtless in the 2016 Rio Games opening ceremony. After that, he apparently picked up cross-country skiing and will compete in PyeongChang. He showed up again sans shirt, and it's in the 20s here. | | Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
What PyeongChang is Talking About:
I landed in South Korea this week and have developed a slight obsession for Korean-language TV news. I have no idea what they're saying (I have, however, learned how to say thank you: kamsahamnida), but I can recognize the pictures, and North Korea is dominating the news cycle. It's been lots of stories about Kim Jong Un's military parade the day before the Games, the two Koreas marching together in the opening ceremony, and Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong, who attended the ceremony. She is the first member of the Kim dynasty to visit the South since the '50s. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
Guess Who Kim Yo Jong Sat Near at the Opening Ceremony:
Well, this must have been awkward for her. Kim sat near US Vice President Mike Pence, who's spent the entire lead up to the Games calling for North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions, criticizing its involvement in the Games as propaganda, and meeting with North Korean defectors. | | Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Also at the Opening Ceremony: Trump and Kim Lookalikes:
Because of course. | | Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images
PyeongChang is a Total Underdog Host City:
And maybe that has something to do with its charm. First off, yes, its name sounds an awful lot like Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, so it added an "e" and capitalized the "C" to differentiate itself. It's a mountain town that bid three times to host the Games (2010, 2014, and 2018) before getting it, and honestly, what a time to host. Escalating tensions between North Korea and the US and a possible thawing of tensions between the North and South give it a geopolitical backdrop like few recent Olympics have had. It's the second time South Korea has ever hosted an Olympics (the first was Seoul for the Summer 1988 Games). It's just 50 miles from the DMZ, and its province is home to a third of South Korea's military.
Dress Like an Olympic Athlete from Russia:
Russian clothing brand ZA Sport is celebrating the Russian athletes who were cleared to compete as independent athletes in the Games -- despite their country being banned for a doping scheme -- with a line of "I Don't Do Doping" clothing. I kind of love it. Sweaters cost about $60 (US). | | Credit: ZA Sport
Twitter Just Got Rid of Russian Trolls' Propaganda Vines:
Hundreds of Vines (RIP) from Russia-connected accounts were deleted this week after CNN brought them to Twitter's attention. Twitter announced last year it was closing the looping-video service, but Vines are still available to view online. The names of some of these Russia-connected Vine accounts are what we've come to expect: ham-fisted user names about divisive American political topics like @PoliceState and @GUNS4LIFE.
Omarosa: "I Was Haunted by Tweets Every Single Day":
Omarosa dropped some bombshells during a convo with Ross Mathews on "Celebrity Big Brother," telling him that while she worked at the White House, Trump's tweets were a nightmare.
"I was haunted by tweets every single day, like, what is he going to tweet next?" she said. "It's bad."
Ross asked her if we should "be worried" with Trump as president and she nodded yes. "It's so bad," she said. | | Credit: CBS
Up Next Week: Immigration Reform:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has scheduled a vote for Monday to open debate on an immigration deal.
Street Art Sighting:
Today's sighting is from Kate, who sent in a photo of this float from the Muses parade. "I'm off but couldn't escape dc in New Orleans," she texted me. Everyone on the float was sporting MAGA hats. | | Credit: Kate Bennett
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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