| | | | | Melania Trump briefly tripped while walking to Marine One at the White House Monday; President Trump steadied her with his arm around her waist. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images | | | Melania in New Hampshire: FLOTUS to speak at an opioid event
Marlon Bundo's Book Drops, Immediately Gets Trolled: John Oliver's parody book
The Trump v. Mueller Confrontation is Finally Here: Trump tweeted his name for the first time | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump is set to unveil his long-awaited plan to curb the opioid drug crisis in America. He speaks later this afternoon from New Hampshire. Here's a good preview/explainer of what Trump is likely to put forth.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
Trump's "WITCH HUNT" tweets, and the distinct feeling that this whole Robert Mueller thing is reaching some sort of tipping point.
But First, Tweets:
Something about Trump's tweets in recent days feel, to me at least, a bit less exclamatory, and a bit more paranoid. There's a "don't you see it?" quality to their content, which means he could be setting the stage for something with Mueller, or he's just increasingly grasping for ways to stretch the narrative. Note: The tweet below is the first time he's called Mueller out by name. | |
Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
Congress Watching Trump ... :
... but still not really agreeing to do anything. Some on the Hill were vocal with warnings to the president about how he better not fire Mueller. Others are staying the course in the hopes Trump will settle down now that the weekend is over.
John Kelly Hires a Deputy Chief of Staff:
Another signal he's sticking around. Chris Liddell apparently lobbied hard for the NEC job that just went to Larry Kushner but got this gig instead.
Our Daily Melania:
A sort-of big day for the first lady as she is traveling with POTUS to New Hampshire this afternoon and will give introductory remarks (this is how her office described them to me) before Trump speaks. The opioid crisis and how it affects families has been a focus of Melania's broad "helping children" platform. Tomorrow she holds a meeting at the White House with social media companies about how to keep kids safe on the internet.
Marlon Bundo's Book Drops, Immediately Gets Trolled:
The war of the bunnies is on, guys. "Marlon Bundo's A Day in the Life of the Vice President," a childrens' book by Charlotte and Karen Pence, daughter and wife of Vice President Mike Pence, has just been published. Marlon, WHO IS A RABBIT, has been promoting the book like crazy on his Instagram account. Here's the twist: the folks at HBO's "This Week Tonight with John Oliver" just released a parody book called "A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo," about a boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny, in a story about tolerance. It's narrated by a bunch of celebrities: Jim Parsons, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jeff Garlin, Ellie Kemper, John Lithgow, Jack McBrayer, and RuPaul. Proceeds from the Oliver book will go to the Trevor Project and AIDS United.
A spokesperson for Regnery Publishing, which published the Pence book, told CNN's Betsy Klein:
It's unfortunate that anyone would feel the need to ridicule an educational children's book and turn it into something controversial and partisan. Our and Mrs. and Charlotte Pence's goal is -- and will continue to be -- to educate young readers about the important role of the Vice President, as well as to highlight the charities to which portions of the book proceeds will be donated, Tracy's Kids, A21, and Riley Children's Health.
As of this morning, the Pence book is Amazon's #1 seller in Children's Rabbit Books, with a 1.5-star rating. Meanwhile, the Oliver book is a #1 Amazon seller in Audible Audiobooks, with a five-star rating. The original Marlon Bundo better hop to it. Here's a side-by-side of the two book covers: | | Credit: amazon.com
Javanka Helicopter Mishap & Dress Like the First Daughter:
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner had a scary incident over the weekend when the two-engine helicopter in which they were flying from DC to NYC suffered a failure in one of its engines. The couple made it back to DC safely and then hopped a commercial flight from Reagan National Airport.
By today, Ivanka was back to work, traveling to Iowa for a workforce development event. She's wearing a repeat look -- which I applaud -- a David Koma skirt that was $1,025 but is now sold out. Ivanka first wore it last February to visit Boeing. Here it is the today, via her Instagram story, and the first time she wore it, and how it appeared on the runway. | | | Credit: @IvankaTrump/Instagram, modaoperandi.com | | What Washington is Talking About:
Responding to Trump's attacks on special counsel Robert Mueller, discussing an anti-sex trafficking bill expected to be voted on tomorrow in the Senate and counting down to yet another possible government shutdown with a Friday deadline.
What America is Talking About:
An explosion in Austin Sunday injured two men. It's the fourth bombing there in two weeks, and authorities believe this one was set off by a trip wire.
What Moscow is Talking About:
Vladimir Putin won another six-year term in Sunday's Russian presidential election, with 76.66% of the vote and no serious challengers.
Poll of the Day:
Dems have a double-digit advantage in the 2018 midterm elections, according to an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday, with 50% of registered voters preferring a Democrat-controlled Congress compared to 40% preferring Republican-controlled. Here's how that broke down across several demographic groups: | | Credit: NBC News-Wall Street Journal
The Confrontation Between Trump and Mueller is Here:
It's seemed to be coming for weeks now. A showdown between President Trump and special counsel Robert Mueller over his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign may finally be here. It began Saturday, 11 minutes after @realDonaldTrump tweeted a Happy St. Patrick's Day to his followers, with a photo of the dyed green water in White House fountain. He first went after former FBI director James Comey and former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe, and then, at 8:12 p.m., he tweeted Mueller's name for the first time, calling the investigation a "WITCH HUNT," all caps. Trump lawyer John Dowd said in a statement to CNN Sunday that he believes the investigation should end.
Comey Responds With Some "A Higher Purpose" Promo:
In the midst of Trump's anti-investigation tweet storm, James Comey tweeted some promo for his upcoming book, "A Higher Loyalty." He wrote: "Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not." I have to imagine Comey's publisher, Macmillan, was happy about that. The book shot to No. 1 on the Amazon bestseller list. It's since been replaced at the top by the Marlon Bundo parody book that Kate wrote about, and currently sits at No. 3, a month before its April 17 release date. | | Credit: Amazon
How Repubs Reacted to Trump's Mueller Attacks:
Several members of Trump's party came out in defense of Mueller this weekend, but so far, Repub leaders have not called for legislation to protect Mueller's investigation. Several haven't said anything. Here's a rundown of some of the reactions, and non-reactions:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: hasn't commented.
Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn: hasn't commented.
House Speaker Paul Ryan: "As the Speaker has always said, Mr. Mueller and his team should be able to do their job," spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in a statement.
Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy: hasn't commented.
Sen. Marco Rubio: "I remain confident that the special counsel is going to conduct a probe that is fair and thorough and is going to arrive at the truth and is not going to go down rabbit holes that are not places that we need to be going," he said on "Meet the Press."
Sen. Jeff Flake: If Trump "goes after Mueller, then we'll take action. I think that people see that as a massive red line that can't be crossed. I hope that that's the case," he said on CNN's "State of the Union."
Sen. Lindsey Graham: If Trump tries to fire Mueller, "that would be the beginning of the end of his presidency," he said on "State of the Union." | | Credit: CNN
The Trump Campaign's Voter Profile Company Used Private Data of Millions of Users:
The firm Cambridge Analytica, which targeted voters for the Trump campaign in 2016, used private Facebook data of 50 million users in its work, according to a report by the New York Times and the Observer of London. The data was acquired through a researcher who claimed to want it for research purposes. Facebook said it's looking into ties between one if its researchers, Joseph Chancellor, and Cambridge Analytics. And Sen. Amy Klobuchar has called on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In an email to Christopher Wylie, a Cambridge Analytica co-founder who left in 2014, Cambridge Analytica researcher Aleksandr Kogan said the data could predict various traits about users, including agreeableness, IQ, political views, whether they tell people about themselves, even their "belief in star signs." This is some "Black Mirror"-style stuff. | | Credit: via New York Times
Wylie told the Times "rules don't matter" for Cambridge:
"They want to fight a culture war in America. Cambridge Analytica was supposed to be the arsenal of weapons to fight that culture war."
Fifth Harmony on Hiatus:
As if we needed more bad news today, Fifth Harmony announced they're going on an "indefinite hiatus" to pursue solo careers 😭.
Britney for Kenzo?:
But maybe there's some good news too? Britney Spears is rumored to be the new face of luxury brand Kenzo, to be announced Tuesday. In an Instagram photo this weekend, the brand posted a photo of a woman who looks like Britney, with her eyes and nose cropped out, wearing denim, the fabric she of course iconically wore with Justin Timberlake to the 2001 American Music Awards. Kenzo has been in the news recently for its 2016 fragrance ad that appears to serve as an inspiration for Taylor Swift's "Delicate" music video. Stay tuned.
Street Art Sighting:
Spotted yesterday on Q Street near Dupont, a sticker that swaps out the "as" in "treason" with a "45." 👀 | | 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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