| | | | How the Senate's tech illiteracy saved Mark Zuckerberg | | All the coverage leading up to Mark Zuckerberg's first of two days of congressional testimony on Tuesday suggested he was in for a real grilling. The rare Washington appearance comes as the Facebook CEO's company finds itself in the midst of massive questions about data privacy and its broader role in American life.
Turns out it was more of a light-ish roasting -- thanks in large part to the fact that the vast majority of the senators tasked with questioning Zuckerberg simply lacked anything beyond a surface understanding of what it is Facebook actually does.
It was, to be blunt, like watching your grandfather try to understand how they got the internet onto your new Macbook Pro. Or asking Ted Williams about whether you put your right hand or left hand on top when you swing a bat.
Here's one example -- via an exchange between Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Zuckerberg: Hatch: "How do you sustain a business model in which users don't pay for your service?" Zuckerberg: "Senator, we run ads." Awk-ward.
Of course, not every exchange was like that. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican, was smart and informed. Ditto Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, who nailed Zuckerberg down on what, exactly it means that every user "owns" his or her own information on the Facebook platform. And Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, highlighted the problems inherent in Facebook's ad targeting. (What if a diet pill manufacturer was able to target teenagers struggling with bulimia or anorexia?)
And the first set of questions most senators asked were just fine -- likely because those questions were, at least in part, written by staffers with more of a working knowledge of what Facebook does and the problems inherent in it.
The problem was that once Zuckerberg responded -- and he largely stuck to a very strict script in doing so -- the lack of tech knowledge among those asking him questions was exposed. The result? Zuckerberg was rarely pressed, rarely forced off his talking points, almost never made to answer for the very real questions his platform faces.
The Point: The Senate is a very useful place to discuss many of the issues facing the country. On Tuesday, at least, it was not a very helpful forum in which to debate the existential challenges the technology behemoth has posed to us as a country.
-- Chris | | SPEAKING OF ZUCKERBERG... | | During the hearing. Zuckerberg's message re: the Cambridge Analytica scandal was clear: It's my fault.
CNN's Seth Fiegerman noted in his dispatch: "The appearance marks the first time that Zuckerberg has testified before Congress. Zuckerberg, 33, swapped his usual gray T-shirt and jeans attire for a dark blue suit and light blue tie. He appeared somber as he walked in to testify, and spoke before a packed room, with 44 senators in attendance.
"Ahead of the hearing ... cardboard cutouts of Zuckerberg were placed outside the Capitol building. The lookalikes are wearing T-shirts that read: 'Fix Facebook.' Inside the room where the hearing happened, Codepink demonstrators held signs that read: 'Protect our privacy,' 'Stop corporate spying,' and — in a literal sign they weren't joining the #DeleteFacebook movement — 'Like us on Facebook.' " | | "He certainly believes he has the power to do so."
-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, when asked whether President Trump believes he has the power to fire special counsel Robert Mueller | | | | NPR took listeners' suggestions and put together the 150 greatest albums made by women. | | ICYMI: ANOTHER WH DEPARTURE | | Before all eyes were on Zuck on the Hill, the White House underwent another shake-up. CNN's Jeremy Diamond, Kaitlan Collins and Jeff Zeleny reported Tuesday:
"White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert was pushed out of his position by the newly installed national security adviser John Bolton, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN on Tuesday. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed his departure in a statement, saying President Donald Trump 'is grateful for Tom's commitment to the safety and security of our great country.'" Read more here.
Chris' take: Bossert's exit is the latest sign Trump's White House is emptying in record numbers. Bossert is the 32nd "A Team" -- or most senior -- member of Trump's staff to leave since January 20, 2017, according to statistics maintained by Brookings' Kathryn Dunn Tenpas. There are only 65 "A Team" positions in the White House total. Which means that in the 445 days Trump has been president, he has lost 49% of his "A Team" staff. | | 🚨POLL ALERT: TEENS ARE THE FUTURE🚨 | | CNN's Elissa Nunez reported Tuesday: "More young Americans are saying they will vote in the upcoming midterm elections than in the last two midterms, according to a new national poll released Tuesday by the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics.
"Thirty-seven percent of Americans under 30 say they definitely plan to vote in November, a significant jump from the 23% who said the same in 2014 and 31% in 2010." Read more here.
As Saba previously reported, student political activism is on the rise in the wake of the Parkland shooting. For example, in California, a whopping 100,000 16- and 17-year-olds have preregistered to vote since a law enacted in 2016 gave young people the opportunity to sign up to vote before they are eligible. | | | Click on CNN Politics' Instagram story every Monday through Friday afternoon for more #content from Chris and Brenna Williams. Today's topic? President Trump's anger after the FBI raided the law office of his personal attorney Michael Cohen on Monday. | | Brenna Williams highlights some politics news from beyond the Beltway -- so you get more than just your daily dose of D.C. politics. Today, she writes:
Meanwhile in -- Vermont: The city clerk of the state's capital, Montpelier, is asking why noncitizens can't vote in elections. John Odum says that in some places they're allowed to vote in local elections, so he's bringing the subject up in a public hearing to see what his fellow Vermonters have to say about it. But it wouldn't necessarily be a simple change. CNN's Doug Criss has more here. | | | Brenna's take on the Zuckerberg hearing: "His lengthy hydration breaks were the only thing better than listening to the senators sounding like tech-savvy teens." Zuckerberg will address the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing tomorrow morning. Until then, please tell people you know 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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