| | | | | President Donald Trump stops to take a selfie with players from the NCAA football champion team, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, during their celebratory White House visit on Tuesday. Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images | | | Will Trump Fire Rod Rosenstein?: He's thinking about it, according to CNN's reporting
Boehner's Back, Baby: The former House Speaker and newly minted marijuana advocate to stump for Repubs this summer
Zuckerberg 1, Congress 0: At Tuesday's high-profile hearing, it was evident many weren't up to the task | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump today signs a bill to help stop online sex trafficking. Later he hosts a private dinner in the Blue Room of the White House for Republican Congressional leadership.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
This morning's fire tweet that basically telegraphed Trump's possible plan to send missiles to Syria, which has already triggered strong words back from Russia. It also caught some of his own aides off guard. And, I thought he didn't like to disclose military strategy ahead of the action? | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
Also, There Really Is a Trump Tweet for Everything:
This one from 2013 is particularly swell. | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
"Stop the Arms Race?":
The question mark is special, but it appears this morning Trump quickly backtracked on the tough talk about Russia. Instead, he blamed the "bad blood" on the Russia investigation, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
But everything is "very calm and calculated" in the White House.
Will Trump Fire Rod Rosenstein?:
According to CNN's reporting, he's thinking about it. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein is overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation -- and by firing Rosenstein, Trump is apparently thinking he can rein in Mueller's probe, which this week literally reached the doorstep of his personal attorney Michael Cohen. It's a lot, I know. This is long, but it's a good explainer of what's happening now and what could happen if Trump decides to go the firing route.
ICYMI:
Cohen spoke with CNN's Don Lemon last night and he said the FBI search of his home was "extremely professional," and that he thanked the agents at the end of it. He also said he was worried about what might happen to him: "I would be lying to you if I told you that I am not. Do I need this in my life? No. Do I want to be involved in this? No." The question now becomes what will Cohen do if he gets indicted ...
Dabbing Woman Steals Show at Bill Signing:
Slow. Clap. Anyone. Who. Dabs. In. The. Oval. She actually did a little, full-on dance, which received laughs and applause. More importantly, she is a sex trafficking survivor, which is why she was present for the bill signing ceremony. | | Credit: @NoahGrayCNN/Twitter
How is It Only Wednesday:
Because it feels like it should be Friday. I saw this picture of Prince Charles during his visit to New Zealand yesterday and had all the same feels. | | | Credit: @katebennett_dc/Twitter | | What Washington is Talking About:
House Speaker Paul Ryan announced he will not seek re-election in November, saying he gave it "everything he had" and doesn't want to just be a "weekend dad" for his teenage children. Mark Zuckerberg is testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and a bipartisan group of four senators are introducing a bill today that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller.
What America is Talking About:
In a People magazine cover story, Mariah Carey has gone public with her battle with bipolar disorder. "I'm hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone," she said.
Poll of the Day:
A majority of American voters, 69%, think Trump should not fire Mueller, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday. That includes 55% of Republican voters. | | Credit: Quinnipiac
Boehner's Coming Back, Baby:
Former House Speaker John Boehner will be hitting the road to campaign for Repubs this summer. The rented motor coach that will be used for his 2018 campaign trail tour has been dubbed "Freedom One." Amazing.
In other Boehner news, cannabis company Acreage Holdings announced today that Boehner -- along with former Massachusetts governor and 2016 Libertarian vice presidential nominee Bill Weld -- are joining its board of advisers. Boehner tweeted that his views on cannabis had "evolved." "I'm convinced de-scheduling the drug is needed so we can do research, help our veterans, and reverse the opioid epidemic ravaging our communities," he wrote.
Daniels' Lawyer Delays Composite Sketch:
It was supposed to be released yesterday, but Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti said due to the FBI's Michael Cohen raids and "a subsequent request" to delay it, they're setting the drawing's release date to TBD.
Zuck's Notes:
An AP photog got a shot of Zuckerberg's notes during a break yesterday during his Senate committee testimony. Here's what they said.
Zuckerberg 1, Congress 0: | | Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
In the lead-up to Tuesday's hearing with Zuckerberg, it felt like a moment of reckoning for the role social media plays in American life today and the largely unchecked power Silicon Valley wields.
Conservatives who've made the fight against big tech into a political battle for what they view as partisan censorship were gleeful Zuck was getting grilled. Gab, the ad-free, free-speech social network that caters to the disaffected online right, sent an email to users as the hearing began with the subject line "You Control Your Data On Gab." Breitbart tweeted an "Everything's Fine" meme with Zuck surrounded by flames. | | Credit: @BreitbartNews/Twitter
But it was no victory over Facebook. Zuckerberg had done his homework, meeting with a team of experts that included a former special assistant to George W. Bush, according to the New York Times, and it wasn't clear that many of the more than 40 lawmakers who questioned him had likewise prepared.
Sen. Orrin Hatch asked how Facebook made money, Sen. Brian Schatz asked a question about "emailing within WhatsApp," and Zuckerberg graciously bailed out Sen. Deb Fischer, who appeared lost during her convoluted line of questioning about how many "categories" of "data points" are "stored," by repeating her language while not answering her question. Former Cambridge Analytica customer, Sen. Ted Cruz, whose campaign spent $6 million for its services, didn't let that stop him from showing up and asking about conservative social media censorship.
Zuckerberg, his skin pale with circles under his eyes, dodged and weaved around questions with ease. He would often pause momentarily before responding, then address the lawmaker as "Senator" before delivering what sounded like a pre-written response. Tough questions were frequently deflected with a promise his team would get back on that. Meaningful questions were far and few between; follow-up questions even more so. As a testament to Zuckerberg's performance, Facebook stock rose nearly 5% while he was questioned.
The rare moment Zuckerberg actually appeared to be caught off guard came when Sen. Dick Durbin asked him if he would "be comfortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night?" Zuck paused and laughed nervously before saying "No."
"If you messaged anybody this week, would you share with us the names of the people you've messaged?" Durbin asked
"Senator, no. I would probably not choose to do that publicly, here," he said. | | Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Tuesday's hearing was held because Cambridge Analytica, a firm bankrolled by a Republican donor, obtained data for more than tens of millions of Facebook users without their permission -- data that could determine details about their personalities and influence their behavior. When asked by Sen. John Kennedy if Facebook could pull a file of all his data, Zuck admitted that theoretically, yes, they could, but they would never do that. "That would be a massive breach," he said. "So we would never do that." We failed massively, but trust us, was Zuck's message. He downplayed his power and played up the control users have, attempting to conflate a "Black Mirror" plot line come to life with being able to hide photos you don't want your boss or mom to see.
"Every person gets to control who gets to see their content," he said, neglecting the millions affected by data breaches and everyone who clicks user agreements without fully understanding them ("Your user agreement sucks," Kennedy would say).
Facebook and other big tech companies have the data to show what hotel you stayed in last night. They know the names of the people you've messaged this week. These companies have personal information for millions of people at a level unprecedented in human history, and the hearing was an opportunity for our elected officials to question that. It was evident many were not up to the task.
Street Art Sighting:
Los Angeles artist ABCNT turned Trump into a Joker-Richie Rich mash-up for a piece across from the American Apparel building on Alameda Street. | | Credit: ABCNT
If you spot political street art, tweet me @hunterschwarz, tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com with your sighting so I can feature it in COVER/LINE.
P.S.:
Red Sox player Joe Kelly used the Walmart yodeler remix as his walkout song during last night's game against the Yankees. | | | | | | |
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