| | | | 'Be Best' to 'he's dying anyway': A week in Trumpworld | | This week started with first lady Melania Trump unveiling her "Be Best" campaign -- an effort to combat, among other things, online bullying and the broader deterioration of civil discourse.
It ended with the White House embroiled in a controversy over a staffer named Kelly Sadler who joked in a staff meeting that Sen. John McCain's opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel was immaterial because "he's dying anyway."
Contradiction and 180 degree turns are nothing new to this White House. But, even by the Trump administration's blown-out standards, this week was a wild swing between the poles of comity and crassness.
The most disappointing part? The White House -- via press secretary Sarah Sanders -- refused to condemn (or even acknowledge) Sadler's comments.
"I'm not going to comment on an internal staff meeting," said Sanders on Friday. (Sadler was at work Friday.)
"Be Best" indeed.
Below, the 27 headlines that defined the week that was in Trumpworld.
-- Chris
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "We're all dying. I'm dying, you're dying, we're all dying. And I want to say since my dad has been diagnosed ... I really feel like I understand the meaning of life, and it is not how you die, it's how you live."
-Meghan McCain, in response to comments made by Kelly Sadler, a White House staffer, who joked about Sen. John McCain's brain cancer. She also questioned how that staffer still has a job. Read Chris' take on Sadler's comments on McCain here. | | | 🚨 NEW CNN POLL ON KANYE'S COMMENTS 🚨 | | CNN asked people about Kanye West's recent political comments in a poll and the results ... are not positive. Here's more from CNN's Grace Sparks: - More than half of Americans who heard about Kanye West's comments on politics and slavery say he made them because he is seeking publicity.
- Among Republicans, 56% think West believes what he is saying, while among Democrats, that number shrinks to 30%.
- 72% of those surveyed said they've heard about the comments and only a quarter said they've heard "nothing at all."
- The musician's favorability rating is currently at an overall 23% favorable and 53% unfavorable. Among those who approve of the job Trump is doing as President, 40% view him favorably and 34% unfavorably.
Read more here. | | | Last weekend, after his "Saturday Night Live" hosting/musical duties, Childish Gambino dropped a powerful new music video: "This is America." As of Friday, CNN reported, the gritty and graphic music video had almost 75 million views on YouTube, making it already one of the most popular videos of the year. Watch the video here. | | | Chris used CNN's magic wall to break down the 22 seats that could decide the majority in the House this fall. Check out the video here. | | TRUMP LAYS OUT VISION FOR ⬇️ LOWER DRUG PRICES💲 | | CNN's Tami Luhby reports: "During a speech Friday, President Donald Trump promised that his administration's actions would reduce what consumers pay at the pharmacy and would end the abuse in the system that leads to high drug prices. He blasted drug makers, health insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and others for profiting off American patients."
"We are going to take on the tangled web of special interests ... the drug lobby is making an absolute fortune at the expense of American patients," Trump said. Read more here. | | Pictured: Rana Singh Sodhi (left) is part of the National Sikh Campaign, a group that helps organize events to teach Americans about Sikhism. One popular activity is turban tying (right). Photo courtesy: Jeremy Moorhead/CNN | | The first of five of CNN reporter Cassie Spodak's new series "Bridging the Divide" launched today. Here's what she told The Point team about why she tackled this topic:
After the 2016 election it was easy to assume that the whole country was divided by political beliefs. So over the last year I went in search of Americans working to bring others together around some of the most divisive issues facing the country. This first episode focuses on Rana Singh Sodhi, who lost his brother to a hate crime after 9/11 and was inspired by his brother's death to teach other Americans about his religion: Sikhism. He told CNN that not forgiving his brother's killer wasn't an option.
Watch here. | | HASPEL CONFIRMATION VOTE COUNT (SO FAR) | | From CNN's Daniella Diaz: "Gina Haspel appeared before senators of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday to make her case as to why she should be the next CIA director to replace Mike Pompeo, who became secretary of state. Haspel's role in the George W. Bush administration's interrogation program was front and center for her confirmation hearing, where she faced pointed questions about her views on interrogation of detainees and her role in the destruction of CIA tapes.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul says he'll vote against Haspel and Republican Sen. John McCain -- recovering from brain cancer treatment in Arizona -- is advising the Senate not to approve her nomination. Haspel's supporters are expected to need the votes of at least a few Democrats in order to get her confirmed." CNN is keeping tabs of how senators say they'll vote here. | | | From Brenna: "I wonder what Larry Kudlow wanted to tell President Trump during a roundtable event at the White House earlier today. He was probably telling him to subscribe to The Point, tbh." Anyway, TGIF! Spend a minute or two of your weekend spreading the word about The Point newsletter. | | 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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