| | | | | President Trump pardons the turkey "Peas" during the annual ceremony at the White House. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images | | | A Plaid Farewell: After a literal bevy of plaid coats, FLOTUS heads to Palm Beach
Zuck Not Planning on Stepping Down: Mark Zuckerberg's exclusive CNN interview
The Dawn of the Age of the Influencer Politician: Instagram is the fastest-growing social media in Congress | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump today is golfing at Mar-a-Lago.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
That time Trump said during a presidential debate with Hillary Clinton that if he were in charge she would be in jail -- he was not joking.
Trump Tried to Prosecute Hillary Clinton:
He actually talked about it a lot, but he was convinced otherwise by his White House counsel at the time who basically told him doing so with Clinton and James Comey would put Trump in the crosshairs of impeachment.
"Maybe He Did ... Maybe He Didn't:
If you have not read the statement Trump put out yesterday about Saudi Arabia and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, feel free to do so here. It's filled with exclamation points and unsubstantiated declaratives, and it's basically the President saying that even if Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for ordering the murder, the United States isn't going to get involved. I tweeted this yesterday, but if anyone is surprised by this -- and it seemed like it yesterday from a lot of the television and print stories -- how could you be? Did you really expect anything else? I sure didn't. I think it's fine to be outraged, it's fine to be disappointed, it's fine to be concerned, but to be surprised is simply a waste of time. In a press gaggle yesterday on his way to Florida, Trump said his decision, and his sentiments in the statement, are meant to put "America first." | | Dress Like the First Lady:
At the turkey pardon yesterday, Melania Trump stopped her plaid streak and instead went super fashion in this modern design Christian Dior coat from the house's Winter 2019 collection. I can't find it for sale online, but I'd estimate it retails for several thousand dollars. Personally, I really liked it. I'm including Barron in this photo below mostly because I can't get over how tall he has gotten -- he's now taller than Melania, who is about 5'10" without the 4.74" Louboutin heels she's wearing. Side note: I, too, have now been surpassed in height by my child, so I'm particularly empathetic to other moms whose kids are now bigger than they are. | | Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images, christiandior.com
A Plaid Farewell:
At least for the next six days, while Melania is scheduled to be in Palm Beach and there will be no need for her literal bevy of plaid coats -- an array of which I have put together here for your viewing pleasure. You're welcome. | | Credit: Getty Images
We Are All Bob:
Laura Bush posted this photo of Bob, the Bush family cat, patiently waiting for food next to his portrait, which was painted by George. W. Bush. | | Credit: @laurawbush/Instagram
Happy Thanksgiving!:
I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I tried to get a good picture of Winnie playing in the leaves for you -- this was the best I could do. | | ...And now I have about 22 of them that look something like this while I tried.
| | What Washington is Talking About:
Opposition to Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker is collapsing. Rep. Brian Higgins, who signed a letter saying he wouldn't back her, said he's reversed course after Pelosi agreed to prioritize his legislative priorities. And Rep. Marcia Fudge, who was considering a run for House speaker, said she's backing Pelosi, and Pelosi announced Fudge will be named chair of a revived House Administration subcommittee.
What America is Talking About:
An estimated 84 million Americans are traveling for Thanksgiving this year, according to AAA.
Poll of the Day:
When asked what provided them with a sense of meaning, 69% of Americans said family, more than any other answer in a new Pew poll. Family was followed by career (34%), money (23%), and spirituality and faith (20%). | | Credit: Pew
Zuck Not Planning on Stepping Down:
In an interview with CNN, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg told our Laurie Segall "there's no doubt we missed something really important" when it came to Russian interference in 2016. "I wish that we understood the issues sooner."
But he said it's "not the plan" for him to step down from the company, and he praised his No. 2, Sheryl Sandberg. "She's been an important partner to me for 10 years," he said. "I'm really proud of the work that we've done together and I hope that we work together for decades more to come."
Beto's Cool with Beyoncé's Late Endorsement:
TMZ caught Rep. Beto O'Rourke outside the Capitol and asked him what he thought about Beyoncé waiting to endorse him hours before polls closed in Texas. He said he was "so grateful to her" before being stopped by a group of tourists from Houston. | | Credit: TMZ
Earlier this week, TMZ published a video of their cameraman asking O'Rourke if he was considering a presidential run. He didn't say he's not running. "I haven't made any decisions about anything," O'Rourke said.
Now Entering the Age of the Influencer Politician:
The best view of new member orientation this year has been incoming members' Instagram accounts, where they've shared behind-the-scenes shots and videos of what it's like.
Instagram is the fastest-growing social network in Congress, according to data from the Congressional Research Service. Its use has fallen slightly in the House but boomed in the Senate. Here are social media trends in Congress from 2015 to this year, with Instagram in purple: | | Credit: Congressional Research Service
Most Congressional Instagram accounts appear to be staff-run, but the class of 2019 could show a different way, posting first-person what life is really like in Congress rather than maintain what amounts to a boring visual press release account.
Emoji Turn 1️⃣0️⃣:
On this day in 2008, Apple released a new emoji keyboard in Japan, and since then, the number of emoji have grown, and some have undergone drastic makeovers. Some have become more complex, like the Statue of Liberty. Others have seen changes connected to social or political issues. In 2015, the default skin tone went from white to cartoon yellow, with multiple skin tone options. In 2016, Apple changed its gun emoji into a water gun, and most other operating systems have since followed. HBD, emoji. 🎂 | | Credit: Emojipedia
Street Art Sighting:
Just in time for Thanksgiving, Jon McNaughton has released "All-American Trump" showing by Trump being chased down a football field by Democrats including Cory Booker (nearest to him), and Bill de Blasio, Joe Biden, Barack Obama (on the ground), and Bernie Sanders (on the left), per his website. "Today's politics are rough," McNaughton wrote. "You have to push hard for everything you get. The field is muddy, and the players can get dirty. But, we have a President that has risen above the rest." | | Credit: @jon.mcnaughton/Instagram
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.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, and we'll see you back here Monday! | | | | | | |
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