| | | | Oh, Ivanka! |  | | Ivanka Trump came to Washington as the crown jewel of her family's empire.
Even people who loathed her father -- aka the President of the United States -- acknowledged that they generally liked his eldest daughter and laid much of their hope in her: Maybe she would be a moderating influence on his more base instincts.
Two years into Trump's presidency, those hopes are, mostly, dashed. Ivanka -- and her husband, Jared Kushner -- have largely been behind-the-scenes players within the White House, and she has not been able to directly influence the way in which her father behaves in office or the issues he tends to care about and push. (Ivanka's big victory to date? Her role lobbying to double the child tax credit in the Republican tax law.)
Then this week came the news that Ivanka used a private email account to conduct government business during the first year of the Trump administration.
Which, like, really? After a presidential campaign laser-focused on Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state, Ivanka commits the same error? (Ivanka allies note the situations are not exactly the same, which is true. But they're WAY too close for comfort.)
Now, to be clear: Ivanka and Jared aren't going anywhere. Amid the latest talk from the President about potentially significant staff changes, the only people who were considered entirely immune from the chopping block were his daughter and son-in-law.
The Point: For someone who came to Washington with the the highest of high expectations, Ivanka's time in the nation's capital has been less than impressive. She's got two more years to change that.
-- Chris | | "The world is a very dangerous place!"
-- President Donald Trump, in a statement, explaining why his administration is standing with Saudi Arabia despite the death of Jamal Khashoggi. | | |  | Today we're giving thanks for this incredible White House briefing room dispatch from CNN's own Betsy Klein, who emailed:
"One of the presidential pardon poultry nominees made a brief appearance in the White House briefing room just now.
"It's unclear whether it was Peas or Carrots, but the bird did not respond to shouted questions on whether it plans to recuse itself from the Mueller investigation or any feelings on President Erdogan."
The President later pardoned Peas, though he added some drama:
"The winner of this vote was decided by a fair and open election conducted on the White House website," Trump said. "This was a fair election. Unfortunately, Carrots refused to concede and demanded a recount and we are fighting with Carrots." | | | Do yourself a favor and listen to Cake's first single released in seven years: "Sinking Ship." | |  | The battle for Jim Acosta's press badge was a big deal | | | CNN sued the Trump administration to restore the press credentials of chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta. But the weeklong battle over Acosta's press badge is part of a broader issue over information and access to the Trump White House -- Chris explains. Subscribe to The Point on YouTube! | | First it was a failure to rake.
As the Trump administration grapples with the wildfires scorching California, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has laid the blame on "radical" unnamed environmental organizations he says are making it harder to prevent forest fires.
More from CNN's Rachel Ventresca and Gregory Wallace:
"In a Tuesday conference call with reporters, Zinke criticized 'lawsuit after lawsuit by, yes, the radical environmental groups that would rather burn down the entire forest than cut a single tree or thin the forest.' ... Asked which groups, Zinke declined to name names. He acknowledged there had been a historic drought in California and rising temperatures, but primarily focused on all parties working together to manage forests." | | Retailing giant Walmart wants a refund, of sorts.
After donating $2,000 to Mississippi Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith's Senate campaign, Walmart wants the cash back.
This comes in response to backlash toward Hyde-Smith for comments she made about attending a "public hanging." She and Democrat Mike Espy are locked in a heated -- and drawn-out -- campaign in a runoff election on November 27. | |  | | From Brenna: "'What the ACTUAL cluck?!' - those turkeys, probably. ICYMI, President Trump pardoned two turkeys earlier today (not the one in the suit, though). Fun fact: President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon, but neglected to pardon a single turkey. To share fun facts like those with the turkeys in your life, tell them to subscribe to The Point!" | | | | | | |
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