| | | | | President Trump points to journalist Jim Acosta from CNN during a post-election press conference in the East Room of the White House Wednesday. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images | | | Trump Has His Own New Reality Today: He has a bit of a different scenario to govern after last night's election
So Many Firsts: Some of Tuesday's historic wins
None of the Pop-Star Endorsed Democratic Candidates Won: Taylor, Rihanna, and Beyoncé's favored candidates all lost | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump has no public events on his calendar today, with the exception of a press conference.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
Election hangover.
Live updates on the day after are available here, in case you went to sleep early like a normal person.
Trump Has His Own New Reality Today:
The president has a bit of a different scenario to govern with after last night's election, most notably a House now run by Democrats. But Trump says he feels "vindicated" when it comes to his fiery (some say fear-baiting) rhetoric on the campaign trail. The Republicans kept the Senate and picked up a few important seats across the country, notably in places Trump focused on, like Missouri, Indiana and Florida. True, the Senate race between Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and Republican Rick Scott in Florida is still too close to call, per CNN, but the hotly contested governor race in that state was won by Ron DeSantis, a self-proclaimed Trump acolyte.
Exit polls from CNN bolster the theory Trump helped push the needle in the GOP direction in key races. His approval rating is down nationally, but it's over 50% in certain places, our story says: "That wide difference in Trump's national vs. his key state approval helps explain the dual storyline emerging on election night of Democratic pickups giving them control of the US House and Republican success holding control of the US Senate by picking off Democratic senators representing states Trump won in 2016."
Trump Has a Press Conference:
And he seemed ... tired? It was definitely a low-energy Trump at the podium as he recapped the election results, taking credit for the wins, and bashing the media for "unprecedented" harsh coverage. He also called out by name the candidates who did not want "the embrace" of Trump, and lost, such as Utah's Mia Love. "Mia Love gave me no love. Too bad. So sorry, Mia." He also said he "would like to see bipartisanship. I would like to see unity," after calling Democrats the "party of crime."
Trump also confirmed he is looking at making changes to his staff, saying, "We're looking at a lot of different things, including Cabinet. We're looking at different people for different positions, you know it's very common after the midterms."
This Watch Party Was Lit (OK, Not So Much):
The President and first lady watched the election returns in the East Room, not in the Executive Residence, as Sarah Sanders said yesterday. There were little cocktail tables set up facing two big-screen TVs (plus others on either side of the room), tuned to Fox News. Melania sat next to Trump, and Jared Kushner was on the other side. Ivanka was standing near them, and Don Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle were there (fun fact: Guilfoyle's ex-husband, Gavin Newsom, last night won his race to become California's next Democratic Governor). Also there were pollster Frank Luntz, Kellyanne Conway and Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale. The menu was apparently pigs-in-a-blanket and pizza. I know all of this mostly because Becki Falwell, wife of Jerry Falwell Jr., and a frequent guest at the White House, likes to Instagram from behind the scenes. Thanks to Becki, we can see Ivanka had stress-face. | | Credit: @beckilu71/Instagram
Trump Feeling Magnanimous?
The President this morning used his Twitter feed to -- wait for it -- congratulate Nancy Pelosi. He said, "She has earned this great honor!" Trump also called Pelosi last night after Sanders said he probably wouldn't. I personally think the niceness will last about two seconds, but what do I know. Instead, let's take it from Jim Acosta, who this morning put it this way: "They're in no mood to play patty-cake over at this White House." | | Please Let the Headline of This Story Speak for Itself:
"Dead brothel owner wins Nevada state assembly seat."
This Woman Was INTO IT:
New York Times White House reporter Katie Rogers was staking out the Trump International Hotel in DC last night and spotted this woman in a custom TRUMP gown. So, there's that. | | Credit: @katierogers/Twitter
Today is Also A Special Day Because ... :
It's Oprah's Favorite Things announcement day! Oprah is *clearly* over the election and has turned her focus to her annual holiday list. To help navigate, I have turned to Favorite Things list expert Betsy Klein, who says to pay special attention to:
The dog DNA kit (which reminds me, for those who asked yesterday, Winnie is a mini-Australian Shepherd)
The rose-gold juicer (splurge because $699)
The Eberjay pajamas set (solid choice)
The baby T-shirt that says "Speaker of the House"
There was some disagreement between Betsy and White House digital editor Rebekah Metzler (also in our "Favorite Things" discussion this morning). Rebekah said no one needs this trio lasagna pan, but Betsy argued it makes every piece an edge piece, so, "yes," you do need it.
| | What Washington is Talking About:
Who the next House speaker will be. Democrats will hold leadership elections after Thanksgiving, and although Nancy Pelosi doesn't yet face a challenger, at least 19 Democrats have said they won't back her. Republicans will hold leadership elections next week, and Kevin McCarthy is now viewed as the favorite for Minority Leader.
What America is Talking About:
It's estimated about 113 million Americans voted in the election, or about 49% of eligible voters, according to Edison Research.
Poll of the Day:
The only poll that matters is the one on Election Day: | | Credit: CNN
So Many Firsts:
First openly gay man elected governor in the US: Jared Polis (D) of Colorado
First Native American congresswomen in the US: Sharice Davids (D) of Kansas and Deb Haaland (R) of New Mexico
First Muslim congresswomen in the US: Rashida Tlaib (D) of Michigan and Ilhan Omar (D) of Minnesota
First person since Sam Houston to be governor of one state and senator from another: Mitt Romney (R), who was governor of Massachusetts and will be a US senator for Utah
First female governor of Maine: Janet Mills (D)
First female governor of South Dakota: Kristi Noem (R)
First female governor of Tennessee: Marsha Blackburn (R)
First Hispanic congresswomen from Texas: Veronica Escobar (D) and Sylvia Garcia (D)
First female governor of Arizona: CNN hasn't called this race yet, but either Kyrsten Sinema (D) or Martha McSally (R) will earn the distinction
Youngest woman ever elected to Congress: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), 29, of New York
First Mike Pence brother elected in his old House seat: Greg Pence (R) of Indiana
The 116th Congress Will Have a Record Number of Millennials:
Eleven! All eight incumbent Millennial House members won their reelection, and at least three more — Democrats Lauren Underwood in Illinois, Abby Finkenauer in Iowa and Ocasio-Cortez — were elected last night.
Two Indicted Congressmen Won Reelection:
Rep. Chris Collins of New York was indicted for securities fraud, wire fraud and false statements, and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California was indicted for campaign corruption charges. They both won.
WaPo's A1:
Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton, the first Democrat to flip a Republican House seat last night in her Virginia district outside Washington, made it above the fold, with Ted Cruz below. The Washington Post's design team also posted an earlier iteration three hours before, if you want to see how a front page can evolve on election night. | | Credit: The Washington Post
None of the Pop Star-Endorsed Democratic Candidates Won:
The Taylor Swift-backed Phil Bredesen lost in Tennessee to Blackburn, 54.7% to 43.9%.
The Rihanna-backed Andrew Gillum lost in Florida to Ron DeSantis, 49.7% to 49.0%.
And then we have Beyoncé, who literally waited until 5 p.m. ET, four hours before the polls closed in Texas, to post a series of three photos (it's always three, gotta keep that grid up, Bey) in a "Beto For Senate" hat. Beto O'Rourke lost to Ted Cruz, 50.9% to 48.3%. | | Credit: beyonce/Instagram
The verdict is still out on the Kanye West-backed Amara Enyia for Chicago mayor. The city will hold that election February 26, 2019.
Zuck's "I Voted" Selfie:
This looks like the face of a man who voted in the first election since his social network was used by a foreign country to attack our election with a coordinated disinformation campaign and who is tired and just hopes everything goes OK this time around. | | Credit: @zuck/Instagram story
Facebook said Tuesday it removed more than 100 accounts on Facebook and Instagram it believes may have been connected to the Russian Internet Research Agency troll factory.
Street Art Sighting:
This Statue of Liberty mural by artist Tristan Eaton is in New York City's Little Italy district. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
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. | | | | | | |
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