| | | | Do YOU want to be Donald Trump's chief of staff? |  | | On Wednesday, when asked about his search for a chief of staff to replace John Kelly, President Donald Trump said this: "I have at least 10, 12 -- 12 people that want it badly. I'm making a decision. Great people," he said. "I could do it immediately. I'm in no rush. A lot of people want it."
On Thursday, which, in case you have lost your sense of time somehow, is 24 hours later, Trump said he had narrowed his list -- suddenly -- to just five people. "Mostly well-known," he said of the group. "Terrific people."
How? Who? Why? When?
In truth, I have zero answers to any of these questions.
The only thing we KNOW is that, late Wednesday, the White House announced Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina was out of the running. Other than that? The list seems to remain the same: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Trump 2016 deputy campaign manager David Bossie, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. (Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have also been mentioned but have said they are not interested.)
The reason we know so little about this process and it seems so haphazard is because Donald Trump knows little about the process and it is so haphazard. All the reporting in the wake of Mike Pence chief of staff Nick Ayers' decision to turn down that same job with Trump makes clear there was no "plan B" in place. There were even some whispers of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, being considered, including in a Huffington Post report Thursday.
Asked about that possibility, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, ""I'm not aware that he's under consideration, but I think as all of us here would recognize, he would be great in any role the President chooses to put him in."
The truth of the matter is that Trump is, as he so often does, making it up as he goes. That seat-of-the-pants style explains the wildly varying number of candidates and Trump's need to repeatedly insist publicly that not only is this all going according to his plan but also there are candidates falling all over themselves to work for him.
There's little evidence that's the case. In fact, many smart Washington Republicans have steered far away from even being mentioned for the chief of staff job -- knowing that the gig is extremely difficult under the best circumstances and impossible with Trump as your boss.
The Point: Trump will find someone to fill the gap left by Kelly. But the idea that Trump is executing against a pre-laid plan is a fallacy.
-- Chris | | "Winning is a wonderful thing."
-- President Donald Trump praising 13 newly elected governors today in the White House's Cabinet Room, per the pool report. | | | OK DEMOCRATS, NOW GET IN FORMATION | |  | Chris and Harry Enten have released their final 2020 Democratic power rankings of the year and California Sen. Kamala Harris has held on to the top spot for the second straight month -- in part because Beto O'Rourke hasn't made his interest official.
They write: "If O'Rourke looked like he was definitely running, we might have made him number one. But it's still up in the air, which means that the California senator is in our top spot for a second straight month. " | | Federal investigators are looking into potential wrongdoing around President Trump's inauguration, reports the WSJ
It's never too early to start thinking about the 2020 Senate map!
A good read from Michelle Cottle on New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Ever heard of a "computer-generated influencer"? Well, now you have. And it's terrifying.
Speaking of terrifying...
And now for something completely different: The fascinating history of "Silent Night." | | | Vince Guaraldi is a damn national hero/treasure/icon. Also, "Christmas Time is Here," people! | |  | The Apprentice, White House Chief of Staff edition | | | Chris breaks down Trump's top potential choices for White House chief of staff. Subscribe to The Point on YouTube! | |  | | Today's topic: Why the National Enquirer cooperation deal is a VERY big problem for Donald Trump | |  | Sure, she convinced a group of would-be rebels to back her bid for speaker, but Rep. Nancy Pelosi pulled off another incredible feat this week -- designer Max Mara is reissuing the coat Pelosi made infamous this week when she exited that Oval Office meeting with President Trump.
CNN's Kate Bennett has more:
"The coat, called the 'GLAMIS,' was last sold in 2013 by Max Mara, but the Italian design house late yesterday said it will rerelease it in 2019 in a variety of colors. Max Mara coats typically retail $1,000-2,000, but can go as high as $4,000 and up.
"A reissue is a rarity in fashion, and typically occurs with iconic pieces -- assuming this coat now falls into the category of icon. ... That Pelosi has spawned a fashion event of sorts speaks to the power of both her political image and the lightning-fast speed of trends on social media." | | It was listed as one of "America's 10 cushiest prisons" by Forbes in 2009 (who knew!).
Michael Cohen's home for the next three years will be FCI Otisville, about 70 miles northwest of New York City -- and CNN's Eric Levenson has more on what that prison is like. For starters, it is known for its comparably posh accommodations for white-collar criminals. The "Wall Street" character Gordon Gekko served time at a fictional prison with a very similar name. | |
IMPEACHMENT, HISTORICALLY SPEAKING | |  | | From Brenna: "Nothing is better than the fight-or-flight response a kid has when he or she realizes there is a camera around. By 'fight' I mean 'ham it up' and by 'flight' I mean 'immediately cease doing whatever cute thing was worthy of commemoration.' Share The Point with your most photogenic friends." | | | | | | |
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