| | | | Donald Trump's epically bad week |  | | It's been a week for Donald Trump.
Consider these five bad things that happened to him:
1. Michael Cohen testified: No, Trump's former fixer didn't provide a smoking gun on his old boss. But Cohen did make things worse for Trump on at least three fronts: The hush money payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, along with WikiLeaks and the Trump Tower Moscow development. Cohen produced a check for $35,000 that he said was a partial reimbursement for the payment to Daniels. He said that he heard a phone call between Roger Stone and Trump about WikiLeaks. And he said he had 10 conversations with Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump about the Russia development.
2. No deliverables from North Korea summit: Trump clearly thought his second summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un might be the one that produced measurable results on the denuclearization front. It didn't -- and Trump left with America and North Korea seemingly on different pages about why the talks broke down.
3. The Jared Kushner security clearance story: The New York Times reported Thursday night that Trump had ordered then-chief of staff John Kelly to get son-in-law Jared Kushner top-secret security clearance. Kelly disagreed with the decision -- and wrote a contemporaneous memo about it. So did White House counsel Donald McGahn and career intelligence officers.
4. Felix Sater will be testifying publicly later this month: After Cohen's testimony to the House Intelligence Committee wrapped up Thursday, committee chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) announced that Sater would be appearing in an open hearing before the committee March 14. Sater, a former FBI informant and a man who spent time in prison for stabbing a man in the face with a broken margarita glass, was the one who suggested to Cohen that Trump build in Moscow. And, oh yeah, Cohen will also be back to offer more testimony to House Intelligence on March 6.
5. Otto Warmbier's parents blast his comment on Kim: Just before leaving the North Korea summit in Vietnam, Trump was asked about North Korea's 18-month imprisonment of Warmbier, a college student who died shortly after being returned to the United States. "(Kim) tells me that he didn't know about it and I will take him at his word," Trump said. Warmbier's parents, who had been supportive of Trump for getting their son back, released a scathing statement: "Kim and his evil regime are responsible for the death of our son Otto. ... No excuses or lavish praise can change that," they said.
The Point: These five events would make for a bad year for some presidents. For Trump, they all happened in just the past five days.
-- Chris
Below, the week in 17 headlines.
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "Kim and his evil regime are responsible for unimaginable cruelty and inhumanity. No excuses or lavish praise can change that."
-- The parents of Otto Warmbier released a statement criticizing Donald Trump for siding with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who denied knowledge of their son's maltreatment during his imprisonment.
Trump responded in two Friday afternoon tweets that "of course I hold North Korea responsible for Otto's mistreatment and death." | | | Bernie Sanders apparently has little interest in advice from Hillary Clinton on his latest presidential run.
Asked on "The View" today whether he planned to meet with Clinton like some other 2020 Democrats, "I suspect not," Sanders said -- adding the former secretary has not called him.
Co-host Meghan McCain pressed Sanders: "So you're not interested in any advice from her?" "I think not," Sanders replied. | | | Chris is a big Weezer fan. And he was a little too excited for their new album that dropped today. It's called "Black Album." | | | Alexis from Schitt's Creek (the show you need to watch if you haven't already) has a single "A Little Bit Alexis" -- and it's climbing the music charts in both the United States and Canada (!!!). | | Casino mogul and GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson is undergoing cancer treatment for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Side effects from his cancer treatment have limited 85-year-old Adelson's travel schedule and ability to keep regular work hours.
Adelson is still fulfilling his duties as chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands and is expected to resume a regular work schedule after he completes his treatment, according to a spokesperson. | | Jay Inslee: Is officially running for president. The Washington governor, who plans to run on a platform of prioritizing fighting climate change, made the bid official Friday morning.
John Hickenlooper: The former Colorado governor is planning to announce his presidential run March 7 in Denver, Fox News reports.
Seth Moulton: The US congressman from Massachusetts continues to openly toy with a presidential run. Note his phrasing on this morning's "Morning Joe" appearance: "Taking on Donald Trump is hard ... but I was a platoon commander in Iraq. It won't be the toughest thing I ever do."
Elizabeth Warren: Admitted on the trail in Iowa that her pledge to not court big-dollar donors means she is "leaving money on the table." | | Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigeig has weighed in on one of the most important cultural debates of our time.
Buttigieg's stance: A hot dog is NOT a sandwich.
"It is not a sandwich and I'll tell you why," the South Bend, Indiana, mayor says in a slick "Get to know Pete Buttigieg" Q&A posted on his Instagram account. "A sandwich is a layer of bread, meat or some other filling, and then another layer of bread. A hot dog is more of a ... enclosure." | | | | | | |
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