| | | | | President Trump and first lady Melania Trump tour the US Secret Service James J. Rowley Training Center on Friday in Beltsville, Maryland. Credit: Ron Sachs/Pool/Getty Images | | | Michelle Obama's Photographer Drops Book: "Chasing Light" goes on sale tomorrow
Ivanka's Back to Posting Kid Pics: After a weeks-long absence
Russian Trolls Learned About American Politics By Watching "House of Cards": That's what a former troll named "Maksim" said | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump has a big Monday ahead of him. First a daily intelligence briefing, then a Cabinet meeting, followed by lunch with Sen. Mitch McConnell and Vice President Mike Pence. In the afternoon, he departs for South Carolina where he'll give remarks at a fundraiser for Gov. Henry McMaster.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
The Washington Post's story out this morning with the headline, "Inside the 'adult day care center': How aides try to control and coerce Trump." Also, CNN's Sara Murray with a scenario on how GOP losses on the Hill could possibly spell impeachment trouble for Trump. Today's briefing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
ICYMI:
You should really watch Jake Tapper's interview with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson from Sunday's "State of the Union." It's the one where Tillerson makes the "I checked. I'm fully intact." statement. But don't just watch it for that, there's a lot of other choice tidbits, from North Korea to his alleged "moron" comment.
Happy Monday!
From the President: | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
Michelle Obama's Photographer Drops Book:
Her official White House photographer, Amanda Lucidon, made a book of her photographs called, "Chasing Light." It goes on sale tomorrow. Lucidon talks about what it was like to shadow the former first lady and shares some behind-the-scenes fun facts. (By the way, Melania Trump's current personal White House photographer is also a woman -- Andrea Hanks.) Lucidon's book narrowly beats the debut of Barack Obama's former chief photographer, Pete Souza, whose "Obama: An Intimate Portrait" is released on November 7. | | Credit: Amanda Lucidon/Courtesy Penguin Random House
Speaking of Obama Portraits:
I was thrilled to learn this weekend that Kehinde Wiley will be doing Barack Obama's official portrait. I'm a huge, huge Wiley fan -- his paintings of African-American men posed in the style of Old Masters are genius, IMHO. His huge, amazing LL Cool J portrait is at the National Portrait Gallery. | | Credit: npg.si.edu
And here are a couple other Wiley portraits: | | Credit: @kehindewiley/Instagram
I can't wait to see what he does with Obama. Michelle Obama's official portrait will be painted by Baltimore-based artist, Amy Sherald. Both paintings will be unveiled in early 2018, according to a press release from the National Portrait Gallery.
Ivanka Trump's Back to Posting Kid Pics/Dress Like the First Daughter:
She hadn't posted about her own children on her Instagram account in several weeks, but Ivanka Trump was back at it this weekend, celebrating her middle son, Joseph's, fourth birthday. They shared noodles, a tradition in the Kushner/Trump household whenever there's a birthday. Also, I happen to know Ivanka's kimono is from Zara, here, because I actually own it, and also wore it this weekend. Hi, I'm Kate. | | | Credit: @ivankatrump/Instagram | | What Washington is Talking About:
Republicans' tax reform plans face a Senate vote this week, on a budget bill. It can pass with support of all but two GOP senators, and there are currently four undecided.
What America is Talking About:
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' broken collarbone, which the team said could keep him out for the rest of the season.
What Vienna is Talking About:
Sebastian Kurz, the 31-year-old conservative set to become the next chancellor of Austria. He'll be the youngest leader in Europe, and isn't even old enough to run for president in the US.
Poll of the Day:
The percentage of US adults who self-identify as fans of pro football has fallen 10 percentage points since 2012, the last time Gallup polled on the question. The only sport that saw a larger drop was the Olympics, which makes sense because there were Olympics in 2012 (in London) and no Olympics this year. | | Credit: Gallup
The drop is led by a 15 percentage point drop among Republicans, 70% of whom called themselves fans in 2012 compared with 55% today.
Colin Kaepernick Files Grievance Against NFL:
Attorney Mark Geragos said in a statement a grievance was filed on behalf Kaepernick and that athletes who engage in "peaceful political protest" shouldn't be punished or denied employment. Here's his statement: | | Credit: @markgeragos/Twitter
Are Anthem Protests Dying Down?:
They appear to be for some members of Kaepernick's former team, the San Francisco 49ers, at least, who were in town yesterday to play the Washington Redskins. A week after about 20 players knelt for the anthem before the game VP Pence spent at least $242,500 to briefly attend, only seven players, six active and one inactive, knelt this time around.
Trump's BFF's Private Equity Firm May Buy Weinstein Co.:
Tom Barrack's Colony Capital is exploring a possible purchase of some or all of the Weinstein Co.'s assets. "We will help return the company to its rightful iconic position in the independent film and television industry," Barrack said in a statement today. Harvey Weinstein was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Saturday.
Twitter Hands Over Names of 201 Russia-Connected Accounts:
Twitter gave Senate Intelligence Committee staff the profile names of 22 Twitter accounts with links to Russia that had corresponding Facebook pages -- and an additional 179 accounts.
Russian Trolls Learned About American Politics By Watching "House of Cards":
That's what a Russian troll who went by "Maksim" who formerly worked for the infamous St. Petersburg-based troll factory Internet Research Agency told Russian TV station Rain, according to Yahoo. Maksin said:
"At first we were forced to watch the 'House of Cards' in English. It was necessary to know all the main problems of the United States of America. Tax problems, the problem of gays, sexual minorities, weapons."
He said they commented on articles on sites like The Washington Post and The New York Times about topics including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and LGBT issues. "We had a goal to set up the Americans against their own government," he said.
Here's Maksim, face partially hidden under a hoodie. | | Credit: Rain
Street Art Sighting:
We've seen Trump art on an Israeli separation barrier separating Bethlehem from Jerusalem before (an artist depicted Trump thinking "I'm going to build you a brother" while touching a wall back in August). Now it's Trump with lyrics from Eminem's "Stan." Trump has still hasn't responded to Eminem's freestyle rap against him, btw, which makes this feel all the more fitting. | | Credit: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
Send me your pics of political street art to coverlinehunter@cnn.com, tweet me @hunterschwarz or tag @cnncoverline on Instagram. | | | | | | |
