| | | | | President Trump gestures as he speaks during a working dinner with European business leaders during the World Economic Forum Thursday. Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images | | | FLOTUS' Unannounced Trip to Florida: It's all very 🤔
Poll of the Day: 22% of Repubs and 99% of Dems don't think Trump is a good role model for kids
A Kennedy's Giving the SOTU Response: ...or you could watch Stormy Daniels instead | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump is in the air, on his way back to Washington from Switzerland.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
The New York Times story from last night that said Trump did want to fire Robert Mueller. Also, yes, Davos is scenic, and it's ok to acknowledge that, media nerds.
Trump's Big Speech was Kind of Low Energy:
Trump's speech this morning from Davos felt a little non-Trumpy in enthusiasm and flourish. That said, he was battling a trifecta of things that drag him down: international travel, stress back home, and a teleprompter. The President managed to stay almost completely on script, touting his "America First" message. The only time he got booed and hissed was when he brought up the "nasty, mean, and fake" news media -- a topic he got off of as soon as he heard the response. (But I'm not sure if the boos were because he brought it up and the audience didn't like it, or because the crowd aligned in hatred of the media?)
| | Credit: @sbg1/Twitter
So He *Did* Want to Fire Mueller:
"I know nothing about that." That's Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's Tillersonesque answer to whether he knew that his boss had wanted to fire Mueller. "The President is in very good spirits," is how Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross responded. And Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was "not concerned" about the Mueller firing story. Well played, Cabinet.
The rest of pundit-land back home, however, spent most of last night talking and talking about Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt's scoop that Trump was only prevented from firing Mueller in June by the threat of White House counsel Don McGahn quitting if he did.
Our Daily Melania:
When I left you yesterday, Melania Trump had visited the Holocaust Museum in DC. What I learned shortly thereafter was that she hopped a plane -- the big guy, a military 757 -- down to Florida. And she didn't tell anyone. I happen to follow a bunch of aviation geek accounts on Twitter and I noticed a flight tracker on one of them with the EXEC1F call sign, which means someone big is on it (VP or FLOTUS, typically) and it was being tracked off the coast of Florida. So I was like, hmm, I wonder if that's Melania? Who else would be going to Florida? Turns out, with the help of my colleagues Noah Gray and Peter Morris, we were able to confirm via law enforcement sources that, yes, Melania had hightailed it out of Dodge and down to FL, landing in West Palm Beach. Because we're CNN and basically can do magic, we were able to pull up a camera on the airport there and we spotted the plane. Bottom line: it could be another sign that all is not rosy in the Trump marriage. Her cryptic inauguration pic, skipping the anniversary celebrations, canceling the Davos trip, doing a solo, somber museum visit, slipping off to Florida ... it's all very 🤔. | | Everyone Wants the Melania Intel:
Viola Davis was on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night and he asked her what she thought of knowing Melania Trump's favorite show is "How To Get Away With Murder," and whether Davis would give the first lady a walk-on part. After some anguished silence, Davis says, "You know what? Yes. Because I really want to talk to her." She adds the talking would just be to get the deets on what's happening in her life. "I just want the inside scoop. Me and her can have some vodka together." | | ICYMI, The Gold Toilet Is the Greatest Story:
In case you didn't read it yesterday, the Washington Post had an amazing story on the Trumps request for a Van Gogh painting from the Guggenheim to borrow and hang in their White House residence. A curator for the Guggenheim said no and instead offered ... the gold toilet. For background, it's not unusual for a new president and first lady to make art requests from museums; the Obamas borrowed approximately 45 pieces of art from various museums to decorate when they lived there. I'm pretty sure no one turned them down. | | | Credit: courtesy Guggenheim Museum | | What Washington is Talking About:
President Trump's immigration proposal, which would grant amnesty for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants in exchange for $25 billion for The Wall.
What America is Talking About:
Vince McMahon, WWE founder and husband of Trump's Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon, announced Thursday he's bringing back the XFL, but this time it'll be gimmicks-free. The first season will kick off in 2020. McMahon said players with criminal records will not be allowed in the league and players will not be permitted to take a stand on issues while they play (aka anthem protests).
Poll of the Day:
Nine out of 10 Americans believe it's important for a president to be a good role model for children, but most don't believe Trump is one, according to a Quinnipiac poll. The poll found nearly 30% think he is, including 72% of Repubs, 24% of independents, and 1% of Dems. The other 99% said he is not a good role model for children. | | Credit: Quinnipiac
Rep. Joe Kennedy III to Give SOTU Response:
The 37-year-old Massachusetts congressman and great nephew of JFK will give the Dem response to Trump's State of the Union address next Tuesday. His great uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, gave the Dem response to Reagan's SOTU in 1982.
...or You Could Watch Stormy Daniels Instead:
Also on TV Tuesday night after SOTU will be Stormy Daniels on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Kimmel tweeted the news and added a #MAGA hashtag, which I think was a nice touch. | | Credit: @jimmykimmel/Twitter
"She Ain't Done Yet":
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards confirmed today that she's stepping down from her role. Her daughter, former 2016 Clinton campaign Iowa communications director Lily Adams, RTed the news, adding, "And for anyone who knows her - they know she ain't done yet." | | Credit: @adamslily/Twitter
The Employee Who Set Off the Hawaii False Missile Alert Isn't Cooperating:
That's what Lisa Fowlkes, bureau chief of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, said Thursday during a hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee. "The person who transmitted the false alert is refusing to cooperate with our investigation," Fowlkes said, calling the alert a "cry of wolf" that can dangerously damage credibility.
High School Journos Start Their Own Paper:
Students at Herriman High School in Utah started their own newspaper after an article published in the official school newspaper was removed. The article cited student and administrator sources who claimed a teacher was fired for allegedly exchanging inappropriate texts with a student. The student newspaper staff put the article back up on their new site.
There Was a Cheetos-Filled Piñata at Edel Rodriguez's Show:
The prolific artist's show was held last night in Portland. This was the piñata after it was busted open: | | Credit: @edelrodriguez/Instagram
30 Seconds with Van:
Van Jones' show premieres tomorrow night with special guest: Jay-Z. I had a chance to talk with Jones briefly about a few of his thoughts outside of politics:
Favorite Jay-Z song: "Empire State of Mind"
You met Katy Perry when she was promoting her album "Witness." Describe her in three words: Committed, courageous, silly
First album you bought: "Off the Wall" by Michael Jackson
Least favorite school subject: Anything related to math
Favorite Kardashian: Kris Jenner
Favorite Trump: Jared Kushner, because he's working on criminal justice reform
Favorite newspaper: USA Today | | Credit: CNN
Street Art Sighting:
Spotted by Joseph Stuart at Coffee Garden in Salt Lake City Thursday: an anti-Trump Bears Ears sign critical of his December decision to cut the size of the national monument: | | Credit: @jstuart87/Twitter
If you spot political street art, I'd love to see it. Here's how you can reach me:
1. Tweet me @hunterschwarz
2. Tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz
3. Email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com | | | | | | |
