| | | | | President Trump presents the Public Safety Medal of Valor to Engineer Stephen Gunn Tuesday in the East Room. Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images | | | After You Plead Guilty, Sometimes You Need A Beer: A tipster spotted Alex van der Zwaan
Pence Almost Met with North Koreans: The meeting was canceled last minute
How Some of the Americans Unwittingly Played by Russian Trolls are Responding: "Those weren't Russians" | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump today hosts a listening session about gun violence with students and teachers, many of whom have been impacted by a school shooting in some way.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
The voices coming out of the Parkland, Florida, tragedy and how they could shape the political discussion moving forward.
More on Trump's Gun Listening Session:
As the gun debate rages on, today's meeting with the President could effect change. Trump has a history of being able to be swayed and impacted by personal, face-to-face interactions -- he's known to be more empathetic when there's an emotional element involved. Here's what a White House spokesperson told CNN about the meeting, which is slated for 4:15 p.m.:
"This afternoon the President will host a conversation on how to improve school safety. He will hear from students, parents and educators who have directly experienced these horrific tragedies. In attendance will be students from Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; representatives from Sandy Hook Promise and Rachel's Challenge; local students, parents, and teachers; and Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The President is honored to have these individuals at the White House today and looks forward to an open discussion on how we can keep our students safe."
Trump Calls Out Sessions, Again:
Seems like Trump's having trouble letting go of the whole Jeff Sessions recusing himself from the Russia investigation -- or something -- because he keeps going back to blaming his Attorney General for all sorts of stuff. This morning on Twitter, the President, still fixated, it appears, on the Barack Obama-Russia connection(?), Trump implored people to "Ask Sessions!" | | Credit: @realDonaldTrump/Twitter
After You Plead Guilty, Sometimes You Need A Beer:
A tipster spotted Alex van der Zwaan having a happy hour ale at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (just a ruble's throw from the White House) alone at the bar, talking fervently into his cell phone. Van der Zwaan, of course, was yesterday's headline-maker after pleading guilty to lying to special counsel Robert Mueller's office during the ongoing Russia investigation. It was apparently hard to miss the dapper, bespectacled, newly branded felon, says a witness, who observed van der Zwaan get up from his barstool several times to take calls. | | Credit: Anonymous
George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey ... It's All Happening:
When celebrities use their power and money for good, it's the best. Yesterday, George and Amal Clooney announced that not only would they be donating $500,000 to March for our Lives, the March 24th rally on the National Mall being organized by survivors of the Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School shooting tragedy, but they will march alongside them, with their 8-month-old twins. By the end of the day, Oprah Winfrey was on board, because Oprah. | | Credit: @Oprah/Twitter
Calling All Young Ladies:
I don't usually use this space for stuff like this, but with #MeToo, and just a general feeling these days of being really, really impressed with young people speaking up in this country, I wanted to post about HERLead.org. The HERLead program is part of Ann Taylor's team-up with Vital Voices, and it's basically a chance to nominate a high school sophomore or junior for one of 30 HERLead fellowships. Fellows, besides having something awesome to include in college applications, will be invited to a four-day leadership forum and training program in New York City this summer, to meet lots of inspiring and influential power women. Anyway, if you're interested, or know someone who might be, you can apply here until March 8th, which is International Women's Day. | | What Washington is Talking About:
President Trump's call to strengthen background checks, his listening session today, and what that could mean for any possible legislation when Congress returns.
What America is Talking About:
The Reverend Billy Graham died today at age 99.
Poll of the Day:
Call it the Olympics bump and slump. Americans' view of South Korea has hit Gallup's all-time high (77%) as their view of North Korea has hit an all-time low (65%) since they began asking the question: | | Credit: Gallup
But the craziest part to me is that nearly a third of all Americans had a favorable opinion of North Korea in the early '00s.
What PyeongChang is Talking About:
Lindsey Vonn earned a bronze in downhill, the oldest female Olympian to medal in the event. And I'm obsessed with Elizabeth Swaney's amazingly average halfpipe performance. The American competed for Hungary and basically just moseyed down the hill, doing no real tricks and barely getting any air (which, tbh, is still better than most of us could muster). If you haven't watched yet, please do (and with the sound on to hear the amazing commentary). | | Credit: @NBCOlympics/Twitter
Pence Almost Met With North Koreans at the Olympics:
The plan was to meet with them in Seoul at the Blue House (South Korea's version of the White House, basically), the day after the Opening Ceremony, but the North Koreans backed out last minute. Said Pence chief of staff Nick Ayers:
"North Korea dangled a meeting in hopes of the vice president softening his message, which would have ceded the world stage for their propaganda during the Olympics."
Here's How Some of the Americans Unwittingly Played by Russian Trolls Are Responding:
Our Drew Griffin spoke with Florida Trump supporter Florine Gruen Goldfarb, who ran a Facebook page that posted about events that were promoted by Russian trolls. It wasn't clear that she understood exactly how Russians were involved in meddling during the campaign, saying that everyone who attended the Russia-promoted rally was American. "Those weren't Russians, I don't go with the Russians," she said. When the Russia-connected page "Being Patriotic" was brought up, she seemed to think Griffin was asking about if she was patriotic. Watch the interview here. | | Credit: CNN
Pennsylvania Trump supporter Harry Miller tweeted out photos of the cage he said the Russians paid for that held someone in a Hillary Clinton mask during a rally (he also noted on what page the cage was described in special counsel Robert Mueller's indictment, which is always helpful). Miller pointed to it as proof there was no collusion with Trump in another tweet, because, "it was ME @jackbgoode ! who was dealing with the RUSSIANS, not TRUMP." | | Credit: @jackbgoode1/Twitter
#TwitterLockOut:
It's the hashtag all over conservative Twitter today. Users are claiming they've lost followers as part of a Twitter purge. It's unclear if these were bots or real users. A Twitter spokesperson said in a statement:
"Twitter's tools are apolitical, and we enforce our rules without political bias. As part of our ongoing work in safety, we identify suspicious account behaviors that indicate automated activity or violations of our policies around having multiple accounts, or abuse. We also take action on any accounts we find that violate our terms of service, including asking account owners to confirm a phone number so we can confirm a human is behind it. That's why some people may be experiencing suspensions or locks. This is part of our ongoing, comprehensive efforts to make Twitter safer and healthier for everyone."
Marla Maples Weights in on #NeverAgain:
Trump's second wife tweeted about the gun reform hashtag today: | | Credit: @itsmarlamaples/Twitter
"March For Our Lives" Applies for Permit :
According to to their application submitted to the Interior Department and National Park Service, organizers expect up to half a million people to turn out at the National Mall for the rally on March 24 and they'll have 14 Jumbotrons.
The NRA's Going to the CNN Town Hall on Guns Tonight:
NRA national spokeswoman Dana Loesch will represent the organization at "Stand Up: The Students of Stoneman Douglas Demand Action" tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Also in attendance will be Florida lawmakers Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, and Rep. Ted Deutch. Trump and Florida Gov. Rick Scott were invited but declined. Our Jake Tapper is moderating. | | | | | | |
