| | | | | First lady Melania Trump hosts a reception for spouses of visiting heads of state and others Wednesday in New York. Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images | | | Melania Trump Reveals Details of Africa Trip: First lady announced details of her "Be Best" Africa trip at a UN luncheon
Mormon Women's Group Calls for Pause on Kavanaugh Confirmation: The group sent a statement to fellow church members on the Senate Judiciary Committee
Check Out the Full-Page Ad in Support of Christine Blasey Ford: Some 1,600 men sign ad that pays homage to Anita Hill ad from 1991 | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
Day three for President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly. Today he has bilateral meetings with the leaders of Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom. Later this afternoon, Trump will hold a press conference.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
This will be Trump's first solo press conference since the NATO summit in July.
New Kavanaugh Accuser Comes Forward:
This story is still unfolding as we land in your inbox. ...
Trump Talked About Election Interference But With ... China:
Not Russia. Speaking to the UN Security Council this morning, the President made claims that China was trying to interfere with our midterm elections -- which was sort of a new thing for many listening. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Trump Growing Frustrated with Kavanaugh Situation:
This morning the Trump expressed his annoyance at the speed with which he feels the Senate has handled the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, saying if it were him, he would have gotten the confirmation process over with faster -- i.e., before Christine Blasey Ford made her accusation. "They could have pushed it through two weeks ago, and we wouldn't be talking about this right now, which is what I would have preferred," he said. The President also called Kavanaugh a "gem." Trump has now apparently taken the lead on publicly defending Kavanaugh and pushing his strategy.
Here's How Thursday's Hearing Will Work:
I found this helpful. Also, CNN's coverage will kick off at 8:30 Thursday morning, with Wolf Blitzer at the anchor desk. The Ford testimony will happen first, followed by Kavanaugh's.
It's OK, Ted Cruz and Wife Got To Finish Dinner:
On Tuesday, the talk was all about how Sen. Ted Cruz and his wife, Heidi, were harassed out of their dinner plans by angry protesters who swarmed the Washington restaurant Fiola. What wasn't known until later, however, is that the Cruzes *came back* to Fiola after the protesters left and they sat back down at their table and were able to finish their meal. Fiola chef and owner Fabio Trabocchi posted this news, and explanation of events, on his Facebook page Tuesday night. Note the last line where he says: "Chef Fabio believes politics -- like elbows -- are best left off the dining table." | | Credit: screenshot from Fabio Trabocchi Facebook page
Our Daily Melania:
Today at a reception for UN General Assembly leader spouses, Melania Trump revealed details of her upcoming trip to Africa, her first major solo venture abroad as first lady. She will go to Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt, and she will work in partnership on the trip with the US Agency for International Development, the independent agency that provides foreign aid and development assistance, funded by the federal government. She leaves on Monday for Africa. (And so do I -- I'll be going along to cover the whole thing.)
Here's a snippet of her remarks from today: "(I) look forward to the opportunity to take the message of my 'Be Best' campaign to many of the countries, and children, throughout Africa. Whether it is education, drug addiction, hunger, online safety or bullying, poverty or disease, it is too often children who are hit first, and hardest, across the globe. Each of us hails from a country with its own unique challenges, but I know in my heart we are united by our commitment to raising the next generation to be happy, healthy and morally responsible adults." I Love Stories About Things I Love to Wonder About:
NBC News did the story I've been waiting to read: details about the new presidential limo nicknamed the Beast. Like, it has a refrigerator that holds the president's blood type, just in case. And it can be sealed against biochemicals. And it weighs 20,000 pounds. And it can fire tear gas! I mean. This is good stuff, guys.
Protest Fashion So Hot Right Now:
So hot, in fact, it's going to get prime real estate space at 1722 14th St. NW in Washington. The Outrage, which used to be in Adams Morgan, is, according to PoPville, moving into a new location on 14th Street with its #Resist-esque T-shirts and female-centric activist clothing. When the pop-up first opened in its original location last year, there were lines out the door to buy "pussyhats" and anti-Trump gear. Here's a pic of the upcoming new and improved Outrage on 14th, from the Prince of Petworth: | | Credit: popville.com
Dress Like the First Lady:
Today for her big Africa trip reveal, Melania Trump wore an Australian designer. She chose this blush pink Scanlan Theodore cap sleeve knit dress, available here for $600. | | | Credit: screenshot, us.scanlantheodore.com | | What Washington Is Talking About:
The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh for 9 a.m. Friday, with a full Senate vote next week. Republicans can afford to lose one vote and still confirm Kavanaugh. The House is voting on a spending package today that will avert a government shutdown, and executives from tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Twitter and Apple, told lawmakers today they support a national privacy bill.
What America Is Talking About:
Bill Cosby has been sentenced to three to 10 years in prison; Dunkin' Donuts announced it will drop the "Donuts" in its name, beginning in January, and 7-year-old Malea Emma blew everyone's mind during her National Anthem performance Tuesday night at a Los Angeles Galaxy game.
Poll of the Day:
Favorability of the Republican Party has reached its highest point in seven years. Republican favorability rose from 36% in September 2017 to 45% today, according to a Gallup Poll released Monday, although the results are an outlier from other recent polling. Favorability of the Democratic Party is at 44%. | | Credit: Gallup
Mormon Women for Ethical Government Calls for Pause on Kavanaugh Confirmation:
The nonpartisan group Mormon Women for Ethical Government has called for Kavanaugh's confirmation to be put on hold in a statement this week. Founder Sharlee Glenn told me in an interview Tuesday night the group isn't "taking sides," but it feels "very strongly that because of the seriousness of the accusations that things need to pause and be put on hold" until the allegations can be investigated thoroughly.
In an open statement to the four GOP lawmakers on the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee who are also members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee of Utah, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Mike Crapo of Idaho -- the group asked them to "Send the message, loud and clear, that the objectification and abuse of women for the pleasure of men is contemptible and will not be tolerated, that our actions have consequences, that victims must be heard and supported."
Mormon Women for Ethical Government was founded after Trump took office and has more than 6,000 members in all 50 states. Glenn said its goal is to "elevate the public discourse and become makers of peace." When asked what motivates her work, she referenced the church's 13th Article of Faith, which in part calls on members to be honest, true, virtuous and to do good.
Meet the Woman Who Will Lead the Ford Hearing:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday a "female assistant" would be brought on for the hearing Thursday with Christine Blasey Ford to "ask these questions in a respectful and professional way." That "female assistant" is Rachel Mitchell, a sex crimes prosecutor for Maricopa County, Arizona. Mitchell's boss, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, told The Arizona Republic she was a "professional, fair, objective prosecutor."
Check Out the Full-Page Ad in Support of Ford:
The ad says, "We believe Anita Hill. We also believe Christine Blasey Ford," and was signed by 1,600 men. It's an homage, both in its purpose and its design, to a full-page ad that ran in The New York Times in 1991 in support of Hill that was signed by 1,600 black women.
"We believe survivors, and we call on all men of good will to stand with us to ensure that Dr. Blasey Ford's story is carefully and fully examined without bias or prejudice," the new ad reads. "It is imperative that the politics of this moment not discolor the facts." | | Credit: via Adweek
Facebook Deletes Pages Managed by a Fake Account That Shared Content From Laura Ingraham's Site:
Facebook said it took down more than a dozen conservative and liberal pages with more than 30 million combined fans recently because they were in violation of Facebook spamming policy and run by the same fake account, BuzzFeed reported. The pages, which were named things such as "American News," "Mr. Conservative," "Conservative 101," "Proud to Be Conservative," "Liberal Americans" and "We Are Liberal," had recently been sharing links from LifeZette, a conservative site founded by Laura Ingraham. The LifeZette page is still up, according to BuzzFeed.
Man Says He Lost His Annual Disney Pass Over Trump Flag:
New Yorker Dion Cini told WFTV he lost his annual pass after he hung a Trump 2020 banner up Sunday in Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando, but he said it was worth it. Cini has posted other videos with Trump flags before, and said in a video about his most recent "flag drop" that he was once escorted out of Epcot. | | Credit: Jessika Santiago, via WFTV
Street Art Sighting:
This Trump head sculpture in Sydney by Melbourne, Australia, artist Callum Morton is called "Monument #32: Helter Shelter." Around the back is a shelter area with a bench, and it's painted black with flames. | | Credit: @gregweiss/Instagram
If you spot political street art, tweet me @hunterschwarz, tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com with your sighting so I can feature it in COVER/LINE. | | | | | | |
