| | | | | President Donald Trump makes his way to Air Force One before departing Thursday from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images | | | Senators' Gmail Accounts Targeted: Foreign governments took aim at the Gmail accounts of senators and Senate staff, Google says
There's Going to be a Scaramucci documentary: It's called "Mooch"
Rihanna Named an Ambassador: Barbados makes the singer an "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary" | | | What Washington Is Talking About:
Christine Blasey Ford is open to testifying next week if she's provided with "terms that are fair and which ensure her safety," her attorneys said. Ed Whelan, president of the conservative group Ethics and Public Policy Center, tweeted a thread Thursday claiming Ford misidentified Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in her sex assault allegation. It was widely mocked as irresponsible online before he tweeted he had "made an appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgment" and deleted the thread.
What America Is Talking About:
The Cleveland Browns won their first game since 2016, beating the New York Jets 21-17 Thursday; the Dow Jones hit a record high; and law enforcement said a woman who fatally shot three people in Maryland was a disgruntled employee.
Poll of the Day:
President Donald Trump isn't the only one who apparently doesn't like Attorney General Jeff Sessions. A Gallup Poll out today showed nearly half of American adults have an unfavorable opinion of Sessions, while a quarter have a favorable one. | | Credit: Gallup
Senators' Gmail Accounts Targeted:
Foreign government hackers targeted the Gmail accounts of US senators and Senate staff members, Google confirmed to CNN. Google did not say whether the hacking attempts were successful or how many people were targeted, but a Senate aide said both Democrats and Republicans were targets.
Google Says it Didn't Manipulate Search Results After Leaked Emails:
Back in January 2017 when Trump instituted his first travel ban shortly after taking office (an executive order that barred people from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States that was blocked by a judge), some Google employees brainstormed ways to counter "prejudiced, algorithmically biased search results" for search terms like "Islam," "Muslim," "Iran," "Mexico," "Hispanic" and Latino" to show links for users to donate to pro-immigration groups and contact their lawmakers, according to leaked emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Google said none of the ideas were ever carried out.
"These emails were just a brainstorm of ideas, none of which were ever implemented," the company said in a statement. "Google has never manipulated its search results or modified any of its products to promote a particular political ideology -- not in the current campaign season, not during the 2016 election, and not in the aftermath of President Trump's executive order on immigration. Our processes and policies would not have allowed for any manipulation of search results to promote political ideologies."
Kavanaugh Might Still Get Investigated if Confirmed, Democratic Senator Says:
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, told our Jake Tapper that if Democrats take control of Congress, they'll investigate the sexual assault allegations made against Brett Kavanaugh, even if he's confirmed to the Supreme Court. "This is such bad practice that even if they were to ram this guy through, as soon as Democrats get gavels, we're going to want to get to the bottom of this," Whitehouse said.
There's Going to be a "Mooch" Documentary:
Anthony Scaramucci will be the subject of a forthcoming documentary called "Mooch," directed by Andrew J. Muscato, who also directed a doc in 2016 on Muhammad Ali. "Mooch" has a trailer but no release date yet. | | Credit: via Variety
Rihanna is an Ambassador:
Robyn Rihanna Fenty has been named "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary" by her home country of Barbados, with responsibility to promote education, tourism, and investment for the island. (Plenipotentiary, noun: "a person, especially a diplomat, invested with the full power of independent action on behalf of their government, typically in a foreign country.")
Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said in a statement, "Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education. She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home. She has also demonstrated, beyond her success as a pop icon, significant creative acumen and shrewdness in business. It is therefore fitting that we engage and empower her to play a more definitive role as we work to transform Barbados."
Shepard Fairey Did the Art for Kesha's New Song:
The street artist and activist made the single art for Kesha's "Here Comes the Change," her song for the upcoming Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic, "On the Basis of Sex," set for a Christmas release. Fairey said he was "honored that I was considered for this as I believe in the message of both the song and the film, because I believe in gender equality and women's rights." | | Credit: @iiswhoiis/Instagram
Street Art Sighting:
This cartoon of South Korean President Moon Jae-in holding Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was spotted outside a shopping center in Seoul this week. | | Credit: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images
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.
Kate Bennett is off. | | | | | | |
