| | | | | President Donald Trump speaks with the press Wednesday morning before boarding Marine One on the White House South Lawn. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images | | | Testifying Vs. FBI Investigation: Standoff between Christine Blasey Ford and the Senate Judiciary Committee
The Mystery of the Gucci Coat: Dress like the first lady
The Trump Org is Preparing for the Possibility of a Democratic Congress: "The worst thing for the business would be a change of control in Congress" | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
President Donald Trump spends the day in North Carolina and South Carolina to survey storm damage from Hurricane Florence. The death toll from the storm now stands at 36 people.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
The standoff between Christine Blasey Ford and the Senate Judiciary Committee involving accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
Testify Versus FBI:
Ford's attorney on "Anderson Cooper 360°" broke the news that the professor would not come forward to testify Monday on Capitol Hill unless the FBI first opens an investigation into allegations she has made that Kavanaugh, as a 17-year-old high school student, assaulted her at a party.
This morning, heading to the Carolinas, the President stopped to talk to reporters on the White House South Lawn, where he said the FBI wasn't going to investigate the allegations because they've already investigated Kavanaugh "about six times." He added he hopes Ford makes the decision to come to Washington and tell her story regardless. "I really want to see her. I really would want to see what she has to say. But I want to give it all the time they need," he said. "If she shows up, that would be wonderful. If she doesn't show up, that would be unfortunate."
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley issued this statement in response: "Immediately after learning of Dr. Ford's identity from news reports Sunday, committee staff started working to gather facts related to her claims. We've offered Dr. Ford the opportunity to share her story with the committee, as her attorney said yesterday she was willing to do. We offered her a public or a private hearing as well as staff-led interviews, whichever makes her most comfortable. The invitation for Monday still stands. Dr. Ford's testimony would reflect her personal knowledge and memory of events. Nothing the FBI or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what Dr. Ford tells the committee, so there is no reason for any further delay."
So, for now at least, it appears the ball is back in Ford's court. And it's a very tough call. As a woman who says she has faced personal trauma as a result of the incident 30-plus years ago, her decision now to speak out has deep public repercussions for herself and her family. Ford's attorney said Tuesday night that the professor has been getting death threats and has had to move her family to a safer location.
"From the Standpoint of Water":
I think it would be hard to argue that the President is a talented wordsmith, although I could happily be convinced otherwise. That said, Tuesday, in a taped Rose Garden segment about what he's thinking about, Trump said that the hurricane was indeed wet, very, very wet. | | Photo of Trump on Air Force One:
Press secretary Sarah Sanders posted this photo of Trump aboard Air Force on the way to North Carolina -- but it's what's on the TV that is likely still going to be the big story today. | | Credit: @presssec/Twitter
Trump Says Jeff Sessions Doesn't Exist, Basically:
In an interview Tuesday with HillTV, Trump said, "I don't have an attorney general. It's very sad." Well, it is very sad, but probably more so for Jeff Sessions, who is the attorney general.
"Casting Call" for Millennial Hotel:
There's a new hotel opening in downtown Washington -- the Moxy -- and it's geared toward millennials, so, sorry I won't be seeing you there. But for those in the appropriate age range, they're hiring, or "auditioning," as the case may be. A "casting call," no resumes required, will be held next week to search for the perfect employees to help explain things to guests such as the props in the selfie elevator. This is the message you get when you call the hotel: "Hey you. I'm happy you called the Moxy Washington D.C. Downtown, scheduled to start hooking you up in late October 2018. If you have a group of peeps looking to crash with us, the fun begins January of 2019. So drop your digits, and we'll hit you back with the scoop." | | Emmy Proposal Director Guy Has Political Connections:
Fun fact from a tipster: Glenn Weiss, the man who won an Emmy for his work on the Oscars, and then surprised his girlfriend by proposing during his acceptance speech, was also the director of the last four Democratic National Conventions.
Dress Like the First Lady, aka, the Mystery of the Gucci Coat:
Melania Trump tossed out a rare sartorial stumper Tuesday. To greet Poland's President and first lady, she wore a Gucci coat, available here for $3,980, that was not only wool (it was about 82 degrees Tuesday) but also lacked a belt. The belted coat, or belted coat dress, has become a Melania signature look. Then, she kept it on all day -- for an Oval Office photo op, for her private lunch in the Red Room with Polish first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda, and even later in a joint press conference in the East Room. Actual photo of me from Tuesday when people asked me what was up with the coat: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ | | | Credit: Top, Alex Wong/Getty Images, Tasos Katopodis/Bloomberg pool for Getty Images, @FLOTUS/Twitter; bottom, Alex Wong/Getty Images, brownsfashion.com | | What Washington Is Talking About:
Christine Blasey Ford said she would like an FBI investigation into her sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh before a Senate hearing, but some Republican senators said they should move forward with the confirmation process if Ford doesn't show up for a hearing Monday.
What America Is Talking About:
At least 36 have been killed by Hurricane Florence, and at least 14 river gauges in North Carolina are at major flood stage, per North Carolina Emergency Management, Also, Sesame Workshop said Bert and Ernie are not a couple after their creator, Mark Saltzman, said that's how he wrote about them; and Mario Kart.
Poll of the Day:
In the decade since the start of the Great Recession, economic confidence has rebounded in the United States more than almost everywhere else, according to a Pew survey of 27 countries. In 2009, 17% of Americans said the current economic situation in their country was good, while today it's grown to 65%. Only Germany has seen a larger change. | | Credit: Pew
The Trump Org is Preparing for the Possibility of a Democratic Congress:
The Trump Organization has been documenting transactions and organizing records in anticipation that Democrats could take the House or Senate and subsequently launch investigations and request records from the business, CNN's Cristina Alesci reports. A source familiar with the Trump Organization said, "The worst thing for the business would be a change of control in Congress. Business and politics are separate, but they impact each other."
What Trump Said About Hillary Clinton in 2007:
In Stormy Daniels' forthcoming book, "Full Disclosure," she writes that during her second meeting with Trump, in 2007 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, then-"Apprentice" host Donald Trump got a call from Hillary Clinton. The future political rivals talked about taking a family trip together, and afterword, Trump praised Clinton. "When he hung up, he was effusive about Hillary. 'I love her,' he said. 'She is so smart,'" Daniels wrote.
This Was the Look on Trump's Face When the Polish President Suggested Naming a Base Fort Trump:
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday during a joint press conference with Trump that he'd like the United States to deploy troops and equipment to Poland, and he even suggested they name the base after Trump. "I would very much like for us to set up permanent American bases in Poland, which we would call Fort Trump," Duda said. "And I firmly believe that this is possible. I am convinced that such a decision lies both in the Polish interest as well as in the interest of the United States."
Trump responded by making several faces in the span of seconds ("Super Mario 64-style"). First it was a single chuckle face, followed by an eyebrow raise that seemed to me like he was momentarily considering it, then finally a lip purse, as if thinking that it wouldn't be a bad idea. | | Credit: White House
Duda said Poland was "an attractive country" that sat in a "strategic location in Europe." "I'm convinced that, for the interest of the United States, also pertaining to the security of the United States itself, the presence of the US armed forces in our country is important also to protect American interests," he said.
"Fear" Sold More Than 1 Million Copies in a Week:
It actually sold more than 1.1 million copies in a week, including pre-orders, and sales of print, ebook and audiobook copies, Simon & Schuster said.
Check Out the Orioles' Braille Uniforms:
The Orioles commemorated the National Federation of the Blind moving its headquarters to Baltimore by wearing uniforms that wrote out their team and players' names in Braille during Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. According to the MLB, the Orioles are the first team in professional sports to wear Braille uniforms. | | Credit: Greg Fiume/Getty Images
Dolly Parton's "19th Amendment" Song Is Here:
Guys, Dolly Parton's song about giving women the right to vote, "19th Amendment," and 27: The Most Perfect Album, a collection of songs about the amendments, are out. Dolly is not just a national treasure; she is a one-woman "Schoolhouse Rock."
The track opens with a monologue about suffrage and she sings, "First they said we couldn't dance and said we couldn't drink/And unless a man allowed it, they said we couldn't think/They said we couldn't speak till we were spoken to/Well there was just so much back then we weren't allowed to do." 🗳️🇺🇸 You can watch the music video for the song here. | | Credit: via Spotify
Street Art Sighting:
Meme artist Lushsux painted a mural of an "Obama" notification asking for microphone access. cc: Edward Snowden | | Credit: @lushsux/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.
P.S.:
Robyn announced today she's releasing an album called Honey, out on October 26, and Drake has now spent more time at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this year than any other musician has in a single calendar year. His three 2018 No. 1s -- "God's Plan," "Nice for What" and "In My Feelings" -- have spent a cumulative 29 weeks in the pole position. And we still have more than a quarter of the year to go. The previous record was held by Usher, who was No. 1 for 28 weeks in 2004 with "Yeah!," "Burn," "Confessions Part II" and "My Boo." | | | | | | |
