| | | | | President Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in the White House Christmas Tree delivery at the White House Monday. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images | | | Ivanka Says She Didn't Know the Rules: The first daughter's response to reports about her personal email
"Becoming" Had a Great First Week: It's the fastest-selling book of 2018 at Barnes & Noble
Charities Haven't Come Back to Mar-a-Lago: Most groups that canceled events there haven't returned | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump today will pardon either Peas or Carrots, one of the turkeys. At 3 p.m., he and first lady Melania Trump leave the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving holiday.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
Ivanka Trump's email habits.
Ivanka Says She Didn't Know the Rules:
Wait, what? Ivanka's father built virtually his entire campaign against Hillary Clinton based on what she did with her personal emails, so it's rather strange that the response to this Washington Post scoop from last night was met with a defense from her lawyer that Ivanka basically didn't know the rules. "Like most people, before entering into government service, Ms. Trump used a private email. When she entered the government, she was given a government email account for official use. While transitioning into government, until the White House provided her the same guidance they had to others who started before she did, Ms. Trump sometimes used her private account, almost always for logistics and scheduling concerning her family." If anything, it is at least pretty hypocritical, even if it was a mistake. Ivanka herself has yet to address the story personally, and the White House isn't commenting. This morning on CNN, former White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short agreed, saying, "I accept that today's story is an ironic one and shows hypocrisy and is a mistake, and the administration shouldn't have had government emails going to private email servers."
Trump to Troops, Or No:
Apparently, the President is concerned about his safety in a war zone, which one source tells the Washington Post is part of the reason Trump has not yet been to visit troops, as has been regular custom for presidents the past many years. But according to the new reporting from the Post, a plan is now in motion to get him over to either Iraq or Afghanistan so he can have some much valued face time with American fighting forces. The logistics are always tricky, but he's the president -- he can swing it.
Peas and Carrots:
I'm not sure who is the best candidate here. Both have iffy taste in music, and I'm highly suspect of the whole yoga thing, but I do trust a turkey who snacks on popcorn more than a turkey who snacks on M&Ms. Decide for yourself and vote here. And definitely read Betsy's turkey pardon story because she loves to write about today. | | Credit: whitehouse.gov
Pelosi Profile:
Whether she stays in leadership or is voted off the island, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has a battle ahead of her. With feisty new members of Congress calling for change at the top and a challenging GOP relationship, more than ever, Pelosi is in a pickle. I really enjoyed reading this new profile of Pelosi in the New York Times Magazine. Robert Draper is one of my favorite writers, especially when he's tackling political figures (or the cuisine of obscure regions of Italy), and he does a masterful job here. Highly recommend. | | Credit: nytimes.com
Glamour Magazine Going Bye -- in Print:
This is also good read today, if you want to avoid politics, or turkeys, either pardoned or ones you need to brine/prep/cook. As a former magazine editor, I think it's smart and interesting, and a tiny bit sad, to see the inevitable changeover from print to digital that we all predicted, actually happen. But Samantha Barry, formerly of CNN Digital, is a smart editor and a savvy online leader.
Dress Like the First Lady:
Melania Trump is mad for plaid. If you follow this space, you know that I have been counting the number of plaid coats the first lady has worn (5) in the past few weeks (4). And even though yesterday's coat was technically a "cape," I'm including it (6). She wore a Michael Kors Collection plaid cape, which is on sale here for $2,397 (marked down from $3,995.) | | | Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images, saksfifthavenue.com | | What Washington is Talking About:
Today and tomorrow mark peak travel days at DCA, and amid the reports about Ivanka Trump's personal email use, Rep. Elijah Cummings, the likely chair of the House Oversight committee, is planning to revive an inquiry into personal email use at the White House, an aide told CNN.
What America is Talking About:
There was a string of shootings across America, in Chicago, Denver, and outside St. Louis; the Kansas City Chiefs became the first NFL team in history to score more than 50 points and lose in their record game against the L.A. Rams; and radio personality Bobby Bones won "Dancing with the Stars," but some people are unhappy about it.
Poll of the Day:
A new Monmouth poll found 70% of Americans believe migrants in the caravan should be given the opportunity to enter the country if they reach the US border and meet certain requirements: | | Credit: Monmouth
Our Grace Sparks noted that the trend was driven largely by Democrats (89% support) and independents (72%), while 43% of Republicans also believe the migrants should be given the chance to enter.
"Becoming" Had a Great First Week:
Barnes & Noble said Michelle Obama's "Becoming" had its best first-week sales of the year and said it's its fastest-selling book since "Go Set a Watchman" in 2015. It's also the top-selling book on Amazon, and already Amazon's 5th best-selling book of 2018. | | Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images
"Vice" Director on Why He'd Vote Trump Over Cheney:
Director Adam McKay, whose film "Vice," about Dick Cheney, opens in theaters on Christmas, had some surprising things to say about politicians. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, McKay called Bill Clinton "one of the worst presidents in the modern age" and said he would "choose Trump over Bush and Cheney."
Trump is "is like an orangutan just throwing s**t around," he said. "But Cheney was the grand master who finished the deal. Donald Trump has no belief system. So I would take the hyenas, the random wild animals running through the White House over Cheney any day of the week."
Charities Haven't Come Back to Mar-a-Lago:
Of the 22 charities that canceled events at Mar-a-Lago after Trump's "both sides" response to Charlottesville last year, only two are coming back, per the Washington Post: a University of Miami eye institute that couldn't book the Breakers, and Palm Beach Habilitation Center, which told the Palm Beach Post they didn't make as much money when they held it elsewhere.
Proud Boys Labeled "Extremist Group" by FBI:
The right-wing "Western chauvinist" group, known for wearing black-and-yellow Fred Perry polo shirts with their MAGA hats, has always pushed back against descriptions that it's "alt-right" or racist, but the Proud Boys were called an extremist group with with ties to white nationalism in a report from a Washington state sheriff's office, which mentioned how the FBI describes the group.
"House of Cards" Final Season Viewers Were Older and More Female:
That's according to data from Nielsen's SVOD (streaming video on demand) Content Ratings, which found that from the show's fifth to its sixth and final season, the percentage of viewers 50 and older rose from 29% to 48%, and the percentage of female viewers rose from 44% to 54%. | | Credit: Nielsen
Street Art Sighting:
Just a few blocks from the Frederick Douglass Historical Site in Southeast Washington is a new mural of the abolitionist, located at 2200 16th St. SE. The mural was done by prolific Washington street artist Aniekan Udofia, who's done other Douglass murals before and did the Obamas on the side of Ben's Chili Bowl. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
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. | | | | | | |
