| | | | | A demonstrator holds an LED sign outside the White House Thursday night during protests against President Trump's interference in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images | | | Trump to Paris: He'll mark the 100th anniversary of WWI's end
Beto 2020 is TBD: "He used a fog machine at his concession speech. He ain't done."
Michelle Obama Gets Personal: Former FLOTUS talks family, marriage, and Trump's birther conspiracy theories | | | What Washington is Talking About:
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from the hospital this morning and plans to work from home today, a SCOTUS spox said; Sens. Jeff Flake and Chris Coons will ask for unanimous consent to bring legislation protecting Robert Mueller's investigation to a vote when the Senate convenes next week; incoming House Democratic leaders held a call where they discussed the "crisis moment" to protect Mueller's investigation; and a small group of House Democrats have taken the first steps against Pelosi's bid for speaker of the House, asking for rules changes in how the speaker is elected.
What America is Talking About:
Three wildfires are burning in California, putting millions of people in the state under red flag warnings; Florida's Broward and Palm Beach counties appear headed toward a recount of midterm votes; and attorneys general from 18 states sent a letter to acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker asking him to recuse himself in the Mueller investigation.
Poll of the Day:
American carnage this is not. A Gallup survey of crimes Americans are most worried about showed cybercrime was the top concern. Having personal information stolen by hackers was the top fear, with 71% of Americans saying they worry about it "frequently or occasionally," followed by being the victim of identity theft, at 67%. | | Credit: Gallup
Trump to Paris:
President Trump took off today for Paris, where he'll attend a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Trump will visit burial grounds for American soldiers killed in the war, and will speak on Veterans Day Sunday in Suresnes, just outside of Paris, the site of an American military cemetery. | | Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Pelosi is Confident She'll be Speaker:
She told our Chris Cuomo she's "100%" confident she'll get the role, though she expects a challenger. "This is not a day at the beach, this is politics," she said. Pelosi mentioned Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss and protecting health care as reasons why she's continuing in Congress. "It's an urgency I can't resist, if Hillary Clinton had won ... our Affordable Care Act would be protected and I could go home," she said.
Beto 2020 is TBD:
Beto O'Rourke has publicly said he's not running for president, but that hasn't stopped some aides from hoping he will. Our Eric Bradner reports O'Rourke met with campaign aides in El Paso Wednesday and has had some "very initial discussions" about a presidential run but has not indicated privately what he wants to do next. Said Ted Cruz chief strategist Jeff Roe, "I pray for the soul of anyone who has to run against [O'Rourke] in Iowa." He added, "He used a fog machine at his concession speech. He ain't done."
Gillibrand Called Possible 2020 Run a "Moral Question":
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Stephen Colbert she's giving "long, hard thought" to a 2020 run and laid out the beginnings of what could be a reason for her potential candidacy.
"I believe in right versus wrong and until this election I actually thought that wrong was winning," she said. "As I've traveled across my state, across the country for all these candidates, I've seen the hatred and the division that President Trump has put out into our country, and it has called me to fight as hard as I possibly can to restore the moral compass of this country." | | Credit: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/YouTube
Ocasio-Cortez Won't Have a Paycheck for Three Months:
So I guess this is one thing that happens when you're not an older, independently wealthy incoming member of Congress. Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the New York Times she may not have a paycheck for three months until she takes office and she saved money from her restaurant job to get by and is "just dealing with the logistics of it day by day."
"So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real," she said. "I've really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January."
Michelle Obama Gets Personal:
"I don't think anybody will be necessarily prepared to read a memoir like this — especially coming from a first lady." That's what Shonda Rhimes told the Washington Post about "Becoming," Michelle Obama's memoir out Tuesday, of which they got an early copy. Here's some of what Obama wrote: - She calls Trump's birtherism conspiracy theories "crazy and mean-spirited" and said they were "deliberately meant to stir up the wingnuts and kooks." "Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my family's safety at risk. And for this I'd never forgive him."
- She writes openly about race. "I carried a history with me, and it wasn't that of presidents or first ladies. I'd never related to the story of John Quincy Adams the way I did to that of Sojourner Truth."
- She says her "body buzzed with fury" after hearing Trump's "Access Hollywood" comments about grabbing women. "It was an expression of hatred that had generally been kept out of polite company, but still lived in the marrow of our supposedly enlightened society."
| | Credit: ABC
In an interview with Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" that aired this morning, Obama said she suffered a miscarriage and that she and her husband used IVF to conceive their two daughters. "I think it's the worst thing that we do to each other as women, not share the truth about our bodies and how they work," she said.
She also said she and her husband have been to marriage counseling, something she included because she wanted readers to know "Michelle and Barack Obama, who have a phenomenal marriage and who love each other, we work on our marriage. And we get help with our marriage when we need it."
Guys, I think this book might sell a lot of copies.
Colin Kaepernick's Group Pushing for Maroon 5 to Drop Super Bowl:
A Change.org petition for Maroon 5 to drop out of the Super Bowl halftime show in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick has received more than 27,000 signatures in the past week, and it just got a boost from Know Your Rights Camp, Kaepernick's youth empowerment campaign. The group posted about the petition Thursday.
"The band has a chance to stand on the right side of history," the page read. "If they don't, they will be remembered for choosing to side with the NFL over its players." | | Credit: Change.org
Snoop Smokes a Blunt in Front of the White House:
Snoop Dogg is in town for "Redemption of a Dogg," a play set to his music and inspired by his life that's playing this weekend at Warner Theater. He did some pre-show sightseeing, including going to Lafayette Park in front of the White House, where he smoked a blunt and took pictures with fans. | | Credit: @snoopdogg/Instagram
Washington voters legalized the use of recreational marijuana in 2014, but it remains illegal on a federal level. That means there's 21.6% of the city controlled by the federal government where it's still illegal, including Lafayette Park, which is run by the National Park Service.
Marijuana also remains illegal for purchase district-wide. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said earlier this week that under the incoming Democratic House, she plans to introduce legislation to change that, something that was blocked by House Republicans in 2014.
Street Art Sighting:
In his first Instagram story since losing his election, Beto O'Rourke posted scenes from his hometown of El Paso, Texas, including this shot of a mural for the city's Sunset Heights district. | | Credit: @betoorourke/Instagram story
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. | | | | | | |
