| | | | | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Donald Trump depart from a press conference Thursday in Hanoi, Vietnam, after the second US-North Korea summit. Credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images | | What the White House Is Talking About:
President Donald Trump is flying back today from Vietnam. He's expected in Washington later this evening.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
Trump's declaration he "walked" from talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
And the press conference in Hanoi where the President (unknowingly?) called on state media reporters from Russia and China and ... Sean Hannity. (He ignored CNN's Jim Acosta.) | | 'When We Walked Away it Was a Very Friendly Walk':
It was "no deal" with Kim after Trump's second summit with the North Korean dictator. Trump said afterward the sticking point was that Kim wanted him to drop all US sanctions against North Korea, and Trump would not do so. Denuclearization was also at issue, said the President, who stressed that while the country is "closer" to establishing a nuclear-free situation, it's not there yet. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "We asked (Kim) to do more and he was unprepared to do that." Pompeo joined Trump on stage for the duration of the news conference, saying, "Everyone had hoped we could do just a little bit better."
The biggest winner of the summit in my opinion was Hanoi, and the airlines, hotels and restaurants that reaped the financial benefits of those descending (many via business class) on Vietnam's capital for several days for the Trump-Kim meeting.
Otto Warmbier:
Trump alarmingly said he thought Kim wasn't responsible for the death of former American hostage Otto Warmbier. CNN's Will Ripley, who has spent more time in North Korea than any other foreign journalist these days, reports nothing happens in that country without the approval and knowledge of the "supreme leader." "He tells me he didn't know about it," Trump said, describing Kim's comments about Warmbier's situation. "I will take him at his word." One person who sounds like she doesn't take Kim at his word is Trump's former ambassador to the United Nations. Nikki Haley tweed this morning, "Americans know the cruelty that was placed on Otto Warmbier by the North Korean regime. Our hearts are with the Warmbier family for their strength and courage. We will never forget Otto. (heart and American flag emoji)" | | Thought Cohen Was Done? Not So Fast:
Michael Cohen is back on the Hill today after his blockbuster, seven-plus-hour appearance Wednesday -- only this time he's behind closed doors testifying before the House Intelligence Committee. It's Cohen's third consecutive day with lawmakers, telling all he knows, and all he can reveal, about Trump and his personal and professional habits. Wednesday's testimony was pretty riveting, to be honest, and it had its own dramatic moments, many of which the lawmakers provided themselves.
The Big Winner Was Hallway Pizza Guy:
A meme emerged (of course it did because as Lady Gaga said Wednesday night, "Social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the internet.") of a young Hill staffer scarfing down pizza in the hallway behind CBS News' Ed O'Keefe, who was doing a live shot. | | Credit: MikeUehlein/Twitter
&Pizza ran with it, and today you can get the same pizza ordered by the kid (whose identity is still unknown.) | | Credit: @andpizza/Twitter
Today In SMH:
Two things. One: The first lady of Virginia, wife of Ralph Northam, has been accused by African-American students of handing out pieces of cotton to them during a tour of the Governor's Mansion and telling them to imagine what it would be like to pick cotton all day. The students say she only gave the cotton to three African-Americans who were part of a group of eighth-grade state Senate pages. Pam Northam issued a statement saying, "I regret that I have upset anyone."
Two: US Rep. Matt Gaetz, he of the apparently threatening tweet to Michael Cohen, is now being investigated by the Florida Bar over his actions. After first defending himself, Gaetz apologized for the tweet and deleted it. When it emerged he was being investigated and could face discipline, he went a step further Wednesday night with an apologetic tweet saying, "let's leave the Cohen family alone."
'Veep' on Time:
Love this new cover of Time magazine with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the cover. The next and final season of "Veep" premieres on HBO on March 31. (HBO and CNN share parent company WarnerMedia.) The accompanying profile by Molly Ball is worth the read. | | What Washington Is Talking About:
Cohen is testifying today before the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors; the House passed a background check bill Wednesday on a 240-190 vote and it will head next to the Senate; and Sen. Cory Booker plans to reintroduce the Marijuana Justice Act, which several 2020 Democratic hopefuls have signed on as co-sponsors.
What America Is Talking About:
Escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after Pakistan said it shot down two Indian fighter jets; Nintendo announced a pair of new Pokémon games; and T-Pain was crowned winner of the first season of "The Masked Singer" lol.
America's Greatest Enemy:
The foreign country Americans are most likely to say is our greatest enemy has changed, a survey finds. In 2018, 51% cited North Korea, but it fell to 14% this year. The new top enemy is Russia, which rose to 32% from 19% in 2018. Here's the full list from Gallup: | | Credit: Gallup
Scenes From Cohen's Oversight Hearing:
Wednesday's hearing was a wow, with a few moments that still stick out to me: - Republicans were *ruthless* in calling out Cohen for being a liar, but my favorite was when they brought up the @WomenForCohen account. At first, Cohen handled it all in good humor, saying, "We were having fun, that's what it was," but the more it came up, the more you could tell he just wanted them to drop it. #tgif #handsome #sexy
- After Republican Rep. Mark Meadows brought up Department of Housing and Urban Development appointee Lynne Patton to counter Cohen's claims that Trump is racist, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib accused Meadows of using "a black woman as a prop." As chair, Democratic Rep. Elijah E. Cummings played mediator, and today, Meadows and Tlaib were spotted chatting on the House floor.
- In one of the most jaw-dropping moments, Cohen said in his closing statement, "I fear that if (Trump) loses the election in 2020 that there will never be a peaceful transition of power." There was a woman behind Cohen's shoulder on camera who took a second to register what he said before mouthing, "Wow."
- Cummings' closing statement was a love letter to democracy and a call for American redemption. "As a country, we are so much better than this," he said. He told Cohen, "This is a part of your destiny and hopefully this portion of your destiny will lead to a better Michael Cohen, a better Donald Trump, a better United States of America, and a better world and I mean that from the depths of my heart. When we're dancing with the angels, the question will be asked, in 2019, what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact? Did we stand on the sidelines and say nothing?" If you missed it, you can watch Cummings' comments in full here.
Down Goes the Wall Prototypes:
The prototypes built near San Diego were knocked down Wednesday to make room for a second barrier. It cost more than $3 million to build eight prototypes that are unlikely to be used since Congress prohibited US Customs and Border Protection from using any of them. The agency said it "learned a lot" from the prototypes but "we don't necessarily have a purpose or use for them anymore, and we will be bringing them down." | | Credit: Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images
Does the Logo for John Kasich's Two Paths America Group Remind You of Anything:
Because it sure seems a lot like the Obama presidential campaign logo designed by Sol Sender.
Street Art Sighting:
Yesterday was the start of CPAC 2019 at the Gaylord Resort just outside D.C. and on display is a giant print of "Unafraid and Unashamed" by artist Julian Raven. It's a favorite of the MAGA crowd (at the 2016, it was displayed outside the RNC in Cleveland), and it shows a giant Trump and a view of the continental US from space. | | Credit: @JoePerticone/Twitter
Tag or DM me your political street art sightings @hunterschwarz on Twitter or Instagram, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com.
P.S.:
Carly Rae Jepsen dropped two new songs Wednesday -- "Now That I Found You" and "No Drug Like Me" -- and they are good. Guys, I have a feeling she is on the brink of having a big hit. It's time. Carly Rae for Queen of Pop 2K19. Also, the Jonas Brothers are coming back. | | | | | | |
