Daily Archives

November 11, 2018

22 posts · Sunday

Trump Was Very Happy to See Putin

November 11, 2018 at 9:20 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin “shared an oddly warm greeting Sunday when the two took part in a ceremony in Paris marking 100 years since the end of World War I. The two leaders arrived separately from the more than 60 heads of state who took part in the commemorations and when Putin showed up it seems clear Trump was happy to see him,” Slate reports.

“A photo that quickly went viral and many said was surprisingly telling, shows Trump flashing a big smile when he sees Putin, whereas France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel look at him much more sternly.”

The Guardian: “Trump looked on grimly throughout. The only moment he brightened up was when he saw Vladimir Putin approach. He flashed a goofy smile, all the more noticeable alongside Macron and Merkel who had switched their demeanour to steel resolve on spotting the Russian leader.”

Trump Wants No More Relief Funds for Puerto Rico

November 11, 2018 at 8:20 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump doesn’t want to give Puerto Rico any more federal money for its recovery from Hurricane Maria, White House officials have told congressional appropriators and leadership. This is because he claims, without evidence, that the island’s government is using federal disaster relief money to pay off debt,” according to Jonathan Swan.

“Trump also told senior officials last month that he would like to claw back some of the federal money Congress has already set aside for Puerto Rico’s disaster recovery, claiming mismanagement.”

Sinema’s Lead Keeps Growing

November 11, 2018 at 8:12 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Kyrsten Sinema (D) again widened her lead again over Martha McSally (R), “a pivotal day in the U.S. Senate race as the number of uncounted ballots dwindled,” the Arizona Republic reports.

“Sinema expanded her lead to 32,640 votes — a 1.5 percentage-point lead. Her campaign manager predicted her victory was inevitable.”

Nadler Suggests Hush Payments Could Be Impeachable

November 11, 2018 at 8:09 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) told CNN that if President Trump is found to have violated campaign finance laws with hush payments to women then it “might very well be an impeachable offense.”

Said Nadler: “Well, it may be an impeachable offense if it goes to the question of the President procuring his office through corrupt means. And that could be impeachable.”

Former Clinton Aide Thinks Hillary Will Run Again

November 11, 2018 at 8:07 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Mark Penn, a former adviser to the Clintons, and Andrew Stein, former New York City council president, predict in the Wall Street Journal that Hillary Clinton will make another run for president in 2020.

They write: “True to her name, Mrs. Clinton will fight this out until the last dog dies. She won’t let a little thing like two stunning defeats stand in the way of her claim to the White House… You can expect her to run for president once again. Maybe not at first, when the legions of Senate Democrats make their announcements, but definitely by the time the primaries are in full swing.”

Trump Keeps Pushing Car Tariffs

November 11, 2018 at 8:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jonathan Swan: “Trump is as jazzed as ever about hitting foreign-made cars with steep tariffs. Just about every member of his senior economic team besides Peter Navarro believes this is a terrible idea. But they haven’t swayed him.”

“With each passing month, his zest for car tariffs only swells.”

“Trump now views the threat of car tariffs as his best leverage over negotiating partners. He has privately told aides that he got a better trade deal with Canada because he threatened Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with car tariffs. And he says the same about the Europeans, according to sources briefed on his thinking.”

Florida Recount Can’t Be Done by Deadline

November 11, 2018 at 5:37 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The election overseer for a critical county in Florida confirmed to CNN on Sunday what observers in both parties had begun to predict: There is no way Palm Beach County’s machine recount will be finished by the Thursday deadline.”

“The prediction came as a rare point of agreement between Democrats and Republicans in the state, who have engaged in a tense fight since Tuesday’s election brought tight margins in statewide races.”

Schumer Might Tie Spending Bill to Mueller Protection

November 11, 2018 at 3:56 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats “might tie their support for the next spending bill to legislation that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller – although he stopped short of saying he would be willing to risk a shutdown,” USA Today reports.

Said Schumer: “The appointment of Mr. Whitaker should concern every American –Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative – who believes in rule of law and justice. He has already prejudged the Mueller situation. If he stays there, he will create a constitutional crisis by inhibiting Mueller or firing Mueller, so Congress has to act.””

Quote of the Day

November 11, 2018 at 3:32 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I don’t know. You can’t make a diagnosis over TV, they tell me.”

— Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), when asked by The Atlantic if she thinks President Trump is stable.

Mississippi Senator Jokes About Public Hanging

November 11, 2018 at 3:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), who is currently campaigning in a runoff election for that seat against Democratic challenger Mike Espy, joked in a video published that if a cattle rancher she was campaigning with “invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row,” TPM reports.

Saudi Officials Discussed Assassinating Enemies

November 11, 2018 at 2:52 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Top Saudi intelligence officials close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked a small group of businessmen last year about using private companies to assassinate Iranian enemies of the kingdom,” the New York Times reports.

“The Saudis inquired at a time when Prince Mohammed, then the deputy crown prince and defense minister, was consolidating power and directing his advisers to escalate military and intelligence operations outside the kingdom. Their discussions, more than a year before the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, indicate that top Saudi officials have considered assassinations since the beginning of Prince Mohammed’s ascent.”

Conway Dismisses Her Husband’s Op-Ed

November 11, 2018 at 1:14 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway dismissed her husband’s New York Times op-ed that argued President Trump’s appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general was unconstitutional, telling Fox News: “I offer my advice to the president in private. I don’t need to put it on the opinion pages because I’m counselor to the president.”

Nadler Will Call Whitaker as His First Witness

November 11, 2018 at 12:08 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who is poised to take control of the House Judiciary Committee in January, said that he plans to call acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker as his first witness, the Washington Post reports.

The hearing would focus on Whitaker’s “expressed hostility” to special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, which Nadler called “a real threat to the integrity of that investigation.”

Nadler added that he is prepared to subpoena Whitaker if necessary.

Trump Properties Received $3.2 Million from Campaigns

November 11, 2018 at 12:04 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Campaigns and PACs spent at least $3.2 million at Trump-owned and branded properties throughout the two-year midterm election cycle, a CNN analysis of Federal Election Commission filings shows. And the total could rise after post-election financial reports are published by the commission.”

“No single group spent more than the Republican National Committee, which spent at least $1.2 million at the properties since the start of 2017.”

Scott Accuses Nelson of ‘Committing Fraud’

November 11, 2018 at 11:42 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) said that he’s won his closely contested Senate race against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and that his opponent is “committing fraud” in an effort to steal back the race from him and is a “sore loser,” Politico reports.

Said Scott: “Senator Nelson is trying to commit fraud to win this election.”

Ratcliffe, Gowdy Added to Shortlist for Attorney General

November 11, 2018 at 11:40 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

NBC News: “Two members of congress, a cabinet official, a presidential confidant and a frequent guest on Fox News are among those being considered by President Trump to be the next attorney general… Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) have also joined the list of those in the running.”

Trump Hammered Over Canceled Cemetery Visit

November 11, 2018 at 11:37 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel his visit to an American military cemetery outside of Paris threatened to overshadow his trip here, as government officials, historians, and fellow Republicans hammered him for more than 24 hours for that move,” Politico reports.

Said GOP operative Tucker Martin: “If Dems can’t figure out how to make hay for days out of Trump not visiting military cemetery on anniversary of conclusion of WWI because of a little rain…while other leaders attend…they really don’t deserve to win in 2020.”

A Few Observations About the 2018 Midterm Elections

November 11, 2018 at 9:18 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

Some random thoughts on the 2018 midterm election results:

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