| | | | It's been one hell of a 2018 so far | | FACT: It's January 5, 2018.
All of these things have happened in politics so far this year:
1. President Trump questioned his own Justice Department and seemed to endorse the idea of the so-called "deep state."
2. Trump claimed credit for the lack of deaths on US commercial airlines in 2017. (There hasn't been a death on a commercial US airliner since 2009).
3. Trump tweeted that he has a "bigger" and "more powerful" nuclear button than North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
4. Journalist Michael Wolff's behind-the-scenes look at the first year of the Trump White House began to leak out -- portraying Trump and those close to him as out of their depth in every way.
5. Trump released a scathing statement -- following the release of quotes by Steve Bannon to Wolff -- blasting his former chief strategist as insane (and also less involved in Trump's success than people believe).
6. Utah GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican member of the world's greatest deliberative body, announced he was retiring -- despite pleas from Trump to run again. Mitt Romney is likely to run.
7. It's confirmed that the FBI is investigating the Clinton Foundation.
8. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells CNN's Elise Labott that he is planning to stay on in his job for the entire year.
9. Ohio state Treasurer Josh Mandel abruptly drops his 2018 challenge to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), leaving Republicans without a serious candidate one month before the state's filing deadline.
10. Questions swirl -- largely stoked by Wolff's book -- about a) whether Trump is mentally fit for the presidency and b) if Trump is in the midst of some sort of mental deterioration.
Let me end where I started: It's January 5. Buckle up.
-- Chris | | 🚨RETIREMENT WATCH (AGAIN)🚨 | | A congressional retirement announcement seems to come every day... today, it's Congressman Ron DeSantis' turn. The Florida Republican announced on "Fox & Friends" that he will be a candidate for governor in 2018, which opens up his House seat. DeSantis is the 10th member of the House to announce a gubernatorial bid this cycle.
From CNN's Wade Payson-Denney:
Two weeks ago, President Trump effectively endorsed DeSantis, tweeting, "Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and then Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida. He loves our Country and is a true FIGHTER!" Despite the Trump tweet, DeSantis does have a tough competitor in the Republican primary scheduled for August 28. He will face Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who was a congressman from 2001-2011 and already has an eight figure war chest for the race.
DeSantis is in his third term representing Florida's 6th District, based around Daytona Beach. The district voted for Trump 56-40 in 2016. It will likely be an uphill climb for Democrats to make this seat competitive come November. | | | It's a "bomb cyclone" which means SNOW. So, we bring you a Fleet Foxes favorite: "White Winter Hymnal." | | | CNN's Eric Bradner reports: "Ohio Republican Josh Mandel is dropping his bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, citing a health issue his wife is facing. Mandel's decision -- announced in an email to supporters Friday -- means Republicans have suddenly lost their leading candidate in a state President Donald Trump won by 9 percentage points in 2016. The GOP controls the Senate 51-49, and although more Democrats are at risk than Republicans this year, Trump's national unpopularity means Democrats have a good chance of taking over.
Among the potential candidates Republicans could turn to, one GOP strategist said, are retiring Rep. Pat Tiberi and Rep. Dave Joyce. Republicans currently running for governor -- Rep. Jim Renacci, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor and former Sen. Mike DeWine -- could also re-evaluate their options with Mandel out of the race."
More in Eric's full story here. | | What are you doing this weekend? (Saba's answer: Probably catching up with DC Twitter and finishing Michael Wolff's book). The White House has got big plans, too: President Trump is heading to Camp David to host a legislative retreat with GOP congressional leaders. Here's a look at who will be there, per WH deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters and the WH pool:
Participants: - President Donald J. Trump
- Vice President Mike Pence
Senators/Members: - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
- Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn
- Speaker Paul Ryan
- House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
- House Majority Whip Steve Scalise
Cabinet Arriving Saturday Morning: - Secretary Rex Tillerson, Department of State
- Secretary Jim Mattis, Department of Defense
- Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Department of Homeland Security
- Secretary Betsy DeVos, Department of Education
- Director Mike Pompeo, Central Intelligence Agency
- Director Mick Mulvaney, Office of Management and Budget
- Administrator Scott Pruitt, Environmental Protection Agency
- Dep Sec Jeffrey Rosen, Department of Transportation
Staff: - General John Kelly, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff
- Marc Short, Assistant to the President and Director of Legislative Affairs
- Gary Cohn, Assistant to the President
- Johnny DeStefano, Assistant to the President
- Bill Stepien, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs
- Mercedes Schlapp, Assistant to the President
- Sarah Sanders, Assistant to the President
- Stephen Miller, Assistant to the President
- Andrew Bremberg, Assistant to the President
| | CLINTON FOUNDATION INVESTIGATION | | CNN's Laura Jarrett and Evan Perez report:
"Federal authorities are actively investigating allegations of corruption related to the Clinton Foundation, the charity of Bill and Hillary Clinton, according to a US official briefed on the matter.
The FBI and federal prosecutors are looking into whether donors to the foundation were improperly promised policy favors or special access to Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state in exchange for donations to the charity's coffers, as well as whether tax-exempt funds were misused, the official said.
The investigation, led by the FBI field office in Little Rock, Arkansas, is being overseen by the US attorney's office in the state, according to the source."
Read more in their story here. | | From CNN's Eric Bradner and Greg Krieg:
"Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is still traveling the country like a candidate and would start with a much stronger early-state organization than he had in 2016; former Vice President Joe Biden, who's universally known and is seen as authentic, a valuable commodity in this era; and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is immensely popular with the progressive base and has been carefully maneuvering to address her potential weaknesses.
Then there's an almost-as-prolific trio of senators who have emerged as powerful foils to the Trump administration: New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, whose role in ousting Democratic Sen. Al Franken over sexual misconduct allegations positioned her to lead the same charge against President Donald Trump; California Sen. Kamala Harris, who emerged as a star in her first year in office and, along with Warren and two other Democrats, just introduced a major Wall Street oversight bill; and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who recently made a push for marijuana legalization as part of his broader racial justice effort."
Read more in their 2020 Vision memo here. | | | Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekend and remind your friends and family to subscribe to The Point. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | | | | |
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