| | | | Why Sanders' non-answer on Stormy Daniels matters | | Sarah Sanders was asked a simple question by CNN's Jeff Zeleny on Wednesday afternoon: Did President Donald Trump know that his personal lawyer made a $130,000 payment to silence a porn star alleging that she had engaged in an extramarital affair with Trump?
"Not that I'm aware of," said the White House press secretary.
Which, as you may have noticed, isn't "no."
Now, ask yourself this: If Sanders could have said "no" -- flat out -- to the question of whether Trump knew that Michael Cohen was making a six-figure payment to keep a porn star saying she had an affair with the President, don't you think she would have?
OF COURSE SHE WOULD HAVE.
That she didn't is telling. It's a hedge, a loophole, a way of answering without answering.
If you didn't get that message loud and clear, check out this other exchange between Zeleny and Sanders:
ZELENY: Has he talked to Michael Cohen about that this week since this has become news?
SANDERS: I don't know. I'm not sure.
"I don't know." "I'm not sure."
Again, if Sanders could be definitive, she would be. She isn't.
Remember, too, that in the lawsuit filed by Daniels on Tuesday night, she claims that Trump knew about both the payment to her and Cohen's subsequent attempts to ensure her silence -- efforts that were as recent as late last month.
The Point: Non answers + serious allegations + $130,000 payment = this Stormy story isn't going away. President Trump needs to find a better answer -- and soon.
-- Chris | | "Yeah and he also won the popular vote."
-Stormy Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti,
on the White House's contention that Donald Trump had won an arbitration case with Daniels over allegations the two had a sexual affair. | | | FEUD & FRUSTRATION AT THE WH: A DIAGRAM | | | CNN's Greg Krieg and Z. Byron Wolf updated this great diagram of all the many feuds and frustrations splitting the Trump White House. As they write in the story, "The resignation of economic adviser Gary Cohn on the heels of Hope Hicks' abrupt resignation and Jared Kushner's security clearance issues are only the latest in a torrent of stories about staff tensions since the first days of President Donald Trump's White House." Read more here. | | CNN's Eric Bradner reports: "Former Vice President Joe Biden, campaigning for Democrat Conor Lamb ahead of the House special election here next week, laid out a path for his party to win back the working-class voters who rejected them in 2016.
"In doing so Tuesday, Biden offered a glimpse of how he'd approach 2020 if he runs for president again: by working to rebuild a Democratic coalition that includes white, rural, blue-collar voters." Read more here.
In other #2020 news, CNN's Caroline Kenny reports: Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will be at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia next week. He will be on a panel of former public officials, historians, and legal experts to discuss how to restore the founders' vision for America.
Also: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" last night and spoke about his passion for local politics. Watch the clip here. | | Greg Krieg chatted with Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison. Here's his dispatch:
Ellison, DNC deputy chair and leading party progressive, has officially become the new face of the House Democrats' "Medicare for all" push.
He took over from former Rep. John Conyers, who resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment last year, by unanimous consent in the House on Wednesday afternoon.
"The movement carries on," he told CNN a few minutes later. "I remain a staunch advocate of the ACA, but we can imagine a world in which we can have universal health care styled on a 'Medicare for all' bill."
But with Democrats on the outs on Capitol Hill … what's next?
"We are in the middle of a very critical national conversation and we're going to incorporate into the next iteration that which we learn -- so we expect the bill to get better, with more flesh on the bones," he said.
Ellison's influence with the party's grassroots will make him a popular choice to grab the torch -- and a bigger target for Republicans trying to convince voters the party's moving too far left. | | PELOSI'S PLEA: MORE WOMEN IN POLITICS | | CNN reported Wednesday: "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called for more women to get involved in politics and use their power, during a speech celebrating her tenure as the first female House speaker in US history.
Pelosi, who was speaking at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, also donated the gavel she used and pantsuit she wore when she was sworn in as the first female speaker of the House in 2007. The museum also announced a new collection focused on how women have impacted history, called the American Women's History Initiative.
"To build that future, we need more women engaged in every area of our democracy," Pelosi said.
BTW: International Women's Day is tomorrow! | |  | | H/T Brenna | | | Calling on all of you Point readers to tell people you know to subscribe. | | 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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