| | | | | President Trump waves as he returns to the White House Saturday after his trip to Europe. Credit: Olivier Douliery/Pool/Getty Images | | | Obama Returns to Politics: With first post-White House fundraiser to be held this week
The Politics of Spider-Man: The populist villain of America's No. 1 movie
Politics For Your Ears: The Russian pop star whose manager set up Don Jr.'s Russia lawyer meeting | | | What the White House is Talking About:
Nothing on President Trump's official schedule today.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
The briefing today is off-camera with Sarah Huckabee Sanders at 2 pm, and the audio is embargoed until it's over. The big topic is Donald Trump, Jr.'s flip-flop on the meeting he had with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. The whole issue about what it means, if anything, will likely shape today's news cycle. DJT Jr. himself all but admitted in a tweet this morning that the meeting took place, and why he went: | | Credit: @donaldtrumpjr/Twitter
"CHELSEA FOR PRESIDENT!":
The President was also tweeting today, defending the controversy with Ivanka Trump at the G20 Summit, when she briefly got up from her third-row seat and moved her dad's chair at the leaders' table. Trump basically tweeted it was no bigs and that if Chelsea Clinton had done it, the mainstream media would be announcing her candidacy for the presidency.
The Famed Paris Restaurant That Will Host the Trumps and Macrons:
The Trumps head to Paris later this week to celebrate Bastille Day at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron. According to Paris Match, Macron will host Trump, and, presumably the first lady, at Le Jules Verne, the famed luxe restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower. Apparently, blue lobster and caviar will be on chef Alain Ducasse's menu for the VIPs Thursday night. | | Taj Mahal Tag Sale:
Guys, want a poker table? The casino and hotel Trump opened in Atlantic City in 1990 will be demolished soon to make way for a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Trump doesn't own the building anymore, but its furnishings are still pretty Trumpian, and the tag sale to unload them is ongoing. Just sayin', in case you fancy a giant chandelier or something.
Obama's First Post-White House Fundraiser is Happening This Week:
Six months. That's how long it's taken for former President Obama to officially dip back into politics. On Thursday he'll headline a fundraiser at a private residence in DC for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, an organization championed by Eric Holder. | | Oh, and He's Still Holding Babies:
ICYMI, here's a picture of Obama holding a baby in an airport in Alaska last week. Style points for the kid's hat. | | Credit: Jolene Jackinsky
But Pence on a Horse is Still the Best Pic:
In a battle of random political photos from the weekend, the winner may be this one of Vice President Mike Pence taking a trail ride through Rock Creek Park. It's sort of Reagan-y? But if you took off his shirt it would be sort of Putin-y. | | Credit: @VP/Twitter
Dress Like the First Lady:
First Lady Melania Trump landed with her husband at Andrews Air Force Base on Saturday. He headed back to Washington, and she apparently went to New York. But they both came down the steps of Air Force One together, she in a $1,195 lace skirt by Dolce & Gabbana. It's the design house she has worn the most, by my count, since becoming First Lady. | | | Credit: Saul Loeb/Getty Images; net-a-porter.com | | This Ivanka Dress Got You Guys Upset:
I don't think I've had as much response to an outfit worn by a Trump family member as I did the pink Roksanda dress that Ivanka Trump wore to the G20 Summit on Saturday. I mean, I think it's a cute dress, but maybe it didn't quite match the occasion. Better for a wedding? Still, so many people texted or messaged me about it that I figure I should put it in today. It's the designer's trumpet bow-sleeved "Sibella" dress, and it retails for $1,665. | | | Credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images; lyst.com | | What Washington is Talking About:
Congress returns from its July Fourth recess and Senate Repubs are facing pressure over their health care bill. Sen. John McCain said on CBS's "Face The Nation" yesterday he thought the bill would "probably be dead."
What America is Talking About:
"Spider-Man: Homecoming" had a $117 million opening weekend in the US, the second-best showing for a Spider-Man film, behind 2007's "Spider-Man 3" with Tobey Maguire (the weird one where he goes emo).
Poll of the Day:
The percentage of Americans without health insurance has risen to 11.7%, according to the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index. That's up from the record low of 10.9% last year. Gallup cites rising premiums and uncertainty as factors for the rise. | | The Politics of "Spider-Man: Homecoming":
It's a superhero movie, it's a coming-of-age-movie, and it's also a little political. Zendaya's character, M.J., talks about going to a protest when her Academic Decathlon team goes to a competition in Washington, and Spider-Man climbs the Washington Monument while they're in town. | | Credit: Marvel Entertainment/Youtube
The "This Is Fine dog," which has become a political meme to depict public calm in the face of controversy, scandal and meltdown (AKA politics in 2017), makes a cameo as a laptop sticker. | | Credit: Marvel Entertainment/YouTube
But the most political moment in the new "Spider-Man" is the villain monologue -- you know, that part of a movie where the bad guy explains to our hero why he's a bad guy. Michael Keaton, who plays the weapons-dealing Vulture, explains that he's just the little guy fighting for his share in an unfair world. A government contract in partnership with Tony Stark/Iron Man took away his work, and he turned to crime to support his family. Sure, he's illegally obtaining and selling weapons based on alien technology, but isn't that what the rich and powerful already get away with? "We build their roads, we fight their wars," he says, but we only get their "table scraps." It's a full-on, anti-elitist screed.
Trump Hotel in Canada Dropping Trump Name:
The Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto will soon be rebranded as The St. Regis Toronto, according to CTV.
Politics for Your Ears:
Music publicist Rob Goldstone told the Washington Post he was the acquaintance of Donald Trump Jr. who set up the meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower during the campaign and that he also attended the meeting.
Goldstone has worked with the Trump family before, and he's also a manager for pop star Emin Agalarov, whose music video for the song "In Another Life" features a cameo by Donald Trump and 2013 Miss Universe contestants. | | Credit: EminOfficial/YouTube
Trump owned the Miss Universe in 2013, when it was was held in Moscow, and Emin performed "In Another Life" during the pageant. He also released a "Miss Universe version" music video of the song that's all shots and BTS of the contestants. Below is Trump, Emin, and Emin's father, billionaire Moscow developer Aras Agalarov in front of a 2013 Miss Universe step-and-repeat. I never thought a presidential scandal would have a connection to a pop star who made mid-'10s Europop, but here we are. | | Credit: @agalarovaras/Instagram
Street Art Sighting:
Nina D'Agostino sent in a pic of this sign from a Chelsea wine store encouraging people to buy wine before reading "HIS" latest tweet. Who tweets could they possibly be talking about, I wonder...? | | Credit: @NinaDagostino/Twitter
Send me your pics of political street art to coverlinehunter@cnn.com, tweet me @hunterschwarz or tag @cnncoverline on Instagram. | | | | | | |
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