| | | | | President Trump delivers the State of the Union address at the US Capitol Tuesday. Credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump has a relatively busy day after the State of the Union. He will announce the new head of the World Bank, and then later head to the State Department to make remarks to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. In the evening, he hosts a dinner at the White House for attendees of tomorrow's National Prayer Breakfast.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
Takes, takes, and more takes about SOTU.
Also, OMG, Virginia, What?!?
So, now the attorney general of Virginia, who is third in line to be governor (should Ralph Northam step down for the racist photo on his yearbook page and his abhorrent attempt at an apologetic press conference, and should Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax's own sex scandal preclude him from taking the spot) this morning released a statement saying HE TOO had used blackface. Mark Herring says in 1980 (1980!) he used blackface at a college party to portray a rapper. I mean. I can't. I don't even know what to say. Also, furiously googles "fourth in line for succession??"
But First, The Facts:
We had a crack team of CNN fact-checkers on the job last night in real time as the President delivered his SOTU address to Congress. Immigration, the economy, infrastructure, you name it -- we have it covered. I highly suggest you take a look at this to see where Trump's words do and do not line up with the actual facts.
The Speech, Though:
What did you guys think? I found parts of it to be real and human -- and parts to be full of bloviation. I, of course, enjoyed the stories of the people who were present in the first lady's box. The heroes, the survivors, the children, I dig that part because for me it shows the humanity and emotion behind a lot of what we see and hear in politics, which is typically angry, and pro forma.
It was one of the longest SOTU speeches on record, and while it started with a bipartisan tone, it wasn't really bipartisan at all now, was it? Some people liked it, some people didn't (Van Jones said it was "psychotically incoherent.") The moment when the Democratic women wearing white stood up and cheered was funny -- after Trump said how many new jobs were filled by the ladies :) And the way Nancy Pelosi passively aggressively aimed her clap at Trump was sort of clever, and expertly captured by the always amazing photographer Doug Mills of the New York Times. Also, I liked Pelosi's daughter's tweet that she is more than familiar with this move from her mom. I, for one, loved that Joshua Trump, a boy who has been bullied for his last name, and was a guest of the first lady, took a bit of a snooze. And that sweet Grace Eline was an inspiration. Read about them here if you haven't yet. | | Credit: Alex Wong/AFP/Getty Images
Post-SOTU Polling:
Viewers had mostly positive feelings about Trump's speech last night, according to CNN polling:
'About 6 in 10 speech-watchers had very positive reactions to the President's speech, better than the 48% who reacted that well last year and around the same as the 57% very positive mark in 2017. Those positive marks cut across demographic lines -- with majorities of men (60%) and women (58%), under age 50 (54%) and those 50 or older (61%), and those with (52%) and without (63%) college degrees rating it "very positive."' A lot of the results fell along party lines, of course, but the overall consensus was interesting. | | Credit: CNN
Our Daily Melania:
Melania took a separate motorcade from the President last night, continuing an independent tradition started last year. She has also made the guest experience more robust ... read my story about it here.
Dress Like the First Lady, SOTU Edition:
I had a feeling she wouldn't wear white this year ...
Melania, like the rest of us, probably wasn't anticipating yesterday's spring-like weather in Washington, which is maybe why she wore this Burberry melton wool coat, available here for $2,390. Also, yeah, the glove thing was odd, but I genuinely think Melania wasn't even aware that she had taken one off and that would be when all of the main photos would be taken. It happens. | | | Credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images | | Roger Stone Spotted at Salon:
Actress Marlee Matlin tweeted an insane pic from a hair salon in Florida this morning, that shows Roger Stone in a cape in the background, his hair drenched with what appears to be bleach. Take it from me, a former beauty editor, maintaining a shade of platinum as intense as Stone's white hair is a beast. It takes almost a weekly commitment to coloring. 2019 is weird. That is all. | | | Credit: @MarleeMatlin/Twitter | | What Washington is Talking About:
State of the Union reactions, especially Speaker Pelosi's clapping. And today the House Judiciary Committee is having a hearing on preventing gun violence, the first in eight years, Rep. Mike Thompson said.
What America is Talking About:
"Modern Family" just got renewed for its 11th and final season and a runner in Colorado who was attacked by a mountain lion fought back and killed it with his bare hands. The runner was hospitalized but has been released.
Abrams' Response:
ICYMI, Stacey Abrams' State of the Union response called the historic shutdown "a stunt engineered by the President," said voting rights protections were "the next battle for our democracy," and in a curveball you might not have seen coming, said she's rooting for Trump. "So even as I am very disappointed by the President's approach to our problems, I still don't want him to fail," she said.
Was That Tiffany Trump in Suffragette White?:
Was the first daughter's SOTU outfit choice worn in solidarity with the female lawmakers who wore white to pay tribute to suffragettes and the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, or was it just a coincidence? | | Credit: Saul Loeb/Getty Images
Either way, Taoray Wang, the Chinese fashion brand she's worn to big public events throughout her father's time in office, announced this morning that Tiffany Trump is one of two muses for its upcoming Eternity release this weekend, along with actress Lauren Hutton. Justice For Tiffany, at last.
"Taoray Wang like to challenge themselves in a contradictory way," the company wrote on Instagram. "This season, we have two muses, Lauren Hutton and Tiffany Trump. One is classic and neutral, the other is young and lively. It crosses the boundaries of age and generation, makes fashion and classic merge."
Keep your eye out for the youngest Trump daughter at New York Fashion Week, which goes through next Wednesday. Taoray Wang has its show there Saturday morning.
Words Trump Used First:
The Washington Post analyzed words Trump used in his speech last night that have never before appeared in a State of the Union or joint address to Congress, using transcripts from the American Presidency Project. And my oh my, it's quite a collection of words. "Bloodthirsty," "chilling," "sadistic," "venomous." Truly, the stuff of your worst American carnage nightmares.
Below are Trump's first words the past three years, and you can see all the other firsts uttered by former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton here. | | Credit: The Washington Post
One Word Trump Did Not Use:
"Kardashian."
Trump gave a shoutout to Alice Marie Johnson last night, but when he spoke about how he became familiar with her story, he didn't mention Kim Kardashian West, only saying he heard about Johnson "through friends." Trump said when he saw Johnson's family greeting her after she was released, "I knew I did something right."
For KKW's part, she tweeted she was "So proud!!!!" of Johnson.
Beto Sure Looks Like He's Running:
Beto O'Rourke told Oprah yesterday he's been thinking about running for president and that he'll make a final decision "before the end of this month." The ever-observant Oprah ended the interview by saying, "You seem like you're getting ready to run."
Klobuchar Set to Announce Sunday:
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota revealed yesterday she has an announcement she'd like to make Sunday at Minneapolis' Boom Island Park.
Should she throw her hat in the ring as she's expected to do, Klobuchar will be the sixth woman to announce her candidacy or an exploratory committee out of a field of 11 candidates. I feel like we haven't spent enough time considering just how many women would enter the Democrats' 2020 field. It's unprecedented.
When Warren Reportedly Listed Race as "American Indian":
Sen. Elizabeth Warren reportedly listed her race as "American Indian" on a 1986 State Bar of Texas registration card, per records obtained by the Washington Post. A spokeswoman for Warren didn't dispute the document's legitimacy and pointed out that it was a registration card after she was admitted, not an application form.
"As Senator Warren has said she is not a citizen of any tribe and only tribes determine tribal citizenship. She is sorry that she was not more mindful of this earlier in her career," Warren spokeswoman Kristen Orthman said in a statement.
Rep. Johnson Writes Letter in Support of 21 Savage:
21 Savage has a member of Congress on his side. Georgia's Rep. Hank Johnson called the rapper "an outstanding figure and influence within his family and within Atlanta" in a letter to the immigration judge who will handle Savage's case. "He spends his time giving back to the community and supporting and promoting the betterment of our youth," Johnson wrote.
Street Art Sighting:
This spooky Trump-"It" mash-up head was made for the Nice Carnival in France that starts next week. The theme is "King of Cinema." | | Credit: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Tag or DM me your political street art sightings @hunterschwarz on Twitter or Instagram, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com. | | | | | | |
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