| | | | | President Donald Trump speaks after tossing prepared remarks during a round-table discussion on tax reform Thursday in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, as Rep. Evan Jenkins, center, watches. Credit: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images | | | Michelle Obama Implies Trump is the "Fun" Parent: He "lets you eat candy all day," while her husband made you eat your vegetables
Protesting, So Hot Right Now: A fifth of Americans have attended a protest or rally in the past two years, per today's poll of the day
Don't Tread on Philadelphia: The Gadsden flag snake isn't just for Tea Party rallies anymore | | | What the White House Is Talking About:
President Donald Trump has nothing on his public schedule today.
What the White House Press Corps Is Talking About:
Trump will not attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Just like last year. However -- he's said other administration officials can attend and that he will "actively encourage members of the executive branch" to go. Press secretary Sarah Sanders will sit at the head table. Here's a statement from Margaret Talev, president of the correspondents' group.
Sanders is scheduled to brief reporters at 2 p.m. today. | | Jobs Report:
The first Friday of the month means jobs numbers are out for the previous month, and March was ... not so great. Amid fears of a trade war and a jumpy stock market, the economy added 103,000 jobs, less than the 185,000 economists had anticipated. On the bright side, unemployment is still low, and wages increased across the board at 2.7%
"He's a Good Man" Could Be Code for You're Getting Fired:
In a brief gaggle Thursday with the press aboard Air Force One, Trump called embattled Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt "a good man." It's something he's said before about a bunch of people he's then proceeded to fire, including Rex Tillerson, H.R. McMaster, David Shulkin, Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus and Tom Price.
But this morning Trump tweeted "fake news" is pushing the Pruitt story, and that he's doing a "great job but is TOTALLY under siege."
Street Art Sighting:
These posters are popping up on Capitol Hill, mocking Pruitt's cozy living arrangements in a condo owned by a powerful lobbyist's wife. The phone number, BTW, goes to the EPA's press office. (h/t CNN's eagle eye Congress reporter Ashley Killough.) | | Credit: Ashley Killough
Trump Dumps More Sanctions on Russia:
This time the administration took aim at Russian oligarchs, government officials and business leaders (including Vladimir Putin's son-in-law). The sanctions were announced today by the Treasury Department and are aimed at curbing what the administration considers increasingly brazen bad actions orchestrated by Russia around the globe.
Our Daily Melania:
She's had a quiet week after Monday's Easter Egg Roll, but this morning Melania Trump's office announced the first lady will be hosting a listening and discussion session next week at the White House with middle school students on "their personal triumphs and struggles." It's going to take place Monday in the Blue Room, which means it's likely a pretty small group, about 12 students from different local schools, her spokeswoman says. I'll be there to cover, so stay-tuned.
Michelle Obama Implies Trump Is the "Fun" Parent:
At a conference Thursday in Boston, Michelle Obama described the current presidency (without saying Trump's name) as being run by the parent who's a little more loosey-goosey with the rules, who "lets you eat candy all day," while her husband's tenure was more like the parent who makes you do your homework, "the one who told you to eat your carrots and go to bed on time." She said time will tell which method works best.
The former first lady (again) ruled out running for president, saying, "I don't want to be president; I don't think I should be president; I think I can do a lot of things, but that's not one of them. ...Just because I gave a good speech, I'm smart and intelligent doesn't mean I should be the next president. That's been our problem. We're very shortsighted about how we think about selecting the commander in chief." | | Dress Like a Future Royal:
Today Meghan Markle joined Prince Harry to check out the UK team trials for the next Invictus Games, an Olympics-style competition for wounded warriors that her fiance started several years ago. It was windy, and Markle dressed down in black jeans and a black T-shirt, but I seriously loved her olive green trench coat, which happens to be made by one of my personal go-to shopping sites, Aritzia. The Babaton "Lawson" trench is available here for $245; the green is almost sold out, but there are other good color options. | | | Credit: Karwai Tang/Getty Images, aritzia.com | | What Washington Is Talking About:
Prepping for Mark Zuckerberg's congressional testimony Wednesday. Congress will return from its two-week recess next week, and the plan was for the Facebook CEO to testify in a room on the House side that could fit large numbers of lawmakers on the dais. But because of the lack of seating for the press and public expected to attend, staffers are looking for another location.
What America Is Talking About:
Dunkin' Donuts is getting into fries. Donut Fries. It's selling them alongside other items such as chicken tenders at select locations in the Boston area.
Poll of the Day:
Protesting, so hot right now. According to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll released today, 20% of Americans have attended a rally or protest in the past two years. The most popular reason people attended one was for women's rights (attended by 46% of rallygoers), and in opposition to Trump on environmental and energy issues (both 32%). | | Credit: The Washington Post
Mexico's Leader Has Had it With Trump:
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto posted a five-minute speech on social media directed at Trump. Peña Nieto said Mexico is "willing to engage in a dialogue" but said his country wouldn't be Trump's punching bag: "If your recent statements are the result of frustration due to domestic policy issues, to your laws or to your Congress, it is to them that you should turn to, not to Mexicans. We will not allow negative rhetoric to define our actions. We will only act in the best interest of Mexicans."
Trump Says He Didn't Know About the $130,000 Payment:
Trump spoke about Stormy Daniels publicly for the first time Thursday on Air Force One, telling reporters he didn't know about the payment from his attorney Michael Cohen shortly before Election Day to Daniels. When asked why Cohen made the payment, Trump said, "You'll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You'll have to ask Michael."
"Why I'm Suing For My Right to Flip Off the President":
Juli Briskman penned an op-ed published in today's Washington Post explaining why she's suing her former employer for firing her after she flipped off Trump's motorcade in October. Although Trump couldn't retaliate against her, he could retaliate against her employer, which does work for the government. She said she's suing because "a private employer can't suppress my freedom of expression on my own time out of fear of illegal government retaliation without violating Virginia employment law."
An Online Archive of White House Pool Reports is Coming:
The White House Correspondents' Association, University of Maryland and Newseum announced today they're partnering to create a digital, searchable archive of pool reports. Dope.
Bob Dylan and Kesha Appear on EP for same-sex couples:
The EP, "Universal Love," also features St. Vincent, Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Bloc Party's Kele Okereke singing love songs rewritten for same-sex couples. Released today by MGM Resorts, it's intended for use in same-sex weddings | | Credit: Sony Music Entertainment
Adam Rippon Dreads Seeing the 🇺🇸 Emoji on Social Media:
In an interview with Out, the Olympian talked about the social media harassment he faced during the Games 😔:
"I'm an American representing the United States of America, and I would get a pit in my stomach every time there was somebody on social media with an American flag in their name. The most consistent message I got was, 'I hope you fail, I hope you fall. I've never cheered against someone in my entire life.' That was really consistent -- it was pretty much across the board. That somebody could go out of their way to say they're proud of their country and that they love it, and they're a patriot, and then turn around and taunt their athletes is incredibly disrespectful. They're the opposite of a patriot. You don't represent America. You represent you and your family and your small-minded whatever. That's not American."
Don't Tread on Philadelphia:
The Gadsden flag snake isn't just for Tea Party rallies anymore, it turns out. A '76ers logo with a Liberty Bell and the snake has shown up around Philadelphia. ESPN's Darren Rovell, who posted photos of the logo as a window sticker and banner, said it might be part of a playoff campaign. | | Credit: @darrenrovell/Twitter
Street Art Sighting:
Last week I spotted this spray-painted promo for a cool website you can check out called donaldjtrump.com, where you can buy trucker hats, on North Capitol in Washington. I checked Thursday, and unfortunately, it's already been covered over. | | Credit: Hunter Schwarz
If you spot political street art, tweet me @hunterschwarz, tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz, or email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com with your sighting so I can feature it in COVER/LINE.
P.S.:
Don't worry about the Walmart yodeler being milkshake ducked. Mason Ramsey, the boy who went viral this week in a video yodeling at Walmart, tweeted at someone who suggested he might be caught using the N-word, writing, "Nope I wouldn't." His Twitter account, which says it's managed by his guardians, is the last pure thing on the internet. I am so here for the Walmart-yodeling kid.
Have a good weekend and we'll see you on Monday! | | | | | | |
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