| | | | | President Trump answers a reporter's question after participating in the swearing-in ceremony Monday for Alex Azar, the new HHS secretary. Credit: Chris Kleponis/Pool/Getty Images | | | It's SOTU Tuesday: Everything you need to know ahead of Trump's address tonight
All the President's SOTU Responses: Everyone's doing their own response
For $1, Your Name Can Be on Trump's SOTU Livestream: His campaign's latest fundraising effort | | | What the White House is Talking About:
President Trump delivers his first State of the Union address tonight at 9 ET. CNN's coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET.
What the White House Press Corps is Talking About:
State of the Union and whether Trump will mention the слон in the room. слон is Russian for elephant.
SOTU Overload:
Here's everything you would ever possibly want to know about the history of the State of the Union, including what it would look like if it were a Wes Anderson film (not a joke.) I actually can't wait to find out who this year's designated survivor will be. That's the member of the Cabinet who doesn't go to the Capitol for the speech, just in case the Capitol blows up and everyone in it is killed and someone has to run the country -- i.e. the designated survivor.
The Curse of the State of the Union Response:
Remember when Marco Rubio kept drinking water? Yeah, that was good times. CNN's Ryan Struyk has this handy list of the top 10 worst fallouts in the careers of politicians who gave the official response. Tonight's Democratic response is being given by Congressman Joe Kennedy III, whom everyone seems to refer to as a "rising star." Godspeed, ginger Kennedy, Godspeed, sir. | | Our Daily Melania:
Big night for the first lady, too. She's reappearing in the public eye for the first time since the Stormy Daniels story, and her own weird 24-hour, as-yet-unexplained jaunt last week to Mar-a-Lago. Plus, she's playing hostess to 15 SOTU guests, each selected for their personal stories of heroism or achievement.
One of the greatest stories (IMHO) CNN did last year was from Ed Lavandera, who followed the police officer from New Mexico who adopted the baby born to a heroin-addicted homeless woman he met in the line of duty. Officer Ryan Holets and his wife, Rebecca, will be at the SOTU tonight as guests of Melania Trump, and they'll bring with them baby Hope, who after enduring painful withdrawals and detox, even methadone treatments, is doing well. Ed will be on hand to continue to tell this amazing story -- which is even better because every day I learn something from the heroes among us. | | Rebecca and Ryan Holets stand with baby Hope yesterday in front of the White House.
Golfer Says Trump Cheats at Golf:
"He cheats like hell" are actually the exact words LPGA golfer Suzann Pettersen told a Norwegian newspaper about Trump's golf game. And she doesn't stop there. I appreciate this gem: "I'm pretty sure he pays his caddie well, since no matter how far into the woods he hits the ball, it's in the middle of the fairway when we get there." Pettersen has been friends with Trump and played golf with him for many years. I am willing to wager she's now off the invite list.
Michelle Obama on 'Ellen':
Michelle Obama will give her first televised post-White House sit-down interview to Ellen DeGeneres on her show Thursday. It's her "gift" to the talk show host for Ellen's 60th birthday, I guess.
Dress Like the First Daughter:
Ivanka Trump wore this Oscar de la Renta gown to Saturday night's Alfalfa Club dinner in Washington. She posted this pic of herself and Jared Kushner to her Instagram and gave the photo credit to the couple's son, Joseph. Here's the dress from de la Renta's Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear runway: | | | Credit: @ivankatrump/Instagram, Getty Images | | What Washington is Talking About:
"State of the Uniom" [sic], and #ReleaseTheMemo. The House Intel committee voted yesterday to release a four-page classified memo written by Repubs that is critical of FBI surveillance.
What America is Talking About:
Tom Hanks will play Mr. Rogers in an upcoming biopic.
Poll of the Day:
It's one thing to hear about all the lawmakers who aren't seeking reelection; it's another to see visually how it compares with past years. The number of Dems who are leaving or have left the House isn't especially unusual, but Repubs ... yeesh. At least 36 Repub House members have announced they are retiring, resigning or seeking another office.
If the Republican Party was a business and you were in HR, you'd look at this and say, hey, why are we losing all of our employees? Do we have workplace issues we need to work through? | | Midterm Race Ratings:
CNN is out with Key Race Ratings for both the House and Senate. Dems have a real chance of taking the former -- and a narrow path to win the latter.
Teh Sate of r Uniom is Strong:
As someone who writes for a living, few things bother me like a typo. That's why I felt so bad for whomever made the tickets for tonight's address and wrote "Uniom" instead of "Union." Everyone's human, and typos happen to the best of us, and the good news is it only appeared on some tickets. Updated versions with the correct spelling were, as of this morning, being reprinted and distributed. | | Credit: Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper
Ditching Dems:
At least nine say they're not planning to attend tonight, including Reps. John Lewis, Frederica Wilson,and Maxine Waters (she has other plans, see below).
All the President's SOTU Responses:
In addition to Joe Kennedy III's official response: - Elizabeth Guzman, a Virginia state lawmaker, will give the Dems' official Spanish-language response;
- Sen. Bernie Sanders will give his own response;
- Rep. Maxine Waters will give a response at the top of the BET special, "Angela Rye's State of the Union";
- Former Rep. Donna Edwards will give a response for the Working Families Party.
For $1, Your Name can be on the Trump Campaign's SOTU Livestream:
Trump's campaign is fundraising off his address tonight, offering supporters the chance to see their name on his livestream. The page for the promotion also lets users put in an "other" amount or give the max $2,700 that's allowed under FEC law. | | Credit: Trump campaign
US Declines to Impose New Sanctions on Russia:
Last night, before the midnight deadline, the Treasury published a report in retaliation for Russian interference in the 2016 campaign that includes the names of 114 senior Russian political figures and 96 oligarchs with a net worth estimated to be at least $1 billion. That's all it does, name names, and the Trump administration says that's enough because it provides a deterrent to Russia's richest and most powerful.
Deputy FBI Director Out:
Shortly after we published yesterday's issue, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe announced he was stepping down. An all-staff email from FBI Director Chris Wray hinted that a to-be-released inspector general's report was behind McCabe's early departure.
Cleveland Indians to Drop 'Chief Wahoo' Logo:
The MLB announced Monday the Indians will no longer use the "Chief Wahoo" logo on their uniforms beginning in the 2019 season. Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. said in a statement, "The logo is no longer appropriate for on-field use in Major League Baseball," and Indians owner Paul Dolan said although "we recognize many of our fans have a longstanding attachment" to the logo, he was on board with the decision. | | Credit: Jason Miller/Getty Images
Street Art Sighting:
This "Shame on you, Trump!" sign was spotted by Ryan Alexander in the window of Carrie Bradshaw's New York City apartment from "Sex and the City." It's next to "The New Colossus" poem, which is displayed at the Statue of Liberty. | | Credit: Ryan Alexander
If you spot political street art, I'd love to see it. Here's how you can reach me:
1. Tweet me @hunterschwarz
2. Tag me on Instagram @hunterschwarz
3. Email me at coverlinehunter@cnn.com | | | | | | |
