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| Trump VA pick UNDER FIRE | Allegedly gave out prescriptions like a 'candy man' | Macron addresses Congress | Jokes about bromance with Trump | Rips 'fear and anger' | Justices hear travel ban case | GOP holds Arizona House seat | World Penguin Day |
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Macron est: À. LA. MAISON!: |
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| French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to a joint session of Congress this morning as part of his state visit to the United States. Here are some of the highlights: http://bit.ly/2r3Ef71 On Iran getting nuclear weapons: "Not now, not if five years, not in ten years,” Macron said. “Never." http://bit.ly/2r06jHd On the Paris climate accord: Marcon predicted that the United States will come back to the Paris climate change agreement. “I’m sure, one day, the United States will come back and join the Paris agreement...” Full quote: http://bit.ly/2vPGCPy Macron’s got jokes!: French President Macron told a story of Benjamin Franklin meeting Voltaire to joke about his own “bromance” with President Trump. "[They hugged and they] kissed each other's cheeks. That can remind you of something." Watch — the room loved the joke: http://bit.ly/2I2gm72 On being positive: “Both in the United States and in Europe, we are living in a time of fear," Macron said. "You can play with fear and anger for a time, but they do not construct anything. Anger only freezes and weakens us." http://bit.ly/2r3Ef71 What Speaker Ryan’s intro should have included, in my humble opinion http://bit.ly/2HtL1Jl ;) Livestream of the address: http://bit.ly/2FdCfNr Tidbit about the broadcast: MSNBC and Fox News livestreamed the address on air. CNN did not. Why the address is historic: “Macron is the 8th French President to address Congress. The last was Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. And it was on this very date in 1960, that then-French Pres Charles de Gaulle addressed Congress as well.” (Via CBS’s Mark Knoller) http://bit.ly/2KfY5nh |
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Best tweet I've seen all morning: |
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I’ve seriously been craving macarons since President Macron arrived: |
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Lolol — people are loving the 'bromance': |
| Full-sized Trump-Macron 'couple' photos — they’re pretty funny: http://bit.ly/2KbQlCO |
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| MEANWHILE — THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT IS NOT PLEASED: |
| Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ripped into President Trump in the wake of his recent comments on the nuclear deal, saying Trump is a businessman who has no experience with politics or international affairs. In Rouhani’s words: "You don't have any background in politics. You don't have any background in law. You don't have any background on international treaties ... How can a tradesman, a merchant, a building constructor, a tower constructor make judgments about international affairs?” Full quote: http://bit.ly/2qXpbaL |
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| Bonjour! C'est Mercredi. I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook. If you've seen Miss Congeniality, then you might remember today is the perfect date: http://bit.ly/2qUDEV6 |
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| HEADACHE FOR TRUMP'S VA NOMINEE | |
The candy man could use some Advil: |
| The White House is defending Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, whom President Trump nominated to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Why he's under scrutiny: Allegations of misconduct as lead White House doctor. Jackson denies these allegations but is on the ropes, with lawmakers from both parties raising questions about his nomination. How the White House is fighting back: http://bit.ly/2JrZBBN |
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| ON TUESDAY NIGHT: |
| The White House circulated talking points to defend Jackson and counter the allegations. https://politi.co/2vKbOzI |
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| BACK STORY TO 'CANDY MAN': |
| Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said Ronny Jackson was known as "the candy man" in the White House. Tester "told CNN's Anderson Cooper that around 20 people raised concerns to his committee about Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, and according to those people, Jackson would hand out prescriptions 'like candy.' " –– Ok, what drugs?: According to Tester, Jackson would "go down the aisle way of the airplane and say, 'All right, who wants to go to sleep?' And hand out the prescription drugs like they were candy ... and put them to sleep and then give them the drugs to wake them back up again." https://cnn.it/2vMTCFw |
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| HOW EVERYONE IS FEELING RIGHT NOW: |
| "The White House is frustrated by a steady stream of critical headlines on Dr. Jackson. The Hill is frustrated by a lack of info from WH. 'Salvaging his reputation and his nomination' are top goal -- but officials conceded both might be tough to do." (Via CNN's Jeff Zeleny) http://bit.ly/2HYkftw |
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The gist: A Republican wins the deep-red seat, but by a uncomfortably small margin: |
| Via The Hill's Lisa Hagen, Republican Debbie Lesko is projected to win Arizona's nationally watched special election, fending off a strong challenge from Democrats who have been overperforming in deep-red seats. http://bit.ly/2qXWGJj Her Democratic opponent: Hiral Tipirneni, a former emergency room doctor and first-time candidate The vote: Lesko had 53 percent of the vote; Tipirneni had 47 percent. Why I said "uncomfortably small margin": Donald Trump won this district by 21 points in 2016. Why the special election: Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) resigned from Congress last December over claims of inappropriate behavior. Back story: https://cnn.it/2HRCB1W |
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| REACTION FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP: |
| President Trump congratulated Debbie Lesko (R) for her win and accused the national media of being "silent" on the race. Full tweet: http://bit.ly/2Hq69Ef |
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| THE FREEDOM CAUCUS ADDS ONE: |
| Via The Hill’s Scott Wong, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) told The Hill that Rep.-elect Debbi Lesko is expected to join his caucus. http://bit.ly/2KcJ0TC |
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| INTERESTING GRAPHIC ON REPUBLICAN TURNOUT SINCE 2016: |
| The New York Times's Alexander Burns and Denise Lu pulled together data that show "Republicans [have] lost support in every special election since Trump became president." The data: https://nyti.ms/2HZJ5Jo |
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| EARLIER THIS MORNING -- RIGHT OUTSIDE OF D.C. | |
Play ball!: |
| Republican lawmakers began baseball practice this morning in Alexandria, Va., to prepare for June's Congressional Baseball Game. Keep in mind: This is the first baseball practice since House GOP Whip Steve Scalise (La.) was shot last year on the same field. http://bit.ly/2vJCq3G |
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I see what you did there, Zinke...: |
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This is pretty unsurprising tbh: |
| Why she's on Capitol Hill: To push for safer cosmetics. Details: https://abcn.ws/2KbFCIu |
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| The House and Senate are in. 11 a.m. EDT: President Trump received his daily intelligence briefing. 1:15 p.m. EDT: First votes in the House. The House's schedule today: http://bit.ly/2jYhqPv 1:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump meets with Apple CEO Tim Cook in the Oval Office of the White House. 2:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence leaves for Milwaukee. 3:45 p.m. EDT: Last votes in the House. Saturday: The annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. |
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| 10 a.m. EDT: Oral arguments in the Supreme Court over President Trump's travel ban. Livestream of coverage: https://cs.pn/2Hp0xu1 10:30 a.m. EDT: French President Emmanuel Macron addressed a joint session of Congress. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2HqKKH2 Noon: The Senate debates Mike Pompeo's nomination for secretary of State. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2K8Faed 2 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gives the daily press briefing. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2qYlOQg 2:30 p.m. EDT: Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies at a Senate hearing over the Justice Department's 2019 budget. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2r2pjpJ 5:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks about tax cuts at an event in Wisconsin. 9:05 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in an event for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R). He then heads back to Washington, D.C. 8 p.m. EDT: Former FBI Director James Comey participates in a CNN town hall hosted by Anderson Cooper. Details: https://cnn.it/2qU8uw7 10:30 a.m. EDT Thursday: Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies at a House Appropriations Committee hearing. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2HKPmLi |
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| NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...: | |
| Today is National Zucchini Bread Day. It's also National "Crotilla" Day. What is a "crotilla" you ask? It's a cross between a croissant and a tortilla. Photos and where to buy them: http://bit.ly/2Kb2XKg |
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Gmail wants to be the new Snapchat: |
| Via CNN's Heather Kelly, Google is rolling out a redesigned Gmail layout this week. The biggest change: "Confidential mode" -- users can send emails that self-destruct in a set time frame and have to be opened with a passcode. Screenshot of the disappearing emails and a full list of changes: https://cnnmon.ie/2FfdGQn |
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Things are getting a little Spicey in New York today: |
| Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (ahh, what a throwback) will unveil a wax figure of first lady Melania Trump at New York's Madame Tussauds. Spicer will also talk about his time at the White House. Visitors: "Visitors will be able to tweet on Melania's behalf from a tweeting station nearby, which will then go live to a FLOMT (First Lady of Madame Tussauds) account." http://bit.ly/2Jsr9Xv |
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Happy World Penguin Day!: |
| Lilly the penguin is visiting the Library of Congress today for World Penguin Day. Live feed from WJLA-TV: http://bit.ly/2HulDmO |
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| And because you read this far, here's a penguin who swims thousands of miles a year to visit his best friend. Awwwww: http://bit.ly/2HsCTwR |
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