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Trump considering five people for White House chief of staff – live Trump considering five people for White House chief of staff – live
(35 minutes later)
In an interview with MSNBC, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar just said that she is “considering” a presidential bid.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar on @msnbc: "I'm considering this," running for president in 2020. Adds: "Whoever we put up has to have an understanding of those voices those that weren't heard in 2016, in the Midwest."
Another potential chief of staff candidate, David Bossie, just walked into the West Wing with former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. The two have written two pro-Trump books together.
Just spotted: David Bossie and Corey Lewandowski walking into the West Wing. I shouted, “you two here for a job interview?Lewandowski: “I don’t know, you got a job?”
CNN has a new national poll of Democratic 2020 presidential candidates. Polls this early tend to just measure name ID. However, the most noteworthy aspect is the drop in support since October for both Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.
Most noteworthy in the CNN national poll of Dems in 2020 (which basically just tests national name ID right now) are drops for Harris and Warren pic.twitter.com/JOwv3rcUiC
Bloomberg reports that Chris Christie is currently the top candidate to be the next White House chief of staff. However, these things always have a way of changing rapidly.
BREAKING: CHRIS CHRISTIE is leading candidate for Trump’s next chief of staff.Trump met with Christie last night upstairs in the residence after remarks at one of the White House Christmas parties. I’m told the mtg went very well.(BUT as always, Trump could change mind.)
Elizabeth Warren gave the commencement speech today at Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore.
From ⁦@SenWarren⁩’s commencement speech at Morgan State University today > pic.twitter.com/vcv4fcI7sC
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, has weighed on the closing of the Weekly Standard.
This is disappointing news. While I did not share the ideology of @weeklystandard, there is no question that we are all worse off without this venue for robust intellectual debate on the right. https://t.co/WYSsPKtsAV
The first 2020 presidential poll in Iowa is being released tomorrow.The first 2020 presidential poll in Iowa is being released tomorrow.
🚨🚨🚨 IOWA POLL of the 2020 caucus field coming TOMORROW at 7 p.m. https://t.co/OwKXuBL6hS via ⁦@DMRegister #iacaucus ⁩🚨🚨🚨 IOWA POLL of the 2020 caucus field coming TOMORROW at 7 p.m. https://t.co/OwKXuBL6hS via ⁦@DMRegister #iacaucus ⁩
The White House canceled the traditional Christmas party for reporters.The White House canceled the traditional Christmas party for reporters.
However, in lieu of shrimp cocktail, egg nog and other fancy hors d’oeuvres, reporters are still having a party today in the basement of the White House press area.However, in lieu of shrimp cocktail, egg nog and other fancy hors d’oeuvres, reporters are still having a party today in the basement of the White House press area.
The White House may have canceled the traditional Christmas party with the press, but @realDonaldTrump is more than welcome to join us in the basement for sandwiches, Popeyes and an assortment of other snacks and desserts!The White House may have canceled the traditional Christmas party with the press, but @realDonaldTrump is more than welcome to join us in the basement for sandwiches, Popeyes and an assortment of other snacks and desserts!
It seems the President of the United States has just showed up to work today.It seems the President of the United States has just showed up to work today.
A Marine just positioned himself outside the West Wing doors, meaning that POTUS got to the Oval today at 11:43 a.m.A Marine just positioned himself outside the West Wing doors, meaning that POTUS got to the Oval today at 11:43 a.m.
The Trump administration has been uninterested so far in taking control of Voice of America, the government funded broadcaster available across the globe.The Trump administration has been uninterested so far in taking control of Voice of America, the government funded broadcaster available across the globe.
However, they may change as the Los Angeles Times reports:However, they may change as the Los Angeles Times reports:
After a six-month stall, the Senate could give a hearing early in the new year to Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, Michael Pack, an ally and former filmmaking collaborator of the president’s past strategist and provocateur, Stephen K. Bannon.After a six-month stall, the Senate could give a hearing early in the new year to Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, Michael Pack, an ally and former filmmaking collaborator of the president’s past strategist and provocateur, Stephen K. Bannon.
And Trump recently tweeted that “something has to be done” to counter the international influence of CNN, his media nemesis, “including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!”And Trump recently tweeted that “something has to be done” to counter the international influence of CNN, his media nemesis, “including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!”
On one side of the emerging fight are Trump allies, led by Bannon, who are eager to shed some of the Voice of America’s hard-won independence and use the service more overtly to further Trump’s “America first” agenda.On one side of the emerging fight are Trump allies, led by Bannon, who are eager to shed some of the Voice of America’s hard-won independence and use the service more overtly to further Trump’s “America first” agenda.
“VOA is a rotten fish from top to bottom,” Bannon, the former leader of the conservative Breitbart news site, said in an interview. “It’s now totally controlled by the deep-state apparatus.”“VOA is a rotten fish from top to bottom,” Bannon, the former leader of the conservative Breitbart news site, said in an interview. “It’s now totally controlled by the deep-state apparatus.”
Bill Kristol, one of the founders of the Weekly Standard, tweets an elegy to the magazine.Bill Kristol, one of the founders of the Weekly Standard, tweets an elegy to the magazine.
All good things come to an end. And so, after 23 years, does The Weekly Standard. I want to express my gratitude to our readers and my admiration for my colleagues. We worked hard to put out a quality magazine, and we had a good time doing so. And we have much more to do. Onward!All good things come to an end. And so, after 23 years, does The Weekly Standard. I want to express my gratitude to our readers and my admiration for my colleagues. We worked hard to put out a quality magazine, and we had a good time doing so. And we have much more to do. Onward!
Alice Lloyd at the magazine also wrote a lovely piece about “Last Lines” that was published this morning.Alice Lloyd at the magazine also wrote a lovely piece about “Last Lines” that was published this morning.
Julián Castro is still playing coy about a presidential bid but his brother isn’t.
2/2You can't say it, but twin can..JULIAN: I'm going to make an announcement on Jan 12th.COLBERT: Why do you have to wait? JOAQUIN: I'll speak on his behalf here. He's going to run for president.... For the FEC lawyers, he didn't say it. https://t.co/r1A78chluU
The owners of the Weekly Standard are apparently not treating its staffers with kid gloves as they close down the venerable publication only days before Christmas.
So there are non-disparagement clauses in the severance packages being given to the staffers at the Weekly Standard.I'm not a staffer.There will be much disparagement in this space and elsewhere, and factual disparagement as well.
Clarity Media said everybody had to leave Standard by 5, and didn't provide boxes for people to put their stuff in.
In discussing the intrigue about the next White House chief of staff, spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters this morning that Trump is “expected to make an announcement imminently.”
“The president said yesterday he has about five names in the hopper. We expect him to make an announcement pretty quickly. ... Obviously, if the president and the chief of staff make another deal and extend it, they can do that. It’s their prerogative to do so. Right now, currently, John Kelly is expected to leave at the first of the year. The president is also expected to make an announcement imminently. I’m not going to tell you who that’s going to be and I definitely don’t have any tips for you.”
The conservative magazine which has long been a thoughtful outlet on the right is reportedly shutting down. The magazine was founded in 1995. Its last issue came out today with a cover story on Nikki Haley by Michael Warren.
Per source: The Weekly Standard is shutting down. No merger with the Washington Examiner.
Reporters in Washington DC are hanging around a courtroom where a sealed grand jury is hearing arguments in a case that may be related to the Mueller investigation. All information about the case is sealed.
The DC Circuit is about to hear arguments in the sealed grand jury matter. They've sealed not only the courtroom, but the whole floor, so we've been moved away. Haven't recognized anyone going in earlier as being connected to Mueller's office, now we won't be able to see
Hogan Gidley also told reporters that John Kelly’s tenure as chief of staff might be extended and that Trump is currently looking at five people for the job.
White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley attacked the media’s coverage of Michael Cohen as giving “credence” to a convicted felon while speaking with reporters just now.
Former senator and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has been hired by a Chinese telecom company, ZTE.
ZTE has long been the subject of warnings that its equipment is used for espionage by the Chinese government and it was almost banned from doing business in the United States earlier this year as a result.
SCOOP -- Joe Lieberman is now working for Chinese telecom giant ZTE as it tries to fend off concerns that it poses a threat to U.S. national security -- he's been hired to conduct an "independent" national security assessment: https://t.co/yuoAewkWk7
Scott Walker will either sign or veto legislation that will greatly weaken the power of incoming Democrat Tony Evers this afternoon.
Republican controlled state legislature passed legislature to take power away from Evers as well as to limit early voting and require the state to be a party to a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act.
.@GovWalker will take action on the lame-duck/extraordinary session bills at noon in Green Bay, per his office
Jon Kyl, the appointed replacement for John McCain’s seat, will resign at the end of the year.
Kyl, a former three-term senator who retired in 2012, was appointed as a temporary placeholder by Republican governor Doug Ducey.
His brief tenure raised scrutiny because he has since become a lobbyist in Washington.
Ducey will appoint a replacement for Kyl who will serve until a special election is held in 2020 for the remainder of McCain’s term.
BREAKING #AZSEN NEWS: Jon Kyl will resign from the U.S. Senate on Dec. 31, setting up another appointment by Ducey to John McCan's seat https://t.co/4cbBLuEE43 via @azcentral