Trump’s initially 100 days with ABC’s RICK KLEIN and VERONICA STRACQUALURSI
Day No. 40
The big story: Get in touch with it optimism, Trump-style. The White Residence is promising an “optimistic vision” in President Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress. But keep in thoughts that related words had been employed to describe his dystopian convention speech, and later a raw inaugural address that described “American carnage.” Tonight, the very first lady’s box will be filled with family members of those killed by undocumented immigrants. So no, Trump isn’t going to all of a sudden bring on the sunshine. The source of Trump’s optimism, if that’s what it’s going to be known as, is not what’s going on in the nation – it is the fact that Trump is now major it. When the president talks about being the vessel for the hopes of his supporters, this is how he frames his vision. The greatest piece of that message, of course, is the president himself.
The sleeper story: Even just before an actual health care proposal emerges from the White Property, key members of the Republican Study Committee and the Residence Freedom Caucus are signaling key issues. And even just before a spending budget proposal is filed by the Trump administration, essential Home and Senate leaders are squirming more than the fact that he’s not touching entitlement programs, such as Social Safety and Medicare. In other words, the president is keeping his campaign promises (or at least versions of them), and members of his personal party are disappointed. Republicans on Capitol Hill hoped a Trump presidency would lead to the passage of conservative reforms. But now they’re being forced to remember what they seemed to know far better a year ago: Trump is not in fact a conservative in a sense that conforms with recent political history.
The shiny story: The community organizer is back at it, in Trump’s telling. In a “Fox and Friends” interview, Trump was asked no matter if he thinks former President Obama is behind the eruptions at town hall meetings, and the existing president agreed. “I assume that President Obama is almost certainly behind it, mainly because his people are absolutely behind it,” Trump said. Certainly Trump does not believe his predecessor is spending the first weeks of his tough-earned retirement scheming to annoy Dave Brat. But now that he’s mentioned it, expect Trump to personal it and double-down. Trump has been cautious with the Obama relationship considering that becoming president, searching for to cultivate a sense that the two males have a warmth and mutual respect. But Trump might be getting that a fight with Obama – and the suggestion that he’s nevertheless organizing - has a larger payoff.
TLDR: In his first key speech as president considering that the inauguration, Trump is set to deliver his speech to a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m. ET.
Photo of the day: This image of Kellyanne Conway kneeling on the couch in the Oval Office during President Trump's meeting with HBCU leaders has sparked debate on social media more than no matter whether it was acceptable decorum. Some critics stated it shows a lack of respect others have pointed to pictures of President Obama resting his feet on the Oval Office’s resolute desk. (Credit: Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Pictures)
Notables
--Trump set to make his 'biggest speech yet' in joint address to Congress: President Donald Trump is set to make what his group is billing as "his greatest speech however" when he provides a joint address to Congress tonight. Handful of distinct particulars about the speech have been released, but Trump is set to deliver it from the Home Chamber at 9:00 p.m. Tax and regulatory reform, improvements to the workplace for operating parents, "the disaster of Obamacare," education access, "a wonderful rebuilding of the American military and commitments to veterans are listed as subjects that Trump is anticipated to talk about, noting that they are regions in which the president desires to operate with Congress, ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY reports. http://abcn.ws/2moxo7g What you have to have to know Trump's address. Courtesy of ABC’s ERIN DOOLEY and JORDYN PHELPS: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trumps-congressional-address/story?id=45756286
--Storylines to watch when President Trump addresses Congress: The White House is promising an “optimistic vision” and a “bold agenda” from President Trump when he speaks in front of a joint session of Congress tonight. This president, of course, knows prime time. But this will be a speech unlike any he has given prior to. ABC's RICK KLEIN provides a glimpse at some of the storylines to watch: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/storylines-watch-president-trump-addresses-congress/story?id=45685555
--Trump invites relatives of men and women killed by undocumented immigrants to joint address to Congress: President Donald Trump and initially lady Melania Trump will invite three relatives of victims of deadly crimes committed by undocumented immigrants to the president's joint address just before Congress right now. The White Residence guest list involves Jessica Davis and Susan Oliver, widows of California police officers killed in the line of duty by a individual living in the country illegally, and Jamiel Shaw Sr., whose son was shot by an undocumented immigrant. The guests highlight the president's concentrate on crimes allegedly committed by immigrants in his push for tighter immigration controls, ABC’s J.J. GALLAGHER notes. http://abcn.ws/2m1IL45
Extra on Trump’s speech tonight
What to know about the president's 'designated survivor.' On Tuesday, most of the nation's political elite -- from Vice President Mike Pence to Residence Speaker Paul Ryan -- will file into the Home chamber to hear President Trump outline his national agenda. But a single member of the administration absolutely won't be watching in individual. For the duration of big presidential addresses, the administration isolates one cabinet-level official in an undisclosed location. ABC’s ERIN DOOLEY has a lot more: http://abcn.ws/2lMWF7Z Democrats to highlight a red state's achievement with Obamacare in response to Trump speech. President Trump's initial big congressional address this week will be met with a Democratic response highlighting the good results of Obamacare in a state that Trump won. Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, a robust supporter of Obamacare and Medicaid expansion, will deliver the Democrats' rebuttal to the president's 1st address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, ABC's JOSH HASKELL reports. "Nobody is improved equipped to speak about the successes of the [Economical Care Act] than he is," said Congressman John Yarmuth of Kentucky. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-highlight-red-states-accomplishment-obamacare-response-trump/story?id=45777733
Astrid Silva: Meet the woman delivering the Democratic response to Trump in Spanish. Immigration activist Astrid Silva will be delivering the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in Spanish on Tuesday night. Silva marks the initial time a Spanish response will be delivered rebutting a president’s 1st address to a joint session of Congress. She will be joined by former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, who will provide the Democratic response in English. ABC's VERONICA STRACQUALURSI has more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/astrid-silva-meet-woman-delivering-democratic-response-trump/story?id=45784610
Listening to America: Wichita residents on the Kansas political climate. President Trump will outline his plans for the nation in his 1st major address to Congress Tuesday evening. Even though the White Residence promises the message will be focused on the "renewal of the American spirit," Americans across the country are weighing in on the essential difficulties they would like to see tackled in a new administration. ABC News has launched a "Listening to America" series committed to sharing how Americans across the nation really feel about the path of the country. ABC's RACHEL SCOTT has more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/listening-america-wichita-residents-go over-political-climate-kansas/story?id=45783330
Speed study with ABC’s ADAM KELSEY
Trump suggests Obama was 'behind' town hall protests. President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of being "behind" the protests that Republican members of Congress have encountered at town hall meetings across the nation. The allegation came in the course of the president's interview on Fox News' "Fox & Good friends," clips of which have been released Monday. Interviewer Brian Kilmeade very first states that Obama's "organization appears to be undertaking a lot of the organizing [of] some of the protests that a lot of these Republicans are seeing about the country and against you." I think he is behind it," mentioned Trump. "I also assume it's politics, that's the way it is." ABC's ADAM KELSEY has a lot more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-suggests-obama-town-hall-protests/story?id=45793201
President Trump to target foreign help, propose 'historic' defense spending boost in spending budget blueprint. Trump administration officials are previewing particulars of the president's initial spending budget blueprint, which is anticipated to contain a increase in defense spending offset by cutbacks to foreign help and other applications deemed decrease priorities. Two Office of Management and Budget officials stated in a conference contact with reporters Monday that the passback spending budget getting sent to Congress for evaluation will be observed as a safety spending budget, with a proposed enhance of $54 billion in defense spending, explains ABC's ALEXANDER MALLIN. The officials reiterated this was merely a 1st draft and shell of what the administration will send Congress in its formal budget request next month. http://abcn.ws/2mCZO9R
Spicer: 'We did our job' by arranging pushback against Russia reports. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told ABC's JONATHAN KARL that the White Residence "did [its] job" by pointing reporters to sources who could dispute The New York Times' reporting on the Trump campaign contacting Russians prior to the election, note ABC's KATHERINE FAULDERS and ALEXANDER MALLIN. "I will say I consider we did our job extremely successfully by making positive that reporters who had queries about the accuracy and claims in The New York Instances, we were pointing them to experts who understood whether or not that story was precise or not," Spicer told Karl. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/spicer-job-arranging-pushback-russia-reports/story?id=45784545
Major Property Republican hasn't seen 'evidence' of Trump-Russia contacts. The chairman on the Property Intelligence Committee mentioned Monday that he had not seen any "proof" of contacts in between the Trump campaign and Russian government amid an investigation into Russian activities during the 2016 election, create ABC's BENJAMIN SIEGEL, JOHN PARKINSON and MARY BRUCE. "We nevertheless have not noticed any proof of anyone ... from the Trump campaign or any other campaign for that matter that is communicated with the Russian government," Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, told reporters at the Capitol. “That does not imply they don't exist but I never have that. And what I've been told is, by a lot of -- by several people, is that there's practically nothing there,” he added. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-house-republican-evidence-trump-russia-contacts/story?id=45784075
A closer look at Congressional probes into Russia and alleged Trump associate contacts. On Capitol Hill, it seems that not a day goes by with no a further lawmaker -- typically but not usually a Democrat -- calling for an investigation, particular prosecutor or independent commission to delve into the alleged contacts amongst the Trump campaign, transition and administration and Russian government officials. Sources have told ABC News that U.S. authorities have been probing communications amongst the associates and suspected members of the Russian intelligence neighborhood ahead of the election, allegations Trump has repeatedly decried as "fake news." An FBI probe into the matter is ongoing, ABC's ALI ROGIN reports. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/closer-congressional-probes-russia-alleged-trump-associate-contacts/story?id=45776711
DOJ withdraws from element of voter id lawsuit in Texas. The Division of Justice has dropped out of a portion of a voting rights lawsuit in Texas that could signal a shift in stance on the problem because Jeff Sessions was sworn in as lawyer basic. The case at the heart of this most up-to-date legal drama centers on voter identification laws that had been place in place in Texas in 2011 that need voters to have one of seven types of state-approved ID. The law was controversial mainly because voting rights activists argued that the law discriminated against minorities who may possibly not have those sorts of ID, reports ABC's MEGHAN KENEALLY. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/department-justice-withdraws-portion-voter-id-lawsuit-texas/story?id=45787874
Sessions concerns Justice Department reports on Ferguson and Chicago policing. Newly minted Lawyer Common Jeff Sessions questioned reports published by his agency about policing in Chicago and Ferguson, Missouri, describing "some of it" as "fairly anecdotal and not so scientifically based." While admitting that he had not read the reports, but rather viewed summaries, Sessions questioned the department's findings working with the "anecdotal" critique and cautioned that there will usually be some mistakes, create ABC's ADAM KELSEY and MIKE LEVINE. "You have 800,000 police in America, think about a city of 800,000 people today," mentioned Sessions. "There is going to be some crime in it, some people are going to make errors." http://abcnews.go.com/US/sessions-queries-justice-division-reports-ferguson-chicago-policing/story?id=45790084
President George W. Bush says it's crucial to have a cost-free press: 'Power can be extremely addictive.' During a rare interview on NBC’s “Today” show, former President George W. Bush -- who seldom commented on political challenges in the course of Barack Obama’s presidency -- provided his critique of the Trump administration’s policies and the president's contentious partnership with the press. The nation's 43rd president was on the show to market his new book, “Portraits of Courage,” a series of paintings of wounded veterans. ABC's MERIDITH MCGRAW has the key highlights from his interview: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-george-bush-critical-cost-free-press-power-addictive/story?id=45781428
In case you missed it
Trump: Oscars 'too focused' on politics, very best image mix-up 'was sad.' President Donald Trump supplied his opinion Monday on the Ideal Image mix-up at the Academy Awards, saying that the ceremony's concentrate on politics distracted from its organization and "glamour." Trump created the comments as aspect of an Oval Office interview with Breitbart News. The president noted that he had "been to the Oscars" previously and that some thing was "missing" this year, writes ABC's ADAM KELSEY. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-oscars-focused-politics-ideal-image-mix-sad/story?id=45787536
In the Note’s inbox
New ad from JCN: The Judicial Crisis Network is airing a new ad tonight in support of confirming Trump’s nominee Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. The ad will air around the time of Trump’s address to the Joint Session of Congress. “Completely qualified with bipartisan help. Neil Gorsuch is just who we require on the Supreme Court,” the ad says. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVFSFPbavOU
Who’s Tweeting?
@JoshuaGreen: My new @BW cover story on Stephen Miller and the speak-radio roots of Trump's financial nationalism: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/characteristics/2017-02-28/does-stephen-miller-speak-for-trump-or-vice-versa
@MikeDelMoro: Far more from Trump on Fox: the new President gives himself an "A" for work, a "C"/"C+" for "messaging"
@foxandfriends: .@POTUS: If I felt the media have been truthful, all or most of it, I would not use Twitter. But it's a modern day-day kind of communication.
@Sarah_Boxer: In @individuals intv, Bush calls political climate below Trump "pretty ugly" says Trump hasn't reached out for tips http://people.com/politics/george-w-bush-on-trump-presidency/amp/
@MattMackowiak: My most current for @observer: Tonight will be a accomplishment if speech improves path for legislative agenda http://observer.com/2017/02/donald-trump-very first-state-of-the-union/ #SOTU #SOTU2017
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