More Leaks: Secret Service Emails Banning Sebastian Gorka From White House Published by MSNBC8/28/2017 Two emails ordering White House Secret Service guards to deny Dr. Sebastian Gorka admission to the White House issued Friday night about an hour before Gorka’s resignation as Deputy Assistant to the President was announced were published by MSNBC Monday night in yet another episode of secret or confidential documents being leaked to the media to harm the Trump administration or Trump appointees. Dr. Sebastian Gorka. Images of the emails were posted to Twitter by Joyce Karam.
The emails banning Gorka from the White House are time-stamped 6:45 p.m. and 7:14 p.m. News of Gorka’s resignation was first reported by the Federalist around 8 p.m EDT. Later reports stated Gorka was forced out. Gorka was a constant target of hit pieces and leaks during his brief tenure at the Trump White House. His departure does not appear to have been enough for his enemies for them to stop leaking to try to harm Gorka. from https://capitalisthq.com/more-leaks-secret-service-emails-banning-sebastian-gorka-from-white-house-published-by-msnbc/
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ACTIVE SHOOTER: Multiple People Dead After Gunman Opens Fire at Public Library in New Mexico8/28/2017 A mass shooting took place at Clovis-Carver Public Library in New Mexico on Monday afternoon.
KOB 4 reports:
Developing… from https://capitalisthq.com/active-shooter-multiple-people-dead-after-gunman-opens-fire-at-public-library-in-new-mexico/ BUZZ — THERE IS ALREADY DISCUSSION about Congress allocating emergency money to help rebuild Houston — America’s fourth-largest city — after this massive storm. Remember: these legislative fights are not easy. As HuffPo’s Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) pointed out last night on Twitter, it’s not always easy to pass these kinds of bills. We have to imagine the level of devastation in Houston, combined with the state’s large delegation in Congress, will make this a bit easier. Good Monday morning. WELCOME TO THE LAST WEEK of relative quiet in Washington. Congress is back next week and also has to deal with: Story Continued Below The National Flood Insurance Program expires at the end of September. … The FAA needs its authority renewed by the end of September. … SCHIP, a state-based children’s health-care program, must be renewed by the end of September. … AND, the government runs out of money Sept. 30 and the debt ceiling needs to be lifted by Sept. 29. THERE ARE ROUGHLY 50 LEGISLATIVE DAYS left in 2017. HOUSTON CHRONICLE FRONT PAGE – “SWAMPED BY HARVEY” http://bit.ly/2wVjq1k … NYT: “Deadly Storm Transforms Houston Streets Into Raging Rivers” http://nyti.ms/2xqfMu1 … WAPO: “Catastrophic flooding in Houston” … USA TODAY: “CATASTROPHE: Inundated Houston faces an ‘unprecedented’ 50 inches of rain” … WSJ: “Rain, Floods Deluge Texas”. **SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh DEVASTATION IN TEXAS — HOUSTON CHRONICLE: “No end in sight to historic floods caused by Harvey,” by Mike Tolson: “The normally matter-of-fact National Weather Service joined in the excited reaction to a deluge that began just after dark Saturday night and promised never to end: ‘All impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced,’ it said in a Sunday tweet. One of its meteorologists, Patrick Blood, hardly knew what to call it. ‘It’s catastrophic, unprecedented, epic — whatever adjective you want to use,’ he said. “Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said late Sunday that police and fire officials received nearly 6,000 calls and had rescued more than 1,000 people. Many of the high-water rescues involved people trapped on their roofs or in their attics in southeast Houston. ‘It breaks your heart,’ Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said via livestream on Twitter, as he stood in waist-high water in north Houston. ‘But it’s Texas, we’ll get through it.’ … “Gov. Greg Abbott said 3,000 National Guard members will join the Texas Guard in areas ravaged by Harvey. The federal government declared Harris County a disaster area Sunday morning. President Trump said he would come to Texas to inspect damage on Tuesday if possible. On Sunday, the president praised the government response in a tweet, writing: ‘Wow — Now experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood! We have an all-out effort going, and going well!’” http://bit.ly/2vC44Ky — Brian L Kahn (@blkahn): “Coast Guard flyover reveals stunning scope of Harvey flooding. Everything is underwater” http://bit.ly/2vBLum3 — IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH how Trump surveys this storm. Both Houston airports, Hobby and George H.W. Bush Intercontinental, are closed. The city is completely paralyzed. — “Why Wasn’t Houston Evacuated Before The ‘Unprecedented’ Storm?” by BuzzFeed’s Nidhi Prakash: “Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner defended the decision, telling reporters at a press conference Sunday that officials did not expect the city to be directly in the line of the storm, and that there was not time to evacuate residents safely. ‘In this particular case, the hurricane, we were not in the direct line,’ Turner said. ‘It is true we anticipated a lot of rain, a lot of rain. But the best place for people to be is in their homes.’ ‘You cannot in the city of Houston put 2.3 million people on the road. That is dangerous,’ he continued. “‘When you combine Houston and Harris County, you literally cannot put 6.5 million people on the road. If you think the situation right now is bad, you give an order to evacuate, you are creating a nightmare. Especially when it’s not planned.’ To illustrate this, Turner pointed to the city’s disastrous evacuation efforts during Hurricane Rita in 2005, when some 2.5 million residents tried to leave Houston before the storm, creating monumental traffic jams and leaving 100 people dead.’” http://bzfd.it/2wCcSF4 — “FEMA director says Harvey is probably the worst disaster in Texas history,” by WaPo’s Joel Achenbach and Lisa Rein: “The disaster Hurricane Harvey — now a tropical storm — has created is immense in scale, encompassing thousands of square miles of Southeast Texas. It has brought epic flooding that will affect millions of people. Rivers are still rising, the rain still falling. ‘This will be a devastating disaster, probably the worst disaster the state’s seen,’ William ‘Brock’ Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told The Washington Post on Sunday. ‘The recovery to this event is going to last many years to be able to help Texas and the people impacted by this event achieve a new normal.’” http://wapo.st/2xFfizz — CLICKER – “Hurricane Harvey in Photographs: Powerful photos from the storm battering the Gulf Coast.” 28 pix on one page http://nyti.ms/2vvER5o THE IMPACT, by AP’s Marcy Gordon: “With the heavy precipitation expected to last for days, it’s still unclear how bad the damage will be, but there is already evidence of widespread losses. Key oil and gas facilities along the Texas Gulf Coast have temporarily shut down, and flooding in the Houston and Beaumont areas could seriously pinch gasoline supplies. Companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico have evacuated drilling platforms and rigs, crimping the flow of oil and gas. Experts believe gasoline prices could increase as much as 25 cents a gallon.” http://bit.ly/2wC2sVJ HELPING HOUSTON — DONATE TO THE RED CROSS http://rdcrss.org/2xqrjcC MEXICO TO TRUMP: WE’RE NOT PAYING FOR THE WALL — CNN: “In response [to a Trump Sunday tweet], the country’s foreign ministry released a statement saying Mexico would not pay for a wall or other physical barrier at the border ‘under any circumstances.’ ‘This determination is not part of a Mexican negotiating strategy, but a principle of national sovereignty and dignity,’ the statement said.” http://cnn.it/2xq6VIA TRUMP’S MONDAY — THE PRESIDENT will lunch with VP Mike Pence and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. At 2 p.m., he’s meeting with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. At 3:15 p.m., Finnish President Sauli Niinisto gets to the White House. At 4:20 p.m., the two leaders hold a joint press conference. ****** A message from the American Bankers Association: It’s no secret that banks help create jobs and economic growth by lending to America’s employers. But America’s banks themselves employ thousands of women and men. Can you guess how many? Is it 200,000, 1 million or 2 million? Find out: http://politi.co/2wc3FR6 ****** SIREN — “Trump’s business sought deal on a Trump Tower in Moscow while he ran for president,” by WaPo’s Carol Leonnig, Tom Hamburger and Ros Helderman: “While Donald Trump was running for president in late 2015 and early 2016, his company was pursuing a plan to develop a massive Trump Tower in Moscow, according to several people familiar with the proposal and new records reviewed by Trump Organization lawyers. As part of the discussions, a Russian-born real estate developer urged Trump to come to Moscow to tout the proposal and suggested that he could get President Vladimir Putin to say ‘great things’ about Trump, according to several people who have been briefed on his correspondence. “The developer, Felix Sater, predicted in a November 2015 email that he and Trump Organization leaders would soon be celebrating — both one of the biggest residential projects in real estate history and Donald Trump’s election as president, according to two of the people with knowledge of the exchange. Sater wrote to Trump Organization Executive Vice President Michael Cohen ‘something to the effect of, ‘Can you believe two guys from Brooklyn are going to elect a president?’’ said one person briefed on the email exchange. Sater emigrated from what was then the Soviet Union when he was 6 and grew up in Brooklyn. “Trump never went to Moscow as Sater proposed. And although investors and Trump’s company signed a letter of intent, they lacked the land and permits to proceed and the project was abandoned at the end of January 2016, just before the presidential primaries began, several people familiar with the proposal said. “Nevertheless, the details of the deal, which have not previously been disclosed, provide evidence that Trump’s business was actively pursuing significant commercial interests in Russia at the same time he was campaigning to be president — and in a position to determine U.S.-Russia relations. The new details from the emails, which are scheduled to be turned over to congressional investigators soon, also point to the likelihood of additional contacts between Russia-connected individuals and Trump associates during his presidential bid.” http://wapo.st/2wKZJdj SUSAN GLASSER: “For All His Fire And Fury, Trump Hasn’t Changed Much: Six months in, the president who shocked the world is a lot more conventional than his words suggest” http://politi.co/2xFQw2j TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE — “Trump’s prized perk: Oval Office photo ops,” by Josh Dawsey: “Donald Trump has grown frustrated with many parts of being president. But the former showbiz star is still in love with one perk: The Oval Office photo op. Despite the weight of multiple Russia investigations, open war with GOP leaders and a stalled congressional agenda, Trump has spent considerable time grinning behind the Resolute Desk, where he summons visitors from PGA star John Daly to former campaign aides to pastors, truck drivers, tech CEOs, teachers and even journalists to pose in front of the gold curtains. “He tells aides, from senior White House advisers to his private bodyguard, Keith Schiller, to snap the photos on cell phones, or he shouts for Shealah Craighead, the official White House photographer, to come in. The often impatient president will sometimes pose for several minutes per sitting, taking variations of a photo with a single group. He even stands with people to inspect the photos. ‘Check the lighting,’ one senior White House official said, describing his comments. ‘Are your eyes closed? Do you want another? He knows these are special moments for people.’ “The photos illustrate how master-marketer Trump sees the job, White House officials say — and are one part of the presidency that don’t seem to grate on him, even though other presidents have barely tolerated the click-and-grin sessions.” http://politi.co/2wBV6Sa 2018 WATCH — “Team Trump turns to Rove playbook to juice 2018 turnout,” by Alex Isenstadt: “Donald Trump’s White House may take a page from the Karl Rove playbook. The administration has been in talks to put conservative initiatives on the ballot in 2018 midterm battleground states in hopes of energizing base voters dispirited by the performance of Republican-controlled Washington. The strategy is similar to the one Rove used in 2004. The George W. Bush political guru helped engineer a slate of anti-gay marriage amendments that year to boost GOP turnout in swing states such as Ohio, an approach that many are convinced helped pave the way for Bush’s reelection. (Rove has denied accounts that he orchestrated the 11-state effort.) “White House aides are less interested in a ballot initiative campaign focused on social issues, fearful that it would only serve to further stoke an already-motivated liberal base. Instead, according to three people familiar with the deliberations, they’re considering initiatives involving tax reform and other economic issues seen as more likely to invigorate conservatives. Tax reform also goes to the heart of Trump’s agenda, and he’s expected to spend much of the fall pursuing it.” http://politi.co/2whIIUI FIRST IN PLAYBOOK – HMM — AMERICAN ACTION NETWORK, the big-time conservative outside group, is launching a five-figure TV and digital ad thanking Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) for supporting tax reform. It’s AAN’s first ad to applaud a Democrat. The ad http://bit.ly/2xq4fuQ SHADE, THROWN — “Gorka Says McMaster Has ‘Obama Lens’ on Threat of Radical Islam,” by Jerusalem Post’s Michael Wilner: “In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Gorka said he had not once heard H.R. McMaster speak critically of the state in his six months since taking office. ‘I’m not here to feed stories of palace intrigue – I hate that, and I’m still loyal to the president and his agenda,’ Gorka said. But ‘I have never heard Gen. McMaster say things that are anti-Israeli. I’ve never heard that.’ Gorka did, however, offer harsh criticism of McMaster’s stance toward Islamists, speaking of the violent extremism as a problem inherent to Islam itself. McMaster ‘sees the threat of Islam through an Obama administration lens, meaning that religion has nothing to do with the war we are in,’ Gorka said. ‘He believes — and he told me in his office — that all of these people are just criminals. That is simply wrong.’” http://bit.ly/2wBRorR SARAH ELLISON in October’s Vanity Fair, “Exiles on Pennsylvania Avenue: How Jared and Ivanka Were Repelled by Washington’s Elite: “When I asked a longtime associate how Jared and Ivanka felt about their time in Washington, the first word uttered was ‘sacrificial.’ … Ivanka is more practiced in the spotlight than Kushner, though she can be cold to staffers, particularly those who are not in favor with the president, according to a former West Wing aide. ‘She tries to charm you at first, and then there’ll be the cutting remark in front of her father,’ the former adviser added. Kushner, though he tries to be casual and jokes with other staffers, can have even more of an edge. “Once, when [Reince] Priebus asked Kushner what his team of [Reed] Cordish and [Chris] Liddell had been up to, Kushner retorted, according to someone who heard the exchange, ‘Reince, we aren’t getting paid. What the f*** do you care?’ … When they lived in New York, Kushner used to remind Ivanka that ‘we’re in the zoo, but let’s try hard not to be part of the animals.’ He often would add, ‘You want to be watching.’ The friend noted that Kushner has traded up into a higher-powered circle: ‘He is rolling with the prince of Saudi Arabia and not the real-estate guys anymore.’” http://bit.ly/2xFJHxI WSJ: “Uber Selects Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to Lead Company,” by Greg Bensinger: “Uber Technologies Inc.’s board has voted to appoint Expedia Inc. Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi as its new CEO, capping a tumultuous nine-week search after Travis Kalanick resigned in late June, according to people familiar with the matter. Uber’s board was deciding on Sunday between Mr. Khosrowshahi and Meg Whitman, chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., ultimately electing the lesser-known executive who has been at the helm of Expedia since 2005. Representatives for Uber didn’t return requests for comment and an Expedia spokeswoman declined to comment.” http://on.wsj.com/2wBVnEB FUN STORY — “Former Eagles All-Pro Jon Runyan explains why he’s an Uber driver – and what happens when fans recognize him,” by PhillyVoice’s Matt Mullin: “Runyan, the one who spent nine of his 14 seasons in the NFL with the Eagles – has actually been driving for Uber for almost nine months now. And before you ask, he isn’t broke. … [H]e made more than $40 million in his NFL career and has continued to work throughout his post-football life – in addition to his work on radio on and TV, Runyan was a two-term U.S. Representative former New Jersey’s 3rd congressional district (2011-2015) and is about to enter his second season as the NFL’s Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration. So, no, Runyan isn’t driving for Uber because he needs the money. The truth is, he just gets bored sometimes.” http://bit.ly/2vBQg2F REMINDER -- Power Briefing, our afternoon edition, is taking a break this week. MORE ZINKE DRAMA — “Sale of Interior secretary’s motor home raises $25K question,” by AP’s Bobby Caina Calva in Helena, Montana: “U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s dormant congressional campaign committee recently sold a 2004 motor home at a steep discount to an old friend in the Montana Legislature. But a seemingly ordinary transaction between friends, when seen through the optics of stringent campaign finance laws, can raise a bevy of questions – especially when those friends are politically high-powered and well-connected. … “The buyer, state Sen. Ed Buttrey, said the 37-foot (11-meter) recreational vehicle had engine problems and other damage, which would undercut its value. But he still felt he got a ‘nice deal.’ Buttrey maintains there was nothing improper about the transaction. Yet he acknowledged it might prompt questions, especially because he says he’s in the final vetting stages for a key post in Zinke’s Interior Department.” http://bit.ly/2xpG3Zo AT THE PENTAGON — “Trump Forges Ahead on Costly Nuclear Overhaul,” by NYT’s David Sanger and William Broad: “During his speech last week about Afghanistan, President Trump slipped in a line that had little to do with fighting the Taliban: ‘Vast amounts’ are being spent on ‘our nuclear arsenal and missile defense,’ he said, as the administration builds up the military. The president is doing exactly that. Last week, the Air Force announced major new contracts for an overhaul of the American nuclear force: $1.8 billion for initial development of a highly stealthy nuclear cruise missile, and nearly $700 million to begin replacing the 40-year-old Minuteman missiles in silos across the United States. “While both programs were developed during the Obama years, the Trump administration has seized on them, with only passing nods to the debate about whether either is necessary or wise. They are the first steps in a broader remaking of the nuclear arsenal — and the bombers, submarines and missiles that deliver the weapons — that the government estimated during Mr. Obama’s tenure would ultimately cost $1 trillion or more.” http://nyti.ms/2xq6b6q ****** A message from the American Bankers Association: America’s banks play a critical role in generating economic growth while delivering safety and convenience for customers. The two million women and men who work for America’s banks safeguard $12.9 trillion in deposits and originate $2.4 trillion in home loans. They provide $331 billion in loans to small businesses and $175 billion in loans to farmers and ranchers. Banks’ fraud protection measures stop at least $11 billion in attempted fraud each year. And thousands of banker volunteers deliver financial literacy lessons annually to millions of young Americans to help them become financially successful adults. Find out more at www.aba.com/AmericasBanks, #AmericasBanks ****** SPEAKING OF TAX REFORM … — “How Stephen M. Ross’ gift to the University of Michigan ended up in tax court,” by Detroit Free Press’ Matthew Dolan and David Jesse: “On his way to becoming the University of Michigan’s largest donor, Stephen M. Ross and a group of business partners donated a collective gift to his alma mater. In return, the partnership claimed a giant charitable tax deduction: $33 million. The [IRS] didn’t buy it. IRS lawyers flagged Ross and his partners as engaging in a ‘tax avoidance scheme lacking in economic substance … to the benefit of Mr. Ross and his associates at Related Companies.’ It would take nearly a decade of legal wrangling before U.S. Tax Judge James S. Halpern sided with the IRS last month and disallowed the entire $33-million write-off that the judge valued at a more paltry $3.4 million. The judge also imposed maximum civil penalties for a ‘gross valuation misstatement’ that could now cost Ross and his partners millions more.” http://on.freep.com/2vkrZ5X THE WAVE OF PROTESTS — “Masked anarchists violently rout right-wing demonstrators in Berkeley,” by SF Chronicle’s Lizzie Johnson, Erin Allday, Michael Cabanatuan and Nanette Asimov: “An army of anarchists in black clothing and masks routed a small group of right-wing demonstrators who had gathered in a Berkeley park Sunday to rail against the city’s famed progressive politics, driving them out — sometimes violently — while overwhelming a huge contingent of police officers. “Hundreds of officers tried to maintain calm in and around Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park before the 1 p.m. ‘No to Marxism in Berkeley’ rally, putting up barricades, searching bags and confiscating sticks, masks, pepper spray and even water bottles. … But once again, counterdemonstrators frustrated efforts by police, who numbered about 400. As the crowd swelled to several times that size, officers stepped aside and allowed hundreds of people angered by the presence of the right-wing rally to climb over the barriers into the park.” http://bit.ly/2waStWA SPOTTED: Rex Tillerson at Cactus Cantina with his wife and security on Sunday afternoon … Janet Yellen on a United flight from Jackson Hole to Chicago in coach Sunday morning. She was coming back from the Fed conference at Jackson Lake Lodge … Mike Cernovich yesterday at the Whole Foods in Logan Circle. WEEKEND WEDDINGS — BOEHNERLAND — Johnny DeStefano, assistant to the president and director of presidential personnel, and Sarah Cascio got married on Saturday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri. Pic http://bit.ly/2iCECTV SPOTTED: Mike Sommers, Guy Harrison, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) and his wife Brook, former Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), Josh Pitcock and his wife Katie, Paul and Autria Lindsay, Brian and Natasha Walsh, Mike Shields and Katie Walsh, Matt Lakin, Brett Loper, Anne Bradbury, John Criscuolo, Tom and Amy Allman Dean, Patrick Lyden, Kevin McGrann, Dave Schnittger, Josh Saltzman and his wife Mary. — Robin Levy, DC-based communications manager for Exelon, and Justin Gray, the Washington correspondent for Cox Media Group’s TV news stations, were married Saturday at Lake Massapoag in Sharon, Massachusetts, where Robin grew up sailing. “The mid-afternoon wedding was followed by a reception in a boathouse overlooking the water. Following the wedding, the guests played bocce and cornhole before feasting on a traditional New England clambake, and ending the night with old school bomb pops. … They met the traditional DC way, through mutual friends.” Pic, courtesy of Zac Wolf http://bit.ly/2vk6RwD -- CNN Situation Room producers Meghan Rafferty and Elizabeth Hartfield married on Saturday at the home of Mimi Gurbst and Tom Hartfield in the Sonoma County California wine country town of Healdsburg. The couple will be honeymooning on a road trip to Yellowstone. Pics http://bit.ly/2wVlg23 … http://bit.ly/2gjjEJc SPOTTED: Wolf Blitzer, Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley, David Chalian, Adam Levy, Vaughn Sterling and Jay Shaylor. ENGAGED — Claire Magee, corporate counsel at Raycom Media and formerly assistant general counsel at Allbritton, got engaged to Russ Ferguson, an attorney at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and former Senate Judiciary Committee staffer. “Russ popped the question at the Bartholdi Fountain [at First and Independence S.W.] and had both families waiting as a surprise at Corduroy, the site of their first date 8 years ago.” Pic http://bit.ly/2xpQHiN FIRST IN PLAYBOOK – OBAMA ALUMNI — Miguel E. Rodriguez, who was Obama’s director of legislative affairs and also a State and Hillary alum, has been hired as senior vice president of government affairs for the Center for American Progress. He most recently was a partner at Bryan Cave. BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Bill Cohen, chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group and former secretary of defense and senator from Maine. What he’s reading: “I’m reading multiple books, but completing one of my own, a novel entitled ‘Final Strike.’ It involves the hazards of mining asteroids — an endeavor that we and other nations are exploring. Some asteroids could accidentally be put on a collision course with Earth. What are the options if we have little notice?” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2vCjoal BIRTHDAYS: Alex Skatell, founder and CEO of Independent Journal Review (hat tips: Benny, Anton, Gerrit, and Camden) … R.C. Hammond (h/t Matt Mowers) … Politico’s Marty Kady and Kimberly Plumer … AP’s Ken Thomas … WSJ alum Allison Lichter … Tori Stilwell, Yale law student and Bloomberg alum … Pat Pelletier … Robert Greenwald, founder and president of Brave New Films … Morgan Chalfant, cybersecurity reporter at The Hill (h/t Raffi) … Matthew Swift, chairman, co-founder and CEO of The Concordia Summit … Hilary Halpern, associate at the Cypress Group … Ryan McDevitt … Ellen Carmichael … Brian Horn … Ellen Ratner … Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, EVP of gov’t and corporate affairs at Univison Communications (h/t Stewart Verdery) … Darius Tandon, celebrating in New Orleans with Tracy Sefl … Sarah Brooke Carlson, director of NBC’s “Meet the Press” (h/t Olivia Petersen) … … Thomas Winslow, a principal on the mobilization and campaign management team at Precision Strategies (h/t Tom Zigo) … Meghan Snyder … Jim O’Brien, vice-chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group … Connor Ryan … Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) (h/t Samantha Greene) … Ann Marie Jablon … Robert Simpson … Scott Miller … Michael Keefer … Jay Wegimont … Luke Bunting … Luci Arveseth … Abbie Sumbrum … Lindsay Gill … Arlet Abrahamian … Rachael Dollar … Charles Schneider … Jennifer Cervantes … Nick Tropin, student at Columbia Business School … Taylor Bolhack … Steve Nichols … Naila Alam … Paul Moran … David Gray … Tim Birdseye … Lane Roberts … Kate Peyton, spending her birthday doing what she LOVES to do – fishing … Laura Seaholm, proud finisher of the Madison, Wisconsin 2016 Ironwoman race … Carol Kelly (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) ****** A message from the American Bankers Association: America’s banks play a critical role in generating economic growth while delivering safety and convenience for customers. The two million women and men who work for America’s banks safeguard $12.9 trillion in deposits and originate $2.4 trillion in home loans. They provide $331 billion in loans to small businesses and $175 billion in loans to farmers and ranchers. Banks’ fraud protection measures stop at least $11 billion in attempted fraud each year. And thousands of banker volunteers deliver financial literacy lessons annually to millions of young Americans to help them become financially successful adults. Find out more at www.aba.com/AmericasBanks, #AmericasBanks ****** SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook http://politi.co/2lQswbh … New York Playbook http://politi.co/1ON8bqW … Florida Playbook http://politi.co/1OypFe9 …New Jersey Playbook http://politi.co/1HLKltF … Massachusetts Playbook http://politi.co/1Nhtq5v … Illinois Playbook http://politi.co/1N7u5sb … California Playbook http://politi.co/2bLvcPl … Brussels Playbook http://politi.co/1FZeLcw … London Playbook http://politi.co/2xfDPuK … All our political and policy tipsheets http://politi.co/1M75UbX from https://capitalisthq.com/catastrophe-in-houston-wapo-trump-organization-wanted-to-build-trump-tower-in-moscow-during-2016-campaign-rove-playbook-back-in-2018-johnny-destefano-wedding-bd/ Arizona politics might get a lot more interesting after former Sheriff Joe Arpaio mused to the Washington Examiner on Monday about challenging Senator Jeff Flake for his Senate seat.Washington Examiner reports:
On Friday evening, President Trump issued a pardon to former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Surprising absolutely no one, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake zinged the President’s decision on Twitter. “Regarding the Arpaio pardon, I would have preferred that the President honor the judicial process and let it take its course,” tweeted Flake.
The White House issued the following statement concerning the pardon.
The Hill reports:
from https://capitalisthq.com/wow-sheriff-joe-arpaio-may-challenge-jeff-flake-for-arizona-senate-seat/ Good morning, What’s in this week’s Report:
Futures are fractionally lower following a generally quiet weekend for markets, outside of Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Harvey caused RBOB gasoline prices to spike to 2 1/2 year highs and pushed oil prices down 1%. At this point, the economic impact of Harvey remains a local one for commodities markets and the region. Refined product markets will recover in time, as will the resilient people of Houston. The biggest non-Harvey story in markets this morning is the dollar, which sunk to a 16 month low while the euro surged to a 2 ½ year high. The catalysts were two-fold: Draghi didn’t talk down the euro in his speech Friday, while some traders are selling the dollar thinking Harvey will cause slower US economic growth (it shouldn’t – that’s a stretch). In our view, neither event was really dollar negative – and these new lows are more a function of low liquidity and volumes more than any dollar negative catalyst over the past two days. Economically, EU M3 (money supply) missed expectations at 4.8% vs. (E) 5.0%, but that number isn’t moving markets. Trending News:
Today focus will remain appropriately on the situation in Houston, although there is one notable economic report today: International Trade in Goods (E: -$64.1 Bln). From a market standpoint, the weak dollar has been mildly positive for US stocks, so if the declines continue, stocks can rally. Sincerely, CapitalistHQ.com
Stocks
This Week Economic data will be the focus of markets this week, as there are no notable earnings reports. The Jobs Report Friday, August manufacturing PMI and Core PCE Price Index (Thursday), are the key numbers to watch here in the US. Internationally, the Chinese PMIs (Wed night, Thursday night) and the flash EU HICP (Thursday) has the potential to move markets as well, if they disappoint vs. expectations. Last Week (Needed Context as We Start a New Week) Stocks bounced back a bit last week as the S&P 500 rallied on hopes of tax cuts amidst quiet summer trading conditions. The S&P 500 rose 0.72% last week and is up 9.12% year to date. With no material economic data or earnings on the calendar last week, political rhetoric and headlines once again filled the news void and created modest volatility. Tuesday was really the key day last week (markets were flat and boring Monday), as a Politico article implied that Republicans were much more on the same page regarding tax cuts. Remember, the market sell-off from two weeks ago was largely due to the perception that Republican infighting would prevent tax cuts, so this partially reversed that perception and move in the markets. Stocks rallied 1% on Tuesday in response to the article. Wednesday and Thursday saw some of those gains given back, in part because of President Trump’s threat of a government shutdown at a campaign rally (although to be clear, that remains very, very unlikely). Staying with politics, on Friday an FT interview with Gary Cohn revealed he considered resigning in the wake of Charlottesville, but while the media made a big deal of it Friday, it’s unlikely to move markets (he clearly said he’s staying, and Trump won’t fire him). Beyond politics, stocks bounced slightly on Friday thanks to a falling dollar, and in quiet trade, to close with modest gains on the week. Your Need to Know Market internals were once again non-controversial last week, as the gains were pretty evenly distributed amongst indices and sectors. To that point, the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq all finished up about the same while the Russell 2000 slightly outperformed given. From a sector standpoint, the gains were oddly uniform: Banks, financials, semiconductors, healthcare and utilities all closed up about 1%. The outlier was consumer staples (XLP), which dropped 1% on weakness in the grocery stocks following AMZN’s announcement it’s cutting Whole Foods’ prices. The bigger issue from a sector standpoint remains whether we are seeing a rotation out of defensive sectors (which have outperformed YTD) and into cyclicals (which have lagged YTD). Last week provided no real insight into that rotation (which still isn’t happening). But, we continue to watch for it, as we think getting that “switch” right, if and when it happens, will be the key to outperforming. Bottom Line With nothing else to focus on last week (no data, no earnings) markets remained at the whim of political headlines and commentary, but despite the continued uptick in volatility, the general outlook for this market remains the same. Earnings and economic data have powered this market higher in 2018, and both remain healthy on an absolute level. But, markets always focus on marginal changes, and there are some doubts about the future growth rates of both—and those doubts are being reflected in our momentum indicators (NYSE A/D Line, SOXX, FDN) showing signs of fatigue. Put differently, this is a market that is searching for a new positive catalyst to push stocks higher. And, right now, that search isn’t coming up with anything compelling. Over the past three weeks, that lack of a discernable positive catalyst combined with an uptick in geopolitical drama (North Korea, Charlottesville) to cause this mild dip in stocks (the S&P 500 is down about 2% from the highs). Looking forward, the biggest takeaway from the last three weeks for me is that taxes will be a critical issue this fall. If earnings growth and economic acceleration have peaked, then tax cuts are the only identifiable positive catalyst over the next few months. And, given current low expectations, tax cuts (done in 2017) would be a legitimate, positive surprise to stocks because they’d conservatively boost 2018 S&P 500 EPS by $5-$10 (depending on whose research you’re reading). So, from a research standpoint, we are very focused on getting the tax cut outcome “right” ahead of the street, so we can be positioned accordingly (for either a positive or negative outcome). But, the tax cut process will take time, so for now the bottom line remains that despite some concerning signs from momentum indicators and bond yields, the trend in markets remains higher, and this market’s resilience must be respected. We continue to advocate more defensive equity allocations—lower beta, higher yield and non-cyclical sectors: Super-cap internet (FDN), healthcare (XLV/IBB/IHF), consumer staples (XLP), utilities (XLU). We also remain bullish on Europe (HEDJ/EZU) despite recent underperformance. Europe is experiencing a potentially rising economic tide (albeit from a lower level), and we think over the medium/longer term that market continues to outperform the US. Finally, from a tactical standpoint, I’ll again point out that buying September or October puts on the market is, in my opinion, a reasonable move given 1) Strong YTD gains and 2) Low liquidity, low volatility, and the potential for a political, macro or economic surprise over the coming months. This market hasn’t seen a real pullback in nearly two years. If tax cut hopes get smashed, or there is some geopolitical or political shake up, a trap door on the averages could open, similar to August 2015/January 2016… and I just want people to be aware that risk is real. Economic Data (What You Need to Know in Plain English) Need to Know Econ from Last Week There were only two notable economic reports last week, and neither were particularly controversial… and neither did anything to change the current market expectation of 1) High 2% to low 3% GDP growth in Q3, or 2) Fed reduction of the balance sheet in September. Neither data point gave us any incremental color on whether the Fed will hike rates in December, although we’ll get a lot more color on that issue this week. Looking at the data, the most important number last week was the August flash composite PMIs. The headline number beat at 56 vs. (E) 54.3, but that strong aggregate number hid some pretty significant discrepancies in the details. The reason the PMIs beat was because of a surge in service companies. Flash service sector PMI rose to 56.9 vs. 54.8. But, the more important manufacturing PMI dropped to 52.5 vs. 53.2 (the manufacturing PMI is just a better reading of activity, so it’s more heavily weighted in the minds of economists). So, despite the headline beat, this number was actually a disappointment, although I want to be clear that it was not an outright negative (PMIs need to drop below 50 before they imply economic activity is slowing). Bottom line, this is not the type of August reading that would make us think we’re seeing an economic acceleration. Turning to Durable Goods, they were in line. Yes, the headline reading missed expectations as orders for Durable Goods fell -6.8% vs. (E) -5.8%. But, longer-time readers of this publication know you should ignore the headline as it’s massively skewed by airplane orders. The more important number is New Orders for Non-Defense Capital Goods ex Aircraft (NDCGXA) and it rose 0.4% vs. (E) 0.5%, although June data was revised 0.1% higher, so it was an in-line reading. Again, we watch NDCGXA because it’s the best proxy for business spending and investment. And, similar to the flash PMI, while the number isn’t an outright negative, it’s not the kind of number that makes us think a broad economic acceleration is coming. Bottom line, both numbers last week implied continued steady, but unspectacular, economic growth, and that’s simply not enough to cause a rising tide and push stocks higher. Important Economic Data This Week This will be one of the busiest weeks of the year from an economic data standpoint, and it will come during one of the lowest liquidity weeks of the year… so the potential for data-based volatility this week is high. The key reports this week (in order of importance) are: Jobs Report (Friday), Personal Income and Outlays (Thursday) and Global Manufacturing PMIs (Thursday night/Friday morning). The reason those reports are ranked like that is because of inflation. Remember, barring a shockingly week Jobs Report on Friday, nothing is going to stop the Fed from reducing the balance sheet in September. But, whether they hike rates in December remains uncertain, and the key variable that will decide that is inflation. So, that means that the wage number in Friday’s Jobs Report, and the Core PCE Price Index (the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, which is contained in the Personal Income and Outlays report) will be the two key numbers this week. If they run hotter than expected, you will see markets begin to price in the chance of a December rate hike, which would likely be a near-term headwind on stocks as a rate hike is not priced in to bond yields, the dollar or equities. Turning to measures of economic growth, the August manufacturing PMIs are always important, but again there really shouldn’t be any major surprises here. A firm number in the US that refuted the soft flash PMI from last week would be welcomed as we need better growth to push stocks higher, but really the focus will be on inflation this week. Looking at the dovish possibilities, we could easily see the data this week push the 10-year Treasury yield to new lows if the inflation data is underwhelming, and we would view that as a negative for stocks broadly. Bottom line, I know this is a heavy vacation week, but it’s important one for Fed and ECB expectations, and that has the potential to move markets, especially given the precarious technical situation the S&P 500 is sitting in. Commodities, Currencies & Bonds In Commodities, the segment was in aggregate flat last week as the widely held commodity ETF DBC was down fractionally. Oil and energy was volatile last week thanks to inventory data and Hurricane Harvey. Initially, oil rallied midweek on a larger-than-expected drop in gasoline inventories, and despite continued growth in US production. But, a lot of those gains were undone by the approach of Hurricane Harvey, which resulted in the shut in of refining capacity in the Gulf, a move that will reduce short-term demand for oil. So, that resulted in a surge in RBOB Gasoline (up about 3% on the week) while oil closed lower (down about 1.2%, but off the lows). Hurricane Harvey will likely cause more short-term volatility in the energy market and, likely be a short-term net positive. But, any effect of the storm will likely be temporary, and the bigger issue remains rising US production. That is by far the biggest trend in the oil and energy markets over the medium and longer term, and as long as US oil production keeps rising, it will be hard to generate any meaningful upside in oil over the longer term. Turning to gold, it traded up about 0.5% last week, and gold continues to trade relatively well. Gold surged to just under resistance at $1300 initially on North Korea angst, but while that has subsided, gold has remained firm. Point being, based on geopolitics alone, gold should have gone down over the past two weeks, and it hasn’t. We find that notable. Going forward, if we see dovish inflation data this week from the PCE Price Index or wage number in the jobs report, gold could break above $1300, and a potentially substantial short squeeze could ensue. For those that are watching it, GLD, GDX and GDXJ remain the easiest way to play a potential rally in gold. Looking at Currencies and Bonds, the Dollar Index hit a fractional new low for 2017 thanks to heavy selling Friday despite the fact that nothing actually dollar negative happened last week. The Dollar Index declined about 0.5%, with all the losses coming Friday. The catalyst for the dollar weakness Friday was a lack of liquidity more than anything else. Neither Yellen nor Draghi said anything new, but, it was especially Draghi’s comments that sent the euro surging and the dollar dropping… on a Friday in late August at 3:00 p.m. Not exactly the busiest time in the currency markets. The reason there was a positive euro/negative dollar reaction on Friday was because Draghi didn’t try and “talk down” the euro. We thought this could be a hawkish move, and we were partially right. It wasn’t so much that Draghi was dismissive of the higher euro in his comments. Instead, he just didn’t reference it as a problem, and between that and the lack of liquidity, it sent the euro to new, two-and-a-half-year highs, and the Dollar Index to fresh lows. But, to be clear, nothing “happened” on Friday that meant a resumption of the euro strength/dollar weakness. That longer-term issue will be decided much more by the data this week and how explicit and aggressive the ECB is in its tapering at its meeting during the first week of September. Turning to Treasuries, they largely ignored the drama on Friday. The 10-year yield dipped 2 basis points last week and spent the entire week largely churning sideways except for a brief pop above 2.20% following Tuesday’s rally in stocks. Looking at bonds, whether we see new 2017 lows in the 10-year yield will be dependent on the Fed (whether they hike in December or not) and on tax cuts (if they do pass before year end, the 10-year yield is going to surge). So, until we get more clarity on those issues (which could come this week) expect more sideways churn in yields just above the 2017 lows.
Special Reports and Editorial Political Update: Where Do We Stand on Taxes? What a difference a few days can make. By Thursday’s close (Aug. 17), the S&P 500 was at a one-month low, and the prospects for any tax cuts or foreign profit repatriation tax holiday were dim. Now, thanks to one Politico article, happy days are here again, as the S&P 500 surged on the idea that the leaders in Washington are actually making progress on tax cuts! Hopefully, you can sense my sarcasm. The lack of liquidity and attendance in the market is making these tax-related market mood swings worse than they otherwise should be, so I wanted to step back and provide a clear, unemotional update on the tax cut situation. Starting with Tuesday’s Politico article, there were two reasons it was positive: The “Big Six,” and 22% to 25%. Starting with the latter, you know from this publication that right now, the market is expecting a corporate tax cut in Q1 2018 down to 28%. If that happens, it likely isn’t a materially positive or negative catalyst. However, the Politico article implied consensus was coalescing around a corporate rate between 22% and 25%, obviously less than 28%. If that happens, it will represent a positive catalyst and a boost to corporate earnings, which will send stocks higher. Now, on to the former. The “Big Six” is apparently the nickname that a key group of Republican leaders have given themselves in regards to tax negotiations. For clarity, the “Big Six” are: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, National Economic Council Director Cohn, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, Speaker of the House Ryan, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Brady, and Senate Finance Committee Chair Hatch. The Politico article implied the “Big Six” have been working much closer than previously thought, and that they have made a lot more progress on the structure of tax cuts (although plenty of details remain). Bottom Line The noise on this topic is officially deafening, but I want to cut through it and give you some hard takeaways on the outlook for tax cuts and the impact on the market. 1. Expect more tax-related volatility. If January through August is any guide, we can expect the ever-growing Washington soap opera to fully engulf the tax cut issue this fall. Like healthcare, there are multiple moving pieces, a lot of important, TV happy players (I’m not even including Trump), and a lot of pressure—as this is basically the Republicans’ last chance to get any legislative priorities accomplished before focus on the midterms starts in 2018. 2. The outlook for tax cuts wasn’t as bad as it seemed last Thursday, and it’s not as good as it seems right now. The Politico article was positive, but it didn’t contain anything ground breaking. To boot, it appears that substantially controversial issues are being discussed in the tax cut package, including: Capping mortgage interest deductions, eliminating the deduction of state and local taxes against federal, corporate interest deductibility and other issues. These are foundational pieces of the current tax code, and removing them won’t be easy. 3. The sector winners from potential tax cuts remain the same as they’ve been all year: Super-cap tech (on foreign profit repatriation), healthcare (on foreign profit repatriation), retailers (they pay high corporate taxes) and oil and gas (high tax rates). FDN/QQQ, XLV/IBB/IHF, RTH and XLE/XOP are all ETFs that should outperform if taxes surprise to the upside. 4. A prediction: Tax cuts happen in Q1 2018. I’m in the business of generating conclusions and opinions, so I’ll give one about this tax issue. I’d give it about a 65% chance that tax cuts/foreign repatriation holiday gets done by Q1 2018, and about a 50/50 chance those tax cuts positively surprise (i.e. the corporate rate drops below 28%). I do not expect any changes to personal taxes. The reason for this opinion, as I’ve said several times before, is self-preservation. Congressional Republicans are on the ballot in 2018, President Trump is not. If they fail to accomplish anything (no healthcare repeal, no tax cuts) and this Washington soap opera continues, then it’ll be Congressional Republicans who are out of a job. So, they have to get something done if they want to save their jobs. There’s no better predicator of action in Washington than the rule of self-preservation.
FDN and SOXX both closed lower yesterday (the former falling fractionally while the latter dropped 0.74%). Now both ETFs, which again have led markets higher for all of 2017, are getting very close to breaking recent lows… and that would be a negative technical signal. For FDN, a break below support at $96.00 would be a clear, negative signal, while for SOXX, a close below $144.60 would be a fresh two-month low. Bottom line, the NYSE Advance/Decline line is clearly flashing a warning sign, as it has been over a week (and it’s hitting fresh lows). If SOXX and FDN break to fresh one-month lows, that will reflect a real deterioration in market momentum—and that will make us considerably more nervous in the short term. For those wanting some near-term protection, September out-of-the-money Nasdaq, S&P 500 or Russell 2000 puts are not the worst idea here, especially if we see SOXX and FDN breakdown further. EIA Report and Oil Update Last week’s EIA data was relatively in line with expectations, and the market reacted accordingly with a very choppy and insignificant response. Gasoline stocks did fall more than expected, and as a result RBOB futures outperformed WTI futures, which closed up 1.72% and 1.09%, respectively. On the headlines, crude oil stocks fell -3.3M bbls vs. (E) -3.1, which also roughly matched the -3.6M bbl draw reported by the API late Tuesday. The change in gasoline supply was the only real surprise in the data print as stockpiles fell -1.2M vs. (E) -500K. And compared to the API, which reported gasoline inventories rose +1.4M bbls, that data point favored the bulls. The rising trend of lower 48 production remains the most important influence on the energy markets right now, and there was a potential sign of fatigue in that figure as it rose just 12K b/d vs. the 2017 average of 25K b/d. In theory that is a slightly bullish influence, but it is only one report and US output did hit another multi-year high in this most recent release, which is still longer-term bearish. Additionally, Alaskan production continued to stabilize and show signs of turning higher into the fall, as production rose 14K b/d to the highest level since mid-July. Bottom line, US production continues to trend higher despite a slight pullback in pace last week. And as long as US production is grinding to new multi-year highs, it will be a headwind on the entire complex, and the $50/barrel mark will continue to be a stubborn psychological and technical resistance level for WTI. Disclaimer: CapitalistHQ.com Weekly Market Report is protected by federal and international copyright laws. CapitalistHQ.com is the publisher of the newsletter and owner of all rights therein, and retains property rights to the newsletter. The Newsletter may not be forwarded, copied, downloaded, stored in a retrieval system or otherwise reproduced or used in any form or by any means without express written permission from CapitalistHQ.com. The information contained in CapitalistHQ.com Weekly Market Report is not necessarily complete and its accuracy is not guaranteed. Neither the information contained in CapitalistHQ.com Weekly Market Report or any opinion expressed in CapitalistHQ.com Weekly Market Report constitutes a solicitation for the purchase of any future or security referred to in the Newsletter. The Newsletter is strictly an informational publication and does not provide individual, customized investment or trading advice to its subscribers. SUBSCRIBERS SHOULD VERIFY ALL CLAIMS AND COMPLETE THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND CONSULT A REGISTERED FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE INVESTING IN ANY INVESTMENTS MENTIONED IN THE PUBLICATION. INVESTING IN SECURITIES, OPTIONS AND FUTURES IS SPECULATIVE AND CARRIES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, AND SUBSCRIBERS MAY LOSE MONEY TRADING AND INVESTING IN SUCH INVESTMENTS. from https://capitalisthq.com/why-is-the-dollar-at-new-lows-weekly-market-report/ On August 24th Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned Texas citizens in the path of Hurricane Harvey to heed warnings from local officials and adhere to ALL evacuation orders.
But Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner had a different idea. The Houston mayor told told citizens to “think twice before trying to leave Houston” before Hurricane Harvey hit.Via Redditt The Donald: Now Houston is flooded, the city is expecting more rain, looters are ransacking stores, and people are dying. And it’s only going to get worse. On top of that, Mayor Turner is not taking the governor’s calls:
On Sunday Turner defended his decision to tell residents to stay put. from https://capitalisthq.com/horror-houston-dem-mayor-told-citizens-to-think-twice-before-trying-to-leave-houston-now-theyre-dying/ Former Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones Reportedly Blacklisted on YouTube for Supporting President Trump8/27/2017 Guest post by Joe Hoft Music superstar Kaya Jones is perhaps best known as one of the lead singers for The Pussycat Dolls, which is one of the most popular girl groups in history having sold more than 15 million albums and 40 million singles worldwide. Ms. Jones released a new song “What the Heart Don’t Know”. This moving and beautiful song is about a military wife who sends her husband off to war and is played by Kaya in the music video – Sean Hannity tweeted the song out last week –
Because Hannity and others noticed Kaya and because she is a Trump supporter she is blacklisted on YouTube. Kaya Jonesand Joy Villa discussed how they are being banned, blacklisted and discriminated against by the left wing social media giant YouTube.The social media giants are in an all out effort against free speech and as these proud and courageous girls share “We’re not going to stand for it!” You shouldn’t have to in a free society. God protect free speech in America today! from https://capitalisthq.com/former-pussycat-doll-kaya-jones-reportedly-blacklisted-on-youtube-for-supporting-president-trump/ Good Sunday morning. TRUMP SAYS HE’S GOING TO TEXAS — @realDonaldTrump at 8:59 a.m.: “I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.” — THE KEY PHRASE: “As soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption.” The situation in Houston is very bad, and a presidential visit might take some time. We hear this week is a possibility. Story Continued Below GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS asks TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT on ABC’S “THIS WEEK” about a Trump visit: STEPHANOPOULOS: “The White House has said the president is expecting to visit Texas this week. Does that make sense right now? And will that is averting resources away from the relief effort?” ABBOTT: “Well, it depends. As you know, we had a hurricane hit around the Corpus Christi area, that is now moving northeast and is over closer to the Houston area. And it depends on where he goes. We are already, for example, involved in a cleanup process in Corpus Christi. “If the president were to visit there, it wouldn’t hinder any efforts. We’ll just have to wait and see where the storm goes, understanding that this entire storm has been very unpredictable in its movement. And I couldn’t tell you right now where it will be in two days.” THE WHIPLASH PRESIDENCY — JUST THIS MORNING: Boasting about the government’s response to Hurricane Harvey. Mild railing on Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill. Promising a wall with Mexico. Threatening to pull out of NAFTA. TRUMP’S SUNDAY MORNING — @realDonald Trump at 8:25 a.m.: “Many people are now saying that this is the worst storm/hurricane they have ever seen. Good news is that we have great talent on the ground.” … at 8:04 a.m.: “Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government. Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued.” … at 9:15 a.m.: “I will also be going to a wonderful state, Missouri, that I won by a lot in ‘16. Dem C.M. is opposed to big tax cuts. Republican will win S!” … … at 9:25 a.m.: “Wow – Now experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood! We have an all out effort going, and going well!” … at 9:44 a.m.: “With Mexico being one of the highest crime Nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other.” … at 10:31 a.m.: “Going to a Cabinet Meeting (tele-conference) at 11:00 A.M. on #Harvey. Even experts have said they’ve never seen one like this!” … at 10:39 a.m.: “Major rescue operations underway!” — TRUMP’S TAX ROADSHOW. Trump is going to Missouri to discuss tax reform this week. Yes, Sen. Claire McCaskill is up for reelection in 2018. This will be Trump’s most recent foray into a red state Democrat’s home turf. It could be instructive for how Trump will go on the offensive for the midterms — McCaskill’s seat is a huge target for Senate Republicans. While Trump is there to talk taxes, most expect he will also veer away from pushing a rewrite of the tax code. McCaskill, like most Democrats, is probably not gettable if Republicans go it alone on tax reform. If Trump’s tax roadshow is going to be an extended riff on how Democrats are obstructionists, it won’t help Trump get 218 votes in the House or 50 votes in the Senate. HOUSTON SLAMMED — “Tropical Storm Harvey brings worst-ever flooding to Houston,” by the Houston Chronicle’s Susan Carroll, Dug Begley, Mark Collette, and St. John Barned Smith: “Tropical Storm Harvey officially became Houston’s worst storm on record overnight, dumping heavy rains across the city and overflowed bayous, leaving swaths of the city submerged in floodwater. “‘It’s catastrophic, unprecedented, epic — whatever adjective you want to use,’ said Patrick Blood, a NWS meteorologist. ‘It’s pretty horrible right now.’ City officials tweeted early Sunday morning that the 911 system was at capacity, urging people to shelter in place if they can. ‘Only call if in imminent danger.’ On Twitter, people begged for help. ‘Parents and 4 children need rescuing!’ someone tweeted from the I-45 and Edgebrook area. ‘Blowing up mattress for last case scenario.’ The unconfirmed death toll by the National Weather Service reached five, but authorities expected that to climb as the waters recede. … “In Harris County, the heaviest rainfall over the past 12 hours were around Webster, where the county flood control gauge on the Galveston County line registered 20.2 inches since 7 p.m. Blood said the computer models show no signs of the rain letting up soon. ‘Harvey is not going to move much over the next few days,’ he said.” http://bit.ly/2gfamOq –HOUSTON CHRONICLE A1: “STATE OF DESTRUCTION” http://bit.ly/2vt7JuY DEPT OF TAX REFORM IS HARD — WSJ: “Large Companies Oppose Idea for Taxing Foreign Profits: Congressional Republicans are weighing minimum tax, but alliance warns of unintended consequences,” by Rich Rubin: “Congressional Republicans are trying to write new rules for taxing foreign profits of U.S. corporations, and a group of large, influential companies is warning against one prominent option. “Under current law, companies owe the full 35% corporate-tax rate on their worldwide earnings and have to pay it on any profits they bring back to the U.S. That system encourages companies to book profits overseas and leave them there. The issue is often a flashpoint in debates over changing the tax code. Republicans want to lower the corporate-tax rate and let companies bring future global profits home without paying U.S. taxes on top of foreign taxes. They are searching for a way to do that without giving companies an incentive to move more operations and profits to countries with far lower taxes. “One alternative Republicans are considering is a minimum tax on those profits. But such a tax would have ‘unintended and adverse consequences,’ the business group, which includes companies such as Eli Lilly & Co., United Technologies Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc., told top lawmakers this month in a previously undisclosed policy paper.” http://on.wsj.com/2w8Yym9 JOE BIDEN in The Atlantic on Charlottesville: “‘We Are Living Through a Battle for the Soul of This Nation’”: “The giant forward steps we have taken in recent years on civil liberties and civil rights and human rights are being met by a ferocious pushback from the oldest and darkest forces in America. Are we really surprised they rose up? Are we really surprised they lashed back? Did we really think they would be extinguished with a whimper rather than a fight? … “Today we have an American president who has publicly proclaimed a moral equivalency between neo-Nazis and Klansmen and those who would oppose their venom and hate. We have an American president who has emboldened white supremacists with messages of comfort and support. This is a moment for this nation to declare what the president can’t with any clarity, consistency, or conviction: There is no place for these hate groups in America. Hatred of blacks, Jews, immigrants—all who are seen as ‘the other’—won’t be accepted or tolerated or given safe harbor anywhere in this nation.” http://theatln.tc/2xnwfPH CHRIS WALLACE speaking with SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON on FOX’S “FOX NEWS SUNDAY”: TILLERSON: “I don’t believe anyone doubts the American people’s values or the commitment of the American government or the government’s agencies to advancing those values and defending those values.” WALLACE: “And the President’s values?” TILLERSON: “The president speaks for himself, Chris.” WALLACE: “Are you separating yourself from that sir?” TILLERSON: “I have spoken. I have made my own comments as to our values as well in a speech I gave to the State Department this past week.” ****** A message from Chevron: We’re piloting a program that uses drones to keep an eye on Chevron wells, tanks, and pipelines—all to keep DOERS and what they’re doin’ safer. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2vLsVyX ****** DEPT. OF RULE OF LAW — “Trump asked Sessions about closing case against Arpaio, an ally since ‘birtherism,’” by WaPo’s Phil Rucker and Ellen Nakashima: “As Joseph Arpaio’s federal case headed toward trial this past spring, President Trump wanted to act to help the former Arizona county sheriff who had become a campaign-trail companion and a partner in their crusade against illegal immigration. The president asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether it would be possible for the government to drop the criminal case against Arpaio, but was advised that would be inappropriate, according to three people with knowledge of the conversation. “After talking with Sessions, Trump decided to let the case go to trial, and if Arpaio was convicted, he could grant clemency. So the president waited, all the while planning to issue a pardon if Arpaio was found in contempt of court for defying a federal judge’s order to stop detaining people merely because he suspected them of being undocumented immigrants. Trump was, in the words of one associate, ‘gung-ho about it.’” http://wapo.st/2vzF9Yi NYT’S ADAM LIPTAK: “Why Trump’s Pardon of Arpaio Follows Law, Yet Challenges It”: “President Trump’s decision to pardon Joe Arpaio was characteristically unconventional. It came late on a Friday night as a hurricane bore down on Texas. It concerned a crime some said was particularly ill-suited to clemency, and it was not the product of the care and deliberation that have informed pardons by other presidents. But it was almost certainly lawful. The Constitution gives presidents extremely broad power to grant pardons. “Last month, a federal judge found Mr. Arpaio, a former Arizona sheriff, guilty of criminal contempt for defying a court order to stop detaining immigrants based solely on the suspicion that they were in the country illegally. The order had been issued in a lawsuit that accused the sheriff’s office of violating the Constitution by using racial profiling to jail Latinos. Mr. Arpaio had faced a sentence of up to six months in jail. “Mr. Trump thus used his constitutional power to block a federal judge’s effort to enforce the Constitution. Legal experts said they found this to be the most troubling aspect of the pardon, given that it excused the lawlessness of an official who had sworn to defend the constitutional structure.” http://nyti.ms/2vsI5Xm — @MeetThePress: “On political pardons, like Arpaio, Gov @JohnKasich: ‘I wouldn’t have done it this way. It’s out of bounds.’ #MTP”. Video http://nbcnews.to/2vtfmSh SPEAKER PAUL RYAN’S OFFICE: “The speaker does not agree with this decision. Law enforcement officials have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon.” — BREITBART hits its favorite target: “Paul Ryan Throws in with Leftists to Attack President Trump’s Pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio” http://bit.ly/2wfHidp GORKA SPEAKS — “EXCLUSIVE– ‘Like the Last Scene of Star Wars’: Sebastian Gorka Compares Battle Against Globalist Cabal to Rebel Alliance Fighting Evil Empire,” by Breitbart’s Matt Boyle: “‘We are winning and we will continue to do so,’ Gorka said. ‘With Steve back at the helm, it’s like the last scene from Star Wars. Do you remember what Obi Wan Kenobi said to Darth [Vader]? ‘If you strike me down, I will be more powerful than you can ever imagine.’ The left thinks they’re winning. They have no idea what’s coming around the corner, and it’s going to be fun, Matt. You know it.’” http://bit.ly/2ggxJH7 — THE LEFT SHOULDN’T WORRY. It’s the institutional right that should worry. ON THE WORLD STAGE — “Merkel has no regrets over refugee policy despite political cost,” by Reuters’ Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin: “German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she has no regrets about her 2015 decision to open the country’s borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees and added she will not be deterred from campaigning by angry hecklers. In an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday, Merkel denied she had made any mistakes with her open-door policy even though the arrival of a million refugees over the last two years from Syria and Iraq opened deep rifts in her conservative party and depressed its support. … “‘I’d make all the important decisions of 2015 the same way again,’ Merkel said. ‘It was an extraordinary situation and I made my decision based on what I thought was right from a political and humanitarian standpoint.’ ‘Those kinds of extraordinary situations happen every once in a while in a country’s history,’ she added. ‘The head of government has to act and I did.’” http://reut.rs/2w98qfX ADELSON’S NEWSPAPER — ISRAEL HAYOM: “In effort to revive peace talks, US asks PA to halt diplomatic offensive against Israel”: http://bit.ly/2vAlpnr MELANIA WATCH — “First lady appears to borrow from Michelle Obama’s playbook,” by AP’s Darlene Superville: “Bare arms and a belted waist, a White House vegetable garden and parents in the residence: Melania Trump is borrowing pages from Michelle Obama’s playbook. From public policy to high fashion to family ties, Mrs. Trump is keeping alive parts of the former first lady’s legacy even as President Donald Trump’s administration alters other aspects. Mrs. Obama made it acceptable for first ladies to shun the confining, jewel-toned suits that her predecessors wore like uniforms, and her successor is embracing that same free-wheeling fashion sense. “During President Trump’s first overseas trip in late May, the current first lady stepped off of Air Force One in Saudi Arabia wearing a long-sleeved, black jumpsuit accented with a wide, gold belt. A former model, Mrs. Trump has worn a number of sleeveless and belted outfits since, almost always paired with towering heels. She has kept Mrs. Obama’s vegetable garden, and shown interest in women’s empowerment, military families and children’s issues. Mrs. Obama championed all as first lady. But where Mrs. Obama frequently hosted public events in the garden to encourage healthy eating, Mrs. Trump has yet to hold an activity there.” http://bit.ly/2xDDGl9 SUNDAY BEST … MAJOR GARRETT speaks with TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT on CBS’ “FACE THE NATION”: GARRETT: “After Katrina the U.S. military came in and brought substantial logistics supply movement and order. Do you foresee any circumstance, governor, where you might request that kind of effort to assist you?” ABBOTT: “We’ll have to wait and see. The collaboration of the professionals in Houston and Harris County combined with the assets the state is providing have it covered for now. We’ll have to see where it goes from here. There are different weather predictions. One is that this storm could hover over the Houston area for a couple of days. If so, this could get even worse. But we will take it step by step.” JAKE TAPPER speaks with FEMA DIRECTOR BROCK LONG on CNN’S “STATE OF THE UNION”: TAPPER: “The Trump administration is, of course, facing this hurricane with many vacancies in a number of important positions. We’re missing a permanent secretary of homeland security right now. Two deputy director nominees at FEMA still await confirmation, as you well know. There has not been a nomination for anyone to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The National Hurricane Center is currently searching for a director. Is it going to be OK, even with all these vacancies? LONG: “Yes. You know what? I don’t even have time to worry about it right now. But what I have seen inside my agency is, I have got some of the most dedicated people in the entire federal government, great lines of communications with the president. He’s extremely concerned, incredibly engaged. “Everything is working through. And just because there’s not a leader in some of these areas, you have got some dedicated, highly knowledgeable, experienced work force in each one of these agencies, and they know this mission. And we’re putting it down and we’re there. We’re leaning forward, and we’re going to continue to support the state and local governments. I have no concern. We are doing our job.” — TILLERSON to CHRIS WALLACE on AFGHANISTAN: “I think the president has been clear, Chris, that this is a dramatic shift in terms of the military strategy. We are shifting from a time based military strategy that had very clear troop ceiling levels to now, as he indicated, a conditions-based strategy which means it will be dictated by conditions on the ground and formed by battlefield commanders. He has also delegated significant authority to Secretary Mattis to set troop levels but also has been able to delegate further to military commanders in the field decision making to begin to turn the tide against the Taliban.” “Our objective is to deny any terrorist organization any territory with which they can organize, raise financing, recruit new fighters, develop techniques for carrying out terrorist attacks and then deploying those. We know that if we deny them the space to do that, we protect the homeland, we also protect Americans and our allies as well.” — @johnson_carrie: “Karl Rove on @FoxNewsSunday says Trump was ‘making a political statement’ with Arpaio pardon, calls it ‘a bad mistake.’” JUST LIKE HICKENLOOPER TOLD US … CHUCK TODD speaks with OHIO GOV. JOHN KASICH on NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS”: TODD: “Well, let me ask you about that, with both parties obviously there was some fun speculation about 2020 bubbling up. And the idea, you mentioned John Hickenlooper, the governor of Colorado, that you two are working together, trying to come up with a bipartisan fix here on the state exchanges and the health care law in general. And somebody floated the idea that it could be a 2020 unity ticket. Are you, could you imagine yourself leaving the Republican Party to do something like this?” KASICH: “Chuck, look, Kasich/Hickenlooper. You couldn’t–first of all, you couldn’t pronounce it. And secondly, you couldn’t fit it on a bumper sticker. But here’s what I do want to say, because Hickenlooper and I–” TODD: “That’s not a denial.” … KASICH: “The answer is no, ok. But here’s what–I do want people to think about this, because Hickenlooper and I work together cynics out there say, ‘Well, they want something.’ Because we want to stabilize health care and make sure that poor people have something people assume there’s a motive. You know, sometimes people actually do things because they’re trying to help somebody. And when we do that everybody ought not to say, ‘Well, what’s in it for them?’ This growing cynicism eats at the fabric of the spirit of our country. It’s not–it really aggravates–not much that aggravates me. That does.” CARL HULSE speaks to SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R-ARIZ.) http://nyti.ms/2xnVEZA SPORTS BLINK — “Mayweather stops McGregor with 10th-round TKO to go 50-0,” by USA Today’s Bob Velin: https://usat.ly/2wzo4Cc WOAH… — “Zinke’s veteran daughter excoriates Trump in response to transgender military ban,” by Billings Gazette’s Jayme Fraser: “The daughter of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, like her father a Navy veteran, appears, in the rawest of terms, to have excoriated President Donald Trump in a social media post after the announcement that transgender soldiers would be banned from the military. ‘This man is a disgrace. I’ve tried to keep politics out of my social media feed as much as possible, but this is inexcusable,’ read a July 26 public Instagram post from what appears to be the account of Jennifer Detlefsen, the Navy diver daughter Zinke frequently mentioned in his successful 2016 re-election campaign for the U.S. House. … ‘This veteran says sit down and shut the (expletive) up, you know-nothing, never-served piece of (expletive).’ She also used a hashtag, #itmfa, that is an acronym for ‘impeach the (expletive) already.’” http://bit.ly/2xnPo3Y … See the Instagram post http://bit.ly/2wJLftX 2018 WATCH — “Democrats exploit GOP ethics woes in battle for the House,” by Elena Schneider and Austin Wright: “Duncan Hunter’s Southern California district isn’t normally a serious target for Democrats. But a criminal investigation into allegations of campaign funds for personal use — including flying his pet rabbit across the country — isn’t exactly normal either. Hunter is one of a handful of House Republicans in ethical hot water that could put their typically safe seats at risk. And the [DCCC] is planning to exploit their troubles in 2018 in the hopes of notching long-shot victories that could be the difference between winning the House or falling just short. … “Among the incumbents on their early target list are California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, whose ties to Russian officials have come under scrutiny and was once warned by the FBI that Russian spies were trying to recruit him; New Jersey Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who faces an ethics complaint from an outside watchdog group over a letter that some perceived as targeting an activist; New York Rep. Chris Collins, whose stock-market investments are under investigation; Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte, who pleaded guilty to assault for attacking a reporter; and California Rep. Devin Nunes, whose handling of classified information is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.” http://politi.co/2wSpgjT HMM — “Ex-Trump adviser helps Iraqis president wants to deport — for a price,” by Nahal Toosi: “A former campaign adviser to Donald Trump is offering to testify in court on behalf of Iraqi Christians in the United States who suddenly face deportation under the Republican president — for a hefty fee. Walid Phares, a Lebanese-American academic, advised Trump on foreign affairs during the 2016 presidential campaign. He also has appeared on the Fox News and Fox Business channels to promote Trump’s national security policies, including the travel bans that would temporarily bar Iraqi Christian refugees, among others, from U.S. soil. “At the same time, Phares charges unusually high fees — up to $15,000 or more, according to lawyers — to testify in immigration proceedings about the dangers facing people deported to Iraq, where Christians and others with U.S. ties are often killed. Activists who work with Iraqis in the U.S. are questioning Phares’ dual role as an advocate of Trump’s harsher immigration policies and a defender of those who are being affected.” http://politi.co/2iBtW8r WAPO — Ecstasy could be ‘breakthrough’ therapy for soldiers, others suffering from PTSD,” by William Wan: “For Jon Lubecky, the scars on his wrists are a reminder of the years he spent in mental purgatory. He returned from an Army deployment in Iraq a broken man. He heard mortar shells and helicopters where there were none. He couldn’t sleep and drank until he passed out. He got every treatment offered by Veterans Affairs for post-traumatic stress disorder. But they didn’t stop him from trying to kill himself — five times. “Finally, he signed up for an experimental therapy and was given a little green capsule. The anguish stopped. Inside that pill was a compound named MDMA, better known by dealers and rave partygoers as ecstasy. That street drug is emerging as the most promising tool to come along in years for the military’s escalating PTSD epidemic. The MDMA program was created by a small group of psychedelic researchers who had toiled for years in the face of ridicule, funding shortages and skepticism. But the results have been so positive that this month the Food and Drug Administration deemed it a ‘breakthrough therapy’ — setting it on a fast track for review and potential approval.” http://wapo.st/2viaseL ****** A message from Chevron: This is a story about energy, safety, and some truly high-flyin’ doin’. We’re piloting a program that uses drones, HD imaging, and thermal mapping to help keep a close eye on Chevron wells, tanks, and pipelines—all to keep DOERS and what they’re doin’ safer. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2vLsVyX ****** BEN SCHRECKINGER in POLITICO Magazine, “The Trouble With Ivanka’s Business Partner: The first daughter’s longtime friend and associate is falling afoul of his creditors—and the courts”: “His vendors call him a ‘career grifter.’ His father’s creditors claim he’s a fraud and a serial extortionist who shakes people down with trumped-up threats of criminal charges. With these and other allegations piling up in court records along with judgments—against him, his wife and his businesses—for millions of dollars, his lawyers are abandoning him, saying he’s a deadbeat. All the while, he’s been living in one of the most luxurious mansions in the Bronx.Meet Ivanka Trump’s longtime friend, matchmaker and business partner, Moshe Lax. For the past decade, Lax, a 43-year-old New York diamond heir and entrepreneur, has been Trump’s partner in Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, the first major venture of her business career. Trump and her family have continued to associate with Lax even as his legal problems have mounted and Trump has been dragged into Lax’s business disputes.” http://politi.co/2wfB5yj BONUS GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Daniel Lippman: — “The Great Pot Monopoly Mystery,” by Amanda Chicago Lewis in GQ: “Some very powerful people are trying to corner the market on legal weed and turn their company into the Monsanto of marijuana. Who are they? And can they be stopped?” http://bit.ly/2wcnwQ6 (h/t Longreads.com) — “Mark Lilla Vs. Identity Politics,” by Rod Dreher in The American Conservative: “‘To understand what ails this country you need to pay attention to difference. In order to fix what ails us you need to hold onto the universal democratic ideal. It is very hard to make identitarians see this. Politics is not a speech act. It is not about getting recognition for certain groups who have problems, it is about acquiring power to help them.’” http://bit.ly/2vdEmkx (h/t TheBrowser.com) — “Must She Choose? -- The Family Leave Dilemma: Is there a federal answer?” by the Weekly Standard’s Alice B. Lloyd in her cover debut: “The United States stands alone among 41 economically comparable democratic nations in not mandating paid leave for new parents, according to data presented last year by the [OECD]. The U.N. reported in 2014 that only Suriname, Oman, Papua New Guinea, and a smattering of South Pacific islands joined the United States in offering new mothers no form of paid leave.” http://tws.io/2vetDpH — “The biggest thing Trump doesn’t get about George Washington,” by CNN’s — “After Charlottesville, New Shades of Gray in a Changing South,” by — “A Made-for-Tabloid Murder,” by Maureen Orth in the August 2003 Vanity Fair: “On Christmas Eve, a pretty, young, pregnant wife goes missing. Right after the Iraq war, her body washes up, and her husband is arrested. With its heartbreaking details and perfect timing, the Laci Peterson murder has become America’s No. 1 crime and human-interest story. In Modesto, California, where National Enquirer reporters wield huge checks, cable-news anchors fight over gruesome autopsy exclusives, and the most elusive prey is Scott Peterson’s ‘motive,’ Amber Frey, the author reports on three families, a town, and an industry, all consumed by a national obsession.” http://bit.ly/2w5rBan — “The Girl from Plainville,” by Jesse Barron in Esquire: “Can words kill? Earlier this year, a young woman from a small town in Massachusetts stood trial for homicide. Prosecutors argued that her calls and texts fueled her boyfriend’s suicide. The judge’s shocking verdict answered the question of whether speech alone was enough to make her guilty in his death, but it left a larger question untouched: What was Michelle Carter thinking?” http://bit.ly/2wbJqmI (h/t Longform.org) — “The Mysteries of the Russian Mindset,” by Christian Neef in Der Spiegel: “Putin initially thought like a Westerner, but ultimately realized why every Russian ruler struggles to lead this nation: Because its inhabitants, in accordance with an unshakable tradition, freely delegate all their power to a single person, and then wait for that power to take care of them, without doing anything themselves. Liberalism has no chance in Russia. The people won’t allow it.” http://bit.ly/2ixd3eZ (h/t TheBrowser.com) — “Neoliberalism: the idea that swallowed the world,” by Stephen Metcalfe in The Guardian: “Neoliberalism is a name for the premise that, quietly, has come to regulate all we practise and believe: That competition is the only legitimate organising principle for human activity. Thirty years on, and it can fairly be said that Hayek’s victory is unrivalled. We live in a paradise built by his Big Idea. The more closely the world can be made to resemble an ideal market governed only by perfect competition, the more law-like and ‘scientific’ human behaviour, in the aggregate, becomes.” http://bit.ly/2w59Qbh — “Without Chick Parsons, General MacArthur May Never Have Made His Famed Return to the Philippines,” by Peter Eisner in Smithsonian: “Before World War II, Parsons had been the toast of Manila society, successful in business and unrivaled on the polo field, a gregarious, muscular expat American with a shock of wavy brown hair, a winning smile and an eagle tattooed across the expanse of his chest.” http://bit.ly/2wbxMIp — “Into the Fray,” by Sophia Jones in GW Magazine: “In covering conflict abroad, a foreign correspondent finds purpose not on the front lines, but in the silences just beyond, where reverberations of war seldom find daylight.” http://bit.ly/2wvf6G6 — “How Science Is Unlocking the Secrets of Addiction,” by Fran Smith on the cover of September’s NatGeo: “We’re learning more about the craving that fuels self-defeating habits—and how new discoveries can help us kick the habit.” http://on.natgeo.com/2xA3Ftv … The cover http://politi.co/2wFJCxC — “Trying to pry open the black box of heartbreak,” by Mandy Len Catron on TED.com: “Why does love end — and why does it hurt so darn much? We can take a bit of creature comfort in knowing that other animals seem to suffer, too.” http://bit.ly/2gcTW8Z SPOTTED: Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) at Dunkin’ Donuts early Sunday morning at DCA. “Stopped by a well-wisher, he filmed a brief message and then dashed off to a gate,” per our tipster. WEEKEND WEDDING – “Leigh Shirvan, David Helfenbein” – N.Y. Times: “Mrs. Helfenbein, 31, is the president and founder of Leigh Aubrey Communications in New York, where she consults for restaurants on their social media and marketing campaigns. She is also the founder of the food Instagram account HungryObsession. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin. … Mr. Helfenbein, also 31, is a senior adviser in New York for Main & Rose, a personal and corporate strategic branding company based in Los Angeles. In September he is to become a senior vice president there. Previously he worked for Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state, as the social media coordinator in the office of strategic communication at the State Department, and as a legislative correspondent in the Senate. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. He received a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis.” With pic http://nyti.ms/2vAn38j … Wedding pics http://bit.ly/2wSrgZr … http://bit.ly/2xofHam WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Jane Lucas, deputy director in the office of health reform at HHS and former LD for Sen. Thune, and Chris Lucas, director of global gov’t affairs for Bank of New York Mellon and a former aide to Republican Sens. Mike Rounds (S.D.) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and former Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine), recently welcomed Grace Emily Lucas. Pic http://politi.co/2wJ6M66 BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Morra Aarons-Mele, author of “Hiding in the Bathroom” ($17.53 on Amazon http://amzn.to/2wcQiCI) (hat tip: Jon Haber) … (was Friday): Weekly Standard reporter Jen Lifhits, celebrating this weekend at home with family in Connecticut (h/t Tim Mak) BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Josh Mankiewicz, correspondent for NBC’s “Dateline,” which will be starting its 26th season in late September. A trend he thinks should get more attention: “The colossal wave of violence in this country against women, by men. Most of it never makes it to an emergency room, a police blotter, or into print.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2iz7jBe BIRTHDAYS: Rachel Racusen, celebrating in Milwaukee at her brother-in-law’s wedding (h/t Peter Hamby) … former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) … NYT daily book critic Jennifer Senior, an NYMag alum … Roger Stone … Steve Clemons, Washington editor-at-large at The Atlantic … Politico’s Darius Dixon, Megan Cassella, and Sarah Gamard … Xavier Pugliese … Peter Sterne, senior reporter and managing editor of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker (h/t Hanna Trudo) … Jedd Rosche, CNN Politics Congress editor … Ben Neal … Blake Sobczak, cybersecurity reporter for E&E News … Danielle Weisberg, co-founder of theSkimm … Josh Paciorek of VP Pence’s office … Morris Jones … Pete Boyle, VP of public affairs at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities … Jim Osman … Christopher Brown, VP of EFB Advocacy … August Skamenca … Christine O’Donnell … … Ty Matsdorf … Melissa Sellers … Edgar Abrams … Kelsey Berg … Francesca McCrary … Sarah Schenning … Peter Rothfeld … former Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.) … Moutray McLaren … former Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) … Linda McKay … Marilyn Renner … Jon Kinney … Politico Europe’s Pierre H. Teheux … BBC’s Katrina Salhioui … Ruth Harkin, the first woman to be elected county prosecutor in the State of Iowa … Leah Daughtry … Marcia Frew … Steve Aldrich … Jeannette O’Connor (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … CRC’s Megan Wilburn … Donald St. Clair … Nicole Charalambous … Paul Reubens … Bill Hamilton … Jason Houser … Mindy Tucker Fletcher … Sean Healy … Robert Cole … Ellar Coltrane (“Boyhood”) (h/t AP) ****** A message from Chevron: This is a story about energy, safety, and some truly high-flyin’ doin’. We’re piloting a program that uses drones, HD imaging, and thermal mapping to help keep a close eye on Chevron wells, tanks, and pipelines—all to keep DOERS and what they’re doin’ safer. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2vLsVyX ****** SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook http://politi.co/2lQswbh… New York Playbook http://politi.co/1ON8bqW … Florida Playbook http://politi.co/1OypFe9 … New Jersey Playbookhttp://politi.co/1HLKltF … Massachusetts Playbook http://politi.co/1Nhtq5v… Illinois Playbook http://politi.co/1N7u5sb … California Playbookhttp://politi.co/2bLvcPl … Brussels Playbook http://politi.co/1FZeLcw … London Playbookhttp://politi.co/2xfDPuK … All our political and policy tipsheets http://politi.co/1M75UbX from https://capitalisthq.com/trump-to-houston-as-soon-as-possible-trump-knocks-claire-mccaskill-by-initial-only-sunday-best-tillerson-the-president-speaks-for-himself-on-charlottesville-bday-danielle-weisberg/ A photo posted to Twitter Sunday of several elderly patients at La Vita Bella assisted-living facility in Dickinson, Texas trapped in waist deep water from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey went viral, prompting an effort that rescued fifteen residents within hours of the photo being posted. The photo was posted to Twitter by Timothy McIntosh. McIntosh’s wife Kimberly told the Daily News of Galveston County the assisted-living facility is owned by her mother who sent the picture to them “at 9 a.m. this morning.” McIntosh, who stated on Twitter he is Florida, posted the photo several times with messages including, “La vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson Texas is almost underwater with nursing home patients” and “Need help asap emergency services please RETWEET”. The photo was first posted at 9:57 a.m. EDT. The seniors were rescued in three hours after that with McIntosh announcing the rescue at 1:11 p.m. EDT.
Excerpt of the Daily News report:
McIntosh posted updates on Sunday tracking the rescue effort.
Dickinson is located midway between Houston and Galveston on I-45 in Galveston County. The condition of the patients who were rescued after spending hours in flood waters has not readily available. from https://capitalisthq.com/seniors-in-flooded-texas-nursing-home-rescued-after-horrifying-photo-goes-viral/ President Donald Trump will travel to Springfield, Missouri on Wednesday to promote his tax overhaul plan.Once a battleground state President Trump won Missouri by nearly 20 points in the 2016 election.This will be President Trump’s first stop in a series of events to push a plan to overhaul tax policy in America. On Sunday President Trump announced his trip to Missouri on Wednesday.
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js McCaskill has <a href="http://
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js“>voted with fake Indian Elizabeth Warren 86% of the time. The post POTUS Trump Announces Trip to Missouri – Takes Swipe at Far Left Senator Claire McCaskill appeared first on The Gateway Pundit. from https://capitalisthq.com/potus-trump-announces-trip-to-missouri-takes-swipe-at-far-left-senator-claire-mccaskill/ |
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December 2017
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