White House Correspondents Insider

The Washington Post hosted a wide-ranging event on all things space on Tuesday, October 23rd. Vice President Mike Pence headlined the event, discussing his role in championing Space Force as chairman of the National Space Council, the Trump administration’s initiative to create a new military branch to combat interstellar threats, in a one-on-one interview with the Post’s Robert Costa. The event also included panels featuring NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Rep. Don Beyer, Bill Nye of “Science Guy” fame, Ellen Stofan, Director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and former astronauts Sandra Magnus, Chris Ferguson, Victor Glover, Leland Melvin, and Nicole Stott.

Pence first commented on the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi saying it was an “Assault on a free and independent press, and our administration is determined to use all means at our disposal to get to the bottom of it. President Trump has already expressed his concern that there have been lies, there has been deception. He dispatched the Secretary of State to the region early on, and the Director of the CIA is there in Turkey now reviewing the evidence. We are going to follow the facts, were going to demand that those responsible are held accountable. Once we have all the facts, President Trump will the decision based upon the values of the American people and our vital national interests.”

Great discussion with @costareports at the @WashingtonPost’s #Transformers Space event about the #SpaceForce. We’re going to protect American interests in space & ensure America remains as dominant in Outer Space militarily as we are here on Earth. pic.twitter.com/kTmKYWSoxa

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) October 23, 2018

Space Force, the President’s initiative to develop a sixth military branch focused on space defense which is led by Pence, was the main focus of the interview. Pence suggested that the idea had broad bipartisan support and said that, “While America continues to lead in technology, in innovation, and in military strength, in terms of organizational structure this is what our competitors are already doing, and the President is determined to make sure that America leads in space as well.”

You can watch a replay of Post Live’s Transformers: Space event here.

The midterm elections are right around the corner and Uber is stepping up to help riders find their local polling places on Election Day with a single tap. They’re also partnering with nonprofit organization When We All Vote to help get both riders and drivers registered to vote.

Uber has also partnered with #VoteTogether and Democracy Works to provide riders with free rides to their polling places throughout the country.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement that “between now and Election Day, we’ll be hosting voter registration drives at more than 125 U.S. Greenlight Hub locations around the country to help register as many eligible voters as possible before their state’s deadline. These driver support centers will have local registration resources on hand, so drivers and delivery partners—or anyone else who wants to—can come easily register to vote in person.”

Khosrowshahi also added, “Decisions get made by those who show up. This Election Day, Uber will be doing what we can to make it easier for people to do just that. On November 6, I hope everyone does one thing: vote!”

You can read more about Uber’s big election day plan here.

 

The issue of student loan debt is a growing concern of people entering the workforce. The University of Pittsburgh has come up with a program to address this problem on their own with the announcement of a new, innovative program called Panthers Forward.

The initiative, led by Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, will accommodate a group of seniors who will graduate from the University of Pittsburgh campus this spring. Upon graduation, they will each receive up to $5,000, which the University will pay directly toward their debt. Graduates will then pay it forward to other Pitt students who are following in their footsteps. Since the participants will be under no contractual obligation to repay the University, the success of the program hinges on mentorship and networking opportunities.

“Panthers Forward injects some much-needed innovation into the stagnant landscape of higher education financing,” says Chancellor Gallagher. “It’s a bold new approach that utilizes a pay-it-forward philosophy and the power of community to position students at the University of Pittsburgh for lifelong success.”

You can read more about the Panthers Forward program here.

Mike Bloomberg has received the League of Conservation Voters’ Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to combating climate change in a ceremony on Tuesday, October 2nd. The League cites Bloomberg’s initiatives like America’s Pledge, the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge, the Vibrant Oceans Initiative, and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Bloomberg announced plans to double his contributions to the LCV Victory Fund to $5 million.

“Michael Bloomberg is someone who believes that we can make change and achieve progress through politics and elections — a philosophy that also motivates our work at LCV.” said LCV’s Gene Karpinski.

Michael Bloomberg expressed optimism “The good news is: even without any help from Washington, we’re making real progress on climate change. Over the last ten years, thanks to bottom-up actions, the U.S. has cut carbon emissions more than any other large nation – and LCV’s “Clean Energy For All” campaign has helped drive that success.”

Several of Michael Bloomberg’s friends and colleagues made a video thanking him for his help combating climate change including Sen. Ed Markey, John Kerry, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, and Washington Mayor Jay Inslee. You can watch the video here.

Per POLITICO, notables from the event included Diana Taylor, Sam Waterston, Larry Rockefeller, Bob Semple, Kevin Sheekey, Rep. Paul Tonko, Brady Walkinshaw, Kathleen Welch, Antha Williams, Cristobal Alex, Joe Bonfiglio, Carol Browner, Fred Krupp, Mark Magana, Scott Nathan, Rhea Suh, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Gene Karpinski, Pete Maysmith and Tiernan Sittenfeld.

All eyes are on Christine Blasey Ford as she delivers her testimony on Capitol Hill before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, September 27th. She alleges that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when the two were both in high school.

The hearing is sure to be one of the most watched and talked about moments of the year- one that has far-reaching repercussions, from President Trump’s agenda to the fate of key Supreme Court decisions that affect the lives of every American.

Here’s how people around the world stopped to watch or hear Christine Blasey Ford testifyhttps://t.co/8I4pWHDQD7 pic.twitter.com/NMdsPQidQ7

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) September 27, 2018

As she testified this morning, social media trackers noted that every single trending topic was Blasey Ford-related. Additionally, CNN London bureau reporter Hadas Gold’s tweet demonstrates just how doggedly European stations are following the hearings.

The view from across the Atlantic – pretty much all Kavanaugh pic.twitter.com/5GFp9f2WKy

— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) September 27, 2018

The stakes are high, with more accusers lining up to challenge what was once thought to be an easy ascendency to the Supreme Court for Kavanaugh. With a vote scheduled for Friday, it is unclear whether any more women will get to tell their story before the Judiciary Committee.

The Bloomberg Global Business Forum convenes every year to tackle some of the largest issues facing the world and the help advance cooperation between the public and private sector. Michael Bloomberg opened the first day of the forum with a message for global leaders saying, “We can accomplish so much more together than we can apart.”

Bloomberg says that “This forum is designed to get business leaders a seat at the table,” particularly on trade. He went on to say that bringing so many world leaders together with the drivers of globalization and trade brings “a day full of potential that will be measured in the months and years to come.”

Theresa May urges people to look beyond “the noise of the headlines” and insists “there’s much common ground in our objectives” with the EU.

She tells #BloombergGBF she’s still hopeful of a Brexit deal https://t.co/pOQjKWvRfl

— Bloomberg (@business) September 26, 2018

UK Prime Minister Theresa May gave the keynote address at this year’s Bloomberg Global Business Forum on Wednesday, September 26th. In her remarks, she claims that, “We will only succeed if we also work in partnership with some of the most pioneering business leaders in the world.”

After her remarks, May sat down with IBM CEO Ginni Rometty where they discussed global trade opportunities and the future of technology in shaping the way we do business. “The economy of the future depends on people getting access to technology.”

On Brexit, May says “We don’t know when negotiations will end. We have to ensure we’re prepared for any eventuality.”

A post-Brexit Britain will be a pro-business Britain, says Theresa May https://t.co/mMFhwxbawa pic.twitter.com/yJtM21Lfx1

— Bloomberg (@business) September 26, 2018

Former President Bill Clinton moderated a wide-ranging discussion with Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on global leadership in trade as they prepare to take part in the UN General Assembly.

.@BillClinton moderates a #BloombergGBF panel with @erna_solberg, @CyrilRamaphosa and @IvanDuque https://t.co/G3xL1gnEAO

— Bloomberg (@business) September 26, 2018

In another panel, Christine Lagarde interviewed Baidu CEO Robin Li about global growth through fair trade. You can watch their interview here:

A key issue to consider on technology and growth is how we deal with technologies, automatization, and artificial intelligence. This is going to affect the way in which we work. #BloombergGBF @Baidu_Inc pic.twitter.com/ykcwe4EyzB

— Christine Lagarde (@Lagarde) September 26, 2018

The afternoon capped off with the One Planet Summit, a series of discussions focused on addressing the human impact on the planet and what we can do to prevent climate change from getting worse. The initiative was launched by French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative in partnership with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

 

The Bloomberg Business Forum kicks off today with remarks from Michael Bloomberg, a keynote address from UK Prime Minister Theresa May, and much more from the world’s most important heads of state and innovative business leaders.

Watch it all happen starting at 8:30am!

 

Morning Consult has released a new poll in partnership with Bloomberg as part of the Global Business Forum, Wednesday, September 26th highlighting business leaders’ belief in the economic benefits of globalization and the fear that the global economy has gotten off on the wrong track.

Bloomberg’s Global Business Forum gathers heads of states and CEOs to pursue common interests and economic prosperity. The poll, released on Tuesday, September 25th finds that while most Americans agree on cooperation, there is a divide in other areas. 44% of Americans said that the US should act as a convener for the world’s problems while 38% said the US needs to put its own interests first. 36% also believe that free trade has helped other countries other than the US.

The Bloomberg Global Business Forum kicks off with a keynote address by UK Prime Minister Theresa May. May will also participate in an interview with IBM CEO Ginni Rometty on free trade as a driver of growth throughout the world.

At the #BloombergGBF on Wednesday, more than 70 heads of state and delegation will join over 200 CEOs from around the world to discuss common goals and foster economic prosperity for future generations. https://t.co/5i7mcMjVJB pic.twitter.com/ZsAymDjCec

— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) September 24, 2018

Highlights from the Wednesday schedule include Mexican President Peña Nieto, Swiss President Alain Berset, SAP CEO Bill McDermott discussing that ways in which large demographic changes will impact the global economy and trade around the world.

President Bill Clinton will be moderating a discussion between world leaders including Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on global leadership in trade. Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg will be giving opening and closing remarks.

Wednesday will also feature the One Planet Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative in partnership with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. The Summit was launched to help aid countries in fulfilling their part of the Paris climate agreement and bring coalition countries together with private industry to forge public-private collaboration.

Many world leaders will be participating in Wednesday’s events including Spanish President Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Other notables participating on Wednesday include European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager, Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Ford CEO James Hackett, Anne Finucane, Vice Chairman of Bank Of America and Goldman Sachs President David Solomon.

Lafayette 148 New York hosted their fall fashion show on Thursday, September 20th in partnership with Bring Change to Mind, the nonprofit organization that seeks to raise awareness and understanding about mental health issues, with Bring Change to Mind’s Executive Director Pamela Harrington.

Bring Change to Mind was founded by actress Glenn Close after her sister Jessie Close was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Notable guests at the show included Dylan Dryer of The Today Show, Political Consultant Heba Abedin, actress Paula Garces & daughter Skye Mahoney, Event Co-Chairs Nicole and Harris Schwartzberg, Chuck Thomas, and Michaela Babuskova of FIGTNY. You can check out looks from the show below.

April Ryan stopped by her favorite design house Lafayette 148 New York’s Soho store on Saturday, September 13th for a launch event for her new book, Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House.

CNN’s Brooke Baldwin was on hand to interview Ryan about the book and her experiences in the White House briefing room. Ryan has been called the most fearless White House correspondent in the Trump era, and she looked the part in a Lafayette 148 New York agave leopard silk dress.

Notables in attendance included Broadway’s James Monroe Iglehart, Gavin Gregory, Carla Stewart, and Lafayette’s Chief Creative Officer Barbara Gast.