White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

Archives for September 2018

World Watches as Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey Ford Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee

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Christine Blasey Ford being sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. Photo Courtesy, Getty Images

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.

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 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.

Theresa May Signals post-Brexit Trade Cooperation at First Day of Bloomberg Global Business Forum

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May giving the Keynote address on the first day of the 2018 Bloomberg Global Business Forum. Photo Courtesy, AP

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.”

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.”

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.

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

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.

 

Watch the Bloomberg Global Business Forum Live

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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/Bloomberg Global Business Forum Poll Pro Globalization

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Michael Bloomberg and French President Emmanuel Macron

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.

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 Teams Up with Bring Change to Mind for Charity Fashion Event

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Lafayette 148 New York Creative Director Emily Smith with Models

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 Kicks off Book Tour with Lafayette 148 New York

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Lafayette 148 New York Chief Creative Officer Barbara Gast and White House Correspondent April Ryan

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.

Trump Walks Back Decision to Declassifying Russia Probe Info

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Photo Courtesy, AP

In a surprise move, President Donald Trump has withdrawn his request to declassify information related to the ongoing Russia probe. A statement released by the White House suggested that Trump was planning to order the Department of Justice to declassify parts of the secret court order and to publish the unredacted texts of FBI and Justice Department officials, including Andrew McCabe and James B. Comey.

The Washington Post’s national security reporter Devlin Barrett writes that the order by Trump to keep the information classified illustrates “ongoing tensions between the White House and the Justice Department over the probe.” For months, conservative officials have been requesting the release of the documents on the Russia probe investigation, as it seems as though they have been hiding information that, according to Barrett, “might discredit the Mueller investigation.”

Multiple tweets by Trump Friday morning attempted to explain how, even though he has been told by key allies not to release the documents as they claim it will not reflect positively on the Russia probe, Trump can still “always declassify if it proves necessary.”

Senator Mark Warner responded to the President’s tweets saying, “This underscores why the President should be relying on the expertise and advice of intelligence and law enforcement professionals, not cable news hosts.”

You can read Barrett’s full report here.

Press Forward co-founder,Eleanor McManus Pens Op-ed Defending Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey Ford

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Eleanor McManus, a former senior producer for CNN and the co-founder of Press Forward, a movement seeking to change newsroom culture by speaking up for women, in a show of solidarity with Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault while the two were in their late teens, has penned an op-ed on CNN.com urging readers to “recognize the cost women pay when they come forward”.

McManus relates the pain caused to many women who come forward to expose powerful men- the risk of retribution, backlash, and shame saying, “Reliving a traumatic event is hard and painful. Being disbelieved, disregarded, or retaliated against is hard and painful — especially if the women have partners and young children.”

You can read McManus’ full op-ed here.

Michael Bloomberg Tells NYT he may run for President as a Democrat

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Michael R. Bloomberg, former mayor of New York, spoke at a fund-raising brunch for Steve Sisolak, left, the Democratic nominee for governor of Nevada. Photo Courtesy, The New York Times

Michael Bloomberg is making big plans. Since June, he has been working to flip the House of Representatives for the Democratic Party in the 2018 midterm elections and has even pledged to spend $80 million to make it happen. Bloomberg’s not stopping there it seems. In a New York Times interview published Monday, September 17th, Michael Bloomberg says that he is exploring a presidential run.

At a gun control event in Seattle on Friday, Bloomberg claimed that running as a Republican is “impossible to conceive,” adding that “I’m just way away from where the Republican Party is today.”

Bloomberg was quick to distance himself from the Democratic Party as well, saying, “That’s not to say I’m with the Democratic Party on everything, but I don’t see how you could possibly run as a Republican.”

As for when an announcement would happen, he added “I’m working on this Nov. 6 election, and after that I’ll take a look at it.”

April Ryan On Her Tense Relationship with White House in New Book

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April Ryan’s New Book, “Under Fire”. Photo Courtesy, April Ryan

Urban Radio Network’s April Ryan, a veteran White House correspondent, has released a new book, Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House, giving readers an inside look at the trials and tribulations of reporting on the Trump White House. Ryan has been in the news recently with stories about her accusing the White House of attacking her due to her race, and since her profile has risen as the thorniest White House correspondent in the Trump White House briefing room, she has added a security team and travels with bodyguards.

In a new interview with NPR’s All Things Considered, Ryan discusses why this administration is different from any she has previously covered. She has been a White House Correspondent since the Clinton Administration. According to Ryan, there’s one question that she felt compelled to ask. “I have asked each administration the same questions except for one: ‘Mr. President, are you a racist?’” President Trump did not respond, he instead continued to shake hands with the guests.

Ryan details her contentious public relationship with Trump Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “She doesn’t even want to give me eye contact, but she can’t. I am in her line of sight, third row, smack dab in the middle. I don’t communicate with them anymore beyond the briefing room. I don’t go upstairs to see them — I haven’t for a long time.”

You can read April Ryan’s full interview here.