Here comes the judge (and the debate, and Beyonce to add to the formation.
Trump on the nuclear option: “Go for it.” Thankfully, he wasn’t talking about actual nukes, but rather a filibuster-busting tactic that Senate Republicans could deploy to push through his Supreme Court nominee, Colorado federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch: a justice who is likely to follow in the legal footsteps of Antonin Scalia.
+ Neil Gorsuch wrote a book on assisted suicide. Here’s what he said: “All human beings are intrinsically valuable, and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong.”
+ “The White House aides ferried Gorsuch down a quiet farm road to the airport, where they boarded a military jet for the flight to Joint Base Andrews.” As he announced his pick, Trump asked, “Was that a surprise?” Here’s how hard the White House worked to keep the pick a secret. (I imagine keeping the boss away from Twitter was the most difficult aspect of the strategy.)
+ After being picked, who did Neil Gorsuch call first? Merrick Garland. And Merrick Garland will be one of the determining factors as the Dems decide how hard to fight the president’s pick.
+ In other DC news, Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as Secretary of State, and Mike Flynn reacted to a recent ballistic missile test launch by ripping the Obama administration and putting Iran “on notice.”
Ban-ana Republic
Trump’s travel ban has been met with marches, protests, and many condemnations from around the world; including a dissent cable that has been signed by more than 1,000 State Dept officials. But public opinion polls tell a different story. A “Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 49 percent of Americans agreed with the order and 41 percent disagreed.” And a third of Americans polled indicated that ban made them feel safer. The question I have when it comes to the wall and the ban is, safer from what?
+ Fusion: Trump and his top advisers couldn’t have been more clear about why they’ve pursued an immigrant ban.
+ WaPo: Refugees are already vigorously vetted. I know because I vetted them.
Swinging Dics
“Many appear to see a Trump presidency as an opportunity to engage with a like-minded leader who has stated nationalist aims. Others may hope for respite from criticism over their human rights records or authoritarian tendencies. Some, like Mr. Kim and Mr. Putin, might see an opportunity to further their national aims in a new geopolitical order.” From the NYT: Trump Presidency Could Offer Opportunity to World’s Autocrats.
+ Franklin Foer: It’s Putin’s World: How the Russian president became the ideological hero of nationalists everywhere.
A Fox in a CNN House
“We’re sending surrogates to places where we think it makes sense to promote our agenda.” From Politico: Trump administration refuses to put officials on air on the network the president called fake news. (If anyone at CNN wants to syndicate NextDraft, ping me.)
+ “Donald Trump watches a lot of television. It is not mere entertainment for him, but also a means to power and a guide to policy.” And his brand of choice is Fox. From Derek Thompson: Want to Talk to the President? Advertise Here.
+ Flanked by Ben Carson and Omarosa, Trump commented on CNN, Fox News, and his support among African Americans as he helped ring in Black History Month. He also raised some eyebrows when he described Frederick Douglass as “someone who has done a terrific job that is being recognized by more and more people.” Douglass was unavailable for comment. (I’m just gonna say what everyone has been thinking for the past 10 days. NWA needs to get back together.)
This is War
We’ve read a lot about the brutal battle for Mosul and the fight to oust ISIS from the city. Frontline takes you to the front lines of the battle in an intense report. The Battle for Iraq. (Journalism is hard.)
Monkey See, Monkey Do
“Often, animals have to be taken back to the zoo they came from without mating. Things don’t always go well when a male and a female first meet.” The solution? Tinder for Orangutans.
+ “In many species, a family dinner means something else.” The NYT on new discoveries about cannibalism in the animal kingdom. So I guess it’s not just a DC thing after all…
The Balm
“She was like, ‘Oh, did you see that firefighter? He’s so cute.’ And I was like, ‘Mom, I just got blown up.'” Here’s a nice story about a Boston Marathon bombing survivor who is getting married to the fireman who saved her.
Adding to the Formation
OK, I waited until item eight, but I can no longer resist reporting what we all know is the top news item of the day. Beyonce is pregnant with twins. (Thousand of protesters have massed outside her house demanding triplets.)
Girl Talk
Judd Apatow: “I was given Tiny Furniture by my agents, and I loved it. The more I learned, the more shocking it became: how young Lena was, the fact that the budget was $50K. … So I sent her an email telling her how much I loved it, and I said, “If you want somebody to help screw up your career, give me a call.” (Editor’s Note: She called.) From The Hollywood Reporter: The Oral History of Girls, as the show enters its final season.
+ Speaking of HBO shows, I’ll be interviewing the creators of High Maintenance in a few weeks in San Francisco. (Including, “The Guy.”) Please joins us. The contact high alone with be worth the price of admission.
Bottom of the News
It’s one of the longest running and most irritating debates in human history. And now a college student from Georgia may have come up with a way to answer one of life’s pressing questions: What should we have for dinner?
+ Related: We’re eating a ton of bacon. (And journalists should stop overusing the phrase fake news.)
+ The US Army is working on biodegradable ammunition. (Good, because I’d hate to get blown up and also harm the environment.)
+ And finally, “Police in northern Oklahoma say they’ve arrested a substitute teacher on an indecent exposure complaint after she reportedly did a cartwheel in front of students while wearing a skirt but no undergarments.” (In her defense, attendance numbers have been up…)
