The TAKE with Rick Klein
Don’t look now – and you can be forgiven for not having the bandwidth to look at all in this direction – but something intriguing and possibly game changing is happening inside President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
A face-to-face meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un is closer than ever to becoming reality as Washington digests the fact that his choice for secretary of state made a secret trip to North Korea.
“We’ve never been in a position like this with that regime,” the president said at his news conference, this time most likely not overstating his case.
His trip notwithstanding, CIA director Mike Pompeo still lacks the public commitments to ensure Senate confirmation. And the sting from the public contradictions over sanctions on Russia – revealing a rare break between the president and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley – lingers.
It’s not pretty. But a whole lot of Republicans and even Democrats would take results over messy process.
The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks
Is one of the bluest states drowning under the anticipation of a Democratic wave?
Take two big political headlines in major California races yesterday.
Billionaire Tom Steyer backed state senator Kevin de León's insurgent challenge to unseat Democratic incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein, potentially making that race even more intense after the state party did not endorse the state’s senior senator this cycle.
And then the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee formally picked a favorite in a crowded primary for a Southern California congressional seat. Six Democrats are currently on the ballot in the California-39 race. As a result, Democratic party officials have been concerned the group could split the vote and allow the top two Republicans to advance to a general they think they should win.
The DCCC notably did not pick the Emily’s List female candidate – or either of the other top fundraisers. Instead, it went with the independently wealthy candidate who has promised self-financing if needed and was formerly a Republican.
The two developments tell two different stories. The first: a potential commentary on the power and frustration of the far(ther) left that wants to see more “resistance”-style politics in Washington. The second: a sign of concern that potentially must-have seats for the party - if they want to re-take the House - are still not in the bag.
The TIP with Mike Levine
Remember Edward Snowden?
The former NSA contractor who stole troves of highly-sensitive secrets from the U.S. government hasn’t been in the news much lately.
But one of the nation’s top intelligence officials, National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director Bill Evanina, says the damage from Snowden’s disclosures is only getting worse – and so far only one percent of what he stole five years ago has been released.
“So we don’t see this issue ending anytime soon,” Evanina said Wednesday at the Aspen Institute in Washington. According to Evanina, more Snowden material has been disclosed in the past year than ever before, but most of the disclosures have shown up in German media so it’s not getting as much attention.
“There has been no drop-off in Snowden-related damage, but there’s been less interest” in the United States, he said.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
• President Trump has a briefing with Joint Interagency Task Force-South, NORTHCOM, and SOUTHCOM at 12:15 p.m. in Key West before returning to Mar-a-Lago mid-afternoon.
• Treasury Secretary Steven Mnucin represents the U.S. at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting at the International Monetary Fund at 9 a.m.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee considers an act to protect the special counsel from being fired at 10 a.m.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Any Republican senator that hasn't been conflicted over this presidency is either comatose or is pretty useless in their blindness. And we’ve got some of both, of course." – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker when asked by ABC News' Political Director Rick Klein whether he would support Trump for president again, after saying his answer changes by the hour.
NEED TO READ
Pompeo-Kim Jong Un meeting raises stakes over confirmation: White House. President Donald Trump is expressing confidence that CIA director Mike Pompeo will be confirmed as secretary of state, following a stern warning from the White House Wednesday that opposition to his nomination could imperil efforts to negotiate a summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un. (Alexander Mallin, Devin Dwyer and Ali Rogin) https://abcn.ws/2vmulSc
Pompeo met with Kim Jong Un over Easter weekend: Officials. CIA Director Mike Pompeo secretly met with Kim Jong Un to discuss setting up a meeting between the North Korean leader and President Donald Trump, two U.S. officials have confirmed to ABC News. (Jonathan Karl and Katherine Faulders) https://abcn.ws/2EVAC7a
Kushner's prison reform effort hits road block in Congress: Sources. The Democratic co-sponsor of White House-backed prison reform legislation is threatening to walk away from the effort after legislative attempts to attach a concealed carry expansion to the bill, multiple sources familiar with the draft legislation tell ABC News. (Jordyn Phelps) https://abcn.ws/2HxuFCF
Top official says 'handful' of Russian intelligence officers still inside U.S. One of the nation’s top counterintelligence officials said Wednesday he knows "there are still a handful” of Russian intelligence officers operating undercover on U.S. soil, even after the Trump and Obama administrations kicked out nearly 100 such operatives over the past two years. (Mike Levine) https://abcn.ws/2H9ylab
Top Republicans pressing Rosenstein on turning over documents. Two prominent House Republicans met with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein this week over the pace of DOJ document production to Congress, the latest example of friction between congressional Republicans and senior Justice Department officials. (Benjamin Siegel) https://abcn.ws/2EZYPcn
Scott Pruitt’s Moroccan calendar draws blanks. Newly released calendars for one of the most controversial trips of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt’s tenure were largely blacked out before being shared with ABC News. (Stephanie Ebbs) https://abcn.ws/2HB93FG
Who are the mystery men photographed sharing cigars with Michael Cohen? As lawyers for Michael Cohen gathered in a downtown Manhattan courtroom on Friday afternoon to dispute federal prosecutors’ right to access records seized during a raid on their client’s home and office, a different sort of gathering was underway in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. (Ali Dukakis and Lucien Bruggeman) https://abcn.ws/2vsFHUQ
Sketches like the one released by Stormy Daniels are 'like a Hail Mary pass,' law enforcement experts say. Stormy Daniels released a sketch of a man she says threatened her seven years ago. Even though the artist responsible for the sketch has the Guinness World Record for most identifications by a forensic artist, this case isn’t going to join those ranks, law enforcement experts say. (Meghan Keneally) https://abcn.ws/2HduWaz
Puerto Rico's worst blackout since Maria leaves island residents 'frustrated.' "Everyone is frustrated and it's so unstable," said Eileen Velez, a 37-year-old engineer who lives outside San Juan. "It feels like the hurricane side effects will never end.” (Matt Seyler, Joshua Hoyos and Adam Rivera) https://abcn.ws/2J8tJSx
Alleged 'face' of robocalls testifies it's as easy as the 'click of a button.' Adrian Abramovich, who was appearing before the committee under subpoena, is facing a record $122 million FCC fine for allegedly making almost 100 million spoofed robocalls over three months. (Geneva Sands and Tom Shine) https://abcn.ws/2qFaxoE
Rule change allows Duckworth to nurse newborn on Senate floor. The United States Senate — a body steeped in tradition that rarely changes its ways — has passed a rule change proposed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth that will allow her to breastfeed her newborn daughter on the Senate floor. (Cheyenne Haslett) https://abcn.ws/2HcsdxQ
FiveThirtyEight publised a conversation between editor in chief Nate Silver and senior writers on whether James Comey's publicity tour helps or hurts his case against President Trump. https://53eig.ht/2H9tdHj
The Atlantic gives a portrait of Barbara Bush as a woman willing to challenge and adjust her own beliefs over time. https://theatln.tc/2HbD3bs
Watch "Black-ish" star Yara Shahidi announce the launch of “Eighteen X 18,” a multi-platform effort to encourage those turning 18 in time for this year’s midterm elections to educate themselves and vote: https://bit.ly/2qHhnd1
The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.
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