Good Sunday morning from California and Massachusetts. Donald Trump’s trip to Detroit yesterday was, by any measure, a success. He got the local press he wanted, earning the A1 headline “PRAYERS AND PROTESTS” in the Detroit Free Press, accompanied by photos of the GOP candidate kissing a baby, and clapping along to prayers in church. A1 image: http://bit.ly/2cqkWiq
National press gave him credit for the effort. Yamiche Alcindor and Alex Burns, on A1 of the New York Times, wrote: “Donald J. Trump, who has campaigned for president as a blunt provocateur, dismissing complaints of racial insensitivity as political correctness, took an uncharacteristic step on Saturday: He visited a black church for the first time and tried to blend in. Flanked by a few black supporters, including Ben Carson, a former presidential candidate, and Omarosa Manigault, a former contestant on ‘The Apprentice,’ Mr. Trump cut a subdued figure here at Great Faith Ministries International. He beamed as congregants greeted him and swayed to the chords of the song ‘What a Mighty God We Serve.’ Speaking softly, he invoked the civil rights movement and Abraham Lincoln. Donning a prayer shawl given to him by the church’s pastor, Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Mr. Trump proclaimed, ‘I feel better already.’” http://nyti.ms/2cqn75E The front-page headline: “Trump Visits Black Church for First Time.”
--The Washington Post’s lead: “Donald Trump made a brief visit Saturday morning to a black church in the heart of this majority-black city, the latest step in his faltering and often awkward effort to soften the edges of a candidacy hardened by racially tinged appeals that have resonated primarily with white Republicans.” http://wapo.st/2czlXGj
--Shane Goldmacher in Detroit: “‘I just wrote this the other day, knowing I’d be here,” Trump began, ‘and I mean it from the heart and I'd like to just read it and I think you'll understand it maybe better than I do in certain ways.’... The Detroit trip seemed stage-managed to minimize any potential missteps, with a leaked script earlier in the week of the questions-and-answers Trump was supposed to deliver in a television interview conducted before the service with Jackson. Despite that, Trump claimed at the church, ‘I didn’t really know what I was getting into. I didn’t know. Is this going to be nice? Is this going to be wild?’” http://politi.co/2bWg4xl
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It is September, there are 65 days until Election Day, and most Republicans we talk to believe that this isn’t about getting votes in the black community. As The Post notes: “In an average of Washington Post-ABC News polls for July and August, Trump had the support of 3 percent of black voters, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was at 91 percent.” That’s a gap he’s simply not going to make up in nine weeks. Top Republicans acknowledge this is about showing white-middle class voters that Trump is not the racist that some have branded him as. Those voters -- in places like suburban Philadelphia -- have flocked to Hillary Clinton. Trump needs to do something to at least try to get them back.
--“Trump plans to stick to urban visits, unveil jobs plan,” by Detroit News’ Chad Livengood and Leonard N. Fleming: “Republican Donald Trump plans to return to the urban campaign trail this fall to unveil a new plan to attract employers to cities like Detroit with high unemployment rates and travel to water-crisis-stricken Flint. Trump said Saturday that his appeal for support from African-Americans in Detroit is tied to the cornerstone of his outsider bid for the White House — a complete overhaul of international trade agreements he blames for gutting inner cities. … The New York billionaire businessman said he will detail plans in the next three to four weeks to create ‘enterprise zones’ to give business tax incentives to relocate to cities like Detroit that he says ‘are suffering greatly.’” http://detne.ws/2bLACbe
OBAMA ON TRUMP -- On an interview airing this morning, Fareed Zakaria asked President Obama about the appeal of Donald Trump: “[I]f you look at the current polls ... he’s been able to appeal to a certain group of folks who feel left out or are worried about the rapidity of demographic change, social change, who, in some cases, have very legitimate concerns around the economy and feeling left behind. ... But that’s not the majority of America. And if you talk to younger people, the next generation of Americans, they ... completely reject the kinds of positions that he’s taking. So we have to take it seriously.
“I think that any time we hear intolerance, any time that we hear policy measures that are contrary to our values, banning certain classes of people because of who they are or what they look like, what faith they practice, then we have to be pretty hard about saying no to that. And I think that America will do that this time, as well. So overall, I’m optimistic. But, you know, I think we have to pay close attention to what’s going on.”
NEW CBS NEWS 2016 “BATTLEGROUND TRACKER” POLL -- Hillary Clinton is leading Pennsylvania by eight points, 45 percent to 37 percent. She is also up four points in North Carolina, 46 percent to 42 percent. Clinton holds a two-point lead across “all states that may be in play or could come into play this fall depending on the race, 13 in total,” according to CBS News. Anthony Salvanto, CBS News Elections Director, will unveil these results live on Face the Nation at 10:30 a.m.
-- “Pence won’t be pinned down on immigration,” by Louis Nelson: “Chuck Todd worked hard to nail down Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence on his running mate’s immigration plan, asking the Indiana governor more than 10 times during Sunday’s installment of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ what would happen to undocumented immigrants who had not committed a crime in a Donald Trump administration. But each time Todd asked a variation of the question, Pence demurred, pivoting as Trump often does to a pledge to remove undocumented immigrants with a criminal history first, build a wall and implement the rest of the Manhattan billionaire’s immigration proposals. Only then, Pence said, would Trump begin ‘working with the Congress to determine the best approach to that.’ The Indiana governor also defended the remarks on illegal immigration that Trump delivered last Wednesday, a fiery speech that even some Trump supporters said made them uncomfortable.” http://politi.co/2bLHJR3
FOR THOSE KEEPING SCORE AT HOME -- Chuck Todd is the only Sunday show host to have interviewed all of the presidential and VP nominees.
CLICKER -- Kellyanne Conway went on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” and got a call from a Virginia Beach woman whose mother met Trump at his Taj Mahal hotel -- and won money in his slots! http://cs.pn/2bVChNp
ST. TERESA -- “Pope declares Mother Teresa a saint and model of mercy,” by AP’s Nicole Winfield in Vatican City: “Pope Francis declared Mother Teresa a saint on Sunday, praising the tiny nun for having taken in society’s most unwanted and for having shamed world leaders for the ‘crimes of poverty they themselves created.’ Francis held up Mother Teresa as the model for a Catholic Church that goes to the peripheries to find poor, wounded souls during a canonization Mass that drew an estimated 120,000 people — rich and poor, powerful and homeless — to a sun-filled St. Peter’s Square … The canonization was the highlight of Francis' Holy Year of Mercy and may come to define his papacy, which has been dedicated to ministering to society’s most marginal, from prisoners to prostitutes, the refugees and the homeless.” http://apne.ws/2c41G8t
WEATHER WATCH -- From the Capital Weather Gang: “Partly cloudy, nice breeze, near 80, and Labor Day weekend? Yes, yes, yes, and yes! ... As long as you didn’t have beach plans this Labor Day weekend, it’s turning out to be pretty fantastic! Temperatures topping out near 80, a nice breeze, and spectacular sunsets are a far cry from the lashing wind and surf along the coast, although we can’t rule out a few showers mainly east of D.C. and I-95. Next up? … [A] warming trend toward midweek, with a few more 90s to add to the count before we can start truly thinking about a change in season.” http://wapo.st/2ckgfn6
RACE TO ELECTION DAY -- “Trump cuts into Clinton’s lead as crucial stretch begins: Both teams prepare for the biggest moment of 2016 – the Sept. 26 debate,” by Gabe Debenedetti: “The final stretch of the longest presidential campaign in history opens this week. Think it’s been ugly? You’ve seen nothing yet. Both Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s teams see September as the month that will make — or break — their candidate’s case for the White House. A confident Clinton fighting to keep expectations in check will ratchet up her get-out-the-vote operation while courting more Republicans to her camp. A defiant Trump will double down on the America-first message that he thinks got him this far in the first place. The Democrat's allies will continue to blanket the battleground airwaves with stinging attacks on Trump’s character. And three weeks into the month, early voting periods will open, state by state.
“But nothing is more crucial for either contender than Sept. 26, when Clinton and Trump will meet at Hofstra University for the first presidential debate. Both campaigns have come to the conclusion that for the Republican nominee to compete in the home-stretch, he needs a shock to the system and the Hempstead, New York forum offers his best opportunity …
“At the center of senior Clinton aides’ pre-debate concern is the belief that Trump’s last few days demonstrate how low the bar is for his performance to be called a success. If simply standing next to the Mexican president is perceived as a win for Trump's image, they complain, appearing across from Clinton will likely further elevate his standing. Indeed, Clinton's inner circle is eager to tamp down any sign of confidence, no matter her current lead or the Electoral College map.” http://politi.co/2ckapCf
THE MAP -- The LA Times’ Mark Z. Barabak in Atlanta: “Can Clinton turn Georgia from red to blue? It’s a matter of black and white”: “Until this summer, a black voter in Atlanta didn't matter much in the race for president. Georgia was as Republican red as its famous clay soil, having backed the GOP nominee in seven of the last eight presidential contests, including the last five in a row. But as the presidential race reaches the Labor Day weekend — once the beginning of the general election campaign but now the beginning of the end — Democrats are considering a serious run at Georgia’s 16 electoral votes.
“That’s a measure of Trump’s weakness and of long-term shifts in the politics of states along the southeastern coast from Virginia to Florida that have grown more hospitable to Democrats. For Hillary Clinton’s campaign, an effort here carries little risk and long-term benefits that could be substantial.” http://lat.ms/2bP9Qlp … LA Times front page: http://bit.ly/2cqkNeJ
--A1 of the Philadelphia Inquirer: “In the suburbs, a shift, and a path to victory,” by Maddie Hanna and Michelle Bond: “Betina Lew is backing Hillary Clinton for president for ‘thousands of reasons’ - including the Democratic nominee's chief rival. ‘I am a scientist. I am an immigrant,’ said Lew, 49, a native of Brazil who three years ago moved to Yardley, Bucks County. ‘I am anything that is not Donald Trump.’ Lew reflects a wave of voters that has changed the demographics of the vote-rich Philadelphia suburbs - and who may present an especially strong bulwark to Trump's candidacy this November.Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties have grown faster than the rest of the state. They have added college graduates to become more highly educated than the commonwealth at large. They also are more racially diverse. And the swath of towns that rings the city has steadily shifted left, with Democrats now holding a registration advantage in three of the four counties.” http://bit.ly/2c3yq2z … A1 image: http://bit.ly/2bPaXBR
DEEP DIVE -- “In Pa., boomers see the American Dream slipping away,” by Boston Globe’s Matt Viser in Butler, Pa., as part of their “America on Edge” series: “For the class of 1976 [at Butler High School], the future was as bright as their golden gowns. ... Now many in that class are turning 58 years old, and Butler [an hour north of Pittsburgh] is a shell of what it was four decades ago, with the mills long-since shuttered or shrunk — casualties of the globalized steel industry — taking most of the jobs and that old sense of security with them. People here are approaching their golden years with a sense of bitterness about the new, unforgiving economy and foreboding about what they will have to show for this life. Something their parents could count on — a comfortable retirement, debt-free and maybe in a warmer place — seems out of the question to many who say they see themselves scratching out a living until they are buried in the cemetery on the hillside near. As interviews with more than a dozen in the Butler High School class of 1976 show, many of those bright-eyed 18-year-olds now feel weary, worn, baffled, furious.
“They were raised to work hard without complaining. But such stoicism is hard when the old dream they were sure was theirs is slipping away and with it any confidence that the country and its leaders understand their plight or care enough to try to help. Many voice regret at some of their own choices, that they didn’t put away more money sooner, and sorrow that they will now have to work, as one woman put it, ‘until the day of my funeral.’ There is frustration, too, and plentiful disgust, at the state of the government and of politics more broadly — an outlook that leads some but not all toward Donald Trump, a candidate they feel is speaking for them like no one before. Or at least not speaking like the politicians they have come to resent.” http://bit.ly/2bZHxyf
SWING-STATE FRONTS -- Orlando Sentinel, “Presidential contest: Ride just got started” http://bit.ly/2bW7Gxs … The Palm Beach Post (right hand side, two columns), “Trump’s bill for property taxes: $1.2 million locally: But records also reveal differences in property values” http://bit.ly/2czixDe … Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Down-ballot races can’t outshine Trump vs. Clinton: Other statewide, local candidates fear they’ll be forgotten on Nov. 8” http://bit.ly/2bZJomS … Quad-City Times of Davenport, Iowa, “From around the world, they chose us” http://bit.ly/2cpwCir … Detroit Free Press,“Some union members like Trump’s trade talk” http://bit.ly/2cqkWiq … Charlotte Observer, “Trump’s suburban white women woes” http://bit.ly/2cpxovV … Cleveland Plain Dealer (banner headline, five columns), “RNC made Cleveland a convention city” http://bit.ly/2bO7vKt.
TRADE WATCH -- “Obama quashes prospect of fast-track Brexit UK-U.S. trade deal,” by Reuters’ Roberta Rampton and William James in Hangzhou, China: “U.S. President Barack Obama offered Britain little hope of a fast-track post-Brexit trade deal on Sunday, but said he would work to ensure the economic relationship between the two does not unravel after the British vote to leave the European Union. Obama met with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the start of a G20 summit in China as Britain embarks on the long process of reinventing itself as an independent trading nation following the shock June EU referendum outcome ... He offered May reassurance that Britain’s closest political, commercial and military ally would stand by her, but did not shrink away from his stance that Brexit was a mistake and that London would not be able to jump the queue to arrange a bilateral deal. ‘It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote, and continued to believe post-Brexit vote, that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom’s participation in the EU,’ he said.” http://reut.rs/2c43Gh7
-- “Obama Downplays Tensions After Skirmishes During China Visit,” by Bloomberg’s Justin Sink: “President Barack Obama downplayed dust-ups involving the U.S. delegation and Chinese security officials during the opening hours of his trip to Hangzhou for the G-20 summit, but said Sunday the U.S. would not apologize for its efforts to expand media access in the country. ‘We don’t leave our values and ideals behind when we take these trips,’ Obama said after a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May, when asked about the incidents. ‘It can cause some friction. It’s not the first time it’s happened.’ ... Obama said ties with China remained strong and said not to ‘overcrank’ the significance of the incidents. Foreign countries often bristle at U.S. security and press requirements, Obama said, and visitors to the U.S. can be frustrated by security protocols. ‘None of this detracts from the broader scope of the relationship,’ Obama said, calling his talks with Xi ‘extraordinarily productive.’ His visit to China has also featured moments designed to project a sense of collaboration between the leaders.” http://bloom.bg/2ckfytG
THE GUARDIAN says the Chinese snubbed Obama by forcing him to disembark Air Force One from the lower door without a staircase: “Jorge Guajardo, Mexico’s former ambassador to China, said he was convinced Obama’s treatment was part of a calculated snub. ‘These things do not happen by mistake. Not with the Chinese,’ Guajardo, who hosted presidents Enrique Peña Nieto and Felipe Calderón during his time in Beijing, told the Guardian. ‘I’ve dealt with the Chinese for six years. I’ve done these visits. I took Xi Jinping to Mexico. I received two Mexican presidents in China. I know exactly how these things get worked out. It’s down to the last detail in everything. It’s not a mistake. It’s not.’” http://bit.ly/2cpJ41Q
-- “Jacob Wetterling’s remains found on Paynesville-area farm,” by Star Tribune’s Jennifer Brooks, David Chanen and Jenna Ross: “For almost three decades, Minnesotans kept their porch lights burning, hoping Jacob Wetterling might find his way home. Those hopes were crushed Saturday when they learned that a longtime suspect in the 1989 disappearance had led authorities to the remains of the 11-year-old, whose abduction from St. Joseph stunned Minnesotans and changed the way parents watch over their children. ‘Our hearts are broken,’ Jacob’s mother, Patty Wetterling, texted to the Star Tribune on Saturday morning. ‘We have no words.’ Jacob was snatched off his bike, half a mile from his home, by a masked man with a gun on a dark October night. Danny Heinrich, a suspect first questioned shortly after Jacob’s disappearance and now in federal custody on child pornography charges, provided investigators with the information that led to the boy’s grave, hidden on a Paynesville farm.” http://strib.mn/2bYlckR
2016 PLAYERS -- “Web Marketer New to Presidential Races Leads Trump’s Digital Push: Texan Brad Parscale’s success could shift Republicans’ future focus to the internet from TV ads,” by WSJ’s Natalie Andrews: “One of the highest-paid consultants to Republican Donald Trump’s campaign is a 40-year-old Texan who has never been involved in a presidential race. Web marketer Brad Parscale is managing Mr. Trump’s digital operation, which has been the source of most of the candidate’s advertising as the New York businessman has eschewed expensive TV ads and relied on cable coverage to get his message out, especially during his primary race. ‘A lot of what we do in the business world carries over,’ Mr. Parscale said. ‘We’ve brought over some tactics in the consumer world which are having incredible fundraising success for small-dollar donors.’ ...
“The invitation to bid on Trump Organization business came in 2011 through a referral. It was a small project in web-design terms—the Trump International Realty website. He won. Along with his new partner Jill Giles, he designed that and also did projects for Melania Trump and donated services to create a site for the foundation of Mr. Trump’s son Eric that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. When Mr. Trump was considering a presidential run, he reached out to Mr. Parscale to create a web page for the exploratory committee. Later, Giles-Parscale, the firm that Mr. Parscale runs as president with Ms. Giles, designed the Trump campaign website. In the heat of the primary election, Mr. Parscale bought online ads. He was named digital director on June 21, the day after Corey Lewandowski was removed as campaign manager.” http://on.wsj.com/2cpF1Tj
BONUS GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Daniel Lippman, filing from Vineyard Haven, Mass. (where he took this pic of the sunset from a sailboat last night http://bit.ly/2bVEIzN):
--“Sad Face,” by Slate’s Daniel Engber: “Another classic finding in psychology—that you can smile your way to happiness—just blew up. Is it time to panic yet?” http://slate.me/2cf35aD (h/t ALDaily.com)
--“The Babysitters Club: Apps like Seamless and Yelp listen in on our adult lives, then speak to us like children,” by Jesse Barron in Real Life magazine: “All year, riding to meetings and home from drinks, I have been obsessed with figuring out why I hate the Seamless ads in the New York City subway. ‘Welcome to New York,’ one reads. ‘The role of your mom will be played by us.’” http://bit.ly/2ckUAy5
--“A Farewell Guide to Political Journalism,” by Ron Fournier in TheAtlantic.com: “Lessons gleaned from 30 years of covering American politics—from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump.” http://theatln.tc/2bVlGZ1
--“Are We Really So Modern?” by Adam Kirsch in The New Yorker: “For all our technological breakthroughs, we’re still wrestling with the same basic questions as the Enlightenment philosophers.” http://bit.ly/2bJR3rC
--“Hidden assets, hidden costs,” by Edward N. Luttwak in the Times Literary Supplement, reviewing “The Panama Papers: Breaking the story of how the rich and powerful hide their money,” by Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier: “Mossack Fonseca’s 214,000 offshore companies alone (and there are many other such shell companies, formed by many other law firms) handled not millions or billions but trillions of dollars in their totality, thereby wholly subverting the presumptively equalizing effect of taxation.” http://bit.ly/2bPukaW ... $10.28 on Amazon http://amzn.to/2cptFyF (h/t TheBrowser.com)
--“The Wrong Man,” by NBC News’ Jon Schuppe: “Thomas Webb survived a false conviction, but freedom failed him. Then he met his accuser.” http://nbcnews.to/2bO4bz5
--“The Legend of the Choco Taco,” by Jason Cohen in Eater: “Investigating the tallest tale in the ice cream business.” http://bit.ly/2bYjCT1 (h/t Longform.org)
--“The Icy Elegance of Arthur Ashe … And the Passion of Muhammad Ali,” by Stephen Tignor in the premiere issue of Racquet magazine, “a new quarterly tennis magazine that celebrates the art, ideas, style and culture that surround tennis”: “The sportsmen’s lives read as a conversation on what it means to be American.” http://bit.ly/2caekTa (h/t Longreads.com)
--“Katie Rose on Top of the World,” by Kade Krichko in Seattle Met magazine: “Twenty years after her father, Seattle climbing legend Scott Fischer, died on Everest, Katie Rose Fischer-Price traveled back to the land that claimed him—and found herself in the midst of an even greater catastrophe.” http://bit.ly/2bZw6es
--“The Ministry of Fun,” by Jeff Sharlet in Esquire: “The feel-good gospel of the pastor made famous by Kimye and Bieber.” http://bit.ly/2bI8M5U
--“Adolescent behavior doesn’t make sense (except in the light of cultural evolution),” by Christopher X Jon Jensen on Evolution-Institute.org: “Adolescence is a strange developmental period. ... That child who was focused on life with her parents — even if she played it cool by pretending not to be focused on her family — suddenly turns outward. Time by herself becomes valued over time with her family, and time with her peers becomes valued over all else.” http://bit.ly/2bQcxlI
--“Reforming Ukraine After the Revolutions,” by Joshua Yaffa in The New Yorker: “Two muckraking journalists had contempt for Ukraine’s corrupt political system. So they became politicians.” http://bit.ly/2bZsp8D
--“Nazis vs. ISIS on Twitter: A Comparative Study of White Nationalist and ISIS Online Social Media Networks,” by J.M. Berger as part of the GW Program on Extremism: “On Twitter, ISIS’s preferred social platform, American white nationalist movements have seen their followers grow by more than 600% since 2012. Today, they outperform ISIS in nearly every social metric, from follower counts to tweets per day.” http://bit.ly/2c6PJAb
--“Saturday Night Live: Forty-One Years of Backstage Secrets, from the Man Who Lived Them,” by Joanna Robinson in Vanity Fair: “One of the last original crew members of the comedy institution takes us behind the scenes.” http://bit.ly/2bZqUar
--“Basra, dystopian city,” by Peter Harling in Le Monde diplomatique: “Basra should thrive because of its agricultural and mineral wealth, but instead it looks like a slum. It’s corrupt and it’s devoted to death.” http://bit.ly/2bVtYBo
--“How An Egyptian Spy Stopped The Deadliest Terror Plot On Israel In History,” by Uri Bar-Joseph in HuffPost: “Palestinian extremists once almost shot down an Israeli airliner carrying around 400 people. This spy, known as ‘the Angel,’ stopped them.” http://huff.to/2cf2O7G
--“A Defector from the Leadership of the Islamic State Provides an Inside View of its Command Structure and Regional Ties,” by Jassim Muhammad in Majalla:http://bit.ly/2bZr2He
--“Toward a more durable form of globalization, beyond ‘neoliberal’ negligence,” by Christopher Colford on the World Bank’s blog: “In many of the world’s developed economies, a recalibration of globalization is under way.” http://bit.ly/2ckQiqu
--“I tripped up while reporting on gender and sexuality. Here’s what I learned,” by Christine Grimaldi in Columbia Journalism Review: http://bit.ly/2bHQMSJ
BONUS WEEKEND LISTENS, curated by Jake Sherman, filing from Westlake Village, California:
--Grateful Dead, today in 1979 at Madison Square Garden in New York. http://bit.ly/2bVxVpK
--Phil Lesh and Friends, last weekend at the Lockn Festival in Arrington, Virginia. This lineup includes Chris Robinson and Gary Clark Jr. http://bit.ly/2czlhk9
WEEKEND WEDDING -- Kayla Cook to Capt. Justin Brown -- pool report from Mike Allen in Kerrville, Texas: “It was high Marine ceremony and full-on Texas (one guest sported his dress holster during the ceremony at First Presbyterian Church) last night as Kayla Shea Cook — an alumnus of Vice President Dick Cheney’s office, AEI, Tim Pawlenty’s campaign and Politico, and now at Jim VandeHei’s new media company — married Marine Captain Justin Robert Brown, a helicopter pilot.
“The groom and his best man, Captain Ryan Harbison, wore dress blues, a gleaming sword at Harbison’s side. Kevin James, a college friend of the groom, played bagpipes as the couple recessed under the ceremonial Sword Arch — four pairs of Marines holding their sabres aloft in the aisle. Captain Brown paused to smooch his bride (twice) under the final arch.
“Kerrville — in Texas Hill Country, an hour northwest of San Antonio— is hometown of Johnny Manziel (before he became ‘Johnny Football’ at Texas A&M), and guests at the reception at the Y.O. Ranch Hotel swapped stories about his exciting, high-scoring improvisational play at nearby Antler Stadium. College football played on big-screen TVs in the reception lobby as friends arrived to Shiner Bocks and pinot grigio. When guests checked in at the hotel, they were greeted with a cookie shaped like a boot. The rehearsal dinner fare included ‘Tejas Caesar’ and poblano chicken. Captain Brown closed the rehearsal dinner by saying: ‘God bless America, and God bless Texas!’” Pics http://bit.ly/2ceTUbC ... http://bit.ly/2bOaNgy ... http://bit.ly/2ck9S2R ... http://bit.ly/2cpyjMQ
SPOTTED: Elizabeth Breckenridge and her fiancé, Ken White; Jamie Carroll; Marine Captain Kyle Ellis of Corpus Christi (part of the Sword Arch); Jeannie Etchart (bridesmaid); Rawson Hart (bridesmaid); Kara Kearns; Kim Kingsley; Katherine Lehr; Sophie Oreck; Melissa Ross (sister of the groom); Jeannette Smith (bridesmaid); John and Courtney Crosby Stanford; Autumn and Jim VandeHei; Alexis Williams (bridesmaid) and her husband, James Pollock.
-- Sarah Coppersmith, VP at comms firm Scott Circle and former Cong. Harry Mitchell staffer, got married on Saturday at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase to Matt Warshaw, who just started his MBA + MSDi at Boston University. Previously he worked as special assistant to the deputy secretary of commerce and then as a fellow at DoD. White House associate counsel Lynn Eisenberg, a college friend of the bride introduced the couple. She worked on the Obama campaign with Matt in Florida in 2008. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony followed by cocktails named for family members, dinner, dancing and dessert from Pie Sisters. Pic http://bit.ly/2cbEG8W
SPOTTED: Former Rep. Marjorie Margolies, former Rep. and former chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party (and father of the bride) Sam Coppersmith, former Rep. Harry Mitchell, Alexis (Tameron) Kinsey, Andrew Ricci, Max Lesko, Dave Thau and Liz Zeggane, Joan Warshaw, Laura Gross, Jon Haber, Laura Keiter, Peter Loge.
ENGAGED -- Adam Levy, CNN senior producer for Jake Tapper’s State of the Union, popped the question to Rebecca Kaplan, a reporter for CBS News Interactive, on Friday Night in Dupont Circle. Pic http://bit.ly/2bO3K7I
POOL REPORT: “At 6:30 Friday night, Becca arrived at the Spanish steps in DuPont for her first anniversary surprise of the night. Adam broke the ‘no gifts’ rule and presented her with a beautiful book of photos tracking their last year (and the years of political events they had both covered, never managing to meet). She read each page out loud, and they reminisced about all the great times they’ve had together dating, traveling, cooking, and more. As she finished the second to last page which read in part ‘...there’s only one question I have left for you’, he dropped to one knee and opened a box with a beautiful ring that had a diamond that belonged to Adam’s great-grandmother and mother, who insisted it be reset for Becca (h/t to Dana Bash for the excellent jeweler recommendation).
“Adam secretly had it made in New York and brought it back to DC weeks ago, keeping it hidden in their apartment. Becca couldn’t say yes fast enough. They celebrated the night on the rooftop of their apartment building -- under a beautiful sunset -- with close friends and family who came from as far as Houston for the occasion. The mothers appeared to already be planning the wedding, date TBD.”
BIRTHDAYS: Sophie VandeHei is 14 (hat tips: James, Mom and Dad, and Acadia) ... Blake Hounshell, Politico digital director and master tweeter @blakehounshell, is 38 (tweet tips: Sandy, David, Astrid) … Jared Weinstein, Bush W.H. alum, now a partner at Thrive Capital and adviser to Palantir Technologies ... Harold Ickes is 77 ... former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) is 52 … Keith Hensley, a Bush WH and Robert Gates alum in biz development at Uber in SF ... William Hildebrandt (“Brandt”) Surgner is 51 (h/t Peck) ... Wash Examiner’s Susan Ferrechio, chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner ... Brian Schweitzer, former Montana governor, is 61 … Anu Rangappa, senior adviser for general election strategies at the DNC (h/t TJ Helmstetter) ... Jared Allen, Jackie Kucinich’s husband, senior director for media relations at the National Automobile Dealers Association, alum of The Hill (h/t Jonathan Collegio) ... Bernard Kerik, CEO of the Kerik Group and a former NYPD and Correction Department commissioner, is 61 …Michael McAuliff, HuffPost’s senior congressional reporter and a N.Y. Daily News alum … Alex Travelli … Banner Public Affairs VP and social media guru Lynn Stinson is 31 … Bob Kenney, former aide to Sens. Harry Reid and Frank Lautenberg, is 68, celebrating with granddaughter Abby, who was 1 year old 2 weeks ago ... Politico’s Jeffrey Ahn ... Laura Schlapp of Sen. Roberts’ office (h/t Matt) ... Tom McInerney … Al Fish (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Bernard Coleman III, chief diversity and HR officer at Hillary for America and a DNC alum (h/ts daughters Peyton and Bailey) … Will Taliaferro, partner at GMMB (h/t Jon Haber) ... Shira Kramer, comms director at Millennium Challenge Corporation and an OFA and Commerce alum ...
… Sean O’Hollaren, a Bush WH alum now SVP of gov’t and public affairs at Nike ... Devin McBrayer of Rep. Matsui’s office ... Estephania Gongora, scheduler for Rep. Labrador ... Matthew Groves, legislative counsel for Rep. Paul Cook ... former Rep. Bob Lagomarsino (R-Calif.) is 9-0 ... former Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) is 74 ... Victoria Cram of Rep. Brendan Boyle’s office ... Dana Gartzke, COS for Rep. John FLeming ... former Rep. Carlos Romero Barcelo (D-PR) is 84 (h/ts Legistorm) ... Glynnis MacNicol ... Hannah Lerner ... Kali Murphy ... Brock McCleary, founder and president of Harper Polling and an NRCC alum ... Chad Horrell, director at DCI Group and a DCCC and AARP alum, is 35 … Ashley Harvard … Jamie Moore ... Jordan Fischer ... Bernie Bennett ... Jerry Huang of Commerce ... Daniel Pablo Pinto is 27 ... Tyler Jones, president and CEO of SPEAK Strategic, is 31 ... Bailey Cultice is 31 ... actress Mitzi Gaynor is 85 ... World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 74 ... World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 67 ... Damon Wayans is 56 ... Beyonce Knowles is 35 ... Kyle Mooney (“Saturday Night Live”) is 32 ... actor Trevor Gagnon is 21 (h/ts AP)