I interviewed @RobertKennedyJr on @CNN. A recent poll showed him winning 21% for president.
 
He has made controversial statements, and now that he’s running he sometimes says he did not say them.
 
It’s important to know what is true. Here is what he said to me today: KASIE: You said no vaccines are safe and effective.

KENNEDY: “I’ve never said that.”

He did. We played the clip for him.

🧵 Today marks one year since my brain surgery @PennMedicine to remove a brain tumor.

Today I am humbled to be able to say I am completely healthy and can physically live my life as though it never happened

But I can’t lead my life like it never did. I have learned so much I was 36 years old when I was diagnosed. By the time I got to this day, when they drew the sharpie line to show where to cut, I had spend weeks planning what life would look like for my loved ones — my then 2-year-old son — without me in it

Worth your time from @TheAtlantic: "The dart guns of social media give more power and voice to the political extremes while reducing the power and voice of the moderate majority."
theatlantic.com/magazine/archi… "These two extreme groups [left & right] are similar in surprising ways. They are the whitest and richest of the seven groups, which suggests that America is being torn apart by a battle between two subsets of the elite who are not representative of the broader society."

CA GOV BIG PICTURE: One of the top Democrats in the country got caught living like an elite while everyone else suffered. Elites vs. the rest is the driving force in our politics right now and Democrats have a tough needle to thread both in California & nationwide ... (1/) Democrats need to prove they can govern for EVERYBODY, and if you look at California -- it's not necessarily the best test case for national Democrats (see: concern about homelessness, crime, etc) (2/)

Logged into the United app on my phone for the first time in a year and was incredibly jealous of James who was apparently flying to London in April last year can I go live on that version of Earth (also 300k miles would be great thx) Which person in United advertising decides how many miles James in the ad is going to get?

There’s no question the failure to establish a perimeter around the Capitol complex was an enormous (if not the central) failure on Jan. 6.

But it is worth considering what we stand to symbolically lose by putting up a permanent fence around the People’s House. (1/)

https://twitter.com/MacFarlaneNews/status/1354871296664993795

Right now, the Capitol complex is designed to be accessible to Americans. There is a lawn in the front where local parents take their children to go sledding. The trails around the building and across the green spaces are popular with runners. (2/)

Republican Senate leaders were blindsided Tuesday by their leader, Mitch McConnell, when the New York Times broke news he was “pleased” about the impending impeachment of President Trump, @NBCNews has learned McConnell’s leadership team were not given a heads up ahead of the story that made clear how McConnell felt about impeaching the president, multiple aides familiar with the days events tell me, @LACaldwellDC, @JulieNBCNews & @frankthorp

Under the dome, January 13th, 2020, one week after the siege And I mean 2021. though really it’s pretty hard to tell the difference

It's been a day of putting my head down, setting my feelings aside and doing my job trying to document everything we saw

But I need to take a moment to reflect on what has happed here at the U.S. Capitol, a place I've been privileged to cover on and off for over a decade (1/) I've worked for a tiny policy newsletter, a newspaper, a magazine, a newswire, and now one of the big 3 national TV networks. I've had nice offices and tiny windowless desks. I've covered this place when Republicans ran it and when Democrats ran it. (2/)

.@Sen_JoeManchin tells me of the president’s comments to @realBobWoodward: “I don't know how the President can survive this, I don't know how he can.” (1/) “To basically saying that he knew, in February, we should be taking this and using everything that we have to fight this pandemic and not take it seriously because he wanted to downplay it...” (2/)

Some good history lessons here from ⁦@AlexHortonTX⁩. These Army base names are even more 🤔 when you learn that not only did these generals fight for the losers they also were in several cases really terrible generals who said awful things washingtonpost.com/national-secur… “Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the headquarters of the Special Forces, bears the name of Gen. Braxton Bragg, a commander often assailed as one of the most bumbling commanders in the war. Bragg was relieved of command after losing the battle for Chattanooga in 1863.”

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., on Mattis letter: “Gen Mattis served his country well and honorably and he's entitled to his opinion...” (1/2) “... I don't know that him saying this is especially helpful to the various crises that we're going through right now but if he feels the need to express himself, he can.” (2/2)

via @JulieNBCNews

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on the president’s photo op at St. John’s last night: “Didn’t really see it.” Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., does not respond when asked if what the president did last night was appropriate. Her spokesman handed me his card.

MAD DASH TO DC: Democratic and Republican leaders are scrambling members of Congress back to Washington late tonight because they suddenly believe the $2 trillion economic relief package might not pass by voice vote. @NBCNews The vote could fail on Friday if at least 216 members don’t show up to vote on the floor tomorrow. Members are now racing back in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic -- because leaders fear at least one member, likely Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., will demand a recorded vote.

The Senate could pass the House/White House compromise legislation in mere minutes if all 100 senators said okay. But right now — my sources are saying the earliest we’ll know if that’s possible is Tuesday when Senate Republicans meet for lunch

https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1239187250816090115

There’s urgency from top leaders to move quickly, per my reporting.

But individual senators have various hang ups — Sen. Ron Johnson put out a statement about problems he has with the bill, for example

BREAKING from me & @AlexNBCNews : Members of Congress are becoming increasingly anxious about coronavirus and there is growing pressure on leadership to take steps to protect lawmakers — even potentially recessing for a period of weeks, according to two Democratic sources Multiple sources tell NBC News anxiety is on the rise among lawmakers as more cases are reported and the disease spreads Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced late Sunday he will self-quarantine after shaking hands with a CPAC attendee who is now hospitalized with COVID19.

As Democrats grapple with (or panic about) @BernieSanders⁩ entirely predictable strength in the face of a very talented multitude of alternatives, I am reminded of this time in the 2016 presidential campaign ... (1/) washingtonpost.com/news/post-poli… “Today, I believe that I am being called to lead by helping to clear the field in this race so that a positive, conservative message can rise to the top of the field,” @ScottWalker said, months before any ballots were cast

I was just looking for some basic maternity outdoor clothes for an upcoming trip.

Turns out, most outdoor retailers try to carefully maintain a rugged, masculine image.

Pregnancy is apparently not part of that.

This is an absolute joke.

(THREAD) Want to check out the gigantic online retailer @REI, whose slogan is "Opt Outside"? HAH: rei.com/search?q=mater…

President Trump getting ahead of Gen. Mattis let the president write the chyrons. They're being rewritten now because this is clearly a complete repudiation of the American president, even suggesting Trump is aligning with our enemies... (thread) "Our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships..."

A woman has made a vague allegation of sexual misconduct against Judge Brett Kavanaugh dating back to his high school day, two sources tell me.

The allegation, outlined in a brief letter, is not specific and could cover a range of conduct, one source said ... The woman who made the allegation will have to be more specific with law enforcement officials if any investigation into the matter is to proceed, I am told.

My sources tell me the allegation could be sexual assault, but may also allege lesser offenses.

Here are the Republicans demanding a second special counsel to investigate the DOJ over their counterintelligence investigation into Trump campaign aides Zeldin is currently criticizing @Comey for being too lenient with @HillaryClinton email investigation