Liberal Cartoons

Netanyahu gets VIP treatment from Trump after years of frosty relations with Obama

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted one another warmly Monday at the White House, touting U.S.-Israeli relations as “the best” they have ever been, in a sharp departure from the famously strained relations the Jewish State’s leader had with former President Barack Obama.

Trump hosted Netanyahu in the Oval Office in what was their first meeting since the U.S. announced its commitment to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“We have the best relationship right now with Israel that we’ve ever had."

“We have the best relationship right now with Israel that we’ve ever had,” Trump said.
During President Obama's two terms, he and Netanyahu had a tense relationship characterized by stiff body language and terse remarks when they met before the press. Obama's White House even sent out a press photo of the then-commander-in-chief on the Oval Office phone with Netanyahu in September, 2013, with his feet on the desk in what some saw as an intentional show of disrespect.
The Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz fumed over the image.
“The president is seen with his legs up on the table, his face stern and his fist clenched, as though he were dictating to Netanyahu,” Ha'aretz wrote. “As an enthusiast of Muslim culture, Obama surely knows there is no greater insult in the Middle East than pointing the soles of one’s shoes at another person. Indeed, photos of other presidential phone calls depict Obama leaning on his desk, with his feet on the floor.”
Trump and Netanyahu’s friendship is a major shift from the chilly relations between the Israeli prime minister and Obama – who was even accused of helping to fund opposition to oust Netanyahu during his re-election bid in 2015.
The relationship was further strained during the Obama administration’s decision to move forward with the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu and Obama also were at odds towards the end of the Obama administration—when the U.S. allowed for the passage of a resolution condemning Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.
On Monday, Trump noted his intent to attend the opening of the embassy at the newly-recognized capital in mid-May. “Israel is very special to me—special country, special people, and I look forward to being there.”
“What better to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians,” Trump said, noting the embassy move gives “a real opportunity for peace.” “We’ll see how it works out. The Palestinians are wanting to come back to the table. Very badly.”
Trump added: “If they don’t, you don’t have peace. And that’s a possibility also.”
Netanyahu praised Trump's “leadership and friendship,” noting that “under your leadership, [U.S.-Israeli relations] have never been stronger.”
Neither addressed the swirling corruption scandal engulfing Netanyahu's administration, or the ongoing Russia probe that has hindered Trump's time in the White House.

The White House in 2013 sent out a photo of then-President Obama on the Oval Office phone with Netanyahu with his feet on the desk.  (White House)

“President Trump underscored his goal of countering Iran's malign influence. The President also emphasized his commitment to achieving a lasting peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians,” the White House said.

Cal Thomas: Trump boldly wades into cutting federal government down to size -- will it work?

President Donald Trump gestures as he walks as he leaves the White House, Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, in Washington. 

Of all the promises candidate Donald Trump made during the 2016 presidential campaign, none will be more difficult to fulfill than cutting the size and cost of the federal government. That’s because Congress, which must decide whether to keep a federal agency, has the final word in such matters and spending – especially spending in one’s home state or district – is what keeps so many of them in office. Who doubts that self-preservation is the primary objective of most members of Congress?

Ronald Reagan made similar promises about reducing the size of the bloated federal government, but was unable to fulfill them because of congressional intransigence. Perhaps his most notable failure was attempting to eliminate the Department of Education, an unnecessary Cabinet-level agency created by Jimmy Carter, reportedly as the fulfillment of a campaign promise to the National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union in the United States, which backed him in the 1976 and 1980 elections. This pithy statement by Reagan got to the heart of the issue: “No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth!”

President Trump has asked every federal agency to submit a reorganization plan to the White House. Some programs, like the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Biological Survey Unit (BSU), are decades old. The BSU was established in 1885, and among its tasks is the preservation of the whooping crane. Last I checked those birds seemed to be doing OK, but why is this, along with so many other things, a responsibility of the federal government?
Reorganization of these outmoded and unnecessary programs and agencies should not be the goal. Elimination should be the goal. Unless they are killed off, the risk of their return is likely.
What’s needed is a strategy that shames Congress, which sometimes seems beyond shame, for misspending the people’s money. What will help in that shaming is for the president to establish an independent commission made up of retired Republicans, Democrats and average citizens. This commission would conduct a top-to-bottom audit of the federal government and present its findings to Congress, while simultaneously releasing them to the public, which would then apply pressure on Congress to adopt them.

Congressional budget-cutters spared the $440,000 spent annually to have attendants push buttons on the fully automated Capitol Hill elevators used by representatives and senators.

The commission would be modeled after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) of the ’80s, which eliminated military bases that were no longer needed for the defense of the country. Some members of Congress complained about BRAC, but in the end they could not justify maintaining the bases.
The president might want to start with some of these ridiculous programs recently highlighted by Thomas A. Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization whose mission it is “to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in government.”
“Without authorization,” notes Schatz, “the feds spent $19.6 million annually on the International Fund for Ireland. Sounds like a noble cause, but the money went for projects like pony-trekking centers and golf videos.
“Congressional budget-cutters spared the $440,000 spent annually to have attendants push buttons on the fully automated Capitol Hill elevators used by representatives and senators.
“Last year, the National Endowment for the Humanities spent $4.2 million to conduct a nebulous ‘National Conversation on Pluralism and Identity.’ Obviously, talk radio wasn’t considered good enough.
“The Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency channeled some $11 million to psychics who might provide special insights about various foreign threats. This was the disappointing ‘Stargate’ program.”
The list goes on and on. Go to cagw.org, read all about it and remember it’s our money paying for these boondoggles (definition: “a project funded by the federal government out of political favoritism that is of no real value to the community or the nation”) that helps keep our free-spending career politicians in office where they get benefits the rest of us can only dream about.
Yes, entitlements are the main drivers of debt and they, too, need reform. But starting with programs most people would find outrageous and worthy of elimination is a good way to build confidence and make the tackling of entitlements more palatable.

Cal Thomas is America's most widely syndicated op-ed columnist. His latest book is "What Works: Common Sense Solutions for a Stronger America". Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribune.com.

Trump: Obama DOJ launched 'unprecedented' probe to 'discredit' him 'so Crooked H would win'

President Trump on Monday accused the Department of Justice and FBI under former President Barack Obama of launching an investigation into his campaign in an effort to “discredit” him and help Democrat Hillary Clinton win the presidency, calling those efforts “unprecedented” and “bigger than Watergate.”

“Why did the Obama Administration start an investigation into the Trump Campaign (with zero proof of wrongdoing) long before the Election in November?” Trump asked. “Wanted to discredit so Crooked H would win.”

Trump tweeted: “Unprecedented. Bigger than Watergate! Plus, Obama did NOTHING about Russian meddling.”
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians during the 2016 election. Trump has repeatedly said there is “no collusion” and has accused top officials at the Justice Department of being politically biased against him.
It’s since been revealed that during the campaign, the FBI began probing Trump campaign aides, including Carter Page and George Papadopoulos.
According to the recently released memo from House Intelligence Committee Republicans, the Justice Department and the FBI “sought and received” a probable cause order authorizing “electronic surveillance” of Page, a former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser.
The memo asserts the infamous, anti-Trump dossier was critical in obtaining the Page warrant.
The FBI also began investigating Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos’ relationships with Russians in 2016. Papadopoulos in October pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents about his contacts with people close to the Russian government, but has not been charged with anything else.
The court filings say the 30-year-old Papadopoulos was not truthful during a FBI interview just days after the president’s inauguration in January 2017 about his relationship with an “overseas professor” who had “substantial connections to Russian government officials.”
The professor, according to prosecutors, told Papadopoulos the Russians had “dirt” on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails.”
TRUMP QUESTIONS WHY SESSIONS ISN’T PROBING ‘DEM CRIMES’ AMID RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
Frustrated over the investigation, the president also been dinging his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recently asking on Twitter why the Democrats in the Obama administration aren’t being investigated as part of the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
“Question: If all of the Russian meddling took place during the Obama Administration, right up to January 20th, why aren’t they the subject of the investigation?” Trump tweeted.
Trump added: “Why didn’t Obama do something about the meddling? Why aren’t Dem crimes under investigation? Ask Jeff Sessions!”

F-35 aboard Navy ship in Pacific as US touts new era of ‘up-gunned’ air-sea capability

A F-35B aircraft landed on the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp for the first time in the Indo-Pacific for the first time on Monday.  (Reuters)

An F-35B Lighting II—which has been called a ‘beastly airplane—landed Sunday on an amphibious assault ship at an undisclosed location in the Pacific, an event the Navy touted as a new era of “up-gunned” air-sea capability, Stars and Stripes reported.

The F-35B was assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, Japan, and will provide support to Navy-Marine Corps expeditionary operations and help strengthen alliances in the region, the Navy Times reported citing a press release.

It is unclear how many F-35s were deployed and it comes amid continued tension in the area. The North Korean nuclear situation remains unstable and China continues work to extend into the South China Sea.
“Pairing F-35B Lightning IIs with the Wasp represents one of the most significant leaps in war-fighting capability for the Navy-Marine Corps team in our lifetime,” Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7, said in a statement.
The Wasp is on a routine patrol in the Indo-Pacific where it will be joined by two destroyers to assist on operations and training, the paper reported.
The aircraft can conduct strikes inland, support Marines ashore and provide air defense for the Expeditionary Strike Group.
The F-35 lightning II is the world's first fifth-generation fighter jet. It has extraordinary stealth capabilities that will allow the aircraft to fly deep into enemy airspace without detection. The F-35s harness a massive Pratt and Whitney engine to deliver astonishing fighter speeds of approximately 1,200 mph.
One test pilot said it is a “beastly airplane.”
The F-35 has had its share of setbacks, but the AP once described its maneuvers: The stealth jet has “a maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky.”

Oscar awards Cartoons

Michael Goodwin: Media continue to ignore Trump's presidential leadership

A popular line among Washington reporters is that covering the Trump White House is like trying to drink water from a gushing fire hose. The volume overwhelms the effort.
Recent days illustrate the point and underscore the even greater difficulty of assessing the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency. So much is happening so fast that it’s impossible to make sense of what it all means for America.
Last week featured the president leading a televised discussion with bipartisan members of Congress on gun legislation, his market-rattling announcement on tariffs and reports about whether Trump will agree to an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller. Those and other big-ticket items were mashed up with tweetstorms and breathless reports about who on his team is up, who’s down and who’s out.
For people outside Washington, the task of separating the wheat from the chaff is made more difficult by extreme media bias. Virtually everything Trump says and does is presented through the darkest possible lens almost everywhere.
Consider how he was accused of being too bellicose in reacting to North Korean threats to bomb the United States, then accused by some of the same people of not being bellicose enough after Vladimir Putin’s boasts about Russia’s nukes.
Then there’s CNN, which invited Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to compare recent events to Richard Nixon’s final days. Nothing subtle there.

Trump continues to take the ship of state into uncharted waters and that alone explains much of the hair-on-fire reaction.

From networks to newspapers, rumor and speculation are dressed up as authoritative by citing “sources close to the president.” This is compelling only if you forget how many times anonymous sources were wrong.
Of course, the fever pitch is alive on both sides of the street, with many Trump supporters still believing, as one said recently, that “he can do no wrong.”
The love vs. hate for Trump reminds me of a cynic’s view of the law of averages: If one foot is in ice water and the other is in scalding water, your feet are, on average, comfortable!
None of this is to suggest there is nothing unique about Donald Trump’s presidency. On the contrary, almost everything about it is unique.
That’s precisely why it is so difficult to be certain about the meaning of so many events. He continues to take the ship of state into uncharted waters and that alone explains much of the hair-on-fire reaction.
For example, Trump three times put on a public master class in presidential leadership. He did it with members of both parties on immigration several weeks ago, then at a meeting with governors and last week with members of Congress on gun control. The president is supremely comfortable in front of the camera and those sessions allow him to talk over the heads of the Washington media and directly to people in their living rooms and offices, much as he did during the campaign.
In all three cases, Trump showed himself knowledgeable and flexible as he tried to find common ground on vexing subjects. Many ardent Democrats especially were wowed by his eagerness to accuse fellow Republicans of being afraid of the NRA.
I believe Trump was wrong on that point, and that most GOP supporters of gun rights believe the Second Amendment means what it says, and that they are representing their constituents.
Still, there is no denying that Trump broke with his party’s recent record by showing a willingness to meet Dems more than half way on gun and immigration issues.
His CEO style at those events reflects one of the initial hopes for a Trump presidency — that he could break the logjams in Washington because he is not of Washington, and is not beholden to anybody’s orthodoxy.
Yet it remains to be seen whether the approach will yield results. Can Trump bring along enough Republicans, or will he further divide the GOP?
And do Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi really want to make deals on guns and immigration, or would they rather keep moving the goal posts because they want to claim in the midterms that Trump can’t govern?
All things considered, then, here is my current guide to those who want to see Trump succeed but are perplexed by events: Keep your eye on the big picture and begin each day with optimism because betting against him has been a loser.
While no president in modern history has faced such media assaults and entrenched opposition, including from some in the FBI, Trump has work horse stamina and warrior determination to succeed.
His policies are mostly the right ones and his tax changes and regulatory reforms will spur growth and create opportunities for millions of Americans.
I also believe Democrats are more divided and in a deeper hole than they want to admit. Pelosi’s absurd characterization of tax cuts and bonuses for working families as “crumbs” will not be forgotten by voters and could help the GOP hold the House.
Yet I’m not without concern.
Trump’s habit of shooting himself in the foot — why does he diminish himself by attacking Alec Baldwin? — provokes the worry that some voters who like his policies will get tired of the personal pettiness and give up on him.
I also worry that feuds with some Republicans could lead to policy defeats. And I fear that Trump’s habit of beating on his aides in public — even when he’s right, as he is about Attorney General Jeff Sessions — could cost him the services of John Kelly, his chief of staff.
While Kelly has not been mistake-free, he is the team’s MVP because he provides a stable foundation on which Trump and his administration can depend.
My conclusion: Unless Mueller produces clear evidence of wrongdoing, Trump’s policies will produce enough progress that he will finish this term strongly and have a good chance of winning again in 2020.

Federal court rules World War I memorial cross must be torn down

Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, Bladensburg, Md.  (First Liberty Institute.)

Back in 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial in Bladensburg, Md., to honor the memory of 49 men who perished during World War I.

The 40-foot tall memorial became known as the "Peace Cross." 

Click here for a free subscription to Todd’s newsletter: a must-read for Conservatives
In 2014, the American Humanist Association -- a group that believes in "being good without a god" -- filed a lawsuit alleging the cross-shaped memorial is unconstitutional and demanding it be demolished, altered, or removed.
They alleged the cross carries "an inherently religious message and creates the unmistakable appearance of honoring only Christian servicemen."

"Today's decision sets dangerous precedent by completely ignoring history, and it threatens removal and destruction of veterans memorials across America."

On Wednesday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed and ruled the historic memorial must be torn down -- all because the Bladensburg Memorial is in the shape of a cross.
The Fourth Circuit said the memorial excessively entangles the government in religion because the cross is the “core symbol of Christianity” and “breaches” the wall separating church and state.
Writing separately, Chief Judge Gregory wrote, “This Memorial stands in witness to the VALOR, ENDURANCE, COURAGE, and DEVOTION of the forty-nine residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland ‘who lost their lives in the Great War for the liberty of the world.’  I cannot agree that a monument so conceived and dedicated and that bears such witness violates the letter or spirit of the very Constitution these heroes died to defend.”
The American Legion could appeal directly to the Supreme Court.
"Today's decision sets dangerous precedent by completely ignoring history, and it threatens removal and destruction of veterans memorials across America," First Liberty Institute attorney Hiram Sasser said.
First Liberty Institute and the Jones Day law firm are representing the American Legion in their fight.
“This memorial has stood in honor of local veterans for almost 100 years and is lawful under the First Amendment,” Jones Day attorney Michael Carvin said. “To remove it would be a tremendous dishonor to the local men who gave their lives during The Great War.”
I warned Americans in my new book, “The Deplorables’ Guide to Making America Great Again,” that the war against religious liberty and traditional American values is far from over.
A militant group of atheists, agnostics and free-thinkers want to eradicate Christianity in the public marketplace. The only way to stop this evil scourge is for people of faith to stand together and fight back in the courts.
Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary. His latest book is “The Deplorables’ Guide to Making America Great Again.” Follow him on Twitter @ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.

Churchill's 'Iron Curtain' speech as prophetic -- and chilling -- today as it was 72 years ago

The statue of Britain's former Prime Minister Winston Churchill is silhouetted in front of the Houses of Parliament in London, January 30, 2015.  (REUTERS/Eddie Keogh)

Monday marks the anniversary of the delivery of a critical address by one of the most important figures of our time: Winston Churchill’s “Sinews of Peace” speech.  This stirring oration delivered on March 5, 1946 at Fulton, Missouri, in the presence of President Truman, was vitally important to defining events and inspiring sentiment unique to the time, but its messages have significance and lessons far beyond.

Known colloquially as “the Iron Curtain Speech,” this event had an important impact on framing the primordial threat to world peace in the post-World War II period – the Cold War – and to focusing attention on the leading global alliance motivated to protect world peace, the Anglo-American Special Relationship.

In the speech, Churchill sounds a chilling warning to the West to be vigilant against the gathering clouds in Europe: “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent…seeking everywhere to obtain totalitarian control.” Worse still, he cautions as to the acquisition of nuclear weapons in the hands of our enemies.
He reminds us with an authority no one else could have that, “Last time [World War II] I saw it all coming and cried aloud to my fellow countrymen and the world, but no one paid attention…It could have been prevented, in my belief, without the firing of a single shot… but no one would listen, and one by one we were all sucked into the awful whirlpool.”

Even with his legacy of having saved the free world, and his great oration, Churchill’s speech earned scorn from many sides, unsurprisingly fueled by the media, both American and British.

The great war leader went on to outline his hope for the outcomes of the Marshall Plan and the formation of global organizations committed to peace-keeping.  The subsequent history of these, one fears, would have left Churchill sadly disappointed. Of particular note, the United Nations and the European Union, with their sovereignty-leeching tendencies to stifle nation states and great bi-lateral friendships such as that of the U.S. and United Kingdom, would have confounded as well as disappointed Churchill.
Notably, he coined a phrase in this speech, “THE Special Relationship”—referring to the Anglo-American alliance— which suggests the importance it deserves.  At Fulton, Churchill highlighted the need, for the whole world, of our great alliance—a relationship based upon a compassionate world view underpinned by “the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the English-speaking world,” undergirded by the resources of our combined military might.
While he would have been let down by the trajectory of many global organizations, Churchill would have been reassured by the achievements of the Special Relationship, which endures to help stabilize the world, notwithstanding new global threats and all manner of heads of government in both countries.
Indeed, thank heaven for a bi-lateral alliance that has not only the strength, but the resolve to take on the world’s great menaces, undeterred by the voices of protest.
If not for leadership like that of Churchill, and Reagan and Thatcher after him, freedom would surely not prevail today.
What if, for instance, Churchill had bent to public opinion favoring appeasement in Britain before she entered the war?  The period of darkness and inhumanity unleashed by the Nazis likely would have penetrated the whole world, including our own shores.
Even with his legacy of having saved the free world, and his great oration, Churchill’s speech earned scorn from many sides, unsurprisingly fueled by the media, both American and British. The New York Times said Churchill had painted "a dark picture of post-war Europe." He was accused after the speech for positing “poisonous doctrines” that were tagged as alarmist, racist, and imperialist.  Even Truman initially backed away, but once again, under Stalin’s leadership, events proved Churchill prophetic.
Contemporary detractors wail against the American Exceptionalism embodied by President Trump’s approach and protest on the streets of San Francisco and elsewhere. In the UK socialist-embracing Corbynistas and American Sandersites wail against capitalism and free markets and wring their hands over holding our enemies in the Middle East and North Korea to account.
Happily good sense still prevails in some quarters.  The stirring new film “Darkest Hour” is an example.  It portrays for a new generation Churchill’s stand against the whirlwind of adversity and reminds us just how close we came to losing everything we fight for.    And for its part, Fulton, Missouri, has a museum dedicated to the inspiring statesman.
In the end, Churchill’s instincts were right—about nearly everything that counts.  Thank you, Winston for Fulton and for your courage and resolve.
Lee Cohen is a Senior Fellow in Western European Affairs at the London Center for Policy Research, and the New York Director of the Anglosphere Society.  He was formerly the Director of the Congressional United Kingdom Caucus.

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel makes anti-GOP jabs after first professing positivity

The unique monster movie "The Shape of Water" took home the award for best picture at the 2018 Academy Awards on Sunday as host Jimmy Kimmel and some stars brought things to a political place during Hollywood’s biggest award show of the year with jabs at President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and even Fox News viewers.

Despite calling for a show filled with positivity, both the host and stars like Common, Kumail Nanjiani and Lupita Nyong'o made the movie-centric show political.

Kimmel began with an old-timey announcement in which he listed the stars in attendance, making his first political jab with “Black Panther” actress Lupita Nyong’o.
ANNE HATHAWAY TALKS ABOUT DRESS THAT SHOWED OFF WAY TOO MUCH
“The stunning Lupita Nyong’o, she was born in Mexico and raised in Kenya,” Kimmel said at the top of the show. “Let the tweetstorm from the president's toilet begin!”
From there, the host launched into a positive monologue that poked fun at the whirlwind year in Hollywood, which saw the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements dominate the headlines and previous award shows. In commenting on the year’s diversity, he highlighted “Get Out” helmer Jordan Peele.

“We don’t make films like ‘Call Me By Your Name’ for money. We make them to upset Mike Pence.”

“Jordan is only the first person in 90 years to be nominated for directing, writing and best picture for his debut film,” he said. “What a debut it was. None other than President Trump called ‘Get Out’ the best first three quarters of a movie this year.”
The final political jab came when discussing the gay romance film “Call Me By Your Name.” The host noted that the film, despite being an Oscar-nominated feature, did not score big at the box office.
OSCAR DOUBLE STANDARD? ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES SHORT, MOVIE MONTAGES LONG
“We don’t make films like ‘Call Me By Your Name’ for money,” he quipped. “We make them to upset Mike Pence.”
He lauded the actual Oscar statue, noting its age of 90 and taking a swipe at Fox News viewers in the process: "Oscar is 90 years old tonight, which means he’s probably at home tonight watching Fox News."
He also said the Oscar, "Keeps his hands where you can see them, never says a rude word, and most importantly no penis at all. He is literally a statue of limitations."

Sam Rockwell took home the Oscar for best supporting role for his part in “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.”  (AP)

The host ended his opening monologue by explaining that winners are allowed to say whatever they want in their acceptance speech, encouraging people to comment on the recent shooting in Parkland, Fla. as well as other activism with regards to the #MeToo movement.
From there, the show launched into its first trophy of the evening, with Sam Rockwell taking home the Oscar for best supporting role for his part in “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
WEINSTEIN STILL A PRESENCE AT OSCARS
In later quips, the host commented on the recent departure of Hope Hicks from the White House, joking there was now a lack of hope at the White House.
Later, after the best documentary feature award went to “Icarus,” a film that portrays an unflattering look at doping in sports, particularly with regards to the recent scandal in Russia, Kimmel made another jab at the current political climate.
“Now at least we know Putin didn’t rig this competition, Right?”

"I did it all by myself," Janney joked before launching into her speech, in which she thanked a bird.

Kimmel wasn't the only one getting political throughout the night. Stars Kumail Nanjiani and Nyong'o took the stage to share a message of support to Dreamers ahead of announcing "Shape of Water" as the winner of best production design.
“Like everyone in this room and everyone watching at home, we are dreamers. We grew up dreaming of one day being in the movies. Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood and dreams are the foundation of America,” Nyong’o said.
“To all the dreamers out there,” Nanjiani continued. “We stand with you."
The next major award of the evening went to Allison Janney, who took home the Oscar for best actress in a supporting role for her work on "I, Tonya."
"I did it all by myself," she joked before launching into her real speech, which included a thanks to her bird co-star from the hit ice skating biopic.
In the biggest stunt of the evening, Kimmel wanted to thank moviegoers for their contribution to the industry. He  enlisted the help of celebrity volunteers from the crowd to surprise a group of unsuspecting people at a nearby theater who thought they were seeing “A Wrinkle in Time.”
The starpower for the stunt included Ansel Elgort, Mark Hamill, Guillermo del Torro, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong’o, Emily Blunt, Armie Hammer, Lin Manuel Miranda and Margot Robbie
Kimmel and Gadot entered first before inviting the others in, armed with candy, a hot dog cannon and sandwiches.
“This is so much better than the Oscars,” Gadot said, before Kimmel noted that the theater had a stench of marijuana.
“It’s true,” she said. “Not that I would know.”
From there, Kimmel asked a random audience member to introduce Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph to introduce the next category.
Dave Chappelle took the stage soon after to introduce a musical performance from Common and Andra Day to perform “Stand Up for Something” as an ode to American activism with politically charged lyrics about topics like the NRA, the Parkland shooting, immigration, feminism and Puerto Rico.
As they sang, famed activists Alice Brown Otter (Standing Rock Youth Council), Bana Alabed (author and Syrian refugee), Bryan Stevenson (Equal Justice Initiative), Cecile Richards (Planned Parenthood Action Fund), Dolores Huerta (Dolores Huerta Foundation, United Farm Workers of America), Janet Mock (#GirlsLikeUs), José Andrés (ThinkFoodGroup), Nicole Hockley (Sandy Hook Promise), Patrisse Cullors (Black Lives Matter) and Tarana Burke (Me Too) took the stage behind them, with one holding up a Puerto Rican flag at the end of the performance.

Common and Andra Day performed a song accompanied by activists at the 2018 Oscars.  (Reuters)

After that, a pre-taped segment in which actors, directors and many more spoke about the diversity of the year and the rise of diversity and the “#MeToo” and Time’s Up movements. The segment was a complete about-face from last year, in which the awards were criticized for a total lack of diversity.
“Some of my favorite movies are movies by straight white dudes about straight white dudes,“ Nanjiani said in the video. ”Now straight white dudes can watch movies starring me and you relate to them. It’s not that hard, I’ve done it my whole life.”
"I remember going to see 'Wonder Woman,' sitting in the theater and hearing women cry at this big action extravaganza. And something clicked," Berry Jenkins said. "And I’ll say it, this is what white men feel all the time, and all these women are having this experience for the first time. I imagine it will be the same thing when people go see 'Black Panther.'”

From there, "Call Me By Your Name" was awarded best adapted screenplay right before Jordan Peele took home an historic trophy for best screenplay with "Get Out."
Soon after, though, the first female nominated for best cinematography, Rachel Morrison, lose out to Roger A. Deakins for "Blade Runner 2049."
From there, “Shape of Water” took home the award for best musical score and the animated film “Coco” won best song for “Remember Me” before the special musical tribute to the artists we've lost this year.
Eddie Vedder took the stage to sing Tom Petty's "Room at the Top" as images of departed actors, directors and others in showbusiness flahsed on screen. John Heard, Martin Landau, Glenne Headly, Roger Moore, Sam Shepard and Jerry Lewis were given special mention.
From there, it was time for the biggest awards of the night, starting with best director.
“These four men, and Greta Gerwig,” Emma Stone joked while announcing the nominees, noting the only female-nominee in the category.
Guillermo del Torro ultimately took home the trophy, though.
He thanked everyone for giving him and everyone in showbusiness an opportunity to "erase the lines in the sand."
"We should continue doing that when the world tells us to make them deeper."
The coveted award for best actor in a leading role came next, with Jane Fonda and Helen Mirren taking the stage to discuss the “#MeToo” movement. They announced Gary Oldman for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in “The Darkest Hour.”

Guillermo del Torro took home the award for best director and best picture for "The Shape of Water."  (Reuters)

“Put the kettle on, I’m bringing Oscar home,” he said to his 99 year old mother watching at home.
From there, Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster took the stage to announce Frances McDormand as the winner of best actress in a supporting role for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri.”
While accepting her award, the star asked every female that was nominated in any category in 2018 before making a plea to Hollywood to finance their stories and their projects. Her parting words for the academy were "inclusion rider."
When it was all said and done, Guillermo del Torro took the stage to thank the youth for showing how films should be done while he accepted the award for best picture for his film "The Shape of Water."
"This is a door, kick it open and come in," he said.