Monday, September 19, 2016
Emmys 2016: Donald Trump focus of Emmys as stars bash candidate, accept awards
After trying to hitch a ride to the Emmys with James Corden and the cast of "Modern Family” in the show's opening skit, host Jimmy Kimmel wound up in a limo driven by former GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush.
“Did you know you can make $12/hour driving for Uber?” Bush, wearing a chauffer's cap, asked Kimmel.
Upon learning Kimmel was nominated for an Emmy, Bush the Uber driver gave him some advice.
“If you run a positive campaign, the voters will ultimately make the right choice,” Bush deadpanned before adding, “Jimmy, that was a joke, and shave that wig off your face, you godless Hollywood hippie.”
SLIDESHOW: Best and worst red carpet outfits
It was the first of many political jokes and statements of the night, as the presidential election draws near. Kimmel and many of the night's winners set their sights on GOP candidate Donald Trump, while a few gave shout outs to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Kimmel targeted producer Mark Burnett, who helped make Donald Trump a TV star with his “Apprentice” franchise.
“Many have asked who’s to blame for Donald Trump and I’ll tell you who, he's sitting right there, that guy – Mark Burnett,” Kimmel said. “Thanks to Mark Burnett we don’t have to watch reality shows anymore , we’re living in one.”
WINNERS LIST: All the night's big awards
“Who do you have lined up to fill in the spot on the Supreme Court,” Kimmel cracked. “Miley Cyrus or CLo?"
When Mark Burnett accepted an Emmy for his reality show "The Voice," he got back at Kimmel by inviting viewers to watch the show this week to see vocal judges Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keyes: "Your next Supereme Court justices."
Later backstage, Burnett joked with reporters that Trump was probably in contact with Kimmel.
“I’m sure Donald was emailing Jimmy Kimmel saying thanks for the free publicity," Burnett laughed.
Matt LeBlanc hits on Emilia Clarke, kind of
Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her fifth Emmy Award for best comedy actress for her role in "Veep." In accepting the award, Louis-Dreyfus said she'd like to apologize for the current state of American politics.
"I'd also like to take this opportunity to personally apologize for the current political climate," she said. "I think that 'Veep' has torn down the wall between comedy and politics. Our show started out as a political satire but it now feels more like a sobering documentary." She promised to "rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it."
But some others were not in a joking mood. “Transparant” creator Jill Soloway, speaking to reporters backstage after winning her Emmy, compared Trump to Hitler calling the canddiate “The most dangerous monster to ever approach our lifetime. He’s a complete dangerous monster and at any moment that I have to call him out for being an inheritor of Hitler, I will.”
Courtney B. Vance won for best actor in a limited series for the show "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story." Vance won for his portrayal of late defense attorney Johnny Cochran, and the series won three acting awards on Sunday, including Emmys for Sterling K. Brown and Sarah Paulson for their portrayals of prosecutors Christopher Darden and Marcia Clark.
Both Vance and Brown gave prominent shout-outs to their wives, and Vance ended his acceptance speech with a political message, shouting, "Obama out! Hillary in!"
Kate McKinnon won the Emmy for best supporting actress on a comedy series for her role on "Saturday Night Live," in which she played among others, Hillary Clinton, who she thanked.
Jeffrey Tambor won for best comedy actor for his role in "Transparent." Tambor plays a retired professor who becomes a transgender woman. He called for Hollywood to make him the last non-transgender actor to get such a role.
The night's festivities were under increased security in the wake of the device detonations widely viewed as terrorist acts in New York and New Jersey over the weekend. Every attendee and member of the media went through metal detectors, and LAPD officers checked cars parking in the surrounding structures.
Given the device detonation that injured 29 people in New York City, the Emmys featured a slightly jarring start when an “ABC Special Report” graphic was flashed onscreen at the show’s scheduled 8pm EST start. It soon became apparent it was just part of a bit starring Kimmel, who was being driven in O. J. Simpson’s Ford Bronco, trying to get to the big show.
Trump, working the media refs, declares debate moderators unfair
Donald Trump has been saying that the upcoming debates are part of a “rigged” system, so I decided to press him on it.
How, after all, could he object to the four network moderators well before the events? He has said that Chris Wallace treated him fairly in interviews, he recently made his only CNN appearance in months with Anderson Cooper, and I’ve never heard him complain about Lester Holt.
Turns out Trump knows how to work the refs in advance. And he did so by invoking the avalanche of press criticism, mostly from the left but also in the mainstream media, over Matt Lauer’s questioning of him and Hillary Clinton in that NBC forum. It was unfair, in my view, but unrelenting.
No one, he suggested, wanted to become a Lauer-like piƱata.
“It’s called gaming the system,” Trump said in a “Media Buzz” interview, “like Bobby Knight, he would hit the referee, well they're hitting Matt Lauer and they're trying to game the system, they want, and I think it's terrible but they want the host to go after Trump.”
I followed up: “But do you think that Lester Holt or Martha Raddatz or Anderson Cooper or Chris Wallace will be pressured into being unfair?”
“Sure,” Trump said. “I think that’s what’s happening right now.”
He is laying the groundwork for post-game complaints if he thinks the debates, starting with next Monday’s faceoff on Long Island, don’t go well.
I interviewed Trump five times during the primaries, and those sessions were full of harsh criticism for the media. But he still ratcheted it up, even taking partial credit for the media’s approval rating plunging to a record low 32 percent in a new Gallup poll.
“Frankly, I think I had something to do with it, but I’m very proud of it,” Trump told me.
“I think the media is disgraceful,” Trump said. “I think they're unbelievably dishonest, and I’m not talking about you and I’m not talking about certain people, because I’ve got tremendous confidence and tremendous respect for certain reporters, et cetera, but a large portion of the media is disgustingly dishonest, and I could name every one of them that are that way, and probably someday I will, but they should be ashamed of themselves.”
He particularly went off on the New York Times and CNN—the Clinton News Network, in his parlance—in response to my questions.
The Donald, whether in real estate or politics, has always been a media-centric figure. Some critics think the media “created” his candidacy, a simplistic view that misses his mastery of television, willingness to risk endless interviews and how even negative coverage helps him drive his message.
Trump has faced an avalanche of negative headlines in recent weeks and yet has closed the gap nationally against Clinton, who has been having her own problems.
One reason, clearly, is that he’s become a more disciplined candidate. When Trump hit his roughest patch during the summer, it was because his offhand comments and insistence on picking fights kept hurting him.
These unforced errors included attacking a Gold Star family, jokingly invited Russian hackers to find Clinton’s deleted emails and suggesting that “Second Amendment people” might stop Clinton after she was elected.
When I asked about his more scripted speechifying, Trump acknowledged that “I have somewhat adjusted,” but then circled back to his detractors.
“The media was not treating statements fairly. I mean they would chop them up and shorten the statement, and it didn’t sound proper, or it didn't sound as good when they did that, it was very unfair, now I’m doing it a little bit differently,” Trump said.
But even if you buy his analysis, Trump was giving his media adversaries ample fodder.
Of course, he went off script late last week, both by renouncing his five-year-old stance on birtherism (while hurling unsubstantiated charges at Clinton on the subject) and wondering what would happen if her bodyguards disarmed (in making a point about gun control).
When Trump adheres to his new team's script, he tends to do better in the polls. But as time goes by he can't help but say what he thinks--which will be a particular challenge in the debates.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET). He is the author of five books and is based in Washington. Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz.
How, after all, could he object to the four network moderators well before the events? He has said that Chris Wallace treated him fairly in interviews, he recently made his only CNN appearance in months with Anderson Cooper, and I’ve never heard him complain about Lester Holt.
Turns out Trump knows how to work the refs in advance. And he did so by invoking the avalanche of press criticism, mostly from the left but also in the mainstream media, over Matt Lauer’s questioning of him and Hillary Clinton in that NBC forum. It was unfair, in my view, but unrelenting.
No one, he suggested, wanted to become a Lauer-like piƱata.
“It’s called gaming the system,” Trump said in a “Media Buzz” interview, “like Bobby Knight, he would hit the referee, well they're hitting Matt Lauer and they're trying to game the system, they want, and I think it's terrible but they want the host to go after Trump.”
I followed up: “But do you think that Lester Holt or Martha Raddatz or Anderson Cooper or Chris Wallace will be pressured into being unfair?”
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
He is laying the groundwork for post-game complaints if he thinks the debates, starting with next Monday’s faceoff on Long Island, don’t go well.
I interviewed Trump five times during the primaries, and those sessions were full of harsh criticism for the media. But he still ratcheted it up, even taking partial credit for the media’s approval rating plunging to a record low 32 percent in a new Gallup poll.
“Frankly, I think I had something to do with it, but I’m very proud of it,” Trump told me.
“I think the media is disgraceful,” Trump said. “I think they're unbelievably dishonest, and I’m not talking about you and I’m not talking about certain people, because I’ve got tremendous confidence and tremendous respect for certain reporters, et cetera, but a large portion of the media is disgustingly dishonest, and I could name every one of them that are that way, and probably someday I will, but they should be ashamed of themselves.”
He particularly went off on the New York Times and CNN—the Clinton News Network, in his parlance—in response to my questions.
The Donald, whether in real estate or politics, has always been a media-centric figure. Some critics think the media “created” his candidacy, a simplistic view that misses his mastery of television, willingness to risk endless interviews and how even negative coverage helps him drive his message.
Trump has faced an avalanche of negative headlines in recent weeks and yet has closed the gap nationally against Clinton, who has been having her own problems.
One reason, clearly, is that he’s become a more disciplined candidate. When Trump hit his roughest patch during the summer, it was because his offhand comments and insistence on picking fights kept hurting him.
These unforced errors included attacking a Gold Star family, jokingly invited Russian hackers to find Clinton’s deleted emails and suggesting that “Second Amendment people” might stop Clinton after she was elected.
When I asked about his more scripted speechifying, Trump acknowledged that “I have somewhat adjusted,” but then circled back to his detractors.
“The media was not treating statements fairly. I mean they would chop them up and shorten the statement, and it didn’t sound proper, or it didn't sound as good when they did that, it was very unfair, now I’m doing it a little bit differently,” Trump said.
But even if you buy his analysis, Trump was giving his media adversaries ample fodder.
Of course, he went off script late last week, both by renouncing his five-year-old stance on birtherism (while hurling unsubstantiated charges at Clinton on the subject) and wondering what would happen if her bodyguards disarmed (in making a point about gun control).
When Trump adheres to his new team's script, he tends to do better in the polls. But as time goes by he can't help but say what he thinks--which will be a particular challenge in the debates.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET). He is the author of five books and is based in Washington. Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz.
Obama praises Clinton, blasts Trump at DNC fundraiser in NYC
NEW YORK – President Barack Obama on Sunday praised Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for her intellect, fortitude and "unerring" judgment and blasted "the other guy," Republican Donald Trump, on his New York home turf as unqualified to be president and uninterested in learning enough to make the hard decisions the job requires.
Obama addressed a dinner crowd of about 65 people at a fundraiser at the Gramercy Park home of restaurateur Danny Meyer and his wife, Audrey. Attendees contributed $25,000. Event co-chairs gave $100,000, while chairs raised or contributed $250,000, officials said. Proceeds will benefit the Democratic National Committee, state parties and the Clinton campaign.
"This is somebody who is smart, who is tough and, most importantly, cares deeply about making sure that this country works for everybody and not just a few," Obama said of Clinton. "And she's displayed it again and again and again. And when I said that I think she is somebody who is as qualified as any individual who has ever run for this office, I meant it."
Obama said Clinton has been disciplined and extraordinarily effective in every job she's held.
"And then there's the other guy," he said, drawing laughter. "You all know him because he's from New York. Some of you may have done business with him. If you have, it doesn't sound like it's been a pleasant experience."
Obama went on to criticize Trump. "He shows no interest in even gaining the rudimentary knowledge required to make really hard decisions on a day-to-day basis. There's no curiosity, no desire to get up to speed."
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
Obama has vowed "to work as hard as I can" to help elect Clinton in November, in large measure to ensure the longevity of key parts of his legacy. At the fundraiser, he said he was confident the American people will "make a good decision and we're going to win this thing."
He campaigned for his former secretary of state last week in Philadelphia in his first solo appearance on her behalf. Neither the White House nor Clinton's team has said when and where the president will travel next to argue the case for Clinton, but Obama is expected to spend the bulk of October on the road campaigning for her.
The president was staying in New York City through midday Wednesday to participate in his eighth and final meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, likely one of his last major appearances on the world stage before he leaves office in January. He is scheduled to address the high-level meeting of world leaders on Tuesday.
Obama also has scheduled one-on-one meetings with the leaders of Iraq, Israel, Nigeria and Colombia, as well as a top Chinese official.
Sunday night's fundraiser was the first of two on Obama's New York schedule. He was raising money for the Senate Democrats' fundraising arm at a closed event Monday.
'Number of individuals' in custody after authorities stop 'vehicle of interest' in Chelsea bombing
Federal authorities conducted a traffic stop of a “vehicle of interest” in the Chelsea bombing Sunday night in Brooklyn. A law enforcement source told Fox News that a “number of individuals” who are possibly connected to the explosion were taken into custody.
Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that at least 5 men were being questioned. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about an ongoing investigation. The FBI said in a statement that no one had been charged with any crime and the investigation was ongoing.
New York state Sen. Marty Golden posted an Instagram photo, saying the FBI took “several individuals” into custody on the Belt Parkway underneath the Verrazano Bridge at around 8:40 p.m.
The FBI was also at an Elizabeth, N.J. train station after a suspicious package was found. The source told Fox News that it was unclear what type of device was found or if there were any connections to the Chelsea bombing or the explosion in Seaside Park, N.J.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier Sunday that residents should expect a heightened security presence as the investigation continued and when the United National General Assembly kicks off, which draws leaders from around the world.
"Now for all New Yorkers, a central message we want to give today is be vigilant," de Blasio said during a news conference. "Be vigilant at this point in time, not just because of this incident, be vigilant because we’re going into United Nations General Assembly week."
The Democratic mayor added that those in the city will see a "a very substantial" police presence this week which he described as "bigger than ever."
"We would normally have an expanded presence for the United Nations General Assembly," de Blasio said. "You will see an even stronger presence now."
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo added that he had directed state police and National Guard to deploy an additional 1,000 uniformed police officers out an abundance of caution to high-profile locations across the state.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we are increasing security at high-profile locations across the city, and all state agencies continue to remain on alert," Cuomo said in a statement.
A spokesman for the United Nations told the Associated Press that the organization is assessing security in the wake of the bombing as it prepares to host world leaders arriving for the General Assembly.
U.N. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Sunday that security inside the complex "is being assessed on a constant basis."
He added that security outside the U.N. is the responsibility of the host country.
"We receive great cooperation and appreciate the support from the federal authorities and the NYPD throughout the year, and especially during the General Assembly to keep staff, delegates and visitors safe," Dujarric told the AP.
Cuomo, who toured the site of the blast, said there didn't appear to be any link to international terrorism. He said the second device appeared "similar in design" to the first, but did not provide details.
A law enforcement source told Fox News on Sunday that the explosive devices found in Seaside Park, N.J. and New York City NY are believed to be from the same person.
A separate federal law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the bomb contained residue of an explosive often used for target practice that can be picked up in many sporting goods stores.
The discovery of Tannerite in materials recovered may be important as authorities probe whether the blast was connected to an unexploded pressure-cooker device found by state troopers just blocks away, as well as a pipe bomb blast in a New Jersey shore town earlier in the day.
"We're going to be very careful and patient to get to the full truth here," de Blasio said Sunday. "We have more work to do to be able to say what kind of motivation was behind this. Was it a political motivation? A personal motivation? What was it? We do not know that yet."
Cell phones were discovered at the site of both bombings, but no Tannerite residue was identified in the New Jersey bomb remnants, in which a black powder was detected, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to comment on an ongoing investigation.
Authorities said the Manhattan bombing and the blast 11 hours earlier at the site of a 5K race to benefit Marines and sailors in Seaside Park, New Jersey, didn't appear to be connected, though they weren't ruling anything out. The New Jersey race was cancelled and no one was injured.
Officials haven't revealed any details about the makeup of the pressure-cooker device, except to say it had wires and a cellphone attached to it.
Tannerite, which is often used in target practice to mark a shot with a cloud of smoke and small explosion, is legal to purchase and can be found in many sporting goods stores. Experts said a large amount would be required to create a blast like the one Saturday night, as well as an accelerant or other igniter.
Police and federal spokespeople wouldn't comment on the presence of explosive material recovered at the scene.
The bomb in Manhattan appeared to have been placed near a large dumpster in front of a building undergoing construction, another law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, told the AP. The second device, described by the same official as a pressure cooker with wires and a cellphone attached to it, was removed early Sunday by a bomb squad robot and New York City police were preparing to blow it up in a controlled explosion later in the day, authorities said.
Homemade pressure cooker bombs were used in the Boston Marathon attacks in 2013 that killed three people and injured more than 260.
Officials solicited tips from the public, telling reporters at a news conference in the New York Police Department's headquarters that they didn't know who set off the bomb or why.
Members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force were investigating the blast along with New York Police Department detectives, fire marshals and other federal investigators.
Meanwhile, a law enforcement official said federal investigators had discounted a claim of responsibility on the social blogging service Tumblr. Investigators looked into it and didn't consider it relevant to the case, according to an official who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Media jump gun on branding Trump claim on Clinton birther role 'false'
Donald Trump’s claim Friday that Hillary Clinton and her 2008 campaign “started” the Obama birther controversy touched off a series of instant fact-checking from media outlets who branded the claim “false” – but it seems they may have jumped the gun.
“Hillary Clinton and her campaign of 2008 started the birther controversy. I finished it,” Trump said in Washington, D.C. Friday, referring to theories President Obama was not born in the United States. “President Barack Obama was born in the United States, period.”
Media outlets immediately branded his claim about Hillary Clinton's involvement as an outright falsehood.
“Trump admits Obama born in U.S. but falsely blames Clinton for starting rumors,” declared The Washington Post.
“Trump drops claim but falsely accuses Clinton of starting it,” said The New York Times.
However, that assertion was itself cast into doubt when former McClatchy D.C. Bureau Chief James Asher tweeted that long-time Clinton confidante Sidney Blumenthal had encouraged him to investigate the rumor that Obama was not born in America.
His version of events raises questions about the Clinton campaign’s denials that it had anything to do with the controversy, but media outlets didn’t suggest any gray area.
Clinton 2008 campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle seemed to muddy the waters even further when, in denying that there was a connection, admitted that there was an Iowa volunteer who forwarded an email promoting the conspiracy.
“There was a volunteer coordinator, I believe in late 2007, I think in December, one of our volunteer coordinators in one of the counties in Iowa. I don't recall whether they were an actual paid staffer, but they did forward an e-mail that promoted the conspiracy,” she said on CNN, adding that Clinton herself made the decision to fire the person “immediately.”
Trump’s campaign immediately jumped on the Doyle interview, saying it vindicated Trump.
“With Clinton’s 2008 campaign manager admitting on national television and on Twitter that they promoted the rumors surrounding now-President Obama’s heritage, Mr. Trump has been fully vindicated,” spokesman Jason Miller said in a statement.
“Not only was a Clinton campaign worker blamed and fired over the activity, we have now been informed that Secretary Clinton was aware of what was going on, with Clinton’s campaign manager even apologizing to Obama’s campaign manager,” he said.
Clinton meanwhile, continued to blast Trump for his involvement in the controversy, tweeting: President Obama’s successor cannot and will not be the man who led the racist birther movement. Period.
In tightening race, Trump returns to touting tough immigration policy, ends wild week of accusations, innuendos
What's behind the Trump surge in swing states? |
Trump delivered his law-and-order message to a gathering in Houston of Remembrance Project families, dedicated to helping themselves and others after killings at the hands of illegal immigrants.
“Your stories are not featured in the news. You have no demonstrators taking to the streets on your behalf. You have no special interests taking up your cause, and politicians ignore your cries for help. But I never will,” Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, said amid more recent polls showing him essentially deadlocked with Clinton in the White House race.
A Fox News poll released Thursday shows Clinton ahead of Trump by just 1 percentage point among likely voters in a four-way ballot. Clinton receives 41 percent and Trump 40 percent, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 8 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3 percent.
In the head-to-head matchup with Clinton, Trump leads by 1 percentage point.
Clinton, whose single-digit lead has slipped since mid-August, spoke Saturday evening in Washington, D.C., at a Black Caucus Foundation’s awards dinner, her third day on the campaign trail after taking off a few days to recover from pneumonia.
The latest headlines on the 2016 elections from the biggest name in politics. See Latest Coverage →
After struggling in recent weeks to find an immigration policy that would appeal to voters in the general election, Trump has essentially returned to his hardline positions, while trying to portray Clinton, a former secretary of state, as soft on illegal immigration.
“The matter of this country refusing to take back their deported citizens came before Hillary Clinton’s (State Department) desk,” Trump said Saturday. “But she failed to take forceful action and ignored the federal law requiring her to suspend visas to countries that don’t take back their citizens.”
He also said she has declined Remembrance Project’s offers to meet and argued Clinton, if elected, would extend President Obama’s “open border” polices and attempts to delay deportation through executive action.
“She will only meet with the donors and the special interests and the open border advocates,” Trump said. “Her plan calls for total amnesty in the first 100 days. … Sanctuary Cities, ignoring visa overstays, closing detention centers and a virtual end to immigration enforcement in the United States.”
His comments follow a wild past few days in which the Clinton and Trump camps exchanged attacks -- with Trump again using innuendo to go after Clinton and attract free publicity.
On Wednesday, Trump declined to say definitively that President Obama was born in the United States -- roughly eight years after stoking controversy about his citizenship, then dropping the issue in 2011 when the president made public his birth certificate documents.
Trump on Friday declared the issue over, but not before suggesting that the Clinton campaign, in its hard-fought 2008 Democratic presidential primary against Obama, was pushing the rumor that he was born in Kenya.
Clinton said on Twitter that Trump pushing the birther issue was “deplorable.” And on Saturday, the campaign told Fox News that neither Clinton nor the 2008 campaign suggested Obama was born outside of the U.S.
Trump also made the statement at the end of a campaign event at his new luxury hotel in Washington, D.C. -- after suggesting beforehand to expect a “major announcement.”
And he mused aloud about what might happen if Clinton’s Secret Service detail no longer carried weapons, an apparent effort to further suggest Clinton, if elected, would further take away Americans’ rights to own guns.
"I think her bodyguards should drop all weapons. Disarm immediately," Trump said. "Take their guns away, let's see what happens to her."
Trump made a similar suggestion in May about her Secret Service detail.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Tit for Tat ? ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — A statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass was ripped from its base in Rochester on the an...
-
NEW YORK (AP) — As New York City faced one of its darkest days with the death toll from the coronavirus surging past 4,000 — more th...