Politics. On Point.

President Trump announced Tuesday, on prime-time television, his Supreme Court pick selecting Neil Gorsuch, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  If confirmed, Gorsuch will fill the SCOTUS seat left by Chief Justice Antonin Scalia who died in 2016.   Trump selects Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court. Photo/AP. “Judge Gorsuch has a superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its text", said Trump. "He will make an incredible Justice as soon as the Senate confirms him.” [ Gorsuch rules on Hobby Lobby  case]. While some consider Gorsuch to be “warm”, “open”, “generous” and willing to “find common ground”, Democratic Minority Speaker of House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement issued soon after the announcement about Gorsuch: “In the Hobby Lobby case, Judge Neil Gorsuch revealed his eagerness to single out women’s health for discrimination and e...

Press Secretary Josh Earnest, in his last press briefing under the Obama administration, received some kind words from the Commander-in- Chief during Tuesday's press briefing. The president praised Earnest for his "integrity", for being a "straight-shooter" and having an "All-American" look "going for him." "That's helpful", said the president. Earnest has been ridiculed for being "too vanilla" and had been ridiculed by incoming president Trump as being "foolish." Said Trump during one of his campaign rallies, "This foolish guy, Josh Earnest, I don't know," Trump told the crowd. "You know, having the right press secretary is so important because he's so bad the way he delivers a message. He can deliver a positive message and it sounds bad. He could say ladies and gentlemen, today we have totally defeated ISIS, and it wouldn't sound good, OK?" During today's pre...

First Lady Michelle Obama plans to use the social media platform Snap Chat to give viewers access to her upcoming trip to Africa and the Kingdom of Spain. Follow FLOTUS on Snap Chat here . Mrs. Obama, who is adamant about supporting the right of girls - everywhere - to get an education will be taking her message to Liberia, Morocco and Spain June 27-July 1, along with First Grandma Marian Robinson. The first lady's Let Girls Learn initiative focuses on ensuring adolescent girls get the necessary education and training needed to cultivate their futures, as opposed to adolescent marriages and starting families at very young ages. "I've had the opportunity to travel all around the world and I meet these amazing young women and they impress me with how bright and how hungry they are no matter what their circumstances are; they risk their lives for an education", said the first lady in a recent MAKERS interview . It has been reported that worldwide more th...

Hall of Fame baseball legend Ernie Banks passed last Friday. We are remembering the special time that he gave to us in 2013 after accepting his prestigious Medal of Freedom award from President Obama. Mr. Ernie Banks, (a.k.a. Mr. Cub) during the 2013 Medal of Freedom award ceremony.  Photo/CD Brown. The famed major league baseball player (1953-1971) chatted lightheartedly with many of us in the media that day, even going as far as saying hello to my three grandchildren via video.  Also remembered, perhaps, was a favorite from one of his quotes when he sounded so grateful just...to be. "This is a great world", he said. "It really is. I'm just happy to be here, in Washington." Mr. Banks died of an apparent heart attack, leaving behind a wife, his storied Chicago Cubs baseball legacy, and the thoughts of kindness and humility to those meeting him for the very first time; reminding us all to "just be nice to people." Audio: CD Brown for Poli...

President Obama spoke at a DNC fundraiser at the home of  Gwyneth Paltrow last evening.  During her introduction of the president she expressed her 'affinity' for him saying, "   “you’re so handsome that I can’t speak properly."   Mesmerized  by the president's presence Paltrow lauded, "I'm your biggest fan." Also during her introduction she applauded the president on passing legislation for equal pay for equal work for women, which she said was "very important" to her "as a working mother." Tickets to the fundraiser, held in the back yard of Paltrow's Brentwood home, cost  from $1,000 to $15,000 per person, according to reports. The president made reference to the upcoming mid-term election, encouraging voters to get out and vote, and also referenced scrutinized events like Ebola and ISIS. The president continues to state that the Ebola virus, that has killed more than 3,000 people in Liberia, is not a threat to...

Days after Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he is resigning his pos t (for reasons many are uncertain of), Holder spoke during the Congressional Black Caucus' panel on voting rights. Holder was the first African American, and longest tenured Attorney General in U.S. history. He has agreed to stay in his post until a successor has been named.  The Department of Justice, which Holder heads, is leading the investigation in Ferguson, Missouri where eighteen year-old Michael Brown was murdered by Darren Wilson of the Ferguson police department. Residents are in awe of Holder's resignation and have become increasingly concerned that justice may not prevail without Holders leadership in ensuring a fair and honest investigation. Holder announced his resignation as the nation celebrates the 50th anniversity of the Civil Rights Act. His remarks during the CBC Voting Rights panel are below. Thank you, Representative [Marcia] Fudge, for those kind words – and than...

Eleven days after another police officer murders another unarmed African American male, tensions continue to run high amid calls for peace and a halt to the unrest by Ferguson officials, residents, and even President Obama. The family and Ferguson residents want justice for eighteen year-old, Michael Brown , who was shot, execution style, by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson . Brown's body lay in street for several moments, with no attempts to revive him, and no ambulance dispatched to the crime scene. A posting and picture of Darren Wilson from his father's Facebook page. Witnesses took to their camera phones to record their account of the incident.  See also [ Reporter talks to Ferguson residents to get on-the-ground response .  Multiple videos]. Many say Brown and a friend were approached by Wilson who pulled Brown into the police car and as Brown struggled to get away, Wilson shot him.   It was still unclear why the two men were approached b...

A star-studded cast of characters graced the red carpet inside the Washington Hilton Saturday night for the annual, Springtime Hollywood-comes-to-Washington extravaganza that is the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The gala awards scholarships to deserving journalism students and recognizes those in the journalism field. From the WHDC.net website... "This year's winners for the Aldo Beckman Memorial Award, which recognizes repeated excellence in White House coverage, went to Glenn Thrush of Politico and Brianna Keilar of CNN while winners of the Merriman Smith Memorial Award, which recognizes deadline work in both print and broadcast, honored Peter Baker of the New York Times and Peter Maer of CBS.  The Edgar A. Poe Award, which recognizes coverage of news of national or regional significance, went to  Megan Twohey and a team at Reuters, and a joint work by The Center for Public Integrity in partnership with ABC News. An Honorable mention goes to The ...

President Obama met with Djibouti's president Ismail Omar Guelleh on Monday at the White House where the two (per the White House press office) " discussed their shared vision for addressing human capital and economic development challenges in Djibouti."  The president praised Guelleh for  his commitment to lowering unemployment, reducing poverty, and improving reliable access to energy, potable water, and health care. Photos/CD Brown The United States pledged to increase technical and financial assistance to the Djiboutian people and to invest in Djibouti’s development priorities.  President Obama pledged to expand U.S.-sponsored workforce education and training to help strengthen Djibouti’s workforce and set a foundation for expanded employment and private sector investment. While Guelleh was receiving praise on the inside of the White House, demonstrators  on the outside  protested the visit to shed light on the Djibouti's huma...

A busy day for President Obama and France's president, Francois Hollande.  After the official welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday, the two presidents took questions from reporters during an afternoon joint press conference that saw talks on global security, enforcing existing sanctions, clean energy, and global trade. Said President Obama on the achievements of the US and France working in concert: "... we’re moving forward together on key global development initiatives:  food security and nutrition that can lift 50 million Africans out of poverty; our determination to replenish the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria; and I’m pleased that we’re joining with partners around the world on a new global health security effort to combat infectious diseases and save lives."   During the evening's dinner and toast, president Hollande made these remarks about U.S. and France relations. " Mr. President, the relati...

Today, President Obama and president Hollande of France (French Republic) toured Monticello, the residence of Thomas Jefferson, one of the United States’ earliest envoys to France.  M onticello reflects Jefferson’s affection for the people of France, the long-standing relations between our two democracies, and the shared values we hold dear:  life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, writes the White House.   Jefferson's Monticello. The pair have an Op-ed piece in today's Washington Post where the two write about a renewed alliance between the two countries. " Today, American and French diplomats are preparing for talks with Iran that build on the agreement that has halted progress on and rolled back key elements of the Iranian nuclear program. French and American officials share information daily to combat terrorism around the world. Our development experts are helping farmers across Africa and on other continents boost their yields...

Today President Barack Obama granted clemency to twenty-one individuals, consisting of eight commutations and thirteen pardons.   Said the president, " Three years ago, I signed the bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act, which dramatically narrowed the disparity between penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses.  This law began to right a decades-old injustice, but for thousands of inmates, it came too late.  If they had been sentenced under the current law, many of them would have already served their time and paid their debt to society.  Instead, because of a disparity in the law that is now recognized as unjust, they remain in prison, separated from their families and their communities, at a cost of millions of taxpayer dollars each year.    Today, I am commuting the prison terms of eight men and women who were sentenced under an unfair system.   Each of them has served more than 15 years in prison.  In several cases, the sentencing jud...