WHITE HOUSE // Reporters went crazy over President Trump’s roller coaster press conference. But, what they don’t understand is that the presser played very differently with Trump’s supporters. “Far from dead, he was positively exuberant. His performance at a marathon press conference was a must-see-tv spectacle as he mixed serious policy talk with stand-up comedy and took repeated pleasure in whacking his favorite pinata, the ‘dishonest media,'” writes Michael Goodwin. His column is a must-read today: http://cvote.it/2lZfL9X
ABORTION // House Republicans passed legislation reversing former President Barack Obama’s lame-duck ban on states withholding taxpayer funds from Planned Parenthood. http://cvote.it/2lRuZBZ
WHITE HOUSE // In a bit of a setback for the Trump administration, Vice Admiral Bob Harward has turned down Trump’s offer to be national security adviser. http://cvote.it/2lZ7NNR
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY // A florist who declined to make flower arrangements for a same-sex wedding loses her case in state court, but promises to appeal to the Supreme Court. http://cvote.it/2lZEWcq
CABINET // President Trump nominated Alex Acosta to become Secretary of Labor. Of special interest to Catholics, Acosta once worked at the Ethics and Public Policy Center where Ed Whalen and George Weigel hang their hats. Acosta served on the National Labor Relations Board and has already been confirmed by the Senate three times. Acosta once clerked for Justice Samuel Alito and served as an assistant attorney general in the Bush administration. http://cvote.it/2lRjrOX
CABINET // Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Heidi Heitkamp (ND) say they will vote for Trump’s pick for the EPA. Both senators represent states Trump won overwhelmingly. http://cvote.it/2lZ7vXg
FUNNY FRIDAY // “All Trump needs is someone who can run the country while he does a press conference every day.” – Ross Douthat
REFUGEE ORDER // According to comments made by Trump in his press conference and also by court documents filed yesterday by the Justice Department, President Trump is planning to issue a new executive order related to banning entry to the United States from seven countries. http://cvote.it/2lR8Rr5
FCC // The new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission wants to let consumers listen to FM radio on their smartphone. http://cvote.it/2lRn0o6
CABINET // The Senate confirmed Mick Mulvaney to head the Office of Management and Budget. Mulvaney, a pro-life Catholic, is known as a fiscal conservative. CatholicVote endorsed Mulvaney in 2010 when he shocked the political establishment and defeated Pelosi’s House Budget Chair John Spratt. http://cvote.it/2lRhkdX
CATHOLIC // Pray for this soul. Dan Murtah was once a Catholic priest. He used to pray outside abortion clinics. He’s no longer a priest and now he’s publicly supporting abortion. http://cvote.it/2lRkvCh
CATHOLIC // The Bishop of Albany called out several Democrats for their support of abortion giant Planned Parenthood. http://cvote.it/2lRgb68
SAINT // Saint Gilbert of Sempringham – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
HERO // Meet the Creole nun who risked her life to teach slaves http://cvote.it/2m00Iww