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Saturday 13 OctOber 2018

Can we talk? Trump’s riding high _ and he’s got a lot to say

for nearly 20 minutes, it
seemed Trump had, for the
moment, exhausted report-
ers’ questions.
“Any other questions?” he
asked to rare silence.
But that was just the be-
ginning. Trump’s day also
included an Oval Office
interview with New York
Magazine, a 15 minute
question-and- answer ses-
sion with reporters on the
South Lawn as he depart-
ed the White House for a
rally in Iowa, and another
conversation with reporters
aboard Air Force One.
Trump also recorded an in-
terview with the local NBC
affiliate before taking the
stage at his rally, which last-
ed well over an hour.
On Wednesday, as Hurri-
cane Michael was about
to make landfall, Trump
began his day with a storm
briefing, during which he
took questions on topics
including a missing Saudi
journalist and potential re-
placements for Haley. He
President Donald Trump speaks to the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons annual meeting at the also took questions at a bill
Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. signing and after landing
Associated Press in Pennsylvania for anoth-
By JILL COLVIN istration. the American people can in the presidential limo. He er rally, where he said the
Associated Press While the Russia investiga- hear directly from him.” continued the conversa- Federal Reserve had “gone
WASHINGTON (AP) — Can tion still looms and polls still Trump’s recent media blitz tion on the dark tarmac, crazy.”
we talk? Donald Trump predict major Republican began on Saturday, when under the shadow of his After his rally — and inter-
would like to chat. losses in the House in next it was clear that Kavana- plane. views with the Washington
And, boy, is he ever. month’s midterm elections, ugh had the votes to be After a brief respite for golf Examiner, Time magazine,
Riding high after Supreme Trump has been logging a confirmed after a bruis- on Sunday, Trump was a local television station —
Court nominee Brett Kava- series of wins, including ap- ing fight in the Senate. The back at it Monday, taking Trump headed home.
naugh’s successful confir- pointing a second Supreme president was en route to reporters’ questions both as But he wasn’t done for the
mation, the president has Court Justice to the bench Topeka, Kansas, for a rally he left the White House and night. There was one last
been on a rollicking press and reaching an updated as the final vote was hap- again as he returned from call, at 11 p.m., to Fox News
tour of late. North American trade deal pening, and he invited the a speech to police chiefs in Channel’s Shannon Bream.
He’s inviting reporters up with Canada and Mexico. small group of reporters Florida, weighing in on ev- Less than 12 hours later,
to his private cabin on Air The stream of negative aboard up Air Force One erything from the employ- Trump was back at it,
Force One. He’s calling in headlines that has been a up to his private cabin to ment status of Deputy At- spending more than 45 min-
to his favorite shows. And constant presence through watch history unfold. torney General Rod Rosen- utes on the phone answer-
he’s turning closed White most of Trump’s administra- When the vote was cast, stein to Taylor Swift’s foray ing questions from his favor-
House events into major tion has abated — at least Trump delivered a double into politics to endorse two ite hosts at “Fox & Friends.”
media moments. for now. thumbs-up from his desk Democratic candidates. Yet to come: Chatting at
On Thursday alone, Trump “I think he’s having a lot of and declared it all “very, He said he now likes her two bill signings, including
held four separate press fun right now,” said former very good.” music “about 25 percent one attended by Kid Rock
availabilities, including one campaign adviser Barry Trump had already spoken less.” and other musicians, a fo-
that featured a profanity- Bennett, who pointed to with reporters as he depart- Later that night, Trump pre- rum on drug trafficking,
laced Oval Office perfor- several factors, includ- ed the White House that sided over a ceremonial a sit-down interview with
mance by Kanye West, the ing Trump’s rally-packed day, and he stopped to swearing-in for Kavanaugh CBS’s “60 Minutes,” which
rapper and producer who schedule, which has put chat again after he land- at the White House, where the network had been try-
has emerged as Trump’s him in front of cheering ed, to share details of the he railed against Demo- ing to tape for more than
top Hollywood fan. And crowds nearly every night. congratulatory call he’d crats for trying to scuttle his a year, and that epic pre-
that’s not counting the Plus, “There hasn’t been a made to Kavanaugh and choice, lunch appearance with
more than 45 minutes he bad story in over week,” his family. On Tuesday, Trump be- Kanye West.
spent on the phone calling Bennett marveled. After an hour-plus rally that gan his day with a surprise As Trump headed to lunch
in to “Fox & Friends.” Said White House spokes- night, Trump was back at it, press availability announc- with his guests, he was
The president’s inclination woman Sarah Huckabee calling up one of his favor- ing that U.N. Ambassador anything but talked out:
to chat comes as Trump Sanders: “The President is ite hosts, Fox News Chan- Nikki Haley would be leav- “We’re going to have
has been enjoying a spate his best messenger and it’s nel’s Jeanine Pirro, as he ing her post at the end of lunch,” he said. “We’re go-
of good news for his admin- always a great thing when drove back to the airport the year. After holding forth ing to talk.”q