The Big Apple is about to get very interesting…  A dense, mostly liberal population, all bound up in close proximity, now instructed by executive order and forced mandatory compliance, to essentially shut down.  [Link to NYC Press Releases]

New York Mayor de Blasio – “Our lives are all changing in ways that were unimaginable just a week ago. We are taking a series of actions that we never would have taken otherwise in an effort to save the lives of loved ones and our neighbors.

Now it is time to take yet another drastic step. The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together. We have to break that cycle.”

Effective tomorrow, March 16, New York City schools will close.

“Tomorrow, I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery. Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close. The order will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 AM.”

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Steve Bannon appears on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the recent story about billionaire Michael Bloomberg considering Hillary Clinton as vice-president on a 2020 ticket.  Bannon says there is validity to the Drudge story that initiated a great deal of media discussion, I disagree.
Bloomberg is good at playing media for his interests and this story lines up more with a Bloomberg operation to advance a nomination narrative. I strongly sense this story is a psychological game initiated by Bloomberg, and Bannon fell for it.

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Fox News host Dan Bongino interviews Rudy Giuliani for his podcast.  The topics include increased crime in New York City; Iran, the ‘Spygate” surveillance scandal; the IG report on FISA abuses against the Trump campaign, and Joe Biden’s history of corruption.
The interview starts around 04:00 minutes into the video.

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Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross appeared on CNBC earlier today to discuss the status of U.S-China trade discussions, the latest issues with tariffs on French goods, and the bigger picture issues within the EU that we previously discussed.
Ross highlights the additional tariffs on China scheduled for December 15th are currently still planned to take effect unless something substantial changes in the position of China.  Additionally, and interestingly on the French and EU tariffs, Secretary Ross reminds the financial pundits of the $7.5 billion WTO authorized award against the EU that would be in addition to the $2.4 billion in tariffs now scheduled for French products.

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Pay attention to what Ross says in that interview; the administration is being remarkably open and consistent.  Given the adversarial position exhibited by French President Emmanuel Macron today; and against the backdrop of continual EU intransigence on trade reciprocity; I suspect once the USMCA is passed we are going to see a *severe* shift in tone within the U.S. trade position toward both China and the EU.
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National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow appears on Fox Business to discuss the latest excellent jobs report and the overall strength of the U.S. economy.
Additional points of interest discussed are the U.S-China trade negotiations, the status of the internal Beijing communist control over their economy and the ongoing issues with the EU.  Lots of good MAGAnomic news.

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The political planets are aligned to provide a considerably interesting day today.
If events happen as outlined in recent media reports, the White House will release the transcript of a call (underpinning a hearsay whistleblower complaint) between U.S. President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine (pictured below).
Additionally, the Intelligence Community Inspector General is expected to release research documents from his office showing a concerning political motive behind the hearsay whistleblower; a person who complained about the Trump-Zelenskyy phone call while not actually hearing the call, or reading what the call content was all about.

Exactly when the call transcript and ICIG documents are going to be released is an unknown. President Trump has a 12:10pm bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.  PM Abe is a very good friend of President Trump and together they have recently agreed to a set of sector specific trade deals; with more stuff in the works.
At 2:15pm things really get interesting, as President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will be holding their own bilateral meeting at the UNGA.  Media cameras are generally present for a short Q&A at the start of every Bilat, and obviously the #1 topic will be this mysteriously alarming phone call; with an opportunity for President Zelenskyy to address the U.S. political narrative therein.
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Earlier this morning First Lady Melania Trump opened the New York Stock Exchange with a group of 4th grade students to celebrate the “Be Best” campaign.

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A man has driven a vehicle through the front doors of Trump Plaza New Rochelle in New Rochelle New York.  There are injuries from people who were in/near the lobby of the building.

Details are sketchy, but according to one report: “Workers at Trump Plaza New Rochelle say after car plowed into lobby, male driver got out and took a seat on a sofa. Said nothing. Several injuries but none are life threatening.”

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Earlier this morning President Trump delivered remarks during a rose garden bill signing for H.R. 1327, the Sept. 11th Victim Compensation Fund. [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Well, thank you very much, everybody. Please, sit down. Very important day. And we’re gathered this morning at the White House to honor our solemn duty to America’s best, bravest, and finest, who I know so well. In a few moments, I will sign a bipartisan bill to fully reauthorize the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. So, the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund is something you’ve all worked on very hard, and the day has come.
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The launch of a “republican” political challenger in NY-14 to challenge Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sherie Murray, follows a very familiar political ploy…. A fake candidate intended to protect AOC in 2020.   In June of 2018 Sherie Murray was an avid AOC supporter.
In the last 36 hours you may have seen “republican” candidate Sherie Murray promoted, seemingly out of nowhere, by a variety of media platforms (social media and traditional). However, when there is an obviously coordinated effort to push a rapid high visibility roll-out; and that effort is for a singular congressional district; it is always worth doing some background research.

(Twitter Link)

BEWARE – Having watched this type of political scheme for several years; and accepting people for what they do, not what they claim to be; in my opinion Murray is likely in place to protect AOC in the 2020 race.  This perspective is bolstered by how the launch/roll-out was also timed and scheduled by Fox News.
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