<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Biden on Sunday restored a Washington tradition by attending the Kennedy Center Honors.</li><li>The annual event, which was postponed last year due to COVID-19, returned to full form this year.</li></ul><p><keyword id="11917122" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="president-joe-biden" source="Orion">President Joe Biden</keyword> and first lady <keyword id="11937546" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jill-biden" source="Orion">Jill Biden</keyword> on Sunday returned a semblance of political normalcy to Washington with his much-heralded attendance at the Kennedy Center Honors, the first time that a commander-in-chief has attended the gala since 2016.</p><p>This year's <a href="https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/honors/">honorees</a> for lifetime artistic achievements were Motown Records founder and legendary music executive <keyword id="12682675" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="berry-gordy" source="Orion">Berry Gordy</keyword>, "Saturday Night Live" creator and producer <keyword id="12130200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lorne-michaels" source="Orion">Lorne Michaels</keyword>, actress and singer Bette Midler, opera singer Justino Díaz, and folk music icon Joni Mitchell.</p><p>The main event, held at the main opera house at the Kennedy Center, was in many ways a return to some of the pre-pandemic glamour that has been missing from the nation's capital for nearly two years.</p><p>The Bidens, who have long spoke of their commitment to the arts, received a standing ovation from attendees.</p><p>The comedian David Letterman opened the event by expressing to the audience his happiness at a presence from the White House.</p><p>"Tonight, it is quite nice, very nice, to see the presidential box once again being occupied," he said, eliciting cheers from the crowd.</p><p>He then quipped: "The same with the Oval Office."</p><div type="image" title="Kennedy Center Honorees 2021" height="681" width="1024" msid="88129012" hostid="261"></div><p>Former President Donald Trump, who had a famously frosty relationship with the arts and <keyword id="11896019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment" source="Orion">entertainment</keyword> community after taking office in 2017, shunned the event during his first three years in office after several of the 2017 honorees threatened to boycott a White House reception if he took part in the program.</p><p>And last year, with health-related protocol surrounding COVID-19, the 2020 honorees had their events postponed until earlier this year. Those recipients included the choreographer and actress Debbie Allen, singer-songwriter Joan Baez, country music star Garth Brooks, the violinist Midori, and legendary actor Dick Van Dyke.</p><p>This year, the theater was fully occupied and there were no social-distancing restrictions, but attendees had to present proof of vaccination and recent negative COVID-19 tests.</p><p>Before the start of the Kennedy Center event, Biden also brought back another tradition — hosting the honorees at a White House reception.</p><p>"We welcome everyone back," the president said to roughly 150 people in the East Room.</p><p>Guests at the reception included Vice President <keyword id="11939049" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kamala-harris" source="Orion">Kamala Harris</keyword>, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, diplomat Caroline Kennedy, the actor Steve Martin, and the musician Herbie Hancock.</p><p>"Our nation is stronger, more dynamic and more vibrant because of you," Biden relayed to the honorees.</p><p>The ceremony will be broadcast on CBS on December 22.</p>

David Letterman said it's 'very nice to see the presidential box once again being occupied' with Biden's return to Kennedy Center Honors

<ul class="summary-list"><li>George Clooney was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors for his lifetime achievements on Saturday.</li><li>The actor was on hand to help his wife as her dress appeared to get tangled on the red carpet.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/george-clooney-worth-how-he-spends-makes-money">George Clooney</a> saved his wife Amal Clooney from a potential wardrobe malfunction as they walked the red carpet for the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner.</p><p>As the couple posed for photographers at the star-studded event which took place in Washington, DC, on Saturday, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/julia-roberts-george-clooney-jokes-too-far-ticket-to-paradise-2022-10">"Ticket to Paradise" star</a> stopped to adjust the back of his wife's gown which had become tangled at the back.</p><p>Clooney, 61, was photographed bending down to unfold the train of the floorlength scarlet red dress while Amal, 41, smiled awkwardly at the cameras. In another photo, he is seen with his hands outstretched in admiration of his handiwork as Amal gazed over her shoulder at her husband.</p><div type="image" title="George Clooney reacts after fixing the dress of his wife, Amal Clooney, at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner on December 3, 2022." height="3541" width="4721" msid="96002528" hostid="261" sizebytes="480854"></div><p>The legal professional's gown was designed by Valentino, according to <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/amal-clooney-kennedy-centre-honours-gowns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a>, and featured an off-the-shoulder neckline and fitted silhouette in addition to the long sweeping train. Amal accessorized the look with a matching red clutch and heels.</p><p>Her husband, meanwhile, wore a smart black tuxedo with a black bow tie for the occasion.</p><p>Speaking to <a href="https://extratv.com/2022/12/04/george-clooney-on-if-his-kids-think-hes-cool-and-his-kennedy-center-honor/">Extra</a> on the red carpet, Amal shared that George doesn't just fix her dresses, but also fixes practically everything for their <a href="https://www.insider.com/george-clooney-activist-work-inspired-by-family-kids-2021-11">5-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander.</a></p><p>Asked what his young children think of him, George responded: "They're 5, so right now, I am golden."</p><p>Amal added: "They say: 'Papa can fix everything but the weather…' He can solve all of their problems and is the funniest person they have met."</p><p>The couple, who have <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-george-and-amal-clooney-met-fell-in-love-2017-9">been married since 2014</a>, were in attendance at the annual awards ceremony to see the "Gravity" actor honored for his lifetime achievements.</p><p>Every year since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have taken place in December to celebrate five honorees and their lifetime of contributions to American culture.</p><p>Speaking to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bidens-attend-kennedy-center-honors-gladys-knight-george/story?id=94432866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a>, Clooney said: "Growing up in a small town in Kentucky I could never have imagined that someday I'd be the one sitting in the balcony at the Kennedy Center Honors.</p><p>"To be mentioned in the same breath with the rest of these incredible artists is an honor. This is a genuinely exciting surprise for the whole Clooney family."</p><p>Those honored on the evening also included singer-songwriter Amy Grant, musician Gladys Knight, composer, conductor, and educator Tania León, and U2, which is comprised of band members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.</p>

George Clooney came to the rescue and saved wife Amal from a potential wardrobe malfunction on the Kennedy Center Honors red carpet

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron became close while Swift was recording her album "Red."</li><li>They seemed inseparable throughout 2012 and Swift dedicated her song "22" to Agron, among other friends.</li></ul><p>Before Taylor Swift was <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swifts-squad-where-are-they-now-2019-1">sparking headlines about "squad goals"</a> or <a href="https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swifts-the-eras-tour-celebrities-attendees-surprise-guests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attracting throngs of Hollywood stars to The Eras Tour</a>, she and Dianna Agron were nearly inseparable.</p><p>The "Style" singer and "Glee" star became close in 2012 and were quickly identified in the media as "blonde BFFs." However, the following year, Swift and Agron suddenly seemed to lose touch. They haven't been spotted together since 2014.</p><p>Keep scrolling to see everything we know about the once-close pair.</p><h2>They became friends while Swift was working on 'Red'</h2><p>It's unclear how and when Swift and Agron met. In 2010 and 2011, Swift became friendly with "Glee" stars like <a href="https://theswiftagency.com/2010/03/24/a-bowling-night/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cory Monteith</a> and <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/billboard-bits-taylor-swift-spotted-with-glees-chord-overstreet-472863/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chord Overstreet</a>, so it's possible the women were introduced by Agron's castmates. They <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2012/02/oscar-party-2011-photo-booth-justin-bieber-selena-gomez-kiss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">both attended</a> the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, but there's no evidence they interacted.</p><p>Swift and Agron were <a href="https://www.taylorswiftweb.net/2011/09/05/shopping-at-fairfax-flea-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spotted in public for the first time on September 4, 2011</a> at a flea market in Los Angeles. Swift was between shows on the Speak Now World Tour, while Agron had recently wrapped a series of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/ministry-of-gossip/story/2011-06-12/dianna-agron-of-glee-likes-girls-explain-please" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glee Live! concerts</a>.</p><p>By this time, we know that Swift was in the process of creating her fourth album because <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-all-too-well-10-minute-version-explained-reactions-2021-11">she had already written "All Too Well."</a></p><p>According to her diary excerpts (released alongside "Lover" in 2019), the beloved song was conceived in February 2011. She decided to <a href="https://www.etonline.com/taylor-swift-releases-diary-entries-with-lover-album-here-are-the-biggest-bombshells-131087" target="_blank" rel="noopener">name the album "Red"</a> in September 2011.</p><div type="image" title="dianna agron taylor swift" height="900" width="1200" msid="104629885" hostid="261" sizebytes="79692"></div><h2>January 7, 2012: Agron tweeted that Swift looked 'beautiful' on the cover of Vogue</h2><p>Swift was photographed by Mario Testino for <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/taylor-swift-the-single-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the February 2012 issue of Vogue</a>, for which she was given retro-style bangs. According to a <a href="https://youtu.be/Sr1HpFApe9Y?si=80L35FeYjh5XXRhZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">behind-the-scenes video</a>, the photoshoot took place on the eve of her 22nd birthday.</p><p>"Taylor looks all kinds of 70's beautiful....and love a hat! Great job," Agron <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/159330242601820160?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Twitter, tagging both Vogue and Swift.</p><h2>March 25, 2012: Swift and Agron went to see 'The Hunger Games' together</h2><p>A group of fans <a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/taylor-swift-and-dianna-agron" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snapped a photo with Swift and Agron at the theater</a> during the movie's opening weekend.</p><h2>April 12, 2012: Agron shut down rumors that she was in a 'love triangle' with Swift and Tim Tebow</h2><p>For some reason, in early 2012, tabloids ran wild with a theory that Agron was dating NFL quarterback Tim Tebow while <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/taylor-swift-has-puppy-dog-crush-on-tim-tebow-201223/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swift was harboring a "puppy dog" crush on him</a>.</p><p>During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/308582/dianna-agron-and-tim-tebow-both-refute-love-triangle-with-taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Agron quashed the rumors</a>. She clarified that she had a "10-minute chat" with Tebow and hadn't seen him since.</p><p>Kimmel also asked her to address her relationship with Swift: "Are you dating her? That would be great."</p><p>"Wouldn't that be juicy?" Agron replied, blowing a kiss to the camera and adding, "Hi Taylor."</p><h2>April 24, 2012: They wore vintage gowns and flower crowns to celebrate <strong>Shirley MacLaine's</strong> birthday</h2><p>Swift, who costarred with MacLaine in the 2010 film "Valentine's Day," played dress-up with Agron and two more friends in honor of the actor's 78th birthday. The small group shared <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2135119/Taylor-Swift-girlfriends-play-dress-ups-honour-Shirley-Maclaines-78th-birthday.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photos of the occasion on social media</a>, though most have since been deleted.</p><p>"We dressed up full-time fancy and went out in celebration of Shirley MacLaine's birthday," Swift wrote on Twitter, per <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/311648/taylor-swift-and-dianna-agron-dress-up-for-shirley-maclaine-s-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E! News</a>.</p><p>"Had a long day &amp; don't know what to celebrate later…? Because you need a moment to be young? Find your moments," Agron added in <a href="https://twitter.com/DiannaAgron/status/195068996742160384" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her own tweet</a>.</p><h2>April 28, 2012: Swift celebrated Agron's 26th birthday</h2><p>Swift wore a tiger costume for Agron's circus-themed birthday party, which she called "the most magical night" on Twitter.</p>  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="undefined"> —Taylor Swift Updates  (@UpdatingSwiftly) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1652169138033291266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a> </blockquote><p>"The blonde BFFs have been spending a lot of time together as of late," <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/312446/dianna-agron-s-circus-themed-birthday-bash-with-taylor-swift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E! News wrote</a>.</p><h2>May 15, 2012: They dined together in Los Angeles</h2><p>Paparazzi <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/316987/taylor-swift-grabs-dinner-with-dianna-agron-donates-4-million-to-country-music-hall-of-fame" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caught Swift and Agron</a> leaving Dominick's, an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood, after a Tuesday night dinner.</p><h2>July 4, 2012: Swift and Agron spent the holiday in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts</h2><p>Swift was spotted in the famous East Coast town during Fourth of July weekend, mostly <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/wjvaay/taylor-swifts-kennedy-obsession-may-have-inspired-her-4th-of-july-parties" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hanging out at the Kennedy compound</a>. She was accompanied by Agron and their friend Claire Kislinger (neé Winter), according to the <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2012/07/06/taylor-swift-sailing-with-the-kennedys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boston Herald</a> and <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/pic-taylor-swift-hugs-patrick-schwarzenegger-during-kennedys-vacation-201267/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Us Weekly</a>.</p><p>Kerry Townsend, the granddaughter of Ethel Kennedy, tweeted at the time: "Arrived at my Grandma's house to find her chilling with Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron. I hope I'm this cool when I'm 83!"</p><h2>October 22, 2012: Swift released 'Red,' which includes a dedication to Agron</h2><p>Swift is known for leaving coded messages for fans in the liner notes of her album. The <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-red-taylors-version">secret message for "22"</a> was four names: "Ashley Dianna Claire Selena."</p><p>In addition to Agron and Kislinger, these most likely refer to stylist Ashley Avignone and Selena Gomez. The song is about spending a carefree night with friends, though hints of ill-advised romance are sprinkled in: "You look like bad news / I gotta have you."</p>  <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AgFeZr5ptV8" frameborder="0"></iframe>  <p>There could be another reference to Agron in the liner notes for "Everything Has Changed." The song's secret message is "Hyannis Port," where Swift <a href="https://people.com/celebrity/taylor-swift-and-conor-kennedy-kiss-in-hyannis-port/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent some time</a> with green-eyed Conor Kennedy that summer. ("All I've seen since 18 hours ago / Is green eyes and freckles and your smile," Swift sings.)</p><p>However, many fans have noticed that "Hyannis Port" is actually misspelled in the liner notes as "Hyiannis Port," which mirrors the spelling of Dianna (who also has green eyes).</p><p>The day that "Red" was released, Agron congratulated Swift on Twitter with a <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/260494898334158848?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screenshot</a> of her phone playing "Everything Has Changed."</p>  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="undefined"> —Dianna Agron  (@DiannaAgron) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/260494898334158848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2012</a> </blockquote><h2>December 3, 2012: Swift and Agron both attended the Ripple of Hope gala</h2><p>Swift and Conor Kennedy reportedly <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/357246/taylor-swift-and-conor-kennedy-breakup-anatomy-of-a-split" target="_blank" rel="noopener">split in October 2012</a> after a few months of dating. However, later that year, Swift was <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/12/taylor-swift-kennedy-family-ripple-of-hope-award" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still honored with the Ripple of Hope Award</a> from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice &amp; Human Rights.</p><p>The annual gala was held at the Mariott Marquis in New York City. According to <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/368222/taylor-swift-honored-by-the-kennedy-family-in-nyc-and-it-s-not-awkward-at-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E! News</a>, Swift had Agron "by her side" throughout the event. She also performed "Starlight," a song from "Red" that was inspired by Ethel and Bobby Kennedy.</p><p>"Was a beautiful night last night. The RFK foundation provides help to so many truly deserving," Agron <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/276095879675531265?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. "Plus @taylorswift13 was truly lovely."</p>  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="undefined"> —Dianna Agron  (@DiannaAgron) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/276095879675531265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2012</a> </blockquote><h2>April 2013: A fake artice, which claimed Swift and Agron were dating, went semi-viral</h2><p>Shortly after Swift embarked on the Red Tour, <a href="https://x.com/Gleek_09/status/324444337096237056?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a doctored screenshot from a fake tabloid</a> began circulating on Twitter. The headline from Stars Daily, which does not exist, said "Taylor Swift is in a new relationship...but it's not what you expected."</p><p>"Country pop singer Taylor Swift has confirmed being in a relationship with Glee star Dianna Agron," the fake article continued. "Lesbi-honest! Right after the rumors were confirmed, the two were spotted out on a dinner date." (The attached photo was from Swift and Agron's dinner at Dominick's in 2012.)</p><p>On April 23, 2013, "Skins" actor Dakota Blue Richards tweeted about the rumor: "So apparently Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron are dating. Sorry Brangelina, you just got taken over as the worlds hottest couple."</p><p>Neither Swift nor Agron publicly responded to the rumor. But Richards' reaction seemed to increase its virality, and the following day, Agron deleted her Tumblr. </p><p>"Thank you friends for following the journey," she wrote in her final post. "But as an old chapter closes, a new chapter begins."</p><h2>September 4, 2013: Swift, Agron, and other friends went to a Fun. concert</h2><p>"Modern Family" star Sarah Hyland shared a <a href="https://twitter.com/ThrowbackTaylor/status/1566496161242005505" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video from backstage</a> at the Fun. concert, which took place at the Greek in Los Angeles. Swift is featured in the short clip, while Agron is briefly shown standing off to the side.</p><p>"Watching @OurNameIsFun live tonight at the Greek was unforgettable," Swift wrote on Twitter, per <a href="https://tasteofcountry.com/taylor-swift-fun-concert/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taste of Country</a>. "Such incredible musicians and showmen. It was just SO good."</p><p>Two days later, Agron also <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/375664737343664129?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted an inside joke</a> about the concert, tagging Swift.</p><p>This seemed to be the last time they intentionally hung out (at least in public).</p><h2><strong>October 27, 2014: Swift released the deluxe version of '1989,' which includes a breakup song called 'Wonderland'</strong></h2>  <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oq4nEzEiegA" frameborder="0"></iframe>  <p>The lyrics of "Wonderland" <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-lyrics-literary-references-easter-eggs-details-2023-5">clearly reference "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,"</a> the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll. When Swift performed the "1989" deluxe track as a <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-eras-tour-surprise-songs-acoustic-2023-4">surprise song</a> on The Eras Tour, she said it was a "twisted" take on the fairy tale.</p><p>In the song, Swift describes her muse as having green eyes and a "Cheshire Cat smile." She says they "fell down the rabbit hole" and got lost in Wonderland, all without considering the consequences.</p><p>"Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?" she sings in the pre-chorus, a reference to Alice's observation that "curiosity often leads to trouble."</p><p>Swift concludes in the bridge: "In the end, in Wonderland / We both went mad."</p><p>Some fans have drawn <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-gay-songs-queer-lyrics-2022-9">a connection between "Wonderland" and Agron</a>, who has <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/2281945057?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly</a> <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/3538210646?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> about <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/10689647223?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her love</a> for <a href="https://x.com/DiannaAgron/status/9320354696?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alice</a>.</p><p>"I love 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Hobbit,'" Agron said in a 2011 interview with <a href="https://ellecanada.com/culture/celebrity/elle-interview-dianna-agron-reigns-supreme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elle</a>. "Those books got me into reading and storytelling — I could escape to a different world."</p><p>Indeed, Agron reportedly had a <a href="http://diannasarchive.tumblr.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Tumblr</a>, deleted in 2013, that was called "felldowntherabbithole."</p><p>She also had a reference to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" tattooed on her ribcage: "We're all mad here," which is a quote from the Cheshire Cat. Fans <a href="https://x.com/agron_updates/status/856897499180797952?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noticed</a> that Agron was in the process of removing her tattoo in 2017.</p><h2>November 23, 2014: They had a brief interaction at the 2014 American Music Awards</h2><p>Although <a href="https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-karlie-kloss-friendship-relationship-timeline">she spent most of the evening with Karlie Kloss</a>, photographers did catch Swift having a moment with Agron at the 2014 AMAs, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/taylor-swift-amas-2014-blank-space-8029961/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">where she also performed her single "Blank Space."</a></p><div type="image" title="taylor swift dianna agron 2014 amas" height="3000" width="1895" msid="104629886" hostid="261" sizebytes="238032"></div><p>This was the last time Swift and Agron were seen together in public. Notably, Agron did not appear among Swift's many celebrity friends in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the 2015 "Bad Blood" music video</a>, which seemed to confirm they were no longer close.</p><h2>October 5, 2019: Agron went to 'SNL' when Swift was the musical guest</h2><p>Agron was <a href="https://x.com/agron_updates/status/1180834082642710529?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photographed leaving 30 Rock</a> after "Saturday Night Live" finished filming. Swift was that night's musical guest — she performed "False God" and the title track from "Lover" — but there's no evidence she interacted with Agron inside.</p><h2>May 7, 2023: Agron was asked about rumors that she and Swift were '<strong>in a relationship'</strong></h2><p>During <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/dianna-agron-interview-glee-taylor-swift-22-sexuality-reproductive-rights-netflix-chosen-one-hulu-clock-1234723125/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an interview with Rolling Stone</a>, Agron was asked about her influence on Swift's music, specifically "22."</p><p>"Me? Oh, if only! That's more because of a friendship than being the inspiration for the song," she replied. "But I would not be the person to ask about that. I cannot claim that!"</p><p>The reporter also asked how Agron felt about being "shipped" with Swift, which he explained as, "You two were made out by the media and some fans to be in a relationship."</p><p>In response, Agron described the speculation as "so interesting."</p><p>"I… I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so <em>wildly</em> untrue. That's funny," she said.</p>

A complete timeline of Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron's friendship

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Anita McBride served as first lady <keyword id="12658185" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="laura-bush" source="Orion">Laura Bush</keyword>'s chief of staff from 2005 to 2009.</li><li>She says <keyword id="11947786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="first-ladies" source="Orion">first ladies</keyword> usually wear custom outfits to avoid accidentally matching other guests.</li></ul><p>First ladies occasionally wear clothes from <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-ladies-affordable-clothing-2020-10">affordable fashion brands</a> like J. Crew, Gap, and Target for everyday events. But for larger, high-profile gatherings, they usually work with designers to create custom gowns. </p><p>This isn't just an aesthetic choice. Anita McBride, who served as first lady Laura Bush's chief of staff from 2005 to 2009, told Insider that there's also a strategic reason why first ladies don't shop off the rack: to avoid wearing the same outfit as other guests.</p><p>McBride learned this firsthand in 2006 at a White House reception before the Kennedy Center Honors.</p><p>"Mrs. Bush had this beautiful <keyword id="12088107" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oscar-de-la-renta" source="Orion">Oscar de la Renta</keyword> dress, but it was one that was off the rack, not made special for her," she said. "It was a beautiful, red, elegant gown that she was intending to wear for the Kennedy Center Honors, for the reception at the White House, and then over to the performance."</p><div type="image" title="President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush with Kennedy Center honorees at the White House in 2006." height="2035" width="2714" msid="88059037" hostid="261"></div><p>As the president and first lady began greeting guests, it became clear that the Oscar de la Renta dress had been a popular choice.</p><p>"They're doing the receiving line, and at least two, maybe three other women came through the line in the same dress that Oscar had sold that year," McBride said.</p><p>Bush quickly went upstairs to change between the White House reception and the Kennedy Center Honors, attending the gala in a black lace dress instead.</p><p>"She was more concerned for these other women that had come through the line and didn't want them to be embarrassed in a public way," McBride said.</p><div type="image" title="President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush attend the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006." height="1992" width="3000" msid="88059038" hostid="261"></div><p>Showing up to an event wearing the exact same outfit as another attendee is largely regarded as an embarrassing <keyword id="11893303" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion" source="Orion">fashion</keyword> faux pas. Indeed, the incident made headlines, like <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/laura-bush-among-four-ladies-in-red/">"Laura Bush Among Four Ladies In Red."</a></p><p>McBride says that by wearing dresses that are created especially for them, first ladies ensure that they won't need to worry about accidentally matching anyone else.</p><p>"It underscores that it's hard, when you're in that public of an event, to really buy what other people are buying — particularly in an event like that, that is so visible and televised," she said. "So you can understand why they have to have things done just for them, particularly for state dinners or Kennedy Center Honors or things overseas. You can understand the need for the outfit to be unique."</p>

The surprising reason first ladies can't wear clothes off the rack, according to Laura Bush's former chief of staff

How anti-abortion activists, corporate bigwigs and conflicted parties co-opted a little-known society to buy priceless access to the Supreme Court

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dbaf7d3dee0195ef91efc0b-2400/ap17103494717452.jpg" border="0" alt="Seema Verma" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Evan Vucci" data-mce-caption="Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma listens in March 2017 as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting at the White House in Washington," /><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Evan Vucci</span></p><p class="caption">Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma listens in March 2017 as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting at the White House in Washington,</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Trump administration forked out over $2 million to contractors who discussed a publicity plan to get Centers for Medicare and Medicaid chief Seema Verma onto "Power Women" lists and magazines like Glamour, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/20/contractor-glamour-magazine-profile-seema-verma-071727">a new report in Politico.</a></li><li>The outline of the publicity plan noted that top-dollar media consultant Pam Stevens had already set up profiles of Verma and pitched her to other media outlets, Politico reported.</li><li>Federal officials are barred from using taxpayer money to generate publicity, or using their public role for private gain.</li><li>Verma has overseen the implementation of President Trump's controversial healthcare policies, including rolling back parts of the Affordable Care Act and enacting work requirements on Medicaid.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>The Trump administration forked out more than $2 million to contractors who discussed a publicity plan to get Centers for Medicare and Medicaid chief Seema Verma onto "Power Women" lists and magazines like Glamour, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/20/contractor-glamour-magazine-profile-seema-verma-071727">emails obtained by Politico</a>.</p><p>Another option they explored was an invite to distinguished events like the Kennedy Center Honors gala.</p><p>Verma has come under fire in recent weeks for <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/12/federal-health-funneled-dollars-trump-allies-069638">her agency's use of federal dollars</a> to employ pricey communications contractors. Some charged up to $380 an hour for work that's typically handled by career civil servants within CMS's communications department, the outlet reported, part of a $2.25 million "strategic communications" contract.</p><p>The emails suggest the contractors were employed in a bid to boost Verma's own visibility as a government official, and not the policy work of her agency. Verma has since repeatedly said consultants were contracted "to promote the programs" already underway.</p><p>The outline of the publicity plan noted that top-dollar media consultant Pam Stevens had already set up profiles of Verma and pitched her to other media outlets, Politico reported.</p><p>Federal officials are barred from using taxpayer money to generate publicity, or using their public role for their private gain.</p><p>CMS told Politico that the agency does not "does not consider or move forward with every idea we receive from contractors" and opportunities pursued were vetted by ethics lawyers.</p><p>Verma <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-medicare-chief-seema-verma-avoided-questions-obamacare-backup-plan-2019-10">testified last month</a> to questions from Democratic Rep. Joe Kennedy at a congressional hearing that all CMS contracts were "based on promoting the work of CMS."</p><p>But Kennedy told Politico he struggled to understand the merits of the arrangement.</p><p>"I have a hard time understanding the logic that this contract was necessary for the execution of the policy positions of this administration," Kennedy told Politico. "There have been important questions raised by the documents."</p><p>Verma has overseen the implementation of President Trump's controversial healthcare policies, including rolling back parts of the Affordable Care Act and enacting work requirements on Medicaid, the health insurance provider to low-income Americans.</p><p>She's also attacked Medicare for All plans that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-medicare-chief-public-option-years-scariest-costume-2019-10">some Democrats have pushed for</a> and criticized wasteful government spending.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/can-president-trump-be-tried-for-treason-ukraine-president-impeachment-2019-9">A law professor weighs in on how Trump could beat impeachment</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/6dlHdqeW-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

The Trump administration reportedly paid a PR firm more than $2 million to get a top healthcare official onto 'Power Women' lists and magazine covers

<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53dfeb08eab8ea997291e9f1-1200-858/ap00111201342.jpg" border="0" alt="White House"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Associated-Press-Domestic-News-Dist-of-Columbi-/0c76339302e5da11af9f0014c2589dfb/28/0">AP</a></span></p><p class="caption">1600 Pennsylvania Avenue</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>The </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">most </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">public of private residences is a fortified command center for nearly 17,000 employees and is the home of the most powerful person in the world. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The 223-year-old White House, boasts 6 levels, 132 rooms, </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 28 fireplaces, and requires </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here is an infographic of the White House republished with permission from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-The-Atlas-Today/dp/3899554973">Around the World: An Atlas for Today</a>.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="The White House by Cyprian Lothringer, from Around the World, Copyright Gestalten 2013" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da583feab8ea7d2b75774c-960/aroundtheworld_thewhitehouse_p056-057.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da583feab8ea7d2b75774c-1200-858/aroundtheworld_thewhitehouse_p056-057.jpg" border="0" alt="white house gfx" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://usshop.gestalten.com/around-the-world.html">The White House by Cyprian Lothringer, from Around the World, Copyright Gestalten 2013</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>The following text is reprinted from the infographic:</h3><h3>A. The President's Room</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54db6e0769beddbd2bfd9834-1200-858/room-24.jpg" border="0" alt="President's Room"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4950099316/in/photolist-8xqy4W-7RX7jc-95YEGB-9TGwKe-p91tgn-9c5zte-fc77U2-9c5tg6-jDEYa7-c1Csv1-75TVgn-jDJXgK-8uToLe-oQQ9rQ-b4bqdv-7ioPj9-nsBHUx-dH91db-9c5tYn-nQkaos-9c5tiT-9X9NjV-6PLKgs-79pLe7-82hoo3-82hu59-8f1syc-7d8bdq-iLQ8D5-8BLPnA-95Yga4-8ZzjYW-e6b4GJ-e6b4BC-bUP4my-bwfNEU-brXS1j-brXRsE-n9TgsR-9brPZY-nsEe6J-fc76QP-9cRsER-9c5tXD-b4bqWr-8Zzu1U-pt3T8J-qAh76K-dbYSzV-e2TaQa">Flickr/The White House</a></span></p><p class="caption">President Barack Obama holds a working dinner with multiple leaders in the President's Room of the White House, Sept. 1, 2010.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>In the past, the room was used as a workplace for secretaries or the President himself. Today the room is used as a dining room.</p><h3>B. The Oval Office</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da745c69bedd230aa764d3-1200-858/16140501795_d9f95fa870_o.jpg" border="0" alt="obama white house oval office"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/16140501795/">Flickr/The White House</a></span></p><p class="caption">This view of the President reading briefing material was taken with a remote camera set up on the mantel above the fireplace in the Oval Office on Aug. 29, 2014.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Probably the most famous room of the White House. The Oval Office, which is located in the West Wing, is the main workplace of the President. The windows are made of bullet-proof glass. Each President may redecorate the room as he wishes. </p><h3>C. The Cabinet Room</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da6b896bb3f74d51eef8a9-1200-800/12240617133_80f4fe767e_o.jpg" border="0" alt="obama cabinet room white house"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/12240617133/in/photolist-jDEn1Z-bWv2Wr-8HraW9-824uHc-dT8tGU-8LwmC2-bUNVts-8cs7S8-8f5euU-73mcMy-bUNU2w-bv7gqR-8ZzeoN-9H7knk-7o12j3-6jDdL3-6jz32z-7AG1Ne-6o5986-6jDdU7-6jz34B-6kZxZV-6m4xmJ-6kZrtM-6iWLnq-7AG1zn-6m4xq1-7AKzLw-6jz2RD-7nNj6g-7EdMhz-82eqdZ-7EhC4q-7nZVZd-7xcjRP-6iWJRy-6iSEUc-9xQ95L-7aYVsQ-6iSuaz-6iSAfD-7d4qTF-7d4qQP-7ok8Rc-73hebe-6o9jYf-6m4xoG-6o9jWE-75TNFp-6iSzpx">Flickr/The White House</a></span></p><p class="caption">President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hold a meeting with Combatant Commanders and Military Leadership in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Nov. 12, 2013. </p></img></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The US President meets with his ministers in this room. The sessions are rarely held in the White House. The President sits always at the middle of the table, the Vice President sits in the Oval Office directly opposite him. </span></p><h3>D. Blue Room</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54db6e846bb3f7e17280249e-1200-858/blue room.jpg" border="0" alt="blue room white house obama"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/3484009761/in/photolist-6iSsHP-6iWDtW-6iWDr9-6iWAty-7MQ3ub-87TmGZ-7pHRY5-6iSrY8-6iWyoA-6iSA28-8f4CdC-6iSsWX-75VfHz-7xfwgj-6BxAfC-9Ha8U7-jDEYbj-jDKoHY-jDKf2t-a3DKvE-nb8pVJ-cyUy3b-eiY9K7-htp3Z4-6jpAeE-6Pk144-6tYLhX-nb8q3h-jDKeUp-bWuVN4-jDFL3S-8Zw88p-92t4QA-9xMqna-atxj3h-brYogJ-bmE38B-jDFyBJ-92q1yv-oaiwBH-7xcmEx-92pUXP-brYuEh-buGpNk-aXKD6R-dUZcY4-pbAcL1-p9f2Nw-aByLuS-bWuTZ2">Flickr/The White House</a></span></p><p class="caption">President Barack Obama looks at a portrait of President James Madison while waiting in the Blue Room of the White House prior to his press conference in the East Room, Feb. 9, 2009.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>The Blue Room - blue upholstery, blue curtains, and blue carpets. This oval-shaped room has stayed the same color since 1837. Traditionally, the President greets state visitors and congress representatives here.</p><h3>E. East Room</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da6aaf6da8114651f5f32a-1200-800/9097271228_916b66b445_k.jpg" border="0" alt="obama white house east room"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/9097271228/in/photolist-eRTTMW-9hccrz-nQqhZS-dMnxj6-atxj3h-brY2qS-9oH2ag-9xQgHQ-brXS1j-brXRsE-nSP7Be-adqHNU-p8hMhY-bUNHMu-aXKLZa-8uWnJE-cyUw85-aXKM3M-aXKLwe-9H7qBD-8qW658-9c5AHv-bETdGc-9Kmk9W-cNf9iG-dUZt8p-9H7kSX-oaiwBH-dbYSzV-nQtZHF-diPHzk-bESUHk-oc5AqB-oa17FX-9AtUss-p84mMF-nSNTxj-nskrPK-9c8Fkd-brYuGb-8ZwvUR-oc5ARr-oQQbho-oQQBVe-nb8pWK-bESVhg-eiY8Am-8uTjGz-nQbWWZ-bWuTRr">Flickr/The White House</a></span></p><p class="caption">President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a concert honoring singer-songwriter Carole King in the East Room of the White House, May 22, 2013. </p></img></div><p></p></div></div>The large banqueting hall in the White House is reserved for large events, such as gala evening, state receptions, balls and, since the Kennedy administration, also to a greater extent for concerts. </p><h3>F. Office of the First Lady</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54da727deab8eafc1875774b-1200-800/michelle obama office.jpg" border="0" alt="michelle obama office"><p class="source"><span>The White House</span></p><p class="caption">First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden answering questions for kid reporters from Highlights, NatGeoKids, Scholastic, and Time For Kids on January 19, 2013.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>This office in the East Wing is usually occupied by the wife of the President. Until now there has been only one exception: Hillary Clinton chose to occupy an office in teh West Wing, the power center of the White House.</p><p><em>Infographic republished with permission from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Around-World-The-Atlas-Today/dp/3899554973">Around the World: An Atlas for Today</a> published by <a href="http://usshop.gestalten.com/around-the-world.html">Gestalten</a>.</em></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-facts-putin-world-controversy-2015-1">11 Facts That Show How Different Russia Is From The Rest Of The World</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RtbDU1bDra7DfSubgs0WuD4Pg0DTxjxx" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'RtbDU1bDra7DfSubgs0WuD4Pg0DTxjxx',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Inside America's most famous residential address

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/546dd9e2eab8ea3414e46795-1200-924/mike-nichols.jpg" border="0" alt="Mike Nichols"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Mike Theiler</span></p><p class="caption">TV News anchor Diane Sawyer (R) and her husband director Mike Nichols pose for photographers on the red carpet as they arrive at the U.S. State Department for a gala dinner for the 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees in Washington December 3, 2011. </p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Diane Sawyer's husband <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/11/mike-nichols/">Mike Nichols,</a> who earned the Oscar for Best Director for "The Graduate," has died. He was 83.</p>
<p><span>Nichols' death was announced in a statement by ABC News President James Goldston. </span></p>
<p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/11/mike-nichols/"><span>Here is that memo, in full:</span></a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Team-</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">I am writing with the very sad news that Diane's husband, the incomparable Mike Nichols, passed away suddenly on Wednesday evening. He was 83.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">In a triumphant career that spanned over six decades, Mike created some of the most iconic works of American film, television and theater-an astonishing canon ranging from The Graduate, Working Girl, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf to Closer, Charlie Wilson's War, Annie, Spamalot, The Birdcage, and Angels in America. He was a true visionary, winning the highest honors in the arts for his work as a director, writer, producer and comic and was one of a tiny few to win the EGOT-an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">No one was more passionate about his craft than Mike. He had recently been immersed in a new project for HBO to adapt "Master Class," Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning play about opera legend Maria Callas. The project reunited him with Meryl Streep, one of his most frequent collaborators. She once said of Mike, "no explanation of our world could be complete and no account or image of it so rich, if we didn't have you," in hailing him as one of the essential artists of our time.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">One of the world's greatest playwrights, Tom Stoppard, said, "He is a giver. He's good at comfort and joy. He's good at improving the shining hour and brightening the dark one, and, of course, he's superlative fun…To me he is the best of America."</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Mike had a sparkling wit and a brilliant mind. Beloved by so many in film, television and Broadway, there was no greater joy in his life than his family, and of course our own Diane Sawyer. A true and beautiful love story, Mike and Diane were married for 26 years. He leaves behind three children-Daisy, Max and Jenny-and four wonderful grandchildren.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">I know many of you will want to share your condolences with Diane. The family will hold a small, private service this week, and a memorial will be held at a later date. Until then, please join me in keeping Diane, Mike's children, grandchildren and their families in your thoughts.</p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>

'The Graduate' Director Mike Nichols Has Died

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table img-thumbnail ng-binding float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5640d8439dd7cc14008c8733" alt="" /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Mike Theiler</span></p><p class="caption">Blackstone Group billionaire Stephen Schwarzman (R) and his wife Christine pose for photographers as they arrive for the gala performance at the Kennedy Center.</p></div><p></p></div></div>When the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-schwarzmans-life-2015-10">'King of Capital" Steve Schwarzman</a> isn't tending to his empire, he's writing some 350 school kids ultra personal notes about their report cards.</p><p>The Blackstone chairman and CEO sat down to chat on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiate-with-betty-liu/id1052923037?mt=2">Bloomberg anchor Betty Liu's podcast Radiate</a> about his interviewing style, what it means to be successful, and how he nearly got into Harvard. </p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/forbes-rich-list-in-private-equity-2015-9">The richest man in private equity</a> also talked about how he was writing to about 350 K-12 students about their grades, absences, and school subjects.</p><p>He told Liu: "I got involved with the Inner-City Scholarship Fund, which is the parochial schools in New York City. And that's an amazing thing where my wife and I are sponsoring about three hundred kids I think, something like that."</p><p>He said around 70% of the kids are either at or below the poverty line, and 90% are minorities. The system graduates 99% of the kids, he said, where the kids would have a graduation rate of 50% to 60% in the public school system.</p><p>"I look at all the report cards, and kids are doing well in certain subjects, or not as well, or they've been absent more, or something," Schwarzman said. "I write them a personal note on my stationery, cause I think that's a good thing for them to get. I comment on something in their report card, so they know it's been read, and that somebody cares about them. And then when they graduate, you know, you meet them."</p><h2>Scholarship fund</h2><p>The students are a part of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund, which helps support roughly 7,500 underprivileged students in K-12 Catholic Schools around New York City annually. On average, these <a href="http://www.innercityscholarshipfund.org/about.cfm">students live in households</a> with an income of $24,000.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5640fde7bd86ef185c8bd668-1697-1272/photo.jpg" alt="Pope Schwarzman" data-mce-source="CNN/Portia Crowe/Business Insider" /><p class="source"><span>CNN/Portia Crowe/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Steve Schwarzman recently met the Pope.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Schwarzman and his wife, Christine Schwarzman have donated over $48 million to the Inner-City Scholarship Fund since 2001, helping support roughly 350 underprivileged students.</p><p>Recent contributions from the Schwarzman couple have made it possible for the fund to extend scholarships to an additional 2,900 students starting fall 2016.</p><p>"I mean I could meet them earlier, there's only so many things I can physically do, but it's really neat, and they write you notes during the year thanking you for changing their lives," Schwarzman said. </p><p>"I mean that's why I do it, because I want these kids to understand that not only is somebody paying for them... but that somebody cares about them."</p><p>Schwarzman, who is worth more than $11 billion, says it is a rewarding process. He's seen the students transform their futures throughout their schooling.</p><p>"You see the changes in these people," Schwarzman said. "You ask them, 'What are you doing?  (They say) 'I'm going to be an accountant, I'm going to be a nurse, I'm going to college for this.'"</p><p>"You know... they're going to be... good members of society, they're going to be paying taxes, they're going to have nice families," Schwarzman said. "They're going to have what we would call a very good, middle income type of life which if they didn't have those educational opportunities, they wouldn't necessarily have that outcome."</p><p>Schwarzman is Jewish, while his wife, Christine Schwarzman, who is Catholic, is a Trustee of the Inner-City Scholarship Fund. About a third of students who receive scholarships from the fund are not Catholic.</p><p>In the field of higher <keyword id="6355445" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Education">education</keyword>, Schwarzman has also created the Schwarzman Scholars, which aims to teach university students about China.</p><p>Watch out for <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiate-with-betty-liu/id1052923037?mt=2">the Podcast here</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-robbins-millennials-investing-401k-2015-10">Tony Robbins reveals the very first investment everyone should make</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="lmdTJmeDroThQvUnpxM7vv8YSwSScbBF" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'lmdTJmeDroThQvUnpxM7vv8YSwSScbBF',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

A private equity billionaire sponsors 300 New York City school kids - and writes them all personal notes

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56213eacbd86ef195c8b75fc-3489-2617/ap_714820855965.jpg" alt="Joe Biden" data-mce-source="AP" data-mce-caption="Joe Biden."><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Joe Biden.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>The pundits&#xa0;have weighed in:&#xa0;There's no way Vice President Joe Biden can even considering jumping into the race <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-wins-debate-2015-10">following Hillary Clinton's strong debate performance</a>.<p><span>Experts told Politico that Tuesday night&#xa0;was "not a good night for Joe Biden."&#xa0;</span>According to NPR, Biden's "<a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/14/448711047/joe-bidens-window-may-have-just-closed">window has closed</a>."&#xa0;The Chicago Tribune says the vice president&#xa0;"<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-joe-biden-president-missed-moment-20151015-story.html">missed his moment</a>."&#xa0;His path to the nomination is both "<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/10/14/joe-biden-path-got-steeper-with-hillary-clinton-strong-debate-performance/J8lGqUVzvVPW7CyYHIgquO/story.html">steeper</a>" and "<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/proud-biden-says-dem-candidates-did-well-first-170845125--election.html">murkier</a>."</p><p>And <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/14/politics/joe-biden-weighs-2016-bid/index.html">the door to the nomination</a>&#xa0;- or maybe the window -&#xa0;is <a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2015/10/14/clinton-may-have-closed-door-on-biden.html">almost definitely closed</a>, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/clinton-biden-president-pressure_561e9167e4b050c6c4a3ca49">metaphor so overused</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardKurtz/status/654654438490050560">Twitter</a> and cable television after&#xa0;the debate that&#xa0;it became a <a href="https://twitter.com/igorbobic/status/654376288967372800" target="_blank">running</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettLoGiurato/status/655055652184850432" target="_blank">joke</a>.</p><p><span>"If Vice President Biden wants to enter and compete for the presidency, then it is time he make that decision," John Podesta, the chair of the Clinton campaign,&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-joe-biden-debate-shift-2015-10" target="_blank">told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday</a>, in a notable shift&#xa0;in rhetoric.</span></p><p><span>Biden doesn't appear to be listening.</span></p><p>After three days of stories and discussion about whether there was still "room" for him in the field, a top political adviser to the vice president blasted out a bombshell. Ron Kaufman, Biden's former chief of staff who replaced him in the Senate, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-aide-campaign-platform-ted-kaufman-email-2015-10" target="_blank">sent an email to Biden loyalists</a>&#xa0;telling them to be "ready" in the event Biden decides to run. The email also laid out a potential campaign platform if Biden did indeed decide to run.</p><p>"If he runs, he will run because of his burning conviction that we need to fundamentally change the balance in our economy and the political structure to restore the ability of the middle class to get ahead. And whether we can a political consensus in America to get it done," Kaufman wrote.</p><p>"And what kind of campaign? An optimistic campaign. A campaign from the heart. A campaign consistent with his values, our values, and the values of the American people. And I think it's fair to say, knowing him as we all do, that it won't be a scripted affair-- after all, it's Joe.</p><p>"He believes we must win this election. Everything he and the President have worked for - and care about - is at stake."</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/533325b3eab8eacc6486ebaf-3064-2133/rtr37lvc.jpg" alt="biden" data-mce-source="Eric Thayer/Reuters"><p class="source"><span>Eric Thayer/Reuters</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>&#xa0;</p><h2>'What's clear is that he's in the race'</h2><p>While spectators clashed over whether Clinton or <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cnn-debate-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-focus-group-won" target="_blank">Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) "won" the debate</a>, the question of Biden's potential space for a candidacy was practically settled by the next morning.</p><p>Across the board, the pundit verdict became clear: About 23 minutes of speaking time for Clinton had fundamentally&#xa0;changed the dynamic of a&#xa0;Democratic race that, in the days and weeks before, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-stephen-colbert-interview-is-why-he-should-run-2015-9" target="_blank">had plenty of space</a>&#xa0;for a Biden candidacy.&#xa0;</p><p>Some other observers, and Biden enthusiasts, took a bit of a different view: Nothing has changed. In fact, they argued, Tuesday's debate showed how much the 2016 Democratic field pales in comparison to past versions.</p><p><span>"Secretary Clinton had a very good night, and while she was definitely the class of the stage - that stage did not approach the same caliber of room we saw in the '07 debates. There was nothing I saw [Tuesday night]&#xa0;that doesn't indicate an opening for the Vice President," said Steve Schale, a former Obama campaign aide and an adviser to the "Draft Biden" group encouraging the vice president to run.</span><br><br><span>"For all the conventional wisdom about how the debate politically impacts his decision, my perception is the VP is approaching this as more of a personal question. And the reality is - should he get in, the whole dynamic of the race changes, and the focus goes to the next debate, and not" Tuesday night," he added.</span></br></br></p><p><span>Another Democratic strategist unaffiliated with a campaign told Business Insider, implying the general lack of depth on stage: "If she didn't trounce the guys on stage..."</span></p><p>Others noted&#xa0;that an experienced politician like Biden, with 40 years of public service and&#xa0;two failed bids for the presidency, would not likely be deterred by a positive media cycle for an opponent.</p><p>Rodell Mollineau, a veteran Democratic strategist, told Business Insider that the idea Biden would now feel muscled out seemed ridiculous, considering the other obvious obstacles to a run.&#xa0;</p><p>"If you're the vice president of the United States, it's hard for me to think that a debate made you decide that you aren't going to run," Mollineau said.&#xa0;</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55db1025bd86ef1b008b54d1-1998-1499/ap_206793648590.jpg" alt="JOe Biden Hillary Clinton" data-mce-source="AP" data-mce-caption="Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appear onstage at the Vital Voices Global Partnership 2013 Global Leadership Awards gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2013."><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appear onstage at the Vital Voices Global Partnership 2013 Global Leadership Awards gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Tuesday, April 2, 2013.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>Mollineau pointed out the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-decision-on-running-for-president-vulernabilities-2015-10" target="_blank">more prescient hurdles: Money and organization</a>. Though&#xa0;the "Draft Biden" Super PAC&#xa0;has tried to lay the groundwork for Biden&#xa0;in case he decides to enter the race, the vice president&#xa0;has nothing that even resembles the&#xa0;national campaign organization that Clinton has built up methodically. Her campaign has more than 500 staffers on its payroll, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.</p><p>And Biden would be starting from scratch trying to raise money - though his standing and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-exclusive-democratic-donors-urge-biden-to-challenge-clinton-in-us-2016-race-2015-9" target="_blank">some of the pining from Democratic bigwigs&#xa0;indicates</a>&#xa0;he would not have much&#xa0;trouble wooing donors.</p><p>"It is much more likely that the factors of him not getting into this race are money, whether he can get the organization up, and actual electoral pathway to victory," Mollineau said.</p><p>Biden has slowly crept up in recent polls as reports have swirled&#xa0;about his intentions.<a href="http://www.newsweek.com/poll-half-us-democrats-want-biden-run-president-382571"> A Reuters poll</a>&#xa0;showed that half of likely Democratic primary voters nationwide still want him to jump into the race, while Biden also is faring <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/poll-joe-biden-republicans-hillary-clinton" target="_blank">best among Democrats in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups</a> with major Republican rivals. It's likely that Biden's support would drop once he began officially&#xa0;campaigning, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/poll-joe-biden-republicans-hillary-clinton">but it's unclear how significant the drop would be</a>.</p><p>As <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/10/we-are-already-months-into-the-biden-campaign.html" target="_blank">New York Magazine's Gabriel Sherman pointed out</a>&#xa0;on Friday, much of the analysis over whether Biden "missed his window" assumes that he's deciding&#xa0;<em>whether</em> to run for president.</p><p>In reality, Biden&#xa0;has been running for months - ever since a Maureen Dowd <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/02/opinion/sunday/maureen-dowd-joe-biden-in-2016-what-would-beau-do.html" target="_blank">column</a> in The New York Times first floated the possibility in August. And he's now deciding whether he wants to run a "passive" or an "active" campaign.</p><p><span>"What's clear is that he's in the race: When a sitting vice-president works the phones after his party's debate stressing that he is not ruling out running for president, that is the activity of a man running for president," Sherman wrote. "Biden is the party's Plan B, either its alt-Clinton or alt-Sanders, and he's had loyalists ...&#xa0;to keep the campaign's pilot light on while he decides which candidate to be.</span></p><p>&#xa0;</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cargo-ship-vanishes-during-hurricane-joaquin-2015-10">A cargo ship that vanished in the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin is still missing</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="F5NTMyeDp0mWRV42z1oJ7S-2QZvMSqLa" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'F5NTMyeDp0mWRV42z1oJ7S-2QZvMSqLa',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

There appears to be an emerging consensus on Joe Biden - but he's sending clear signals he's not listening

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57e5ee9a077dccf2018b7f50-2400/the economy 4x3.png" alt="The Economy 4x3" data-mce-source="Scott Olson/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Skye Gould/Business Insider" /><p class="source"><span>Scott Olson/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Skye Gould/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>"It's the economy, stupid."</p><p>Those were the famous words of former President Bill Clinton strategist James Carville during the 1992 election, breaking down just how important American feelings on their economic future were to the outcome of the election.</p><p>Once again with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump facing off in the 2016 presidential race, it appears that the economy will be a central tenant of the election.</p><p>We've broken down the two candidates policy proposals for the economy on everything from Wall Street regulation to fiscal policy. Using the campaign's official positions, as well as statements from the candidates, we break down the positions and what economists have said about their impact.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57e5ee83077dcc5e1a8b6ee8-2400/the economy graphic.png" alt="The Economy Graphic" data-mce-source="Scott Olson/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Skye Gould/Business Insider" /><p class="source"><span>Scott Olson/Getty; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Skye Gould/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>Taxes</h2><p>Trump's plan would move all Americans into three tax brackets, down from the current seven. The top bracket for married joint filers making more than $225,000 a year would pay 33%, the $75,000-to-$225,000 bracket would pay 25%, and the under-$75,000 bracket would pay 12%. Currently, people who make under $75,00o pay a 15% rate while the top bracket, consisting of those making $466,950, pays 39.6%.</p><p>Trump would cut the corporate tax rate to 15%. It currently sits at 39%, but many companies pay much less in their effective tax rate. The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-company-effective-tax-rate-below-statutory-rate-2015-10">average effective tax rate for S&amp;P 500 companies</a> is 29%, according to research by Goldman Sachs.</p><p>According to <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/analysis-donald-trumps-tax-plan/full">the Tax Policy Center</a>, Trump's plan would incentivize investment by businesses and individuals, but the benefits would be offset unless there was a significant decrease in federal spending. Currently, Trump's plans indicate that he would increase spending.</p><p>"However, unless it is accompanied by very large spending cuts, it could increase the national debt by nearly 80 percent of gross domestic product by 2036, offsetting some or all of the incentive effects of the tax cuts," said <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/analysis-donald-trumps-tax-plan/full">the Tax Policy Center's report</a>.</p><p>Clinton's plan calls for increasing taxes for people who make over $5 million a year by 4%, in what her campaign calls the "Fair Share Surcharge." Additionally, Clinton would make it so that people making more than $1 million a year do not pay an effective tax rate (after deductions) under 30%.</p><p>For corporations, Clinton plans to prevent inversions in which companies move their headquarters overseas in order to pay a lower rate, and charge an "exit fee" on companies moving their businesses outside the country.</p><p>According to <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/analysis-hillary-clintons-tax-proposals/full">the Tax Policy Center</a>, Clinton's plan would decrease investment from the top earners, but would also significantly reduce the federal deficit.</p><p>"And the proposals would raise marginal tax rates on labor and capital, thus reducing incentives to work, save, and invest among high-income households," <a href="http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/analysis-hillary-clintons-tax-proposals/full">said the report.</a> "The proposals would increase federal revenues by $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years and would therefore reduce future deficits and slow, somewhat, the accumulation of public debt."</p><h2>Job growth</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57acb48dce38f221008b62bd-1778/gettyimages-588321490.jpg" alt="donald trump chart debt obama" data-mce-source="Joe Raedle/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>Joe Raedle/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Clinton has introduced <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/jobs/">a number of measures</a> to try to produce job growth. In addition to investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, Clinton has emphasized <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hillary-clinton-quarterly-capitalism-2016-4">an end to "quarterly capitalism,"</a> which focuses on returns to shareholders. Clinton <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/07/24/encourage-long-term-growth/">aims to get businesses</a> to focus on labor and capital investment by modifying capital-gains taxes, giving tax credits for long-term investments and new hires, and "shedding a light" on excessive stock buybacks.</p><p>"And here's something that you don't always hear enough of from Democrats: a big part of our plan will be unleashing the power of the private sector to create more jobs at higher pay," Clinton said <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-full-transcript-economic-speech-489602">in a speech on August 11</a>. "And that means for us, creating an infrastructure bank to get private funds off the sidelines and complement our private investments."</p><p>Trump does not have a specific plan on creating job growth, but <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/economic-vision">his policy positions</a> are designed to increase jobs in the US. For instance, Trump wants to decrease regulation on energy production to create mining and energy-related jobs, which have been decreasing in recent years.</p><p>"We are also going to fully capture America's tremendous energy capacity," said Trump <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/full-transcript-trump-job-plan-speech-224891">in a speech on June 28</a>. "This will create vast profits for our workers and begin reducing our deficit. Hillary Clinton wants to shut down energy production and shut down the mines."</p><p>Also, Trump has said he wants to repeal Obamacare, which he said would save 2 million jobs over the next 10 years. Trump has also stated that his trade polices will lead to more manufacturing and goods-based jobs in America.</p><h2>Regulation on Wall Street</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57d39647077dcc39128b4b2a-2400/gettyimages-601343974.jpg" alt="Hillary Clinton" data-mce-source="Justin Sullivan/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during he LGBT for Hillary Gala at Cipriani Club on September 9, 2016 in New York City." /><p class="source"><span>Justin Sullivan/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during he LGBT for Hillary Gala at Cipriani Club on September 9, 2016 in New York City.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Clinton has said that she would strengthen regulation on financial institutions and also crack down on nonfinancial lending from the "show banking" sector. Additionally, Clinton's plan calls for reducing compensation to executives at financial institutions in the event of fines from regulators.</p><p>"While institutions have paid large fines and in some cases admitted guilt, too often it has seemed that the human beings responsible get off with limited consequences - or none at all, even when they've already pocketed the gains," said Clinton in a speech on July 13. "This is wrong, and on my watch, it will change."</p><p>Trump, on the other hand, has called for <a href="http://graphics.wsj.com/elections/2016/where-do-clinton-and-trump-stand-on-wall-street/">a repeal of the Dodd-Frank regulation</a> that grew out of the financial crisis, saying it has prevented banks from lending money to average Americans. Additionally, Trump has called for a "pause in all new regulation" and a review of existing regulation, which would appear to include regulation on Wall Street. Trump has been critical of hedge fund managers, saying they <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-05-09/trump-s-tough-talk-on-hedge-fund-taxes-doesn-t-match-his-plan">"get away with murder."</a> But it is unclear what he would do to address the issue. In his economic vision on the campaign website, <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/economic-vision">there is no mention</a> of either Wall Street or Dodd-Frank.</p><p>"Dodd-Frank has made it impossible for bankers to function," said Trump <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-banks-idUSKCN0Y900J">told Reuters in May.</a> "It makes it very hard for bankers to loan money for people to create jobs, for people with businesses to create jobs. And that has to stop."</p><h2>Trade</h2><p>One of the largest differences between the candidates has been their ideas on global trade.</p><p>Trump has been mostly protectionist saying that existing trade deals have taken manufacturing out of the country while railing against free-trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). At one point in the campaign, Trump suggested a 45% tariff on all Chinese imports. While he later went back on the idea, Trump has been adamant in his assertion that China is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-china-tariff-debate-2016-1">"sucking us dry</a>."</p><p>"<span>When Donald J. Trump is president, China will be on notice that America is back in the global leadership business and that their days of currency manipulation and cheating are over," reads <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/us-china-trade-reform">the Trump campaign's website</a>. "We will cut a better deal with China that helps American businesses and workers compete."</span></p><p><span>Trump believes that negotiating new deals could be beneficial and the US could "win" at trade under his presidency.</span></p><p>Meanwhile, Clinton does not have a specific trade plan, but has pledged to fight the TPP, a deal she once helped to create. In general, Clinton has shifted from pro free trade to something of a trade skeptic.</p><p>"<span>My message to every worker in Michigan and across America is this: I will stop any trade deal that kills jobs or holds down wages, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership," said Clinton <a href="http://www.npr.org/2016/08/11/489563362/clinton-to-lay-out-economic-plan-in-contrast-to-trump">during a speech</a> in Warren, Michigan, in August. "I oppose it now, I'll oppose it after the election, and I'll oppose it as president. As a senator, I fought to defend New York's manufacturers and steel makers from unfair Chinese trading practices."</span></p><h2>Fiscal policy</h2><p>Both candidates have <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-and-hillary-clinton-agree-on-one-huge-thing-and-wall-street-knows-it-2016-5">emphasized the importance of investing</a> in American infrastructure and spending federal money on projects. Trump has said that the country needs to rebuild "crumbling" roads and bridges, while Clinton has similarly said that rebuilding infrastructure is a key to America's future.</p><p>Clinton's plan calls for a five-year, $275 billion investment into a variety of projects, including airport modernization and Wi-Fi accessibility in rural areas.</p><p>"<span>So we have to rebuild the infrastructure we have, and we have to build a stronger future together because every community in our country, every single one of them, deserves clean water, clean air, clean energy, and think of the millions of people we can put to work, including some of those laborers right down there in the front," said Clinton during <a href="https://www.hillaryclinton.com/speeches/remarks-investing-infrastructure-during-first-100-days-office/">a speech in California in July</a>.</span></p><p>Trump's campaign does not provide a full infrastructure plan, but he has said that he will spend <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-08-02/trump-says-he-ll-spend-more-than-half-trillion-dollars-on-infrastructure">$500 billion on infrastructure</a> to stimulate the economy and provide growth.</p><p>"[Twenty-eight] percent of our roads are in substandard condition and 24 percent of bridges are structurally deficient or worse," reads the website. "Trump's plan will provide the growth to boost our infrastructure, Hillary Clinton's will not."</p><h2>What economists say</h2><p>A number of Wall Street researchers have weighed in on the economic plans of Clinton and Trump. The consensus is that Clinton's plan would roughly maintain the status quo from President Obama's tenure.</p><p>"Our expectations for a Clinton presidency do not require changing our outlook for growth, policy, earnings, and inflation," said James Sweeney, chief fixed-income economist at Credit Suisse.</p><p>If Clinton is able to follow through on all her stated goals, however, it could put pressure on business investment and keep economic uncertainty high enough to curb some growth.</p><p>"How left of center Clinton is once in office will determine the degree to which uncertainty drag diminishes post-election," wrote Dana Peterson, a North American economist at Citi in a note to clients in August. "Uncertainty could remain elevated or even increase if Clinton pursues the more populist aspects of her campaign platform (e.g. 'America First' attitude towards trade, aggressively higher taxes, more intense regulation of the financial sector, leaning too hard on China)."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57484630910584145c8c549b-2400/rtx2dunr.jpg" alt="hillary clinton donald trump" data-mce-source="Jim Urquhart/Reuters" data-mce-caption="U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump (R)" /><p class="source"><span>Jim Urquhart/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Economists have taken a more <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/trump-economy-217496">extreme view of Trump's plans</a>. Most economists have warned that there could be serious negative shocks to the country's economy under a Trump economic plan.</p><p>Kevin Logan, chief US economist at HSBC, said that the implementation of Trump's trade policies would lower exports and increase the cost of goods in the US, which would be a serious shock to economic growth.</p><p>"While tax cuts that were implemented in the first year of a Trump administration might give GDP a short-term boost for a year or so, the combined supply shock from a contraction in the labor force and from the disruption to international trade would likely put the economy into a recession after a year or two," said Logan in a note to clients.</p><p>Both <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-business-economy-moodys-report-zandi-2016-6">Mark Zandi</a>, chief economist at Moody's analytics, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/citi-if-trump-wins-it-would-be-a-disaster-for-the-global-economy-2016-8">William Buiter</a>, chief economist at Citi, agreed that the combined trade shock and increased deficit from the full implementation of Trump's plans would lead to a recession.</p><p>Oxford economists estimated that Trump's plans would <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-economy-idUSKCN11J25M">lose the US $1 trillion</a>, and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania said Trump's immigration plan <a href="http://www.budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/immigration-policy/">would cost the US 4 million jobs</a>.</p><p>On the other hand, Larry Kudlow, an economist and commentator for CNBC, has said that <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/06/kudlow-donald-trump-is-the-middle-class-growth-candidate.html">Trump's tax plans would be stimulative for the economy</a>. Kudlow has compared Trump's tax cuts to those under John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, noting that both of those instances led to 5% GDP growth. Kudlow has, however, <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/11/setting-the-record-straight-on-trump-commentary.html">criticized Trump's immigration and trade policies</a>.</p><p>Additionally, a number of business leaders, such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/t-boone-pickens-on-donald-trump-and-hillary-clinton-2016-9">T. Boone Pickens</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carl-icahn-tweets-donald-trumps-economic-speech-was-great-2016-8">Carl Icahn</a>, have said that Trump's stance on regulation would increase business investment.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/paul-krugman-obamacare-done-cheap-struggling-2016-9">KRUGMAN: Obamacare was done 'on the cheap' and now it is struggling</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="t4YzhxNTE6I-iziXtGn3nAAMiRunrI_x" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 't4YzhxNTE6I-iziXtGn3nAAMiRunrI_x',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "kennedy center gala" and got 11 results

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