A major moment occurred at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston on Saturday when former presidents, their wives, and current first lady Melania Trump gathered to say goodbye to the former first lady Barbara Bush. The matriarch of the Bush family passed away at the age of 92 on Tuesday.
Richard Grenell, formerly the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations and the national security spokesman for Mitt Romney, shared a historic photo gathering almost all of the living former presidents — George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and George H.W. Bush — and first ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama. Also joining the photo? Current first lady Melania Trump, posing arm in arm with Michelle. The group is smiling and relaxed, likely after the celebration of Barbara Bush’s life.
Only Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are missing from the photo. “President and Mrs. Carter regret that they are unable to attend,” the Carter Center in Atlanta said in a statement. “President Carter will be on a private trip overseas, and although she is recovering, Mrs. Carter is not yet able to travel following her recent intestinal surgery.”
Melania Trump was not joined by her husband, President Trump, who decided not to attend to “avoid disruptions.” Sitting presidents are not normally expected to attend services for former first ladies.
Photos of former presidents and first ladies aren’t that common and are often taken at funerals. Back in 2011 George W. Bush, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, first lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Nancy Reagan, and former first lady Rosalynn Carter gathered for a photo before the funeral of former first lady Betty Ford at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, Calif. They’re pictured with members of the Ford family.
Melania Trump honored former first lady Barbara Bush with several touching posts on her Instagram account. Of the service, she wrote, “What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman.”
She also shared a photo showing Texas law enforcement on the tarmac in Houston, thanking them for “keeping everyone safe today.”
And, in a truly thoughtful move, she took with her to the funeral several White House staffers who had served in the first Bush administration.
“Mrs. Trump brought George Hainey, former head maître d’ at the White House, and Buddy Carter, a current butler, to the funeral with her as invited guests,” White House spokesperson Stephanie Grisham said. “She knew they were very close to the Bush family and wanted them to be able to pay their respects.”
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Good Morning America
Gunman on the run after killing 4 people at a Waffle House near Nashville
Four people were killed and four others injured when a man naked from the waist down and wielding an assault-style rifle opened fire at a Waffle House in Tennessee early Sunday morning, police said.
The suspected gunman was identified as Travis Reinking, 29, who police believe is from Morton, Illinois. The gunman ran from the scene after a patron at the restaurant wrestled the rifle away from him, police said. Police on Sunday morning were using dogs and a helicopter to search a wooded area near the restaurant where the gunman was last seen.
A witness of the shooting, Chuck Cordero, 50, told ABC News that he had just pulled up to the Waffle House in Antioch, a suburban area about 12 miles from downtown Nashville, when gunfire broke out.
"He was only wearing a jacket and nothing else on," Cordero, a roadside-assistance worker, said of the gunman.
Police said two of the dead were shot outside the restaurant and one inside. A fourth person died at the hospital. Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville was also treating two other people who were shot in the incident that occurred around 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
The person who wrestled the the rifle away from the shooter is a "hero," police said.
Cordero used the same word.
"There's a hero," Cordero said. "I don't know what his name is, but there's a gentleman who was in there, who when this guy stopped to reload or stopped to do something with his gun, he took that opportunity and wrestled the guy till the gun went flying and then the dude took off running."
"I talked to him afterward and told him, 'You are a hero, man,' because had that guy reloaded, there were plenty more people in that restaurant," he said.
Cordero said there were about 30 people in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.
He said the first victim, a man, was killed at the front door of the restaurant. He said the second victim was a friend, a cook at the Waffle House, who was outside on a cigarette break when he, too, was fatally shot while trying to run from the gunman.
"Once he started shooting inside I dropped to the ground and I started to crawl around my car because I didn't know if he was going to come after me," Cordero told ABC News. "So I was able to see his feet from underneath the car. Once he went inside I tried to run across the parking lot and I fell because my legs just ... I was scared."
Cordero said the shooter seemed to remain silent, saying nothing during the rampage.
Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, said the suspect arrived at the restaurant in a gold pickup truck and waited four minutes before getting out and unleashing a barrage of gunfire.
"He was wearing only a green jacket, no pants, no shirt," Aaron said at a news conference outside the restaurant about 9 a.m.
He confirmed that a 29-year-old patron in the restaurant intervened to stop the shooting.
"He is the hero here and no doubt he saved many lives by wrestling away the gun and tossing it over the counter," Aaron said. He said the courageous customer suffered an injured elbow and abrasions while battling the gunman. He was taken to TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center in Nashville for treatment.
Aaron said the gunman shed his jacket while wrestling with the patron and ran from the restaurant, leaving his truck parked outside. The truck was registered to Reinking, he said.
Police found several ammunition cartridges in the gunman's jacket left at the scene, Aaron said.
Aaron said police believe Reinking ran to a nearby apartment complex where he lives, put on a pair of pants and ran into the nearby woods shirtless.
In addition to the six people shot, including the four who died, some other people were cut by flying glass when the gunman fired through the front window.
He said Reinking's has an Illinois driver's license and is known to law enforcement in Illinois. Reinking is believed to be from Morton, Illinois, but had been living in the Nashville area, Aaron said.
A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
There were 35 officers from three precincts responding to the shooting, police said. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents were also assisting in the investigation.
Pat Warner, director of public relations and external affairs for Waffle House, called it a "very troubling" situation.
"We are sending our corporate team from Atlanta and heading to Nashville now," Warner said. "Our thoughts are with those affected."
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident," Waffle House said later in a statement. "Right now, our first thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we will be there for them in this most difficult time. We are still gathering the details, and so we do not have much information to share ... This is a very sad day for the Waffle House family."
Nashville Mayor David Briley released a statement on Twitter, saying, "It's a tragic day for our city anytime people lose their lives at the hands of a gunman. My heart goes out to the families & friends of every person who was killed or wounded in this morning's shooting. I know all of their lives will be forever changed by this devasting crime."
Trump: U.S.-North Korea summit 'should have been done a long time ago'
President Trump boasted that North Korea has already made several key concessions before his anticipated meeting with Kim Jong Un — whereas the United States has forfeited nothing.
On Twitter Sunday morning, Trump admonished Chuck Todd, moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” for voicing reservations about the anticipated U.S.-North Korea summit. Trump said only time would tell whether or not his efforts will be successful but insisted previous administrations had failed to act and he was doing what “should have been done a long time ago.”
Trump’s claim that North Korea has agreed to denuclearize is incorrect. In fact, whether North Korea would be willing to forfeit its nuclear arsenal remains perhaps the most important issue.
Kim’s central message has been that developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles will enable him to deter enemy nations. His government’s propaganda vilifies the United States as an imperialist power and insists nuclear weapons are essential to safeguarding North Korea’s national sovereignty. The recent acceleration of North Korea’s weapons program is a cause of deep concern for U.S. allies in the region like Japan.
Trump’s tweets after Todd questioned the preconditions behind Trump’s planned summit with Kim, expected to take place in several weeks. Earlier Sunday morning on “Today,” Todd was skeptical of Kim’s supposed willingness to cooperate with the U.S.
“He seems to be giving very little but making it seem like he’s giving a lot. And he’s giving off a tone of cooperation. Look, the tone in itself is a positive development. As a diplomatic overture, the U.S. would look terrible if they didn’t accept that kind of overture and at least continue the conversation,” Todd said.
Nevertheless, he continued, the United States hasn’t asked for many preconditions ahead of this potentially historic summit — yet the North Koreans have already gotten a lot.
“What has the United States gotten yet? We don’t have a release of any of those Americans that they held captive. We don’t have a pledge of denuclearization as the ultimate goal,” Todd said. “There’s a lot of things they are not promising that is raising some red flags.”
Kim announced Saturday in a broadcast on the Korean Central News Agency, the government’s news agency, that the nation would stop testing nuclear weapons and launching intercontinental ballistic missiles. He also announced the closure of a nuclear testing site in the northern region of the country.
This announcement was Kim’s opening move for setting the tone for his scheduled meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next Friday and with Trump in late May or early June. Trump swiftly responded on Twitter.
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Yahoo Sports
Derek Jeter's upcoming HBO interview might be his worst moment yet
If you thought Derek Jeter’s roller coaster first six months as minority owner of the Miami Marlins couldn’t take any more crazy turns, think again.
It’s reported that things got pretty tense when Jeter recently agreed to a sitdown interview with HBO’s Bryant Gumbel. Before all was said and done, the former Yankees captain got quite defensive. At one point, he reportedly hurled a stinging insult at Gumbel that could prove to be another low point during his time with the Marlins.
The interview, which is set to air this Tuesday on HBO’s REAL Sports With Bryant Gumbel, covered several topics. Of course, the primary focus was on Jeter’s new Marlins gig. Gumbel apparently pulled no punches, pushing Jeter for answers on subjects such as his priorities as an owner and the perception that the Marlins are tanking.
According to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Gumbel specifically challenged Jeter on his decision to attend a Dolphins-Patriots Monday night football game in December instead of the baseball winter meetings.
That set the tone. From there, the interview got more contentious. Using a teaser provided by HBO as his source, Jackson transcribed several intense exchanges. Here’s one of them.
DEREK JETER: “Tanking? What is– no– tanking?”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “Tanking is — not trying your hardest to win ball games in — every day.”
DEREK JETER: “We’re trying to win ball games every day.”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “If you trade your best players in exchange for prospects it’s unlikely you’re going to win more games in the immediate future–”
DEREK JETER: “When you take the field, you have an opportunity to win each and every day. Each and every day. You never tell your team that they’re expected to lose. Never.”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “Not in so–”
DEREK JETER: “Now, you can think — now– now, I can’t tell you how you think. Like, I see your mind. I see that’s how you think. I don’t think like that. That’s your mind working like that.”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “No, I get that. But I guess not in so many words–”
DEREK JETER: “But you don’t. But you don’t get it.”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “I do.”
DEREK JETER: “You don’t. We have two different mi– I can’t wait to get you on the golf course, man. We got– I mean, I can’t wait for this one.”
BRYANT GUMBEL: “No, I mean–”
DEREK JETER: “You’re mentally weak.”
Well then.
As the interview continued, Gumbel continued chipping away at the tanking angle. When Jeter stated he expected the Marlins to contend, Gumbel didn’t hesitate to point out that Jeter is coming across as delusional.
Needless to say, this sounds like one interesting interview. Chances are most of the juicy stuff is already out there, but it will be fascinating to see just how intense things got in that room.
Again, the interview will first air Tuesday night on HBO at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Get your popcorn ready.
– – – – – –
Mark Townsend is a writer for Yahoo Sports Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Jennifer Drysdale
Mike Myers, Ludacris and More Stars Pay Tribute to Verne Troyer
Hollywood is mourning the death of Verne Troyer.
The actor, who was best known for starring as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films, diedon Saturday. He was 49.
In a statement to ET, Mike Myers, who worked closely with Troyer in Austin Powers, paid tribute to his former co-star. "Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him," he said. "It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed."
Other stars took to social media to share their grief and honor Troyer's memory.
"#RIPVerneTroyer sad to loose a #LEGEND and friend -- LONG LIVE my little Buddy @VerneTroyer #VerneTroyer," Vanilla Ice tweeted, while Ludacris wrote, "R.I.P. Verne Troyer aka Mini Me. You made it to that #1 Spot 🙏 Glad we got to make history."
See more reactions below.
"It is with great sadness and incredibly heavy hearts to write that Verne passed away today," the post read. "Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible. Verne hoped he made a positive change with the platform he had and worked towards spreading that message everyday."
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Police investigating possible hate crime in New York City subway assault
The New York City Police Department is investigating an incident involving a Hispanic man, who was allegedly beaten and pushed onto the subway tracks Friday night at Manhattan’s Union Square subway station.
According to the NYPD, the suspect is a black man wearing a red hat and red T-shirt that displayed President Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” The suspect reportedly shouted racial slurs at the victim.
A press release sent out by the NYPD on Saturday said the incident occurred after the 24-year-old victim “engaged in a verbal dispute” with the suspect on board a 4 train as it approached the Union Square station.
The NYPD said the suspect “made multiple derogatory statements regarding the victim’s ethnicity” during the argument. After the victim got off the train, police said the suspect followed him onto the platform and “punched him on his head multiple times” before pushing the victim onto the tracks.
The victim was helped off the tracks by a friend and another person before a train passed by, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries he sustained when he fell onto the tracks.
A police source confirmed to Yahoo News that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime and that the victim is Mexican. Local news station NY1 reported the suspect berated the victim for “taking jobs” away from Americans.
The NYPD is seeking public assistance in identifying the suspect. Police released a video of the suspect standing on the train platform. The NYPD described the suspect as a “male, black, dark complexion, heavy build, wearing a red ‘Make America Great Again’ hat, a red shirt with the words ‘Make America Great Again’ in white letters, blue dungaree overalls, a black ¾ jacket, and jewelry around his neck.”
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppershotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
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