This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/us/politics/trump-picks-twitter-fight-with-union-local-chief-in-indiana.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Donald Trump Picks Twitter Fight With Union Local Chief in Indiana Chris Christie won’t head Republican Party, and Trump skirmishes with union boss
(about 4 hours later)
■ Chris Christie will not be the next Republican National Committee chairman.
■ President-elect Donald J. Trump has a new target for his ire: a union local president in Indiana.■ President-elect Donald J. Trump has a new target for his ire: a union local president in Indiana.
■ Ivanka Trump spells out her advocacy role.
■ Mr. Trump formally names a divisive figure as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency.■ Mr. Trump formally names a divisive figure as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency.
■ Leonardo DiCaprio talks climate change with Mr. Trump. The humiliation of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey just keeps coming: He has been told he will not be named to lead the Republican National Committee, according to several people briefed on the discussions in Mr. Trump’s transition.
■ Lindsey Graham says he will investigate Russian interference in the elections. Mr. Christie was pushed out of his role overseeing the transition almost immediately after the election.
The president-elect of the United States picked a fight on Wednesday with the president of a union local in Indiana, another sign that Mr. Trump has a hard time letting things go. The party committee role would have allowed him to remain governor while keeping a hand in national politics. But few people in Mr. Trump’s circle are offering support for Mr. Christie these days — even if he was the first national political figure to embrace Mr. Trump’s candidacy.
Among the remaining contenders for the job are Ronna Romney McDaniel, chairwoman of the Michigan G.O.P. and a niece of Mitt Romney’s; Nick Ayers, an aide to Vice President-Elect Mike Pence, and Mercedes Schlapp, a Republican strategist. Ms. McDaniel, who strongly supported Mr. Trump during the campaign, is said to be favored by a number of people in his circle.
Oh, and on Wednesday, Mr. Christie got this news: At 19 percent, his job approval rating is the lowest of any governor in any state in more than 20 years.
The president-elect of the United States got into a fight on Wednesday with the president of a union local in Indiana, another sign that Mr. Trump has a hard time letting things go.
Chuck Jones, the president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the president-elect had “lied his ass off” when he claimed he had saved 1,100 jobs at the Carrier furnace plant in Indianapolis from going to Mexico. That was pretty much backed up by the chief executive of United Technologies, the parent company of Carrier, who said on CNBC that he would automate the plant and lay off many of the workers anyway.Chuck Jones, the president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the president-elect had “lied his ass off” when he claimed he had saved 1,100 jobs at the Carrier furnace plant in Indianapolis from going to Mexico. That was pretty much backed up by the chief executive of United Technologies, the parent company of Carrier, who said on CNBC that he would automate the plant and lay off many of the workers anyway.
But it was Mr. Jones’s appearance on CNN on Wednesday that got Mr. Trump’s goat.But it was Mr. Jones’s appearance on CNN on Wednesday that got Mr. Trump’s goat.
“What nobody’s mentioning is 550 people are losing their jobs,” Mr. Jones said, adding that 700 other positions at a different Indiana plant would be moving to Mexico.“What nobody’s mentioning is 550 people are losing their jobs,” Mr. Jones said, adding that 700 other positions at a different Indiana plant would be moving to Mexico.
That, apparently, was too much for the man who will soon lead the United States. The president-elect saw fit to fire back.
Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, has been chosen to be Mr. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator, potentially putting an ardent opponent of federal environmental regulations in charge of the agency. Mr. Jones appeared again on CNN’s “New Day” on Thursday morning, and he didn’t back down.
That may seem like a bit of doublespeak, and Mr. Pruitt’s confirmation may be one of the toughest to secure: Senate Democrats did not take a wait-and-see approach, and many said they would never support him. As she ponders a likely move to Washington, Ivanka Trump, the president-elect’s eldest daughter, plans to develop a portfolio of issue advocacy, primarily on matters relating to women, she has told allies.
Among them is pay equity for women in the workplace and attempting to push for the passage of the child care policy she urged her father to develop during the campaign.
Ms. Trump has also recently added climate change to her emerging set of issues, hosting the former Vice President Al Gore for a meeting at Trump Tower, and bringing Leonardo DiCaprio to her father Mr. Trump on Wednesday.
Ivanka Trump may be talking up the perils of climate change, but her father is showing little concern. On Thursday morning he made it official: Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, has been chosen to be Mr. Trump’s E.P.A. administrator, potentially putting an ardent opponent of federal environmental regulations and a climate change denialist in charge of the agency.
Mr. Pruitt’s confirmation may be one of the toughest to secure: Senate Democrats did not take a wait-and-see approach, and many said they would never support him.
“I expect the American people will be shocked that President-elect Trump has chosen someone with such disdain for their health as they learn more about Pruitt during his confirmation hearings,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island. “Stay tuned.”“I expect the American people will be shocked that President-elect Trump has chosen someone with such disdain for their health as they learn more about Pruitt during his confirmation hearings,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island. “Stay tuned.”
On the same day the president-elect chose a climate change denialist to run the Environmental Protection Agency, he sat down with the environmental campaigner Leonardo DiCaprio on Wednesday to hear his pitch on clean energy to repair a warming planet. On the same day the president-elect chose a climate change denialist to run the E.P.A., he sat down with Mr. DiCaprio to hear his pitch Wednesday on clean energy to repair a warming planet.
Terry Tamminen, the chief executive of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, sounded optimistic: Terry Tamminen, chief executive of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, sounded optimistic:
But in this topsy-turvy world, most environmental activists are looking at what Mr. Trump does more than at what he says, and the choice of Mr. Pruitt, who has led the legal fight against President Obama’s climate regulations, is a bigger marker than another meeting with a celebrity.But in this topsy-turvy world, most environmental activists are looking at what Mr. Trump does more than at what he says, and the choice of Mr. Pruitt, who has led the legal fight against President Obama’s climate regulations, is a bigger marker than another meeting with a celebrity.
Joseph W. Hagin, a deputy chief of staff for operations under President George W. Bush, is a strong contender in the eyes of some of Mr. Trump’s advisers to take the same role in the Trump administration, according to a person with direct knowledge of the discussions.
One person briefed on the discussions said that Mr. Hagin could play a role in informally advising the incoming staff, but that others in Mr. Trump’s circle of advisers did not want to see him take on that job.
Mr. Hagin would come to the job with deep experience in crucial aspects of managing a White House. But he also rose to prominence working for the man whose tenure Mr. Trump spent his campaign criticizing.
Mr. Hagin and aides to Mr. Trump did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
A new Bloomberg Politics poll indicated that 54 percent of adults believed stock prices would be higher at the end of 2017 than they are today, and that with Mr. Trump’s election, Americans are more optimistic about their finances.A new Bloomberg Politics poll indicated that 54 percent of adults believed stock prices would be higher at the end of 2017 than they are today, and that with Mr. Trump’s election, Americans are more optimistic about their finances.
Around 38 percent of respondents expected 2017 to be a better financial year than 2016, while 14 percent said they would be worse off and forty-five percent said things would be about the same.Around 38 percent of respondents expected 2017 to be a better financial year than 2016, while 14 percent said they would be worse off and forty-five percent said things would be about the same.
In December 2012, after President Obama’s re-election, 31 percent of respondents had said they were more optimistic about their finances for the next year. In December 2012, after Mr. Obama’s re-election, 31 percent of respondents said they were more optimistic about their finances for the next year.
The president-elect still says he does not believe the Russians were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee or the release of purloined emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John D. Podesta.The president-elect still says he does not believe the Russians were behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee or the release of purloined emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John D. Podesta.
Most Republicans have remained silent.Most Republicans have remained silent.
But Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, says the Russians did indeed interfere with the American elections. And he has vowed to use his subcommittees to investigate.But Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, says the Russians did indeed interfere with the American elections. And he has vowed to use his subcommittees to investigate.