The Note: Inauguration Look-Ahead

ByABC News
December 9, 2016, 8:59 AM

— -- NOTABLES

--TRUMP INAUGURAL REPRISES CAMPAIGN SLOGAN IN ATTEMPT TO UNIFY COUNTRY: Donald Trump is reprising the slogan of his historic presidential campaign as the official theme of a five-day inaugural celebration in the nation's capital next month, ABC News has learned. The Trump inaugural committee is set to announce Make America Great Again! -- a rallying cry for his supporters that some critics saw as divisive during the campaign -- will be a central component of messaging around the event, which it says aims to unite the country. "The theme is very simple," Trump inaugural chairman Tom Barrack told ABC News. The idea is to have a cross cut of harmony of America and normal Americans that reflects on them, not on the power and prestige of this man." More from ABCs ALEX MALLIN and KATHERINE FAULDERS: http://abcn.ws/2hmXWTO

--NOTED: Barrack told ABC News that Trump will be attending two official inaugural balls on the evening of Jan. 20, as well as an additional Salute to Our Armed Forces Ball celebrating the nation's armed forces and first responders. http://abcn.ws/2hmXWTO

--TUNE IN TODAY -- THE REAL NEWS ABOUT FAKE NEWS: As locals near Washington DCs Comet Pizza restaurant know too well, fake news headlines can have real world implications. Thats why ABCs RYAN STRUYK will be live this morning with Senior Justice Correspondent ABCs PIERRE THOMAS and George Washington University senior fellow Kalev Leetaru, who recently penned Why Stopping Fake News Is So Hard for Forbes. Well break down what happened at Comet Pizza and what we know about the fake news story that started it all. Then well dive into what the fake news phenomenon means for journalism and how readers across the country can sort fact from fiction. Tune in on ABC News Live later this morning.

--TRUMP TO REMAIN 'CELEBRITY APPRENTICE' EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: President-elect Donald Trump is set to remain an executive producer of Celebrity Apprentice, a representative for MGM tells ABC News. MGM holds a majority stake in Mark Burnett Productions, which owns "The Apprentice." The news comes as Trump is facing questions about what business ties, if any, he will keep as he assumes the presidency and criticism that he could face conflicts of interest. Trump has tweeted "I will be leaving my great business" and said he will details his plans later this month, ABCs CANDACE SMITH and LESLEY MESSER report. When asked about the "Celebrity Apprentice" role, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said: "Mr. Trump has a big stake in the show and conceived of it with Mark Burnett. http://abcn.ws/2gqvNcN

--POWERHOUSE POLITICS PODCAST - 'ROGUE' GOP ELECTOR SAYS OTHER WILL JOIN IN OPPOSING TRUMP. Meet one of the real 538 electors, Christopher Suprun a Republican from Texas. Suprun has decided to vote for someone other than Donald Trump when he casts his electoral college vote later this month. He believes other electors are right there with him. "At this point there are people who have reached out to me. Again it wouldn’t be my place to name who they are," he said, though he indicated he was talking about Republican electors. "I am confident in saying, at this point," he continued,"I don’t think I will be the only one voting for someone other than Donald Trump who is carrying a Republican elector seat." Suprun told Jonathan Karl and Rick Klein on the Powerhouse Politics Podcast that he is not sure which former candidate will earn the vote since his choice, Ohio Governor John Kasich, has said he is not interested. ABC's ROBIN GRADISON has more. http://abcn.ws/2gH49WB  

THIS WEEK ON THIS WEEK: George Stephanopoulos goes one-on-one with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming chief of staff Reince Priebus, Sunday on "This Week." And the Powerhouse Roundtable debates the week in politics, with Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, Republican strategist and former Trump campaign senior adviser Sarah Huckabee, National Review editor Rich Lowry, and Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons.

 

SPEED READ with ABCs VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and ADAM KELSEY

TRUMP MIGHT START VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION THE SECOND HE'S SWORN IN. If Donald Trump decides not to give up ownership of his businesses, he could be at risk of violating the U.S. Constitution as soon as hes sworn in. Although he indicated that he has plans to separate himself from his businesses, he has also made the case that the law is totally on his side and that the president cant have a conflict of interest, writes ABCs JORDYN PHELPS. But legal experts tell ABC News thats simply not the case. Constitutional law expert Laurence Tribe argues that Trump is set to become a walking, talking violation of the Constitution if he doesnt give up his businesses. http://abcn.ws/2hpO87B

FAST FOOD EXEC ANDREW PUZDER TAPPED TO BE LABOR SECRETARY. Fast food executive Andrew Puzder has been tapped to head the Department of Labor, the Trump transition team said Thursday. Andy Puzder has created and boosted the careers of thousands of Americans, and his extensive record fighting for workers makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Department of Labor, Trump said in a statement. Puzder, who has spent his career in the private sector, is the CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc., which is the parent company of fast food chains Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Puzder is a vocal opponent of the Obama administrations proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. ABCs ARLETTE SAENZ, SHUSHANNAH WALSHE and CANDACE SMITH have more. http://abcn.ws/2gq7JGZ

TRUMP CONSIDERING EX-FORD CEO MULALLY FOR SECRETARY OF STATE. Trump's list of potential picks for secretary of state continues to grow -- and among the choices is former Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally, ABCs SHUSHANNAH WALSHE reports. Mulally, who met with Trump in New York Thursday, joins ExxonMobile CEO Rex Tillerson as candidates for state who come from the business world and have no government experience. http://abcn.ws/2gi7z6p

TRUMP'S EPA PICK HAS REPEATEDLY CHALLENGED THE AGENCY. The selection of Scott Pruitt as Donald Trump's choice to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has raised concerns among some scientists and people whove worked with the EPA. Pruitt, the Republican attorney general for Oklahoma since 2011, has interacted most directly with the EPA by suing it over what he sees as over-reaching federal regulations. Some scientists have also questioned his fitness to run the environmental agency considering he has publicly stated that he believes the debate over the cause of global warming is far from settled, notes ABCs MEGHAN KENEALLY. http://abcn.ws/2haK9zn

TRUMP TAKES AIM AT CHINA IN VICTORY TOUR STOP. President-elect Donald Trump unloaded on China during the third stop on his "thank you" victory tour, telling a crowd in Des Moines, Iowa that the country is "going to start" playing by the rules. Trump has taken a tough stance on China throughout his campaign, but he raised eyebrows as president-elect when he fielded a phone call from the Taiwanese president, a move that broke with decades of U.S. policy. "They haven't played by the rules," Trump said. "And I know it is time that they are going to start." Trump took aim at China, for among other things, product dumping, currency manipulation and the "massive theft of intellectual property." ABCs VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and BENJAMIN SIEGEL have more: http://abcn.ws/2hkdUOz

HILLARY CLINTON JOKES AT HER OWN EXPENSE FOR HARRY REID'S RETIREMENT. Hillary Clinton didnt shy away from some dark humor in her opening remarks during a speech at retiring Sen. Harry Reids tribute and portrait unveiling Thursday, reports ABCs SERENA MARSHALL. This is not exactly the speech at the Capitol I hoped to be giving after the election, she said. But after a few weeks of taking selfies in the woods, I thought it would be a good idea to come out. And I'm very grateful to Harry for inviting me to be a part of this celebration. http://abcn.ws/2hbGrTO

 

ELECTORAL COLLEGE PREVIEW -- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROGUE ELECTORS. It's been one month since Election Day, but the real votes for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton wont be cast until Dec. 19. That's when the 538 actual people who make up the Electoral College will meet in state capitals across the country and cast their votes for president. Three hundred and six electoral votes are pledged to Donald Trump and 232 are pledged to Hillary Clinton. But what happens if one of the electors actually casting the votes tries to go rogue? It's happened before and it could happen again this year. ABCs RYAN STRUYK explains: http://abcn.ws/2gpAK5E

 

WHOS TWEETING?

@MittRomney: As a boy, John Glenn lifted my eyes to the heavens. Today, they welcome him back.

@amyewalter: Looking at data from WI/PA/MI - younger voters were HUGE reason why Clinton lost. http://cookpolitical.com/story/10191 

@DLeonhardt: A few decades ago, 92% of Americans earned more than their parents had. Today, 50% do. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/opinion/the-american-dream-quantified-at-last.html 

@matt_higginson: Parting Thoughts to My Colleagues in the U.S. Senate@SenatorReid https://medium.com/@SenatorReid/parting-thoughts-to-my-colleagues-in-the-u-s-senate-edbfece69de9#---0-432.3w3kxik9q 

@MichaelLaRosaDC: Thinking of cashing in on inauguration by renting your home? Heres what to know. http://wapo.st/2hcQWsa