*By Max Godnick*
Nicki Minaj. Cardi B. Ariana Grande. Michael Avenatti?
Stormy Daniels's attorney made his debut on the pink carpet Monday night, appearing among the starlets at the MTV Video Music Awards. The high-profile lawyer was fresh off a trip to the political hotbed of New Hampshire, sparking more speculation that he will run for president in 2020.
"I'm gauging what the reaction is," Avenatti told Cheddar's Vanessa Freeman outside Radio City Music Hall in New York. "I'm listening to people, and I'm figuring out if this makes sense or not."
In the past few weeks, the lawyer has made conspicuous stops in three battleground states ー Florida, Iowa, and now New Hampshire ー after announcing earlier this month that he's ["seriously considering"](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/10/politics/avenatti-in-iowa/index.html) a White House run.
"I haven't ultimately made a decision yet, but I'm encouraged," Avenatti said.
He issued his stances on several polarizing issues on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/MichaelAvenatti/status/1029385486958305280), echoing the Democratic party's views on everything from gun control to healthcare. At the VMAs, he said no child should forego a college education because of financing.
"We've got a lot of work to do," he said. "We can't afford another six years of this president."
When Cheddar asked Avenatti his pick for a second-in-command, he knew just the right choice.
"I think J.Lo would make a good running mate," he said. "She's very smart, and I think she knows how to bring it."
Jennifer Lopez was granted this year's VMA Video Vanguard Award for her accomplishments in the industry.
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/which-vmas-pop-star-is-michael-avenatti-choosing-as-his-running-mate).
President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. to stop minting pennies. His surprise announcement comes after decades of unsuccessful efforts to phase out the 1-cent coin. Advocates for ditching the penny cite its high production cost and limited utility. Fans of the penny cite its usefulness in charity drives and relative bargain in production costs compared with the nickel. Here's a look at some question surrounding Trump's order.
The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down the agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal. Russell Vought is the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought directed the CFPB in a Saturday night email to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama created it following the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
Brian Bennett, Senior White House correspondent at TIME, discusses Musk's relationship to Donald Trump and how he has such access in the federal government.
MarketWatch's Rob Schroeder helps us break down what is happening with tariffs implemented by the Trump admin., plus what Canada and Mexico have promised.
Jen Judson, Reporter at Military Times, breaks down what we know about the fatal commercial airline crash in D.C. and the ongoing investigation into its cause.
Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, discusses the lawsuits filed against DOGE and explains Public Citizen's approach to efficiency in U.S. spending
Jennifer Mattson, Contributing Writer at Fast Company, discusses the impact of Trump's first weekend in office and what's to come from the administration.
