In the White House world of rival power centers, 28-year-old Hope Hicks reports directly to the president. Hicks pulls down the same salary as Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon -- $179,000 -- and keeps a low profile. Hicks is devoted to the advancement of Donald Trump. He calls her Hopester and she calls him Mr. Trump. Hope Hicks views her job, ultimately, as "someone who is installed where she is in order to help, but not change, the leader of the free world."

Previously flying under the radar, Hicks was at the president's side this week, during his explosive interview with the New York Times. In a series of bombshell statements, Trump said he wished he had never hired Attorney General Jeff Sessions given his recusal from the Russia investigation. He left open firing special counsel Robert Mueller, especially if he investigated Trump's business affairs.

Hicks also may be one of the only long-term survivors with the arrival of incoming communications director Anthony Scaramucci who said on his first press briefing on Friday, "Dan [Scavino] and Hope Hicks are staying. As it relates to the other people in the comms shop, I’ve got to get to know them.”

Trump may love her, and it seems that Hicks did interject into the president's New York Times interview nudges like reminding him that he didn't have to answer every question. Hicks has no intention of trying to save the president from himself. She believes in him and the very reason she has his ear is because Hicks stays off TV and doesn't communicate with the press on sensitive topics. A total loyalist, Hicks never makes herself the story.

McCain's primary rival urges him to step aside after diagnosis -- and suggests she could replace him The Washington Post

Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz) primary opponent Kelli Ward, lost no time in taking a tough response to news of his brain cancer diagnosis. Forgetting the critical work that the now-deceased Sen. Ted Kenndy completed after his own diagnosis of brain cancer, the next day Ward suggested that McCain should step aside for her.

“I hope Sen. McCain is going to look long and hard at this, that his family and his advisers are going to look at this, and they’re going to advise him to step away as quickly as possible, so that the business of the country and the business of Arizona being represented at the federal level can move forward,” said Ward. Note the the governor, not Ward, would appoint McCain's successor until a special election was called. Still, Ward was on a full-court press for McCain to step aside -- just in case you thought empathy was her middle name.

Ward posted on her website that McCain’s cancer is “both devastating and debilitating” and he “owes it to the people of Arizona to step aside” when he’s no longer able to perform his duties. Something tells me, she wouldn't be joining those three Republican women senators who brought the health care bill to a screeching halt this week.

More news from Trumplandia

Ivanka Trump Received at Least $12.6 Million Since 2016, Disclosure Shows New York Times

House panel to interview Kushner on Tuesday Politico