Former wrestling entertainment executive Linda McMahon has been sworn in to lead the Small Business Administration.
Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath to McMahon Tuesday after the Senate voted 81-19 to confirm her. The vote was a rare display of bipartisanship compared to the conflict over many of President Donald Trump's other nominees.
In attendance were Vince, Shane. his wife and children, Paul, Stephanie and their children.
Linda McMahon had her Senate confirmation earlier this morning to run the Small Business Administration in President Donald Trump’s administration. As seen in the photo below, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were in attendance for the confirmation.
During the hearing, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey had some fun with Triple H and Stephanie, joking that Stephanie is more intimidating than Triple H. Linda said Stephanie could give Booker a “mean hip toss”. Booker later joked that Triple H appears to be getting out of shape, and he challenged him to a trip to the Senate gym after the hearing.
At her Senate hearing to win confirmation as head of the Small Business Administration, World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon is to be introduced by her bitterest Democratic rivals, Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal.
“Politics can’t work if grudges never vanish,’’ Murphy said in a tweet Friday announcing he was “proud’’ to introduce McMahon at her so-far unscheduled hearing before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
McMahon visited Murphy in his Washington office Thursday, and met with Blumenthal, last week.
Murphy’s conciliatory words were a sharp contrast from the 2012 Senate campaign, when GOP candidate McMahon dismissed Murphy as an irresponsible deadbeat who missed mortgage and tax payments.
In a similar race in 2010, the guiding light of Stamford-based WWE (along with her husband, Vince McMahon) ridiculed Blumenthal as a career politician who never had to meet a payroll.
Both Murphy and Blumenthal gave as good they got. Murphy’s campaign criticized McMahon for late property tax payments on the couple’s Trump Parc condo in Stamford.
And Blumenthal slammed McMahon on WWE and its involvement in steroid abuse, glorification of violence and denigration of women.
“She has put profits ahead of people,’’ Blumenthal said.
McMahon lost both of her Senate races by 12 points after spending nearly $100 million of her wrestling fortune.
After President-elect Donald Trump picked her to head the SBA, McMahon embarked on the time-tested ritual of nominees needing to make the best presentation at confirmation hearings: visiting home-state senators to say kind words.
As noted, Triple H this morning announced the formation of the WWE U.K. Championship at a press conference in London. Newsweek caught up with The Game after the presser, below are some highlights:
If WWE has discussed Chyna being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017:
"I think it's been brought up. But there's a lot of people in a long line that deserve to be in the Hall of Fame that will be in the Hall of Fame over time. That's a conversation that will happen. We'll see where it goes. But there are a lot of people and you can only put so many people in per year.
"I don't think her passing signifies any change of her accomplishments. Her accomplishments are documented and were massive in our industry. Nothing has changed. She's a part of the Hall of Fame conversation, but she would have been anyway."
Criticism over Goldberg defeating Brock Lesnar in 86 seconds at WWE Survivor Series:
"People never saw it coming. When you shock them, they're angry that you shocked them. When you don't shock them, they say it's too predictable."
If he is hoping that President-elect Donald Trump will make an appearance at WrestleMania 33:
"I have a feeling his schedule might be packed… but who knows? Never say never in the WWE."
Triple H also discussed if Linda McMahon is qualified to be in Trump's cabinet, Sasha Banks and Charlotte headlining the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, the new U.K. Championship, if it was the right call to have Lesnar lose to Goldberg and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.
Donald Trump has picked Linda McMahon, co-founder of pro wrestling company WWE, to lead his Small Business Administration, his transition team said Wednesday.
The 68-year-old McMahon was a major Trump backer during his campaign.
Trump said in a statement that McMahon would help to "bring back our jobs and roll back the burdensome regulations that are hurting our middle class." The SBA has an office in every state and helps with financing and training for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
"Our small businesses are the largest source of job creation in our country," McMahon said in a statement. "I am honored to join the incredibly impressive economic team that President-elect Trump has assembled to ensure that we promote our country's small businesses and help them grow and thrive."
McMahon ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate seats in Connecticut twice in 2010 and 2012. She spent nearly $100 million on the two campaigns.
The publicly-traded WWE, which McMahon and husband Vince founded more than 30 years ago, has a market value of about $1.5 billion.
source: cnbc.com
As noted, Linda McMahon, who donated millions for President-elect Donald Trump's campaign this year, met with Trump in Manhattan this week.
"The meeting went great," she told reporters, via The Hartford Courant. "Anytime the president-elect of the United States asks you to come in for a conversation, you're happy to do that. We talked about business and entrepreneurs and creating jobs, we had a really good conversation."
Politico reports that she is a top choice to head his Small Business Administration. She was previously considered for Secretary of Commerce, however that position was filled on Wednesday by billionaire investor Wilbur Ross.
As noted, Linda McMahon met with Donald Trump at his New York City Trump Towers office today, and following the meeting McMahon issued the following comment to The Hartford Courant:
“The meeting went great. Anytime the president-elect of the United States asks you to come in for a conversation, you’re happy to do that. We talked about business and entrepreneurs and creating jobs, we had a really good conversation.”
When asked if she had been offered a position within the Trump administration, McMahon said “stay tuned.”
WWE Trenton Live Event Results (10/31): Styles vs Ambrose, Wyatts Help Orton Again, Ziggler vs The Miz, WWE Trenton Live Event Results 10/31/16 Trenton, New Jersey Results courtesy of PWInsider.com *WWE Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler pinned The Miz. *Jack Swagger pinned Tyler Breeze. *Apollo more
McMahon had previously been considered for Secretary of Commerce of President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, however that position was filled today by billionaire investor Wilbur Ross.
Sources close to Linda McMahon and President-elect Trump's transition team confirm the former Senate candidate is one name under consideration to become Secretary of Commerce in the new Trump administration.
McMahon, a former World Wrestling Entertainment executive and two-time U.S. Senate candidate has been involved in campaigns across the country, including the presidential election. She hosted an event for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was her top choice in the Republican primary, then threw her support behind Trump, a longtime friend.
Besides attending the Republican National Convention, she's been a frequent guest at fundraisers for federal candidates, rubbing elbows with top GOP leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan. This election she was considered a Republican mega donor.
McMahon served on the Connecticut Board of Education starting in 2009 for just over a year before resigning when a new legal opinion by state elections officials restricted political activities by board members.
McMahon ran for a U.S. Senate seat in the 2010 general election and lost to Democrat Richard Blumenthal. McMahon spent $50 million of her own money, more than any other candidate in that election, and secured 44 percent of the vote, while Blumenthal spent $8.7 million, $2.5 million of which was his own money, and secured 54 percent of the vote.
She was the 2012 Republican nominee for Connecticut’s other senate seat to replace retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman but lost again, this time to Democratic Representative Chris Murphy.
source: nbcconnecticut.com
Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today. The couple were married on August 26, 1966 in North Carolina.
Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon recently spoke with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard and below are some interview highlights:
If she’s ever met anyone like Vince McMahon:
“No, I’ve yet to meet anyone like him. I was the honors student and the civic leader in my hometown, and Vince was the local badass. There was a little bit of that bad boy aspect that I think was incredibly appealing, and it must have been–we’ll have our fiftieth anniversary this coming August. He’s one of the smartest people I know, and a very shrewd businessman.”
Vince being an extremely forward-thinker:
“Obviously you play a role on television. Stephanie is obviously not this overly aggressive, over-the-top, very bad women that she portrays on television. She’s this wonderful, gregarious, fantastic mom, accomplished professional, respected in many segments–it’s no different than any other actor who plays a role. Vince McMahon is as progressive a thinker as anyone.”
If she played a role in WWE going PG:
“That wasn’t me, so much, moving to a PG-rating. The development of WWE programming, over time, has mirrored the market place. During the time that WWE was in the ‘Attitude Era,’ which was TV-14–if you looked at television programming and movies that were produced, they were edgier during that same time frame. Then, as that opinion shifted, WWE’s opinion shifted, as well, and sponsors had different demands. It was more of a family-friendlier audience to come back to PG-TV.”
The Hartford Courant reports that Linda McMahon will be in Cleveland as a delegate for the GOP Convention in July. All delegates and alternates were selected by Donald Trump's campaign and formally accepted by the Republican State Central Committee on Monday.
Linda McMahon appeared on FOX Business this morning, as seen in the video above.
During the interview, Linda discussed helping women in the workplace, issues affecting voters in Connecticut and the 2016 Presidential race, calling Ted Cruz and John Kasich coordinating their efforts to deny Donald Trump the Republican nomination a "collusion." Linda also talked about WWE dropping the terms Divas, saying that by dropping the term, it shows that women wrestlers are equal to their male counterparts and that Stephanie McMahon was behind that effort. She also discussed Chyna's passing, calling it a "loss" and saying that she'll be missed.
"It's always a loss when you've had someone that's come up in the ranks like Joanie [Laurer]," Linda said. "She was kind of in the forefront of the women's power position in WWE, so she'll be missed."
Linda McMahon spoke with 105.3 THE FAN Dallas/Ft. Worth about a number of topics including Shane McMahon's bump from the top of the cell in his Hell In A Cell match against The Undertaker at WWE WrestleMania 32. Linda called Shane her "crazy son" when discussing Shane's dive from the top of the cell onto a table at WrestleMania 32. McMahon added, "he was a little bit stiff the next day, but he was fine."
"If I had to sign off on that, he wouldn't have gotten permission to have done it," Linda said. "I was standing next to Marissa [Mazzola-McMahon], his wife, as he's climbing up the cage and I know he's going to jump off and I'm just telling you, my nerves were just wrapped so tight. And as he jumps, we both grab each other. And when he hits and I know he has to hit the mark just right. That was an incredible, incredible stunt."
The Stamford Patch has an article about how Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon were the largest donors to The Donald J. Trump Foundation from 2004 to 2014.
The McMahon family donated $5 million to the charity named after the WWE Hall of Famer and US Presidential candidate. Trump himself did not give any money to his foundation from 2009 to 2014.
Linda McMahon recently spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric, talking about the 2016 Presidential race, Donald Trump, her future as a politician, Hulk Hogan, and much more. You can view the full interview here.
Linda McMahon comments on her family’s relationship with Donald Trump:
“He was a great partner, a wonderful promoter. He really greased the wheels and made things work very easily… he was fun. We got to know him personally. He is very loyal, he’s a patriot. I think he hires smart people around him, all of the people that we ever dealt with were just really smart and efficient and really good at what they did – very gracious, made you feel welcome and really did exactly what he said he would do.”
Would Linda run for office again?
“I have no absolutely no plans to ever run for office. I ran twice, I gave it everything I had two times. It wasn’t meant to be in Connecticut for a Republican to win, it is a very, very blue state. I gave it all I had, I really wanted to win but didn’t.”
What WWE fans represent about the 2016 electorate:
“The persona of Donald Trump has resonated with them. Maybe their business isn’t growing, maybe they have kids who are graduating who can’t get jobs. All of those things that you hear I think resonate not only with some WWE fans, but across really the specter.”
Linda comments on Gawker’s release of Hogan’s sex tape:
“I don’t think anyone had the right, you know, to take his private tape and put it out. I thought Gawker was wrong, you know, to do that.”
Hogan’s interest in coming back to the WWE:
“I think you never say never at WWE, but I wouldn’t speak on behalf of anyone there.”
The 18th annual Wonder Women celebration, honoring female executives at the forefront of cable television and communications, will be held at The Hilton New York on March 10, 2016.
The gala luncheon, co-hosted by the New York chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications and featuring prominent TV personalities as presenters, has honored more than 200 women over the years, highlighting their accomplishments in the workplace and beyond. All honorees have paved the way for younger generations of women in a multi-faceted career sector.
This year’s Wonder Women class will speak about how they have excelled in their careers, the mentors and family members who’ve helped them and the value they place on helping others to achieve success, as well.
The class of 2016 will be profiled in the Jan. 25 edition of Multichannel News. A separate class of Women to Watch will also presented in that issue of the magazine and at the March 10th luncheon.
Linda McMahon received the same recognition for her role as CEO of WWE in 2007.
Recently on Talk Is Jericho, Chris Jericho interviewed the Ultimate Warrior's widow, Dana Warrior. Mrs. Warrior talked about her husband's reconciliation with WWE, her husband's untimely passing, and the importance of Warrior Award.
With respect to the reconciliation between Warrior and WWE, Mrs. Warrior said that it was a long process of two or three years, as Warrior was really hurt by the Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD. According to Mrs. Warrior, Triple H's persistence played a major role in bringing the parties back together.
"I think Paul [Levesque] reached out a hand and I think Paul kept reaching out the hand, and reaching out the hand, and reaching out the hand, until finally my husband couldn't deny that he wanted to reach back." She added, "that bridge, I feel like was built in big part by Paul. I do. Between Vince [McMahon] and my husband, and then Paul just kind of remedying the hurt and the trust issues that had to go on, but it took a couple of years".
When Jericho suggested that Triple H has been able to play good cop to Vince McMahon's bad cop, as Triple H is often credited for getting Bruno Sammartino and "Macho Man" Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame, Mrs. Warrior said that Warrior's relationships with Vince McMahon and Triple H were more like father/son and older/younger brothers. Mrs. Warrior claimed that her husband missed Vince McMahon even when they were embroiled in litigation with WWE and even wanted to call Vince McMahon after the birth of the couple's first daughter.
"No matter how mad my husband was at Vince, no matter how much it broke his heart with the [Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior] DVD, no matter what else, he always had such a respect for him and a love, like a genuine love," Mrs. Warrior added, "my husband was like the errant teenager who had to go off and prove himself."
Mrs. Warrior claimed that her husband had a hole in his heart and that it was only going to be filled by returning home to WWE. Warrior passed away on April 8, 2014, after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame over WrestleMania weekend and appearing on the April 7, 2014 edition of RAW.
"I believe he was always meant to go home and take his rightful place and I don't think he could have rested had he not," she added, "that hole that I know that he had must have been filled or he wouldn't have left this place."
Mrs. Warrior recalled leaving New Orleans the morning following RAW. Apparently, Warrior had an impromptu autograph signing at the airport terminal before their flight and all of the fans at the airport stood and cheered for Warrior as the couple boarded the airplane. After taking his seat on the plane, fans would pass by, pat Warrior on the shoulder, and tell him how much he meant to them.
"All those people patted him [on the shoulder] and cheered him and told him how much he meant to them on the day that we lost him. I mean, how good that must have felt." She continued, "he made his way home and the people who loved him got to tell him that they loved him and he got to say the same thing in return."
Warrior passed away later that day and Mrs. Warrior stated that her husband was a warrior even in his death.
"When he died, he died like a warrior. I mean, he didn't crumble. He died like a warrior and I knew he was gone."
As for the Warrior Award, Mrs. Warrior said that the award breathed new life into her and it gave her a cause that was greater than her own grief and heartache.
"I was so overwhelmed by what that would mean to remember my husband like that and, like, so honored to have that named for him because that is something that will go down in tradition, like when Mattie, my younger [daughter] claws her way to the top in the wrestling world, there will still be the Warrior Award. That will be for her daddy, like, when you talk about cool legacies, that's something that you leave behind because it means something, not just for my husband, it's not an ego thing, it's a heart thing."
Mrs. Warrior said the award will be given annually and that Connor 'the Crusher' Michalek being the first recipient has special meaning for her. Mrs. Warrior indicated that inducting Michalek into WWE Hall of Fame was a meaningful moment for her like her wedding day and having her two children.
"As much hurt and devastation as it is to lose my 'happily ever after' that I had with my husband, and to know Steve [Connor's father] and Connor, and for him to lose his 'once upon a time', that broke my heart and made me want to step up and do something as best as I could for that little boy and for that little boy's legacy."
Mrs. Warrior said that she has struck up a friendship with Steve Michalek and that they check up on each other from time to time. She also indicated that Stephanie McMahon has been a great support system for her.
"I mean, holy mackerel. I wish my husband had known her because he, for all of his craziness, he was raised by a single mom, he's surrounded by women in our house, Linda McMahon, the reason he chose her [to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame] was because he had so much reverence for her. That was sincerely who he wanted to induct him and I wish that he knew Stephanie because he would have just loved her."
In addition to these topics, Mrs. Warrior discussed Warrior's relationship with 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, her daughter wanting to become a WWE Diva, and much more. Click here to check out the entire podcast.
