Article snippet: The TAKE with Rick Klein It's a declaration of independence that's curious for its timing as well as its message. President speak out now as legal pressures mount mostly to remind all involved that he is empowered – and willing – to speak. It's clear from what Cohen told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that he hopes the president is listening. A man who once declared himself willing to "take a bullet" for Trump now says he has a "first loyalty" to his family and his country – not the president himself. Amid this public messaging comes an important legal step: He is indicating that he will be ending a joint defense agreement he has had with the president. We've seen current and former Trump aides appeal publicly to the president before, knowing that he gets messages via the media. But the stakes for the president have not been quite like this before. Cohen's nebulous endgame – does he want a pardon, or financial help, or just a friendly phone call? – means that he, like Robert Mueller, knows more about what comes next than the president himself. The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks The future of labor unions is emerging as possibly a major, political issue for 2018 and beyond. On the national level, there was the Supreme Court decision last week barring public employee unions from mandating workers pay fees. Organizing groups, especially those on the left, are bracing for the fact that the decision could dramatically limit unions' memberships and botto... Link to the full article to read more