[Jarrett:] President Trump's former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, is trying to withdraw his guilty plea in the Russia investigation. He claims he was a victim of bad faith by prosecutors. Flynn pleaded guilty more than two years ago to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's ambassador. His request to withdraw that plea means Flynn wants to take his chances in a trial. Last week, the Justice Department stiffened its position on Flynn's punishment, recommending he serve up to six months in prison. He's scheduled for sentencing on July sorry, January 28th.
[Romans:] All right. Let's go check on CNN Business's Wednesday morning. Taking a look at global markets, a mixed performance around the world. I would say narrowly mixed here. Futures Wall Street Futures right now are pull them up there are also barely moving here. Look, stocks wobbled ahead of the main event today, the signing of the U.S.- China phase one trade deal. This is not the big course correction the President promised. This is what he vowed he would never do, just do a small deal, leaving the big thorny issues for later, but that's what we're going to get today. The Dow closed up 32 points yesterday. The S&P and the NASDAQ both closed lower. The signing ceremony comes at 11:30 a.m. Eastern today, where the President, the Chinese delegation will ink this deal, and then, finally, the public and the press will get to see the details. A new eight-year labor deal for the WNBA. The deal would allow top players to earn more than $500,000; lesser stars will also see a bump in pay up to 300,000. It's not all about the money. The agreement also has initiatives designed to promote and support motherhood as well as an improvement to the players' travel situation. If the players and Board of Governors OK the deal, it will kick in this season and run through 2027.
[Jarrett:] Trying to level the playing field, always a good thing.
[Romans:] Literally level the playing field.
[Jarrett:] Literally. All right. Well, while you were sleeping, late night hosts delivered some post-debate zingers.
[Seth Meyers, Host, Nbc:] Democrats held their latest primary debate tonight, and former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders were placed at the center podiums, instead of where they're usually placed in the balcony.
[James Corden, Host, Cbs:] What happened? The field of candidates went from looking like a diverse representation of the country to looking like the front row of a Jimmy Buffett concert. Tonight's debate was so white, people who turned on their T.V.s were like, wait, I thought the Oscars were next month.
[Trevor Noah, Host, Comedy Central:] To a lot of young Democrats, the beef between Bernie and Warren must feel like seeing your parents getting divorced, you know, which is a situation that Bernie is too blunt to handle delicately. Can you imagine him be like, Daddy, is it my fault that you and mommy don't love each other anymore? He's like, well, we were happy and then we had you, you do the math.
[Jarrett:] He's got a pretty good Bernie impression.
[Romans:] He does. I didn't realize that. I didn't see that one coming.
[Jarrett:] He's so talented.