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Former first lady Michelle Obama embraces a student at her alma mater, the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, on Chicago's West Side on Nov. 12, 2018, a day before the launch of a book tour to promote her memoir,
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National briefs: Michelle Obama says Melania Trump turned down her offer of help

AP photo/Teresa Crawford

National briefs: Michelle Obama says Melania Trump turned down her offer of help

Plus: Georgia secretary of state tells election officials to count absentee ballots; and Pelosi rallies support for speaker bid.

In her new memoir, "Becoming," former first lady Michelle Obama writes a passage explaining how her predecessor, Laura Bush, had extended her help to Ms. Obama when she was an incoming first lady, telling her that if Ms. Obama needed help, she was "a phone call away."

In turn, Ms. Obama writes she did the same for Melania Trump when it was her turn to occupy the role. Mrs. Trump, however, has yet to take Ms. Obama up on the offer.

On Sunday, Ms. Obama was asked about the incident by ABC News' Robin Roberts, "Has [Mrs. Trump] reached out asked?"

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"No," said Ms. Obama. "No, she hasn't."

Ms. Roberts did not ask if Ms. Obama had reached out to Bush during her tenure for counsel.

On Monday afternoon, Stephanie Grisham, Mrs. Trump's communications director, said in a statement to CNN that the first lady was not in need of Ms. Obama's assistance.

"Mrs. Trump is a strong and independent woman who has been navigating her role as First Lady in her own way," Ms. Grisham wrote via email. "When she needs advice on any issue, she seeks it from her professional team within the White House."

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Ms. Obama and Mrs. Trump have seen each other in person three times since the election of Donald Trump as president. In November 2016, Ms. Obama invited Mrs. Trump to have tea in the White House as a traditional welcoming gesture to the incoming first lady. The two women crossed paths again on Inauguration Day, notably when Mrs. Trump brought a Tiffany & Co. present to the White House as a gift for the Obamas upon their departure. Ms. Obama would later joke about that moment on Ellen DeGeneres's talk show.

"I mean, this is like a state visit, so they tell you that you're going to do this, they're going to stand here. Never before do you get this gift, so I'm sort of like OK. ... What am I supposed to do with this gift?" Ms. Obama said.

Georgia secretary of state tells election officials to count absentee ballots

ATLANTA — Georgia Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden instructed county election officials Monday to count absentee ballots even if they lack a voter’s date of birth, as long as the voter’s identity can be verified.

Ms. Crittenden issued the guidance for county election officials as they face a Tuesday deadline to certify the results of the Nov. 6 election.

Republican Brian Kemp holds the lead over Democrat Stacey Abrams in the race to become Georgia’s governor. Ms. Abrams would need to gain more than 20,000 votes to force the race into a runoff.

Ms. Crittenden’s instructions could affect vote-counting in Gwinnett County, where election officials rejected 1,587 mailed absentee ballots. Gwinnett has the largest number of potential uncounted absentee ballots for Ms. Abrams in the state.

Many absentee ballots were rejected in Gwinnett because voters filled out incorrect direct dates of birth or provided insufficient information on the return envelope.

“What is required is the signature of the voter and any additional information needed for the county election official to verify the identity of the voter,” Ms. Crittenden wrote. “Therefore, an election official does not violate (state law) when they accept an absentee ballot despite the omission of a day and month of birth … if the election official can verify the identity of the voter.”

Pelosi rallies support for speaker bid, with opposition still taking shape

WASHINGTON - House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is moving aggressively to snuff out a challenge from some lawmakers who are demanding new party leadership, while powerful allies outside Congress are helping rally support for her bid for speaker.

Ms. Pelosi has yet to clinch the necessary votes and is leaving nothing to chance, according to members and aides familiar with her approach. She is encouraging outside groups to speak up on her behalf while personally talking to the Democrats who will choose the next speaker on Jan. 3.

The organizations represent key parts of the Democratic coalition - bedrock sources of fundraising dollars, campaign muscle and votes - and have significant sway with incumbents and the newly elected.

Emily’s List, which supported virtually every female Democratic House candidate, has made calls to incoming lawmakers to tout Ms. Pelosi’s credentials, according to a person familiar with the effort. The leaders of two major unions - the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the American Federation of Teachers - sent letters Monday declaring their support.

“When you look at the situation right now, today,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the teachers union, “there is no candidate that is better than Nancy Pelosi. Unequivocally, we support her.”

First Published: November 13, 2018, 5:28 a.m.

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AP photo/Teresa Crawford
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