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--> A midday take on what's happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*
*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha--breaks down crying hysterically.
The Hill's 12:30 Report: Funding fight, round two | Border wall fight gets tougher for Trump | Trump says another shutdown 'certainly' possible | Federal employees return to work | Trump says Starbucks CEO 'doesn't have the guts' to run in 2020 | Clinton reportedly not ruling out bid | US, Taliban agree to peace framework | Man saves woman's life thanks to 'The Office'
ROUND 2 OF THE BORDER WALL FIGHT -- DING, DING
Maybe just don't get the Metro's unlimited commuter pass this month...:
Hundreds of thousands of furloughed federal employees came back to work today after the longest shutdown in U.S. history. https://fxn.ws/2SaAFX9
Yeah, but: The government has only been funded through Feb. 15.
When furloughed workers will receive back pay: By the end of the week.
The ironic part -- one estimate: According to S&P Global Ratings, the shutdown cost the U.S. economy at least $6 billion. That's not far from the $5.7 billion in question for the president's border wall. https://reut.rs/2Wp0kL7
And according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office: The economy lost $3 billion from the shutdown. How so: "The economy lost $11 billion during the course of the shutdown, which began Dec. 22, but some $8 billion of that will be recovered as the government reopens and workers receive back pay." http://bit.ly/2DFxDlP
Tidbit from the end of the shutdown: "This is how the shutdown ends. Not with a bang but with a dozen tired reporters waiting for Pelosi as a vase of fresh flowers and eight personalized pens look on." Photo: http://bit.ly/2Bi2FPh
Don't get too cozy with the government being open -- here's the situation:
Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton, the post-shutdown negotiations are looking brutal for President Trump
Donald John TrumpForget the spin: Five unrefuted Mueller Report revelations Lara Trump: Merkel admitting migrants 'one of the worst things that ever happened to Germany' Financial satisfaction hits record high: survey MORE. Both Republicans and Democrats are skeptical Trump will get his border wall funding based on the negotiations in the past month. http://bit.ly/2SaGeox
What would likely need to happen for Trump to get his border wall funding: "Democrats seem unlikely to budget any money for a border wall, and even if they did, lawmakers say such a deal would likely require Trump to include significant immigration reforms, such as giving immigrants known as Dreamers a pathway to citizenship or permanent residency."
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro PelosiDemocrats are playing voters on their fantasies for impeachment The Hill's Morning Report - Trump tells House investigators 'no' Seven big decisions facing Biden in 2020 primary MORE (D-Calif.) set the tone for the next shutdown when she declared her position on border wall funding will not change. From the chief deputy whip in the House Democratic caucus: Rep. Dan Kildee
Daniel (Dan) Timothy KildeeFilmmaker says Flint water crisis has become 'normalized' On The Money: Cain withdraws from Fed consideration | Says he didn't want 'pay cut' | Trump sues to block subpoena for financial records | Dems plot next move in Trump tax-return battle Dem lawmaker: 'Very serious doubts' that IRS is 'properly auditing' Trump MORE (D-Mich.) said on CNN's "New Day": "My advice to our conferees, Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate, is to ignore the president and ignore the talking heads who try to characterize the president, and just put our heads down and do our job." Watch: http://bit.ly/2RVq9DO
TRUMP EVEN SAID ANOTHER SHUTDOWN IS 'CERTAINLY' POSSIBLE: In an interview with The Wall Street Journal over the weekend, President Trump said he is doubtful Congress will come to an agreement. https://on.wsj.com/2Sgohoy
HAPPENING WEDNESDAY: The bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress who will work on a border security deal are meeting for the first time to negotiate a deal to keep the government open. http://bit.ly/2FUEQkn
WHAT ABOUT THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS?: The address, scheduled for tomorrow evening, was postponed because of the shutdown. Pelosi hasn't given the new date, but sources told Fox News that Feb. 5 is being floated as a new date. http://bit.ly/2Tj0q5d
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK: "The Senate will try to take up a Syria policy bill after Democrats blocked the measure three times arguing that the chamber should be focused on ending the partial government shutdown." And in the House: "The House is expected to take up legislation to increase the pay of federal civilian employees, with Democrats arguing it would counter a pay freeze 'forced upon them by the Trump administration.'" Full preview of the upcoming week: http://bit.ly/2Tj0q5d
It's Monday. It's still January, diary. I worry it will never end. I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com -- and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.
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NEWS THIS MORNING
A peace agreement with the Taliban:
Via The New York Times's Mujib Mashal, the United States has reached a preliminary peace agreement that could lead to American troops pulling out of Afghanistan. What that would mean: https://nyti.ms/2DDIpZV
2020 NEWS
Free idea: 2020 candidates are having a hard time differentiating themselves. What about running on the platform of free coffee for all?:
In a "60 Minutes" interview with Scott Pelley, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he is "seriously thinking of running for president."
Schultz's reasoning: "I will run as a centrist independent, outside of the two-party system. We're living at a most fragile time, not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics." https://cbsn.ws/2Uh9is2
Keep in mind: Schultz describes himself as a "lifelong Democrat," but has said he would run as an independent candidate. Why: He thinks both parties can be "reckless."
Watch a few of the interview highlights: https://cbsn.ws/2G6XDYL
Transcript: https://cbsn.ws/2HJb8ka
Getting traction -- from HuffPost's Ariel Edwards-Levy: "Good morning, 'independent' still does not mean 'centrist.'" http://bit.ly/2G6TLY4
^ NBC's Benjy Sarlin chimed in: "Even 'moderate' doesn't meant 'centrist' in the polling sense" http://bit.ly/2S9kNo6
This morning -- it's always campaign SZN in Trump World:
President Trump reacted to former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's "60 Minutes" appearance. Trump tweeted: "Howard Schultz doesn't have the 'guts' to run for President! Watched him on [60 Minutes] last night and I agree with him that he is not the 'smartest person.' Besides, America already has that! I only hope that Starbucks is still paying me their rent in Trump Tower!" http://bit.ly/2TiUZ6j
Over the weekend -- the debate stage is getting a little cozier:
Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisThe symbol of 'Wakanda' and black political vision Seven big decisions facing Biden in 2020 primary Sanders dominates, Buttigieg surges in 2020 social media battle MORE (D-Calif.) announced she is running for president in 2020. From her announcement speech in Oakland, Calif.: "I'm running to fight for an America where the economy works for all people. For an America where you only have to work one job to pay the bills." http://bit.ly/2MA27IE
Tidbit -- the song she played at the end of her campaign speech: "My Shot" from "Hamilton." http://bit.ly/2sODwXJ
HERE'S A LIST OF WHO IS (AND ISN'T) RUNNING IN 2020: http://bit.ly/2TicdAH
I've had literal nightmares about this rematch:
Via CNN's Jeff Zeleny, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonForget the spin: Five unrefuted Mueller Report revelations Former senators launching effort to help Dems win rural votes Biden's announcement was a general election message, says political analyst MORE has told people that she isn't "closing the doors to the idea of running in 2020." How recently Clinton said that: This past week! In Zeleny's words on CNN's "Inside Edition": "I'm told by three people that as recently as this week, she was telling people that look, given all this news from the indictments, particularly the Roger Stone
Roger Jason StoneJudge allows Roger Stone to travel to Florida for 'business opportunities' The Hill's Morning Report - Is impeachment back on the table? End of Mueller shifts focus to existing probes MORE indictment, she talked to several people, saying 'look, I'm not closing the doors to this.'" http://bit.ly/2B7mZ5v
Op-ed: http://bit.ly/2G2RPj0
NOTABLE TWEETS
I really appreciate the enthusiasm:
We're
— Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) January 28, 2019
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happy to all be back at work providing our customers with the services they rely upon
ON TAP
The House and Senate are meeting today. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.
33 years ago today: The space shuttle Challenger exploded. https://cnn.it/2RUpnqZ
Noon: The House meets. The House's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2Ms1W2e
12:30 p.m. EST: President Trump has lunch with Vice President Pence in the White House's private dining room.
3 p.m. EST: The Senate meets. The Senate's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2BhXnmT
5:30 p.m. EST: The Senate holds a procedural vote.
6:30 p.m. EST: Votes postponed in the House.
WHAT TO WATCH
Happening now: The Heritage Foundation is holding an event, "The Inequality of the Equality Act: Concerns from the Left." Livestream: https://herit.ag/2sQtV2t
3 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders gives an on-camera press briefing (!) Why the exclamation point: White House press briefings are rare these days. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2zl0CZY
NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...
Today is National Blueberry Pancake Day.
Wow -- 'The Office' literally saved someone's life:
A man with no CPR training saved a woman's life based on what he learned from the NBC series "The Office." The scene he recreated: When a first aid trainer told employees to perform CPR to the tune of "Stayin' Alive." The full story: http://bit.ly/2DEuqTm
Watch the first aid scene in "The Office": http://bit.ly/2sMKaxE
And to break up your Monday afternoon, here's a puppy who dreams of being an elephant. SO CLOSE: http://bit.ly/2MBBIKK
