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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: McConnell camp in fight with Twitter | Twitter locks campaign account | Senate GOP campaign arm vows to stop advertising on platform | Yang qualifies for next debates | Biden faces scrutiny over stance on sanctuary cities | O’Rourke in spotlight after El Paso shootings | Trump weighs commuting Blagojevich sentence | Dems worry ‘Medicare for All’ could hurt fight for Senate | H Street Festival set for 9/21 | National Frozen Custard Day

 

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

I’m feeling generous:

President Trump is “very strongly” debating commuting the prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D). http://bit.ly/2OM5tgI

In Trump’s words: “I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly. … His wife I think is fantastic and I’m thinking about commuting his sentence very strongly. I think it’s enough, seven years.”

 

BACK STORY:

“Blagojevich was removed from office in 2009 and was later convicted of a wide array of corruption charges, including trying to sell Barack Obama‘s Senate seat after he was elected president in 2008. The former governor began serving a 14-year prison sentence in 2012.” Blagojevich once said on a phone call about Obama’s Senate seat: “I’ve got this thing, and it’s f—— golden. I’m just not giving it up for f—— nothing.” http://bit.ly/2OM5tgI

 

Throwback:

Thinking about the time Donald Trump scolded Rod Blagojevich on the Celebrity Apprentice over inaccurate Harry Potter facts and inadequate Harry Potter research pic.twitter.com/rx7PH7qP4I

— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) August 8, 2019

Watch: http://bit.ly/2OJYswN

 

It’s Thursday! 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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PROGRAMMING NOTE: The 12:30 Report will be off next week for its own August recess. 

 

New resignation:

Via The Washington Post, the State Department’s assistant secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, Kim Breier, has resigned. Why: Over a dispute with the White House over Guatemalan immigration policy. https://wapo.st/2yJehsG

 

LATEST WITH THE OHIO, TEXAS SHOOTINGS

Beto is back in the spotlight:

Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) is back in the spotlight after the mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso. http://bit.ly/2OKRirY

What O’Rourke has been doing: O’Rourke immediately canceled his campaign events and returned home where he has been visiting the wounded, giving interviews, attending memorials and representing his community.{mosads}

What this has done to Beto’s campaign: “O’Rourke’s distress and anger along with his prominence in the aftermath of the tragedy … has reminded some Democratic voters why they rallied to him in the first place, during his bid to oust Sen. Ted Cruz(R-Texas) last year.” 

 

HOW TRUMP’S DAYTON AND EL PASO VISITS WENT:

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump met with survivors and first responders. They stayed out of the public view for most of the trip. But while en route from Dayton, Ohio, to El Paso, Texas, President Trump tweeted attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden, two Ohio officials and a Fox News anchor. http://bit.ly/2yKag7n

Examples of Trump’s tweets bashing the media: http://bit.ly/2OLC1aF

 

AND PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL TIM RYAN IS HITTING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AGAIN:

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is heading back on the campaign trail tomorrow. Ryan had returned to Ohio after the shooting. Where: The Iowa State Fair. http://bit.ly/2OMcsGs

 

TIDBIT FROM DAYTON — THIS IS A NICE SENTIMENT:

“Beautiful notes of kindness here in Dayton.” (Via CNN’s Betsy Klein) Photos of the Post-It notes hung up: http://bit.ly/2yK81AZ

Op-ed: http://bit.ly/2OLXK26

 

Bulletproof backpack sales surge:

Via CNN’s Scottie Andrew and Brian Ries, after the shootings last weekend, the sales of bulletproof backpacks have surged 200 to 300 percent. Details: https://cnn.it/2yMyeiw

 

IN CONGRESS

The presidential race is ruining all of their fun:

Via The Hill’s Jessie Hellman, Democrats successfully used health care as a marquis topic to make gains in the 2018 midterms, but with the heated debates among White House hopefuls may make health care a liability in next year’s Senate races. http://bit.ly/2OJFu9r

How so: “Progressive presidential candidates like Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are backing an ambitious ‘Medicare for All’ plan, while some centrists say the proposal is akin to repealing ObamaCare. In doing so, strategists warn that moderates are using language that is essentially playing into the hands of President Trump and other Republicans.” 

 

Twitter locked Mitch McConnell’s campaign account: 

Twitter has locked the account for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) campaign after it shared a video of a protester’s profanity-laced rant outside the senator’s home. http://bit.ly/2yMFjzC

Why: A Twitter spokesperson told The Hill that the tweet “violated our violent threats policy, specifically threats involving physical safety.”

 

REACTION FROM THE SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN ARM:

The National Republican Senatorial Committee announced it will stop spending money to advertise on Twitter. 

From NRSC spokesperson Jesse Hunt: “Twitter’s hostile actions toward Leader McConnell’s campaign are outrageous and we will not tolerate it. The NRSC will suspend all spending with Twitter until further notice. We will not spend our resources on a platform that silences conservatives.” http://bit.ly/2yKmIE3

 

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Just announced — Yang makes the debate stage:

Former tech executive Andrew Yang just qualified for the third and fourth Democratic presidential debates in the fall after a new poll shows he has 2 percent support in Iowa. http://bit.ly/2yIg810

Keep in mind: Yang had already reached the 130,000-donor threshold.  

 

Biden keeps his lead:

According to new polls released this week, former Vice President Joe Biden is maintaining his lead over Democratic presidential hopefuls in Pennsylvania, California and North Carolina. The polls: http://bit.ly/2OJJJ4R

WHERE BIDEN STANDS ON SANCTUARY CITIES:

Hint: It’s pretty unclear these days and the issue could be tricky for him. http://bit.ly/2yPCg9u

 

NOTABLE TWEETS

This is too relatable: 

The Most Dangerous Game is actually when you balance your iced tea on your slippery salad lid to dig in your bag for your work badge

— Leigh Munsil (@leighmunsil) August 6, 2019

Munsil then added: “Mostly I win but when I lose I LOSE” http://bit.ly/2yPpcks

 

ON TAP

The House and Senate are out for August recess. 

President Trump is in Washington, D.C. Vice President Pence is in Kentucky today.

11 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence lands in London, Ky. 

Noon: President Trump received an intelligence briefing.

12:35 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in an Operation Coal Country Innovative Readiness Training Briefing in Manchester, Ky.

12:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump has lunch with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

3:55 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence gets back to Washington, D.C.

 

WHAT TO WATCH

1 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence gives a speech to Operation Coal Country Innovative Readiness Training in Kentucky. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2OKRXda

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…

Today is National Frozen Custard Day.

 

The annual H Street Festival has a date:

Via PoPville, the 2019 H Street Festival is scheduled for Sept. 21. Details: http://bit.ly/2OOmhUa

 

And because you read to the end, here is a dog who is the very definition of “eager beaver”: http://bit.ly/2OVfrMS

I get why this has 4.4 million views so far.