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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Day 3 of Amy Coney Barrett’s questioning | Graham sets up first Barrett vote tomorrow | Confirmation schedule and timing | Reporter asks Graham to wear mask | Biden strategy to run out the clock | Avoids questioning and scrutiny | Trump campaign schedule reveals weaknesses | To hold evening rally in Iowa | Harris to appear on MSNBC tonight | CDC warns against small gatherings | Prime Day deals
HAPPENING ON CAPITOL HILL
Day 3: Same room, same seats, roughly the same debates, basically the same quips … slightly different outfits:
Senators on the Judiciary Committee are questioning Judge Amy Coney Barrett again today for her confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Today’s hearing livestream: https://bit.ly/3iS4dCo
What next after the questioning?: “Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamSenators spar over validity of Trump impeachment trial Trump selects South Carolina lawyer for impeachment trial Democrats formally elect Harrison as new DNC chair MORE scheduled a committee vote for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, the morning of the last day of hearings. Barrett’s nomination is expected to be brought up for a vote at that meeting and then delayed for a week, per committee rules.” https://bit.ly/3nRnLKU
Timing: “If that happens as expected, the GOP-led committee would then vote to approve her nomination Thursday, Oct. 22. That would set up a final confirmation vote on the Senate floor the week of Oct. 26.” What we know about timing from the Associated Press: https://bit.ly/3nRnLKU
FROM THE HEARING:
Senators press Barrett on the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA): https://bit.ly/2H5X0Bi
On whether a president could pardon his or her self: “Amy Coney Barrett says to Leahy she can’t answer whether the President has an absolute right to pardon himself. Says it hasn’t been tested in court and it’s a question that calls for legal analysis. ‘It’s not one in which I can offer a view.’” https://bit.ly/375kim3
A question from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): "You're not aware of any effort to go back to the good old days of segregation by a legislative body, is that correct?" Video: https://bit.ly/2STeq6Z
On the president following a court order: “’Do you agree a president must follow a court order and the Supreme Court’s word is final?’ Leahy asks. Barrett says she agrees no one is above the law, SCOTUS has final word but has no ability to force compliance. ‘The Supreme Court can’t control whether a President obeys.’ ” (Via CNN’s Manu Raju) https://bit.ly/316ChVa
FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE HEARING SO FAR:
- Barrett elusive on specific issues
- Roe v. Wade draws major spotlight
- Barrett stresses independence from President Trump
Donald TrumpMore than two-thirds of Americans approve of Biden's coronavirus response: poll Sarah Huckabee Sanders to run for governor Mexico's president tests positive for COVID-19 MORE - Election disputes hang over court fight
- 5. Senators relish national spotlight — to talk past Barrett
Details for each from The Hill’s Jordain Carney and John Kruzel: https://bit.ly/3160drS
HOW ABORTION HAS BECOME A FOCUS OF THE 2020 ELECTION:
It’s Wednesday! 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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ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Joe Biden
Joe BidenFive examples of media's sycophancy for Biden on inauguration week Drastic measures for drastic times — caregiver need mobile health apps Boycott sham impeachment MORE’s strategy — run out the clock:
Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes, “Team Biden knows they’re ahead against President Trump, with national polls showing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden above the 50 percent mark. And with under three weeks to go until Election Day, the campaign has been doing just enough to keep things where they are as the clock ticks down to Nov. 3.” https://bit.ly/33Xw1AX
What the Biden campaign has been up to: “In recent weeks, Biden has been traveling more than he had earlier in the pandemic — making short trips to key battleground states as he did on Tuesday when he traveled to Florida — but his campaign has usually limited events to one speech a day. Those speeches are largely the same and his campaign has all but avoided long-ranging, sit-down national interviews where he could be asked a prickly question.”
JOE BIDEN IS HAVING A PRETTY EASY TIME AS THE NOMINEE:
Via Axios’s Mike Allen and Hans Nichols, “Since Aug. 31, Biden has answered less than half as many questions from the press as Trump — 365 compared with 753 — according to a tally by the Trump campaign, which the Biden campaign didn't dispute.” https://bit.ly/3duXXQ2
Why this is the case: “The media's obsession with Trump — and Trump's compulsion to dominate the news — allowed Biden to purposely and persistently minimize public appearances and tough questions.”
The full story — it’s pretty interesting: https://bit.ly/34VJEQC
If you put on those reading glasses and focus on Trump’s campaign schedule:
Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage, President Trump’s campaign schedule in the last weeks before the election reveals his weaknesses in battleground states. https://bit.ly/376ZXge
For example: “Trump will travel to Iowa for a rally Wednesday and to Georgia, as well as Florida, on Friday. Trump carried Iowa by more than 9 percentage points against Democrat Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden must wait weekend for State Department pick Texas Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones request to toss lawsuits from Sandy Hook parents Paris Agreement: Biden's chance to restore international standing MORE in 2016, while no Democrat has won Georgia in a presidential election since former President Clinton in 1992.”
Why that’s important: “The fact that those states are competitive is a warning sign about the president’s chances.”
Timing: “The travel decisions come at the same time as speculation mounts about the financial health of the president’s campaign. According to recent reports, the Trump campaign has pulled $17 million of planned ad spending from Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio.” https://bit.ly/376ZXge
LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS
Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 7,860,452
U.S. death toll: 215,971
Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y
For context: A month ago today, 6,521,887 Americans had tested positive for the coronavirus and 194,107 had died. https://bit.ly/3nOl4K3
Small gatherings aren’t great for the spread of COVID-19:
Via The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann, “Small gatherings are increasingly becoming a source of COVID-19 infection around the country, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield warned governors on a call Tuesday.” https://bit.ly/33ZLu3I
In Redfield’s words: “In the public square, we're seeing a higher degree of vigilance and mitigation steps in many jurisdictions … But what we're seeing as the increasing threat right now is actually acquisition of infection through small household gatherings. Particularly with Thanksgiving coming up, we think it's really important to stress the vigilance of these continued mitigation steps in the household setting." https://bit.ly/33ZLu3I
TIDBIT IN IOWA:
Via NBC’s Jesse Rodriguez: “Iowa has reported a record number of hospitalizations at 473 today, ahead of Pres Trump's MAGA rally tonight in Des Moines.” https://bit.ly/34VYir0
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NOTABLE TWEETS:
This interview is pretty wild — and the last minute, wow:
Watch: https://bit.ly/3nMWUPX
A CNN reporter asked Sen. Graham to keep wearing his mask:
Hyperlink https://bit.ly/3jZxBrA
ON TAP:
The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington, D.C., and is campaigning in Iowa this evening. Vice President Pence is in Michigan today.
10:35 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence left for Grand Rapids, Mich.
11 a.m. EDT: President Trump delivers remarks from the Rose Garden to the Economic Clubs of New York, Florida, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Pittsburgh and Sheboygan, Wis.
12:40 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence holds a campaign event in Grand Rapids.
4:05 p.m. EDT: President Trump leaves for Des Moines, Iowa.
4:10 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence returns to Washington, D.C.
7 p.m. EDT: President Trump holds a campaign rally in Des Moines.
10:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump returns to the White House.
WHAT TO WATCH:
9 p.m. EDT: Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala HarrisBiden talks NATO, climate change in first presidential call with France's Macron Biden must wait weekend for State Department pick Senators introduce bill to award Officer Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal MORE (D-Calif.) will appear on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne MaddowFauci describes 'chilling' pressure on scientists in Trump era Fauci tells Maddow he was 'blocked' from going on show under Trump admin A vaccine, a Burrito and more: 7 lighter, memorable moments from 2020 MORE Show.” https://bit.ly/316crRa
NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:
Today is National Dessert Day!
Oh mannn — I get why this video has gone viral:
Watch: https://bit.ly/33X5XWI
Prime! Day!:
Via CNet, here’s a list of some of the best Prime Day deals today: https://cnet.co/3nXz04D
And because you made it this far, here are birds playing basketball: https://bit.ly/34RZdbU
