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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.
TALK OF THE MORNING
*Starts loudly drumming the table* — Let’s get ready to rumble!!:
via GIPHY
Liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen BreyerStephen BreyerProgressives see Breyer retirement as cold comfort Briefing in brief: Biden committed to naming Black woman to Supreme Court The names to know as Biden mulls Breyer’s replacement MORE is expected to retire at the end of this term, setting up a Senate confirmation battle for whomever President Biden
Joe BidenNorth Korea conducts potential 6th missile test in a month Clyburn predicts Supreme Court contender J. Michelle Childs would get GOP votes Overnight Defense & National Security — US delivers written response to Russia MORE chooses to succeed him.
We all watched failed BBB and voting rights bills. Do we expect Biden’s pick to be confirmed?: There could be some drama with the usuals — Sens. Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinOn The Money — No SALT, and maybe no deal The names to know as Biden mulls Breyer’s replacement Poll: Sinema approval higher among Arizona Republicans than Democrats MORE (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema
Kyrsten SinemaThe names to know as Biden mulls Breyer’s replacement Poll: Sinema approval higher among Arizona Republicans than Democrats Schumer vows to vote on Biden Supreme Court pick with ‘all deliberate speed’ MORE (D-Ariz.) — but it’s very likely Breyer’s successor will be confirmed.
What to expect in the muted battle for Breyer’s successor, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: https://bit.ly/3o3q6Uu
WHO WILL BIDEN PICK?:
On the 2020 presidential campaign trail, Biden repeatedly said he would nominate a Black woman to serve on the court.
Here’s a list of names that Biden will likely consider: https://bit.ly/3seEcEb
WILL JOE MANCHIN AND KYRSTEN SINEMA GO ALONG WITH IT?:
From The Washington Post’s Amber Phillips: https://wapo.st/3ACkFBa
WHAT WILL JUSTICE BREYER’S LEGACY LOOK LIKE?:
Via The New York Times’s Ann E. Marimow: https://wapo.st/3G4xy83
WELL, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT JUST THREW A CURVEBALL INTO THE MIDTERMS:
How so, from The Hill’s Tal Axelrod and Julia Manchester: https://bit.ly/3KOYmNh
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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Hear more from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet’s most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.
IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Happening now — please welcome Joe and Steve to the room? Can I call you Steve?:
President Biden is delivering remarks on the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Breyer is also attending.
When Biden is scheduled to speak: 12:30 p.m. EST. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3rUES1c
Joe Biden was just given the equivalent of a car on his birthday:
via GIPHY
Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage, “The abrupt development [of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement] means [President Biden] can get some respite after a miserable period. He now has the chance to bring his party together to advance Breyer’s likely replacement. He can also energize key voting blocs by doing so.” https://bit.ly/3AEJeO4
The timing is impeccable: “That’s all the more important because Biden’s poll ratings have sagged into negative territory amid several troubles, including COVID-19, inflation and a Capitol Hill logjam.”
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILD TAX CREDIT?:
Via Politico’s Adam Cancryn, “Biden’s signature legislation expired. Recipients are wondering: WTF happened?: The extended child tax credit was a lifeline for many. Now it’s gone and those who got it feel politically disillusioned.” The full piece: https://politi.co/32FCumq
LATEST WITH COVID-19
Because I love giving you good news:
Vox’s Umair Irfan, “The extraordinary success of Covid-19 vaccines, in two charts: Deaths tell one story of the pandemic. The lives saved tell another.”
The charts showing deaths vs. avoided deaths: https://bit.ly/34cE6oa
Where we stand with the pandemic:
Via The New York Times’s Apoorva Mandavilli, “As cases decline in some parts of the country, many have begun to hope that this surge is the last big battle with the virus — that because of its unique characteristics, the Omicron variant will usher Americans out of the pandemic.” https://nyti.ms/3fZGdOE
Even Uncle Tony agrees!: “Things are looking good,” Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, recently said. “We don’t want to get overconfident, but they look like they’re going in the right direction right now.”
But it gets a little more complicated than that, according to epidemiologists: “In any case, it is not likely that the coronavirus will ever completely disappear, many scientists said, and herd immunity is now just a dream. The population’s immunity against the virus will be imperfect, for a variety of reasons.”
The full story: https://nyti.ms/3fZGdOE
CASE NUMBERS:
Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 72,924,074
U.S. death toll: 876,164
Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y
VACCINATION NUMBERS:
Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 536 million shots have been given.
Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 471,928 doses
For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million.
Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH
Aaron is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook.
Hear more from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet’s most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.
IN THE GOP
Mitch McConnell is dodging things left and right: … ^ See what I did there? 😉
via GIPHY
Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSchumer vows to vote on Biden Supreme Court pick with ‘all deliberate speed’ It’s time for ‘Uncle Joe’ to take off the gloves against Manchin and Sinema Democrats should ignore Senators Manchin and Sinema MORE (R-Ky.) is trying to keep the focus on President Biden — and off GOP divisions — heading into November.” https://bit.ly/33RsiYG
How so: “McConnell’s public maneuvering — declining to say what the party’s agenda would be in 2023 and largely refusing to mention former President Trump by name — comes as Republicans are feeling increasingly bullish about their chances of winning back the Senate.”
How this could play out: https://bit.ly/33RsiYG
‘DESANTIS LEANS INTO COVID-19 TREATMENT FIGHT AMID 2024 CHATTER’:
Via The Hill’s Max Greenwood: https://bit.ly/3u9y4iS
IN OTHER NEWS
A new statue at the Kobe Bryant crash site:
Via Reuters, “A sculpture of NBA great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna ‘Gigi’ Bryant was brought on Wednesday to the helicopter crash site where they perished alongside seven others on a hillside near Los Angeles two years ago.” https://nbcnews.to/3KR0DHW
The statue: “The 160-pound bronze statue depicts the pair wearing basketball uniforms and sharing a loving glance as Gigi holds Kobe’s hand as it rests on her shoulder.”
Video of the statue at its new site: https://nbcnews.to/3KR0DHW
NOTABLE TWEETS:
The running outfits are so 1990s:
C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman tweeted a video of former President Bill Clinton
William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonBiden: A good coach knows when to change up the team Perdue proposes election police force in Georgia To boost economy and midterm outlook, Democrats must pass clean energy bill MORE and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer jogging together in 1994.
The media asked: “Who’s faster: The judiciary or the executive?”
Breyer responded: « He’s much faster. Much faster. »
Clinton responded: « Judiciary lasts longer »
Video of the jog-and-talk: https://bit.ly/3rOtZhm
Tidbit — Sarah Palin is out and about after testing positive for COVID-19:
Gothamist’s Jake Offenhartz tweeted, “COVID-positive Sarah Palin has now dined al fresco on the Upper East Side two nights in a row. After eating at Campagnola Tuesday, she returned to Elio’s last night — where she reportedly flouted the city’s vax mandate this weekend” Watch: https://bit.ly/3o6jLYK
CHECK OUT NEW YORK MAGAZINE’S HEADLINE:
“Sarah Palin Paints the Town COVID” https://nym.ag/3ICZ26o
ON TAP:
The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in Washington, D.C. Vice President Harris is in Honduras today.
4:25 a.m. EST: Vice President Harris left for Palmerola, Honduras.
9:30 a.m. EST: President Biden received the President’s Daily Brief.
Noon: Vice President Harris attends the inauguration ceremony for President-elect Xiomara Castro.
3:05 p.m. EST: Vice President Harris holds a bilateral meeting with Honduran President Castro.
3:30 p.m. EST: President Biden receives his weekly economic briefing.
6:20 p.m. EST: Vice President Harris leaves Honduras and returns to Washington, D.C.
WHAT TO WATCH:
12:30 p.m. EST: President Biden and retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer deliver remarks in the Roosevelt Room. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3rUES1c
1:30 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiOvernight Defense & National Security — US delivers written response to Russia Briefing in brief: Biden committed to naming Black woman to Supreme Court Biden signs order criminalizing military sexual harassment MORE holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3o4w3ki
IN LIGHTER NEWS:
Today is National Chocolate Cake Day.
And because you read this far, here’s a golden retriever having a bad day: https://bit.ly/33XvvG3
View the discussion thread.
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