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–> A lunchtime take on what’s going on in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*
*Ha. Ha ha. Haha. Sniff. Ha ha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.
MORNING DISCUSSION
Happy election day (again)!:
The second round of senatorial elections between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) and Republican Herschel walker takes place today in Georgia.
Why was a runoff necessary?: A run-off is required under Georgian law if no candidate meets the 50% threshold. Warnock won 49.44% of the vote, while Walker won 48.49%. The remaining portion of the vote went to a Libertarian candidate. New York Times figures
Why Capitol Hill is watching the results very closely: It will determine whether the Democrats will control 50 or 51 seats in the Senate. 51 seats will make Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer‘s (DN.Y.) life much easier. Only one senator (cough, Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) or Kirsten Sinema (D-Arizona)) cannot contain a Democratic bill. Additionally, Senate committees are split proportionally, so even though Democrats would chair committees in a 50-50 Senate, the committees would have equal representation.
What FiveThirtyEight says about running: “Warnock has a small lead in the polls in Georgia – But Walker could still win.” The latest survey charts
Tidbit – what happens when all the campaign reporters have a place to be (and that place is easily accessible via the airport: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein tweeted a photo of the swarm of reporters in Atlanta last night. Photo
HERE IS A HELPFUL LIST OF WHAT A 51-49 MAJORITY VS. MAJORITY 50-50 WILL MEAN FOR DEMS:
Including stronger summon powers. CNN’s complete list of Ali Zaslav and Ted Barrett
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR TUESDAY:
1.”Can Election Day Turnout Save Walker– Early voting has been strong and that likely benefits Warnock. But Election Day turnout could favor Walker.
2.”Are the polls still wrong? — The polls definitely point to a victory for Warnock.
3.”How does Trump react— If Walker loses, does Trump blame him? Does the former President Trump mute the radio?
4.”Did Walker lose the middle– “One data point from Nov. 8 was particularly striking: Walker won about 200,000 votes less than his party colleague in the state, the governor. Brian Kemp … It highlighted a potentially serious problem for Walker — an apparent inability to connect with moderate Republicans and independent voters.
5.”Does Warnock thank Biden– “If Warnock wins, it will be interesting to note whether he checks Biden’s name in a victory speech or tries to maintain his independent image.”
Full explanations for eachby The Hill’s niall stanage
WHAT WEATHER IS IT ?:
There is a 70% chance of rain in Atlanta. How it might affect participation
It’s Tuesday. I am Catherine Martel with a brief recap of the morning and what’s to come. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Register here.
🐘 In the GOP
To misquote Dory in “Finding Nemo”, keep digging. Keep digging, digging, digging:
Ancient President Trump was criticized last week for calling for the Constitution to be terminated so he could return to the White House as president.
How Trump reacted to criticism“On Monday, amid widespread coverage of Trump’s comments over the weekend, the former president asserted that he did not want to ‘end’ the Constitution, but he remained convinced that he should there be a 2020 election recast or that he should be returned to the White House.
Trump’s clarification on Truth Social“The Fake News is actually trying to convince the American people that I said I wanted to ‘end’ the Constitution. It’s just more DISINFORMATION & LIES, just like RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, and all their other HACKS & SCAMs… if an election is irrefutably fraudulent, it should go to the rightful winner or at the very least be redone . In case of open and blatant fraud, there should be no time limit for change! Trump’s full posts on Truth Social
That’s not the only controversy Trump has found himself in recently.: Think: Trump’s pre-Thanksgiving dinner with you and white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
How these controversies might play out, both in the GOP and more broadlyvia The Hill’s Brett Samuels
“SENATE GOP CALLS ON TRUMP TO END CONSTITUTION”:
🐥 Latest on Twitter
Forget the “sad office lunch”:
Forbes Cyrus Farivar and Catherine Schwab report that”Elon MuskTwitter’s “extremely hardcore” vision seems to have manifested itself in the dormitories of conference rooms reminiscent of the dreary hotel rooms of the company’s recently depopulated headquarters.
Lol – ‘one room even has a plant’“On Monday, employees returning to work at the company’s San Francisco site were greeted by modest rooms with unmade mattresses, drab curtains and giant telepresence monitors in the conference room – a significant improvement over compared to the Therm-a-Rest + sleeping bag situation presented by a Twitter employee in November One room even has a plant.
A source reacted to the beds“A source said no announcements or context were provided to employees, and assumed the beds were for the remaining ‘hardcore’ staff members so they could spend the night in the office. “It’s not beautiful,” they said. “It’s yet another unspoken sign of disrespect. There is no discussion. Just like, the beds appeared.
In Congress
Nancy wants to leave in style:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) is aiming for a string of political victories during the lame duck before stepping down as Democratic leader.
What’s on the program?: “Party leaders packed [the lame-duck session] full of important proposals regarding gay rights, immigration reform, COVID-19 relief, funding for Ukraine, and efforts to strengthen America’s electoral systems.
The Hill’s Mike Lillis on what to expect
TIDBIT – WHAT THE LEGALS COMPLAINED ON TUESDAY:
Punchbowl News Jake Sherman tweeted that he and his colleague Heather Caygle “both heard complaints about the food at the White House Congressional Ball on Monday night. Yes. Members and staff are complaining about it. Apparently there wasn’t enough and it wasn’t as good as the Obama years. Many people complain. »
🩺 In other news
The flu vaccine is a magic potion this year:
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walenski said Monday that this year’s flu shots appear to be “a pretty good match” for flu strains.
Yes, but: The number of flu shots is down this year, including for the elderly, children and pregnant women. CNN numbers
THE BAD NEWS – “FLU SEASON IS NOT GOOD, VERY BAD START”:
By Krista Mahr and Daniel Payne of Politico
🦠 COVID-19 numbers
Cases to date: 98.7 million
Number of dead: 1,077,303
Current hospitalizations: 15,142
Hits delivered: 655 million
Fully vaccinated: 68.8% of Americans
📱Notable Tweets
Bookmark this!:
That of the Atlantic Amanda Mull tweeted, “what was the best novel you’ve read this year[?]” Read the responses to suggested books to read
Wow, that’s beautiful:
Photographer Dave Lyon tweeted: “Last night with the US Capitol Christmas tree – with calm winds and clear skies I came back to take a clear reflection shot. What a view!” Photo — looks like a movie or book cover
How cute!:
The New York Times Jane Coaston tweeted“If you live in DC and have young children, the Botanical Garden now has model trains and every little kid here is riveted.” look
⏱On tap
The House and the Senate are there. President Biden is in Phoenix on Tuesday. Vice President Harris is in Washington, DC with no public events.
- 8:45 am: Biden received his daily briefing.
- 9:25 a.m. Biden left for Arizona.
- Midday: A Senate closing vote on a judicial appointment. The full Senate agenda today
- 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Votes in the House. House agenda today
- 2:20 p.m.: Another Senate closing vote on a judicial nomination.
- 3:30 p.m.: Biden visits TSMC in Phoenix.
- 4:30 p.m.: The Senate holds two votes of judicial confirmation.
- 10:40 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House.
All times Eastern.
📺What to watch
- 12:30 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One. Direct
- 2 p.m.: Leaders of the House Democratic Caucus hold a press conference. Direct
- 4 p.m.: Biden discusses his economic plan, manufacturing and supply chains during remarks at TSMC. Direct
🍅 In lighter news
Today is National Gazpacho Day.
And to let you smile, here is a dog that can move and groove to the beat
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