| | | | | |  | | By Melanie Zanona | Presented by |  | | | CABINET CORNER -- President-elect Joe Biden started rolling out his Cabinet selections and building his White House team this week. So, what kind of reception are his picks getting from Congress? As we've mentioned here before, the battle over his Cabinet will be Biden's first real test of his Hill prowess. And so far, he's managing to keep the peace. Among Republicans … We haven't seen a ton of reaction, with the Senate on recess and some Republicans still in denial that Biden won the election. But Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) told reporters in the Capitol yesterday: "I'm glad he's resisting the far left on most of the picks to date." Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, signaled broad opposition to Biden's early choices: "Biden's cabinet picks went to Ivy League schools, have strong resumes, attend all the right conferences & will be polite & orderly caretakers of America's decline. I support American greatness. And I have no interest in returning to the 'normal' that left us dependent on China." Of course, if Biden is hunting for GOP votes, he'll be turning to the center of the conference. The GOP senators to keep an eye on are Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. And among Democrats … progressives might not be in love with Biden's first round of choices, but they can live with them, write Holly Otterbein and Laura Barrón-López. The pattern that's emerging thus far: Biden is picking people who haven't alienated the left, but who aren't considered major wins for progressives, either. If liberals had their way, they'd have Sens. Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren in the Cabinet. But Biden seemed to cast doubt on that idea during an interview with NBC's Lester Holt, saying it's important to have strong leaders in Congress to help enact a progressive agenda. "Taking someone out of the Senate, taking someone out of the House — particularly a person of consequence — is a really difficult decision that would have to be made," he said. Much more on all this from Holly and Laura: https://politi.co/3l89aIe. Related reads: "Biden picks a Goldilocks Cabinet, neither too left or right," by Evan Halper: https://lat.ms/3nV2wqB ; and "AOC and Ilhan Omar want to block Biden's former chief of staff," via Axios' Alexi McCammond: https://bit.ly/3kYXojq. | | | | A message from McDonald's: Ron started as a crew member at McDonald's in Oakland, CA where he found an exciting path. Thanks to college tuition assistance from McDonald's, Ron became the first college graduate in his family, and today works in Operations at McDonald's headquarters. Learn how Ron and others succeed at McDonald's. | | | TOTAL DICK MOVE -- Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois is already the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, and was just re-elected as minority whip. Now, Durbin is also launching a bid for the coveted top Democratic spot on the Senate Judiciary Committee next year. His power play has sparked some grumbling among Dems, who are questioning whether that's too much for one senator to take on. And Durbin will also have to overcome resistance on the left, which is pushing for Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to take the job instead. After Durbin, Sheldon is next in line in terms of seniority. He hasn't thrown his hat into the ring, but he did put out this interesting statement last night: "In the wake of Ranking Member Feinstein's announcement, I look forward to the question of succession on the Senate Judiciary Committee being decided by the caucus. I will abide by the caucus's decision." The dispatch from Burgess and Marianne: https://politi.co/3m4wFmN. FIGHT NIGHT -- After a disappointing night at the polls, House Dems are preparing to pick a new campaign chief next week. And it's going to be an incredibly important role for the caucus, with the party fighting to hang on to its slim majority in 2022. The heated contest has come down to a two-way race between Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who represents a Trump district in New York and is touting his experience running as a gay man with a biracial family, and Rep. Tony Cárdenas, a fundraising powerhouse from California who is trumpeting his ability to connect with Latino voters. Democrats across the board agree the party needs a new message, which was widely seen as a weak spot in 2020. "I don't think a one-size-fits-all message works for the Democratic Party," said Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), a frontliner who supports Cárdenas. "We need to make it more tailored and more specific so that people don't think that we're just throwing out empty words." The story from Heather, Sarah and Ally Mutnick: https://politi.co/371UyoU. Related read: "Democratic Women's Caucus members endorse Cárdenas for party's House campaign chief," via The Hill's Rafael Bernal: https://bit.ly/366aFme. HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Nov. 25, where your host is wishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Quick programming note: Huddle will take a break this Thursday and Friday, but we'll be back Monday, Nov. 30. TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: USA TODAY's story on how Rep. Jim Clyburn helped Joe Biden win the White House was the big winner. | 
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris introduce their nominees and appointees to key national security and foreign policy posts at The Queen theater, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) | Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo | | | | | DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT 2020: POLITICO will feature a special edition Future Pulse newsletter at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators determined to confront and conquer the most significant health challenges. Covid-19 has exposed weaknesses across our health systems, particularly in the treatment of our most vulnerable communities, driving the focus of the 2020 conference on the converging crises of public health, economic insecurity, and social justice. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage from December 7–9. | | | | | GET ON MY LEVEL -- Top appropriators in the House and Senate reached a bipartisan agreement on spending levels for all 12 annual funding bills — a major step toward clinching a deal on a broader omnibus and avoiding a government shutdown. The current funding patch runs out on Dec. 11. There's still a lot more work to be done, of course. And spending bills — which are ripe for poison pills — are always a heavy lift. But both sides want to get a deal done, and the agreement on topline numbers represents real progress. The deets from Caitlin Emma: https://politi.co/363CPho. Meanwhile … a group of Democrats is urging appropriators to block funds for Trump's recent "Schedule F" executive order, which would allow agencies to reclassify certain career positions. "We write with great urgency to request that the forthcoming continuing resolution or omnibus spending bill include language that reverses the implementation of this executive order and requires the immediate return of any federal employee reclassified pursuant to it," they wrote. The letter. STABENOW ON STIMULUS -- As the pandemic rages, some cracks are starting to emerge among Democrats when it comes to a coronavirus relief bill. More from Roll Call's Doug Sword: "A top Senate Democrat said Tuesday that she's engaged in bipartisan discussions on COVID-19 aid and urged quick action even if that means 'a short-term package for the next few months.' 'We need to act,' said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the fourth-ranking Democrat in that chamber as Democratic Policy and Communications Committee chairwoman. "House Democrats and Senate Republicans have been in a standoff for months. House Democrats passed Oct. 1 a slimmed down version of their relief package, though it still weighed in at $2.4 trillion. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had been discussing a package worth nearly $2 trillion, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the estimated $519 billion aid package Republicans introduced in September is sufficient." The story: https://bit.ly/39eoAbz. Meanwhile … another member of Congress, Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), has tested positive for coronavirus. That brings the total to at least 35 lawmakers, according to USA TODAY's ongoing tally. Related: "Congress Isn't Passing Pandemic Relief, But They Are Passing The Coronavirus," by BuzzFeed News' Paul McLeod and Zahra Hirji: https://bit.ly/3m4BmwV. | | | |   | | | SILENT NIGHT -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been silent on Biden's victory thus far, even after the GSA ascertained that he's the president-elect. The latest from WaPo's Mike DeBonis: "McConnell's ongoing silence, even as the Trump administration moves to allow Biden to start his transition, leaves a question mark over what could be the most important Washington relationship of the next two years — between an incoming president who promised to tackle the nation's most pressing concerns and the win-at-all-costs Capitol Hill operator who may well serve as his legislative gatekeeper. "The two men — Senate colleagues for 24 years and sparring partners in several high-stakes negotiations during Biden's time as vice president — still have not spoken since the election, according to a GOP aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly. "McConnell has not publicly commented since Nov. 17, when he offered circumspect remarks on the election and Trump's legal challenges based on unfounded claims. 'What we all say about it is frankly irrelevant,' he said. 'All of it will happen right on time, and we'll swear in the next administration on Jan. 20.'" The story: https://wapo.st/3m77ShV. Related: "Congressman seeks to have Rudolph Giuliani disbarred over attempts to overturn election," from WaPo's Kim Bellware: https://wapo.st/3q3VlP0. DON'T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU'VE TRIED IT - - Democrats will knock on doors to campaign for the Georgia runoff races, resuming a tactic that they ditched during the pandemic — and a decision that some in the party have questioned. More from James Arkin, Andrew and Maya King: "Democrats largely halted the practice earlier this year, but the party's candidates this week returned to in-person canvassing in the Peach State as they seek to juice turnout in two critical runoff elections on Jan. 5. "The new efforts are being coordinated between the two Democratic campaigns and follow strict health guidelines created in consultation with an epidemiologist. The transition back to door-to-door canvassing comes after a November election marked by asymmetrical tactics: Democratic candidates generally moved their mobilization efforts online and over the phone, while many Republican campaigns still worked the doors to contact voters. "Both sides recognize that turning out their bases in Georgia will be paramount, and as a result their efforts are focused less on persuading undecided voters and more on getting supporters to the polls or to return absentee ballots. It's why the two Democratic candidates — Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock — and a litany of outside groups are set to resurrect door-knocking despite the health concerns." More: https://politi.co/39gkxvl. | | | | TUNE IN TO OUR GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS PODCAST: The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded in 2020 amid a global pandemic. Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, unpacks the roadblocks to smart policy decisions and examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. Subscribe for Season Two, available now. | | | | |
|  | TRANSITIONS | | Tyler Haymore will be COS for Rep.-elect Byron Donalds (R-Fla.). He most recently was COS for Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.). Emily Kolano is now legislative director for Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.). She most recently was senior legislative assistant for Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.). Sally Tucker has returned to Rep. Joe Neguse's (D-Colo.) office as communications director. She had taken a leave to be Colorado press secretary for the Biden campaign. Corine Weiler is now director of scheduling for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). She previously was executive assistant to the President and CEO of the Humane Society. | | TODAY IN CONGRESS | | The House and Senate are out. | | AROUND THE HILL | | Tumbleweeds. | | TRIVIA | | TUESDAY'S WINNER: Peter Roff was the first person to guess that three bureaus were removed from the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the United States Secret Service and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. TODAY'S QUESTION: Who was originally supposed to design the Capitol building — and why were they fired from the job? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess to mzanona@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. | | | | A message from McDonald's: Ron always knew he could go places, he just didn't know where to start. So he applied for a job at McDonald's, where he found an exciting path and free college tuition assistance. Ron's drive to succeed and support from his Manager helped make him the first in his family to graduate college. Today, he puts his college degree work as an Operations Associate at McDonald's headquarters.
There are tens of thousands of stories like Ron's at McDonald's, where restaurant employees take multiple paths to learn and grow. We offer programs and benefits like Archways to Opportunity®, which has expanded access to education for more than 60,000 crew members and managers while providing more than $125M in tuition assistance.
Learn how Ron and others build careers at McDonald's. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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