The confirmation battles begin

Presented by McDonald's: A play-by-play preview of the day's congressional news

Dec 01, 2020 View in browser   By Melanie Zanona Presented by SPEED BUMPS AHEAD -- Some good news and bad news for Joe Biden's early Cabinet picks. First, the good news: Janet Yellen, whom Biden plans to nominate as Treasury secretary, has received a lukewarm reception from some key voices in the GOP, though no Republican has outright said they would vote to confirm her. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters that he sees no reason why he wouldn't support Yellen, while Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) predicted that she would get a "favorable view." But Grassley added: "I usually don't make any judgement until the hearing is over." Now, on to the bad news: while Democrats such as Sen. Sherrod Brown and Elizabeth Warren applauded Biden's choice of Neera Tanden for director of the Office of Management and Budget, she's drawing fire from the GOP. Tanden is the head of a liberal think tank who has been a vocal critic of Senate Republicans on both social media and cable news. Cornyn called her nomination "radioactive" and suggested she has a "problematic path" to confirmation. "Maybe his worst nominee so far," he said. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, called her very "partisan." And Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggested Tanden might not get a committee vote and called her a "nutjob" on Fox News. The response to Tanden is just a preview of the fierce confirmation battles to come, with some Republicans unlikely to vote for any of Biden's picks — similar to how some Democrats, especially those with an eye on the White House, refused to confirm Donald Trump's Cabinet choices in 2017 while in the minority. Much more from Burgess and Marianne: https://politi.co/36qrTLe. And Republicans aren't the only ones unhappy over Tanden: In the eyes of former staffers and allies of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tanden is one of the Democratic elites who helped sink his 2016 campaign behind the scenes. More from Holly Otterbein on why Bernieworld is seething over her nomination: https://politi.co/3mq97ZO. Related read: "Neera Tanden Mean-Tweeted GOP Lawmakers—Until She Needed Their Votes," from The Daily Beast's Hanna Trudo and Adam Rawnsley: https://bit.ly/3fR81E4.   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.   COUP COUP FOR COCOA PUFFS -- Trump lost the election. He lost the legal battle to stop vote counting and certification. And he's fighting a quixotic battle in state capitals to persuade allies to overturn Biden's victory. Now, Trump has one last move in his near-impossible bid to hold onto power: getting Republicans in Congress to make a mess by objecting to Biden's electoral votes. Under the Constitution, the Electoral College casts the official vote for president on December 14, but it's up to Congress to formalize Biden's win on Jan. 6, when it receives and counts the electoral votes. But federal law gives lawmakers power to challenge the results — a rarely used mechanism meant to be the last of all last resorts. The gambit is highly unlikely to succeed, though, given the makeup of the Democratic-led House and the general reluctance of the Senate GOP to embrace chaos. But several House Republican lawmakers said they're considering this option, depending on how Trump's fading legal challenges and recount efforts fare this month. The dispatch from Kyle and your Huddle host: https://politi.co/2Jv17YY. Meanwhile ... Some Republicans fear Trump's claims of a "rigged" election in Georgia will backfire — and cost them the Senate majority. Their concern is that his repeated attacks on the voting system will depress GOP turnout in the upcoming runoff races, and they need every vote they can get. The story from Andrew and Marianne: https://politi.co/33OJD1d. Related read: "GOP congressman wants House to censure Pascrell for trying to get Giuliani disbarred," by David Wildstein of the New Jersey Globe: https://bit.ly/33wmksJ. STIMULUS STALEMATE -- A bipartisan crew of lawmakers has formed an informal working group in a last ditch attempt to break the impasse over a stalled coronavirus relief bill — the latest sign that rank-and-file members are growing desperate. Among the lawmakers involved in the talks: Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin has also been involved in some discussion. Burgess with the scoop: https://politi.co/3qgnzGb. Their effort is an uphill climb, however, given the entrenched positions of congressional leaders. But a growing number of Democrats have urged negotiators to strike a relief deal— even if it falls short of the multi-trillion dollar package that Dems have been pushing for, though they also say it should be higher than what the GOP is calling for. Here's Warren on MSNBC: "Both sides are going to have to compromise. The Democrats aren't going to get what they want with their $2 trillion plan, and clearly the so-called skinny plan that Leader McConnell put out is not nearly enough to provide a bridge." Dem leaders have maintained that it's better to hold out for a bigger deal, rejecting the GOP's approach as insufficient. But pressure is growing on Congress to provide some type of relief to the American people before they leave town for the holidays, which coincides with when a slew of aid programs are set to expire. Related read: "Congress ends its year under shadow of COVID-19," by The Hill's Cristina Marcos: https://bit.ly/33yvvZx. GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Dec. 1. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES: We have some *personal news*, as they say: Heather Caygle and Burgess Everett — who have absolutely dominated their respective Congress beats while also managing to be wonderful humans and colleagues — will become the new co-chiefs of our Capitol Hill bureau. They'll be taking over for our fearless leader John Bresnahan, who's leaving POLITICO later this month after an incredible, legendary 14-year-run. We'll miss Bres dearly and deeply, and he's forever left his imprint on this Congress team (and the entire publication). But we are excited for this new chapter, and couldn't ask for a more dynamic duo to lead us than H-Sizzle and B-Money as we prepare to cover the hell out of this new Congress. The staff memo. MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Sen. Chris Murphy's op-ed in the Hartford Courant on the need for coronavirus relief was the big winner.   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.     WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30: Christmas decorations are on display in the Cross Hall and Blue Room of the White House on November 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. This year's theme for the White House Christmas decorations is "America the Beautiful." (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | Drew Angerer/Getty Images WELCOME BACK -- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) returned to the Senate on Monday following his bout with the coronavirus. Grassley, an 87-year-old avid runner, was cleared by doctors to get back to work and didn't experience symptoms, thankfully. Grassley even presided over the Senate floor yesterday. Here's what Mitch McConnell had to say about it: "We all predicted that if any member of the body had the stamina and the spirit to kick the virus to the curb, it would certainly be him. And sure enough, our colleague reports that he experienced no symptoms." More from the Des Moines Register: https://bit.ly/3fTQ1c8. Related: "Austin Scott becomes third Georgia congressman to test positive for COVID-19," by Tia Mitchell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: https://bit.ly/2JwYN3E. NAIL-BITERS -- The last time a congressional election was decided by fewer than 20 votes was in 1984. But the 2020 election is on track to have two such races. Ally Mutnick with the story: "Both parties are preparing to spend much of December mired in court fights and recounts in two of the closest congressional races of all time — with Democrats facing the prospect their House majority could shrink even further. "A month after Election Day, razor-thin congressional elections in an open southeast Iowa seat and the upstate New York seat held by Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi are still unresolved with Democrats barely trailing in both districts. It's even possible both elections won't be decided — and the seats left vacant — by the time the 117th Congress meets in January. "The implications are unusually serious in a tightly divided House: Losing those districts will leave Speaker Nancy Pelosi with even less room for error as she attempts to muscle through legislation under a new Democratic president, after already seeing 12 Democratic incumbents ousted in the 2020 election. These races could mean the difference between a 5-seat and a 7-seat majority." More: https://politi.co/36pc9b3. NOM NEWS -- "Shelton's Fed Chances Fade as McConnell Sets Vote on Waller," from Bloomberg's Laura Litvan: https://bloom.bg/2HUq1AK.     MANCHIN IN THE MIDDLE -- With a narrowly controlled Senate, that means centrist in both parties will become more powerful in the upper chamber. NYT's Luke Broadwater has a good profile on Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who also had some choice words for AOC: "Now, with President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. preparing to govern from the middle in a Congress whose thin majorities will force him to compromise on almost every priority, Mr. Manchin, a centrist, suddenly finds himself at the center of relevance in the nation's capital. "In his office on a recent afternoon, seated not far from a framed quote from President John F. Kennedy stressing independence from political party, Mr. Manchin, 73, was feeling energized. He paged through a proposal he was developing for a new coronavirus relief deal and said he was imagining a more moderate course for Congress. 'I think we have a golden opportunity to bring the country back together and for us to work in the middle,' Mr. Manchin said excitedly." More: https://nyti.ms/3qePQwN. FLAGGING FOR ALL YOU COOL CATS AND KITTENS -- "'Tiger King' Dethroned Under Carole Baskin-Backed Big Cat Bill," from Megan U. Boyanton of Bloomberg Government: https://bit.ly/3mskyAl. HAPPENING WEDNESDAY -- Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly, who defeated Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) in a special election on Nov. 3, will be sworn in as a senator Wednesday at noon, per aides. That means the balance of the Senate will shift to 52-48 for the remaining weeks of this Congress.   NEXT WEEK - 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.     TRANSITIONS Arian Beckwith, a former senior policy adviser to Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), has started as the director of government relations for the World Food Program USA. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is out. The Senate meets at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of the nomination of Taylor B. McNeel to be U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Mississippi. The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.. AROUND THE HILL A bipartisan group of senators will hold a news conference to roll out a bipartisan coronavirus relief bill at 10 a.m. at the Senate Swamp. TRIVIA MONDAY'S WINNER: Leisel Bogan was the first person to name two other locations besides the U.S. Capitol that Congress met in regularly scheduled session: the Blodgett's Hotel on E Street and the "Brick Capitol" where the Supreme Court is currently located. TODAY'S QUESTION: From Leisel: The first electronic vote was submitted in the House of Representatives in what year? Bonus points for naming the freshman representative who gave the first one minute speech to commemorate the occasion. 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 Melanie Zanona @MZanona   Follow us

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings This email was sent to edwardlorilla1986.paxforex@blogger.com by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.