Axios Sneak Peek: Mitch’s Senate-saver — Scoop: Trump’s Thursday plan — Rahm’s power tips

1 big thing: McConnell's plan to save the Senate | Tuesday, January 05, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Comcast   Axios Sneak Peek By Axios Sneak Peek ·Jan 05, 2021 Welcome to Sneak Peek, anchored by Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols and Kadia Goba. 🚨Vice President Mike Pence told President Trump today he doesn't have the power to change the result of the 2020 election, The New York Times reports. George W. Bush — the only living Republican former president — will attend Joe Biden's inauguration, Bloomberg's John Harney scooped. The president's schedule for tomorrow shows him heading over to the Ellipse to address the Save America Rally two hours before Congress begins debating certification of the 2020 election. Today's newsletter — edited by Glen Johnson — is 910 words, a 3-minute read.     1 big thing: McConnell's plan to save the Senate Photo: Rod Lamkey Pool/Getty Images   Before senators begin debating an expected challenge tomorrow to Arizona's Electoral College results, Mitch McConnell will deliver a weighty speech trying to save the Senate from itself, people familiar with his plans tell Axios' Alayna Treene. Why it matters: The majority leader had hoped to keep his fellow Republicans from challenging the 2020 election results. Now that a dozen senators will object, the history-lover aims to keep his party from even deeper self-inflicted wounds. What we're hearing: Lawmakers plan to object first to Arizona's results, which come up early in the alphabetical roll call of states. McConnell is expected to be the first senator to speak after he and his colleagues return to their chamber. McConnell will draw on the same principles he laid out during a call with the Republican conference last week. He said Wednesday's vote certifying Joe Biden's victory would be "the most consequential I have ever cast." McConnell fears the vote will put Republicans up for re-election in 2022 in a horrible position — forcing them to choose between defying the most popular politician in the party, Donald Trump, and fueling Democratic charges they are undermining democracy. The speech is sure to deepen President Trump's anger with McConnell, who referred to him tonight as part of "the weak and ineffective RINO section of the Republican Party." The remarks also will be McConnell's first in public following today's pivotal Senate runoffs in Georgia. Between the lines: The speech will create a clear separation between Republicans who are tethered to reality versus those with concerns — and further political ambitions — that mirror Trump's. 👓 Viewer's Guide: Chris Kreuger and the Cowen Washington Research Group offer this ticktock about how tomorrow will unfold.     2. Georgia's four-year fallout Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   It's not just the presidential election that matters big time. What it means: The outcome in tonight's Georgia runoff elections will decide the fate of Biden's presidency, from whether he gets his Cabinet nominees to whether progressives get their tax hikes and public spending. With control over the Senate majority and Washington political agenda at stake, the candidates searched for their winning message. Jon Ossoff declared $2,000 stimulus checks were on the ballot. Fellow Democrat Raphael Warnock — a pastor — said he was running to ensure economic fairness for Blacks and other minority and working-class voters. The Republicans didn't promise confetti and unicorns; they warned — literally — of danger on the horizon. Kelly Loeffler ran TV ads branding Warnock "dangerous" and "radical." In an op-ed, David Perdue called Warnock "a radical extremist" and Ossoff "his far-left sidekick." Go deeper.     3. Rahm's power tips Then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel walks behind President Obama as they prepare to leave Washington for Chicago in August 2010. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images   This week is all about power. Power in the Senate. Power in the White House. Why it matters: If there's a currency in this town, it's power, so we asked several former Washington power brokers to give us their best tips for new members of Congress — as well as a certain incoming president. Tonight: Rahm Emanuel, as told to Axios' Hans Nichols. "The successful presidents understand the power of public opinion to change Washington, rather than Washington's ability to change public opinion." "Whenever you are working it, you've got to know where people are starting from, and don't dismiss their politics as wrong. Try and incorporate their politics in your strategy." "There are different power centers, and the media is its own institutional power, whether they like it or not." "You need to know if you're moving the ball down the field or stopping the ball. The first is harder, by degrees." "You have all of your administration, not just what's at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but to wield that power is to have people know that you control it."     A message from Comcast Comcast is turning 1,000 community centers into Lift Zones     The company is providing safe places where students and their families can access free Wi-Fi to participate in distance learning. Why it's important: For students from low-income homes, having a safe place to get online matters. Learn how Comcast is helping close America's digital divide.     4. Scoop: Trump schedules more medal ceremonies President Trump awards the Medal of Freedom to golfer Tiger Woods in May 2019. This week he will award it to three more athletes. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images   The president will award three athletes the Medal of Freedom on Thursday, including a posthumous award to two-time Olympic gold medalist Babe Zaharias, White House officials tell Alayna. Why it matters: The ceremony is part of Trump's final awards spree in the remaining days of his presidency. On Monday, he awarded the Medal of Freedom to House Republican Devin Nunes (R-Calif.). He's scheduled to dole out the same honor to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) next week. On Thursday, Trump will also award the Medal of Freedom to golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player. They were previously announced as recipients in March, but the ceremony was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Beyond her gold medals, awarded for her feats in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Zaharias was a professional golfer herself and won 10 LPGA major championships. The bottom line: Of the 18 Medals of Freedom previously awarded by Trump, only one recipient has been a woman.     5. Buckle up: 2022 will be wild, too Signs line a road at a Gwinnett County, Georgia, voting location today. Photo: Megan Varner/Getty Images   Here's a fun fact — via Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball — to tuck away for the post-Georgia political theatre: The six closest states in the presidential election all feature Senate races in 2022: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.  Why it matters:  We are witnessing Senate campaigns topping $500 million as de facto national elections. You could have a half dozen or more of these starting in less than a year.  President Trump will be trying to play kingmaker in ALL of them.     6. One fun thing: The Cracker Barrel Index Sen. Marco Rubio shakes hands inside the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in February 2016. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images   Our friend Dave Wasserman at the Cook Political Report is back with a telling 2020 fact: Joe Biden became president-elect by winning 85% of U.S. counties with a Whole Foods and just 32% with a Cracker Barrel.     A message from Comcast Internet traffic has spiked because of COVID-19     Comcast's reliable coverage has helped millions of people stay connected as they navigate remote learning and working. The reason: Since 2017, the company has invested $12 billion to grow and strengthen its network. Learn how the network keeps you connected during these unprecedented times.   🍳Thanks for reading. We're going from the Georgia fire to the Electoral College frying pan. We'll be back tomorrow to recap the Joint Session news!   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: