Spiegel Stuff: The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Republicans privately discuss trial votes | McConnell hasn’t pressured GOP to acquit | Senators visibly shaken after yesterday’s trial proceedings | Romney stoically watches footage of officer redirecting him from mob | Says it was ‘overwhelmingly distressing and emotional’ | Trial sights and sounds | Pence evacuated 2 minutes after Trump tweet | Riot had already been declared | CDC: Fully vaccinated people don’t have to quarantine | Tom Brady throws trophy from boat

HAPPENING NOW

Hey, you do you!:

Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) hasn’t been pressuring his Republican caucus to vote to acquit former President Trump on the impeachment article. https://bit.ly/3rGwXTq

What’s been happening behind-the-scenes: “GOP senators have discussed their individual views about the trial behind closed doors this week, including at lunch meetings, but McConnell has limited his remarks to procedural steps and the timeline.”

Where McConnell himself stands on acquittal: “The GOP leader has described himself as undecided and told reporters during a recent press conference that he was waiting to hear the arguments at trial.”

Keep in mind about McConnell throughout Trump’s term: “McConnell stuck closely to Trump during most of his presidency but has re-exerted influence as the most powerful Republican in a Democratic trifecta as he tries to steer the direction of the party heading into the 2022 midterm elections and beyond.”

When the trail could finish: Potentially this weekend (!) https://bit.ly/3rGwXTq

WATCH TODAY’S TRIAL — IT STARTED AT NOON:

Here’s the C-SPAN livestream: https://bit.ly/3tLFqGJ

WHAT TO EXPECT IN TODAY’S TRIAL PROCEEDINGS — TRUMP’S ‘LACK OF REMORSE’:

What to expect, via The Hill’s Mike Lillis: https://bit.ly/3afLqQx

THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS MOST LIKELY TO VOTE TO CONVICT:

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)

The reasons for each from The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: https://bit.ly/3acPlgW

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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TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Senators were visibly shaken after yesterday’s new footage:

Via The New York Times’s Luke Broadwater and Emily Cochrane, “Seated in the chamber, several senators appeared visibly distressed: There were sharp intakes of breath during footage of rioters cursing Ms. Pelosi, tightened fingers on armrests and, in the case of Mr. Schumer, a slow nodding of the head as he watched himself flee the mob. Several senators left for a dinner recess with red eyes, visibly emotional and avoiding questions.” How a few specific senators reacted to yesterday’s proceedings: https://nyti.ms/3a7WP4H

SENATORS SAW THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTAGE:

Via Politico’s Marianne Levine, Sarah Ferris, Melanie Zanona and Andrew Desiderio, “Senators of both parties stood up, leaned forward, and appeared to identify themselves in the chilling security footage showing Capitol police officers creating a human barricade that allowed them to flee the chamber. Others simply looked away when they could no longer watch the graphic video and audio clips.” https://politi.co/3tNwpgn

Here's a bit of the security footage:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3tOeiqE

IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE FULL SECURITY FOOTAGE — WARNING, IT’S PRETTY GRAPHIC:

From CNN: https://cnn.it/376quJH

HOW THE NEW RIOT FOOTAGE SET THE TONE AT THE TRIAL:

Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage: https://bit.ly/3baGCev

SEVERAL GOP SENATORS CRITICIZED FOR APPEARING TO PAY HALF-HEARTED ATTENTION TO TRIAL:

“Several whispered among themselves, while others chewed gum, doodled or struggled to stay awake.” https://bit.ly/2NfsQyI

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM THE SENATE

Yikes, read this officer's dispatch describing weapons used against police: It involves bear spray and “pieces of flag and metal pole.” Read the short transcript: https://bit.ly/3jQBIqZ

I can’t believe how close Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) came to reaching the mob:

Watch: https://bit.ly/374D8ZB

^ How Romney reacted while watching the footage: “Romney, sitting in the chamber just now, was stoic and didn't move when the Senate was shown this video showing Officer Goodman saving him from the mob.” (Via CNN’s Manu Raju) https://bit.ly/3d3y8IE

^ Romney later told reporters he hadn’t seen that footage before: “He says it was the first time he’s ever seen it and didn’t realize how close he got. ‘It tears your, your heart and brings tears to your eyes, that was overwhelmingly distressing and emotional.’ Says he plans on thanking Officer Goodman.” (Via NBC’s Julie Tsirkin) https://bit.ly/3d0xE5N

It must be traumatic for senators to watch this footage, especially while at the crime scene: The Washington Post’s Matt Viser pointing out, “The videos are so chilling. All the more so that senators are watching all that transpired just five weeks ago — in the very chamber where they now sit, the very hallways they still walk. The trial is taking place at the scene of the crime.” https://bit.ly/3rJT63b

The lead House impeachment manager showed Trump’s tweets that day: Here are the Trump tweets in the trial presentation: https://bit.ly/3abpp5m

The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey added about hearing Trump’s tweets aloud: “The tweets, read aloud, have a certain je ne sais quoi.” https://bit.ly/3p8PTZ9

Tidbit about coverage: “Fox not airing the House Dems now presenting new Capitol security footage of the Jan. 6 attack; CNN and MSNBC are airing the proceedings.” (Tweet from CNN’s Manu Raju) https://bit.ly/3afml8l

A few senators arrived late to the trial yesterday: Here are photos from PBS’s Lisa Desjardins: https://bit.ly/2MORvdM

TIDBIT ABOUT THE TIMING — I KNOW I KEEP SAYING THIS, BUT IT IS CHILLING:

At 1:49 p.m. EST — the moment police declared Jan. 6 a riot: Here’s that transcript: https://bit.ly/2Z6v0TV

At 2:24 p.m. EST — Trump tweeted: that his vice president, Mike Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.” The timing makes everything a bit scarier. Throwback — here’s Trump’s full tweet: https://bit.ly/3aSQ9Xj

At 2:26 p.m. EST — Pence was evacuated: Here’s the security footage of Pence leaving the Senate chamber. Photo: https://bit.ly/3aSzlQh

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

We’re just going to take that back if you don’t mind:

“President Biden has rescinded the emergency order used by former President Trump to justify the construction of the border wall, the White House announced Thursday.” https://bit.ly/2NkGAbj

Biden wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): “I have determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border was unwarranted … I have also announced that it shall be the policy of my administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall, and that I am directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to that end.”

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

New from the CDC — what happens when you’re fully vaccinated?:

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance that people who have been fully vaccinated for the coronavirus no longer need to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19.” https://bit.ly/2NkHW5T

^ The criteria for not needing to quarantine: “The criteria include having had both shots of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines — the two shots that are available to the U.S. public at the moment — and that at least two weeks have gone by since the second dose was administered.”

CASE NUMBERS:

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 27,291,313

U.S. death toll: 471,821

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

VACCINATION NUMBERS:

Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 46 million shots have been given.

Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 1.57 million doses

For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million.

Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH

NOTABLE TWEETS:

LOL, it looks like Tom Brady enjoyed the Tampa boat parade:

By the way, this video has nearly 27 million views since yesterday.

Watch: https://bit.ly/3pcA4Re

Omg, I can’t watch. But I can’t seem to turn away, either:

Watch: https://bit.ly/2MUyCWJ

This is fascinating — and I wish the best for these families:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3qb91XP

If you want to see more from these interviews, here's more from CNN: https://cnn.it/2LEToZI

ON TAP:

The Senate is in. The House is out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

10 a.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris met with senators to discuss infrastructure. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined virtually.

11:15 a.m. EST: President Biden and Vice President Harris received the President’s Daily Brief.

3:45 p.m. EST: President Biden visits the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory.

WHAT TO WATCH:

Noon: Day 3 of the impeachment trial. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3tLFqGJ

12:30 p.m. EST: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3tYyFBE

Invitation for 1 p.m. EST: The Hill is hosting an event, “COVID-19 & The Opioid Epidemic.” Details and how to RSVP: https://bit.ly/2N2tlfs

4:30 p.m. EST: President Biden delivers remarks at the National Institutes of Health. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3rIIWQh

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Peppermint Patty Day!

The news we all deserve — A dog was reunited with its family 3 years after Hurricane Harvey:

A 16-year-old dog that was separated from her owners during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 has been reunited with her family! The full story — how can you not smile?: https://bit.ly/3tKM5ku

You know, I don’t really understand the hype. But I’m happy for all of you who do:

If, like me, you’re a bit confused — here’s the back story: Hi-C Orange has been off the McDonald’s menu for nearly four years, but it is finally returning after fans complained. https://cnn.it/370v4ZO

And leave you with something sweet, here’s a cat comforting her kitten who is having a bad dream: https://bit.ly/3rGhQcA