It's Friday! Senators just can't get enough of each other, so they're returning to Washington, D.C., Monday. Everyone on Capitol Hill seems THRILLED. 😑 Here's what we're covering today: - White House and Senate negotiators are getting closer to a deal that would pair border security with aid to Ukraine and Israel. There may not be a looming, pre-Christmas government funding deadline this year, but the Senate is still trying to keep things spicy.
- The economy may be looking at a "soft landing." If so, this would be a huge deal for President Biden.
- The trending story on TikTok is a woman telling the stories of her mom giving away fudge to family and friends for the holidays. The stories of the fudge list — and drama surrounding it — are pretty entertaining. I included links to the top videos.
I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Holiday recess? Or spending next week with your Senate colleagues?: |
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© GIPHY/Late Night with Seth Meyers |
The Senate is planning to come back to town Monday to nudge through an emerging deal that pairs border security with aid to Ukraine and Israel. Timing: White House and Senate negotiators are planning to work through the weekend to finalize the deal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told colleagues that he plans to schedule a vote on the package next week. Some Senate Dems have concerns: Some Democrats — including Latino caucus members — are worried that in exchange for Ukraine funding, the border deal will include harsh asylum policy reforms in order to win Republican support. What does "harsh" mean here?: The new policy could give expanded power to expel migrants without asylum screenings — and to expand detention and deportation polices. The Hill's Alexander Bolton has a helpful explainer on the negotiations. |
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➤ BRUTAL BUT INTERESTING OP-ED: |
Dana Milbank's Washington Post op-ed headline reads: "Worst. Congress. Ever." At least Milbank put it delicately: "A year ago, I assigned myself to the Capitol to cover the new House Republican majority, suspecting that this erratic crowd of lawmakers would provide some lively material. They did not disappoint. What I could not have known then, however, was that this would turn out to be the most ineffective session of Congress in nearly a century — and quite possibly in all of American history." (The Washington Post) |
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➤ SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM A CAPITOL HILL RUNNING ON FUMES: |
In the Senate basement: "[A Republican] senator wishes Dem senator 'happy holidays.' D: You're not coming back? R: "No, no, no. This thing's over. You guys are coming back. We're not coming back." (From HuffPost's Igor Bobic)
Oh, gross: Politico's Burgess Everett posted that "Roger Marshall [R-Kan.] is pounding milk on the Senate floor. 'Besides water milk is the only beverage allowed on the Senate floor.'" |
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Kevin McCarthy's last lap: |
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is resigning from Congress at the end of the year after a dramatic ouster in the fall. He delivered his final floor speech, held a photo op and participated in an hourlong candid conversation with reporters Thursday, which included *unloading* on Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who orchestrated his ouster. McCarthy said about Gaetz: "He was psychotic. … People study that type of crazy mind, right? Mainly the FBI." More from McCarthy's last hurrah, via The Hill's Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell |
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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a key holdover from the Trump administration, may hand President Biden a huge boon to his reelection campaign. Powell's impressive feat so far: The Hill's Niall Stanage reports how "Powell looks to be on the cusp of pulling off a 'soft landing' of the economy, after inflation roared to a four-decade high last year." How so?: "The Fed's series of interest rate increases, which began in March 2022, have helped pull inflation down to just 3.1 percent from a high of 9.1 percent. But they have done so without throwing the economy into recession — at least so far." FWIW: Powell says it's too early to "declare victory." How Powell's handling of the economy could help Biden next year |
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➤ OTHER CAMPAIGN TRAIL HEADLINES: |
'Why Trump Won't Win': "His threats to democracy make him dangerous. They also make him a weak candidate," writes The Atlantic's Hussein Ibish. (The Atlantic) 'GOP rivals tread lightly around Iowa, New Hampshire debates': (The Hill) 'Republicans struggle as they keep getting forced to talk about abortion': "The contrast between GOP candidates' maneuvering toward the middle and real-world events that remind the public of the party's most aggressively anti-abortion faction shows how vexing the issue remains for the party." (Politico) 'The Conservative Coterie Behind Trump's Second-Term Agenda': "A small group of loyalists is influencing his campaign policy plans, as many past top aides have broken with the former president." (The Wall Street Journal) |
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🍫 What's Trending on TikTok |
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The illustrious fudge list: |
TikTok user Sydney Benjamin posted a video explaining her mom's 50-year tradition of sending her famous fudge to family and friends for the holidays. Over the years, the fudge list has grown to roughly 50 households that are gifted fudge in her hand-crafted "fudge vessel." Well, Benjamin said some people have been kicked off the fudge list over the years and has been posting the drama that has gotten people kicked off the selective list. I've compiled a few of her videos to catch you up, so enjoy: The video that started it all See her mom's ~beautiful~ fudge: She asks her mom if she can tell the fudge list stories. "Yes, but you have to be nice," her mom says. "I'll tell the truth but I'm not going to be nice," she jokes back. Watch the clip This story about 'pity fudge' is hilarious: Sydney claims that a man threw a tantrum in a store over being kicked off the list. Watch The mass exodus of 2019: A big group was kicked off the list in 2019. Watch Sydney explain. And here's another story of someone getting kicked off. |
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🧁 Celebrate: Today is National Cupcake Day! 🔠 To the Wordle champions in the room: Wordle editor Tracy Bennett gave some advice for Wordle guessing strategies. (TikTok) ☘️ Joseph O'Biden: Fox News's Peter Doocy mixed up President Biden with former President Obama while asking a question at Thursday's White House press briefing. Doocy slipped and said "President O'Biden," sparking laughter from the press corps. Watch the 16-second clip
✒️Omg, hiring interns for *2025*: The Wall Street Journal's Lindsay Ellis writes that "The race is on to hire interns for 2025. Really." Ellis explains: "Banks, accounting firms and others are wooing sophomores for internships nearly 18 months away." (The Wall Street Journal) |
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The House and Senate are out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. (all times Eastern) |
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