It’s Friday – and what a week it has been! You have one job this weekend and that is to do something fall-themed. Go apple picking, watch “Hocus Pocus,” eat an apple cider doughnut… You get the idea. Here’s what is coming up today: -
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) just lost his third (!) House Speaker vote with three more defections than the last vote. The House is stalled with no easy solutions.
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Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) reportedly told Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to “sit your ass down” during a closed-door meeting. If that gives you a sense of how things are going…
- During President Biden’s prime-time address Thursday, he connected the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, while calling for aid.
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@digital-stage.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Baa baa, red House, have you any Speakers? No sir, no sir, things are looking much bleaker…: |
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Is it obvious from this headline that I have a baby at home? Because this is exactly where my mind goes these days. 🙃 Side note: If you’re really looking to rock out, check out “Apples & Bananas.” Now that’s a bop. Anyway, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) just lost his third bid for House Speaker today.
The vote: A record 25 Republicans voted against Jordan on the third ballot.
For reference: Twenty Republicans voted against Jordan in the first round and 22 Republicans did on the second ballot. The list of 25 Republicans who voted against Jordan
OK, now what?: That’s the question on everyone’s minds. There is no clear solution for Republicans to dig themselves out this mess on the 17th day without a House Speaker. Republicans are meeting at 1 p.m. to regroup, according to NBC News’s Scott Wong. The last-ditch plan had been to give Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) more power to legislate, but the conference ditched that plan on Thursday.
OH, good. Wonderful. Great. Fabulous: McHenry threatened to quit on Thursday if asked to push legislation without a vote to specifically give him more powers. (NBC News)
Politically: This is terrible timing for Republicans. Government funding runs out in less than a month — and aid to Ukraine and Israel is pending. The longer this saga continues, the longer the House remains in a state of paralysis. This does not looks good for Republicans who are vying to retake the Senate and White House in 2024. Watch the House floor vote
Live blog of updates |
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➤ HEADLINES ON THE CHAOS: |
‘Democrats play cards carefully amid GOP’s Speaker chaos: The Hill
‘House GOP drowning as crisis reaches breaking point’: The Hill
‘Jim Jordan tries again?’: Analysis from The Washington Post’s Theodoric Meyer and Leigh Ann Caldwell |
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I’m nosey and love this kinda thing: “Per @Reuters this is the note Jim Jordan was holding as he left his meeting with the GOP members who aren’t backing him. One of the notes reads ‘what is the real reason.’” (From CNN’s Annie Grayer) Read Jordan’s notes
Umm what?!: Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who opposes Jordan’s Speakership bid, told Kristen Welker on NBC News Now that he is being evicted from one of his district offices because the landlord is not happy about his vote. Yikes. Watch the clip
Here is a historic photo from a House elevator: At 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Photo from E&E News’s Nidhi Prakash
Jordan held a press conference this morning: He was asked if he believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen. “I think there were all kinds of problems with the 2020 election and I’ve been clear about that,” he said. Video from @TheRecount
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Pretty soon, DeuxMoi and TMZ are going to be covering these GOP meetings: |
During a closed-door Republican conference meeting Thursday, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) snapped at Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who orchestrated his ouster from leadership and left the House Speakerless. |
OK, give me the tea: McCarthy mentioned Gaetz by name during the meeting. Gaetz stood up to “kind of interrupt him and say something,” according to a source in the room. McCarthy then yelled at Gaetz to “sit your ass down.”
It doesn’t end there: Then, Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) “was ready to lunge across the room,” according to another source. ^ FWIW: McCarthy denies yelling at Gaetz. “I was at the mic, I was speaking and Matt Gaetz tried to interrupt,” McCarthy said. “I told him to sit down.”
What we know about this back-and-forth, via The Hill’s Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks |
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‘Hey, can I borrow some money?’ ‘Sure, how much?’ ‘Idk, $100 billion…?’: |
The White House is sending a request to Congress for $100 billion in emergency funding for border security, allies in the Indo-Pacific and to help the conflicts with Israel and Ukraine.
The largest portion of the funds: $61 billion for Ukraine How much for Israel?: $14 billion Full breakdown of the funds, via The Hill’s Brett Samuels and Laura Kelly |
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You know things are tense when there’s a prime-time address: |
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The Hill’s Niall Stanage has an interesting column on the takeaways from Biden’s address: -
Biden made a passionate call against hatred stemming from the Israel-Gaza conflict.
- On the hospital explosion, Biden showed the clearest backing of Israel yet.
- Biden did *not* mention the Speaker drama on Capitol Hill.
- Biden made a few comments backing Palestinian rights, but those felt perfunctory.
Read Stanage’s explanation for each |
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➤ HOW BIDEN’S ADDRESS WAS RECEIVED: |
From Democrats: Dems had pretty positive reviews of Biden’s address. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) praised him.
From Republicans: Biden’s reviews from the GOP were, as to be expected, mixed. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) slammed Biden for connecting the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) called Biden’s message “weak.” (The Hill)
A notable reaction from Fox News’s Brit Hume: “I think it may be remembered as one of the best, if not the best, speeches of his presidency,” Hume said following the speech. “He was firm, he was unequivocal, he was strong…” Watch Hume’s full reaction
^ That wasn’t the vibe from all Fox hosts, though: Fox News’s Dana Perino then criticized Biden’s speech. Her critique, from media journalist Brian Stelter ‘Biden’s “bear hug diplomacy” in Israel risks stoking anger in Arab world’: From The Hill’s Brad Dress |
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‘As Gaza crisis escalates, some experts fear a Hamas ‘surprise’’: The Washington Post
‘Aid Into Gaza Is Delayed as Talks Drag On, Officials Say’: “Egypt, Israel, the United States and the United Nations were still negotiating over thorny issues, including who would inspect the shipments for weapons, officials said.” The New York Times ‘Israel Evacuates City Near Lebanon, Bracing for New Front’: The Wall Street Journal
This is a tense clip: The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo reports: “CNN anchor Sara Sidner was confronted by an angry pro-Palestinian protestor while reporting Friday from the West Bank.” The man shouted: “F‑‑‑ CNN! F‑‑‑ CNN!” in Sidner’s face before security guided her away from a gathering crowd. Watch the clip
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🍒 Celebrate: Today is National Brandied Fruit Day. Sure, why not? 👙 The White House got dressed up: The White House was lit up pink last night for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Photo from Bloomberg’s Akayla Gardner
😬 The camera loves you: The Atlantic’s Michael Waters writes that “you can learn to be photogenic.” Not “you” specifically — I’m not singling out 12:30 readers as nonphotogenic, just to be clear — but he argues that “Hollywood invented the idea that some people naturally look better on camera. Don’t believe it.” (The Atlantic)
Where do I sign up?: Washingtonian’s Jessica Ruf writes that “For $100, You Can Hang Out With Two-Toed Sloths at This Reston Zoo.” Siesta and Slomo are FANTASTIC names, by the way. (Washingtonian) |
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The House is in. The Senate is out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. Harris has no public events scheduled. (all times Eastern) |
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Noon: Biden meets with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the White House.
- 6 p.m.: Biden participates in a campaign reception and then leaves for Rehoboth Beach, Del., with first lady Jill Biden.
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