Subject: POLITICO Huddle: CONTROVERSY AFTER YOUNG HS VISIT -- Stop the mid-debate fact checks, please -- New bloc of power in Senate? -- LUCAS V. HENSARLING? -- Coburn releases last wastebook
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 06:44:19 -0600

By Burgess Everett (@burgessev or 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] )

DON YOUNG'S TOUGH VISIT: The longtime congressman visited Wasilla High School on Tuesday and we'll let the ADN tell you the rest. "Numerous witnesses say Young, 81, acted in a disrespectful and sometimes offensive manner to some students, used profanity and started talking about bull sex when confronted with a question about same-sex marriage ...Young made what they called hurtful and insensitive statements about suicide just days after a Wasilla student took his own life ...Young said suicide shows a lack of support from friends and family. That comment stunned students and staff still mourning the loss of a student who died Thursday, staffers say." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f0f1bb6b8226d96b2c25392a14aa072bc4a75a28213d087dee 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f0f1bb6b8226d96b2c25392a14aa072bc4a75a28213d087dee 

Don Young office statement: "Congressman Young was very serious and forthright when discussing the issue of suicide, in part because of the high number of tragedies that affect Alaskan youth. He discussed what he believes are leading causes of youth suicide in our state and shared some suggestions for helping family members and friends who are dealing with suicidal thoughts ... In no way did Congressman Young mean to upset anyone with his well-intentioned message. In light of the tragic events affecting the Wasilla High School community, he should have taken a much more sensitive approach."

NEW AP MID-TERM POLL -- Economy tops on voters' minds: "The new poll shows the two parties about even on which one adults trust to handle the economy, but among those most likely to cast a ballot in November, Republicans have the edge, 39 percent to 31 percent." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f0b6db6673b740ea52f63910382830b1ffb08faf8fea1defa8 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f0b6db6673b740ea52f63910382830b1ffb08faf8fea1defa8 

FACT CHECK ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Being lucky enough to be on both Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Scott Brown's campaign press lists, debate night was a rough one for me. Attention flacks Harrell Kirstein (Shaheen) and Elizabeth Guyton (Brown): Combined, you all sent 28 "fact check" type emails about the debate between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. No one is reading these. Other candidates are doing the same during debates, but this was the worst one yet.

Take me to your leader: Shaheen said she wants to see a "contest" against Harry Reid for the Democratic leader job while Scott Brown said Mitch McConnell has done a "good job under trying circumstances" as GOP leader. More from James Hohmann: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f09feed3e5a4cbb4ac4d36e0e475531147d67395906123c990 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f09feed3e5a4cbb4ac4d36e0e475531147d67395906123c990 

Let me ask you a question: This would have been a good opportunity for Shaheen to clear up with what, if anything, Brown did to scuttle her energy efficiency bill in the Senate. They will debate again Thursday. Fingers crossed.

DEBATE WATCH: I'm sure I show my Senate coverage bias whenever I take the Huddle reins, but tonight it's about the House, with two New York (11th, 18th) and two Illinois (10th and 13th) debates re-airing, beginning at 8 p.m.

NEW SENATE LUNCH? With the rise of independent Senate candidates Larry Pressler in South Dakota and Greg Orman in Kansas, there's a lot of buzz about whether there will be a new power bloc after the election. Good thing we have David Rogers to examine this theory: "There's no escaping the fact that in an otherwise Republican cycle, the two most successful independents, Orman and Pressler, are both in red states. This shows a hunger for something more and the perception that both parties share responsibility for the Washington gridlock."

-- A lot of the questions surround what Angus King will do after the election; could he changes caucuses? I've heard nothing to indicate that this is really in play (yet), and he's hewing closely to his talking point. "'A lot of people think that when you caucus with the Democrats or Republicans, it means you are joining them, you're joining the party and that's really not true... You're not signing anything. You don't take a pledge. You don't sign an oath.'" Make sure to read the rest, including a great nugget about King and Sen. Bernie Sander's Dirksen hallway, aka the "independents ghetto." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f027b223215a558e53d8f2e046540f41a0d2310437e88d6717 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=d76ee7f4d74900f027b223215a558e53d8f2e046540f41a0d2310437e88d6717 

HATS IN THE RING: Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker and Nevada Sen. Dean Heller are floating candidacies for the worst job in Washington in 2016: Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. It's a tough map for Republicans, with 24 seats to defend compared to 10 for Democrats, but the job often comes with rewards for those that succeed, and sometimes for those that don't. Check out Manu and Anna's story: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e82d3da0a091f43713dba097c39c838bed85881507d3905332 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e82d3da0a091f43713dba097c39c838bed85881507d3905332 

State your case: The elephant in the room for Heller are his ties with Reid. They meet often and are getting along quite well, by all accounts. But Reid will be the NRSC's top target in 2016 (if he runs again) and Heller would have to get way past that at the NRSC. The questions about Wicker, my colleagues note, is about his fundraising prowess. He's also from a more Republican state, while Heller has become a more pragmatic Republican since he began representing all of purple Nevada.

COWBOY HAT IN THE RING: Rep. Frank Lucas is mulling a challenge to Rep. Jeb Hensarling for the Financial Services Committee gavel, JakeLaurenBres report. "I've been approached by several members about their concerns on the direction of the Financial Services Committee and the indication that they would like to have a different way of going about things compared to the last two years." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e86486ba378e0152b8eb5bcc79fc7966529500c4f53dbe8302 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e86486ba378e0152b8eb5bcc79fc7966529500c4f53dbe8302 

FOR YOUR NOVEMBER RADAR: Energy and Commerce Chair Fred Upton is facing the most spirited Democratic challenger of his career in southwest Michigan. The surprise here is that while MayDay PAC plans to commit nearly $2 million to the race in this swing district, national Democrats are nowhere, reports NJ's Alex Brown. "The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted four other Michigan GOP-held seats this cycle (they&#39;ve since pulled out of all four races), but has not put its weight behind Clements&#39;s campaign. The 6th is 'the most Democratic seat in Michigan that&#39;s held by a Republican,'' said Mark Miller, the Michigan Democratic Party&#39;s district chair. 'Why the
 DCCC has been unwilling to invest in this district is perplexing.'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8eef52abc5a08dae926710889bb1c82b3e7324e15242b3cd1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8eef52abc5a08dae926710889bb1c82b3e7324e15242b3cd1 

FIGHTING WORDS IN 'BAMA: Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama is calling the corruption charges against state House Speaker Mike Hubbard "gutter politics" and an attempt to hurt Hubbard's chance at the governor's office. "'It&#39;s Chicago-style gutter politics and it&#39;s got no place in Lee County or the state of Alabama ... Who&#39;d like to be governor in four years?' Rogers asked, in a question that appeared aimed at Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, a Republican who like Hubbard is presumed to hold gubernatorial ambitions." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8210b4d51b59f70340666463085001ca7a073a2c48302b80d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8210b4d51b59f70340666463085001ca7a073a2c48302b80d 

GOOD RAINY WEDNESDAY. Welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill. We are paying our respects to Ben Bradlee this morning and enjoying the fall foliage in Hill East from our supine post-surgery posture. Please send tips to 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked]  and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - Interns are checking the printer toner. Strategists are mulling November floor charts. Capitol Police are loudly talking trash about the Washington football team.

RICH FOREVER? Not so much: Roll Call puts together a list of lawmakers that report no assets. They are: Jim Moran, Paul Tonko, Duncan Hunter, Rick Crawford, Louie Gohmert and Gregory Meeks. Two others, Kyrsten Sinema and Gwen Moore reported only pensions as assets. "Sinema attributes her relative pauper status to her background. 'As a child, I was homeless for several years without running water, without electricity. ...Unlike I think probably many people who are privileged to work in Congress, I don't come from a family of assets.'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8914f94479de0f766d8b4ec4ef992bd39f81a73693c4870f7 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8914f94479de0f766d8b4ec4ef992bd39f81a73693c4870f7 

WHITE HOUSE: WHAT'S A REPUBLICAN SENATE? Press secretary Josh Earnest was not particularly forthcoming when asked if the president had mulled what life would be like under a Republican Senate. "Not really," Earnest said. Well, were the president's comments about Democratic candidates supporting his agenda unhelpful? "The President was simply making the observation that he is strongly supportive of candidates that are strongly supportive of policies that benefit middle-class families." So is the Senate a lost cause? "Absolutely not."

BRALEY V. BRANSTAD? First Lady Michelle Obama stumped for Iowa Senate Bruce Braley and Minnesota Sen. Al Franken and Gov. Mark Dayton yesterday. According to the transcript, no first lady flubs of Braley's last name this time but the White House Press Office is still struggling to identify the congressman, sending out an email with her remarks "at a grassroots campaign event with Democratic Candidate for Governor Bruce Braley."

COBURN V. NIH: Tom Coburn is taking it straight to NIH in his last "Wastebook", bashing Director Francis Collins for claiming "a vaccine for Ebola 'probably' would have been developed by now if not for the stagnant funding for the agency, which has a $30 billion annual budget. Yet NIH did come up with the money to pay to give Swedish massages for rabbits." The rabbit rubs are one of four salvos that Coburn throws toward NIH -- and he even saves some shade for Hillary Clinton, attacking the State Department for spending on her book tour in Europe. My story this a.m.: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8b5d97e18526bc9b079ada6c127d3e81ed24d430d59a4bf9d 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8b5d97e18526bc9b079ada6c127d3e81ed24d430d59a4bf9d  | Link to the Wastebook: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e815137ddf867c232357ee283a90eff5bcb26af32e3bdccaf2 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e815137ddf867c232357ee283a90eff5bcb26af32e3bdccaf2 

Just for fun: It's worth watching Coburn destroy a massive credit card on the Senate floor again. Whatever you think of his ideology, the senator's got spunk. 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8d389f3af7a5664cb638c299d75c53e7e02e4baddbb960ab9 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8d389f3af7a5664cb638c299d75c53e7e02e4baddbb960ab9 

CIA INTERROGATION REPORT LINGERS: White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough is personally negotiating what gets redacted as Senate Dems champ at the bit to release the document. Huffington Post: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8a7d4f2c595d23e702f0e0b08a7a4527832e9e53dbc450cb0 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e8a7d4f2c595d23e702f0e0b08a7a4527832e9e53dbc450cb0 

COMPLAINT ABOUT A COMPLAINT: The conservative Cause of Action says the Senate Ethics Committee ignored its complaint about Reid last year. Indeed we haven't heard a peep out of the secretive panel; typically we would after a complaint was resolved or dismissed. "The Committee's failure to publicly provide reasoned notice for its apparent findings of insufficiency shows an unacceptable opacity," Cause of Action Executive Director Daniel Epstein wrote in a letter to Senate Ethics Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and ranking member Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). My item: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e83522ae7eb1243d951cc60007b74554767b709f5ce4a555c1 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e1b7e6a4346938e83522ae7eb1243d951cc60007b74554767b709f5ce4a555c1 

CRUZ'S POLITICAL CONSCIENCE: Alex Bolton from The Hill spends some time with Paul Teller, a former Republican Study Committee aide, and comes away with a headline dubbing him Sen. Ted Cruz's "agitator in chief." Teller told Alex: "If you're in the political arena, and you feel strongly about something, why not be an agitator? Why not push as hard as you can?" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81ada5229a46ab5277e4396de3f88afe56f4e989fdf6c095be 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81ada5229a46ab5277e4396de3f88afe56f4e989fdf6c095be 

ANTHONY WEINER TO LUCY McCALMONT: "I mean, realistically, my political career is probably over ... The only job I ever wanted more than Congress was mayor, and I don't think that either of those two jobs are going to be available. So, no, it's not like, 'OK, how do I get back in?' I'm not thinking that anymore. I think I kind of took my stab at that." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd811f096237735b3ad8bfa79432ee510a8515b1ac9361cca7bf 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd811f096237735b3ad8bfa79432ee510a8515b1ac9361cca7bf 

MOVING ON: Matthew Harakal is leaving his post as communications director for Sen. Orrin Hatch to work for the Chamber's Global Intellectual Property Center as super duper director of communications. Hatch's previous comms director Antonia Ferrier, peaced out in March to Forbes-Tate.

Send 'em in: The next two months will involve a lot of comings and goings around here. Holler at your boy with the good news about yourself -- or the bad news about someone else. 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] 

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Alex Treadway of the Daily Caller was the first to identify Lafayette as an American Revolutionary War General and Hero of Two Worlds who declined the position of Governor of Louisiana.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Alex has today's question during "Louisiana Week" here at huddle: Lindy Boggs claims two major political firsts. Name them.The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] 

GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says "Sign Up."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81ccc48c8de13a106bb2139819e3d1c373bad29fc61cfa3937 
 http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81ccc48c8de13a106bb2139819e3d1c373bad29fc61cfa3937 

Go to POLITICO Huddle Now >> http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81be4573bfd6c20eec855e5a2cfef879cb572f2587c9c5c080

Go to this edition >> http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81221db62005a3ef90285357f6b8674031614ecaf40bacfaaa

=================================

2014 POLITICO, LLC

POLITICO Huddle.

To unsubscribe, http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=59961864d0b4dd81b3142f676aec671bf6b31d79d71ffc2a41997b5375a36343

=================================