Subject: POLITICO Huddle: INAUGURATION DAY IS HERE – Democrats opt for meditation, nature walks in lieu of Trump – SENATE DEMS HOLD UP CABINET NOMINEES – Trump’s soft spot for Kevin McCarthy – McCONNELL, COLONEL SANDERS DROP BY THE BLUEGRASS BALL
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2017 07:14:13 -0600
List-Id: <1376319_6261986.xt.local>

01/20/2017 07:49 AM EDT

By Heather Caygle ([email-masked] or @heatherscope) 

With assists from Rachael Bade and Daniel Lippman 

HAPPY INAUGURATION DAY. Good morning Huddle readers. We're expecting rain in Washington for President-elect Donald Trump's big day but the show will go on. The inaugural festivities get under way around 9:30 a.m. but the real action starts around 10:30 a.m. when members of the House and Senate, Supreme Court justices and other high-profile guests are seated. The current president and vice president and the future president and vice president will then be announced. Opening remarks begin around 11:30 a.m. Vice President-elect Mike Pence and Trump will be sworn in and Trump will deliver his inaugural address shortly before noon. 

Bon app&eacute;tit: The new leader of the free world will then head to Statuary Hall for the bipartisan inaugural lunch with congressional leaders and other bigwigs including Trump's Cabinet nominees and members of the Supreme Court. The menu: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b176360faa25cda11938814c0c7c2b8e025e191d4f0606e46476c465a4f1cb74 

-Everything you need to know about the inauguration: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=33dc9d1a94afa6336924dd229ad9fe333e3efdb5f9cf84fd31029616c2947ed6 And the official program: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b176360faa25cda1752dda75383c7fb2c90b7181b31d5376337910a123f536e1 

THE BIG QUESTION - After Trump is sworn in, what happens next? No one in Washington really seems to know. "There's no model, no guide, but every reason to think that the candidate who was powered by disgust at the status quo will be the president who blows the status quo to pieces in way people can't yet start to comprehend," Edward-Isaac Dovere reports. 

"'When you're hanging out in the members' gym and talking on a bipartisan basis, the one thing we can all agree,' said Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), 'is that none of us knows what is going to happen over the next two and four years-over the next two or four days.'" More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b176360faa25cda15c171489bb1b74fd617896ac5e87aeccaa770e469a0be9e7 

Get smart fast: Your user's manual for Trump's first 100 days: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec4999c0adb39ad248faf4597c690eac2cb8b2ef96f6fa2f97f 

DON'T HATE, MEDITATE - More than 60 House Democrats are skipping the inauguration, choosing to publicly protest Trump on the first day of his presidency. Rep. Tony C&aacute;rdenas has decided to use the free time to meditate and he's encouraging other Democrats who don't have plans to join him in the solemn ritual at his D.C. apartment. Freshman Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin will be taking some friends on a nature walk. Several other members including Reps. Donald McEachin, Chellie Pingree, Yvette Clarke and Mike Quigley will spend the day volunteering at food pantries and homeless shelters in their districts.

Even with the dozens of defections, House Democratic leaders and all Democratic senators are expected to attend. "Being a leader sometimes means that you have to make sacrifices, sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone," Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn told reporters Thursday. "My wife's last words to me as I walked out the house to go to the airport this morning was, 'I understand you're going but I want you to know I don't like it.' That's my wife of 55 years." Your Huddle host with more on how Democrats are spending the day: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec412e078526cb300b4df3bfdaff753c19e5497aacadd8ad4a0 

DEMS DELAY CABINET CONFIRMATIONS - Senate Democrats are preparing to allow only two of Trump's Cabinet nominees to be confirmed today, far fewer than Republicans have been demanding. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will not hold up votes on retired Gen. James Mattis, Trump's pick for Defense secretary, and retired Gen. John Kelly, Trump's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department. "It's possible that some other noncontroversial nominees could be considered relatively quickly," Schumer told reporters on Thursday. "The battle over who will get confirmed on Friday may not be defused, aides say, until senators begin processing the nominees later Friday afternoon,"
 Seung Min reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec4293e803360af7837a185c537394a9c2a3fe0944fadc40e95 

Wyden objects: Sen. Ron Wyden on Thursday formally objected to quickly moving CIA director nominee Mike Pompeo's nomination, CNN's Ted Barrett reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=33dc9d1a94afa633821c9ed2fa3e5125868f30ca573810bd71f5d2650b0f4491 Schumer said on CNN this morning Pompeo will be confirmed Monday. 

TODAY'S THE DAY. Welcome to Jan. 20. Thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. Song of the day: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec4824ee10bdba16ac0cfa4c20e980798f03e3ec99c1d171bc2

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The report from Seung Min, Burgess and Elana on Democrats not being able to tank Trump's Cabinet nominees won the day. 

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate convenes at 4 p.m. with votes on some Trump Cabinet nominees expected. 

AROUND THE HILL - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley, Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Linda Sanchez, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham and Reps. Joaquin Castro, Pete Aguilar and Darren Soto hold a 3 p.m. press conference on Trump's immigration rhetoric in 421 Cannon.  

TRUMP <3 KEVIN MCCARTHY - Donald Trump called out every member of House GOP leadership during an inauguration leadership luncheon Thursday, telling them just how much he appreciated their help. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, however, was the one he fawned over most. The president-elect asked the crowd: "Where's Kevin? THERE'S my Kevin!" McCarthy, he told the gathering, counseled him when he was at odds with Speaker Paul Ryan, who pointedly distanced himself from Trump on the campaign trail. "Kevin would call me in the heat of battle, right Kevin? And I'd be fighting with Paul... And Kevin during the heat was there for us, and I appreciate it Kevin. Thank you very much."

But Trump also wants you to know: He and Paul Ryan are cool - "I really, really love Paul," Trump also said. "I just want to let the world know, we're doing very well. We agree." Trump also called out Whip Steve Scalise and deputy whip Rep. Patrick McHenry, praising them as "my friends." He also told McHenry he has "the name of a true patriot."

Backhanded slap? Trump at times, however, has a very interesting way of "complimenting" lawmakers he considers friends or allies. Just like the time he compared Ryan to a "fine wine," then threatened to never defend him from boos if he goes against him again, Trump's praise of No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn came with a sting. After joking that Cornyn came to him to solicit campaign money for years, ("Once a year I'd get a call and I'd say, 'Oh no! It's John Cornyn!'") Trump said Cornyn didn't support him at first when he ran. "That's the way politics is. But he's good to me now and he's a great guy. And I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship." 

TILLERSON WATCH - Sen. Marco Rubio, likely the deciding vote on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Twitter Thursday night he still has "serious concerns" about Rex Tillerson's secretary of State nomination. "Secretary of State is an important role. I will decide soon," he tweeted. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker said Tillerson will still get a floor vote, even if the committee doesn't vote in the former ExxonMobil chief's favor. 

MULVANEY MIGHT HAVE 'PROBLEMS'- GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley told CNN Thursday Trump's pick for budget director, Rep. Mick Mulvaney, could have "problems" for failing to pay taxes for his kids' nanny for several years. Mulvaney has since paid the back taxes but similar revelations have sunk Cabinet nominees in the past. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec454d93c4e6e43150b5e7ffab445ac976f851a3ed34fc30339 

At least one Democrat is inclined to support Mulvaney, even if he doesn't have a vote on the South Carolina lawmaker's confirmation. Assistant House Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn told reporters he'll give Mulvaney "the benefit of the doubt," hoping the tax flap was just an "oversight." 

Fun fact: Mulvaney and Clyburn often play golf together. Clyburn said Mulvaney is "much better" but boasted that if they were the same age, Clyburn thinks he would trounce his Republican friend. 

POMP, CIRCUMSTANCE AND COLONEL SANDERS - Before the solemn ceremonies today, lawmakers have been cutting loose this week at some of the inaugural festivities held in the run up to the big day. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, accompanied by Elaine Chao, his wife and Transportation secretary nominee, "was greeted like a rock star at the Bluegrass Ball, where about 700 Kentuckians leapt to their feet and hoisted tumblers of bourbon in his direction," Dan Zak and Roxanne Roberts report. "'Four years ago, I didn't stay quite as long as I'm likely to stay tonight,' the Senate majority leader said, his mouth creeping into the world's smallest smile." More from the Washington Post: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ef9440435d98ec4d6e6ee17599cc599dd9ac0deab3c402d8ab6d254439698d9 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - Office of Government Ethics Director Walter Shaub Jr will meet with House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz and ranking member Elijah Cummings Jan. 23. Chaffetz summoned Shaub after accusing him of using the OGE's Twitter account to engage in partisan "public relations." Chaffetz denied Shaub's request for a public meeting. NPR with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=33dc9d1a94afa633dfb2086a77b2b3142acc7484ced33b1046ad76b51e03a0b6  

A MOMENT OF LEVITY - Sen. Al Franken, a former comedian, helped elicit a wave of laughter during Rick Perry's confirmation hearing Thursday but it was the former Texas governor who inadvertently landed the joke. "Governor, thank you so much for coming into my office. Did you enjoy meeting me?" Franken asked the Energy secretary nominee. "I hope you are as much fun on that dais as you were on your couch," Perry quickly responded. Franken, realizing what Perry said, started shaking his head as the crowd laughed. "May I rephrase that, sir?" Perry asked. "Please, please. Oh my lord," Franken responded. "Well I think we've found our Saturday Night Live soundbite," Perry quipped after doubling
 over in laughter.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS - Grant Dubler, will be the legislative director for Rep. Jacky Rosen. He previously worked as counsel for Rep. Lois Frankel.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Kevin Petroccione, a staff assistant in Sen. Johnny Isakson's office, was the first person to correctly guess that the shortest inaugural speech was delivered by George Washington in 1789. William Henry Harrison gave the longest inaugural speech on record, lasting one hour and 45 minutes. Trump is reportedly aiming for a 20-minute speech today. 

TODAY'S TRIVIA - I'll take today's question: When was the last time the inauguration wasn't held at the U.S. Capitol and why? The first person to correctly answer gets a shout-out in Monday's Huddle. Send suggestions for trivia questions my way: [email-masked] 

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