Subject: POLITICO Huddle: TRUMP BLAMELESS FOR GOP LOSSES? -- Pelosi slams Trump's wall -- MCCONNELL SAYS DEFICIT A BIPARTISAN PROBLEM -- Dems destroy GOP incumbents in fundraising
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2018 06:04:26 -0600
List-Id: <1376319.xt.local>

10/17/2018 08:02 AM EDT

By Nolan D. McCaskill ([email-masked] or @NolanDMcCaskill)
 
BLAME GAME -- President Donald Trump won't be taking any responsibility if House Republicans lose their majority. "In a wide-ranging interview three weeks before Election Day, Trump told The Associated Press he senses voter enthusiasm rivaling 2016 and he expressed cautious optimism that his most loyal supporters will vote even when he is not on the ballot," Catherine Lucey, Jonathan Lemire and Zeke Miller report. "He dismissed suggestions that he might take responsibility, as his predecessor did, for midterm losses or view the outcome as a referendum on his presidency."
 
"No, I think I'm helping people," Trump said, touting his record in primary endorsements. "I don't believe anybody's ever had this kind of an impact." In the past, Trump said, endorsements were "nice to have" but "meant nothing." "Some of the people I've endorsed have gone up 40 and 50 points just on the endorsement," he added. The president also made clear he's not on the ballot. He said people have told him, "I will never ever go and vote in the midterms because you're not running and I don't think you like Congress." For the record, he said, he likes Republicans in Congress who support him. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=87baf5639839aca169ed104976f179adcd2a6ddc78d38c37ead0dd369a91b406a24f275c303fa8132a5b06462d2e9612 and the full interview transcript: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b66508615252de07c0f822b0997cd1f1b29ff464d2e7babb962bcde96edfc638c450e9bf460c86efe5 
 
PELOSI TRASHES TRUMP'S WALL -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the president's desire to build a wall "a manhood issue" that doesn't interest her. Ahead of December's fight over border wall funding, "Pelosi emphasized Democrats do support border security but they would prefer to look at strengthening existing security measures as part of a comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws," Roll Call's Lindsey McPherson writes. "We can't allow him to say we're not interested in protecting the border," Pelosi said of Trump. "That isn't the only way to protect the border. In fact, it's probably the worst way to protect the border." More: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6bffc81bf3fbe312e4038b8fbdf3f523b4a2088876b3a68e89afafa0bee5101dcf406c33e43fd2033 
 
DEFICIT NOT A GOP PROBLEM -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) cast the rising federal deficit as a bipartisan problem created by an "unwillingness to address the real drivers of the debt by doing anything to adjust those programs to the demographics of America in the future." "It's disappointing, but it's not a Republican problem," McConnell told Bloomberg News. McConnell said entitlement reform -- Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- "is the real driver of the debt by any objective standard" but argued it would be nearly impossible to achieve with unified government. (Trump told the AP he's not touching Social Security.) More: 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6893ba0381219ff91319e440ceff98a0924964e39d7d2ab7dce12b8818c526b514cd0d1f21b628ca2 
 
McConnell also confirmed the new NAFTA -- the USMCA -- won't get a vote this Congress. "My trade advisers say you can't possibly do it under the various steps that we have to go through. I had not heard that it might be possible to address it this year," he said. The Kentucky Republican added that he hasn't spoken with the White House about passing the trade agreement this year, but it will be a top priority next year. Unfortunately, for Republicans, "Waiting until next year for Congress to approve the measure opens the possibility for Democrats to seek concessions from the White House if the party wins a majority in the House in midterm elections Nov. 6," Bloomberg News' Jenny Leonard
 writes. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6164ff90fee81f3b84a6ca95d2cdc01a199bd75b99e10067d169b0baf8807d820b91f5e5c43e34543 
 
Related: "Guns or butter? Republicans pick both," by Sarah Ferris: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b639e1ab9e4f1fd6ecb5faa34fc1d087da2ba110e6cde5055d46f09efbe4d340ed159e2bd9e7c8ba25 
 
HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Oct. 17.
 
TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Roll Call's report on why Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is likely to become speaker if Democrats win back the House was the winner.
 
President Trump says a red wave is coming on Election Day. Is he right, or will the tide turn blue? Compete against the nation's top political minds in the POLITICO Playbook Election Challenge by correctly picking the winning candidates in some of the most competitive House, Senate and gubernatorial races in the country. Win awesome prizes and eternal bragging rights. Sign up today!
 
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REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH TRUMP OVER KHASHOGGI -- A rift between GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration has emerged over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The president has seemingly accepted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's denial that he knows anything about what happened. Trump later compared the denials to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's, telling AP he doesn't like the presumption that "you're guilty until proven innocent." "But Republican lawmakers didn't share that perspective, denouncing the kingdom and its crown prince in uncommonly harsh terms," BuzzFeed News' Emily Tamkin writes. 
 
"Democrats in Congress have long been critical of Trump's seeming ambivalence toward other countries' human rights violations," she adds. "But the Republican anger over Khashoggi seemed likely to meld with that criticism into a political force that could be difficult for Trump to contain and that could well endanger what has been a more than 70-year-long military alliance with Saudi Arabia." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6236998978ec179e919e4cea3457ff03241f0e2ce9b72bfc2ae78d111c263cbeccb69a20e9b6e56ad 
 
Related read: "Diplomatic crisis spotlights Saudi Arabia's spending in Washington," from Theodoric Meyer, Lorraine Woellert and Marianne Levine: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6bdbb972a1a6be3773a1d3629699b011a37d1e2207f0221c8cc5add9e61ebaf7c57c2711ada177684 
 
DEMS DOMINATE FUNDRAISING -- More than 90 Democratic challengers outraised GOP incumbents in third-quarter fundraising, "a staggering mismatch that boosts the odds of a GOP washout in November," Elena Schneider writes. "There is no historical precedent for financing this broad and deep for congressional challengers. About half of the 92 GOP incumbents are protecting battleground districts, and some of them posted personal-record fundraising totals in the third quarter of 2018 -- but they still found themselves swamped by a combination of incandescent online fundraising for Democrats and bigger donors spreading money to challengers around the country, as 61 Democrats raised over $1 million."
 
By the numbers: 51 House Republicans were outraised at least 2-to-1, 71 GOP incumbents were outspent by their Democratic opponents and 33 Republicans have less cash on hand than their challengers. Meanwhile, only five House Democrats were outraised, and no Democratic members are lagging behind a GOP opponent in cash. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6f73dc6c868920d6678806ba5befdc75310285d21f126a3d337330582044f5363271c049651d0cb43 
 
Related: "Dark-money groups were ordered to reveal their donors. They didn't," per Maggie Severns: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=87baf5639839aca12d8239ec816ea6427c003f5fcffa8e93bedf686d900e16c519e6b3a942ca204421577196e309cb23 and "RNC posts $56 million quarter as donations boom ahead of midterms," via Gabby Orr: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6b45ad5c202d7635427752a41a1d04c6dfddfbf5f2ce1603480ddf39ad016e25cf51db4647302787e 
 
HEITKAMP APOLOGIZES -- Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) has apologized after her campaign identified women as sexual assault survivors without permission in an open letter criticizing Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). The letter seizing on Cramer's recent comments about the #MeToo movement was published in several newspapers across the state Sunday. It was signed by more than 100 women. "But a conservative blog on Tuesday posted Facebook comments from several women who said their names were included without their knowledge or permission, and Heitkamp acknowledged the mistake and apologized," James Arkin reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6b00d6d7b3b5b5ee0ae8f146bb7eefd01f0e8ddd11b8a95588263694997cec227e32002607635ba0b 
 
A group of women told CNN they are looking for a lawyer. "Heidi Heitkamp's political agenda has interfered with, or downright ruined, our lives," they said in a statement from a group representing more than a dozen women who were listed without consent. "Survivors of assault who had taken care to avoid the subject were suddenly bombarded by questions asking them to explain to their loved ones why their name appeared on this list. Women who have never been assaulted spent the day reassuring loved ones of their safety." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6dfdce7946ce090a9497047fc6c07e9109986f076914a3e5cf2e1f6d199ef62bd7c8275cc8a35e7f7 
 
GOP RACE FOR APPROPS CHAIR GETS UGLY -- Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) was favored to lead the House Appropriations Committee, then along came Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), who has used Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) office to court members' support. Granger told McCarthy this summer that "it's very inappropriate" to allow Graves to use his leadership conference rooms, which members saw as a subtle endorsement. "The race to head the powerful Appropriations panel next year is intensifying behind the scenes, as Graves, a dark-horse candidate, makes headway in his long-shot bid for the position," Rachael reports. 
 
"The drama is threatening to become a headache for McCarthy, whose loyalties are being torn between his good friend, Graves, and senior appropriators who say they'll be furious if he endorses the junior panel member," she continues. "Some GOP lawmakers have told POLITICO they won't back McCarthy to succeed Speaker Paul Ryan if he endorses Graves for the position. And supporters in both camps seem to think McCarthy is going to back their candidate, meaning one side will feel betrayed." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b687aa22c1c695f80b9ca8e4f5ed0a3e450a3de213539297f0f774f2fb8861a041f63263eddc8f81c2 
 
TOUGH LOVE -- Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are getting tough on Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), pushing him to make moves to put himself in position to become House speaker or majority leader in the next Congress. Basically, Clyburn needs to take advantage of the next three weeks to "demonstrate your ability to lead," as Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) put it. Clyburn said members have told him he needs to talk about his anti-poverty plan and go on the road to make sure people understand it. And they want lists "of every place you've been during this campaign" and "of every dollar you've given."
 
"If current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California doesn't have the support to take back the speaker's gavel she lost after the 2010 election, Clyburn has a shot at taking it for himself," McClatchy's Emma Dumain reports. "If Pelosi stays put, there's new chatter the Black Caucus could empower Clyburn to challenge current Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland for the majority leader slot." Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) said the CBC will push for an African-American to be one of the top two leaders. "We're not running against a person," Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) said. "We are running for a position." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6bfa93260e69ebe942ce67a0466022396dc91ef61124ce01a34429497641db8602cfe7a26bb3e1e2b 
 
HURRICANE AFTERMATH -- Florida Gov. Rick Scott could delay the general election for state races in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael while allowing federal races -- including his own against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) -- to proceed on Election Day. "It's an unlikely scenario, but it's one that Florida Democrats discussed Monday and Tuesday," Marc Caputo reports. "They also corresponded with the state's elections division in support of more voting opportunities for hurricane survivors. And they privately war-gamed how to reach voters and debated what to do if the state decides to place any super-voting precincts in GOP-heavy areas, but not Democratic ones." 
 
Tens of thousands of voters are recovering from the devastation in the Panhandle. "With power out in many areas and phone lines down, it's still not clear how many voters across the state have been affected. Nor is it clear which voter precincts were damaged, or what exactly the state should do to make voting easier for survivors and the displaced," Caputo writes. "Between House races, the governor's race and his own Senate contest, Scott's ultimate decision could have far-reaching implications in a state with a history of razor-thin elections margins and controversies -- and it could even affect the balance of power in Washington." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6c4758e5504a842e25e0e9a273b613385311b0b0d7ec4e39d70af11a411c1a3e8063ac9bd846d8b3c 
 
NAUERT IN MIX FOR U.N. AMBASSADOR -- The White House is also considering State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, the acting under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs and former Fox News host, as a possible successor to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. "White House aides view her as a capable advocate for the Trump administration's foreign policy," Eliana Johnson reports. "But White House officials stressed that the process for selecting Haley's replacement is still in the early stages and that the pool of candidates, which includes ambassadors Kelly Knight Craft, Jamie McCourt, and Ric Grenell -- Trump's envoys to Canada, France, and Germany,
 respectively -- will likely change before the president makes a final selection." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0d34821345f709b6471a0885b48bdd2161361f1ae1a6f8635d831aa07a769310211783cbbae8fcb35a000e35bf0fda18 
 
TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House and Senate are out.
 
AROUND THE HILL -- Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) will hold a press call in response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) comments about GOP hopes to slash Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to offset budget deficits at 11 a.m. RSVP to Elena Kuhn for dial-in information at [email-masked].
 
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) will deliver keynote remarks at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, focusing on new challenges to youth privacy, including Internet-connected toys, "smart" home devices, mobile gaming and streaming video, at 1 p.m. in 385 Russell.
 
TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Bruce Mehlman was first to correctly guess that John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were the two future presidents who had their offices across the hall from each other while they served as senators. 
 
TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Bruce: How many presidents who served between the end of World War II and the end of the Cold War had previously served in the U.S. military? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: [email-masked].
 
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