The TAKE, with Rick Klein
Don ’t say divided government can’t accomplish anything.
Based on one meeting, there’s no agreement on a border wall or on a plan to avert a government shutdown. But it’s game over on the blame game.
“I am proud to shut down the government for border security,” President Donald Trump told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
It sure looks like “Chuck and Nancy” won a round. The president clearly and explicitly took ownership of a partial shutdown of the government that could happen over the holidays.
Among fellow Democrats, a critical constituency for both right now, Schumer and Pelosi look better after the bizarrely public interaction in the Oval Office.
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Pelosi took something of a victory lap with a group of colleagues Tuesday afternoon, saying the wall is a “manhood thing” for Trump, “as if manhood could ever be associated with him.” The transparency is apparently infectious: The comments quickly made their way into the public realm.
Washington is headed for a messy end to a tumultuous year. But Democratic leaders will be quite relevant in the days ahead — and much more than that in the weeks and months that follow.
The RUNDOWN with Mary Alice Park
The president says he’s OK owning a partial shutdown — so what did he just buy?
According to House Appropriations staff on Capitol Hill, about 25 percent of federal government spending will be affected if a deal isn’t reached. More than 30 percent of federal employees could be affected, with hundreds of thousands asked to work over the holidays without pay.
Food stamps and other federal benefits are mandatory and protected. The special counsel’s office is secured too, but food safety inspections and national park visits could stop completely.
Border agents and the Secret Service could be asked to work without pay, as well as federal lawyers and law enforcement.
Diplomats overseas, in the past, have been told to keep working too.
The president might be proud and feel principled should this all pass next week, but shutdowns are often messy and expensive.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/A placard with information regarding the government shutdown is placed at the entrance of the Liberty State ferry terminal in New York City, Jan. 21, 2018.
The TIP with John Verhovek
With each passing day, a brand new election in North Carolina looks more and more likely, but the main question going forward is: Who will be the candidates vying to represent the state’s 9th Congressional District come 2019?
On Tuesday, the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, made his clearest call yet for a new election to be held in light of further allegations of misconduct by election officials.
But now, a new wrinkle has been added in the form of a bill being mulled by the state legislature that would require a new primary election in the district, in addition to a new general election.
Republican Mark Harris won the seat by just over 900 votes last month, and with his involvement in the alleged wrongdoing still in question, the party may be wary of how voters in the district would view him a second time around.
Democrats are eyeing this as a potential 41st flipped seat this cycle, but that goal could become more complicated depending on who actually makes the ballot in a hypothetical special election.
Chuck Burton/AP, file mark Harris speaks to the media during a news conference in Matthews, N. C., Nov. 7, 2018.
THE PLAYLIST
ABC News’ “Start Here” Podcast. Wednesday morning’s episode features a full breakdown of Nancy Pelosi’s and Chuck Schumer’s meeting with Donald Trump. ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl replays the dramatic scene, while ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce says we could be seeing more of these squabbles over the next two years. Then, ABC News’ Ali Rogin explains why Google’s CEO, what is grilled on Capitol Hill about China. http://apple.co/2HPocUL
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
The president participates in a signing event for an Executive Order establishing the White House, Opportunity and Revitalization Council at 2:30 p.m.
Vice President Mike Pence delivers remarks at NASA headquarters in Washington at 12:30 p.m.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, is set to be sentenced at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Proceedings start at 11 a. m.
Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, Sen. Lamar Alexander, sen Tim Kaine and Rep. Seth Moulton wants to appear at Axios’s “Health Care in 2019” discussion. The event starts at 8 a. m. at the AJAX in Washington.
Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a Center for American Progress panel discussion called “Eliminating Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Mortality” starting at 10 a. m.
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The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the day’s top stories in politics. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.
