Georgia U.S, Senate candidate Jon Ossoff (D) tweeted a chicken emoji after Sen. David Perdue (R) didn’t show up for their scheduled debate saying Perdue’s “handlers won’t let him debate because he could incriminate himself on the Cardlytics emails, the submarine stock trades, or the Regions Bank deal — that alone is disqualifying.”
Kerry’s Climate Job Scrambles Biden’s Org Chart
Politico: “He’s been a national figure since his days as a Vietnam vet protesting the war. He carried his party’s banner in 2004. And as secretary of State, he negotiated a major nuclear deal involving the world’s most powerful countries.”
“Now John Kerry is reporting for duty as Joe Biden’s climate envoy, and the exact parameters of his new role remain undefined, raising concerns that he might create confusion and complicate the Biden administration’s diplomatic lines of effort.”
Government Funding Expires on Friday
Playbook: “We hear that Congress is likely to pass a one-week stopgap spending bill to buy another seven days for talks on government funding — that would make the shutdown deadline Dec. 18. Whether Congress eventually settles on a 12-bill omnibus or a three-month stopgap is still not clear. At this point, it seems like a three-month CR or something of that nature is becoming more likely. This would create a natural deadline in March for funding/another Covid relief bill. There seems to be a lot of disagreement about an omni at this point — but no one is ruling anything out.”
Stacey Abrams Blamed for Trump Not Conceding
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) seemed to blame Stacey Abrams (D) for President Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Raffensperger drew parallels between Abrams’ refusal to concede her loss in the 2018 gubernatorial race to Brian Kemp: “After four years of relentless attacks on the integrity of elections by the most significant mainstream media outlets and pundits, it should come as no surprise that Americans have trouble believing the results of even the most secure elections.”
California Locks Down Again
“Tens of millions of people in Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area will find themselves under new stay-at-home orders this week in an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19 and prevent hospitals from being overrun,” CNN reports.
“Roughly 33 million of California’s 39 million residents, about 85% of the nation’s most populous state, will be under the orders beginning Sunday evening.”
Two New Books on Trump’s Final Year
Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, both of The Washington Post, are teaming up to write a book on the final days of the Trump presidency and the first phase of the Biden presidency, Axios reports.
And Playbook reports Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig, who wrote A Very Stable Genius, will also team up again to write about Trump’s final year.
Biden’s Ambassador to the GOP
Politico: “Chris Coons was in the final two when it came to Joe Biden’s search for a secretary of State. But the president-elect had a simple message when he broke the news that the job would instead go to Tony Blinken.”
Said Biden: “I need you in the Senate.”
“The next president is telling that to lots of Democrats these days as he tries to staff his Cabinet. But in the Biden era, Coons may actually be the most critical individual Democrat on Capitol Hill — Biden truly needs his help to have any chance at accomplishment in a narrowly divided Congress.”
Pompeo to Head Home to Kansas
Wall Street Journal: “In an interview at his State Department office, Mr. Pompeo said he and his wife, Susan, aim to return at some point to Kansas to be with friends, family and their church community. As a congressman, he represented the state’s Fourth District for six years. … [L]ongtime supporters see Mr. Pompeo leveraging his national and international stature for a future run for governor, U.S. senator or, one day, president or vice president.”
“Kansas Republican National Committeeman Mark Kahrs sees Mr. Pompeo as a possible challenger to Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in two years. While Mr. Kahrs said he still hopes President Trump will serve a second consecutive term, he believes Mr. Pompeo has a strong claim as Mr. Trump’s successor someday.”
Giuliani Diagnosis Closes Arizona Legislature
The Arizona Legislature will be closed all next week after at least 15 current or future Republican legislators may have been directly exposed to COVID-19 by meeting with Rudy Giuliani, the Arizona Capitol Times reports.
Anti-Vaccine Doctor Will Testify Before Senate
“A doctor who is skeptical of coronavirus vaccines and promotes the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment will be the lead witness at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, prompting criticism from Democrats who say Republicans should not give a platform to someone who spreads conspiracy theories,” the New York Times reports.
Lujan Grisham Won’t Join Biden Administration
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) will not be leaving for a Cabinet position in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, the Biden transition team and the governor herself said Sunday, the Albuquerque Journal reports.
Ossoff Debates Empty Podium
Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) refused to debate challenger Jon Ossoff tonight, so he’s being represented by an empty podium.
Barr May Leave Before Trump’s Term Ends
“Attorney General William Barr is considering stepping down before President Trump’s term ends next month, according to three people familiar with this thinking. One said Mr. Barr could announce his departure before the end of the year,” the New York Times reports.
“It was not clear whether the attorney general’s deliberations were influenced by Mr. Trump’s refusal to concede his election loss or his fury over Mr. Barr’s acknowledgment last week that the Justice Department uncovered no widespread voting fraud. In the ensuing days, the president refused to say whether he still had confidence in his attorney general.”
Biden Picks New Head of CDC
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Rochelle Walensky, the chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Politico reports.
Giuliani Admitted to the Hospital
ABC News has confirmed Rudy Giuliani was admitted to Georgetown Hospital Sunday after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
Biden Picks Becerra as Health Secretary
“President-elect Joe Biden has selected Xavier Becerra, a former congressman who is now the Democratic attorney general of California, as his nominee for secretary of health and human services, ending a politically delicate search that brought complaints from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about a lack of Latinos in the incoming cabinet,” the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Becerra became Mr. Biden’s clear choice only over the last few days, according to people familiar with the transition’s deliberations, and was a surprise. He has carved out a profile more on the issues of criminal justice, immigration and tax policy, and he was long thought to be a candidate for attorney general.”
Trump Plans a Wild White House Exit
“President Trump is considering a made-for-TV grand finale: a White House departure on Marine One and final Air Force One flight to Florida for a political rally opposite Joe Biden’s inauguration,” Axios reports.
“The former network star is privately discussing using his waning powers as commander in chief to order up the exit he wants after dissing Biden by refusing to concede the election, welcome him to the White House or commit to attending his inauguration.”
“Immediately announcing he is running for re-election in 2024 would set up four years of Trump playing Biden’s critic-in-chief.”
Biden May Arrive for His Inauguration By Train
“There’s talk within Bidenworld of the president-elect ditching the typical flourish of arriving in Washington on an Air Force plane, pulling in instead on the same Amtrak train he rode to and from Delaware for 30 years as a senator,” Axios reports.
