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12/08/2015 07:49 AM EDT


By Seung Min Kim (skim@politico.com or @seungminkim)

With an assist from Burgess Everett and Jeremy Herb

SENATE GOP REBUKE TRUMP - Donald Trump made waves (the really bad kind) with his provocative call to ban all Muslim immigrants from entering the United States. The comments drew immediate backlash from Senate Republicans, who have privately fretted about a Trump candidacy and the potential for the billionaire businessman to drag down in-cycle GOP senators in blue and purple states next November. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who has been outspoken for months on his distaste with Trump's candidacy, told reporters Monday night that banning Muslims from the United States "does not reflect serious thought. Just when you think he can't stoop lower, he does."

--Arizona Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee said of Trump's proposal: "It's foolish. It's not his first foolish statement. Probably won't be his last. Why is it not foolish? Isn't that self-explanatory? I just think it's foolish. I don't know how to elaborate." And moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine insisted that the "vast majority of [Republicans] disagree" with Trump's call and that any such proposal risks alienating key U.S. allies that are majority Muslim nations, such as Jordan and Turkey.

--But Democrats aren't hesitating to tie Trump to vulnerable Senate GOP incumbents such as Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who declined to answer whether the comments from Trump are hurting the Republican Party. "You'll have to talk to the political pundits about that," she told reporters. "My position is there shouldn't be a religious-based test. We should conduct the same analysis for everyone's background, except for the added requirements that I've called for on the Syrian refugees given our inability to have all the information we need to vet."

-- Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) also said he disagreed with Trump's call, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) responded: "Oh total ban? I'd be careful with that." Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa - who is up for reelection in a swing state yet faces no serious challenger, refuses to weigh in: "We got 15 candidates for president and each one of you could ask me something that somebody asked about this point or that point. I'm just not going to take my time commenting on what 15 candidates for president have to say."

--And in the most confusing attempt to deflect the Trump questions, how NRSC Chairman Roger Wicker - who says he made a vow not to comment on the presidential race in his position -- responded when I asked him to weigh in as a normal rank-and-file senator, not as NRSC chair: "That was a really good try. If you were interested in my personal view, I would be on the street corner in Tupelo, Mississippi."

--If you need a refresher on what Trump said - although really, how could you forget? - here is the AP story: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d192031f12e73362c5fd5805a12e90289f049657286db99a171

CONGRESS SET TO BLOW DEC. 11 DEADLINE - Monday's self-imposed deadline to release text of the omnibus spending bill came and went, and now it's looking significantly likely that lawmakers will have to buy themselves some extra time to send a funding bill to President Barack Obama. POLITICO's John Bresnahan and Jake Sherman report both Dems and Republicans are notching some policy wins, but ink's nowhere near dry on a final deal: "Republicans are confident they'll be able to lift a ban on exporting crude oil, though the GOP is wary of acceding to Democratic demands on environmental policy in return for allowing such sales. Democrats are relieved Republicans aren't fighting to strip funds
from Planned Parenthood."

--"One major open question is how Congress will handle the Syrian refugee crisis, and whether the issue gets caught up in the year-end spending fight ... Yet there are still big disputes between the two parties over environmental policy provisions, including global warming and clean water programs." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d190ae87558947a016c941dbca360ce7b44994947ee46f7b83e

--And a separate tax deal that has so far been elusive (more on that below) is also complicating matters. Per Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the top Dem on the Senate Appropriations Committee: "We thought we had an agreement. And we're moving very substantially through the weekend. But ... complications with the tax extenders have been a bit of a setback. But we were making great progress on the money and I felt great progress on the [policy] riders. Right now we seem to be stuck."

--Ryan, rather than slogging away in backrooms to craft a spending deal, is instead cheerfully texting colleagues from football games while his members do the heavy lifting. Jennifer Steinhauer takes a glimpse into Ryan's leadership style for the New York Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d19b24a14af3a7501b6034a9122019735c604d8493446d419ba

THE WASTEBOOK IS BACK! Is that Jedi Jeff Flake alongside Obi Wan Coburn on the cover of this year's Wastebook? Why yes it is! The derisive chronicle of spending lands today, but for those who can't wait, Huddle gives you the movie-style poster of Flake and Coburn complete with a sheep in space and a pig with a light saber. This cover art is a must-click, right here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d196e45954f66147bebbb1ff663a0f680e1045bf133c1696eb7

--A little birdie tells Huddle that Flake will be delivering copies of the Wastebook to the Senate Daily Press Gallery tomorrow after the morning votes, along with a "ridiculous food item."

TAX DEAL PROSPECTS FADE - The Wall Street Journal's Richard Rubin and Siobhan Hughes: "Republican and Democratic negotiators have been working for weeks to reach a deal that would let each side turn some of its favored temporary breaks into permanent policy, including the research and development tax credit and expanded tax credits for low-income and middle-income families. 'I would never say it's too late, but we're running out of time' Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) said on Monday." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d190f9b9dadf33582a0c6096354b277b0aebec7240b33df174a

--As the fallback option, a two-year tax extenders package was posted Monday night: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d19442bf1d66e23c05d0dc8ab9ba3a58080fa3262e72597d008

MULVANEY'S SURPRISING AIR COVER - The outspoken member of the Freedom Caucus is getting boosted by ads backed by the American Action Network, an outside group aligned with House Republican leadership. It's a major change of heart from just earlier this year, when AAN ran ads blasting conservatives, who were threatening to defund the Department of Homeland Security over immigration policy disputes. POLITICO's Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d195181b5bd39ddbabb19c580b2b9f253da331676d871c3990b

IT'S ONLY TUESDAY, Dec. 8, 2015 and you're reading the Huddle, where it's getting close to that point in December where we have to do our Christmas shopping in the Capitol Visitors Center gift shop. Send your alternative holiday gift ideas (as well as your tips, scoops, corrections, complaints, etc.) at skim@politico.com. You can always reach me on Twitter at @seungminkim.

My new followers include @KimcheeGI and @kdrewproctor.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House is in at 10 a.m. and voting on several suspensions, including reforms to the visa waiver program, between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and will vote on cloture on the Every Child Achieves Act conference report at 11:30 a.m.

AROUND THE HILL - Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will hold a news conference on oral arguments in Evenwel vs. Abbott outside the Supreme Court at 8 a.m. Speaker Paul Ryan and House GOP leaders will hold a news conference at RNC Lobby at 10 a.m. House Dem Caucus Chair Xavier Becerra, Vice Chair Joe Crowley, and other members will hold a post-caucus news conference at 10 a.m. at HVC-210 Alcove.

Sens. Gary Peters, Bill Nelson, Tom Udall, Brian Schatz and Ed Markey will hold a news conference on climate change at 10:45 a.m. in S-325. Sen. Ted Cruz will hold a news conference with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Cruz's Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act at 11 a.m. in SVC-215. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer will hold his weekly pen and pad at 11 a.m. at H-144. Sens. Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, Tim Kaine and religious leaders will hold a news conference on refugees at 11:30 a.m. at S-115.

DEMS PUSH FOR 'NO-FLY' GUN VOTE - POLITICO's Lauren French: "Democrats launched an aggressive push on gun control Monday, starting with a procedural move aimed at forcing the House to vote on legislation to stop individuals on a government no-fly list from buying weapons. California Rep. Mike Thompson introduced a discharge petition that Democrats hope can gather enough support to compel Republican leaders to schedule a gun control vote in response to a series of deadly shootings nationwide, including in San Bernardino, California." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d193b66177b962d0fc43cc846f38e330ef29c057a4d6635a4d6

BOOKER: PICK KAINE FOR VEEP - POLITICO's Gabriel Debenedetti: "New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker lavished praise on Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as a potential vice presidential pick for Hillary Clinton during an appearance in the early-voting state of South Carolina. 'If she gave me her short list, I would give an endorsement to Tim Kaine like she's never heard. I've served with him, I have a reverence for him that's incredible,' Booker said in an interview with South Carolina Democratic Party chairman Jaime Harrison released Monday." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d1989ed8b17eab756bfe8a988e1a7c29cb539fd098ee4b6f7d9

--Kaine's aw-shucks response to Booker's trial balloon: "I think you should call me just a little old nobody who's trying to help everybody."

REID CALLS FOR ISIS 'CZAR' - CNN's Ted Barrett: "A day after President Barack Obama's Oval Office address to the nation about the efforts he's leading to defeat ISIS, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced a new Democratic bill meant to 'take the fight to ISIS while enhancing the protection of Americans here at home.' The bill includes creation of an 'ISIS czar' -- a federal employee who is 'fully empowered to unify the federal government's efforts in fighting ISIS,' Reid said on the Senate floor." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d1996f2eb13c6a33a3f99ad7039c62eebf56cb3f175268fd55a

--But ... NBC News, Dec. 1: "Rob Malley, Obama's New ISIS Czar, Is a 'Trusted' But Controversial Pick." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d194ac32a60e7640b970364e1150ae1b487bac30488253f933c

--Obama, knowing the Republican-led Capitol will never pass an authorization of the use of military force, practically dares Congress to pass one. Burgess Everett details the strategy: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d19f6792d7f8ed155fef68a368c572f50ab29b77645c5ac4ce3

MCCAUL SOUNDS WARNING ON REFUGEES - The House Homeland Security Committee Chairman, in an address Monday, said people with terrorism ties may have tried to enter the United States as a refugee - backing up Republican fears that the resettlement program could be exploited. ABC News: "McCaul's comments were sourced to an unclassified letter from the National Counterterrorism Center he received earlier this week ... He said 250 Americans with terror links have traveled to Syria, and that 50 have returned to the United States. But law enforcement officials have said that not every individual who has returned from Syria is linked to terror, and that many traveled to the country for humanitarian
and personal reasons." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d19601fd1176cccb0e25521397a80d790981606e2c88e66b577

--The House will take another legislative step in response to the Paris attacks by voting on a bill to tighten the visa waiver program, which allows citizens from 38 countries to travel to the United States visa-free. Erica Werner has the preview for the Associated Press: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d195168924028d310d5b250aa16c5533a12f405c1205ddeffa6

REID'S CASINO RIDER PUSH - Democrats aren't immune to lobbying for riders for interests they support, as The Hill's Alex Bolton documents: "Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is kicking up a storm with liberals in his caucus by pushing an amendment to the government funding bill that would help Caesars Entertainment Corporation, a Nevada-based gaming giant in danger of bankruptcy. Reid is pushing to add a provision to the year-end omnibus that would help Caesars avoid bankruptcy by allowing it to restructure debt incurred by a subsidiary out of court ... The proposal is causing uproar because there has not been a hearing on it this Congress. Critics say it's an example of another
provision being slipped into a massive bill at the last minute to help a special interest." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bfebeba50b568d190722f70f8789c9d11a3b3a3e821acbd85307f7c2bfba7ae8

SNEAK PEEK -- Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) are out today with a new family leave proposal, according to draft language obtained by Huddle. The bill would allow employers with 50+ workers to provide 12 weeks on unpaid family leave and also create a tax credit that allows any employer to offer paid leave to workers, with no mandates. To be eligible for that credit, employers would need to offer two weeks of paid leave, for example. Look for a release from the pair later today.

WHY MILLENIALS MATTER: EVENT TODAY -- Solving for Y: Exploring Opportunities for the Next Generation Conversations exploring millennials as voters and critical voices in 2016. Why do elections and voting matter? How have elected officials campaigned to successfully target millennials? Speakers include Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Rep. Will Hurd, Rand Paul's national youth director Cliff Maloney and Bernie Sanders' national press secretary Symone Sanders. Wednesday, 8 a.m. Livestream: www.politico.com/live

MONDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Andrew Smith was the first person to correctly answer that the Cullen-Harrison Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, had legalized low alcohol beer and wine in 1933.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Andrew has today's question: On this day 28 years ago, President Ronald Reagan and his Soviet counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev signed a treaty banning intermediate and shorter range missiles. Recently, the State Department formally notified Russia that they were in violation of this treaty. Name the treaty and the date of the violation notification. The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. E-mail skim@politico.com.

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