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03/27/2017 07:55 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

With assists from Bernie Becker and Daniel Lippman

PELOSI'S BACK, BABY - The big winner from the GOP's crash-and-burn push to repeal Obamacare? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Not just because her signature domestic achievement is safe, for now. But also because it shows that President Donald Trump might need to work with the longtime Democratic leader if he wants to notch any legislative wins this year. On the menu: Government funding runs out April 28, the debt ceiling needs to be raised in the fall, tax reform, infrastructure and trade.

Seal the deal: "Ironically, the president who ran as the great deal-maker couldn't even make a deal with the people on his own team. It's our leader who continues to unify us," Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, a close Pelosi ally, told POLITICO. "Republicans should take a lesson from that."

We've seen this movie before: Republicans have turned to Pelosi for years to deliver Democratic votes on must-pass legislation. But with Trump in the White House and the GOP in control of Congress, dismantling Obamacare was supposed to be the first example that Pelosi's help was no longer needed, much less wanted.

Instead, House Republicans' collapse pointed to the opposite. The leader of the seemingly powerless House minority might actually have some juice and Pelosi, a master vote counter, knows how to use it. My story, new this morning: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c9ac48d28916e44b3b08f9ed03cf80a22732ef5299da2efc2be662568555593543b5878a2d0e5e8d6

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus signaled Sunday that the administration is open to working with moderate Democrats in the future. But don't expect Democrats to offer up their votes easily.

"Democrats are newly optimistic about picking up seats in 2018, hoping to ride a backlash against Mr. Trump," J-Mart reports in the New York Times. "Seeing an opportunity, they say they will not throw Mr. Trump a political life preserver at what they sense could be the first turns of a downward spiral."

FINGER-POINTING IN FULL FORCE - Republican infighting was on public display this weekend as GOP leaders seem to be living a real life version of the "this is fine" meme. Trump turned his ire toward the House Freedom Caucus. Moderate Rep. Charlie Dent confirmed on TV a New York Times Magazine anecdote that Trump accused him of "destroying" the Republican party. Rep. Ted Poe left the HFC (more on that later) and rank-and-file Republicans sparred on Twitter.

You can call me on my cell phone: Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke twice over the weekend and GOP aides insist their relationship is still strong, Kyle and Bres report. This came after Trump urged his Twitter followers Saturday to watch Fox News' Jeanine Pirro - who opened her show with a bit calling on Ryan to step down.

In a conversation between the two yesterday, Trump made clear that his tweet had nothing to do with the speaker, AshLee Strong, Ryan's spokeswoman, told Huddle. Ryan, while wounded by the health care bill's collapse, still has broad support within the caucus and is not going to lose the speakership, Bres and Rachael report.

--The White House blame game goes far beyond the Obamacare repeal. Alex Isenstadt: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6cff5e15de04274f85b31d3294942104121e3965dc97a99ffc5698f7f44dd73a7cc6bed0ac75b4e2cd

THE SECRET FREEDOM CAUCUS PACT - The Freedom Caucus alone did not sink the repeal bill. There were several moderate members against the plan and other rank-and-file lawmakers who didn't like the bill but were less vocal about it. But a majority of HFC members did make a secret pact earlier this month that helped sow the seeds of the bill's rapid collapse. About 75 percent of the group's members agreed not to commit "his vote before consulting with the entire group - not even if Trump himself called to ask for an on-the-spot commitment." That blockade proved to be very effective.

One particularly tense moment? A Thursday night meeting between the HFC and GOP leaders: Speaker Ryan tried to go around the room to ask each individual member where they stood. Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows jumped in and quickly shut that down, saying he spoke for the group. "They weren't going to get any commitments in the room," said one attendee. "They just weren't. It wasn't productive anymore." Rachael, Josh Dawsey and Jen Haberkorn take you behind-the-scenes: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6cd956559b2e6ba936fbdc6cd7bcf437c452fa0d48d5fd1d2e284364d1af27cd1b640e7d1764d8595a

MONDAY, BACK SO SOON? Welcome to March 27 and thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill.

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: President Trump's demand for a Friday vote on the Obamacare repeal, reported by Rachael, Kyle and Josh Dawsey, was the winner.

BYE Y'ALL - Texas Rep. Ted Poe resigned from the Freedom Caucus Sunday, his sudden departure stemming from the group's opposition the the GOP Obamacare repeal. "Saying no is easy, leading is hard, but that is what we were elected to do," Poe wrote in a statement. Rachael with the story: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6ca1a89a3b4ee5928ef39b31cb6ebd6a06ed04a1b5d946be350b11458b2b3c575fb23469ddf4403d00

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE FREEDOM CAUCUS? President Trump was supposed to be GOP leaders' antidote for their Freedom Caucus woes. But their repeal face-plant proves not only will the group of right-wing rabble rousers continue to vex Speaker Ryan, they aren't afraid to stymie the new Republican president either. "This is a defining moment for our nation but it's also a defining moment for the Freedom Caucus," Meadows told reporters last week. Kyle with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c6ee2e58ff69a41060d82882d71ca9a64673db6de0f7b6971fe0b1eb4271bdbb0806e0d129f2407a0

-- Meadows is taking heat from GOP leaders for stonewalling the repeal, but he's received a hero's welcome back home. Adam Cancryn reports from North Carolina: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c4f0fe8ce5b878a7f245fd4fad08c4ed7e9ec475df2769eaf6462e58141af98ff7a7c01d060e655cd

COMING ATTRACTIONS: MANAFORT IN THE HOT SEAT - Paul Manafort, Trump's controversial former campaign chairman, has agreed to be interviewed by the House and Senate Intel Committees as part of their ongoing probe into Russian tampering with the election. Manafort's ties to Russia have long been criticized but he's come under more scrutiny recently after an AP report that he worked to advance Vladimir Putin's agenda a decade ago.

** A message from USP: How do you ensure drug quality in a global economy? USP works with experts in science and health to develop independent, transparent quality standards for medicine. USP: Helping protect lives by safeguarding the quality of medicines for Americans. Learn more at http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c2fa9eba289087b9de85ebebd378f32d7a6fb8a628f561bc17fc91f6107418c87fe712632af14057c **

Putting Nunes on blast: House Intel ranking member Adam Schiff blasted the panel's chairman, Devin Nunes, over the weekend for canceling a planned Tuesday hearing on Russia with key federal investigators from the Obama administration. Schiff suggested Nunes canceled the meeting at the behest of the White House, given the bad publicity following last week's back-and-forth with FBI Director James Comey. Austin with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c5dd23d8f8bc1714069224f5a4edf4b2f8a4c4937783d8fea0b191926845f08e1a63cce262f27495a

Related: Austin has more on why House Democrats, despite their deep disdain for Nunes, aren't ready to boycott the Intel probe. Read it: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6cd397a9608045af15b0b6070573212f98adbe85559f00b91485b42984fc14ed016945c98b3aab33a7

Where there's smoke? Sen. Mark Warner, top Democrat on the Senate Intel Committee, hinted Sunday that there's a lot going on behind the scenes the public just doesn't know about. "Weeks ago when I was first getting started with this I said this is the most important thing I've ever worked on. With what I know now, I doubly believe that," Warner told Chuck Todd. "There is a lot more smoke."

-- The Senate Intel Committee also wants to question Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, as part of its investigation, reports the New York Times this morning.

OFF MESSAGE PODCAST: The committee hearing that wasn't: Everything that Roger Stone did or said he did or said he didn't do during the 2016 campaign, especially related to the WikiLeaks founder and Russia, is under intense scrutiny. In the latest episode of Off Message, Stone gives a faux testimony on the allegations of Russian interference in the election and why there is no proof. Asked if there was anything he discussed that he'd plead the Fifth on if he ever gets called in front of the committee. "No," Stone said. "Why would I?" Listen and subscribe on iTunes.

TRUMP'S TAX RETURNS IN THE SPOTLIGHT - The House Ways and Means Committee will hold its first post-Obamacare repeal markup Tuesday. No, not on tax reform. They'll be voting on a Democratic proposal that seeks to publicize Trump's tax returns. Why would GOP committee leaders bring up a plan they're on record against?

Basically, if Ways and Means acts on the bill - and that could mean passing it, or reporting it out unfavorably or with no recommendation - then only W&M Chairman Kevin Brady or someone he picks can bring the measure up on the floor. In short: The markup allows Republicans to block Democrats from calling up the tax return bill.

ARRIVAL LOUNGE - Andrew Shult starts today with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise heading up the office's digital operation. Andrew previously worked as digital director for the House Oversight Committee.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House meets at 12 p.m. with votes on three noncontroversial disaster preparedness bills at 6:30 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c90e134cdbdb4bd6011e0c751d1048a21d41987f5cd4fa83ffab61119a3850f748777a594b40a6255 The Senate meets at 3 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. procedural vote on the Montenegro treaty opposed by Sen. Rand Paul.

OFF THE HILL - The Atlantic Council holds a discussion on reforming the H-1B visa system with Rep. Darrell Issa at 9 a.m.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Jon Deuser was the first to correctly guess Rep. John Yarmuth worked for GOP Sen. Marlow Cook before launching his own publishing business in Kentucky and then returning to Congress as a Democratic lawmaker.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Robert Jones with today's question: Which successful candidate for president received his party's nomination during his predecessor's first month in office? The first person to correctly answer gets a shout out in tomorrow's Huddle. And don't forget, send suggestions for trivia questions my way: hcaygle@politico.com

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** A message from USP: How do you ensure drug quality in a global economy? USP works with experts in science and health to develop independent, transparent quality standards for medicine.

From aspirin to zolpidem, our quality standards help ensure products are safe and reliable.

We are an essential piece of the safety net that ensures quality standards are met, in order to improve public health in the United States and around the world.

USP: Helping protect lives by safeguarding the quality of medicines for Americans.

Learn more at http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=90094365a1c53e6c2fa9eba289087b9de85ebebd378f32d7a6fb8a628f561bc17fc91f6107418c87fe712632af14057c **

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