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By Burgess Everett | 12/04/2015 07:45 AM EDT


Featuring Daniel Lippman

MITCH'S BIG NIGHT: A colleague texted me last night to note that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell seemed unusually gregarious on the Senate floor, and why wouldn't he be? The leader got two major accomplishments on President Barack Obama's desk, including a five-year quest to repeal Obamacare and a five-year transportation bill that really no one thought was going to happen six months ago. Now the argument on the Hill from Republicans will boil down to this: Obama signed our transportation bill, but the only way to get repeal signed is with a President George Pataki (or any other GOP president, just an example you all, jeez).

Stew gloats: Chief McConnell spox Don Stewart could not help himself last night. "As you'll no doubt recall, Sen. Reid's office claimed last month (see their memo below-yes, I saved it for you) that the Senate 'Parliamentarian has ruled that Obamacare cannot be repealed through reconciliation, period.' And you'll also recall that at the time I told you their claim was, well, nonsense (I may have used more colorful language, but whatever). I'm pleased to say that the Senate did pass Obamacare repeal through reconciliation tonight in the Senate." Colorful language from Stew? Perish the thought.

Outlook: The rewrite of No Child Left Behind will get a vote no later than Tuesday in the Senate. And after a meeting at the White House with the president and congressional criminal justice reformers, CJR might be McConnell's next big ticket item. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn told the president in the meeting that "The Senate's in a better position to move first ... we could move on this the first quarter of next year." Well sure, but what is McConnell saying? Cornyn again: Whenever McConnell "sees an opportunity for a bipartisan accomplishment I think he's eager to do that and I think this fits the description."

Obamacare repeal passes 52 to 47: Just two Republican senators jumped off the repeal train -- Sens. Susan Collins and Mark Kirk. For the rest, it was all in on gutting the mandates, medicaid expansion and Planned Parenthood funding. Alex Bolton, who tried unsuccessfully to stop me from talking to Sen. Lindsey Graham yesterday, has the rest: "Conservative Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who are running for president, and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) threatened to oppose a House-passed repeal bill for not going far enough. Three moderates ... balked at it for including language defunding Planned Parenthood. GOP leaders briefly floated the possibility of dropping the Planned
Parenthood language but dropped the idea knowing it could spark a conservative backlash. Instead, McConnell leaned on Cruz, Rubio and Lee to vote yes and sweetened the prospect by crafting an amendment that dramatically beefed up the Senate package. All three voted yes." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c63e7d06b220325761e6abb193fe3e3403c10db26f1c9b1fc31

Road to the White House: A five-year transportation bill is something that sounds so good in theory and so impossible in practice because it's so hard to pay for. But the Shuster-DeFazio-Boxer-Inhofe power circle got it done with assists from pay-for experts and leadership, although they still took an easier way out than fixing the structural deficit for the national infrastructure program (the gas tax remains at the same rate it was 20 years ago). Siobhan Hughes of WSJ: "The bill-which spans the longest time frame for a transportation measure in 17 years-would provide money for roads and rail projects, renew the Export-Import Bank, and even restore a crop-insurance subsidy. Ferries would
receive money, and seven Northeastern states would get to keep a $1.3 billion pot of funds that amounts to an earmark for their mass-transit systems. Auto companies would face bigger fines for safety defects, and Wisconsin logging trucks could return to roads currently declared off limits. The measure cleared the Senate 83-16 after a 359-65 vote in the House earlier in the day." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c639d475691abc08892b081b1ec7dc0d6de2906271511ede22a

GUN VOTES FAIL: The budget votes offered Democrats an opportunity to seize on the news of the day, namely a horrific gun massacre in California. But though party leaders got votes on filling in the terrorism loophole and on universal background checks, they didn't have anything to show for it other than a political cudgel to the hit the GOP with. Not a single vote moved on background checks from 2013 and it failed 48-50, and the terrorism watch list legislation fared even more poorly, 45-54. SMK and I: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c633f9da3ff3aaf37fd935c909128d76a8619e90486374a3950

GOP unmoved on guns: Jake Sherman reports the backstory behind those failed votes. Namely that a Republican Congress is just not going to pass new gun control legislation. "The reality is quite plain on Capitol Hill: There's still no appetite among Republicans for new gun laws. They say there are enough laws on the books as it is. Many believe increasing background checks is akin to trampling on the Constitution and that there are better ways to combat gun violence. And few Republicans are worried about the political risk of alienating a younger generation of voters that is growing up with a backdrop of almost weekly mass shootings. "The issue transcends political pressure," said Rep. Dave
Brat. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c630ed0fa291268c9f62064f90296ea13833fd6675463a80a6a

GRAHAM TO S.C. DOUBTERS: I'M HERE TO STAY -- Lindsey Graham laughs mightily at your conventional wisdom that says he should hop off his home state ballot before the end of the month to avoid an embarrassing showing in the Palmetto State's GOP presidential primary next year. "We're pressing on," Graham said in an interview. "I've always said it's New Hampshire, if I can break through in New Hampshire I'll win South Carolina. If I fall short and I don't do well in New Hampshire I'll re evaluate and help somebody else." So there is no way you drop out in the next month? "New Hampshire's wide open, I think the issue mix is coming my way. And I've always said you know, 'Can I do well outside
South Carolina? [Then] I'll do well inside South Carolina.' If I don't, I won't. John's endorsed me in New Hampshire so we'll see what happens."

** A message from Ford Motor Company: This week we celebrate 100 days since the Smithsonian National Zoo's newest panda cub, Bei Bei was born! The Ford Motor Company Fund is proud to sponsor the Zoo's Panda Cam and panda research. It's the best best to watch Bei Bei and Bao Bao here. **

Congress leaves, sun shines. And welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill, where that was a surprisingly long week. Please send tips to beverett@politico.com and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - Thank goodness they are gone.

AROUND THE HILL - Joggers run up Independence and down Constitution.

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Our three-headed monster of myself, Jen Haberkorn and Seung Min's story that correctly reported that Cruz and Rubio would vote for Obamacare repeal.

CRITICAL BISON ALERT: We haven't even gotten to the biggest accomplishment of the day. The Senate on Thursday passed the National Bison Legacy Act, recognizing the animal as the national mammal.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Jon Stewart spent much of Thursday ambushing GOP senators and their staff for not signing on to a 9/11 healthcare bill, but behind the scenes things are going a little more smoothly. A group of first responders met with McConnell, who aides say is strongly pushing for passage in end of the year deals. McConnell "reiterated his support for completing action on the bill and gave them an update on the ongoing negotiations toward completing the bill. He also updated them on possible paths forward on the bill once it's complete," an aide said.

DEMOCRATS IN PARIS: "Ball so hard mo-" .... No, I'm not talking about Kanye West. I'm talking about Sens. Ben Cardin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Jeanne Shaheen, Tom Udall, Chris Coons, Al Franken, Brian Schatz and Cory Booker, who just arrived in France. They will do a presser at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday on what Cardin says is a "now or never moment" on climate change talks in France.

DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON: Are amazingly still open to lifting the oil export ban as part of the end of the year talks, if they get a whole lot of what they want. Elana Schor and I explore: "At a special caucus meeting on Thursday, Senate Democrats solidified a list of asks that Republicans may find overwhelming. But the bright side for the GOP is that Democrats seem serious about striking a bargain on lifting oil exports, despite pressure from greens and resistance from the White House. The challenge for the GOP and its industry allies remains how to craft a deal that lures liberals into backing a pro-oil position without giving away too much for conservatives to swallow."

What a Dem wants, what a Dem needs: "Democratic demands in exchange for any oil exports deal starts with extending clean-energy tax benefits that are anathema to many on the right. But those tax credits are already in line to stay alive this year as part of a separate tax package that's close to completion, and Koch Industries is already pressing lawmakers to reject any deal that would end the ban on oil exports in exchange for helping wind and solar power." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c63dae9735e7b560466047a24a4356701c9ce0069c12b6bfb39

Dems draw line on campaign finance rider$: Rep. John Sarbanes led a letter of more than 100 House members urging leaders to keep out the McConnell rider relaxing coordination limits. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c63e7a05e0ba13c7d5f5c6cebb7b039b8f5cc65e362082cf001

HILL HEALTH WATCH: Pretty sick stuff out of Spike Mendelsohn's shop on Pennsylvania Avenue. Per the Washington Post's invaluable health code violations list in the Local Living section, "We The Pizza" was closed Nov. 23 "because of insects, rodents and other pests." Key word is "and." Granted, years ago Sanphan was closed under similar stances; I eventually went back.

BUSH/CHENEY 2015: President George W. Bush and VP Dick Cheney, together again at the unveiling of a Cheney statute that will soon grace the Senate (don't move the Agnew statue though, that's my jam). Bres with the report from the front lines at Thursday's ceremony: "A trim, relaxed Bush - albeit with a dwindling head of hair - used the event to reel off a string of one-liners, as if he was taking part in a celebrity roast for Cheney rather than a solemn ceremony. 'The last time I was in Washington, I was hanged in the White House,' Bush deadpanned. 'This time, I've returned to find my vice president getting busted in the Capitol ... I want to thank Paul Ryan for his leadership. He's trying
out for the Abraham Lincoln lookalike.' ... Cheney, 74, anchored the event. Looking healthy despite longtime heart problems - although he sounded frailer than he used to - the one-time Wyoming representative, House minority whip, Defense secretary, and White House chief of staff praised his former colleagues and aides, especially Bush." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c63dd808037380a0fbcdd8422860563bc2ce0d36b63bcee965c

NICHE REPORTER: Huh, I always thought I was part of the extremely lamestream, mainstream media. But POLITICO and other "niche" outlets just surpassed press credentials for daily newspapers, an official end of the era when every mid-size paper in the country had some old crusty reporter in Washington to hold the delegation accountable. Hadas Gold has the Pew report: "Journalists holding Congressional press passes from niche outlets outnumber journalists holding Congressional press passes from daily newspapers, 589 to 576 ... In 2009, the number was 500 journalists from niche outlets compared to 608 from daily newspapers. Overall, Capitol Hill has seen an increase in reporters covering
Congress, with roughly 6,800 news personnel across print/digital, radio, television and photographers with accreditation, an increase from a little more than 6,500 in 2009." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c63ee08ebadde6ead2ef97ace32f7dee39dae25ef13a62535dc

SOCIAL CONGRESS - "Oh Snap! A First for Congress": "Congressman Beto O'Rourke [D-Tex.] (Snapchat Username: beto.orourke) ... will give an exclusive, behind the scenes look at his day, take questions and tour the U.S. - Mexico Border, all via Snapchat. O'Rourke will be the first member of Congress to document his entire day - from dawn till dusk - via Snapchat." You all enjoy that, I still don't really know what Snapchat is.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - James Casto was the first to answer that Montana went through three lieutenant governors in the early '30s, when Frank Cooney had three acting lieutenant governors: Tom Kane, Ernest Eaton and Elmer Holt.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - James has today's question: Stung by charges that federal highway dollars going to his state were "pork barrel spending," what U.S. senator pointed to the billions of dollars being spent on subways as a defense? "Ever hear the Washington Post criticize appropriations for the Metro system?" he asked. The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at beverett@politico.com

GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says "Sign Up." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0f852d45b0103c6326bdee0024acaa4c61f4148ea6121ce5e57940b77f89a7b7

** A message from Ford Motor Company: For more than 60 years, the Ford Motor Company Fund has helped support the communities where we live and work. Here in D.C., the Ford Fund supports the Salvation Army, the Washington National's Youth Baseball Academy, and many other initiatives like the Smithsonian National Zoo's Panda Cam. To view incredibly cute panda cubs that bring joy, go here.

DISCLAIMER: Ford is not responsible for any loss of office productivity from excessive Panda Cam viewing. Thank you. **

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