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By Burgess Everett | 11/11/2015 08:27 AM EDT


WAS IT WORTH IT? I was flying close to the sun last night by staying up for the whole GOP debate, but for me seeing the fireworks between Rand Paul and Marco Rubio made it a worthwhile endeavor. Paul found his sweet spot on cutting military spending, which may not represent a majority of Republicans, but do allow him to find his own niche/lane/wing within the primary. And Rubio's forceful defense of Paul's charge that he's not conservative was another big moment and applause. Ted Cruz didn't quite get to articulate his foreign policy triangulation plan (two polls: Paul on one, Rubio and McCain on the other, Cruz is between), but he showed his well-honed debating skills. To me, Tuesday night
was the first time the trio of senators running from president all proved why they've been getting 2016 hype for years.

Senatorial polish: "Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson are in over their heads. Their talking points don't measure up to the detailed plans - backed by credible records - put forth by Senators Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul," says Club for Growth prez David McIntosh.

C'mon: How did Rubio not get asked about immigration? The moderators switched topics when they came to him! And Paul should have interjected on the Fed discussion, though perhaps he just doesn't want to appear anything like John Kasich, Ohio's chief interrupting executive.

Now, onto some Hill news...

ON VETS DAY, HOPE FOR AUMF EVAPORATES: Bob Corker tried one last time Tuesday during a classified briefing, prodding top administration official Brett McGurk on whether President Barack Obama needs additional authority to take on the Islamic State, particularly with 50 Americans on the ground in Syria. McGurk said no. And with that, the prospects for an Authorization of the Use of Military Force seemed to slip away for good this Congress. Corker had left the door cracked for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to consider an AUMF, but with no grey area between Democrats and Republicans, he admitted this "could be" it for the prospects, and ranking member Ben Cardin was right behind him.

Unimpressed: Sens. TIm Kaine and Jeff Flake didn't criticize the committee leaders, but they totally disagree with the notion that an AUMF is not worth starting if there's no guarantee Congress can finish it. "I get it, members of Congress are afraid to cast a vote on war," Kaine said. "If you want to be real cold about it, if Congress doesn't support it, then we shouldn't be forcing people to risk their lives." But is it worth the tough slog through an AUMF if the Senate has the debate but still ends up hopelessly deadlocked? "Yes. It's our duty, frankly, to do it," Flake said. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c596be2551ef82a77f7ce2fd52db2bb877b656129ee952f51cf

Q POLL -- INDICTED MENENDEZ SHOULD RESIGN: "New Jersey voters give Sen. Robert Menendez a negative 36 - 42 percent approval rating and say 53 - 39 percent that he should resign. Calling for Menendez's resignation are Republicans 62 - 31 percent and independent voters 56 - 35 percent. Democrats are divided as 49 percent say he should stay and 43 percent say he should resign." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c5919eb6b47d5e9e2d75332895ae489bb4736d73692a0d1902f

OBAMACARE REPEAL'S BUMPY RIDE: Finally the parliamentarian made the ruling on Tuesday, finding that as written the House-passed Obamacare repeal/Planned Parenthood defunding reconciliation legislation can't pass the Senate. But the GOPers see the finish line. SMK, take it away: The proposal "did not survive the so-called Byrd rule, which governs when the powerful procedural tool known as reconciliation can be used. But top GOP Senate aides also noted the parliamentarian ruled that the bill was 'privileged,' meaning it can avoid a filibuster. Republicans also maintained that the problem could be resolved relatively easil on the floor with a substitute amendment."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c591f7373829f3331b66336111dc6911d28d4231b4b4d61b1f3

WE LOVE TRAVEL EXPENSE STORIES: And so, it seems does Rep. Mia Love. "Love told The Salt Lake Tribune and The Hill that she was reimbursing the U.S. Treasury for a $537.10 airline ticket on February 5 that she never used, after reporters had spent several days asking why she had charged taxpayers for the same flight two days in a row. In September, Love also promised to return $1,160 she spent in April on a roundtrip airline fare from Utah to Washington, D.C., during the weekend of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. In both cases, Love denied misusing taxpayer funds, but nevertheless promised to return the money." Natty J's Jack Fitzgerald:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c5920dbdfd63094d5417f98ebe85c9910c0aebe058040bfb2ae

You're Invited - The New American Electorate Event: A conversation on the future of polling and how American voters are diversifying, becoming harder to reach, and less willing to participate in traditional telephone surveys. Speakers include: Neil Newhouse, Public Opinion Strategies; Margie Omero, Purple Insights; Patrick Ruffini, Echelon Insights and Engage. Thursday, November 12, 8 a.m. RSVP: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c5925bdc5d9a7782a84aca5f08c53153dcc9c05df9d373aac73

SALUTE. Welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill, where Sen. Ron Johnson is growing a nice goatee for Movember, though he seemed unimpressed with the results: "I'm not much of a man," he cracked on Tuesday. Please send tips to beverett@politico.com and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House and Senate are now out until next week. Nice work if you can get it.

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Man, y'all are looking for any excuse not to work. The Wedding Crashers "Mom, the Meatloaf," clip captivated hundreds. I'll throw in this Eastern Motors clip for good measure since it's a holiday and these commercials are hilarious: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c59f44cafb5344607320edb31989f2944398981effe80430c92

CHAIRMAN CRUZ: Rubio made a splash earlier this year when he began wielding the gavel over his Foreign Relations subcommittee, but Cruz is in it for the long haul, Matt Fleming of Roll Call reports. "The Texas Republican - who has the third lowest vote participation percentage in the Senate, according to CQ Vote Watch - has convened nine hearings as chairman of two subcommittees, outpacing the three other senators running for the Republican presidential nomination. 'We're facing enormous challenges in America,' Cruz said in an interview last week. 'And as chairman of two subcommittees, I have endeavored to convene hearings addressing those challenges. I made a promise to 27 million Texans
that if they elected me I would fight for them each and every day. And that is a promise I take very seriously.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c59de49939af961bd4c09a4be24d55062bb7ee71b4d7d6c85b4

Unrelated Cruz anecdote: I walked into a sign while interviewing him last week and he reminded me that the Capitol doesn't offer worker's comp for reporters. But what about under President Sanders, sir?

NDAA PASSES, BUT: The defense bill passed the Senate 91-3, though the fight over Gitmo is going to continue to play out as the president faces down a Republican majority that says it won't let him shut the prison down. "The strong vote in favor of the bill does not resolve lingering questions over the fate of Guantanamo Bay, which the administration had hoped to shutter through the defense policy bill. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) instead includes, over the administration's objections, a ban on transferring any Guantanamo detainees to American soil or the countries of Somalia, Libya, Syria and Yemen. There are still over 100 detainees at the facility, most of whom have not
been slated for transfer. White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said on Tuesday that the president will likely sign the bill, but he made clear that doesn't indicate a change in the administration's position that the detainee facility should be closed." Karoun Demirjian: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c59f6f09e1ee90ba6ca59f0a25ae9c4ffa056f8fd5b952f2faf

@StewSays, tweaking my French work week story yesterday after Milcon/VA spending bill cleared Senate: "Passed more individual appropriations bills today than Dems did all of last year--combined."

MEXICAN AMBASSADOR STOPPED AT THE BORDER: Roberta Jacobson, the nominee to be the next ambassador to Mexico, finally cleared committee on Tuesday. But as long as someone like say, Rubio, has a hold on her, it seems unlikely that she will get a vote on the floor. "I don't know what will occur," Corker told reporters. "Typically burning up floor time for ambassadors has not been the norm around here so I just have no idea."

RYAN'S WAY: The new speaker isn't even bedding down in the leadership suites, but bailing to the Longworth Building when he needs to rest. "Of all his unusual traits for his new role - relative youth, a love of Clif Bars for lunch and an excessive interest in tax policy - the most notable may be Speaker Paul D. Ryan's insistence on sleeping in his Capitol Hill office." Jennifer Steinhauer of NYT: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c59eef209d4ec1f05536f69d7c5551e9b3a5633e3bb1bd28e53

Samesies: When I lived in a "junior one-bedroom," technically I too slept in my office e'ery night.

HOUSE D VETS MESSAGE: We gave the Senate Rs some run yesterday for Vets Day, so only fair to peep the House Democrats' who served in the military. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra: "Just as we pledge to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we must be true to our word to leave no veteran behind here at home." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4f008a99c5293c5980728d9be3cee28c9602fb71b17b630cc28b6506a55f0a9d

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - John Clark was the first to answer that Grover Cleveland is the only president to get married in the White House.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - I'll take today's question: Construction of this building heralded the beginning of the end for skyscrapers in D.C. 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=4f008a99c5293c596041bca6a0f493c76eb32ce742009ebb749e5319d7804ebc

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