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05/20/2016 07:42 AM EDT


By Burgess Everett (@burgessev or beverett@politico.com)

THIS ONE LITTLE TRICK ABOUT TRUMP'S SCOTUS LIST - GOP senators are skeptical about Donald Trump's candidacy, but the list of conservative jurists that he released this week is going a long way toward soothing them. A big reason why? Senators know a lot of these folks that popped up on the list. SMK puts together the pieces: "Sen. John Cornyn is a personal acquaintance of Don Willett ... Both men share the distinction of having served on Texas' highest court. Another Trump favorite, Thomas Lee, is the brother of Utah Sen. Mike Lee. Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid was once Sen. Cory Gardner's law professor. And Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley was so pleased with an Iowa
judge included on Trump's list that the senator said he would've personally recommended Steven Colloton to a future president considering a high court justice. In selecting names for his list of potential Supreme Court picks, Trump seemed to make direct appeals to Senate Republicans by choosing their associates and even relatives, along with jurists who have long been household names among conservatives. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d63d4b6bea88f1438fa718d0095c048e9c7e54ebd62b9714010

Manafort goes hard with GOP chiefs: In a separate piece of Trump's own brand of charm offensive, convention manager Paul Manafort told Senate GOP chiefs of staff that Trump is like Ronald Reagan, that he can compete with Latinos and that Trump is heading the VP search, no one else. Oh, he also said that Hillary Clinton's negatives will bring her down -- but Trump's own negatives can be scuttled: Trump's "behavior can be changed." My story with SMK and Eli Stokols gets inside the room at Jones Day, which we are told, was top floor in a very nice office: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d636ec29fa9f013efd5d2bb643593576b6199345a96ab670a43

SENATE SQUAD GOALS: The Senate Republicans have a new video out highlighting their accomplishments. It's slickly done and pretty entertaining, but it immediately struck me how well it would pair with some hot ish. At first I thought uptempo, a la "Push It," by Rick Ross, but then discovered this vid really works best with something slow, plodding, and tough. Here's my suggestions to get the most out of this video: 5. "The World is Yours," by Nas. 4. "Some Type of Way," by Rich Homie Quan. 3. "New Level," by ASAP Ferg. 2. "Swag Surfin'" by some one-hit wonder. 1. "Hustlin'" by Rick Ross. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Here's the Senate GOP vid:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d63bff8f76a5257ebc16d0dfc5ff0ab37b369e4105dca089ec7

And of course: Spinning as ever, one Republican suggests DJ Khaled's "All I Do is Win." I'll allow it.

HOUSE TOUCHES HOT BUTTONS: It was a chaotic scene on Thursday in the House as the chamber voted on whether to bar contractors from getting government work if they discriminate against the LGBT community. It looked for a minute like the amendment would pass, but then things got crazy. Bres, Bade and Ben Weyl paint the scene: "It was an unruly scene on the floor with Democrats chanting, 'Shame!' after GOP leaders barely muscled up the votes to reject, 212-213, an amendment by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) that would have effectively barred federal contractors from getting government work if they discriminate against the LGBT community. At one point, a monitor in the House gallery showed
there were 217 votes supporting the legislation, eliciting cheers of joy from Democrats who thought the measure might actually pass. But over the course of about 10 minutes, those votes suddenly dropped one by one to 212 - and the amendment failed."

Naming names: "A number of lawmakers from western states, who originally voted yes, changed their votes. According to a list tweeted out an hour after the vote by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer's (D-Md.) office, they included: California Reps. Darrell Issa, David Valadao, Jeff Denham, Mimi Walters, and Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, Rep. David Young of Iowa and Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d63209e441df1b698c8ba48cdc505493f2bcc1cb7adc70d900d

CONFEDERATE ISSUE HANDLED MORE EASILY: A year after the confederate flag torpedoed House work on the appropriations process, House leaders handled the debate much more smoothly this year. AP: "The 265-159 vote would block descendants and others seeking to commemorate veterans of the Confederate States of America from flying the Confederate Battle Flag over mass graves, even on days that flag displays are permitted ... The House approved amendments last year to block the display and sale of the Confederate flag at national parks but a backlash from Southern Republicans caused GOP leaders to scrap the underlying spending bill." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d639b4afaea6954367cedee0821e227831953e013ceb16cf072

REID CALLS McCONNELL 'CLASSLESS': Harry Reid did not appreciate Mitch McConnell's book excerpt bashing him as a Jekyll and Hyde-type figure that is "rhetorically challenged." Reid said he had no heads up on the matter and called McConnell "fairly classless" for hitting him like that. "Boy, that book must not be selling very well if he needs that to pep it up ... I would never do anything like that to him. It would be easy to do. But I wouldn't do it." Last week of course, Reid said that McConnell probably agrees that women are dogs and pigs because he is supporting Trump. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d63ca2b895f03ffde1c2b96d3846f3544029caa862e2c04d3fe

Memories: Here's Reid and McConnell singing each other's praises after I wrote about their deteriorating relationship in December. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d634c4d1a1ab9e68acbf7d007c74bfa2f4a4e8313c83d77068e

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO DO NOTHING AT ALL. And welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill, where unfortunately that's not an option. Please send tips to beverett@politico.com and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - Recess, jet fumes, etc.

AROUND THE HILL - Get some sun, you all.

OFF THE HILL: People for the American Way and the Constitutional Accountability Center will hold a press call with Sen. Amy Klobuchar on the consequences of an eight-member Supreme Court. RSVP: media@pfaw.org.

** A message from American Society of Anesthesiologists(R): Removing physician anesthesiologists from Veterans' surgical teams would "directly compromise patient safety and limit our ability to provide quality care to Veterans." Over 200 VA Chiefs of Anesthesiology and physician anesthesiologists, October 2015. Protect Safe VA Care. Vets earned it and deserve it. Visit www.safevacare.org. **

UP THE PARKWAY: Rep. Elijah Cummings will hold a media availability at 11 a.m. at 1010 Park Avenue in Charm City to urge residents to respect the outcome of the Freddie Gray trial.

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Are you all feeling the Bern? Cuz Lucy Flores's campaign ad was the most clicked yesterday.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Barbara Boxer and Jim Inhofe embracing as they announce a deal on toxic chemical safety. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=192e1191c10a9d6306519c2e5774c0782a90cffef1f0457d10d7dcce5b0eb51f

HOUSE RETIREMENTS -- Hawaii: Rep. Mark Takai will not seek reelection after learning several months ago that he had pancreatic cancer after announcing in February that he would run for reelection. "Takai's decision not to seek re-election could have a big impact on Hawaii's political landscape. The deadline to file papers to run for the seat is just three weeks away." Hawaii News Now: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e2449228172836a4eaed8426b89a3c0924ad4223426674463a914b01

Flo-rida: Curt Clawson, who ran a campaign based around his basketball prowess and hitting fadeaway Js over President Obama, is hanging it up after winning a special election in 2014. He said the reason for retiring is that the death of his mother has affected him more than he previously thought. "Announcing his decision now, Clawson said, gives him time to see if he can juggle his congressional duties and his responsibilities as a son. It also provides potential candidates for his seat a month to assess their chances before the June 24 filing deadline. 'It gives plenty of people time who want to consider running ... They don't have just two days to decide. We wanted to be respectful of the
process and I wanted to take enough time to see how I felt.'" News-Press: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e244922855c0f088e0665a3c001e2cfe77e7565b9f98c4fee82861fd

Never forget: The ad is still pretty great. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e24492287c93c30ba732da690383569810eedbbe2c7c187d33423b75

GOOD NEWS: "Tweet Congress, the nonprofit website that helped push a number of politicians to join the twittersphere - and made a few of them deeply regret it - plans to relaunch in the next month ... a new version of the politician-tweet-tracking website will be up and running in the next few weeks, roughly three years after its original effort went offline. Most infamously, Tweet Congress was instrumental in helping bring down Anthony Weiner, after the then-New York congressman, married to a Hillary Clinton aide, tweeted a protuberant image of his boxer-briefed flanks to a 21-year-old woman who was following him on Twitter." CNBC's Daniel Libit, a former POLITICO:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e24492285b2491ce69cf5cdb1a5bffc7ecce17ddf9936dd1c2bc7077

MAN THAT GUY IS FAST: Several senators, granted anonymity, actually seem in disbelief about how fast Tom Cotton was on Wednesday morning in the ACLI Challenge 5K. He retained his crown at 19:12 as the fastest lawmaker, but wasn't quite up to Max Baucus's 18:15 in 1981. Cotton seemed a little miffed that he didn't toast Baucus: He said Thursday that if he knew how close he was to the record he would have run faster. And he could have: He ran 17:55 in 2013, but he was in the House then.

WARREN, PEACEMAKER? The Hill's Alex Bolton says Democrats are hoping that Elizabeth Warren is able to bring Bernie Backers together with ClintonWorld when the Democratic primary ends. A "Democratic senator who has spoken to Warren and requested anonymity to discuss their interaction said, 'We've got to land this plane and I want her in the control tower ... 'She's trying. I think she's an honest broker.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e24492285c8703795f4d5a37d21bd5ed7af031ea41eb93a23cc99c25

Jon Allen does not like your VP shortlists: "Along with Sens. Tim Kaine, Sherrod Brown and a couple of up-and-coming Democratic members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, Clinton should consider former Procter & Gamble CEO and current Veterans Administration Secretary Bob McDonald as a running mate. McDonald, 62, trumps Trump's business-world experience. He took on the thankless task of reshaping the broken bureaucracy of the VA and he's well-liked and well-respected on both sides of the aisle." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4d5a87e6e244922806dbb397eb1a241c504e38a9945d854b044814ae74e900de

TRANSITIONS: Rick Limardo is coming on as the Ways and Means coalitions director. E previously worked at NAM and as Rep. Jim Renacci's chief of staff.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Logan Ferree was the first to answer that Anwan Glover, aka "Slim Charles," is the frontman of Backyard Bank. However, Nick Magallanes offered the answer that most convinced me he listens to go-go.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - I'm diving deeper on go-go in today's question: Like other musical genres, D.C.'s homegrown go-go has several subgenres. One, for the middle-aged set, is known as "Grown 'n Sexy," but another, faster-paced style is preferred by the youngin's. What's this style of go-go called? 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=4d5a87e6e24492288e600dca1a800f9db02a461eee8288cf1d4ec4b7827c7d16

** A message from American Society of Anesthesiologists(R): Protect Safe VA Care. Join the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Veterans, physician anesthesiologists and VA Chiefs of Anesthesiology in opposing VA's proposed policy to remove physician anesthesiologists from Veterans' surgical teams abandoning a proven model of care where physician anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists work together to provide high-quality, safe anesthesia. There's no shortage of physician anesthesiologists in VA - this change isn't needed to improve access to anesthesia. VA's own internal review concluded current information doesn't support the proposed nurse-only model of anesthesia care as safe for
Veterans and key studies "do not provide any guidance on how to assign patients for management by a solo CRNA [nurse anesthetist], or whether more complex surgeries can be safely managed by CRNAs, particularly in small or isolated VA hospitals where preoperative and postoperative health system factors may be less than optimal."

Protect Safe VA Care. Vets earned it and deserve it. Visit www.safevacare.org. **

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