The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Liberal group wants DNC chief out | Christie mocks Rubio with Adele’s “Hello” | Trump steps on Sanders’s Vermont turf today

NEW — RAND WANTS A PART OF THE ACTION: Via CNN’s Ashley Killough, Sen. Rand Paul‘s (R-Ky.) presidential campaign is throwing punches at Donald Trump‘s first TV ad (because that’s the thing for candidates to do these days to get attention) with a video that lists “5 better ways to spend your time than watching Trump’s new ad.” http://cnn.it/1mF2V0X

{mosads}Paul is also wading into the controversy over whether Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is eligible to be president because he was born in Canada. “I think without question he is qualified to make the cut to be prime minister of Canada,” Paul said on Fox News’s “Kilmeade & Friends”. More from The Hill’s Mark Hensch. http://bit.ly/1O6I27P 

OUCH — LIBERAL GROUP WANTS DWS OUT: Via The Hill’s Jonathan Easley, the liberal group Credo Action is calling for Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to resign a day after she accused millennials of “complacency” on abortion rights. Credo also accused Schultz of “rigging the primary process to suppress Democratic turnout,” as well as “supporting warmongers by trying to undermine the president’s Iran deal,” and of courting special interest groups at odds with liberal values. Ouch. http://bit.ly/1ISUARl 

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), though, is expressing confidence in Wasserman Schultz. http://bit.ly/1Zcs6t5

NEW THIS A.M. — OBAMA DIETARY GUIDELINES ARE PRO-MEAT (BUT WITH A CONTROVERSY): New federal dietary guidelines tell Americans to follow a healthy eating pattern that includes vegetables, fruit, lean meats (!), grains and fat-free dairy. Why this is big: The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly update the recommendations every five years. There was a major controversy, however, after a federal panel of nutritionists in 2015 told Americans to eat less meat to help the environment. http://bit.ly/22Nd0JF

Happy Thursday! So let’s sum up yesterday in political news. Three of the top stories included everyone weighing in on Ted Cruz‘s Canadian-ness, outrage over Marco Rubio‘s high-heeled boots and why Jeb Bush carries small toy turtles in his pocket. Let’s try to do better today, news cycle.  So here we go: 

I’m Cate Martel with what you missed this morning and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send your tips, comments and complaints to cmartel@digital-staging.thehill.com and @CateMartel.

NEW TODAY — THE HILL CRUSHES WEB TRAFFIC RECORD: The Hill had a record-breaking traffic month and continued to accelerate its traffic growth, according to Google Analytics. The Hill had 12.7 million unique visitors in December and more than 22.5 million visits to the site. The Hill’s previous traffic record occurred in August 2015. 

– Last week, SimilarWeb found that as of November, The Hill had secured the biggest year-over-year increase in traffic among all U.S. publishers. http://bit.ly/1RuVqF6 

THE GOP EYES ISIS WAR MEASURE: Via The Hill’s Kristina Wong, House Republicans are testing the waters for an authorization for use of military force (AUMF) against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria by holding listening sessions. This could be the most serious effort yet pass a war measure to fight the group. Reaction: It’s an ambitious move from Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Democrats are very wary of an AUMF. But Republicans are also being cautious, saying that for now the sessions are intended to gather ideas for an AUMF. http://bit.ly/1kOUqOZ

HILLARY’S CONFIDENCE IS “TRUMP-ING” IN IOWA: Via The Hill’s Amie Parnes, Hillary Clinton is camping out in Iowa in hopes of crushing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) next month in the caucuses. Clinton has spent twice as much time in Iowa than she has New Hampshire so far in 2016. Flashback to 2008: Clinton had a devastating loss in Iowa in 2008 — the beginning of the end to her campaign. http://bit.ly/1PQ5PLu

AWKWARD LINE OF THE DAY: “You tried to sell me pot back stage!” Stephen Colbert said to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) (whose birthday is today!) when Paul didn’t want to discuss marijuana on-air. Without missing a beat, Colbert continued to clarify, “I’m sorry, you tried to sell me on the idea of changing sentencing guidelines for pot. I should have said the entire sentence.” http://bit.ly/1OQYdTN 

HELLO, IT’S ME, CHRISTIE … WITH CULTURALLY RELEVANT POP REFERENCES: A new ad from Chris Christie‘s presidential campaign taunting Marco Rubio features Adele’s pop hit “Hello.” The ad mocks Rubio’s past support for Christie as governor. Watch (and be prepared to have the song stuck in your head for the rest of the day): http://on.fb.me/1ISMzfh 

NEW TODAY — ONE DONOR BREATHS LIFE INTO JEB’S CAMPAIGN: Via The Wall Street Journal’s Beth Reinhard, Maurice R. “Hank” Greenberg, who built American International Group Inc. into a worldwide financial powerhouse, has donated $10 million to “Right to Rise,” the main super-PAC supporting Jeb Bush. http://on.wsj.com/1PLJTPH 

A HAPPY 71ST ANNIVERSARY TO THE BUSHES: Yesterday was George H.W. and Barbara Bush’s 71st wedding anniversary, and Jeb Bush called to wish them a happy anniversary from Exeter, N.H. Here’s the Snapchat (h/t Politico’s Lindsay Monaghan): http://bit.ly/1Rlq4T7

A BAD DAY FOR BILL: Via The Hill’s Mark Hensch and Jonathan Easley, a woman who publicly accused Bill Clinton of raping her in 1978 is resurrecting her claims on social media. The Hill tracked down the woman who had tweeted, “I was 35 years old when Bill Clinton, Ark. Attorney General raped me and Hillary tried to silence me. I am now 73….it never goes away.” Juanita Broaddrick explained why she’s coming forward now. http://bit.ly/1Z7VRpp 

PRETTY REDESIGN: Poynter.org has redesigned its website. See it here: http://bit.ly/1Rla1oi

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

Ken Barlow, KSTP meteorologist
Well, good luck Vikings at noon on Sunday. Early forecast for 7am wind chills shown. Noon still -15 to -20. http://bit.ly/1TEWhCb 

Politico’s Charlie Mahtesian
In Bernie’s backyard, Trump camp issued 20K tickets for rally at a theater that seats only 1,400. Should be epic http://bit.ly/1ZbQ8o1 

Denis McDonough, President Obama’s chief of staff  (who just joined Twitter!)
New Year’s Resolution: Join Twitter ✓ And just in time for President Obama’s final State of the Union. http://bit.ly/1OC6mzX 

Jeb Bush
Stopped for breakfast in NH & met a fellow space nerd. 7th grader Zacharie asked about my plans to restore NASA. http://bit.ly/1ISOTTh

 

ON TAP:

12:30 p.m. EST: Ways and Means Committee Democrats are holding a forum: “Trading Views” TPP Hearing on Currency Manipulation. 

1 p.m. EST: GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina is addressing the New Hampshire House of Representatives in Concord, N.H. 

3:15-4:15 p.m. EST: The House votes on measures, including the SCRUB Act and the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2015. 

4:30 p.m. EST: Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will hold an ObamaCare repeal enrollment ceremony. Live stream: http://on.fb.me/1OQOWLt 

7:30 p.m. EST: Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson holds a town hall in Bettendorf, Iowa.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

3 p.m. EST: Carly Fiorina will join Kate Snow on MSNBC.

6 p.m. EST: Fox News’s Bret Baier broadcasts live from Des Moines, Iowa, and will be interviewing voters.

8 p.m. EST: MSNBC’s Chris Hayes has a special from Vermont where he will interview Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — the same day Donald Trump is campaigning in the state!

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…

Today is National Tempura Day!

THINGS TO GET US THROUGH THE DAY: Here’s a list of the funniest tweets in 2015 (with the 12:30 Report stamp of approval.)  😉  http://bzfd.it/1n64ll3

COLBERT IS KILLING IT WITH THE IMPRESSIONS: Stephen Colbert nails his Bernie Sanders impression. It’s worth watching: http://wapo.st/1PLVBtK

THE NETHERLANDS IS DOING IT RIGHT: Parts of the Netherlands have turned their frozen streets into a winter wonderland (ice-skating rinks.) Well done. http://huff.to/1VMA5aF

So to follow up from my earlier rant, do you think today’s news cycle was any more tolerable than yesterday? Vent to me. 

 

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