The Hill’s 12:30 Report

The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump taps Bush aide | Obama thinks he could have won again | Must-read on Harry Reid | Obama, Japanese PM visit Pearl Harbor | Federal abortion policy in 2017

 

ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING — BEEFING UP THE WHITE HOUSE TEAM: President-elect Donald Trump has tapped a former national security aide in the George W. Bush administration as his counterterrorism adviser. Tom Bossert, who served as Bush’s deputy homeland security adviser, will join Trump’s White House as the assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. Why he’s a big pick: The elevation of Bossert gives the Trump national security staff more executive branch experience. While incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn has no White House experience, incoming deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland has worked in three administrations. http://bit.ly/2iAvCKs 

It’s Tuesday! Hope everyone is having a good holiday week. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this week and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@digital-staging.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

 

WHAT’S DRIVING THE WEEK — IT’S NOT ALL HAPPY HANUKKAH IN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS: Last Friday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution condemning Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. How the U.S. is involved: The U.S. abstained from the vote, instead of vetoing it, which allowed it to pass. Helpful Q&A explainer from CNN’s Oren Liebermann: http://cnn.it/2iAal3A

REACTION — NETANYAHU’S ONE-LINER: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday (Christmas!): “As I told [Secretary of State] John Kerry on Thursday, friends don’t take friends to the Security Council.” http://bit.ly/2hklx2X  

THIS AIN’T OVAH YET: Via The New York Times’s Peter Baker, defying the United Nations, Israel is preparing to build more settlements. How so: “The city intends to approve 600 housing units in the predominantly Palestinian eastern section of town on Wednesday in what a top official called a first installment on 5,600 new homes.” http://nyti.ms/2iAkQ6P  

 

TALK OF THE MORNING SHOWS — GETTING A TRUMP REACTION FROM THIS WAS LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL: Via CNN, in an exit interview with his former senior adviser David Axelrod, President Obama threw shade at President-elect Donald Trump, saying he could have beaten him in the 2016 election. “I am confident in this vision because I’m confident that if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could’ve mobilized a majority of the American people to rally behind it,” Obama said on “The Axe Files” podcast, produced by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN. http://cnn.it/2iA3Ldk  

ANNNNND IN 3…2…1…: Ding, ding. Trump wasn’t havin’ it. “President Obama said that he thinks he would have won against me. He should say that but I say NO WAY! – jobs leaving, ISIS, [ObamaCare], etc.” Trump tweeted on Monday afternoon. http://bit.ly/2hK2WhX  

 

MUST READ — PLEASE OH PLEASE CAN THERE BE A “OLD-FOLKS’ HOME” ALBUM PHOTO SHOOT!?: In New York Magazine, Jason Zengerle has a fascinating look at outgoing Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and the future of the Democratic Party. It’s worth reading. http://nym.ag/2hKb8ij Most newsy line:

 

— “Another aide brought up Joe Biden’s recent remark that he was thinking about running for president in 2020. ‘Would you support him?’ she inquired.

‘It depends on who’s running,’ Reid replied. ‘It appears we’re going to have an old-folks’ home. We’ve got [Elizabeth] Warren; she’ll be 71. Biden will be 78. Bernie [Sanders] will be 79.’ ” Yes, he called his party an “old-folks’ home.” 

 

WHAT ELSE WE LEARNED: Zengerle then tweeted: “This is also my last piece for NYMag. I’m headed to the NYTmag, where I’ll be a contributing writer.” http://bit.ly/2inxsif  

 

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN, SPICER…: Via Rhode Island’s WPRI, Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said that President-elect Donald Trump’s use of Twitter will be “a really exciting part of the job.” Spicer explained: “He has this direct pipeline to the American people, where he can talk back and forth.” It shall be an interesting four years… http://bit.ly/2iAbI27  

 

WHAT TO WATCH IN EARLY 2017 — ABORTION COULD BE TOP BILLING ON THE AGENDA: Via The Hill’s Peter Sullivan, anti-abortion groups are expecting President-elect Donald Trump will prioritize changing federal abortion policy on his first day in office. Specifics: Those actions include removing ObamaCare’s requirements for religious organizations to cover contraception in their insurance plans, easing the Obama administration rules that make it harder to cut funding from Planned Parenthood and preventing foreign aid dollars from being used for abortions. http://bit.ly/2hk2hTp  

  

NOTABLE TWEETS:

C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman

RIGHT NOW: On the left, Hawaii … On the right, Mar-A-Lago http://bit.ly/2hkq1Ha  

 

ON TAP:

President-elect Donald Trump is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

2:40 p.m. EST: President Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

4:10 p.m. EST: Obama participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at Pearl Harbor.

5:05 p.m. EST: Obama delivers remarks with Abe.

Today: Obama will meet with Abe in Honolulu. They will both visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

Week of Jan. 2: Katie Couric is returning as co-host of NBC’s “Today” with Matt Lauer while Savannah Guthrie is on maternity leave. 

  

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Fruitcake Day! Makes sense…

 

THE STORY YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW YOU WANTED TO READ TODAY: Via The Indy Star, did you know there is only one woman left who makes disco balls in the U.S.? Short video of her process: http://indy.st/2hkcxv3  

 

STILL NO NYE PLANS?: That’s OK, New Year’s Eve is the worst. Anyway, if you are still looking for suggestions, here are places in Washington, D.C., you can celebrate for $50 or less from The Washington Post’s Going Out Guide. http://wapo.st/2iaFsUd  

 

HOW GEORGE MICHAEL PUT “CARPOOL KARAOKE ON THE MAP”: In addition to many chart-topping songs, singer George Michael, who died Sunday, helped put James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” sketch on the map. Michael was the first celebrity to appear on the show. http://cnnmon.ie/2hksBMZ Debut segment: http://bit.ly/2i3r3eA  

 

And to keep you in the holiday spirit, here’s a panda climbing all over a snowman: http://bit.ly/2ib0LHW

  

To view past editions of The Hill’s 12:30 Report, click here: http://bit.ly/1M1mIfw

To receive The Hill’s 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: http://bit.ly/1Tt4hqN