The Hill’s 12:30 Report — A world without Carlson, Lemon on TV

by Elizabeth Crisp - 04/25/23 12:30 PM ET

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically.

TALK OF THE MORNING

Ripples continue from Carlson, Lemon ousters:

Details remain murky about the circumstances that prompted Fox News and CNN to start the week by parting ways with two of their highest-rated and most-recognizable personalities.

CNN’s Don Lemon and Fox News’s Tucker Carlson were let go on Monday — seemingly by surprise in network moves that sent shockwaves through the media and political landscape.

Lemon’s former co-anchors on CNN’s “This Morning” started Tuesday’s show with brief remarks about his sudden firing.

“We begin with some news about this show,” anchor Poppy Harlow said. “As you may have heard yesterday, CNN parted ways with Don Lemon.”

Harlow and anchor Kaitlan Collins then wished Lemon well before moving onto the news of the day.

Meanwhile, Brian Kilmeade filled in for the post-Carlson “Fox News Tonight” on Monday. “I wish Tucker the best. I’m great friends with Tucker and always will be,” he said in brief comments about Carlson at the top.

The Daily Beast’s Lachlan Cartwright nicely sums up what happened Monday: “The shock exits of Tucker Carlson at Fox News and Don Lemon at CNN share striking similarities: Both came about after the anchors created an endless stream of controversies and distractions for their parent companies; both were their respective network’s highest-profile stars who thought they were bigger than their platforms; and both were undone by their own hubris.”

Former President Trump, a Carlson ally and Lemon foe, also had thoughts on their departures.

ONE THING WE KNOW:

Carlson and Lemon’s exits will certainly shake things up for the White House correspondents’ dinner this weekend!

DIVE DEEPER:

The Hill’s Al Weaver breaks down the top five takeaways from Carlson’s exit.

MORE:

From the whys to the what’s next, The Hill has you covered.

It’s Tuesday, April 25, and it’s the week of the annual White House correspondents dinner — DC’s Nerd Prom. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up.

Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips, add me to your media lists and pass along your WHCD gossip: ecrisp@digital-staging.thehill.com. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp.

🏃 2024

He’s running — Biden takes a leap:

It’s official! President Biden, who had previously acknowledged that he’d likely seek a second term, has formally launched his 2024 campaign with a video released early Tuesday morning. (The Hill)

The video, which shows images of Biden’s time in office, as well as photos from protests, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and even former President Trump embracing GOP rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, comes out on the fourth anniversary of Biden’s announcement that he would run in 2020.

What he’s saying: Biden’s overall message from the jump is that he has more work to do. He doesn’t mention in the video the dynamics of Congress or broach the topic of needing a solid Democratic majority in the House and Senate to pass his most ambitious goals.

WHO’S WHO:

Team Biden officially unveiled its leadership lineup after the announcement. Check it out here.

GOP RESPONDS:

The Republican National Committee responded to Biden’s announcement with an AI-heavy video.

“This just in, we can now call the 2024 presidential race for Joe Biden,” the video says, mimicking a news report, accompanied by words on the screen that read: “What if the weakest president we’ve ever had were re-elected.” (The Hill)

In Congress

House debt limit plan gives Republican senators concern:

Senate Republicans want to cheer for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), but they are finding it a tall order when it comes to the debt ceiling standoff.

One big concern: McCarthy’s proposal would punt to next year — an election year in which the GOP is hoping to regain control of the Senate.

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports: “Senate Republicans think they have a good chance of winning back the upper chamber, but another high-stakes showdown with the president over the economy right before the 2024 election is politically risky.”

What they’re saying: “My complaint is that we delay these things all the time. Can we get out of moving from crisis to crisis?” one Republican senator told Bolton. “I’m for striking a deal and changing the spending, but can we not do it every year?”

GOP senators agree with the House that federal spending should be cut, but they also worried about the economy, which has been on the cusp of a slight recession as it comes out of the coronavirus pandemic.

More from Bolton: “The standoff over the debt limit has frozen the annual appropriations process because Senate and House leaders are nowhere close to reaching a deal on setting the top-line spending numbers for defense and nondefense programs.”

Liberals launch debt limit ads in swing-districts:

Liberal advocacy group Accountable.US is pressuring swing-district House Republicans to reject Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) plan for raising the debt ceiling that includes federal spending cuts for some social programs.

The Hill’s Karl Evers-Hillstrom reports the group started a five-figure ad campaign on Tuesday in one of the first ad campaigns urging Republicans to go against the new GOP speaker.

What it means: No matter how this week’s anticipated vote on McCarthy’s debt limit proposal in the House, it has no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and is seen more as a launchpad for restarting negotiations between GOP leadership, the White House and Senate Democrats that have stalled the past three months.

📄 In the White House

Republicans want Biden administration’s plans for student loans:

Republicans want more information about how the Biden administration plans to handle the restart of student loan payments this summer.

In a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona this week, House Education Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), ~~a Utah Republican~~ who chairs the Higher Education Subcommittee, ask for a detailed plan and related documents within two weeks.

More than 44 million accounts will resume payments this summer after a pause for the coronavirus pandemic. (The Hill)

🍸 In other news

~Best days of our lives~ — ‘Vanderpump Rules’ stars are heading to D.C. for dinner:

Raise your glasses high because two of the top stars of the Bravo hit series “Vanderpump Rules” — — Lisa Vanderpump and Ariana Maddox – — are slated to be the special guests of The Daily Mail at this weekend’s White House correspondents dinner in D.C., the outlet has reported.

IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW: The news comes as this season of the reality show has drawn major attention for what’s become known as the “Scandoval” — — quick explainer: Maddox’s long-time boyfriend cheated on her for months with another cast member who was Maddox’s friend. LVP, as Vanderpump is known by fans, is the queen of the show and a former cast member of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. (The New York Times even covered this drama, so you can read more here if you want to know more about this.)

AND: I’m gonna stop outing myself as a “Bravo-aholic” who is totally here for the drama …

🐥 Notable tweets

Philly Dem gloats over Carlson’s exit:

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) was among several Twitter users who pointed out that former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson got a “triple crown” of having unceremoniously departing jobs at CNN, MSNBC and Fox News after Monday’s announcement from the conservative network.

Two years ago, Boyle, who has been in the House since 2015 and is ranking member of the House Budget Committee, also took aim at Carlson on Twitter over his network hopping, calling the host a “total fraud.”

⏱ On tap

The House comes in at noon, and the Senate returns to the chamber at 3 p.m. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in D.C.

Noon: President Biden departed the White House en route to the Washington Hilton.
12:30 p.m.: Biden is giving a speech on jobs and the economy for the North America’s Building Trades Unions Legislative Conference.
1:25 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House.
2 p.m.: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters.
2 p.m.: Members of Congress and Ukrainian-Americans mark the introduction of the Ukraine Victory Resolution.
3:30 p.m.: Senate Sergeant at Arms and U.S. Capitol Police Chief testify at a Senate budget hearing.
4 p.m.: House Rules Committee meets to take up the GOP proposal for lifting the debt ceiling.
7:10 p.m.: Biden, first lady Jill Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee depart the White House en route to the Korean War Memorial.
7:40 p.m.: The Bidens return to the White House.

All times Eastern.

📺 What to watch

2 p.m.: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. (Watch here)
3:30 p.m.: Senate Sergeant at Arms and U.S. Capitol Police Chief testify at a Senate budget hearing. (Watch here)
4 p.m.: House Rules Committee meets to take up the GOP proposal for lifting the debt ceiling. (Watch here)
Tonight: Rep. Katie Porter, a California Democrat running for Senate, will be on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” (Check local listings)