It’s Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve. That means it’s time to grab any groceries or other necessities that you may have forgotten for tomorrow. It is a slow day here in Washington, D.C., but The Hill has you covered with the latest news. Here’s what’s coming up:
Some of the Hamas hostages will be released when a temporary cease-fire starts in the morning. Lawmakers are venting and thankful to be out of Washington right now.
Sam Altman is back at OpenAI after a whiplash-inducing turn at the artificial intelligence (AI) company.
I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send me your tips and follow me on X, formerly Twitter: @elizabethcrisp. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.
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Programming note: 12:30 Report will be on Thanksgiving break until Monday. |
Who was the first president to spend Thanksgiving outside the U.S.?
Answer: President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1936, Roosevelt enjoyed his holiday dinner aboard the USS Indianapolis in the south Atlantic during a trip to the Inter-American Peace Conference in Buenos Aires. (White House Historical Association) Roosevelt would later go on to shift the official Thanksgiving date and then change it back — between the third Thursday and fourth Thursday in November (as it stands today). Thank you all for submitting your guesses and shout out to Lori F. from Alabama for getting the first correct answer! 🏆 |
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Short pause in Hamas-Israel war will afford some hostages freedom: |
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A four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants will facilitate the release of 50 hostages who were captured during the Palestinian militant group’s surprise attack on Israeli citizens on Oct. 7. Americans among the hostages: The release of three Americans — two women and one child, who will turn 4 years old on Friday — are expected to be part of the deal, though terms could still shift. The release — seen as a first wave under the deal, as more than 240 hostages were estimated to be held captive by Hamas — is expected to take place in the early morning hours Thursday, but only after the fighting stops, likely around 4 a.m. EST. Under the truce terms, it will last for six hours each day. The deal took weeks of intense negotiations among international leaders to hash out.
“I will not stop until they are all released,” President Biden said in a statement. In exchange for the hostage rescue, some women and Palestinian youths that are currently jailed in Israel will be set free.
The temporary cease-fire will also aid the delivery of humanitarian assistance needed in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, which is run by Hamas. (More here) |
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The Hill’s Alex Gangitano has broken down how the White House aided negotiations behind the scenes. | |
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Lawmakers are thankful for a break: |
Frustrated with how things are going lately in Congress? Some lawmakers are feeling the same way.
The Hill’s Mychael Schnell spoke to House members about how thankful they are about the Thanksgiving break — and respite from the drama.
A few ways they described their current situation: “little to show,” “hard to get anything done,” “refus[ing] to deal with the big issues that we have to deal with.”
And that’s not even getting into what has happened in the past two weeks: when a Republican accused another of intentionally elbowing him in the kidney; a committee chairman called a member a “Smurf,” and a congresswoman called her colleague an explicit euphemism for a part of the female anatomy.
“With legislating all but brought to a halt and partisanship at an alarming high, members of Congress in both parties are running for the exits, opting out of another term on Capitol Hill to vie for higher office or, in some cases, leave politics altogether,” Schnell reports. |
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Results are in on The Hill’s 2024 presidential rankings:
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With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, The Hill’s Niall Stanage is here with the latest rankings of the candidates vying for the GOP nomination. Spoiler alert: Former President Trump has maintained a healthy lead in all polling. And, the field has gotten smaller with the departures of former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.).
Read Stanage’s full analysis to see how things are shaping up beyond that.
The fourth debate is just around the corner on Dec. 6, and it will be hosted by NewsNation in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Hill and NewsNation are both owned by Nexstar Media Group. |
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🔹 President Biden‘s reelection campaign will run ads in Michigan and Wisconsin on Thanksgiving during the NFL game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. (The Hill) 🔹 Trump’s lead over Biden continues to widen in the latest poll on a hypothetical rematch. (The Hill) |
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Altman reinstated at OpenAI after brief ouster |
Less than a week after the OpenAI board booted him, the AI company’s co-founder and former CEO, Sam Altman, has been reinstated in a bizarre about-face after an upheaval in Silicon Valley.
With his return, the company — the parent of the popular ChatGPT platform — is getting a new board of directors. Here’s how it unfolded: |
Friday, the company’s board announced Altman’s departure. Monday, Microsoft announced that the company would hire him to lead its AI division.
Tuesday evening, the restructuring and reinstatement was announced.
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Bidens head to Nantucket for family Thanksgiving: |
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President Biden, first lady Jill Biden and their family headed to Nantucket late Tuesday to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner on the Massachusetts island. While details have been scant (we couldn’t get ahold of an early menu!), here’s everything we know about their plans: In the morning, the president and first lady will call members of the military to thank them for their service.
The Bidens visited a naval installation in Virginia over the weekend to host a “Friendsgiving” meal with service members and their families. While there, they served sides to the crowd. The menu featured slow-roasted bourbon brined turkey topped with giblet gravy and cranberry-orange compote, maple-mustard glazed spiral-cut smoked ham, brioche-cornbread stuffing, candied walnuts, roasted garlic and crème fraîche and a toasted espresso mascarpone with Chantilly cream.
As the White House Historical Association notes: “Thanksgiving at the White House is a quiet holiday for the president’s family, featuring a meal that traditionally included turkey, Chesapeake Bay oysters, rockfish from the Potomac, terrapin from the Eastern shore, cranberries from Cape Cod, and mince and pumpkin pies.” What they had last year: While we do not yet know what is on the menu for this year’s meal, last year’s first family feast — which was also on Nantucket — could give some clues.
According to information released from the White House at the time, the Bidens enjoyed a thyme-roasted turkey, sherry gravy, classic stuffing, cranberry relish and sweet potatoes, as well as shrimp cocktails, seared scallops and roasted root vegetables. The first family also had apple, coconut cream and pumpkin pies and the president’s favorite ice cream, chocolate chip, for dessert.
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Let’s (not) talk about politics: |
The 2024 election is less than a year away, and almost no one wants to talk about politics this Thanksgiving. Here are some tips from Vanderbilt University communications expert John Koch on how to avoid politically dicey situations around the dinner table: |
“Listen first: The goal of any discussion should be to understand each other’s perspective. Listen to the other person and you’re likely to find more areas of common ground. You may even learn something you didn’t know before. Remember to remain receptive to the other person’s point of view.
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Ask questions: Sure, you may think you already know all the answers, but odds are you don’t. Once you’ve heard the other person out, ask questions to dig a little deeper and broaden your understanding.
Be respectful: Having a civil dialogue doesn’t need to be a lost art. You can have a heated discussion without name-calling and put-downs. Don’t view the person you’re speaking with as the enemy. Treat others how you would like to be treated, and offer facts and evidence wherever possible to bolster your points.
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Don’t try to win: If you go into a discussion hoping to “win the argument,” you’re going about it wrong. Seek understanding first. If winning and losing are your only options, you’re missing the point.
Talk about something else: Sure, it’s important to engage with others on topics that you feel passionatel about – but be conscious if the conversation is going in the wrong direction. It’s not worth spoiling your dinner (or damaging a relationship). Find another topic and move on.”
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➤ 🎁 POLITICAL GIFT GUIDE: |
While you might not want to talk about politics over the holidays, you may still be able to get some political gift-giving inspiration. Here are some gift ideas for your favorite political junkies:
🔹 Trump on the Stump: Help that Republican friend replace their old Elf on the Shelf. Amazon ($36.99)
🔹 Biden socks: These feature the president doing his thing — eating ice cream. Amazon ($13.95)
🔹 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) plush doll: Your favorite Bernie fan may not get a chance to hug the real Vermont liberal, so here’s the next-best thing. Philosopher’s Guild ($23.95)
🔹 Justice Clarence Thomas bobble head doll: While it may be difficult to get your hands on one of the official Green Bag dolls released in 2011, there are some other options out there. Amazon ($44.99)
🔹 Coffee time: This mug features 29 classic presidential campaign slogans. Philosopher’s Guild ($19.95)
🔹 Candles: Not the most exciting gift but a nice, scented candle can be thoughtful. For the Dems, here’s an expletive-laden Trump candle. Etsy ($18.75) For Republicans, a liberal tears soy candle. Etsy ($9.56)
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The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in Nantucket, Mass., and Vice President Harris is in Los Angeles. Neither has any events on their public schedules. (all times Eastern) |
Coming up Monday: 10 a.m.: The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments. 3 p.m.: The Senate convenes.
6-10 p.m.: The Carter family invites members of the public to pay their respects as former first lady Rosalynn Carter lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Full schedule of arrangements.
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🤭 Oops… A conservative group that’s been working behind-the-scenes on staffing up a hypothetical second Trump administration seems to have accidentally revealed its top donors, including two organizations linked to liberal causes. The Daily Beast
🕊️ President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas 60 years ago today. The Library of Congress has a ton of information here. |
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Today is “DrinksGiving,” the unofficial pre-Thanksgiving ritual where travelers pack into their hometown watering holes and catch up with friends they’ve not seen in ages. There’s no requirement to imbibe alcohol to hang out, but those who do should drink responsibly and make sure to have a safe way home. The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 137 drivers in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve from 2017 to 2021 (remember there was a pandemic in there) were alcohol impaired. Has a list of tips to help you get to your designation safely: |
Only drive 100 percent sober.
Before you have a drink, know how you will get home safely. Designate a sober driver or prepare to grab a taxi or rideshare. Don’t drink if you are the designated driver!
Contact local law enforcement if you see a suspected drunk driver on the road. You could save the lives of the driver and innocent people! If you have a friend who is about to drink and drive, take the keys away and get them a safe ride.
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