The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Huckabee’s Adele-inspired video | Trump’s debate boycott | Boehner chief of staff gets new gig | Obama meets Sanders | National Chocolate Cake Day

TRUMP SAYS HAAAIL NO: Via The Hill’s Jonathan Easley, Donald Trump will skip Thursday’s presidential debate over a feud with Fox News. The Trump campaign said they basically didn’t think Fox News’s Megyn Kelly could be an objective moderator. Fox News responded that they wouldn’t let Trump dictate what the moderators say. After more back and forth, Trump decided to boycott the debate. Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski predicted the debate would be a bust without Trump: “You know, maybe Fox News was going to have a 20–25 million person debate. But without Mr. Trump’s participation, I think they may have a 1 or 2 million person debate.” http://bit.ly/1SaKMW9

UPDATE: The Cruz campaign has started the hashtag #DonaldDuck to mock Trump missing the debate. http://bit.ly/1nxMUKQ

IF YOU’RE WONDERING HOW CIVIL IT’S BEEN SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT…: Donald Trump tweeted: “I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead I will only call her a lightweight reporter!” Headsmack! http://bit.ly/1ZSGRfu

QUICK CATCH-UP: Here’s a timeline of the Fox News — Donald Trump feud: http://bit.ly/1Uqu4iW 

NEW THIS A.M. — I. CAN’T. STOP. CRINGING.: Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee released a spin-off music video of Adele’s “Hello.” Parts of it are in black-and-white, in slow motion and are just incredibly awkward. “Hello from the Caucus Night. If Bernie wins, I’m gonna die…“ See for yourself: http://bit.ly/1KF7yxm 

Happy Wednesday! The Iowa caucuses are five days away and the New Hampshire primary is 13 days from today! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this morning — and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send tips, comments, story ideas and happy thoughts to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com and follow me on Facebook. 

{mosads}BUNDY STANDOFF INTENSIFIES: Via The Hill’s Tim Cama and Elliot Smilowitz, one person was killed and several arrested, including Ammon Bundy, the leader of an armed group occupying a wildlife refuge in Oregon, in an incident with law enforcement Tuesday. 

Why: Bundy’s group has occupied the Malheur Wildlife Refuge since early this month to protest government land policies and what they call the harsh sentencing of two local ranchers. 

Who’s leading the protest? Ammon Bundy, the son of Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who sparked an armed standoff with federal agents in 2014, which escalated a years-long fight over government regulations on his land.

So, is it over? No. Ammon Bundy was arrested in a traffic stop. The FBI is telling the remaining occupiers to leave the area. 

BOEHNER CHIEF OF STAFF’S NEW GIG: Via Bloomberg’s Devin Banerjee, Mike Sommers, who was chief of staff to former House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), will become CEO of the Private Equity Growth Capital Council next month. http://bloom.bg/1PDZeFq

Tweet from John Boehner: Congrats to my former chief of staff Mike Sommers, the new president and CEO of PEGCCouncil. Great news. Happy for Mike, Jill and kids. http://bit.ly/1OPfkbV

OBAMA MEETS WITH SANDERS: President Obama privately met with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at 11:45 a.m. EST today. There is no formal agenda. http://bit.ly/1KFdhDk

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE CORNER:

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is sending a letter to Secretaries John Kerry, Sylvia Matthews Burwell and Jeh Johnson,calling for a coordinated federal response to the Zika virus. The Zika virus is carried by mosquitoes and is a major risk to pregnant women and their unborn children. What the virus does to newborn babies is terrifying. See here: http://nyti.ms/1Qshf6P. Read Shaheen’s letter: http://bit.ly/2052KO4

“TAKE THAT, DNC”: NBC News and the New Hampshire Union Leader are planning an unsanctioned Democratic Debate ahead of the New Hampshire Primary. NBC’s Chuck Todd and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow will moderate. 

NEW TODAY IN NH: The New Hampshire Union Leader says Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley are expressing support for the debate. The holdout is Bernie Sanders, who doesn’t want to jeopardize his spot in other debates. http://bit.ly/1KaAfqM

 

NOTABLE TWEETS:

The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs (the greatest video I’ve seen today)
Nothing matters http://bit.ly/20sBWUL

Politico’s Steve Shepard
I told you yesterday that rumors of a snowstorm for the Iowa caucuses were premature. Now appears snow will hit next Tuesday, not Monday. http://bit.ly/23th6XR

National Journal’s Daniel Newhauser
Capitol Police reported no arrests 1/20-1/27. If only every
day was a snow day! http://bit.ly/1JF1rOD 

The Huffington Post’s Jennifer Bendery
Flowers for Concepcion Picciotto, who died Monday. She kept
this peace vigil going outside the WH for 35 years. http://bit.ly/1nPbBlV

 

ON TAP:

1:30 p.m. EST: The White House is holding an event on child hunger in America. Live stream: http://1.usa.gov/1lRPKbN 

1:45 p.m. EST: House Democrats are in Baltimore for the start of thier annual policy retreat. Watch the opening leadership briefing. Live stream: http://cs.pn/1OPkzZ2 

5:30 p.m. EST: The Senate will vote on the nomination of John Vazquez to be a U.S. district judge in New Jersey.

5:45 p.m. EST: President Obama delivers remarks at the Righteous Among the Nations Award Ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.

7 p.m. EST: Donald Trump holds a rally in Lexington, S.C. 

7 p.m. EST: Jon Bon Jovi holds a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia, Pa. Ticket price is $1,000 a head or $2,700 for a family. http://bit.ly/20slQuf

7 p.m. EST: Rick Perry campaigns with Ted Cruz in Des Moines, Iowa. Live stream: http://cs.pn/1JETxou

 

WHAT TO WATCH

5 p.m. EST: Former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel joins MSNBC’s “MTP Daily.”

10 p.m. EST: Michael Moore joins Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC’s “The Last Word.” 

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day!

LUNCH PLANS JUST GOT REAL: Here’s a list of the restaurants UberEATS is delivering this week. http://bit.ly/1Vr67YZ 

IN CASE YOU WEREN’T FEELING BAD ABOUT YOURSELF TODAY: Here’s a three-year-old girl who knows (and can explain!) the elements in the Periodic Table. She can also name every state and capital, plus every president. Makes flashcards immediately http://bit.ly/204PzMZ

FACEBOOK IS MESSIN’ WITH THE SECRET SAUCE: Via Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier, Facebook is changing the “like” button to six emoticons. http://bloom.bg/1QsnebI 

And with that, here is puppy in a police outfit. I can’t. http://bit.ly/1PE6hxS 

 

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