The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Trump’s continued popularity raises Senate eyebrows

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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 

What Republican senators are whispering about these days:

“A Fox News survey showing former President Trump leading Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis by 15 points among Republican presidential primary voters is the latest cause for heartburn among Senate Republicans who don’t think Trump can win a general election match-up against President Biden.”  

Why this is noteworthy: Senate Republicans — most notably Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — expected Trump’s popularity to fade the longer he is out of the Oval Office, but this poll confirms that he is still popular among Republican voters. 

From a Republican senator who requested anonymity: “DeSantis’s problem is this: Trump still has self-identified very conservative primary voters and working-class voters, folks who don’t have a four-year college degree. He has really substantial leads among those folks … When you break down DeSantis’s support, it’s almost from self-identified moderates and then Never-Trumpers, which is fine but you’re not going to win a primary with that. So he’s got to make some inroads.”  

How this could shake out in the GOP, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton 

BTW — SEAN HANNITY WAS APPARENTLY ‘DISGUSTED’ BY TRUMP’S ACTIONS AFTER LOSING THE 2020 ELECTION: 
Even though Fox News host Sean Hannity was supportive of the former president on air. 

How we know: Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox News and its owner Rupert Murdoch for defamation. Murdoch said Hannity was “privately disgusted” with Trump’s actions, according to statements revealed in a new court filing this week. 

The full story 

It’s Tuesday and the last day of February! 💕 I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

📼 In the House 

Kevin wants to wooo the queen bee:

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) gave Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to tens of thousands of hours of footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.  

Why this is noteworthy: Carlson is a very influential figure in conservative circles and has criticized McCarthy over the past few years as a “puppet.” 

How McCarthy’s move has been received: “The move has sparked a firestorm of controversy on Capitol Hill, where Democrats are hammering the decision to give sensitive security footage to a media figure whose 2021 ‘Patriot Purge’ documentary series suggested the riot was a ‘false flag’ operation designed to persecute Trump supporters.”  

To sum up Carlson’s influence in the conservative world: “Carlson has become the most-watched cable news pundit not despite such controversies, but largely because of them. And Carlson’s influence is unmatched by any other commentator in the conservative ecosystem — a dynamic, sources say, that likely influenced McCarthy’s decision to grant him exclusive access to the Jan. 6 footage.”  

What this could mean for McCarthy’s popularity among firebrand conservatives, via The Hill’s Emily Brooks and Mike Lillis 

🏛 In the Supreme Court 

It’s student loan day:

The conservative Supreme Court is hearing two challenges to President Biden’s student loan debt relief program today. 

The first case: Biden v. Nebraska. C-SPAN livestream 

The second case: Department of Education v. Brown. C-SPAN livestream 

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OUTSIDE THE SUPREME COURT: 
It’s not the prettiest day in DC: Photo of activists gathering outside the court (From The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld) 

Check out some of the activists’ signs: Photos from The Washington Post’s Camila DeChalus 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) popped in to say hello: Watch (Video from Lilly Broadcasting’s Rachel Knapp)  

‘YOUR GUIDE TO TODAY’S SUPREME COURT ORAL ARGUMENTS — AND THE KEY PLAYERS TO KNOW’:
From CNN’s Ariane de Vogue 

THE FIVE BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY’S STUDENT LOAN CASES:

1. “Did Congress speak clearly enough to give authority to forgive the debts?” 

2. “Will [then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.)] previous doubts on Biden’s authority haunt Democrats?”  

3. “Are justices sympathetic to the challengers’ standing arguments?” 

4. “How do the justices factor in the resumption of monthly loan payments?” 

5. “What decisions will the justices release at the start of the argument?”  

^ Wait, the justices could release a decision today?: Yes, but not related to student loans. “The court has designated Tuesday as an opinion day, meaning the justices are expected to hand down at least one decision in a separate case at the start of the session.” 

Context and details for each from The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld and Lexi Lonas 

👽🛸 In other news 

Ummm, how do I *not* click on this headline: 

“We Have a Real UFO Problem. And It’s Not Balloons.”

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Ryan Graves writes that “America’s fixation on the recent objects floating over the country overlooks a much more serious problem with advanced technology aircraft that we can’t explain.” Read the full story 

🦠 COVID-19  

‘FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BIG COVID-19 ‘LAB LEAK’ STORY’:
1. “Republicans take vindication from shift.”

2. “A lot of uncertainty remains.”  

3. “Highly doubtful that the truth will ever be known.” 

4. “More tension in U.S.-China relations.” 

5. “A fueling of distrust.” 

Context for each from The Hill’s Niall Stanage 

NUMBERS IN THE U.S.: 

Cases to date: 103.2 million 

Death toll: 1,115,637 

Current hospitalizations: 12,319 

Shots administered: 671 million 

Fully vaccinated: 69.3 percent of Americans 

CDC data here. 

🐥Notable tweets 

Whoopsies:

CNN tweeted a clip from HBO’s “The Last of Us” where viewers found a small editing error. Watch

⏱On tap 

The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Virginia Beach, Va., this afternoon. Vice President Harris is in Washington, D.C., with no public events scheduled.

• 9 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing. 
• 11:30 a.m.: The Senate held a cloture vote and a nomination vote. Senators then meet for weekly caucus meetings. Today’s Senate agenda 
• 12:40 p.m.: Biden leaves for Virginia Beach, Va. 
• 1:30 p.m. First House votes of the day. Today’s House agenda 
• 2:15 p.m.: More Senate nomination votes. 
• 4:30 p.m.: Two more Senate nomination votes. 
• 4:45 p.m.: Last House votes of the day. 
• 5:35 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House. 
• Today: The Chicago mayoral race. Five things to watch

All times Eastern. 

📺What to watch

• This morning: The Hill held an event, “Rare Disease Day:  A Look at 40 Years of the Orphan Drug Act.” Details and video 
• Today: The Alex Murdaugh trial continues over the 2021 killings of his wife and son. Livestream If you haven’t been following the case: Here’s an explainer 
• Today: The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in two challenges to Biden’s student loan relief program. The first livestream The second livestream 
• 1:15 p.m.: White House principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One. Livestream 
• 3 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks on health care costs. Livestream

🥞 In lighter news 

Today is National Pancake Day! You know what that means?! Free pancakes at IHOP! Here are the deets from USA Today 

And to leave you on a happy note, here are ducks having a great winter afternoon.