The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Biden referees kids’ Easter Egg Roll
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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.
IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Let the good eggs roll:
After a two-year hiatus, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll has returned (!)
Video of the Bidens at the event: https://bit.ly/3JTeOur
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS:
Photo of some of the eggs — I appreciate the saturation of the colors: https://bit.ly/3uRlZyL
The logistics of this fascinate me — this involves 50,000 real eggs: CNN pointed out, “50,000 eggs have been hard boiled and driven to Washington on a refrigerated truck.” https://bit.ly/3Mc9NhR
The main event — I appreciate the competitive energy: Here’s a video of kids rolling their eggs across the course. Video from HuffPost’s Philip Lewis: https://bit.ly/3vtMxFx
Video of President Biden blowing the whistle to start an egg roll: The way he jogs away is basically how any grandfather would do it. Watch: https://bit.ly/3rvz5zx
OK, but can we agree the bunny is a *little* unsettling?: Photos of the Easter bunny standing with the Bidens: https://bit.ly/37pMbrq
I love the branding opportunity: Here’s a photo of Peeps mascots strutting around: https://bit.ly/3xBNDSm
The poor kiddos (and us, but let’s focus on the kids): It’s in the mid 40-degrees and it’s rainy. Kids are wearing their Easter outfits, which are generally not made for cold weather. The adult readers in the event’s “reading nook” have had trouble turning the pages because their fingers are so cold.
Spotted: NBC’s Jimmy Fallon. Photo: https://bit.ly/3OjbDPW
^ Fallon’s kid was involved in the egg roll: Video from The Hill’s Alex Gangitano: https://bit.ly/3k6U0oR
More from the event, via The Hill’s Alex Gangitano: https://bit.ly/3Enuc0K
The band’s music reminds me of ‘Bridgerton’: The band has been playing songs that sound familiar but are mostly hard to place. A few I recognized: The Oompa Loompa song from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and Charlie Brown.
This year’s theme — *Insert drums to signal a pun alert*: Education — or “EGGucation!” https://bit.ly/3M7rJtW
When was the last White House Easter Egg Roll?: 2019 (!) This is the first roll since pandemic began.
Can we talk about the fact that first lady Grace Coolidge had a pet racoon on a leash?: “First Lady Grace Coolidge brings her pet raccoon to 1927 White House Easter Egg Roll. Reactions are mixed.” Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Michael Beshloss. Photo of the leashed racoon: https://bit.ly/3KRKCAR
This tradition has been happening since 1878: Here’s a short video on the history of the egg roll, via NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell: https://bit.ly/3Eq4Q2l
Happy Monday! Filing with numb fingers from a chilly White House, I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.
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IN CONGRESS
Ah, the Build Back Bett— oh, please excuse me. I mean a ~different bill~:
Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, “Top Democrats and the White House are eyeing a revival of a stalled-out tax-and-spending bill as the party tries to show deliverables to voters heading into a November election where they are facing tough political headwinds.” https://bit.ly/3Okx3fr
Back story: “The hopes of reviving Build Back Better—albeit, significantly altered and likely with a different name—comes after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) deep-sixed a roughly $2 trillion, House-passed bill late last year. Since then they’ve struggled with when, or how, to revive the issue with most of the political oxygen focused on a Supreme Court vacancy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
What’s the plan now?: When Congress returns from its two-week recess, they are hoping to revive talks.
What to expect: https://bit.ly/3Okx3fr
IN THE GOP
Bragging rights are on the line:
“Former President Trump’s grip on the Republican Party will face its biggest test in Ohio after Friday’s endorsement of JD Vance in a crowded GOP primary to fill the retiring Sen. Rob Portman’s seat.” https://bit.ly/3KShVUL
Keep in mind — Vance is an underdog: “Trump’s endorsement has proved important in some races, but has done little to boost candidates in others, making his bet on the underdog Vance a risky one.”
Making things even harder for Vance: “A Republican official who requested anonymity to comment on the race noted that early voting started on April 5 and many ballots have already been cast, leaving Vance’s path to the nomination by no means easy.”
How this race could play out — and why it’s more meaningful than just one race: https://bit.ly/3KShVUL
LATEST WITH COVID-19
Because protocols have transformed in the past two years — what exactly do we do now?:
The New York Times’s Sharon Otterman writes, “When someone in the family tests positive for the coronavirus, there are some guidelines to follow.” The Q&A: https://nyti.ms/37pAfWF
CASE NUMBERS:
Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 80,635,953
U.S. death toll: 988,663
Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y
VACCINATION NUMBERS:
Total number of vaccinations administered in the U.S.: 568 million shots have been given.
Seven-day average of doses administered: An average of 120,022 doses
For context: The U.S. population is roughly 331 million.
Breakdown of the numbers: https://bloom.bg/3iVTPLH
NOTABLE TWEETS:
Dogs getting passive aggressive never gets old:
Author Ayana Gray tweeted, “My favorite thing is when I stay up too late and my dog passive aggressively puts herself to bed without me, like
YOU do what you want but SOME us have work in the morning.’” https://bit.ly/3OkVFVF
This tweet has more than 110,000 likes so far.
A new mural in town:
@djsigworth tweeted a photo of the newly unveiled mural of newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. It’s location: 14th and S Streets NW. Photo: https://bit.ly/3ElWCs8
Back story: The mural was unveiled during a block party last weekend. Details from DCist’s Stephanie Rudig: https://bit.ly/3xxaKx9
ON TAP:
The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in Washington, D.C. Vice President Harris is on her way to California.
10:15 a.m. EDT: President Biden and first lady Jill Biden delivered remarks at the White House Easter “EGGucation” Roll. Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff also attended.
12:05 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff left for Vandenberg Space Force Base.
1:45 p.m. EDT: President Biden receives the President’s Daily Brief.
6:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris receives a briefing at the Combined Space Operations Center.
8:55 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff leave for Los Angeles.
11:10 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris delivers remarks at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Los Angeles.
WHAT TO WATCH:
This morning: The White House Easter Egg Roll. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3JTeOur
4 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/37mZFV0
8:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Harris delivers remarks on the ongoing work to establish norms for space. Livestream: https://bit.ly/3jMxgdg
IN LIGHTER NEWS:
Today is National Animal Crackers Day.
No, no, no, no, no, noooooo:
Popville reports that Bethesda Bagels is closing its popular DuPont Circle location in Washington, D.C. https://bit.ly/3Om0oGo
Why?: “Unfortunately, we have not been able to come to an agreement with our landlord to extend our lease.”
What about the other locations?: “We will still be relatively close by in Navy Yard and Rosslyn, so don’t be a stranger,” Bethesda Bagels wrote, according to Popville.
And to brighten your Monday afternoon, here’s a little girl who is doing her best. Her best just happens to be a bit chaotic: https://bit.ly/3vsHdlN
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
