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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.

HAPPENING SOON

Coming up on episode 3 of the docuseries: 

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack is holding its third public hearing in the past week today.

Today’s theme: Former President Trump’s efforts to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence to change results of the election.

Keep in mind about the hearings so far: “The committee has already shown video of a noose brought to the Capitol that day, and relayed that when Trump was informed about chants to ‘hang Mike Pence,’ he reportedly responded, ‘maybe our supporters have the right idea.’”

^ What we expect today: “The committee has pledged to highlight not just the way Trump both privately and publicly put pressure on Pence to reject the election results, but also the fallout that occurred afterwards, something that has resulted in a fractured relationship as both have eyed runs in 2024.” More on what to expect today, via The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch

Hearing livestream: It is set to begin at 1 p.m. EDT.

➤ ‘PENCE STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE TRUMP’S LONG SHADOW’: 
“A new, bright spotlight is about to be shone onto the complicated relationship between former President Trump and his former vice president, Mike Pence.” Read Niall Stanage’s column today

➤THROWBACK — OH HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED: 
C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman tweeted a clip from June 2018 with a group of Republicans in the White House.

“Trump to Pence: ‘Thank you very much.’ Trump to Kinzinger: ‘Thank you, Adam, very much. Appreciate it.’ Later: ‘He looks good. Handsome guy.’ Trump to Cheney: ‘Thank you, Liz. And say hello to your father, please. Great guy.’” Watch the 2-minute clip 

Why this is particularly interesting: Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) are the two Republicans on the committee investigating Jan. 6.

IT’S THURSDAY. 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 Washington, D.C.

Guess who’s back? Back again. *nervous laugh*:

Via WTOP’s Jack Pointer, Eight 7,000-series trains are returning to the DC Metro system today after being pulled in October over safety issues.

The incident that caused the trains to be pulled: A train derailed on the Blue Line. “That derailment was blamed on the wheels’ alignment drifting too far apart.”

What the agency has been doing before returning the trains to the tracks: “[F]or about a month now, the agency has been training inspectors on such processes as daily back-to-back wheel measurements using a digital gauge.”

Keep in mind: “Late last month, Metro said it would return 64 of the cars to service over the next few weeks. The 7000-series railcars will show up on the Green and Yellow Lines first, Metro said. It expects to boost service on the Blue, Orange and Silver Lines to every 15 minutes starting next month.” Everything we know 

TIDBIT: Metro’s interim GM Andy Off rode a 7,000-series train to work today. Watch the clip from @wmata

🗳 On the campaign trail 

Let’s get that ball rolling, Joey B: 

Whether or not President Biden will seek a second term has become a hotly debated issue around Washington.

Keep in mind: Biden, 79, will be 81 years old during the next presidential election.

What Democratic senators are saying: “Senators say they will strongly support Biden if he opts to run for reelection, despite growing concerns over his low public approval rating and his ability to win a grueling presidential election when he will be 81 years old.”

Yes, but at the same time: “The New York Times reported Sunday that many Democratic lawmakers and party officials increasingly view Biden as ‘an anchor that should be cut loose in 2024,’ citing interviews with 50 Democratic officials.”

That talk is staying hush hush for now because, well, midterms: “Democratic senators are trying to stamp out talk of replacing Biden, fearful that the last thing they need heading into the 2022 midterm elections is more intraparty dissension.”

The debate among Dems over whether Biden should run again, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton

🦠 Latest with COVID 

Inching closer and closer to vaccinating the bebehs: 

Via CNN’s Jacqueline Howard, “Vaccine advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on Wednesday in favor of expanding the emergency use authorizations for the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines to include children as young as 6 months.”

What happens now?: “The FDA, which typically follows the committee’s decisions, will now decide whether to authorize the vaccines for emergency use in the youngest children.” And then: “The CDC’s vaccine advisers are expected to vote Saturday. The White House has said shots could begin as early as next week.” What to expect

➤TIDBIT: 
Via NBC’s Shannon Pettypiece, “Florida is the only state that hasn’t ordered Covid vaccines for kids under 5.”

What that means: “The Florida Department of Health said the state was choosing not to order vaccines from the federal government and instead leaving it to individual doctors to request vaccines directly.” The full story

➤ BY THE NUMBERS 

Cases to date: 85.6 million

Death toll: 1,007,374

Current hospitalizations: 24,220

Shots administered: 591 million

Fully vaccinated: 66.8 percent of Americans

CDC data here.

🐥Notable tweets 

Omg — Inventing Anna is back again, baby: 

NBC News tweeted, “Anna Sorokin, known for taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from friends and businesses while posing as a German heiress, says she’s trying to move away from the ‘scammer persona’ and plans to launch a collection of NFTs.” The full story 

^ If you haven’t seen the Netflix show ‘Inventing Anna,’ here’s a brief synopsis: Watch the trailer

⏱On tap 

The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C.

• 10 a.m.: Harris speaks on a press call on expanding postpartum coverage and improving maternal health.

• 10:30 a.m.: Biden received the President’s Daily Brief.

• 10:45 ­a.m. ­­– 12:15 p.m.: First and last votes in the House. Today’s House agenda 

• 11:15 a.m.: Three Senate votes, including two cloture votes. Today’s Senate agenda 

• 1:40 p.m.: Harris delivers remarks announcing the launch of the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse.

• 3:10 p.m.: Biden signs the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 into law.

All times Eastern.

📺What to watch 

• 9:30 a.m.: Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky testified on COVID-19. C-SPAN livestream 

• 12:15 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs.

🍫In lighter news 

Today is National Fudge Day!

It’s the end of an era:

The Internet browser, Microsoft Explorer, officially retired Wednesday. Details from The Associated Press 

And to leave you on an entertaining note, just watch this adventure.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.