It’s Friday! We are only two days away from the one of the best evenings for epic snacks and junk food — the Super Bowl! What a perfect excuse to make buffalo chicken dip! Or these bacon crackers I saw on TikTok. Or maybe even watch the game? Here’s what’s happening in the chaotic world of politics:
- Special counsel Robert Hur threw a grenade into the 2024 presidential race Thursday by releasing a report on President Biden’s handling of classified documents. Hur described Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
- Unsurprisingly, the president was furious about the report. He held a press conference last night where he lashed out at Hur. It may be worth watching today’s White House press briefing — it’s scheduled for 1 p.m.
- And Happy National Pizza Day! Keep reading for a list of pizza specials today.
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) found his doppelgänger: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scroll down to see the photo. The resemblance is uncanny.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.
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Special counsel Robert Hur, who has been investigating President Biden’s handling of classified materials, released a 388-page report Thursday, concluding that Biden “willfully” retained classified documents, but did not recommend charges. The report has raised eyebrows due to some of its language.
🔎 Read the 388-page report
The gist of the findings: Hur concluded Biden and his staff did *not* break the law in removing the records, but he was critical of how they handled the sensitive information.
The controversial part: Hur described Biden in the report as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” The report also repeatedly refers to Biden struggling to remember things. More on Hur’s description of Biden
^ That is the phrase we’ll likely hear repeatedly until November.
👀 Excerpt from Hur’s report: “Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”
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ANOTHER excerpt from the report: “In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse. He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended…and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began…He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died.”
This is important — Was Biden not charged just because he’s an ‘elderly man?’: No! The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch explains that “Hur didn’t recommend future charges [because] he had serious doubts about convincing a jury that Biden took the docs intentionally, a key element for such a case.”
Back story on the documents: Ninety documents were found at his home in Delaware and at an old office space from his time as vice president. Roughly 50 of those documents had classified markings.
What to know about Hur: Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur last January to conduct the investigation. “Hur, a Republican, served as U.S. attorney of Maryland from 2018 to 2021, after being appointed by former President Donald Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions.” (HuffPost)
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President Biden added a press conference to his schedule last night, where he lashed out at the special counsel.
What particularly irked Biden: The president took special issue with Hur noting that he struggled to remember when his son Beau Biden died.
Biden’s reaction: “How in the hell dare he raise that. Frankly, when I was asked the question I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business … I don’t need anyone to remind me when he passed away.” 💻 Watch Biden’s full comments on his son’s death
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➤ MORE REACTIONS FROM DEMS:
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From Democratic strategist Paul Begala: In an interview with CNN, Begala said, “Look, I’m a Biden supporter. And I slept like a baby last night. I woke up every two hours crying and wet the bed … This is terrible for Democrats, and anybody with a functioning brain knows that.” (Mediaite)
From White House special counsel Richard Sauber and Biden’s personal attorney Bob Bauer in a joint letter: “It is one thing to observe President Biden’s memory as being ‘significantly limited’ on certain subjects. It is quite another to use the more sweeping and highly prejudicial language employed later in the report.”
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Special counsel Robert Hur handed Republicans a gift on a silver platter in his comments about President Biden’s age and memory.
From House GOP leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.): “A man too incapable of being held accountable for mishandling classified information is certainly unfit for the Oval Office.”
From Alex Pfeiffer of the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc.: “If you’re too senile to stand trial, then you’re too senile to be president. Joe Biden is unfit to lead this nation.” This statement has been quoted in most articles I’ve read on the report.
More takeaways on the report, via The Hill’s Brett Samuels and Rebecca Beitsch
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The Hill’s Al Weaver and Caroline Vakil report that former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is launching a surprise bid for the open Maryland Senate seat.
Why this is interesting: There has been speculation that Hogan would considering a third-party presidential bid.
Keep in mind — Hogan is popular: “Hogan, who helmed the Free State between 2015 and 2023, was term-limited and couldn’t run for a third consecutive sting as governor. He left office with a whopping 77 percent approval rating, according to a Gonzales poll last year.” (The Hill)
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“Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is in an increasingly tough spot on Ukraine, wedged between a Senate moving toward approving aid for Kyiv and House conservatives warning that any support for the U.S. ally could cost him his job.”
What’s the latest?: Because the bipartisan deal that combined border security with funding for Ukraine and Israel failed in dramatic fashion earlier this week, the Senate decided to separate the two issues. The Senate is now working on a bill to fund Ukraine and Israel. On Thursday, the Senate cleared the first vote necessary in passing that bill.
Why this puts Johnson in a tough spot: A growing faction of the Republican Party has become hesitant to fund Ukraine’s war against Russia. That means Johnson would likely need to depend on Democratic votes to pass a Ukraine funding bill. If he does have help from Democrats, that would likely anger conservatives.
More on the dynamics of Ukraine funding, via The Hill’s Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks
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‘Stefanik says she “would not have done what Mike Pence did” on Jan. 6’: The Hill
‘A Ruling for Trump on Eligibility Could Doom His Bid for Immunity’: The New York Times
‘Putin, in rambling interview, barely lets Tucker Carlson get a word in’: The Washington Post / 💻 Watch the interview
‘Lawmakers urge Biden administration to ban TikTok parent company’: The Hill
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🍕 A big reason to celebrate: Today is National Pizza Day! Here’s a list of pizza deals today, via NBC’s “Today.”
🏈 This is a pretty funny perspective on football: TikTok user @misadveturesofmissfine made her case of why she thinks football rules were created by a 12-year-old boy. 💻 Watch
🎤 Pleeeeease do a joke swap: Colin Jost of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” will host the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April. (The Hill)
👯 The best thing I’ve seen today: Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) found his doppelganger: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 😀 Coons posted a selfie of the two
🛋️ Tidbit: CNN’s Kaitlan Collins appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” this week with host Andy Cohen. She commented on the news that CNN is shaking up its morning programming, canceling Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly’s show. From Collins: “It’s sad because it’s a great team who works on that show,” she said of the morning shake-up news. “They get up at like 1 a.m. to start producing the show. I’m always bummed when something like that happens. I just wish the best for them.” (h/t The Hill’s Liz Crisp)
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The Senate is in. The House is out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. (all times Eastern)
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- 12:15 p.m.: Harris speaks at a meeting of community violence intervention leaders. 💻 Livestream
- 1 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and national security spokesperson John Kirby briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream
- 3 p.m.: Biden hosts German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for a bilateral meeting at the White House.
- 5:40 p.m.: Biden leaves for New Castle, Del.
- Sunday: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
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To leave you on a happy note, watch this dog doing his own version of skiing.
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