memeorandum: The force that could end the shutdown (Mike Allen/Axios)

2:55 PM ET, January 5, 2019

Top Items:

Pence and White House officials meet with congressional aides in effort to end shutdown — Top White House officials and senior congressional aides were meeting Saturday to try to negotiate a breakthrough to end the partial government shutdown that has now persisted for two weeks with no end in sight.

Discussion: ABC News, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress, Roll Call and POLITICUSUSA

Mike Allen / Axios:

The force that could end the shutdown — Asked during a Rose Garden news conference yesterday about a safety net for furloughed federal workers, President Trump replied: … Why it matters: A strong border doesn't pay the rent. Republican sources tell me that although they don't see an imminent solution …

Discussion: Associated Press

The Daily Beast:

Trump Referred to Shutdown as ‘Strike’ in Profanity-Laced Meeting With Democratic Leaders — The president also dropped three f-bombs and claimed Democrats wanted him impeached. — During Friday's meeting at the White House over the ongoing shutdown standoff, President Donald Trump …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Hill Reporter, Splinter, Daily Kos, Breitbart and CNBC

Lukas Mikelionis / Fox News:

Pelosi, Nielsen clashed during border-security meeting: ‘I reject your facts,’ House speaker said, according to report — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen got into a tense confrontation this week, with the California Democrat interrupting Nielsen's presentation …

Discussion: RedState

Washington Post:

Millions face delayed tax refunds, cuts to food stamps as White House scrambles to deal with shutdown's consequences — Food stamps for 38 million low-income Americans face severe reductions and more than $140 billion in tax refunds are at risk of being frozen or delayed if the government shutdown stretches …

Discussion: Vox, Political Wire, The Guardian and New York Times

Fin Gomez / CBS News:
Trump asked Pelosi why everyone wants to impeach him, source says

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and Political Wire

David Badash / Raw Story:
Trump administration did not understand chaos they would create before president shut it down: report

Discussion: Daily Kos

Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
Trump claims support from past presidents for the wall: Clinton, Bush and Obama beg to differ

Discussion: Splinter, The Daily Caller and Mediaite

Politico:
Shutdown negotiations drag on

Discussion: Longreads

New York Times: What the Shutdown Would Look Like if It Happened in Other Industries

Paul Kane / Washington Post: Congress isn't feeling the pressure for a fast deal to end the shutdown — yet

Wall Street Journal:
Trump, Democrats Split Over Shutdown Talks Progress

Discussion: CNN and IJR

Anne Helen Petersen / BuzzFeed News:

How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation — I couldn't figure out why small, straightforward tasks on my to-do list felt so impossible. The answer is both more complex and far simpler than I expected. — “I tried to register for the 2016 election, but it was beyond the deadline …

David Perdue / Washington Post:

Sen. David Perdue: Mitt Romney makes the same mistake that cost him the White House — David Perdue, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Georgia. — In a recent op-ed for The Post, “The president shapes the public character of the nation. Trump's character falls short,” …

Discussion: RedState, Townhall, IJR, Mediaite and Daily Wire

Elena Schneider / Politico:

‘The new straw poll’: 2020 candidates race to build small-donor armies — Democratic presidential contenders are already locked in an important battle to showcase their viability, racing to build digital armies to power their campaigns. — Online support is set to play a pivotal role …

Discussion: East Bay Times

Thomas Beaumont / Associated Press: Warren's trip to Iowa tests themes for a likely 2020 run

MJ Lee / CNN:
Elizabeth Warren nabs Obama's chief digital strategist, beefs up national staff

Discussion: Political Wire

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times: Elizabeth Warren Campaigns in Iowa: ‘This is How It Starts’

Matt Lewis / The Daily Beast:
I'll Say It: Elizabeth Warren Isn't Likeable

Discussion: The Atlantic, BostonGlobe.com and ABC News

Jeff Stein / Washington Post:

Ocasio-Cortez wants higher taxes on very rich Americans. Here's how much money that could raise. — With the help of tax experts, we produced some back-of-the-envelope estimates. — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) floated a 60 to 70 percent tax rate on the richest Americans …

Discussion: New York Magazine and Politico

Robert Windrem / NBC News:

All three CIA directorates will now be headed by women — CIA Director Gina Haspel has named Cynthia “Didi” Rapp deputy director for analysis, making her the agency's top analyst. — CIA Director Gina Haspel has appointed another woman to the top level of the agency, naming Cynthia “Didi” …

Maxim Rodionov / Reuters:

Moscow accuses Washington of detaining Russian citizen after arresting ex-U.S. Marine — MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday the United States had detained a Russian citizen, days after Moscow arrested the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan on suspicion of spying.

Marlow Stern / The Daily Beast:

Disturbing Video of Drake Fondling and Kissing 17-Year-Old Girl Surfaces — The singer is seen doing the act onstage at a show years ago, and the video has sparked heavy backlash. — Marlow Stern — On Thursday night, millions tuned in to watch Surviving R. Kelly …

Discussion: The Root

Roger Kimball / American Greatness:

The Character That Matters — A few days ago, American Greatness published some thoughts of mine about Jonah Goldberg's contention that “President Trump is not a man of good character” and that, consequently, his administration “will end poorly.” — “Character,” Jonah says, “is destiny.”

Discussion: The Other McCain

Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:

Rashida Tlaib's Expletive-Laden Cry to Impeach Trump Upends Democrats' Talking Points — WASHINGTON — Impeachment was always going to hang heavily over a divided Washington. But it took little more than 24 hours this week for a freshman House Democrat's exuberant, expletive-laden impeachment promise …

Discussion: Politicalite UK, Hmm Daily, thenewamerican.com and Washington Free Beacon

Richard Escobedo / CBS News: Democrats sound off on impeachment, Tlaib remark

WDIV-TV:
Rep. Rashida Tlaib doubles down after explicit Trump comment: ‘President has met his match’

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Bookworm Room and Townhall

Erin Schumaker / HuffPost:

New Governor Janet Mills Makes Fighting Opioid Deaths A Priority In Maine — Finally — In her first days in office, the state's first female governor expanded Medicaid and announced plans for an opioid czar. — On her first full day in office, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) …

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times:

Can you admire an anti-Semite and advance the cause of women? Maybe so. Life is full of contradictions — It's been a long two years since millions converged on Washington, D.C., for the Women's March, an idea that grew out of a suggestion Teresa Shook, a Hawaii lawyer and educator, spontaneously made to some friends.

Discussion: The Advocate

Gallup:

Record Numbers of Americans Want to Leave the U.S. — WASHINGTON, D.C. — While Donald Trump has spent much of his presidency focused on the number of people who want to get into the U.S., since he took office, record numbers of Americans have wanted to get out.

Discussion: Power Line, POLITICUSUSA and Common Dreams

Mark Osborne / ABC News:

President Trump, senior White House staff head to weekend retreat at Camp David — President Donald Trump and his senior staff are headed on a group vacation — all at the direction of new acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. — White House senior staffers will spend the weekend at Camp David in Hauvers …

Discussion: NBC News

Michael C. Bender / Wall Street Journal:
FBI Investigating Fake Texts Sent to GOP House Members

Discussion: Washington Times, Gizmodo, CNN and Mediaite

Washington Post:

Three dead in national parks as shutdown wears on — Trump administration officials decided to leave the scenic parks open even as the Interior Department has halted most of its operations — a departure from previous extended shutdowns — Three days after most of the federal workforce …