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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.

The Hill's 12:30 Report: Breaking – Bolton out | Trump says he fired national security adviser in stunner | Says he 'disagreed strongly' with his ideas | Bolton says he offered to resign | Move comes at critical time for Trump's foreign policy | All eyes on NC special election tonight | Trump delivers last-minute pitch | GOP leaders to huddle with Trump on fall agenda | McConnell tiptoes toward gun legislation | How Dems are trying to sway Trump on gun control | Alex Trebek returns to 'Jeopardy' | Apple to unveil new iPhone | White Claw faces nationwide shortage

BREAKING

John Bolted:

President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE just announced that he fired John Bolton John BoltonJudge appears skeptical of Bolton's defense of publishing book without White House approval Maximum pressure is keeping US troops in Iraq and Syria Woodward book trails Bolton, Mary Trump in first-week sales MORE as his national security adviser, citing disagreements in policy suggestions. http://bit.ly/303XhZv

Trump made the announcement on Twitter: "I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore ... I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week." Read Trump's tweets: http://bit.ly/304oyuI

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: Late this morning, the White House had announced a 1:30 p.m. EDT press briefing with Secretary of State, Treasury Secretaryand national security adviser. Awkward.

Reaction from Sen. Mitt Romney Willard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyCrenshaw looms large as Democrats look to flip Texas House seat The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error MORE (R-Utah): Via The Huffington Post's Igor Bobic, Romney called Bolton's resignation a "huge loss" for the administration. http://bit.ly/2ZVoKQQ

Just now — John Bolton explained a little of the process:

Bolton just tweeted: “I offered to resign last night and President Trump said, ‘Let's talk about it tomorrow.’" http://bit.ly/305MCNN

And Bolton just texted The Washington Post’s Robert Costa: “Let’s be clear, I resigned, having offered to do so last night.” http://bit.ly/302gNp3

It's Tuesday. 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.

Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Meeting with the Taliban three days before 9/11 -- not the ~best~ optics I've seen:

Rep. Adam Kinzinger Adam Daniel KinzingerFox News reporter defends confirming Atlantic piece despite Trump backlash: 'I feel very confident' GOP lawmaker defends Fox reporter after Trump calls for her firing Lindsey Graham: 'QAnon is bats--- crazy' MORE (R-Ill.) slammed President Trump's planned meeting with the Taliban at Camp David, which was canceled over the weekend, just a few days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. http://bit.ly/302qDre

Kinzinger told CNN: "To bring Taliban leaders ... to Camp David, not that far from New York City, a couple days prior to 9/11, I don't know how that went through the good idea filter and made it as far as it did."

THE LATEST FROM THE PRESIDENT:

"They're dead," President Trump said Monday on whether U.S.-Taliban talks would happen. "As far as I'm concerned, they're dead." http://bit.ly/2ZK6sST

New polling:

President Trump's approval rating dropped 6 points in a new ABC News–Washington Post poll amid worries about the U.S. economy. http://bit.ly/302m2oY

The numbers: Trump's approval fell from July's career-high 44 percent to 38 percent.

Read the full poll, with graphics: https://abcn.ws/304dSwb

IN CONGRESS

Insert sound of '60 Minutes' ticking:

Via The Hill's Mike Lillis and Olivia Beavers, House Democrats are racing against the clock in deciding whether to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump. http://bit.ly/2kDxloS

Why: Some Democrats say any impeachment efforts need to wrap up by the end of the year for fear of facing political backlash in 2020.

From Rep. Ro Khanna Rohit (Ro) KhannaOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package The movement to reform animal agriculture has reached a tipping point MORE (D-Calif.): "Iowa votes in early February, and I don't think we want ... the very serious inquiry about the president's misconduct to be conflated with the political calendar. We would unfairly get accused of being political."

What to expect: http://bit.ly/2kDxloS

Gun legislation may come down to suburban swing voters:

Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' House to vote on resolution affirming peaceful transition of power Republican lawyers brush off Trump's election comments MORE (R-Ky.) is treading carefully around the debate over gun proposals as suburban swing voters -- seen as a crucial demographic for Republicans keeping the Senate -- are increasingly supporting gun proposals such as expanded background checks. http://bit.ly/2ZRBjwL

From Republican sources close to McConnell: They "say [McConnell] sees a political benefit to moving a bipartisan measure in response to a spate of mass shootings this year, and that he acknowledges the politics surrounding expanded background checks have shifted in recent months."

HOW DEMS ARE PLAYING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EGO ON GUNS:

http://bit.ly/307Pjym

Sometime in the next month:

Via The Hill's Jordain Carney, "Senate Democrats are planning to force a vote to try to nix President Trump's emergency declaration transferring military construction money to fund the U.S.-Mexico border wall." http://bit.ly/305BqAL

From Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.) on the Senate floor: "The president's national emergency declaration was and is an outrageous power grab by a president who refuses to respect the constitutional separation of powers. ... Does our country truly have checks and balances, particularly when we have such an overreaching president?"

HAPPENING TODAY

Let's try this again:

Via CNN's Gregory Krieg, "More than 10 months after Election Day, the final votes of the 2018 midterms will be cast on Tuesday in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District."

What happened in the midterms: "Democrat Dan McCready, a Marine Corps veteran, appeared to suffer a narrow defeat -- by fewer than 1,000 votes -- to Republican Mark Harris Mark HarrisTrump sparks debate over merits of voting by mail The Hill's Campaign Report: Debate over mail-in voting heats up Bevin says he lost because liberals are 'good at harvesting votes' in urban areas MORE last November, but evidence of ballot fraud by a GOP operative connected with Harris surfaced before the results could be certified. State investigators' long inquest drew national attention and, after a dramatic February finale, the North Carolina election board voted to re-run the race."

But without Harris: "Harris stood down almost immediately and Republican voters subsequently nominated state Sen. Dan Bishop."

When do the polls close in North Carolina today: 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Here's what to watch: https://cnn.it/2ZL2eKH

LAST NIGHT:

President Trump campaigned for Republican candidate Dan Bishop. In Trump's words: "You must defeat open borders, and you have a Democrat named Dan McCready, and he wants open borders. He wants sanctuary cities. He's not going to protect your Second Amendment. ... Our great Republican candidate Dan Bishop will fight with everything he has to stop sanctuary cities." http://bit.ly/2ZNGnCh

At 1 p.m. EDT -- get ready for Apple upgrades:

Apple is holding an event today to announce new products, likely include a new line of iPhones.

Livestream -- Apple's event page: https://apple.co/2ZViJ6M

What to expect: https://wapo.st/2ZR9bJX

Livestream of analysis from CNET: http://bit.ly/2ZOWmQB

Alex Trebek is back for another season of Jeopardy!:

"Jeopardy!" is returning tonight for another season with host Alex Trebek, who is fighting stage 4 pancreatic cancer. https://abcn.ws/2ZOpNSF

From Trebek: "Today, 'Jeopardy!' begins its 36th season on the air, and I'm happy to report I'm still here."

About Trebek's health: He told People magazine in May that he was "near remission."

OTHER NEWS THIS MORNING

For he's a jolly good fellow:

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) is joining the American Enterprise Institute as a distinguished visiting fellow in public policy. http://bit.ly/30b0RRK

NOTABLE TWEETS

Wow, it looks like the Tour de France:

Heavy bike traffic on 15th St this morning #bikedc pic.twitter.com/Tq7r081JWx — Joe Flood (@joeflood) September 10, 2019

http://bit.ly/2ZOVF9X

ON TAP

The House and Senate are in.

Noon: Vice President Pence meets with the U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Robin Bernstein.

12:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump has lunch with Vice President Pence.

12:30 p.m. EDT: The Senate breaks for weekly caucus luncheons.

2:15 p.m. EDT: The Senate votes on nominations. The Senate's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/309rpCV

2:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence meets with Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard.

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. EDT: The House votes. The House's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2ZZpkcw

4 p.m. EDT: President Trump meets with congressional Republican leadership.

5:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump participates in a swearing in ceremony for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

8 p.m. EDT Thursday: The third Democratic presidential primary debate. Debate logistics and what to expect: http://bit.ly/305JnWT

WHAT TO WATCH

2 p.m. EDT: The House Judiciary Committee debates gun proposals. Livestream: https://cs.pn/30793Cq

2:15 p.m. EDT: President Trump speaks at the 2019 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week Conference in Washington, D.C. Livestream: http://bit.ly/308d89k

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Ants on a Log Day.

Getting traction -- what have we done?!:

White Claw hard seltzer is facing a nationwide shortage. https://cnn.it/2ZKUb0r

From White Claw's senior vice president of marketing, Sanjiv Gajiwala: "We are working around the clock to increase supply given the rapid growth in consumer demand. White Claw has accelerated faster than anyone could have predicted."

Today in 'Don't Read This Until You've Had Lunch':

Bon Appetit released its list of 50 nominees for America's best new restaurants.

Here's the list, including one in Washington, D.C.: http://bit.ly/308oR7Q

And because you made it this far, here's a dog hanging out with a butterfly: http://bit.ly/2ZR0cZy