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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: Trump defends talks with foreign leaders amid whistleblower complaint | What we know | Pelosi unveils drug pricing proposal | GOP cautious over Barr gun plan | Lawmakers hit funding roadblocks as deadline nears | New Dem rift over impeachment | How Warren's base is broadening | Biden rivals search for best attack | EPA to cite San Francisco for pollution from homeless people | Starbucks plans app-only store | Talk Like a Pirate Day

NEWS THIS MORNING

Ta-dah! Here is it:

Via The Hill's Peter Sullivan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight 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 MORE (D-Calif.) released her long-awaited plan to lower prescription drug prices. http://bit.ly/34X5lyI

The gist of the plan: It "would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate the price of up to 250 drugs per year, and the lower prices would apply to people both with private insurance and those on Medicare."

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The plan is pretty left of center and would likely be difficult to pass in the GOP-controlled Senate. "Pelosi's office, though, hopes that ifsupports the plan it would put pressure on congressional Republicans to support the measure as well. Trump has railed against high drug prices, but his support of the Speaker's plan is far from assured."

Read Pelosi's plan: http://bit.ly/34XRLuT

It's Thursday. 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 THE WHITE HOUSE

Everyone, close your eyes and raise your hand if you have something you want to say:

Via The Washington Post's Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris, an official in the U.S. intelligence community filed a whistleblower complaint with the inspector general after 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 reportedly promised to a foreign leader something troubling. https://wapo.st/2M2qDSZ

What we know about the interaction: "It was not immediately clear which foreign leader Trump was speaking with or what he pledged to deliver, but his direct involvement in the matter has not been previously disclosed. It raises new questions about the president's handling of sensitive information and may further strain his relationship with U.S. spy agencies. One former official said the communication was a phone call."

Read the initial Washington Post report: https://wapo.st/2M2qDSZ

REACTION FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP:

The president defended his handling of calls with foreign leaders and called the story "fake news." http://bit.ly/34RjGg5



He tweeted: "Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem! Knowing all of this, is anybody dumb enough to believe that I would say something inappropriate with a foreign leader while on such a potentially 'heavily populated' call. I would only do what is right anyway, and only do good for the USA!" Read his full tweets: http://bit.ly/34WIm79

THIS MORNING -- LIPS ARE SEALED:

Via The New York Times, the intelligence community's inspector general Michael Atkinson declined to disclose any details of the complaint during a briefing on Capitol Hill. https://nyti.ms/34SUeqA

Homeless violation:

Yesterday, President Trump said he expects the Environmental Protection Agency to give San Francisco a violation notice for the pollution stemming from the city's homeless population. http://bit.ly/30swXrZ

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: "There's tremendous pollution being put into the ocean because they're going through what's called the storm sewer that's for rainwater. And we have tremendous things that we don't have to discuss pouring into the ocean. You know there are needles, there are other things. ... It's a terrible situation -- that's in Los Angeles and in San Francisco. And we're going to be giving San Francisco, they're in total violation, we're going to be giving them a notice very soon."

IN CONGRESS

The deadline is Oct. 1, you said??:

Via The Hill's Jordain Carney and Niv Elis, "Efforts to fund the government hit multiple stumbling blocks on Wednesday, inching lawmakers closer to a potential shutdown." http://bit.ly/34RacS1

Do lawmakers think the government will shut down: "Most lawmakers don't think the standoff will reach the point of a government closure, but with just eight working days to come up with a plan to avoid the second shutdown of the year, they are running out of time."

From Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby Richard Craig ShelbyThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Senate to push funding bill vote up against shutdown deadline Senate GOP eyes early exit MORE (R-Ala.): "We're trying to find a path forward, a way to go. I think we're talking to each other, but I don't know if either one is listening."

What needs to happen to avoid a shutdown: "To keep the government running, Congress needs to either approve this fiscal year's spending bills by the end of the month or approve a stopgap funding measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), that would run through Nov. 21. The stopgap would give Republicans and Democrats time to work out differences on the larger measures."

AMAZING PHOTO:

Via The New York Times's Nicholas Fandos, "This Picture Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Impeachment." The photo: https://nyti.ms/34UqABb

Things are just peachy over here. Nothing to see.:

House Democrats have been bickering on the strategy of impeachment as the rift between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler Jerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerDemocrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Schumer: 'Nothing is off the table' if GOP moves forward with Ginsburg replacement Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-N.Y.) widens. http://bit.ly/34XFEho

The event that highlighted the differences: Tuesday's chaotic hearing with President Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski Corey R. LewandowskiTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick How Trump can win reelection: Focus on Democrats, not himself Trump Jr. distances from Bannon group, says he attended 'single' event MORE. "While some lawmakers touted the hearing as a win for their impeachment efforts -- Lewandowski confirmed certain damning details of Mueller's report -- others voiced disappointment with the outcome."

The official strategy: avoid eye contact and buy more time:

Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton and Jordain Carney, "Senate Republicans are treading cautiously on a background checks plan floated by Attorney General William Barr Bill BarrFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Why a backdoor to encrypted data is detrimental to cybersecurity and data integrity FBI official who worked with Mueller raised doubts about Russia investigation MORE that has been decried as a 'non-starter' by the National Rifle Association (NRA)." http://bit.ly/34X3z0I

From Barr: "I'm up here just kicking around some ideas, getting perspectives so I can be in a better position to advise the president. But the president has made no decision yet."

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Getting on that Warren train:

Via The Hill's Jonathan Easley, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight 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 Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) is showing signs that her support base is broadening, especially with black voters, who have been slow to warm to her campaign. http://bit.ly/2M47YpQ

Yeah, but: Former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE still dominates that voter bloc.

For example: "A new poll from NBC News and The Wall Street Journal found Warren in second place among black voters with 13 percent support, her best showing in any poll to date. That's up from 8 percent in the previous survey from July, although the 5-point swing is within the poll's margin of error."

How this could play out: http://bit.ly/2M47YpQ

Meanwhile -- Democrats are looking for a left lane to pass:

Via The Hill's Niall Stanage, former Vice President Joe Biden's Democratic rivals are looking for a way to pass him but are struggling so far. http://bit.ly/34RcYXr

A FEW STRATEGIES:

Attack, attack: "Candidates who have attacked him vigorously, notably Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, have suffered a backlash."

Highlight policy differences: "Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE (I-Vt.) has focused on policy differences with the former vice president, advocating for his own more-sweeping approach over Biden's incrementalism on several topics, particularly Medicare for All.' "

Joe who?: "The challenger who has made the most headway against Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), has largely avoided direct attacks on him, preferring instead to remain above the fray."

IT'S A BAD TIME TO FADE:

Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisTexas Democratic official urges Biden to visit state: 'I thought he had his own plane' The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden on Trump: 'He'll leave' l GOP laywers brush off Trump's election remarks l Obama's endorsements A game theorist's advice to President Trump on filling the Supreme Court seat MORE's (D-Calif.) support is fading at a particularly inopportune time. http://bit.ly/34Vy3A8

NOTABLE TWEETS

Overheard from Kamala Harris -- OK then:

“I’m f****** moving to Iowa,” Sen. Kamala Harris joked to Sen. Hirono (before she noticed me) pic.twitter.com/dv0PRWLY8g — Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) September 18, 2019

ON TAP

The House and Senate are in.

President Trump is in Washington, D.C. with no public events on his schedule.

Vice President Pence is in New York City for the day.

11:40 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks at the ninth annual Delivering Alpha 2019 Conference in New York City.

Noon: Votes in the Senate. The Senate's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/30tjIaD

1:15 p.m. EDT: First votes in the House. The House's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/30rlk4R

3 p.m. EDT: Last votes in the House.

3:20 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in a Current Terrorism Threats Overview and Domain Awareness System Demonstration at the New York Police Department.

5:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks at a Trump campaign roundtable discussion.

7:40 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence gets back to Washington, D.C.

WHAT TO WATCH

This morning: A confirmation hearing for Labor Secretary nominee Eugene Scalia. Livestream: https://cs.pn/30vCU7u

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Butterscotch Pudding Day.

What a weird, though entertaining, tradition:

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! https://cnn.it/34TEHH3

Here's the back story: "The idea for the day was born in 1995 on a YMCA racquetball court in Albany, Oregon. John 'Ol' Chumbucket' Baur and his friend Mark 'Cap'n Slappy' Summers began throwing around insults, just like pirates. They selected September 19, simply because Summers had recently divorced, it was his ex-wife's birthday, and he figured 'the date was stuck in my head, and I wasn't going to do anything with it anymore,' he told CNN in 2009."

Short Starbucks: Get the app or else:

Via CNN's Jordan Valinsky, Starbucks is building a store exclusively for mobile orders from the app. Where: Near Penn Station in New York City.

And because you made it this far, here's a dog and a cat hanging out. You must watch until the very end -- and with the sound on. Omg.: http://bit.ly/30v87b9