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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: House set to vote on impeachment resolution | Dem leaders face tough decision | GOP struggles with fallout from latest Trump race controversy | Trump to hold rally in NC | Hints he will talk about Dem 'squad' | Sanders frustrated with media coverage | How population shifts are shaping the battle for the House | Biden camp paid for speech coach after debate | National Hot Dog Day | Washington Monument pays tribute to Apollo 11 moon landing

NEWS THIS MORNING

Good luck with that:

Via The Hill's Cristina Marcos, the House is expected to vote on Rep. Al Green Alexander (Al) N. GreenThe Memo: Trump's race tactics fall flat Trump administration ending support for 7 Texas testing sites as coronavirus cases spike The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Miami mayor worries about suicide and domestic violence rise; Trump-governor debate intensifies MORE's (D-Texas) measure today on whether to consider impeaching President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE. http://bit.ly/2LW1jzv

Why the vote is happening: Green is forcing the vote after the recent controversy over Trump's tweets telling four minority Democratic congresswomen to "go back" to the countries they came from.

Rep. Green said on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal": "Yesterday there was a vote of condemnation. The president was condemned. Today, we'll have a vote to punish," referring to the House vote to rebuke Trump over the comments.

What to expect for the vote: It's a tough decision for Democratic leaders. "Democratic leaders are still discussing how to bring up Green's latest resolution, an aide said. They could opt to vote to refer Green's articles to the House Judiciary Committee, table them like Republicans did or hold a direct up-or-down vote."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) was asked whether she supports the impeachment proceeding: "No I don't. Does that come as a surprise?" Pelosi said with a laugh. https://politi.co/2JAX8rt

When the vote will happen: Late this afternoon or early this evening.

WHIP LIST -- 84 HOUSE DEMOCRATS BACK IMPEACHMENT:

Here's the full list -- keep checking as it gets updated: http://bit.ly/2Qp6sk9

KEEP IN MIND -- THE HOUSE VOTED TO CONDEMN TRUMP:

Yesterday, the House formally condemned Trump's tweets against four Democratic congresswomen. The vote: 240-187, mostly along party lines. http://bit.ly/2LVVfHf

It's Wednesday and yikes, it's hot out. 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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TALK OF THE MORNING

Republicans are now selling GOP-branded eye masks:

Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline The Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power MORE (R-Ky.) has tried to contain the fallout from President Trump's controversial tweets about a group of nonwhite Democratic congresswomen. http://bit.ly/2JApXEq

McConnell's two-pronged strategy: "Distancing his party from Trump's rhetoric while also being careful not to alienate the president and his core supporters."

In McConnell's words: "The president is not a racist," McConnell said when asked about the tweets. But he also acknowledged that the feud is getting out of control: "I think there's a consensus that political rhetoric has really gotten way, way overheated all across the political spectrum," McConnell said.

GETTING TRACTION:

CNN's Manu Raju asked McConnell yesterday whether he would consider it racist if someone told his wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao Elaine Lan ChaoChick-fil-A drops fight for San Antonio airport location Overnight Defense: US marks 19th anniversary of 9/11 attacks | Trump awards Medal of Honor to Army Ranger for hostage rescue mission | Bahrain, Israel normalizing diplomatic ties Trump marks 9/11 with moment of silence on Air Force One, remarks in PA MORE, who was born in Taiwan, to go back to the country she was born. McConnell declined to answer the question directly and instead answered by celebrating his wife's story. McConnell's full response: http://bit.ly/2JAitRI

Happening tonight -- Be prepaaared:

President Trump is hinting that he will discuss the group of four congresswomen whom he told to "go back" to their home countries at a rally he is holding. http://bit.ly/2LUThXK

Trump's signal: He tweeted, "Big Rally tonight in Greenville, North Carolina. Lots of great things to tell you about, including the fact that our Economy is the best it has ever been. Best Employment & Stock Market Numbers EVER. I'll talk also about people who love, and hate, our Country (mostly love)! 7:PM." http://bit.ly/2JDcewF

LIVESTREAM OF TRUMP'S 7 P.M. EDT RALLY:

https://cs.pn/2LYGseT

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

The dang media:

Via The Hill's Jonathan Easley and Max Greenwood, "Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Bernie Sanders: 'This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy' The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome MORE's (I-Vt.) campaign aides are questioning the polls and venting frustration with the news media, arguing that a biased political press is writing him off or blackballing him from coverage of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary." http://bit.ly/2JFhVdD

What about the polls?: Polls show Sanders solidly in second or third place nationally and in early states, but his campaign has struggled to move past the narrative that his moment has passed.

From a Sanders aide who is not authorized to speak on the record: "We'll never be the favorites in the media. I get it. But when was the last time one of these pundits visited a field office or talked to a state director? The bottom line is we have 2 million [donors] who have bought stock in what we're trying to do. That's powerful. If the media doesn't want to tell that story, that's fine. It just means we have to out-hustle these other campaigns."

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

HAPPENING AT 4 P.M. EDT:

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) gives a speech on "Medicare for All." Livestream: https://cs.pn/2JAJYum

Interesting read -- how population shifts set up a huge House battleground:

Via The Hill's Reid Wilson, "As many as 1 in 5 seats in the House of Representatives may be competitive next year as population shifts and partisan realignment conspire to create one of the most widespread battlefields in generations." http://bit.ly/2JA0pXX

For Democrats: "Democrats will find themselves on defense in dozens of districts the party captured in 2018, including 31 districts President Trump won in 2016. Already, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified 36 members for its Frontline program, which protects endangered incumbents."

For Republicans: "Republicans, too, will have to defend districts in unexpected areas, seats that Democrats narrowly lost in 2018. Districts that have not been targets for years are suddenly in play, either because suburban voters revolted against Trump or because new residents are moving in and changing the makeup of those areas.

"All told, 89 congressional races were decided by 10 percentage points or less in the 2018 midterm elections."

What to expect: http://bit.ly/2JA0pXX

I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do:

Via The Washington Examiner's Joseph Simonson, former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE's campaign hired a prominent speech coach the day after the last Democratic primary debate. https://washex.am/2LW0XZP

How we know: "Records from the Biden's second-quarter Federal Election Commission filing show his campaign paid Washington, D.C.-based Sheehan Associates $5,300 for 'strategic consulting' on June 28."

IN CONGRESS

Closer. We're getting closer:

Via The Hill's Jordain Carney and Niv Elis, the White House and Congress are getting closer to a budget deal to raise the debt ceiling by the end of the month. http://bit.ly/2JCslL2

Keep in mind: Congress has limited D.C. work days before its scheduled August recess.

The optimism: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Steven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Vulnerable Democrats tell Pelosi COVID-19 compromise 'essential' Pelosi asks panels to draft new COVID-19 relief measure MORE have been talking regularly to negotiate a deal. "They seem to me to be moving closer and closer together," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby Richard Craig ShelbySenate to push funding bill vote up against shutdown deadline Senate GOP eyes early exit Dems discussing government funding bill into February MORE (R-Ala.).

TIDBIT:

"[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.)] referred to the Senate as a 'graveyard' nine times this morning." (Via Politico's Burgess Everett) http://bit.ly/2LT3jJ3

INTERESTING READ

'Notre-Dame came far closer to collapsing than people knew. This is how it was saved':

Via The New York Times's Elian Peltier, James Glanz, Mika Gröndahl, Weiyi Cai, Adam Nossiter and Liz Alderman, "A baffling alert. A race to the wrong building. Notre-Dame still stands only because firefighters decided to risk everything, a New York Times reconstruction has found." The report: https://nyti.ms/2JBRFk1

NOTABLE TWEETS

So cool!:

folks, there should be a Saturn V rocket projected onto the Washington monument every day pic.twitter.com/ldQg5EmdQm — Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) July 17, 2019

Watch: http://bit.ly/2JAz5ce

Interesting to think about:

I know it made sense at the time, but it's very funny in hindsight that NASA made the Apollo astronauts live in an Airstream trailer for three weeks after they got back because they thought they might have moon germs pic.twitter.com/yWDNAESX76 — Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) July 16, 2019

ON TAP

The House and Senate are in.

1:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks at a Dan Bishop Victory Committee lunch in Fayetteville, N.C.

2 p.m. EDT: President Trump receives an intelligence briefing.

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

4:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump leaves for Greenville, N.C., for a campaign rally.

5:30 -- 7:30 p.m. EDT: First and last votes in the House. The House's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2LR8R6O

9:35 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence gets back to Washington, D.C.

9:50 p.m. EDT: President Trump gets back to the White House.

WHAT TO WATCH:

This week: The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Real time audio and video from 50 years ago-- it's pretty awesome: http://bit.ly/2LSMNc1

3:25 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence gives remarks at Fort Bragg Army Base. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2M3eVJg

7 p.m. EDT: President Trump holds a campaign rally in Greenville, N.C. Vice President Pence also speaks. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2LYGseT

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Hot Dog Day!

I think these photos look perfect:

A woman on a scooter photobombed a bridal party photo shoot. Photos -- so great: http://bit.ly/2M06uP1

New emojis!:

Apple announced it is adding emojis for people with disabilities. Photo of the new emojis: http://bit.ly/2M3eMWe

And because this is very entertaining, here's a family of bears playing on a backyard swing set in Connecticut: http://bit.ly/2LXStRZ