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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 drags GOP into new ObamaCare fight | Doubles down on lawsuit decision | Move puts GOP in a bind | Dems look to shore up health care law | Pelosi looks for silver lining in Mueller report | Senators hold hearing on Boeing, FAA | Absent Trump is still star at AIPAC | Gillibrand releases tax returns | Plane mistakenly lands in Scotland instead of Germany | Bagels sliced like bread go viral

LATEST WITH THE MUELLER REPORT

Calling all silver linings. I repeat: calling all silver linings:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare House lawmakers reach deal to avert shutdown Centrist Democrats 'strongly considering' discharge petition on GOP PPP bill MORE (D-Calif.) has a pep talk for Democrats: focus on bread-and-butter policy issues and don't let special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's report get you down. http://bit.ly/2HJO6IM

The downside for Democrats: "Many Democrats had expected the probe to uncover damning proof of a criminal conspiracy surrounding Trump's presidential victory, and the news deflated the party faithful."

The silver lining for Pelosi: "For Pelosi, who has long urged caution in her approach to Mueller's investigation, there was a political bright side. Not only does it help her shift the public focus to the Democrats' legislative agenda, which is where she wants it, but it also undercut a small but vocal effort from the party's left flank to impeach the president -- a drive Pelosi has consistently discouraged."

This morning -- it ain't over yet:

In an interview with The Washington Post, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffChris Matthews ripped for complimenting Trump's 'true presidential behavior' on Ginsburg Trump casts doubt on Ginsburg statement, wonders if it was written by Schiff, Pelosi or Schumer Top Democrats call for DOJ watchdog to probe Barr over possible 2020 election influence MORE (D-Calif.) said, "Undoubtedly there is collusion. We will continue to investigate the counterintelligence issues. That is, is the president or people around him compromised in any way by a hostile foreign power? ... It doesn't appear that was any part of Mueller's report." https://wapo.st/2uuQlXM

McConnell with another block:

Via The Hill's Jordain Carney, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Senate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes MORE (R-Ky.) blocked a second resolution calling for the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report. http://bit.ly/2HJmYK7

From McConnell: "I have consistently supported the proposition that his report ought to be released to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the law. ... I think we should be consistent in letting the special counsel actually finish his work and not just when we think it may be politically advantageous to one side or the other."

From Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinBiden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll Names to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court McConnell says Trump nominee to replace Ginsburg will get Senate vote MORE (Calif.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee: "The fact is that a four-page summary cannot possibly illuminate what this thorough of an investigation uncovered. I find it so disappointing that so many are rushing to judgment without being able to see the full report or all of the underlying facts."

It's Wednesday. 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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LATEST WITH THE OBAMACARE FIGHT

Just now — imagine ObamaCare, but shiny and new and gold:

President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE just pledged that the Republican Party will have a better health care proposal than ObamaCare, doubling down on his decision to back a lawsuit calling the law unconstitutional. He just told reporters: “If the Supreme Court rules that ObamaCare is out, we'll have a plan that is far better than ObamaCare.” http://bit.ly/2HImWC7

HOW DEMS ARE TRYING COMBAT THE OBAMACARE LAWSUIT:

Via The Hill’s Jordain Carney, Senate Democrats are offering an amendment to prevent the Department of Justice from using federal funds to fight ObamaCare. Details: http://bit.ly/2WoVJYw

ACA, drop and give me 20:

House Democrats unveiled a new proposal to build up ObamaCare and protect the law from the Trump administration. Why: The Trump administration is arguing the entire law should be struck down in court. http://bit.ly/2U0MWiP

A strategic vote: The House is planning to vote on the bill later this year to position the party to follow through with campaign promises on ObamaCare.

What the new Dem bill would do: Expand ObamaCare tax credits to help people pay for premiums; help insurance companies pay for high-cost patients; block insurance companies from selling non-ObamaCare plans; and block states' requests to water down ObamaCare protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

HOW THE TRUMP SURPRISE OBAMACARE MOVE PUTS REPUBLICANS IN AN AWKWARD SPOT:

http://bit.ly/2Wy7YlR

TALK OF THE MORNING

Today in bad optics:

A Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft made an emergency landing yesterday during its trip from Orlando, Fla., to Victorville, Calif. https://cnn.it/2CFLQOF

Why it was flying in the first place: The Southwest Airlines flight had no passengers. The two pilots on board were transferring the plane to California for storage while the 737 Max 8 planes are grounded.

What happened: "Just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, the two pilots aboard the flight reported 'a performance issue with one of the engines shortly after takeoff,' the airline said. 'The crew followed protocol and safely landed back at the airport.'" It's unclear if the reported issue is related to the issue that caused two recent plane crashes.

What we know: https://cnn.it/2CFLQOF

SOUTHWEST IS NOT PLEASED:

"Southwest Airlines warned that the 737 Max groundings are hurting its ticket sales. But Southwest's problems extend beyond Boeing. The airline warned investors Wednesday that it has canceled 9,400 flights because of weather and its dispute with mechanics in addition to Boeing's grounding of the 737 Max airplane." https://cnn.it/2TGdxMU

HAPPENING AT 3 P.M. EDT:

A Senate Commerce subcommittee is holding a hearing on airline safety. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2Ufqwto

New -- what to expect from the hearing: The Federal Aviation Administration will outline plans to change how it oversees aircraft construction. What we know: http://bit.ly/2FB29gf

Live hearing update: https://nyti.ms/2HKqvb9

IN CAMPAIGN NEWS

It's tax return SZN:

This morning, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (D-N.Y.) released her 2018 tax return and called on her presidential campaign competitors to do the same. http://bit.ly/2HVVy2W

The gist: "Gillibrand and her husband brought in roughly $218,000 last year, according to her tax return. That includes $167,634 from her Senate salary and $50,000 from a book deal that the senator reported as business income. She paid $29,170 in federal taxes, putting her effective tax rate at 13.6 percent, the documents show."

Arizona is the new blue:

Via The Hill's Reid Wilson in Phoenix, "Coming off their best election season in more than a generation, Arizona Democrats see a path to the White House that runs through the Valley of the Sun, if their party's presidential nominee makes a concerted effort to win the state's electoral votes." http://bit.ly/2TYuQhu

IN OTHER NEWS

The star of the show was not even there:

Via The Hill's Rebecca Kheel, "President Trump didn't go to this year's American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, but he was the star of the show anyway." http://bit.ly/2HJoZ99

How so: "Speaker after speaker hailed Trump's accomplishments for Israel, from opening the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration."

Op-ed: http://bit.ly/2UiFwqg

'It's gonna be a bright, bright, Sun-Shiny day…':

--> http://bit.ly/2FwaaTT ;)



"D.C.: Sunrise today was at 7:01 a.m. Tomorrow's sunrise is 6:59 a.m. The next time the sun will rise at 7 a.m. or later is Sept. 27." (Via Politico's Steven Shepard) http://bit.ly/2UZnvKT

NOTABLE TWEETS

How festive:

In opposition to Green New Deal, @JimInhofe sports a tie filled with oil drilling rigs to the Senate vote. pic.twitter.com/xYPgDNbfng — Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) March 26, 2019

Another zoomed in photo of the tie: http://bit.ly/2HX3AIH

Getting traction — Today in controversial tweets:

Today I introduced my coworkers to the St Louis secret of ordering bagels bread sliced. It was a hit! pic.twitter.com/XNGbljtpYz — Alek Krautmann (@AlekKrautmann) March 26, 2019

The reactions to this tweet are incredible -- people are ANGRY: http://bit.ly/2WlcrYS

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE REPLIES:

"Is this your warm up for an epic April Fool's joke? If not, rude." (From Adam DeAngelis ) http://bit.ly/2UdCx2p

"Hello, police, I'd like to report a crime." (From Emily C. Singer) http://bit.ly/2uEyuhv

"this is deeply offensive to my people" (From Josh Billinson) http://bit.ly/2OB7E2Z

"fairly confident this display would get one chased out of a new york office by a mob wielding plastic cutlery and menacingly snapping west side story style" (From @nycsouthpaw) http://bit.ly/2UZ1JXJ

ON TAP

The House and Senate are in.

10:30 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence met with Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó. What to know: https://reut.rs/2JJFP9Q

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

1:30 p.m. EDT: First votes in the House. The House's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2I1Y6Nd

2:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence meets with the Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Iraq.

4:30 p.m. EDT: Last votes in the House.

WHAT TO WATCH

3 p.m. EDT: A Senate Commerce subcommittee is holding a hearing on airline safety. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2Ufqwto

4 p.m. EDT: President Trump will award a posthumous Medal of Honor to an Iraq War hero. Details: http://bit.ly/2CG5n1k Livestream: http://bit.ly/2CJln2N

Tonight: NBC's Lester Holt interviews former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE on "NBC Nightly News." http://bit.ly/2UUgZFc

10 p.m. EDT: Sen. Cory Booker Cory Anthony BookerBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility Democratic lawmakers call for an investigation into allegations of medical neglect at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) participates in a CNN town hall.

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Spanish Paella Day.

If Michael Scott had an airline company...:

Via CNN, "Passengers on a British Airways flight from London's City Airport to Dusseldorf in Germany were met with a surprise Monday morning when their plane touched down Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland." https://cnn.it/2V1Q5LG

How it happened: "The travel error happened because of an incorrectly filed flight plan, leading both the pilot and cabin crew to believe the flight was bound for Edinburgh."

When the plane landed: "When we landed there was a bit of a hilarious moment when the flight attendant asked for a show of hands for the people going to Dusseldorf, which turned out to be everyone."

From a woman on the plane: "Most of us found this situation quite funny. People were on phone calls trying to convince everyone that they've arrived in the wrong city."