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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 — House Intel releases first transcripts from impeachment probe | Four White House officials refusing to testify | Trump demands whistleblower testimony | GOP urges Trump to focus on agenda, not impeachment | Court rules Manhattan DA can subpoena Trump records | Trump's tough path with one year to election | Trump to host rally in Kentucky tonight | Nationals celebrate World Series win | Players chug beers at Caps game | Trump to host champs today

BREAKING

The first transcripts from the closed-door depositions are now public:

House Democrats just released the first set of transcripts from their closed-door interviews in the impeachment inquiry. http://bit.ly/33hoSsm

Which transcripts are now public: The depositions of former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch and top State Department official Michael McKinley.

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From the chairs of the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees: “As we move towards this new public phase of the impeachment inquiry, the American public will begin to see for themselves the evidence that the committees have collected. With each new interview, we learn more about the President’s attempt to manipulate the levers of power to his personal political benefit," the chairs wrote in a joint statement. Read their full joint statement: http://bit.ly/2oMJLgj

^ Specifically on these two transcripts: “The transcripts of interviews with Ambassadors Yovanovitch and McKinley demonstrate clearly how 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 approved the removal of a highly respected and effective diplomat based on public falsehoods and smears against Ambassador Yovanovitch’s character and her work in support of long-held U.S. foreign policy anticorruption goals.”

WASHINGTON IS DIGGING THROUGH THESE TRANSCRIPTS AS WE SPEAK, BUT HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR:

Yovanovitch said she felt ‘threatened’: “Marie Yovanovitch said she felt threatened when she heard President Trump had said she would ‘go through some things.’" (Via Real Clear Politics’s Philip Wegmann) http://bit.ly/2CacA9g

On the campaign against Yovanovitch: “Yovanovitch testified that when she asked [US Ambassador to the EU Gordon] Sondland for advice about the campaign against her, he recommended she tweet in praise of Trump. ‘It was advice that I did not see how I could implement in my role as an ambassador.’” (Via The Wall Street Journal’s Rebecca Ballhaus) http://bit.ly/32foM3t

Yovanovitch on Rudy Giuliani Rudy GiulianiThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting CIA found Putin 'probably directing' campaign against Biden: report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE’s efforts to oust her: "You know... you're going to think that I'm incredibly naive, but I couldn't imagine all of the things that have happened over the last 5 or 7 months, I just couldn't imagine it." (Via Politico’s John Bresnahan) http://bit.ly/32b9n49

READ FOR YOURSELF:

Read the full transcript with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch: http://bit.ly/2qkNqCi

Read the full transcript with top State Department official Michael McKinley: http://bit.ly/32h9Am6

NOT HAPPENING TODAY

*Crickets*:

In a big victory for the Trump administration, all four White House officials who were scheduled to speak with impeachment investigators today are refusing to testify. http://bit.ly/2qiBAbS

Who:

— Senior attorney at the National Security Council John Eisenberg and his deputy Michael Ellis

— Robert Blair, senior adviser to acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney Mick MulvaneyOn The Money: House panel pulls Powell into partisan battles | New York considers hiking taxes on the rich | Treasury: Trump's payroll tax deferral won't hurt Social Security Blockchain trade group names Mick Mulvaney to board Mick Mulvaney to start hedge fund MORE

— Brian McCormack of the Office of Management and Budget

Why: “An administration official says Eisenberg isn't showing up due to executive privilege while Blair, Ellis and McCormack aren't going to appear because they won't be able to have an administration lawyer present.” https://cnn.it/32f6fEr

Empty mics: C-SPAN this morning live streamed the empty microphones by the closed-door rooms.

LIVESTREAM OUTSIDE THE HEARING ROOM:

https://cs.pn/2C7WgGa

It’s Monday. The 2020 elections are officially less than a year away! 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

Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! TELL ME!:

This morning, President Trump demanded that the anonymous whistleblower that led an impeachment inquiry testify. He also accused the second whistleblower of being a “con” and “disappearing.” http://bit.ly/2Ni4qSZ

Trump tweeted: “The Whistleblower gave false information & dealt with corrupt politician Schiff. He must be brought forward to testify. Written answers not acceptable! Where is the 2nd Whistleblower? He disappeared after I released the transcript. Does he even exist? Where is the informant? Con!” The full tweet if you’re interested in seeing the dumpster fire of his Twitter mentions: http://bit.ly/33gctoO

LATEST WITH THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Republicans to Trump: Let us deal with the food fight:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, “Senate Republicans want President Trump to focus more on his agenda and not let himself become personally consumed by the House impeachment inquiry, which is likely to hit a dead end in the Senate.” http://bit.ly/2NEaBiZ



According to GOP sources: “Senate Republicans have urged the president on multiple occasions to keep his eye on top policy priorities and let his allies on Capitol Hill handle more of the day-to-day skirmishing over impeachment.”



Reasoning from Republicans: Many in the Senate believe that the public is more concerned about the economy, health care and national security than an impeachment inquiry.

I.e.: They think President Trump should stay above the fray.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK:

http://bit.ly/36ws4SZ

Court says Trump’s tax returns can be subpoenaed:

Via The Hill’s Harper Neidig, “A federal appeals court on Monday ruled that President Trump can't block the Manhattan District Attorney's Office from subpoenaing his accounting firm for financial records.” http://bit.ly/34uK6mV

Read the ruling: http://bit.ly/2PKw6Bp

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Bet-no’Rourke:

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) dropped out of the presidential race on Friday after he failed to capture strong momentum. https://nyti.ms/2WKLcIv

Why he dropped out now: Because of $$. His campaign would need deep staff cuts to pay for advertising in the early voting states.

Read Beto’s announcement on Medium: http://bit.ly/2WNCNnS

What now for Beto: He is not expected to run again for Senate in Texas, even though Democratic leaders desperately want him to.

INTERESTING READ — INSIDE BETO’S COLLAPSE:

Via Politico’s David Siders: https://politi.co/2NcbOyZ

In the next 364 days:

Via The Hill’s Reid Wilson in Newton, Iowa, “A year before voters head to the polls to pick America's next president, the country stands bitterly divided over its own future, the leaders who will guide us there and even their fellow citizens.” http://bit.ly/2C7yjyT

How so: “The America that both President Trump and his Democratic rivals seek to lead is backed more strongly into its partisan corners than at any point in recent memory, less likely to give the benefit of the doubt to those on the other side of the aisle, less interested in compromise and even more suspicious of the other side's motives.”

The path for President Trump: http://bit.ly/2C7yjyT

NEW POLL — TRUMP TRAILING IN KEY STATES:

According to a New York Times–Siena College survey, President Trump is trailing 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 but is beating 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.). http://bit.ly/2JRjEMy

The full poll: https://nyti.ms/2JIYBvx

IN LOCAL NEWS

The Nats are living their best lives:

The 2019 World Series–champion Washington Nationals kept up their celebration this weekend. Here are some of the highlights:

Hahaha — this would be a fun box to watch the Caps: Here is video of the Washington Nationals chugging their beers after the Caps scored a goal. Watch: http://bit.ly/2pFbnV0

Oh boy...: The Nationals’ parade buses were seen in Philadelphia yesterday. Photos: http://bit.ly/2NeuoXd

This is a pretty cool photo from the parade: https://nyti.ms/2PMHRXY

Here are the best quotes from the Nationals’ rally: https://wapo.st/2PHXkbT

Instead of ‘hold my beer,’ it is now ‘hold my baby’:

During the weekend festivities, ABC7 sports reporter Scott Abraham held Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton’s baby so he could drink the gold bottle of champagne. Watch: http://bit.ly/2JOjIg6

NOTABLE TWEETS

Omg, this happened:

Watch: http://bit.ly/34qkMhJ

Powered by DQ:

ON TAP

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington, D.C., and heads to Kentucky later today for a campaign rally. Vice President Pence is in Mississippi.

9 a.m. EST: Vice President Pence left Washington, D.C., for Gulfport, Miss.

11:45 a.m. EST: President Trump meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoWatchdog confirms State Dept. canceled award for journalist who criticized Trump Trump's push for win with Sudan amps up pressure on Congress Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize MORE.

1 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence speaks at a Mississippi Victory rally.

4:10 p.m. EST: President Trump leaves the White House for Lexington, Ky.

4:40 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence gets back to Washington, D.C.

10:25 p.m. EST: President Trump gets back to the White House.

10 a.m. EST Tuesday: The Senate meets. The Senate’s full schedule: http://bit.ly/2Ned18T

November 3, 2020: The presidential election. Op-ed: http://bit. ly/32klpZ7

WHAT TO WATCH

This morning: The funeral for the late Rep. John Conyers John James ConyersBiden's immigration plan has serious problems Tlaib wins Michigan Democratic primary Tlaib holds lead in early vote count against primary challenger MORE (D-Mich.). Livestream: https://cs.pn/32fuS3I

1:30 p.m. EST: President Trump hosts the 2019 World Series champions, the Washington Nationals. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2JKUFtZ

7 p.m. EST: President Trump holds a campaign rally in Lexington, Ky. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2JINYJ9

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Candy Day!

Pint-sized MLB players:

Atlanta Braves’ first baseman Freddie Freeman passed a kid on Halloween who was dressed up as him. His wife posted the video. Watch: http://bit.ly/2PKI12c

And because you made it this far, here’s a dog with a rather unusual strategy of getting down the stairs: http://bit.ly/2NDcr3B