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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: Dems give wiggle room on border funding | Trump says GOP 'wasting' time in wall talks | Senate GOP poised to rebuke Trump on foreign policy | Trump looks for way back after rough month | Poll finds Ginsburg is public's 'favorite' justice | Midwest colder than Antarctica, Siberia | Good time for National Hot Chocolate Day | DC could hit 60 degrees next week | Chick-fil-A Valentine's Day gift

LATEST WITH THE BORDER WALL FIGHT

Lots of grumbling all around:

This morning, President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE questioned whether the new bipartisan congressional committee can come to a government spending agreement that includes border wall funding. http://bit.ly/2WzJ85w

He tweeted: "Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee are wasting their time. Democrats, despite all of the evidence, proof and Caravans coming, are not going to give money to build the DESPERATELY needed WALL. I've got you covered. Wall is already being built, I don't expect much help!" http://bit.ly/2CTelaZ

MEANWHILE FROM DEMOCRATS -- WIGGLE, WIGGLE, WIGGLE: Democrats are giving themselves some wiggle room to negotiate in border wall funding. How so: By downplaying the need for a physical wall, but not closing the door entirely. http://bit.ly/2WxIJ3K

Call a spade a spade:

This morning, President Trump also urged others to "stop playing political games" and call any type of structure on the border a "wall."

He tweeted: "Lets just call them WALLS from now on and stop playing political games! A WALL is a WALL!" http://bit.ly/2CXONtq

Happy Thursday. It's finally the last day of January! Who knew there were 87 days in this month? 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

What do we want? A reasonable temperature! When do we want it? NOW!:

Just in case you haven't heard this stat: The Midwest was colder than Siberia, Antarctica and Alaska yesterday. http://bit.ly/2Gf4YFR

Yikes these photos: The Minneapolis Star Tribune posted a series of photos of the deep freeze. Wow: http://strib.mn/2S3JlPV

^ Including my personal favorite: A photo taken by Anthony Souffle features a college student wearing shorts in the cold. The caption: "Miles, a University of Minnesota student who declined to give his last name because he said his mom would be mad at him for how he was dressed, crossed University Avenue Southeast in shorts Tuesday." Photo with the caption -- amazing: http://bit.ly/2FYU5st

Get excited: Temperatures in the D.C. area could hit 60 degrees next week! The full Capital Weather Gang forecast: https://wapo.st/2G0WXFq

IN CONGRESS

Happening this afternoon -- Senate Republicans and Trump may need couples' counseling soon:

Via The Hill's Alexander Bolton and Jordan Fabian, "Frustrated Republicans say it's time for the Senate to reclaim more power over foreign policy and are planning to move a measure Thursday that would be a stunning rebuke to a president of their own party."

Why: "GOP lawmakers are deeply concerned over President Trump's reluctance to listen to his senior military and intelligence advisers, fearing it could erode national security. They say the Senate has lost too much of its constitutional power over shaping the nation's foreign policy and argue that it's time to begin clawing some of it back."

What Senate Republicans are doing about it -- a vote to rebuke Trump at 3:30 p.m.: The Senate is planning to vote on an amendment sponsored by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Trump expects to nominate woman to replace Ginsburg next week Video of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral MORE (R-Ky.) warning "the precipitous withdrawal" of U.S. forces from Syria and Afghanistan "could put at risk hard-won gains and United States national security."

Details and how this could play out: http://bit.ly/2GcaB7H

HOW REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO TURN THE TABLES ON DEMOCRATS: http://bit.ly/2G1ysrA

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Loophole -- what if we get said troops to wear shirts with the word 'wall?':

Earlier this week, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan Patrick Michael ShanahanHouse Armed Services chairman expresses confidence in Esper amid aircraft carrier coronavirus crisis Boeing pleads for bailout under weight of coronavirus, 737 fallout Esper's chief of staff to depart at end of January MORE announced that a "few thousand" more troops would be deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border. http://bit.ly/2CYuNqi

THIS A.M. -- REACTION FROM TRUMP: President Trump tweeted, "More troops being sent to the Southern Border to stop the attempted Invasion of Illegals, through large Caravans, into our Country. We have stopped the previous Caravans, and we will stop these also. With a Wall it would be soooo much easier and less expensive. Being Built!" http://bit.ly/2Sl69Kc

INTERESTING READ -- HOW TRUMP COULD BOUNCE BACK AFTER A ROUGH STRETCH: Via The Hill's Niall Stanage, "President Trump looks to be close to the nadir of his presidency, beset by his defeat on the government shutdown, bad opinion polls, a Democratic House and 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 probe." Yeah, but: "Republicans, including some beyond his base, insist he still has a plausible path to reelection in 2020." Reasoning: http://bit.ly/2BbL4bC

NOTABLE TWEETS

Wow:

OMG this chyron ran on Pittsburgh TV and a guy got fired over it. pic.twitter.com/oJeewzsx7z — Ben White (@morningmoneyben) January 31, 2019

Getting traction-- it does actually sound like 'S & L':

don jr thinks the "N" in SNL stands for "and" pic.twitter.com/KzkL6clQdC — Matt Binder (@MattBinder) January 31, 2019

Poor Justices Kagan and Breyer :(

Fox News poll: Who’s your favorite Supreme Court justice?

RBG 18%

Kavanaugh 6

Gorsuch 4

Thomas 4

Sotomayor 3

Roberts 2

Alito 1

Kagan *

Breyer *

Can’t name any 22

None 20https://t.co/v78dRa1e8S — Reid Wilson (@PoliticsReid) January 31, 2019

The full poll: https://fxn.ws/2CV8cuZ

ON TAP

The Senate is in. The House is out. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.

11:05 a.m. EST: Vice President Pence was briefed at the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters.

11:45 a.m. EST: President Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office to boost the use of U.S.-made iron and steel in infrastructure projects. Details: http://bit.ly/2UvTXnv

2:15 p.m. EST: President Trump receives an intelligence briefing.

3:30 p.m. EST: President Trump meets with the vice premier of the People's Republic of China.

3:30 p.m. EST: The Senate holds a procedural vote on an amendment related to Syria and Afghanistan. The Senate's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/2DLppsj

4:30 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence swears in James W. Carroll as director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Feb. 15: The deadline to avert another partial government shutdown.

WHAT TO WATCH

11:40 a.m. EST: Vice President Pence spoke at Drug Enforcement Agency headquarters. Livestream: https://cs.pn/2sVIwd3

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Hot Chocolate Day. How festive?

I mean, I can't think of a better Valentine's Day gift:

Until Feb. 14, Chick-fil-A is offering heart-shaped trays of chicken nuggets or mini sandwiches. Photos and details -- so beautiful: https://on.today.com/2D0t97B

This is right out of a movie:

Via Time's George Steer, "Florida public works employees called to investigate an apparent sinkhole were shocked to discover a recently excavated tunnel running below the street in the direction of a nearby bank. It remains unclear how many people were involved in digging the tunnel, reported to be 50 feet long." http://bit.ly/2MIE9Ln