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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 threatens to close Mexican border next week | GOP finds prime target in Schiff | Republicans face new challenge on health care | Why Biden could struggle to win Senate endorsements | Another 2020 Dem releases their tax returns | Trump reverses on Special Olympics cuts | Women harassed by AirDrop | 30-year mystery of Garfield phones on beach solved

BREAKING

Shut. It. Down.:

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 threatened to close parts of the U.S.-Mexico border next week. http://bit.ly/2I049l8

The conditions: Trump will close the border if the Mexican president does not put a stop to illegal border crossings.

The gist of the tweets: "Mexico has for many years made a fortune off of the U.S., far greater than Border Costs. If Mexico doesn't immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States through our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week." http://bit.ly/2FHW9Tk

Read Trump's full tweets: http://bit.ly/2FHW9Tk

CONTEXT TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT:

"The tweets come amid growing warnings from the administration about a crisis at the border, and more than a month after the end of a partial government shutdown triggered by a fight over Trump's demands for funding for a border wall."

Happy Friday! It's going to be a beautiful weekend in the district. 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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ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Maybe Biden could set up a 'free hugs' booth outside the Senate?:

Via The Hill's Amie Parnes and Scott Wong, former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE is expected to jump into the race next month but may not have the wide support of his former Senate colleagues.

Biden's time in the Senate: Biden served as a senator for 36 years, but his time only overlapped with 18 current Democratic senators.

Another problem: "He'll also be squaring off against a half dozen current senators -- including Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice First presidential debate to cover coronavirus, Supreme Court Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (Calif.), 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 (N.J.), Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHarris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda Judd Gregg: The Kamala threat — the Californiaization of America GOP set to release controversial Biden report MORE (Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) -- who have forged their own relationships in the upper chamber."

The three Democratic Senate endorsements Biden has already: Sens. Tom Carper Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperDemocrat asks for probe of EPA's use of politically appointed lawyers Overnight Energy: Study links coronavirus mortality to air pollution exposure | Low-income, minority households pay more for utilities: report OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium MORE (Del.), Christopher Coons Christopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsMurkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates MORE (Del.) and 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.). Oh and: Freshman Sen. Doug Jones (Ala.) also has been publicly encouraging Biden to run. http://bit.ly/2CLXLKO

Released this morning -- today's career day theme: taxes!:

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Jay Robert InsleeBarr asked prosecutors to explore charging Seattle mayor over protest zone: report Bottom line Oregon senator says Trump's blame on 'forest management' for wildfires is 'just a big and devastating lie' MORE, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, just released his tax returns from the past 12 years. http://bit.ly/2FKTmdg

Inslee told "Fox & Friends" President Trump should release his taxes, too: "It is time for him to come clean with the American people. He's got to show what he's been hiding, and Americans deserve that truth."

See for yourself -- Inslee's tax return documents: http://bit.ly/2U58ECp

The Buttigieg household sounds entertaining:

Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield Facebook takes down Chinese network targeting Philippines, Southeast Asia and the US MORE, the Democratic mayor of South Bend, Ind., tweeted, "Doing a quick bit of laundry. Hear loud scream. Run into kitchen terrified, expecting to see [my husband Chasten Buttigieg] in pool of blood. Am thereupon informed that [Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda] is following my husband, whose life is now complete." http://bit.ly/2YBhIxw

INTERESTING READ:

Via Politico's Joanna Weiss, "Chasten Buttigieg Is Winning the 2020 Spouse Primary: The first same-sex husband of a major-party presidential candidate is a historic figure, but he's also a surprisingly traditional one." https://politi.co/2V2L3i9

WINNING THE HEADLINE GAME TODAY:

In The New York Times, "Pete Buttigieg (It's 'Boot-Edge-Edge') Is Making Waves in the 2020 Race." The article from Trip Gabriel: https://nyti.ms/2HXSNhz

IN CONGRESS

Zeroing in on target.

Target identified.

And go.:

Via The Hill's Olivia Beavers and Morgan Chalfant, 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.) has become the prime target for Republicans in the aftermath of the special counsel report. What this means for Schiff: http://bit.ly/2Yz5sgR

NEW POLL -- DOES THE MUELLER REPORT CLEAR TRUMP?:

Only 36 percent of registered voters say that the report submitted by 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 clears President Trump of any wrongdoing. The full poll numbers: http://bit.ly/2JOuNjm

Welp, didn't copyright it!:

Via The Hill's Max Greenwood, Republicans are facing an uphill battle to become "the party of health care." http://bit.ly/2HZUnzF

Why they are tasked with becoming the health care party: A declaration by President Trump, who is revisiting the fight over ObamaCare.

Why Republicans are worried: "The presidential directive, handed down in a tweet on Tuesday, came at an inopportune time for Republicans, less than a day after the Trump administration called for the courts to invalidate the Affordable Care Act in its entirety. Taken together, that announcement and Trump's ambitious call to resurface a campaign promise that has eluded Republicans for years underscores the political peril facing the GOP in 2020."

Why Democrats has been campaigning on health care: "For Democrats, the GOP's posture on health care has already proven to be one of their most incisive lines of attack, helping them win 40 House seats in the 2018 midterm elections."

How this will play out in 2020: http://bit.ly/2HZUnzF

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

I've been struggling to think of worse optics than cutting funding to Special Olympics

*Crickets*:

President Trump announced on Thursday that he reversed a proposed $18 million cut to funding for the Special Olympics. https://nbcnews.to/2HXILgw

Trump told reporters outside the White House: "The Special Olympics will be funded, I just told my people."

WHAT SPARKED THIS:

"The president's announcement comes after his education secretary, Betsy DeVos Elizabeth (Betsy) Dee DeVosSpecial counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report NEA president says Azar and DeVos should resign over school reopening guidance The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - You might want to download TikTok now MORE, was grilled by congressional Democrats in two hearings this week over the proposal to eliminate all federal funding for the Special Olympics."

Yuuup, the elevator timing makes this video pretty awkward:

Unfortunately for Betsy DeVos, Dirksen has the slowest elevators on Earth. https://t.co/GpsSeaqSEA — Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) March 29, 2019

Watch Betsy DeVos wait for the elevator: http://bit.ly/2uwYSJX

IN LOCAL NEWS

Oh great, a new form of harassment...:

Via The Washington Post's Kery Murakami, women riding the metro in the Washington, D.C., area are facing a new form of harassment: getting lewd photos sent to them from strangers by AirDrop. How it works: https://wapo.st/2V2L4mf

Spotted in downtown D.C.:

Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) had lunch with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). http://bit.ly/2FvAo8Q

NOTABLE TWEETS

The most interesting story I've read all morning:

For more than 30 years, plastic phones shaped like the cartoon cat Garfield have been washing up on French beaches.



The mystery is now solved: a shipping container which washed up during a storm in the 1980s was found in a hidden sea cave

Fred Tanneau pic.twitter.com/mMs0fzS7mD — AFP news agency (@AFP) March 28, 2019

Yikes:

CARRIED AWAY: Video captures the moment a man was lifted into the air by strong winds while trying to secure an umbrella.https://t.co/qu3taGjs8a pic.twitter.com/AFuwmgSBwW — WPBF 25 News (@WPBF25News) March 28, 2019

ON TAP

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Florida. Vice President Pence is speaking in Chicago today.

12:10 p.m. EDT: President Trump leaves his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., and heads to Canal Point, Fla.

1 p.m. EDT: President Trump visits Lake Okeechobee and the Herbert Hoover Dike in Canal Point, Fla.

2:35 p.m. EDT: President Trump arrives back at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

3:15 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence leaves Washington, D.C., and heads to Chicago, Ill.

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

WHAT TO WATCH

6:45 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks at Turning Point USA's Midwest Conference in Chicago. Livestream: http://bit.ly/2OA1GiD

Today and Sunday: The 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional in Washington, D.C. The current bracket: https://on.ncaa.com/2FEtY7r

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day.