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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: NY Times story sparks new firestorm over Kavanaugh | Times issues correction over new claims | Trump says Times should be sued | 2020 Dems call for Kavanaugh to be impeached | Trump ramps up Iran rhetoric after oil field attack | Oil prices soar | Trump heads west | Rally tonight in Albuquerque | Senators struggle with funding | National Double Cheeseburger Day

THIS MORNING

Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael KavanaughTrump plans to pick Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ginsburg on court Collins trails challenger by 4 points in Maine Senate race: poll SCOTUS confirmation in the last month of a close election? Ugly MORE is back in the news:

Over the weekend, The New York Times reported new allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh from college.

The new story: A male former classmate of Kavanaugh's claims to have seen the justice expose himself at a party, where friends pushed his genitals against a woman without her consent. http://bit.ly/2IaHQbH

Read the new story in The New York Times: https://nyti.ms/2IoHYET

But then the Times issued a correction: The correction notes that friends of the woman involved in the alleged incident with Kavanaugh during college say she does not recall it. http://bit.ly/2Iahkz9

The text of the NYT correction: "An earlier version of this article, which was adapted from a forthcoming book, did not include one element of the book's account regarding an assertion by a Yale classmate that friends of Brett Kavanaugh pushed his penis into the hand of a female student at a drunken dorm party. The book reports that the female student declined to be interviewed and friends say that she does not recall the incident. That information has been added to the article." https://nyti.ms/2IoHYET

REACTIONS:

Trump defends Kavanaugh: The president said The New York Times "should be sued." Part of Trump's tweets: "The one who is actually being assaulted is Justice Kavanaugh -- Assaulted by lies and Fake News! This is all about the LameStream Media working with their partner, the Dems." Read his full tweets: http://bit.ly/2IaHQbH

2020 Democrats are calling for Kavanaugh's impeachment: http://bit.ly/2I6klR6

It's Monday. 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

Saudi oil fields were attacked:

Saudi Arabia's oil supply was attacked over the weekend, cutting Saudi oil production by 50 percent. https://cnb.cx/30pQd9v

Who is responsible?

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Well, Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the U.S. isn't buying it. The U.S. is narrowing its focus on Iran. https://nyti.ms/2IaaSrV

Why the U.S. doesn't believe the attack came from Yemen: "The government released satellite photographs showing what officials said were at least 17 points of impact at several Saudi energy facilities from strikes they said came from the north or northwest. That would be consistent with an attack coming from the direction of the northern Persian Gulf, Iran or Iraq, rather than from Yemen." https://nyti.ms/2IaaSrV

OK, so what about the oil...

How oil prices are impacted: Oil prices have soared after 5 percent of the world's oil supply was knocked out. "Brent crude futures jumped to nearly 20 percent, the biggest intraday percentage gain since the Gulf War in 1991, to a session high of $71.95 a barrel at the opening, while U.S. crude futures surged more than 15 percent to a session high of $63.34 a barrel. Both benchmarks rose to the highest since May." https://nbcnews.to/30nh1HD

What about oil supply in the U.S.?: 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 tweeted that "the United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied." http://bit.ly/30pmMoa

Op-ed: http://bit.ly/30nEwAa

Reaction from 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:

President Trump said the United States is "locked and loaded" as it figures out the culprit of the attack. http://bit.ly/30i9j1n

His full tweet: "Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!" http://bit.ly/30nlQkd

WORTH READING -- HOW TRUMP IS RAMPING UP HIS RHETORIC ON IRAN: http://bit.ly/2NZXF93

Iran doesn't feel like chatting:

This morning, Iran ruled out the possibility of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani meeting with President Trump at the United Nations General Assembly next week. http://bit.ly/30hOIKB

From the Foreign Ministry spokesman: "Neither is such an event on our agenda, nor will it happen. Such a meeting will not take place."

HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK

We can never do this the easy way, can we?!:

Via The Hill's Jordain Carney and Juliegrace Brufke, with two weeks left to fund the government, lawmakers are starting to shift to a short-term funding bill to punt the fight until mid-November. http://bit.ly/30pYYjT

When would the continuing resolution expire?: The House is expected to vote on a short-term continuing resolution that would fund the government through Nov. 21, right before the Thanksgiving break.

The House is much further along in funding the government: "While the House has passed 10 out of the 12 spending bills, the Senate has passed none as lawmakers waited for Trump and congressional leadership to reach a two-year budget deal that set the top-line spending levels for defense and non-defense funding."

WHY SENATORS ARE STRUGGLING TO GET SPENDING BILLS OFF THE GROUND:

http://bit.ly/2IcJIAW

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN CONGRESS THIS WEEK:

The gun debate: "Lawmakers are waiting to get a sign from President Trump about what potential gun reforms he'll support ... including whether or not he'll approve an effort to expand gun background checks. A key group of senators who have been negotiating with Trump initially thought they could get feedback from White House staff late last week but warned that timeline could slip."

Corey Lewandowski Corey R. LewandowskiTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick How Trump can win reelection: Focus on Democrats, not himself Trump Jr. distances from Bannon group, says he attended 'single' event MORE is testifying: "Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is slated to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as part of the panel's investigation into potential obstruction of justice by the administration." Keep in mind: "The administration has considered invoking executive privilege to prevent Lewandowski from testifying."

Nominations: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' House to vote on resolution affirming peaceful transition of power Republican lawyers brush off Trump's election comments MORE (R-Ky.) "has teed up work on another slate of Trump nominees as they await the funding bill from the House."

Context and details for each: http://bit.ly/30pYYjT

MORE ON THE DEM LEADERSHIP'S PUSH FOR TRUMP TO BACK UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS:

http://bit.ly/30nLipR

IN OTHER NEWS

This times well for 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:

Via The Hill's Noami Jagoda, "The progressive push to raise taxes on the rich is gaining new momentum." http://bit.ly/30mjrX1

How so: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has already proposed a wealth tax to raise funds for a variety of new government programs, on Thursday unveiled a plan to expand Social Security by creating two taxes on wage and investment income for wealthy Americans."

Timing: "The proposal comes as Warren enjoys a long stretch of momentum in the Democratic presidential primary race that has lifted her in polls and put her side-by-side with 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 during last week's debate."

Details: http://bit.ly/30mjrX1

NOTABLE TWEETS

Lol, meanwhile at The Washington Post:

In 24 hours, this has been played 295,137 times for a total of 722 hours, 2 minutes and 27 seconds.



Also, 4,256 likes and 59 comments.



Neat! https://t.co/bDMC6m5pqr — Dave Jorgenson (@davejorgenson) September 13, 2019

Watch the video: http://bit.ly/2I9YDM0

ON TAP

The Senate meets this afternoon. The House is out.

11 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participated in a roundtable discussion on trade.

11:45 a.m. EDT: President Trump participated in a ceremony for newly appointed ambassadors to Washington, D.C.

Noon: Vice President Pence met with the chairman-designate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

1 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence has lunch with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain.

3 p.m. EDT: President Trump meets with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain in the Oval Office.

3 p.m. EDT: The Senate meets.

4:20 p.m. EDT: President Trump leaves Washington, D.C., and heads to Albuquerque, N.M.

5 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence speaks at a Citizens for Michael Adams reception in Washington, D.C.

5:30 p.m. EDT: The Senate holds a cloture vote on a nomination. The Senate's full schedule today: http://bit.ly/30kqe3m

Sept. 26: The Hill is hosting "The Future of Mobility Summit" in Washington, D.C. Details and how to RSVP: http://bit.ly/2ZXafvW

WHAT TO WATCH

2 p.m. EDT: President Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Mariano Rivera. Livestream: http://bit.ly/30mcBkr

9 p.m. EDT: President Trump holds a campaign rally in Albuquerque, N.M. Livestream: https://cs.pn/30ia6iN

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Linguine Day and National Double Cheeseburger Day!

And to brighten your Monday morning, here's a dog scheming for fries: http://bit.ly/30mYwTI