COUNTDOWN TO SHUTDOWN: Four days from now, at midnight Friday, the federal government’s authority to spend money expires. Hopes for an immigration deal that would pave the way for a real budget have faded again as a chill settles over Washington, and the finger-pointing and blame games are on full display. Democrats are threatening to withhold the votes that would allow another temporary spending extension, insisting any continuing resolution must restore the protections under the Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was canceled by President Trump.
HOLE VS. HOUSE: The president continues to feud with Democratic Sen. Dick Dubin, who he has now assigned a mocking nickname, “Dicky Durbin,” which as Trump taunts go is fairly mild. “Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can’t get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.” Several reports say the reason Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen have not confirmed the report that Trump referred to “shithole” countries is that Trump actually said “shithouse.” Notably when asked about the “shithole” comment on Fox News Sunday, Nielsen said she did not recall the president “saying that exact phrase.”
