Bobby Jindal announced his presidential campaign through a hidden camera video of his family, because nothing says “momentum” quite like a visceral association with “To Catch A Predator.” House Appropriations Republicans won't let the CDC study the underlying causes of gun violence, because we already know gun violence is caused by anti-Christian animus. And Univision will co-host a Republican presidential primary forum. It’s a smart move by the GOP, as Hispanics remain its most under-booed constituency. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Wednesday, June 24th, 2015:
PELOSI YIELDS ON TAA, CLEARING WAY FOR PASSAGE IN HOUSE - Uber, but for your job going overseas. Laura Barron-Lopez: " House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) waved the white flag on Wednesday, telling her caucus she would support passage of a key measure tethered to President Barack Obama's broader trade agenda. Her support all but guarantees that the measure will succeed, thereby handing Obama a major victory on trade. Pelosi and House Democrats were the last obstacle against Republican and pro-trade Democrats' efforts to grant Obama so-called 'fast-track' authority to clear major trade deals, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, through Congress with ease. House Democrats succeeded in blocking fast-track nearly two weeks ago when they defeated Trade Adjustment Assistance, which was tied to the fast-track legislation. TAA provides aid to workers who have lost their jobs as a result of trade deals." [HuffPost]
The Senate sent fast-track to Obama's desk this afternoon.
The Former Abramoff Lobbyist Pissed At Things is almost as giddy about fast-track's passage as he was when he co-hosted a wake for Current TV at Johnny's Half Shell with three different guys named Caldwell. "FALPAT is heading to Bobby Vans to party with Richard Trumka," FALPAT writes. "Why? Because he has a huge expense account, is depressed and probably out of a job. All the necessary inputs for a good time. Hold me a booth seat and of course I will get a crab cake appetizer and Maker's rocks." Thanks, FALPAT!
The Congressional Women's Softball Game is tonight, featuring the best and baddest lady members of Congress squaring off against their counterparts in the press corps. No guarantees that Tulsi Gabbard won't take out someone's knees while hard diving into second. Also, our Elise Foley has been known to charge a mound or two in her day. The game will be held at the Watkins Recreation Center, 420 12th Street SE and starts at 6:00 pm.
PIZZA IS A VEGETABLE. BULLETS ARE ALSO A VEGETABLE. The health benefits of bullets are obvious. Rachel Bade: "In the aftermath of the latest mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, House Republicans rebuffed a Democratic effort to effectively allow health researchers to study gun violence and make recommendations — suggesting they’re still a long way from considering any new gun-control restrictions. The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday rejected, 19-32, an amendment from top Democratic appropriator Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) that would allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the underlying causes of gun violence. The CDC hasn’t done any such research since 1996, when the National Rifle Association accused it of trying to use science to promote gun control." [Politico]
Haircut: Kate Sheppard
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - At the beginning of the year the U.S. economy contracted less severely than previously estimated, the government said today. Yay. "Real gross domestic product -- the value of the production of goods and services in the United States, adjusted for price changes -- decreased at an annual rate of 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2015, according to the 'third' estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis…. In the second estimate, the decrease in real GDP was 0.7 percent." Dunno why "third" estimate gets scare quotes in that news release, but this is "good" news. [BEA.gov]
Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill
BOBBY JINDAL STUMBLES OUT OF GATE: DOESN'T USE STONE PHILLIPS TO NARRATE HIDDEN CAM VIDEO - Bobby Jindal is running for president, and we can only assume from his voyeuristically creepy announcement video that his campaign strategy will involve whisper-yelling "PSSST!!!" while throwing pebbles at voters' bedroom windows in the middle of the night. Colin Campbell: "Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) announced his 2016 presidential campaign Wednesday with a strange video posted on his Facebook page. 'I had to tell a few people first. But I want you to be next. I’m running for President of the United States of America,' Jindal wrote in a post accompanying the video. As for the video itself, it appears as though it was filmed with a hidden camera above an outdoor table as Jindal and his wife told their children about his presidential plans. 'We wanted to talk to you first,' Jindal says in the video. 'Then you can't go tell your friends.'" [Business Insider]
"What do you remember about Iowa?"
"Um...popcorn?"
"And ETHANOL... you remember ETHANOL!!!"
"I'm tired, daddy."
"You're not tired, sweetie. You're excited to talk about my jobs plan for New Hampshire's small businesses!"
"This is a strange place. I want to go home."
JIM WEBB RUNNING GREAT CAMPAIGN FOR VICE PRESIDENT - Nothing like a grim-faced veteran with strong thoughts on confederate flags standing beside you to make people forget about your TPP stance. Sam Frizell: "Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb said on Wednesday that the Confederate flag has been wrongly used as a racist symbol, but stopped short of condemning the flag outright. He also added that Americans should remember 'honorable' Civil War veterans, 'including slave holders in the Union Army.' ... Webb is also the only 2016 candidate not to condemn the Confederate flag outright or support a push to remove it from the South Carolina capitol grounds. Republicans Scott Walker, Rand Paul and Jeb Bush as well as all the other Democratic candidates have spoken out against the flag. A likely candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination who counts two relatives among Confederate Army veterans, Webb has a long history of defending Dixie soldiers and the flag." [Time]
Hitler and the Nazis better watch their backs, because there's a new overblown comparison in town: "A day after politicians called for removal of the bust of Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from the [Tennessee] state Capitol, some Democratic leaders say the state should also change the name of a state park named in Forrest's honor...The park is in state Rep. Tim Wirgau's and state Sen. John Stevens' districts. Both men are Republican…'What separates us from ISIS?' Stevens asked. 'Because that's what they do, they go around and tear down history in those nations that they've conquered. If that's what America is about now, then it concerns me.'" [Jackson Sun's Tyler Whetstone]
KAY HAGAN NOT RUNNING FOR OLD SEAT - The state remains Dem-curious (or Dem-questioning, depending on whom you ask). Emily Kahn and Niels Lesniewski: "Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan will not be mounting a challenge to her former GOP colleague, Sen. Richard M. Burr. Hagan, who was defeated by Thom Tillis in 2014, has been making calls to inform donors she will not be running for the seat that comes up in 2016, two sources familiar with the calls told Roll Call. While Hagan’s statewide name recognition and relatively strong performance in a year that saw Republicans sweep into the Senate majority would have made her a top challenger to Burr, a national Democratic strategist said there are plenty of Democrats who could win this seat, including Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, state Treasurer Janet Cowell, longtime University of North Carolina President Tom Ross, and State Senate Minority Whip Josh Stein. Democrats will likely now work to convince Cowell to run. Cowell said no to a bid earlier this year, but Democrats say she would be a top candidate. They also believe Burr’s not that well known throughout the state and could prove vulnerable." [Roll Call]
UNIVISION TO CO-HOST GOP FORUM WITH WASHINGTON POST - Free idea: Have Greg Sargent and Jen Rubin co-moderate (assuming ABC hasn't greenlit a their sitcom yet): "The Washington Post and Univision News announced plans Wednesday for an election-focused partnership that will include a joint Republican candidates' forum in March 2016. Univision, the nation's most-watched Spanish-language network, was notably not among the media organizations selected by the Republican National Committee earlier this year to sponsor a primary debate. The decision came just days after RNC Chairman Reince Priebus suggested Republicans aren't 'treated fairly on Univision,' which has been especially tough on the party when it comes to immigration." [HuffPost's Michael Calderone]
@mcalderone: Longtime NYT television critic Alessandra Stanley going back to reporting. She's starting beat covering "the richest of the rich," per memo.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RIPPED OFF TROOPS BIGTIME - Shahien Nasiripour: "New data from the U.S. Department of Justice strongly suggest that the Education Department missed thousands of violations of federal law when it publicly exonerated Navient Corp., one of its favored student loan contractors, of intentionally cheating troops on their federal student loans." [HuffPost]
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a cat being awful.
SUPREME COURT SLOW: REPORT - On the ground color from what could be the sight of America's biggest, gayest party in decades (outside of Samuel Alito's white parties). Jen Bendery:"But in the days leading up to the [Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling] -- it could come Thursday, Friday or next Monday -- it's been a quieter affair. The front steps are empty. There are no lines wrapping around the corner of the street. Even on days when the court has been in session, when there's a chance the same-sex marriage decision could happen, rumors of the ruling being put off until late June have been enough to keep most people away. There is a small group of people, though, who have been coming on those days, too. Some have waited in line for hours every day the court has been in session this month. For them, it's not just about wanting to be in the chamber to witness history. It's far more personal. Jim Obergefell is one of those people. He flies in from Cincinnati once or twice a week to wait in line when the court is in session. He's usually the first person in line, too. 'It gets to be a little tiring, but you know, it isn't bad,' he told The Huffington Post on Thursday, standing at the front of the line that day. 'It's just in and out, in and out.'" [HuffPost]
COMFORT FOOD
- Is Dollar Beard Club the 5,000,000th time millennials have jumped the shark? Or is it when they jump back across the shark?.
- Bernie Sanders is not boring.
- One of the earliest, if not the earliest stand-up videos.
TWITTERAMA
@Bro_Pair: Bobby Jindal's kids holding up a copy of today's newspaper to the camera
"We are being treated well. our captors give us popcorn"
@asmith83: And Jim Webb was this close to being president.
@realaxelfoley: Finally, the New York Times will write about wealthy people. Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@huffingtonpost.com) or Arthur Delaney (arthur@huffingtonpost.com). Follow us on Twitter @HuffPostHill (twitter.com/HuffPostHill). Sign up here: http://huff.to/an2k2e