Presented by Novo Nordisk — 💰 Plus: Harris and Trump's pricey promises{beacon} 12:30 REPORT Happy Thursday. Netflix revealed the cast of the D.C. season of “Love is Blind,” and people have a lot of opinions. There’s only one consultant, no Hill staffers🤔 and one journalist. 📸Here are the men and 📸 the women. DMV readers, do you recognize anyone? Here’s what’s happening today: Johnson is back to square one after his funding plan predictably failed.Schumer is planning to advance a clean spending bill today, though these proposals typically originate in the House. Some senators are concerned about both Harris and Trump’s spendy policy proposals.Plus, a baby hippo in Thailand has become an internet sensation.  I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to [email protected]. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.   🛑 In Congress  Mike Johnson, maybe you should switch up your mirror affirmations a bit:  Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) doomed plan to fund the government very predictably failed in the House on Wednesday. That means he is back to square one with just 12 days left to avert a shutdown. Johnson’s problem — he has virtually no leverage over Democrats: Fourteen Republicans joined Democrats to vote against the spending plan. Three Democrats voted with Republicans.  House Republicans are not on the same page: “The Speaker faced a troika of GOP opposition, with hard-line conservatives criticizing the use of a continuing resolution; defense hawks voicing concern about the impact the long-term funding bill would have at the Pentagon; and moderates expressing worries about having a shutdown threat so close to the election.” Happening today — Chuck is taking matters into his own hands: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced this morning that he will advance a clean, bipartisan funding bill — even though funding bills usually originate in the House.  Keep in mind: Johnson hasn’t announced any plan B.  Read more on the Senate’s plan: ‘Senate will move stopgap funding bill as government shutdown looms’🚌 On The Campaign Trail  Ya, ya, put it on Congress’s tab!: Former President Trump and Vice President Harris are throwing out policy proposals that would largely put the financial burden on Congress to fund. The Hill’s Alexander Bolton spoke with several senators who are concerned about what these proposals would do to the annual deficits. 🫰 A spendy Trump proposal: Trump has proposed $8 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade. (He would plan to offset roughly $4.9 trillion in revenue with new tariffs and reversing Biden-era clean energy tax breaks.)  🫰 An expensive Harris proposal: Harris is considering $25,000 down payments for first-time homebuyers and $50,000 tax cuts for entrepreneurs. (She would plan to offset this by raising taxes on the wealthy.)  Some of the Senate concerns: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Trump’s record on spending is one of the reasons he hasn’t endorsed him. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) complained that it’s “beyond my comprehension why no one is even talking about it.” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who’s in a tight reelection race, acknowledged that “both sides are guilty” when it comes to deficit projections over the next decade. Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘Trump, Harris give lawmakers whiplash with costly campaign promises’  Some of the Senate concerns: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Trump’s record on spending is one of the reasons he hasn’t endorsed him. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) complained that it’s “beyond my comprehension why no one is even talking about it.” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who’s in a tight reelection race, acknowledged that “both sides are guilty” when it comes to deficit projections over the next decade.  Read Bolton’s reporting: ‘Trump, Harris give lawmakers whiplash with costly campaign promises’  ➤  NEW POLLING:Harris is leading Trump by 5 points in Michigan, 1 point in Wisconsin and the two are tied in Pennsylvania, according to new Marist battleground state polls. A new poll from The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer and Siena College shows that Harris had a stronger debate performance, but the race is deadlocked nationally.  Harris's favorability is rising: "Fifty percent of American adults have a favorable view of Harris, the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found. Meanwhile, 44 percent have an unfavorable view." (Read more) Plus: They polled Taylor Swift’s favorability, and it was pretty high.  ➤  HOW TRUMP IS TRYING TO UP HIS LIKABILITY WITH FEMALE VOTERS:  He’s leaning on prominent female surrogates to help soften his image, reports The Hill’s Brett Samuels.  Like?: Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) and Republican National Committee (RNC) co-Chair Lara Trump Read Samuels’s full reporting: ‘Trump uses high-profile surrogates to broaden appeal with female voters’ ➤  YIKES: “The FBI and other intelligence agencies revealed Wednesday that Iran attempted to share information stolen during its hack on the Trump campaign with the Biden campaign and continues to send material to various media outlets.” (The Hill)  ➤ TRAIL TIDBITS: 📸 Ooh, Tim Walz got a fresh haircut.  Always love a Doug Mills photo: Check out 📸 this photo of Trump at a campaign rally in Uniondale, N.Y.  Someone had fun with T. Swift lyrics: “Trump made a campaign stop at a bar in Greenwich Village and someone in the apartment next door blasted Taylor Swift for hours and put up a sign that said “GUILTY AS SIN.” 📸 Photo from CNN’s Kate Sullivan 🦛 Lighter News What has completely taken over my social media feeds: A baby pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng in Thailand has become incredibly popular. My favorite part: The name Moo Deng means “bouncy pig” and was chosen through an online poll. ❤️   Read NPR’s explainer on how Moo Deng became so famous: ‘Meet Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo so popular you can visit her for only 5 minutes’ Here’s some Moo Deng content: 📹 Moo Deng yawning 📹 And sleeping 📸 Various baby hippo moods 📸 She’s shocked 📹 Taking a bath  A simple search of "Moo Deng" on X leads to a treasure trove of content.🐝 Internet Buzz   🍮 Celebrate: Today is National Butterscotch Pudding Day!  🥤 No, but I 100% agree: Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) posted a photo of Oreo-favored Coca-Cola next to Coca-Cola-flavored Oreos and commented, “I can’t explain why an Oreo-flavored Coke Zero sounds delicious to me yet a Coke Zero-flavored Oreo has no appeal whatsoever.” I can’t explain it either, but he’s right.  📸 Photo of the Oreo-Coke collab   🐿️ The best thing I’ve read today: Freelancer Andrew Leyden posted 📸 incredible photos of a squirrel finding its way to the press area of the White House complex and climbing it to reach some leaves. Someone should make this into a children’s book. 📆 On The Agenda  The House and Senate are in. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington. Harris heads to Michigan later today. (all times Eastern)  1:15 p.m.: Biden speaks at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. 💻 Livestream 1:45 p.m.: A Senate cloture vote on a judicial nomination. 📆 Today’s agenda 2:15 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Jared Bernstein, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, brief reporters. 💻 Livestream 3:45 p.m.: Harris leaves for Detroit.3:45 p.m.: First and last House votes. 📆 Today’s agenda 6 p.m.: Former President Trump speaks at an antisemitism event in Washington. 💻 Livestream 7 p.m.: Trump speaks at the Israeli American Council in D.C.8 p.m.: Harris participates in a campaign event in Farmington Hills, Mich. 8:45 p.m.: Biden speaks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute 47th Annual Awards Gala. 💻 Livestream11:10 p.m.: Harris returns to D.C. Friday: First lady Jill Biden hosts the cast of “The West Wing” at the White House to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary.👋 And Finally...   Watch this massive whale pass under surfers in California. 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