{"id":"1794245462180-news-segment","slug":"gop-s-last-lame-duck-shot","title":"GOP's Last Lame-Duck Shot","summary":"Democrats reclaimed both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, ending unified Republican control. Congress returns Monday for a lame-duck session before the Jan. 3 transfer of power; Republicans have about five more weeks in session. President Trump has questioned early vote numbers and ballot machines after initially suggesting he would accept the Democratic landslide, according to The Guardian. Lame-duck GOP priorities include government funding, military/defense bills, confirming Trump nominees, and potentially a bipartisan permitting deal.\n\nThe GOP is in its final stretch with full control, and some Republicans want to work weekends and holidays to push through as much as possible. The Senate's 60-vote threshold limits what can pass on spending bills, requiring Democratic cooperation. The Wall Street Journal's editorial board argues this could be the GOP's last realistic chance to pass its agenda for years.\n\nThe Guardian's live blog reports that Downing Street did not deny a Guardian report saying interim zero-emission vehicle targets may be watered down, while saying the government remains committed to the ZEV approach.\n\nPresident Trump is questioning early vote numbers and ballot machines after initially suggesting he would accept the Democratic midterm victory. Democrats have reclaimed the House and Senate, leaving a lame-duck Republican Congress.\n\nChristie's will auction what is believed to be the only surviving handwritten final full draft of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech in New York in January; proceeds are expected to exceed $10 million and go to charities, including the King Center.\n\nRussell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months for rape and sexual assault offences; he must serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible for parole.","publishedAt":"2026-11-09T17:31:02.180Z","channel":{"id":"news","name":"Oncast News","language":"en"},"show":"The World","verification":{"status":"verified","leadVerdict":"TRUE","notes":"TRUE: The Guardian's live blog reports that Downing Street did not deny a Guardian report saying interim zero-emission vehicle targets may be watered down, while saying the government remains committed to the ZEV approach.\nSource: [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news) N (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news)\n\nTRUE: President Trump is questioning early vote numbers and ballot machines after initially suggesting he would accept the Democratic midterm victory. Democrats have reclaimed the House and Senate, leaving a lame-duck Republican Congress.\nSource: [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates), (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates)\n\nTRUE: Christie's will auction what is believed to be the only surviving handwritten final full draft of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech in New York in January; proceeds are expected to exceed $10 million and go to charities, including the King Center.\nSource: [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction) NAMES: MLK Jr = Martin Luther King Jr.; Christie's = the auction hou (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction)\n\nTRUE: Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months for rape and sexual assault offences; he must serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible for parole.\nSource: [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates) NAMES: Russell Brand = Br (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates)","claims":[{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"The Guardian's live blog reports that Downing Street did not deny a Guardian report saying interim zero-emission vehicle targets may be watered down, while saying the government remains committed to the ZEV approach.","sourceName":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news) N","sourceUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news","claim":"Burnham warns that NHS will ‘struggle’ to cope if consultants don’t resume talks over pay – UK politics live - Hospital consultants are set to go on a two-day strike at the end of October Downing Street has insisted that the government remains committed to the principle of the ze","author":"The Guardian"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"President Trump is questioning early vote numbers and ballot machines after initially suggesting he would accept the Democratic midterm victory. Democrats have reclaimed the House and Senate, leaving a lame-duck Republican Congress.","sourceName":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates),","sourceUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates","claim":"Trump attempts to cast doubt on Democrats’ midterm election victory, questioning early vote numbers and ballot machines – live - President questions result in social media post after initially suggesting he would accept Democratic landslide win Trump admits deportation policy was","author":"The Guardian"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Christie's will auction what is believed to be the only surviving handwritten final full draft of Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech in New York in January; proceeds are expected to exceed $10 million and go to charities, including the King Center.","sourceName":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction) NAMES: MLK Jr = Martin Luther King Jr.; Christie's = the auction hou","sourceUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction","claim":"Only known handwritten final draft of MLK Jr’s I Have A Dream speech to be auctioned - The document is expected to fetch more than $10m and the proceeds will be donated to several charities The likely only surviving handwritten final full draft of Martin Luther King Jr’s historic","author":"The Guardian"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Russell Brand was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months for rape and sexual assault offences; he must serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible for parole.","sourceName":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates) NAMES: Russell Brand = Br","sourceUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates","claim":"Russell Brand sentenced to more than 10 years for rape and sexual assault offences – as it happened - Disgraced comedian must serve two-thirds of the 10 years and six month sentence before he will be eligible for parole Russell Brand sentenced to more than 10 years in prison Proc","author":"The Guardian"}]},"sources":[{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news","name":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/nov/09/polanski-greens-labour-andy-burnham-climate-crisis-ev-targets-uk-politics-latest-news) N","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"The Guardian"},{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates","name":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/nov/09/donald-trump-stephen-miller-immigration-midterms-iran-qatar-economy-latest-news-updates),","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"The Guardian"},{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction","name":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/09/mlk-dream-speech-auction) NAMES: MLK Jr = Martin Luther King Jr.; Christie's = the auction hou","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"The Guardian"},{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates","name":"[theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/nov/09/russell-brand-sentencing-rape-sexual-assault-live-news-updates) NAMES: Russell Brand = Br","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"The Guardian"}],"url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794245462180-news-segment-gop-s-last-lame-duck-shot","listenUrl":"https://oncast.fm/c/news","attribution":{"publisher":"Oncast","site":"https://oncast.fm","url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794245462180-news-segment-gop-s-last-lame-duck-shot","cite":"Cite https://oncast.fm/story/1794245462180-news-segment-gop-s-last-lame-duck-shot and the original source links. Fact-check by Oncast (oncast.fm)."},"hostsSaid":[{"host":"Brian","text":"The Wall Street Journal opinion page just posted: \"Needed: a lame duck Congress that isn't lame.\""},{"host":"Bella","text":"They know how to write a headline."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Their argument is the GOP just lost the House and Senate, but it still has about five weeks before the new Congress sits."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Five weeks to do what exactly?"},{"host":"Brian","text":"Pass government funding, defense bills, confirm Trump nominees, maybe a permitting deal."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Last chance? They had two years with full control."},{"host":"Brian","text":"That's the point. They didn't get it done then, and now the Senate needs 60 votes for spending."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So now they're suddenly going to find bipartisan deals?"},{"host":"Brian","text":"They have to. That's not weakness, that's math."},{"host":"Bella","text":"It's not math, Brian. It's ignoring what voters just said."},{"host":"Brian","text":"No, wait—voters chose divided government. That means both sides have to deal."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Voters rejected unified Republican control. Using a lame duck to jam through priorities after being fired is exactly what people hate."},{"host":"Brian","text":"They weren't fired until January. They're still in office."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Oh, come on. You know that's a technicality. The message was clear."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The message was: no one gets everything. So pass the boring stuff now, while you can."},{"host":"Bella","text":"The boring stuff includes confirming nominees. That's not boring, that's a power grab."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Some of it is. But permitting reform? That's been bipartisan for a decade."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Then why didn't they pass it before the election?"},{"host":"Brian","text":"Because, the argument goes, the House hardliners wouldn't take yes for an answer. Now they have no choice."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So losing is their strategy?"},{"host":"Brian","text":"No, losing is their wake-up call."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That's not a governing philosophy. That's panic."},{"host":"Brian","text":"It's a lame-duck session! It exists exactly for this. You use the time you're given."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Lame-duck sessions exist to finish must-pass business, not to pass an agenda."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Government funding and defense ARE must-pass."},{"host":"Bella","text":"I'll grant you that. But the Journal says \"pass its priorities.\""},{"host":"Brian","text":"They said \"may have its last chance in years.\" That's not \"jam everything through.\" It's be realistic."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Realistic would have been passing these things when they had the votes."},{"host":"Brian","text":"We're in violent agreement about the last two years. But that's gone."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So now we're supposed to hand them a consolation prize?"},{"host":"Brian","text":"Not a prize. A functioning government until the next Congress."},{"host":"Bella","text":"A functioning government is one that respects an election result."},{"host":"Brian","text":"It can respect the result and still pass a defense bill. Those aren't opposites."},{"host":"Bella","text":"I think the risk is they'll use the chaos to push through controversial nominees."},{"host":"Brian","text":"That's a fair worry. But that doesn't make the whole lame duck illegitimate."},{"host":"Bella","text":"I didn't say illegitimate. I said voters won't reward them for it."},{"host":"Brian","text":"They're not asking for a reward. They're leaving."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Then they should leave quietly."},{"host":"Brian","text":"That's not how Congress has ever worked."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Maybe it should."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Anyway—the Journal's editorial is already getting pushback from Democrats, as expected."},{"host":"Bella","text":"They've earned it."},{"host":"Brian","text":"But if they don't fund the government, the shutdown risk lands on them too."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Shutdown would be worse for them. They know it."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Exactly. So they'll cut a deal."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Then they'll do the minimum."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The minimum is fine. The Journal wants more."},{"host":"Bella","text":"The Journal wants a legacy."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Maybe they have a right to define their own legacy."},{"host":"Bella","text":"No, voters should define that."},{"host":"Brian","text":"If they do nothing, they'll be blamed for the chaos."},{"host":"Bella","text":"They'll be blamed either way."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Then might as well govern."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Governing requires consent."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Consent was the November election. They still have it until January."},{"host":"Bella","text":"You keep coming back to that."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Because it's the law."}]}