With Sarah Ferris and Melanie Zanona.

YOU GOT ME TRIPPIN’, STUMBLIN’: For high profile politicians, a klutzy moment in public may earn them a flurry of news coverage centered on whether they are mentally or physically capable to continue serving in their elected positions. Or, maybe that’s just it -- something is ailing them and they are trying to hide these health conditions from the outside world. Or maybe they just tripped, something people do all the time. Either way, speculation happens, and many recent presidents or presidential candidates can attest to this experience. Donald Trump faced it. Now, President Joe Biden is.

To some of Trump’s GOP allies, Biden’s triple trip last week as he boarded Air Force One was a sign of bigger problems. But their critical “he’s losing it” speculation is a far cry from the multiple Senate Republicans who have met with Biden behind closed doors in recent weeks.

“In the two meetings I was in with the president, he was as sharp as a tack,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told your Huddle host.

“I visited with him in the Oval Office, and he seemed well-prepared and well-briefed for the meeting,” Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who joined Capito at a February meeting with Biden on Covid relief, told me -- a sentiment that was echoed by GOP Sens. Thom Tillis, Rob Portman and others.

BUT, that doesn’t quite match up with what some Trump allies are saying both publicly and privately.

“It’s sad to see people age,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a Trump ally who has been one of Biden’s most strident critics, told me. Johnson added that he shares concerns about the president’s fitness: “I think many Americans do, from what we’ve seen. It is sad.”

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) appears to share similar concerns, though he has yet to share them publicly. He recently texted an acquaintance -- pre-stumble -- to say that Biden reminds him of someone he knows who began developing Alzheimer’s disease: “I of course have no medical training and can’t diagnose a condition — especially over someone I don’t personally interact daily — but from a distance I can see that he’s not doing well,” Lee wrote, per private communications reviewed by yours truly. “Sad. And disturbing.”

And then there is freshman Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas): “I served as White House physician under THREE Presidents. I’ve seen what it takes physically AND mentally to do the job. I can tell you right now that the way Biden is hiding from the public is a MAJOR red flag. Something’s not right!” tweeted Jackson, who previously served as White House physician to Trump and former President Barack Obama.

And some of Trump’s allies are still trying to paint the 78-year-old president as deteriorating in office, even after Biden stayed largely on-message fielding questions at a 62-minute Thursday press conference. (The White House declined to comment on Republican claims about Biden’s health. But in the past, Biden campaign officials have dismissed such speculation as irresponsible nonsense. White House press secretary Jen Psaki also said last week Biden was “100 percent fine” and that those stairs are “a little tricky sometimes.”)

Read more from yours truly: https://politi.co/39hi17D

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE FILIBUSTBEARS: If you haven’t noticed, there is a bit of the Goldilocks divide occurring over whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is maneuvering toward killing the legislative filibuster or not.

Hot: Senate Republicans are adamant the New York Democrat is moving to gut the procedure as he looks to move forward with key bills that are central to the Democratic agenda -- like voting rights and gun control -- but which lack GOP support to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation. TBD on whether they can pull in some Republican support for minimum wage, infrastructure and immigration legislation. “I think [Schumer] wants a permanent partisan majority. I really do,” said GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. “He would change it.”

Cold: Schumer’s own Democratic colleagues are a bit cool to this idea, especially as some moderates remain firm in their opposition to nixing the filibuster. “I don’t think he personally wants to change the rules. But we’ve never had a conversation about this in caucus. And we need to have one,” Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a skeptic of eliminating the filibuster, told my colleagues. “I think Chuck would rather find a way to make this place work together.”

Somewhere in the middle?: Schumer has not said that he personally supports killing the filibuster but he also has promised not to let the GOP stand in the way of “bold” legislation from Democrats, stating that “everything is on the table.” Some progressives are reading into Schumer’s statements that “failure is not an option” is a sign he is open to the idea. “I think it’s going to mean we’re going to have to go and do filibuster reform,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii.).

Meanwhile, Schumer announced yesterday a big to-do list when the Senate returns from recess next month, including legislation on hate crimes against Asian Americans, background checks for gun buyers and Dems’ massive voting rights package.

Burgess and Marianne have the story: https://politi.co/2O0viKk

Related: Abortion rights groups break with progressive counterparts on filibuster, by Alice Miranda Ollstein: https://politi.co/3tWRK6h | Asian Americans wield their political power for more representation in Washington, by WaPo’s Eugene Scott: https://wapo.st/2QFqc7c

IF YOU CAN’T KILL IT, COMPROMISE: That, at least, is Sen. Joe Manchin’s stance as activists amp up their pressure on Senate Democrats to gut the filibuster to pass their voting rights legislation.

In a lengthy Thursday statement, the West Virginia Democrat urged his colleagues to reach across the aisle rather than try to shove through a massive reform package on party lines.

Manchin, who holds a lot of sway in the split Senate, is the only Democrat in the chamber who is not a co-sponsor of the the far-reaching voting rights measure that his party’s leaders are championing — amid pressure to force it through by axing the filibuster. More here from Burgess: https://politi.co/39i9elH

Related: Biden leaves door open for Senate changes to advance agenda, the AP’s Jonathan Lemire and Zeke Miller report: https://bit.ly/31oThpi

HAPPY FRIDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this March 26, where I plan to assign gastronomically inclined Huddlers to try aged cicadas for dinner and report back. I have tried the Shark Tank’s cricket protein bars. Tasted like chicken. Kidding... about the taste.

THURSDAY’S MOST CLICKED: The National Journal’s story on how black farmers get their first hearing in House Ag was the big winner.

PUPS OF CAPITOL HILL: We are coming close to naming a winner of the photo competition. Right now, we have seven heading to the semi-finals. Yesterday’s winners are: Emmy, the chocolate lab puppy, Griffey, the King Charles Spaniel puppy, Teddy RUFFSevelt, the ball-loving retriever, and Toby, the smiling corkie.

On Tap Today: We have three going head to head and then a batch of four squaring off (and I’m predicting paw biters).

-In one corner, we have: Emmy vs. Cooper Kane, who is sitting at Sen. Barrasso’s desk vs. Teddy RUFFSevelt. Vote here: https://woobox.com/669e2t

-Then, in the other, we have the budget-loving pup Cooper competing against Toby, Griffey, and Otto, who is Rep. Tom Malinowski’s Basenji: https://woobox.com/r3ob7r

ON TAP THIS WEEKEND: THE BORDER: Lawmakers take dueling trips to Texas as they seek to spotlight the border crisis, CNN’s Daniella Diaz reports: https://cnn.it/39faztm

PELOSI OUTLINES THE CASE ON IOWA 2: Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday defended a House panel’s review into Iowa’s contested congressional election amid some complaints from her caucus’s moderates.

Pelosi said it’s the House’s duty to review any tight election — including this one, which had a margin of just six votes — and that the same process has been used by dozens of Dems and Republicans over decades.

And Pelosi pointed out that Dems did decide to seat the GOP’s state-certified winner, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, in January, though some in her caucus urged her not to do so. “If I wanted to be unfair, I wouldn’t have seated the Republican from Iowa,” Pelosi said. “But we didn’t want to do that. We just said, let’s just go through this process... So I want credit for that.”

Next up: The House Administration Committee will receive written briefings on Monday from both sides. “Those briefings could inform a path forward,” a Pelosi spox said.

99 PROBLEMS AND A 9/11-STYLE COMMISSION AIN’T ONE: House Democrats have launched a sweeping investigation of the federal handling of the Jan. 6 insurrection, seeking documents and communications related to the attack from the White House, National Archives, intelligence community, National Guard, Capitol Police, Pentagon and other entities involved. Multiple committees are involved and they are asking that records dated from Dec. 1, 2020 to Jan. 20, 2021 be turned over by April 8.

The move comes as Pelosi and House Republicans have yet to reach a bipartisan agreement about establishing an independent commission to examine the federal government’s handling of the deadly attack that left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer. This could be their Plan B if the commission fails to come together.

Democrats asked that the agencies “prioritize” turning over communications with federal and state agencies as well as intelligence assessments and offers for security assistance.

Part of the request includes: “Documents regarding participation in the events of January 6, 2021, by an EOP or OVP employee or official, as well as disciplinary measures considered or taken.” They also want: “Communications, if any, with participants in the events of January 6, 20021 or other individuals associated with groups participating in the events of January 6, 2021.”

At the moment, these are just requests -- but could turn into subpoenas if lawmakers feel the various agencies aren’t complying with their requests.

Kyle has the story: https://politi.co/3rueAAM | Read a full letter to the White House here: https://bit.ly/3rogLFJ

Related: House chamber hardened with bulletproof doors, Axios’ Kadia Goba scoops: https://bit.ly/3vYOBEQ

GIVING BIPARTISANSHIP A TRY: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is working to move on gun control legislation, tweeting yesterday in part: “I met with @SenSchumer today and we agreed to spend the next several weeks working with both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to try to craft the strongest background checks bill that can pass.”

Related: Boulder and Atlanta shootings rekindle debate over red-flag gun laws, by WaPo’s Derek Hawkins: https://wapo.st/2PabpAP

FIRST IN HUDDLE: While the GOP is hammering Biden over the border right now, Republicans have their eyes on their next messaging target: health care. The conservative Republican Study Committee is kicking things off by sending an internal memo to GOP offices titled the “5 Ways Democrats Are Killing Your Health Care,” which hits Dem for pushing for state individual mandates and labels Medicaid expansion as a “socialist” policy, among other things.

The new messaging effort comes as the House GOP is hoping to win back the House next year — in part by using Democrats’ successful playbook from 2018, when they seized back power after going on offense over health care. Fresh off its failed effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, the GOP found itself on its heels talking about protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

But as RSC Chairman Jim Banks (R-Ind.) argues in a new op-ed, the GOP can’t just be the party of “repeal Obamacare,” which he called a “poorly thought out slogan” that resulted in a “stale, unconvincing vision.” Instead, Republicans need to build consensus on a conservative replacement plan before they win back the majority, Banks said — and they should be prepared to use reconciliation in order to avoid the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, he added.

Related: Kinzinger on political fundraising: ‘We have fed a steady diet of fear,’ by CNN’s Rachel Janfaza: https://cnn.it/3tPIlxg

IN MEMORY OF: Bill Brock, former Tennessee U.S. Senator, Secretary of Labor and RNC chair, dies at 90, by the Tennessean’s Natalie Allison: https://bit.ly/3tXzSZc

UPDATES: House panel votes to repeal 19-year-old Iraq war authorization, Andrew reports: https://politi.co/31qqKjb | Senate clears PPP bill, extending loan applications through May, by Roll Call’s Caitlin Reilly: https://bit.ly/3dawsLO

CAMPAIGN CENTRAL:

-Trump’s secret sit-down with Ohio candidates turns into ‘Hunger Games,’ by our Alex Isenstadt: https://politi.co/2PyOfnS … The response from Rep. Steve Stivers (Ohio), another potential Senate candidate? Priceless: https://bit.ly/3sj2qvD

-Bid to change primary election process in Wyoming fails, by the Casper Star Tribune’s Camille Erickson: https://bit.ly/3lTDQ1O

-Sweeping changes to Georgia elections signed into law, by the AJC’s Mark Niesse: https://bit.ly/3coSJGt | Why the Georgia GOP’s voting rollbacks will hit black people hard, by Richard Fausset, Nick Corasaniti and Mark Leibovich: https://nyti.ms/3daA4xc

-FEC greenlights campaign spending for bodyguards, by our Daniel Payne: https://politi.co/3ffjoHJ

TRANSITIONS

Lauren Blair Bianchi is joining the Consumer Bankers Association as the Vice President, Public Affairs. She previously worked for Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas).

Emilie Simons is joining the White House as an assistant press secretary, CNN reports. She most recently served as the communications director for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Mollie Timmons is now press secretary for Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). She previously was a Justice Department spokesperson.

Avery Gardiner of the Center for Democracy and Technology will be joining the staff of Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who chairs the Senate Judiciary antitrust panel. Gardiner, an alumna of the DOJ’s antitrust division, will take on the role of Klobuchar’s chief counsel for competition and tech policy starting next month.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House is out, though it is the last day of the chamber’s committee work week.

The Senate is out.

AROUND THE HILL

2:35 p.m.: VP Kamala Harris is slated to host a listening session at the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven, Conn., with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Sens. Murphy and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that is focused on the American Rescue Plan and its impact on child poverty and education. Then, Harris will visit the West Haven, Conn., Child Development Center with Cardona and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) at 4:35 p.m.

TRIVIA

THURSDAY’S WINNER: Peter Roff was the first person to correctly guess that the founding father who neglected to sign the Declaration of Independence, but helped promote the Constitution and was a “President” (governor) of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania was John Dickinson.

TODAY’S QUESTION: From your Huddle host: Where were the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights stored during World War II?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to [email protected].

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.

Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Olivia_Beavers

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