By MICHAEL FALCONE ( @michaelpfalcone )

NOTABLES

• WHITE HOUSE TAKES A 'DIM VIEW' OF KEYSTONE PROPOSAL: We witnessed a fascinating bit of political maneuvering yesterday when Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Bill Cassidy (combatants in the Louisiana U.S. Senate runoff) raced to hold an unexpected vote on the Keystone XL pipeline. The House vote could come today or tomorrow while the Senate vote will be held as early as Tuesday, ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ reports. Meanwhile, the White House declined to say definitively whether President Obama would veto this legislation, but noted that the administration has had a "dim view" of similar proposals in the past, ABC's MARY BRUCE notes. "It's fair to say that our dim view of these kinds of proposals has not changed," Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters traveling with the president in Southeast Asia. Does that mean the president would veto it? "It's not a yes or a no, but there have been previous proposals that I expect would be consistent with the proposals that have been discussed overnight. In evaluating those earlier proposals we have indicated that the president's senior advisors at the White House would recommend that he veto legislation like that. That does continue to be our position," he said.

• ON IMMIGRATION: The president has not made a final decision about what next steps he will take to reform the nation's immigration system, Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. Again, Earnest reiterated that the president is still planning to "make some decisions and announce them before the end of the year… that should give you an indication that he is getting close to making a decision," he said. As for what Congress may or may not do, Earnest said the president's decision is not related to whether or not lawmakers act before the end of the year.

• WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: President Obama unexpectedly met with the Burmese opposition leader and dissident during a roundtable with members of the country's parliament today, which she attended. He'll meet with her one-on-one tomorrow as well, ABC's CHRIS GOOD notes.

THE ROUNDTABLE

ABC's JEFF ZELENY: It's blatantly political, but the gridlock that has gripped the Keystone XL pipeline has suddenly started to break. The House vote today, followed by Senate consideration as early as Tuesday, may be filled with political theater, but some of the best old-fashioned lawmaking always has been. The White House is signaling a veto if Congress actually sends President Obama a law authorizing the construction of the pipeline, which remains a big if. But Senate Democrats now have little to lose, particularly Sen. Mary Landrieu, who is fighting mightily to hang on in her Louisiana run-off election. With her Republican opponent, Rep. Bill Cassidy, leading the charge in the House, the final chapter of the fall campaign will play out in dramatic fashion. It will be the first Senate vote on the pipeline in six years, which will provide something of a roadmap of roll call votes in the next Congress: How many red-state Democrats are willing to stand up to the party's liberal base and vote yes on the pipeline and other issues?

ABC's JORDYN PHELPS: Forget about the runoff on Dec. 6. The Louisiana Senate race between Democrat Incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu and her Republican challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy may hinge on the outcome of the so-called Bayou Brawl playing out right now on Capitol Hill. Landrieu's effort to put the Keystone XL Pipeline on the fast-track to the president's desk during the lame duck session is a last-ditch attempt to prove her campaign's message: that her clout in Washington delivers real results for Louisiana and its all-important oil and gas industry. Republicans in the House offered a strong counter-punch by putting an almost identical bill up for vote in the lower chamber today that bears Cassidy's name, and beating the Senate to a vote on Landrieu's bill; but it was Landrieu who came to the floor first. The final outcome of the Keystone votes, and which candidate is able to take credit for getting it done should the measure pass, will serve as the closing arguments for the last outstanding Senate race of 2014.

ABC's RICK KLEIN: This is how elections are supposed to work, right? The people vote, members of Congress get the message, things get voted on. But the confluence of forces that are bringing the Keystone XL Pipeline to a vote in both the House and the Senate, just days after the election, actually point out problems more than they point toward solutions. The House and Senate bills just happen to be sponsored by the two candidates who are still running - a Republican in the House and a Democrat in the Senate who are squaring off in Louisiana's Senate runoff in three weeks. The White House position - that convoluted one where advisers would "recommend" a veto - hasn't changed. That means votes without progress, almost certainly. This isn't breaking the fever - it's raising the temperature.

WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

A BEHIND-THE-SCENES SNEAK PEEK INSIDE THE MITCH MCCONNELL LEGACY VAULT. He was an intern on Capitol Hill in the summer of 1963, a boy from Kentucky, when the dream was first planted in his mind. Mitch McConnell didn't aspire to be president. His ambition: becoming the majority leader of the U.S. Senate. A half-century and nine presidents later, McConnell's quest will come true today, a week after Republicans captured control of the Senate . ABC's JEFF ZELENY asks - who is Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell Jr? http://abcn.ws/1oMg5sH

THE BUZZ

with ABC's KIRSTEN APPLETON

LOUISIANA SENATE CANDIDATES RACE TO HOLD LAME DUCK VOTES ON KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE. After two years of inaction on the Keystone XL pipeline, it could be a Louisiana Senate run-off that finally forces Congress to vote on the measure. ABC's ARLETTE SAENZ reports the so-called Bayou Brawl was on full display on Capitol Hill Wednesday as the two candidates - Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy - raced to be first to hold a vote on the Keystone XL pipeline. Fresh off the campaign trail, Landrieu, D-La., implored Senate Republicans to allow a vote on the Keystone XL pipeline in the lame duck session, saying it would be a good moment for future Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to work in a bipartisan manner. But Republicans on the other side of the Capitol are working swiftly to hold a vote of their own on the pipeline, a measure that is sponsored by Landrieu's opponent Cassidy. http://abcn.ws/1tIITh7

MORE FROM THE BAYOU STATE: SARAH PALIN AND DUCK DYNASTY TO ENDORSE CASSIDY. The Mama Grizzly and Duck Commander are joining forces in the Louisiana Senate race. Sarah Palin and Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson will headline a GOP unity rally for Rep. Bill Cassidy on Saturday, a source familiar with the event tells ABC's JORDYN PHELPS. Former Senate candidate Rob Maness, whom Palin endorsed during the general election phase of the campaign, will also be at the event. The source tells ABC that Maness has played an active role in garnering a coalition of tea party support for Cassidy as he heads to a Dec. 6 runoff against Landrieu and suggested that Maness may soon have another chance to run for the Senate, this time with the blessing of the LAGOP, should Vitter's seat become available in the coming years. The event with Palin and Robertson will take place Saturday afternoon at the Monroe airport in Monroe, LA.

6 REASONS CONGRESSIONAL ORIENTATION IS BASICALLY COLLEGE ORIENTATION ALL OVER AGAIN. Newly-elected lawmakers from the House and Senate arrived in Washington for orientation yesterday. ABC's ERIN DOOLEY says it looks like they are reliving the first few days of college. http://abcn.ws/1GQcTlH

MCCAIN SAYS OBAMA'S ISIS STRATEGY REMINDS HIM OF VIETNAM. Sen. John McCain compared President Obama's ISIS strategy to the "gradualism" of Vietnam. "He just announced 1,500 more troops to be sent to Iraq. We knew he was going to have to do that, we predicted it," McCain said to ABC's STEVEN PORTNOY in an interview with ABC News Radio. "And I predict he'll have to send some more." The 2008 Republican presidential nominee also said he worries that Obama is "desperate" for a deal with Iran, and expressed confidence that the new freshman class of Republicans will help House Speaker John Boehner get the votes to pass immigration reform. http://abcn.ws/11iQKMC

ALASKA SENATE RACE: WHY DEMOCRAT MARK BEGICH REFUSES TO CONCEDE. The campaign of Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, said he won't concede to Republican challenger Dan Sullivan in their close race because all of the votes have yet to be counted. Begich's refusal to concede came after the Associated Press analysis of the votes determined that Sullivan had won. According to ABC's SHUSHANNAH WALSHE, it's a steep deficit to overcome, but Begich is not conceding because there are a large number of votes to be counted, which will continue Friday. http://abcn.ws/1EDa19z

WHO'S TWEETING?

@charlieNPR: The permanent campaign: 9 days after the last election ended, top targets in the House are already being identified http://atr.rollcall.com/elections-2016-greg-walden-house-republicans-plans/ …

@jonward11: Giuliani: "I think Chris [Christie] has to start thinking whole country rather than just what appeals to New Jersey." http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/rudy-giuliani-hillary-clinton-2016-112836.html#ixzz3IxNLISFk …

@sbg1: Rand Paul's Greatest Weakness (yes that is a picture of Rand in a corner) http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/11/rand-pauls-greatest-weakness-112816.html …

@bethreinhard: Peter Hart says @HillaryClinton needs to have "one campaign" Axelrod: "throw caution to the wind & get out of the cocoon of inevitability."

@cschweitz: Taylor Swift in @TIME: "Other women who are killing it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you & inspire you" http://j.mp/1Bg9ufB