The Note: Chris Christie Takes on The Donald
— -- NOTABLES
--CHRIS CHRISTIE SAYS TRUMP'S CLAIMS THAT 'THOUSANDS' CHEERED IN NJ ON 9/11 'DIDN'T HAPPEN': New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie adamantly refuted Donald Trump's claims that "thousands" of people cheered in New Jersey after the 9/11 attacks -- saying Monday that it "didn't happen." The remarks came after Christie was criticized last week for not strongly condemning Trump's claims, ABC's JORDYN PHELPS notes. "It didn't happen and the fact is, people can say anything, but the facts are the facts, and that didn't happen in New Jersey that day and hasn't happened since," Christie told reporters yesterday at a campaign stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Last week, Christie said he didn't recall any Muslims celebrating in New Jersey, but did not deny Trump's statements outright. "I do not remember that," Christie said at the time. "It's not something that's part of my recollection. I think if it had happened, I would remember it, but there could be things I forget too, but I don't remember that." http://abcn.ws/1QQpjR8
--TRUMP'S RESPONSE TO CHRISTIE: Following a meeting Monday at Trump Tower with several African American church pastors, Trump told ABC News' Tom Llamas that Christie should be "careful with what he says." "He didn't say that the other day. He was very weak the other day," Trump said Monday in response to Christie's comments. "He said it like, well, he doesn't know. And now I guess he feels a little bit emboldened. He must be careful with what he says." http://abcn.ws/1QQpjR8
--CHRISTIE ON TRUMP'S KOVALESKI MOCKING: In an interview with CNN, the NJ governor calls Donald Trump out another issue: His alleged mocking of New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski. "He shouldn't be making fun of people's disabilities. It's just not worthy of someone running for president of the United States," Christie told CNN. Trump has denied mocking Kovaleski and said that he would never mock someone with a disability. On CNN today, Christie said that it appeared that Trump knew he was mocking Kovaleski, ABC's JORDYN PHELPS notes. "It appears that way. But you know, he's got to answer for himself. I think part of the folly of all of this is that we're answering for him," Christie said.
--ANALYSIS -- ABC's RICK KLEIN: The Donald Trump show continues, of course. But the GOP race has gotten textured and nuanced just below the blustery surface. Signs of Ben Carson fading have opened up Iowa, with Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio (and their super PACs) sparring almost hourly. New Hampshire has breathed new life into Chris Christie's campaign, with the state shaping up as critical for Jeb Bush and John Kasich as well. As for Trump...the frontrunner usually provides the focal point for a campaign, with rivals circling and trying to pounce where they see their chances. That diagram doesn't really work in this campaign, unless you imagine the focal point spewing out ink at its rivals as it spins at the center of the self-designed map. If the current frontrunner's strength is as hardy as it appears to be, the other candidates will be in the position of picking up pieces for a while -- and need to hope they're around by the time the field shrinks. From their perspective, though, it's becoming easier to envision a post-Trump GOP race, despite Trump's polling strength.
THE BUZZ
with ABC's PAOLA CHAVEZ
DONALD TRUMP CLAIMS BLACK PASTORS DIDN'T TELL HIM TO CHANGE HIS TONE AT MEETING. GOP front-runner Donald Trump concluded a meeting Monday of African-American pastors with the backing of some of the participants, but not the blanket endorsement he had initially advertised. The outcome of his New York meeting didn't seem to faze Trump, however, saying he was "amazed" by Monday's events and it was a "beautiful thing" that none of the attendees asked him to change the tone of his message, ABC's ALANA ABRAMSON and MATTHEW CLAIBORNE report. "I think they want to see victory because it is about we want to win and we want to win together," he said after the meeting. Trump's campaign had originally promoted Monday's meeting, which reportedly involved nearly 100 African-American pastors, as an endorsement, sending out a news release Wednesday using that language. The meeting was supposed to be followed by a news conference, which was canceled this weekend, and no media was invited to the closed meeting. http://abcn.ws/1Q9ifgN
CHRIS CHRISTIE'S NEW HAMPSHIRE RESURGENCE. When Chris Christie was relegated to November's GOP "undercard debate," many assumed it would be the last they saw of the New Jersey governor. Four months into his presidential campaign, his national poll numbers had barely budged, languishing behind those of Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Sen. Ted Cruz. In the past two weeks, though, Christie's fortunes seem to have changed. And they hinge on the state where he has invested nearly all his time: New Hampshire. First, there was the new set of debate criteria from CNN, which will include polls from early-voting states like New Hampshire. Christie has spent 48 days there this year, second only to Sen. Lindsey Graham. He's averaging 6.3 percent in relevant statewide polls, which would easily carry him back to the main stage. ABC's BRAD MIELKE has more. http://abcn.ws/1XCBOPa
ELIZABETH WARREN ONLY FEMALE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR MISSING FROM HILLARY CLINTON ENDORSEMENT EVENT. One by one Monday night, 13 female Democratic senators took the stage inside the packed ballroom at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, DC to raise money and announce their support for Hillary Clinton. But it was the person missing from the group who stood out most. Elizabeth Warren, the progressive lawmaker from Massachusetts, was the only female Democratic senator who wasn't at the endorsement event and fundraiser for Clinton's presidential campaign. Warren, who many thought would run for president herself, has so far declined to back anyone in the primary. She is also one of only six Democratic senators who has not endorsed Clinton, ABC's LIZ KREUTZ reports. Warren's senate office declined to comment. Last year, all of the female Democratic senators -- including Warren -- signed a secret letter to Clinton encouraging her to run for president. Warren later clarified that while she supports Clinton running, she had not endorsed her. http://abcn.ws/1TpDTxr
7,800 PAGES OF HILLARY CLINTON EMAILS RELEASED. The State Department yesterday released the largest batch of emails from Hillary Clinton's private server to date -- 7,800 pages. Some 66 percent of the 52,000 pages of email she turned over to the government are now available for review and the State Department is on pace to have all of the documents released by January 2016, as ordered by a federal court. The documents released Monday are mostly from 2012 and 2013. ABC's JUSTIN FISHEL has more. http://abcn.ws/1IwcxPF
BERNIE SANDERS UNDERGOES SURGERY AT DC HOSPITAL. Sen. Bernie Sanders chose to undergo an outpatient hernia repair surgery at George Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C., Monday, according to a statement from his Senate office. According to ABC's MARYALICE PARKS, campaign staff said the 74-year-old Vermont senator was not feeling well this past weekend in New Hampshire, and on Sunday the Senator elected not to come by a rally with supporters in Manchester ahead of the state Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner there. http://abcn.ws/1ToHGel
HAPPENING ON THE HILL
WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA FOR CONGRESS AS IT GEARS UP FOR HOLIDAYS. Congress is back in session with only several weeks to run through a list of legislative items -- including a must-pass spending bill that could be caught up in the fight over Syrian refugees. ABC's BENJAMIN SIEGEL reports some of the items on the legislative agenda and why they matter. http://abcn.ws/1PoF2qq
SPEAKER PAUL RYAN INVITES PRESIDENT OBAMA TO DELIVER HIS LAST STATE OF THE UNION. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin formally invited President Barack Obama to deliver his last State of the Union to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, ABC's BENJAMIN SIEGEL reports. "As we look ahead to the new year, we have both an opportunity and an obligation to find common ground to advance the nation's interests at home and abroad," Ryan wrote in a letter sent to the White House Monday. http://abcn.ws/1PoNc2b
WHY THE US IS SPENDING $374,087 TO STUDY SENIORS' DATING HABITS. It's the most wonderful time of the year -- especially for Congressional spending hawks. Sen. James Lankford introduced his "Federal Fumbles" list, a compilation of 100 government projects that Lankford says are "prime examples of wasteful spending." It also happens to call out one presidential hopeful: real estate magnate Donald Trump, whose new hotel project in Washington, D.C., housed in the Old Post Office Building, is the recipient of a tax credit for historic structures to the tune of $40 million. While the lucky guests of this palatial hotel will be awestruck by its glitz and glamour, taxpayers are unlikely to be amused that they helped foot the bill through a $40 million tax credit thanks to the National Historic Tax Credit," Lankford wrote. ABC'S ALI WEINBERG reports a few other spending items that made the list. http://abcn.ws/1HAZCB7
SPEAKER RYAN SPORTS NEW FACIAL HAIR AFTER THANKSGIVING RECESS. Paul Ryan's got a new job -- and a new look. The newly minted House speaker was sporting facial hair after the week-long Thanksgiving recess, ABC's BENJAMIN SIEGEL writes. Ryan's facial hair -- his staff have taken to calling it the "#BeardoftheHouse" on social media -- has earned praise from the facial hair community. http://abcn.ws/1NEJ3Xn
POLLING NOTE
TRUMP FAVORABILITY: STABLE OVERALL, DIVISIONS AMONG GROUPS. A notable aspect of Donald Trump's candidacy is the stability of his ratings in recent months, with no apparent impact of the various controversies he's inspired. But some of the differences among groups are striking. As ABC noted last week, Trump's support for the GOP nomination has been steady in three ABC News/Washington Post polls since September - 33, 32 and 32 percent, respectively, among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who are registered to vote. Among all Americans, Trump's favorability ratings tell a similar story: Again an essentially unchanging number - 59 or 60 percent - have expressed unfavorable views of him in ABC/Post polls in August, September and November alike. Thirty-five to 38 percent have rated him favorably. ABC's GREGORY HOLK notes there are big differences - and some shifts - among groups. http://abcn.ws/1XCTWs7IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
CYBER MONDAY:HOW TO GET UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS AND OTHER GOODIES FROM 2016 CANDIDATES. If you missed your chance to splurge on Black Friday or simply chose to skip the lines, the 2016 presidential candidates had you (political junkies) covered this Cyber Monday. To kick off the holiday season, presidential hopefuls offered their loyal supporters an array of products, offering everything from 'I hate tea (parties)' mugs for the Dems to ugly Christmas sweaters from some of the Republican candidates. Yesterday during 'CyberCruz' day, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz introduced an ugly Christmas sweater to his campaign apparel collection. ABC's PAOLA CHAVEZ has more. http://abcn.ws/1RhGV7C
WHO'S TWEETING?
@GideonResnick: Guiliani says Trump is only "exaggerating" about the number of Muslims cheering on 9/11. http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/12/01/giuliani-up-to-40-muslims-cheered-9-11.html...
@sahilkapur: EXCLUSIVE: @TedCruz launches full-scale attack on @MarcoRubio's foreign policy, and ties him to @HillaryClinton. http://bloom.bg/1IkKhEV
@JordynPhelps: Chris Christie says waterboarding not torture, criticizes Obama & Clinton for "second-guessing" intelligence officers post 9/11.
@ABCLiz: On the ropeline: @SenatorBarb, in response to @danmericaCNN Q abt why Warren wasn't here: "I'm not sure why she wasn't.Maybe she has a cold"
@ZekeJMiller: Pro-RFS group America's Renewable Future is going up with a radio ad calling Ted Cruz a hypocrite for supporting oil subsidies not ethanol.