CNN's GUT CHECK for November 18, 2013

CNN's GUT CHECK | for November 18, 2013 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

JUST IN: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan apologizes for suggesting ‘white suburban moms’ opposed standardized testing because “their child isn’t as bright as they thought they were.” Speaking to CNN’s Rene Marsh, Duncan said: “My wording, my phrasing, was a little clumsy and I apologize for that.”

CHENEY VS. CHENEY: One day after their daughters' quarrel over same-sex marriage burst into the political spotlight, former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, defended their daughter Liz Cheney, saying she loves and respects her sister Mary, who's married to a woman. – Ashley Killough

- Liz Cheney: ‘I’ve always tried to be compassionate’ -
WYOMING SENATE CANDIDATE LIZ CHENEY IN A STATEMENT: "I love my sister and her family and have always tried to be compassionate towards them. I believe that is the Christian way to behave."

- Mary Cheney: Compassion not enough to win -
MARY CHENEY IN A STATEMENT TO THE NEW YORK TIMES: “What amazes me is that she says she’s running to be a new generation of leader. … I’m not sure how sticking to the positions of the last 20 or 30 years is the best way to do that.”

- Mom and Dad Cheney defend Liz -
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY AND LYNNE CHENEY IN A STATEMENT TO JAKE TAPPER: “This is an issue we have dealt with privately for many years, and we are pained to see it become public. Since it has, one thing should be clear. Liz has always believed in the traditional definition of marriage. She has also always treated her sister and her sister's family with love and respect, exactly as she should have done. Compassion is called for, even when there is disagreement about such a fundamental matter and Liz's many kindnesses shouldn't be used to distort her position.”

Katie Hinman ‏(@khinman)
In case you were wondering, Liz Cheney did not go to Mary Cheney's wedding, per @jaketapper

Gut Check Flashback: In the October 5, 2000 Vice Presidential Debate, Dick Cheney said the marriage debate should be left to the states:

QUESTION FROM MODERATOR BERNARD SHAW: Senator, sexual orientation. Should a male who loves a male and a female who loves a female have all of the constitutional rights enjoyed by every American citizen? …

DICK CHENEY: I think different states are likely to come to different conclusions, and that's appropriate. I don't think there should necessarily be a federal policy in this area. I try to be open minded about it as much as I can and tolerant of those relationships. And like Joe, I'm also wrestling with the extent to which there ought to be legal sanction of those relationships. I think we ought to do everything we can to tolerate and accommodate whatever kind of relationships people want to enter into.

HILLARY CLINTON PRAISES GIRL POWER
A gathering of Washington's most important military leaders doesn't seem like the obvious place to champion the cause of increasing women's power around the world. Nor does Hillary Clinton seem like the obvious choice for an award from the National Defense University. – Elise Labott

-AFP: Former President Bill Clinton hopes for female president -
CLINTON AT A CONFERENCE IN BEIJING: "I hope we have a woman president in my lifetime, and I think it would be a good thing for the world as well as for America."

THE BUZZ: Vice President Joe Biden on Healthcare.gov, “The truth is, we’re going to fix it … God willing.”

MARKET WATCH: U.S. stocks end mixed, pulling back after Dow hits 16,000 and S&P tops 1,800 for the first time. NASDAQ falls 0.9%.

TRAIL TRIVIA
(Answer below)
Why is Newark Liberty International Airport abbreviated EWR?

the LEDE
Did you miss it?

Leading CNNPolitics: Zuckerberg-backed group makes new immigration push
One week after House Speaker John Boehner repeated his vow to never hold a vote on the Senate's immigration reform bill, a public advocacy group backed by Facebook founder Mark Zucerkberg says it's launching a new ad campaign urging congressional leaders to take action on the issue.

Leading Drudge: DOW 16,000
U.S. stocks fluctuated on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow industrials at or near record highs, as Wall Street weighed a measure of builder sentiment coming in below expectations against the potential implications for the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. – Kate Gibson

Leading HuffPo: Oregon Health Care Exchange Hasn't Enrolled One Person Yet
With all the problems facing the rollout of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, nowhere is the situation worse or more surprising than in Oregon, a progressive state that has enthusiastically embraced the federal law but has so far failed to enroll a single person in coverage through the state's insurance exchange. – Jonathon Cooper

Leading Politico: Justices turn down surveillance case
The Supreme Court on Monday passed up an opportunity to weigh in on the constitutionality of the National Security Agency's collection of a massive database containing information on virtually every telephone call made to, from or within the United States. – Josh Gerstein

Leading The New York Times: Washington Insurance Official Is Ousted
The District of Columbia’s commissioner, William P. White, had posted a statement disagreeing with President Obama’s reversal on canceling insurance policies. – Susanne Craig and Michael D. Shear

HOT SOTS
The political bites of the day

- Romney takes sides in GOP primary fight –
ROMNEY IN A STATEMENT POSTED ON REP. MIKE SIMPSON'S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: "Congressman Mike Simpson is a proven conservative and 'Idaho tough.' But some groups from outside Idaho have decided to attack Mike and distort his conservative record. He needs our help to fight back and set the record straight ... This stalwart conservative leader shares our values. That's why I am proud to endorse his re-election."

- Ann Romney: 'We had our turn' -
ANN ROMNEY IN AN INTERVIEW ON CNN'S NEW DAY DISCUSSING THE POLITICAL FUTURE: "We had our turn, we gave it our all. Now I feel like it's time to pass the baton on to someone else ... I'm looking at my children and I'm thinking they've got to step up. Other generations have to now step up and take over. So we'll see, you know you never rule out everything ... But really I don't believe we'll have that opportunity again."

- Gibbs: 'They're going to have to hold somebody accountable' -
FORMER OBAMA PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS ON NBC'S "TODAY" SHOW: "I think they're going to have to hold somebody accountable for the botched roll-out and the website not working, somebody at HHS or a group of people ... I think if this were to happen in the private sector, somebody would have probably already lost their job and I think the only way to restore ultimate confidence going forward is to make sure that whoever was in charge of this isn't in charge of the long-term health care plan."

TOP TWEETS
What stopped us in 140 characters or less

Jake Tapper ‏(@jaketapper)
This ad from SuperPac "American Principles Fund" is what has in part lit the fuse in this Cheney family kerfuffle > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHFfjDe9djw …

Ron Murphy ‏(@Tybeemenow)
In case you missed it on Saturday Night Live, here is a knock off of the drug ads on TV featuring "President Obama" http://fb.me/T27i5YyP

Logan Dobson (‏@LoganDobson)
#Hope #Change #Money MT @burgessev Michelle Obama at @dscc funder: "Write a big check -huge one- the biggest check you can possibly write."

Hunter Schwarz ‏(@hunterschwarz)
Michelle Obama's personal hairstylist has an insane Instagram account http://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/michelle-obamas-personal-hairstylist-has-one-crazy-instagram … pic.twitter.com/fX95NMEF8z

Evan Pérez ‏(@evanperez)
Obama's promise to close Guantanamo gets test in Senate. CNN Security Clearance http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/18/obama-faces-crucial-guantanamo-votes/?sr=sharebar_twitter …

CNN International ‏(@cnni)
Unable to speak, Nelson Mandela is using facial expressions to communicate with family: http://cnn.it/1f5Sa1l

Martin O'Malley ‏(@GovernorOMalley)
The other side of an @OfficialJLD selfie during my visit to the set of @VeepHBO this morning. pic.twitter.com/cyWzIL8zcY

The Washington Times ‏(@WashTimes)
Kanye West says he's 'past' Obama, feels used by president http://wtim.es/1am7Bi3

Rep. Steve Stockman ‏(@SteveWorks4You)
As goes Kanye, so goes the nation. http://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2013/11/kanye-west-obama-used-me-177755.html …

TRIVIA ANSWER from @sarafischer

The three-letter airport coding system began in the 1930s when airline services expanded from a two-letter system originally adopted from the National Weather Service to a three-letter system, instated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The three-letter codes use the most obvious letters to describe the airport’s location, not its name. This is why Harrisburg International Airport, located in Middletown, PA uses the code MDT.

However, there are some exceptions to the location rule. In cities where there are multiple airports the codes may resemble the name of the airport and not the city to avoid confusion. For example, in New York City LaGuardia is coded LGA and John F. Kennedy International Airport is coded JFK.

Newark’s airport exception comes from a different reason: It cannot be NEW or NWK because the Navy reserves all codes beginning with the letter N. For example, the Navy training airport in Pensacola, FL is NPA.

Click here to see CNN’s list of airports whose names have a unique history.

GUT CHECK WINNER’S CIRCLE
(why aren’t you in it)

Congrats to Steve Liguori (@SteveL3877), Matthew Gilbertson (@MattRGilbertson) and Brad Dayspring (@bdayspring) for correctly answering today’s Gut Check Trivia question.

GOT NEWS?
Tips or comments? Our inbox awaits: gutcheck@cnn.com
Anyone can sign up for Gut Check by emailing gutcheck@cnn.com

WANT TO SIGN UP?
Do you have a friend who wants to sign up for GUT CHECK or our new CNNPolitics Breaking News Alerts? Click here, log on and scroll down.