| | | | | |  | | By Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman | Presented by Facebook | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | IF YOU'RE A GIG WORKER or a freelancer or you're self-employed, your jobless benefits run out today. Yes. Today. There's a bill that would fix this that passed both chambers with massive bipartisan majorities -- and it's in Florida awaiting President DONALD TRUMP'S signature. This same bill, of course, would prevent the looming government shutdown the day after tomorrow. WE GOT A SLIVER OF INSIGHT into the president's thinking. Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) spent "some time" with TRUMP on Christmas. He tweeted: "I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $2000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection." TRUMP himself tweeted this: "Why would politicians not want to give people $2000, rather than only $600? It wasn't their fault, it was China. Give our people the money!" TRUMP, of course, could've gotten $2,000 checks, had he been involved in the negotiations, but instead he got $600, which his administration and top allies on Capitol Hill agreed to. The Senate is out until Tuesday -- after the funding deadline. THE PRESIDENT, who is at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, continued tweeting this morning attacking the NDAA for protecting third-party tech companies, making false election fraud claims and pushing for $2,000 relief checks. REAL-LIFE CONSEQUENCES -- "Struggling renters face avalanche of evictions without federal aid," by WaPo's Jonathan O'Connell and Anu Narayanswamy: "Apartment tenants who have fallen behind on their rent face catastrophe at the end of the year, as Congress and President Trump have yet to approve emergency aid for renters or extend an eviction moratorium beyond Dec. 31, when it is set to expire. "An estimated 11.3 million households in the country are behind on rent or won't be able to pay next month according to the Census Bureau, creating a backlog in unpaid rent estimated at $70 billion by Moody's Analytics. Landlords have responded by filing hundreds of thousands of eviction notices at local courthouses around the country, cases that are ready to advance once moratoriums are no longer in place. "An avalanche of evictions could add to the severe economic distress already being felt by middle- and low-income Americans. People are lining up at food banks in record numbers. Nearly 8 million people have fallen into poverty since the summer, according to a recent study." -- NYT'S ALAN RAPPEPORT on the unemployment benefits: "If Mr. Trump signs the bill on Saturday, states will still need time to reprogram their computer systems to account for the new law, according to Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project, but unemployed workers would still be able to claim the benefits. "Further delays could prove more costly. States cannot pay out benefits for weeks that begin before the bill is signed, meaning that if the president does not sign the bill by Saturday, benefits will not restart until the first week of January. But they will still end in mid-March, effectively trimming the extension to 10 weeks from 11." Good Saturday morning. | | | | A message from Facebook: It's time to update internet regulations
The internet has changed a lot in 25 years. But the last time comprehensive internet regulations were passed was in 1996.
We want updated internet regulations to set clear guidelines for addressing today's toughest challenges.
Learn More | | | IN NASHVILLE -- AP: "Downtown Nashville explosion knocks communications offline," by Kimberlee Kruesi, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker: "A recreational vehicle parked in the deserted streets of downtown Nashville exploded early Christmas morning, causing widespread communications outages that took down police emergency systems and grounded holiday travel at the city's airport. "Police were responding to a report of shots fired Friday when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said. Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly afterward, Drake said. … "Police believe the blast was intentional but don't yet know a motive or target, and Drake noted that officials had not received any threats before the explosion. The chief said investigators at the scene 'have found tissue that we believe could be remains, but we'll have that examined and let you know at that time.' Police could not say whether it potentially came from someone inside the RV. Three people taken to area hospitals for treatment were in stable condition Friday evening, Cooper said." -- "Couple race from Nashville building after warning of explosion," by WaPo's Michael Kranish and Derek Hawkins THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO RAGE …18.7 MILLION Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus. … 330,279 Americans have died. -- "As Virus Resurges in Africa, Doctors Fear the Worst Is Yet to Come," by NYT's Sheri Fink in Port Elizabeth, South Africa -- "After early success, S. Korea sleepwalks into virus crisis," by AP's Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea: "South Korea had seemed to be winning the fight against the coronavirus: Quickly ramping up its testing, contact-tracing and quarantine efforts paid off when it weathered an early outbreak without the economic pain of a lockdown. But a deadly resurgence has reached new heights during Christmas week, prompting soul-searching on how the nation sleepwalked into a crisis. "The 1,241 infections on Christmas Day were the largest daily increase. Another 1,132 cases were reported Saturday, bringing South Korea's caseload to 55,902. Over 15,000 were added in the last 15 days alone. An additional 221 fatalities over the same period, the deadliest stretch, took the death toll to 793." AP -- SARAH OWERMOHLE: "The first Covid vaccines were triumphs. What if the next are only OK?" MEANWHILE … LAT: "Families are turning obituaries into final pleas to avoid COVID-19" -- ORLANDO SENTINEL: "DeSantis spokesman Piccolo deletes his Twitter account after tweet about COVID-19 victims," by Steven Lemongello and Mario Ariza | | | |   | | | WHAT CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS ARE READING -- "A Stinging Setback in California Is a Warning for Democrats in 2022," by NYT's Adam Nagourney in Los Angeles: "Two years ago, Democrats celebrated a sweep of seven Republican-held congressional seats in California as evidence of the party's growing ability to compete in swing districts here and across the nation. ut this year, Republicans snatched back four of those seats even as Joseph R. Biden Jr. swamped President Trump in California. The losses stunned Democrats and contributed to the razor-thin margin the party will hold in the House of Representatives this January. "The turnaround is testimony to how competitive the seats are, particularly in Orange County, once a bastion of conservative Republicanism that has been moving steadily Democratic over the past 20 years. But by any measure, the results were a setback for Democrats in this state and nationally, signaling the steep obstacles they will face in 2022 competing in the predominantly suburban swing districts that fueled their takeover of the House in 2018." NYT TRUMP'S SATURDAY -- The president has no public events on his schedule. The daily guidance continues to say he has many meetings and calls. President-elect JOE BIDEN and VP-elect KAMALA HARRIS also have nothing on their public schedules. | | | | GET THE BIG SCOOPS IN TRANSITION PLAYBOOK: A new year is upon us. Inauguration Day is just weeks away. President-elect Joe Biden is building and administration and quickly staffing up. What do his selections and decisions tells us about his priorities? Find out in Transition Playbook, the definitive guide to the new administration and one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter breaks big news daily and analyzes the appointments, people, and emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO DU JOUR: An area damaged by an apparently intentional explosion in Nashville is cordoned off Friday. | Terry Wyatt/Getty Images | POLITICO MAGAZINE roundup: "The Deaths that Shook Politics in 2020" BUSINESS BURST -- "Holiday Shoppers Steered Clear of Stores, Favoring Online Buying," by WSJ's Sarah Nassauer: "Holiday sales grew, but not by much. During a remade shopping season, many Americans ditched stores for digital outlets. And pandemic buying trends that favored household goods and food over apparel continued, according to early sales data from firms that track shopper spending. "U.S. retail sales rose 2.4% between Nov. 1 and Christmas Eve compared with the same period last year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks online and in-store spending with all forms of payment. Online sales grew 47.2% during that time, said the firm. The tally excludes sales of gas and autos." CLICKER -- "Washington's Secret to the Perfect Zoom Bookshelf," by Ashley Fetters VALLEY TALK -- "Anti-Facebook agitators see their moment under Biden," by Steven Overly: "Facebook endured a deluge of political scrutiny in Donald Trump's Washington. It's poised to face even worse in the Joe Biden era. "From lawmakers on Capitol Hill to antitrust enforcers at the Federal Trade Commission, Washington is training its sights on the world's largest social network like never before. Biden's antitrust enforcers will take ownership of a lawsuit the FTC filed this month threatening to dismantle the sprawling company. And his staff will negotiate legislative proposals with congressional leaders who have hammered Facebook for mishandling its users' personal data and spreading hate speech and dangerous falsehoods. "It's a historic moment of legislative and regulatory upheaval with profound consequences for Facebook and its Silicon Valley brethren. The Trump era opened the floodgates for Facebook detractors, who accused the world's largest social network of silencing conservatives on one side, and abetting disinformation about the U.S. election on the other. Now, under Biden, the company's critics see a prime opportunity to finally tame Facebook — for the sake of election integrity, privacy and fair play in the digital era. "Democrats widely accuse Facebook leaders of permitting misinformation to appease Trump and his Republican allies. Biden's campaign representatives have also lambasted Facebook for choosing not to remove Trump's misleading claims from their pages and for broadly halting political advertising in the days immediately before and after the Nov. 3 election." | | | | A message from Facebook: Internet regulations need an update
It's been 25 years since lawmakers passed comprehensive internet regulations.
But a lot has changed since 1996. We want updated regulations to set clear guidelines for protecting people's privacy, enabling safe and easy data portability between platforms and more.
Learn More | | | CLICKER -- "The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics," edited by Matt Wuerker -- 14 keepers GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Margy Slattery and the staff of POLITICO Magazine: -- "I'm the Reason Elvis Met Nixon," by Dwight Chapin in POLITICO Magazine: "The inside story of the most improbable meeting in White House history—told by the man who put it all together." POLITICO -- "Living With Karens," by Allison P. Davis in New York magazine's The Cut: "A white woman calls the police on her Black neighbors. Six months later, they still share a property line." New York -- "How SoulCycle Lost Its Soul," by Alex Abad-Santos in Vox: "The boutique fitness phenomenon sold exclusivity with a smile, until a toxic atmosphere and a push for growth brought the whole thing down." Vox -- "She's a Chess Champion Who Can Barely See the Board," by Dana Mackenzie in the NYT: "Like the fictional Beth Harmon in 'The Queen's Gambit,' she's trying to find a way to get to Russia to compete. Unlike Beth, she's blind." NYT -- "These Precious Days," by Ann Patchett in the January issue of Harper's: "I had thought this was a story about Tom Hanks, the friendly actor-writer who had recorded my book, but I was mistaken." Harper's -- "Lessons From a Bear Attack," by Eva Holland in Cottage Life: "Sometimes we pay a price for our curiosity and our desires—but more often, [animals] pay the price instead." Cottage Life -- "Some Notes on Funniness," by The New Yorker's Calvin Trillin: "Lessons in humor, from grade school to Johnny Carson." New Yorker | | | | A NEW YEAR, A NEW HUDDLE: Huddle, our daily must-read in congressional offices, will have a new author in 2021! Olivia Beavers will take the reins on Jan. 4, and she has some big plans in store. Don't miss out, subscribe to our Huddle newsletter, the essential guide to all things Capitol Hill. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com. ENGAGED -- Sam Nitz, partner at Fireside Campaigns and a DCCC and EMILY's List alum, and Ben Takai, senior epidemiologist for HIV prevention and Covid at the D.C. Department of Health, got engaged on Christmas Eve. Ben proposed at his home, with Buddy the dog in attendance. The couple met on OKCupid. Pic -- Brian Bartlett, partner at Rational 360 and a Bush 43 administration and Mitt Romney campaign alum, proposed to Jessica Brouckaert, an attorney at Dickinson Wright specializing in election and campaign finance law, on Christmas morning while visiting her parents' home in Ocean Springs, Miss. They met during a meeting he had with fellow Romney alum Charlie Spies, a partner at Dickinson Wright. Pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Michael Ambrosini, executive director of the Michigan GOP, and Vanessa Ambrosini, deputy comms director at the Department of Commerce, welcomed Viviana Marie Ambrosini on Dec. 17. Pic BIRTHDAYS: DoD's Jonathan Hoffman ... DOJ's Mary Blanche Hankey … Jared Bernstein, incoming CEA member … Mike Hammer, U.S. ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a loyal Hoya … Bishop Garrison (h/ts Ben Chang) … Katie Fallon … Candy Crowley … Noelle Troost … Eloy Martinez, VP of government relations at Aristocrat ... Natasha Walsh ... Andrew Weber … Matthew Verghese, COS for Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) (h/t sister Anne) … Noa Meyer ... Kristin Davison ... Scott Shepard ... Alex Zuckerman, senior coordinating editor at Newsy ... Alison Moore … Joe Maloney, partner at Locust Street Group, is 41 … Georgiana Cavendish … Ron Parker … Kitty Dukakis … Su Happ … Sandy Opstvedt (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Peter Segall … former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) is 65 … … Alex Angel of Bullpen Strategy Group … Sarada Peri … former California Gov. Gray Davis is 78 … David Sedaris is 64 … Alex Robson, coordinator at the International Republican Institute, is 24 (h/t Matthew Minor) … Dan Drew … William Gordon … Fox News' Emily Cyr … Nate Baker … Amelia Colton … Bill Becker, president of Becker Environmental Consulting, is 71 … Sally Fox … Jeff Quinton … Matt Neufeld is 59 … Jeremy Broggi … Synim Rivers … Cole Henry is 34 … Charlie Summers is 61 … Mark and Sarah Sweeney … POLITICO Europe's Clémence Vatier … Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe … Joe Deoudes … Jill Cooper Udall … Holly Shannon … Jon Henke … Rob Pyron … Joe Mosby … Jane Song … Ellen Field … Will Heyniger is 58 … Dave Nieuwstraten … Jennifer Duck THE SHOWS (Full Sunday show listings here): | FOX | "Fox News Sunday": Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) … Adm. Brett Giroir. Panel: Jason Riley, Kristen Soltis Anderson and Donna Brazile. | ABC | "This Week": Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) … Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan … Surgeon General Jerome Adams. Panel: Chris Christie, Heidi Heitkamp, Leah Wright Rigueur and Frank Luntz. | CBS | "Face the Nation": Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine … Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer … Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde … Scott Gottlieb. Book panel: Susan Glasser, Peter Baker, Jon Meacham and Isabel Wilkerson. | NBC | "Meet the Press": Joe Biden through the years, with Claire McCaskill, John Sununu and Kristen Welker. | CNN | "State of the Union": Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) … Anthony Fauci … Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer … Reps.-elect Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.). | Gray TV | "Full Court Press": Boyan Slat … Janice Brahney. | Sinclair | "America This Week": Brett Favre … Ted Nugent … Phil Robertson. | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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