| | | | | |  | | By Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer | Presented by Facebook | EDITORS' NOTE: After 1,634 morning editions, plus another thousand or so Playbook PMs and dozens of live events, never mind all the tweets, we say thank you and goodbye today to Playbook co-authors JAKE SHERMAN and ANNA PALMER. Jake and Anna are POLITICO stalwarts, logging more than two decades combined here — and over four years on Playbook — and helping make the publication the force it is on the Hill, in Washington and across the country. We wish them the best in their next professional chapter. TORCH PASSING: We'll inaugurate a new Playbook team on Jan. 19, a day before another inauguration in town. Stay tuned for more details in the new year. One thing that'll never change — to seek to provide the Playbook community with scoops, insights and hopefully a bit of fun every day, without fear or favor. IN THE MEANTIME, A TREAT: For the next three weeks, we'll turn over the so-called unofficial guide to official Washington to special guest hosts from across the media and cultural landscape as well from our own stable. Some names we'll keep a surprise. Others are out there: See The Hollywood Reporter on who's in for sure (Kara Swisher, Don Lemon, Eliana Johnson, Chuck Todd and Yamiche Alcindor, among others). Mediaite has more details. Tomorrow, POLITICO co-founder John Harris will take the wheel to guide you through the first day, and months, of 2021. FROM US NOW: HAPPY THURSDAY, and Happy New Year's Eve. This is our last Playbook. We want to thank everyone at POLITICO for a great decade-plus — including four terrific years at the helm of Playbook. We're very grateful to ROBERT ALLBRITTON, POLITICO's owner and our friend, for the opportunity and support. And, of course, to the editorial leadership, which keeps this big impressive news organization humming every day. Happy New Year. |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | AMEN … N.Y. POST COVER: "NEW YEAR'S HEAVE: Good riddance to terrible 2020" — POST-COVID DREAMING … WSJ A-HED: "Post-Vaccine Vacation Dreamers Plot to 'Get the Hell Out of Their House': Coronavirus cabin fever is inspiring some big-trip plans for 2021; 'a little hopefulness'": BREAKING OVERNIGHT … STAR TRIBUNE: "Minneapolis police shoot, kill man during traffic stop," by Libor Jany and Alex Chhith: "Minneapolis police shot and killed a man they say fired first during a traffic stop on the city's south side Wednesday night. Hours afterward, Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said he will release body camera footage of the shooting Thursday. "It was the first police killing in Minneapolis since the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of four since-fired police officers. Floyd's death spurred protests and rioting that spread nationwide and prompted an intense, often bitter debate about the future of the Minneapolis Police Department. "After Wednesday night's shooting, a crowd of about 100 protesters congregated near the scene and at times grew tense, shouting expletives and throwing snowballs at police. Later in the evening, protesters remained relatively peaceful as they gathered at a bonfire built in the street." INCOMING FROM PBI … CNN'S KAITLAN COLLINS and KEVIN LIPTAK: "Trump to return to Washington early ahead of Republican plan to disrupt certification of Biden's win": "President Donald Trump is expected to return to Washington earlier than anticipated ahead of a planned disruption by Republicans when Congress meets next week to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win. "Trump is now slated to leave Palm Beach before his annual New Year's Eve party, even though guests had already gathered at his south Florida club and were told Trump would be in attendance, according to three people familiar with the matter. The President typically relishes appearing on the red carpet in front of the press and his friends, but is skipping the event altogether this year in what will be an unusual move. "In the President's daily public schedule for Thursday, the White House stated the President and first lady Melania Trump will leave Florida at 11 a.m. ET to return to the White House. … He has been in an irritated mood during most of the trip and fumed about everything from the election outcome to first lady Melania Trump's renovations to his private quarters, according to multiple people who spoke with him. "At one point, Trump also said he was concerned Iran could retaliate in the coming days for the US drone strike that killed Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani, one year ago. A person speculated that could be a contributing factor in his early departure. Trump was at Mar-a-Lago when he ordered the Soleimani strike on January 3, 2020." TO THAT POINT … NYT'S ERIC SCHMITT: "Pentagon Sends More B-52s to Middle East to Deter Iranian Attacks on U.S. Troops": "Two American B-52 bombers flew another show-of-force mission in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, a week after President Trump warned Iran that he would hold it accountable 'if one American is killed' in rocket attacks in Iraq that the administration and military officials blamed on Tehran. "The warplanes' 36-hour round-trip mission from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota was the third time in six weeks that Air Force bombers had conducted long-range flights about 60 miles off the Iranian coast, moves that military officials said were intended to deter Iran from attacking American troops in the region." WSJ EDITORIAL BOARD: "Trump's Embarrassing Electoral College Hustle" MCCONNELL TO TRUMP: NO CHECKS, THANKS FOR PLAYING … BURGESS EVERETT: "Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans finished off any imminent chance of approving $2,000 stimulus checks on Wednesday, ending a push from President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders to approve bigger direct payments as the congressional term comes to an end. "The Senate majority leader said he would not detach the $2,000 checks supported by President Donald Trump from other matters demanded by the president: Stripping legal protections from tech companies and establishing an election fraud commission. He declared that the House's effort to more than triple the size of $600 checks approved earlier this week has 'no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate.' "'Under the circumstances, I think that's likely true,' said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) when asked if the checks issue is done until the next Congress convenes on Jan. 3. 'Democrats are not willing to consider any other pieces of any other provisions in the bill, whether it's Section 230 or whether it's liability relief provision.' "But Democrats indicated they would not abandon their efforts. Andrew Bates, a spokesman for President-elect Joe Biden, said he supports the House bill and said 'it's imperative that we build on the bipartisan stimulus down payment.' Moreover, the issue has become central to the battle for the Senate. Democrats will continue to press the issue as two Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, try to eke out run-off races that will determine Senate control next year. After Trump's new demand, both said this week they support $2,000 payments." POLITICO — "Josh Hawley led the GOP push for stimulus checks. Where else will he take his party?" by WaPo's Mike DeBonis | | | | 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 | | | CHANGING OF THE GUARD … WAPO'S CAROL LEONNIG: "Secret Service to make changes to presidential detail to bring on agents who worked with Biden": "The Secret Service is making some staff changes in the presidential detail that will guard President-elect Joe Biden, amid concerns from Biden allies that some current members were politically aligned with President Trump, according to two people familiar with the changes. "As Biden readies his new administration, the Secret Service plans to bring back to the White House detail a handful of senior agents whom Biden knows well from their work more than four years ago guarding him and his family when he was vice president. "Staff changes are typical with the arrival of a new president and are designed to increase the trust and comfort the incoming president feels with his protective agents, who often stand by the president's side during sensitive discussions and private moments." THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO RAGE … 19.7 MILLION Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus … 342,395 Americans have died. — "Leaders in Washington region pledge to increase speed of coronavirus vaccine rollout," by WaPo's Meagan Flynn, Rachel Chason and Rebecca Tan — "California has nation's 2nd confirmed case of virus variant," by AP's Colleen Slevin and Carla K. Johnson: "California on Wednesday announced the nation's second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States. "Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the infection found in Southern California during an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 'I don't think Californians should think that this is odd. It's to be expected,' Fauci said. Newsom did not provide any details about the person who was infected." — "AstraZeneca and Oxford's Bumpy Partnership Hangs Over Covid Vaccine's Future," by WSJ's Jenny Strasburg in London KNOWING ELIZABETH WARREN … "Elizabeth Warren's next chapter," by Burgess Everett: "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer replaced, lamenting that there's no one ready to step in. Elizabeth Warren has a different approach. The Massachusetts Democrat is a member of Schumer's leadership team and is working closely with the Senate minority leader on a policy priority that could fuel the first intra-party fight with President-elect Joe Biden. "A few months before the election, Warren asked Schumer to join her effort to cancel $50,000 of student loan debt for millions of Americans. The president can do it without Congress, she argues. The New York Democrat, who is up for reelection in 2022, was 'immediately interested.' 'Chuck Schumer has a hard job. And he has to confront the fact every single day that Mitch McConnell controls what gets a vote on the floor of the Senate,' Warren said in an interview. Student loan cancellation is an 'example of Chuck's good partnership on things we'd like to get done. And using every tool available to us to make it happen.' "Recruiting Schumer on student loans shows how Warren will use her sway in Democrats' impending internal debates as a centrist Biden confronts a narrowly divided Congress. Unlike some liberals, Warren also plays the inside game to shape policy — and picks her spots carefully. Along with a seat at Schumer's leadership table, Warren now has a presidential run under her belt plus a progressive record that includes hard-fought battles both with her own party and the GOP. "She even secured language in a critical defense bill to rename bases honoring Confederate soldiers over President Donald Trump's opposition; his veto is on the verge of being overridden for the first time of his presidency. It's not Medicare for All or the Green New Deal, but she says it exemplifies what Democrats can accomplish during divided government: 'It's the right side of history.'" | | | |   | | | REPUBLICANS PRESSURE DEMS ON PELOSI VOTE … DAN CONSTON, the president of the Congressional Leadership Fund, the House GOP super PAC: @danconston: "Appears Nancy Pelosi needs to pull all sorts of tricks to remain Speaker. We view any weak-kneed Democrats voting present or *conveniently* skipping the vote as a move to enable Pelosi and the left's radical agenda — we'll be sure voters know exactly what they did @spmaloney" CLICKER — HEATHER PODESTA is out with her annual list of funny New Year's resolutions from her firm Invariant. TRUMP'S THURSDAY — The president and first lady Melania Trump will leave Mar-a-Lago at 11 a.m. and return to the White House. PRESIDENT-ELECT JOE BIDEN and VP-ELECT KAMALA HARRIS have nothing on their public schedule. | | | | 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 an administration and quickly staffing up. What do his selections and decisions tell 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: A community member tries to calm tensions between community members and police after police shot and killed a man during a traffic stop on Wednesday, Dec. 30, in Minneapolis. | Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP | JOHN HARRIS column: "2020 Shatters the Myth of American Exceptionalism" FOR YOUR RADAR — "Census Bureau to miss deadline, jeopardizing Trump plan," by AP's Mike Schneider: "The Census Bureau will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a delay that could undermine President Donald Trump's efforts to exclude people in the country illegally from the count if the figures aren't submitted before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. "The Census Bureau plans to deliver a population count of each state in early 2021, as close to the missed deadline as possible, the statistical agency said in a statement late Wednesday. 'As issues that could affect the accuracy of the data are detected, they are corrected,' the statement said. 'The schedule for reporting this data is not static. Projected dates are fluid.' "It will be the first time that the Dec. 31 target date is missed since the deadline was implemented more than four decades ago by Congress. Internal documents obtained earlier this month by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform show that Census Bureau officials don't expect the apportionment numbers to be ready until days after Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20." AP DAN DIAMOND: "How Trump warped HHS long before Covid-19": "Two-and-a-half years before Covid-19 would bring the issue of political interference with the Health and Human Services Department to a head, the flap surrounding the disbanding of the Science and Medicine team showed the extent to which tensions within the department were undermining its mission and sowing distrust between longtime staff members and Trump appointees. The result was that when America's health agencies confronted the ultimate challenge — the worst global pandemic in a century — they had already been battered by internal divisions, feuds and suspicions. "POLITICO spoke to 29 current and former career civil servants about their time serving in the health department, as well as political appointees, outside advisers and others with knowledge of Trump administration operations. They painted a picture of a national health bureaucracy riven with tension even before the advent of Covid-19. Many officials said the seeds of the disasters of 2020 were planted in 2017 — from 'the End of Science' episode to a dozen other incidents — as Trump appointees sidelined, ignored or pushed out career health officials in favor of policies demanded by the White House, a dynamic that would repeat itself throughout the pandemic." | | | | 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 | | | ACROSS THE POND — RYAN HEATH: "Britain braces for not-so-special relationship with Biden": "Boris Johnson has a problem named Joe Biden. Although the U.K. has now sealed a trade deal with the European Union, covering $900 billion in tariff-free goods and services annually, the British prime minister's hopes for a new arrangement with the United States are confronting the reality of a transatlantic relationship that is now anything but special. "Johnson allies fear his courtship of Donald Trump is now a liability in a Democratic Washington, along with his advocacy for a break with the EU against the advice of Trump's predecessor. And while Biden's tight-lipped transition team won't reveal its plans for the U.K., interviews with 16 officials and former officials on both sides of the Atlantic make clear that Brexit has changed the dynamic. "'When you wanted to get something done with Europe, you made the first or perhaps second call to London,' said Charles Kupchan, who served as a senior National Security Council European affairs official in both the Obama and Clinton administrations. In 2021, 'you're still going to call London, but that call will be lower down in the queue. Britain doesn't have a seat at the table anymore,' thanks to Brexit, he said." MEDIAWATCH — "Alden Global Seeks to Buy Tribune Publishing," by WSJ's Cara Lombardo, Dana Cimilluca and Lukas Alpert: "A hedge fund that owns a big stake in Tribune Publishing Co. is seeking to buy the newspaper chain behind titles including the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News, according to people familiar with the matter. "Alden Global Capital LLC, which is already Tribune's largest shareholder with a 32% stake, could disclose an offer for the company as soon as Thursday, the people said. Details of the potential bid couldn't be learned. Tribune has a market value of roughly $470 million after a yearslong slide as the prospects for local newspapers dim. Its shares are little changed this year and closed Wednesday at $12.79." | | | | 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. SPOTTED: Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) on American Airlines Flight 2633 from Charlotte to DCA on Wednesday morning. Cassidy dressed casually in first class, Lankford was in a suit and tie in coach. TRANSITIONS — Rachel Bissex will be deputy COS and chief counsel for Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.). She currently is deputy COS for A.G. Bill Barr. … Matt Schuck will be comms director for incoming House Budget ranking member Jason Smith (R-Mo.). He currently is comms director for HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and is a Sean Duffy alum. … … Liz Payne will be legislative director for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.). She most recently has been legislative director for Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Colo.). … Olivia Hnat will be comms director for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She currently is deputy COS for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.). … … Sean Brislin will be legislative director for Rep.-elect Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.). He previously was deputy campaign manager and political director for Rosendale's campaign. … Rep.-elect Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) is adding Tim Hysom as COS and Matt Corridoni as comms director. Hysom previously was COS for Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.). Corridoni previously was a spokesman for Senate Majority PAC and is a Pete Buttigieg alum. WEDDING — Mallory Shelbourne, a reporter with U.S. Naval Institute News, and Ian Hainline, a senior associate at Kivvit, got married recently at Shelbourne's childhood home in New Hope, Pa., surrounded by immediate family. They met through friends at Wok and Roll karaoke. Pic … Another pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Anina Belle Giannini, director of public relations for the Washington Four Seasons Hotel, and Sébastien Giannini, executive chef for the Washington Four Seasons Hotel, recently welcomed Pierre Léon Sébastien Giannini, who joins big sister Valentina Grace. Pic by Abby Jiu BIRTHDAYS: Josh Rogin …Donald Trump Jr. is 43 … Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is 41 … Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) is 83 … David Wilezol, chief speechwriter for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo … Pete Souza is 66 (h/ts Ben Chang) … former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) is 58 … Brian Danza, co-founder of Foxbat Media, is 4-0 (h/ts Tim Burger and Blain Rethmeier) … Betsy Barrett … WaPo's Joel Achenbach and Naftali Bendavid … Shelby Hartley … Robyn Bryan, press secretary for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) (h/t Matt Williams) … Ronnie Cho … Angie Yack, producer for ABC's "This Week" (h/t Mae Joo) … APCO Worldwide's Wayne Pines … Max Pedrotti, legislative assistant for Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), is 25 (h/t dad Kevin) … CyberScoop's Shannon Vavra … Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is 85 … … Rick Bosh, Washington producer for MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" … John Davis … Mark Ein, chair and CEO of Capitol Investment Corp. and Venturehouse Group, is 56 … Henry Hunter (h/t Jon Haber) … POLITICO Europe's Jillian Deutsch … Bloomberg's Simon Kennedy … Peter G. Miller is 75 … former Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) is 49 … Karina Cabrera Bell, co-founder of OpenAccess … Michela Greco … Nathan Martin is 34 ... Jim Long is 56 … Travis Wolfe ... Martin J. Kady is 75 ... John Francis Kucera is 61 ... Meg Boland ... Chris Donesa is 54 ... Wade Atkinson ... Danny Shea, chief brand officer at Thrive Global ... Reuben Johnson is 32 ... Meeghan Prunty ... Becca Brukman ... Jeff Milstein … Marni Karlin … Darren Reisberg … Andy Sere … Bob Dietz … Garrick Delzell (h/t Teresa Vilmain) | | | | 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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