News : POLITICO Playbook: Trump’s task in Georgia

Saturday, December 5, 2020

POLITICO Playbook: Trump’s task in Georgia

Dec 05, 2020

View in browser

By Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer

Presented by

DRIVING THE DAY

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP will re-emerge from his self-imposed post-election quarantine this afternoon at 4:30 when he flies to Valdosta, Ga., for a rally for Sens. KELLY LOEFFLER and DAVID PERDUE.

THIS FRONT PAGE of the MACON TELEGRAPH (Ga.) says it all: "Republicans bank on Trump in Georgia runoff". And this story in the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION by the great GREG BLUESTEIN explains the stakes and the dynamics quite nicely.

-- AJC: "Faith shaken in system, Trump's Georgia supporters consider skipping U.S. Senate runoffs": "Aimee Nobile is a former Democrat who 'saw the light' and became a die-hard Donald Trump supporter. She attends conservative rallies, promotes Republican causes to friends, blows up Joe Biden and other Democrats on social media.

"In short, she fits the profile of the type of Georgia voter that U.S. Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue would normally consider a lock to return to the polls for Jan. 5 runoffs that will decide control of the U.S. Senate.

"But this isn't a normal election. The Milton executive is among a vocal group of Trump loyalists in Georgia who believe the president's repeatedly debunked claim that the vote was 'rigged.' And though she abhors the thought of Democratic victories, she says she's genuinely conflicted about voting in the January runoffs.

"'How am I supposed to vote? I don't have the answer. And I'm frustrated,' Nobile said, ticking through options she is not confident are secure. Even if people do vote, 'does it count?' … [R]emarks by Nobile and other Trump supporters at GOP rallies across the state this week suggest that years of unsubstantiated claims about structural electoral flaws have eroded faith in the system at a time when Georgia races have never been closer.

THERE REALLY IS NO MIDDLE GROUND here: either TRUMP tells people to go to vote in the runoff, which is ONE MONTH from today -- or not, and Republicans could lose the Senate, which is the party's last lever of power in Washington. The "or not" here is if he carries on with the everything-is-rigged stuff, which will have Republicans running for cover and readying to hand the Senate over to CHUCK SCHUMER.

NUGGET from NYT front-page story, by RICHARD FAUSSET in Atlanta, MIKE SHEAR and SHANE GOLDMACHER: "New campaign financial reports filed late Thursday showed a staggering influx of money into the state in the first days of runoffs that were expected to set spending records, with more than $300 million booked in television, radio and digital ads, according to data from AdImpact, an ad-tracking firm. Media buyers said the price of ads was soaring, especially for super PACs, to unseen heights."

SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: "VP Pence visits Savannah to campaign for Loeffler, Perdue"

… AND BTW … FRONT PAGE of the Douglas County (Ga.) Sentinel: "Biden nets 2 votes during Douglas machine recount"

ALSO, for the record, GEORGIA is being rocked by Covid at the moment. AJC FRONT: "State sets single-day virus record"

INTERESTING QUESTION … NYT: "Is 'Natural Immunity' From Covid Better Than a Vaccine?"

Happy Saturday. 6 DAYS until government funding runs out.

NORMA JANE SABISTON, the former chief of staff to MARY LANDRIEU, died. Email from LANDRIEU to friends and family: "To our friends and family I cannot even believe I have to write these words to you all tonight, but our friend, our sister, and our fearless leader Norma Jane Sabiston has tragically passed away. We are still trying to decipher all that happened, but she suffered from a serious medical setback related to pneumonia and fought only as NJ could, but lost that fight this evening - one of the ONLY campaigns she has ever lost."

-- SABISTON has been a fixture of Louisiana politics for decades. She has worked for BILLY TAUZIN, JOHN BREAUX and LANDRIEU.

A message from PhRMA:

Today, there are several promising vaccine candidates in stage three clinical trials. These trials have tens of thousands of participants, from every walk of life. From development to robust clinical trials, and throughout manufacturing, these vaccine candidates follow the same rigorous process of other vaccines that have saved millions of lives. More.

SMART WAPO PROJECT … PAUL KANE and SCOTT CLEMENT: "Just 25 congressional Republicans acknowledge Biden's win, Washington Post survey finds": "Just 25 congressional Republicans acknowledge Joe Biden's win over President Trump a month after the former vice president's clear victory of more than 7 million votes nationally and a convincing electoral-vote margin that exactly matched Trump's 2016 tally.

"Two Republicans consider Trump the winner despite all evidence showing otherwise. And another 222 GOP members of the House and Senate -- nearly 90 percent of all Republicans serving in Congress -- will simply not say who won the election.

"Those are the findings of a Washington Post survey of all 249 Republicans in the House and Senate that began the morning after Trump posted a 46-minute video Wednesday evening in which he wrongly claimed he had defeated Biden and leveled wild and unsubstantiated allegations of 'corrupt forces' who stole the outcome from the sitting president."

-- HERE'S HOW THEY ANSWERED.

HISTORIC LOSING STREAK … KYLE CHENEY and JOSH GERSTEIN: "Donald Trump's brutal day in court": "President Donald Trump and his legal allies earned a platinum sombrero Friday, striking out five times in a matter of hours in states pivotal to the president's push to overturn the election results — and losing a sixth in Minnesota for good measure.

"It was another harsh milestone in a monthlong run of legal futility, accompanied by sharp rebukes from county, state and federal judges who continue to express shock at the Trump team's effort to simply scrap the results of an election he lost. Several of the most devastating opinions, both Friday and in recent weeks, have come from conservative judges and, in some federal cases, Trump appointees."

… PLUS THIS: "Judge orders Trump administration to restore DACA," by Josh Gerstein

NYT NEWS ANALYSIS … JIM TANKERSLEY and BEN CASSELMAN on the BizDay cover: "A $900 Billion Plan Would Help the Economy, but Not Fix It": "A [$908 billion plan] would fall short of doing everything that economists argue Congress should do to help workers and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. But they said that if lawmakers could get the details right, Congress should do it anyway."

-- NOT ENOUGH, SAYS BERNIE … JEFF STEIN, MIKE DEBONIS and SEUNG MIN KIM: "Sanders announces opposition to $908 billion coronavirus relief package as lawmakers scramble for deal"

BRIAN FALER: "Congress struggles to fix tax mess caused by people working from home": "Lawmakers are pushing to sort out a tax mess created by millions of people working from home during the coronavirus pandemic — and fears are rising that Congress will fail to reach a solution before tax filing season.

"People who've been working in a state different from the one in which they normally work face potentially nasty headaches when they do their taxes next year, thanks to uncertainty over who should get their local tax dollars.

"It could be a big problem not only for individual Americans, but also their employers, tax preparers and cash-strapped local governments already jostling over the revenue. Many lawmakers now want Congress to intervene to create a clear, uniform rule as part of their latest coronavirus relief efforts. The clock is ticking, with some lawmakers eager to wrap up their lame-duck session and next year's tax filing season set to begin later next month.

CONNOR O'BRIEN: "Trump orders troop withdrawal from Somalia"

A message from PhRMA:

America's biopharmaceutical companies are working day and night until they defeat COVID-19. Because science is how we get back to normal.

TRANSITION NEWS …

-- WAPO: "Pentagon blocks visits to military spy agencies by Biden transition team," by Greg Miller and Missy Ryan: "The Trump administration has refused to allow members of President-elect Joe Biden's transition team to meet with officials at U.S. intelligence agencies that are controlled by the Pentagon, undermining prospects for a smooth transfer of power, current and former U.S. officials said.

"The officials said the Biden team has not been able to engage with leaders at the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and other military-run spy services with classified budgets and global espionage platforms. The Defense Department rejected or did not approve requests from the Biden team this week, the officials said, despite a General Services Administration decision Nov. 23 clearing the way for federal agencies to meet with representatives of the incoming administration."

-- VICTORIA GUIDA and ZACHARY WARMBRODT: "Biden economic adviser stokes fear on left over Wall Street-friendly past"

-- ADAM CANCRYN and SUSANNAH LUTHI: "Becerra among new candidates for Biden's health secretary": "President-elect Joe Biden is eyeing three new candidates for health secretary after previous front-runners fell out of contention for the job this week, according to people familiar with the discussions.

"Those now under consideration include California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who ran the Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration."

ANTHONY FAUCI to GRETA VAN SUSTEREN on her Sunday show "Full Court Press" … On whether the vaccine process has been enmeshed in politics: "It's all noise. It's totally been immune. We've done exactly what we would have done if they were not in a very divisive situation, if it were not in an election year. It just proceeded right along. It was a lot of good science, got translated to a product, the product got tested, it got evaluated independently by a data and safety monitoring board, which deemed that this was safe and effective. The other stuff about politics, about that, that's all been noise."

MAYA KING: "How Georgia's Senate race pits the Old South against the New South": "Georgia's campaign ads tell a tale of two states: Raphael Warnock's ads are bright and sunny, featuring the pastor expounding on health care policy, telling his family story and walking a puppy. But the majority of Kelly Loeffler's spots take a grimmer tone, attacking Warnock as 'the most dangerous, radical candidate in America.' In one ad, the camera pans across a photo of Warnock, who is Black, darkened and superimposed over footage of riots. 'Saving the Senate,' the narrator intones, 'is about saving America … from that.'

"It could work. But with Georgia's demographics shifting, Loeffler's approach — a familiar playbook tailored to older, whiter voters who skew Republican — is just as likely to prove out of step with a changing electorate. It's pitting the politics of the Old South, often characterized by thinly-veiled racist rhetoric and maintenance of the predominantly white status quo, against the New South's increasingly young and racially diverse constituency. This fundamental tension is shaping the contours of the messaging wars in the Senate race — and could reverberate in the broader region for decades to come."

HOLLY OTTERBEIN: "Clyburn flexes muscle on DNC pick": "Rep. Jim Clyburn, one of President-elect Joe Biden's most influential allies, is pushing hard for Jaime Harrison to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee. The House majority whip has spent the last few weeks publicly and privately advocating for Harrison, and has even spoken to Biden about the DNC chair position, an aide to the congressman told POLITICO.

"With Clyburn's backing and support from several state party chairs, Harrison — a former South Carolina party chairman himself — is inching closer toward becoming the next leader of the national party."

TRACK THE TRANSITION & NEW ADMINISTRATION HEADING INTO 2021: President-elect Biden is pushing full steam ahead on putting together his Cabinet and White House staff. These appointments and staffing decisions send clear-cut signals about Biden's priorities. What do these signals foretell? Transition Playbook is the definitive guide to one of the most consequential transfers of power in American history. Written for political insiders, it tracks the appointments, people, and the emerging power centers of the new administration. Track the transition and the first 100 days of the incoming Biden administration. Subscribe today.

PLAYBOOK READS

President-elect Joe Biden

PHOTO DU JOUR: President-elect Joe Biden participates in a virtual meeting with the National Association of Counties Board of Directors about jobs at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., on Friday, Dec. 4. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

DEPT. OF FUTILITY … KYLE CHENEY: "Top Pennsylvania Republicans pressure congressional delegation to challenge Biden's victory"

CLICKER -- "The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics," edited by Matt Wuerker -- 16 funnies

A message from PhRMA:

America's biopharmaceutical companies are working day and night to defeat COVID-19.

GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Margy Slattery and the staff of POLITICO Magazine:

-- "'We Don't Even Know Who Is Dead or Alive,'" by Ava Kofman in ProPublica and The New Republic: "What it's like to stay alive as the virus charts its fatal course through a home for the elderly in one of the worst-hit neighborhoods in the Bronx." ProPublica

-- "This Japanese Shop Is 1,020 Years Old. It Knows a Bit About Surviving Crises," by Ben Dooley and Hisako Ueno in the NYT: "A mochi seller in Kyoto, and many of Japan's other centuries-old businesses, have endured by putting tradition and stability over profit and growth." NYT

-- "When One Parent Leaves a Hasidic Community, What Happens to the Kids?" by The New Yorker's Larissa MacFarquhar: "The irreconcilable differences between Orthodoxy and secularism increasingly end up in court." New Yorker

-- "What Happened After I Tried to Adopt an Opioid-Dependent Baby. Twice," by Carrie Brady, as told to Susan Baer, in Washingtonian's December issue: "A harrowing story of birth in the 21st century." Washingtonian

-- "Castles in the Sky," by Christina Lalanne in The Atavist: "While renovating a house in San Francisco, a couple discovered a diary, hidden away for more than a century. It held a love story—and a mystery." Atavist

-- "How Tyrus Wong's Christmas Cards Captivated the American Public," by Karen Fang in Smithsonian's December issue: "The unlikely Hollywood visionary of 'Bambi' fame designed what would become some of the most popular holiday stationery of all time." Smithsonian

-- "The Social Life of Forests," by Ferris Jabr in the NYT Magazine: "Trees appear to communicate and cooperate through subterranean networks of fungi. What are they sharing with one another?" NYT Magazine

-- "How to Deal With a Conspiracy Theorist," by David Robson in The Guardian: "An angry debate will only cement the ideas, and open ridicule is even less constructive. Instead, the research shows that you should try to focus on the rhetorical devices and tricks of persuasion that have been used to spread the ideas in the first instance." Guardian

THIS WEEK - DON'T MISS #MIHealthSummit: POLITICO will feature a special edition Future Pulse newsletter at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit this week. Go inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators determined to confront and conquer the most transformative health challenges. The pandemic exposed weaknesses across our health systems, particularly in treating our most vulnerable communities. This year's conference focuses on the converging crises of public health, economic insecurity, and social justice. Sign up today for exclusive coverage from December 7–9.

PLAYBOOKERS

Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.

BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) is 46 … Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) is 64 … Roy Schwartz, co-founder and president of Axios, is 44 … POLITICO Europe Editor-in-Chief Stephen Brown … Eli Miller, managing director of government relations at Blackstone, is 38 … NYT's Mike Grynbaum … Jamie McCourt, U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco … Jamie Rhoades, president of Quartus Strategies … photographer Paul Morse … Stuart Brotman … Evan Burfield is 44 … Andrew Williams, managing director of corporate comms at Goldman Sachs … WaPo's Rachel van Dongen … Moira Mack Muntz … POLITICO's Liz Crampton … Khorri Atkinson … Kaitlyn Cuevas … Chris Lawrence … Gray Johnson …

… Mike Platt, principal at Platt Strategic Consulting … Lisa Spies, president of the LS Group and a GOP fundraiser … "PBS NewsHour's" Jeffrey Brown is 64 … Yana Mayayeva, legislative director for Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) ... Bob Beecroft is 8-0 … former Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) is 74 … Jenny Lawson (h/t Teresa Vilmain) … Jeremy Thompson ... Brai Odion-Esene, founder of SW4 Insights … Eric Posner is 55 … NBC's Billy Koch is 26 ... Ruiyong Chen ... Alex Simon … Simon Jerome ... Adam Rosenberg ... Chad Krilow ... Anne Trenolone ... Porter McNeil ... Ari Drennen ... Susan Scott Neal … Alex Traub ... Nicole Drummond ... Angelo Turner ... Anthony Bedell ... Arthur Colby … Jamie Estrada … Calvin Trillin is 85 … Caroline Dierker Poe

THE SHOWS (Full Sunday Show listings here)

ABC	"This Week": HHS Secretary Alex Azar … Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) … Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.). Panel: Jonathan Karl, Mary Bruce, Jaime Harrison and Sarah Isgur.
CBS	"Face the Nation": Monclef Slaoui … Chris Krebs … Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) … James Linder … Scott Gottlieb.
NBC	"Meet the Press": Deborah Birx … Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) … Gabriel Sterling. Panel: Kimberly Atkins, Steve Kornacki, Jeff Mason and Danielle Pletka.
FOX	"Fox News Sunday": Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) … John Brennan. Panel: Josh Holmes, Catherine Lucey and Mo Elleithee. Power Player: Yo-Yo Ma.
CNN	"State of the Union": Monclef Slaoui … Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) … Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) … Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R).
Sinclair	"America this Week with Eric Bolling": Deborah Birx … Rudy Giuliani … K.T. McFarland … Brock Pierce … Daniel Lippman.
Gray TV	"Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren": Anthony Fauci … Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) … Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).

A message from PhRMA:

America's biopharmaceutical companies are making great progress against a common enemy – COVID-19. They're learning from successful vaccines for other diseases, developing new treatments and collaborating like never before.

Today, there are several promising vaccine candidates in stage three clinical trials. These trials have tens of thousands of participants, from every walk of life. From development to robust clinical trials, and throughout manufacturing, these vaccine candidates follow the same rigorous process of other vaccines that have saved millions of lives.

America's biopharmaceutical companies are working day and night until they defeat COVID-19. Because science is how we get back to normal.