| | | | | |  | | By Chuck Todd | Presented by |  | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | Good morning, Playbookers. It is Sunday, and yes, it is the "Meet the Press" host here as your guest author. Forgive us for being a tad bleary-eyed this morning. The Packers (my team) and the Bills (Executive Producer John Reiss' team) had the nerve of playing SATURDAY playoff games. … But the good news: They both won. A fine distraction from an otherwise miserable start to the year. Now, back to work. The Trump era is going to take years or even decades to reconcile when it comes to its place in American history. What we know already is consequential enough, and I'm certain what we don't (yet) know will only add to the I-told-you-so's that are already prevalent in the current discourse. One of the hallmarks of the Trump era that anyone who works for a mainstream Sunday show knows all too well has been the selective silence of a large chunk of the elected leaders of the Republican Party, particularly in the United States Senate. This week is no different from just about every other Sunday of the Trump era: a large swath of mainstream GOPers choosing silence over being forced to reconcile their role and the party's role in the Trump era. I'm sure many of these senators who chose to stay quiet in the beginning felt justified in staying off the airwaves. Why should we have to answer for the president's behavior, some of them thought. Or perhaps more cynically, why stick my head up and let Trump supporters take a shot for being disloyal. Let Jeff Flake or Mitt Romney do it. I say this not to discount the political or physical harm these folks may have felt in the moment. I'm sure the potential threats to their families and the risk of losing their political careers were also drivers of their near-silence the past four years. No matter the reason, the silence only ended up reinforcing the belief that only Democrats and members of the media were feeling outrage at the president's actions — that somehow this was some partisan or media-driven witch hunt for the president. Personally, it's been very frustrating to deal with, because of how cynical and exploitative the reason is for the avoidance. One of the laziest tropes in conservative circles is the issue of media bias. It's such a reflexive response these days. It's about all many conservative infotainment hosts on TV and radio have left to fire up an audience, since Trump presents no seriously identifiable ideology to promote or defend. Media bashing works with much of the GOP grassroots; that's translated into various Senate GOP press shops wanting to avoid poking the rabid right-wing bears by appearing on legitimate news shows. It's obviously hard to watch the media get abused this way so a few grifters can sell more newsletters or scam a few bucks. But such is the state of how the current Trump-centric conservative ecosystem works. | | A message from the American Petroleum Institute: Meeting energy needs and tackling climate change isn't either/or. We have to do both. That's why America's natural gas and oil companies are working on climate solutions that will help the U.S. remain the world leader in reducing emissions. Let's make even more progress together. | | | A handful of GOP senators have tried to regularly make themselves available. But they're few and far between. I do believe a majority of Republicans in the Senate are appalled by many things in the last four years. Many of these senators have said as much to us in private. Some have even given hints of their disgust in strongly worded press releases and the occasional tweet. One senator appears to use Bible verses as a way to attempt to send some subtle message that he disapproves of the political climate on the right. But these attempts appear designed to virtue-signal to the political elite of Washington or the donor elite of the GOP that haven't been as shy about expressing their disgust for Trump's behavior. They aren't comfortable leveling these critiques for a large audience to hear and judge for themselves. Many of these Republican senators would hide during the worst moments of the Trump era, then would pop up during the debates over tax cuts or a Supreme Court justice so they could somehow "look" as if they were still on Team Trump. I'm someone who believes to cover American politics you do have to understand the dynamics of campaigns, not just general elections but primary elections too. I'm well aware of the strategic advice many of these senators got in the last four years from political consultants. Many have moral integrity, but many do not. And while it's politically explainable why a Nebraska Republican would be reticent to use a network bullhorn to criticize the president if that Nebraska Republican wanted to stay a senator past the Trump era, there is a consequence that comes with it — sending a subtle message that the president's behavior is tolerable enough. Fast forward to now, when all the worst fears of where Trump's rhetoric could lead have come true. If this isn't the moment for a reckoning inside the GOP, there's never going to be one. Taking back your party from these extremists starts with raising your voice more. Be proud that you are pro-democracy, be proud that you think there is a better way to disagree with your political opponents than dehumanizing insults. If you're appalled by the misinformation that you have to deal with from your constituents, try and dilute the poison. It took an actual attack on the Capitol for many Republican leaders to publicly get comfortable admitting Joe Biden won. Don't wait until the next one. Stop hiding your outrage because you fear a primary challenge. In fact, try celebrating the fact that your job is so consequential now and that the decisions you make right now will have a huge impact on the future health of the GOP. I'm sure many elected officials, when they first decide to run for office, dream of serving during a moment of consequence. Well, here you are. This era will be studied by historians for decades, and your actions or inactions will be the subject of scrutiny and debate. They won't be studying how you handled the debate over marginal tax rates, btw. | | | |   | | | The mainstream Sunday shows are still the best place for sober debate, if the sober-minded elected officials will participate and show their constituents of all political stripes they aren't afraid of tough but fair questions about any issue, whether politically problematic for their side or not. If you are a Republican and think your side isn't being represented or that there's too much focus on the Trump wing, show up and say something. Stop helping to reinforce the incorrect notion that the mainstream news media isn't interested in your side of the debate. It's so far from true, particularly on Sundays. | | | | TRACK FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: Track the first 100 Days of the Biden administration. Written for political insiders, this scoop-filled newsletter breaks big news and analyzes the initiatives, people and emerging power centers of the new administration. Subscribe today. | | | | | | | CHUCK'S PLAYBOOK READS | | My first job in journalism was with The Hotline, where instead of calling what we did "aggregation," we called it "covering the coverage." Twenty-some years later, I'm still at it, along with my colleagues Mark Murray and Carrie Dann, in First Read, where we also frame the important political stories of the day. So here goes: — David French of The Dispatch , with his usual provocative thoughtfulness, is nervous Senate Republicans might be getting cold feet and falling back into their bad habit of the last four years that I wrote about above. "[E]very single time Republicans refused to check Trump, they kept putting leadership of the Republic into unfit hands. They made a gamble that the costs would not grow too great. They chose poorly," he writes . Now "Republicans in the Senate have a choice: Take the risk to end it now, or appease the mob, appease talk radio and Fox, and hope and pray it ends later. There is only one responsible answer. Do the hard thing. Convict Donald Trump." — The AP and POLITICO look at Rick Scott's rough start as head of the Senate GOP campaign arm. But a serious question: Are Republicans who are upset with Scott truly mad about his vote to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania, or does this have more to do about the fact he's using the perch to run for president in 2024? By the way, while so many folks assume being NRSC or DSCC chair is some stepping stone to the presidency, can anyone point to a former DSCC or NRSC chair who eventually became president? How many even got nominations? — Of all fan bases to have an owner who has donated to the likes of Lauren Boebert or Tommy Tuberville, the San Francisco Giants? Perhaps the Giants org ought to get used to fewer fans in the stands? Curious what Giants fan/Speaker Nancy Pelosi thinks? More here from the San Francisco Chronicle. — This piece by Alana Newhouse for The Tablet is a long read worth your time. You may not agree with all of it, but it's a thinker and it sparked lots of debate in this household. "If, on the other hand, the idea of mass brokenness seems both excruciatingly correct and also paralyzing, come sit with me. Being on a ship nearly 4 million square miles in area along with 330 million other people and realizing the entire hull is pockmarked with holes is terrifying. But being afraid to face this reality won't make it less true. And this is the reality." Over to the Playbook crew … | | | | | WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING | | | 
PHOTO DU JOUR: With pro-Trump protests expected around the country this week, conservation officers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources get ready outside the Capitol building in St. Paul on Saturday. | Stephen Maturen/Getty Images | BIDEN'S BIG FIRST 10 DAYS — "Biden Seeks Quick Start With Executive Actions and Aggressive Legislation," NYT: "On his first day in office alone, Mr. Biden intends a flurry of executive orders that will be partly substantive and partly symbolic. They include rescinding the travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries, rejoining the Paris climate change accord, extending pandemic-related limits on evictions and student loan payments, issuing a mask mandate for federal property and interstate travel and ordering agencies to figure out how to reunite children separated from families after crossing the border … "For Mr. Biden, an energetic debut could be critical to moving the country beyond the endless dramas surrounding Mr. Trump. … But in a city that has become an armed camp since the Jan. 6 attack, with inaugural festivities curtailed because of both the coronavirus and the threat of domestic terrorism, Mr. Biden cannot count on much of a honeymoon." Ron Klain's memo WHOA — "FBI probing if foreign governments, groups funded extremists who helped execute Capitol attack," NBC: "As part of the investigation, the bureau is examining payments of $500,000 in bitcoin, apparently by a French national, to key figures and groups in the alt-right before the riot." Yahoo scoop on the payments WAPO RECONSTRUCTION: "41 minutes of fear: A video timeline from inside the Capitol siege" KNOWING THE INSURRECTIONISTS — "The Secret Life of the Beloved Kids Music Store Teacher Who Stormed the Capitol," The Daily Beast WHAT THE TRUMP TWITTER BAN MEANS — "Misinformation dropped dramatically the week after Twitter banned Trump," WaPo: "Online misinformation about election fraud plunged 73 percent after several social media sites suspended President Trump and key allies last week, research firm Zignal Labs has found." … AND HOW IT HAPPENED: "Inside Twitter's Decision to Cut Off Trump," NYT: "Jack Dorsey, Twitter's chief executive, was working remotely on a private island in French Polynesia frequented by celebrities escaping the paparazzi when a phone call interrupted him on Jan. 6. On the line was Vijaya Gadde, Twitter's top lawyer and safety expert, with an update from the real world. … Dorsey was concerned about the move … But he had delegated moderation decisions to Gadde, 46, and usually deferred to her — and he did so again. … "Interviews with a dozen current and former Twitter insiders over the past week opened a window into how it was made — driven by a group of Mr. Dorsey's lieutenants who overcame their boss's reservations, but only after a deadly rampage at the Capitol." Flashback: Nancy Scola's October profile of Gadde HERE COMES RUDY! — "Giuliani says he's working on Trump's impeachment defense, would argue voter fraud claims," ABC: "'They basically claimed that anytime [Trump] says voter fraud, voter fraud — or I do, or anybody else — we're inciting to violence; that those words are fighting words because it's totally untrue,' he said. 'Well, if you can prove that it's true, or at least true enough so it's a legitimate viewpoint, then they are no longer fighting words.'" — @JHoganGidley: "Statement On President Trump's Impeachment Defense Team: President Trump has not yet made a determination as to which lawyer or law firm will represent him for the disgraceful attack on our Constitution and democracy, known as the 'impeachment hoax.' We will keep you informed." | | | |   | | | TALKERS — "What Madison Cawthorn Saw at the Insurrection: The youngest member of Congress is invigorated by the mob he helped incite," New York magazine — Sen. BEN SASSE (R-Neb.) brings the heat in THE ATLANTIC: "The violence that Americans witnessed—and that might recur in the coming days—is not a protest gone awry or the work of 'a few bad apples.' It is the blossoming of a rotten seed that took root in the Republican Party some time ago and has been nourished by treachery, poor political judgment, and cowardice. "When Trump leaves office, my party faces a choice: We can dedicate ourselves to defending the Constitution and perpetuating our best American institutions and traditions, or we can be a party of conspiracy theories, cable-news fantasies, and the ruin that comes with them. We can be the party of Eisenhower, or the party of the conspiracist Alex Jones. We can applaud Officer Goodman or side with the mob he outwitted. We cannot do both." DEMS FRET O'MALLEY DILLON AT DNC ... Holly Otterbein: "State party leaders couldn't be more thrilled that Joe Biden has thrown his weight behind one of their own, former South Carolina Democratic Party chief Jaime Harrison, to chair the Democratic National Committee. "But many party leaders and DNC members are expressing alarm over Biden's decision to make his former campaign manager, Jen O'Malley Dillon, one of the key players in charge of his political portfolio — they view her as a culprit in the kneecapping of the national party that occurred during former President Barack Obama's administration." MONETIZING TRUMP PARDONS — "Prospect of Pardons in Final Days Fuels Market to Buy Access to Trump," NYT: "One lobbyist, Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor who has been advising the White House on pardons and commutations, has monetized his clemency work, collecting tens of thousands of dollars, and possibly more, in recent weeks to lobby the White House for clemency for the son of a former Arkansas senator; the founder of the notorious online drug marketplace Silk Road; and a Manhattan socialite who pleaded guilty in a fraud scheme." A BIT OF HISTORY — "Harris to be sworn in by Justice Sotomayor at inauguration," AP … "Harris to resign Senate seat ahead of swearing in as VP," by Chris Cadelago INAUGURATION LATEST — Yahoo News reports the inauguration TV special will include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, José Andrés, Dolores Huerta and Kim Ng. … "Undeterred, Biden will push unity in a capital locked down after an insurrection," WaPo NAIL IN THE COFFIN — "Census Bureau says Trump's push to exclude undocumented is dead," by Zach Montellaro ANOTHER ONE — "Orange County Congressman Lou Correa says he has COVID-19," The Orange County Register CORONAVIRUS RAGING … The U.S. reported 3,695 Covid-19 deaths and 215,000 new coronavirus cases Saturday. FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS — AP: "Will Trump's mishandling of records leave a hole in history?" TRUMP'S SUNDAY — The president has nothing on his public schedule. VP MIKE PENCE and second lady KAREN PENCE will leave Lemoore, Calif., on Air Force Two at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time. They'll arrive at Fort Drum, N.Y., at 4 p.m. Eastern, and Pence will speak to U.S. troops in Wheeler-Sack Air Hangar 2060 at 4:30 p.m. They'll depart at 5:50 p.m. and arrive at Joint Base Andrews at 7:05 p.m. — Biden and Harris have nothing on their public schedules. | | | | KEEP UP WITH CONGRESS IN 2021: Tensions remain high on Capitol Hill as we inaugurate a new president this week. How are lawmakers planning to move forward after a tumultuous few weeks? How will a new Senate majority impact the legislative agenda? With so much at stake, our new Huddle author Olivia Beavers brings you the most important news and critical insight from Capitol Hill with assists from POLITICO's deeply sourced Congress team. Subscribe to Huddle, the essential guide to understanding Congress.
| | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com. HARRIS STAFFING UP — Philip Gordon will be deputy national security adviser to the VP, and Julie Mason (not the journalist) will be chief of staff to the second gentleman. ENGAGED — Claire Nance, comms director for Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and a Trump White House alum, and Jonathan Klakring, an international security analyst at Leidos, got engaged at the White House. Her friends and coworkers asked her to come into work on a Saturday to staff an interview, and when she arrived, he was there instead. The couple met at Liberty University through mutual friends. Pic … Another pic BIRTHWEEK (was Saturday): Cody Kornack, director of government affairs at the National Head Start Association (h/t Kim Z Cooper) BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Alex Moe, NBC News producer and off-air reporter. How she's celebrating: "My birthday will look a little different this year because I get to celebrate it as a mom for the first time (!!) with my 7-month-old twins, Abby and Devin! I'm hoping my husband and I get to take a walk with the babies in our neighborhood and enjoy a nice dinner at home and a bottle of wine on the patio afterward. Simple and safe and perfect in my book." Playbook Q&A BIRTHDAYS: Former first lady Michelle Obama is 57 … Rebecca Buck, CNN political reporter, is 31 … John Wagner, WaPo national political breaking news reporter … former FCC Chair Newton Minow is 95 … Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is 67 … POLITICO's Joanne Kenen and Steve Shepard … Tommy Joyce … Steve Rabinowitz, president and co-founder of Bluelight Strategies … Mike Spahn, managing director at Precision Strategies, is 42 … Scott Goodstein … John Hoyt … Kelly Byrne-Martin (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Al Shofe … Rachel Bovard, senior policy director at the Conservative Partnership Institute … NBC's Gabe Gutierrez … Nikki Schwab of the Daily Mail, who celebrated with friends at St. Vincent (h/t Olivia Petersen) … Alyssa Franke … Hannah Ledford, campaigns director at the Fairness Project (h/t Ian Russell) … Jim Free … Bill Galston, Brookings senior fellow and No Labels co-founder, is 75 … Kousha Navidar … Brad Hansell, a principal at Boston Consulting Group, is 41 (h/t Tara Doyle) … Jenner & Block's Sam Feder is 5-0 (h/t Beth Gulden) … Robert Lewis Jr., CEO of the Van Aucker Group, is 42 … … Maury Povich, a loyal Playbooker … David Avella, chair of GOPAC … Patrick Butler of Kirkland & Ellis is 28 (h/t Meg Gallagher) … Haris Alic … Kim Z Cooper, the new director of government affairs for the North American Millers' Association, is 3-0 (h/t Robin Winchell) … Chris Jones, founder of Fluency, PoliTemps and CapitolWorks … Jeremy Pelofsky of Finsbury … Julie Alderman of Planned Parenthood … Rodericka "Ro" Applewhaite, director of outreach at Telepath (h/t Matt Corridoni) … Keisha Parker, director of operations at Rokk Solutions … Amit Jani … CNN's Kwegyirba Croffie (h/t Eric Levenson) … Stephen Gilmore … Cynthia Kroet … Alba Pregja … photographer Steven Purcell is 58 … Elizabeth Hays Bradley ... Becca Sobel ... Julie Barko Germany ... John Seabrook is 62 ... Mary Clare Rigali ... Edelman's Katherine Wiet and Kurt Hauptman ... Karlygash Faillace ... Doug Wilder is 9-0 ... Alyssa Roberts ... Barbara Riley ... Vadim Lavrusik ... Taylor Barden … Robbie Hughes is 39 ... John M. Gillespie ... Noelani Bonifacio ... Tegan Millspaw Gelfand ... Mark Pieschel … Joseph Berger | | A message from the American Petroleum Institute: Reducing emissions and providing affordable, reliable energy shouldn't be a choice. We can and must do both. Today, America is leading the world in CO2 emission reductions. As we look toward tomorrow and the future, America's natural gas and oil companies are working with the country's brightest minds and organizations to continue that progress while reliably delivering essential energy. Join us to create real, lasting progress – together. | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment