| | | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Rachael Bade, Tara Palmeri and Eugene Daniels | Presented by |  | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | We're new at this, but thought we'd start here … SPOTTED: GEORGE W. BUSH and TUCKER CARLSON having dinner at the private home of a neighbor on the exclusive Gasparilla Island, Fla., where they both have homes. Good morning from Washington. I'm Ryan Lizza, and starting today — along with Rachael Bade, Tara Palmeri and Eugene Daniels — we'll be piloting a new Playbook for a new era. We like to call this iteration "the unofficial guide to official Washington." We aim to be essential to your understanding of the incoming Biden administration, obsessive about politics on the Hill and mischievously scoopy about people in power. We know Playbook is the first thing that hundreds of thousands of you read every morning, and we aim to guide you efficiently through what you need to know, what you need to read and who you need to watch. We'll also try to have some fun. Like a good meal, we hope you leave satiated, not stuffed, and always get some dessert. (Speaking of dessert: Read through for scoops below on life after Trump for his staffers, Biden's West Wing power corridor and SEAN SPICER'S effort to join an exclusive club he once scorned.) There will be some changes around here, so let us know what you think: Ryan , Tara, Rachael, Eugene. (But when you really don't like something, please contact our saintly editor, Mike Zapler, because it was probably his fault.) Today is President DONALD TRUMP'S last full day in office. His final Gallup job approval rating is 34%, the lowest of his term. Tomorrow he retreats to Florida, the Senate prepares an impeachment trial, and JOSEPH R. BIDEN will be inaugurated. Biden ran on a theme of unity but will soon have to work with people in Congress who backed Trump's post-election plot even after they were chased from their respective chambers by rioters. Wednesday, when he puts his hand on the Biden family Bible and looks out at a city occupied by troops and ravaged by recession and disease, he will be surveying a capital remade by Trump. Here's the state of the Washington Trump will leave behind: — A House in which the GOP is now dominated by Trump Republicans, about 140 of whom voted to invalidate the results of the 2020 presidential election. At the fringes, it is studded with QAnon conspiracy theorists that Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY has allowed to flourish. (One of them promises to draft articles of impeachment against Biden on Thursday.) Yet Trump's takeover of the GOP has never been enough for the defeated president. Trump has started calling another of his steadfast loyalists, McCarthy, a very ugly name (even for Trump) for not pushing hard enough to overturn the election results. More on that below. Across the aisle, House Democrats have a threadbare majority and an energized left that may be more interested in prosecuting the departing Trump regime than working with Biden to pass his (in their view) centrist agenda. — A Senate where both leaders face immediate challenges: MITCH MCCONNELL will have to decide how far to press de-Trumpifying the GOP now that Trump is no longer an instrument to advance conservative judgeships and tax cuts. But as McConnell returns to the minority and Washington comes under Democratic control, those intra-GOP fights may soon be less of a priority than uniting against the Biden agenda. A glimpse of the new direction will come this week as Democrats move to defer the Senate impeachment trial for a few days and push through Biden nominations for a quick vote, which a single Republican senator can thwart. Those two priorities — the trial and Biden Cabinet votes — are like trying to steer "two freight trains colliding at 100 miles per hours," a Senate source tells Rachael. Especially in a 50-50 Senate. Buckle up, CHUCK SCHUMER. — A mainstream media that's suffering from a huge swath of the country that doesn't believe it after four years of Trump's attacks. It is often paralyzed about how to confront the crisis of misinformation that Trump helped create, which will haunt politics for the foreseeable future. — Finally, Trump is departing a capital city that he transformed. Washington is essentially occupied by thousands of troops (Trump abandoned the Green Zone in Baghdad and set one up in D.C.), economically reeling from the pandemic (dozens of restaurants have closed), and scarred by the remnants of summer looting. The Capitol building remains defaced by the attack instigated by the departing president and ringed by steel fencing and concrete barriers. Yesterday we made some final preparations to cover the inaugural. One of us criss-crossed downtown streets clotted with military vehicles and troops in camo on our way to get yet another coronavirus test at the Pentagon. Another one of us visited our long-vacant office to pick up a bulletproof vest. That's the Washington Trump is leaving behind. | | A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association: Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies have committed more than $7 billion to help the nation address the COVID-19 outbreak, by providing premium relief, eliminating patient treatment costs, and enhancing access to telehealth. Learn more. | | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: BIDEN'S WEST WING POWER CORRIDOR — The most important space in the White House is the corridor between the Oval Office and the southwest corner of the building. The offices there are cramped, but the president is steps away. Securing a spot is the ultimate sign of prestige in the White House. David Axelrod, Pete Rouse and Rahm Emanuel were the power trio there in the first days of the Obama administration. It was J ared Kushner, Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus for Trump. The more spacious office at the west end of the hallway is historically reserved for the chief of staff, and RON KLAIN will indeed occupy that spot in the new West Wing. (Makes sense since he decides who sits where.) The next office in this row will house STEVE RICCHETTI, who was chair of the Biden campaign and is now counselor to the president. Next to him is the smallest office in the row but the one closest to the Oval. This little alcove, which shares a wall with the president's study, will be home to MIKE DONILON, the messaging architect of the Biden campaign who will now serve as senior adviser to the president. In a White House with a lot of power centers, confused staffers looking to remain in the loop will find it here. | .gif "ezgif.com-gif-maker (1).gif")
| JOHN ROBERTS WANTS OUT OF JURY DUTY: Multiple Republican and Democratic sources close to the impeachment trial negotiations tell us that Supreme Court Chief Justice JOHN ROBERTS is looking to avoid presiding over impeachment proceedings. We're hearing that Roberts, who for years has sought to keep the courts apolitical, was not happy he became a top target of the left during Trump's first impeachment trial. "He wants no further part of this," one of our Hill sources says. A spokesperson for the chief justice declined to comment when our Josh Gerstein reached out. The Constitution delegates the chief justice to oversee impeachments of presidents, but this time around Trump will be an ex-president. That's why lawmakers and aides were talking through the weekend about two other figures who historically have presided over lower-level impeachments: the vice president and the longest-serving member of the chamber. But would KAMALA HARRIS really want to do this in her first week on the job? If not, Sen. PATRICK LEAHY (D-Vt.) could be the guy. FROM "MY KEVIN" TO … Trump, according to Maggie Haberman, has taken to calling another one of his loyal allies, McCarthy, a "vulgarity" for not sticking by his false claims that he won the election. We did some sleuthing on this and learned that, first, the vulgarity to which Haberman referred was "pussy" (a word that Trump has also thrown around in reference to MIKE PENCE as well as in a certain video taken by "Access Hollywood" and released in October 2016). Trump, we're told, was apparently furious with McCarthy last week for his speech during the impeachment debate, when the leader pushed back on suggestions that antifa — not Trump supporters — led the riots on the Capitol. McCarthy then endorsed a resolution censuring Trump. Allies of McCarthy downplayed the apparent tensions. And some Trump confidants got McCarthy's back, telling the president that the minority leader deserved credit for the fact that only 10 Republicans voted to impeach, when they expected as many as two dozen. The two men had a friendly conversation over the weekend, these people said, and continue to have a "cordial relationship." McCarthy is probably going to need at least that to achieve his ambition of becoming speaker one day. TRUMP'S LAST CROWD: All eyes are on who shows up — and how many — for Trump's final lift-off ceremony on Wednesday morning. In what looks like a desperate attempt to build a crowd for the crowd-obsessed president, an email has been making the rounds to current and former White House officials inviting them, and as many as five plus-ones, to Trump's elaborate exit ceremony. (The invites have circulated so widely that even Anthony Scaramucci received one.) The go-to excuse for skipping out has been the 6 a.m. call time at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. But truly, many just don't want to be photographed sending off their former boss. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Schumer today will designate a sweeping package of campaign reforms as the honorary first bill of the Congress, S.1. The "For The People Act," written by Sen. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Ore.), is expected to include provisions making it easier to vote nationwide, including with automatic voter registration or same-day voter registration; limiting dark money in politics, including with new disclosure requirements for outside funding; nonpartisan redistricting; public financing of campaigns and increased lobbying disclosures. In the House, Democrats scrapped plans to vote on a similar measure earlier this month, as our Congress team has reported, though it's likely to reemerge. Moderate Democrats balked at the notion of publicly financing campaigns — even as progressives view the legislation as a top priority. | | | | A message from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association:   Taking action to fight the pandemic. See how we're meeting the challenge. | | | IMPEACHMENT VS. NOMINATIONS: Speaker NANCY PELOSI has yet to announce when she'll transmit the article of impeachment to the Senate — triggering the second Trump impeachment trial. But our sources closely following the proceedings are predicting she'll hold back until at least the end of the week — and that proceedings won't begin until as late as next week. Things are fluid, as Schumer and McConnell haggle out a framework for a trial. But in theory, that would give the upper chamber a chance to approve several Biden nominations this week. Our Burgess Everett reports that Democrats want to get at least Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed to Homeland Security and retired Gen. Lloyd Austin locked in at the Defense Department — particularly because Democrats did the same for Trump's nominees to lead those agencies back in 2017. They're also hoping to move Janet Yellen for Treasury, Tony Blinken for State and Avril Haines for director of national intelligence. But doing so would require GOP cooperation, which Democrats still aren't sure they have. TRUMP'S TUESDAY: The president has nothing on his public schedule. Pence will lead a White House coronavirus task force meeting at 2 p.m. in the Situation Room. — The Bidens will participate in a sendoff event in Wilmington, where the president-elect will speak. Biden and Harris will speak in the evening at a Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool event to honor people who have died from Covid-19. | 
| | | | | 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. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO OF THE DAY: The Biden inauguration on Monday prepares for a dress rehearsal ceremony at the Capitol. | Greg Nash - Pool/Getty Images | GOING LIVE: The new Playbook team sits down with House Majority Whip JIM CLYBURN (D-S.C.), the lead chair of Biden's Inaugural Committee, today at 2:30 p.m. Clyburn will discuss the president-elect's agenda, his Cabinet picks, Trump's impeachment and more. Register here CORONAVIRUS TRACKER — The U.S. reported 1,393 Covid-19 deaths and 150,000 new coronavirus cases Monday. JAN. 6 … THE CONTINUING THREAT: "QAnon adherents discussed posing as National Guard to try to infiltrate inauguration, according to FBI intelligence briefing," WaPo: "The FBI privately warned law enforcement agencies Monday that far-right extremists have discussed posing as National Guard members in Washington and others have reviewed maps of vulnerable spots in the city … "But the intelligence briefing did not identify any specific plots to attack the inaugural events that would be akin to the Jan. 6 siege on the Capitol and noted that 'numerous' militia and extremist groups are publicly denouncing any violence targeted at the transition of presidential power." KNOWING THE INSURRECTIONISTS: A Dallas woman, who describes herself as "a normal person," said she was just listening to the president when she charged the Capitol. She arrived in D.C. on Friday in a private jet to ask for a pardon. USA Today SEE, THE FREE MARKET WORKS — "Sen. Josh Hawley Strikes Book Deal With Regnery After Capitol Riot Backlash," WSJ NO IT DOESN'T — "How Trump's fights with tech transformed Republicans' beliefs on free speech," by John Hendel: "Republican wrath at the tech companies that muzzled President Donald Trump and his followers is hastening a big change in GOP ideology — rising support for government intervention in the marketplace of ideas." | | | |   | | | HOW TRUMP'S GOING OUT … BEFORE HE LEAVES … "Trump prepares to offer clemency to more than 100 people in his final hours in office," WaPo: "One person under consideration for a pardon is Lil Wayne, administration officials said. The rapper and music executive, whose real name is Dwayne Carter Jr., pleaded guilty in December to carrying a loaded handgun from California to Florida on his private jet. He was barred from owning the gun because of past felony convictions, including a weapons charge. He has not yet been sentenced. Lil Wayne, 38, met with Trump and posed for photos five days before the November election." PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING: "How the First Day of the Trump Presidency Foreshadowed The Four Years to Come," by Sam Stein and Daniel Lippman: "[A]s Trump's tenure comes to a close this Wednesday, fewer days are as symbolic of his time in office as the first: the jubilation of the fans, the dread of the foes, the bellicosity of the rhetoric, the unorthodoxy of the approach, disruptiveness as a tactic, chaos as a byproduct, and the petty obsessions that colored it all." A HINT IN THE GARDEN?: Some suspected Trump's decision to include a statue of Grover Cleveland in his "National Garden of American Heroes" — created during his time in the White House — was hinting at a potential run in 2024. Cleveland lost his reelection bid in 1888, but ran again and won in the 1892 election. Forbes has more on the president's statue picks HOW BIDEN'S COMING IN … REINSTATING TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS: "Biden rejects Trump's move to lift coronavirus travel bans for Europe, Brazil," by POLITICO's Emma Anderson: "U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's team rejected a move Monday by outgoing President Donald Trump to lift coronavirus restrictions for European and Brazilian travelers. Trump had announced he was rescinding the entry bans effective January 26 — six days after Biden takes office — because of new testing requirements for international flights set to kick in that day. Biden transition spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Twitter, however, that upon the advice of its medical team, the incoming administration 'does not intend to lift these restrictions.'" PATH TO CITIZENSHIP: "President-elect Joe Biden plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on Day One of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status, a massive reversal from the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies," the AP reports. "It provides one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for those living without legal status of any measure in recent years, but it fails to include the traditional trade-off of enhanced border security favored by many Republicans, making passage in a narrowly divided Congress in doubt." TUESDAY LISTEN — When Eugene thinks about how he'll cover Kamala Harris, he remembers his grandma, who didn't think her grandson would see a Black woman vice president in his lifetime. Eugene joins the newest episode of "Dispatch" to talk about how Harris will make history when she's sworn in tomorrow — and what sort of challenges she'll face as "a first." Listen and subscribe | | | | 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 | | VACCINATED THIS WEEK: DOUG HEYE, who tells his story here … The Atlantic on this phenomenon in D.C. (Been vaccinated? Drop us a line: politicoplaybook@politico.com) YOUR APPLICATION IS PENDING: Trump's first press secretary and host of Newsmax's "Spicer & Co." Sean Spicer has applied to be a member of the White House Correspondents' Association. Spicer tells us that he already has congressional credentials and a White House hard pass — a coveted access badge for reporters that allows them to come and go as they please — and has been at the White House multiple times in recent months interviewing officials. "I thought, why not?" said Spicer. "I cover the White House every day on the show, and I have obviously had a lot to say about the coverage of the White House and the Correspondents' Association over the last few years. You're never gonna effect change if you stay on the sidelines." We hear the WHCA will be making a decision in the coming weeks. Sean, whatever happens, Tara would never call you an "idiot with no real sources." 'TOXIC' TRUMP STAFFERS: Former White House officials and campaign staffers who would typically land plum jobs in corporate America after serving their time are now out in the cold. Two former senior White House officials who left in the first three years of the administration said their phones are ringing off the hooks with soon-to-be former Trump officials looking for jobs. "No one wants to touch them, they're just toxic," one of the former White House officials said. It's bad enough that the coronavirus has crippled the economy, but the fallout from the insurrection has made the departing Trump aides even less employable. One former White House official, sitting comfortably in a consulting job, says he's talked to over 30 current officials looking for work. Another former Trump aide who has spoken to 50 job candidates said elegantly, "They're f---ed" — especially after Jan. 6. Some have landed jobs, but out of town. Former Staff Secretary Derek Lyons is heading to Kentucky to be general counsel at AppHarvest. Political affairs and outreach staffer Alex Latcham will shuttle between D.C. and Iowa (where his family lives). White House Political Director Brian Jack is in talks to join McCarthy's office. Others have landed on their feet in senior roles in D.C., like former White House press aide and Department of Energy staffer Kelly Love, who is now a director at DCI. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Senate GOP Conference is making several moves as it prepares for a divided chamber and looks ahead to 2022. Steven Stafford is joining as comms adviser and speechwriter. He previously was speechwriter for VP Mike Pence. Madison Alexander has joined as a production assistant, Zach Kahler has been promoted to digital strategist, and Lane Marshall has been promoted to production manager and senior videographer. — Teri Weathers and Francesca Amodeo have new roles in the office of Sen. Chris Van Hollen's (D-Md.). Weathers will be deputy COS and previously was director of federal government affairs at Nurse-Family Partnership and is a Barbara Mikulski alum. Amodeo will be comms director and previously was deputy comms director. TRANSITION — Tommy Pigott has been named the RNC's new rapid response director. He previously was deputy rapid response director and worked in the RNC's war room. (h/t Alex Thompson) BACK TO SCHOOL: Georgetown's Institute of Politics announced its spring 2021 fellows today: conservative talker Guy Benson, Democratic operative Anatole Jenkins, former Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), the AP's Julie Pace, departing DNC Chair Tom Perez and former Bush 43 official Sara Sendek. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Iowa Caucus winner Pete Buttigieg … James Taylor superfan J.B. Pritzker … mayor of Cafe Milano Yousef Al Otaiba … our CNN pals John Avlon, Catherine Valentine and Evan McMorris-Santoro … TV news legends Ann Compton and Robert MacNeil … Rep. Mikie Sherrill … Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan … Tammy Wincup … State's Philip Reeker … Rubio guy Dan Holler … Dolly Parton Got a birthday coming up? Document to share? Details from moving day at the White House tomorrow? Drop us a line at politicoplaybook@politico.com or individually: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Mike Zapler and producers Allie Bice, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross. | 
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