| | | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Tara Palmeri | Presented by |  | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | | BREAKING: Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine) will vote against NEERA TANDEN. | | Her statement: "The Director of OMB is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the federal budget and plays a significant role in any Administration's fiscal and regulatory agenda. Congress has to be able to trust the OMB director to make countless decisions in an impartial manner, carrying out the letter of the law and congressional intent. Neera Tanden has neither the experience nor the temperament to lead this critical agency. Her past actions have demonstrated exactly the kind of animosity that President Biden has pledged to transcend. "In addition, Ms. Tanden's decision to delete more than a thousand tweets in the days before her nomination was announced raises concerns about her commitment to transparency. Should Congress need to review documents or actions taken by OMB, we must have confidence that the Director will be forthcoming. "The OMB needs steady, experienced, responsive leadership. I will vote against confirming Ms. Tanden." This may be a death blow to the nomination of Tanden, who once tweeted that Collins is "the worst." On Friday, Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) came out against her. That left the White House scrambling to find a single Republican to back Tanden (assuming she maintains support from the remaining 49 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus). Collins is close to Manchin, who endorsed her 2020 reelection and worked with her to pass the most recent Covid relief bill. Manchin has also entertained Collins and other moderates on his houseboat — "Almost Heaven" — docked in the Potomac. Tanden's best hope for confirmation now lies with finding support from MITT ROMNEY (R-Utah) or LISA MURKOWSKI (R-Alaska). There are two reasons they might step forward. Tanden is close to White House chief of staff RON KLAIN, and her defeat would be seen not just as a defeat for President JOE BIDEN but as a personal rebuke to Klain. If Biden and Klain want to go all-out to save Tanden, they could offer Romney or Murkowski or — less likely — another Republican something significant in return. But the more intriguing motive for Romney or Murkowski to back Tanden has to do with the internal dynamics of the 50-50 Senate, where there's a budding competition among centrists for primacy. If Tanden is defeated, Manchin will get credit for it. As several Senate sources noted to us Sunday night, a true power move now — though one that's still not likely — would be for a Republican moderate such as Romney or Murkowski to swoop in and save Tanden to show Manchin that he doesn't actually run the Senate. | | A message from Google: Google helps Black-owned businesses get found online. In the past year, U.S. searches for "black owned businesses" have increased 600%. To make it easier for these businesses to be found by customers, owners can add the new Black-owned business attribute to their Business Profile on Google. Learn more. | | | YOUR GUIDE TO THE MINIMUM WAGE FIGHT THIS WEEK — House Democrats are slated to vote late this week on Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package, and Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER is promising the Senate will clear it by the looming March 14 unemployment benefits deadline. But there's one big kink: the minimum wage debate. Our sources say the Senate parliamentarian will rule as soon as Tuesday on whether a nationwide boost to $15 an hour is allowed under reconciliation. Depending on how that goes, you can expect one of the following scenarios to play out: 1) If the parliamentarian rules the hike is allowed, the likelihood it will be included skyrockets. But that does not mean it will survive, since Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.) and Manchin have vocally opposed adding the minimum wage increase to pandemic relief. It's possible a ruling by the parliamentarian that it's kosher would change their minds. But if not, Democratic leaders would have to decide whether to dare them to back down by putting the bill, minimum wage and all, on the floor for a vote. Or, we could see a compromise. Roll Call's Paul Krawzak scooped last week that Democratic leaders are talking about sweetening the pot for moderates by adding a small-business tax break to offset any added burden on mom-and-pop shops dealing with the wage increases. We've also heard chatter about a smaller minimum wage hike to, say, $11 or $12. Notably, Sen. TOM COTTON (R-Ark.) and Romney last week announced they'll be introducing their own minimum wage hike, making it politically difficult for any Senate Democrats to oppose a smaller increase. Manchin has also said he backs an $11 minimum wage. 2) If the parliamentarian says the provision breaks Senate rules, you'd think that would be the end of it. But we could see a situation in which liberal lawmakers rebel and try to push Senate leadership to overrule the parliamentarian. This is where things could get messy: Do House progressives use their leverage to force Speaker NANCY PELOSI to keep the minimum wage hike in the bill even if it won't clear the Senate? Does Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.), the Budget Committee chair, also demand it? Senior Democratic aides are skeptical that progressives would risk tanking stimulus checks, child tax credits and money for state and local governments over the minimum wage. One last possibility if the minimum wage is struck is to hold a separate vote on it to appease progressives. It wouldn't pass the Senate, but Democrats could at least say they tried. Our Caitlin Emma has more on all this. — Meanwhile, top Republicans, who have had trouble organizing against the Covid bill, are seizing on CBO's analysis of the minimum wage proposal to make their case against the overall package. During the markup of the bill later today, Rep. JASON SMITH (R-Mo.), ranking member of the House Budget Committee, will say the following, according to prepared remarks obtained by Playbook: "[T]his policy would destroy millions of jobs — at least 1.4 million according to the Congressional Budget Office — and disproportionately harm low-wage workers, disabled workers, and less educated workers. … [I]t will raise consumer prices — hurting millions of working-class Americans and those living on fixed incomes, especially the 31 million seniors who get half or more of their income from Social Security." | | | | A message from Google:   Grow with Google has partnered with the U.S. Black Chambers to provide free digital training for Black-owned businesses nationwide. Learn more. | | | BIDEN'S MONDAY — The president will receive the President's Daily Brief at 9:45 a.m. He'll make a small business-focused announcement at 12:05 p.m. in the South Court Auditorium. At 6 p.m., he'll deliver remarks from Cross Hall commemorating the lives lost to Covid-19, as the nation reaches the milestone of 500,000 dead. And at 6:15 p.m., he and first lady JILL BIDEN will have a moment of silence and candle-lighting ceremony on the South Portico with VP KAMALA HARRIS and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF, who are returning from Los Angeles. — Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 12:30 p.m. — The White House Covid-19 response team and public health officials will brief at 3 p.m. THE WEEK AHEAD — On Tuesday, Biden will meet virtually with essential workers and Canadian PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU (not at the same time). On Wednesday, Biden will sign an executive order on the economy and get a Covid briefing. On Thursday, he'll take part in a vaccination event and speak virtually to the National Governors Association Winter Meeting. THE SENATE returns at 3 p.m. to take up the nomination of LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD for U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Cloture vote expected at 5:30 p.m. THE HOUSE is out until Tuesday. | | | | NEW - "THE RECAST" NEWSLETTER: Power dynamics are changing. "Influence" is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is our new twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops, dispatches from across the country and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Don't miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO OF THE DAY: California Gov. Gavin Newsom greets residents in Los Angeles after Newsom visited a mobile vaccination site at Ramona Gardens Recreation Center on Sunday, Feb. 21. | Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo | THE BIDEN CABINET GARLAND GETS HIS HEARING — It took five years, but MERRICK GARLAND is finally getting a congressional hearing. The Senate Judiciary Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. to take up his nomination for A.G. Garland's team is releasing additional endorsements this morning, including the two sons of former A.G. EDWARD H. LEVI, who took over the department after RICHARD NIXON resigned and restored confidence in it post-Watergate. Democrats see parallels between that moment and now, coming off DONALD TRUMP'S yearslong effort to bend the department to his will, culminating with the failed push to pressure DOJ to overturn the election results. USA Today has more This morning, Marianne LeVine has an interesting read up about how four potential GOP contenders in 2024 — JOSH HAWLEY, TED CRUZ, BEN SASSE and Cotton — could use the Garland confirmation to "catapult their national brands." Count on it. As Marianne notes, "now-Vice President Kamala Harris rose to national prominence thanks in part to her incisive questioning of former President Donald Trump's nominees." INSIDE BECERRA'S QUEST TO INSURE THE UNDOCUMENTED: Maggie Severns has a deep dive this morning on XAVIER BECERRA'S push to extend federal health benefits to undocumented immigrants. Expect this to become a lightning rod issue for the HHS secretary nominee during his confirmation hearings, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. CONGRESS H.R. 1 NEWS THIS MORNING — Amid all the talk of infrastructure, immigration and what else might follow the big Covid relief bill, Rep. JOHN SARBANES (D-Md.) will announce today that every House Democrat has signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which focuses on voting rights, money in politics and ethics laws. It'll be on the House floor next week. Quite the turnaround from a few weeks ago, when Democrats were divided over parts of the bill and had to scuttle plans for an early vote. JOIN US! Democrats held the House in November but lost seats when they were expected to gain them — leaving the party little cushion to pass Biden's agenda. Rep. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (D-N.Y.), the DCCC chair, joins RACHAEL and EUGENE on Wednesday at noon to discuss his plans for protecting Democrats' slim majority in 2022, lessons learned from the last campaign and the continued fallout from the Jan. 6 attack. Register here THE WHITE HOUSE PUTTING THE PRESSURE ON, via Josh Gerstein: "When President Joe Biden was sworn in last month, he signed 17 executive orders and other directives. None was focused on transparency. Now, a coalition of advocates for more access to government information and deliberations are urging Biden to make such openness a higher priority and to reverse what they contend was a deterioration in public access to the inner workings of government under former President Donald Trump. … "Although Biden's presidency is now more than a month old, the groups urge Biden to issue a 'Day 1' memo stressing to officials across the federal government that transparency is 'a pillar of democratic governance and the responsibility of all federal employees, particularly agency heads.'" The letter | | | | A message from Google:   Google's Digital Coaches help Black and Latino business owners get the most from digital tools. Learn more. | | | 2022 WATCH — "Trump aide preps primary against Ohio impeachment supporter," by Alex Isenstadt: "Former Trump White House aide Max Miller is expected to wage a primary challenge against GOP Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, the latest opponent to take on a House Republican who supported the former president's impeachment. "Miller, who hails from northeastern Ohio, has been in talks with top Republican donors in the state and other party leaders since leaving the White House last month, according to a person familiar with the plans. He recently purchased a house in Rocky River, inside Gonzalez's 16th District." JAN. 6 FALLOUT NYT RECONSTRUCTION — "The Lost Hours: How Confusion and Inaction at the Capitol Delayed a Troop Deployment": "New details about what transpired over those 115 minutes on that dark, violent day — revealed in interviews and documents — tell a story of how chaotic decision-making among political and military leaders burned precious time as the rioting at the Capitol spiraled out of control. "Communication breakdowns, inaction and confusion over who had authority to call for the National Guard delayed a deployment of hundreds of troops who might have helped quell the violence that raged for hours." — "Incitement Case Against Trump for Capitol Riot Would Present Challenges," WSJ: "Prosecutors would face clear challenges in bringing any case, according to former prosecutors and experts. Tom Firestone, a lawyer with Baker & McKenzie LLP and former assistant U.S. attorney in New York, said prosecutors would have to consider several factors, including whether Mr. Trump was engaged in constitutionally protected political speech or instead crossed a line that prompted supporters to commit violence. 'If you look at his speech, there's evidence that both sides could use,' said Mr. Firestone, who spent 14 years with the Justice Department." PANDEMIC A HORRIBLE MILESTONE: "U.S. reaches 500,000 deaths from the coronavirus," NBC: "The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 500,000 on Sunday,according to an NBC News tally — a milestone that underscores the grave threat the virus still poses nationwide even as more Americans get vaccinated. "The coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 2,462,000 people worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The death toll in the U.S. is the highest in the world, even though the country has less than 5 percent of the global population." TRACKER: The U.S. reported 1,286 Covid-19 deaths and 58,000 new coronavirus cases Sunday. — "Beyond 100M: Biden team aiming for bigger vaccine numbers," AP: "[T]he act of delivering injections will soon be the dominant constraint, and it's prompting the Biden administration to push to dramatically expand the universe of those who will deliver injections and where Americans will meet them to get their shots. … "The daily inoculation average climbed to 1.7 million shots per day last week, but as many as double that number of doses are soon expected to be available on average each day. The focus of Biden's team is now quickly shifting to ensuring those doses can get used, though the administration has resisted the calls of some health experts to publicly set a 'moonshot' target for how many daily doses it hopes to deliver." DISASTER IN TEXAS GREG JOINS TED IN THE DOGHOUSE — "'Where is Greg Abbott?' Anger grows at Texas governor in deadly storm's wake," WaPo: "Critics have charged that the Abbott administration's response to the storm has at times resembled the government failures after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. … The anger was palpable, with petitions circulating online demanding the resignations of Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) … Citizens across the state posted angry memes on social media about the governor, crafting basketball-sized snowballs they wanted to aim at him and superimposing 'Where is Greg Abbott?' over a hellscape." THE LATEST — "Texas hospitals confront water shortages in winter storm aftermath," Houston Chronicle … "Gov. Abbott: Texas Public Utility Commission Halts Power Disconnections Due To Non-Payments," CBS Dallas … "Gov. Greg Abbott says power is almost fully restored statewide and grocery stores will soon be restocked," Texas Tribune | | | | TUNE IN TO GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe and start listening today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — POLITICO's Alex Thompson has signed with Simon & Schuster to write a comprehensive book on Biden's presidency. The book is expected in early 2024 and will be filled with fresh reporting and informed by his work covering the president and the White House transition. Thompson was represented in the deal by the Javelin literary agency. BREAKING THROUGH THE ICE — "Ice Skating Ends at Central Park After New York City Rift With Trump," NYT: "The two ice rinks in Central Park, memory-makers for generations of New Yorkers, are set to close Sunday after the city moved to end contracts with the Trump Organization following the Capitol riot. … "Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink, which the Trump Organization has operated since the 1980s, were to close at the end of business Sunday, the company said in a notice sent to parents of students in skating programs and posted at Wollman. The Trump Organization blamed the city for giving the company a Feb. 26 deadline to clear out and said it needed to shut a few days earlier. Bids are not due until March 19 in the competitive process to select a new operator for Wollman." CLICKER — "The eclectic estate of Roberta McCain — John McCain's mother — went up for auction. So did a piece of Old Washington," WaPo: "Roberta McCain didn't have one string of pearls, she had a dozen. Not one or two cocktail rings, but scores of them — enough to match every outfit. She was a fashionable woman who lived a fashionable life, complete with jewelry, antiques and art acquired throughout her well-traveled life. By the time she died last year at 108 years old, her grand apartment in Washington was packed with a lifetime of memories. "And stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. A tiny portion of her things went up for auction Friday … All of McCain's 107 lots sold and brought in a tad more than $97,000. But it was more than just a dispersion of things. A piece of Old Washington was up for bid; her life represented a certain era when women were mostly defined by their husbands' careers and burnished that reflected glory with a beautiful home and well-behaved children." HISTORY LESSON — "Black women's roles in the civil rights movement have been understated -- but that's changing," CNN — the first in a new "History Refocused" series FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Veteran GOP operatives Joe Pounder, Michael Fortney, Andy George and Luke Marchant are launching Franklin Creative Group, a new national mail firm, based in Colorado with representatives in Dallas and D.C. — Jenna Valle-Riestra is now press secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee under Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). She previously was digital assistant for Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). MEDIAWATCH — Erin Banco is joining POLITICO as a reporter covering the Covid-19 response and the CDC. She most recently has been a national security reporter at The Daily Beast. … Mike Spies is returning to The Trace as a senior staff writer. He previously was a reporter at ProPublica. TRANSITIONS — Anne Wall is joining Google's government affairs and public policy team as head of strategy and external affairs. She most recently was a partner at the Duberstein Group, and is an Obama Treasury and White House alum. … Sydney Rachael Levin-Epstein is now finance director for the Jewish Democratic Council of America. She previously was national events director for Jon Ossoff's campaign during the runoff and deputy finance director for Ed Markey's campaign. … … Noah Sadlier will be digital strategist at FlexPoint Media. He previously was political director and spokesperson for Peter Meijer's campaign. … Coalter Baker is now deputy director of the office of state-federal relations for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He most recently was deputy COS at HUD. … Robert Butora is now a director of federal government affairs for CVS Health. He previously was a health policy adviser for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.). HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) … David Axelrod ... Bob Bauer … Rodney Hood … Alex Slater … MPA's John Gibson … AARP's Martha Boudreau … former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist … Kristen Soltis Anderson … Peter Siegal of Norton Rose Fulbright … Jennifer Poersch … POLITICO's Heidi Sommer … Chris Crawford … Ed Brookover … Randy Levine … Viet Dinh … Netflix's Rachel Whetstone … NBC's Keir Simmons … Jim Friedlich … former Rep. John Bryant (D-Texas) … Danielle Bella Ellison … Becky Beland McNaught … Andrew Nixon … MSNBC's Dan Holway … CNN's Laurie Ure … Liz Glover … Alyssa Mastromonaco … Hugh Hewitt … eBay's Elizabeth Oblinger … AP's Michael Biesecker and Dorothy Abernathy … Jon Markman … Ryan Eaton … Jennifer Poersch, partner at HLP&R Advocacy … Michael Peterman Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Know if any Senate Republicans will back Tanden? Drop us a line at playbook@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. | | A message from Google: Google's Digital Coaches program helps over 58,000 small businesses. Grow with Google Digital Coaches provide online workshops and hands-on guidance to help local Black and Latino small businesses gain skills to reach new customers and thrive online. The program just expanded to 20 markets across the country. Learn more. | | | | | | | 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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