| | | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri and Eugene Daniels | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | SAY IT AIN'T SO — "White House officials debate masking push as covid infections spike," by WaPo's Annie Linskey, Dan Diamond, Tyler Pager and Lena Sun, citing "six people familiar with the discussions": "The talks are in a preliminary phase and their result could be as simple as new messaging from top White House officials. But some of the talks include officials at the CDC who are separately examining whether to update their masking guidance. … "Officials cautioned that any new formal guidance would have to come from the CDC, and they maintained that the White House has taken a hands-off approach with the agency to ensure they are not interfering with the work of scientists. But the high-level discussions reflect rising concerns across the administration about the threat of the delta variant and a renewed focus on what measures may need to be reintroduced to slow its spread." CHOOSE YOUR NEWS, BIDEN TOWN HALL EDITION … Hot on the right: a slightly confusing JOE BIDEN answer on the FDA and vaccines. 40-second clip Hot on the left: a slightly confusing Biden answer on the filibuster and voting rights. Jon Favreau's take … Here's Biden's (long-winded) answer to the filibuster question, starting at 1:40 PARTISAN OVERSIGHT HITS A NEW LOW — It should be among the most important oversight investigations Congress has ever conducted. But the select committee on Jan. 6 hasn't even had its first hearing and it's already consumed by drama after Speaker NANCY PELOSI's decision to reject two GOP appointees. When Republicans voted against an outside bipartisan commission to investigate the siege because of what it might turn up in an election year, we called them out for acting in cowardice. But Pelosi's move will make the investigation even easier to dismiss for people who aren't die-hard members of Team Blue. Immediately after, left-wing Twitter cheered her announcement, while Republicans rallied to denounce it. It also comes as polling for CBS News finds that Republican voters are increasingly sympathetic to the rioters (WaPo's Philip Bump writes about this here ) — making a probe that's credible to the right even more important. Yes, Republicans were calling the investigation a sham and vowing to undermine it even before she removed Reps. JIM JORDAN (Ohio) and JIM BANKS (Ind.). But now Republicans are armed with a legitimate grievance: that the House speaker has decided to police which lawmakers on the other side get to sit on an investigative panel. Democrats defended Pelosi's power play on a few grounds: — If Jordan spoke to DONALD TRUMP on Jan. 6, he could be considered a witness, and possibly one to be subpoenaed by the committee. (We haven't heard whether Democrats intend to do so.) — Some Democrats think any Republican who objected to the Electoral College results should be barred from serving on the panel. But Pelosi ousted only two of the three Republicans who did so, suggesting this was not her guiding motivation. It's important to note that Jordan and Banks, both fiery Trump allies, are effective communicators with their base — a threat to Pelosi's messaging on this. But moving to silence members by kicking them off committees, instead of trying to make the better argument, is a new tack in oversight. And the precedent has long-term implications: We wouldn't be surprised if a future Speaker KEVIN MCCARTHY returned the favor if and when the time comes. ON THE FLIP SIDE: If Pelosi gave McCarthy a gift for his own base Wednesday, McCarthy handed the speaker one in return for hers: His announcement that he would withdraw all his members from the panel unless she reverses course is exactly what a lot of Democrats were hoping for. Now, Democrats (plus Rep. LIZ CHENEY ) can subpoena whomever they want, whenever they want, without any protest. If they decide to have closed-door depositions with Trump White House officials, the former president will have no spies in the room to report back. And the public hearings will be free of GOP complaints. In that regard, perhaps, Pelosi may say the move was worth it. ALSO: Here's CHENEY defending Pelosi's call to block the picks. The clip At the same time, Cheney's role on the committee in light of Wednesday's developments has exacerbated GOP tensions, our Olivia Beavers, Nicholas Wu and Heather Caygle report: "For several of her Republican colleagues, Cheney has now committed a sin even more grave than her relentless criticism of the former president: publicly standing with Pelosi. "Some Republicans even raised the idea of Cheney facing consequences for her decision to stay involved with the panel, though they didn't wade into the topic of what those should be." Good Thursday morning, and thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri. | | A message from Google: Google blocks 100 million phishing attempts every day. To keep hackers out of your inbox, Gmail uses industry-leading technology to automatically detect threats, blocking more than 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts, and malware from ever reaching you. Learn more. | | | HAPPENING TODAY: DUNN TO CAPITOL HILL — We wrote Wednesday about how GOP leaders are going on offense against Biden's $3.5 trillion reconciliation package by framing it as a "reckless tax and spending spree." Well today, White House senior adviser ANITA DUNN is going to the Hill to arm Democrats for the messaging war ahead. Dunn will appear at Senate Democrats' caucus lunch and the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, we're told. According to a copy of the presentation obtained by Playbook, her talk will encourage Democrats to argue that Build Back Better will usher in "more jobs," "tax cuts" and "lower costs for working families." First up on her list? Pushback to the GOP suggestion that the plan will mean a tax hike on the middle class: "All of Build Back Better will be paid for by making the tax code more fair and making the wealthiest and large corporations pay their fair share," reads one of the first slides. "No one earning under $400,000 will pay a penny more in taxes." GOP internal polling has shown a double-digit swing in how voters view the plan depending on whether it's framed as a tax hike versus a tax cut for the middle class. Each Dunn slide goes into a different policy matter — child tax credits, lower prescription drug costs, universal pre-school — with polling on public support for each. The presentation shows how the administration is trying to get their message out using social media and sending Cabinet officials out to travel the country. View the 23-page slide here THE LATEST: "Bipartisan infrastructure talks leave Dems $3.5T bill in flux," by Marianne LeVine, Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle: "Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER has yet to indicate when exactly he'll move forward on the $3.5 trillion price tag that fellow Democrats have backed for a party-line plan to tackle prized liberal priorities, from health care to climate change. "But as bipartisan talks on a separate, smaller infrastructure bill remain in flux, liberal Democrats in both chambers are already signaling that the bigger bill's top line will need to increase if a cross-aisle deal falls apart. Not every Democrat agrees: Some centrists are flatly rejecting the idea of adding even a single more dollar to the party's already-hefty plan that's on tap to pass without GOP votes through what's known as budget reconciliation." MORE HEADLINES: "The Senate's infrastructure gamble, explained," Vox … "G.O.P. Blocks Infrastructure Debate in Senate, Raising Doubts About a Deal," NYT … "Schumer leaves door open for second vote on bipartisan infrastructure deal," The Hill | | | | A message from Google:   Google's Password Checkup detects if any of your saved passwords are weak or have been compromised, and helps you easily change them if needed. | | | BIDEN'S THURSDAY: — 10:30 a.m.: The president and VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive the President's Daily Brief. — 1:15 p.m.: Biden will receive a briefing on the pandemic from the White House Covid-19 response team. — 2:15 p.m.: Biden will deliver remarks and sign into law the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 in the East Room, with Harris also attending. — 4 p.m.: Biden and Harris will meet with union and business leaders to discuss the BIF in the Roosevelt Room. HARRIS' THURSDAY: The VP will also meet with DACA recipients, other Dreamers and immigrant rights leaders at 12:15 p.m. The White House Covid-19 response team and public health officials will brief at 11 a.m. Press secretary JEN PSAKI and Commerce Secretary GINA RAIMONDO will brief at 12:15 p.m. First lady JILL BIDEN arrived in Tokyo at 2:30 a.m. EDT. She will meet with Japanese PM YOSHIHIDE SUGA and his wife, MARIKO SUGA, at Akasaka Palace at 6 a.m. EDT. THE SENATE is in. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup to vote on nominations, including the embattled TRACY STONE-MANNING to be director of the Bureau of Land Management, at 9:30 a.m. THE HOUSE will meet at 9 a.m to take up the Allies Act of 2021, with last votes between 10:30 and 11 a.m. Pelosi will hold her weekly press conference at 10 a.m., and McCarthy will hold his at 12:30 p.m. | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Courtney Stodden helps out at the annual PETA Congressional Veggie Dog Lunch on Wednesday, serving up vegan hot dogs outside Longworth. | Win McNamee/Getty Images | MORE CONGRESS STORMS ON THE HORIZON — "Debt-Limit Steps May Run Out in October, Budget Office Says," by Bloomberg's Katia Dmitrieva: "U.S. lawmakers likely have until October or November to raise or suspend the debt limit, the CBO indicated, offering a wider window of time to address the issue than the Biden administration had previously signaled. "Without an increase, the Treasury Department's ability to borrow would be exhausted and it would probably run out of cash sometime in the first quarter of the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, 'most likely in October or November,' the nonpartisan CBO said in a report Wednesday. The debt limit, or the total debt the Treasury can issue to the public and other government agencies, has been on a two-year hold that expires July 31. "The CBO's forecast is later than Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN had previously indicated. She had said the department's tools could be exhausted as soon as this summer, while banks were broadly expecting a deal to avert a crisis as early as the end of September, with an outside risk of a technical default in November." POLICY CORNER LESSONS FROM THE PAST — "DOJ restricts contact with White House, a sharp pivot from Trump administration," by USA Today's Kevin Johnson: "[A.G. MERRICK] GARLAND Wednesday issued a long-anticipated directive restricting Justice Department contact with the White House as a firewall against potential political interference. The order, which reaffirmed some policies of previous administrations, marks a sharp pivot from the Trump era when the former president casually broke with institutional norms, repeatedly calling on the department to launch investigations of his political rivals, including Biden, HILLARY CLINTON and former FBI Director JAMES COMEY." THE PANDEMIC WHAT THE WEST WING IS SWEATING — "U.S. virus cases nearly triple in 2 weeks amid misinformation," by AP's Heather Hollingsworth and Jim Salter: "Across the U.S., the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases rose over the past two weeks to more than 37,000 on Tuesday, up from less than 13,700 on July 6, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Health officials blame the delta variant and slowing vaccination rates. Just 56.2% of Americans have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the CDC." PARTY PEOPLE — "Anti-vaccine groups changing into 'dance parties' on Facebook to avoid detection," by NBC's Ben Collins and Brandy Zadrozny: "Some anti-vaccination groups on Facebook are changing their names to euphemisms like 'Dance Party' or 'Dinner Party,' and using code words to fit those themes in order to skirt bans from Facebook, as the company attempts to crack down on misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines. "The groups, which are largely private and unsearchable but retain large user bases accrued during the years Facebook permitted anti-vaccination content, also swap out language to fit the new themes and provide code legends, according to screenshots provided to NBC News by multiple members of the groups." | | A message from Google: Google protects 4 billion devices from malicious sites every day. Safe Browsing, one of Google's many privacy and security protections, is designed to automatically detect threats and can alert you when you might visit a risky site. To make the internet safer for everyone, Google makes this technology free for other companies to use in their browsers. Learn more. | | | K STREET WATCH NATURALLY — "Battle for Power in Haiti Extends to Lobbying in Washington," by NYT's Kenneth Vogel and Natalie Kitroeff: "Documents, interviews and communications among Haitian politicians and officials show a scramble across a wide spectrum of Haitian interests to hire lobbyists and consultants in Washington and use those already on their payrolls in the hopes of winning American backing in a period of leadership turmoil in Haiti. "A group text chat in the days after the killing of President JOVENEL MOÏSE that included Haitian officials, political figures and American lobbyists showed them strategizing about countering American critics and potential rivals for the presidency and looking for ways to cast blame for the killing … The chat began before the assassination and originally included Mr. Moïse, though it appeared to take on a more frenetic tone after he was gunned down in his home this month." BAD FOR BUSINESS — "These lobbyists cashed in on Trump. Now, business is down by millions," by Theodoric Meyer: "When Trump took office in 2017, the handful of Washington lobbyists who could boast ties to him were inundated with calls from potential clients. Six months into the Biden administration, several Trump-connected firms together are down millions of dollars in fees compared to a year earlier; one prominent firm with Trumpworld ties has collapsed, and another has withdrawn from Washington entirely." AMERICA AND THE WORLD DONE DEAL — "U.S., Germany seal deal on contentious Russian gas pipeline," by AP's Matthew Lee: "Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. and Germany committed to countering any Russian attempt to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a political weapon. And, they agreed to support Ukraine and Poland, both of which are bypassed by the project and fear Russia's intentions, by funding alternative energy and development projects." TROOP PULLOUT LATEST — "Gen. Milley says Taliban appear to have 'strategic momentum,'" by AP's Robert Burns: "The Taliban appear to have 'strategic momentum' in the fight for control of Afghanistan as they put increasing pressure on key cities, setting the stage for a decisive period in coming weeks as American forces complete their withdrawal, said [Gen. MARK MILLEY, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]. "The Pentagon says the U.S. withdrawal is 95 percent finished and will be completed by Aug. 31. And while the Biden administration has vowed to continue financial assistance and logistical support for Afghan forces after August, Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN said the focus of U.S. military efforts there will be countering terrorist threats, not the Taliban." | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | STAFFING UP — Wintta Woldemariam is joining DOJ as a deputy assistant A.G. She most recently has been policy director for House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.). … Andrea Goldstein is now assistant director for force resiliency at the Department of the Navy. She most recently was senior policy adviser for the Women Veterans Task Force on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. — The White House announced several foreign policy nominations: John Bass as undersecretary of State for management, David Cohen as ambassador to Canada, Jamie Harpootlian as ambassador to Slovenia and Victoria Kennedy as ambassador to Austria. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Kevin Benacci is now senior director of corporate comms for the global public affairs team at Crowdstrike. He most recently was a VP for Targeted Victory's cyber practice. TRUMP ALUMNI — Billy Gribbin is now comms director for Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.). He previously was special assistant to the president and speechwriter in the White House, and is a former editor of American Renewal, a project of the Daily Caller News Foundation. TRANSITIONS — Tricia Enright is now comms director for the Senate Commerce Committee. She most recently was comms director for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). … Eric Pelofsky is now deputy COS and managing director at the Rockefeller Foundation. He most recently was senior director of international affairs in Shell's D.C. office and is an Obama White House alum. … Patrick Burgwinkle is now an account director at Sunshine Sachs. He most recently was comms director for End Citizens United, and is a DCCC and Hillary 2016 alum. … … Christopher Silayan DeVore is now legislative director for Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.). He most recently was legislative assistant for Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (I-Northern Mariana Islands). … Melanie Meyers is now campaign manager for Jeanine Lawson's Virginia congressional campaign. She most recently was finance director for Phil Rizzo's New Jersey gubernatorial campaign and is a Trump Victory, Pete Stauber and Tom Tiffany alum. — "Congress' AAPI caucus taps Nisha Ramachandran as executive director," by The Yappie's Andrew Peng, Joshua Yang and Shawna Chen: "The longtime community advocate and consultant, who previously worked as policy director for the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), is the first South Asian American to serve in the role." WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Matthew Ballard, EVP at BCW Global, and Charlene Ballard of JPMorgan Chase welcomed Matthew J. Ballard Jr. on Wednesday. Pic — Jeffrey Lightfoot, program director for Europe at the Center for International Private Enterprise, and Simona Lightfoot, a managing director for POLITICO's audience solutions team, welcomed Isabelle Lightfoot on June 21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) … former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (98) … Don Van Natta Jr. … The Daily Beast's Sam Brodey … Erin Perrine of Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) office … Tarun Chhabra … Caleb Smith … Port Side Strategies' Will Fischer … Reid Cherlin … POLITICO's Craig Howie … CNN's Terence Burlij … David Shuster … National Association of Counties' Seamus Dowdall … Amanda Kules … Whitney VanMeter of UPS … Annie Lowrey … former Reps. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.) and Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) … Alex Pappas … Elise Shutzer of Pew Charitable Trusts … Kevin Cameron … Arshi Siddiqui of Akin Gump … Mike DiRienzo of the Silver Institute … AJ Jorgenson … Kay Bailey Hutchison … former VA Secretary David Shulkin … Brandt Anderson … Warren Bass … Joy Yunji Lee … Jerry Smith … Sarah Obenour … Amy Littleton ... Sandra Perez Hawthorne … Emily Carpeaux ... AP's Peter Prengaman ... Shelly Porges ... Nathan Naylor ... Soren Dayton … Kerry Allen … Travis Korson … Andrew Feinberg ... Les MacDonald … Ella Mizrahi … Sarah Hummell … Ben Leubsdorf … Jamaican PM Andrew Holness … Meghan Sullivan Belica of Wells Fargo Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Mike Zapler, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Allie Bice, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross. | | | | 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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