| | | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Eugene Daniels, Tara Palmeri and Rachael Bade | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | With the House and Senate on break, President JOE BIDEN will be at the center of political coverage this week — and the three big Biden stories are Afghanistan, Covid-19 and infrastructure. All three issues share something in common: They are monumental policy and political challenges with enormous long-term consequences for America (and the world). Six months into his presidency, there has been major progress on all three issues, but no final resolution. In each case, a reversal of fortunes or outright failure is still possible. Covid … Biden's one scheduled public event today is a speech about progress on getting Americans vaccinated. He failed to meet a self-imposed deadline of getting 70% of adults vaccinated by July Fourth. He faces the twin problems of a large and stubborn anti-Covid vaccine population and the steady rise of the more infectious and more deadly Delta variant. Watch to see if Biden announces a retooled White House strategy to attack this issue today. Afghanistan … The White House is not interested in talking much about the fact that America's pullout from Afghanistan is having dire consequences in the region. A quick review of the headlines tells the tale: WSJ: "After U.S.'s Bagram Exit, Afghans Face the Taliban Alone: Power went out and water stopped pumping; left behind were armored vehicles, a prison with thousands of inmates, ammunition and tents." AP: "U.S. left Afghan airfield at night, didn't tell new commander" CNN: "Top U.S. general in Afghanistan says 'we should be concerned' about Taliban" WaPo: "More than 1,000 Afghan soldiers flee into Tajikistan as Taliban extends control, Tajik officials say" Bloomberg: "Afghanistan Neighbors Raise Alarm With Russia Over Taliban Advance" Daily Mail: "Fears of an al-Qaeda resurgence as U.K. troops are 'forced' out of Afghanistan following U.S. military withdrawal" The public overwhelmingly supports Biden's decision to leave Afghanistan, but we've been surprised by how little the president has done to prepare Americans for the potential downside risks. | | | | A message from PhRMA: Out-of-pocket costs shouldn't be out-of-this-world confusing. If we fix insurance, we can fix out-of-pocket medicine costs. See how. | | | Infrastructure … The clock is ticking on Biden's two big legislative priorities: the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a budget resolution, which will set the parameters for the enormous Dems-only reconciliation bill. Expect a lot of work behind the scenes on both tracks in the coming days. Track 1: The relevant Senate committees are working to translate the bipartisan framework, which was rather light on specifics, into legislative language. As the framework becomes detailed text, the 11 Republican and 10 Democratic senators backing it will have to protect it from an onslaught of K Street meddling and any changes that could blow up the fragile alliance with the White House. Over in the House, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which presented a plan that's very similar to the one in the Senate, is working on wrangling its membership to endorse the Senate framework as soon as today. Track 2: Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER has instructed the Senate Budget Committee to draft a "unity budget resolution" that can be presented to the full Democratic Caucus when the Senate returns. Considering the number of priorities competing for inclusion in the budget resolution and the sheer scale of the spending imagined — $2 trillion to $6 trillion — this process could make the bipartisan negotiations look easy. The Budget Committee includes the full ideological spectrum of the Democratic caucus, from MARK WARNER (Va.) to BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.), the chair, so Schumer's thinking is that anything it produces could attract all 50 Democrats. But the White House is also taking a bigger role. Expect Biden's three-member legislative negotiating team of STEVE RICCHETTI, LOUISA TERRELL and BRIAN DEESE, who were all on the Hill last week, to continue guiding the unity budget resolution behind the scenes. There will be a lot of derailments before we know if these two trains arrive safely. Good Tuesday morning, and thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri. | | | | A message from PhRMA:   The way insurance covers your medicine is too complicated. See how we can make the system work for patients. Not the other way around. | | | BIDEN'S TUESDAY: — 10:30 a.m.: The president will receive the President's Daily Brief. — 1:15 p.m.: Biden will receive a briefing from the White House Covid-19 Response Team. — 2:45 p.m.: Biden will deliver remarks on Covid-19 and vaccinations in the South Court Auditorium. Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 12:30 p.m. KAMALA HARRIS' TUESDAY: — 10 a.m. PDT: The VP will depart Los Angeles to return to D.C. THE HOUSE will meet at 12:30 p.m. in a pro forma session. THE SENATE is out. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Search and rescue teams keep working in the debris of the collapsed Surfside, Fla., condo tower Monday after officials demolished what still stood of the building. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | ON POLITICS 'PIGS GET FAT. HOGS GET SLAUGHTERED' — House elections reporter/redistricting guru Ally Mutnick has a must-read this morning on a tough decision facing Republican-controlled legislatures as they redraw congressional maps for the next decade: whether to push their luck on gaining more seats by splicing up Democratic strongholds in red states, i.e., carving up cities like Louisville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., and Omaha, Neb. "Local Republicans, eager to grow their numbers in Congress and provide launching pads for ambitious state legislators, might be more inclined to carve up those blue pockets. But others in the GOP are wary of a rapid and unpredictable political realignment that complicates the drawing of new maps — and the threat of the legal behemoth Democrats have assembled to counter them. "Unabashed partisan gerrymandering that was commonplace after 2010 is now giving some Republicans pause. Top party strategists are urging state mapmakers to play it safe and draw lines that can withstand demographic change throughout the decade and lawsuits. "'There's an old saying: Pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered,' said Rep. PATRICK MCHENRY (R-N.C.). 'And when it comes to redistricting, that is, in fact, the case.'" WHAT REELECTION? — "Beyond D.C. partisanship, Warnock makes broad pitch in Ga.," by AP's Bill Barrow: "Back home, Georgia's first Black senator is more subtle, pitching a 'comprehensive view of infrastructure' and avoiding talk of his reelection fight already looming just months after he won a January special election runoff with Senate control at stake. … "Indeed, the preacher-turned-politician spent the Independence Day recess hopscotching from an inland port in the conservative Appalachian foothills to liberal Atlanta's urban microbreweries and sprawling public hospital, then the suburban defense contractors in between. At each stop, he highlighted the federal money he's routed — or is trying to route — to his state for health care, national security research, rural broadband and urban walking paths, among other projects." PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION — "How and why Loudoun County became the face of the nation's culture wars," by WaPo's Hannah Natanson: "Loudoun is not the only place where furor over critical race theory, or CRT, is taking off. Conservative activists and pundits across the United States have weaponized the theory — a decades-old academic framework that holds that racism is woven into the country's past and institutions — to claim that equity-conscious school systems are teaching children to hate one another, and White children to hate themselves. "Politicians throughout the nation are responding: Republican-led legislatures in Idaho, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas and Oklahoma have passed bills banning the teaching of certain race-related issues in schools. Loudoun school officials have defended the district's equity work and say it is not teaching critical race theory to students." WHITE HOUSE IMMIGRATION FILES — "Biden allies brace for GOP attacks when southern border reopens," by Anita Kumar and Sabrina Rodríguez: "The White House is expected to reopen the U.S.-Mexico border in the coming weeks, and even President Joe Biden's allies are worried he's not ready for the logistical and political impact … [I]mmigrant advocates say the move is long overdue. But administration officials and immigration experts expect that lifting the order will result in a spike in the number of migrants arriving at the border — at least in the short term. "Even with the phased-in approach, a sharp increase in migrants poses a major challenge for the administration over how to handle their arrival — hold them in detention centers or release them as they await their court proceedings, which can take years given a long backlog of cases. And Republicans plan to highlight any increase in migrants or delays in processing them in campaign ads, mailers and debates in races all over the country." | | | | A message from PhRMA:   See how we can make the system work for patients. Not the other way around. | | | POLICY CORNER ORGANIZING AMAZON — E. Tammy Kim, a contributing writer for NYT Opinion, examines the forbidding task facing the labor movement over the next few years: organizing Amazon after its failed attempt to unionize the Bessemer, Ala., warehouse this spring. That loss "has led many major unions to grapple with the role of Amazon in the economy and their members' lives. In June, members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has organized the logistics industry since the early 20th century, voted to target Amazon's operations. And a growing segment of the general population now recognizes the threat of 'Amazon capitalism': what scholars JAKE ALIMAHOMED-WILSON, JULIANN ALLISON and ELLEN REESE describe as reflecting 'the larger global trend of the increasing influence of finance capitalism, neoliberal politics and policies, and corporate power.' "The challenge of organizing Amazon is 'bigger than anything this country has ever faced,' PETER OLNEY, the former organizing director of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, told me. He compared Amazon's close to one million U.S. employees to the several hundred thousand organized by the United Auto Workers at Ford, Chrysler and General Motors in the 1930s and 1940s." PUSH FOR CLIMATE INITIATIVES PERSISTS — "New infrastructure deal must focus on climate, activists say," by AP's Matthew Daly: "Supporters say a larger, Democratic-only package now being developed in Congress must meet Biden's promise to move the country toward carbon-free electricity, make America a global leader in electric vehicles and create millions of jobs in solar, wind and other clean- energy industries. "But passage of a larger, multitrillion-dollar bill faces significant hurdles, even if Democrats use a procedural method that requires only a simple majority. It's far from certain, in an evenly divided Senate, that moderate Democrats will agree to an expansive measure that could swell to as high as $6 trillion. On the other hand, a less costly bill that does not fully address climate change risks losing support from large numbers of liberal Democrats who have pledged action on an issue that Biden has called 'the existential crisis of our times.'" NEW SANCTIONS STRATEGY INCOMING — "Biden to Temper U.S. Use of Sanctions Weapons, Officials Say," by WSJ's Ian Talley: "The Biden administration is revamping the way the U.S. uses punitive sanctions, aiming to stem sweeping pressure campaigns, avoid collateral economic damage and act jointly with allies rather than unilaterally, according to people involved in the planning process. "The administration has nearly completed an extensive review of U.S. sanctions policy, which is expected out near the end of summer, according to one official. While details are still being ironed out, Biden administration officials have foreshadowed elements of the new strategy in a series of actions, including the planned easing of economywide sanctions against Iran. Details of Biden's approach also were described by current and former administration officials as well as by incoming officials during congressional meetings." THE WORLD ACCORDING TO TRUMP THE ELECTION LIE AS CAMPAIGN STRATEGY — "In ramp-up to 2022 midterms, Republican candidates center pitches on Trump's false election claims," by WaPo's Amy Gardner: "While most of these campaigns are in their early stages, the embrace of Trump's claims is already widespread on the trail and in candidates' messages to voters. The trend provides fresh evidence of Trump's continued grip on the GOP, reflecting how a movement inspired by his claims and centered on overturning a democratic election has gained currency in the party since the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. "Dozens of candidates promoting the baseless notion that the election was rigged are seeking powerful statewide offices — such as governor, attorney general and secretary of state, which would give them authority over the administration of elections — in several of the decisive states where Trump and his allies sought to overturn the outcome and engineer his return to the White House." I TAKE IT BACK — "J.D. Vance says he regrets since-deleted tweets criticizing Trump," by Maeve Sheehey: "A recent Daily Beast column ran with the headline 'Hypocrite's Elegy: J.D. Vance Is an Avatar of GOP Corruption,' and Democrat TIM RYAN, who is vying for the Ohio Senate seat, tweeted: '.@JDVance1 and I have exactly one thing in common — neither of us voted for Donald Trump." "Now, as he runs for office, Vance has shifted toward a pro-Trump position, recently visiting the former president in Florida in hopes of earning his endorsement. He told Fox News on Monday that he hoped people wouldn't judge him for his past remarks, which he then walked back." DESSERT/REHAB — "You Really Need to Quit Twitter." by The Atlantic's Caitlin Flanagan. For the record, she tweeted out this story. But Flanagan said the post was dictated (to her son Patrick, we believe, who now has the keys to her account), and it was her first tweet in a month. | | | | 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 | | BOOK CLUB — The paperback edition of Rep. Eric Swalwell's (D-Calif.) book "Endgame: Inside the Impeachments of Donald J. Trump" comes out today, and he's added multiple new chapters covering the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 insurrection and his experience as an impeachment manager in February. More details FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — American Bridge 21st Century is adding Julie McClain Downey as VP of strategic comms and Brad Bainum as Senate comms director. Downey most recently was senior director of advocacy comms for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Bainum most recently led Senate race comms at the Arizona Democratic Party, supporting Mark Kelly's campaign. — Bianca Gutierrez is joining Rising Tide Interactive as head of people and culture. She most recently was deputy operations director at Giffords. — Mica Soellner is now a Capitol Hill reporter at the Washington Times. She most recently was a breaking news reporter at the Washington Examiner. STAFFING UP — Katy Neas is now deputy assistant secretary of Education for the office of special education and rehabilitative services. She previously was EVP of public affairs at the American Physical Therapy Association. TRANSITION — Michael Franklin is joining Black Futures Lab as a comms associate for the Black to the Future Action Fund. He most recently was a comms and special projects coordinator at The Collective PAC, and is co-founder of Speechwriters of Color. ENGAGED — TRUMP ALUMNI: David Planning, staff director for the House Small Business GOP, proposed to Dana Hurtik, director of operations and strategic events for GOPAC, in Old Town Alexandria. They met in D.C. through mutual friends and worked in the White House together for a year and a half, where they were both special assistants to the president. Pic — TRUMP ALUMNI: James Braid, chief of staff for Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) and an OMB alum, proposed to Melissa Brown, comms director for the House Freedom Caucus and a DHS and Interior alum, on a farm in Virginia on Sunday. They met in Rep. Ted Budd's (R-N.C.) office, but didn't start dating until later. Pic WEEKEND WEDDING — Laura Alesci, group creative director for Vice Media Group, and Jon Siani, architect and designer for Gensler, got married Thursday at one of their favorite local restaurants, Colonia Verde in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, with an after-party at Romans in Fort Greene. The two met on Bumble. Pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Remley Flock, former chief of staff to Donald Rumsfeld, and Robert Flock, an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School, welcomed Robert Benjamin Flock III on Friday. He came in at 6 lbs, 10 oz and 20 inches. Pic … Another pic — Zachary Cikanek, managing director at Plus Communications, and Jolyn Cikanek, government relations and PAC director of Enact MI, welcomed Rosemary Louise Cikanek on Friday. She came in at 7 lbs, 11.5 oz and 19.5 inches long, and is named after their aunts. She joins big sister Tabitha. Pic … Another pic — Kayla Dunlap, a senior research analyst for Meeting Street Insights, and Brian Dunlap, a Lexington County, S.C., firefighter, welcomed Elliott June Dunlap, their third daughter, on Monday. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former President George W. Bush (75) … Storm Horncastle of the VP's office … POLITICO's Anita Kumar and Beth Davidz … CBS' John Dickerson … WaPo's Glenn Kessler and Tyler Pager … Apple's Nick Ammann … Targeted Victory's Sarah Morgan … Josh Elliott … Christyn Lansing of Narrative Strategies … ACLU's Gabriela Meléndez Olivera … Kara Gainer … Tate Latinovich of America Rising … CNN's Athena Jones … Jennifer Duffy … Kimberly Dozier … Chris Paulitz … Danny Sepulveda … James Oaks of Summit Strategy Group … Jill Zuckman … Caleb Orr of Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) office … Zachary Karabell … Mark Tomb … Judah Ginsberg 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. | | | | A message from PhRMA: Getting to what you pay for medicines shouldn't be a maze. Let's make out-of-pocket costs transparent, predictable and affordable. And let's do it without sacrificing access to medicines and innovation. See how we can make the system work for patients. Not the other way around. | | | | | | | 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 | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment