| | | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Tara Palmeri, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER proclaimed Tuesday night that Democrats are "very proud" of the $3.5 trillion budget agreement he had just unveiled, before adding: "We know we have a long way to go." "Long" is one way to put it. "Painstaking" and "treacherous" are a few others. With no votes to spare in the Senate and only four in the House (soon to be three, with Republicans expected to win a runoff in Texas), President JOE BIDEN heads to the Senate today to begin the hard work of whipping the party in line behind the Democrat-only deal. He got a head start when Budget Chair BERNIE SANDERS endorsed the deal, even as the Vermont independent spent much of the first part of the Democrats' presser looking at his shoes. (When WaPo's Seung Min Kim asked him about having to swallow the $3.5 trillion top-line number a day after panning it, Sanders truly sounded like a member of Democratic leadership: "This is the most significant piece of legislation passed since the Great Depression, and I'm delighted to be part of having helped to put it together.") Here are four dynamics we're watching as the whipping operation gets underway: 1) The other Joe with veto power: Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) balked at Sanders' original $6 trillion proposal, suggesting maybe he could back $2 trillion. Will he be OK with almost double that? On the other hand, Dems vowed Tuesday night that the deal will be paid for, which Manchin has insisted on. — A sub-dynamic: Has Sen. MARK WARNER (D-Va.), a centrist on the budget panel, been negotiating as a proxy for Manchin? We're about to find out. Either way, we expect to hear plenty from Manchin, who likes to flex his muscles in these situations. 2) Progressives and the Squad: Just because Bernie is on board, does that mean House progressives will follow? We should get a good read when the Congressional Progressive Caucus holds an afternoon call with reporters. We know for certain this plan falls short of what they want, not to mention what Biden promised on the campaign trail. For example, while Schumer boasted that the plan will include a "robust expansion" of Medicare, including coverage of dental and vision, that's hardly the public option Biden promised. Still, progressives — including some members of the so-called Squad — have insisted they're no Freedom Caucus, i.e. willing to kill legislation because it's not perfect, even if they get much of what they want. Will they fight for a higher number, or swallow hard like Sanders did? — Rep. RO KHANNA, a progressive from California, seemed noncommittal Tuesday night, which might actually be a good sign for leadership: "I need to see the details and what climate provisions are in there," he said. 3) Which priorities get cut? Even if Democrats fall in line with $3.5 trillion, there will be ongoing spats about where that money goes. Some want to prioritize continuing the generous child tax credits that just started flowing. Others want cash for climate initiatives or help for caretakers. The smaller top-line number will trigger a lobbying battle over whose pet issues stay or get axed. 4) How does this impact the BIF? Some of the 11 Senate Republicans who agreed to the bipartisan infrastructure framework might balk at this number and use it as an excuse to bail. As Schumer noted, if you add the $600 billion in new spending in the bipartisan infrastructure framework and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation number, the Democratic majority will be spending $4.1 trillion this year — not counting pandemic relief. Do Republicans want to be seen as helping pass that amount of spending? The coverage: WaPo … WSJ … POLITICO Good Wednesday morning, and thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri. | | A message from Amazon: "This is the first time in my life that I have dental insurance, visual insurance, [and] life insurance." Comprehensive benefits give employees like Leonardo a sense of security. Amazon is committed to creating good jobs with a starting wage of at least $15 an hour and benefits for employees. | | | POLITICO NEWS ACROSS THE POND — Beginning in September, Suzanne Lynch and Jakob Hanke Vela will be the new authors of Brussels Playbook, taking over from Florian Eder. Suzanne is currently Washington correspondent for the Irish Times, and Jakob is a trade reporter for POLITICO Europe. Florian will move to a new beat in Germany. Read and subscribe to Brussels Playbook here PULLOUT FALLOUT — A war-weary American public is still behind Biden's effort to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but there are wide partisan fissures on the issue. That's the takeaway from the latest POLITICO/Morning Consult poll out this morning, which finds that 59% of registered voters support the plan to withdraw all troops by the end of next month, compared to only 25% opposed. The support includes 76% of Democrats, 59% of independents and 42% of Republicans. On the broader contours of the Afghanistan debate, the margin is a little narrower. Fifty-one percent of voters agree with the idea that the U.S. has been there too long, compared to 33% who think the U.S. needs to keep troops there. And voters remain worried about what we'll leave behind: More than seven in 10 are concerned that the country will become a safe haven for violence and terrorism. Toplines … Crosstabs CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU — Members of DONALD TRUMP'S inner circle say they won't miss JENNA ELLIS after she announced on Newsmax on Monday that she's leaving the GOP. Trump's former campaign attorney made the proclamation in response to a leaked email in WaPo in which RNC lawyer JUSTIN RIEMER called her a "joke" over her election fraud claims. Ellis then tweeted a meme to insinuate that she is closer to Trump than is RNC Chair RONNA MCDANIEL, with the hashtag #Ronnamustgo. But sources close to Trump said that they've been trying to create distance between Trump and Ellis, whom many blame for giving bad legal advice and selling him on the fantasy that he won the election. "Everything she told the president was wrong," said a Trump adviser. "She knew the only way she was staying was parroting everything [RUDY] GIULIANI said." Another adviser said Trump "liked her on TV because she was loud and she knew how to position herself as a legal-minded person. I can't take away her loyalty, but she's not particularly helpful." Others think her fight with the RNC chair is an attempt to boost her own profile since signing a contract with Newsmax in June. A spokesperson for Trump declined to comment. Ellis responded in a statement: "Anyone siding with Ronna is simply outing themselves as the self-serving politicians that have continued to undermine Trump and America for years. These people aren't living by principles and truth; they're siding with corruption and lies for political expediency." | | A message from Amazon: $15 an hour and benefits give Leonardo and Amazon employees like him the freedom to do more — save up for a family vacation, go back to school, or upgrade their homes. | | | BIDEN'S WEDNESDAY: — 10 a.m.: The president and VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive the President's Daily Brief. — 3 p.m.: Biden will talk about the bipartisan infrastructure framework with governors and mayors from both parties, Harris, Commerce Secretary GINA RAIMONDO and Labor Secretary MARTY WALSH. HARRIS' WEDNESDAY: The VP will also talk voting rights with disabilities advocates at 11:45 a.m. Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 12:30 p.m. THE SENATE will meet at 10 a.m., with cloture votes on the nominations of JOCELYN SAMUELS to be a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and SEEMA NANDA to be solicitor for the Labor Department at 11:30 a.m. After a recess until 2 p.m., potential confirmation votes will follow at 2:35 p.m. Walsh will testify before an Appropriations subcommittee at 10 a.m. USAID Administrator SAMANTHA POWER will testify before the Foreign Relations Committee at 10:30 a.m. VA Secretary DENIS MCDONOUGH will testify before the Veterans' Affairs Committee at 3:30 p.m. THE HOUSE is out. Fed Chair JEROME POWELL will testify before the Financial Services Committee at noon. Power will testify before the Foreign Affairs Committee at 2 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: Protesters shut down part of the Palmetto Expressway on Tuesday, July 13, in Miami, Fla., as they show their support for the people in Cuba who have taken to the streets to protest pandemic restrictions, the pace of Covid-19 vaccinations and the Cuban government. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | POLITICS ROUNDUP IT'S THE BIF, STUPID — Burgess Everett has a good story today about a subject that hasn't gotten much attention amid the deluge of coverage on the infrastructure negotiations: how the bipartisan deal — if it happens — will play in 2022. With parties planning to paint their opponents as Sanders disciples or Trump apologists, notching a big across-the-aisle accomplishment could go a long way in helping candidates in competitive states or districts project a more pragmatic profile. Burgess zeroes in on Sen. MAGGIE HASSAN (D-N.H.), who's bracing for a stiff challenge from Republican Gov. CHRIS SUNUNU. "Republicans are painting Hassan, along with Sens. MARK KELLY (D-Ariz.), RAPHAEL WARNOCK (D-Ga.) and CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO (D-Nev.), as uncritical supporters of liberals in Congress, but shaking off doubters to notch a bipartisan achievement could help the vulnerable Democrats' cases for winning reelection and keeping control of the Senate. That group of red and purple-state senators would join President Joe Biden in showing they can work across the aisle on a subject that previous administrations talked about but could not deliver on. … "For Hassan to beat Sununu , she'll need to emphasize her centrism and independence from liberals by talking up her efforts at moderation. … Supporters say part of their challenge for someone like Hassan is to make sure voters understand her work even when she's not in the headlines every day." NRCC TAKES FUNDRAISING EDGE OVER DCCC — It's not often that the NRCC outraises the DCCC. This morning, though, the NRCC is announcing it raised $45.4 million in Q2 and more than $20 million in June, a record-breaking sum and, more importantly to them, more than the Dems raised. (Last week, the DCCC announced its own record haul of $36.5 million in Q2 and nearly $14.4 million in June.) The numbers come well before the battle for the House kicks into high gear, but signal that the fight is on for Democrats, who already face an uphill battle in keeping the majority. EYE-POPPING MONEY FOR TIM SCOTT — "As national profile rises, GOP Sen. Tim Scott raises $9.6 million," by Roll Call's Bridget Bowman: "The $9.6 million haul is the highest total a senator up for reelection next year has released so far this cycle. It's more than four times what Scott raised in the first quarter of the year, and $3.4 million above what he raised in winning his first full term in 2016." THE WHITE HOUSE BIDEN'S BIG SPEECH — "Biden chides Republicans on voting laws: 'Have you no shame?'" by Laura Barrón-López and Jonathan Custodio: "'We're facing the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War,' Biden said." 'VAX THAT THANG UP' — "Biden's Covid vaccine campaign is sputtering. Juvenile thinks he can help," by Eugene Daniels: "This is not the JUVENILE of old, the one with the signature oversized white tee and backwards cap whose platinum records made him a fixture of awkward prom dances across America. For one, the bling is much more understated … The bigger tell, however, is in the video he's just produced, the one he's jumped on Zoom to talk about. The beat gives you flashbacks to his 1999 hit, 'Back that Thang Up.' "And the video opens up with an homage to the original — a cloud of smoke that fades away; Juvenile standing behind four women with knees bent ready to … well, how do we say this journalistically … back that ass up. But the words don't reflect the cultural excesses of the late '90s; instead, they are squarely drawn from the age of the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Girl, you look good, won't you vax that thang up. You's a handsome young brother, won't you vax that thang up. Date in real life you need to vax that thang up. Feeling freaky all night you need to vax that thang up.' … Yes, the Cash Money rapper has recast himself as the ambassador of the jab." HOT LARRY SUMMER — "New concern for Biden: Could Larry Summers be right about inflation?" by Ben White: "There is a new fear circulating inside the West Wing of the White House: Maybe LARRY SUMMERS was right. The former Treasury secretary has been warning since February that President Joe Biden's big-spending agenda was creating the risk of an inflation spike this year, potentially cutting into the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. For the moment at least, Summers is looking prescient." — @jeneps: "Scoop: Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers was at the White House [Tuesday] meeting with top economic advisers BRIAN DEESE and CECILIA ROUSE. He's been raising alarms about inflation for months and visit came on the day when surging June inflation numbers were reported." | | | | A message from Amazon:   $15 an hour helps Leonardo save for college classes. | | | CONGRESS FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: SENATE GOP TO TAKE ON BIDEN OVER TITLE 42 — While Washington focuses on Democrats' budget agreement, a group of Senate Republicans are heading to the border today in what's expected to be a sizzling political issue this summer: Biden's move to lift an order allowing Homeland Security officials to expel immigrants with the coronavirus. Trump instituted the order invoking public health authority in Title 42, arguing that having infected individuals in close proximity to others was bad not only for immigrants but for the nation. Many Dems viewed it as an excuse to crack down on asylum-seekers. Now, even Biden allies are worried about the avalanche of GOP attacks he'll endure for reversing the order. Here's an excerpt of a letter they're sending to Biden today : "We urge you in the strongest possible terms not to take this action … Immigration facilities are overwhelmed. Revoking the authority … without a clear plan in place to handle the stress this population will place on the system and on border communities will further exacerbate the crisis at the southwestern border … The administration's first priority must be to protect the American homeland. Allowing political considerations to overrule the clear public health threat created by the spread of COVID-19 at the border is reckless and irresponsible." Co-signers include: Sens. JOHN BARRASSO (Wyo.), MITCH MCCONNELL (Ky.), ROGER MARSHALL (Kan.), SUSAN COLLINS (Maine), SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (W.Va.), BILL HAGERTY (Tenn.), LINDSEY GRAHAM (S.C.), CYNTHIA LUMMIS (Wyo.), MIKE BRAUN (Ind.), DEB FISCHER (Neb.), KEVIN CRAMER (N.D.), JOHN HOEVEN (N.D.), JOHN BOOZMAN (Ark.) and THOM TILLIS (N.C.). Read the full letter. And the AP has more on what's expected from the White House on this front. BEYOND THE BELTWAY TEXAS TICK-TOCK — "Inside the secret plan for the Texas Democratic exodus: A phone tree, a scramble to pack and a politically perilous trip," by WaPo's Amy Gardner, Eva Ruth Moravec, Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff and Nicole Asbury: "They said they had no other recourse, and they admitted that they have no end game, as [Texas Gov. GREG] ABBOTT promised to keep calling special sessions, over and over, until the election legislation has its day. But they chose Washington, a hideout in full view, for a reason: to garner national attention and escalate the stakes in a long-running effort to pressure Congress and Biden to approve federal voting-rights protections that would outlaw the kinds of restrictions Texas Republicans — and dozens of other legislatures across the country — are trying to enact. "By Tuesday, more than 46 House Democrats had arrived in Washington, joined by nine Senate Democrats, including some who hopped on a Southwest Airlines flight Monday night to join them. For now, they are planning to bunk at a local hotel, which they asked not to be identified for security reasons." OUT THIS MORNING — The Arizona Republic published a six-month investigation into how Arizona Gov. DOUG DUCEY, and former and current high-level staffers, tried to help GOP megadonor G. BRINT RYAN secure more than $100 million in tax refunds. The investigation comes as the governor has butted heads with both Biden and Trump, and as Ducey is seen as a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate. Read it here AMERICA AND THE WORLD CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER — "Russia's most aggressive ransomware group disappeared. It's unclear who disabled them," by NYT's David Sanger: "Days after Biden demanded that President VLADIMIR PUTIN of Russia shut down ransomware groups attacking American targets, the most aggressive of the groups suddenly went off-line early Tuesday. The mystery is who made it happen." UNLIKELY DYNAMIC — "GOP senators fight to preserve Biden's war powers amid tensions with Iran," by Andrew Desiderio MEDIAWATCH SCANDAL DU JOUR — "Bill O'Reilly's Accuser Finally Breaks Her Silence," by The Daily Beast's Diana Falzone and Lloyd Grove: "'This is as good as it gets!' New York litigator DAVID RATNER shouted at his client, ANDREA MACKRIS, slapping both hands on the highly polished conference table. 'Take the money,' Ratner yelled, 'and move on with your life!' That was almost 17 years ago … "Mackris, then a 33-year-old Fox News producer on the cusp of a promising career, didn't want to accept her boss BILL O'REILLY'S offer to settle her sexual harassment lawsuit against him for $9 million — $3 million of which would be pocketed by her legal team, Ratner and BENEDICT MORELLI. … Today, Mackris recalls to The Daily Beast for the first time intimate and graphic details of O'Reilly's alleged harassment, including lewd, menacing telephone calls and conversations in which she says he forced her to listen to his sexual fantasies about her." | | | | 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 | | IN MEMORIAM — "Margaret Richardson, IRS commissioner during Clinton's first term, dies at 78," by WaPo's Adam Bernstein: "Margaret 'Peggy' Richardson, a Washington tax lawyer who became commissioner of internal revenue during President Bill Clinton's first term and was the second woman to serve as the nation's chief tax collector, died July 13 at her home in Delaplane, Va. She was 78." SPOTTED having dinner together Tuesday night at Cafe Milano: Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Fatih Birol, Jake Levine, Varun Sivaram, Paula Stern and Dick Morningstar. STAFFING UP — The White House announced a suite of new nominees, including some high-profile names: Jeff Flake for ambassador to Turkey, Atul Gawande for assistant administrator of the Bureau for Global Health at USAID, Gabe Camarillo for undersecretary of the Army, Alan Estevez for undersecretary of Commerce for industry and security, Kent Logsdon for ambassador to Moldova, Lisa Wang for assistant secretary of Commerce for enforcement and compliance and Rich Trumka Jr. for commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. MEDIA MOVES — Wendy Benjaminson has moved up to be deputy managing editor at Bloomberg's D.C. bureau. She most recently was political editor during the 2020 campaign, and is a McClatchy, USA Today and AP alum. … Jackson Richman is now a writer for Mediaite. He most recently has been a freelance writer and opinion contributor to the Washington Examiner. … Gabriel Snyder is launching Off the Record, a daily email newsletter about New York media. He's a former editor of The New Republic, The Atlantic Wire and Gawker. FUNDRAISING FILES — Democratic digital fundraising firm Anne Lewis Strategies is rebranding today as MissionWired, with a new logo and website. TRANSITIONS — Broderick Johnson will be EVP of public policy and EVP of digital equity at Comcast. He most recently was senior of counsel at Covington & Burling, and is an Obama and Clinton White House alum. … Joanna Belanger is now SVP at New Blue Interactive. She previously was political director at Giffords. … Yasmin Cader will lead the ACLU's Trone Center for Justice and Equality. She's been a longtime public defender and civil rights attorney. … … Tiffany Derentz is now senior counsel on Berry Appleman & Leiden's government strategies team. She most recently was an attorney in the State Department's Office of the Legal Adviser. … Dayne Cutrell is now a shareholder and director of federal affairs in the government and regulatory affairs practice at Maynard Cooper and Gale. He previously was chief of staff to Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). … Joe Scantlebury will be CEO of Living Cities. He most recently was VP for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. WEEKEND WEDDING — Lindsay McDonough, scheduler for Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), and William Dargusch, a former Treasury and Rob Portman staffer, got married Saturday at the Brittland Manor in Chestertown, Md. They met working in the Senate in 2015. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: National Retail Federation's Matthew Shay … Media Research Center's Brent Bozell … Washington Free Beacon's Eliana Johnson … ABC's Devin Dwyer … The Guardian's Daniel Strauss … Raytheon's Mary Lee … James Davis … Rhonda Foxx … Ammon Simon … Mike Panetta of the Beekeeper Group (5-0) … Facebook's Nkechi Nneji … Axios' Caitlin Owens … Tigercomm's Mike Casey … Edda Collins Coleman of Cogent Strategies … POLITICO's Tina Sfondeles and Mark Cavanagh … Tony Hanagan of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office … Jordan Sekulow ... Corey Solow … former Reps. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) and Tom Latham (R-Iowa) … David Goodman … Kip Talley ... Sarah Ruane … LinkedIn's Dan Horowitz … Margie Graves … Gail Ross … CNN's David Shortell … WSJ's Nicole Friedman … former New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez … Martha Coakley … Caroline Kelly … Ted Goodman, Michigan GOP comms director (3-0) … POLITICO Europe's Matthew Karnitschnig 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 Amazon: "Going from nine dollars an hour to now earning 15 an hour at Amazon, I can help my family... and save money for college… if I hadn't taken this job, I don't know where I would be right now. It was life-changing for me."
Amazon has seen the impact that $15 and benefits can make . Learn more about how it helps employees and their communities at aboutamazon.com/15. | | | | | | | 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