| | | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri, Eugene Daniels and Rachael Bade | | | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | Today is the kind of day that candidate JOE BIDEN said he was uniquely prepared for. Congress is gone, domestic policy has been momentarily pushed aside, and global crises are colliding. President Biden awakens to the burden of his promises with an uncharacteristically busy public schedule completely focused on foreign policy. He receives an update on the situation in Afghanistan from his national security team in the morning, has two bilateral meetings with new Israeli PM NAFTALI BENNETT before noon and hosts a late-afternoon Zoom with governors who have volunteered to help resettle Afghan refugees. AFGHANISTAN — There's a bipartisan critique in Congress that Biden should extend the Tuesday deadline for evacuating Afghanistan and removing all American troops. As with a lot of stateside commentary about what's going on, the argument has lagged behind what the administration says is happening on the ground. — Over the last 24 hours, we seem to have entered a "system was blinking red" moment with respect to threats against crowds and military personnel at Hamid Karzai International Airport. — The Brits warned of "an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack," while the Australian government described a "very high threat of terrorist attack." — On Wednesday night, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul joined them and issued this alarming security alert : "Because of security threats outside the gates of Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so. U.S. citizens who are at the Abbey Gate, East Gate, or North Gate now should leave immediately." — At least 1,500 American citizens remain in Afghanistan, and the "State Department is frantically trying to track [them] down" ahead of the Tuesday deadline, reports the NYT, while "tens of thousands of Afghan allies will all but certainly be left behind." Of those 1,500 Americans, "U.S. officials are trying to evacuate 500 … and are in contact with them," says the WSJ. "The status of another 1,000 civilian Americans is unclear." We couldn't help but notice these two very different responses to the situation from House members: — Iraq War veteran Reps. SETH MOULTON (D-Mass.) and PETER MEIJER (R-Mich.) were roundly condemned for their stealth fact-finding mission to Kabul. But what hasn't received nearly as much coverage is that when they returned, they reported that the trip had changed their minds, and both now agreed with the Biden administration about the prudence of sticking to the Tuesday deadline. In a joint interview with the NYT's Catie Edmondson, Moulton said this: "Almost every veteran in Congress wants to extend the Aug. 31 deadline, including us, and our opinion on that was changed on the ground, because we started the evacuations so late. There's no way we can get everyone out, even by Sept. 11. So we need to have a working relationship with the Taliban after our departure. And the only way to achieve that is to leave by Aug. 31." They are clearly not happy with how Biden handled this. But they were chastened enough by the facts on the ground to change their minds about the policy going forward — and they're now off Team "Extend the Deadline." — There was a very different reaction from Reps. ANTHONY GONZALEZ (R-Ohio) and ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-Va.), who did not travel to Kabul, but on Wednesday night secured the backing of the 58-member House Problem Solvers Caucus to endorse an extension: "[I]t is apparent that the Administration's set date for departure from Afghanistan on August 31st does not provide enough time to evacuate all American citizens and our partners. We respectfully call on the Administration to reconsider its timeline and provide a clear plan to Congress that will result in the completion of our shared national objectives." Read the full statement | | A message from Facebook: Internet regulations are as outdated as dial-up.
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- Reforming Section 230 | | | BIDEN MEETS BENNETT — Meanwhile, when Biden sits down with Bennett in the Oval Office, the two leaders will have their work cut out for them in repairing a damaged bilateral relationship. Biden is one of a dwindling band of older Democratic leaders holding back a tide of younger progressives who want the U.S. to adopt a much tougher line with Israel. The Jerusalem Post notes there is just one thing on Bennett's mind: "Iran, Iran and more Iran." As if Biden didn't have enough on his plate, Bennett, who heads a shaky coalition and is a neophyte on the world stage, has made it clear in recent days that Israel wants Biden to drop any plans for a return to the Iran nuclear agreement that former President DONALD TRUMP tore up, and instead back Israel's plan for a potential military option to degrade the Iranian program. On the big issues, Biden is as far apart with Bennett as he was with former PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. In an interview with the NYT this week, Bennett "said he would expand West Bank settlements that Mr. Biden opposes, declined to back American plans to reopen a consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and ruled out reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians under his watch." Haaretz notes that Bennett will be facing an uphill battle: "Israel, the Palestinians and Iran are low on the Biden administration's political agenda. Washington's attention during this presidential term will be focused mainly on its confrontation with China, the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis. Last week, the upheaval in Afghanistan was added to all of this." Good Thursday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade , Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The ACLU and Families Against Mandatory Minimums are launching a six-figure ad campaign urging Biden to use his clemency power to help thousands of people who are currently serving home confinement under the CARES Act but are at risk of being sent back to prison. The ads will air on national news channels like CNN and MSNBC and will also be up in Delaware during Biden's upcoming Labor Day vacation. WATCH: Pelosi's standoff with House moderates: Earlier this week, the House voted to advance Biden's $3.5 trillion spending plan, a move that ended a tense standoff between Speaker NANCY PELOSI and a group of House moderates. So what happened behind closed doors that led to a resolution between the policymakers? This week, Ryan breaks down their discussion and what's to come in the next month, as Congress is faced with multiple looming legislation deadlines. | 
| | | | |   | | | BIDEN'S THURSDAY: — 8:30 a.m.: The president will receive the President's Daily Brief. — 9:15 a.m.: Biden will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan. — 11:30 a.m.: Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Bennett in the Oval Office, followed by an expanded bilateral meeting at 11:55 a.m. — 3 p.m.: Biden will virtually meet with a bipartisan group of governors who have volunteered to help house and resettle evacuated Afghans in their states. The White House Covid-19 response team and public health officials will brief at 10:30 a.m. Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at noon. THE SENATE and THE HOUSE are out. | | | | INTRODUCING OTTAWA PLAYBOOK : Join the growing community of Politicos — from lawmakers and leaders to pollsters, staffers, strategists and lobbyists — working to shape Canada's future. Every day, our reporting team pulls back the curtain to shed light on what's really driving the agenda on Parliament Hill, the true players who are shaping politics and policy across Canada, and the impact it all has on the world. Don't miss out on your daily look inside Canadian politics and power. Subscribe to Ottawa Playbook today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | | 
PHOTO OF THE DAY: A California gubernatorial recall election debate Wednesday night in San Francisco features Democrat Kevin Paffrath and Republicans John Cox, Kevin Kiley and Kevin Faulconer. | Scott Strazzante/Pool via Getty Images | AFGHANISTAN LATEST CHAOS IS A LADDER — "Afghanistan's a sh*tshow. But for K Street, it's an opportunity," by Hailey Fuchs, Daniel Lippman and Caitlin Oprysko: "The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan this month has added a new level of activity to the K Street-Mideast nexus, leaving countries anxious and uncertain and lobbying shops hustling to their aid. … A few lobbying firms … have already reached out to pitch their services to ALI NAZARY, Afghan resistance leader AHMAD MASSOUD's head of foreign relations and spokesperson. But Nazary declined to say which firms had contacted him, citing non-disclosure agreements he had signed." VIRTUOUS SIGNALING — "'Anyone Got Any Helos Sitting Around?': How a Private Network Is Using a Messaging App to Rescue Afghans," by Erik Edstrom for POLITICO Magazine: "Had the U.S. government planned for this evacuation properly, the efforts of those supporting #AfghanEvac would have been wholly unnecessary. But instead, as one volunteer describes it, while working to rescue the relatives of an Afghan-American who is currently serving in the U.S. Army, we have 'Saving Private Ryan: Kabul Edition.'" CREATING A VISA BOTTLENECK — "Anti-Immigrant Trump Aide Stephen Miller Laid Groundwork For Disastrous Afghan Evacuation," by HuffPost's S.V. Date: "[STEPHEN] MILLER, who worked for all four years as former President Donald Trump's immigration adviser pushing restrictive policies across the board, was instrumental in slowing down the processing of Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for Afghan interpreters, embassy staff and others who are now top targets for Taliban assassination, according to both refugee advocates and those who have worked with him. … "OLIVIA TROYE, who worked in the White House for former Vice President MIKE PENCE, said Miller had a knack for using the bureaucracy to effect his agenda. 'He does it in a very crafty way. You can trace the steps of everything he did along the way,' she said, describing how Miller was even able to use the Covid-19 pandemic to slow down the processing of SIV applications. 'This was just another opportunity to push his anti-immigration agenda.'" THE WHITE HOUSE THE I.T. CROWD — "Biden Says Cybersecurity Is the 'Core National Security Challenge' at CEO Summit," by WSJ's Dustin Volz and David Uberti: "Biden hosted executives from major technology, financial and energy companies on Wednesday for a summit on national cybersecurity, calling the issue 'the core national security challenge we are facing.' Top tech executives, including Apple Inc.'s TIM COOK, Amazon.com Inc.'s ANDY JASSY, Microsoft Corp.'s SATYA NADELLA and Alphabet Inc.'s SUNDAR PICHAI attended the White House meeting, according to a list of participants shared by an administration official. The guest list also included JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO JAMIE DIMON and BRIAN MOYNIHAN, president and CEO of Bank of America Corp., among other representatives of the financial industry." CONGRESS FEELING THE BERN — "$3.5T or bust? Sanders goes all-out to protect Dems' social spending plans," by Burgess Everett: "[Sen. BERNIE] SANDERS understands that there will be changes to his vision given the party's slim majorities in each chamber, now that the blueprint is approved. But as Senate moderates propose chipping away at the $3.5 trillion price tag, he's in no mood to haggle on the top line number. … "The Vermont senator is barnstorming conservative Iowa and Indiana this weekend to sell Democrats' sweeping visions … He's also expected to host an event in Michigan … Yet as he seeks to increase support among working class Republicans across the country, Sanders also must ensure he can keep his fellow 49 Democratic Caucus members on board in D.C. It's part of an inside-outside game Sanders has worked on for years." MCCARTHY'S AFGHANISTAN TIGHTROPE — "The Latest G.O.P. Schism: How to Handle Afghan Evacuees," by NYT's Annie Karni: "The unusual split is pitting traditional conservatives, who are more inclined to defend those who have sacrificed for America, against the anti-immigrant, anti-refugee wing of the party. … On the issue of Afghan refugees, [House Minority Leader KEVIN] MCCARTHY has walked the same tightrope that he has on other issues, trying to appease the two sides of the party. He has stated publicly that 'we owe it to these people, who are our friends and who worked with us, to get them out safely if we can.' But he has also leaned into the nativist, Trumpian side, giving voice to the generalized, inchoate fears about foreigners entering the country." TWO MORE MEMBERS PLANNED KABUL TRIPS — "U.S. leaders move to shut down further freelance trips to Kabul," by WaPo's Annie Linskey, Paul Kane, Alex Horton and Tyler Pager: "Leaders in the Biden administration and on Capitol Hill took steps Wednesday to discourage members of Congress from taking further unauthorized trips to Kabul … as two other lawmakers were heading toward Afghanistan on Wednesday, according to a Biden administration official who was not authorized to discuss their plans. The official said the House members, whose names could not be confirmed, were in Europe and had requested passage to Afghanistan. The Pentagon rejected the request, the official said." PANDEMIC STATISTIC OF THE DAY — "About 15% of all Mississippi K-12 students have now been quarantined since the start of the [school] year either for testing positive for COVID-19 or due to known exposures," per the Mississippi Free Press. BOOSTER SHOTS COMING SOONER — "Federal regulators are likely to approve a Covid-19 booster shot for vaccinated adults starting at least six months after the previous dose rather than the eight-month gap they previously announced," report WSJ's Stephanie Armour and Jared Hopkins. AWFUL MILESTONE — "Hospitalizations hit 100,000 in United States for first time since January," WaPo THE HOT ZONE — "In Florida, the pandemic is worse now than it has ever been before," by NYT's Dan Levin: "The average for new known cases [in Florida] reached 23,314 a day on the weekend, 30 percent higher than the state's previous peak in January." TRYING TO OUT-DESANTIS DESANTIS — "Gov. Greg Abbott bans mandates on Covid-19 vaccines regardless of whether they have full FDA approval," by Texas Tribune's Patrick Svitek | | | |   | | | POLITICS ROUNDUP 2022 WATCH — "GOP faces hurdles in push to make Afghanistan matter in the midterms," by Olivia Beavers and Andrew Desiderio: "Absent an all-consuming global conflagration, voters tend to cast their ballots based on domestic rather than foreign priorities … Beyond the calendar, Republicans have other messaging bumps to overcome as they try to keep Biden's Afghanistan problems top of mind. "Those include the small but vocal minority of Republicans who have stoked fears about thousands of Afghan allies being resettled across the U.S., undermining the party's attempts at a more welcoming message. Then there's the handful of GOP Donald Trump critics who, as they hit the Biden administration, are also pinning some blame back on the former president, who negotiated a similar withdrawal timeline with the Taliban." RECALL ME MAYBE — "'Stakes are extremely high.' Results of Gavin Newsom recall could ripple across nation," by McClatchy's Alex Roarty: "'It's one of these moments that people outside of California are doing a double take and saying, "Wait a second, how are we even having a conversation about a Republican winning in California?"' said TYLER LAW, a Democratic strategist. … A Republican victory in a state where the GOP hasn't held statewide office in more than a decade would send shockwaves through the country, Newsom advisers say. "'It really is a bellwether for '22,' said SEAN CLEGG, [a senior strategist for Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM]. 'We have a turnout problem. The recall is all about the turnout challenge. And whether we're successful or unsuccessful has huge national implications.'" — "'A crazy way to run a state': Democrats feel helpless on recall ballot's second question," by L.A. Times' Julia Wick BEYOND THE BELTWAY REPROACH THE KRAKEN — "Sidney Powell, Kraken legal team face sanctions, court costs and potential disbarment over election lawsuit," by Detroit Free Press' Dave Boucher: "The punishments foreshadow far more potentially devastating problems for SIDNEY POWELL, LIN WOOD and a cadre of other attorneys who used their so-called 'Kraken' lawsuit to push a false claim that an international cabal worked to steal the election away from Trump in Michigan and several other states." — From U.S. District Judge LINDA PARKER's opinion: "This case was never about fraud — it was about undermining the people's faith in our democracy and debasing the judicial process to do so." The full 110-page ruling FIRST WHITMER PLOTTER SENTENCED — "Man who plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sentenced to over 6 years," by NBC's Pete Williams VALLEY TALK MOVE FAST AND BREAK THINGS — "Facebook Said to Consider Forming an Election Commission," by NYT's Ryan Mac, Mike Isaac and Sheera Frenkel: "Facebook has approached academics and policy experts about forming a commission to advise it on global election-related matters, said five people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would allow the social network to shift some of its political decision-making to an advisory body. "The proposed commission could decide on matters such as the viability of political ads and what to do about election-related misinformation, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential. Facebook is expected to announce the commission this fall in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections, they said, though the effort is preliminary and could still fall apart." MEDIAWATCH THE BUZZ ON BEZOS, BARON AND BUZBEE — "Inside the Plan to Make Jeff Bezos's Washington Post the Everything Newspaper," by Washingtonian's Andrew Beaujon. "A widespread theory among some who felt unconsidered in the search process or disappointed in its result is that [SALLY] BUZBEE hadn't pined for the job until [publisher FRED] RYAN recruited her into the bake-off. The thinking goes that [executive editor MARTY] BARON, who preceded both Ryan and [WaPo owner JEFF] BEZOS at the paper, never had a clear incentive to listen to Ryan, and by shepherding Buzbee's candidacy, Ryan not only would be known for a first, but he'd finally have an executive editor who owed him. Ryan allows that the search did involve 'very aggressive outreach' but declines to get into specifics about the process." — Inside Bezos' Kalorama palace: "They supped … off dishes emblazoned with the Post logo and [took] questions from the world's richest man about how they might run his newspaper. The plates weren't the only piece of Post swag Bezos showed off — according to two sources, he also told guests he owns a lock busted by the Watergate burglars." MISC. LAW AND ORDER — "Sirhan Sirhan, convicted of Robert F. Kennedy assassination, seeks parole with no opposition from prosecutors," by WaPo's Tom Jackman | | | | 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 — "Time Magazine Writer, Joseph J. Kane, 84, Dies" STAFFING UP — The White House announced that Biden is tapping Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as ambassador to Luxembourg, Carla Koppell as assistant USAID administrator for development, democracy and Innovation and Liz Allen as assistant secretary of State for global public affairs. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Katherine Schneider will be comms director for Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). She most recently was deputy comms director for Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). MEDIA MOVE — Kevin Hall is now North America editor for the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. He previously was chief economic correspondent and senior investigator for McClatchy D.C. More from Talking Biz News TRUMP ALUMNI — Mallory Blount is now press secretary and director of strategic comms for Herschel Walker's Georgia Senate campaign. She most recently was press secretary for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and is a Trump White House alum. TRANSITIONS — Gillum Ferguson is joining Baker Group Strategies as director of comms and media and head of the D.C. office. He most recently was deputy comms director for Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). … Luke Ball is now comms director for Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.). He most recently was comms director for Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) and is a Matt Gaetz alum. … … Spencer Silverman is now director of direct voter contact in Axiom Strategies' D.C. office. He previously was deputy campaign manager for House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), and is an RNC and Trump 2016 alum. … Julia Savel is joining the public affairs team at DKC. She previously was a spokesperson for Maya Wiley's NYC mayoral campaign and is an Elaine Luria alum. WEEKEND WEDDING — Sophie White, an incoming associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and a Claire McCaskill alum, and Eric Wall, an incoming associate at Davis, Polk & Wardwell and a Chris Coons and FINRA alum, got married in a small courthouse ceremony in Annapolis on Friday. The couple met in the Senate. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: USA Today's David Jackson (62) … Miriam Elder … Bob Barnett … Oracle's Josh Pitcock … former DHS Secretary Tom Ridge of Ridge Global … Amanda Wood … Eddie Vale of New Paradigm Agency … Jennifer Sherman of Reservoir Communications Group … Business Insider's Nicole Gaudiano … POLITICO's Quint Forgey, Jordan Muller and Maeve Sheehey … Patrick Dorton of Rational 360 … CAP Action Fund's Navin Nayak … Interior's Tiffany Cox ... The New Republic's Grace Segers … Gara LaMarche … Rebekah Jorgensen Hoshiko … White House's Kailash Sundaram … Lindsey Curnutte … Justin Dillon … Satyam Khanna … Stephen Dubner ... Brielle Appelbaum … Kirk Anderson of Accenture … Kiran Chetry ... Ari Ratner … Jim Harris of Bain … Thomas Rice … Arthur MacMillan ... Bill Whitaker … Devan Cayea of Sen. Alex Padilla's (D-Calif.) office … Bloomberg's Joe Weisenthal … Ilyse Hogue … Sean Sweeney … Harrison Cramer … Taylor Price of Everfi (36) … NBC's Savannah Sellers … Myles Miller … Deidrea Miller … Seth Stein … Julian Epstein … Eric Fehrnstrom 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 Facebook: Why Facebook supports updated internet privacy regulations—and how we're already making progress
Protecting privacy means something different than it did 25 years ago—the last time comprehensive internet regulations were passed. We need updated rules to address problems on the internet that didn't exist in the 90s.
But Facebook is not waiting around. We've already introduced tools like Privacy Checkup that help people take control of their information. Now we need updated privacy regulations that will set more consistent data protection standards. | | | | | | | 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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