| | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
|  Democrats in swing districts have employed strategies to protect themselves politically as they look towards Election Day. | Getty Images | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | With Memorial Day recess around the corner and much of President JOE BIDEN's agenda still stuck on Capitol Hill, a sense of helplessness has settled in among some Democrats: The closer they inch toward Election Day, they realize, the more unlikely they are to notch any additional legislative victories. And yet, voters are angry and demanding action now. Just look at this quote from No. 2 Senate Democrat DICK DURBIN in a Burgess Everett story up this morning on the ongoing reconciliation talks between Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER and Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.): "I put so much time into immigration on reconciliation. It took a year of my legislative life. I have nothing to show for it." He continued: "I wish Chuck well on reconciliation. I'm going to focus my legislative efforts in the 60-vote world." SO WHAT'S A VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT TO DO? Dems in swing districts have been asking this very question for months now. Here are a few strategies Hill Democrats seem to be employing to protect themselves politically: 1) PASS EVERYTHING, EVEN IF IT'S DOOMED — Speaker NANCY PELOSI has started employing a spaghetti-at-the-wall strategy: Pass everything — even if it won't go anywhere in the Senate — and have her members return home to tell voters that at least they tried. The House majority is doing just that this week, taking up bills addressing gas prices, the baby formula shortage and domestic extremism ahead of a two-week recess, as our colleagues Nicholas Wu, Jordain Carney and Sarah Ferris report this morning. "The bills have a dual purpose: handing talking points to vulnerable Democrats to tout back in their districts and painting opposing Republicans as intransigent — a parallel that Democrats hope will resonate," they write. As Rep. JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-N.Y.) told them: "We gotta show the people that we're working our asses off." 2) ALWAYS BE SELLING — Last night, Biden took the rare step of invoking the Defense Production Act in an effort to confront and address the growing national shortage of baby formula. (As a practical matter, AP's Zeke Miller and Kevin Freking write that the move directs "suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill orders from those companies before other customers," and authorizes the Pentagon to "use commercial aircraft to fly formula supplies that meet federal standards from overseas to the U.S.") At almost the moment the news broke, frontline Democrats began claiming credit for the win. — Rep JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-N.J.), leader of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus,tweeted : "Following a bipartisan call from 20 of us in the House today to invoke the Defense Production Act, the White House has now announced this new action to boost baby formula production. With both sides of the aisle working together, we're working to ensure no baby goes hungry." — The White House seems all too happy to let these members have the spotlight. Last night, chief of staff RON KLAIN retweeted Rep. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-Va.), who trumpeted her own efforts to urge the White House to act. 3) KEEP CHASING THAT WHITE WHALE — Meanwhile, chatter about possibly passing an elusive, pared-down version of Build Back Better continues — though few believe it's possible. Schumer and Manchin — who says he's open to a deal that raises taxes on corporations and the rich, funds climate and energy issues and reduces the deficit as well as drug prices — have been meeting this week to see if there's any way they can move the ball forward. But as Burgess writes today, many Democrats are setting their own mental expectations: "Many on Capitol Hill now believe an agreement with Manchin just isn't going to materialize. … Manchin says it's fair to say nothing's really happening … Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) said in an interview that the party needs to focus on bringing more progressives to Congress who would blunt the influence of Manchin and moderate Democratic Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.): 'The crisis facing Democrats is because of people like Manchin and Sinema.'" Good Thursday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
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Learn what's next. | | | KEMP'S LEAD OVER PERDUE GROWS — A new Fox News poll finds Georgia Gov. BRIAN KEMP in the catbird seat ahead of the closely watched primary next week. Kemp "leads former Sen. DAVID PERDUE by a 32-point margin in the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary race, tripling his advantage from March," Fox News' Victoria Balara writes. — The Trump effect: "In December, former President Donald Trump endorsed Perdue, but just 37% say the backing makes them more supportive of the former senator — and this group prefers Perdue by 25 points. On the other hand, 24% say the endorsement makes them less supportive of Perdue, and they break for Kemp by 79 points. Overall, 36% say the endorsement had no effect and they go for Kemp by nearly 60 points." PREVIEWING BIDEN'S TRIP — "The pivot to Asia lives," write Jonathan Lemire and Alex Thompson. Biden's venture to South Korea and Japan this week will mark his first trip to the continent as president, which the White House sees as a chance to marshal support to offset China's growing influence. — "5 challenges awaiting Biden on his Asia tour," by Phelim Kine and Steven Overly: (1) Seoul and Tokyo's bilateral bitterness, (2) Countering North Korea's nuclear threat, (3) South Korea and the Quad, (4) Selling the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and (5) Deepening India's Quad involvement.
| | | | A message from Facebook:   | | | BIDEN'S THURSDAY: — 8:30 a.m.: The president will receive the President's Daily Brief. — 9 a.m.: Swedish PM MAGDALENA ANDERSSON and Finland President SAULI NIINISTÖ will arrive at the White House. — 9:15 a.m.: Biden and VP KAMALA HARRIS will meet with Andersson and Niinistö to discuss Finland and Sweden's NATO applications. — 10:30 a.m.: Biden, Andersson and Niinistö will deliver remarks in the Rose Garden. Harris will also attend. — 11:30 a.m.: Biden will depart the White House to begin his trip to Seoul, South Korea. Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE and national security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN will gaggle aboard Air Force One. HARRIS' THURSDAY: The vice president will virtually meet with abortion providers at 2:05 p.m. The SENATE is in. Energy Secretary JENNIFER GRANHOLM will testify before the Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. Interior Secretary DEB HAALAND will testify before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee at 10 a.m. The Banking Committee will hold a hearing on nominees including MICHAEL BARR for the Fed at 10 a.m. The HOUSE will meet at 9 a.m., with last votes scheduled for 3 p.m. Testifying before Appropriations subcommittees today: DNI AVRIL HAINES and CIA Director WILLIAM BURNS at 9:30 a.m. and FDA Commissioner ROBERT CALIFF at 10 a.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. | | | | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
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VP Kamala Harris lifts the school scepter at the conclusion of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's 141st Commencement Exercises in New London, Conn., on Wednesday. | Stephen Dunn/AP Photo | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | ALL POLITICS NEW THIS MORNING — Rep. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-Wash.) is endorsing JESSICA CISNEROS in her bid to unseat Rep. HENRY CUELLAR (D-Texas), Nicholas Wu scoops . In a statement provided to POLITICO, Jayapal notes that Cisneros' support for abortion rights was a major factor in her endorsement. (Cuellar is the only House Democrat who opposes abortion rights.) It also represents a shift for Jayapal, who previously said she wouldn't weigh in on the race, and "has been more careful this cycle, especially as she weighs a bid for leadership in the next Congress." — Speaking of progressives … Tuesday night's primary results "represented a step forward in progressives' bid to reshape the Democratic congressional caucuses with new faces and more left-leaning policy views," Elena Schneider and Ally Mutnick write. The Cuellar-Cisneros race will be the next big test next week. THE COST OF AN ENDORSEMENT — Though Trump notched a primary victory on Tuesday as Pennsylvania state Sen. DOUG MASTRIANO clinched the GOP gubernatorial nomination, his endorsement "stung not only some of his own aides and allies — who warned him about Mastriano's electability issues — it also roiled a large swath of influential lawmakers and party officials in the state who now say Trump's endorsement could end up damaging his own 2024 prospects in Pennsylvania," Meridith McGraw and Holly Otterbein report. THAT WAS QUICK — Just one day after losing his primary in North Carolina, Rep. MADISON CAWTHORN's "Making A Difference In Service to Our Nation (or MADISON) leadership PAC filed a termination notice with the Federal Election Commission," Insider's Grace Panetta reports. JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH GROUP PUSHES TO DISBAR CRUZ — A group "formed in the hopes of disbarring lawyers who worked on cases in which" Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election filed a complaint with the Texas Bar Association seeking to disbar Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas), NYT's Maggie Haberman reports . "Mr. Cruz played a leading role in the effort to overturn the 2020 elections. And while the same can be said about several other elected officials, Mr. Cruz's involvement was manifestly different," the complaint said. "He chose to take on the role of lawyer and agreed to represent Mr. Trump and Pennsylvania Republicans in litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court." WHO'S TALKING — STEPHANIE GRISHAM, who served as press secretary and COS for MELANIA TRUMP in the Trump White House, appeared before the Jan. 6 select committee for the second time, per ABC's Katherine Faulders and John Santucci. CONGRESS JEFFRIES SIGNALS FIGHT ON NY MAP — The man many Democrats believe will become the next minority leader — and someday, speaker of the House — sent up a warning flare last night over New York's new congressional map. Rep. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-N.Y) posted avideo accusing the state of targeting Black lawmakers and trying to split Black communities, and foreshadowed a fight to come by quoting the first Black woman elected to serve in Congress. "SHIRLEY CHISHOLM once said, 'If they deny you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair,' … We brought our chairs… and elected the most black candidates to Congress in New York state history," Jeffries says. "So now, they're trying to move the table, drawing a congressional map that robs us of power and takes a sledgehammer to black districts… It's time to fight like Shirley Chisholm." HOUSE PASSES DOMESTIC TERRORISM BILL — The House late Wednesday night passed legislation that would "create domestic terrorism offices across three federal agencies, spurred by alarm over the rise in incidents of homegrown violent extremism in recent years," WaPo's Felicia Sonmez, Mariana Alfaro and Leigh Ann Caldwell write. The vote was 222-203, with Rep. ADAM KINZINGER (R-Ill.) as the lone Republican "yes" vote. What's next: "The legislation's future remains uncertain in the Senate, where Democrats have the slimmest of majorities and a unanimous vote on similar legislation was blocked by Republicans two years ago." … AND INFANT FORMULA SHORTAGE LEGISLATION — CBS's Rebecca Kaplan on the other slew of late-night activity in the lower chamber: "One measure would help enable recipients to buy formula by giving the Agriculture secretary the permanent flexibility to waive certain requirements the special supplemental nutrition program for poorer women, infants and children, known as WIC, that limit the brands and quantities of formula that WIC recipients may purchase." What's next: It passed 414-9 and is expected to clear the Senate. The same cannot be said of the second infant formula bill, which allots $28 million to the FDA to "get fraudulent formula products off store shelves and boost the part of the workforce focused on formula, as well as FDA inspection staff." It passed with just 12 Republican votes, as most of the GOP conference argued that the FDA already has enough funding, and the plan did little to "immediately address the shortage." GOP GOES AT IT — Rep. MIKE ROGERS (R-Ala.) chided members of the Freedom Caucus on the House floor Wednesday, confronting members directly, including Chair SCOTT PERRY (R-Pa.). Rogers told Perry and other members that they were "burning bridges with their own colleagues," Olivia Beavers reports for Congress Minutes. The scuttle stemmed from comments that Reps. ANDY BIGGS (R-Ariz.) and CHIP ROY (R-Texas) made on Rep. MATT GAETZ's (R-Fla.) podcast this week that were critical of leadership and their fellow Republicans. THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE — Here's how the landmark UFO hearings in Congress are going so far: "Rep. MIKE GALLAGHER (R-Wis.) says he doesn't believe that a secret cabal of government officials and contractors are hiding a captured alien spaceship. But he wants to make sure — so that we can all move on to more serious business," Bryan Bender writes. "One of the most eye-popping moments during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on UFOs on Tuesday was when the Wisconsin Republican pressed Pentagon officials on claims that a 'glowing red orb' once shut down nuclear weapons in Montana and that a recently leaked document revealed that other-worldly vehicles — and possibly even extraterrestrial bodies — are being kept from government leaders and the public."
| | | | A message from Facebook:   | | | BEYOND THE BELTWAY DOJ'S BUFFALO SHOOTING RESPONSE — "Biden's Justice Dept. pressed for strong response to Buffalo massacre," by WaPo's David Nakamura THE PANDEMIC PUTTING THE RABBIT BACK IN THE HAT — Health officials warned the public on Wednesday that "a third of Americans live in areas where the threat of Covid-19 is now so high that they should consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings," per NYT's Sharon LaFraniere, Michael Shear and Sheryl Gay Stolberg. "The warnings from [CDC Director ROCHELLE] WALENSKY and other federal health officials seemed somewhat at odds with President Biden's own stance. The attitude in the West Wing more closely mirrors that of most Americans, who have eagerly moved away from mask-wearing and other strategies to prevent infection." WAR IN UKRAINE — Three months after shuttering its doors in light of Russia's war in Ukraine, the U.S. embassy in Kyiv reopened on Wednesday, Christopher Miller and Nahal Toosi report. "A person familiar with the embassy's reopening plans told POLITICO that it would resume functioning only in a limited capacity and that consular services will not be offered." — The Senate unanimously voted to confirm BRIDGET BRINK to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on Wednesday evening. More from Andrew Desiderio MEDIAWATCH BEHIND THE SCENES AT MTP — "The Tao of Chuck Todd," by Puck's Dylan Byers
| | | | DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | SPOTTED: Chuck Schumer, taking a victory lap at D.C. United's match against New York City F.C. NYCFC won 2-0. George W. Bush criticized Russia and Vladimir Putin in remarks — but had a bit of a slip-up: "The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq — I mean, of Ukraine. … Iraq, too — anyway. I'm 75." Sarah Palin earned $211,529 from making Cameo videos in 2021, per Insider's Grace Panetta . (For the record, a congressional salary is $174,000.) Kenneth Branagh is pulling off a stunning transformation portraying Boris Johnson. Elon Musk said he will now vote Republican and called Democrats the "party of division & hate." Both Ashley Biden and Xavier Beccera tested positive for the coronavirus. Kevin McCarthy on the House floor called out Nancy Pelosi's plan to give Peloton benefits to all House staff. But he seems to have just caught on to the whole point of exercise equipment: "It's a $2,000 bike that you pay to use and pay to set up that doesn't go anywhere. What's a business like that?" OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at the New Dem 25th Anniversary Gala at the Library of Congress on Wednesday night: second gentleman Doug Emhoff, British Ambassador Karen Pierce, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Valerie Biden Owens, John McCarthy, Louisa Terrell, Helen Milby, Joe Crowley, Lori Denham, Paul Reagan, Cindy Brown, JD Grom, Jim Moran, Tim Roemer, Andy Flick, Britt Van, Emma Weir, Jon Boughtin, Kevin Klinkenberg, Sally Chen and Phil McLaughlin. — SPOTTED at a party to celebrate the promotion of Invariant's Chris Gillott, who was recently named a principal at the firm, hosted by Heather Podesta on Tuesday night: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Saat Alety, Ralph Tyler, Pranay Udutha, Mandi Miller, Leah Evangelista, Chad Heflin, Bill Cody, Katie Wise, Ben Klein, Carolyn Coda, Dena Baron Smith and Joey Smith. — SPOTTED at a dinner for AP's Julie Pace to celebrate her new book, "Jill: A Biography of the First Lady," ($26.10) hosted by Kevin Sheekey at El Quijote in Manhattan on Tuesday night: Rashida Jones, Jonathan Karl, Stephanie Ruhle, John Avlon, Jonathan Capehart, Katy Tur and Tony Dokoupil, Gary Ginsberg, Andrew Morse, Michael Hogan, Cat Rakowski, Nayeema Raza, Nick Schmit, Eric Schultz, Akash Shah, Jake Siewert, Ty Trippet, Jason Schechter and Tammy Haddad. TRANSITIONS — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Pili Tobar is joining Fireside Campaigns as a partner and will be overseeing the firm's Communications and Public Relations team. Pili was most recently the deputy communications director at the White House, comms director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and comms director for Coalitions for the Biden campaign. — D.J. Koessler is launching Drive Strategies, a digital and comms firm aimed at helping progressive and corporate clients. He most recently led digital at Climate Power and is a Pete Buttigieg and Hillary Clinton alum. Anisha Singh is now executive director for the Sikh Coalition. She previously was director of judiciary and democracy affairs at Planned Parenthood. … Sadia Iqbal is joining BlueLabs Analytics as VP of its new insights division. She most recently was VP of data and analytics at 270 Strategies, and is an Obama campaign, White House and DNC alum. … Kellen Moore is now a government and industry relations manager at Freddie Mac. He previously was a senior manager for legislative affairs at NeighborWorks America and is a Dianne Feinstein alum. … … Hadar Arazi is now director of operations for Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.). She most recently was D.C. scheduler for Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and is a Josh Gottheimer alum. WEEKEND WEDDINGS — Adam Topper-Manekin and Jordan Topper-Manekin got married at Lavan 541 in New York on Saturday, with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), for whom Adam used to work, officiating. Vincint performed their first dance song. Pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Jim Obergefell, Ned Price, Alex Wagner, Jeff Marootian, Eric Fanning, Sabrina Singh, Matt Klapper, Eric Schmidt and Gayle King. — Lauren Morello, science editor at Grid, and Dan Berman , assistant managing editor at CNN, got married at the Morello family house in Vineland, N.J., on Saturday. The two met while working for E&E News during the George W. Bush era and are both POLITICO alums. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Michael Leach, special assistant to the president and chief diversity and inclusion director for The White House, and Brittany Leach, director of research administration at NYU Langone Health, recently welcomed twin girls Lela Renee Leach (first born) and Nia Marie Leach. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) … Yebbie Watkins … Allie Brandenburger … Brian McKeon … Breitbart's Charlie Spiering … Sydney Simon of Rep. Seth Moulton's (D-Mass.) office … Anton Becker … Ernst & Young's Bob Schellhas … Cynthia Alksne … Jessica Jennings of the National Association of Counties … Beth Rossman … Mary Hager of "Face The Nation" … Mike Reilly of MVAR Media … Amilcar Guzman ... David Marin of Viatris … John Hlinko ... Amanda Byrd ... DSCC's Margaret O'Meara … Brendan Martin … Carol Guthrie of the OECD … Ian Clay of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation … John Laufer of Rep. Stephanie Murphy's (D-Fla.) office … Samira Damavandi of Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Calif.) office … Cody Sargent of PLUS Communications … Texas Tribune's Rebekah Allen … Carol Guthrie … Bill Danvers … Keith Richburg Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us at 202-556-3307. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Mike Zapler, deputy editor Zack Stanton and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine. Correction: Wednesday's Playbook misstated the names of Mia Ives-Rublee and Ai-Jen Poo.
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