News: The politics of a fist-bump

Saturday, July 16, 2022

The politics of a fist-bump

Jul 16, 2022

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By Garrett Ross

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DRIVING THE DAY

President JOE BIDEN greeted Saudi Crown Prince MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN on Friday with a gesture that signaled more partner than pariah.

Here's how NYT's Peter Baker and David Sanger described probably the most globally consequential fist bump in history: Biden "exchanged the shaken fist for a fist bump" as the president "abandoned his promise to make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' and sat down with the crown prince he deemed responsible for the grisly killing and dismemberment of a columnist who lived in the United States.

"In the most fraught foreign visit of his presidency to date, Mr. Biden's encounter with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave the de facto Saudi leader a measure of the international rehabilitation he sought, while securing steps toward closer relations with Israel and an unannounced understanding that the kingdom would soon pump more oil to relieve high gas prices at home."

In remarks after his string of meetings on Friday, Biden gave his view of the situation:

"With respect to the murder of Khashoggi , I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time and what I think of it now. And it was exactly — I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear. … He basically said that he was not personally responsible for it. I indicated that he probably was."

But, but, but: "Saudi officials contradicted his account," Baker and Sanger write. "ADEL AL-JUBEIR , the Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs, told reporters that he did not hear Mr. Biden tell the crown prince that he was responsible, describing instead a brief and less contentious exchange that focused on human rights without dwelling on the killing."

WaPo's Tyler Pager and Cleve Wootson Jr. from Jeddah: "Washington Post publisher FRED RYAN issued a statement calling the fist bump 'shameful,' saying it 'projected a level of intimacy and comfort that delivers to MBS the unwarranted redemption he has been desperately seeking.'"

Pager and Wootson Jr. also recounted how they were barred from a media briefing by Saudis officials: "Pressed on why The Post was the only major U.S. news outlet not invited to the session, NICOLLA HEWITT , a media consultant for the Saudi government, said, 'I can't engage with The Post on that,' adding, 'Don't kill me, I'm just the messenger.' A few hours later, after Post reporters raised the matter with White House officials, Hewitt changed course, writing in an email, 'Would love to be able to invite you to the roundtable tonight.'"

CNN's Phil Mattingly, Allie Malloy, Tamara Qiblawi and Celine Alkhaldi: "Senior administration officials on Saturday defended Biden's decision to meet with MBS face-to-face, despite the fierce pushback and criticism, saying it would have been 'backsliding if the president didn't come to the region and it would be backsliding if he didn't and wasn't willing to sit and raise human rights concerns with foreign leaders around the world.'

"'It's difficult to say that values are gonna be a key part of your foreign policy and human rights matters significantly to us as a nation and certainly as an administration and then not go overseas and not talk to (leaders) in candid, forthright ways about that concerns,' a senior administration official said."

This morning, Biden delivered a speech that summed up the overall goal of his Middle East trip: "The United States is going to remain an active engaged partner in the Middle East as the world grows more competitive, and the challenges we face more complex," he said, per the WSJ. "It's only becoming clear to me how closely interwoven America's interests are with the successes of the Middle East. … We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran."

Good Saturday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop me a line: gross@politico.com or get in touch with the rest of the team: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza .

A message from PhRMA:

Inflation is causing pain for people across the country. As policymakers search for ways to help provide relief, some are erroneously tying inflation to prescription medicines. To make matters worse, this false premise is being used to build support for harmful policies.

It's important to make medicines affordable for patients, but let's get a few facts straight – starting with the fact that prescription drugs are not fueling inflation.

BIDEN PLEDGES CLIMATE ACTION — Biden indicated that he's ready to take action to combat climate change — with or without JOE MANCHIN.

In a statement released by the White House following the West Virginia Democrat's surprising news that he wouldn't support the inclusion of climate and tax provisions in Democrats' reconciliation package, Biden said: "If the Senate will not move to tackle the climate crisis and strengthen our domestic clean energy industry, I will take strong executive action to meet this moment."

He also urged Senate Dems to move ahead with the budget package, which includes provisions to tackle prescription drug reform and health care subsidies: "Families all over the nation will sleep easier if Congress takes this action. The Senate should move forward, pass it before the August recess, and get it to my desk so I can sign it." More from Adam Cancryn and Burgess Everett

Later, responding to questions from reporters in Jeddah, Biden said of the climate fight: "I am not going away. I'm going to use every power I have as President to continue to fulfill my pledge to move toward dealing with global warming."

Asked whether Manchin is negotiating in good faith, Biden said: "I didn't negotiate with Joe Manchin. I have no idea."

WaPo's Paul Kane has a sharp analysis piece: "For a full year Democrats have tried to divine what Sen. Joe Manchin III would say yes to, beginning with private huddles last fall at the White House to more recent Zooms with Senate Majority Leader CHARLES E. SCHUMER (D-N.Y.).

"They seem to have all made the same mistake: Hearing the nice tones that the West Virginia Democrat said in their private meetings, while dismissing his pessimistic comments in public as standard negotiating ploys.

"Instead, Manchin is the odd politician whose public pronouncements, whether in brief Capitol hallway interviews or in detailed prepared statements, carry more weight than whatever he tells his colleagues in private."

The other piece of the puzzle: "Global tax deal imperiled by Manchin's balking at minimum corporate levy," by Brian Faler

A message from PhRMA:

What's fueling inflation? Not prescription drugs. The administration's own economic data proves it.

HEADS UP — "Jan. 6 committee subpoenas Secret Service amid text message controversy," by Nicholas Wu and Kyle Cheney

COMING ATTRACTIONS — VP KAMALA HARRIS will deliver a keynote address at the NAACP convention in Atlantic City, N.J., on Monday, per NBC's Sahil Kapur.

BIDEN'S SATURDAY (all times Eastern): The president already this morning has participated in separate bilateral meetings with Iraqi PM MUSTAFA AL-KADHIMI, Egyptian President ABDEL FATTAH AL SISI and UAE President SHEIK MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN , attended a GCC + 3 leaders welcome reception and photo, attended the GCC + 3 summit meeting and a working lunch.

3:55 p.m.: Biden will arrive in Mildenhall, U.K., for a refueling stop, before departing for Joint Base Andrews at 5:25 p.m.

HARRIS' SATURDAY:

11:45 a.m.: Harris will meet with state legislators and other leaders to discuss reproductive rights in Philadelphia.

3 p.m.: Harris will depart Philadelphia to return to D.C.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ROE BEING OVERTURNED? JOIN WOMEN RULE ON 7/21: Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , abortion policy is in the hands of the states and, ultimately, voters. Join POLITICO national political correspondent Elena Schneider for a Women Rule "ask me anything" conversation featuring a panel of reporters from our politics and health care teams who will answer your questions about how the court's decision could play out in different states, its impact on the midterms and what it means for reproductive rights in the U.S. going forward. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND REGISTER HERE.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne returns from a quick break in his interview with the Jan. 6 select committee on Friday, July 15. Byrne claimed on social media that he attended a meeting with White House officials on Dec. 18, 2020, about the possibility of overturning the 2020 election that devolved into a shouting match. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

PLAYBOOK READS

9 THINGS THAT STUCK WITH US

1. THE WHITE HOUSE: Biden is officially scrapping a plan to nominate a "Kentucky lawyer who opposes abortion rights and is backed by Senator MITCH MCCONNELL to a federal court seat, citing opposition from Senator RAND PAUL," NYT's Carl Hulse reports. "The resistance from Mr. McConnell's fellow Republican marked a new twist over a potential nomination that had prompted outrage on the left."

2. THE REVENGE TOUR: It's no secret that Trump and his top GOP House lieutenants are itching to get back into power after the midterms to investigate the investigators. But CNN's Melanie Zanona, Gabby Orr and Zachary Cohen have a report up on the plotting that's already underway: "Republicans have already asked the January 6 panel to preserve a broad range of documents in its possession -- a signal they're preparing to force those records to be turned over should they wield powerful committee gavels next year. And privately, Republican sources say there have been discussions about subpoenaing members of the select committee, particularly Rep. LIZ CHENEY of Wyoming, who is fighting an uphill battle for reelection, and retiring Rep. ADAM KINZINGER of Illinois, if both Republicans are private citizens next year."

3. THE INVESTIGATIONS: Georgia's inquiry into Trump's attempts to influence the 2020 election results is heating up. Fulton County District Attorney FANI WILLIS is "considering requesting that former President Donald Trump testify under oath to a grand jury," AP's Eric Tucker and Kate Brumback report . "Such a demand would almost certainly trigger an immediate court fight, including potentially over Trump's constitutional protections against self-incrimination." Willis has also "sent a target letter to state Republican party Chair DAVID SHAFER, warning him that he may be indicted as part of her investigation," CNN's Sara Murray and Zachary Cohen report.

4. THE GOP BENCH: NYT's Katie Glueck has the readout from the National Governors Association meeting in Portland, Maine, this weekend, where everything from abortion to guns to Manchin's reconciliation shocker reverberated through the lens of the 2022 gubernatorial races and beyond. "Private dinners and seafood receptions crackled with discussion and speculation about future political leadership," Glueck writes. "In a series of interviews, Republican governors in attendance — a number of them critical of Mr. Trump, planning to retire or both — hoped that some of their own would emerge as major 2024 players."

Utah GOP Gov. SPENCER COX: "I don't care as much about when you were born or what generation you belong to as I do about what you stand for. … But I think certainly there is some angst in the country right now over the gerontocracy."

5. POST-ROE RACES: Down-ballot Democrats are growing frustrated in the immediate wake of the campaign climate after the Supreme Court's ruling to strike down Roe v. Wade, WaPo's Annie Linskey reports. "Democrats hoping to inject new urgency into these contests are demanding more money and attention from party leadership — with no clear indication they will get what they want. Instead, Democratic messaging has largely focused on federal races and a debate over the Senate filibuster, some frustrated Democrats noted, even as individual states now have sole discretion over abortion laws."

6. INFLATION NATION: NYT's Ben Casselman and Lydia DePillis take the latest temperature reading on the economy: "Just 10 percent of registered voters say the U.S. economy is 'good' or 'excellent,' according to a New York Times/Siena College poll — a remarkable degree of pessimism at a time when wages are rising and the unemployment rate is near a 50-year low." What Dems don't want to read: "78 percent of voters say inflation will be 'extremely important' when they head to the polls."

But an interesting caveat: "Forty-three percent of voters in the Times/Siena survey said their personal financial situation was good or excellent. Even among those who said the national economy was 'poor,' a third of voters said they were doing fine personally."

7. WHO'S BACKING MANCHIN: Caitlin Oprysko, our esteemed lobbying ace and anchor of POLITICO Influence, took a look at "Who cut checks to Manchin last quarter" in a timely look at the senators' key backers after he torpedoed the major climate provisions in Democrats' reconciliation package. What she found: "Manchin continued to rake in thousands from executives and corporations whose industries could be altered or who, as billionaires, could face higher taxes under such a package, according to a campaign finance report." Read the full details in PI

8. IT'S (ALMOST) OFFICIAL: "Milwaukee chosen as likely Republican National Convention site in 2024," by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bill Glauber. What's next: "The full Republican National Committee must approve the choice during its summer meeting in Chicago, Aug. 2-5."

9. AMERICA AND THE WORLD: "Russians have visited Iran at least twice in last month to examine weapons-capable drones," by CNN's Natasha Bertrand

A message from PhRMA:

What's fueling inflation? Not prescription drugs. The administration's own economic data proves it.

CLICKER — "The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics," edited by Matt Wuerker — 15 funnies

Political cartoon

Matt Wuerker/POLITICO

GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Ryan Lizza:

— "It was a secret road map for breaking the law to get an abortion. Now, 'The List' and its tactics are resurfacing," by SF Chronicle's Jason Fagone and Alexandria Bordas

— "Sarah Palin Has Long Been Ridiculed. I Wanted to Tell a Different Story," by T.A. Frank for WaPo: "A reconsideration of the narrative that surrounds her as she runs for Congress."

— "'A Real Chilling Effect': A Lefty Scholar is Dumping CAP — For AEI," by Michael Schaffer in POLITICO Magazine: "Ruy Teixeira predicted Obama's rise. Now he's scorning DC's liberal think tanks for caring more about diversity than class."

— "Can Planting a Trillion New Trees Save the World?" by Zach St. George for NYT Magazine: "To fight climate change, companies and nonprofits have been promoting worldwide planting campaigns. Getting to a trillion is easier said than done."

— "Meet the Lobbyist Next Door," by Wired's Benjamin Wofford: "What do a Real Housewife, an Olympic athlete, and a doula have in common? They're all being paid by an ad-tech startup as influencers—peddling not products but ideologies."

— "'She Wanted to Be Fantastic,'" by Vulture's Matthew Jacobs: "An oral history of Beyoncé in Austin Powers: Goldmember, a goofy anomaly in a now-rarefied pop career."

— "My night with the Rolling Stones," by Christopher Sandford for The Spectator: "Recalling a drug-related adventure from the 1970s."

INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

PLAYBOOKERS

SURPRISE NUPTIALS — Symone Sanders, MSNBC host and former Biden administration official, and Shawn Townsend , a principal at Dewey Square, got married on Friday in a surprise ceremony at the historic Larz Anderson House on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., in front of close family and friends. Later, at a large gathering for a "Toast to Townsend" — what guests thought was a celebration of the couple's upcoming nuptials, the two were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Townsend. The two were introduced in 2019 and got engaged in April 2021. Pic … Another pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Abby Phillips, Maude Okrah, Opal Vadhan, Remi Yamamoto, Tammy Haddad, Minyon Moore, Eugene Daniels, Sabrina Singh, John McCarthy, Vince Evans, DeUndre Eberhart, Todd Valentine, Simon Kinberg, Cleo Wade, Alencia Johnson, Amos Jackson, Rohini Kosoglu, Stephanie Young, Crystal Carson and Catherine Snyder.

SPOTTED: Interior Secretary Deb Haaland at the Evening Parade concert at Marine Barracks Washington in Eastern Market on Friday night.

VEEP DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Meghan Groob is leaving the vice president's office as director of speechwriting, Alex Thompson scooped.

TRANSITION — Josh Britton is joining the American Bankers Association to handle media relations for legislative and regulatory issues. He previously was comms director at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) … Neil Chatterjee … NYT's Shane Goldmacher … CBS' Ben Tracy … Maddie Conway … Randy DeCleene of kglobal … PhRMA's Stami Williams … Julie Tagen of Rep. Jamie Raskin's (D-Md.) office … Chad Carlough of Rep. Jerry Carl's (R-Ala.) office … Anita McBride … Scott Melville of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association … Marisol Samayoa of Sen. Mark Kelly's (D-Ariz.) office … Karin Johanson … Amanda Henneberg of Cavalry … Riley Roberts … Kathy Calvin … Betty Hudson … AMA's Justin DeJong … Jennifer Cummings … Zach Sentementes … Molly Ritner ... Amanda Hallberg Greenwell ... Manuel Bonilla … Doug Feith … Don Willett, judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit … former Reps. Ross Spano (R-Fla.) and Michael Bilirakis (R-Fla.) … Chad Griffin … POLITICO's Kalon Makle and Luc Traugott … former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman … Marcus Towns II … Teri Whitcraft … Brooke Starr of Rep. Markwayne Mullin's (R-Okla.) office … Abbas Alawieh of Rep. Cori Bush's (D-Mo.) office … Gordon Sondland

THE SHOWS ( Full Sunday show listings here):

CBS "Face the Nation": Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) … D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser … Amos Hochstein … Jason Furman … Scott Gottlieb.

FOX "Fox News Sunday": Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) … Jared Bernstein. Panel: Kevin Roberts, Morgan Ortagus, Josh Kraushaar and Mo Elleithee.

ABC "This Week": Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) … Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) … Ashish Jha. Panel: Heidi Heitkamp, Rick Klein, Ramesh Ponnuru and Leigh Ann Caldwell.

CNN "State of the Union": Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey … Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) … Jared Bernstein. Panel: Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Paul Begala and David Urban.

CNN "Inside Politics": Ruy Teixeira. Panel: Jeff Zeleny, Seung Min Kim, Tamara Keith and Gabby Orr.

MSNBC "The Sunday Show": Doug Jones … Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) … Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) … Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) … Tonya Lewis Lee.

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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, reporter Eli Okun and producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.

A message from PhRMA:

What's fueling inflation? Not prescription drugs. The administration's own economic data proves it.

Even though medicines aren't fueling inflation, there are still patients who struggle to afford their treatments. But their challenges largely stem from a broken insurance system that too often forces patients to pay more for medicines than insurance companies pay.

The current system isn't fair for patients, but government price setting won't help. There is a better way to help lower drug costs for patients, while preserving choice, access and future innovation.