| | | | |  | | By Myah Ward | | | With help from Ben Pauker
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A man, who is part of a group of immigrants sent to Martha's Vineyard Wednesday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, flashes a thumbs up. | Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette via AP | PERFORMATIVE POLICY — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is once again making national headlines. His latest move to send two planes of migrants from Florida to the liberal enclave of Martha's Vineyard is dominating the political discussion, placing the potential 2024 presidential contender at center stage. He's not the only governor using these shock tactics: Today, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott dropped two busloads of undocumented immigrants outside of Vice President Kamala Harris' Naval Observatory residence, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has sent thousands of migrants out of his state to cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago. But DeSantis remains the most effective at leveraging his combative, trolling style to bolster his brand and burnish his credentials on the right. "In Florida, we take what is happening at the southern border seriously," DeSantis said in a tweet today. "We are not a sanctuary state, and we will gladly facilitate the transport of illegal immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions." To break down what the Florida Republican has to gain from his latest move, and how it plays into DeSantis' larger political ambitions, Nightly chatted with Florida Playbook author Gary Fineout. For anyone who might not keep tabs on DeSantis like you do, how would you place the Martha's Vineyard story in context when it comes to the Florida governor and his combative style with hot-button issues? Gov. DeSantis has repeatedly said in speeches and at campaign events that he will not "back down" to Democrats, leftists or the "corporate media" when it comes to various issues. His decision to send migrants to Martha's Vineyard in and of itself is not a complete surprise since he previously suggested it at one point. DeSantis got $12 million from the Legislature as part of a plan to transport migrants out of state, although most of the time the governor talked about sending them by bus to President Joe Biden's home state of Delaware. The surprise, however, was that just a few weeks ago, DeSantis suggested the plan was on hold because Biden had stopped sending migrants to Florida. So, what does he gain from this politically? Well, DeSantis today defended his actions, contending it was a response to the Biden administration's border policy. He maintained it was easy for those blue states and Democratic-run cities to decry the actions of the Trump administration when officials in those communities did not have to deal with the fallout. "The minute even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door, they all of a sudden go berserk and they're so upset that this is happening," he said during a press conference held in the Panhandle. "And It just shows you their virtue-signaling is a fraud." Now as to what does he gain politically? It demonstrates he is very much in sync with the main issues driving Republicans and conservatives. His Democratic opponents charged that his actions were meant to distract voters from other items of importance, including abortion. Among your sources, are there any concerns that these tactics could backfire for DeSantis if he does decide to run for the White House? At this point it's not clear if that type of long-range strategic thinking is going on. What's happening now is that Gov. DeSantis is marching ahead in a reelection campaign where he is solidly out front. His goal is to win in November by a margin that is bigger than former President Donald Trump won the state by in 2020 and to show to the country that Florida is no longer a swing state. He has also taken steps to build up connections among Republican donors across the country and has rocketed to the top of the list of potential contenders IF Trump does not run. And that remains the key question from those I've talked to: Will Trump run? If he does, what does DeSantis do then? DeSantis isn't alone in this, but he's been the most effective at building his national profile through confrontational moves like we saw Wednesday — whether it's on immigration or another issue like critical race theory or care for transgender children. Why is this? Well, Democrats view his actions as stunts. But if you take a look at conservatives — and conservative media celebrities — they are effusive with praise of DeSantis. They view him as someone who is fighting for their belief system as opposed to backing down amid pressure from liberal critics. You could call it Trump 2.0 in a way. DeSantis made it into office thanks to Trump, but the governor's national profile began to grow during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when he became one of the first Republican leaders to buck policies coming from national health experts. I will note he did agree to lockdowns and school closings at the start, but he jettisoned them relatively quickly. And bit by bit, conservative media outlets, such as Fox, began to focus more on him — and now everything he does generates widespread media coverage. His actions in Martha's Vineyard were covered by the BBC, the New York Post, CNN, The New York Times and on and on. Additionally he has cultivated strong relationships with a whole wide array of conservative media influencers. In some ways, what's going on is reminiscent of the endless media fascination that once existed with Trump. Mainstream outlets are now chronicling every step he takes, and there's been a new cottage industry of lengthy DeSantis profiles. Some media critics have already wondered out loud if news organizations are dedicating too much time to DeSantis, but the fact remains — his moment has arrived. How long will it last? Will it lead to the White House? What are you watching for next on this storyline, and should we expect more actions like this from DeSantis? Well, there are key questions as to how this actually worked that have yet to be explained and why the governor changed course after suggesting in late August that his transport program is on hold. But DeSantis also has not outlined his plans for a second term in office even though he has been dropping hints about what he wants to do if he's reelected. What he does in 2023 obviously may say a lot about 2024. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com. Or contact tonight's author at mward@politico.com or on Twitter @MyahWard. You may have heard about the foggy-glasses problem — back when masks where ubiquitous — leading to an uptick in laser-eye surgery. Another weird pandemic byproduct? More men are paying up to six figures to add 3 to 6 inches to their height — by having their legs broken, GQ reported today.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia on Sept. 7. | Vladimir Smirnov/TASS News Agency Host Pool Photo via AP | NO WAY OUT — The internationalist chattering class in Washington was all ginned up this week by Anne Applebaum's piece in The Atlantic crowing about the surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive and asking whether we're preparing enough for Vladimir Putin's demise, writes Ben Pauker for Nightly. Here's the thinking: If Ukraine can break through Russian defenses this easily, could it rout the rest of Moscow's spent and tired recruits? And if those Russian troops come home in disgrace, Putin couldn't long withstand the indignity of losing a war he thought would be over in days. Someone surely would topple the autocrat. It all feels a bit too soon, say senior government officials. Yes, Kyiv's surprise attack in the north — after Ukrainian officials around D.C. spread the word (shhhh) earlier this summer that they were massing for a counteroffensive in the south — is impressive. And the disarray and incompetence of Russian troops is another sign that Moscow isn't packed with military masterminds. But while Ukraine's morale is high, its forces have taken heavy losses in the recent fight and are still massively outgunned. War nerds were shocked by the speed and success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, but caution that holding the 1,000 square miles grabbed back from Russian forces may be tricky. Still, in Moscow, there are interesting signs that the mood is changing. Seasoned Russia-watchers had their minds blown this week watching a late-night chat show on a propaganda TV channel in which panelists openly questioned whether the Kremlin should lick its wounds and sue for peace. "We're now at the point when we have to understand it's absolutely impossible to defeat Ukraine," said former State Duma Deputy Boris Nadezhdin. "I again urge you to watch your language," Alexander Kazakov, a current State Duma member, said ominously in response. This kind of public criticism does not happen in today's Moscow. Unless you want to have an accidental fall from an eighth-story window. Putin still has cards to play — but none of them are great. He could mobilize more troops, calling up tens of thousands of young Russians, but that risks domestic discontent. He could ratchet up the brutality of the response, blasting civilian targets in major cities or even targeting the at-risk Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, but that's only going to solidify support for Kyiv in Washington and foreign capitals. Talk to anyone in the White House and they'll all tell you that it's going to be a long war. But this is the second chaotic Russian retreat in six months — and it reveals that Putin doesn't really have a plan for victory.
| | | | A message from SOLIDIGM:   | | | | | | — Judge rejects DOJ bid to delay Mar-a-Lago ruling, appoints special master: U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon has rejected a Justice Department demand to permit federal prosecutors to continue their review of records marked classified that were recovered from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Cannon today also appointed Raymond Dearie, a senior judge in the Eastern District of New York, to lead an independent review of the seized materials. The Justice Department has already appealed Cannon's order, and had indicated it would seek relief from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals if she did not agree to delay aspects of her ruling by tonight.
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| — Rail deal goes to union vote as strike fears wane: Rail union leaders said they were starting to line up votes from their members on a tentative agreement with the nation's largest rail freight carriers to avert a nationwide strike that could devastate large swaths of the economy. Parties to the agreement, brokered by the Biden administration today, seemed optimistic it would hold. — Senate delays same-sex marriage vote until after midterms: The Senate won't vote on protecting same-sex marriage until after the midterm elections, said the bill's chief sponsor, Tammy Baldwin. Democrats had planned to hold a vote as soon as Monday, though it was unclear if there would be 10 Republican votes in support of the same-sex marriage bill. Several Republicans said this week that the measure had a much better chance to pass after the election. — Trump warns of 'problems' like 'we've never seen' if he's indicted: Trump said today the nation would face "problems ... the likes of which perhaps we've never seen" if he is indicted over his handling of classified documents after leaving office, an apparent suggestion that such a move by the Justice Department could spark violence from Trump's supporters. The former president said an indictment wouldn't stop him from running for the White House again and repeatedly said Americans "would not stand" for his prosecution. — Weekslong boil water notice lifted in Mississippi capital: A boil-water notice was lifted today in Mississippi's capital city after nearly seven weeks, Gov. Tate Reeves and Jackson officials said. "We have restored clean water," Reeves said during a news conference. But a state health department official, Jim Craig, said concerns remain about copper and lead levels in the Jackson water. Craig said people should continue to avoid using city water to prepare baby formula.
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | | | | 40.2 percent The estimated percentage of Hispanic residents in Texas, compared with 39.4 percent for non-Hispanic white residents. The estimate that there are more Hispanic Texans than non-Hispanic whites for the first time , from the U.S. Census Bureau, represents a milestone in rapid cultural changes within the state. | | | | | Welcome to 'Radar Sweep,' a new section from POLITICO Nightly that will track down notions from corners of the internet that might not make daily headlines. HAVE SOME MANNERS — The United Kingdom is trying to mandate some respect for the dead (and her living relatives). Unlike in the U.S., the U.K. does not have a fundamental right to free speech. So in recent days, some protesters have been arrested for loudly and publicly complaining about the queen, the new king and even Prince Andrew, with his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. As Christian Thorsberg wrote in Grid News, even part of John Oliver's show where he discussed the Queen's death wasn't broadcast in the U.K. Still, we've got the internet, and the footage made its way on over. It's hard to keep a good complainer down.
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Dan Page for POLITICO | GATES, INC. — When Covid-19 struck, the governments of the world weren't prepared. From America to Europe to Asia, they veered from minimizing the threat to closing their borders in ill-fated attempts to quell a viral spread that soon enveloped the world. While the most powerful nations looked inward, four non-governmental global health organizations began making plans for a life-or-death struggle against a virus that would know no boundaries, write Erin Banco, Ashleigh Furlong and Lennart Pfahler. What followed was a steady, almost inexorable shift in power from the overwhelmed governments to a group of non-governmental organizations, according to a seven-month investigation by POLITICO journalists based in the U.S. and Europe and the German newspaper WELT. The four organizations had worked together in the past, and three of them shared a common history. The largest and most powerful was the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest philanthropies in the world. Then there was Gavi, the global vaccine organization that Gates helped to found to inoculate people in low-income nations, and the Wellcome Trust, a British research foundation with a multibillion-dollar endowment that had worked with the Gates Foundation in previous years. Finally, there was the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, the international vaccine research and development group that Gates and Wellcome both helped to create in 2017. This has all added up to Bill Gates, neither elected nor appointed, leading the global effort to shape the global pandemic response. Read the comprehensive investigation here. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.
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