| | | | |  | | By Gary Fineout | Hello and welcome to Friday. Congratulations — Dev Shah, a 14-year-old Pinellas County middle school student from Largo, won the National Spelling Bee on Thursday when he correctly spelled the word “psammophile,” which means an organism that prefers or thrives in sandy soil. Fast and furious — Well, it’s only been a little more than a week since Gov. Ron DeSantis jumped into the race for president. But the rancor between DeSantis World and Team Trump is already shifting into overdrive — especially online, where supporters and campaign aides are taking increasingly hostile and personal shots at each other. (There’s also been a row over a bus …yes, a bus...) Be hit and hit back — The tussle between the two candidates (and onetime allies) themselves has been more restrained in comparison, but the punches and counterpunches are coming, as pointed out in a story by POLITICO reporters following the campaigns in New Hampshire and Iowa. He said, he said — DeSantis in a Thursday radio interview called Trump’s use of nicknames “petty” and “juvenile” and a reason that he’s no longer in the White House. After DeSantis snapped “Are you blind?” at an Associated Press reporter following a New Hampshire event, Trump mocked DeSantis and proceeded to take questions for 20 minutes from reporters. Context — On a side note: DeSantis’ response to the AP reporter was an unsurprising moment. DeSantis’ animus to the media is real and he’s spent most of the past few years primarily interacting with friendly conservative influencers and media and avoiding tough questions. Time as an abstract — The two also traded barbs over DeSantis’ assertion he would need eight years to carry out conservative policies and “slay the deep state.” Trump responded he could do it in six months, which led DeSantis to say “You already had four years, why didn’t you slay it then?” The campaigns are also going at it over Covid-19. Prediction time — Of course it’s months until GOP voters will settle this argument once and for all. But between now and then it will get ever more heated. One former Trump adviser told POLITICO: “Nasty? This is child’s play. You wanna see nasty? Stay tuned.” — WHERE'S RON? — Gov. Ron DeSantis will be campaigning for president in Beaufort, Lexington, and Greenville, S.C. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: gfineout@politico.com
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | |  | DESANTISLAND | | GOING AT IT — Trump-DeSantis feud gets ugly fast, by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg, Alex Isenstadt, Natalie Allison and Lisa Kashinsky: The development could have profound consequences for the party. Should Trump and DeSantis continue down the path of savagery towards each other, it could leave the eventual nominee hobbled for what is expected to be a tough general election fight against President Joe Biden. Top Republicans have been watching the escalating tit-for-tat warily. “It’s a 15-round boxing match, and when boxers come out pummeling each other from the beginning, they’re not pacing themselves for the balance of the match,” said Rob Stutzman, a Republican consultant based in California. — Trump and DeSantis spat over a Trump-trolling bus in Iowa, by POLITICO’s Natalie Allison — “Ron DeSantis loses his temper with a reporter: ‘Are you blind?’” by NBC News’ Jonathan Allen DODGEBALL — “In New Hampshire, DeSantis avoids talking about Florida’s abortion ban,” by The New York Times’ Nicholas Nehamas: “At a stop on his first trip to New Hampshire as a presidential candidate, Gov. Ron DeSantis mentioned his efforts to provide tax relief for Florida families. He mentioned defunding diversity programs at public colleges. He mentioned his fight with Disney. But what he did not mention was the six-week abortion ban he signed in Florida this year. The ban — which Mr. DeSantis chose to highlight in his speeches to audiences in socially conservative Iowa this week — is a potential lightning rod for voters in more moderate New Hampshire.” — Chris Sununu compliments potential presidential rival DeSantis’ New Hampshire campaign speech, by POLITICO’s Kierra Frazier — “Ron DeSantis’ wife joins him on the campaign trail as voters say they want to ‘see the man,’” by ABC News’ Will McDuffie STEPPING AWAY — Federal judge who ruled against DeSantis will recuse himself from Disney case, by POLITICO’s Gary Fineout: A federal judge who has a history of ruling against Ron DeSantis is stepping aside from presiding over a high-profile case where Disney sued the Florida governor. The state previously pushed to disqualify U.S. Chief District Judge Mark Walker based on comments he made in court about the ongoing dispute between the entertainment giant and Republican governor. From the order — Walker on Thursday called the motion filed by the state “meritless.” But he said he’ll remove himself from the case because he discovered last week that an unidentified “third-degree” relative of his owns 30 shares of Disney stock. “Even though I believe it is highly unlikely that these proceedings will have a substantial effect on The Walt Disney Company, I choose to err on the side of caution — which, here, is also the side of judicial integrity — and disqualify myself,” Walker wrote in a 14-page order. “Maintaining public trust in the judiciary is paramount, perhaps now more than ever in the history of our Republic.” — “Disney CEO Bob Iger’s book hints at how he’ll handle company’s feud with Ron DeSantis,” by Insider’s Kimberly Leonard ‘THAT’S WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE’ — “Autism Advocates Are Dreading a Campaign Season of Insinuations About Ron DeSantis,” by POLITICO’s Michael Schaffer: It’s not that [Jessica] Benham thinks such a diagnosis would be disqualifying. Rather, she’s troubled by the act of armchair diagnosis as a way of knocking someone. The implication is that the status of being on the spectrum is problematic or shameful or bad — and, at any rate, something intentionally kept secret. “It’s frankly none of our business until he tells us one way or the other,” she tells me. “But if you want to delegitimize someone as a politician, certainly leaning into those stereotypes that people have about autistic folks is one way to do it. And that’s what’s happening here.” — “DeSantis: Trump mocking name is ‘petty’ and ‘juvenile,’” by The Hill’s Julia Manchester — “Ron DeSantis’ beef with boots – and how that relates to his critique of big government,” by Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski — “Trump is still king of conservative merch. But DeSantis is coming,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson
| | TRUMPLANDIA AND THE SWAMP | | EVERYTHING IS AWESOME — “‘Everything I did was right’: Trump doubles down amid new classified docs report, by POLITICO’s Olivia Olander: Former President Donald Trump insisted he did nothing wrong amid reports that he knowingly held onto classified documents after his presidency, in a Fox News town hall appearance Thursday that also saw him lob slights at his primary opponents including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. “I don’t know anything about it. All I know is this: Everything I did was right,” Trump responded to a question about a recording that reportedly includes Trump acknowledging he kept a classified document. He quickly pivoted to President Joe Biden, who’s also had classified documents found in his possession. ON THE TRAIL — “Donald Trump says ‘there’s no way we lose Iowa’ as he bashes Ron DeSantis in Des Moines,” by Des Moines Register’s Galen Bacharier: “Trump touted his lead in polling over DeSantis, saying ‘there's no way we lose Iowa’ after his previous victories here and his support among farmers and other key groups. ‘We'd have to do some really bad things to lose at this point,’ Trump told supporters in Urbandale. That didn't stop him from lobbing attacks at DeSantis, calling him ‘really bad on ethanol.’ Before taking several questions from attendees, he remarked that ‘these politicians … they don't want to take questions, they just read a speech,’ poking at DeSantis for declining to take crowd questions from the podium at events.”
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Former President Donald Trump greets supporters before speaking at the Westside Conservative Breakfast, Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. | Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo | COUNTERPOINT — “Trump pollster tells donors DeSantis electability is a ‘myth,’” by Axios’ Alex Thompson: “[Tony] Fabrizio's memo suggests that DeSantis is viewed as less electable than Trump in swing states after voters learn his positions on certain issues, and that voters have 'very limited knowledge' of the Florida governor right now. ‘When Swing State voters learn about certain DeSantis positions, his support craters,’ Fabrizio wrote of his survey of 600 registered voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin from May 22- 25.”
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | BUDDING — “Florida recreational marijuana effort clears crucial hurdle,” by POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie: The effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida crossed a major hurdle but still faces a likely challenge from the state’s attorney general. Florida’s Department of State reported that the proposed ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballot in 2024. The constitutional amendment, proposed by Smart & Safe Florida, gathered 967,528 valid signatures — more than 70,000 above the requirement to reach the ballot. Smart & Safe through April had spent $38.4 million to get the new measure on the ballot — all paid for by medical marijuana giant Trulieve Inc. While it still faces a Florida Supreme Court review and an expected legal challenge from state Attorney General Ashley Moody, amendment supporters heralded the breakthrough.
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | DATELINE D.C. | | RUBIO, SCOTT VOTE NO — Senate averts default, sends debt bill to Biden’s desk, by POLITICO’s Daniella Diaz PROBE REQUEST — “Rubio says TikTok CEO may have committed perjury, calls for DOJ investigation,” by Fox Business’ Breck Dumas: “Sen. Marco Rubio says TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appears to have lied to Congress while under oath and is asking the Department of Justice to investigate the matter. The Florida Republican sent a letter Thursday to Attorney General Merrick Garland to call for a probe into whether Chew committed perjury during his testimony in March, when the TikTok chief said U.S. user data was not stored in China where the social media app's parent company, ByteDance, is based. In the letter, Rubio says Chew was asked directly during his testimony on March 23 whether American TikTok users' data was stored in China, and the CEO replied, ‘No, storage has always been stored in Virginia and in Singapore.’” — “Disney’s cancellation of Lake Nona campus has big implications for Osceola County, Darren Soto says,” by Orlando Sentinel’s Natalia Jaramillo
| | THE GUNSHINE STATE | | TURNED BACK — “Florida Supreme Court turns down request from Parkland parents,” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders: "The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined a request by parents of a slain student to weigh in on a potential lawsuit against gun maker Smith & Wesson and a gun seller stemming from the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Supreme Court decision was a setback for Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was among 17 students and faculty members killed in the Parkland shooting." MEANWHILE — “Judge won’t allow jury in ex-deputy’s trial to visit Parkland shooting scene,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Rafael Olmeda — “Former Broward Sheriff Scott Israel resigning as Opa-locka police chief,” by South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Angie DiMichele
| | PENINSULA AND BEYOND | | SPEAKING OUT — “In Tampa and across Florida, Hispanic groups protest immigration law,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Juan Carlos Chavez: “[Epi] Gutierrez was in West Tampa on Thursday to join protesters who lined up along the busy intersection of Dale Mabry Highway and Columbus Drive, each a 10–lane divided roadway. They carried American and Latin American flags and shouted in Spanish, 'Estamos aquí,' (We are here), and, ‘Sí se puede,” (Yes, we can). They gathered at 10 a.m. and remained for four hours, encouraging drivers to honk their car horns in support. Dubbed 'Un Día Sin Inmigrantes,' or a 'Day without Immigrants,' organizers held events in Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Vero Beach and the farm communities of Pierson in Volusia County and Immokalee in Collier County." — “‘Cerrado’: Miami-area Hispanic businesses close to protest Florida’s immigration law,” by Miami Herald’s Omar Rodríguez Ortiz DOCUMENTS — “New details of Jeffrey Epstein’s death and the frantic aftermath revealed in records obtained by AP,” by Associated Press’ Michael R. Sisak and Michael Balsamo: “Nearly four years later, the AP has obtained more than 4,000 pages of documents related to Epstein’s death from the federal Bureau of Prisons under the Freedom of Information Act. They include a detailed psychological reconstruction of the events leading to Epstein’s suicide, as well as his health history, internal agency reports, emails and memos and other records. Taken together, the documents the AP obtained Thursday provide the most complete accounting to date of Epstein’s detention and death, and its chaotic aftermath. The records help to dispel the many conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s suicide, underscoring how fundamental failings at the Bureau of Prisons — including severe staffing shortages and employees cutting corners — contributed to Epstein’s death.” — “‘Support our businesses.’ Black entrepreneurs in Miami concerned about NAACP travel advisory,” by Miami Herald’s C. Isaiah Smalls II and Michael Butler — “Former MacDill airman gets 3 years in prison for keeping classified documents,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Dan Sullivan — “LGBTQ+ people flock to Florida for Gays Days festival,” by Associated Press’ Mike Schneider — “Florida education debates rage on as hundreds attend Hernando school board meeting,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Jeffrey S. Solochek — “How a developer pushing a luxury Coral Gables high rise became a tenant of the mayor,” by Miami Herald’s Tess Riski — “USF joins exclusive club with invitation to top-tier university group,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Divya Kumar
| | ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN | | — “Big expensive loss for Joe Carollo. Jury awards Miami businessmen $63.5 million,” by Miami Herald’s Charles Rabin: “Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo was so livid with two Little Havana business owners for supporting a political opponent that he spent years destroying their reputations and pushed police and code enforcement to target their properties, a jury decided Thursday. More significantly, jurors also decided Carollo should pay a hefty price for abusing his authority, awarding the two men a staggering $63.5 million in compensation. Both businessmen William 'Bill' Fuller and Martin Pinilla — who had sued Carollo in federal civil court, arguing he violated their First Amendment rights — broke into smiles and hugged their wives and friends as the verdict was read.” BIRTHDAYS: Former state Rep. Mike Hill … Political analyst and consultant Chris Ingram (Saturday) Florida Power & Light’s George Bennett (Sunday) Former Miami-Dade County Judge Ed Newman … Julie Fess, government affairs consultant with Gunster ... Holly Benson, former state legislator and Agency for Health Care Administration secretary | | | | 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 | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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