| | | | |  | | By Mia McCarthy and Lisa Kashinsky | BAHBENHEIMAH — The Senate is out today, but the “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” movies are finally in. The two disparate feature flicks — one about the iconic Mattel plastic doll, and the other about the man at the center of creating the atomic bomb — are dividing Americans from Boston to the Beltway. So Playbook stalked the halls of Congress to see where the state’s two senators stand. And the answers might surprise you: “Barbie! Are you kidding?” Elizabeth Warren exclaimed after casting her final vote of the week in the Senate chamber. “How could you not be Team Barbie?” Ed Markey declared himself “Team Barbenheimer” — well, actually, “Team Bahbenheimah,” because, you know, Malden. “Bahbenheimah goes together like peanut buttah and jelly,” he said. But team double-feature is facing a dilemma: Which movie do you watch first? “This is the great theological question,” Markey told Playbook, closing his eyes and letting out a dramatic sigh. After deep consideration, he settled on “Oppenheimer.” (He said his wife, however, is passionate about Barbie.)
|  Promotional art for "Barbie," left, and "Oppenheimer." (Warner Bros Pictures/Universal Pictures via AP) | AP | Markey’s choice makes sense. While other senators were staking out their "Barbie" or "Oppenheimer" allegiances, Markey was meeting with Kai Bird — one of the authors of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book on J. Robert Oppenheimer that inspired the film — to discuss the dovetailing threats of nuclear war and artificial intelligence. Bird co-wrote the biography with the late Martin Sherwin, a nuclear history scholar and former Tufts University professor who was a friend of Markey’s. In their meeting Thursday, Bird and Markey shared their mutual concerns over the proliferation of artificial intelligence in national security and defense without guardrails, and the risks of using nuclear weapons in South Asia and elsewhere. They also discussed ways to increase awareness of nuclear issues among the younger set, according to a Markey spokesperson. Markey walked away with Bird’s endorsement of an amendment he filed to the National Defense Authorization Act that would bar the use of artificial intelligence to launch nuclear weapons, his office first told Playbook. “Humans must always maintain sole control over nuclear weapons — this technology is too dangerous to gamble with,” Bird said in a statement. “This bill will send a powerful signal to the world that the United States will never take the reckless step of automating our nuclear command and control.” GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Warren and Markey said they probably won’t be able to catch either flick this weekend. That’ll give Markey more time to mull his answer to the other great theological question on his mind: “What would I eat in between the movies?” The answer is ice cream, of course.
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Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) | AP Photo | TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have no public events. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu paints a basketball court with Celtics star Jaylen Brown at 10 a.m. at Fenelon Park. Rep. Richard Neal announces federal funding at 10:30 a.m. at Pittsfield City Hall. Auditor Diana DiZoglio visits Greater Lowell Technical High at 11:30 a.m. Warren visits Pittsfield Senior Center at 3:15 p.m. Rep. Jim McGovern visits free meals sites in Turners Falls, Greenfield and Worcester with Project Bread. Rep. Ayanna Pressley campaigns for Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones. THIS WEEKEND — NAACP Boston President Tanisha Sullivan is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and joins Boston City Councilor Michael Flaherty on “@Issue” at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on NECN. Rep. Lori Trahan is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Are you Team Barbie or Team Oppenheimer (or Team Barbenheimer)? Email us: mmccarthy@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com and we'll tell you which side we're on!
| | | | JOIN 7/26 FOR A TALK ON THE NEW ENERGY ECONOMY: Join POLITICO's lively discussion, "Powering a Clean Energy Economy," on July 26 to explore the effectiveness of consumer-targeted policies to boost sustainability and create clean energy jobs. How are the Inflation Reduction Act's provisions faring? Which strategies truly sway consumer behavior? Hear from featured speaker, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), among other experts. Don't miss this insightful event — register today and be part of the conversation driving America's clean energy future! REGISTER NOW. | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Private donors commit $100K to relief fund for Mass. farmers reeling from rains, floods,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “A series of torrential rains over the past two weeks caused roughly $15 million in damages to about 2,000 acres of farmland in Massachusetts, which the Healey administration hopes to help save with a private relief fund announced Thursday afternoon. … [Gov. Maura] Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said philanthropic organizations and private donors have committed $100,000 to the newly-created private fund. Attorney General Andrea Campbell said her office would also chip in $10,000 from settlements reached by the state’s top prosecutor.” — More: “Congressional delegation calls on feds to declare western Mass a disaster area in wake of floods,” by Scott Merzbach, Greenfield Recorder.
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — DISTRICT DISCORD: A liberal Newton activist group is rebuking Rep. Jake Auchincloss for being one of nine Democrats who recently voted to block certain “race-based theories” — including that the “United States is a fundamentally racist country” — from being taught in military-run schools. Rep. Seth Moulton also voted in favor of the amendment put forward by hardline conservative Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) during deliberations over the sweeping defense bill that passed the House last week. The two military veterans ultimately joined other House Democrats in voting against the full National Defense Authorization Act. But Newton Upstanders, a group focused on protecting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, is accusing Auchincloss of supporting an “effort to whitewash American racial history.” Auchincloss said he was “reluctant to lend credence to the GOP’s parade of preposterous claims about the military” in a statement to Insider. But he said the amendment “was tightly constructed to affirm that the military shouldn't teach service members' children that any race is inherently superior to any other.” His spokesperson later told Playbook that Auchincloss’ vote was “affirming that the military shouldn’t teach service members’ children that the Constitution they are sworn to protect is racist.” A Moulton spokesperson said that “slavery was our nation’s original sin and there’s no question its effects are still felt today; but Congressman Moulton does not believe that the U.S. is a ‘fundamentally racist country’.” It’s not uncommon for lawmakers to face some level of blowback back home over errant votes in D.C. The Boston Jewish Community Relations Council, for instance, subtly shaded Rep. Ayanna Pressley this week for being one of just 10 representatives, all Democrats, to vote against a House resolution reaffirming U.S. support for Israel. But with none of the delegation members facing serious challenges to their 2024 reelection bids, there’s little these groups can do to hold their federal lawmakers accountable for disagreeable votes. Newton Upstanders is, however, meeting with Auchincloss on Monday. — "After fighting to obtain Trump’s taxes, Richard Neal is on the other side of an IRS battle involving Hunter Biden," by Jim Puzzanghera, Boston Globe.
| | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “Mass. rolls out new program to help immigrants with legal services,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “The state’s Office for Refugees and Immigrants is partnering with nonprofits to roll out a first-of-its kind program to provide legal services to new arrivals with the goal of better helping them integrate into Massachusetts. The services, which will be offered to families staying in the state’s emergency assistance shelters and hotels, include helping migrants put together asylum applications so that they can eventually obtain permits to work legally.”
| | VAX-ACHUSETTS | | — “State watchdogs spend little on COVID-19 oversight,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The state's watchdogs have spent only a fraction of $1.5 million in funding they received more than two years ago to provide fiscal oversight of billions of dollars in federal pandemic-related aid flowing into the state." — “COVID-19 waste water numbers are ticking up again,” by Emma Obregón Dominguez, Boston Globe: “Coronavirus waste water numbers have nearly tripled just three weeks after dropping to their lowest levels in two years, suggesting that cases of COVID-19 are ticking up in the greater Boston area.”
| | | | JOIN 7/27 FOR A TALK ON WOMEN LEADERS IN THE NEW WORKPLACE: In the wake of the pandemic, U.S. lawmakers saw a unique opportunity to address the current childcare system, which has become increasingly unaffordable for millions of Americans, but the initial proposals went nowhere. With the launch of the Congressional Bipartisan Affordable Childcare Caucus in May, there may be a path to make childcare more affordable. Join Women Rule on July 27 to dive into this timely topic and more with featured speakers Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Reshma Saujani, Founder & CEO of Moms First and Founder of Girls Who Code. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston Police release body-camera video showing aftermath of Councilor Kendra Lara’s car crash,” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “Boston Police have released body-camera video from the aftermath of City Councilor Kendra Lara’s June 30 car crash that led to criminal charges, footage that features interviews with both Lara and the man who she said she swerved to avoid in the minutes following the crash. ‘I was just beginning to pull out and she came by like a bat out of hell and just swerved,’ the man, whose face was blurred out, told police.” More from WCVB.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | — “It's official: New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell is running for re-election,” by Frank Mulligan, Standard-Times: “Mayor Jon Mitchell, first elected in 2011, is seeking a sixth term as mayor." — “How the Weymouth mayor's race could end up being a rematch,” by Fred Hanson, Patriot Ledger: “Mayor Robert Hedlund has filed nomination papers for another four years as the town's chief executive. The only other person who had taken out nomination papers from the town clerk's office as of Friday is Edward Cowen, an ex-Marine who ran against Hedlund in 2019.”
| | 2024 WATCH | | — DESANTISLAND: Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire are home to two of the 100 chapters of “Students for DeSantis,” a youth-oriented grassroots effort organized by the pro-Ron DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, the group said. — “Poll: Less Than Half Of New Hampshire Democrats Support First-In-The-Nation Primary Law,” by Stephanie Murray, The Messenger. — “Three key moments from RFK Jr.'s testimony to Congress,” by Eric Bazail-Eimil, POLITICO.
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “Who is running your town government? More and more small Berkshire County towns are struggling to staff town halls and government positions,” by Jane Kaufman, Berkshire Eagle: “In an increasingly complex environment, small towns in the Berkshires are running dry of the people, like [former Savoy Select Board member Russell] Clarke, who keep them functioning. And the problem isn’t just confined to volunteers. Staffing town halls is also a problem." — “Chicopee city councilor faces backlash after ‘racially insensitive’ Facebook post,” by Dave Eisenstadter, MassLive: “Chicopee Ward 7 City Councilor William Courchesne is under fire from colleagues and under investigation from his employer after posting what a fellow city councilor called a ‘racially insensitive’ meme to Facebook.” — “DOJ says Springfield is largely on course with required police reforms,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican.
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Worcester to see draft ordinance on crisis pregnancy centers despite city manager’s concerns,” by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive: “After initially declining to present a draft ordinance that would regulate so-called crisis pregnancy centers in the city to the Worcester City Council, City Manager Eric Batista said Thursday he will bring two draft ordinances before the council.” — “Your Options Medical mobile crisis pregnancy center is coming to Cape Cod this summer,” by Rasheek Tabassum Mujib, Cape Cod Times: “Your Options Medical, a Revere [so-called] crisis pregnancy center, plans to bring its Medical Mobile Clinic to Cape Cod next month. … A local group, Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance, is collaborating with Your Options Medical to bring the mobile clinic to Cape Cod.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | SPOTTED — In an elevator on Capitol Hill: NCAA president and former Gov. Charlie Baker, who was there to meet with Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) to follow up on her query about the NCAA’s sports-betting policy. ALSO SPOTTED — showing solidarity with striking SAG-AFTRA and WGA members in the District: Sen. Ed Markey. Tweet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to NBC10 Boston’s Mary Markos, Dracut state Rep. Colleen Garry, former MassDems chair Phil Johnston, Philip Deely, Sara Seager and Rachel Nieves. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Rosemary Powers, who celebrates Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers former state Sen. Kathleen O’Connor-Ives, Meg Montgomery, Vasundhra Sangar, Jeremy D. Goodwin, Mariane Pearl, Jane Rayburn of EMC Research and your Massachusetts Playbook scribe, Lisa. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: SMOKE SIGNALS — GBH’s Katie Lannan and MassINC Polling’s Rich Parr join host Jennifer Smith to talk flooding in New England, a fire at the State House and pandemic-era policies. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | 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 politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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