| | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels, Rachael Bade and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | THE BIG CAMPAIGN NEWS YOU MISSED — “Super PAC supporting RFK Jr. says it has gathered enough signatures to put him on ballot in Arizona, Georgia,” by CNN’s Aaron Pellish
|  By whatever measure you choose, the “uncommitted” vote against President Joe Biden in the Michigan Democratic primary easily vaulted the bar of relevance. | Getty Images | MICH-EGOSS — Wolverine State voters delivered warning signs last night to the front-running presidential campaigns — if the campaigns want to heed them. With nearly all of the expected vote in, DONALD TRUMP appears to have won just shy of 70% of the Republican vote in Michigan — improving his share from Saturday’s South Carolina primary but again proving that a sizable chunk of the GOP isn’t ready to stand aside. More from Alex Isenstadt President JOE BIDEN, meanwhile, took just over 80% of the Democratic vote. More than 100,000 Michigan voters — about 13% — voted “uncommitted” amid a protest campaign centered on Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza. By whatever measure you choose, the “uncommitted” vote easily vaulted the bar of relevance. In terms of raw ballot numbers, that’s roughly five times the protest vote that BARACK OBAMA saw in the state in 2012, when 10% of Democrats opted against choosing a candidate. Furthermore, with “uncommitted” flirting with the 15% threshold in some congressional districts, at least a few of the state’s 117 delegates appear likely to be sent to Chicago this summer unbound to Biden. To some degree, an “uncommitted” vote is a political Rorschach test. It’s an option to register discontent, not to protest any particular policy. But the campaigning ahead of the election — and the Biden camp’s reaction last night — makes clear Biden needs to figure things out in the Middle East, and fast. “President Biden shares the goal of many of the folks who voted uncommitted, which is an end to the violence and a just and lasting peace. That is what he is working towards,” a senior Biden campaign adviser told Playbook as the late results came in. (Biden’s public statement did not mention the war, saying only that “participating in our democracy is what makes America great.”) The activists who helped lead the protest movement say the onus is now on Biden to pay attention to the warning he has been given. “The question now has to be asked of the president in his campaign: What are they willing to do to heed the call of the people and listen to the demands that were presented over the last 140-plus days?” state Rep. ABRAHAM AIYASH, the Democratic floor leader of the Michigan House of Representatives, told Playbook last night. “Our movement is actually a favor to President Biden, the people around him,” ABBAS ALAWIEH, a former chief of staff to Rep. CORI BUSH (D-Mo.) and spokesperson for Listen to Michigan, told us. “We’re telling you exactly what you need to do to win in Michigan.” That might be a little more comforting to the Biden universe if the demand didn’t amount to “just bring peace to the Middle East” — a tall ask for any president, let alone one who has found so much out of his direct control since Oct. 7. Aside from hopes for a breakthrough — read on below for more on how difficult that might be — presidential aides continue to believe that today’s “uncommitted” voters will be November’s Biden voters once they have a stark choice in front of them. “We also know that nearly all of the folks voting uncommitted do not support the extremism, the xenophobia, and incompetence of Donald Trump,” the campaign insider said. “They want a president who listens and delivers. That’s Joe Biden. We will earn their votes between now and November.” Related reads: “Biden won the Michigan primary decisively — but not by enough to calm Democratic angst,” by Elena Schneider and Adam Cancryn … “Young Voters Say Their Discontent Goes Deeper Than Israel and Gaza,” by NYT’s Anjali Huynh Good Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from the Vapor Technology Association: President Biden: Your administration is working against you.
The FDA is going rogue, trying to force your hand on menthol cigarettes—and that's just the start.
Unelected bureaucrats have been politicizing public health for years, and are ignoring science by banning flavored vapes which are the most effective tool to stop smoking.
President Biden—it's time to take back control of your Cancer Moonshot and public health equity agenda.
Learn More | | | |  Expect the Hunter Biden interview to take most of the day as Republicans try to make the most of their last, best chance to trap a Biden family member into incriminating the president. | Mark Makela/Getty Images | THERE’S HUNTER — Later this morning, HUNTER BIDEN heads to Capitol Hill to testify in the House Oversight Committee’s impeachment inquiry into his father. A few weeks back, this seemed destined to be a moment of Broadway-caliber political theater — preceded by months of public posturing, media stunts and threats of criminal contempt. Now the drama appears likely to fizzle. Consider the circumstances: The impeachment effort is on life support after a key witness was charged with lying to federal investigators. Oversight Chair JAMES COMER’s parade of interviews — most recently with presidential brother JAMES BIDEN — has failed to turn up any new POTUS-threatening evidence. And Comer’s insistence on a closed-door deposition, not the klieg-lights hearing Hunter Biden wanted, means there’s going to be little here to capture the public’s attention. Expect the interview to take most of the day as Republicans make the most of their last, best chance to trap a Biden family member into incriminating the president. Don’t count on it, though. According to a person familiar with Hunter Biden’s opening statement, the extremely well-lawyered interviewee plans to “reiterate what he and other witnesses have told the committees: His father was not involved in his business.” He will also “make the point that Republicans are trying to use him to mount political attacks against his father — and they have come up empty,” the person added. The interview won’t even be videotaped, as CNN’s Paula Reid, Annie Grayer and Jeremy Herb reported yesterday — a condition of the carefully negotiated deal Comer struck to secure the testimony. A transcript could be released “potentially within 24 hours after the deposition wraps,” they say. We’re told presidential aides will be following whatever news emerges from the room, but they’re not exactly on war-room footing amid a sense that the impeachment push is running out of steam. The White House, one person involved told Playbook, will “push back on their bullshit attacks on him and his family. But there's just not a lot more juice left to be squeezed.” In a sign that the House GOP agrees, Comer (R-Ky.) and Judiciary Chair JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) yesterday chose to hype not today’s interview but rather a coming attraction — subpoenaing special counsel ROBERT HUR, whose allegations of Joe Biden’s memory lapses have turbocharged concerns about the president’s age. Ahead of Hur’s tentative March 12 appearance before House Judiciary, the two chairs are requesting “transcripts, notes, video, and audio files” related to his investigation. Do note: Hur’s hearing will be televised, and his interviews with Biden were videotaped. Related read: “Hunter Biden’s years of personal grief and public missteps are focus of House impeachment probe,” by AP’s Lisa Mascaro JUST IN — “Biden Acts to Stop Sales of Sensitive Personal Data to China and Russia,” by NYT’s David McCabe: “In an attempt to limit blackmail and other harm, he will issue an executive order asking the Justice Department to write rules restricting sales to six countries.”
| | | | A message from the Vapor Technology Association:   | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate is in. Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK will testify before the Agriculture Committee at 2:30 p.m. The House will meet at noon and at 2 p.m. will take up various pieces of legislation. 3 things to watch …
- So who’s ready for another CR? Yesterday’s big White House meeting went well enough, with attendees agreeing a federal shutdown is best avoided (more on that below). But the full-year bills aren’t quite finished, meaning yet another stopgap is in the works, Jennifer Scholtes and Caitlin Emma report: “Top lawmakers have for days been kicking around the idea of punting to March 22 on any funding bills that aren’t close to being finalized over the next week, while potentially resorting to a shorter punt for the measures they can finish in short order.”
- It’s always dangerous calling an election before votes are counted — and even more dangerous doing it months before any votes are cast. But it sure looks like GOP Rep. JIM BANKS has the Indiana Senate race sewn up after his sole primary challenger, wealthy egg kingpin JOHN RUST, was booted from the ballot yesterday by a state election commission. The seat, which is being vacated by Republican MIKE BRAUN, is rated safe Republican by multiple forecasters.
- Speaker MIKE JOHNSON’s margin of error gets that much smaller at 7 p.m., when he swears Rep. TOM SUOZZI (D-N.Y.) back into the House after his special-election triumph earlier this month. That will bring the chamber split to 219-213, meaning Johnson can lose no more than two GOP votes on a party-line question if all members are present and voting. That margin is not likely to improve until after the June 11 special election in Ohio’s 6th District.
At the White House Biden will receive the President’s Daily Brief in the morning. VP KAMALA HARRIS will travel to New York to tape an interview with SHERRI SHEPHERD and will return to D.C. in the evening.
| | | | CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So, we have something cool for you: our California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Cut through the jargon and get the latest developments in California as lawmakers and industry leaders adapt to the changing climate. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | CONGRESS
|  At a White House meeting, several leaders ramped up the pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson on Ukraine. | AP | SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN — Biden and the four top congressional leaders left yesterday’s private Oval Office meeting optimistic about reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown ahead of the Friday midnight deadline. Providing aid to Ukraine, however, is another thing entirely. During the meeting, leaders ramped up the pressure on Johnson on Ukraine, with Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL allying with Democrats to push the Senate-passed $95 billion foreign aid supplemental, Burgess Everett and Olivia Beavers report: “McConnell’s move underscored that the two men are dealing in dramatically disparate ways with similar pressures they face from conservatives who have no interest in passing Ukraine aid. … While McConnell, 82, views the fight for Ukraine aid as crucial to his 40-year Senate legacy, Johnson is roughly five months into a shock ascension as speaker and already facing heavy turbulence from his own members.” Last man standing: “While all four top leaders are now in apparent lockstep about avoiding a government shutdown, Johnson remained noncommittal on an emergency foreign aid bill, simply stating that lawmakers must prioritize the U.S. border before helping an ally overseas. He is pushing Biden to use executive actions to tighten security on the southern border before turning to Ukraine, and he is not alone in that view.” Related read: “GOP senators signal that only way out of Ukraine-Russia war likely is ‘negotiated settlement,’” by Anthony Adragna More top reads:
- Elsewhere in the Senate … Top Republicans are once again calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, with McConnell telling reporters yesterday an official trial “would be the best way to go forward,” Katherine Tully-McManus reports.
- As House Democrats begin rallying for federal protections for in vitro fertilization, Rep. NANCY MACE (R-S.C.) is “shopping around” a nonbinding resolution strongly supporting the procedure, Alice Miranda Ollstein scoops.
AMERICA AND THE WORLD
|  Despite the Biden administration's hopes, there's skepticism in the Middle East that a cease-fire may be imminent. | AP | MIDDLE EAST LATEST — Despite Biden’s comments suggesting a cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel was imminent, Hamas officials indicated last night that they are nowhere near reaching an agreement as negotiations drag on, AP’s Tia Goldenberg, Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy report from Jerusalem. While Biden said a deal could come together by Monday and linked the talks to the coming holy month of Ramadan, “Israeli officials said Biden’s comments came as a surprise and were not made in coordination with the country’s leadership,” while Hamas official AHMAD ABDEL-HADI “played down any sense of progress, saying the group wouldn’t soften its demands.” The skepticism comes after U.S. officials announced yesterday that they are sending $53 million in additional aid to support humanitarian aid in Gaza, bringing the total amount of U.S. aid delivered to Gaza during the conflict to $180 million, NYT’s Erica Green reports: “The funding would support organizations, such as the World Food Program, that are helping to combat severe water shortages and the spread of infectious diseases exacerbated by overcrowding at shelters.” Meanwhile … The White House gave Israel until mid-March to sign a letter assuring it would abide by international law while using U.S. weapons and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, Axios’ Barak Ravid reports: “If the assurances aren't provided by the deadline, U.S. weapon transfers to the country will be paused.”
| | | | A message from the Vapor Technology Association:   | | | 2024 WATCH
| 
Donald Trump's strategic restraint against Nikki Haley didn’t last even 24 hours. | Jamie Kelter Davis for POLITICO | CAN’T SAY NO — Ahead of the South Carolina primary Saturday, Trump’s campaign insisted they were finally done talking about NIKKI HALEY. The strategic restraint didn’t last even 24 hours despite the former president having “every rational incentive to make overtures to Haley and her supporters,” Adam Wren writes this morning: “If a real denouement of this primary is best signaled by Trump easing up on his current and former rivals, we’re not there yet. … [E]ven if Trump is convinced the primary is over, handing over an olive branch simply isn’t Trump’s style.” THE NEW ANTI-TRUMP TRIO — A group of former Trump White House staffers — former deputy press secretary SARAH MATTHEWS, former strategic comms director ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN and former aide CASSIDY HUTCHINSON — have become the new face of the anti-Trump right, WaPo’s Kara Voght writes: “For those who already know they dislike Trump, the Hutchinsons, Matthewses and Farah Griffins of the media world offer validation that is in high demand. … But are they in a position to talk anyone out of voting for Trump in November?” HEADING FOR THE EXITS — SHEILA CREAL, a longtime Democratic bundler and Biden 2020 alum who was working for ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. as national finance director, left his campaign last month, Puck’s Teddy Schleifer scooped. MORE POLITICS KNOWING STEVE DAINES — “Return of the party boss: How Montana’s Daines took charge of GOP Senate primaries,” by WaPo’s Michael Scherer and Liz Goodwin: “[F]ormer NRSC chair Sen. RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.) liked to say that voters didn’t want ‘Washington to pick who the candidates are.’ Daines has bet the 2024 cycle on the opposite proposition. … Most importantly, he has formed a close relationship with Trump, bridging the still-festering divide between the former president and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.” PLEASING RICHARD HUDSON — “Controversial Ohio GOP congressional candidate considers dropping out (again),” by Ally Mutnick: “[J.R. MAJEWSKI] acknowledged that his recent controversy over disparaging comments about the Special Olympics had changed the dynamic of the race and that he may struggle in a general election against Democratic Rep. MARCY KAPTUR. … It’s not clear when or if Majewski, an Air Force veteran, would exit the race. There are just three weeks to the March 19 primary, early voting began six days ago, and Majewski has a history of changing his mind.” TRUMP CARDS GEORGIA ON MY MIND — In tense testimony yesterday, a former law partner of Fulton County special prosecutor NATHAN WADE denied knowing the details of Wade’s romantic relationship with DA FANI WILLIS, despite Trump’s legal team signaling he’d confirm their timeline of the relationship, Betsy Woodruff Swan reports. Had TERRENCE BRADLEY done so, “it would have strengthened the bid to disqualify the prosecutors … [H]owever, said he could not recall when he learned of the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade, and he claimed to have had only a single conversation about the relationship with Wade.” ALL IN THE FAMILY — LARA TRUMP, Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, formally kicked off her campaign for RNC co-chair yesterday as the former president’s stronghold over the committee tightens, Alex Isenstadt reports. POLICY CORNER ANTITRUST THE PROCESS — “U.S. Opens UnitedHealth Antitrust Probe,” by WSJ’s Anna Wilde Mathews and Dave Michaels E-RING READING — “US Army is slashing thousands of posts in major revamp to prepare for future wars,” by AP’s Lolita Baldor: “The cuts will mainly be in already-empty posts — not actual soldiers — including in jobs related to counterinsurgency that swelled during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars but are not needed as much today. About 3,000 of the cuts would come from Army special operations forces.” MONEY, MONEY, MONEY — “The billion-dollar health scam the federal government won’t stop,” by Kelly Hooper: “The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees health insurance for 8 million federal workers and their families at a cost of more than $60 billion a year, has never checked the eligibility of those on its rolls …. And that failure is costing taxpayers billions and raising premiums for millions of civil servants.” MEDIAWATCH KIM GODWIN UNFILTERED — “ABC News president: Trump’s comments on Black voters ‘as racist as they come,’” by Semafor’s Max Tani
| | | | CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM, get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Jerry Nadler wants to stay in office for another 10 years. Dean Phillips had a good sense of humor about his fourth-place finish last night. James Wesley Hendrix became the first federal judge to rule against proxy voting in Congress. OUT AND ABOUT — Disney, FX and the Japanese Embassy hosted a screening of the first episode of “Shōgun” at the Motion Picture Association last night. Following the screening, ABC’s Selina Wang moderated a conversation with co-creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai and producer Eriko Miyagawa. SPOTTED: Bill Bailey, Geoffrey Pyatt, Joe Welch, Susan Fox, Ethan Rosenzweig, Emily Lenzner, Karyn Temple, Gail MacKinnon, Maria Kirby, Paul Myler, Urmila Venugopalan, Hunter Paletsas, Troy Dow, Koichi Ai, Lana Kim, John Solberg and Charles Rivkin. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Josh Cook is the new president of Be a Good Influence and its brand, atAdvocacy, an influencer network for progressive causes and campaigns. He previously was EVP at BerlinRosen, leading the digital and marketing verticals. TRANSITIONS — Chris Herrmann is now U.S. program coordinator at the European Council on Foreign Relations. He most recently was the Brent Scowcroft Award fellow at the Aspen Institute. … Nana Gongadze is now digital comms specialist at the German Marshall Fund. She most recently was head of advocacy comms at Razom. … … Jonathan Schwantes has joined Microsoft’s congressional team. He most recently was a lobbyist and senior policy counsel at Consumer Reports, and is a Senate Judiciary alum. … Alyson Sincavage is joining Cisco as director of government affairs. She most recently was chief counsel and staff director for the Senate Judiciary Border Security Subcommittee Dems. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT’s Paul Krugman, Lisa Lerer and Meredith Kopit Levien … Ira Forman ... WaPo’s Sarah Ellison ... Steven Chu ... Chris Keppler … Porter DeLaney ... John Nagl ... POLITICO’s Charlie Mahtesian … Andrea Riccio … Manhattan Institute’s Kelsey Bloom ... Ken Blackwell ... Pete Williams … Jack Abramoff … Heather Fluit of ICF Next … Brendan Kelly … Food for the Hungry’s Kristen Callaway … Mark Lippert … Will May … Amazon’s Cara Hewitt ... Tom Hussain … Tiffany Haas of the Senate HELP Committee … Ned Ryun … Drew Ryun … Trinity Hall of Sen. Chris Coons’ (D-Del.) office … Alivia P. Roberts … Jessica Chau of Rep. Summer Lee’s (D-Pa.) office … March On Washington Film Festival’s Joanne Irby … Jessie Lazarus 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 DeBonis, deputy editor Zack Stanton and Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath. Correction: Yesterday’s Playbook misspelled Erica Orden’s name.
| | | | A message from the Vapor Technology Association: President Biden: Your administration is working against you.
The FDA is going rogue, trying to force your hand on menthol cigarettes—and that's just the start.
Unelected bureaucrats have been politicizing public health for years, and are ignoring science by banning flavored vapes—the most effective tool to stop smoking.
Studies show that e-cigarettes are the most effective tool to help people quit smoking, even when they have no intention to quit.
Dr. Nancy Rigotti (Harvard Medicine) just wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine: “U.S. public health agencies and professional medical societies should reconsider their cautious positions on e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. The evidence has brought e-cigarettes to a tipping point. The burden of tobacco-related disease is too big for potential solutions such as e-cigarettes to be ignored.”
President Biden—it's time to stop the FDA from undermining your Cancer Moonshot and health equity agenda.
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