| | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | A MATTER OF CONVICTION — The JOE BIDEN campaign is announcing a major new $50 million June ad push this morning, centered on a new spot slamming DONALD TRUMP over his conviction in the New York hush money case. “Character Matters,” which calls Trump “a convicted criminal who’s only out for himself,” also tags him for the recent findings in civil court that Trump was liable for sexual abuse and business fraud. It’ll run on national cable and TV markets in battleground states as part of the lead-up to the first debate, along with other ads focused on reaching Black, Latino and Asian voters. Watch the ad … More from Elena Schneider By the numbers … As Team Biden gets more aggressive with Trump’s criminal record, we have a new POLITICO Magazine/Ipsos poll showing it could damage him with independent voters, Ankush Khardori reports. While the verdict “didn’t instantly upend the 2024 presidential race,” 21 percent of independents say the convictions make them less likely to vote for Trump, and that it will be an important factor. Meanwhile, 43 percent of all Americans say the charges were brought to help Biden.
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Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) is among the names being floated to be Donald Trump's running mate. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images | BREAKING DOWN TRUMP’S VP SHORTLIST — One month from today, we’ll be amid the Republican National Convention, when Donald Trump says he’ll finally choose a running mate. You can expect the veepstakes chatter to dominate the coming weeks, especially following next Thursday’s debate. As he whittles down his shortlist, Trump will have to carefully examine which traits are most important to him in a No. 2. Loyalty, we know, is a given. But what about connections with deep-pocketed donors? Swing-voter appeal? Our colleagues Adam Wren, Alex Isenstadt and Meridith McGraw are out this morning with a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of Trump’s reported shortlisters. We’ve taken their analysis and sprinkled on some of our own insights we’ve picked up in recent conversations in and around Trump world: THE FIGHTER: J.D. VANCE … No Republican has been quite as willing to throw a punch for Trump the way the Ohio senator has. In his short few years on the national political scene, Vance has quickly endeared himself to MAGA world as Ukraine-aid foe on the Hill and a skilled Trump defender on the airwaves. Trump took note, for example, when Vance became the first Republican to defend him following his “poisoning the blood of our country” remarks about immigrants, according to The Bulwark’s Marc Caputo. And as Adam, Alex and Meridith note, he has the credentials Trump treasures: Marine vet, Yale Law, deep ties to Silicon Valley donors. But, but, but: Vance’s strength is also his weakness: Why tap a MAGA celebrity when Trump draws those very voters himself already? And, at 39 and not yet two years into his Senate term, Vance is also extremely green. And while Trump loves nothing more than a MAGA convert, Vance’s prior Never Trump life, where he once said Trump might be “America’s Hitler” — would surely be a fixture of Democratic attacks. THE MAGA MOM: ELISE STEFANIK … Stefanik, a Harvard grad who calls herself “Proud MAGA,” is the only woman seriously being considered for this gig. She’s a young, working mom, making her relatable to a crop of suburban women wary of Trump. And as she’s transformed herself from a PAUL RYAN acolyte into a Trump die-hard, she’s grown a thick skin and gained experience taking incoming fire from the left — and dishing it right back. She showed her loyalty to Trump by endorsing him quickly after the 2022 midterms, becoming the first House Republican leader to do so even after the GOP underperformed, leading many other Republicans to ponder alternatives. She went on to sweeten her political stock by effectively grilling university presidents over antisemitism on college campuses. But, but, but: Some have questioned who the real Stefanik is, noting her rapid move away from the Main Street governing wing of the House GOP. Her long-ago links to Ryan might still grate, particularly now that he’s come out and said he won’t vote for Trump. THE NICE GUY: TIM SCOTT … The South Carolina senator and former presidential candidate offers an easygoing, Southern contrast to Trump’s ferocious, NYC-bred personality. He’s devoutly religious and conversant in Evangelical culture (not that their support is really in question). He’s also a prominent black Republican who could help Trump make inroads with Black voters who’ve been turned off by Biden, a major priority for the campaign. He’s also well-respected in the Senate and could help grease the wheels for Trump’s second-term agenda there — particularly an extension of the tax cuts he helped write in 2017. But, but, but: As our colleagues write today, “Scott never quite seemed at ease in the spotlight — neither on a debate stage nor in a hardball interview.” The TV-obsessed president might question how he’d stack up against VP KAMALA HARRIS in a debate. MR. CENTRAL CASTING: DOUG BURGUM … The North Dakota governor and self-made tech mogul has made himself into one of Trump’s most likely picks in part due to his riches — an ability to self-fund is a nice perk for a cash-hungry campaign — as well as his close connections with other wealthy donors in tech, energy, finance and other business sectors. Trump has also told allies that Burgum has the “look” for a VP, and it hasn’t hurt that he has crisscrossed the country stumping for Trump even since abandoning his own presidential campaign. Another wild card, as Caputo reported over the weekend: He’s favored by RUPERT MURDOCH, the Fox chieftain who’s had an on-again, off-again relationship with Trump. But, but, but: The 67-year-old Burgum is relatively new to — and untested on — the national political stage. He has little name recognition, doesn’t bring along any coveted swing state or demographic group, and some fear he wouldn’t generate the same type of base excitement as others might. If he’s not picked, many say he’d be a lead contender for Energy secretary. THE EX-RIVAL: MARCO RUBIO … The Florida senator once suggested during the 2016 presidential campaign that Trump had, um, little hands. But “Little Marco” has since impressed the former president with his TV hits and debate performances; he has by far the most high-level political experience of any shortlister. He’s also the son of Cuban immigrants and is fluent in Spanish, a major draw for a campaign hoping to reach Latinos in Arizona and Nevada. As the son of a bartender who lived in Las Vegas when he was a child, there’s some belief that he can appeal to voters especially in the Silver State. But, but, but: Well, there’s the Constitution: Two Florida residents can’t share a ticket (though Rubio is reportedly willing to establish residency elsewhere). Rubio is also still facing MAGA doubts over his time spent negotiating a failed bipartisan immigration deal. And he “whiffed his State of the Union response and self-detonated at the hands of former presidential candidate CHRIS CHRISTIE in the 2016 debates,” our colleagues note. It’s also unclear how badly Rubio wants the job. As Caputo notes, Trump noticed that he was not among the many Hill Republicans who showed up to support him during his Manhattan trial. THAT’S NOT ALL … For breakdowns of other contenders, including BEN CARSON, Sen. TOM COTTON (R-Ark.) and Rep. BYRON DONALDS (R-Fla.), click through to our colleagues’ story. Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from U.S. Travel Association: This summer, more people will travel by air than ever before. The good news? The U.S. travel industry is working to get you there safely and hassle-free. From the plane you fly on to the technology that TSA uses to verify and safeguard your identity, flying is safer and more efficient than ever before. Learn more. | | | TOP-ED — “For Our Kids’ Safety, Social Media Platforms Need a Health Warning,” by Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy: “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.” BIBI TIGHTENS HIS CIRCLE — “Netanyahu disbands his inner war cabinet, Israeli official says,” Reuters: “The prime minister had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance Minister BEZALEL SMOTRICH and National Security Minister ITAMAR BEN-GVIR, to be included in the war cabinet, a move which would have intensified strains with international partners including the United States.” THE WEEK — Tomorrow: Congressional primaries held in Oklahoma and Virginia. Boeing CEO DAVE CALHOUN testifies before Senate panel. Biden holds White House event marking the 12th anniversary of DACA and attends a fundraiser in McLean, Virginia. Trump holds campaign event in Racine, Wisconsin. … Wednesday: Juneteenth. … Thursday: Supreme Court opinions likely announced. Biden arrives at Camp David for debate prep.
| | | | A message from U.S. Travel Association:   | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate will meet at 3 p.m. to take up KATHERINE OLER’s judicial nomination, with a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m. The House is out. 3 things to watch …
- Intraparty feuding is boiling over ahead of two heated upcoming House primaries. In a Freedom Caucus showdown we noted yesterday, Rep. WARREN DAVIDSON (R-Ohio) is endorsing Rep. BOB GOOD’s challenger in tomorrow’s VA-5 GOP primary. Meanwhile, two New York Democrats are at each other’s throats ahead of next week’s contests, with Rep. RITCHIE TORRES threatening to endorse Rep. JAMAAL BOWMAN’s well-financed opponent, GEORGE LATIMER, after Bowman questioned Torres’ steadfast support for Israel. “I have a general rule of not weighing in against a Congressional Democrat who has not weighed in against me,” Torres said. “But Bowman’s gratuitous attack on my character might cause me to rethink that rule.”
- The House is out this week, and the Senate has a light schedule, punctuated by the Juneteenth holiday, before members ease into a two-week Independence Day recess. On the calendar are nominations, starting with D.C. Superior Court and U.S. district judges, as well as a final vote on the Fire Grants and Safety Act, a piece of small-bore bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes several federal programs benefiting local fire departments.
- Where in the Capitol will TOM COLE smoke his cigars? Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke reports that the House Appropriations chair and fine tobacco aficionado is without his customary smoke-filled room after vacating the House Rules chairmanship earlier this year. Former chair KAY GRANGER (R-Texas) is keeping the Approps hideaway for the remainder of the Congress, leaving the Oklahoman to puff in his Rayburn personal office. Some are hoping Speaker MIKE JOHNSON intervenes.
At the White House Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary-General JENS STOLTENBERG at 3:30 p.m. VP KAMALA HARRIS will deliver remarks about conflict-related sexual violence at 4:35 p.m.
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|  The Washington Post is moving ahead with a rebrand beyond "Democracy Dies in Darkness." | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo | WHAT’S UP AT WAPO — The drip-drip of damaging revelations about the new/incoming leadership team at the Washington Post continued last night with a buzzy story from inside the house. WaPo’s Isaac Stanley-Becker, Sarah Ellison, Greg Miller and Aaron Davis reported that ROBERT WINNETT, due to become the Post’s editor, was linked to JOHN FORD, a British man arrested for trying to steal TONY BLAIR’s memoir. Ford repeatedly broke the law to get info for the Sunday Times — and he said he trusted and worked with Winnett there. Winnett didn’t respond to questions, but this seems to be only the latest example of a serious ethical mismatch between American and British journalistic norms, as CEO and publisher WILL LEWIS brings in a team of Fleet Street veterans to reshape the Post. The article was quickly shared online by dozens of WaPo reporters and editors. MARGARET SULLIVAN told CNN’s Eva Rothenberg that the recent controversies are making Lewis’ role “increasingly untenable,” though of course it’s ultimately up to owner JEFF BEZOS. Nonetheless, the Post is moving ahead with a rebrand as Lewis and other leaders seek the organization’s next phase beyond “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” Semafor’s Ben Smith reports. Admaker DAVID DROGA and his agency are discussing coming on board for a new round of marketing. 2024 WATCH KEY DEMOGRAPHIC — “Trump allies hope his daughter Tiffany’s father-in-law can help flip Arab American votes in Michigan,” by AP’s Joey Cappelletti in Lansing: “One of Donald Trump’s emissaries to Arab Americans is a Lebanese-born businessman who moved to Texas as a teenager, speaks Arabic, English and French, and recently joined the Trump family … MASSAD BOULOS has taken on the challenge of trying to convince a politically influential community angry at President Joe Biden that Trump is a better option.” PAGING THE RNC X ACCOUNT — “White House Fumes at Trumpworld’s Latest ‘Cheap Fake’ Video,” by The Daily Beast’s Brett Bachman: “Another deceptively cut video of President Joe Biden is being circulated by right-wing pundits and media outlets.” THE ECONOMY WHAT BIDEN COULD BE TOUTING — “How the US Mopped Up a Third of Global Capital Flows Since Covid,” by Bloomberg’s Enda Curran and Saleha Mohsin: “[T]he US has nabbed almost one-third of all the investment that flowed across borders since Covid struck. … The pre-pandemic US average share was just 18% … For all the angst over the dollar’s dominance, a run-up in US interest rates to the highest levels in decades proved a major draw for overseas investors. The US has also pulled in a fresh wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) thanks to billions of dollars worth of incentives under President Joe Biden’s initiatives to spur renewable energy and semiconductor production.” JUDICIARY SQUARE ANNALS OF JUDGE-SHOPPING — “Hedge Funds’ Secret Weapon to Fight the SEC Lives in Texas,” by Bloomberg’s Lydia Beyoud and Madlin Mekelburg: “The National Association of Private Fund Managers, a little-known group whose main focus appears to be challenging SEC rules, has sat tucked in a Fort Worth law office since its founding in 2022. … [That’s] giving hedge fund and private equity titans access to what’s quickly become one of the financial world’s most important venues: The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.” HOW HUNTER LOST — “Hunter Biden’s Book Didn’t Fly Off Shelves. Prosecutors Loved It,” by WSJ’s Ryan Barber and Jeffrey Trachtenberg
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is planning to wipe out 175,000 marijuana criminal convictions with pardons. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | MARYLAND MARIJUANA MOVE — In one of the biggest such decisions anywhere in the country recently, Maryland Gov. WES MOORE is planning to wipe out 175,000 marijuana criminal convictions with pardons, WaPo’s Erin Cox, Katie Shepherd and Katie Mettler scooped. The forgiveness for low-level charges will affect about 100,000 people, tied to Juneteenth this week in an effort to rectify inequalities in the criminal justice system. The only Black governor in America, Moore is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, and his move — alongside similar action in Massachusetts this year — could give him a political boost for having a big impact in helping communities of color. The erasure of misdemeanor possession and paraphernalia charges, going back as far as the 1980s, is “a real opportunity with what I’m signing to right a lot of historical wrongs … [and] create inclusive economic growth,” Moore tells the Post. More top reads:
- The new GOP: “The Surprising Evolution of the Republican Woman,” by N.Y. Mag’s Rebecca Traister: “The challenge of navigating these thorny questions has left many of them caroming wildly from high-pitched rancor, to contorted eroticism, to the seemingly snug comforts of trad-wife chic.”
AMERICA AND THE WORLD EVAN GERSHKOVICH LATEST — “A Russian court said judicial proceedings in the case … would be held in secret, with the first hearing in a regional court beginning on June 26,” WSJ’s Ann M. Simmons and Georgi Kantchev report, citing Russian state media. HOUTHIS GO A STEP FURTHER — “Houthis Use Sea Drones to Attack Vessels as U.S. Aims to Secure Red Sea,” by WSJ’s Benoit Faucon DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS — “Between A Rock And A Hard Place In The South China Sea,” by The Atlantic’s Timothy McLaughlin: “A remote outpost of the Philippines in the South China Sea is on the front line of potential geopolitical conflict.” BEYOND THE BELTWAY
|  Experts are sounding the alarm about tracking and data — or the lack thereof — on avian flu as it spreads quickly among cows. | Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images | FOR THE BIRDS — How much should we be worrying about avian flu? The risk to the general population remains low, but experts are sounding the alarm about tracking and data — or the lack thereof — as it spreads quickly among cows, David Lim and Meredith Lee Hill report this morning. Because the response is fairly fragmented, the government has to rely on individual farmers for testing, and many aren’t doing it. That could leave federal officials in the dark if the virus mutates. “To date, 94 herds across 12 states have tested positive for bird flu, but the testing has covered a mere fraction of the nation’s nine million dairy cattle,” David and Meredith write. The likes of DEBORAH BIRX and JEROME ADAMS recommend that farmers need more reassurances they won’t be penalized if their herds test positive. POLICY CORNER ANTHONY FAUCI SPEAKS — “The First Three Months,” by Fauci in The Atlantic, adapted from his new book, “On Call”: “What I saw inside the government’s response to COVID-19.” THE WHITE HOUSE DIFFICULT HOLIDAY — “Biden marks Eid while acknowledging the suffering of civilians in Gaza,” by ABC’s Michelle Stoddart VALLEY TALK MONDAY LISTEN — A small but growing number of tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and crypto enthusiasts are throwing their 2024 support behind Trump over Biden. And Rep. RO KHANNA (D-Calif.), a progressive who represents a swath of Silicon Valley, warns Democrats shouldn’t take the liberal stronghold for granted. On the “POLITICO Tech” podcast, Khanna tells host Steven Overly why the Democratic defectors have him worried and how Biden should borrow from BARACK OBAMA’s pro-tech playbook.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Nikhil Gupta has been extradited to the U.S. Jeffrey Katzenberg is stepping into the political spotlight like never before. Nikki Haley lost her father. Chuck Schumer deleted a tweet demonstrating a questionable burger-grilling technique. Wes Moore declared Maggie Rogers day in Maryland. Hillary Clinton got a warm welcome at the Tonys. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Katherine Schneider is joining the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security as deputy director of public affairs. She most recently was comms director for Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and is a Jacky Rosen and Joaquin Castro alum. TRANSITIONS — Claire Burghoff is now VP of government affairs and corporate comms at Kratos Defense & Security Systems. She previously was a public affairs principal at Cornerstone. … Ryan Beiermeister is now VP of product policy at OpenAI. She most recently was director of product for social impact at Meta and is a Palantir alum. ENGAGED — Robert Brooks, VP at the Herald Group, and Sarah Tropper, associate at Studio Alliance, got engaged Saturday at Montrose Park in Georgetown. They met when mutual friend Annie Armstrong introduced them in their shared hometown of Atlanta. Pic WEEKEND WEDDING — Alex Katz, managing director for government affairs at Blackstone, and Jessica Dean, congressional correspondent at CNN, got married Saturday at The Grill in Midtown Manhattan. Kaitlan Collins officiated, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, for whom Alex used to work, sang “New York, New York” and lifted Alex up on the chair during the hora. They also had an Elvis impersonator jamming to “Jailhouse Rock.” Pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Jon Gray, Tom Nides and Virginia Moseley, Vik Sawhney, Jeff Zeleny, Clarissa Ward, Kylie Atwood and Steve Harrington, Alex Marquardt and Amanda McClements, Alex and Caitlin Conant, Mike Smith and Sabrina Singh, John McCarthy, Herbie and Arlie Ziskend, Daniel Koh and Amy Sennett, Jeff Solnet, Meridith McGraw and John Beasley, Risa Heller and Ryan Toohey, Tammy Haddad, Emily and Ken Spain, Steve Elmendorf and Allie Malloy. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Christopher Gindlesperger, SVP of public affairs and comms at the National Confectioners Association, and Adriana Gindlesperger, brand manager of children’s Zyrtec at Kenvue, welcomed Esme Vivian Gindlesperger on Friday morning. She joins big brothers Levi and Audie. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) and Jerry Carl (R-Ala.) … Newt Gingrich … Matt Canter of Global Strategy Group … State’s Matt Miller … Diane Blagman of Greenberg Traurig … Maxwell Nunes … CNBC’s Christina Wilkie … Allie Malloy … WaPo’s Maxine Joselow and Will Sommer … Kent Lassman … Paul Steinhauser … Nisha Ramachandran of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus … Conservation International’s Miro Korenha … Scott Thuman … Gabe Horwitz … Common Sense Society’s Chris Bedford … POLITICO’s Elizabeth Kisiday and Nick Taylor-Vaisey … Amazon’s Jessica Boulanger … Boris Abreu ... Katie Grant Drew … CBS’ Nicole Domenica Sganga ... PBS NewsHour’s Jaywon Choe ... Linda Chavez … Chris Jennings … Precision’s Noah Cavicchi … Melissa Sabatine ... Janice Lachance … former HHS Secretary Alex Azar … Chris Garcia … former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett … Kerri Chyka … Jacob McIntosh of TriNet … Nora Taktajian of Rep. Doris Matsui’s (D-Calif.) office … Jordan Wells … Dan Hanlon … Lauren Eriksen of House Energy and Commerce … David D’Antonio … Zainab Chaudary of New Heights Communications … former Education Secretary Rod Paige (91) … Samuel Garrett … NewsNation’s Blake Burman … Connor Joseph of Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s (D-Va.) office (3-0) 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.
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