HAPPENING TONIGHT — “The Most Important Speech Joe Biden Will Ever Give,” by Jeff Greenfield: “Not only will JOE BIDEN not be a two-term president — now he needs to convince the American public that he’s up to the job for another six months.” THIS IS THE WRAY — FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY is wrapping up more than three hours of questioning from members of the House Judiciary Committee about the FBI’s failures surrounding the assassination attempt of former President DONALD TRUMP. But while questions still swirl about how gunman THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS was able to take shots at Trump and kill a rallygoer, Wray did disclose some new details from the agency’s investigation. While the oversight hearing was scheduled prior to the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, the event dominated Wray’s testimony as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle repeatedly asked how a gunman could have gotten so close to killing a presidential candidate. Committee Chair JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) opened the hours long hearing lambasting the FBI and Justice Department, noting that “a lot of unanswered questions about the security failures” before and during the rally, while top Democrat JERRY NADLER (D-N.Y.) noted that the political violence “should surprise no one” but that the recent incident still deserved answers. Wray’s testimony comes two days after the disastrous appearance of Secret Service Director KIMBERLY CHEATLE before the House Oversight Committee. Her frequent evasions when pressed for details on the incident added to the pressure for her resignation, which came yesterday. Notably, Wray was much more forthcoming. During his opening statement, the director noted the shooting was an “attack on our democracy” and promised to disclose “as much information” as he could. What’s new: Crooks flew a drone 200 yards from the rally venue prior to the shooting, Wray said, in an apparent attempt to scope out the area. The drone was recovered in his vehicle after the shooting, along with two previously reported explosive devices that were "relatively crude" but "had the ability to be detonated remotely," he said. More from Jordain Carney And while Wray noted the FBI "do not yet have a clear picture" of Crooks’ motive, he “appears to have done a lot of searches of public figures in general,” before eventually zeroing in on Trump. One chilling detail: On July 6 — the same day he registered for the Butler rally — Crooks did a Google search, Wray said: “How far away was [LEE HARVEY] OSWALD from [JOHN F.] KENNEDY?” Good Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at birvine@politico.com.
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BIBI’S BOYCOTTERS — A growing number of Hill Democrats are skipping Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’s address to Congress, which is set to kick off in just under an hour amid protests over the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The most prominent among them is former Speaker NANCY PELOSI, whose office said in a statement she’ll instead “join a Members meeting with Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings.” “Her move irked some pro-Israel Democrats who saw her move as giving cover for more in the party to pass on the speech,” Nicholas Wu and Sara Ferris report. Also notable … Kentucky Rep. THOMAS MASSIE became the first Republican to join Democrats in boycotting the speech, calling the address “political theater” in a post on X: “The purpose of having Netanyahu address Congress is to bolster his political standing in Israel and to quell int’l opposition to his war. I don’t feel like being a prop so I won’t be attending.” Elsewhere at the Capitol … Matt Berg has a rundown of counter events taking place during the joint meeting, including an event from Rep. PRAMILA JAYAPAL (D-Wash.) spotlighting the humanitarian situation in Gaza and featuring addresses from Middle East activists. Also around campus ... As U.S. Capitol Police and deputized special officers ramp up security measures on the Hill, more than 200 demonstrators were arrested yesterday after protesting in House office buildings, per NBC’s Ava Thompson and Alexandra Marquez. “And thousands of people are expected to gather on Capitol Hill to protest before Netanyahu’s speech, spearheaded by several Black, Indigenous and multiracial activist groups,” Matt writes.
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1. THE PETE-STAKES: With VP KAMALA HARRIS now all but guaranteed to lead the Democratic ticket in November, speculation abounds around who will join her at the bottom of the ticket — and a new candidate is gaining some buzz. Besides those most frequently mentioned, including Kentucky Gov. ANDY BESHEAR and Arizona Sen. MARK KELLY, MSNBC’s Kyle Griffin reports that the Harris campaign is also considering Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG as a possible running mate. The former Indiana mayor had previously hedged on whether he would be interested in the gig, telling MSNBC’s Rachael Maddow yesterday: “We are just not in that mode right now.” Fwiw … Rep. PAT RYAN told CNN’s Kasie Hunt this morning that Buttigieg would be a top pick: “I am and forever have been a Pete Buttigieg fan. I think he has just knocked it out of the park,” Ryan said. He also got a nod from GOP political strategist MIKE MURPHY, who said Buttigieg is the “smartest move” for Harris: “Says future v past loudest. Pete best [political] athlete.” The tryouts continue … “Sen. Mark Kelly, a Harris veep contender, rips into JD Vance on Ukraine,” by Joe Gould 2. MISSING IN ACTION: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggles to gain traction amid unification on both sides,” by Brittany Gibson: “ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. is nowhere to be seen … Instead of campaigning, the independent challenger has canceled multiple campaign events and discussed dropping out of the race and backing Trump. … Instead of moving up in the polls, where he’s been stagnant for months. ... Kennedy has also canceled a series of campaign events in the last two weeks, including a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, a live-audience interview at the CNN-POLITICO Grill at the RNC and a farm visit in Wisconsin.” 3. ON DEFENSE: While the war in Ukraine and the U.S. election loomed over this month’s NATO Summit, behind the scenes defense officials have been fretting over recent reports revealing weakness in Europe’s defense capabilities, Reuters’ Sabine Siebold and Matthias Williams report: “These include shortages in air defences and long-range missiles, troop numbers, ammunition, logistical headaches and a lack of secure digital communications on the battlefield … At the July 9-11 Washington summit, some European policymakers publicly acknowledged that, regardless of who wins November's election, the continent will need to hike its military spending.”
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SPOTTED at the Capitol today: Elon Musk JD Vance has a satisfied tenant. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at NYU Law’s Greenberg Lounge for a daylong conference on autocracy in America, hosted by State Democracy Defenders Action, Democracy Forward, and Principles First: Norm Eisen, Skye Perryman, Heath Mayo, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Ty Cobb, Bill Kristol, George Conway, John Dean, Charlie Dent, Keith Ellison, Michael Cohen, David Frum, Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Dahlia Lithwick, Norm Ornstein, Maya Wiley, Joanna Lydgate, Paul Raushenbush, Asha Rangappa and Jen Rubin. — SPOTTED with Bronco figurines at a Ford Motor Co. reception last night honoring supporters of the “Blue Oval City” advanced manufacturing campus in Tennessee: Reps. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Chris Smith and Jessica Carter. — SPOTTED at a private dinner party hosted by Arctic Encounter in celebration of Bergdís Ellertsdóttir’s tenure as Icelandic ambassador: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), Rachel Kallander, EU Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė, Portuguese Ambassador Francisco António Duarte Lopes, David Sigurdsson, Michael Curtis, Kenneth Høegh, Rebecca Zimmerman, Karen Knutson, Libby Casey and Jackson Blackwell. — SPOTTED at a birthday event for Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.): House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Reps. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio) and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Sanders Adu, Chanell Autrey, Janice Bashford, Diane Blagman, Kathryn Crenshaw, Catherine Finnerty, Ed Hill, Alivia Roberts, Ebony Simpson, Jennifer Stewart and Phil Tahtakran. — The Porter Group hosted an “In the Dark on Capitol Hill '' event in the Rayburn Cafeteria last night marking the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the events lights were shut off and the windows blocked in order to simulate the "in the dark" feeling of those with disabilities. The event included speeches by Lisa Webb Sharp and John Rose on their personal experiences with blindness, and accessibility and inclusion. SPOTTED: Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.), Jon Porter, Kyle Johnson, Bob Brown, Richard Belden, Tito Crespo, Nicole Porter, Phoebe Ball, Margie Almanza, Martha Newell, Bob Daniels, Rachel Layher and Stephanie Walker. MEDIA MOVE — Benjamin Oreskes is now a statehouse correspondent for the NYT. he previously was a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. TRANSITION — Gretchen Hammer is now a senior fellow in Mathematica’s health unit. She most recently founded and led the Public Leadership Group, and is a former Medicaid director of Colorado. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Shaun Kraisman, co-anchor of Newsmax’s “National Report,” and Brittany Fulcher, a cardiac tech at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell hospital, on July 15 welcomed Nora Jean Kraisman, who came in at 6 lbs, 15 oz. Instapics — Julie Devine, a professional staff member for the House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee, and Jack Devine, owner of the Tally Ho Theater, welcomed John Matthew Devine III on Saturday. 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. Corrections: Yesterday’s Playbook PM misspelled the names of Sally Goldenberg and Aaron Katersky.
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