| | | | |  | | By Melanie Mason | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | QUOTE OF THE DAY — An unnamed Trump official: “I could very well see a press briefing room where MAGGIE HABERMAN sits next to JOE ROGAN.” More on the coming Trump White House’s messaging strategy from Natalie Allison
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California’s Donald Trump opposition has a distinct air of resignation this time, rather than the rah-rah pugnacity from the first time around, according to Anthony Rendon. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo | THE STATE OF THE RESISTANCE — Good morning from California, where yes, there are still ballots being counted (we warned ya!), but most politicians are preoccupied with the next big task: resurrecting the state’s anti-DONALD TRUMP resistance. We’ve seen this movie before, back when the Golden State was the spiritual hub of opposition to Trump 1.0. But there are signs that “Resistance: The Sequel” will not be a carbon copy of the original. First, a quick refresher: Eight years ago, California leaders were tripping over themselves to stake out the fiercest anti-Trump posture. Then-Gov. JERRY BROWN mused about building a wall around the state to protect itself. Top legislative leaders issued a declaration of resistance the day after Trump’s shock win, asserting that California was now the keeper of the nation’s future. And in the first year of Trump’s presidency, California state lawmakers introduced at least 35 bills aimed at blocking his agenda — plus another two dozen or so symbolic resolutions to denounce the latest controversy of the day. In short, the “California vs. Trump” storyline was all-consuming — which some Democrats now concede was a mistake. “There was a lot of focus on symbolic stuff,” ANTHONY RENDON, the former Assembly speaker who penned the legislature’s combative resistance document, told Playbook. He said the Trump focus took Democrats’ eyes off the ball on what voters truly cared about: the economy. Fast forward to November 2024: The script, at first, appeared strikingly familiar.
- Attorney General ROB BONTA held a press conference, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, vowing that “progress will prevail” regardless of who occupies the White House.
- And in Los Angeles, the city council voted to enshrine sanctuary protections into city law — a move that one member said was the opening salvo in “leading a movement against this terrible, terrible regime that has taken over Washington DC.”
But look closely and there are small signs Democrats are straying from the first resistance blueprint.
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Learn more. | | | The special session convened by Newsom, which begins on Monday, is purposefully narrow: Lawmakers will only be allocating more money to fund the state’s anticipated legal clashes with the incoming administration. Legislative leaders, trying to fend off a Trump-related free-for-all, have told members that any measures not related to litigation expenses will not be considered. Newsom’s own rhetorical posture vis-a-vis Trump embodies this more chastened version of resistance. In Fresno last week — part of a tour to red-tinged California — he was combative and conciliatory, often in the same breath. “We know what happened the last time Donald Trump was president. He vandalized our progress,” Newsom said. Then, seconds later, he promised “an open hand, not a closed fist” to the president-elect. There was similar cognitive dissonance in Los Angeles. Even as city council members framed their sanctuary ordinance as a rebuke to Trump, they simultaneously said that any blowback from the right was unearned, since these protections for immigrants have actually been in place for 45 years. Tonal whiplash? Sure. But message discipline is the last thing on California Democrats’ minds at the moment, as they worry about the myriad ways a president bent on revenge could wreak havoc on the policies and people of the nation’s most populous state. And this time, state leaders are well aware that Trump’s national popular vote win — a narrowing one, as California ballots get tallied, but a win all the same — gives the incoming presidency an air of legitimacy he lacked in 2016. All of which gives California’s Trump opposition a distinct air of resignation, rather than the rah-rah pugnacity from the first time around. “It almost feels like a cliche now,” Rendon said. “The resistance … I don't know what that means. I really don't.” Good Saturday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop me a line: mmason@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | At the White House The president and first lady JILL BIDEN in the evening will depart Nantucket, Massachusetts, to return to the White House.
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | 9 THINGS THAT STUCK WITH US
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New details regarding Pete Hegseth's treatment of women are coming to light as the Defense secretary nominee tries to secure confirmation. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO | 1. BUT HER EMAILS?: In an explosive episode from 2018, PETE HEGSETH’s mother sent her son scathing emails regarding his treatment of women — new details that come to light as Hegseth’s record and character come under scrutiny in light of his nomination to become Defense secretary, NYT’s Sharon LaFraniere and Julie Tate report. “‘On behalf of all the women (and I know it’s many) you have abused in some way, I say … get some help and take an honest look at yourself,’ PENELOPE HEGSETH wrote, stating that she still loved him. She also wrote: ‘I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man (and have been for years) and as your mother, it pains me and embarrasses me to say that, but it is the sad, sad truth.’” In an interview with the NYT, though, Penelope Hegseth said she sent a follow-up email after the initial one apologizing for what she said, which she said she wrote “in anger, with emotion” during a time when her son and his wife were getting a divorce. “In the interview, she defended her son and disavowed the sentiments she had expressed in the initial email about his character and treatment of women. ‘It is not true. It has never been true,’ she said.” Related read: “What women veterans think of Pete Hegseth’s views about combat roles,” by WaPo’s Emily Wax-Thibodeaux 2. OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE … SLIGHTLY LESS OLD: Democrats are considering pushing aside longtime senior leaders in Congress as some in the party worry that the old guard isn’t up to the task of standing up to Trump in a second administration, NYT’s Annie Karni reports. “The debate has grown most intense in recent days as dozens of Democrats have been privately pressing Representative JAMIE RASKIN of Maryland to challenge Representative JERROLD NADLER of New York for his position as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.” The 61-year-old Raskin has not decided whether to mount a real challenge, but former Speaker NANCY PELOSI is one of the voices privately encouraging him to do so. Nadler, who is 77, has “made it clear he has no plans to step aside.” 3. MONEY FOR NOTHING: We’re nearly a month removed from Election Day, but the Harris campaign fundraising pitches are still rolling — appeals that may be a necessity as the operation deals with around $20 million in debt, Jessica Piper and Lisa Kashinsky report. The emails don’t mention debt, instead citing the organization’s support for recount efforts in close races and legal challenges, and the Harris campaign denies that the campaign or affiliated joint fundraising committees had outstanding debts. “But the fundraising appeals have still continued, and some Democrats fear she may be compounding the party’s problems with the tone of some of her appeals — damaging relationships with online donors who have long powered the party.” 4. 2028 WATCH: Despite missing out on a Democratic presidential primary this year, “up-and-coming Democrats” such as Govs. GRETCHEN WHITMER, JOSH SHAPIRO and JB PRITZKER, were out supporting the Harris campaign. The intent, of course, was to promote the party from the top to the bottom of the ballot, but “many of them also managed to quietly develop bigger platforms, broader networks and a batch of new admirers across some of the country’s most politically important states,” NYT’s Katie Glueck writes. “Such advantages will help determine who has outsize influence in the debate over the beleaguered party’s future — and who generates the most buzz in the earliest stages of the next presidential race.” 5. THE LONG SHOT: New York state Sen. JAMES SKOUFIS is mounting a long-shot bid to become DNC chair, “pitching himself as an outsider candidate” who has experience winning in a district where Trump has shown strength, NYT’s Reid Epstein reports. “He enters the race without extensive relationships with party members beyond New York State — a detriment he aims to turn into an advantage. ‘We tried the D.C. Beltway thing, we tried the decades-long operative thing, we tried the sort of party machine thing over and over and over and over again,’ Mr. Skoufis said in an interview this past week. ‘And here we are.’” 6. THE BRO-VAL OFFICE: “Corporate America Launches Unorthodox Campaign to Gain Trump’s Attention,” by WSJ’s Maggie Severns, Preetika Rana and Brian Schwartz: “To break into the unusual circle of influence that surrounds Trump, chief executives are discussing whether to try to secure an appearance on JOE ROGAN’s podcast. They are buying the Trump family’s cryptocurrency token and emailing tips about spending cuts to VIVEK RAMASWAMY. Some lobbyists are instructing companies to scrub their websites and corporate policies of language that favors Democrats and instead tout GOP-friendly issues such as job creation.” Related reads: “In the Desert With an EV Entrepreneur Who Insists Trump Will Be Good for Business,” by WSJ’s Tim Higgins … “Emboldened ‘manosphere’ accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after US election,” by AP’s Christine Fernando 7. STANDING UP TO TRUMP: The anti-Trump wing of the Republican Party — headlined by the likes of NIKKI HALEY, MIKE PENCE and BARBARA COMSTOCK in recent days — has fallen into shards and finds itself further boxed out, leaving some of his most prominent Republican critics scrambling for relevance in a reordered GOP, Lisa Kashinsky and Adam Wren write. “Some, like Haley and Pence, who criticize their former boss on some issues but remain aligned with him on others, still believe they can change a GOP that has near-fully bent its knee to Trump. But others, particularly those among the pillars of the original Never-Trump movement who were long ago pushed aside by their party or left it of their own volition, have given up trying to resurrect Republicanism as they knew it.” Related read: “Silicon Valley’s Richest Woman Hosts a Day of Innovation. Just Don’t Say Trump,” by NYT’s Heather Knight 8. DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS: “After U.S.-China Prisoner Swap, Scores of Americans Are Still Trapped in China,” by WSJ’s Brian Spegele and Rebecca Feng: “These cases show the enduring risks of getting caught in China’s murky legal system — ones that the U.S. government cannot easily solve. More than 200 Americans are believed to be detained or subject to other coercive measures by Chinese authorities, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a San Francisco-based human rights group. Additionally, more than 30 U.S. citizens face exit bans from China, under which they are generally free to move around the country but are barred from leaving.” 9. DESPOT DISPATCH: “What Putin’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile means for NATO security,” by WaPo’s Robyn Dixon: “Russia is steadily gaining ground in eastern Ukraine, intensifying pressure on Kyiv’s forces as [Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN] rules out any compromise to end the war. Moscow’s use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile sends its own powerful signal about Putin’s determination to prevail in Ukraine, as he seeks to weaken NATO, split Europe from the United States, deter European support for Ukraine and bend Europe’s security architecture to Russia’s will.” Related read: “Zelenskyy says NATO offer for Ukraine-controlled territory could end ‘hot stage’ of war,” by AP’s Susie Blann in Kyiv
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | CLICKER — “The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics,” edited by Matt Wuerker — 17 funnies
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| GREAT WEEKEND READS: — “Meet the Extreme Travelers Trying to Visit Every Country in the World,” by Tim Neville for Outside: “I tagged along on a surreal trip to a conflict zone in Azerbaijan with a group of explorers known as the world’s Most Traveled People. No matter that the war there wasn’t over yet.” — “An I.V.F. Mix-Up, a Shocking Discovery and an Unbearable Choice,” by Susan Dominus for NYT Magazine: “Two couples in California discovered they were raising each other’s genetic children. Should they switch their girls?” — “Lake Tahoe’s Bear Boom,” by Paige Williams for the New Yorker: “The vacation hot spot has been overrun by people — whose habits are drawing fast-moving animals with sharp claws and insatiable appetites.” — “The Divine Comedy of the Dallas Cowboys,” by Lex Pryor for the Ringer: “It used to be that Cowboys fans were front-runners. Now they’re hanging out at one of football’s most disappointing parties. What animates the massive diasporic fandom — and what does its persistence in the face of America’s Team’s failure say about the grand American experiment?” — “The influencer lawsuit that could change the industry,” by Mia Sato for The Verge: “One Amazon influencer makes a living posting content from her beige home. But after she noticed another account hawking the same minimal aesthetic, a rivalry spiraled into a first-of-its-kind lawsuit. Can the legal system protect the vibe of a creator? And what if that vibe is basic?” — “He Was One of New York’s Busiest Shoplifters. His Mother Was a Cop,” by Michael Wilson for NYT: “Drug addiction fueled David Andino’s need to steal. Every day, he hit the same Target in Manhattan. His mother, a retired police officer, hadn’t seen him in years.” — “How Wisconsin Lost Control of the Strange Disease Killing Its Deer,” by Jimmy Tobias for The Nation: “Despite early containment efforts, chronic wasting disease has been allowed to run rampant in the state. That’s bad news for all of us.” — “The Unflinching Courage of Taylor Cadle,” by Rachel de Leon and Julia Lurie for Mother Jones: “The police said she lied about being raped. Then she hit record.” — “Disinformation Transformed Miami Politics. This Radio Station Is One Reason Why,” by Ali Bianco in Miami for POLITICO Magazine: “Radio Mambí birthed Cuban politics in south Florida. Now it’s a platform for Trumpism — even though it’s owned by Democrats.”
| | | | Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Chris Wright is sidestepping a potential conflict of interest as he preps to be Energy secretary. Cheryl Hines had an … innovative use for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. SPOTTED at the head table at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night: President-elect Donald Trump, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) and Julia Nesheiwat, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Kathryn Burgum, Howard and Allison Lutnick, Sen.-elect Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Dina Powell McCormick, Dominic LeBlanc and Katie Telford. Pic … More on Trudeau’s visit IN MEMORIAM — “J. Stanley Pottinger, 84, Dies; Official Figured Out Identity of ‘Deep Throat,’” by NYT’s Clay Risen: “J. Stanley Pottinger, who as a high-ranking figure in the Department of Justice during the 1970s was probably the only person in government to figure out the identity of Deep Throat, the pseudonymous man who provided critical information to reporters in the Watergate scandal, died on Wednesday in Princeton, N.J. He was 84. His son Matt said the death, at a hospital, was from cancer. Mr. Pottinger, who went on to become a best-selling novelist, lived in South Salem, N.Y., but was in Princeton to be near the home of his daughter, Katie Pottinger.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem … Larry Summers (7-0) … Lauren Pratapas … former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) … Scott Erickson of the America First Policy Institute … Michael Beschloss … CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski … Alex Clearfield of Bloomberg Industry Group … POLITICO’s Andy Glass, Chioma Onwumelu, Tyler Katzenberger, Erica Orden, Michele Carroll and Ruth Reader … Sergio Gor … Steve Haro … William Daroff of the Conference of Presidents … Amijah Townsend-Holmes … Jodi Rudoren of The Forward … Reuters’ Jonathan Landay … Amy Pritchard … Accenture’s Ben Mahler … former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings … Wesley Donehue … Economic Innovation Group’s Benjamin Glasner … Toby Graff … José Bayona … Staci Rhoads … Michael Tam THE SHOWS (Full Sunday show listings here): ABC “This Week”: National security adviser Jake Sullivan … Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) … North Carolina Gov.-elect Josh Stein. Panel: Donna Brazile, Rick Klein, Sarah Isgur and Vivian Salama. FOX “Fox News Sunday,” with a special edition on the “State of A.I.”: Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) … Sam Altman … Condoleezza Rice. Panel: Richard Fowler and Katie Pavlich. NBC “Meet the Press”: National security adviser Jake Sullivan … Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) … Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) … Jacob Soboroff … Errol Morris. Panel: Jonathan Allen, Kimberly Atkins Stohr, Matt Gorman and Sahil Kapur. CNN “State of the Union”: National security adviser Jake Sullivan … Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) … Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Panel: Brad Todd, Tiffany Smiley, Kate Bedingfield and Ashley Allison. CBS “Face the Nation”: National security adviser Jake Sullivan … Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) … Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) … H.W. Brands … Jill Schlesinger. NewsNation “The Hill Sunday”: Mick Mulvaney … Christopher Cox … Amity Shlaes. Panel: David Weigel, Megan McArdle and Matt Continetti. Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures”: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) … FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr … Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) … Charlie Kirk. Panel: Steve Forbes and Tomas Philipson. MSNBC “Inside with Jen Psaki”: Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) ... Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler. 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.
| | | | A message from Instagram: Introducing Instagram Teen Accounts: limits for teens, peace of mind for parents
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That’s why Instagram is launching Teen Accounts, with automatic protections limiting who can contact teens and the content they can see. Putting built-in limits in place for teens, so parents can have more peace of mind.
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