| | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels and Rachael Bade | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | SPARES HUNTER? — “Joe Biden Should Commute Any Prison Sentence for Hunter Biden,” by Ankush Khardori: President JOE BIDEN “is on strong ground — at a minimum — to commute any sentence of imprisonment for his son HUNTER before he leaves office. Not a pardon exactly, but an important show of mercy.” SIREN — “Washington Curtails Intel’s Chip Grant After Company Stumbles,” by by NYT's Tripp Mickle and Ana Swanson: “The government’s decision to reduce the size of the grant follows Intel’s move to delay some of its planned investments in chip facilities in Ohio. The company now plans to finish that project by the end of the decade instead of 2025.”
|  Polls show Democratic voters continue to have a positive impression of VP Kamala Harris despite her loss. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO | HARRIS’ NEXT ACT — VP KAMALA HARRIS leaves Hawaii this week, where she’s been decompressing with family and some senior aides before heading back to San Francisco and then to Washington later this week. Her tropical interlude hasn’t been entirely about R&R. Harris has spent a lot of time on the phone since her loss to DONALD TRUMP three weeks ago tomorrow. And she has given all of the allies she has spoken to the same message: “I am staying in the fight.” The question she faces is: In what capacity does she plan to do her fighting? And as Eugene and Chris Cadelago write this morning, she has some decisions to make sooner than you might think. Put simply, Harris has two possible tracks should she wish to stake a place at the highest level of Democratic politics: (1) position herself for a 2028 presidential run or (2) pursue a run for California governor in 2026. While the two aren’t mutually exclusive technically, they are practically — there’s an “emerging consensus that she probably can’t do both,” Eugene and Chris report. Assuming she is elected governor, it would be hard to imagine her turning right around and running for president given the demands on the leader of the nation’s largest state. (As one confidant put it, “It’s a real job.”) But they’re both credible paths. While no Democrat is pleased with the election’s outcome, obviously, much of the blame inside the party seems to be going to her boss for staying in the race as long as he did. And while there are recriminations about the Harris campaign’s strategy and spending, polls show Democratic voters continue to have a positive impression of the candidate herself. — The road to Sacramento: Few around Harris thought the open race to succeed term-limited Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM might be appealing to an ex-presidential nominee. But that thinking is starting to change. Yes, going from VP to governor could be like a step down in prestige. But a Governor Harris would have more power than she’s held in any other position she’s previously held, and — as Newsom has shown — it would give her a potent platform to take on Trump. And two terms as California’s first woman (and African American, and South Asian) governor, the thinking goes, would be a fitting capstone to a pathbreaking career. As a political matter, the road to the governorship would likely be relatively smooth. A recent UC Berkeley poll found nearly half of likely California voters were inclined to support her for governor. In other early polls of the field, possible Democratic candidates like KATIE PORTER, XAVIER BECERRA, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA and ROB BONTA are lucky to clear double digits. The primary election takes place in July 2026, and every pol we’ve spoken to — Harris ally or not — agrees that she has the potential to clear the field, so she has time to decide. But the longer she waits, the more opportunity she gives rivals to gain a foothold. — The road to the Oval Office: Harris, it’s safe to say, is an “X factor” in the 2028 presidential derby. Some Democrats are dismissive of another run given her loss, and — unlike in California — it’s unlikely other Democrats would defer to her. “I can’t conceivably imagine the party turning to her a second time,” said one strategist granted anonymity to speak candidly. But polls have found her miles ahead of other Democrats in very, very early polling of the prospective field. She won more presidential votes than any Democrat not named Joe Biden. And she has infrastructural advantages that others will be hard-pressed to beat, including a massive donor list “She proved a lot of skeptics wrong as a political athlete. And her standing with the public is as good as any Democrat’s with the name ID that she has,” one Harris ally told POLITICO. This might also be a high-water mark: After the 2016 election, polls found most Democrats wanted HILLARY CLINTON to run again in 2020. But those numbers faded as other candidates started positioning themselves for a run. — The road to anywhere else: There is, of course, a different path: A comfortable and potentially lucrative life back in California replete with corporate board appointments, speaking engagements, a book deal and a role as an elder stateswoman in Democratic politics rather than as an active participant. But few people believe the 60-year-old Harris is truly done with politics. For a first hint, watch and listen closely at just how blunt and revealing she is in the interviews she will start giving at some point. If she completely opens up the hood, it’ll be clear her days as a careful-to-a-fault politician are over. The timeline for all this is unclear. We’re told Harris has been telling advisers and allies to keep her options open, and she is expected to explore all of them with family members over the holiday season. Allies say she’s earned the right to take her time. Harris earned “a lot of political capital” with her snap campaign, said adviser DONNA BRAZILE. “You don't squander that by making snap decisions.” But others close to Harris believe she’s better off making some early decisions. As one person close to Harris said: “There will be a desire to hear her voice, and there won’t be a vacuum for long.” Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels.
| | | | A message from Instagram: Instagram Teen Accounts: automatic protections for teens
Parents want safer online experiences for their teens. That's why Instagram is introducing Teen Accounts, with automatic protections for who can contact teens and the content they can see. Plus, only parents can approve safety setting changes for teens under 16.
This means parents can have more peace of mind when it comes to protecting their teens.
Learn more. | | | BEAR IN MIND — “Europe is under attack from Russia. Why isn’t it fighting back?” by Laura Kayali, Dirk Banse, Wolfgang Büscher, Ulrich Kraetzer, Uwe Müller and Christian Schweppe: “Russian tanks may not be rolling into Poland or Estonia, but Moscow’s aggression is getting harder to dismiss. … While some governments — especially in Nordic and Baltic countries — have tried to raise the alarm, the collective response from the EU and NATO has so far been notably tame. ‘We are simply too polite,’ Danish Prime Minister METTE FREDERIKSEN said on the sidelines of a NATO summit in July. ‘They are attacking us every day now.’” SOCCER IT TO ’EM — Noticed how more and more people in and around government are chatting about the English Premier League while networking? Well, our British POLITICO colleague Emilio Casalicchio, alongside Gavin Bade (a Liverpool nut) and Brittany Gibson (West Ham till she dies), had to investigate. The trio went to Liverpool bar Exiles on U Street (where people in Reds shirts swill Guinness and a mural of JÜRGEN KLOPP adorns a beer garden wall) to discover how English soccer has become another important lubricant oiling the corridors of power. It’s a must-read for political soccer fans.
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate and the House are out. What we’re watching … Congress left town for the Thanksgiving holiday last week without taking action on disaster aid funding. Yes, top leaders all said encouraging things about getting a deal done, but final action on Biden’s $100 billion request awaits a larger accord over extending government spending past Dec. 20. For a look at what’s at stake, CBS’ Scott MacFarlane headed to Brevard, North Carolina, where business owners in particular are waiting for replenishment of a Small Business Administration disaster loan program: “A federal official said 12,000 disaster loans have been prepared for approval and funding, totaling approximately $1 billion in help,” with another 60,000 applications in process. At the White House Biden will pardon the National Thanksgiving Turkey on the South Lawn at 11 a.m. Later, he and first lady JILL BIDEN will travel to and from Staten Island, New York, to serve food and speak at a Friendsgiving event. Harris and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF will travel from Kalaoa, Hawaii, to San Francisco.
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | TRANSITION LENSES
|  Dave Weldon appointment as CDC director would especially cause heartburn for some infectious disease experts. | Brendan Farrington/AP Photo | THE DOCTORS ARE IN — The cadre of Trump picks for top public health roles in his administration have a clear focus on fighting chronic diseases, a notable shift to emphasize the top preventable causes of Americans’ deaths. But some health experts are concerned about their lack of experience in, or hostility to, the government’s infectious disease response, WaPo’s Lena Sun, Dan Diamond, Rachel Roubein and Fenit Nirappil report. When future outbreaks or pandemics strike (bird flu is a particular concern), the team in place could include ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., MARTY MAKARY, DAVE WELDON and JANETTE NESHEIWAT, some of whom have criticized the handling of Covid-19 or supported debunked anti-vaccine theories. Weldon as CDC director would especially cause heartburn for some infectious disease experts, while Makary has gotten higher marks. Former Biden White House Covid response coordinator ASHISH JHA called Makary, MEHMET OZ and JAY BHATTACHARYA reasonable choices, though he opposes Kennedy. Scrutiny is ramping up of all these picks: N.Y. Mag’s Chris Stanton reports this morning that Oz has promoted the private-sector-oriented Medicare Advantage for years, including for a company that has been the subject of complaints. As Kennedy and his team make policy plans, though, they’re hamstrung — as are incoming officials at other agencies — by Trump’s refusal to sign transition agreements with the government, Alice Miranda Ollstein and Adam Cancryn report. Those negotiations are still ongoing, but in the meantime, Kennedy and others can’t coordinate with current HHS officials or gain access to info besides what’s already public. That leaves Trump’s team partially blindfolded on burgeoning concerns like bird flu. More top reads:
- What the E Ring is reading: Venture capitalist TRAE STEPHENS and investor STEPHEN FEINBERG are in contention to be tapped as deputy secretary of Defense, WSJ’s Becky Peterson, Alex Ward and Heather Somerville scooped. Feinberg is a veteran Trump backer who operates behind the scenes while Stephens is a big public speaker, but either could constitute a sea change for defense-tech startups to gain a foothold at the Pentagon.
- Survey says: Americans approve of Trump’s transition so far, 59 percent to 41 percent, per a new CBS poll. Majorities also approve of tariffs and mass deportations, though support gets a little softer when you dig into the details. By a 3-to-1 margin, Americans want Trump’s appointees to go through Senate confirmation hearings.
- All in the family: DONALD TRUMP JR. has emerged as the most influential member of Trump’s family in the transition, helping elevate anti-establishment, isolationist and protectionist choices for top government roles, Reuters’ Alexandra Ulmer reports.
POLICY CORNER
|  Vivek Ramaswamy is moving fast to turn the newly created Department of Government Efficiency into a substantive engine for major spending cuts. | Angelina Katsanis/POLITICO | THE COIN OF DOGE — The “Department of Government Efficiency” will be an advisory panel, not an actual government department, but ELON MUSK and VIVEK RAMASWAMY are moving fast to turn it into a substantive engine for major spending cuts. The two men pushed for RUSSELL VOUGHT as OMB director, have been interviewing potential staffers, are starting a podcast and are talking to an array of experts about how to gather info about the federal government, WaPo’s Elizabeth Dwoskin, Jeff Stein, Jacob Bogage and Faiz Siddiqui report. ANTONIO GRACIAS, STEVE DAVIS, JOE LONSDALE, MARC ANDREESSEN, BILL ACKMAN and TRAVIS KALANICK are helping with plans. Seeking to end remote work for federal employees is one tactic Musk and Ramaswamy plan to trim the workforce. The impact will likely vary widely from agency to agency, CNN’s Tami Luhby writes. Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.), who will lead a parallel DOGE effort in the House, dangled the prospect of cutting everything from NPR to federal aid to sanctuary states/cities. “We don’t care about people’s feelings,” she said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” But, but, but: Some experts tell the Post they’re skeptical DOGE can succeed, anticipating major court challenges and having seen other such budgetary efforts fail before. These critics say demoralization and disruption are the likelier outcomes for the federal workforce and businesses that depend on it. WaPo’s Dan Balz writes that the Trump team’s targeting of federal spending is about political retribution more than realistic plans to cut waste, fraud and abuse. More top reads:
- Paging the “Abandon Harris” campaign: “How the Trump administration and congressional Republicans may crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters,” by NBC’s Simone Weichselbaum: “One [measure] would be deporting foreign college students in the U.S. on a visa after they’re found to have openly advocated for Hamas … Another measure would be to pursue federal prosecutions of demonstrators who block synagogue entrances or disrupt Jewish speakers … A third approach is to charge protest leaders and nonprofits that aid in fundraising for protest groups with failing to register with the U.S. Justice Department.”
- All eyes on TODD BLANCHE: At the Justice Department, officials who fear Trump trying to weaponize law enforcement against his enemies hope that Blanche, his lawyer, could restrain the most extreme impulses as deputy AG, NBC’s Ryan Reilly reports. DOJ staffers are torn over whether Blanche will work to protect Trump or whether his more typical background as a career prosecutor will offer some protection for civil servants.
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | | ALL POLITICS SWAMP READ — “Business donors overwhelmingly bet on the GOP. Here’s where it paid off,” by Rosmery Izaguirre and Caitlin Oprysko: “Thousands of industry donors poured over $425 million into the general election this year, mostly backing the Republican Party and its pledges to repeal regulations and cut taxes. … Industries like agriculture and defense came out ahead with nearly all their backed candidates winning … [Health and labor supporters of Democrats] posted the worst win rates.” Other big winners: financial services (crypto) and transportation (Musk). AMERICA AND THE WORLD
|  NATO and allied officials are trying to reassure themselves that they know what to expect from a second Trump administration at the Halifax International Security Forum. | Rob Gillies/AP Photo | DISPATCH FROM HALIFAX — At the Halifax International Security Forum, NATO and allied officials are trying to reassure themselves that they know what to expect from — and how to handle — a second Trump administration, Paul McLeary, Jack Detsch and Robbie Gramer report from Nova Scotia. It’s harder to say whether they actually believe that: Uncertainty about how Trump will handle Ukraine and NATO runs rampant, despite reassurances from Sen. MIKE ROUNDS (R-S.D.). As with many policy arenas, the officials are also trying to figure out who will have the most influence over Trump on foreign-policy decisions, Robbie and Eli Stokols report. MARCO RUBIO and MICHAEL WALTZ or Musk and TUCKER CARLSON? Playing Kreminologists, experts are trying to figure out how to interpret Trump’s often tumultuous inner circles. One reality was already clear in Halifax, from GOP lawmakers and even former Democratic officials: Expect the U.S. to get tougher on Canada paying its fair share in defense spending, Nick Taylor-Vaisey and Robbie report. More top reads:
- Middle East latest: U.S. and Israel officials tell Axios’ Barak Ravid that Israel and Lebanon are very close to landing a deal for an Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire. It’s not done yet, but an agreement would end bloodshed that has killed thousands of people. Under the proposal, the U.S. would oversee implementation of the cease-fire and also guarantee support for Israel if future imminent threats arise.
MEDIAWATCH THE NEW LANDSCAPE — “‘Get me on Rogan!’: PR scrambles to navigate new media,” by Semafor’s Ben Smith and Max Tani
| | | | Don't just read headlines—guide your organization's next move. POLITICO Pro's comprehensive Data Analysis tracks power shifts in Congress, ballot measures, and committee turnovers, giving you the deep context behind every policy decision. Learn more about what POLITICO Pro can do for you. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Michael Blake is running for NYC mayor. Gautam Adani’s bribery charges will be a big test for Donald Trump and the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. YOUR SCHLOSS, OUR GAIN — Yes, hundreds gathered yesterday in Meridian Hill Park in Washington for a Jack Schlossberg look-alike contest. No, Schlossberg — the grandson of John F. Kennedy, first cousin once removed of HHS secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vogue political correspondent — did not himself show up (despite hints that he would), our colleague Greta Reich reports from the scene. The event, organized by Georgia Parolski and Ruchika Sharma, attracted a range of young raven-haired Washingtonians mostly dressed in white-shirt-and-tie to compete for prizes including $50 cash, Zipcar and Salazar gift cards and a tiara. Contestants were scrutinized on their resemblance to the Camelot scion, knowledge of Kennedy lore and statements on what it means to be “the people’s princess,” as Schlossberg is sometimes known. After four rounds, 25-year-old Georgetown grad student Daniel Bonomo prevailed with his answer to the final question: “It’s not about the princess, it’s about the people.” Pic … Another pic … Headline of the day from Teresa Wiltz OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at Victoria Knight, Liz Elkind and Zach Halaschak’s joint “omnibirthday” party at Royal Sands Social Club on Saturday night: Liam Quinn, J.P. Freire, Taylor Haulsee, Athina Lawson, Viet Shelton, Kadia Goba, Emily Brooks, Laura Weiss, Suzanne Monyak, Stef Kight, Cami Mondeaux, James Winner, Chile Emenuga, Charlotte Law, Emily Goodman, Mark Walker, Ryan Tarinelli, Grace Panetta and Reese Gorman. TRANSITIONS — The Obama Foundation is adding Rahshiene Taha as chief marketing officer and Emily Bittner as VP of comms. Taha previously was VP and head of IP development and marketing partnerships at Live Nation. Bittner previously was senior adviser to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. WEEKEND WEDDING — Sarah Wood, creative director for the NRCC, and Luke Nardone, research analyst for the Senate Leadership Fund, got married Saturday at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, Maryland. They met on the Marco Rubio campaign in 2022. SPOTTED: Steven Law, Jennifer Fay, Jack Pandol, Will Reinert, Peyton Vogel, Mark Morgan, Matt Gruda, Harry Fones and Nadgey Louis-Charles. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) (5-0) … CNN’s Abby Phillip … Jenna Bush Hager … Barbara Pierce Bush … Mark Bloomfield of the American Council for Capital Formation … Robert Steurer … Bill Dauster … Fox News’ Liz Elkind … Lee Dunn … Insider’s Brent Griffiths … Doug Troutman … The Guardian’s Kira Lerner … Shilpa Phadke … Keith Sonderling … Reuters’ Sarah Lynch … former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich … Jason Rae … former New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch … Colin Crowell … Isabella Victorio of Narrative Strategies … Alexandra Givens … Social Driver’s Anthony Shop … Far Post Media’s David Almacy … Kevin Knoth of Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s (R-Pa.) office 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 misidentified which senator spoke about Pete Hegseth’s pick as Defense secretary on ABC’s “This Week.” It was Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).
| | | | A message from Instagram: Instagram Teen Accounts: a protected experience for teens, guided by parents
Teen Accounts are designed to address parents’ biggest concerns, with automatic protections for who can contact their teens and the content they can see. Plus, only parents can approve safety setting changes for teens under 16.
So parents can have more peace of mind when it comes to protecting their teens.
Learn more. | | | | | | | 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 political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
