| | | | |  | | By Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
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One of Scott’s reasons for exploring a 2024 run: A belief that perhaps other Americans are similarly disgusted with the tenor of today’s politics, and want a candidate who will restore civility. | Win McNamee/Getty Images | | | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | With Congress out on recess and President JOE BIDEN still abroad, most of today’s marquee political events are happening outside of the beltway … — IN IOWA, Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.) begins his “Faith In America” listening tour, dipping his toe in the proverbial water ahead of a possible 2024 campaign. And this morning, Playbook has exclusive excerpts from Scott’s speech. “Conservatism is my personal proof there is no ceiling in life. I can go as high as my character, my education, and my perseverance will take me. I bear witness to that,” Scott will say. “So, for those of you on the left, you can call me a prop, you can call me a token, you can call me the N-word, you can question my blackness, you can even call me ‘Uncle Tim.’ Just understand: Your words are no match for my evidence. … The truth of my life disproves your lies.” You can also plan to see Scott throw some elbows — only don’t expect them to be aimed at fellow Republicans. “Pretend you were our nation’s greatest enemy,” he’ll say, per the prepared remarks. “Say you wanted a blueprint to ruin America. What would you put in it? First, you’d take aim at our patriotism. [Y]ou’d amplify attention-seekers who say America is an evil country. Make it easy to get rich and famous by feeding the empty calories of anger to people who are starving for hope. In other words … you’d keep doing exactly what JOE BIDEN has let the far left do to our country for the last two years.” (More on Scott below …) — IN D.C., “Bidenworld chatters that Joe may not run,” by Christopher Cadelago, Jonathan Lemire, Eli Stokols, Holly Otterbein and Elena Schneider: “While the belief among nearly everyone in Biden’s orbit is that he’ll ultimately give the all-clear, the delay has resulted an awkward deep-freeze across the party — in which some potential presidential aspirants and scores of major donors are strategizing and even developing a Plan B while trying to remain respectful and publicly supportive of the 80-year-old president.” — IN OHIO, as former President DONALD TRUMP visits the site of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Tanya Snyder, Alex Guillén and Adam Wren note that he’s handing Biden a political gift: a welcome contrast with his own record on rail safety regulations. From the story: “Trump’s administration withdrew an Obama-era proposal to require faster brakes on trains carrying highly flammable materials, ended regular rail safety audits of railroads, and mothballed a pending rule requiring freight trains to have at least two crew members. He also placed a veteran of the chemical industry in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s chemical safety office, where she made industry-friendly changes to how the agency studied health risks.” — IN GEORGIA, a grand jury probing possible interference in the 2020 presidential election has recommended indictments for more than a dozen people, according to foreperson EMILY KOHRS, who did an interview with NBC. That list, she said, “might” include Trump himself. “There are certainly names that you will recognize, yes. There are names also you might not recognize,” she said. Good Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
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Scott talks with an Iowa resident during a GOP reception in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, June 9, 2022. | Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo | MR. OPTIMISM HEADS TO IOWA — Sen. Scott has never been overly ambitious. Over his dozen years in Congress, the representative-turned-senator has often avoided the spotlight, shunning the bombast and bluster that many White House hopefuls embrace as they consider presidential runs. Instead, he’s known for his affability and easy smile. That makes him an outlier in the 2024 field. And it could be his greatest asset — if Republican voters are willing to try something different. As the South Carolinian takes the first steps of a potential presidential run, we called up one of his closest confidants — whom we granted anonymity to speak freely — hoping to answer a simple question: Does Tim Scott really want to be commander-in-chief? If so, since when, and why? The confidant told us that Scott hasn’t harbored long-term ambitions of working in the Oval Office. But he’s been repulsed by the downward spiral of bullying and bomb-throwing that has become the hallmark of politics of late, and feels motivated to do something about it. He’s never been a fan of DONALD TRUMP’s name-calling. He loathes the suggestion by some on the left that the nation is “racist.” In recent days, he’s cringed at Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE’s (R-Ga.) call for the U.S. to be split into two nations of red and blue states, as well as her suggestion that former South Carolina Gov. NIKKI HALEY is simply a “Bush in heels.” Above all, he pines for a time when Americans could disagree about politics and still be cordial. Therein lies one of Scott’s reasons for exploring a 2024 run: A belief that perhaps other Americans are similarly disgusted with the tenor of today’s politics, and want a candidate who will restore civility. “He really does think that the country is disunified in ways that it doesn't have to be,” said the confidant. “Now, there are plenty of areas where … there [are] going to be contrasts — no question about it. He just thinks there is a way to communicate — even with people that are never going to vote for you — and do it in a winsome way.” That alone could be enough to draw a contrast between Scott and the other GOP 2024 hopefuls — especially Trump, who has repeatedly shown a willingness to savage his opponents with schoolyard insults and gutter tactics. “You’re not going to get a tweet from Tim Scott taking a shot at MIKE POMPEO. You’re never going to get it,” the confidant told us. “He’s not going to become something he is not.” But is that what Republican primary voters want? As NYT’s Jonathan Weisman recently wrote, it’s an open question “whether Republican voters who embraced Donald J. Trump’s brand of us-versus-them divisiveness are ready for the themes that Mr. Scott is selling.” His reputation as a gentleman, Weisman continues, “could prove to be a liability in today’s Republican primary environment, where … activists may be more interested in anger than optimism.” Scott also stands out for a policy reason: At a time when Republicans cheer for law-and-order politics, Scott, the highest ranking Black Republican in the nation, has worked hard on criminal justice reform and policing issues. And as some in the party, like Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS, take aim at AP Black history courses and how racism is taught in schools, Scott doesn’t shy away from the racial violence that runs through American history: He personally shepherded a bill to make lynching a hate crime.
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Amazon offers free career advancement programs to help employees move into higher-paying, long-term careers. “The door is always open for growth and opportunities,” said Francisco, who started in an Amazon fulfillment center and is now a trained robotics technician. Learn more. Sponsored by Amazon   | | | IN SCOTT’S FAVOR — Scott’s cheerleaders think he has a compelling case to make to primary voters, and tout the following as assets should he run: 1) His life story and record. Raised by a single mom, Scott overcame poverty to become a successful businessman before being elected to the House and becoming the first Black senator from the South since Reconstruction. A deeply religious man who once entertained going into seminary, he helped craft the GOP’s 2017 tax cut bill, tucking into the package a provision providing tax credits for businesses that invest in poor areas. 2) A ready-made political infrastructure. Scott already has $22 million in his federal campaign account and two big names — former Sen. CORY GARDNER (R-Colo.) and former NRSC hand ROB COLLINS — co-chairing his super PAC. 3) Experience no other Republican contender has. As a senator who’s opened up on the Senate floor about being racially profiled, has faced threats by white supremacists, and once had to privately school Trump on discrimination following racist comments, Scott is in a unique position to push back on what the right derides as “woke” culture. He’s shown that he won’t tolerate racism, sinking not one, but two of Trump’s judicial appointees for past discriminatory actions. But he’s also clapped back at the left, saying last week at a Black History month dinner that “[w]e have made tremendous progress, and it’s time that we, as a people, celebrate the progress we are making.” To hear Scott’s allies tell it, his ability to be a happy warrior is one of his greatest strengths. “To me, Tim really is RONALD REAGAN: ‘Morning in America,’” Sen. JOHN BARRASSO (R-Wyo.) told Playbook. “He tries to bring people together. He has a hopeful vision for our country.” Of course, time will tell whether Republican voters want a “Morning in America” message, or whether they’ll again embrace another slogan Reagan popularized: “Make America Great Again.”
| | PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S WEDNESDAY (all times Eastern):
7:30 a.m.: The president will meet with U.S. Embassy staff in Warsaw, Poland.
8:45 a.m.: Biden will meet with the leaders of the Bucharest Nine and with NATO Secretary-General JENS STOLTENBERG at the Presidential Palace.
11:15 a.m.: Biden will depart Warsaw en route to the White House, where he is expected to return at 9 p.m.
VP KAMALA HARRIS’ WEDNESDAY:
3:40 p.m.: The VP will deliver remarks on lowering costs for homebuyers at Bowie State University, with HUD Secretary MARCIA FUDGE also in attendance.
THE HOUSE and THE SENATE are out. | | | | | | We’re spilling the tea (and drinking tons of it in our newsroom) in U.K. politics with our latest newsletter, London Playbook PM. Get to know all the movers and shakers in Westminster and never miss a beat of British politics with a free subscription. Don’t miss out, we’ve got some exciting moves coming. Sign up today. | | | | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
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President Joe Biden poses with children after his speech at the Royal Castle after meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Feb. 21. | Michal Dyjuk/AP Photo | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | MORE POLITICS DEMS’ STRONG SHOWING — A trio of special elections scattered across the country last night showed some pretty convincing results for Democrats. In Virginia: “McClellan elected as Virginia’s first Black woman in Congress,” by Madison Fernandez: Virginia state Sen. JENNIFER McCLELLAN “led 68 percent to 32 percent over Republican LEON BENJAMIN when the Associated Press called the race with 32 percent of precincts reporting in the heavily Democratic area. Virginia’s 4th District was last held by the late Rep. DON McEACHIN, who died in late November — just weeks after he won reelection to his fourth term.” In Kentucky: “Cassie Chambers Armstrong wins special election for Kentucky Senate,” by the Louisville Courier Journal’s Joe Sonka In New Hampshire: “Democrat incumbent Chuck Grassie holds onto Rochester's Ward 4 seat in New Hampshire House,” by WMUR’s Jessica Kisluk ON WISCONSIN — “Battle for control of Wisconsin Supreme Court sees liberal and conservative advance to final round,” by Madison Fernandez: “Liberal judge JANET PROTASIEWICZ and conservative DANIEL KELLY will face off in an April election to determine ideological control of the Wisconsin state Supreme Court — with implications for the future of abortion access, redistricting and voting rights ahead of the 2024 election in the battleground state. … Democrats have looked to the race as a rare chance to flip control of the court, which conservatives have had for over a decade.” More from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Molly Beck 2024 WATCH
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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks to voters at a town hall campaign event, Monday, Feb. 20, in Urbandale, Iowa. | Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo | ‘A GIMMICK TO GET ATTENTION’ — Older voters, long a key voting bloc for the GOP, are balking at NIKKI HALEY’s proposed mental competency test for presidential candidates older than 75, per our colleagues Lisa Kashinsky and Natalie Allison. “Interviews with more than a dozen attendees at Haley’s first campaign events in recent days — all but three in their 60s, 70s and 80s — revealed a GOP primary electorate open to a younger standard-bearer but sharply divided over the insinuation that someone their age might be lacking in mental aptitude.” KFILE FINDS HALEY — “Nikki Haley defended right to secession, Confederate History Month and the Confederate flag in 2010 talk,” by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski: “Haley defended states’ rights to secede from the United States, South Carolina’s Confederate History Month and the Confederate flag in a 2010 interview with a local activist group that ‘fights attacks against Southern Culture.’ Haley, who was running for South Carolina governor at the time, made the comments during an interview with the now defunct ‘The Palmetto Patriots,’ a group which included a one-time board member of a White nationalist organization. The former UN ambassador also described the Civil War as two sides fighting for different values, one for ‘tradition’ and one for ‘change.’” ANOTHER ONE IN — “Vivek Ramaswamy announces he will run for president,” by Sam Stein MARIANNE’S MESSAGE — “Williamson tells Democrats it’s ‘time to move on’ from Biden as she plans trips to NH and early primary states,” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser THE WHITE HOUSE CHANGING OF THE GUARD — “Biden builds a new team to carry him across landmines,” by Ben White and Adam Cancryn: “All bring particular skills suited to Biden’s desire for experienced hands to help steer the economy away from a possible recession, according to half a dozen White House advisers and people close to the president who were granted anonymity to talk about personnel matters. [LAEL] BRAINARD and [JARED] BERNSTEIN also have credibility on the left at a time when the president may be forced to make some tough tradeoffs with House Republicans. “Biden, who consistently gets dismal marks from the public on his handling of the economy, has voiced frustration to his team that they haven’t done enough to convey the administration’s accomplishments, particularly on cable news, which he regularly watches. He’s counting on the new aides to help resolve that issue.” JUDICIARY SQUARE BIG TECH’S BIG RELIEF — “Google appears to dodge disaster as justices review tech law,” by Josh Gerstein and Rebecca Kern: “Despite widespread fear in the tech community about such a blow, a majority of the justices during oral arguments Tuesday seemed reluctant to upend almost three decades of legal precedent that has effectively immunized search engines and social media companies from liability for their decisions about policing content, including practices that amplify or hide particular posts.” — Justice BRETT KAVANAUGH expressed concern that changing the interpretation of Section 230 could “crash the digital economy.” More from NYT — Justice AMY CONEY BARRETT raised the specter that narrowing Section 230’s scope could make individual users legally liable for “retweets” and “likes” of posts. More from CNN — And Justice ELENA KAGAN was candid about her hesitance to leave these questions up to the Supreme Court: “These are not, like, the nine greatest experts on the internet.” More from SCOTUSblog FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Next Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear two different challenges to the Biden administration’s student debt-forgiveness program, and outside groups are stepping up their pressure campaign on the high court. The NAACP, Future Coalition and Young Invincibles are footing the bill for seven buses full of students from Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania to protest in front of the court. “Student debt relief is needed and President Biden’s plan is 100% constitutional. We will be at the Supreme Court on the 28th,” NAACP’s Director of Youth & College WISDOM COLE told Playbook. “For far too long, student debt has scammed the people and widened the racial wealth gap to a disastrous extreme.”
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After starting in a fulfillment center, Francisco joined the Amazon Mechatronics and Robotics Apprenticeship. He now earns four times more as a trained technician. Amazon has committed $1.2 billion to upskilling, so employees can learn and earn more. Read about Amazon career growth. Sponsored by Amazon   | | | CONGRESS NEVER GO OUT OF STEIL — “The once-sleepy Hill panel now diving into Jan. 6, stock trading and other hot buttons,” by Jordain Carney THE TALENTED MR. SANTOS — “Fact check: George Santos tells new lies in interview about his old lies,” by CNN’s Daniel Dale and Andrew Kaczynski POLICY CORNER IMMIGRATION FILES — “Biden administration unveils broad asylum restrictions at U.S.-Mexico border,” by Reuters’ Ted Hesson: “Under the new rules, migrants who do not schedule an appointment at a U.S. border port of entry or use humanitarian programs available to certain nationalities would be ineligible for asylum except in certain cases. They must also first seek and be denied protection in countries they pass through to be able to claim asylum once in the United States. … Biden's plan to ban certain asylum seekers mirrors similar efforts under Trump that were blocked by federal courts and has drawn similar opposition.” WAR IN UKRAINE WHAT COMES NEXT — “Biden and Putin spoke. Now the war's focus will return to a decisive period on the battlefield,” by NBC’s Josh Lederman and Raf Sanchez in Warsaw, Poland MEETING OF THE MINDS — “House GOP meet with Zelenskyy as far right opposes more aid,” by AP’s Farnoush Amiri Related Read: “DeSantis and Haley highlight 2024 chasm on Ukraine,” by WaPo’s Aaron Blake AMERICA AND THE WORLD FAILURE TO LAUNCH — “U.S. believes Russia had failed intercontinental ballistic missile test while Biden was in Ukraine,” by CNN’s Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand: “Russia notified the United States in advance of the launch through deconfliction lines, one official said. Another official said that the test did not pose a risk to the United States and that the US did not view the test as an anomaly or an escalation.” MEDIAWATCH NYT DRAMA PAST — “‘I Was So F*cking Freaked Out’: Ex-NYT Staffer Describes ‘Crying’ and ‘Bloodthirsty’ Colleagues Seeking Vengeance for Cotton Op-Ed,” by Mediaite’s Isaac Schorr: “Embarrassing details about the extent of the 2020 staff revolt at the New York Times have been revealed in a new book featuring an interview with former Times staffer SHAWN McCREESH. Mediaite obtained excerpts of STEVE KRAKAUER’s new book, ‘Uncovered: How the Media Got Cozy with Power, Abandoned Its Principles, and Lost the People.’ It includes McCreesh’s account of the ‘Maoist struggle session’ at the Times that led to the ouster of editorial page editor JAMES BENNET in 2020.” NYT DRAMA PRESENT — “Dozens Of New York Times Journalists Hit Staff Union For Its Defense Of Trans Coverage Criticism,” by Vanity Fair’s Charlotte Klein: “A group of high-profile New York Times journalists on Tuesday privately fired back against NewsGuild of New York president SUSAN DeCARAVA, over a letter that she’d written affirming journalists’ right to criticize the paper in order to address workplace conditions, a response that came amid a dispute over the Times’ coverage of transgender issues.” What the letter said, in part: “‘Factual, accurate journalism that is written, edited, and published in accordance with Times standards does not create a hostile workplace,’ reads the letter, which was organized by reporter JEREMY PETERS and, in the past 24 hours, collected dozens of signatures. Among them are PETER BAKER, CHARLIE SAVAGE, ADAM GOLDMAN, MICHAEL GRYNBAUM, APOORVA MANDAVILLI, LISA LERER, JIM RUTENBERG, MIKE McINTIRE, and KATE ZERNIKE.”
| | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 3/1 TO DISCUSS AMERICAN PRIVACY LAWS: Americans have fewer privacy rights than Europeans, and companies continue to face a minefield of competing state and foreign legislation. There is strong bipartisan support for a federal privacy bill, but it has yet to materialize. Join POLITICO on 3/1 to discuss what it will take to get a federal privacy law on the books, potential designs for how this type of legislation could protect consumers and innovators, and more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Mike Pompeo’s PAC reportedly spent $42,000 on books on Jan. 24 — the same day his memoir was published. (It became a bestseller.) Bernie Sanders accidentally went viral. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Kyle Reliford, Robert Buckley, Julia Portella and Chris Martin have launched Look Ahead Strategies, a new firm focused on strategic research and communications consulting. Reliford, Buckley and Portella were previously at America Rising Cooperation. Martin was previously at Bullpen Strategy Group and is an America Rising PAC alum. — Brian Chen is joining Data & Society as director of policy. He previously was a senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project. TRANSITIONS — Ammar Moussa is now the national press secretary for the DNC. He's a campaign alum of Kamala Harris, Jon Ossoff and John Hickenlooper. … Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is joining Third Way as a senior visiting fellow in the climate and energy program. … Eyang Garrison is now deputy staff director for the Senate Agriculture Committee under Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). She previously was chief of staff to Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh. … Joe Costello is now press secretary for the House Oversight Committee Democrats. He previously was press secretary for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign and is a Nancy Pelosi alum. ENGAGED — Elizabeth Dent, a Biden-Harris appointee working on Middle East issues at the Pentagon, and Corey Sunstrom, the director of financial planning at Hobart Financial Group, got engaged in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday. The couple met through mutual friends a few years ago and reconnected early last year over margaritas at Mexicue on 14th. Pic … Another Pic … Another Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) … Hugh Hewitt … Rodney Hood … David Axelrod … Bob Bauer … Alex Slater … POLITICO’s Heidi Sommer … AARP’s Martha Boudreau and Dan Gilgoff … Alyssa Mastromonaco … Kristen Soltis Anderson … Caroline Donlon of the House Rules Committee … Peter Siegal of Norton Rose Fulbright … Jennifer Poersch … Protect Democracy’s Chris Crawford … Ed Brookover … Viet Dinh … MSNBC’s Dan Holway … CNN’s Laurie Ure … eBay’s Elizabeth Oblinger … AP’s Michael Biesecker … Ryan Eaton … Jay Driscoll … Liz Glover … Ellis Brachman … Shawn Martin … Marissa Lang … Lauren Bates… Yvesner Zamar … Ellen Seher… Dave LesStrang … John Gibson … NBC’s Keir Simmons … former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist … Alan Katz … former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) … former Reps. John Bryant (D-Texas) and Harley Staggers Jr. (D-W.Va.) (72) … Jim Friedlich 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 producers Setota Hailemariam and Bethany Irvine.
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