Playbook PM: Cotton: ‘Woke mob’ in NYT newsroom

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Jun 04, 2020 View in browser   By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun Presented by WE CAUGHT UP WITH Sen. TOM COTTON (R-Ark.) in the Capitol this morning about his NYT op-ed, "Send in the Troops," which sparked an outcry among reporters in the newsroom who said its publication endangers black reporters. COTTON, unsurprisingly, was unbending: "I respect the New York Times leadership for publishing an opinion piece with which they disagree. I don't agree with them very often, but on this, they published a piece with which they disagreed and they stood by it in the face of a woke mob in their own newsroom and are refusing the demands for firing or censoring." -- WE ASKED HIM what he thought about the specifics of the criticism from the newsroom. Cotton said it was "amusing how these woke progressives" portray themselves as having liberal values but "as soon as they're presented with an opinion with which they disagree, they have a meltdown and demand censorship and firings." Publisher A.G. Sulzberger sent a letter to the staff HEADS UP … "Detained U.S. Navy veteran freed by Iran, making his way home," by AP's Matthew Lee and Eric Tucker: "A Navy veteran detained in Iran for nearly two years has been released and started making his way home, with the first leg on a Swiss government aircraft, U.S. officials said Thursday. 'The nightmare is over,' his mother said. "The U.S. special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, flew to Zurich with a doctor to meet freed detainee Michael White and will accompany White to the United States aboard an American plane, the officials said. White's release was part of an agreement involving an Iranian-American doctor prosecuted by the Justice Department, and followed months of quiet negotiations over prisoners." AXIOS' JONATHAN SWAN and ALAYNA TREENE: "RNC expands convention search across the Sun Belt" WAIT A MINUTE … WUSA 9'S @NathanBacaTV: "Breaking: police canisters gathered by @wusa9 crews Monday night show federal police DID use artificial CS tear gas in addition to natural OC gas on #BlackLivesMatter #WashingtonDCProtests Asking @usparkpolicepio & @realDonaldTrump for response on statements claiming otherwise." More from WUSA 9 WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MATTIS … SIREN! … SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R-Alaska) to a few reporters including WAPO'S PAUL KANE, ANDREW DESIDERIO and CNN'S TED BARRETT: "I was really thankful. I thought Gen. [Jim] Mattis' words were true and honest, and necessary, and overdue. I have been struggling for the right words and I was encouraged a couple nights ago when I was able to read what President [George W.] Bush had written, and I found that to be empowering to me as one leader. But when I saw Gen. Mattis' comments yesterday, I felt like perhaps we're getting to the point where we can be more honest with the concerns we might hold internally and have the courage of our own convictions to speak up." ASKED if she is struggling with whether to support President DONALD TRUMP, she said: "I am struggling with it. I have struggled with it for a long time. … But I think right now … questions about who I'm going to vote for or not going to vote for I think are distracting to the moment." -- @burgessev: "Romney praises Mattis: 'he expresses his opinion in a very powerful and stunning letter' 'I think he's an American patriot of extraordinary service and sacrifice and great judgment'" -- SEN. MARK WARNER (D-Va.), the ranking member on intel, per WaPo's PAUL KANE , via the Capitol Hill pool: ""I think it's really appropriate that they are speaking out. It was outrageous to see the secretary of Defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs being played as tools for a photo op. … Virginia is proud of its military traditions and we don't like to see those traditions abused, and I respect Secretary Mattis for speaking up." -- SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (D-La.): "Gen Mattis served his country well and honorably and he's entitled to his opinion … I don't know that him saying this is especially helpful to the various crises that we're going through right now but if he feels the need to express himself, he can." (h/t NBC's Julie Tsirkin) -- CNN'S MANU RAJU (@mkraju): "GOP shrugs off Mattis' criticism. Ron Johnson told me: 'It's General Mattis' opinion, he's free to express it.' Graham: 'It's just politically fashionable to blame Trump for everything - and I'm not buying it.'" 1.9 MILLION people filed new unemployment claims last week. -- WSJ: "The ranks of Americans drawing on unemployment benefits ticked up to 21.5 million in the week ended May 23, though the pace of increase significantly slowed from earlier in the crisis, the Labor Department said Thursday. So-called continuing claims are released with a one-week lag and appeared to hit a peak in early May. "New applications for unemployment benefits have trended down since the pandemic and related lockdowns triggered a surge in claims at the end of March. Last week, there were 1.9 million unemployment claims, the first time initial claims have fallen below 2 million a week since the week ended March 14." HOW THEY'RE SPENDING IT … WAPO: "Pentagon's coronavirus plan includes millions for missile tubes and body armor," by Aaron Gregg and Erica Werner: "The Pentagon plans to devote billions of dollars in new defense spending to vaccine development, medical supplies, and financial help for defense contractors as part of an ambitious plan to address the coronavirus pandemic, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. "But critics say the department is moving too slowly to spend the money as the pandemic enters its fifth month. Ten weeks after President Trump invoked wartime production powers to address deep medical supply shortages, only 15 percent of that funding has been placed under contract. The department received $10.5 billion in Cares Act funding to address the crisis, and had spent about $2.65 billion as of Wednesday afternoon, a department spokesman said." Good Thursday afternoon. FLIGHT ALERTS show that TRUMP is expected to go to his resort in New Jersey this weekend. A message from the American Beverage Association: At America's beverage companies our plastic bottles are made to be remade. We're carefully designing them to be 100% recyclable, including the caps—so every bottle can become a new one. That means less plastic waste in our environment. Please help us get Every Bottle Back. EveryBottleBack.org   TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE: "'Can't breathe:' Tacoma police restraint of Manuel Ellis caused his death, medical examiner reports," by Stacia Glenn: "Manuel Ellis died in handcuffs while being restrained on the ground by Tacoma police. At the time of his March 3 death, officials said the 33-year-old appeared to be suffering from excited delirium, which often includes attempts at violence, unexpected strength and very high body temperature. "They said that might have explained why Ellis allegedly banged on a patrol car and attacked two officers trying to calm him down. Although Ellis, an openly struggling addict, had drugs in his system when he died, the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office has determined Ellis died of respiratory arrest due to hypoxia due to physical restraint. … The Medical Examiner ruled Ellis' death a homicide." DEEP DIVE -- "The black-white economic divide is as wide as it was in 1968," by WaPo's Heather Long and Andrew Van Dam: "In many ways, the gap between the finances of blacks and whites is still as wide in 2020 as it was in 1968, the year the nation enacted the Civil Rights Act in response to years of unequal treatment of African Americans in nearly every part of society and business. In the decades since, white wealth has soared while black wealth has stagnated. … "In 1968, a typical middle-class black household had $6,674 in wealth compared to $70,786 for the typical middle-class white household, according to data from the historical Survey of Consumer Finances that's been adjusted for inflation. In 2016, the typical middle-class black household had $13,024 in wealth versus $149,703 for the median white household, an even larger gap in percentage terms. ... As of 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, you would have to combine the net worth of 11.5 black households to get the net worth of a typical white U.S. household." WaPo COMING DOWN -- "Northam orders Lee statue to be removed 'as soon as possible' from Monument Avenue," by Richmond Times-Dispatch's Mel Leonor: "Gov. Ralph Northam on Thursday announced the imminent removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that sits on Richmond's Monument Avenue, issuing a rebuke to Confederate glorification. "'When it's the biggest thing around, it sends a clear message. This is what we value the most. That's just not true anymore,' Northam said Thursday. 'In Virginia, we no longer preach a false version of history, one that claims the Civil War was about state's rights … No one believes that any longer.' Northam will order the removal of the statue from its stone pedestal. The statue will be stored while the administration makes a decision about its ultimate fate, with public input." Times-Dispatch   WINNERS PLAY THE LONG GAME : The one thread linking the most significant challenges facing our society, economy and planet: the tension between short-term and long-term thinking. "The Long Game" is designed for executives, investors and policymakers leading the conversation about how society can thrive in the future. Engage with the sharpest minds on our biggest challenges, from pandemics to plastics, climate change to land use, inequality, and the future of work. Searching for a nuanced look at these issues and possible solutions? Subscribe today.     THE CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC PICTURE -- "U.S. Exports, Imports Fell Sharply in April Amid Coronavirus Disruptions," by WSJ's Harriet Torry: "U.S. exports and imports both posted their largest monthly decreases on record amid coronavirus-related shutdowns around the world. "Imports decreased 13.7% in April. Exports, meanwhile, fell 20.5% from March. Both marked the largest month-over-month declines since record-keeping began in 1992, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The declines left the U.S. with a larger deficit in trade of goods and services. The foreign-trade gap expanded 16.7% from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted $49.41 billion in April." WSJ -- WAPO: "The next big problem for the economy: Businesses can't pay their rent," by WaPo's Heather Long: "Nearly half of commercial retail rents were not paid in May. Companies as big as Starbucks say the financial devastation from the shutdown has left them unable to pay their full property bills on time. Some companies warn they will not be able to pay rent for months. "The problem for the broader U.S. economy is that when businesses like Ross Stores and T.J. Maxx stop paying rent, it sets off an alarming chain reaction. Landlords are now at risk of bankruptcy, too. Commercial real estate prices are falling. Jobs at property management companies and landscapers face cuts. Banks and private investors are unwilling to lend to most commercial real estate projects anymore, and cash-strapped city and local governments are realizing the property taxes they usually rely on from business properties are unlikely to be paid this summer and fall." WaPo -- NYT: "Workers Fearful of the Coronavirus Are Getting Fired and Losing Their Benefits," by Jack Healy: "As people across the United States are told to return to work, employees who balk at the health risks say they are being confronted with painful reprisals: Some are losing their jobs if they try to stay home, and thousands more are being reported to the state to have their unemployment benefits cut off. "Businesses want to bring back customers and profits. But workers now worry about contracting the coronavirus once they return to cramped restaurant kitchens, dental offices or conference rooms where few colleagues are wearing masks. Some states with a history of weaker labor protections are encouraging employers to report workers who do not return to their jobs, citing state laws that disqualify people from receiving unemployment checks if they refuse a reasonable offer of work." NYT AP/RIO DE JANEIRO: "Brazil reports highest 1-day virus death toll": "Brazil has reported another 1,349 COVID-19 deaths, the largest 24-hour increase to the country's coronavirus death toll since its outbreak began. … Brazil has reported about 32,500 deaths from the virus so far, the fourth most of any country in the world, trailing just behind Italy. Experts believe the actual death toll is significantly higher but hasn't registered due to insufficient testing."   POLITICO Magazine Justice Reform: The Decarceration Issue, presented by Verizon : Over the past decade, the longstanding challenge of criminal-justice reform has emerged into the spotlight with a new twist: Both Republicans and Democrats are on board with reform. But if both parties want to lower the incarceration rate, why are U.S. jail and prison populations still so high? The latest series from POLITICO Magazine searches for answers to this important question and takes a deeper look into what it will take to make progress toward real justice reform. READ THE FULL ISSUE.     IMMIGRATION FILES -- "Fear, Illness and Death in ICE Detention: How a Protest Grew on the Inside," by Seth Freed Wessler for NYT Magazine: "For weeks, many of the 700 people locked up in the facility … had been asking officials for protection — masks and temperature checks for detainees and a requirement that guards, who entered and exited the facility daily, wear masks — as well a promise to stop bringing new detainees into their units. … "Since mid-March, I'd been in regular contact with a group of 20 detained immigrants in Irwin, calling them in $3.50 14-minute intervals via video visitation software inaptly named 'GettingOut.' … I listened as detainees coughed, and watched as others fashioned masks out of scraps of torn clothes, or from broken disposable meal containers. I could see, in real time, that the protections being imposed on the rest of the country were being ignored here." NYT Magazine RACE FOR THE RNC -- "DeSantis: 'We want to get to yes' on hosting RNC in Florida," by Quint Forgey BIDEN LEANS TO THE LEFT -- "Bernie-friendly DNC panel pushes Biden to back $16T climate plan," by Zack Colman: "A Democratic National Committee panel stacked with progressive climate activists is pressing Joe Biden to back a plan to spend up to $16 trillion to speed the country away from fossil fuels, a call that could complicate his efforts to appeal to blue-collar voters in the swing states he needs to win in November. "The plan from the DNC Council on the Environment and Climate Crisis, provided to POLITICO ahead of its release Thursday, also proposes to ban fracking and end sales of non-electric passenger cars by 2030. … [T]hey go well beyond Biden's own climate platform, which has called for spending $2 trillion — and they would offer President Donald Trump multiple openings to link Biden to the Democrats' progressive and environmental wings." POLITICO THE LATEST IN CHINA -- "China to Allow Foreign Airlines to Restore Some Flights After U.S. Pressure," by WSJ's Trefor Moss in Shanghai: "China made a rare concession in the face of U.S. pressure on Thursday by agreeing to allow U.S. and other foreign airlines to restore some China routes, less than 24 hours after the Trump administration had threatened to bar Chinese airlines from the U.S. "While the move falls short of U.S. demands for airlines to be able to resume China flights on their own terms, it was still a partial climb-down at a moment of rising tensions that has seen the U.S. and China spar over issues ranging from technology and trade to Hong Kong's political status. The Civil Aviation Administration of China said 95 foreign airlines would be cleared to fly to one Chinese destination once a week starting Monday, mirroring rules already in place permitting Chinese airlines to fly one weekly service to foreign countries." WSJ BONUS BIRTHDAY: John Horstman, special assistant to the president and director of media affairs at the White House, is 29   A message from the American Beverage Association: Carefully designing fully recyclable bottles and caps means less plastic waste in our environment. Please help us get Every Bottle Back. EveryBottleBack.org     Follow us on Twitter Anna Palmer @apalmerdc Jake Sherman @JakeSherman Eli Okun @eliokun Garrett Ross @garrett_ross   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters Follow us

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