Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: Playbook PM: A peek inside Trump’s mind

Playbook PM: A peek inside Trump’s mind

Jun 16, 2020

By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun

Presented by

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP used a Rose Garden address that was, presumably, about his police reform executive order to take the public on a tour of what's preoccupying his mind. He first spoke about the executive order, and then mused about retail numbers, his predictions about the economy, a vaccine and therapeutic for Covid-19, his belief that the deadly virus will disappear without medical intervention and how "school choice" is the civil rights issue of our time.

WITH SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL and Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.) in the crowd, TRUMP said he was "committed to working with Congress on additional measures," but said the executive order was "a big, big step."

"WITHOUT POLICE, THERE'S CHAOS," TRUMP said. "Without law, there's anarchy. And without safety, there is catastrophe."

TRUMP threw in a broadside at former President BARACK OBAMA and VP JOE BIDEN, saying they "never even tried to fix [police behavior] during their eight-year period. The reason they didn't try is because they had no idea how to do it. And it is a complex situation." WSJ on efforts during the Obama administration on policing

BACK ON CAPITOL HILL … MCCONNELL is likely to speak after the GOP lunch today -- around 2 p.m. or so.

… AND HE'LL BE ASKED ABOUT THIS: POLICE REFORM NEXT WEEK? … Sen. JOHN THUNE (R-S.D.) this morning to JENNIFER SHUTT of CQ Roll Call about Sen. TIM SCOTT'S (R-S.C.) policing proposal: "I think [McConnell] is going to try and move it as soon as it's ready to move, as quickly as possible … The bill's going to come out at the end of this week. If we can get it ready to go, ready for the floor, then I wouldn't be surprised if we pivoted to that at some point, potentially next week."

BURGESS EVERETT and JOHN BRESNAHAN: "McConnell vows to stay on as GOP leader even if Republicans lose Senate": "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday he planned to stay on as Republican leader regardless of whether he's relegated to the minority or keeps control of the Senate. 'I do,' McConnell said when asked if he'll continue to seek the party leader role after the November elections. McConnell, 78, has had the job of GOP leader since 2007 and is the longest serving Republican leader of all time."

SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO is headed to Hawaii. He's due to meet with Chinese officials in Honolulu, including Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. The agenda is being closely held.

HEADS UP … KYLE CHENEY: "Prosecutor who withdrew from Roger Stone case to testify about DOJ": "One of four prosecutors who withdrew from the case of longtime Donald Trump ally Roger Stone after Justice Department leaders intervened in his sentencing, Aaron Zelinsky, is prepared to testify to the House Judiciary Committee next week, Chairman Jerry Nadler revealed Tuesday.

"Nadler issued two subpoenas, one for Zelinsky and one for DOJ Antitrust Division official John Elias, describing both as 'whistleblowers' prepared to testify to allegations of political interference in Attorney General William Barr's Justice Department. A hearing with both men is set for June 24. They'll appear alongside Donald Ayer, a former deputy attorney general in President George H.W. Bush's Justice Department, who is expected to speak broadly about the importance of an independent Justice Department." POLITICO

DINGELL KEEPS THE HEAT ON … DETROIT NEWS: "Dingell: 'I don't believe these numbers' showing Biden with big lead," by Craig Mauger: "Two top Michigan Democrats urged caution Monday for supporters of Joe Biden, arguing that backers of the former vice president shouldn't become complacent despite favorable polling ahead of the November election.

"During an online event launching an effort called Michigan Women for Biden, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, introduced herself as 'Debbie Downer.' 'Some people say, 'Oh, look at the numbers,'' Dingell said. 'I don't believe these numbers.' And look at what's happened in five months. The world is upside down and not one of us on this phone call would have predicted that the world will be as it is today. And it is five months from now until November.'"

Good Tuesday afternoon.

A message from PhRMA:

America's biopharmaceutical companies are sharing manufacturing capabilities with each other so that once a treatment or vaccine is ready, they can get it to millions of people fast. And there's no slowing down. America's biopharmaceutical companies will continue working day and night until they beat coronavirus. More.

SCOOP -- "Elite CIA unit that developed hacking tools failed to secure its own systems, allowing massive leak, an internal report found," by WaPo's Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris: "The theft of top-secret computer hacking tools from the CIA in 2016 was the result of a workplace culture in which the agency's elite computer hackers 'prioritized building cyber weapons at the expense of securing their own systems,' according to an internal report prepared for then-director Mike Pompeo as well as his deputy, Gina Haspel, now the current director.

"The breach — allegedly by a CIA employee — was discovered a year after it happened, when the information was published by WikiLeaks, in March 2017. The anti-secrecy group dubbed the release 'Vault 7,' and U.S. officials have said it was the biggest unauthorized disclosure of classified information in the CIA's history, causing the agency to shut down some intelligence operations and alerting foreign adversaries to the spy agency's techniques.

"The October 2017 report by the CIA's WikiLeaks Task Force, several pages of which were missing or redacted, portrays an agency more concerned with bulking up its cyber arsenal than keeping those tools secure. Security procedures were 'woefully lax' within the special unit that designed and built the tools, the report said." WaPo

HOPEFUL NEWS -- "Cheap steroid reduces Covid-19 deaths in large study," by Sarah Owermohle: "The inexpensive steroid dexamethasone is the first drug known to reduce risk of death in Covid-19 patients, British researchers announced Tuesday. The medicine cut deaths by up to a third in coronavirus patients on ventilators and cut deaths by one-fifth in patients on oxygen, according to data from a trial run by scientists at Oxford University.

"The trial randomly assigned 2,104 patients to receive dexamethasone and compared their outcomes to those of 4,321 patients who received standard care. Dexamethasone, widely used to treat inflammation since it was first approved by the FDA in 1958, helps reduce inflammation that develops when the body overreacts to the virus. There is no evidence the drug helps mildly ill patients, but in those on ventilators — more than half of whom die, according to recent studies — the impact would be significant." POLITICO

BORDER UPDATE … MAURA FORREST in Ottawa: "Canada-U.S. border to remain closed until July 21"

THE LATEST NUMBERS -- "Coronavirus Deaths in U.S. Nursing, Long-Term-Care Facilities Top 50,000," by WSJ's Jon Kamp: "The U.S. death toll from Covid-19 in nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities has topped 50,000, marking a grim milestone in a pandemic that is taking a heavy toll on the oldest and most vulnerable people, state data show. A Wall Street Journal tally of counts from around the U.S. also shows more than 250,000 novel coronavirus infection cases among residents and staffers at long-term-care facilities, along with 50,919 deaths.

"Measured against the overall count of more than 116,000 Covid-19 deaths in the U.S., compiled by Johns Hopkins University, buildings meant to house and care for seniors are linked to more than 40% of pandemic's deaths in the U.S. thus far. The true toll of cases in long-term-care facilities is likely higher because of reporting lags and differences in how states report." WSJ

TESTING LATEST -- "Most Coronavirus Tests Cost About $100. Why Did One Cost $2,315?" by The Upshot's Sarah Kliff: "In a one-story brick building in suburban Dallas, between a dentist office and a family medicine clinic, is a medical laboratory that has run some of the most expensive coronavirus tests in America.

"Insurers have paid Gibson Diagnostic Labs as much as $2,315 for individual coronavirus tests. In a couple of cases, the price rose as high as $6,946 when the lab said it mistakenly charged patients three times the base rate. The company has no special or different technology from, say, major diagnostic labs that charge $100. It is one of a small number of medical labs, hospitals and emergency rooms taking advantage of the way Congress has designed compensation for coronavirus tests and treatment." NYT

JOIN TOMORROW AT 4 p.m. ET - WOMEN AND COVID-19, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN CRISIS PART III: WOMEN RULE INTERVIEW WITH PADMA LAKSHMI: The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the food industry and the experience of dining out, potentially forever. Join Women Rule editorial director Anna Palmer for a virtual interview with Padma Lakshmi, host of "Top Chef", to discuss the inspiration behind her new series, 'Taste The Nation', as well as the devastating impact of Covid-19 on women chefs and restaurant owners, and how food has the power to connect Americans to their community. REGISTER HERE.

STATE OF THE POLICE FORCE -- "Black Officers Say Discrimination Abounds, Complicating Reform Efforts," by WSJ's Dan Frosch and Ben Chapman: "Many black officers said they understood the anger behind nationwide protests initially sparked by the killing of George Floyd. Not only does law enforcement need to change how they police minority communities, these officers said, but departments also need to change how they treat their own minority officers. …

"African-Americans have taken leadership positions in numerous large police departments across the country over the past 20 years. Still, nationwide, the number of black officers has stayed steady at about 11%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Wall Street Journal has identified nearly two dozen lawsuits or settlements involving black officers who alleged discrimination against departments across the country over the past three years." WSJ

-- WAPO: "Armed 'militia' member arrested, identified after man was shot at Albuquerque protest," by Katie Shepherd and Katie Mettler: "Protesters in Albuquerque wrapped a chain around the neck of a bronze statue and began tugging and chanting, 'Tear it down,' shortly before sunset on Monday. Their efforts to pull down a monument of Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate suddenly stopped as four shots rang out.

"Most people instinctively turned toward the noise, videos from the scene show. A few screamed. Just yards away, a group of 'militia' men sporting military-like garb and carrying semiautomatic rifles formed a protective circle around the gunman. The gunshots, which left one man in critical but stable condition, have set off a cascade of public outcry denouncing the unregulated 'militia''s presence and the shooting. On Tuesday morning, the Albuquerque Police Department announced that detectives had arrested Stephen Ray Baca, 31, in connection with the shooting." WaPo

DEEP DIVE -- "Here Are the 97 U.S. Cities Where Protesters Were Tear-Gassed," by NYT's K.K. Rebecca Lai, Bill Marsh and Anjali Singhvi: "This brief period has seen the most widespread domestic use of tear gas against demonstrators since the long years of unrest in the late 1960s and early '70s, according to Stuart Schrader of Johns Hopkins University, who studies race and policing. …

"Research increasingly shows tear gas and other weapons that have been deemed by law enforcement as being nonlethal can seriously injure and sometimes even kill. There's also evidence that the use of tear gas could worsen the spread of coronavirus." NYT

WHO GOT PAID? WHO KNOWS! -- "Did elite David Boies law firm get a pandemic bailout? It's a secret," by Reuters' Caroline Spiezio: "Leaders of the high-profile firm founded by David Boies circulated an email asking shareholder partners to authorize the firm to seek up to $20 million in forgivable government loans, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Boies Schiller Flexner, where partners commonly earn seven-figure compensation, is known for representing Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein against sexual-assault accusations and companies ranging from Oracle to Theranos.

"The firm declined to comment on whether it actually applied for or received the money under the U.S. government's Payment Protection Program. And the government won't say - because of a policy that keeps all such applications and awards secret. … Critics say the government is violating public records laws and handing out billions of dollars in taxpayer money with no public accountability." Reuters

Protect Yourself and Others From Coronavirus: Even if you don't have symptoms, you could spread the coronavirus. Practice these physical distancing and hygiene tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe: Stay 6 feet away from others in public; wash your hands often for 20+ seconds; disinfect frequently touched surfaces like cellphones and light switches; and wear a cloth face covering when out in public. Together, we can slow the spread. Visit coronavirus.gov to learn more.

PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION -- "House to vote on historic D.C. statehood bill next week," by Heather Caygle

ANNALS OF DIPLOMACY -- "U.S. considers withholding aid to Jordan to force extradition," by AP's Matthew Lee and Josef Federman: "The Trump administration is considering withholding aid to one of its closest Arab partners, Jordan, in a bid to secure the extradition of a woman convicted in Israel of a 2001 bombing that killed 15 people, including two American citizens.

"The administration says it's weighing 'all options' to press Jordan to extradite Ahlam Aref Ahmad Al-Tamimi, who is wanted by the U.S. on a charge of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals. The charge was filed under seal in 2013 and announced by the Justice Department four years later. The extradition issue is likely to be raised this week when Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks to several congressional committees to voice his opposition to Israel's plans to annex portions of the West Bank." AP

PROGRESSIVE PRIMARY UPDATES -- "Prominent Kentucky Dem backs Booker over McGrath in bid to oust McConnell," by Quint Forgey: "Former Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes on Tuesday endorsed Senate candidate Charles Booker in the Democratic primary to challenge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November." POLITICO

-- "Warren endorses Jamaal Bowman over Eliot Engel in show of progressive support," by Max Cohen

VALLEY TALK -- "EU opens two antitrust probes into Apple," by Simon Van Dorpe: "In the first investigation, Brussels' antitrust officials will look into whether Apple's rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules. …

"In a second probe, the Commission zeroes in on a number of potentially anticompetitive behaviors in relation to mobile payment solution Apple Pay, such as how Apple integrates Apple Pay in merchant apps and websites and how it restricts access to its Near Field Communication functionality." POLITICO

IN MEMORIAM ... MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL: "Cheryl Sensenbrenner, wife of Congressman James Sensenbrenner, remembered as advocate for the disabled," by Allison Garfield

-- WAPO: "Bill Gildea was a brilliant long-form writer before anyone called it that," by Leonard Shapiro: "Those pen-on-paper squiggles never ceased to amaze anyone who ever noticed them scratched on legal pads or in spiral notebooks that littered William Gildea's desk over his 40 years as a sublime writer and meticulous editor at The Washington Post. … Over the course of a profoundly productive journalism career, he was able to translate all those squiggled notes into some of the finest long-form writing The Post has ever published." WaPo

WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Emily Solomon, managing director of programs and partnerships at POLITICO, and Taylor Solomon, who works at Deloitte Digital, welcomed Abigail "Abby" Elizabeth Solomon on May 31. Pic

BONUS BIRTHDAYS: Federica Mogherini is 47 … Cliff Angelo

A message from PhRMA:

America's biopharmaceutical companies will continue working day and night until they beat coronavirus. Because science is how we get back to normal. More.