Playbook PM: Biden’s presidential debut on the world stage

Feb 19, 2021

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President JOE BIDEN had a big foreign policy morning, first participating in a G-7 meeting and then delivering remarks to the Munich Security Conference. In his first public address to world leaders, he sought to distance his administration from DONALD TRUMP — speaking sternly on Russia and China and re-upping his commitment to working with global powers.

"Let me erase any lingering doubt: The United States will work closely with our European partners," Biden said. He also indicated his renewed support to NATO allies, saying that he is halting the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany and lifting a cap on the number of U.S. forces based in Germany.

Biden said he expects and welcomes "stiff" competition with China, but also took the opportunity to rebuke the country's trade practices. "We have to push back against the Chinese government's economic abuses and coercion that undercut the foundations of the international economic system. Everyone, everyone must play by the same rules."

On Russia, the president spoke firmly: "The Kremlin attacks our democracies and weaponizes corruption to try to undermine our system of governance. Russian leaders want people to think that our system is more corrupt, or as corrupt as theirs. But the world knows that isn't true." He continued: "Addressing recklessness, Russian recklessness, and hacking into computer networks in the United States and across Europe and the world has become critical to protecting our collective security. The challenges with Russia may be different than the ones with China. But they're just as real."

BLOOMBERG'S @JenniferJJacobs: "'The answer is yes,' Biden says when asked if going to storm-damaged Texas. 'If in fact it's concluded that I can go without creating a burden for the folks on the ground while they're dealing with this crisis, I plan on going.' Will make decision 'probably next week,' he says." Biden also said he would sign a major disaster declaration for Texas as early as today, Nick Niedzwiadek reports.

ANDY SLAVITT said at today's Covid briefing that severe weather across the country has led to a backlog of about 6 million vaccine doses and that all 50 states have been affected, amounting to about three days of delayed shipping. He said they anticipate all of the backlogged doses will be delivered within the next week, and that vaccine sites are being asked to extend hours to accommodate increased doses as they arrive.

Slavitt also announced five new FEMA-supported vaccination centers that will open soon — one in Pennsylvania and four in Florida.

ANTHONY FAUCI said data on Covid vaccines in 12- to 17-year-olds should be available in the fall, and that data on children younger than 12 likely won't come until the first quarter of 2022.

CDC Director ROCHELLE WALENSKY said an additional decline in U.S. life expectancy is expected once data from the second half of 2020 is considered.

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BACKDROP FOR TODAY'S MEETINGS — "'Stop the bleeding': Biden reaches out to Europe, but Trump's damage has been done," by Ryan Heath: "European leaders in particular worry that Trumpism remains alive, are skeptical about the results the White House can squeeze from a deeply divided U.S. Congress and aren't yet sold on meeting the Biden administration's expectations on China, Russia and trade."

HOLDING THEIR FIRE … "Muted Reaction in Israel and Gulf to U.S. Push for Iran Talks," NYT: "Nations that were fierce opponents to the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran responded cautiously to the Biden administration's decision to re-engage. In Russia, a government spokesman called the move a 'plus.'"

… AND THEIR OLIVE BRANCHES: "Iran Snubs Biden in Seeking End to Sanctions Before Talks," Bloomberg: "Iran said the U.S. must first return to the 2015 nuclear deal and lift sanctions if it wants talks with the Islamic Republic, appearing to snub an effort by the Biden administration to begin direct discussions before officially rejoining the accord. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called it Iran's 'final policy' on the matter in an Instagram post."

COVID RELIEF LATEST — "Democrats race for Covid aid that could still reach Americans late," by Jennifer Scholtes, Megan Cassella, Caitlin Emma and Aaron Lorenzo: "[E]ven if they hit their ambitious targets, major parts of the bill may already be too slow for many Americans walloped by the virus.

"That's because some of the largest pieces of the aid will not hit U.S. households for at least another month — and in some cases longer — given the host of new bureaucratic holdups that are bound to follow congressional action. The lag is expected to be most painful for the millions of jobless Americans facing a drop-off in their $300 a week boost in unemployment payments … [G]etting aid money out quickly is crucial to keeping the economy afloat after the hit it took from the coronavirus, economists warn."

PROMISING NEWS — "Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Is Highly Effective After One Dose and Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers, Data Shows," WSJ: "The findings provide strong arguments in favor of delaying the second dose of the two-shot vaccine, as the U.K. has done. They could also have substantial implications on vaccine policy and distribution around the world, simplifying the logistics of distributing the vaccine.

"A single shot of the vaccine is 85% effective in preventing symptomatic disease 15 to 28 days after being administered, according to a peer-reviewed study conducted by the Israeli government-owned Sheba Medical Center and published in the Lancet medical journal."

— Slavitt and Fauci cautioned that the current guidance from the FDA is still to receive two doses, noting that they would like to follow up on the new study.

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THE VACCINE CHALLENGE — "Short of Vaccine, States Find Hidden Stashes in Their Own Backyards," NYT: "The get-tough approach in Virginia and other states has begun to pay off. The gap between the number of doses shipped to states and the number injected into arms is narrowing: More than three-fourths of the doses delivered are now being used, compared with less than half in late January … Federal officials estimate that as many as six million vaccine doses are still being unnecessarily stowed away."

RAY OF HOPE — "A Quite Possibly Wonderful Summer," The Atlantic: "Even academics who have spent the pandemic delivering ominous warnings have shifted their tone to cautiously optimistic now that vaccination rates are exploding. …

"If all of this holds true, it would mean that many aspects of pre-pandemic life return even before summer is upon us. Because case numbers guide local policies, much of the country could soon have reason to lift many or even most restrictions on distancing, gathering, and masking. Pre-pandemic norms could return to schools, churches, and restaurants. Sports, theater, and cultural events could resume. People could travel and dance indoors and hug grandparents, their own or others'. In most of the U.S., the summer could feel … 'normal.'"

THE 10,000-FOOT VIEW — "Biden team finds promises hard to make — let alone keep," CNN: "On key questions -- such as when every American who wants a vaccine can get one, when all students can return to classrooms and when life can gain a semblance of normalcy -- Biden has either demurred or offered only a partial projection, admitting he does not want to over-commit and later be held to blame. That comes in stark contrast to his predecessor, who began predicting the end of the crisis practically as soon as it started.

"His approach only seemed to be reinforced this week after disappointing -- and to some officials, surprising -- news from Johnson & Johnson. … [M]ore bullish public comments were a reflection of private, optimistic conversations between the administration and Johnson & Johnson. Because the company was more hopeful in recent weeks about what to expect in April, officials were, too -- and their public statements reflected it. But expectations for a massive surge of doses were dashed when Johnson & Johnson tempered its projections."

HERE'S ONE PROMISE KEPT — "U.S. officially rejoins Paris accord, vowing to make up for lost time," WaPo

— BUT, BUT, BUT: "Rejoining Paris was easy. Here's where the climate fight gets awkward," by Zack Colman

IMMIGRATION FILES — "Biden admin preparing plan to dramatically cut number of migrant families in ICE custody," NBC: "The details of the plan are still being worked out by policy experts at the Department of Homeland Security, but it would all but eliminate the detention of families except in special circumstances."

THE USPS CRISIS — "White House says it's responding to pressure to act fast on USPS problems," CNN: "The White House is working to quickly fill the vacant seats on the Postal Service Board of Governors. … As the administration works to assure lawmakers with promises of action, another Democratic lawmaker is putting pressure on President Joe Biden to remove embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. In a letter sent Friday, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley slammed DeJoy for his 'failed leadership,' accusing him of sabotaging the agency through changes that slowed down mail delivery."

WHOA — "Federal judge whose son was killed in attack says gunman targeted Sonia Sotomayor," CBS: "U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, whose son was killed and her husband wounded in an attack meant for her, says the gunman also had his sights on Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Salas reveals for the first time authorities found a dossier on Sotomayor in a locker used by her assailant, Roy Den Hollander, a lawyer who had a case before Salas and committed suicide after killing her son, Daniel."

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION — "Obamacare Veteran Brooks-LaSure Named to Lead Medicare Agency," Bloomberg Law

2020 WATCH — "House will take first steps toward deciding contested Iowa election," by Ally Mutnick: "With a contested presidential race and impeachment crisis behind it, Congress is turning to a Democratic candidate's claim that Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks was improperly declared the winner of their match-up last fall. That candidate, Rita Hart, has formally contested her 6-vote loss — one of the closest federal elections in recent history — possibly placing lawmakers in the uncomfortable position of having to determine whether it seated the wrong woman in January.

"The House Administration Committee will gather virtually Friday afternoon to finalize the process by which it will adjudicate Hart's claim, which was filed under the Federal Contested Elections Act. The committee has been largely silent since Hart first made her contest in December, but the hearing suggests that it is preparing to review the matter further."

CUOMO LATEST — "Nursing-Home Death Data Was Sought From Cuomo by U.S. Prosecutors," WSJ: "Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn sought data this month on nursing-home deaths from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration, people familiar with the matter said, after state officials took months to respond to a separate inquiry by the Justice Department.

"The prosecutors' request seeks the number of New York nursing-home deaths due to Covid-19 and when and where they occurred, as part of a broader inquiry into the state's handling of the pandemic in those care settings, the people said."

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TOP TALKER — "Trump Hotel Employees Reveal What It Was Really Like Catering to the Right Wing Elite," Washingtonian: "As soon as Trump was seated, the server had to 'discreetly present' a mini bottle of Purell hand sanitizer. (This applied long before Covid, mind you.) Next, cue dialogue: 'Good (time of day) Mr. President. Would you like your Diet Coke with or without ice?' the server was instructed to recite. A polished tray with chilled bottles and highball glasses was already prepared for either response.

"Directions for pouring the soda were detailed in a process no fewer than seven steps long—and illustrated with four photo exhibits. The beverage had to be opened in front of the germophobe commander in chief, 'never beforehand.' The server was to hold a longneck-bottle opener by the lower third of the handle in one hand and the Diet Coke, also by the lower third, in the other. Once poured, the drink had to be placed at the President's right-hand side. 'Repeat until POTUS departs.'" Plus so much more on Trump, Melania, Rudy Giuliani, Hope Hicks, Arthur Schwartz, generous tips, political facades & dressing like a Fox News anchor …

BACK IN THE HEADLINES! — "Under Biden, Justice Department presses fight against Omarosa," by Josh Gerstein: "While the Justice Department has sought to pause or drop a number of high-profile court battles due to the change in administration, government lawyers are pressing on aggressively with a lawsuit claiming that Omarosa Manigault Newman failed to file a required financial disclosure following her attention-grabbing firing in December 2017."

REAL ESTATE WATCH — "Former senator Claire McCaskill is selling her CityCenter penthouse," WaPo (with pics of the posh pad)

MEDIAWATCH — Gloria Gonzalez will be deputy energy editor at POLITICO. She previously was managing editor of Industry Dive's energy and environment publications. … Jesús Rodríguez is now a contributing editor at POLITICO Magazine. … Alexandra Samuels is joining FiveThirtyEight to cover politics, elections and race. She currently covers politics and race for The Texas Tribune.

SPOTTED at the National Review Institute's 2021 Virtual Ideas Summit, titled "Standing Athwart The Perennial Threat Of Socialism," on Thursday evening: Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), María Salazar (R-Fla.) and Carlos Giménez (R-Fla.), Rich Lowry, Lindsay Craig, John O'Sullivan, Jay Nordlinger and Ramesh Ponnuru.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Maria Bowie is now director of government affairs at Leidos, focusing on defense issues. She previously was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.).

TRUMP ALUMNI — Susan Varga is now COO/comms director of Kudlow & Co. LLC. She most recently was special assistant to the president and chief of staff at the National Economic Council.

TRANSITIONS — Cookab Hashemi is joining the Lincoln Policy Group as an SVP. She most recently was senior director of federal government affairs at Gilead Sciences, and is a longtime Capitol Hill veteran and Clinton White House alum. … Reilly Knecht will be press secretary for Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas). She currently is digital assistant for House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).