Playbook PM: Biden lunches with Dems (over Zoom) to talk Covid

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Feb 02, 2021 View in browser   By Rachael Bade, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun Presented by BREAKING — Per WaPo's Seung Min Kim: "Biden will join the Senate Dems' virtual lunch, Schumer's office says, to discuss the covid relief package." Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN will also join. WHAT RON KLAIN IS READING — "Yahoo News/YouGov poll: More than two-thirds of Americans side with Biden on COVID relief — and most support the rest of his agenda" — The White House chief of staff even tweeted the story this morning with a one-liner: "This IS a bipartisan agenda." It's the latest indication the Biden administration is more keen on mustering public support than GOP votes in Congress. … Also, with numbers like this, Democrats eager to forge ahead on a party-line basis will argue they don't really NEED Republicans. They have the public's backing. — TO WIT: "Democrats plow ahead with a party-line Covid relief package," by Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett: "Senate Democrats are increasingly confident they will deliver a coronavirus relief package in the coming weeks, even if it means moving forward without Republican support." BUT, BUT, BUT … TOP TALKER ON THE RIGHT — "Democrats risk unintended Medicare cuts if they pass partisan Covid relief," NBC: "Democrats considering a maneuver to forgo bipartisan support to pass Covid-19 relief are confronting an unintended consequence: Doing so could automatically cut Medicare … [U]nder the Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, known as PAYGO, new laws that raise the national debt automatically trigger offsetting cuts in some safety net programs." Like clockwork, Senate Majority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL'S staff is sending this around to reporters, asking: "Why is the White House spurring" — watch the typos, Sloof! — "bipartisanship and jeopardizing seniors' health care in the process?" 'A BETRAYAL OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS' — House Democratic impeachment managers filed their opening this morning brief laying out their arguments for why DONALD TRUMP should be convicted despite being out of office. Our Andrew Desiderio has a dispatch on their arguments, which conclude: "President Trump's pursuit of power at all costs is a betrayal of historic proportions." Democrats are also laying out a rebuttal to the key counterpoint they expect Republicans and Trump's impeachment attorneys to make during the trial: that a post-presidency impeachment is unconstitutional. Forty-five of the 50 Senate Republicans have endorsed that notion. Here's more from Andrew: "Pushing back against this claim, the House managers … said refusing to put a former president on trial gives future presidents a license to commit impeachable offenses in his or her final days in office and then simply resign in order to evade accountability." The brief — THE TRUMP DEFENSE, also via Andrew: "Attorneys for former President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied that their client incited last month's riot at the U.S. Capitol or sought to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential race, insisting instead that Trump was merely exercising his First Amendment rights with baseless claims of voter fraud." — "Trump and the conservative groups that support him aren't fretting the impeachment trial," by Gabby Orr and Meridith McGraw 'HE STOOD WITH Q, NOT YOU' — "New Democratic Ad Campaign Ties G.O.P. to QAnon," NYT: "The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Tuesday began a $500,000 advertising campaign on television and online tying eight House Republicans, including Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, to [Rep. Marjorie Taylor] Greene and QAnon, an effort to force them to make a public affirmation about Ms. Greene. "'Congressman Don Bacon,' an ominous-sounding voice intones in the ad targeting the Nebraska Republican, 'he stood with Q, not you.'" 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   2022 WATCH — "'Show us something different': Burgeoning North Carolina Senate primary highlights Democratic divides," by James Arkin: "Democrats' loss in the North Carolina Senate race was the narrowest of several stinging defeats last November. But with the state's other Senate seat open next year, plans for a resurgence are already underway even amid tensions over primary strategy and the party's history of backing white candidates over Black statewide hopefuls. "The 2022 race to replace retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr is crucial to bolstering Democrats' tenuous majority. North Carolina is one of three top targets for the party looking to protect its 50-50 control of the Senate, along with Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. But it's easily the toughest of the three: It's the only one President Joe Biden didn't carry last year, and Democrats have lost four straight Senate races in the state dating back to 2010." — GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! … Our Laura Barrón-López and Holly Otterbein scooped this morning that progressives are kick-starting a search for challengers to Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) as well as KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.). This is an interesting read because it shows the left is worried about this pair holding up their agenda (as they should be …), and they're clearly trying to lay the groundwork to push them both left. But let's be real here: Manchin won't be worried. He's one of the few Dems who can win statewide in Trump country. And don't forget that Arizona Republicans are trending increasingly right — to the point that some Republicans privately think they're crazy. Nominate a Dem further left than Sinema, the party could lose its seat — maybe even its majority. Also: The pair isn't up for reelection until 2024. CLICKER — "An Extremely Detailed Map of the 2020 Election," NYT   TRACK FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: The Biden administration hit the ground running with a series of executive orders his first week in office and continues to outline priorities on key issues. What's coming down the pike? Find out in Transition Playbook, our scoop-filled newsletter tracking the policies, people and emerging power centers of the first 100 days of the new administration. Subscribe today.     VACCINE LATEST — "Biden administration to begin shipping vaccine doses directly to pharmacies," by David Lim: "The Biden administration plans to announce Tuesday that it will begin distributing a limited number of Covid-19 vaccine doses directly to retail pharmacies across the nation … "Only about 1 million doses per week will be made available through the new program at first — a small allotment compared to the roughly 10 million doses the administration is shipping to states each week. The Biden administration is treating the first weeks of the program as a dry run to test if the federal pharmacy program will work before scaling it up." — THE COVID TASK FORCE also announced they'd bolster vaccine allocations to the states by an additional 5%, and boost retroactive reimbursements to states for pandemic services. ANOTHER ONE — "Russian Covid-19 Vaccine Was Highly Effective in Trial, Study Finds, Boosting Moscow's Rollout Ambitions," WSJ: "The findings, from a preliminary analysis of a large-scale clinical trial published in the British medical journal the Lancet, demonstrated that the two-shot [Sputnik V] vaccine was 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19 and offered complete protection against severe cases. There were no serious side effects, the paper said. The vaccine was also found to be similarly safe and effective in elderly people." The Lancet ON THE OTHER HAND — "The coronavirus variant found in the U.K. and spreading through the U.S. appears to be evolving a new mutation that scientists fear could help it evade vaccines," Insider MARYLAND GOV. LARRY HOGAN announced two more cases of the South African variant in Montgomery County — both people who had recently traveled abroad. THE EQUITY QUESTION — "These states had big plans for addressing Covid disparities. They're still struggling," by Tucker Doherty and Joanne Kenen: "Black and Latino Americans are falling behind in the nationwide race to get vaccinated against Covid-19, even in blue states and localities praised for championing racial equity during earlier phases of the pandemic. … "A POLITICO analysis of the available data suggests the disadvantaged and underserved communities are being bypassed, including in those states that have not yet publicly broken out data by race and ethnicity." MYANMAR LATEST — STATE GOES THERE … "Biden administration officially calls Myanmar coup a 'coup,'" by Nahal Toosi: "The official designation is significant as it places limits on aid to governments that have taken power by military means. As a result, the United States will move to end what little direct financial assistance it offers to Myanmar's government. "U.S. officials — including Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — have been trying to reach their Myanmar counterparts. But so far, officials said, there's been no luck in reaching key figures, including the deposed de facto civilian ruler Aung San Suu Kyi." — "'It will backfire on everyone': U.N. democracies walking a fine line with China on Myanmar," by Ryan Heath: "The [U.K.'s] strongly worded statement is likely to face significant amendments, and may be vetoed by China at today's debate, two European diplomats said. The debate over how to respond to the Myanmar crisis highlights an asymmetric clash between a China that has wired the UN in recent years, and a Biden administration that doesn't even have its ambassador in place yet." — "After Myanmar Coup, Facebook Removes National Military TV Network's Page," WSJ   JOIN WEDNESDAY - AN UNEQUAL BURDEN FOR WOMEN DURING THE PANDEMIC: Covid-19 dealt a significant blow to working women as household work, child care and the care of older adults disproportionately fall to them. A recent report found that 1 in 4 women considered cutting back hours spent at their jobs or dropping out of the workforce altogether, citing increased household and child care responsibilities during the pandemic. How do we start even the burden? Join POLITICO for a virtual discussion on women, work and caregiving during Covid-19.     BIPARTISAN PLAUDITS: McConnell gave Biden kudos for how he's handled this situation on the Senate floor this morning: "I spoke with both President Biden and Secretary Blinken yesterday about the situation in Burma. The new administration deserves credit for approaching this situation in a way that's bipartisan and coordinated with Congress." NEW — A Russian court sentenced ALEXEI NAVALNY to three-and-a-half years in prison. ON THE WORLD STAGE — "China's Top Diplomat Warns Biden Against Meddling in Hong Kong, Xinjiang," WSJ: "Yang Jiechi on Tuesday Beijing time emphasized the potential for a healthy U.S.-China relationship on public health, trade and climate, echoing recent language from leader Xi Jinping. But he left limited room for negotiation on issues such as human rights, the coronavirus response and what he called U.S. interference in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang." GOOD QUESTION, via @mattyglesias : "Huge political story nobody seems to know the answer to: Is Trump refusing to go on cable, or are Fox/OANN/Newsmax for some reason refusing to book him?" — A POSSIBLE ANSWER, via NYT's Maggie Haberman: "His senate trial is next week and his folks don't want him alienating Republicans ahead of time. He's also told some aides he plans to lay low for the next 6-8 weeks." YET ANOTHER REMINDER THAT TRUMPISM IS NOT DEAD — "Hawley rakes in grassroots cash after Capitol attack," Axios: "January was Sen. Josh Hawley's best fundraising month—by far—since his 2018 election, with a flood of small-dollar donations more than eclipsing the corporate cash he lost after leading an effort to block certification of President Biden's Electoral College win." SCOTUS WATCH — "Ginni Thomas apologizes to husband's Supreme Court clerks after Capitol riot fallout," WaPo: "'I owe you all an apology. I have likely imposed on you my lifetime passions,' Thomas, who goes by Ginni, recently wrote to a private Thomas Clerk World email list of her husband's staff over his three decades on the bench." The apology came "after her election advocacy of President Donald Trump and endorsement of the Jan. 6 rally in D.C. that resulted in violence and death at the Capitol." AT THE FED — "Why Are There So Few Black Economists at the Fed?" NYT: "Officials have often blamed the pipeline — Ph.D. economists are heavily white and Asian — but a New York Times analysis suggests the issue goes even beyond that. Black people are less represented within the Fed than in the field as a whole. Only two of the 417 economists, or 0.5 percent, on staff at the Fed's board in Washington were Black." THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION — "Inside the Brutal Power Struggle at Homeland Security," The Intercept: "Tensions ran so high at the Department of Homeland Security's oversight wing that one senior official fantasized about Arya Stark, the fictional assassin in 'Game of Thrones,' 'taking care of' the agency chief, according to an investigation obtained by The Intercept under the Freedom of Information Act. "The investigation, conducted in 2020 by an outside law firm, reveals bureaucratic infighting so bitter that it drove out an agency head and led to an array of startling allegations, including that a high-level official made threatening comments about a concealed weapon during a meeting. The investigation paints a picture of DHS's Office of Inspector General in chaos." SOLUTIONS CORNER — "How the Biden Administration Can Help Solve Our Reality Crisis," by NYT's Kevin Roose: "I called a number of experts and asked what the Biden administration could do to help fix our truth-challenged information ecosystem, or at least prevent it from getting worse. … Assess the damage, and avoid the 'terrorist' trap. … Appoint a 'reality czar.' … Audit the algorithms. … Enact a 'social stimulus,' and fix people's problems." PLAYBOOK METRO SECTION — "Amazon unveils Helix building as heart of HQ2 campus in Arlington," WaPo: "Amazon unveiled plans Tuesday to build a futuristic building modeled after a double helix to serve as the centerpiece of its Arlington, Va., headquarters. "In artists' renderings, the 350-foot-tall building — designed by the architectural firm NBBJ to reflect nature's fondness for the helix in areas from DNA to the Milky Way galaxy — climbs above its National Landing neighborhood like the swirl on an ice cream cone or the tip of a giant screw that has punched through the Earth's surface." BOOK CLUB — "Obama speechwriter's memoir 'Grace' to come out in 2022," AP (VEGETABLES FOR) DESSERT — MICHELLE OBAMA on Instagram: "So thankful for this beautiful care package from our amazing @FLOTUS! These fresh veggies from the White House Kitchen Garden were such a wonderful — and delicious — surprise. Love you, Jill!" MEDIAWATCH — Alexandra Sifferlin will be health and science editor for NYT's opinion section. She most recently was deputy editor of Elemental. Announcement TRANSITIONS — Paul Murphy has rejoined King & Spalding as a partner on the special matters and government investigations team. He most recently was chief of staff to FBI Director Chris Wray. … Chris Gillott is joining Invariant's government relations team. He most recently was deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).   A message from the American Beverage Association: Every Bottle Back is one way we're driving solutions together. Starting another 100 years with a new look, American Beverage will continue with our shared leadership. Ameribev.org     Follow us on Twitter Rachael Bade @rachaelmbade Eugene Daniels @EugeneDaniels2 Ryan Lizza @RyanLizza Tara Palmeri @tarapalmeri 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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Sadness at death of inspirational Captain Sir Tom Moore

The daughters of a Larne woman who passed away due to Covid have spoken of the family's heartbreak at the loss of a wife, mother and grandmother who was very much the centre of their lives.

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Subscribe              Feb 2, 2021           Dear reader,   Everyone across Northern Ireland will be saddened by the news that Captain Sir Tom Moore has died after contracting Covid-19.    Captain Tom, who was an inspiration to millions as he helped raise over £32m for the NHS during lockdown, had been admitted to Bedford Hospital on Sunday after initially fighting pneumonia and then contracting Covid.    For the second year in succession, GCSE and A-levels grades in Northern Ireland will be calculated by the schools themselves.    Education Minister Peter Weir confirmed on Tuesday that with exams unable to take place as normal because of Covid-19, schools will instead provide evidence on each pupil's performance to determine grades.   The school's use of evidence in calculating the grades will be subject to review by the examinations body CCEA.    Another 17 deaths related to Covid-19 have been recorded by the Department of Health in the last 24 hours.    Each of Northern Ireland's 11 council areas recorded a death during that period while nine of those who lost their lives were female and eight were male.    Another 447 positive tests for Covid-19 were also recorded.      Alistair Bushe   Editor * Want total access to all of our online content? You can subscribe to our website, newsletter.co.uk for just £1 a month for 3 months - and it couldn't be easier.     Signing up will get you faster-loading articles, fewer adverts and access to exclusive content and events when we run them. To learn more, visit our subscription page.             Larne family's heartbreak over loss due to Covid pandemic           The daughters of a Larne woman who passed away due to Covid have spoken of the family's heartbreak at the loss of a wife, mother and grandmother who was very much the centre of their lives.                 NEW: These are the 40 postcodes with the highest number of new positive Covid-19 cases in the last seven days   Northern Ireland health chiefs believe the next two weeks will be the worst of the pandemic since it began in March 2020.           Agreement at Stormont for special school staff vaccines   An agreement has been reached at Stormont that would see special school staff receive coronavirus vaccinations, the News Letter understands.           Quarter of a million doses of Covid vaccine administered in Northern Ireland   Almost a quarter of a million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered in Northern Ireland.           Supply of AstraZeneca vaccines in NI to reach 500,000 doses by next month as ramp-up continues   Around half-a-million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine should be delivered to Northern Ireland by "early March", a leading doctor has said.           Could every adult in the UK be vaccinated against Covid by May? The rumours explored   The UK's vaccination programme is ahead of schedule, and some civil servants are suggesting that every adult could have been offered a first jab by the beginning of May, according to Sky News.            Russian vaccine is 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid - how it works   Russia's vaccine is 91.6 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19, interim trial results show.                 View more news

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