| | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels, Rachael Bade and Ryan Lizza | Presented by Binance | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
|  | DRIVING THE DAY | | Happy new year, y'all! It's the first day of 2023 — time to take stock of where things are, look ahead at where things are headed and focus on building the future we want. Already, in some of the centers of power throughout the country and world, we can see 2023 taking shape.
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President Joe Biden | Patrick Semansky/AP Photo | — AT THE WHITE HOUSE: President JOE BIDEN started 2022 with polling in the dumps, expectations of a wipeout in the midterms and members of his own party publicly calling for new blood to run for president in 2024. One year later, things have changed. As he sits in St. Croix ringing in 2023, "there is a strong and growing likelihood that he will run again and that an announcement could potentially come earlier than had been expected, possibly as soon as mid-February," our colleague Jonathan Lemire writes this morning. FWIW: The folks who talked to Jonathan made it clear Biden hasn't yet committed to run in 2024, and is still actively discussing the possibility with family, friends and a small group of political allies. But even as he nears a decision on a campaign, his more immediate goal is to trumpet his policy wins while "aiming to stay above the political fray in 2023," as NBC's Mike Memoli writes this morning. "The president will be joined in Kentucky by Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL (R-Ky.) and other regional leaders from both parties Wednesday to announce a major project funded by the new infrastructure law. The stop, and others like it this week featuring other administration officials across the country, will come a day after the new Republican-led House of Representatives takes power in Washington, kicking off a period of divided government as the 2024 presidential election campaign also begins to take shape." — AT THE SUPREME COURT: Chief Justice JOHN ROBERTS "devoted his annual report on the state of the federal judiciary to threats to judges' physical safety," writes NYT's Adam Liptak. (To the disappointment of some court-watchers, the report didn't include "an update on the investigation announced in May into the leak of a draft opinion eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.") — AT THE CAPITOL: We're just two days away from Congress officially switching hands, and the drama on Capitol Hill is hitting a crescendo. USA Today's Ken Tran has a quick look at the new Congress' first week, including KEVIN McCARTHY's ongoing quest for 218 votes in his bid to become speaker; the first public movements on would-be GOP investigations into HUNTER BIDEN, the U.S.-Mexico border and more; and bipartisan enthusiasm for the new select committee on China. New: At 4 p.m. today, McCarthy will host a call with the House GOP Conference to try to iron out a deal to get the gavel.
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Former President Donald Trump and Melania Trump | Lynne Sladky/AP Photo | — AT MAR-A-LAGO: Former President DONALD TRUMP rang in the new year with a few hundred Mar-a-Lago members. There was none of the A-list Hollywood glitz of past NYE celebrations at the club, reports the Palm Beach Post's Antonio Fins: "[T]his year, the most notable, high-profile figures … were from the former president's political orbit, including pollster DICK MORRIS, legal advisor RUDY GIULIANI and pillow maker MIKE LINDELL." (Of the three eldest Trump children, ERIC attended, while IVANKA and DON JR. did not.) Trump chatted with the media a bit about the economy, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and inflation as he entered the ballroom, but "notably sidestepped questions about Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS' call for an investigation of COVID vaccines, a key legacy of Trump's single term in the White House, and whether he supported a national abortion ban." Worth reading this morning: AP's Jill Colvin has a wide-angle look at Trump's headwinds in his third run for the White House, which one GOP operative compared to the movie "Failure to Launch." BOB VANDER PLAATS, a prominent Iowa social conservative: "In a lot of ways, it kind of feels like it's the announcement that didn't even happen or doesn't feel like it happened because there was no immediate buzz. ... I don't hear from people on the ground, 'I can't wait for Trump to run.'" — IN UKRAINE/RUSSIA: As Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN's invasion of Ukraine nears the one-year mark, his annual New Year's Eve address "was notably different from previous years, a reflection of the new path the country has taken since Russia invaded Ukraine this February," WaPo's David Stern and Francesca Ebel write. The typical celebratory remarks were much more "combative and nationalistic" in tone. As the speech aired, more missiles rained down on Ukraine, including in Kyiv. — ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA: "N. Korea's Kim vows 'exponential' increase in nuclear arsenal in new year," by WaPo's Michelle Ye Hee Lee — IN OUTER SPACE: "'We better watch out': NASA boss sounds alarm on Chinese moon ambitions," by Bryan Bender Happy New Year! Thanks for reading Playbook. How did you ring in 2023? Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from Binance: It's been a tough year for crypto. After unprecedented fraud and mismanagement, industry confidence has been shaken. As the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance believes greater transparency is critical. At Binance, user assets are backed 1:1 and our capital structure is debt-free, and we are eager to work with regulators to help bring order to the markets. Learn more about our commitment to moving forward in Politico this week. | | | SUNDAY BEST … — House Majority Leader STENY HOYER on whether McCarthy will become speaker, on CNN's "State of the Union": "I would be surprised if he doesn't. … If he gets 218 votes, he has the ability to put together the votes to be the leader of the party and he will then be tested as to whether or not he can lead." On his working relationship with Speaker NANCY PELOSI: "[S]he's probably the most effective political leader that I've worked with over the years. I was obviously disappointed when I was running for majority leader and she supported my opponent — and pretty strongly so, as you recall. But of course, I won pretty handily as you recall." — Rep. KEVIN BRADY (R-Texas) on Rep.-elect GEORGE SANTOS' (R-N.Y.) fabricated background, on "Fox News Sunday": "He's certainly going to have to consider resigning. He's got really two choices. I don't know this young man, he doesn't need my advice, surely, but: One, he can try to politically ride it out — we've seen that happen in Washington, D.C. Or he can take the tougher choice, which is, I think, look, own every lie that he's made, apologize to everyone and anyone for as long as it takes." — Sen. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-Minn.) on tech companies' influence over regulatory legislation, on NBC's "Meet the Press": "At some point, when they can't control their own platforms while they're making billions of dollars from the American people, and over … two-thirds of Americans say it's hurting our democracy — come on, Congress. Stop hiding behind this and get something done." — Rep. MIKE GALLAGHER (R-Wis.) on China's potential influence on social media, on "Meet the Press": "They seem to be perfecting this model of techno-totalitarian control. … They're using it to shut down the protests that we're seeing in China right now. And ultimately, it's my belief that that's a model that will not stay in China." — Rep. ADAM KINZINGER (R-Ill.) on whether he would run for president in 2024, on "State of the Union": "My intention is not to run in 2024. But it would be fun. It would be fun to stand on a stage with Donald Trump and actually tell the truth, because when he's on a stage, it's nothing but lies that come out." — Maryland Gov.-elect WES MOORE on whether he thinks the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan should be investigated by Congress, on "State of the Union": "I do not think that the people of the state of Maryland want the Republican Party to spend their time or want Congress spending their time talking about the drawdown in Afghanistan. They want them focusing on the issues that are facing them right now."
| | | | A message from Binance: As the world's largest crypto exchange, Binance believes greater transparency is critical. At Binance, user assets are backed 1:1, and we're eager to work with regulators to help bring order to the markets. Learn more about our commitment to moving forward in Politico this week. | | | TOP-EDS: A roundup of the week's must-read opinion pieces.
| | BIDEN'S SUNDAY — The president has nothing on his public schedule.
VP KAMALA HARRIS' SATURDAY — The VP has nothing on her public schedule. | | PHOTO OF THE DAY
|  Revelers celebrate the mark of the new year in New York City on Sunday, Jan. 1. | David Dee Delgado/Getty Images | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | 9 THINGS FOR YOUR RADAR 1. KNOWING ELISE STEFANIK: "The Invention of Elise Stefanik," by NYT's Nicholas Confessore: "Ms. Stefanik's reinvention has made her a case study in the collapse of the old Republican establishment and its willing absorption into the new, Trump-dominated one. But as Republicans prepare to take control of the House in the coming days, her climb to MAGA stardom may also be a cautionary tale. … "Republican politicians and voters are now agonizing anew over the price of their alliance with Mr. Trump. … For her part, Ms. Stefanik has only doubled down, betting that her alliance with Mr. Trump will carry her further still — to a job in his cabinet, perhaps, or even a slot as his running mate in 2024." Companion reading, ICYMI: "The impenetrable armor of Elise Stefanik," by WaPo's Ruby Cramer 2. MEET THE FRESHMEN: "A pregnant mom crossed the Rio Grande decades ago to give her unborn child a better life. Now her daughter is becoming a member of Congress," by CNN's Catherine Shoichet: "[Rep.-elect] DELIA RAMIREZ [(D-Ill.)] walks toward the microphone determined to make her message heard. 'It is time — it is past time that we deliver on the promise that we have made to our Dreamers,' she says. On a crisp morning in early December, Ramirez is standing steps away from the US Capitol, with its white dome gleaming against the blue sky behind her. "This is a rallying cry we've heard here time and again — but Ramirez hopes when she says it, the words will carry even more weight. This isn't merely a talking point from her campaign platform. 'This,' the Illinois lawmaker says, 'is very personal for me.' It's personal because if Congress doesn't act, Ramirez's husband could be among hundreds of thousands of people facing possible deportation. And it's personal because Ramirez herself is about to become a member of Congress." 3. EXIT INTERVIEW: Our colleague Adam Wren sat down with outgoing Rep. PETER MEIJER, a Michigan Republican who voted to impeach Trump and was narrowly defeated in his primary, to talk about his time in Congress, his exit and what's next for himself and the GOP. Here's an exchange that caught our eye: WREN: Do you have a 2024 Republican presidential candidate in mind who you'd like to win? MEIJER: My strong bias is for a Republican nominee who could win. WREN: Would you support Donald Trump if he were the nominee in 2024 after voting to impeach him last year? MEIJER: I have no idea how I would do that. … I want someone to demonstrate a track record of being able to win. HILLARY CLINTON was probably the worst Democratic nominee of my lifetime. If he was outlining a positive agenda and speaking of the things that were started and hoping to be completed, if his message was about pointing the country in a better direction, it would be very different than what we have right now, which is just like the pettiest of petty grievances. I think he had a very negative impact on both candidate selection in terms of endorsements, but also just the amount of quality candidates in competitive seats. I think there's a constructive role that he could be playing, and I have yet to see him make an effort, so to hell with it."
| | | | A message from Binance:   | | | 4. ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS: "U.S. Pours Money Into Chips, but Even Soaring Spending Has Limits," by NYT's Don Clark and Ana Swanson: "Across the nation, more than 35 companies have pledged nearly $200 billion for manufacturing projects related to chips since the spring of 2020, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, a trade group. The money is set to be spent in 16 states, including Texas, Arizona and New York on 23 new chip factories, the expansion of nine plants, and investments from companies supplying equipment and materials to the industry." 5. SOMETHING TO WATCH: "Meet the renewable energy source poised for growth with the help of the oil industry," by Ben Lefebvre and Kelsey Tamborrino: "Geothermal energy — the technology that harnesses the heat beneath the Earth's crust — is drawing fresh interest after lawmakers boosted funding flows for it in the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act, dovetailing with advances in technology, new state incentives and interest from the oil drilling sector." 6. BREAKING OFF WITH CHINA: "'OK, Mexico, Save Me': After China, This Is Where Globalization May Lead," by NYT's Peter Goodman: "As American companies seek to limit their exposure to the pitfalls of making goods in China, some are moving production to Mexico." 7. THE PERSISTENT PANDEMIC: "Once-favored Covid drugs ineffective on Omicron may be putting millions at risk," by Lauren Gardner: "Once heralded as game-changers for Covid patients considered at risk for getting seriously ill — one was used to treat then-President Donald Trump in 2020 — monoclonal antibodies are now largely ineffective against current Covid variants. Easier-to-administer antiviral drugs, such as Paxlovid, have largely taken their place but aren't safe for all immune-compromised people because they interact with many other drugs. But the federal government funding that drove drug development in the early days of the pandemic has dried up, and lawmakers have rebuffed the Biden administration's pleas for more." 8. CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM: "Strife in the Schools: Education Dept. Logs Record Number of Discrimination Complaints," by NYT's Erica Green: "Nearly 19,000 complaints were filed to the office in the last fiscal year — between Oct. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022 — more than double the previous year and breaking the record of 16,000 filed in fiscal year 2016, according to figures provided by the department. … Officials say the complaints — most alleging discrimination based on disability, race or sex — reflect grievances that amassed during the worst public health crisis in a century and the most divisive civil rights climate in decades." 9. THE LATEST IN BRAZIL: "Lula set for inauguration to preside over polarized Brazil," by AP's Diane Jeantet and Carla Bridi
| | PLAYBOOKERS | | Sara Latham, former aide to both Clintons, was recognized as a Lieutenant of the Victorian Order by King Charles for public service. CNN seemed to miss the New Year countdown for the Central time zone. NEW YEAR'S BIRTHDAYS: Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) … Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) and Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) … Vinay Reddy … European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde … BuzzFeed's Jonah Peretti … Max Richtman … WaPo's Brady Dennis … James Glassman … Kevin McGrann of Forbes Tate Partners … Stephanie Penn … Todd Webster of Cornerstone Government Affairs … Dan Koh of the White House … Brian Frederick of the ALS Association … Shannon Watts … Priscilla Ross … C-SPAN's Nicole Ninh … Alison (Howard) Centofante … Justin Bartolomeo of PLUS Communications … Margot Friedman … Dana Klinghoffer of NBC News comms … Gary Johnson (7-0) … former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine … Hannah Schwartz … former Reps. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and Martin Frost (D-Texas) … POLITICO's Alex DiNino … E&E News' Sohrab Azad … POLITICO Europe's Giulia Chiatante … Elizabeth Belk Doggett … J.D. Bryant of Bully Pulpit Interactive … Jake Wilkins … Dan Weiss … Rokk Solutions' Kristen Hawn 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.
| | | | A message from Binance: It's been a tough year for crypto. Macroeconomic headwinds have ushered in challenging market conditions, followed by unprecedented fraud and mismanagement. The combination rocked consumer confidence and created a level of skepticism about the future of crypto. Binance strongly believes crypto's best days remain ahead, but to get there, transparency is the only path forward. At Binance, we are investing in transparency protocols to demonstrate our strong financial health. Our capital structure is debt-free and all user assets are backed 1:1. Binance does not borrow against customers' funds or invest them without their consent. Most importantly, we look forward to working with policymakers to better protect consumers while promoting innovation. Learn more about our commitment to moving forward in Politico this week. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
