| | | | |  | | By Eli Okun | | | |  An angry Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said to House Republicans: “I can’t believe you did this.” | Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Photo | STUMBLING TO THE FINISH LINE — With all eyes on the Senate, more signals are emerging that the debt ceiling bill will garner significant Democratic support. The likes of Sens. TINA SMITH (D-Minn.), who led a drive urging President JOE BIDEN to invoke the 14th Amendment, and Majority Whip DICK DURBIN (D-Ill.), said today they’ll vote yes. There’s “a sense of inevitability in the Senate,” Burgess Everett reports, but “[t]iming is still the main uncertainty.” A final vote is looking likelier tomorrow than tonight, Minority Whip JOHN THUNE (R-S.D.) told reporters, as the chamber is “a ways away” from working out an agreement with all 100 senators to expedite proceedings. The other big question is which amendments the Senate will have to take up before it can vote on the bill to raise the debt ceiling — and how quickly it can get through them. Thune said he expects roughly six to 10. Leaders in both parties hope no amendments will clear the 60-vote threshold. But unhappy senators are picking fights:
- Several are angry about the bill’s Pentagon funding levels, and they’re coming out swinging. Amendments to boost military spending could come from defense hawks like Sens. DAN SULLIVAN (R-Alaska) and LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.), as our Huddle colleagues laid out this morning. Graham unleashed a fusillade of criticism against House Republicans: “I can’t believe you did this,” he said today.
- Sen. MIKE LEE (R-Utah), a vociferous opponent of the bill, told Glenn Beck today that he’ll offer an amendment to remove a section that empowers OMB Director SHALANDA YOUNG to rule on new agency rules’ cost offsets, per WaPo’s John Wagner. Sen. RAND PAUL (R-Ky.) is also interested in amendment votes.
- Sen. TIM KAINE (D-Va.), a vociferous opponent of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, introduced an amendment to strip its expedited approval from the bill.
What they’re demanding to allow the bill to move quickly: Graham said Senate leaders must promise him a commitment to a separate supplemental aid package for Ukraine later this year. Sen. ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.) also said he wants a pledge for a defense supplemental. And Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine) said she wants Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER to promise to take up all 12 appropriations bills. DIGGING INTO THE BILL — Now that the deal has made it through the House, its specific provisions are getting more detailed attention — and some very mixed reactions over what impact they’ll actually have. IRS: Republicans successfully clawed back about one-quarter of the massive funding infusion Democrats gave to the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act. The Biden administration and some Hill Democratic allies are saying that the cuts won’t damage the agency too much, as it will still be able to implement its new initiatives over the next few years, AP’s Fatima Hussein and Kevin Freking report. But some skeptical experts warn that the cuts will slow down new programs. Permitting: In the end, the permitting reform that made it into the bill was way smaller than the major overhaul advocates had hoped for. AP’s Chris Megerian and Matthew Daly write that the failure leaves a significant Washington priority “on Biden’s legislative to-do list.” And clean energy groups are not happy. But the changes nonetheless “represent the first significant changes to [the National Environmental Policy Act] in nearly four decades.” Tick-tock: Jonathan Lemire, Adam Cancryn and Jennifer Haberkorn look at Biden world’s view of the negotiations and bill, as they “sought to downplay what they privately considered to be a substantial victory” — to avoid scaring off Republicans and to act like the “adults in the room.” JUST POSTED — “Neo-Nazi Marine Corps vet accused of plotting terror attack possessed classified military materials,” by Raw Story’s Jordan Green: “The nature of the classified materials found on JORDAN DUNCAN’s hard drive upon his arrest in Idaho in October 2020 is unclear. The government has not described the contents of the materials, which were found amid a tranche of documents about chemicals and bomb-making, or provided any explanation about how Duncan allegedly obtained them. But the revelation … adds an explosive new dimension to the federal case against him — as the nation’s defense apparatus continues to reel from a separate classified document leak.” Good Thursday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at eokun@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Altria: The future of Tobacco Harm Reduction. More than 70% of U.S. adults 21+ surveyed support Tobacco Harm Reduction as the right path forward for tobacco regulation. And two out of three believe the FDA should focus its efforts on Tobacco Harm Reduction. See the poll results here. | | | ALL POLITICS BIG ENDORSEMENT — Rep. STENY HOYER (D-Md.) today endorsed Prince George’s County, Md., Executive ANGELA ALSOBROOKS for Senate, per WJLA-TV’s Ida Domingo. The former House majority leader, sometimes a kingmaker in Maryland, is a big get for Alsobrooks — and a blow for Rep. DAVID TRONE, who’s also in the Democratic primary. Might it signal that Rep. JAMIE RASKIN will choose not to run? Not so fast: “I’m still thinking about throwing my bandana in the ring,” he told Jordain Carney this morning. BATTLE FOR THE STATES — New Hampshire Executive Councilor CINDE WARMINGTON became the first Democrat to jump into next year’s gubernatorial race, WMUR-TV’s Adam Sexton reports. Manchester Mayor JOYCE CRAIG is also expected to launch a bid soon. 2024 WATCH CAMPAIGN MACHINERY — “Republicans are spending millions on turnout operations that are deeply flawed, insiders say,” by NBC’s Allan Smith: “Those issues include fraudulent and untrustworthy data entries … as well as allegations of lax hiring practices and a lack of accountability. … A half-dozen Republican-aligned field operators working on various races in Nevada, Georgia and Oregon said they encountered suspicious or fraudulent data … The problems, six people said, are pitfalls of the right’s increased reliance on paid canvassers rather than volunteers, and on a sprawling web of vendors and consultants tasked with what can be a thankless, though critical, job. Seven people said that cheating is on the rise.” CONVENTIONAL WISDOM — ELISE DICKENS will be CEO of the Republican National Convention next year, per Alex Isenstadt. ON THE TRAIL — Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS hit the road in New Hampshire today, where he knocked DONALD TRUMP but criticized Biden much more — including Democrats’ decision to demote the Granite State’s presidential primary, AP’s Michelle Price, Steve Peoples and Thomas Beaumont report from Laconia. DeSantis also got a compliment from an unexpected source: Gov. CHRIS SUNUNU, who said on Fox News that “I actually thought it was a pretty darn good speech.” DeSantis also got into it with Peoples when the reporter asked why he hadn’t taken questions from voters. “People [are] coming up to me, talking to me. What are you talking about?” DeSantis said. “Are you blind? Are you blind?” Watch it AD WARS — “Pro-Tim Scott super PAC launches major ad blitz to support senator’s GOP presidential bid,” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser: “‘I am living proof that American dreams do come true,’ [Sen. TIM] SCOTT says at the top of the ad from TIM PAC … [T]hey’re putting $7.25 million behind their initial ad buy, which will start Friday and runs through Labor Day. That includes $6 million to run spots on broadcast TV in Iowa and New Hampshire, and on national cable television, plus a $1.25 million digital component.” WHAT’S IN A NAME — We still don’t have an answer for how to say the name of one of the most famous people in America. Since launching his campaign, DeSantis has sometimes pronounced the first syllable of his last name as “Dee” and sometimes as “Deh” — and his campaign won’t clarify which is right, Axios’ Alex Thompson and Sophia Cai report. Among those weighing in: BILL DE BLASIO, who opines in a phone call from Italy that it’s “a really weird thing to change at the last minute.” POLICING THE POLICE — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is putting more agents and money into protecting DeSantis on the campaign trail, sparking an unusual public dispute over its priorities, NBC’s Matt Dixon reports from Tallahassee. DeSantis has had more than half a dozen agents protecting him on the trail this week, an unusually high number. The state police are also focusing resources on his political priorities in Florida, like intercepting migrants in the Keys. The state police say these are necessary steps as the agency works to reshuffle its resources after mismanagement under past leaders. But those comments have gotten rare pushback from the former FDLE commissioner and even Sen. RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.). WALKING A TIGHTROPE — Tim Scott, NIKKI HALEY and LARRY ELDER are telling inspiring stories of their families and personal journeys on the campaign trail, including experiences of racial discrimination. As Republican candidates of color, they’re uniquely positioned to offer a counter-narrative to the “wokeness” and talk of systemic racism they decry among Democrats. “But in bolstering their own bootstrap biographies with stories of discrimination,” NYT’s Jonathan Weisman and Trip Gabriel report, “they have put forth views about race that at times appear at odds with their view of the country — often denying the existence of a system of racism in America while describing situations that sound just like it.” THE MERCH PRIMARY — The MAGA hat is one of the most enduring pieces of American political iconography, but DeSantis is starting to enjoy his own branded T-shirts, bumper stickers and other merch, the Tampa Bay Times’ Kirby Wilson reports. A lot of it isn’t coming from the governor’s campaign — instead it’s from his political supporters or even disinterested merchandisers capitalizing on DeSantis’ greatest hits, like flying migrants around the country or fighting Disney. Still, “[l]ike the polls, Trump is dominating DeSantis” in these retail sales — 100 to 1, says one vendor. AGAINST THE GRAIN — “Millennials Are Not an Exception. They’ve Moved to the Right,” by NYT’s Nate Cohn: “It’s not necessarily a stunning finding. Political folklore has long held that voters become more conservative as they get older. But it is nonetheless at odds with a wave of recent reports or studies suggesting otherwise.” IT’S TRUMP’S PARTY NOW — Trump is polling best among Republicans who describe themselves as very conservative — a complete reversal from how he did in 2016 surveys, when he was willing to jettison some typically conservative positions for a more populist message, Michael Tesler writes in FiveThirtyEight. The shift is indicative of how thoroughly Trump redefined conservatism in America: To many voters, “conservative” essentially now means “pro-Trump.”
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | WAR IN UKRAINE THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME — Biden’s decision to green-light F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine was just the latest instance of the president’s growing willingness to cross thresholds that Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN said would be red lines, WaPo’s John Hudson and Dan Lamothe report. Putin has repeatedly failed to make good on his threats, emboldening the U.S. despite Washington’s fears of escalating the war. “His bluffing has given U.S. and European leaders some confidence they can continue doing so without severe consequences — but to what extent remains one of the conflict’s most dangerous uncertainties.” AMERICA AND THE WORLD IMMIGRATION FILES — The U.S. and Guatemala today laid out plans to establish new processing centers in Guatemala that will help screen migrants before they reach the U.S. The half-year pilot program will open June 12. Guatemala has warned that they might quickly be swamped with asylum-seekers. More from Agence France Presse LATEST IN SUDAN — “White House announces sanctions in Sudan as warring sides fail to abide by cease-fire deal,” by AP’s Jack Jeffery and Aamer Madhani HANGING ON CHAD — The Biden administration is stuck at an internal impasse about whether to provide Chad with military aid, torn between concerns about its growing authoritarianism and the recognition that it’s an important ally against militants and Russia, WSJ’s Michael Phillips report. Senate Foreign Relations Chair BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.) has pledged he’ll prevent assistance unless N’Djamena cleans up. Chad wants more support, but for now the Biden administration is in a bind. DANCE OF THE SUPERPOWERS — “China Investing in Open-Source Intelligence Collection on the U.S.,” by NYT’s Julian Barnes: “The analysis, by the threat intelligence company Recorded Future, details efforts by China’s government and companies to collect publicly available data from the Pentagon, think tanks and private firms — information Beijing’s military can use to help plan for a potential conflict with the United States.” IT’S OFFICIAL — The White House sent over to the Senate SEAN PATRICK MALONEY’s nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the OECD.
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — “Harvey Pitt, SEC Chairman During 9/11 and Enron Meltdown, Dies at 78,” by WSJ’s Mark Maurer and Richard Vanderford: He “ran the U.S. securities regulator from 2001 to 2003 under President George W. Bush, leading the agency’s response to market disruption from the 9/11 attacks and its rule making in the wake of the accounting scandal at energy company Enron.” OUT AND ABOUT — Brian Sowyrda, Denise Mousouris, Ben Young and Jacob Sarkozi hosted a happy hour at Hawk n’ Dove yesterday evening to celebrate Brittany Grimm’s new political fundraising firm, Arrowhead Strategies. SPOTTED: Xochitl Torres Small, Rachael Bornstein, Molly Ritner, Niccara Campbell, Kathryn Crenshaw, Sonia Woiton, Lisa Walker, Jenna Gravalis, Daniel Bernal, Suha Khandker, Tino Garcia, Kierra Newton, Nancy Zdunkewicz, Peter Durkin and Angela Kuefler. MEDIA MOVE — WaPo senior managing editor Cameron Barr will depart the newsroom at the end of the month after nearly two decades, WaPo’s Elahe Izadi reports. TRANSITIONS — Kyle Chance is now comms director for Rep. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio). He previously was deputy press secretary for Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). … Jordan Wood is now VP at Monument Advocacy. He previously was associate director of speechwriting for former VP Mike Pence and is a Deb Fischer, Mitch McConnell and Brett Guthrie alum. … Philip Minardi is now VP of strategic engagement at BuildWithin. He previously was global head of public affairs at Expedia Group. … … Mary Collins Atkinson is now director in public affairs at PLUS Communications. She previously was comms director for Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and is a Tom Cotton and Cory Gardner alum. … Maarika Kimbrell is now a partner in the FDA & Healthcare practice at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. She previously was director of the Office of New Drug Policy at the FDA. WEEKEND WEDDING — Bonnie Casillas, associate director for White House operations, and Zack Kessler, senior associate at WilmerHale, got married Saturday at Union Market’s Dock5 with a reception at The Sun Room. The couple met on Tinder in 2018. Pic … Another pic … SPOTTED: Iran Campana, Jana Plat, Kana Smith, Ana Ma, Andrew Harnik, Elizabeth Harnik, Grace Meyer, Joni Madison and Casey Millburg. 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.
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