The search for a Plan B begins

From: POLITICO Playbook - Tuesday Dec 21,2021 11:19 am

Dec 21, 2021

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By Ryan Lizza and Eugene Daniels

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DRIVING THE DAY

ANOTHER COVID SPEECH — At 2:30 p.m., President JOE BIDEN will once again address the nation and outline another new plan to tackle another new, more highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus that threatens to once again push America’s health care system to its breaking point. The emphasis of the latest Biden plan, according to the White House, is to “mitigate the impact unvaccinated individuals have on our health care system, while increasing access to free testing and getting more shots in arms to keep people safe and our schools and economy open.”

It’s a plan that recognizes a few hard-earned truths about the two-year-old pandemic in America: Vaccine holdouts are here to stay, and with every new Covid-19 wave they will overload hospitals, which will need extra government support. For everyone else, widespread testing and boosters are the only alternative to lockdowns and recession. More on today’s speech: WSJ, NYT, WaPo, AP, POLITICO

What’s coming: “It’s going to be a surge like we haven’t seen before, numbers that are completely out of control.” -former Biden Covid adviser ANDY SLAVITT on MSNBC on Monday.

MANCHIN FALLOUT — There’s a caucus call for Senate Democrats tonight. Expect some fireworks, especially if Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) joins.

There was a river of news on the Manchin beat Monday. Here’s a quick summary in case it came at you in blur:

— Our Jonathan Lemire reports that Manchin and Biden talked hours after their blow-up and seemed to lower the temperature: “[T]he conversation ended with a sense that negotiations would, in fact, resume around the Build Back Better Act in some form in the new year.”

— Manchin was on a local radio show in West Virginia and fumed about White House staff perfidy and Democrats who thought they could make him “submissive.” He did not offer much in the way of a potential compromise after abruptly ending negotiations Sunday. His latest proposal was nicely captured in this headline: “Manchin to Dems: Redo the whole thing, maybe I'll vote for it.”

— STEVE CLEMONS, a friend of Manchin’s, reported that the breaking point was the statement the White House released Thursday agreeing to a BBB delay while also name-checking Manchin. The senator had demanded that the White House leave his name out of the statement because he was getting increasingly concerned about threats to his family and houseboat, which is in Washington harbor and has been the target of protesters in kayaks.

— Manchin’s recent $1.8 trillion counteroffer to Biden included several major Biden priorities, including billions for climate change, universal pre-K and an expansion of the Affordable Care Act, but left out any extension of the child tax credit, according to WaPo’s Jeff Stein and Tyler Pager.

— Nicholas Wu and Sarah Ferris write that some of the most progressive Democrats are eager to move ahead without Manchin’s sign-off: “Rep. PRAMILA JAYAPAL, who helms the roughly 100-member Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Monday she would push the White House to take executive actions to enact some of Biden’s domestic agenda…

“After sustaining months of concessions meant to placate the Senate’s centrists, progressives say they are in no mood to substantially alter their bill any further. As they see it, the package Manchin rejected was already the scaled-back version of their ambitions.”

It goes without saying that if Biden could implement major portions of BBB through executive actions, he would have already done so. Manchin once again has all of the leverage, so it’s understandable that progressives would try to strengthen their hand. But threatening to move on without him and implement BBB by executive fiat is more like wishful thinking than a governing strategy.

We talked to three Democratic senators Monday night and none of them thought there was a clear path forward yet. They are awaiting better guidance after tonight’s call.

At the White House on Monday, Biden aides began pivoting away from attacking Manchin and looking for glimmers of hope. They pointed out that in his statements since Sunday, the senator vented about White House aides but not the president himself, which they offer as the best evidence that the relationship can be mended. “He blamed the staff,” a senior White House official told Playbook. “That leaves a big opening for Biden and Manchin to cut a deal.”

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COORDINATED AGAINST KAMALA? — Florida Democrats are sounding alarms over what they believe is a sustained and coordinated campaign rapidly unfolding across Spanish-language media to tarnish the image of VP KAMALA HARRIS, Chris Cadelago and Eugene report.

“Democratic veterans in the state are unnerved by the ferocity and speed of the attacks, which have come from callers and guests on local radio programs in recent weeks. They told POLITICO it has the hallmarks of an oft-used Florida tactic: a phone bank to the stations and suspect the participants are part of a larger, astroturf effort to diminish Harris’ standing among key Latino constituencies in a region where Republicans have notched sharp gains. Even more worrying for these Democrats has been the lack of pushback from their party.

“The on-air critiques … range from claims that Harris is ineffective and ill-prepared to serve as president to outwardly sexist and racist suggestions. Though there is no definitive proof of a coordinated campaign attacking Harris on South Florida Spanish language radio, the tactic has been used in the area before, according to Miami political operatives and radio hosts.”

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BIDEN’S TUESDAY:

— 10:05 a.m.: The president and VP will receive the President’s Daily Brief.

— 2:30 p.m.: Biden will deliver remarks on the pandemic.

Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 1 p.m.

THE HOUSE and THE SENATE are out.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

EPA Administrator Michael Regan ceremonially signs EPA's final rule for federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for light duty vehicles, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, at EPA Headquarters in Washington.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan ceremonially signs a rule for strict new vehicle emissions standards at EPA headquarters Monday. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo

PLAYBOOK READS

ALL POLITICS

DR. OZ AND CHINA — Daniel Lippman writes in: MEHMET OZ, who’s running for Senate in Pennsylvania on an “America First” platform, recently aired a chummy interview with Ray Dalio on the doc’s TV show. Dalio is the founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, and also a close colleague of Bridgewater CEO David McCormick, who’s expected to formally jump into the Republican primary race against Oz in the new year after launching an exploratory committee.

Interesting enough. But there’s a twist: Dalio, who’s promoting a new book, was widely criticized recently for comparing China’s human rights abuses to the actions of “a strict parent,” comments from which he later backtracked. During their interview, Oz called Dalio his “good friend” and lauded his “Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order” as a “fantastic book.” The doctor credited Dalio with sparking his interest in transcendental meditation and said he had “incredible wisdom to share.”

The reason this potentially matters? An anti-China platform would be in keeping with the profile Oz is projecting as the true MAGA candidate in the primary. And Bridgewater’s investments in China would be a potential line of attack for Oz against McCormick. But it will be trickier for Oz to go there after he just cozied up to McCormick’s colleague. The interview was pre-taped before news broke of McCormick’s potential run, but aired Dec. 10, after his interest became known. A spokesperson for Oz did not have a comment. Bloomberg reported early this month that McCormick, who just launched his first ad, clashed with Dalio over his views on China. The interview

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Experts at the Atlantic Council are publishing a major Global Foresight 2022 report, a three-part preview of what former U.S. intelligence officials and geopolitical strategists expect in the year to come. The top risk that caught our eye: They assess a high probability that U.S. democracy will further decay. Also: new Covid variants, state collapse in Afghanistan, global failure to meet climate goals and more. (None of their “top opportunities,” a more hopeful list, are pegged at high probability.) Read more: Top risks and opportunities … Imagining the world in 2030 … Under-the-radar phenomena

THE PLURAL OF ANECDOTE — The monthslong intra-Democratic Party clash over data-sharing continues as the DNC and state parties in the early-voting states argue over how much to charge presidential candidates for their voter info, report Holly Otterbein, Elena Schneider and David Siders. The DNC wants to limit candidates’ price tag to $5,000 for base voter files, while state parties argue that they need more money than that. “According to several state party sources, the DNC has a powerful leverage point in the talks: It is withholding some grant funds for states until the deal is signed.”

CONGRESS

ANOTHER BLOW FOR HOUSE DEMS — Rep. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-Calif.), chair of a House Appropriations subcommittee, announced she will not seek reelection in 2022. She has served in the House since 1993. In the announcement, Roybal-Allard wrote that “the time has come for me to spend more time with my family.” More details from The Hill’s Scott Wong and Rafael Bernal

THE WHITE HOUSE

CLOSE ENCOUNTER — The president tested negative for the coronavirus Monday, days after he came in contact with a “mid-level staffer” who tested positive for the virus, the White House said in a statement. The aide “spent about 30 minutes near the president on Air Force One on the way from South Carolina to Philadelphia,” CNBC’s Mike Calia writes . Biden will be tested again Wednesday.

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POLICY CORNER

EXTREMISM IN THE RANKS — In an effort to root out extremism in the military, the Pentagon on Monday announced a new policy that “lays out in detail the banned activities, which range from advocating terrorism or supporting the overthrow of the government to fundraising or rallying on behalf of an extremist group or ‘liking’ or reposting extremist views on social media.” Defense officials have been taking steps in this direction since the Jan. 6 riot, but the policies issued Monday are the most detailed so far, AP’s Lolita Baldor notes.

CONNECTIONS IN HIGH PLACES — Emily Birnbaum and Daniel Lippman report that Amazon “has increasingly tipped off the Justice Department and FBI to investigate Amazon’s own employees and the sellers using its platform … [and] in the process, the company has built a closer relationship than many large companies have with federal law enforcement, a deep cooperation with one branch of the federal government that could help the company’s reputation in Washington as Amazon faces intensifying scrutiny from Congress and federal agencies over its market dominance and fraud on its platform.” The company employs at least 70 former prosecutors or FBI employees.

THE PANDEMIC

OMICRON LATEST — The CDC announced Monday that the Omicron variant “is now the dominant version of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. and has prompted the resumption of mask mandates in some cities and states in the Northeast, where the growth in new cases has been particularly steep,” NYT’s Campbell Robertson and Mitch Smith. It makes up more than 70% of new coronavirus cases.

— The agency also updated its list of highest-risk Covid travel destinations to include Spain, Bonaire, Chad, Finland, Gibraltar, Lebanon, Monaco and San Marino. CNN’s Forrest Brown has more.

— The first Omicron-linked death in the U.S. was recorded in Texas’ Harris County on Monday evening, Reuters reports. The man was unvaccinated but had previously been infected.

JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH

LAWSUITS ON LAWSUITS — Conspiracy theorist ALEX JONES sued the House Jan. 6 committee Monday, “to assert his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination — confirming a statement he made on his show” and asserting “that the committee rejected his offer to provide ‘written responses’ to their questions,” Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report.

— The committee is also seeking info and an interview from its first House lawmaker, Rep. SCOTT PERRY (R-Pa.). In a letter to Perry, Chair BENNIE THOMPSON (D-Miss.) said the panel is “in possession of evidence connecting Perry to events surrounding the attack on the Capitol,” NBC’s Teaganne Finn and Haley Talbot report.

— WaPo’s Peter Hermann: “MICHAEL FANONE, the D.C. police officer who was dragged into a mob and beaten during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and later publicly excoriated lawmakers and others who downplayed the attack, said he submitted his resignation from the force Monday.” His last day will be Dec. 31.

NEARLY ONE YEAR LATER — Speaker NANCY PELOSI said Monday that lawmakers are planning a “solemn observance” remembering the events of Jan. 6, one year later. Pelosi “noted the House would not be in session the first week of January but said some members had expressed interest in being involved in commemoration activities,” WaPo’s Amy Wang reports.

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

PIPELINE POLITICS — NYT’s Michael Crowley writes that “a Senate deal has set the stage for a January vote on whether to sanction the company behind a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, complicating the Biden administration’s efforts to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine. … The upcoming vote means the new year in Congress will begin in part with a contentious debate about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which the Biden administration opposes but has not used all its powers to stop, for fear of damaging vital relations with Germany.”

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PLAYBOOKERS

After former President Donald Trump and former “Fox News” host Bill O’Reilly announced they’d received a Covid booster shot during the pair’s “History Tour,” Maggie Haberman wrote on Twitter that she “asked a Trump spokeswoman why he switched his message on the vaccine/booster. He replied with a handwritten note to Haberman that read, “Maggie - Must tell the truth — and very proud to have produced the three vaccines so quickly. Best wishes, Donald’”

VERY SAD NEWS — Dallas Morning News’ Robert Garrett: “Retired Dallas Morning News Austin bureau chief and senior political writer Wayne Slater, who chronicled two Texas governors’ rise to national prominence and co-wrote two books about George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove, died Monday in an automobile accident in Williamson County. He was 74. … Slater personally liked, though he sparred with and oversaw tough coverage of, former Govs. Ann Richards, a Democrat, and George W. Bush, the scion of a dynastic Republican family who in the 1990s, it turned out, was on his way to the White House.”

IN THE DOG HOUSE — Just in time for Christmas. Biden announced the People’s House has a new German Shepherd puppy, Commander — a birthday gift from the president’s brother, James Biden, and sister-in-law, Sara Biden. And, according to first lady guru Kate Bennett, the White House will also be getting a presidential kitty in January.

And the other family dog, Major, is headed to live with “family friends.” A first lady spox tells us “[t]his is not in reaction to any new or specific incident.”

NO RESERVATION, YES RESERVATION — Molly Edwards, a former aide to Paul Ryan, could barely contain herself on Twitter on Monday night: “I just witnessed Pete and Chasten [Buttigieg ] get turned away from Le Dip because they did not have a reservation. Most thrilling thing that’s ever happened in this town. Electric!” Within minutes we at Playbook were looped into this seemingly momentous news and were pretty excited ourselves to write about it today. Alas, our enthusiasm was dashed when we heard back from a Buttigieg spox who said there was nothing to it. Indeed, about two hours after setting D.C. internet ablaze, Edwards posted a follow-up tweet: “lmao y’all nvm they were seated outside.”

MEDIA MOVES — Susan Goldberg will join Arizona State University as vice dean and professor of practice and lead new programs and strategic partnerships in Washington, with a joint appointment in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory’s College of Global Futures. She currently is editor-in-chief of National Geographic and editorial director of National Geographic Partners. … Anthony Fisher is joining The Daily Beast as senior opinion editor. He previously was a columnist at Insider.

WHITE HOUSE ARRIVAL LOUNGE — John Elias has been detailed to the White House to serve as senior deputy associate counsel for the Office of Presidential Personnel. He most recently was a trial attorney in DOJ’s Washington Criminal I Section of the antitrust division.

TRANSITIONS — Aimee Meacham is now VP of U.S. and international government affairs at BT. She previously was deputy associate administrator for international affairs at the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. … Anna Pacilio is joining Sunshine Sachs as an account director supporting issue advocacy and social good. She previously was national press secretary at EMILY’s List. … Carrie Coxen is now scheduler for Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). She is the former senior assistant to the deputy EPA administrator in the Trump administration and is a HUD and Education Department alum. …

… Maryam Henson will be VP for partnerships at the Pew Charitable Trusts. She previously was associate VP for central development at George Washington University. … Michael Chirico is now chief of strategic advocacy and external relations for the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health. He most recently was government liaison and policy adviser at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, and is a Carol Miller and Evan Jenkins alum.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) … WaPo’s Annie Linskey and Karen Heller … John Coale … Kelly Sadler of The Washington Times … Tracy Young … Fox News’ Caroline Whiteman … Kelly Wallace … CBS’ Vlad Duthiers … Dave Stroup … Elena Waskey of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth … Rich Galen … Sam LaHood of the International Republican Institute … Roz Brooks … Jessica Brady Reader of the Pew Charitable Trusts … Colleen Litkenhaus … Lisa Kountoupes of KDCR Partners … Yana Miles … Alejandra Lopez-Fernandini … Boston Globe’s Josh Miller … D’Ann Grady Lettieri … Lyndsey McKenna … White House’s Michael Negron … David Goldfein … Brian Goldsmith … former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin … Brian Heindl … Jane Fonda … French President Emmanuel Macron

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