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Presented by Amway: The unofficial guide to official Washington. | | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels, Rachael Bade and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | NEW JMART — “Joe Biden’s Big New Hampshire Blunder,” by Jonathan Martin: “President JOE BIDEN was hoping to preempt a nuisance primary challenge that could embarrass him before the general election. But that may be precisely what he has invited upon himself.” JUST POSTED — “Trump maintains commanding lead in Iowa poll,” by NBC’s Mark Murray: “Former President DONALD TRUMP now leads his nearest Republican rivals by nearly 30 points in Iowa … according to the second NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll conducted by J. Ann Selzer. The survey also finds former United Nations Ambassador NIKKI HALEY moving up to a tie for second place with Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS.”
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House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Oct. 28, 2023, in Las Vegas. | David Becker/AP | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: JOHNSON VS. THE MONEY GAME — Two new developments this morning should start quieting the questions around new House Speaker MIKE JOHNSON and his ability to jump into the big fundraising shoes that KEVIN McCARTHY leaves behind. — The NRCC recorded its best online fundraising day in more than 18 months on Friday, Johnson’s first full day as speaker, pulling in $175,000, according to figures first shared with Playbook. That number went up further on Saturday, with the committee yielding more than $475,000 total from digital donors for the three-day weekend stretch. The group set single-day records for individual donations and monthly donor sign-ups this cycle, and more than three-quarters of the overall digital haul came in response to emails signed by Johnson — an early sign of grassroots excitement about the new speaker. — On the big-donor side of the game, Johnson is moving decisively to keep the top House GOP super PAC intact, our colleague Ally Mutnick reports this morning, giving a full-throated endorsement to the Congressional Leadership Fund and its president, DAN CONSTON. The move, she writes, “sends an important signal to Republican donors spooked by the chaos in the House that there will be continuity in one major campaign entity.” In an exclusive statement, Johnson referred to CLF, which raised $260 million in the 2022 cycle, as “essential” and to its leadership team, assembled under McCarthy, as “the best in the business.” Johnson also sent a key message over the weekend, Ally reports, traveling to Las Vegas to meet donors at the Republican Jewish Coalition summit alongside Conston, who is committed to staying atop CLF for at least the rest of the 2024 cycle.
| | | | A message from Amway: Amway proudly helps people live better, healthier lives with products grown & made right here at home. Through millions in continued U.S. manufacturing investments & the efforts of employees and independent business owners alike, Amway positively impacts American communities. Learn more. | | | IT’S AI WEEK — The Biden administration this week is taking the most significant federal actions yet toward regulating artificial intelligence technology, kicking off a one-two punch of domestic and international actions aimed at dealing with AI’s “promise and peril.” The centerpiece is a new executive order out this morning, a sweeping document that essentially puts the federal government at battle stations as policymakers try to get their arms around AI. Now POLITICO readers got a sneak peek at a draft on Friday, and the final document is not much different, but here are a few of the topline items via our ace colleague Mohar Chatterjee:
- The EO “directs federal agencies to both deploy AI and guard against its possible bias” and creates new safety guidelines and industry standards;
- “invokes the Korean War-era Defense Production Act to track companies developing the most powerful AI systems”;
- “directs each federal agency to create the position of a chief AI officer,” per the draft;
- and “directs federal agencies to set guidelines on how they collect, use and share personal information obtained from data brokers [and] encourages agencies to adopt stronger privacy protections.”
And while Congress does a lot of talking but not much regulating, Mohar writes, “the order will likely define Washington’s interactions with a largely unregulated sector of the American tech industry” — one that is “not accustomed to meaningful regulation.” Experts we spoke to greeted the new order with cautious optimism. NICOL TURNER LEE, director of the Brookings Center for Technology Innovation said “the EO, as well as the flurry of activities in Congress, suggests that they are working very hard to get ahead of this before it becomes more difficult to regulate.” DEWEY MURDICK, executive director of Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology told Playbook last night that the administration is “clearly trying to deal with a huge waterfront of issues” but cautioned that “EOs come with significant limitations in terms of how they work, how they can be overturned.” There’s a global context to all of this, of course. U.S. policymakers are trying to manage all the concerns about the job losses, abuses and biases associated with AI without losing America’s leadership role in the technology to Europe or China. That’s where Vice President KAMALA HARRIS comes in. With AI policy as one of her key portfolio items, she will represent the administration in Bletchley Park, England, at the Global Summit on AI Safety hosted by British PM RISHI SUNAK starting Wednesday. While there, White House aides tell us, Harris will be pitching the administration’s domestic policy as a blueprint for regulatory efforts around the globe — protecting human, civil, labor and consumer rights “in a way that does not stifle innovation,” as one put it. In addition to the EO, we’re told, Harris will announce other U.S. actions in London that remain under wraps for now. As with most foreign policy matters these days, the subtext is obvious: China. While Harris is not expected to directly focus on America’s emerging global rival, “she's making sure these rules and norms [around AI] represent our interests and our values, not those of authoritarians,” a White House aide told us. “She'll make clear that we're ready to work with anyone if they're prepared to promote responsible international rules and norms for AI.” Stay with POLITICO for much more on the summit: Eugene will be in England covering Harris’ visit, and be sure to check out the POLITICO Tech podcast, where host Steven Overly will have daily rundowns of the goings-on. Good Monday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza. DRIP, DRIP, DRIP — “How Menendez Tried and Failed to Place an Ally in a Key Federal Post,” by NYT’s Benjamin Weiser, Nicholas Fandos and Tracey Tully: “An old friend of Senator ROBERT MENENDEZ was in legal trouble. The government says the senator went to great lengths to try to install a friendly prosecutor.” THE WEEK — Tomorrow: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN and Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN testify before Senate Appropriations. DHS Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS and FBI Director CHRISTOPHER WRAY testify before Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Supreme Court hears cases on government’s use of social media. … Wednesday: Fed meets on interest rates. VIVEK RAMASWAMY and Rep. RO KHANNA (D-Calif.) debate at St. Anselm College. Biden travels to Minnesota for “Bidenomics” event and fundraiser. … Thursday: Trump holds campaign events in Houston. Senate Finance holds hearing on MARTIN O’MALLEY’s nomination as Social Security administrator. … Friday: Biden hosts South American leaders at the White House for the inaugural Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Leaders’ Summit. October employment numbers released. … Saturday: Multiple Republican presidential candidates address Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee, Fla. … Sunday: Daylight savings ends.
| | | | A message from Amway:   Lots of companies talk about investing in America. Amway is actually doing it, investing $300M in U.S.-based manufacturing in recent years. | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate will meet at 3 p.m. to take up MATTHEW MADDOX’s judicial nomination, with a cloture vote at 5:30 p.m. The House is out. 3 things to watch …
- Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL is appearing today in Louisville with OKSANA MARKAROVA, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. It’s the latest sign that McConnell is all in for Ukraine aid, Burgess Everett reports today, “expending political capital for the embattled country despite a painful rift in the party.” The appearance comes amid a split inside his own Senate GOP ranks and as Johnson commits to “bifurcated” funding for Ukraine and Israel.
- Speaking of which: House GOP leaders announced they will put a $14.5 billion Israel aid package up for a floor vote Thursday. The vote will be a test for Democrats, most of whom will be forced to choose between their support for Israel and their belief that Ukraine funding should ride along. Another issue: Republicans say they are offsetting the new spending with cuts elsewhere in the federal budget, which they have yet to detail. Top Dem appropriator Rep. ROSA DeLAURO (D-Conn.) said Friday such offsets “set a dangerous precedent and hinder our ability to quickly respond to emergencies both at home and abroad.”
- Sen. TOMMY TUBERVILLE is showing no sign of releasing his holds on Pentagon nominees despite the volatile situation in the Middle East. The Alabama Republican slammed a proposal that would allow en bloc consideration of scores of nominees he is blocking over DOD abortion policies, per CNN, and he appears to have the backing of the vast majority of his GOP colleagues as the off-ramp proposal comes up for potential consideration in the Senate Rules Committee this week.
At the White House Biden will return to the White House from Wilmington, Del.; hold the big AI-focused event with VP KAMALA HARRIS at 2:30 p.m.; and host a trick-or-treating event for kids at 5:30 p.m. Harris will also swear in the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States at 3:30 p.m.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOK READS | | CONGRESS
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is seen at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 26, 2023. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | JOHNSON JUMPS IN — The new speaker is setting plans for his first full week in the new role, starting with the $14.5 billion Israel aid bill coming up Thursday. House GOP leaders told their conference on a call last night that Johnson is also working on a bill to reimpose sanctions and take other steps to target Iranian oil, Olivia Beavers reports. Johnson also has to navigate through a thicket of votes targeting individual members: an expulsion move against Rep. GEORGE SANTOS (R-N.Y.) and censure resolutions against Reps. RASHIDA TLAIB (D-Mich.) and MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.). The resolutions are already facing some skepticism among Republicans, though: Johnson told members that “we should fight Democrats on policy,” per CNN’s Melanie Zanona. Fellow Michiganders in particular, including GOP Rep. TIM WALBERG, are also skeptical of punishing Tlaib on free speech grounds, per Semafor’s Kadia Goba. What VICTORIA SPARTZ is watching: Johnson said he’s focusing on creating a national debt commission and potentially launching it soon, per Goba. How his ascent is playing: Democrats are excitedly working to dig up pieces of Johnson’s ultra-conservative political history, hoping to tar the whole party as led by an extremist, CNN’s Manu Raju, Sam Fossum and Melanie Zanona report. Front-line Republicans think Dems are seriously wrong about the efficacy of that strategy — they say the genial Johnson “will project a more moderate and pragmatic tone and will emerge as a well-liked leader” as he takes on this new role. Back home in Shreveport, La., WaPo’s Molly Hennessy-Fiske finds some mixed views, often polarized along racial lines, but plenty of support for the culturally conservative, religious Johnson. That includes an amazing chance encounter with his mom. A LONG ROAD UP TO RECOVERY — In an emotional new Men’s Health profile, Sen. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-Pa.) gets personal about a lot of, well, men’s health, from his own stroke and depression to his father’s recent, near-fatal heart attack to his uncle’s recent death from stomach cancer: “After kind of dying, I’m just grateful for any time, whatever that is.” ALL POLITICS A REPUBLIC, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT — “In Mississippi, most voters will have no choice about who represents them in the Legislature,” by AP’s David Lieb and Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson: “More than four-fifths of Mississippi’s legislative candidates will have no major-party opposition in the Nov. 7 general election. And more than half of this year’s winners will have faced no other Republicans or Democrats in either the primary or the general election.” AMERICA AND THE WORLD
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Palestinians resort to the sea water to bathe and clean their tools and clothes due the continuing water shortage in the Gaza Strip. | Mohammed Dahman/AP | MIDDLE EAST LATEST — In a call yesterday with Israeli PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Biden pushed his ally to protect Palestinian civilians, allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and comply with international laws in its war, the White House said. More from Reuters … The U.S. also pushed Israel to get communications back online in Gaza after Jerusalem severed internet/phone access as part of a blackout, WSJ’s Stephen Kalin, Chao Deng and Omar Abdel-Baqui report. So far, the U.S. pressure campaign seems to have had some effect: Israel did indeed restore some communications yesterday, the ground invasion was delayed, and yesterday Gaza got its biggest aid shipment yet, AP’s Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Kareem Chehayeb report. Still, the aid that got through is still nowhere near sufficient to prevent a humanitarian crisis. One additional concern: An internal document at the State Department warns of water supply issues affecting tens of thousands of pregnant women and children, Haaretz’s Amira Hass reports. Elsewhere in the region: Jordan is asking the U.S. to deploy Patriot air defense systems, per Reuters. U.S. political context: Democratic worries about Israel’s conduct are growing, and putting new pressure on Biden, WaPo’s Matt Viser reports. Growing numbers of his own political allies are concerned that the president has tied himself so closely to Israel amid thousands of civilian deaths and open questions about whether the offensive can achieve its goals. Tensions between Democrats are flaring on the Hill, too: Rep. ANDRE CARSON (D-Ind.) told CNN’s Sam Fossum and Manu Raju that Rep. JOSH GOTTHEIMER (D-N.J.) was a “coward” and a “punk” for criticizing Dems who voted against a pro-Israel resolution as “despicable.” “If he wants to play some kind of tough guy, a gangster, we can handle it like gentlemen, or we can get into something else,” Carson warned. The two congressmen are now expected to meet this week to try to lower the temperature. Related read: “Biden blasted Times’s Gaza coverage,” by Semafor’s Max Tani and Liz Hoffman
| | | | A message from Amway:   | | | TRUMP CARDS
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a campaign event at the Orpheum Theater on Oct. 29, 2023, in Sioux City, Iowa. | Scott Olson/Getty Images | IT’S BACK — Federal judge TANYA CHUTKAN last night reimposed her partial gag order on Trump in his criminal election subversion case. Though she had stayed the order temporarily as Trump appeals it, Chutkan decided to leave it in place during the longer term of his full appeal, Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report. “The Corrupt Biden Administration just took away my First Amendment Right To Free Speech,” Trump quickly posted on Truth Social. “NOT CONSTITUTIONAL!” (Chutkan, of course, actually operates independently from the Biden administration as a member of a separate branch of government.) The stepback: “The order is a fresh reminder that Trump’s penchant for incendiary and bitter rants about the four criminal cases that he’s facing, though politically beneficial in rallying his supporters as he seeks to reclaim the White House, carry practical consequences in court,” AP’s Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker note. HAPPENING TODAY — “Court arguments begin in effort to bar Trump from presidential ballot under ‘insurrection’ clause,” by AP’s Nick Riccardi in Denver A HEADLINE TRUMP WON’T LOVE — “Trump says ‘no way’ Iowa votes against him as he flubs city’s name during state campaign stop,” by AP’s Thomas Beaumont THE WHITE HOUSE POTUS ON THE ROAD — Administration officials are fanning out across rural America for the next couple of weeks, trying to highlight tangible benefits for people’s lives from Biden’s big-ticket priorities. That includes Biden himself heading to a Minnesota family farm Wednesday, trying “to show that Americans in rural communities do not have to move away in search of economic opportunity,” AP’s Will Weissert previews. VPOTUS ON THE AIRWAVES — Harris sat down with CBS’ Bill Whitaker for a “60 Minutes” interview that aired last night, talking about the Middle East (no plans to commit U.S. troops to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict), guns (“we still need an assault weapons ban”) and more. Video and transcript here POLICY CORNER PAYMENT PUSH/PULL — “Insurers Spar With Biden Administration Over Coverage for Mental-Health Care,” by WSJ’s Stephanie Armour: “[T]he Biden administration wants to impose new requirements on insurers that it says would reduce out-of-pocket costs for mental-health care and substance-use-disorder treatment. The insurance industry is firing back, arguing the proposal would drive up prices and set impossible-to-meet standards.”
| | | | PLAYBOOK IS GOING GLOBAL! We’re excited to introduce Global Playbook, POLITICO’s premier newsletter that brings you inside the most important conversations at the most influential events in the world. From the buzzy echoes emanating from the snowy peaks at the WEF in Davos to the discussions and personalities at Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to the heart of diplomacy at UNGA in New York City – author Suzanne Lynch brings it all to your fingertips. Experience the elite. Witness the influential. And never miss a global beat. BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Barack Obama is putting his muscle behind the new Bayard Rustin biopic. Ron DeSantis is offering cops more resources after a Tampa shooting sparked a gun debate. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Sarah McBride lead their respective Delaware primaries, Brittany Gibson reports this morning. OUT AND ABOUT — Adam Green hosted a “Politics & Puns” Halloween party/costume contest yesterday evening, with judges Laura Barrón-López, Weijia Jiang, Rohit Chopra, Tom Malinowski and Nizam Ali selecting winning costumes that included “Magic Mike Johnson,” “Row vs. Wade” and “Band Books.” SPOTTED: John McCarthy, Henrietta Levin, Elizabeth Kelly, Afton Cissell, Dan RuBoss, Jen Howard, Ari Rabin-Havt, Gaurav Laroia, Swati Sharma, Julie Bloom, Christine Emba, Helaine Olen, Kara Voght, Sara Cook, Matt Kaminski, Miranda Kennedy, Nihal Krishan, Kevin Cirilli, Tina Nguyen, Katherine Doyle, Alex Thompson, Sheila Katz, Yasmin Radjy, Ilyse Hogue, Amirah Sequeira, Rachel Brown, Nancy Zdunkewicz, Sophie Mestas, David Kass and Charlotte Clymer. TRANSITIONS — Kelly Healton is now a senior policy adviser to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, covering appropriations. She most recently was in the legislative affairs shop at OMB, and is a House Appropriations/Nita Lowey alum. … Kate Ruane is joining the Center for Democracy & Technology as director of its Free Expression Project. She most recently was director of the U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America. WEEKEND WEDDING — Grace Segers, a staff writer at The New Republic, and Alex Knapp, director of policy for the Boys and Girls Club, got married at The Garden in Alexandria, Va. The reception featured 16 pies all baked by Grace’s mother, Rev. Rebecca Segers, and a life-size cutout of the couple’s cat, Pumpkin. The couple met in 2018 through their friend Nissa Koerner-Schostak. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Maggie Haberman (5-0) … Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) … Ivanka Trump … NBC’s Andrea Mitchell … Mitch Glazier of the Recording Industry Association of America … Mitch Stewart of 270 Strategies … Robert Caro … Targeted Victory’s Rebecca Schieber … David Krone … POLITICO’s Ally Mutnick, Bill Mahoney, Willie Allen and Annabelle Dickson … Scott Fay … Lauren Zelt of Zelt Communications … Treasury’s Paul Rosen … Ian Millhiser … former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) … Lindsay Jancek … former Reps. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) (7-0), Tim Roemer (D-Ind.) and Joe Heck (R-Nev.) … Nu Wexler of Four Corners Public Affairs (5-0) … Advoc8’s Laura Mullen … Dentons’ James Richardson … Michael Petricone … Londyn Marshall of Carbon180 … Laurence Leamer … Cat Duffy of the National Health Law Program … Lizette Alvarez 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 Bethany Irvine and Andrew Howard.
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