Playbook PM: EU leaders prepare to confront Biden

From: POLITICO Playbook - Thursday Jun 10,2021 05:13 pm

Jun 10, 2021

By Rachael Bade, Garrett Ross and Eli Okun

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At this weekend’s G-7 summit on the beaches of Cornwall, “there may be toasted marshmallows and firepits awaiting JOE BIDEN and his bellow leaders,” Ryan Heath writes us. “But don’t expect them to be singing Kumbaya.”

That’s Ryan’s conclusion after speaking to more than a dozen European leaders and senior officials.

As Biden crows that “America is back,” Europeans are done clapping. They want to see actions that match the president’s words.

— Belgian PM ALEXANDER DE CROO, told Ryan that he’s seen “up close” the damage of what he described as Biden’s “America First policy on vaccines.”

Belgium is home to the largest Pfizer plant in the world, and De Croo, who will meet Biden one-on-one, said that by using the Defense Production Action to prioritize domestic production, “there’s no doubt” America disrupted global supply chains and reduced overall global vaccine production. The tensions may continue even as Biden offers 500 million doses to countries in need, because they’re also due to be produced in the U.S.

— France is angry that the U.S. is still closed to vaccinated Europeans, the EU wants former President DONALD TRUMP’S steel and aluminum tariffs dropped and Germany wants the White House to stop meddling in its controversial Nord Stream II gas pipeline from Russia. Even Biden’s ancestral home of Ireland is pushing back against the G-7 deal to introduce a 15% global minimum corporate tax.

Not everyone is complaining, though. STEFANO STEFANINI, Italy’s former ambassador to NATO, says Europeans have to get real, work with Biden and stop hiding behind fears of a Trump return. “MARINE LE PEN could also be France's next president. If Truman had thought ‘what if Hitlerism comes back,’ the Marshall Plan never would have happened” after World War II, Stefanini said.

PLAYBOOK NOTES that these confrontations come as the Bidens have been using this trip to emphasize the U.S.’s return to traditional, friendly diplomacy after four years of Trump upending relationships. JILL BIDEN even wore a jacket today that says “LOVE” on the back, telling the press corps that her message to U.S. allies is “I think that we’re bringing love from America.”

But America’s allies clearly think that mere words of affection are not enough. More from Ryan

— MEANWHILE: “Global approval of the United States has rebounded under Biden, survey finds,” WaPo

Later today, Biden will deliver a speech on Covid vaccination efforts, where he is expected to urge fellow world leaders to donate vaccines to countries in need, write AP’s Zeke Miller, Aamer Madhani and Jonathan Lemire: “President Joe Biden will outline plans for the U.S. to donate 500 million vaccine doses around the globe over the next year, on top of 80 million doses he has already pledged by the end of the month. U.S. officials say Biden will also ask fellow G-7 leaders to do the same.”

WEEKEND PREVIEW — “China is the elephant in the room at the G-7,” by Stuart Lau in Brussels: “The question is: just how uncomfortable will the U.S. and Europe agree to make China? Diplomats on both sides of the Atlantic are trying to find — and expand — the common ground.”

— “4 climate obstacles Biden facing at the G-7,” by Zack Colman

THE BIDEN-PUTIN SUMMIT — “U.S. hopes to agree that ambassadors can return to Moscow and Washington at Biden-Putin summit,” by CNN’s Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler: “President Joe Biden plans to address the strained US-Russia diplomatic relationship when he meets President VLADIMIR PUTIN next week with the hope that the two leaders can agree to send their ambassadors back to Washington and Moscow after months with no senior diplomat being present in either country, according to three sources familiar with the plans.”

Good Thursday afternoon.

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ON CAPITOL HILL …

OMAR FIRES BACK AT JEWISH DEMOCRATS — “Ilhan Omar calls out fellow Democrats for criticizing her as new controversy flares,” by Sarah Ferris: “Rep. ILHAN OMAR is forcefully denouncing ‘harassment & silencing’ from her own Democratic colleagues after a dozen of them issued a late-night statement criticizing her for comparing war crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban.

“In a tweet early Thursday morning, the Minnesota Democrat called her fellow House Democrats’ reaction ‘shameful’ and said the group of critics failed to call her before releasing their statement. One person close to Omar said she — one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress — had tried to contact several of the Democrats involved in drafting the statement before its release but was unable to reach them.”

— And Rep. RASHIDA TLAIB weighs in, too. “I am tired of colleagues (both D+R) demonizing @IlhanMN. Their obsession with policing her is sick. She has the courage to call out human rights abuses no matter who is responsible. That's better than colleagues who look away if it serves their politics.”

DONALDS FIRES BACK AT BLACK DEMOCRATS — “GOP Rep. Byron Donalds calls CBC silence on membership delay ‘off-putting,’” by Nick Niedzwiadek: “In an interview on CNN, [Rep. BYRON] DONALDS (R-Fla.) said his office has ‘not really heard much from the CBC’ in the months since he expressed interest in joining the group and that no one has communicated why he is being kept out.

“‘I have a perspective being a 42-year-old Black man who’s come up in America after a lot of the battles through the civil rights movement that I think would actually be helpful and a helpful perspective to the CBC,’ Donalds said. ‘Whether they want to take advantage of that is really up to them.’ … ‘If my positions and my support of President Trump is a problem for them, let them state that on the record,’ he said.”

AND DEM SENATORS ARE USED TO EVERYONE FIRING AT MANCHIN — “The Democratic Senators Hiding Behind Joe Manchin,” by The Daily Beast’s Sam Brodey: “[Sen. JOE] MANCHIN may find himself nationally relevant, and widely loathed on the left, for his willingness to buck mainstream positions within the Democratic Party. But over the years, Senate insiders have developed a view that on the toughest and thorniest issues, Manchin isn’t only speaking for himself; there’s usually a handful of senators who agree with him, quietly, and are happy to let him take the heat.

“Which senators are counted within this category changes based on the issue or vote at hand. The minimum wage vote provided a rare, clear look at how Manchin can be a tip of a Senate Democratic iceberg on a key issue. But exactly who’s aligned with him, even discreetly, on another consequential question — whether to end the legislative filibuster — is less clear.”

CROWDED PRIMARY — “Missouri GOP Rep. Vicky Hartzler launches Senate run,” Roll Call: “Republican Rep. VICKY HARTZLER launched a Senate run in Missouri on Thursday, becoming the first member of the state’s congressional delegation to jump into the race. She may not be the last. … Hartzler joins an already competitive primary to replace retiring GOP Sen. ROY BLUNT in a state that has shifted in Republicans’ favor in recent election cycles.”

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ECONOMY CHECK-IN …

— ON EMPLOYMENT: “U.S. unemployment claims fall to 376,000, sixth straight drop,” AP: “Jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 376,000 from 385,000 the week before, the Labor Department reported Thursday. … Nearly 3.5 million people were receiving traditional state unemployment benefits the week of May 29, down by 258,000 from 3.8 million the week before.”

— WHAT JANET YELLEN IS READING: “Prices jumped 5 percent in May, continuing inflationary climb. Policymakers say it’s temporary,” WaPo: “Prices rose by 5 percent in May compared with a year ago, the largest increase since the Great Recession, continuing a steady climb in inflation even as policymakers insist on staying the course.

“Price spikes often coincide with downturns, and officials from the White House and Federal Reserve have predicted that prices will climb over the coming months, especially compared to a year ago, when the economy was reeling from coronavirus pandemic shutdown. However, the move adds new fuel to the Republican criticism that the Biden administration is spending too much, which could lead to an overheated economy.”

— MEANWHILE, ON INFRASTRUCTURE: The RSM U.S. Middle Market Business Index has fresh data out today showing that nearly two-thirds of business executives “overwhelmingly agree that the state of the U.S. infrastructure is hampering economic growth nationally, locally and within their organizations.”

IMMIGRATION FILES — “‘They have to understand’: Cuellar urges Biden, Harris to visit southern border,” by Quint Forgey: “[Rep. HENRY] CUELLAR (D-Texas) — a centrist within his party who is outspoken on issues related to immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border — told MSNBC that Biden and Harris should ‘come in and, with all due respect, not do a staged visit.’

“Instead, they should ‘sit down’ with local law enforcement, elected officials and business leaders to better understand the influx of Central American migrants seeking to enter the U.S. through Mexico, Cuellar said.”

JAN. 6 FALLOUT — “U.S. Capitol Police officer gives firsthand account of Jan. 6 attack,” by PBS NewsHour: “Officer JAMES BLASSINGAME, a 17-year veteran of the Capitol Police who is involved in a civil lawsuit against former President Trump, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss his experiences when a violent mob stormed the Capitol. …

“I have been with the department 17 years. I have never been in a situation where I felt I had to use my weapon. That was a situation where I was pegging. I was like, OK, this is it. And the only reason why I didn't do it was because the mentality was, this is a four-alarm blaze. And if I pull my gun out and start shooting, I'm throwing kerosene on it. Maybe there's a chance I survive if I don't pull my weapon, but, if I do, I'm probably not going to make it out of here alive. You don't have enough bullets.”

POLICING IN AMERICA — “The push to remake policing takes decades, only to begin again,” by WaPo’s Robert Klemko and John Sullivan: “The Washington Post examined three historic firsts in policing reforms: the effort to stop racial profiling by troopers in New Jersey, the deployment of early-warning technology to identify troubled deputies in Los Angeles and the use of federal intervention to force change on police in Pittsburgh.

“The legacies of these firsts reveal the difficulty of remaking law enforcement. At each agency, the attempts have been stifled by entrenched cultures, systemic dysfunction, shifts in leadership and swings in public mood. Outrage at officers’ conduct eventually gives way to demands for aggressive enforcement when crime flares, and the cycle continues.”

SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel.

BIDEN CLIMATE DEEP DIVE — “Biden pitched a bold climate vision. He may be watching it die in Congress,” by Michael Grunwald: “Environmental groups hailed Biden’s first 100 days in office as a landmark for climate action … Now climate activists are worried that Biden will throw [his infrastructure proposal’s renewable energy] investments overboard to mollify Republicans and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the coal-friendly centrist Democrat whose vote can essentially decide what's allowed to pass in an evenly divided Senate.”

BEYOND THE BELTWAY — “Republicans rebel against a powerful anti-opioid tool,” by Dan Goldberg: “Recent efforts to shutter needle exchanges in Republican-led areas could indicate renewed GOP backlash to the controversial programs aimed at preventing outbreaks of HIV and hepatitis, public health experts are increasingly warning. … The pushback against needle exchanges, which allow people using drugs to receive clean syringes without fear of arrest, is happening at a perilous moment for the nation’s long-running drug epidemic. Overdose deaths over the past year have climbed to record levels, exacerbated by a pandemic that has pushed the drug crisis from the headlines.”

THE LATEST CULTURE WARS BATTLE — “As Military Addresses Diversity, Republicans See Culture War Target,” by NYT’s Jennifer Steinhauer: “Its active wars ending, its ranks both smaller and more diverse and its talent needs shifting, the Pentagon is embracing ideas like inclusion and adopting many of the efforts long used in the private sector to recruit and retain women and people of color.

“Yet while many inside and outside the military have embraced the effort as overdue, some Republican lawmakers and influential conservatives are mounting an inchoate but increasingly loud protest and promoting the idea that the armed forces are becoming the latest pawn in America’s culture wars. They have taken aim at a variety of initiatives, including a possible Pentagon plan to increase monitoring of social media posts from service members and the addition of reading recommendations on ‘white supremacy and systemic racism’ to military training guides.”

BOOK CLUB — “Huma Abedin, longtime Hillary Clinton aide, has book deal,” AP: “HUMA ABEDIN, the close aide to HILLARY CLINTON and estranged wife of disgraced former Rep. ANTHONY WEINER, has a memoir coming out this fall.

“Abedin’s ‘Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds’ will be released Nov. 2, Scribner told The Associated Press on Thursday. Abedin will tell ‘her inspiring story, coming of age as an American Muslim, the daughter of Indian and Pakistani scholars who split their time between Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the UK,’ according to the publisher.”

WHAT IS, FIRST IN PLAYBOOK? — Becky Parks, a longtime political operative and research director at Protect Our Care, will make her debut on “Jeopardy!” tonight. Parks — an Obama campaign, DNC, HUD and American Bridge alum — auditioned for the show last fall and flew to Los Angeles in March to tape with host Miyam Bialik. Friends will gather tonight for a watch party at Boundary Stone. Pic

TRANSITION — Amanda Kules is now deputy director of scheduling and advance at the Interior Department. She previously worked on the Biden Inaugural Committee and campaign in Nevada and Arizona and is a POLITICO alum.

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