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Presented by American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes : The power players, latest policy developments, and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing. | | | | |  | | By Jennifer Haberkorn, Eli Stokols, Lauren Egan and Ben Johansen | | | Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren JOE BIDEN is on the road? Chances are, it’s to Philadelphia. Again. Throughout his presidency, Biden keeps returning to Philly for White House and campaign events. He’s specifically visited the northern Philadelphia-area congressional district of Democratic Rep. BRENDAN BOYLE more than any other congressional district in the country, according to a tally kept in the congressman’s office. In fact, the president is in the Philadelphia area today for a campaign event, his second visit to the city so far this year. While Biden’s young days were spent more than two hours north in Scranton, the City of Brotherly Love provides an alluring mix of benefits: Philadelphia is the largest city in the largest swing state in the country. It’s where the president and first lady JILL BIDEN, a Philly native, feel so much at home that Joe Biden was once called Pennsylvania’s third senator. It’s convenient to the White House and even closer to his Wilmington, Delaware, home, frequently the final destination for the weekend after a Friday visit to PA. “Clearly, he knows Philadelphia is the best city in the country — that’s why he's coming. The best history, the best cuisine and the best sports fans,” boasted Boyle. “I'm glad the president recognizes this.” Philadelphians, known for the viciousness of their rabid sports fans, appear to love him back, overlooking the small detail that he is actually the former senator from Delaware. Trips to Philly take a little longer as he runs into people. Former Rep. BOB BRADY often shows up at the airport to greet Biden, even dressing down in a Phillies jersey during the team’s playoff run last year. “He comes to us all the time,” said RYAN BOYER, business manager for the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council, as he introduced the president at an economics event in October. “There is really no alternative. It’s either Joe Biden or we go to hell in a handbasket.” During that event last fall, Biden ate up the local love. “It’s good to be almost home,” the president said, pointing out Philly’s location between Scranton and Wilmington. “I’m a big Pennsylvania guy.” Biden’s comfort zone has always been along the Eastern seaboard. Though he’ll be traveling further afield soon — this weekend and through next week, he’ll hit up Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Michigan — he won’t be stepping foot west of the Mississippi. The campaign says he will visit every battleground state this month, so presumably Arizona will get a trip. But among the locations that are central to his political future and personal identity, Philadelphia stands out. In fact, Biden’s Philly fandom extends to his staff. BROOKE GOREN, deputy communication director of the campaign, grew up in Media, Pennsylvania — an oddly appropriate birthplace for a flack — and attended the middle school where Biden spoke today. A large portion of Pennsylvania voters live in the Philadelphia media market. The city’s Revolution-era ties provide a subtle — or obvious — link to the campaign’s theme of defending democracy. Biden stood before Independence Hall to give his “Battle for the Soul of the Nation” speech in 2022 but also swung to Pennsylvania’s Valley Forge earlier this year to mark the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. “The president loves the chance to return home to Pennsylvania, the place where he was born and imbued with middle class values and understanding that a job is more than a paycheck,” said White House spokesperson OLIVIA DALTON. In 2023, Biden was in the Philadelphia area nearly once a month for a combination of official events — such as to release his budget, talk about Bidenomics (RIP) and view the I-95 bridge reconstruction — and family gatherings, such as his granddaughter’s college graduation and dinner with his sister. For the Keystone state and its biggest metropolis, there are great benefits. But also challenges for its residents and elected officials too, such as Friday afternoon presidential traffic jams, last-minute notifications and venue or time changes. “When the president invites you, you typically have to drop everything you’re doing and go and stand next to him because he’s the president,” said an aide to one of those officials, adding that the president is often talking about things that benefit all Democrats in the state. “Even if [the logistics are] a mild annoyance, we’re all on the same team and have the same goals.” MESSAGE US — Are you KATIE REILLY, adviser to the chief of staff? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | | | Which president and first lady had a dog named ROB ROY? (Answer at bottom.)
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President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on Thursday. | AP/Shawn Thew | | | THIS HAS TO BE BIDEN’S BEST DAY IN MONTHS: Following a well-received State of the Union address — a “muscular campaign kickoff” our JONATHAN LEMIRE writes — President Biden woke up Friday to another strong monthly jobs report. In February, the U.S. economy added 275,000 new jobs and unemployment stayed below 4 percent. In a statement, Biden pointed to the numbers as further proof of the economic case he delivered Thursday night. “Three years ago, I inherited an economy on the brink. Now, our economy is the envy of the world,” he said. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: Pretty much everything. Last night went incredibly well for Biden. How well? Administration officials are even sharing a news analysis from their bête noire, The New York Times (written by PETER BAKER) headlined, “In-Your-Face Biden Takes on Trump and His Own Doubters.” Deputy press secretary ANDREW BATES also tweeted multiple morning newsletters and headlines from local papers across the country. IAN SAMS, White House spokesman for oversight and investigations, re-posted CNN’s poll of SOTU watchers that showed 64 percent having a positive reaction to Biden’s speech. And White House communications director BEN LABOLT was one of several aides to repost Sen. BRIAN SCHATZ’s summary of Biden “owning the chamber.” WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO WATCH: MSNBC’s JOE SCARBOROUGH calling last night’s SOTU “the best speech of his presidency by far” and asserting that Biden, underestimated because of his age, “gave a lot more than he got and made these Republicans look like fools.” LaBolt reposted that clip. He also posted one of former Trump adviser STEVEN MOORE on Fox Business Friday morning validating Biden’s argument on the economy: "It is true that the United States today has the strongest economy,” Moore said. “There is no question about it." WE SPY AN SNL COLD OPEN: The Republican response to the State of the Union, led by Alabama Sen. KATIE BRITT had some… ermmm… mixed reviews. “Everyone’s fucking losing it,” a GOP strategist told the Daily Beast. “It’s one of our biggest disasters ever.” Former RNC chair MICHAEL STEELE said: “Well, that Katie Britt experience was… experiential.” WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: OK, like we said, it’s been a pretty great 24 hours for the Biden team. But maybe this will turn their smiles upside down. TNT Sports’ CHRIS HAYNES reports that the 2023 NBA Champs Denver Nuggets will skip their scheduled March 18 visit to the White House, and instead focus on their high stakes matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves the next night. Currently, the Nuggets and T-wolves are jockeying for the top seed in the Western Conference. And honestly, if there was an NBA star who would be fine missing the White House visit, it would be NIKOLA JOKIĆ. He’d rather be with his horses.
| | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes: President Biden: American chemistry is the backbone of innovation. It's time to address the regulatory overload stifling American chemistry. Chemistry powers our semiconductors, medical devices, and clean energy initiatives. But your administration’s avalanche of regulations is hampering America’s progress and competitiveness. American chemistry is more than an industry; it's our future. The Biden Administration must commit to smarter, growth-oriented regulations before it’s too late - because when chemistry is enabled to create, America competes. | | | | | PEDAL TO THE METAL: The Biden campaign is unleashing a barrage of ads following the president’s potent State of the Union address, our ELENA SCHNEIDER reports. On Friday, senior Biden campaign officials rolled out a six-week, $30 million ad buy and new travel spots designed to hammer on the aggressive approach Biden has adopted as his matchup with DONALD TRUMP gears up. In what the campaign has dubbed a “Month of Action,” the president, Vice President KAMALA HARRIS, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman DOUG EMHOFF will take trips to every battleground state in the month of March. The TV and digital ad buy will draw out a “full-throated” contrast between Biden’s vision for the nation, and Trump’s “dark, dangerous and chaotic” one. The ads will also target battleground states, as well as Black and Latino-focused outlets and channels. NO STOPPING: The centrist political organization No Labels voted on Friday to move ahead with its presidential ticket, despite not having a candidate, our SHIA KAPOS and DANIEL LIPPMAN report. It’s a potential turning point in the 2024 race, as Democrats worry a No Labels challenge could derail the president’s campaign and put Donald Trump back in the White House.
| | PERSONNEL MOVES: ERNIE TEDESCHI shared in a post on X that Friday was his last day as chief economist on the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers. In his goodbye, he shared a picture of the view from his office, writing, “I will miss this beautiful view from my office. But more so, I will miss working with so many dedicated and brilliant people.” And yes, it's quite the view.
|  | | | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes:   | | | | | MR. PRESIDENT, SIR, YOUR MICROPHONE IS STILL ON: As President Biden chatted with lawmakers following his speech Thursday night, he was overheard talking with Sen. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.) and Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN about Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “I told him, Bibi — don’t repeat this — I said, ‘You and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ moment,’” Biden said, before being told by aide JACOB SPREYER that he was wearing a hot mic. “I’m on a hot mic,” the president replied. “That’s good.” When asked about the moment Friday morning, Vice President Harris told ABC’s MARY BRUCE that Biden “meant what he said” and that he has been “candid” and “unfiltered” in voicing his concerns. But Biden was more coy when reporters asked him about it before boarding Air Force One on Friday afternoon. “I didn’t say that in the speech,” he said. Told he said it after the speech, he replied: “You guys eavesdropped on me.” LENDING A HAND: Department of Energy Secretary JENNIFER GRANHOLM on Friday was in Colorado, where she announced more than $425 million in funding for clean energy manufacturing and emission reduction in coal communities across the country, our KELSEY TAMBORRINO reports for Pro s. It’s a move by the Biden administration to strengthen supply chains, as well assist coal communities impacted by the transition away from fossil fuels.
| | That one last phone call Joe Biden always needs to make (WaPo’s Tyler Pager) So Much For “Sleepy Joe”: On Biden’s Rowdy, Shouty State of the Union (The New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser) Biden Silences the Doubters (The Atlantic’s Jennifer Senior)
| | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes: President Biden, America’s priorities depend on chemistry
America’s chemical industry is the foundation of semiconductors, medical devices, infrastructure, defense, clean energy and more. But there's a looming threat – ballooning regulatory overload.
Over the past two decades, regulations on chemical manufacturing have doubled. This isn't just numbers, it's a reality that hampers policies like the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the Chips and Science Act.
The Biden Administration’s current approach is a direct hit to America's innovation and global standing. We need to wake up to the reality that over-regulation stifles growth and production. It's time for the Biden Administration to adopt smarter, growth-oriented regulations.
Join us in urging the Biden Administration to stop undercutting national priorities and American competitiveness. American chemistry isn't just an industry -- it's our future. When Chemistry Creates, America Competes. | | | | | President CALVIN COOLIDGE and first lady GRACE COOLIDGE’s closest companion at the White House was a white collie named Rob Roy, who was immortalized in HOWARD CHANDLER CHRISTY’s official 1924 White House portrait of the first lady, according to the White House Historical Association. Thanks to the White House Historical Association for this question! A CALL OUT! Do you think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best one about the presidents, with a citation or sourcing, and we may feature it! Edited by Eun Kyung Kim and Sam Stein.
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