| | | | |  | | By Bethany Irvine and Eli Okun | | | JUST POSTED — “Feinstein Suffered More Complications From Illness Than Were Publicly Disclosed,” by NYT’s Annie Karni and Carl Hulse: “The shingles spread to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments and facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The virus also brought on a previously unreported case of encephalitis. … People close to her joke privately that perhaps when [Sen. DIANNE] FEINSTEIN is dead, she will start to consider resigning.” HAPPENING NOW — POLITICO is hosting our first-ever Energy Summit, with panelists including Energy Secretary JENNIFER GRANHOLM, Sen. ED MARKEY (D-Mass.) and Deputy USTR JAYME WHITE. Watch live … Full schedule
| 
As negotiations drag on inside the Capitol, congressional leaders have signaled this morning that members may be inching closer to a solution to a looming federal default. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | DEBT LIMIT VIBE CHECK — As negotiations drag on inside the Capitol, congressional leaders have signaled this morning that members may be inching closer to a solution to a looming federal default.. Things are going well enough, anyway, that Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER announced the chamber would proceed with a planned recess set to start this afternoon and end after Memorial Day, Burgess Everett reports. Schumer told reporters “we’re closer to our responsibility to preserve the full faith and credit of the United States” but warned senators to be ready to return on 24 hours’ notice for a debt ceiling vote. Speaker KEVIN McCARTHY, meanwhile, said he “can see the path that we can come to an agreement,” Olivia Beavers reports. But not everything is sunshine and rainbows … Squeezed on the left: Some Senate Democrats who are wary of the talks are circulating a letter “urgently” calling on Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment to force a deal. Led by Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) and TINA SMITH (D-Minn.), the letter includes signatures from nine other senators. Squeezed on the right: House conservatives are mounting a new effort to get the GOP’s border security legislation added into a debt limit vote, NBC’s Katherine Doyle, Scott Wong and Sahil Kapur report. The last-minute Republican Study Committee push could be a new obstacle in the path to a deal — though notably, Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) said it’s not a red line for her. G-7 UPDATE — With President JOE BIDEN now in Japan for the G-7 summit, a proposal from the U.S. imposing complete export sanctions on Russia could test the unity of the seven powerful democracies, Eli Stokols and Lauren Egan report from Hiroshima. While the G-7 has already slashed exports to Russia by nearly half, almost all of what remains is coming from Europe and Japan, “whose leaders have already suggested that a complete ban on remaining exports ‘may not be realistic.’” Also on the agenda is China’s “growing assertiveness,” NYT’s Nicole Hong reports, as Chinese President XI JINPING hosts a high-profile international confab of his own. The inaugural China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an includes leaders of five countries China sees as part of its sphere of influence as it seeks “to counter what it sees as a U.S.-dominated world order” arrayed against it. Consolation prize: After canceling his planned visit to Papua New Guinea, Biden has invited the nation’s prime minister, JAMES MARAPE, to Washington later this year for a summit with Pacific Island nations, the White House said in a statement. Calling from Air Force One, the president “emphasized continued U.S. commitment to the renewed partnership with the Pacific Islands.” NOMINATION WOES — While the president is abroad in Japan, his nominee for the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, MICHAEL DELANEY, is facing trouble at home. Delaney does not have the votes for a Senate confirmation, NBC’s Frank Thorp scoops, and the “expectation on Capitol Hill is that his nomination will soon be withdrawn.” More from Burgess SCOTUS WATCH — In a victory for Silicon Valley, the Supreme Court has ruled in two closely watched cases that would hold social media websites responsible for terrorist-related content on their platforms. In Twitter v. Taamneh, the high court ruled unanimously that the platform was not liable after facing accusations it “aided and abetted ISIS” by hosting tweets from the terrorist organization. The high court also dismissed a similar claim filed against Google but opted to forgo an opportunity to expand existing legal immunity safeguards for media platforms. More From Josh Gerstein and Rebecca Kern Good Thursday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop us a line at birvine@politico.com and eokun@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Instagram: Explore 30+ tools for parents and teens on Instagram.
Once Family Center supervision tools are set up, teens can send a notification to their parents whenever they report another account on Instagram, helping teens ask for support when they need it.
Explore 30+ tools. | | | 2024 WATCH DECODING DeSANTIS — While Washington awaits a formal presidential campaign announcement from Florida Gov. RON DeSANTIS, things are still going his way back home, Time’s Molly Ball writes in a big-swing feature. The view from the Sunshine State: “In Tallahassee these days, what the governor wants, the governor gets. It is DeSantis who welcomed this fight, DeSantis who calls the shots, and DeSantis who will reap the credit—or blame—for his latest move in a frenzy of right-wing policymaking. … Out of a combination of fear and mutual interest, legislators have put aside their own pet projects to do DeSantis’ bidding, passing bills to shield his travel records from the public and allow him to run for President without resigning the governorship.” DeSantis’ shining legislative record in his home state will undoubtedly come into play as he works to win over conservatives in a probable presidential run. As he readies a campaign, DeSantis is running even further to the right on issues like immigration and abortion than DONALD TRUMP, CNN’s Steve Contorno and Kristen Holmes write. “The move to outflank Trump comes as the former president is fighting to both maintain his grasp on the conservative voters whose support he once easily commanded as well as broaden his appeal to voters outside of his base.” … Meanwhile, DeSantis’ campaign is readying for a hard-hitting campaign in Iowa, The Messenger’s Marc Caputo reports, noting his main super PAC “already has an operating budget of about $100 million and is embarking on a hiring binge in the first 19 states … that includes an Iowa carveout of about $10 million for field operations and up to 80 full and part-time staff.” HE’S RUNNING? PART I — North Dakota Gov. DOUG BURGUM is taking new steps toward a presidential campaign, bringing political consultants on board and getting close to a decision in the next couple of weeks, CBS’ Fin Gómez scoops. His campaign would be a long shot, but he’s extraordinarily wealthy, and he’s planning to emphasize energy and economic issues. Burgum is also already shooting TV ads, Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser scoops. HE’S RUNNING? PART II — Virginia Gov. GLENN YOUNGKIN has sent some mixed signals about whether he’ll jump into the presidential race this cycle. But a new video he put out this morning sure looks a lot like a presidential spot. Youngkin lobs soaring, RONALD REAGAN-inflected oratory and imagery. “It’s our turn,” he says. “A time to choose life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness over oppression and dictatorial rule.” HE’S RUNNING? PART III — ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI said he’ll back CHRIS CHRISTIE for president if the former New Jersey governor runs — and notably, Scaramucci thinks billionaire STEVE COHEN will get behind Christie, too, Semafor’s Bradley Saacks scoops. APPLYING PRESSURE — Anti-abortion advocates are pushing hard for GOP presidential contenders to support a national ban — and they’re seeing some results, WaPo’s Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey report. After movement leaders went to Mar-a-Lago to pressure Trump, “he repeated almost word for word what they had discussed in his office” at the CNN town hall just two days afterward. THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN GROWS UP — “Could Donald Trump run a good campaign?” by Semafor’s Shelby Talcott: “Trump’s feuding crew of family members and political amateurs have been replaced by veterans of GOP politics dating back to the GEORGE W. BUSH years. … [F]or now, a chastened Trump — at least as far as campaign operations are concerned — is listening to their advice.” VIVEKMENTUM — MICHAEL BIUNDO and his firm, Ascent Strategic, are getting on board the American Exceptionalism PAC backing VIVEK RAMASWAMY, Adam Wren reports. A Trump 2016 alum and New Hampshire GOP veteran, Biundo had also been considering MIKE PENCE and DeSantis.
| | | | 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. | | | | | CONGRESS FEELING THE BERN — WaPo’s Kara Voght is up with a fun look at Sen. Bernie Sanders’ newfound joy in publicly grilling CEOs. Historically gruff, the Vermont independent has “accrued enough political capital, over the course of two formidable presidential runs, to spend the twilight of his Senate career living out a very Bernie sort of fantasy: As chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), he gets to drag his corporate nemeses to Washington to be pilloried for their alleged sins against the working class.” POLICY CORNER WHAT JOE MANCHIN IS READING — “The U.S. ‘Fast-Tracked’ a Power Project. After 17 Years, It Just Got Approved,” by WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller and Andrew Restuccia: “That 17-year process underscores why some in Washington say there is a pressing need for an overhaul of the country’s rules for approving infrastructure projects. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management gave the green light on Thursday for a high-voltage power line.” WHO NEEDS LIS SMITH ANYWAY? — “Pete Buttigieg Loves God, Beer, and His Electric Mustang,” by Wired’s Virginia Heffernan: “As Secretary [PETE] BUTTIGIEG and I talked in his underfurnished corner office one afternoon in early spring, I slowly became aware that his cabinet job requires only a modest portion of his cognitive powers. Other mental facilities, no kidding, are apportioned to the Iliad, Puritan historiography, and Knausgaard’s Spring—though not in the original Norwegian (slacker). Fortunately, he was willing to devote yet another apse in his cathedral mind to making his ideas about three mighty themes—neoliberalism, masculinity, and Christianity—intelligible to me.”
| | | | A message from Instagram:   | | |
BEYOND THE BELTWAY
LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE — “Tech lobbyists score wins in state kids’ safety laws,” by Rebecca Kern: “Big Tech firms are fighting a state-by-state battle to protect themselves from the new rules — and landing some wins. A POLITICO review found multiple loopholes carved out of the laws in response to tech industry lobbying in state capitals.” Arkansas exempted YouTube. Utah is considering a rewrite. And California protected companies from lawsuits over addictive design. PHILLY FILES — Philadelphia Democratic mayoral nominee CHERELLE PARKER wants hundreds of police officers to walk their beats and get to know residents. It’s a strategy that “offers a fresh case study for Democrats as they wrestle with how to approach the issue of violent crime, which increased in many U.S. cities during the pandemic and continues to be top of mind for voters across the country,” AP’s Sara Burnett and Brooke Schultz report. JUDICIARY SQUARE RECENT HISTORY — Digging into the newly opened personal archives of the late Justice JOHN PAUL STEVENS, CNN’s Joan Biskupic has a fascinating look at his dissent in a 2000 case over the Boy Scouts’ treatment of gay people. Stevens was convinced by fellow liberal justices to soften his language by removing comparisons to Nazis and Dred Scott, and the memos between justices offer an eye-opening look into how negotiations work on the high court. “As the Supreme Court’s attitude toward gay rights has evolved in recent decades, dissenting justices have often divided in their level of moral outrage and how to express it publicly.”
| | | | 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 — “Charlie Stenholm, Democratic architect of farm policy, dies at 84,” by Agri-Pulse’s Jim Webster: “Former Rep. Charles W. Stenholm, a conservative Texas Democrat who was a leading architect of agricultural policy in the late 20th century, died suddenly Wednesday … [He] was also a leading advocate of a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget.” IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS — After Andrew Yang wrote a piece for POLITICO Magazine earlier this week offering advice to GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, our Daniel Lippman asked Ramaswamy if he’d gleaned anything useful from the tips. He said his parents had sent him the piece and that he’d forwarded it to his team. Lean into memes? “Good advice,” Ramaswamy said. Prepare more for the debates and stay positive? Sure thing. But he said he would stop short of advocating for universal basic income, as Yang counseled. More broadly, Ramaswamy praised Yang as an “independent thinker” and “cheerful spirit” but expressed some discomfort with the comparisons some have made between the two of them: “I don’t think people would be asking that question if he and I weren’t second-generation Asian Americans,” he said. “I’m not running here to make a point. I’m running on a vision to actually win and govern for the next eight years afterwards.” SPOTTED separately at the Capital Grille last night: Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) … Jeff Miller … Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) as a special guest at a fundraising dinner for Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at the portrait unveiling yesterday for former Speaker Paul Ryan in the Capitol: Janna Ryan, Liza Ryan, Charlie Ryan, Sam Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Elaine Chao, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Ann Romney, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), John Boehner, Newt Gingrich, Roy and Abby Blunt, John and April Delaney, Ken Kies, Brenda Becker, Josh Bolten, Laura Cox Kaplan and Joel Kaplan, Jean-Marie and Raul Fernandez, UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, Gloria Dittus, David Hobbs and Dan Meyer. — SPOTTED at a reception for the Senate Press Secretaries Association hosted by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation on their offices’ rooftop: Don Stewart, Brian Weiss, Tonya Parish, Ryan Martin, Scott Sloofman, Tom Brandt, Mike Inacay, Natalie Yezbick, Tricia Cauley, Colin Kuhlkin-Hornsby, Ty Bofferding, Melissa Miller, Astrid Ruggeri, Izzy Santa, Michael Lowder, Hilary Cain, Jennica Sims, Michael Watson, Mike Hernandez and Kim Hutchinson. — SPOTTED last night at a private reception and advance screening of the upcoming limited Showtime series “Ghosts of Beirut” at E Street Cinema: Peter Bergen, Joëlle Touma, Greg Barker, Hanin Ghaddar, Josh Meyer, Paul Butler, Dana Daoud, Barbara Leaf, Rachel Oswald, Jeff Stein and Laura Hannah. WHITE HOUSE ARRIVAL LOUNGE — Alexandrine De Bianchi is now director of legislative affairs for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She most recently was a senior policy adviser for Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). MEDIA MOVE — Karl Evers-Hillstrom is now a legislative analyst at Bloomberg Government. He previously was a reporter covering business and lobbying at The Hill. TRANSITIONS — Haley Brown will be senior manager of political affairs and advocacy at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. She previously was government affairs specialist at the American College of Radiology. … John Brennan is now general manager for public sector at Scale. He previously was managing director of product commercialization at Phillips 66. … Michael McKenna is joining the Heritage Foundation as a visiting fellow. He is president of MWR Strategies, a contributing editor at The Washington Times and a Trump White House alum. 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.
| | | | Sponsored Survey WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Please take a 1-minute survey about one of our advertising partners. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
