Can a hot yoga enthusiast fix politics?

Aug 01, 2023

By Sam Stein, Eli Stokols, Lauren Egan and Lawrence Ukenye

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Former congressman and Senate candidate TIM RYAN is launching a new group with a lofty goal: bring exhausted Americans back into the political process by showing them that civic engagement not only works but can be fun.

To us jaded West Wing Playbook types, this seemed like pie in the sky stuff. And so, we called the Ohio Democrat to discuss the creation of “We the People,” and why the past two Democratic presidents — BARACK OBAMA and JOE BIDEN — weren’t able to produce the type of inspiration and drama-less governance that Ryan is seeking.

The interview has been edited for length.

What makes you think people are checked out of politics and why would they wanna check back in?

You see it in the lack of participation. You see it in the voting registration. There is a general sense that people don’t want to be a part of the toxic political conversation that’s happening.

We had a record number of voters in the 2020 elections.

There was a lot of fear around both sides. What we want to do with We the People is give people an opportunity to participate in building the civic institutions and getting back and engaged in their communities, where you can actually meet somebody and the first thing you’re talking about isn’t if you’re a red shirt or a blue shirt.

Biden ran as someone who was going to bring normalcy and less drama back to politics. Do you think he’s done that?

Uh, no. Some stability, I think, given the fact that the anti-democratic forces, if they were in power, it would be frightening to think of where we would be. But I don't think the dialogue has changed a whole lot. Look, it’s an impossible job. So we’re not necessarily being critical. We’re saying the way to heal is not from Washington D.C. The way to heal the country is by getting citizens to be inspired, to participate and work on things together.

Barack Obama was inspirational. Where did he come up short?

I think one of the issues was that the organization created through President Obama was for his campaign and then his reelection. We spend billions of dollars on elections. And then all of these volunteers, all of the organization and digital content, washes away like a sand castle on the beach. What we’re saying is there is space to keep people engaged.

Do you support Biden’s reelection?

Sure, I mean absolutely. I mean, if it looks like it’s going to be what it is, which is a pro-democracy candidate against an anti-democracy candidate, there is not even a question there.

So how does this new group work in practice?

One of the things we want to do is highlight some of the really cool stuff going on in the country. There are a lot of innovative solutions out there to solve some intractable problems. But one of the biggest things preventing these solutions from emerging is the hate machine that is primarily led by the MAGA movement. And so we will be taking on the hate and fear and anger coming from them.

When you say ‘taking on,’ what do you mean?

A lot of ads. But we’re gonna do a lot of cool projects, too. We’ve got a lot of entertainers interested. We want to do concerts and partner with different organizations doing cool stuff in the country. It will be the most fun political organization in the country.

That’s a low bar.

It’s a very low bar.

You’ve stressed that this is different than No Labels.

Yeah. This isn’t a third party operation. This is an issue advocacy group.

Have you been approached by No Labels?

I have not.

Do you feel sad about that?

Well, I was in Congress for 20 years. I have an ego like everyone else. But no, I don’t have any real interest in getting back into it.

Do you miss Congress at all?

I do not.

Still doing yoga and meditation?

Dude. I'm on fire with my yoga practice. Ten out of the last 11 days I’ve done hot yoga practice.

Have you ever thought about opening a studio?

Maybe one day, yeah.

Had you not gone down this route, you could have gone down the hot yoga studio route. The path not taken.

Yeah. Well if you see a hot yoga studio pop up with the name We The People, you’ll know it’s me.

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POTUS PUZZLER

Name the two presidents who became presidents of Ivy League universities before they served in the Oval Office?

(Answer at bottom.)

The Oval

BREAKING NOW: Federal prosecutors have charged DONALD TRUMP with various crimes for his brazen efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

HARRIS TO DESANTIS: GTFO: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS didn’t say his name but, nonetheless, delivered a pointed response to Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS, who had challenged her to a debate on Black history standards. During a speech Tuesday in Orlando, Harris said there was nothing to debate. She also continued to criticize the governor’s new education standards that prohibit an AP course for high schoolers on Black history and revise the state’s curriculum to bypass lessons on slavery and the civil rights movement. “I'm here in Florida and I will tell you there is no roundtable, no lecture, no invitation we will accept to debate an undeniable fact: there were no redeeming qualities of slavery,” Harris said. Our ANDREW ZHANG has more.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE: The decision to keep Space Command in Colorado came after Biden settled a debate that had divided key Pentagon leaders, our LARA SELIGMAN reports. Gen. JAMES DICKINSON, Space Command’s four-star chief, recommended keeping HQ at Colorado’s Peterson Air Force Base, but Air Force Secretary FRANK KENDALL wanted to move the facility to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., as ordered during the Trump administration.

Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN let Biden make the final call, Seligman reports, and White House officials say partisan politics had nothing to do with the decision — which has infuriated Alabama lawmakers and touched off a round of accusations that Biden was seeking retribution on his predecessor.

GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS FIRST?: Despite being on shaky footing a year ago, Biden has since shored up support from Democrats, even though a majority still prefer if he weren’t the party’s 2024 nominee, the New York Times’ REID J. EPSTEIN, RUTH IGIELNIK and CAMILLE BAKER report. "To borrow an old political cliché, the poll shows that Mr. Biden’s support among Democrats is a mile wide and an inch deep,” the trio writes.

Yet, the story wasn’t all rosy: It noted that Biden would be in a dead heat with Donald Trumpa in a hypothetical 2024 rematch. According to a NYT/Siena College poll, the president and his predecessor are tied at 43 percent apiece.

HEALTHY SKEPTICISM: Biden is approaching artificial intelligence optimistically, yet cautiously. The Wall Street Journal’s SABRINA SIDDIQUI reports that the administration is preparing an executive order on AI to protect workers and consumers, but a broader bill with additional regulations seems unlikely given the proximity of next year’s presidential election. Biden met with several leading AI tech companies in July to secure voluntary commitments ensuring new technology is safe, but “without any penalties for falling short, the commitments don’t challenge the AI companies involved to go beyond the safety practices they have already implemented or promised,” Siddiqui writes.

TEA WITH FLOTUS: First lady JILL BIDEN discussed her family, how she stays active and her passion for cooking with LIZ PLOSSER in a Women’s Health feature. Plosser shared glasses of iced tea with the first lady on the White House south lawn, and left with a bouquet of flowers, as she got insight on how Biden — an avid cyclist — navigates a busy schedule in Washington. “I need to be with myself and find inner strength so I can be strong for everyone else,” Biden said. The first lady’s communications director ELIZABETH ALEXANDER tweeted the article.

WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This piece by Bloomberg’s EDDIE SPENCE and KAILEY LEINZ featuring the CEO of US Steel, DAVID BURRITT, calling the current manufacturing boom “the most amazing thing we’ve seen in the United States for a very long time.” Burritt also reframed the Inflation Reduction Act as the “Manufacturing Renaissance Act.” JESSE LEE, a communications adviser for the national economic council, tweeted the piece along with an emphatic declaration: “That’s Bidenomics.”

WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by the Washington Post’s NICK MIROFF and MARIA SACCHETTI about illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border rising by 30 percent in July. Unlawful entries had declined substantially in June, when the Biden administration ended the pandemic policy known as Title 42 that allowed authorities to expel border crossers. But U.S. agents made more than 130,000 border-related arrests in July, up from 99,545 a month earlier, according to preliminary figures obtained by The Post. The figures come as Biden's immigration enforcement strategy, a constant target of Republicans, faces multiple legal challenges.

WHAT WE HATH WROUGHT: The public swooning over photos of Biden shirtless isn’t the first time presidents have been caught enjoying their summer time off. From BARACK OBAMA to as far back as FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT, photographers have provided the country with a glimpse of how the nation’s leaders unwind. Our JOHN SAKELLARIADIS’ story has shirtless pictures of presidents having fun in the sun. Because: clicks.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE GOLDEN STATE: Our most loyal West Wing Playbook readers might be keeping an eye on what Gavin Newsom is up to and the latest happenings inside the political arena of the world’s fourth largest economy. A quick tip: You need to add California Playbook to your daily reading. We have a new team at the helm who are eager to take you behind the scenes in California’s power centers, from Sacramento and Los Angeles to Silicon Valley and beyond. Get exclusive news, buzzy scoops and behind-the-scenes details of the latest from the Golden State, sent straight to your inbox. SUBSCRIBE NOW.

THE BUREAUCRATS

PERSONNEL MOVES: RICK WATERS, the State Department’s former top China policy official, has joined Eurasia Group, the consulting firm said Tuesday. Waters, whose 27 years as a diplomat included several stints in Beijing, left the administration in June and will be based in Washington.

IF YOU HADN’T NOTICED…: DANIEL LIPPMAN is on his honeymoon (although there’s a good chance he’s still reading this newsletter). So send in your own job news, please! (We’ll handle the formatting, but if you want to capitalize and bold your own name, go on ahead).

A message from American Clean Power Association (ACP):

Agenda Setting

OK FINE, WE’LL STOP: The Energy Department is dialing back some of its efficiency requirements for gas stoves amid growing pressure from Republicans and industry groups, our ALEX GUILLÉN reports for Pro subscribers. Data from utility companies led the department to revise its assessment of consumer needs and propose less stringent restrictions on gas stoves. The new requirements are set to be released on Wednesday.

House Republicans have repeatedly slammed the department’s regulations on gas stoves, leading to their passage of bills aimed at curbing the new rules.

LOOMING CONSEQUENCES: Some fear the country’s opioid epidemic could worsen due to expiring Medicaid protections that cover addiction treatment. Opioid use disorder patients are disproportionately covered by Medicaid. While the administration’s National Institute on Drug Abuse is set to assess the implications of upcoming changes to Medicaid, some state-run programs are trying to help residents with lapsed coverage in the meantime. Our DANIEL PAYNE and MEGAN MESSERLY have the details for Pro subscribers.

What We're Reading

Can the Race Really Be That Close? Yes, Biden and Trump Are Tied. (NYT's Nate Cohn)

No Labels to GOP donors: We are your anti-Trump alternative (POLITICO's Shia Kapos)

Another GOP ‘bombshell’ fails to detonate (WaPo’s Philip Bump)

HITTING YOUR INBOX AUGUST 14—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. Cut through the jargon and get the latest developments in California as lawmakers and industry leaders adapt to the changing climate. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes.

The Oppo Book

White House senior advisor GENE SPERLING met his wife ALLISON ABNER in Los Angeles while she was writing for the political TV drama, "The West Wing," according to the Washingtonian. Sperling, who previously served as an economic adviser to President BILL CLINTON, met Abner while serving as a consultant for the show.

POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER

Presidents WOODROW WILSON and DWIGHT EISENHOWER. Wilson served as president of Princeton University from 1902-1910 and Eisenhower led Columbia University from 1948-1953.

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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The American Clean Power Association (ACP) has proposed a consensus framework by which hydrogen production should be defined as “green” based on three pillars: time-matching, additionality, and regionality.

This compromise framework offers a roadmap for effectively balancing the dual priorities of supporting early-market development of green hydrogen with maintaining a rigorous and robust standard for ensuring clean production.

Accelerating green hydrogen production through the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean hydrogen tax credits can create tens of thousands of new domestic jobs and can help propel decarbonization across the economy — an estimated 90-million-ton reduction in carbon emissions each year by 2030.

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