| | | | |  | | By Eugene Daniels, Rachael Bade and Ryan Lizza | | | With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | JUST POSTED — “Trump’s Allies Want a New Style of Lawyer if He Returns to Power,” by NYT’s Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman: “Close allies of DONALD J. TRUMP are preparing to populate a new administration with a more aggressive breed of right-wing lawyer, dispensing with traditional conservatives who they believe stymied his agenda in his first term. … “[I]n a striking shift, Trump allies are building new recruiting pipelines separate from the Federalist Society. … ‘The Federalist Society doesn’t know what time it is,’ said RUSSELL T. VOUGHT, a former senior Trump administration official who runs a think tank with close ties to the former president. … They want lawyers in federal agencies and in the White House who are willing to use theories that more establishment lawyers would reject to advance his cause.”
|  President Joe Biden's trip to Minnesota can also be seen as an attempt to assert dominance over Rep. Dean Phillips. | Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images | MEAN FOR DEAN — The Democratic presidential primary race, such as it is, kicks off in earnest today: President JOE BIDEN is making his first official trip since Rep. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-Minn.) threw his hat in the ring, heading to a family farm in Phillips’ home state to tout the administration’s work in rural America before hitting up a Minneapolis fundraiser and heading home. The trip is meant to help Democrats grow their margins in parts of the country where Republicans have dominated over the past decade, our Elena Schneider and Garrett Downs write this morning. But it can also be seen as an attempt to assert dominance over an insurgent who has spent his first few days as a candidate showcasing the incumbent’s weaknesses. Meanwhile, Biden’s allies are now trying to pounce on Phillips’ own weaknesses — starting with his diversity problem. Speaking to Fox News reporter Paul Steinhauser, Phillips slapped back yesterday at Rep. JIM CLYBURN (D-S.C.) for suggesting that he was disrespecting the party’s base of Black voters by focusing his campaign on New Hampshire. Phillips told Steinhauser that Clyburn “knows better” and accused him of divisive rhetoric — prompting a pile-on from the likes of STEVEN HORSFORD, BAKARI SELLERS and STEPHANIE CUTTER. Former Alabama Sen. DOUG JONES (D-Ala.) shared a particularly spicy clap-back with Playbook this morning: "With all due respect to the misguided gentleman from Minnesota, there is likely no one in the Democratic Party — or the country for that matter — who ‘knows better’ about Black voters and their fundamental role they play in our democratic process than Jim Clyburn,” Jones said. “What a deeply insulting, and frankly wildly off-base, thing to say — but I guess that’s the advice you get when you have a Republican running your campaign,” he continued. “The reality is [Phillips’] bizarre effort running for president in the only state without delegates and with virtually zero support appears to be floundering less than a week after its launch — and throwing insults at one of the most revered and accomplished members of our party certainly isn’t going to revive it." HARRIS VS. THE ROBOTS — Vice President KAMALA HARRIS is in London this morning ahead of the kickoff of the big Global AI Safety Summit that British PM RISHI SUNAK is hosting over the next two days. Harris will deliver a major speech later today that’s expected to connect the new White House executive order on artificial intelligence with the global effort Sunak is trying to bootstrap in Bletchley Park this week. In short, she’s pitching the U.S. approach as a blueprint for protecting human, civil, labor and consumer rights without stifling innovation. In a scoop-laden preview of the big event, Vincent Manancourt, Eugene and Annabelle Dickson got a sneak preview of some of the initiatives that Harris is set to announce, including (1) a new AI Safety Institute housed in the Department of Commerce, (2) new draft policy guidance on government’s use of AI, (3) a $200 million private funding pledge on AI safety and (4) a commitment from 30 nations to join the U.S. in endorsing a new “Political Declaration on the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy.” AI technology, Harris will say, “could endanger the very existence of humanity. These threats are, without question, profound, and demand global action. But let us be clear: there are additional threats that also demand our action, threats that are currently causing harm and which, to many people, also feel existential. … “Accordingly, to define AI safety we must consider and address the full spectrum of AI risk — threats to humanity as a whole, threats to individuals, to our communities and to our institutions, and threats to our most vulnerable populations. To make sure AI is safe, we must manage all these dangers.” The speech comes after weeks of planning — and, we’re told by Harris aides, lots of pushing by the VP to get the executive order out the door before the summit. “She doesn’t like to come empty-handed,” one said, adding, “This was a meaty EO that in normal worlds would have taken far longer than it took.” WHAT ELSE TO WATCH: Harris is possibly the highest-profile world leader who will be attending the summit (depending on how you feel about ELON MUSK). French President EMMANUEL MACRON and German Chancellor OLAF SCHOLZ are both sitting it out amid some irritation, we’re told, among some EU nations who have moved far ahead of the U.S. and U.K. on AI regulation.
| | | | A message from Amway: Partnership. Integrity. Personal worth. Achievement. Small business ownership. Equipped with these values and a commitment to growth, Amway positively impacts communities where we live, work and play. Driven by our values, Through these values, Amway helps people start their own businesses, strengthens communities and helps people live better, healthier lives. Learn more. | | | POLITICO will have reporters fanned out around greater London as the summit rolls on, and we asked three of our top tech reporters what they are watching for:
- Vincent Manancourt, senior technology reporter for POLITICO in London: “If the summit manages to get China and the U.S. sitting around the table talking AI and, whisper it, signing a shared communique on the tech’s risks, it will be quite the diplomatic coup for Sunak. Remember it’s only three years since an AI summit between the two geopolitical rivals ended in U.S. and Chinese officials taking pot shots at each other over everything from the Iraq war to Beijing’s treatment of its Uyghur minority. Watch this space.”
- Steven Overly, host of POLITICO Tech Podcast: “There’s been consternation over the U.K.’s decision to invite China to the summit, so watch for how the delegation from Beijing mixes with counterparts from Washington, London and Brussels. …The summit is bound to reveal tensions over the right balance of risk and reward, particularly with dozens of global tech companies at the table. Many firms say they want governments to intervene on AI, just not enough to put legally enforceable shackles on their businesses.”
- Mohar Chatterjee, AI and special projects reporter: “What's at stake for the U.K. is their dream of being a middle-ground policy regime that will attract AI investment and innovation. By releasing the EO literally the day before the Summit, the U.S. blasted their comprehensive middle-ground solution for AI regulation in front of a global audience helpfully convened by the UK. Biggest question: will the WH EO dominate conversation at the Summit? If so, I'd say the U.S. won this round.”
Good Wednesday morning, and welcome to November. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza. WHAT JIM JORDAN IS READING — “Powerful Granger not running again for Congress, sources say,” by the Fort Worth Report’s Jacob Sanchez, Miranda Suarez and Maria Recio: “Rep. KAY GRANGER, R-Fort Worth, won’t run for reelection, five well-placed sources who know the longtime congresswoman’s plans told the Fort Worth Report and KERA News.” FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Republican Accountability Project has launched a new six-figure ad campaign targeting Speaker MIKE JOHNSON’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The 30-second ad describes Johnson as “the last person who should be leading Congress” and accuses him of “pressuring the Supreme Court to overturn the will of voters in four states.” The spot, which ends by describing the modern GOP as “a danger to our democracy,” will run the first week of November across all Fox News primetime shows in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona. Full announcement
| | | | A message from Amway:   Driven by our values, Amway helps people live better, healthier lives. | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The House will meet at noon, with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. The Rules Committee will meet at 4 p.m. to take up the Transportation-HUD and Interior-Environment spending bills and the Israel aid supplemental. The Senate will meet at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of the minibus appropriations bill. 3 things to watch …
- The border battle is heating up big time. While most of the attention on the big $106 billion White House supplemental funding request has been about security aid for Israel and Ukraine, it’s becoming increasingly clear that provisions focused on the southern border will be just as crucial to getting a bipartisan deal. Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL made it perfectly clear yesterday, telling reporters that no deal could possibly get the needed 60 votes in the Senate otherwise. But making law won’t be easy: House Republicans want the border dealt with in the coming CR, while Democrats are badly divided on how to handle the issue. More from Nick Wu and Daniella Diaz
- The effort to expel Rep. GEORGE SANTOS from the House led by his fellow New York Republicans could come to a head later today, but not before an unusual push from the House Ethics Committee to head things off, at least temporarily. The panel yesterday issued an unusual statement noting that its members and staff “have put countless hours into this investigation,” issuing 37 subpoenas and reviewing more 170,000 pages of documents. It did not explicitly counsel lawmakers to lay off but promised to say more about Santos no later than Nov. 17, leaving a clear implication: Please wait.
- Bipartisan and bicameral immigration initiatives are few and far between these days, so today’s introduction of the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act is notable. The bill aims to improve the treatment of unaccompanied migrant children by creating a new “children’s court” and setting new standards and protocols for its operation. The bill is being led in the Senate by Sens. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.) and LISA MURKOWSKI (R-Alaska) and in the House by Reps. LORI CHAVEZ-DeREMER (R-Ore.), DAN GOLDMAN (D-N.Y.), MARIA SALAZAR (R-Fla.) and HILLARY SCHOLTEN (D-Mich.). Fact sheet
At the White House Biden will receive his daily briefing in the morning and depart for Minneapolis. Later, Biden will participate in a tour of a family farm and deliver remarks in Northfield, Minn. In the evening, Biden will attend a campaign reception in Minneapolis and depart en route to the White House. Harris will deliver a policy speech on the future of AI at the U.S. Embassy in London. Later, Harris and first gentleman DOUG EMHOFF will meet and have dinner with Sunak. On the trail VIVEK RAMASWAMY participates in a “Debate on the Future of America" with Rep. RO KHANNA (D-Calif.) at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., at 10 a.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 | | THE WHITE HOUSE
| 
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, the White House is working to balance both their foreign and domestic policy agendas. | Samuel Corum/Getty Images | ANOTHER PIVOT FROM THE MIDEAST — More than three weeks after the eruption of violence in the Middle East engulfed the White House’s agenda, WaPo’s Marisa Iati has an inside look at how the White House is working to refocus on President Biden’s schedule on domestic issues. The upshot: “The White House is now trying to restore a semblance of normalcy to Biden’s schedule. … But with the Israel-Gaza war intensifying, [Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN] NETANYAHU warning of a long conflict and diplomats worrying about a regionwide escalation, the president may struggle for some time to deliver his domestic message without distraction.” “The White House insists that Biden remains highly engaged on domestic priorities. … But history suggests it can be challenging for a White House in such circumstances to keep a focus on domestic affairs.” More top reads:
- “White House will develop an anti-Islamophobia strategy but faces skepticism from Muslim Americans,” by AP’s Aamer Madhani, Seung Min Kim and Zeke Miller: “The White House announcement had originally been expected to come last week when Biden held a meeting with Muslim leaders, but was delayed, three people said. Two of them said the delay was due in part to concerns from the Muslim American community that the administration lacked credibility on the issue given its robust support for Israel’s military.”
- Biden is “unlikely to attend” a UN gathering in Dubai later this month focused on climate change, Reuters’ Trevor Hunnicutt, Jeff Mason and Alexander Cornwell scoop: “Dozens of countries plan to push for the world's first deal to phase out CO2-emitting coal, oil and gas at the Dubai meeting. Such a deal would be a feather in the Democratic president's cap ahead of a 2024 presidential election.”
CONGRESS
| 
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Oct. 31. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | WHAT SUPP? — While Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN and Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN “temporarily assuaged some White House allies” with their trip to the Hill yesterday, Jennifer Haberkorn and Burgess Everett report, administration officials remain “fearful over the future of Ukraine funding” as they fight for the White House's almost $106 billion supplemental funding request. The path forward in the Senate: “The White House’s best-case scenario would have had [Senate Majority Leader CHUCK] SCHUMER and McConnell finding an aid figure that could overcome a filibuster and then daring the House to reject it. But … [McConnell] has wanted to see a stronger border security component in the package “ And in the House: Speaker MIKE JOHNSON is plowing forward with legislation that would separate out Israel aid and pair it with IRS spending cuts. Notably, Blinken met with Johnson yesterday but said little about their chat: “I really appreciate the opportunity,” he told reporters afterward. “I’ll leave our conversation at that.” More details: Last night, IRS Commissioner DANIEL WERFEL said that the GOP’s purported spending offset would actually end up costing $90 billion, WaPo’s Jacob Bogage reports. "All of those funds go to increased scrutiny on tax evasion going on at the highest wealth levels,” Werfel said, adding that the IRS would be "leaving money on the table." The White House threatened a veto last night, arguing in a statement of administration policy that it “fails to meet the urgency of the moment by deepening our divides and severely eroding historic bipartisan support for Israel’s security.” Related read: “Speaker Johnson faces immediate backlash to first legislative move,” by WaPo’s Jacob Bogage and Jeff Stein More top reads:
- The Senate confirmed former Treasury Secretary JACK LEW as ambassador to Israel in a 53-43 vote yesterday. “Republicans took aim at Lew as a top player in lifting sanctions on Tehran as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal,” Joe Gould and Connor O’Brien report, and only Sens. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) and RAND PAUL (R-Ky.) ended up breaking ranks.
| | | | A message from Amway:   | | | AMERICA AND THE WORLD
| | 
Palestinians inspect the damage of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes on the outskirts of Gaza City, Oct. 31, 2023. | Abdul Qader Sabbah/AP | LATEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST — As the Israeli military continues to expand its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, U.S. will send 300 more troops to the Middle East to assist with communications and explosive ordnance disposal, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. PATRICK RYDER announced yesterday. The troops “are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities,” Ryder stated, adding that while exact deployment locations can’t be disclosed, troops will not be going to Israel: “We are working very hard to prevent this from becoming a broader regional conflict.” State Department officials also confirmed yesterday that Blinken will make his second trip in a month to Israel on Friday, WaPo’s Michael Birnbaum reports. More top reads:
JUDICIARY SQUARE ‘SMALL’ POTATOES — The Supreme Court has mostly tried to avoid weighing in on Trump’s ongoing legal woes, but today the justices take up a “weighty dispute over whether a T-shirt maker can get a trademark for a mocking reference to Trump’s genitalia,” Josh Gerstein reports. The bigger picture: “[M]any lawyers doubt the high court will manage to completely duck the cloud of legal problems swirling around Trump now, as he tops the field for the Republican presidential nomination and for a rematch with Biden.” “Within weeks, the justices could be asked to rule on a raging dispute about a gag order that a federal judge has issued against Trump. … Trump also is seeking to dismiss the federal election subversion case altogether, on grounds that he is entitled to ‘absolute immunity.’” Related read: “Supreme Court Weighs When Officials May Block Citizens on Social Media,” by NYT’s Adam Liptak TRUMP CARDS ALL IN THE FAMILY — Trump's relationships with his three eldest children will soon be front and center as DONALD TRUMP JR., ERIC TRUMP, and IVANKA TRUMP are all slated to testify over the next two weeks in the New York civil fraud trial over the family’s business proceedings, WaPo’s Jonathan O'Connell, Josh Dawsey, Shayna Jacobs and Isaac Arnsdorf report: “The New York case is in some ways the most deeply personal to Trump, advisers say. … He has told advisers he wants to attend because his children’s inheritance and his family’s brand are on the line. … Several people close to him described him as livid about the trial ‘Everything about it makes him angry — including that it’s hurting his children,’ said one adviser.” Meanwhile … Trump filed suit yesterday against Michigan Secretary of State JOCELYN BENSON in response to efforts to keep him off the state's ballot in 2024. More from NBC News’ Lindsey Pipia and Zoë Richards Related read: “Man charged over threats to Georgia DA who's prosecuting Trump, says FBI,” by WaPo’s Ben Brasch 2024 WATCH WHAT THE RNC IS READING — “RFK Jr.'s 2024 bid is a threat to Republicans — and donor data shows it,” by Jessica Piper and Brittany Gibson WHAT HAPPENS IN NOVA DOESN’T STAY IN NOVA — “Why a 2023 Virginia Election Is a Proving Ground for 2024,” by WSJ’s Scott Calvert MISCELLANY THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE — “Pentagon announces long-awaited UFO reporting form,” by Eric Bazail-Eimil
| | | | 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 | | This Halloween featured … … Mitt and Ann Romney as Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, … Tammy Duckworth as Gingy from the Shrek franchise, … Elizabeth Warren’s dog, Bailey, as Ken, … John and Gisele Fetterman as Gino and Jasmine from “90-Day Fiance,” … and Mark Warner as a “mad chef.” Marcia Fudge responded to her doppelganger. J.D. Vance’s son lost a Reese’s cup down a Senate elevator shaft. Romney guest-hosted the Senate’s annual “Bipawtisan Howl-o-ween Dog Parade,” which attracted quite a crowd and one “Magic Omnibus,” FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The Raben Group is assuming part of Fireside Campaign’s portfolio and adding its co-founder Brad Bauman as a principal in the firm’s strategic comms practice. TRANSITIONS — Robby Burke is now comms director for Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.). He previously was deputy press secretary for then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy. … Abbie Sorrendino is now a principal at Public Strategies Washington. She most recently was chief of staff for Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) and is a Chuck Schumer alum. WEEKEND WEDDING — Sonali Desai, the executive director of the House Democratic Caucus, and Avi Panth, assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, got married at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club on Sunday. They hosted their Sangeet at the Annapolis Maritime Museum on Saturday. SPOTTED: Moh Sharma, Becky Cornell, Clay Schroers, Courtney Fry, Linda Shim, Matthew Morgan, Nisha Ramachandran, Ellen Hamilton, Kelvin Lum, Allie Kopel, Will Baskin-Gerwitz, Ben Suarato, Rachana Desai Martin, Krystal Ka’ai, Alex Hetherington, Lorea Stallard, Kyle Parker, Allison Smith and Akshai Datta. Pic … Another pic WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Justin Kemp, VP of data and operations at Frontline Strategies, and Jazmine Kemp, executive director of the Republican Main Street Caucus and deputy chief of staff to Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), welcomed Maverick Kemp on Oct. 21. — David Pasch, managing director at Narrative Strategies, and Danielle Pasch welcomed Wolf Franklin Pasch last Monday. He joins big sister Hannah. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) (7-0), Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) … Senate Chaplain Barry Black … Apple’s Tim Cook … Charles Koch … David Bossie of Citizens United … Katie Walsh Shields ... Vanessa Morrone Ambrosini … NYT’s Carlos Lozada … POLITICO’s Megan Wilson … John Oxtoby of Ariel Investments … Jess Andrews … Business Roundtable’s Liz Dougherty … DOD’s Suzanne Zurn … Grace Bellone … Clare Steinberg … Tyler Hernandez … Chloe Taylor of HawkPartners … Bill Deere of the UNRWA … Leslie Pollner … John Stipicevic … CNN’s Marshall Cohen … Alex Byers … former Reps. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) (7-0) and John Spratt (D-S.C.) … Liz Bowman … Cami Bissen … American Conservation Coalition’s Lucero Cantu … Sarakshi Rai of The Hill … Matthew Palmisano of Axiom Strategies … Prolegis’ Gregg Nunziata, Peter Durkin (3-0) and Kendra Morgan … Mary Doocy … Clare Steinberg … Anthony DeAngelo 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.
| | | | A message from Amway: Partnership. Integrity. Personal worth. Achievement. Small business ownership. Equipped with these values and a commitment to growth, Amway positively impacts communities where we live, work and play. Driven by our values, Through these values, Amway helps people start their own businesses, strengthens communities and helps people live better, healthier lives. Learn more. | | | | | | | 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 political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
