| | | | |  | | By Eli Stokols, Lauren Egan and Ben Johansen | | Presented by |  | | | 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 The pro-Palestine campus protests crescendoing from coast-to-coast finally prompted President JOE BIDEN on Thursday to make a major address on the issue. The remarks, delivered from the White House, were added to Biden’s public schedule at the last minute. And they ended up reflecting his characteristically measured approach to cultural flashpoints. Biden defended the bedrock American principle of peaceful protests but drew a clear line by disavowing law-breaking and hate speech. In staking out a middle ground, Biden sidestepped the deeper issue of Israel’s war in Gaza, America’s ongoing support of Israel on the battlefield (despite Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’s indifference to Biden’s stated concerns) and the police response to the protestors. “He didn't address the root causes of why these campuses are on fire,” said DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, a presidential historian at Rice University. “He was taking a sane, centrist approach to appease people on both sides of the barricades, but it will do nothing to placate the anger on college campuses.” The lingering question, inherent in Brinkley’s read of the remarks and in much of the news coverage of the White House over the past week, is: Does Biden have a different path forward? Put another way: How would BILL CLINTON, another Democratic president defined by his centrism — but one who had many more public squabbles with liberals — have approached the past few weeks? Some alums of that era said it would be different. “Clinton would have been much harder on the protesters and would understand that the choice is between antisemitic aggressiveness and law and order,” said DICK MORRIS, Clinton’s one time svengali who long ago became a fixture on conservative media. “I think he would be strongly condemning the demonstrations and would not have been as wishy-washy.” As Morris and others see it, there is a distinction between centrism and the “triangulation” that Clinton popularized in the 1990s. The former involves charting out middle ground on major ideological fights. The latter involves picking a select few of those fights to show off your willingness to punch your own base. But politics is different now. And with immense polarization, there is less upside in trying to appeal to middle-of-the-road voters by depressing your own backers. That said, some White House aides were buoyed Thursday by a new Morning Consult survey showing that 76 percent of Americans support colleges asking police to protect students from violence, a sign that Biden’s position is shared by a solid majority. Other veterans of the Clinton era say he would likely have responded to this wave of campus unrest much the way Biden has. “It doesn’t make sense to take sides on an incredibly complex set of questions that have no clear answer,” said MATT BENNETT, who worked in the Clinton White House and co-founded the centrist think tank Third Way. “Laying down clear markers about what is and isn’t acceptable does make sense, in terms of a president’s responsibility and their political best interests.” The events Clinton famously triangulated on, Bennett said, were “dramatically different” than current protests over Israel’s war in Gaza. And beyond that, Bennett added, Biden’s response is in keeping with other overarching goals of his presidency — that there is value in lowering the country’s political temperature. “From the very moment he launched his campaign in 2020 through to today, Biden has consistently offered America a kind of reasoned pragmatism in the face of radical lunacy,” Bennett said. “It’s consistent with his approach to point out that neither are we an autocracy that squelches speech nor are we going to tolerate lawlessness and hate speech.” MESSAGE US — Are you PAUL BEGALA? 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!
| | | | A message from Bayer: Food prices are already high, but without advanced agricultural products, like glyphosate, sold to farmers as Roundup® , farm yields will go down, farmers’ costs will go up, and food prices will rise even more dramatically. Farming has never been easy. If American farmers lose a critical tool like glyphosate based on the litigation industry’s actions, they will face even harder choices. Learn more. | | | | | Which journalist did RICHARD NIXON plot to assassinate? (Answer at bottom.)
| | OH BY THE WAY, HE HASN’T CHANGED HIS MIND: After delivering those remarks on campus protests, President Biden took just two questions, our ADAM CANCRYN reports. First, whether the protests have changed his policies on Israel (“No”). Second, whether he’d send the National Guard to campuses (also “No”). And, that was that. MORE CHICKEN, LESS KYIV: President Biden scored a major win last week when Congress passed a supplemental bill that included $60 billion for Ukraine. But as Eli, JONATHAN LEMIRE and ALEXANDER WARD report, his team is pivoting to talk less about Ukraine, and more about topics like the prices of goods and overall economy. You’re likely not going to see a relentless PR push or influx of ads to bolster support for Ukraine’s war. “Now that the supplemental passed Congress, it’s naturally less of a salient issue,” one senior administration official said. But foreign policy experts warn that the “let’s move on” approach could further complicate future efforts for additional funding. “It’s important for the Biden administration not to cede public messaging on Ukraine to the people who are skeptical of U.S. support,” said RACHEL RIZZO, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “By not talking about it, he runs that risk, especially given that it’s already an election talking point for those who are anti-Ukraine aid.” HAPPY AAPI HERITAGE MONTH: At a campaign fundraiser Wednesday night, Biden grouped Japan, one of America's closest allies, in with countries that he said were “xenophobic” for rejecting immigrants, Adam writes in. “You know, one of the reasons why our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants,” he said at the event, which was attended by prominent Asian Americans including Sen. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-Ill.), Rep. TED LIEU (D-Calif.) and U.S. Trade Representative KATHERINE TAI. “Look, think about it. Why is China stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia, Why is India? Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants,” Biden continued. The event took place on the first day of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Japanese Embassy did not respond to requests for comment. PACKED ROOM: The White House antisemitism task force convened on Wednesday to discuss steps the administration can take to address safety concerns for Jewish students on college campuses and provide new resources for law enforcement to protect them, Axios’ HANS NICHOLS and BARAK RAVID report. The meeting was called by NEERA TANDEN, head of the Domestic Policy Council and Homeland Security Adviser LIZ SHERWOOD-RANDALL. Also in attendance were Attorney General MERRICK GARLAND, Education Secretary MIGUEL CARDONA, Health and Human Services Secretary XAVIER BECERRA, Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS and Agriculture Secretary TOM VILSACK. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This interview with DONALD TRUMP, from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s ALISON DIRR and MOLLY BECK, in which the former president wouldn’t commit to accepting the results of Wisconsin’s presidential election, should he lose. In the interview, Trump said, “If everything's honest, I'd gladly accept the results,” but that if they’re not up to his standards, “you have to fight for the right of the country.” Trump also doubled down on the falsehood of him winning Wisconsin in 2020, which Biden won by over 20,000 votes. Communications director BEN LABOLT and campaign director of rapid response AMMAR MOUSSA reposted the story on X. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by WaPo’s ALEX HORTON and MEG KELLY, who report that an internal investigation found that a U.S. drone strike last year in Syria killed 56-year-old shephard LOTFI HASSAN MISTO after confusing him for a terrorist leader. It underscores the Pentagon’s persistent struggle to avoid civilian casualties in strikes, despite the Biden administration’s pledge to curb such incidents. The assessment from the U.S. Central Command confirms a WaPo investigation published last year casting doubt on officials’ claim to have killed a senior al-Qaeda figure.
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | | TWO SIDES OF THE COIN: President Biden and Vice President KAMALA HARRIS both have the same message when it comes to Florida’s newly enacted, six-week abortion ban: It’s Donald Trump’s fault. But the forcefulness of that message between the two differs dramatically, our KIMBERLY LEONARD and EUGENE DANIELS report. During Biden’s speech in Tampa last week, the president used the word “abortion” twice, while Harris used it 15 times on Wednesday in Jacksonville. Biden’s speech detoured on an array of topics, from Medicare and Social Security, to free community college. Harris’ speech was entirely focused on abortion. Abortion rights advocates have praised the Biden administration for its policies. But while they view Harris as an effective advocate, some are still pushing Biden to defend abortion rights more strongly. “Actions definitely speak louder than words, but words set the tone,” one former senior 2020 Biden campaign aide said. MONEY, WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS: The Biden campaign is launching a seven-figure ad buy on Thursday centered around abortion, CBS News’ AARON NAVARRO, NIDIA CAVAZOS and SHAWNA MIZELLE report. The ad — which will run on the two-year anniversary of the leaked Dobbs opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade — is titled “Prosecute.” It features an OBGYN physician in Texas talking about how the state’s near-total ban on abortion forced her to flee the state to receive care. “If Donald Trump is elected, that is the end of a woman's right to choose. There will be no place to turn. We could lose our rights in every state, even the ones where abortion is currently legal,” AUSTIN DENNARD, the Texas physician, said in the ad.
| | NO, IT’S NOT NICOLAS CAGE: The White House has a new curator, a position which oversees the care of thousands of artifacts in its collection. DONNA HAYASHI SMITH will be the first Asian American to hold the post, AP’s DARLENE SUPERVILLE reports. Hayashi Smith joined the curator’s office in 1995 and has served under five presidents. She had been serving in an acting capacity since the retirement of her predecessor, LYDIA TEDERICK. FIRST IN WEST WING PLAYBOOK: ATISSA LADJEVARDIAN has been named the permanent external and government affairs director of the CHIPS office of the Commerce Department, our DANIEL LIPPMAN has learned. She most recently served in an acting capacity in that role. MORE PERSONNEL MOVES: MARCELA ESCOBARI has joined the White House as a top migration adviser on the National Security Council, Axios’ ALEX THOMPSON and STEF W. KIGHT report. Escobari will be the NSC's coordinator for the Los Angeles Declaration, a 2022 pledge among countries in the hemisphere to work together on migration. Escobari will replace KATIE TOBIN, who left the White House earlier this year.
| | | | A message from Bayer:   | | | | | SOME CLEAN DRINKING: While in North Carolina on Thursday, President Biden announced that his administration will begin distributing an additional $3 billion to replace lead pipes in communities across the country, our ANNIE SNIDER reports for Pro subscribers. The funding is the latest allotment from a $15 billion pot in the bipartisan infrastructure law for aging infrastructure and fixing lead pipes. BELOW THE BELT: The U.S. accused Russia of using chemical weapons, including poison gas “as a method of warfare” against Ukrainian forces — which would be a violation of a global ban on such weapons, NYT’s CONSTANT MÉHEUT and MARC SANTORA report. The State Department said on Thursday that Russia has used tear gas and chloropicrin, a “choking agent” widely used during World War I, against Ukraine. FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE: President Biden on Thursday signed a proclamation expanding two national monuments in California and protecting nearly 120,000 acres of land, CNN’s ELLA NILSEN and SAM FOSSUM report. The move will add 105,919 acres of land to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and 13,696 acres to the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
| | Joe Biden, the Ultimate D.C. Veteran, Has Never Seen a Campaign Like This (NYT’s Reid J. Epstein) Inside RFK Jr.’s Chaotic White House Bid (WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus and Eliza Collins) Nellie Bowles thinks you should outgrow progressivism (WaPo’s Becca Rothfeld)
| | | | A message from Bayer: For over 160 years, Bayer has stood at the forefront of health and safety while producing some of America’s most trusted and iconic brands. One such product is the herbicide glyphosate, which, sold to farmers as Roundup® , is one of the most important inventions in agriculture in the last 50 years. It has enabled millions of American farmers to have better yields and lower their weed control input costs. Despite the clear science behind Roundup’s safety and benefits, thousands of lawsuits persist in courts across the country, fueled by over $100 million dollars in expansive marketing and TV ads by the litigation industry to recruit and accumulate plaintiffs.
Bayer is the only domestic manufacturer of glyphosate. If this keeps up, farmers will be left with two options – grow less food or rely on foreign supplies of the product. See what’s at stake. | | | | | While at Harvard in the early 2000s, special assistant to the president on climate policy, finance and innovation NANA AYENSU composed music for CityStep — a program where undergrads teach dance to students in city schools with under-funded arts programs. According to Ayensu’s LinkedIn, his role consisted of “composing original music for class final performances… helping teach dance and music to the participating elementary and middle schoolers.” That’s not the only notable connection to CityStep. According to this 2003-2004 pamphlet, Harvard students and Cambridge youth also performed a show for the program. Among those listed in the staff directory under “Sales and Ads” is New York Rep. ELISE STEFANIK, a Harvard student at the time. CityStep participants from 2003-2004, please email us. We would love to know how Stefanik got down when she hit the stage.
| | Nixon hated many members of the press (too many to name). But his grudge toward columnist JACK ANDERSON was on another level. Anderson played a role in exposing virtually every Nixon scandal, WaPo wrote in 2022. “We’ve got to do something with this son of a bitch,” Nixon railed. And so, the Nixon White House considered assassinating Anderson, according to top Nixon operative E. HOWARD HUNT. Several options were considered. Drop a pill in Anderson’s cocktail? (That wouldn’t work, he doesn’t drink). Slip a poisoned replica of his headache tablet into his medicine bottle? (“Highly impractical,” Hunt deemed.) Stab him to death? Stage a car crash? (“Too chancy,” Hunt’s White House sidekick G. GORDON LIDDY argued.) We could go on with all the JAMES BOND villain tricks they had up their sleeves, but this newsletter must end. The plot was eventually cancelled, as the White House had more pressing matters to attend to at 2650 Virginia Ave. 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 Sam Stein and Rishika Dugyala.
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