| | | | |  | | By 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 The Washington Post finally has some distraction from the deluge of negative coverage of its publisher WILL LEWIS, thanks to a new slew of bad press surrounding one of its most controversial and divisive writers. The paper is investigating TAYLOR LORENZ, who covers digital culture, over an Instagram story she reportedly posted from the White House creators conference on Wednesday, a selfie with President JOE BIDEN. Lorenz added a caption: “war criminal.” When a screenshot of her post started circulating on X, Lorenz — no stranger to being the internet’s main character herself — suggested in a post that it was fake, writing on X: “You people will fall for any dumbass edit someone makes.” But as NPR’s DAVID FOLKENFLIK reports, the story was authentic, shared only with Lorenz’ list of “close friends” and not the rest of her 143,000 followers on the platform. Lorenz has changed her story, telling colleagues that a friend added the caption and that she shared it as a joke, Folkenflik reported. Journalists running afoul of The Post’s social media guidelines have become as much a part of the newspaper’s present history as BOB WOODWARD and CARL BERNSTEIN were a part of its past. And without re-litigating the sagas of DAVE WEIGEL, WESLEY LOWERY and FELICIA SONMEZ — all of whose situations and social media posts were unique except for the common denominator of seriously pissing off former executive editor MARTY BARON — it’s clear that the broader newsroom and journalism community remain somewhat divided over what kinds of jokes and personal commentary are and are not acceptable for those representing The Post. NBC’s BRANDY ZADROZNY lamented how “a whole industry” of people in the business “have staked an entire career on stalking Taylor and fomenting fake outrage every time she posts,” noting that her latest controversy was “based on a widely known meme.” Another writer, JEREMIAH JOHNSON, called Lorenz’s self-own “incredible,” marveling that “she might fumble one of the best gigs in media because she couldn’t stop posting and called Biden a war criminal while literally on the clock, at the White House, in her professional capacity, documented on social media.” While Lorenz awaits her fate at the paper, the higher-ups have to feel like they’re playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole with journalists who just can’t seem to figure out how to behave online. ALEXI McCAMMOND, an opinion editor and newsletter author, raised eyebrows in the newsroom earlier this summer for posting a TikTok video of herself, captioned: “Good morning! I’d just say ‘morning’ but im not my toxic ex who works for the Biden campaign and has to play cleanup after that disastrous debate.” The social media post was a clear reference to Biden-turned-Harris campaign spokesperson TJ DUCKLO, whose past relationship with McCammond has been well documented. And it was quickly circulated by DONALD TRUMP’s campaign, looking to mess with the then-Biden team. Some of McCammond’s colleagues saw the post as a clear violation of acceptable social media conduct. At the time, a spokesperson for The Post declined to comment about whether McCammond would face any repercussions. But earlier this week, the WaPo’s editorial page editor DAVID SHIPLEY emailed the Opinion staff to announce that McCammond “will be leaving the DOO at the end of the week” after just a year at the paper. (we can only assume DOO stands for Department of Opinion?). “Happily, you will be able to see her on MSNBC and listen to her on a new podcast,” he added. McCammond told West Wing Playbook that she informed The Post back in April that she planned to leave her position at the end of the summer to focus on TV and her new podcast. While a decision back in July to have other opinion columnists author “Prompt 2024” — the newsletter she helmed — was viewed by some in the newsroom as a response to her TikTok post, McCammond said it was to prepare for her planned departure. A spokesperson for The Post confirmed that McCammond made the decision to leave the newspaper. MESSAGE US — Are you MATT MURRAY? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. CALLOUT! If you’re in Chicago next week and see TIM WALZ ordering some white guy tacos, anyone from the “Veep” cast taking in the city, DONNA BRAZILE in line for McDonald’s or any other fun sightings, send it our way and we’ll give it a feature! DNC COUNTDOWN: Join POLITICO in Chicago for live, in-person conversations with the Democratic Party’s biggest newsmakers. Sign up here to get notified once registration opens. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
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President Biden and Vice President Harris finish speaking about their administration's efforts to lower prescription drug costs during an event in Maryland on Thursday. | Stephanie Scarbrough/AP | | | | | GOING BIG: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS rolled out her new economic vision on Friday, a plan aimed at lowering Americans’ everyday costs that would hinge largely on supercharging a set of existing administration proposals, our ADAM CANCRYN reports. The blueprint aims to make housing more affordable, ease health care costs and crack down on corporations who Democrats blame for driving up grocery costs. While the proposal is eerily similar to Biden’s, Harris is looking to take a more aggressive approach during the next four years. Her housing plan, for example, calls for constructing three million new homes in a bid to alleviate a supply crunch that’s driven up prices. Her health care agenda focuses on expanding a cap on the cost of insulin to all patients, not just older Americans. And a new child tax credit proposal would give $6,000 to certain families with children — nearly double the amount Biden secured in his first year in office. SAY MY (FIRST) NAME (CORRECTLY, PLEASE): While some of the most attention-craving lawmakers are defending their right to intentionally mispronounce “Kamala,” the Harris campaign is all-in on branding the Democratic presidential candidate with her first name, a clear but subtle signifier of her ethnicity, implied relatability and singularly definitional to her and her alone. As our MYAH WARD reports, it’s an assertion of strong individuality in response to degrading name-based barbs from Trump and other Republicans who are eager to cast Harris as different from their mostly white political base. And perhaps more than anything, it’s a vibe. “She’s reminding voters that she is in fact different,” said JEAN SINZDAK, associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. “In the context of this moment, when many voters are hungering for other options in their leadership, that may be really resonating.” COMMS TEAM GETS A BOOST: The Harris campaign is beefing up the team of communications staffers. IAN SAMS, who has been the White House spokesman for oversight and investigations, is joining the campaign as a senior spokesperson, WaPo’s TYLER PAGER reported on Friday. Sams worked as Harris’ spokesperson during her 2020 presidential campaign. He will serve as the vice president’s primary defender against Republican attacks, both on the air and behind the scenes, according to a person familiar with his role. TJ Ducklo, the person said, will continue to oversee the rapid response and press teams, which are expected to expand in the coming weeks. Also moving up to Wilmington is White House deputy communications director KRISTEN ORTHMAN, who will join the campaign as senior adviser for strategic planning, Pager also reported. ALL ABOARD TIM TOK: Gov. Walz joined TikTok on Friday, posting a video of him and his dog, SCOUT, along the Mississippi River. Walz’s debut comes after the vice president’s personal account and “Kamala HQ” — the campaign’s account — have blown up in recent weeks, amassing millions of followers.
| | TICKING UP: In the latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, American moods on the economy slightly climbed in August for the first time in five months. The index reading for August came in at 67.8, up from 66.4 in July. The survey also showed that 41 percent of consumers believe that Harris is the better candidate for the economy, while 38 percent chose Trump. In comparison, between May and July, Trump had a five point advantage over President Biden on the economy. A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT: President Biden signed a proclamation on Friday designating the site of a 1908 deadly race riot in Springfield, Ill. as a national monument. The riot, which would lead to the creation of the NAACP, took place over two days in August 1908 when a white mob terrorized the city’s Black residents, killing several and destroying Black-owned homes and businesses. It also comes six weeks after the police shooting of Springfield resident SONYA MASSEY, a 36-year-old Black woman who called the police for assistance. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This piece by Axios’ HANS NICHOLS, who reports that the United Steelworkers Union now has a foothold within the domestic solar industry, thanks in part to the support of the Biden administration. It’s a significant step for organized labor, as it looks to unionize an industry expected to soon explode with new positions and products, bolstered by billions of dollars in tax incentives from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The union reached a so-called neutrality agreement with Convalt Energy, a solar company with plans to build two domestic factories. The neutrality pact will give Convalt's employees more freedom to form a union. White House communications director BEN LaBOLT shared the piece on X. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by AP’s BRIAN SLODYSKO, MICHAEL R. BLOOD and ALAN SUDERMAN, who report on several policy issues which, when politically convenient, the vice president has flipped on. “Across two decades in elected office and now seeking the presidency for the second time, Harris has not hesitated to stake out expedient and — at times — contradictory positions as she climbed the political ladder,” they write. The trio points to the death penalty as one of the first examples of this. During a 2004 inauguration speech after her election as San Francisco district attorney, Harris vowed to “never charge the death penalty.” But four years later, during her campaign for California attorney general, she said she would “enforce the death penalty as the law dictates.” And maybe the clearest example of this, as is pointed out, would be Harris’ efforts to distance herself from her less-than-shiny record as California AG, attempting to paint herself as a “progressive prosecutor” in the lead up to her 2020 presidential bid.
| | | | PERSONNEL MOVES: With Orthman’s departure, as noted above, HERBIE ZISKEND will move into her role as primary deputy White House communications director, Eli reports. That leaves him and Ben LaBolt as the two top officials overseeing the White House communications team for the final months of Biden’s term. COME ON IN, GUYS! The 47th season of Survivor (yes, 47) is right around the corner, with the first episode set to air on Sept. 18. And America’s second favorite Pod Save America bro is starring in all the promos. “I’m radiating with anxiety,” JON LOVETT said in a video posted on Survivor’s Instagram account. “I’m just an odd person. It’ll be okay. You’ll see. It’s worse for me than it is for you.” Really just exudes confidence. MORE PERSONNEL MOVES: ALYCIA GILDE is now senior director for transportation for the White House Climate Policy Office, our DANIEL LIPPMAN has learned. She most recently was national manager for ZEV partnerships and engagement, technology integration and VTO at the Department of Energy.
| | CEASEFIRE TALKS BACK ON HOLD: The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, offered a new framework for a ceasefire in Gaza after two days of talks in Doha failed to cement an agreement between Israel and Hamas. A statement from the three countries pushing for a deal said that the U.S. has offered “a bridging proposal” that “builds on areas of agreement over the past week, and bridges remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal.” A senior U.S. official briefing reporters on Friday afternoon offered a cautiously optimistic read, saying that talks are “in the end game” and that the “deal is ready to be closed.” Asserting that the revised proposal addresses every remaining gap, the official also spoke in blunt terms about the need for Israel to accept the deal: "If you continue to negotiate for months and months and try to get a perfect deal or every last drop of blood from a stone, you risk having no hostages left to save.” A ceasefire agreement could help avert a response by Iran to the assassinations of leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, both backed by Tehran. Such a response, the senior U.S. official said, would bring “cataclysmic consequences” for the Middle East. TONY’S ON THE MOVE: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN will travel to the Middle East this weekend, making a stop in Israel on Sunday, Axios’ BARAK RAVID reports. Blinken will meet with Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU on Monday and make possible stops in Cairo and Doha. CHIPS ON CHIPS ON CHIPS: The Biden administration is awarding $1.6 billion in grants to Texas Instruments to help the company build three new semiconductor manufacturing plants, NYT’s MADELEINE NGO reports. The funds will help the company construct new plants in Sherman, Texas, and a facility in Lehi, Utah, with the aim of strengthening the domestic supply of semiconductors. In addition to the grant, the administration will award up to $3 billion in loans to Texas Instruments. The company is also expected to claim federal tax credits that could cover 25 percent of the cost of building and equipping factories with equipment. The funds will support the company’s investment of more than $18 billion to construct the new facilities.
| | No Joke: The Onion Thinks Print Is the Future of Media (NYT’s Benjamin Mullin and Jamie Kelter Davis) Why Dem lawmakers are giving Harris a pass on policy proposals (POLITICO’s Nicholas Wu and Daniella Diaz) From humble, Long Beach beginnings, Robert Garcia emerges as national political star (LA Times’ Seema Mehta and Andrea Castillo)
| | During his White House years, Bush took Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN, British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR, Japanese Prime Minister JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI and Italian Prime Minister SILVIO BERLUSCONI in the Ford King Ranch truck. “It’s a statement of friendship,” Bush told JAY LENO in 2020. “I think it helps them when they go home to say, ‘I met with President Bush, on his ranch.’” 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 Jennifer Haberkorn and Rishika Dugyala.
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