| | | | |  | | By Ryan Lizza, Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine
| | | |  | DRIVING THE DAY | | | REGRETS, HE MIGHT HAVE A FEW — International Brotherhood of Teamsters President SEAN O’BRIEN made a splash last month speaking at the Republican National Convention, and his organization now stands alone among America’s largest unions in withholding an endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee KAMALA HARRIS. But DONALD TRUMP’s comments to ELON MUSK Monday night suggesting that striking workers ought to be summarily fired have inflamed organized labor — and put O’Brien on the spot. He responded in a statement to Playbook last night: “Firing workers for organizing, striking, and exercising their rights as Americans is economic terrorism,” he said. Whether the fiery words will translate into a Harris endorsement remains to be seen. Brittany Gibson reports that the Teamsters’ National Black Caucus has now endorsed Harris, putting pressure on its parent organization, which is now conducting an online straw poll of members. O’Brien, notably, said yesterday he has yet to receive an invitation to address the Democratic National Convention next week.
|  President Joe Biden remains frustrated and angry with the three key party leaders behind his ouster. | AP | HOW BIDEN REALLY FEELS — President JOE BIDEN is scheduled to speak in Chicago on Monday night to kick off a convention designed to reunite the Democratic Party after its leaders forced him to abandon his reelection campaign. But, courtesy of Jonathan Lemire, Ursula Perano, Daniella Diaz and Ryan, we have some fresh reporting this morning about how the president remains frustrated and angry with the three key party leaders behind his ouster: BARACK OBAMA, NANCY PELOSI and CHUCK SCHUMER. Let’s start with Pelosi, who just happened to launch a book tour to promote “The Art of Power” ($30) — can’t make it up! — days after she helped push Biden out. A senior White House official said “Biden views Pelosi as ‘ruthless’ and willing to set aside long-term relationships in order to keep her party in power — and, most importantly, to prevent Trump from returning to the White House.” This person added, “That’s who she has always been.” Biden has started to come to terms with the bloodless way in which Pelosi engineered the putsch. “The president is still smarting but has told people in recent days that he grudgingly respects Pelosi’s actions. ‘She did what she had to do’ in order to give Democrats the best chance to win in November,” Biden told one source, “adding that Pelosi ‘cares about the party,’ not about feelings.” Biden has come to recognize, if not exactly appreciate, Pelosi’s unique role in American politics. “Nancy ultimately is the party chair,” a senior administration official recently told Playbook, reminding us that her dad was the late congressman and Baltimore mayor THOMAS D'ALESANDRO JR., whose obituary in the Washington Post noted was known “for his keen political sense and skills at party infighting.” “She is her father’s daughter,” the official added. “You have the daughter of a party boss acting like the one last party chair should act.” SAY IT TO MY FACE: The Biden-Obama relationship has been so complicated that entire books have been written about it. Biden now “harbors some resentment that Obama — his friend and former boss — did not call him directly to voice his concerns about the campaign in the aftermath of the disastrous Atlanta debate in late June,” Lemire & Co. write. “The former president did not try to stir up a movement to dislodge Biden from the top of the ticket, but he also didn’t quell one, much to the dismay of some of those closest to Biden.” When Obama addresses the convention in his hometown of Chicago next Tuesday, he will no doubt give a rousing tribute to the president. But Biden will not be in the audience to hear it. He speaks on Monday night but won’t be sticking around for the rest of the week’s festivities. ET TU, SENATOR? The Biden-Schumer relationship seems to have the best chance at recovery in the short-term, especially since they will need to work together on this year’s CR. But there is lingering tension. “While Biden and Pelosi remain estranged, the president did speak to Schumer on the day he dropped out, according to a person familiar with the phone call. Biden has expressed less frustration with Schumer, whom he does not perceive as someone at the forefront of the move to dislodge him. Still, he was miffed that the leader of the Senate — an institution he reveres — also played a hand in applying pressure, according to two of the people. “‘President Biden is a patriot and set an example for all Americans by once again putting his country above all else,’ Schumer said in a statement in response to a request for comment on this story. ‘We were all proud to work alongside him to achieve an historic legislative record that will leave him with an indelible legacy as president.’” DIVISIONS OVER DIVISIONS: In talking to Biden aides about this story, we also picked up a split in their ranks. Some Biden loyalists seemed to want it known how he feels about Pelosi, perhaps as a brushback to the recent shots Pelosi has taken about Biden’s top political advisers. But others saw the leaks as counterproductive and said Biden seemed “at peace” and not “bitter.” More than one also noted the clear evidence that being at war with Nancy Pelosi is not politically advantageous. These advisers, inside and outside the White House, are trying to put the drama behind them and push the president and his staff to embrace the change lest they be seen as small-minded or petty. “I spoke to [Biden] yesterday, and he was positive and looking forward and focused on what he can get done in his remaining five months,” said Sen. CHRIS COONS (D-Del.), a close Biden ally who never wavered in his support for Biden to stay in the race. He said Biden was excited about his cancer moonshot speech yesterday in New Orleans, was looking forward to his event with Harris on Thursday in Maryland as well as his convention speech on Monday. Biden and the first lady are reviewing a list, Coons said, of what they see as their “core priorities” — cancer research, defending democracy in Ukraine, women's health, veterans families, and education — and asking, “What are the things we can and should get done?” Good Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line and tell us how you got over a betrayal: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza.
| | | | A message from Comcast: Did you know that most of the data on your smartphone travels over WiFi, not cellular? Thanks to WiFi innovation by Comcast, our customers connect over a billion devices to our network each year. Unlicensed spectrum is key to a fast and secure WiFi experience at home and on the go. Comcast leads the way by developing cutting-edge WiFi gateways that maximize our multi-gig broadband network and spectrum made available by the FCC. Learn more. | | | OVERNIGHT IN TOKYO — “Japanese Leader Fumio Kishida to Step Down,” by WSJ’s Peter Landers: “Kishida, 67, has bolstered relations with the U.S. and South Korea during his three years in office, and under his leadership Japan is nearly doubling its military spending to counter the growing threat from China. But at home, his popularity was hit by a political-funds scandal involving ruling-party heavyweights and relatively high inflation.” WHAT JAMES COMER IS READING — “Hunter Biden Sought State Department Help for Ukrainian Company,” by NYT’s Ken Vogel: “[Newly released] records, which the Biden administration had withheld for years, indicate that HUNTER BIDEN wrote at least one letter to the U.S. ambassador to Italy in 2016 seeking assistance for the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, where he was a board member. Embassy officials appear to have been uneasy with the request … A White House spokesman said the president was not aware when he was vice president that his son was reaching out to the U.S. Embassy in Italy on behalf of Burisma.” WHAT JAY POWELL IS READING — “US Futures Steady Before CPI as UBS Boosts Europe,” by Bloomberg’s John Viljoen and Sujata Rao: “Forecasters expect a modest 0.2% increase in both the consumer price index and the core gauge excluding food and energy — which would mark the smallest three-month increase for the latter since early 2021.”
| | | | A message from Comcast: Unlicensed spectrum is key to a fast and secure WiFi experience at home and on the go. Comcast leads the way by developing cutting-edge WiFi gateways that maximize our multi-gig broadband network and spectrum made available by the FCC. Learn more. | | | | | WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY | | On the Hill The Senate and the House are out. What we’re watching … It took seven weeks, but the longest-contested House primary of the election year has finally been settled. A Utah Supreme Court decision rejected an effort by GOP candidate COLBY JENKINS to force the counting of ballots that had not been properly postmarked, KSL.com reports, securing incumbent Rep. CELESTE MALOY’s 176-vote victory. In a concession statement, Jenkins said, “we should not be in the business of outsourcing our Utah elections to another entity, such as the postal service.” At the White House Biden will call Panamanian President JOSÉ RAÚL MULINO at 3:15 p.m. Harris will have internal meetings and staff briefings. On the trail Trump will deliver remarks about the economy at 4 p.m. in Asheville, North Carolina. More from AP Vance will deliver remarks at 2 p.m. in Byron Center, Michigan. Minnesota Gov. TIM WALZ will deliver remarks at campaign receptions at 2:20 p.m. Eastern in Denver and 8:10 p.m. in Boston.
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Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) defeated her primary challenger 56 percent to 43 percent last night. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | ABOUT LAST NIGHT — Rep. ILHAN OMAR (D-Minn.) beat back a primary challenge and bucked the trend of some progressive “Squad” members failing to win renomination this year. Omar defeated DON SAMUELS 56 percent to 43 percent, a substantially wider margin than their first tete-a-tete in 2022. Unlike her colleagues JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-N.Y.) and CORI BUSH (D-Mo.), Omar benefited from stronger institutional support, fewer political vulnerabilities and a lack of AIPAC spending against her, as Madison Fernandez reports. It’s nonetheless a high-profile win for the left, which has taken some hits lately. Other notable results: Wisconsin voters rejected GOP-backed constitutional amendments that would have limited the governor’s spending power. … Blue Dog-backed REBECCA COOKE came on top in a tough primary to try to unseat Rep. DERRICK VAN ORDEN (R-Wis.). … TONY WIED rode a Trump endorsement to victory over better-known opponents in the GOP primary to replace Rep. MIKE GALLAGHER (R-Wis.). … Rep. MICHELLE FISCHBACH (R-Minn.) easily shrugged off a challenge from outsider conservative STEVE BOYD. … ROYCE WHITE won the GOP nod to take on Sen. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-Minn.). … WILL STANCIL narrowly lost a bid for the Minnesota state House. Not competitive primaries, but big in November: The Wisconsin Senate race is officially Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN vs. ERIC HOVDE. … Democrat PETER BARCA will challenge Rep. BRYAN STEIL (R-Wis.). … Republican JOE TEIRAB triumphed to take on Rep. ANGIE CRAIG (D-Minn.). More top reads:
- On the ballot: Missouri became the latest state to certify signatures for a major abortion rights voter referendum. The constitutional amendment to reverse the state’s ban is now going on the November ballot. More from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Big money: A major cryptocurrency network of super PACs is going in with a big $12 million boost to Ohio Senate GOP candidate BERNIE MORENO, Jasper Goodman reports, while it will also support Democratic Reps. RUBEN GALLEGO’s (Ariz.) and ELISSA SLOTKIN’s (Mich.) Senate bids with $3 million apiece.
- Narrative trend: “New lines of attack form against the Affordable Care Act,” by KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby: “Not as in the repeal-and-replace debates of yore, but in a fresher take from Republican lawmakers who say key parts of the ACA cost taxpayers too much and provide incentive for fraud. … The enhanced subsidies are set to expire in late 2025.”
- Survey says: A new NonStop Local poll in Montana, which is likely home to the tipping-point race for control of the Senate, finds Republican TIM SHEEHY beating Democratic Sen. JON TESTER by 6 points.
THE WHITE HOUSE POTUS ON THE ROAD — The Biden administration is pumping another $150 million into cancer “moonshot” funding, as the president announced in New Orleans yesterday, per The Advocate/The Times-Picayune’s Tyler Bridges. It was a rare post-dropout public event from the president, on a topic that’s very personal for him. VALLEY TALK THIS COULD BE MAJOR — “US Considers a Rare Antitrust Move: Breaking Up Google,” by Bloomberg’s Leah Nylen and Anna Edgerton: “A rare bid to break up Alphabet Inc.’s Google is one of the options being considered by the Justice Department after a landmark court ruling found that the company monopolized the online search market … The move would be Washington’s first push to dismantle a company for illegal monopolization since unsuccessful efforts to break up Microsoft Corp. two decades ago. … Regardless, the government will likely seek a ban on the type of exclusive contracts that were at the center of its case against Google.” 2024 WATCH
|  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has landed a primetime speaking slot at the DNC Wednesday night. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo | CONVENTIONAL WISDOM — As next week’s Democratic National Convention starts to click into view, Adam Wren writes in with the scoop that Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG has landed a primetime speaking slot Wednesday night, according to two people familiar with convention planning. Meanwhile, Harris and Walz are planning to hold a campaign rally earlier in the day Tuesday in Milwaukee, potentially at the same venue where Trump had his convention, NYT’s Reid Epstein reports. There’s also a rundown of the week’s social calendar from NYT’s Jonathan Weisman, who notes that some Dems are still holding out hope for BEYONCÉ or TAYLOR SWIFT. The campaign trail is quieter this week, but Walz debuted as a solo campaigner in a speech to AFSCME union members yesterday in LA, where he touted his labor bona fides, slammed Trump as an enemy of working people and defended his military record, per the L.A. Times’ Faith Pinho. “I am damn proud of my service to this country,” he said, “and I firmly believe that you should never denigrate another person’s service record.” As he and Harris build momentum at a series of huge rallies, the campaign is working hard to convert attendees into volunteers, NBC’s Yamiche Alcindor reports. Harris will surface with a much-anticipated economic policy speech Friday in North Carolina, where Reuters’ Trevor Hunnicutt reports she’ll focus on price-gouging. And her focus on the care economy dovetails well with Walz’s record, Juan Perez Jr. reports. (CNBC’s Brian Schwartz also has an interesting look at Walz’s tax battles with business leaders in Minnesota.) But Harris’ pivot to the center is falling flat with natural gas voters, WaPo’s Evan Halper finds in Atlasburg, Pennsylvania, where people who depend on fracking aren’t buying Harris’ about-face on the issue. More top reads:
| | | | A message from Comcast:   Unlicensed wireless spectrum is key to fast and secure WiFi. Learn more. | | | |  A Palestinian displaced woman by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip flees from Hamad City on Aug. 11, 2024. | Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo | POLICY CORNER IMMIGRATION FILES — As more migrants come across the northern border, the Biden administration is moving to make the processing of asylum-seekers move more quickly, CBS’ Camilo Montoya-Galvez scooped. The clampdown, which starts today and partially echoes the changes at the southern border, could allow the U.S. to deport people faster. WHAT ADRIANNE TODMAN IS UP TO — “Biden investing $100M to spur housing construction,” by The Hill’s Aris Folley: “HUD said the funding was made possible by a sweeping government funding package.” STUDENT DEBT LATEST — “Biden administration asks Supreme Court to lift latest block on student loan repayment plan,” by CNN’s Devan Cole and Katie Lobosco AMERICA AND THE WORLD MIDDLE EAST LATEST — The Biden administration yesterday signed off on a major package of fighter jets and other military aid for Israel, totaling about $20 billion, per Bloomberg. Though the assistance still requires congressional approval and won’t arrive for several years, it’s a clear sign that the U.S. continues to stand with Israel despite the devastating Israel-Hamas war. As Israel awaits retaliation from Iran and Hezbollah, Biden suggested that he thinks Iran will stand down if a cease-fire deal is finally struck soon, per Axios’ Barak Ravid. Indeed, Reuters’ Parisa Hafezi and Laila Bassam scooped that Tehran sees a cease-fire as the only thing that would get it to press pause. But the prospects look bleak: Hamas said they won’t participate in tomorrow’s talks, because they consider Israeli PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU to be a bad-faith operator in the wake of revelations that he’s erecting new obstacles to a deal, per the NYT. Domestically, the war’s ramifications are still rippling through American politics. Our colleagues at The Recast have an interesting interview with ASMA MOHAMMED, one of next week’s uncommitted Democratic delegates, who likes Walz but says Harris needs to shift her stance — and help land a cease-fire — to win over young voters. On the flip side, Trump is vowing to deport foreign protesters who voice support for Hamas, even though there’s scant evidence of more than a handful of such people in the U.S., NBC’s Simone Weichselbaum reports. More top reads:
BEYOND THE BELTWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE WOOGIE — A pair of interesting POLITICO stories this morning highlight emerging conundrums around electric vehicles across the country. One problem is that the rise of EVs will cause crucial gas-tax revenues to crater. Alex Nieves reports that a clear solution exists — charging drivers pay-per-mile fees instead — but it remains essentially a political third rail for now. On the flip side, Adam Aton reports, many states are simply piling more fees on EV owners specifically to make up for the lost revenue.
| | | | DON’T MISS OUR AI & TECH SUMMIT: Join POLITICO’s AI & Tech Summit for exclusive interviews and conversations with senior tech leaders, lawmakers, officials and stakeholders about where the rising energy around global competition — and the sense of potential around AI and restoring American tech knowhow — is driving tech policy and investment. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS | | Steny Hoyer suffered a mild stroke, but doesn’t have lingering symptoms. George Santos’ jury will be anonymous. Alvin Bragg got slapped with a lawsuit by America First Legal. Chuck Schumer, Catherine Cortez Masto, Cory Booker, Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla are Kamala Harris’ Senate confidantes. JD Vance is not a vegetarian. Michael Dukakis favors no “s” after the possessive apostrophe. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a party for Meridith McGraw’s new book, “Trump in Exile” ($32), hosted by Josh Dawsey last night: Jonathan Martin and Betsy Fischer Martin, Phil Rucker, Tammy Haddad, Sam Stein, Alex Thompson, Kristen Holmes, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Alayna Treene, Jessica Dean and Alex Katz, Michael Ahrens, Eli Yokley and Evan Hollander, T.W. Arrighi, Kerri Kupec Urbahn and Keith Urbahn, Jeff Solnet and Betsy Klein, Shelby Talcott, Jackie Alemany and Jake Levine, Hooff Cooksey and Olivia Perez-Cubas, Natalie Allison, Dan Meyers, Olivia Beavers, John Beasley, and D’Ann, Dan, Maddie and Margaret McGraw. TRANSITIONS — Brian Conklin is retiring next month from his role as managing partner and head of global government affairs at SoftBank Group. He is a USAA and Bush White House alum. Jeff Dressler will take over as interim head of government affairs. … Jerry Golden will be chief policy officer at Lyft. He most recently was global head of public policy and government affairs at Eventbrite. … Malbert Smith is now senior political and coalitions adviser for North Carolina on the Harris campaign. He most recently was adviser for the assistant secretary of the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Labor Department. … Nicole Brewin is joining the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association as VP of congressional affairs. She most recently was at the Travel Technology Association, and is a Railway Supply Institute alum. … … Nigel Cory is now a director at Crowell & Moring International. He most recently was associate director of trade policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. … The Consumer Brands Association is adding Erin Raden as senior director of state affairs, Jonathon Bridgeman as manager of member programs, Jennifer Smith as digital comms specialist and Olivia Cipriano as member development specialist. ENGAGED — Teddy Schleifer, a reporter for the New York Times, and Anna Lipkin, a postdoctoral researcher at the NIH, got engaged recently. They met through friends, and sparks flew when they locked eyes across the dance floor at the late Codmother. Pic … The ring HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) … Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) (6-0) … Rob Flaherty … NYT’s Adam Goldman … Boris Epshteyn … Tim Carney of the Washington Examiner and AEI … Alia Awadallah … POLITICO’s Peter Canellos and Avery Ellfeldt … Erik Sperling … Dan Sena of Sena Kozar Strategies … David Ellis … Paige Decker of the House Budget GOP … Josh Freed … Edelman’s Jere Sullivan … Eric Wohlschlegel … Sean Miles of the Mayfair Group … Lynne Cheney … former Reps. Tom Campbell (R-Calif.) and Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) … Matt Lauer of Qorvis … BGR Group’s Bill Viney … WaPo’s Lori Montgomery … Jessica Pavel … Denise Feriozzi of the Pipeline Fund 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 Playbook Daily Briefing producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
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