Tom Hanks, this coffee is too cheap!

Oct 18, 2024

By Lauren Egan, Eli Stokols and Ben Johansen

Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration and Harris campaign.

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We here at West Wing Playbook take our work very seriously. Each day we ask ourselves: How can we serve our readers? How can we make their lives better? Screw that. How can we make the world better?

Sometimes that mission leads us down winding reporting paths, into the depths of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It’s drawn us to hard-hitting interviews with some of Washington’s most influential players. It’s pushed us to uncover the hardships of life as a Harris campaign staffer, and it’s inspired us to spend hours sleuthing around about White House reporters’ surprising journalistic ambitions on other beats.

Recently, it also led us to tackle a question that had been overlooked for far too long: Was there a single White House reporter who knew how to use the Pasquini espresso machine that TOM HANKS gifted to the press corps? The complexity of the machine (retail price : $1,799), the only espresso maker in the dingy press work space, had left hard-working reporters under-caffeinated for far too long — an injustice to not only the cranky journalists, but the American public whom they work to inform.

After a lengthy investigation — which included a week-long stakeout of the espresso machine, dozens of phone calls and even a trip down to the windowless basement of the press work space — we concluded that hardly anyone could use the machine. The vast majority of the press corps had been suffering in silence for years, embarrassed to admit their own ineptitude and fearful that they’d come across as ungrateful to a Hollywood titan.

Our work, which we will be submitting to the Pulitzer Prize Board, had an unexpected impact.

After coming across our investigation, a Hanks representative reached out to the White House. The actor’s camp had no idea that the espresso machine had been such a source of anxiety for the press corps. Mortified that this had gone on for years without anyone speaking up, the Hanks team wanted to provide reporters with something they could actually use. Or perhaps, the movie-star just felt like trolling those entitled ingrates in the White House press corps. Whatever the reason, they told the White House they wanted to send the press corps a new, simpler coffee maker.

Picture of Keurig machine, gifted to the White House press briefing room by Tom Hanks.

The White House forwarded the email to our own EUGENE DANIELS, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. And Daniels worked with Hanks’ representatives toward a solution. In mid-October, a massive FedEx delivery showed up at POLITICO’s Rosslyn headquarters. It contained a $109.99 Keurig® K-Duo®, along with approximately 500 Tom Hanks-branded — that’s HANX, lol — K-Cup® coffee pods. The flavor? “First Class Joe,” a 100% Arabica Black Roast that the packaging says has hints of brown sugar and toasted almonds. His team even arranged a discount code for the press corps to restok on Hanx coffee once they run out of pods. “Compliments of Tom Hanks!” read the included note card embossed with “Hanx” and a vintage typewriter logo.

“Journalism runs off caffeine and there’s nothing better than free coffee and a machine that our tired, worn out brains can work. Thanks to the nicest man in Hollywood for perking us up so we can get through the rest of this long and historic election and beyond,” Daniels said in a statement to West Wing Playbook.

Like all complicated investigations, there’s nuance to this story. Yes, hardly anyone could use the Pasquini machine. But photojournalists DOUG MILLS of the NYT and AP’s EVAN VUCCI were known to use its hot water for instant oatmeal — and even, in Vucci’s case, coffee. And even if the shiny machine was mostly just gathering dust on the “lavateria” counter, it sure did look nice. We can’t help but wonder if Daniels could have negotiated a better deal with Hanks (e.g. a mid-market Breville Barista Pro Express) on behalf of members (cough, MATT VISER) who might be bit more persnickety about their coffee.

Sources informed us that at first, the Hanks team requested the WHCA return the Pasquini to them. They thought perhaps they could donate the lightly-used machine to a veterans group (the proceeds of Hanks’ coffee brand go to veterans and their families). We were certain Mills and Vucci would never speak to us again. On top of that, the machine itself is … not light. WHCA could probably fund a whole scholarship — or buy five more Keurig machines (we’re good, thanks!) — with what it would take to ship the thing back to LA.

When we accompanied Daniels to install the new Hanks machine on Thursday evening, the Pasquini machine was still there taking up space. We were informed that Hanks ultimately decided it could stay at the White House.

We stuffed all those Hanx pods in the cupboard. But the countertop above was still a bit crowded. Perhaps because there was an older Keurig machine already sitting there.

Eugene Daniels unpacking a new Keurig machine, gifted to the White House press briefing room by actor Tom Hanks.

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POTUS PUZZLER

What was reportedly GERALD FORD’s favorite movie?

(Answer at bottom.)

Photo of the Week

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a family photo at the start of their "Quad meeting" at the Chancellery in Berlin on Friday.

CAMPAIGN HQ

STILL NOT GOING THERE: We mentioned Blueprint’s new research this week suggesting Vice President KAMALA HARRIS has real room to grow with independents by distancing herself from JOE BIDEN on pretty much anything — and how refusing to do so “has a -21 percentage point drag on preference toward her.” But on Friday when NBC’s PETER ALEXANDER became the latest journalist asking Harris how and where she might differ from Biden, she refused to give him — and undecided voters, apparently — what they want.

“I mean to be very candid with you … including Mike Pence, vice presidents are not critical of their presidents,” she said. “I think that really, actually, in terms of the tradition of it, and also just going forward, it does not make for a productive and important relationship.”

HIS SAFE SPACE: Former President DONALD TRUMP hit the airwaves this morning, joining Trump-friendly outlets, including “Fox and Friends” and a conservative podcast. He had some … head scratching … comments. On HARVEY WEINSTEIN (yes, that Harvey Weinstein): “I was so amazed that Harvey Weinstein got schlonged,” Trump told commentator DAN BONGINO, using a word that reminded us of a more innocent time. “He got hit as hard as you can, because he was the king of the woke.”

BRIAN KILMEADE asked the former president whether he would call NIKKI HALEY in the final 18 days in an effort to court Republicans who are still skeptical of him. “Let me tell you, Nikki Haley and I fought and I beat her by 50, 60, 90 points. I beat her in her own state by numbers that nobody has ever been beaten by. I beat Nikki badly.”

It comes as our Eugene Daniels reported this morning that Trump’s team canceled yet another neutral media outlet, this time The Shade Room. One outlet was recently given an explanation by Trump’s team for why their interview wasn’t coming to fruition: exhaustion.

Both Harris and Trump addressed the report on the campaign trail Friday. After a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan — where Harris spent almost the entire event bashing the former president — Harris asked the question: “Being president is probably one of the hardest jobs in the world. We do need to ask: If he’s exhausted being on the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job?”

Trump balked at the accusation.

NO PUNCHES PULLED: Vice President Harris will escalate her attacks on Trump’s economic plan Friday evening, campaigning at a Michigan union hall whose members’ jobs are threatened by Trump’s agenda, our GAVIN BADE reports . This evening, Harris will visit UAW Local 652 in Lansing, which represents General Motors Grand River assembly plant workers. The plant is slated to receive a $500 million grant under Democrats’ 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to convert it from assembling gas-powered cars to electric vehicles.

But those 650 jobs could be wiped out if Trump follows through on his campaign pledge to rescind unspent funds from the law, Harris will warn the workers.

PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS: In the final weeks before the election, Harris will make her first campaign appearances with BARACK and MICHELLE OBAMA at get-out-the-vote events in Georgia and Michigan, AP’s DARLENE SUPERVILLE reports. Harris is set to appear with the former president in Georgia on Oct. 24 and the former first lady in Michigan on Oct. 26.

LET’S TALK FOOTBALL: This afternoon, Minnesota Gov. TIM WALZ spoke with RICH EISEN for his sports podcast, “The Rich Eisen Show,” where they discussed his high school football coaching years, the early success of the Minnesota Vikings and their upcoming divisional matchup with DAN CAMPBELL ’s Detroit Lions on Sunday. Campbell, Eisen said, resembles Walz, to which the governor was flattered. “Who would not want to be on that guy’s staff?”

“You never question he’s with his guys,” Walz said of the old school, run-it-down-your-throat Lions coach.

(Lions 31, Vikings 20. Book it.)

THE REVEREND TAKES A GO: On Sunday, Vice President Harris will sit down with Rev. AL SHARPTON in a one-on-one interview in Atlanta. The full interview will air at 5 p.m. ET on MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation.”

WHAT WILMINGTON WANTS YOU TO READ: Besides Eugene’s report about Trump being exhausted? How about Los Angeles Dodger MAX MUNCY’s stat line this postseason , reaching base safely in 12 consecutive at bats, tying REGGIE JACKSON. LA fan MIA EHRENBERG reposted the line on X.

Go Mets. You gotta believe.

WHAT WILMINGTON DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by Axios’ STEF KIGHT, who reports that many endangered Senate Democrats are using the closing stretch to boast about their ties to Donald Trump. Sens. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.) and BOB CASEY (D-Penn.) both released ads Friday that included images of Trump and highlighted their collaboration with him when he was president. “Casey bucked Biden to protect fracking, and he sided with Trump to end NAFTA and put tariffs on China to stop them from cheating,” the Casey campaign ad states.

The Oval

ACHTUNG BABY: In Berlin on Friday, President Biden rallied allies in support of Ukraine, and received the country’s highest honor, the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit. As our JAMES ANGELOS and NETTE NÖSTLINGER report, Biden and German Chancellor OLAF SCHOLZ vowed to maintain support for Ukraine, even though both leaders, as we noted on Thursday, are running out of time and political capital necessary to ensure Russia’s defeat.

“We must sustain our resolve, our effort and our support,” Biden said at the German chancellery ahead of another meeting on Ukraine that included British Prime Minister KEIR STARMER and French President EMMANUEL MACRON . “I know the cost is heavy. But make no mistake. It pales in comparison to the cost of living in the world where aggression prevails.”

“Mr. President, on the historic occasion of your visit to Germany, my country recognizes your decades-long dedication to the transatlantic alliance, your outstanding political leadership in Europe’s most dangerous moment and your lasting moral example of service, sincerity and decency,” German President FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER said.

During his trip, Biden also addressed the killing of Hamas leader YAHYA SINWAR, framing it as an “opportunity” to end the year-long war in Gaza, our JONATHAN LEMIRE reports. The administration, including Vice President Harris, is urging Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU to agree to a cease-fire. Biden gave that message directly to Netanyahu on Thursday in a phone call and is sending Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN to the region in the coming days.

THE BUREAUCRATS

PERSONNEL MOVES: JASON CHAUVIN is now a director of industrial trade policy at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as part of the White House Leadership Development Program. He most recently was a senior engineer at the Bureau of Industry and Security in the Commerce Department.

— CHRIS DiBARI now works on climate and energy at the National Security Council. He most recently was senior duty officer at the White House Situation Room.

Agenda Setting

TIGHT-LIPPED: As Biden prepared to board Air Force One on his way back to Washington, he told reporters that he had details on Israel’s expected response to Iran’s Oct. 1 missile attacks, but declined to share those publicly, Bloomberg’s JENNY LEONARD reports. Biden was asked if he has an understanding of what Israel would do in response to the attack and when that response would be. “Yes and yes,” Biden responded. Asked if he would elaborate, Biden said, “No and no.”

Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of security officials today, with Israeli media reporting that it focused on efforts to prevent Hamas from harming the hostages as potential retaliation for Sinwar’s killing, WaPo’s STEVE HENDRIX and CLAIRE PARKER report.

What We're Reading

How Republican Billionaires Learned To Love Trump Again (The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser)

Trump has vowed to gut climate rules. Oil lobbyists have a plan ready. (WaPo’s Evan Halper and Josh Dawsey)

Why Washington Has Failed to Solve the Border Crisis (Andrea R. Flores for Foreign Affairs Magazine)

POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER

Somewhat ironically, Ford’s favorite movie was supposedly “Home Alone,” in which 8-year-old KEVIN McCALLISTER finds himself unexpectedly in charge of a house — similar to Ford, who found himself taking over for SPIRO AGNEW as vice president, and eventually, RICHARD NIXON as president.

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 Steve Shepard and Rishika Dugyala.

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