POLITICO Playbook: The Gray Lady hits Fox over anti-vax talk

BIDEN’S MONDAY — The Uprising’s Hunter Walker and WSJ’s Ken Thomas scooped that the likely next mayor of New York City, ERIC ADAMS, is headed to the White House today to meet with President JOE BIDEN, A.G. MERRICK GARLAND and other local leaders to discuss what the White House calls its “comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crimes.”

Adams is an obvious invitee: Like Biden, he’s a moderate on criminal justice issues. And as Walker writes: “Crime, which surged around the country during the pandemic, was a central issue in the mayoral race. Adams made the city’s crime spike a central issue in his campaign and leaned on his past experience as an NYPD officer and police reform advocate.”

A White House source familiar tells us the meeting will cover:

• Pushing the “need to hire more police officers and invest in effective, and accountable, community policing.” (emphasis ours)
• “Community violence intervention programs [and] summer employment opportunities.”
• How stronger gun safety laws, including Biden’s EO on guns earlier this year, could reduce crime.

THE SITUATION IN CUBA — “Cubans Denounce ‘Misery’ in Biggest Protests in Decades,” NYT: “The rallies, widely viewed as astonishing for a country that limits dissent, were set off by economic crises worsened by the pandemic.”

— National security adviser @JakeSullivan46: “The U.S. supports freedom of expression and assembly across Cuba, and would strongly condemn any violence or targeting of peaceful protesters who are exercising their universal rights.”

— @marcorubio: “We have NEVER seen a day like today in #Cuba. 62 years of misery, repression & lies boiling over into organic, grassroots protests in over 32 cities.”

— @RepValDemings: “The White House must move swiftly. Freedom shall and must prevail.”

FOX VAX CRUSADE — Another story to keep an eye on this week: the ongoing struggle by the administration to break through vaccine hesitancy among the remaining third or so of American adults who’ve refused the shot. In a story that posted Sunday night, the NYT’s Tiffany Hsu called out Fox News — specifically LAURA INGRAHAM and TUCKER CARLSON — for fueling the problem. We know from our own conversations with White House officials that they see the anti-vax rhetoric as a real problem amid the spread of the Delta variant.

“Opposition to vaccines was once relegated to the fringes of American politics, and the rhetoric on Fox News has coincided with efforts by right-wing extremists to bash vaccination efforts. … The comments by the Fox News hosts and their guests may have also helped cement vaccine skepticism in the conservative mainstream …

“Served up to an audience that is more likely than the general population to be wary of Covid vaccines, the remarks by Mr. Carlson and Ms. Ingraham echoed a now-common conservative talking point — that the government-led effort to raise vaccination rates amounted to a violation of civil liberties and a waste of taxpayer dollars.” The story notes the dissonance between RUPERT MURDOCH — who was vaccinated way back in December — and the message conveyed by some of his network’s hosts.

The response: “A Fox News spokeswoman provided past statements by Mr. Carlson voicing his general support for vaccines. ‘I’ve had a million vaccines in my life, as we all have,’ the host said on an April show. ‘I think vaccines are great.’ The spokeswoman also noted that Ms. Ingraham had spoken in favor of adults choosing to receive vaccines if they wanted them.”

Directly related: Adam Cancryn is out with a story this morning dissecting how Biden’s “immunization campaign has slammed into rising partisanship and deep resistance among the 91 million adults who remain unvaccinated, turning what was once an all-out sprint into a marathon with no clear end in sight.” And per CNN: “In Arkansas, Covid-19 cases surge as state combats vaccine skepticism”

Good Monday morning, and thanks for reading Playbook. Drop us a line: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri.

TRUMP EMBRACES ‘GREAT PEOPLE’ OF JAN. 6 — In a Sunday interview on Fox News with MARIA BARTIROMO, former President DONALD TRUMP spun up a new interpretation of Jan. 6: It was an act of “love,” a word he used repeatedly to describe the sacking of the Capitol. He portrayed ASHLI BABBITT essentially as a martyr — an “innocent, wonderful, incredible woman” — while floating a conspiracy that she was murdered by security for a “top Democrat.” In a throwback to Charlottesville, he called the rioters “great people.”

A source close to Trump said it’s another instance of him following his instincts, despite the appearance of condoning violence and the travesty of that day. “He feels the energy around [Jan. 6],” the source said, noting the growing sentiment among his supporters that the rioters and protesters were taking a patriotic stand. This may explain why there was so much buzz at a CPAC conference this past weekend around the presence of Oath Keepers founder STEWART RHODES. Salon spotted him with a badge even though he is under federal investigation.

Good luck: “Trump World wants distance from QAnon even as he winks at it,” by Tina Nguyen and Meridith McGraw

BIDEN’S MONDAY:

— 10 a.m.: The president and VP KAMALA HARRIS will receive the President’s Daily Brief.

— 1:15 p.m.: Biden will meet with Garland and a variety of local leaders to discuss reducing gun crimes.

HARRIS’ MONDAY:

— 11:25 a.m.: The VP will travel to Detroit.

— 2 p.m.: Harris will hold a voting rights listening session.

— 3:25 p.m.: Harris will speak at a vaccine mobilization event.

— 5:25 p.m.: Harris will speak at a campaign fundraiser for Michigan Gov. GRETCHEN WHITMER.

— 6:30 p.m.: Harris will leave Detroit to head back to D.C.

Press secretary JEN PSAKI will brief at 12:15 p.m.

THE SENATE will meet at 3 p.m. to take up UZRA ZEYA’S nomination as undersecretary of State for civilian security, democracy and human rights, with a vote to invoke cloture at 5:30 p.m. The Foreign Relations Committee will hold a closed hearing at 6 p.m. on repealing the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq.

THE HOUSE is out.

THE WHITE HOUSE

THE SOPORIFIC PRESIDENCY — “Voters Chose Boring Over Bombast. They Got Biden’s Penchant for Pontificating,” by NYT’s Michael Shear in Crystal Lake, Ill.: “Even President Biden thought he had been ponderous. ‘I know that’s a boring speech,’ the 46th president said at the end of 31 minutes and 19 seconds filled with statistics … academic studies … global gross domestic product comparisons … and predictions of 7.4 percent economic growth …

“As the president travels the country pitching his plan for spending trillions of dollars to reshape the American economy, he is facing a rhetorical reality that has long plagued many of his predecessors: There is a vast difference between explaining and inspiring, and Mr. Biden — who was recently called the ‘explainer in chief’ by his press secretary — often struggles to reach the potential oratorical heights of the office he holds.”

CONGRESS

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Global Tax Deal Heads Down Perilous Path in Congress,” by WSJ’s Richard Rubin: “Both pillars present tricky legislative challenges. They likely will move separately through Congress, but the international consensus rests on pairing them and completing both tasks. …

“The Biden administration will try to turn its drive for a tougher minimum tax into legislation this fall without Republican votes by using the budget reconciliation process that requires a simple Senate majority instead of the 60 votes needed for most bills. The White House would then attempt to change the international rules, perhaps through a treaty requiring Republican support.”

WARREN AND CRUZ BOND OVER BRITNEY — OK, that might be a slight overstatement about Marianne LeVine, Olivia Beavers, and Victoria Colliver’s piece out today, “Britney spurs Congress to tackle toxic conservatorships.” But you get the gist: “The political allure of defending Spears goes far beyond the public support that boomed this year for an initially fan-driven effort to ‘free’ the singer from her … conservatorship For progressives, she stands out as a victim of a setup that’s put her father and a wealth management company in control of her finances. For conservatives, Spears is a burgeoning libertarian icon, asserting her free will in the face of a judicial complex that at its worst is blamed for exploitation of senior citizens and young people.

“‘I think this is freaking ridiculous what is happening to Britney Spears, and it needs to end,’ Cruz said on his podcast last week, one of several comments from Republican lawmakers in loud support of extricating her from the judicial system.”

REPORT CARD — The Lugar Center is out today with its assessment of congressional oversight over the first six months of 2021 — and they say it’s largely feast or famine under Democratic leadership. Eight committees landed an A grade, some setting a record-breaking oversight pace and none ranking higher than ROSA DELAURO’S House Appropriations Committee. But a majority earned failing grades, including committees led by the likes of BERNIE SANDERS, JERRY NADLER and RICHARD NEAL. Last place goes to BOB CASEY’S Senate Aging Committee. The full report card

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

WILD IF TRUE — “In D.C. visit, Egypt spy boss claims U.S. agreed — in writing — to jail American activist,” by Nahal Toosi: “The United States, ABBAS KAMEL insisted while on Capitol Hill, had promised back in 2015 that if Egypt released American activist MOHAMED SOLTAN he would serve out the rest of his life sentence in a U.S. prison. So why was Soltan free and living in Virginia? Kamel asked.

“The spymaster even handed Hill staffers and others a document, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO, that appears to be a signed agreement between Egyptian and American officials laying out such an arrangement. … Kamel’s questioning of Soltan’s freedom was audacious, not least because it comes at a highly sensitive time: The Biden administration is engaged in an intensifying internal debate over whether to hold back any, all or some of at least $300 million in military aid to Cairo over its human rights abuses.” The document

HAITI LATEST — “Haitian doctor with Florida connections arrested in Jovenel Moïse assassination plot,” by the Miami Herald’s Jacqueline Charles and Jay Weaver in Port-au-Prince: “A Haitian doctor who has been a fixture in Florida for more than two decades has been arrested in Haiti … CHRISTIAN EMMANUEL SANON’S name has been cited by several of the people who are in custody in the case, the Herald learned, leading the national police to arrest him as part of the ongoing investigation into the leadership of the group of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans suspected of carrying out the assassination.”

— More from WaPo’s Widlore Merancourt and Samantha Schmidt: “[S]enior FBI and Department of Homeland Security officials arrived in the country to discuss how the United States might assist after Moïse’s killing last week. … On Saturday, hundreds of Haitian citizens held up passports in front of the U.S. Embassy in Tabarre to ask for asylum.”

RARE BIT OF CONTINUITY — “Biden backs Trump rejection of China’s South China Sea claim,” by AP’s Matthew Lee: “The Biden administration on Sunday upheld a Trump-era rejection of nearly all of China’s significant maritime claims in the South China Sea. The administration also warned China that any attack on the Philippines in the flashpoint region would draw a U.S. response under a mutual defense treaty.

“The stern message from Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN came in a statement released ahead of this week’s fifth anniversary of an international tribunal’s ruling in favor of the Philippines.”

POLITICS ROUNDUP

2024 WATCH — “Kristi Noem criticizes GOP governors who enacted Covid-19 mandates while accusing some of rewriting their history,” by CNN’s Maeve Reston: “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem questioned the grit and instinct of fellow GOP governors who enacted Covid-19 measures like mask mandates and business closures to stop the spread of the virus … The state had 14,090 cases per 100,000 people, ranking South Dakota with the third highest rate in the nation. …

“Her comments Sunday were a shot across the bow from Noem as she positions herself in a field that has been essentially frozen by former President Donald Trump, who is teasing another run for his former office as he falsely claims that his 2020 contest with Joe Biden was rigged. Noem, who was greeted with a standing ovation at CPAC hours before Trump was slated to speak Sunday, has been defined in part by her intense loyalty to Trump.”

THE NEW GOP — “An American Kingdom,” by WaPo’s Stephanie McCrummen, going long in Fort Worth: “A new and rapidly growing Christian movement is openly political, wants a nation under God’s authority, and is central to Donald Trump’s GOP.”

BEYOND THE BELTWAY

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED — “GOP voting bills advance in Texas House and Senate after overnight committee hearings,” Texas Tribune: “[A] Texas House committee voted early Sunday morning to advance a revived GOP-backed bill that would bring back many of the proposals that failed to pass in the spring. A panel of Senate lawmakers followed suit later in the day … The votes from the Republican-majority committees put the bills on a path to be voted on by the full chamber this week. …

“Republicans have already dulled some of the edges of the legislation, dropping controversial provisions to restrict Sunday voting hours and to make it easier for judges to overturn elections. But the bills’ authors are still moving to ban drive-thru and 24-hour voting options, enhance access for partisan poll watchers and prohibit local election officials from proactively distributing applications to request mail-in ballots. Both bills also include language to further restrict the state’s voting-by-mail rules, including new ID requirements for absentee voters.”

MEDIAWATCH

MONDAY PICK-ME-UP, via Ben Smith’s weekly NYT column: “5 Pieces of Good News About the News”: “[I]n the United States, there’s also a generation of ventures growing up in the cracks in the sidewalk, fueled by a new sense of mission in American journalism and by the sheer quantities of money, private and nonprofit, floating around.” Featuring Outlier Media, The Trace, Bloomberg Green, Jubilee Media and more

THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN — Remember the NYT story in May about Project Veritas operatives working as “honey pots” on the dating scene, including former “Survivor” castaway Anna Khait? The Daily Beast’s Will Sommer found two of her targets: “Democratic campaign worker Michael Kolenc’s love life was finally looking up. It was July 2018, and Kolenc had just been interviewed in Houston by an amateur politics podcaster named Hope Higgins. After the interview, Higgins invited him to get drinks with her … Weeks of text messaging ensued after Higgins returned home to Brooklyn. Kolenc, smitten, flew to New York to see her. …

“Higgins had been secretly recording Kolenc during their meetings. Now the footage of Kolenc criticizing one of his former bosses, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), was set to be released by [James] O’Keefe. Hope Higgins wasn’t real. Instead, the woman Kolenc knew as Hope was Anna Khait … ‘It took a toll on my mental health,’ Kolenc said. ‘It made me less trusting of people.’”

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Emily Keller is now strategic partner manager for progressive civics content partnerships on the YouTube team at Google. She most recently was social media director at the DNC.

— Sarah Gadsden is now a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. She most recently was a senior associate at Eagle Hill Consulting, and is an NBC News alum.

TRANSITIONS — Jonathan Uriarte is starting as Hispanic media director for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Senate Dems. He previously was comms director for Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.). … Cate Hurley is now press secretary for Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) She previously was press assistant at DOE. …

… Progressive Turnout Project has added several new program leadership hires to oversee its field efforts: Melissa Gallahan as relational organizing director, Maryli Secrest as national field director, Allison Solowsky as logistics director and Kevin Lane as national training manager. … John Manchester is now a legislative fellow for Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.). He previously was a senior associate at American Continental Group.

ENGAGED — Anne Feldman, deputy comms director for Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Will Wilder, a fellow with the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, got engaged Saturday at Meridian Hill Park. They met in 2016 while working on Jason Kander’s Senate race in Missouri. Pic

WEEKEND WEDDING — Molly Morrissey, press secretary for Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Jayhon Ghassem-Zadeh, a senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, got married Saturday surrounded by family at Hartford City Hall in Connecticut. The couple met in Washington and got engaged in New York City in 2019. Pics

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Cate McCanless, SVP for corporate affairs and policy at Harmony Biosciences, and Tim Clark, VP of government affairs at Neurocrine Biosciences, welcomed Owen Robert Clark, their fifth boy, on Saturday. Pic

— Miranda Franco, senior policy adviser at Holland & Knight, and Anthony Leone, technology education teacher and head basketball coach at Freedom High School, welcomed Lucia Franco Leone on Thursday. Pic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Playbook’s own Ryan Lizza (THE BIG 7-0!) … Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) … Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) … The Atlantic’s Isaac Dovere … CNN’s Brooke Baldwin … Thea McDonald … Eric Ueland … Sean Cairncross … Susan Axelrod … Christie Vilsack … Jason Childress … Barclays’ Adam Elias … POLITICO’s Kayla Sharpe … Beth Lester Sidhu of the Stagwell Group … Brendan Daly and Matt Daly … CNN’s Eden Getachew … Ryan Bock … Teresa Buckley Bill … Javier Folgar … Brandon Shaw … Fox News’ Bryan Llenas … WaPo’s Jabin Botsford … Josh King … Brian Schoeneman … Alex Halpern Levy … Precision Campaign Group’s Jordan Gehrke … John Gans Jr. … Nicole Narea … former Reps. Mickey Edwards (R-Okla.) and J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) … Kayla Spencer … CBS News’ Mary Walsh … Basel Hamdan (4-0) … Jessica Hanks of DKC … Debbee Hancock … Rachel DiCarlo Currie … Seton Motley … Malala Yousafzai

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