POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing - POLITICO

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Oct. 28. 2021: A worst-case scenario for Biden Oct 28, 2021

Show notes

A senior White House official recently described the reconciliation negotiations as a “nine-way teeter-totter.” Wednesday was a good example.

Ever since Sen. Kyrsten Sinema nixed the party’s plan to raise corporate, capital gains and individual tax rates to pay for the bulk of the reconciliation bill, Democrats have been struggling to re-balance the revenue plank.

And, House Majority Whip James Clyburn had this to say speaking to the Jewish Federation of Charleston on Wednesday night: “I’m not too sure that Democrats have yet developed the will to win in 2022.”

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 27, 2021: Except for every sticking point, Dems are close to a deal Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

President Joe Biden was hoping to announce a deal on his legislative agenda before he heads to Europe on Thursday. But it’s Wednesday already, and so far this week, it’s been two baby steps forward, one giant leap backward for Democrats. We’re not saying a deal won’t materialize; odds are it will — eventually. Here’s a look at the state of play.

And, A local TV station in Nevada took down a pro-Catherine Cortez Masto ad Tuesday after the NRSC complained it included “flagrantly false” information about the vulnerable senator’s GOP challenger.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 26, 2021: Biden’s new problem on the left Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

President Joe Biden might be finally homing in on a deal with Sen. Joe Manchin, but a sense of discontent is starting to bubble up among progressives on the Hill, and it threatens to impede what the White House hoped would be a big week for the Biden agenda.

As the reconciliation bill’s provisions on Medicare, climate and family leave get watered down — if not axed entirely — progressives who initially sounded a positive note after meetings at the White House are now expressing concerns. And those worries are steering the left into a moment of reckoning over how hard to fight for their priorities.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 25, 2021: The 9 most important days of Biden’s presidency Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

The next nine days are the most important of Joe Biden’s young presidency: He needs to rescue his legislative agenda in Congress, rescue his party’s political candidates in two states and rescue America’s leadership on climate policy in Scotland.

The White House is hoping for a virtuous cycle of developments that will help accomplish all three goals: Securing a deal on the reconciliation bill could help Democratic candidates in Virginia and New Jersey. The climate provisions of the final deal will tell world leaders at next week’s COP26 how serious the United States is when it comes to reaching Biden’s stated emissions goals.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 22, 2021: The rundown on reconciliation Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

Taking questions at a live town hall in Baltimore, Biden got into the nitty-gritty of the reconciliation negotiations, speaking about his mix of frustration with and respect for Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) with surprising candor. He also made some news about the particulars of the bill/framework at this point in time.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 21, 2021: The backstory on David Corn’s Manchin scoop Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

The Joe Manchin news that shook Washington on Wednesday was David Corn’s report in Mother Jones that the West Virginia senator is considering motoring his houseboat out of the Democratic dock:

“In recent days, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has told associates that he is considering leaving the Democratic Party if President Joe Biden and Democrats on Capitol Hill do not agree to his demand to cut the size of the social infrastructure bill from $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion, according to people who have heard Manchin discuss this. Manchin has said that if this were to happen, he would declare himself an ‘American Independent.’ And he has devised a detailed exit strategy for his departure.”

A rather angry Manchin told our Burgess Everett that Corn’s story was “bullshit.”

We talked to Corn on Wednesday night and came away with the impression of a reporter who is 1,000% sure his story was correct.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 20, 2021: Breaking down Biden’s latest Build Back Better plan Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

President Joe Biden began pitching lawmakers on an outline for his Build Back Better plan Tuesday night. The proposal, pegged in the range of $1.75 to $1.9 trillion, is far from a done deal: Moderates and progressives will have plenty to say before giving anything their blessing. But Hill Democrats are relieved that Biden is getting his hands dirty after sitting on the sidelines for weeks.

“This was a productive conversation and also one that demonstrates momentum,” said a senior congressional aide briefed on one of several meetings Tuesday between the president and lawmakers. “This is a sign that the White House is actually putting pen to paper.”

Here’s what Biden told lawmakers about the state of play, as well as our own analysis of the latest.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 19, 2021: The carbon tax makes a comeback Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

An unusual confluence of factors have brought back a climate-change fighting policy that many Democrats saw as politically toxic: the carbon tax.

While the idea has long been the favored tool of economists (Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is a strong supporter), some Republicans (like Sen. Mitt Romney) and the American Petroleum Institute, the Biden White House has always opposed pricing carbon. The president’s staff has feared both the general politics and the specific fact that a carbon tax could violate the president’s pledge not to raise taxes on Americans making under $400,000 a year.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 18, 2021: It’s crunch time (again) on Capitol Hill Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

Congress returns from recess today with 13 days until Speaker Nancy Pelosi's new Halloween deadline to pass the party’s package of infrastructure and social services legislation. One problem: The latter has yet to be written — or really even outlined.

And yet: A series of calls Sunday with sources we trust to give us an honest read on the state of play turned up some genuine optimism they can get it done. At least perhaps an outline of an agreement.

The end of October is both the official deadline to renew transportation funding and the effective deadline to provide a boost to Democrat Terry McAuliffe in his surprisingly close campaign for Virginia governor. As Heather Caygle and Burgess Everett wrote over the weekend, there’s a recognition among top Democrats that they’ve got to get this done to help save the state — and that a loss could be seen as an indictment of the party’s legislative agenda.

Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

Oct. 15, 2021: DCCC edges out NRCC cash haul Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser writes that House Democrats have the upper hand over House Republicans in fundraising ahead of the 2022 midterms. A quick look at the numbers:

In September: DCCC raised $14.5 million; NRCC raised $12.2 million
In Q3 (July-Sept.): DCCC: $35.8 million; NRCC: $25.8 million
In the first nine months of 2021:DCCC: $106.5 million; NRCC: $105 million
BUT BUT BUT… cash on hand: DCCC: $63 million; NRCC: $65 million

And, former chiefs of staff to Obama and Bush agree that Ron Klain may be spending too much time on Twitter while managing the leader of the free world.

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Raghu Manavalan is the host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the senior producer for POLITICO Audio.
Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO Audio.

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