POLITICO Playbook: 53 days to Iowa -- TRUMP SCRATCHES ISRAEL TRIP; boasts polls ‘through the roof’
Good Thursday morning. BREAKING - Trump tweets: "I have decided to postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become President of the U.S. ... Wow, my poll numbers have just been announced and have gone through the roof! ... @Megynkelly spent a big part of her show talking about other shows spending so much time on me. Really weird, she's being driven crazy!"
INSIDE THE CAMPAIGNS -- "Jeb taps Bush alumni for early-state push: How the former Florida governor, once shy about his famous last name, is leaning on his family's network," by Alex Isenstadt: "Starting next month, Bush's campaign will deploy hundreds of his brother and father's former White House aides to early primary states to assist in canvassing and get-out-the-vote ... In a conference call ... Friday with Bush alumni, Sally Bradshaw ... delivered an upbeat assessment of the campaign's progress, while Josh Bolten, George W. Bush's former White House chief of staff, pumped up Jeb Bush as the right leader for the times." https://politi.co/1QxIvS5
MOOD MUSIC -- "White racist groups see Trump bump," by Ben Schreckinger: "Stormfront, the most prominent American white supremacist website, is upgrading its servers in part to cope with a Trump traffic spike. And former Louisiana Rep. David Duke reports that ... Americans [have more] cover to speak out loud about white nationalism than at any time since his own political campaigns in the 1990s. As hate group monitors at the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League warn that Trump's rhetoric is conducive to anti-Muslim violence, white nationalist leaders are capitalizing on his candidacy." https://politi.co/1IWOc5V
By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]) and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected])
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OY -- WashPost A1, at fold, "Super PAC spending big, but Bush sees little payoff," by Matea Gold: "Right to Rise, has already gone through nearly half of the $103 million it brought in during the first half of the year ... It raised only about $13 million in the five months that followed ... That leaves the super PAC with around $67 million." https://wapo.st/1lwyJEV
SIREN - L.A. Times, bottom of A1, "Middle class is no longer a majority in U.S., study says: Analysts suggest shift could affect politics and social stability," by Don Lee in D.C.: "Rapid growth of upper-income households, coupled with an increase in less-educated low earners, has driven the decline of the middle-income population to a hair below 50% of the total this year, Pew found. In 1971, the middle class accounted for 61% of the population, and it has been declining steadily since." https://lat.ms/21R7nK0 The Pew study https://pewrsr.ch/1OjHybu
HAPPENING THIS A.M.: Politico's third annual Women Rule Summit! Susan Glasser, Luiza Savage, Kristin Roberts and Nancy Scola moderate conversations about women who are leading change in policy, politics, technology and their communities. A bonus: the first opera-singer solo at a Politico event. #WomenRule livestreams 8:25 to 11:55 a.m. www.politico.com/live
TRAIL MOMENT - "Trump's knack for controversy drowning out his rivals," by AP's Tom Beaumont and Julie Bykowicz in Manchester, N.H.: "Bush spoke at length ... about his strategy to stop the Islamic State ... Yet the first question he faced ... had nothing to do with his policies. 'I'm going to say two words, probably the last two words you want to hear right now,' said Tim Chrysostom, one of 125 in attendance. 'Donald Trump.' 'What about him?' Bush replied curtly." https://apne.ws/1XYz3x6
SOUNDS LIKE A DR. SEUSS CHARACTER - NYT A1, below fold, "Cruz the Gruff Taking a Turn At Being Nice," by Matt Flegenheimer in Harlan, Iowa (online: "After Making Enemies, Ted Cruz Tries to Make Friends"): "As his crowds swell in Iowa and he battles with Donald J. Trump to lock down the party's more conservative voters, Mr. Cruz ... is working diligently at the simple task of establishing human connections. It is a bigger lift than it might seem. Mr. Cruz appears keenly aware of his charm deficit ... He is folksy by memorization ...
"He does voices, recreating extended scenes, with multiple characters, from 'The Simpsons' and 'The Princess Bride' ... His vocabulary can seem culled from another era, flecked with flourishes like 'Jiminy Cricket!' ... Some key phrases, like 'simple flat tax' and 'Reagan revolution,' are growled for effect. He almost always transitions to ... audience participation ... with the same line: 'I'm happy to answer or dodge any questions.'" https://nyti.ms/1NHMta9
--"[Richard] Viguerie endorses Cruz, asks other conservatives to follow suit," by Eliza Collins: "To conservatives who continue to window shop I say, 'What are you waiting for? In Ted Cruz conservatives have a candidate that's everything we want.'" https://politi.co/1IWzThP
WHAT IOWA IS READING - Des Moines Register banner, "Insiders: Cruz positioned to win [Iowa] -- Questions remain whether he can steal enough tea party votes from Trump," by Jennifer Jacobs and Matthew Patane: "As ... Carson fades, Cruz is ascending - and ... eating into Trump's base, religious conservative leaders told The Des Moines Register ... Team Cruz is taking inspiration from ... Obama and the 2008 'grassroots army' that vaulted him past the Hillary Clinton juggernaut in first-in-the-nation Iowa." https://dmreg.co/1Q2AJkP
--DON'T TELL NEW HAMPSHIRE that Iowa is bogarting "first in the nation."
OK, WE GET IT: WSJ A1 today , "As Cruz Rises In Polls, He Is Banking On the South" https://on.wsj.com/1Z0MrxQ... Boston Globe A1 today, "Cruz pins his strategy on map of the South: Message targets Bible Belt voters" https://bit.ly/1Z0MtWo ... McClatchy, Nov. 13, "Ted Cruz's Southern strategy: Religious liberty" https://bit.ly/1SPSSAe... WashPost, Aug. 13, "Southern states set to play major role in GOP race" https://wapo.st/1NHYdJC ... Politico's Katie Glueck, Aug. 12, "Ted Cruz's Southern comfort" https://politi.co/1OUWPlX
** A message from General Motors: General Motors has already announced this week $171.4 million in additional investments in American jobs and innovation. Today, we're adding to that total with the announcement of $182 million toward two Ohio plants - Defiance and Moraine. That means hundreds of new jobs and retained employees working to develop and manufacture new safety and energy-saving technologies. Learn more at gmpublicpolicy.com. **
A TROPHY FOR RUBIO - NYT, top of A1 (col. 5), "Rubio Measure Delivers a Blow To Health Law: Insurers Say Premiums May Rise for Many," by Robert Pear (online: "Rubio Quietly Undermines Affordable Care Act"): "Rubio's efforts against the ... risk corridor provision ... has shown the effectiveness of quiet legislative sabotage. ... The payments ... help insurers cope with the risks they assumed when they decided to participate in ... insurance marketplaces. ... The payments, he says, are 'a taxpayer-funded bailout for insurance companies.' ... [S]ome insurers have shut down over the unexpected shortfall." https://nyti.ms/1NOvwGL
--ALEX CONANT, Rubio's communications director, tweeted this link as soon as it posted yesterday, and the story got quick traction (perhaps with the help of Dems): It's #9 this morning on The Times' "Most Popular" list - the only 2016 news story in the top 20.
LATE-NIGHT BEST - "The Daily Show Cringes Through GOP's Pandering to Jewish Group [RJC]" -Videohttps://bit.ly/1OjImx2
POWER PLAYERS -- "Top McCarthy aide [John Stipicevic] heading to K Street," by Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer : "Stipicevic ... is leaving Capitol Hill after nearly a dozen years to join the CGCN Group, a boutique Republican lobbying shop. Stipicevic, 32, was McCarthy's (R-Calif.) deputy chief of staff for floor operations and member services. ... 'Stip,' as he is known on Capitol Hill, has spent a lot of time making sure Republicans were able to get legislation across the House floor. ... Stipicevic, who is also close to a scratch golfer, started his career as an intern-turned-aide to then-Whip Roy Blunt." https://politi.co/21Rghai
--"Eleven GOP members vie for spots on Steering Committee," by Politico's Lauren French: "Ryan pledged to overhaul the panel - often dubbed the speaker's committee in the past - after members complained ... [under Boehner, it] didn't represent the larger GOP Conference. The candidates are Reps. Susan Brooks of Indiana, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, John Culberson of Texas, Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, Darrell Issa of California, Steve Pearce of New Mexico, Mike Rogers of Alabama, David Schweikert of Arizona, Jason Smith of Missouri, Fred Upton of Michigan and Ted Yoho of Florida." https://politi.co/1RbxqYC
--" Former Top Defense Department Lawyer Stephen Preston Rejoins WilmerHale": "Preston recently left the federal government as the senior-most, longest-serving national security counsel appointed in the Administration and the only person ever to have served as the chief legal officer of both DoD and ... CIA ... At WilmerHale, he will chair the ... Defense, National Security and Government Contracts Practice and counsel clients on ... defense, intelligence and national security issues."
MOVING DAY -- "WashPo legends and a band march out of old headquarters" - CNN Money: "The Post is moving three blocks from 1150 15th St. NW to 1301 K St. NW. ... The departure ... was celebrated by a marching band through the newsroom, a graffiti wall ('Mr. Bezos, tear down this wall!'), cupcakes ... and a reunion that brought back journalistic legends Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein." https://cnnmon.ie/1RbRnP7
--PIC, via @loisromano: "Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein reflect @washingtonpost as Don Graham looks on." Behind him: Publisher Fred Ryan. That's Karen DeYoung, a 40-year veteran of the paper, next to Fred. Don had elective foot surgery a few weeks ago. https://bit.ly/1QxD45T
TIME PERSON OF THE YEAR: Angela Merkel, "Chancellor of the Free World" - Short list: 2) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIS ... 3) Donald Trump ... 4) Black Lives Matter Activists ... 5) Iran President Hassan Rouhani ... 6) Uber CEO Travis Kalanick ... 7) Caitlyn Jenner. See the cover. https://bit.ly/1RE4Cax ... www.time.com/poy
NEW ON INSTAGRAM: Huma Abedin has joined Instagram with a "Love trumps hate" post.www.instagram.com/humaabedin
AIR WARS -- "Sanders Ramps Up Radio Push in South Carolina": "'One Candidate' emphasizes Sanders' fight to 'end institutional racism and reform our broken criminal justice system.'" https://bit.ly/1OjACLM His previous S.C. radio ads https://bit.ly/1Z0wjfU ... https://bit.ly/1OSMoBo
SCOOP -- Shane Goldmacher: "Last year, Ed Gillespie ... quietly hired Sarah Cochran, a Muslim American, to serve as deputy director for outreach to that community in northern Virginia for his 2014 Senate race." https://politi.co/1SPQx8l
2016 PLAYERS -- "Rob Johnson, Former Perry Staffer, Joins Fiorina Campaign [as a senior advisor]," by National Review's Alexis Levinson: "Johnson was a senior consultant for Perry ... In 2012, he was national campaign manager for Newt Gingrich before leaving to join Perry's first presidential bid." https://bit.ly/1U6ACDB
FIRST LOOKS - "The Koch Brothers' Granite State Project" - American Bridge: "How The Radical Agenda Of Out Of State Oil Billionaires Has Hurt New Hampshire": https://bp21.co/NH1
--" Dozens of National Organizations Run Full-Page 'We Are Better Than This' Ad in New York Times, Urge Politicians to Denounce Hate and Division": "More than 700 groups and individuals are backing the campaign, including MoveOn.org, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, United We Dream, Center for Community Change, Demos, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Arab-American Association of New York, MPower Change, SEIU, and Color of Change." The ad https://politi.co/21QT8Fa ... www.WeAreBetterThanThis.com
MEDIAWATCH - NYT "Stories That Held You the Longest in 2015," by Upshot's Ari Isaacman Astles, Samartha Bhaskar and Danny Debelius: "We measured the favorite Times articles of 2015 ... by the total combined time readers have spent looking at them. ... Leading the list is that Modern Love column, which people have spent close to 900,000 hours reading. That's equal to roughly 100 years. ... 1. Big Wedding or Small? ... 2. How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco's Life ... 3. Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace ... 4. To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This ... 5. The Mixed-Up Brothers of Bogotá ... 6. South Carolina Officer Is Charged With Murder of Walter Scott ... 7. The Moral Bucket List ... 8. The Lonely Death of George Bell ... 9. 52 Places to Go in 2015." https://nyti.ms/1OSOi4X
-- Next month Jill Lawrence joins the USA Today editorial board Jan 4. as commentary editor. She'll be scouting for op-ed pieces and doing some writing herself.
--POLITICO PRO HIRES - Marty Kady emails the staff : "Dan Diamond - who has written for Vox and Forbe, and has spent a dozen years at the Advisory Board, specializing in health care -- joins Pro [Jan. 12] to become our primary Morning Pulse newsletter writer. ... [On t]he defense team ... Austin Wright, who has a strong record in the newsroom of scoops for both Pro subscribers and Main site readers, will be taking up a new post as Politico's senior defense reporter based in the Pentagon. ... Also joining the defense team in January is Connor O'Brien, who has covered defense ... for CQ Roll Call since 2013."
HOLIDAY PARTIES: The Beer Institute held its annual holiday party in new office space and reception bar. Holiday-themed beer pairings included Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale, Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale, Shiner Holiday Cheer, Widmer Brothers Brrr Seasonal Ale, Heineken and Corona Extra.
SPOTTED: IJ's Benny Johnson talking about Star Wars with Rep. Will Hurd (R-Tex.), a former undercover CIA agent, at the Google party last night at the W Hotel. Guests at the shindig noshed on mini grilled cheese, mini meatballs, pigs in a blanket, marshmallow pops, and more.
ENGAGED -- Sean Kennedy to Ashley Flanagan, in NYC this weekend: Sean is the top Dem at A4A and was policy director for Gephardt, CoS to Claire McCaskill, and a special assistant in WH legislative affairs. Ashley is partner at Flanagan Fulkerson, which raises for Schumer, McCaskill and Kander. They met through Missouri Democratic fundraising and lobbying circles.
--Friends of Jamie Wickett with Hogan Lovells, and Jessica Blake with Venture Global, joined to celebrate their engagement at the Metropolitan Club. One of the first to arrive was Speaker Paul Ryan and his wife, Janna, longtime family friends. Janna and Jamie went to law school together. Pic https://bit.ly/1Ndn6eQ
BIRTHDAYS: Symone Sanders, national press secretary for Sanders campaign, is 26 ... Fox News' Mike Emanuel, the pride of Westfield, N.J. ... Brian McGuire, chief of staff for Majority Leader McConnell (h/ts Holmes, Manu) ... Nathan Daschle ... Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) is 66 ... Megan Whittemore, comms director for Sen. Perdue, celebrated 3-0 with a trip to St. Lucia with Gary over Thanksgiving ... Mercury CEO Kieran Mahoney (h/t Brian Jones, Jon Haber) ... Charlie Watkins, son of Dree and Peter (PTI tip: Tony Kornheiser) .. Politico Magazine's Katie Fossett ... former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is 59 ... Greg Rothman ... Mike Shields of American Action Network ... Ryan Beene, Washington reporter for Automotive News ... Gigi Anders ... Lisa Rowan ... Tom Zampino ... former Agriculture Secretary Clayton Yeutter is 85 ... David French, SVP of gov't relations at National Retail Federation ... Ellie Bartow ...
... Kristin Wilson Keppler, senior producer at CNN and an NBC alum ... Matthew Gagnon, CEO of Maine Heritage Policy Center ... John Boozman ... Doug Rosenthal ... Kip Wainscott, senior director of cabinet affairs at The White House and alum of OFA, DOJ and Perkins Coie ... Chris McGrath, Washington liaison officer for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and Leader Reid's former media events director ... Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey ... Don McDowell of Iowa ... Susan Milligan, political writer for U.S. News & World Report ... Hilltop Public Solutions' David Kieve ... Laura De Castro ...
... Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List, celebrated 5-0 with a hot-pink surprise party Monday, and catfish served in honor of the North Carolina native ... Mitchell Schwartz ... Rick Siger ... Michelle Mayorga ... Wayne Smith (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) ... Doug Badger ... Google's Steve Johnston ... Scott MacKay ... Jess Peterson, founder and president of Western Skies Strategies ... soap opera creator Agnes Nixon is 88 ... Gloria Loring is 69 ... Walter "Clyde" Orange (The Commodores) is 69 ... Bobby Flay is 51 ... actress Raven-Symone is 30 (h/ts AP)
** A message from General Motors: At General Motors, creating advanced technology vehicles is not just good for vehicle safety and efficiency, it's good for our economy. That's why we are dedicated to developing in-house vehicle technologies that collectively drive new jobs and another generation of American innovation. In fact, to that end, we've announced investments totaling more than $6.4 billion since the beginning of the year.
General Motors is investing billions to build more fuel-efficient cars, with less energy. The next-generation Chevrolet Volt is arriving at dealerships with more miles per gallon at a lower price,* while the new Chevrolet Bolt is designed to offer a GM-estimated 200 miles of all-electric driving. Learn more at gmpublicpolicy.com.
*EPA-estimated 53-mile EV range based on 106 MPGe combined city/highway (electric) and 42 MPG combined city/highway (gas). Actual range varies with conditions. **
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