POLITICO Playbook: POSSIBLE RUNNING MATE FOR TRUMP (Ben Carson) – THE DONALD on The Cover of TIME

 

Good Thursday morning. THE CONVERSATION - N.Y. Post's Richard Johnson (former "Page Six" macher, now a separate gossip columnist), "Quick hits": "SPOTTED huddling at the Beach Café: Roger Stone, who quit as Donald Trump's political adviser, and Jake Menges, former Rudy Giuliani political honcho now handling Dr. Ben Carson's presidential bid. Trump tops polls in Iowa, but Carson has zoomed in many polls. Is a ticket with the two nonpoliticians in the works?"

AN EARLY-RISING TRUMP ALLY reads between the lines for Playbook readers: "Trump read [Carson's] book and was impressed. If Trump got nominated, he'd either need Carson or Fiorina -- he'd have to look outside politics. The three non-politicians are up in the polls, and that tells you a lot about the electorate. Voters are fed up with career politicians - they have no credibility. That's what fueling Trump's rise: He's not a career politician, and he has the financial independence to challenge the system - the two parts of the Trump phenomenon.

"[Carson and Trump] have no [past] relationship, that I know of. He and Carly have rumbled publicly, and criticized each other. But Johnson attacked Kennedy for having Addison's disease, and he got on the ticket. George [H.W.] Bush called Reaganomics 'voodoo economics,' and he got on. Trump hasn't thought about [a running mate] - it'd be presumptuous [!]. But that doesn't mean I can't start a boomlet."

By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]) and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected])

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: https://bit.ly/1W3LMuZ 

TRUMP on TIME's cover, "Deal with it" -- Nancy Gibbs emails: "The first time TIME put Trump on the cover, in 1989, the peerless Otto Friedrich wrote the story, calling him 'the ultimate flashy symbol of an acquisitive age.' That cover is hanging on the wall, along with so many since then, at Trump tower, where we caught up with him this week." https://time.com/trump/ The cover https://bit.ly/1fqF00P Transcript https://ti.me/1PnZ9B3

SWING STATE POLLS, off embargo at 6:30 a.m. -- "Biden tops Trump in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania" - Quinnipiac: "Florida: Biden 45 - Trump 42 ... Ohio: Biden 48 - Trump 38 ... Pennsylvania: Biden 48 - Trump 40 ... Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida both run better than Trump against Clinton, Biden or U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. If Trump makes a third-party run, results are: Florida - Clinton at 37 percent, with 36 percent for Bush and 19 percent for Trump; Ohio - Clinton over Bush 37 - 27 percent, with 23 percent for Trump; Pennsylvania - Clinton tops Bush 37 - 29 percent, with Trump at 24 percent." https://bit.ly/1Mz2X3h

HOT VIDEO -- "Boy Hit By Football Pass From Marco Rubio Speaks Out: 'I'll be waiting for you Rubio." https://huff.to/1Mz0B4a Watch for Rubio trash-talk response soon. ... "A Bad Lip Reading of The Republican Debate" - 5-min. video https://bit.ly/1HX5bCX

CLICKER -- HILLARY'S HAMPTONS HOUSE -- "Sea views, sweeping lawns, and a private beach - how Hillary Clinton plans to spend break from campaigning among 'ordinary Americans' in $50,000-a-week Hamptons home," by Daniel Bates on Daily Mail: "Exclusive pictures ... show what exactly the Democratic Presidential candidate is getting for her $100,000 - which covers just a two week rental. She will be able to relax in the 50ft pool, stroll the lush manicured lawns and sit on the easy chairs that overlook the gently curving beach, to which it has private access. She can also take advantage of the huge, airy lounge with a fireplace and patio or take a walk through the gardens." With 22 pix of the house, grounds and views, on one page https://dailym.ai/1K7oQq5

HILLARY new bilingual video, "Jeb Bush and Donald Trump Anchor Baby Insult": "In theory, Jeb is a 'reasonable' Republican. In reality, he is as insulting as Donald Trump." https://bit.ly/1J685te

SIGN OF THE TIMES - USA Today, bottom of front page, "Regal theaters now searching bags at door" https://usat.ly/1PnTif4

COMING ATTRACTIONS -- "No plans to stop, says Black Lives Matter: And President Obama may be next, the movement's co-founder says in an interview," by Sarah Wheaton in Vineyard Haven: "The movement, whose angry exchange with Hillary Clinton was revealed this week following an earlier shout-down of Bernie Sanders, has a potential new target: Barack Obama. He may be the first black president, but he won't be immune, said #Blacklivesmatter network co-founder Patrisse Cullors in an interview with POLITICO on Martha's Vineyard ... where she is participating this week in racial-justice panels." https://politi.co/1J67YOk

MARTY NESBITT INTERVIEW -- "The man building Barack Obama's future," by Edward-Isaac Dovere: "Obama will return full circle to his community organizing days in his post-presidency, making an outreach program to help the historically underprivileged South Side a focus of his foundation. Obama is expected to pick a director to lead the effort before leaving the White House. The search is already underway. Details of the Obama Foundation's mission and organization were shared with POLITICO in an exclusive interview with Marty Nesbitt, Obama's best friend and the chairman of the foundation.

"Nesbitt said the planning includes a concerted effort to learn from the experiences of past presidents, including avoiding the financial tangles stemming from Bill Clinton's decision to separate his presidential library in Little Rock and his family foundation in New York." https://politi.co/1TYwDHt

PEN AND PHONE - N.Y. Times 1-col. lead, "DEPT. OF JUSTICE PRESSES AGENDA AT LOCAL LEVELS: A FOCUS ON CIVIL RIGHTS Using Methods Applied in the Past to National Security Cases," by Matt Apuzzo: "The federal government has typically waded into local court cases only when the outcome directly affected a federal interest ... Recently, however, the Justice Department has filed statements of interest in cases involving legal aid in New York, transgender students in Michigan, juvenile prisoners in solitary detention in California, and people who take videos of police officers in Baltimore." https://nyti.ms/1UUEGYg

MEDIAWATCH -- "Bloomberg to lay off about 100 editorial employees," by N.Y. Post's Kevin Dugan: "The financial media giant, which employs about 2,700 journalists across the globe, is planning to lay off about 100 employees, or about 3.7 percent, in its editorial division as soon as Labor Day ... Many of the layoffs are expected to target politics and government reporters out of the New York and Washington ... bureaus ... Mike Bloomberg is looking to cut the fat ... [and] the spigot in new hires has been turned off." https://bit.ly/1LkEBsm

EYE DOCTOR TO THE WORLD -- "Rand Paul: a humanitarian in Haiti, a pit bull in 2016," by AP's Steve Peoples: "An ophthalmologist by training, Paul left Haiti on Wednesday afternoon after spending four days on a humanitarian mission to the island nation. From a small urban clinic guarded by a team of armed police, Paul joined six eye surgeons who restored vision to dozens of impoverished Haitians, many living for years in blindness.'" https://yhoo.it/1Pnl7E7

--IJR VIDEO -- "How To Fix A Broken Eye with Rand Paul" -- 2-min. video: https://bit.ly/1JjBWLy

** A message from PhRMA: For every dollar spent on health care in the U.S. only 10 cents goes towards retail prescription medicines. What are patients getting for that dime? In the last year alone, it has brought new cures for hepatitis C, new treatments for high cholesterol and breakthroughs in cancer care. Read more at https://onphr.ma/1gQ9gE2. **

SUNDAY SO FAR: 

--"This Week": Walker

--"Meet the Press": Fiorina

--"Face the Nation": Ken Burns, on the Sept. 7 re-release of "The Civil War" ... Panel: Manu Raju, Ruth Marcus, Michael Scherer, Anne Gearan

--"Fox News Sunday" (Shannon Bream hosting): Huckabee ... former Attorney General Michael Mukasey (under George W. Bush), re Hillary emails (How to get booked on a Sunday show: "Michael Mukasey [to Newsmax TV on Tue.]: Hillary Showed No 'Common Sense' in Email Scandal")

--CNN's "State of the Union": Neera Tanden re Hillary emails

FIRST LOOK - RNC's topline July fundraising numbers : "Total raised in July 2015: $7.7 million ... Total raised cycle-to-date: $63.1 million ... Total cash on hand: $16.7 million ... Percentage of donations $200 and under: 99% ... Average donation: $65 ... Debt: $1.8 million."

MEMORABLE PHRASES - WashPost Style lead, "THE TALKING DEAD: Field notes from a day in Iowa observing Rick Perry, the zombie candidate," by Ben Terris (online: "The zombie apocalypse has arrived, and it's in Iowa with Rick Perry"): "Perry's zombie campaign lurches forward. He may have no money, but there's $17 million from super PACs propping him up. Like a brain that can no longer coordinate with its body, Perry has no control over how this money is spent." https://wapo.st/1MzpEEt

THE UNDERCARD -- "Bottom of GOP heap seething at RNC over debates: Campaigns at last month's 'kiddie table' debate believe the RNC took actions that made them look like losers," by Kyle Cheney and Katie Glueck: "[T]he arena ... was largely empty during the [early] debate ... Adding to the insult was the energy and enthusiasm that accompanied the prime-time Republican debate ... National Republican officials largely dismiss the complaints as the wails of struggling campaigns, who in an earlier election cycle might not have had the opportunity to debate on TV at all." https://politi.co/1WGiHpK

KASICH RISING - Tampa Bay Times, top of 1A, "Kasich emerges as rival for Bush: The Ohio governor has appeal for the same center-right Republican voters," by Times Political Editor Adam Smith in Peterborough, N.H. (online: "Meet John Kasich, the straight-talking GOP candidate threatening Jeb Bush": "[S]omeone who has successfully governed a mega swing state, a straight talker who might sometimes tick off the GOP's base but has proven how a conservative problem-solver can have broad appeal. If that sounds like an argument for Jeb Bush, think again. It's Ohio Gov. John Kasich." https://bit.ly/1PnNSkh

--Adam's story also runs at bottom of Miami Herald front, "Kasich may give Bush a run for his money." https://hrld.us/1hNKkxb

--WashPost 1-col. lead, "Bush is squeezed by rivals in N.H.: Trump's big crowds, Kasich's rise challenge onetime front-runner," by Phil Rucker and Jose DelReal in Derry, with Ed O'Keefe (online: "Bush and Trump face off in N.H. - and The Donald is winning"): "In this ... state, tailor-made for a center-right, business-friendly, establishment-approved candidate, Bush is caught uncomfortably between the rising forces on his right and left. He has been unable to assert himself as the alpha candidate that many Republicans expected he would be." https://wapo.st/1WGhDCk

WHAT IOWA IS READING - Des Moines Register lead story, "Candidates often get campaign boost from their spouse: Husband or wife can show 'softer side' of politicians," by Kathy Bolten https://dmreg.co/1PBbdzq

--Des Moines Register p. 1A tease, "Perry hits fair, takes turn on soapbox": "A 'mad as hell' former Texas Gov. Rick Perry addressed the State Fair masses Wednesday during The Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, pushing to return more power to the states. 'Washington, D.C., has decided that all the decisions should be made there ... and I am going to do something about it to change it."

WHAT N.H. IS READING - Union Leader's Dan Tuohy "Granite Status" column for Union Leader, "'Summer of Trump' stretches on across New Hampshire": "Trump ... had 1,500 RSVPs for his event [last] night at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, and his campaign before the Trump-copter had touched down was ready for a sizable overflow capacity in the school's cafe. Bernie Sanders' team is also preparing for big crowds when [he] returns Sunday." https://bit.ly/1TV0ndu

CAMPBELL BROWN EDUCATION SUMMIT - N.H. Union Leader, bottom of front page, "Common Core divides GOP presidential candidates ... Local control, school choice were hot topics at Londonderry High," by Dan Tuohy: "Bush and ... Kasich stood by their past support for Common Core, but they emphasized the importance of local control and parental involvement."

TRUMP's HOLLYWOOD REPORTER COVER STORY -- Janice Min: "The scene has the pomp of historical significance one might associate with the Yalta Conference. Except this agreement being signed is for new Trump hotels in Asia in partnership with a gentleman who, Trump enthuses, is 'the richest man' in his country ... Trump then calls me over: 'Janice! You got to see this woman!' he says, motioning to a female dressed in a suit sitting next to the 'richest man.' ... Slightly to my horror, I realize I have a smile on my face the whole time, both out of sheer disbelief in what he is willing to say in front of others, no less a journalist who's about to interview him, and because he is ... fun. The room is energized, bristling, pumped." https://bit.ly/1gY0Ae5

--"Trump's 'Go-To' National Security Adviser Says He's Never Talked Policy With Trump," by Mother Jones' David Corn: "There's just one problem with Trump citing Jacobs as a national security adviser: [Col. Jack] Jacobs says he has never talked to Trump about military policy. 'He may have said the first person who came to mind,' Jacobs [said]. 'I know him. But I'm not a consultant. I'm not certain if he has a national security group of people. I don't know if he does or if he doesn't. If he does, I'm not one of them." https://bit.ly/1TXC7lM

--PIC DU JOUR -- ?@SaraMurray: "This little girl asked Trump how he's different from the other candidates he says, 'I'm much smarter.'" https://bit.ly/1PnHt8C

OBAMA ALUMNI -- "Top Obama Strategist Joins Draft Biden Effort," by NBC News' Mark Murray: "Steve Schale - who served as President Barack Obama's top Florida strategist during his 2008 and 2012 White House campaigns -- has joined the Draft Biden committee ... This makes Schale the biggest Obama World person to join up with Draft Biden." https://nbcnews.to/1Lkjdn8

MATTHEW MILLER on Politico, "The Real Clinton Email Scandal: Our Ridiculous Classification Rules": "As a former [DOJ] official who regularly dealt with classified information, I am glad a team of officials from the FBI, the intelligence community and other agencies is not currently reviewing every email I sent and received while I worked in government. If they did, they would likely find arguably classified information that was transmitted over unclassified networks-and the same thing is undoubtedly true for other senior officials at the White House, the State Department and other top national security agencies." https://politi.co/1UU55W8

--"Clinton aide: She 'thrives' on the attacks," by Nick Gass: "'I think when you get to the point where you're answering questions about wiping servers that you're nearing the end of legitimate questions for her to answer,' Jennifer Palmieri told MSNBC's Luke Russert, remarking that the campaign is focused on 'educating' voters about the complexities surrounding the issue. Clinton is 'durable' ... 'You cannot knock her down. She's been through months and months of pretty much 19 candidates on both sides attacking her every day, and she thrives.'" https://politi.co/1NwcxVd

--"Clinton fights back on classified emails," by Josh Gerstein: "The core of the current controversy, the campaign asserted Wednesday, stems not from Clinton's handling of emails but the dysfunctional system used by agencies to designate and safeguard classified documents. The new effort, which aides described as an educational campaign, came as a top Clinton strategist acknowledged that the Clinton team intends to respond more proactively to criticisms that Clinton put national security secrets at risk by relying on a private server. ...

"'I think, if you've seen over the last couple of weeks, we have changed our strategy, in that we are trying to do more education through phone calls like this, through television appearances, through emails that we send directly to our supporters,' Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri said Wednesday during a 35-minute phone call with journalists. 'We do think people have concerns and questions, and it's really confusing and we want to answer them.'" https://politi.co/1J6i2EG

--"For IT firm, Clinton server gives rough introduction to presidential politics," by WashPost's Roz Helderman : "In the last week, the small Denver technology firm at the center of the scandal surrounding Hillary Rodham Clinton's e-mails has received death threats. There have been phone calls from screaming strangers. The company has removed from its Web site biographies of its executives as well as testimonials from some of its customers. All this because Platte River Networks won a contract in 2013 to provide information-technology services to Bill and Hillary Clinton." https://wapo.st/1hNrMNt

--"How Hillary Clinton squandered a savvy campaign on an idiotic scandal," by Jill Lawrence, The Week: "[W]hy does it feel to some Democrats as if they are enduring the five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance - all at the same time? This should have been a period of unalloyed excitement about a uniquely qualified frontrunner with the potential to make history as the first woman commander in chief. But that's hardly the universal mood as Clinton campaigns amid the completely predictable fallout from her decision to use a private email account as secretary of state." https://bit.ly/1TUBfDM

--" FBI treats Clinton case as potential criminal investigation, sources say," by Al Jazeera's David Shuster:"Exactly one week after the FBI took possession of Hillary Clinton's personal email server, Al Jazeera America has been told that the FBI is now treating the Clinton case as a potential criminal investigation. Our sources add that dozens of federal investigators have now been assigned to this investigation." https://bit.ly/1TXCblv

2016 PLAYERS - "Hillary Clinton Brings On Latino Polling Firm In Key Hire," by BuzzFeed's Adrian Carrasquillo: "Hillary Clinton's campaign is bolstering its growing Latino outreach apparatus, tapping polling firm Latino Decisions to gauge attitudes of the Hispanic community ... The firm, led by political scientists and professors Matt Barreto and Gary Segura, has worked with immigration groups and unions like America's Voice and SEIU, as well as National Council of La Raza, Univision and the progressive Center for American Progress on polls." https://bzfd.it/1TUAQRJ

--"Microsoft to Sponsor 2016 Iowa Caucus Media Center" : "Microsoft ... announced it will sponsor a media center at Capital Square in downtown Des Moines for the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. The Microsoft Media Center will serve as a nexus for local, national and international media, providing outlets with a place to report on the lead up to and results of the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucuses." https://bit.ly/1Lkk2fx

PETITION OF THE DAY - Jon Stewart as a debate moderator: "[M]ore than 48,000 people are calling on the Commission on Presidential Debates to select former Daily Show host Jon Stewart as a 2016 presidential debate moderator. ... In addition to his vast experience working with political figures, Jon Stewart is accomplished in presidential election coverage. His work on The Daily Show received the prestigious Peabody Award for its coverage of the 2000 and 2004 presidential races." https://chn.ge/1KwPwfI

OBAMA'S GOLF GAME -- "Steph Curry Exposes Obama As The Trash Talker He Truly Is," by HuffPost's Molly Reilly: "Appearing on ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Tuesday, Curry revealed the secret to Obama's golf game. 'The president was talking trash,' Curry said. 'He'd be crickets -- just silent. Just looking at you like, 'Are you going to mark your putt? Are you going to make that?' He'd put the pressure on you, that kind of deal. He'd talk about, 'Oh, you're shaking,' that kind of stuff.' ... 'There's 25 secret service agents on every hole so I couldn't relax at all,' he told Kimmel. 'Snipers everywhere.'" https://huff.to/1K7nKdI

POTUS TUNES -- "Little-known Colombian band mystified by Obama playlist spot," by AP's Ivan Cruz in Miami: "The members of the little-known Colombian salsa band are clueless as to how an obscure song they recorded more than a decade ago landed on a Spotify playlist curated by President Barack Obama. The track, 'La salsa la traigo yo,' by Sonora Carruseles, is one of 40 songs featured on two #POTUSPlaylists ... The lists also include music by Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Coldplay, Frank Sinatra, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Spanish singer Mala Rodriguez. ... [A]ides stressed Obama picked out the tunes himself and in general discovers music as most other people do - from friends, family, movies, musicians and elsewhere." https://yhoo.it/1Mz1Dxk The song: https://bit.ly/1Mz1UAa

WHAT FOGGY BOTTOM IS READING -- "U.S. picks ambassador to oversee Iran deal," by Nahal Toosi: "The Obama administration is planning to name Stephen Mull, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Poland, as lead coordinator for implementing the Iran nuclear deal ... Mull's appointment could both please and disappoint close observers of the process: The fact that there will be a lead coordinator - administration officials refuse to call it a 'czar' - is something many advocates of the deal support, but Mull may not be as well-known a figure as some had hoped." https://politi.co/1gY0FOQ

FIRST LOOK - "Americans United for Change is going up with a new TV spot that backs the Iran nuclear deal and raises an important question: why would anyone take seriously doomsday predictions about the agreement from the same Cheneyites who stampeded us into a disastrous war in Iraq based on totally false pretenses? ... It's a $500k effort, running over the next two weeks in Los Angeles; Miami and West Palm Beach, FL; Baltimore; Boston; NYC; Providence, RI, as well as on local broadcast stations in DC." The ad https://bit.ly/1UU4O5r Releasehttps://bit.ly/1E5409S

--"Pro-Iran Deal TV Ad 'Learn' [from the Truman National Security Project] Features Iraq War Veterans Telling Congress: Support the Deal": The ad https://bit.ly/1WGr4lf ... Release https://bit.ly/1HX5rBS

--"[Today's] NYT [is carrying] a full-page ad from over two dozen of the very top former leaders of the American Jewish community urging Congress to support the deal." https://bit.ly/1MEG4ga

BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK's cover - "DUMBER ARE GETTING LAWYERS? Inside the vicious battle between law schools and the bar exam over the future of the profession", with a story by Natalie Kitroeff. https://buswk.co/DumberLawyers35 The cover https://bit.ly/1HX4sln

STATE OF THE ART - "Targeted Victory and Google Release 50 States of Waste, Highlighting Inefficiency in Broadcast Television Buying for Political Campaigns": "Using data from Kantar/CMAG and The Census Bureau, 50 States of Waste analyzed every Congressional District and Media Market across the country. Since media markets and Congressional Districts rarely align, the results are abundantly clear: 75% of the average broadcast media buy for a Congressional District in the United States is wasted reaching voters who cannot vote in the advertised race." https://bit.ly/1KwPHaH

... www.FiftyStatesofWaste.com

THOUGHT LEADERS --"Malcolm Gladwell unloads on Yale for reportedly paying $480 million to hedge fund managers last year," by Business Insider's Abby Jackson: "Malcolm Gladwell is lashing out [on Twitter] at Yale University for what he says is exorbitant spending on hedge fund management fees. In a series of tweets on Wednesday, he cited a New York Times op-ed to attack the Ivy League school for supposedly paying excessive fees to hedge funds that manage Yale's endowment, while spending a fraction of the amount on students." https://read.bi/1PAJW0f

TRANSITIONS - Alison Omens emails friends and colleagues: "I'm so excited to let you know that after a wonderful year at Harvard Kennedy School, I just started a new job as an advisor for private sector engagement at the U.S. Department of Labor. I'll be working with an amazing team on President Obama's and Secretary Perez's priorities on inclusive prosperity, the future of work, and employment issues."

OUT AND ABOUT -- Steve Case, CEO of Revolution - along with partners Google, 1776, and Engine - hosted more than 200 guests last night for a celebration of Start-up Day Across America at the Revolution Offices. Case, Ron Klain, Donna Harris, Julie Samuels, and John Burchett discussed the significance of startup policy.

--SPOTTED: Tammy Haddad, Herbie Ziskend, Kevin Bailey, Brian Levine, Astri Kimball, Jake Levine, Meredith Carden, Sarah Heck, Don Graves, Katie Oyama, Jade Floyd, Meredith Balenske, Ben Flatgard, Brett Gibson, Trever Faden, Sapna Mehta, Clark Jennings, Lee Prince, Samantha Sher, Song Pak, and hundreds of others.

ENGAGED - Jessica Schumer to Mike Shapiro -- They met working together for Gene Sperling in the West Wing of the White House, and moved to Brooklyn this summer. Mike is an economic policy advisor on the Clinton Campaign and Jessica (the daughter of Sen. Chuck Schumer) is starting at the Robin Hood Foundation as chief of staff after Labor Day. He proposed Saturday afternoon under the Brooklyn Bridge in the garden outside the River Cafe. (He knew the Bridge is one of Jess' favorite places in the world.) He had arranged a table with rose petals and champagne. They then celebrated with both sets of parents Sunday night. Pic https://bit.ly/1MEHnMg

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Jamie Glick ... (was Mon.): BBC's Liz Davies

BIRTHDAYS : Lea Berman (America's Table tip: Wayne, Liddie, Alice) ... Politico's Scott Rothrock and Doug Palmer ... Ben LaBolt, the pride of La Grange, Ill., is 34 (h/t Incite/Fenway family) ... Al Roker is 61 (crib tip: Vale) ... former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), is 80 ... former Sen. George Mitchell (D-Maine), is 82 ... Connie Chung (h/t Maury, a faithful Playbooker) ... Pat Collier IV, CAP's director of gov't affairs ... CNN's Shannon Travis ... Jenny Backus, celebrating by returning from a family vacation in England and Scotland, visiting her ancestral homeland (h/t son Jack) ... Targeted Victory co-founder Zac Moffatt ... Ann Marie Habershaw, the pride of Rhode Island, and an alum of OPM, OFA, DNC and DCCC ... Ryan Meerstein ... Tarrah Cooper, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's press secretary, is celebrating 3-0 by having dinner with my two favorite Chicagoans: her grandmothers (h/t Addie Whisenant) ... Rachel Thomas, EMILY's List press secretary and a McAuliffe alum (h/t Josh Schwerin) ... Gordon Neal, communications director for Rep. Rob Wittman, celebrated 28 last weekend with good food, good friends and one heck of a Rappahannock sunset (h/t Dylan Colligan) ... Business Insider's Hayley Herrin (Peterson), a Daily Mail and D.C. Examiner alum ...

... Chuck Campion ... Linnea Dyer Hegarty, executive director at D.C. Public Library Foundation (h/t Jon Haber) ... Katie Peters, a CAP alum now senior advisor to the director of comms at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ... Kendell Mountain, former Bush White House staffer ... Casey Badmington ... Lona Valmoro ... Bob Hudek ... Eleni Roumel of the House General Counsel's office and the pride of Wootton High (paw tip: Palmer) ... Jim Hock, Commerce's chief of staff ... Pam Crapp ... Ryan O'Keefe ... Politico alum Jody Serrano is 23 ... Morgan Murtaugh of Tusk Digital ... Shannon Harris, wife of Joshua and mother of Emma, Mary Kate, and Joshua Quinn ... Ari Ben Goldberg ... Jeniffer Mullins Maloney ... Faryar Shirzad (h/t Courto) ... Jen Brown ... writer-producer-director Walter Bernstein is 96 ... Don King is 84 ... Asha Blake is 54 ... actress-singer Demi Lovato is 23 (h/ts AP)

DESSERT - "This guy figured out a way to get free Starbucks every day - and it's driving his barista crazy," by Business Insider's April Walloga: "Every Starbucks employee's worst nightmare has come true for Brad Halsey ... [o]ne of [whose] most excruciating customers - let's call him 'Mr. X' - is also the most brilliant. He figured out a way to game the Starbucks Card so he gets a free drink every day of his life. ... Mr. X bought 365 Starbucks Cards and registered each one for a different birthday - so he gets a free birthday drink every day of the year." https://read.bi/1K7oZts

** A message from PhRMA: Since 2000, biopharmaceutical companies have brought more than 500 new medicines to the U.S. market, including new cures for hepatitis C, advances in treatment for high cholesterol and breakthroughs in cancer care. Yet, spending on retail prescription medicines accounts for just 10 percent of U.S. health care spending. And the federal government projects this trend will continue through at least the next decade. How is this possible? Because the competitive biopharmaceutical market that exists in the U.S. helps to control costs while encouraging the development of innovative new therapies. Read more at https://onphr.ma/1gQ9gE2 . **

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