POLITICO Playbook: SCOTT WALKER MANAGER UNPLUGGED: ‘It’s a bitch, man’

Good Wednesday morning, and good luck with Popemageddon traffic. His Holiness meets the President, First Lady, Vice President and Dr. Biden at a State Arrival ceremony on the White House South Lawn at 9 a.m. Pope Francis meets POTUS in the Oval at 10:15, and addresses Congress tomorrow.

WALKER'S MANAGER UNLOADS - "At the beginning, a bold - and ultimately foolhardy - decision: Go big," by Mike Allen and Alex Isenstadt: Campaign manager Rick Wiley, in a half-hour phone interview with, said he had an "all-in Iowa" plan that would have moved the headquarters from Madison to Des Moines and cut the staff from about 85 to 20 as of tomorrow. But Walker was facing such a sudden drought in donations that he still might have gone into debt.

"We built the machine that we needed to get a governor in just phenomenal shape to take a stage in a presidential debate," Wiley said. "I think sometimes it's lost on people the largeness of the job. I think people just look at it and say, 'Wow! Yeah, you know, it's like he's a governor and he was in a recall' and blah, blah, blah - he's ready. It's just not like that. It is really, really difficult. ... I'm just saying, you know, like it's a f---ing bitch, man. It really is."

The staff left HQ for the last time yesterday and headed for The Boathouse, a Madison bar that was the campaign hideout, to enjoy the sunset together one last time. Walker has a conference call with top donors scheduled for midday today to discuss what happened. A Republican close to Walker said: "The entire campaign was built a bit larger than it should have been early on. Then after the debates and the resources slowed, modifications were not made."

Wiley, 46, had just landed in D.C. on Monday morning (for a panel moderated by Rich Lowry) when he learned of Walker's decision. The night before, Wiley had sketched the grim figures in a phone call with the governor, who was being driven back from Iowa. Wiley said cash on hand was about $1 million, accounts payable were around $800,000, and fundraising "was like grinding to a halt." (He said in the interview that after the next two-week payroll, "we would be close to a balance-sheet zero.") Then he outlined his proposal for "all-in Iowa" cuts.

He said Walker didn't really respond. "He just processed the information like he always does: 'Thanks for the information.' Appreciated the candor." Campaign sources said Tonette Walker, the Wisconsin first lady, had never warmed to Wiley. https://politi.co/1MpAYlj

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

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TODAY'S MOST INTERESTING LUNCH: Obama and Biden, 12:30 p.m., Private Dining Room.

--BIDEN SURGES in Bloomberg national poll of Dems: Clinton 33% ... Biden 25% ... Sanders 24% https://politi.co/1QYT7IB ... 5-page PDF https://buswk.co/1FeNxjX

--"Key Iowa Biden Backers Get Personal Invites to See Pope Francis," by WHO-TV's Dave Price: "Kevin McCarthy, a former Democratic [state] house majority leader, has been close to Biden for nearly a decade. McCarthy served as Biden's state chairman in 2008. ... [T]hese days McCarthy is the co-chairman of the Draft Biden super PAC in Iowa. McCarthy [got] personal invitation from the Vice President's office to be a special guest to see the Pope with Biden." https://bit.ly/1LvvVBf

--"Key Hollywood Donor Backs Joe Biden for President, Says Others Could Follow," by Hollywood Reporter's Tina Daunt: "United Talent Agency managing partner Jay Sures ... expects other leading industry Democrats to [join him] ... George Clooney ... is one of the Hollywood politicos giving Biden serious consideration. ... [I]t hasn't been easy for Clinton's industry supporters to sell tickets to her ... fundraiser on Sept. 27 ... in the wake of recent controversies." https://bit.ly/1FsZ4vR

BLANKFEIN UPBEAT after cancer diagnosis - POLITICO's Ben White and Nick Gass: "Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs Group for the last decade, announced in an email [to employees] that he has a 'highly curable' form of lymphoma and will undergo chemotherapy treatments over the next several months in New York. Blankfein, who friends say appeared notably thinner in recent weeks, ... was relieved to finally get the diagnosis and begin treatment ... Gary Cohn, Goldman's chief operating officer, ... is expected to ... fill in for Blankfein at events when needed." https://politi.co/1Jp7lMD

MICHAEL GRUNWALD profiles ARNE DUNCAN for a new education spread on Politico's The Agenda, where newsy meets wonky: "Education Secretary Arne Duncan ... has used his perch at the smallest Cabinet agency-and his tight relationship with President Obama, his pickup basketball pal from Chicago-to put an unprecedented national stamp on a policy area with a long and strong tradition of local control. He's helped make major inroads on K-12 reforms that unions despise, like using student test scores to evaluate teachers.

"He's helped push big changes in higher education as well: a government takeover of student loans, a harsh crackdown on for-profit schools, a huge expansion of student aid. A department with only 4,200 employees, traditionally considered a kind of Washington backwater, has transformed the policy landscape for 100,000 schools and 5,000 colleges." https://politi.co/1YBvIC2

--VIRTUAL SCHOOL, the fight over snacks: The Agenda's education issue takes a dive into the rapidly expanding world of virtual schools, explores the battle over fresh snacks, and explains how Secretary Arne Duncan became Washington's public enemy No.1 by trying to help kids. https://politi.co/1YBukz9

** A message from the American Bankers Association: If we mandated cellphone technology, we'd still have brick style phones. If Congress mandates a static payments technology, security safeguards will be out of date tomorrow. Let's Innovate. Not Mandate. Learn more at letsinnovatenotmandate.com **

BREAKING: "It's deja vu all over again!" Baseball's Yogi Berra dies at 90. Top "Yogisms," from AP: "You can't think and hit at the same time." ... On a restaurant: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." ... "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore." ... On the 1973 Mets: "We were overwhelming underdogs." ... "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." ... "I usually take a two-hour nap from 1 to 4." ... What time is it? "You mean now?" ... On a spring training drill: "Pair off in threes." ...

"Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical." ... "You can observe a lot by watching." ... On his team's diminishing pennant chances: "It ain't over 'till it's over." ... On his fractured syntax: "I really didn't say everything I said." ... A final piece of advice: "Always go to other people's funerals. Otherwise they won't go to yours."

SIREN -- "FBI Said to Recover Personal E-Mails From Hillary Clinton Server," by Bloomberg's Del Quentin Wilber: "Once the e-mails have been extracted, a group of agents has been separating personal correspondence and passing along work-related messages to agents leading the investigation." https://bloom.bg/1Ft0ZRf

--"Email woes, Sanders surge rattle Clinton's Hill backers," by Burgess Everett: "More than 30 Democratic senators have endorsed Clinton ... Though Clinton's camp is pointing to consistent leads in the national polls, ... the feeling in the Capitol is that it may get worse for her before it gets better. But once she hits bottom, Democrats predict Clinton will find her footing and march to the Democratic nomination. 'I believe she's going to be at her best if she does get behind,' said Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill." https://politi.co/1V94eUX

FIRST LOOK - New Hillary "The Briefing" video, "GOP Candidates on Multiculturalism": "responding [to] Jeb Bush saying Tuesday that multiculturalism is bad." 1-min. video https://bit.ly/1KuifVb

LATE-NIGHT BEST - "Colbert bests Trump ... [S]ubdued front-runner grins and bears it," by Ben Schreckinger: "Trump was in no fighting mood ... Rather than come out swinging, [he] came out nodding in his 'Late Show' interview with Stephen Colbert. Rather than engage or try to turn the tables, Trump, whose default mode is offense, repeatedly agreed with the wisecracks." https://politi.co/1NSNe0Y ... 14-min. video https://bit.ly/1JoCFuQ

PAPAL PLAYBOOK --"Pope brings hope for Latinos: Democrats and immigration advocates hope Francis will press for immigration reform," by Seung Min Kim: "For Latino lawmakers, ... Francis' words resonate the most on the issue of immigration. And after losing their best shot at immigration reform in a generation, advocates are latching onto Francis's historic visit to jolt the rhetoric and debate ... that has swerved sharply to the right." https://politi.co/1Ou3cyP

--"Behind the scenes of the live pope feed, courtesy of Speaker Boehner," by Yahoo's Meredith Shiner: "Caleb Smith, the 29-year-old digital communications director for House Speaker John Boehner, ... plans to trail the speaker '100 percent of the day' with a homemade three-in-one camera setup ... [T]he speaker's office is expecting at least 95 credentialed news photographers at the Capitol ...

"The two men are scheduled to meet privately before the pope addresses ... Congress and potentially 100,000 people ... expected [on] the National Mall for a chance to see the pope ... on a Capitol balcony." https://bit.ly/1QxyGl4

--"The price to cover the pope [in Philly]: Up to $25,000," by Hadas Gold: "According to a rate card, the biggest package called the 'Anchor Booth', costs $25,000. ... Other options include a stand up platform position, which costs $7,500, a shared stand up position for $4,500 and a seated platform position for $1,500. A workstation spot in the auxiliary filing center (which includes desk space, chair, power outlet, internet and phone line) is $1,000." https://politi.co/1ivMK3n

--KATIE COURIC is "traveling to D.C. on Thursday to cover the Pope's visit to St. Patrick's [Catholic Church], where the pontiff is expected to meet with the poor and homeless who receive food as part of St. Maria Meals Program of the Catholic Charities. [Today] Yahoo will also be featuring a new video piece from Katie on the St. Maria's Meal Program." www.popevisit2015.yahoo.com

--"NextGen Climate will deploy a sponsored brand geofilter on Snapchat that will reach all users in the in the D.C. region on Wednesday during Pope Francis' visit.

--HILLARY AND RUBIO's welcome "message of charity with the Pope" -- Clinton video https://bit.ly/1Ou2Gkb ... Rubio https://bit.ly/1NLq9f4

WHAT IOWA IS READING - "Kasich looks to capitalize in Iowa," by CNN's Sara Murray: "Kasich is making a more aggressive play in Iowa now that ... Walker ... has dropped out of the race. The Ohio governor, who has visited Iowa only twice since announcing his presidential bid, plans to spend more time in the state and build out his political operation there." https://cnn.it/1V8UOsA

FIRST LOOK -- America Rising's Colin Reed in forthcoming memo, "The Clinton Campaign's Clear Anti-Debate Agenda": "Getting lost in the backlash directed at the DNC and Wasserman Schultz is the obvious fact that the debate schedule is the direct result of the Clinton campaign's maneuvering." https://bit.ly/1LNiE2P

BUSH ALUMNI "Former first daughter Barbara Bush has a new boyfriend [pingpong master Franck Raharinosy]," by N.Y. Post Page Six's Ian Mohr: "Bush and Raharinosy - a partner in East 23rd Street pingpong club SPiN with Susan Sarandon and her ex-boy toy, Jonathan Bricklin - have been dating for four months, and things have progressed to the point that Barbara's planning to introduce Franck this week to her mother."  With pichttps://pge.sx/1QYpoPW

LIST DU JOUR -- "40 Under 40: Latinos in American Politics," by Josue Lopez Calderon on HuffPost: "1. Alberto E. Martinez (Marco Rubio): At only 35 years of age, Alberto serves as the Chief of Staff for Senator Marco Rubio. ... 2. Ali Pardo (RNC) ... 3. Ana Gonzalez-Barrera (Pew Research Center) ... 4. Andeliz Castillo (LIBRE Initiative) ... 5. Anitere Flores (State Senator) ... 6. Carlos Curbelo (Congressman) ... 7. Carlos Sanchez (Joaquin Castro) ... 8. Charles Munoz (Donald Trump) ... 9. Cindy Nava (University of New Mexico) ... 10. Daniella Diaz (CNN)". https://huff.to/1Ft0oPh

TRAILER OF THE DAY - "Watch Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale And Brad Pitt Battle The American Banks In 'The Big Short' Trailer" https://huff.to/1j8LZxV

FIRST PERSON - QUINN BRADLEE on WashPost's PostEverything blog, "How I found comfort after my father, Ben Bradlee, died": "The idea of the dead returning to us as birds is a common trope in mythology and literature. ... In the last year of my father Ben Bradlee's colorful life, he became fascinated by a bright red cardinal that lived in the biggest tree on our property. He could see the bird from our library window in D.C. and would call him 'buddy.'" https://wapo.st/1QYqXgP

THE ALTERS ON THE RADIO: The Sirius XM channel "Radio Andy" - featuring content produced by Andy Cohen, Jonathan Alter, daughter and TIME writer Charlotte Alter and son Tommy Alter (a producer of "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore") -- debuats a weekly one-hour show called "Alter Family Politics." Their guest this week is Stuart Stevens, airing at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Audio https://bit.ly/1NSoTZi

3 MORMON VACANCIES - AP's Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City: "Richard G. Scott [a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles] died ... at ... 86 -- leaving the religion with three openings on its top governing body for the first time in more than a century. ... Six other members among the religion's top 15 leaders are also 80 or older, including church president Thomas S. Monson. He is 88 ... Russell M. Nelson, 91, is next in line to become church president." https://bit.ly/1FeDY4G

MEDIAWATCH -- "Brad Stone, author of 'The Everything Store,' to lead Bloomberg's tech coverage," by Poynter's Benjamin Mullin : "In his new role, Stone will oversee Bloomberg's tech operation as it expands globally to cover stories beyond the Bay Area. Bloomberg will hire additional journalists and create a venture capital team based in San Francisco." https://bit.ly/1KuiHTt

--"Joan Walsh to join The Nation as national affairs correspondent," by Hadas Gold: "Walsh, a prominent liberal writer and currently editor at large at Salon, will join The Nation on Oct. 5. She'll continue her role as MSNBC contributor." https://politi.co/1MI3yBy Release https://bit.ly/1j8NsUQ

HOT VIDEO -- "IJ.com, Rock the Vote & Kendall Jenner join forces to boost voter registration" -- Videohttps://bit.ly/1KwO0Kg

OUT AND ABOUT in NYC: NBC's "Dateline" toasted its 24th season with a premiere party bash at John Jay College of Criminal Justice on Monday. Dateline's team of correspondents -- including Keith Morrison, Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz and Dennis Murphy 000 flew in from across the country to celebrate with NBC's Deborah Turness, Lester Holt, Natalie Morales, Gloria Allred, Cy Vance. Guests mingled with the show's stars, took mugshots and received a sneak peek of the upcoming season, which premieres Friday at 9 p.m. Party pics https://bit.ly/1Jp1lU5

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Ambassador Samantha Power (h/t Ben Chang, who was on time)

BIRTHDAYS: Todd Ricketts, waking up in Madison (hat tip: BB) ... Daisy Schuurman is 4-0, and ageless (Maine tip: Dale, Lily, Lucy, Nora, Oliver) ... Maria Karl (h/t Jon, Emily Anna) ... RNC's Sean Spicer: Check out this photo of Spice Boy at about 12, taken on the back porch of his childhood home in Barrington, R.I. https://politi.co/1V9Lyz6 ... Michael Schmidt, NYT's Justice and homeland security reporter ... Amanda Cox, an NYT graphics editor responsible for some of The Times's most compelling visual journalism - 2013 article on "winning the Internet" https://bit.ly/1FevU3Q (h/t Upshotters) ... GOP political consultant Nick Everhart ... Advance/events star and #CampThirty founder Abbey Watson, fresh off trip-directing the Nuns on the Bus papal visit tour, is 3-0 (h/ts hubby Dan at Treasury, Elena and Robert, Beth Lester Sidhu) ...

... Ralph Hellmann (h/t Autumn and Jim) ... Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen is 66 (h/t Gov. Christie) ... Sharon Yang, former Obama/Clinton fundraiser and Instagram obsessive, now doing hardship duty at ExpoMilano2015 (h/t Peter Hamby) ... Reuters' Julia Edwards (h/t Roberta Rampton) ... Ana Marie Cox, the pride of Lincoln, Neb. (h/t her best friend) ... SoRelle Wyckoff of Sen. Cornyn's office ... Politico's Meredith Kirsch ... Kimberly Fritts ... Close Up Foundation's Maura O'Brien ... Rhode Island Republican Assembly's William Ricci ... U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay ... Bernie Becker of The Hill 

... Ambassador Kristen Silverberg , now general counsel and senior advisor at the Institute of International Finance (h/t Savannah and Michael) ... Ken Rynne ... Chamber alum Blair Fowler ... Texan Dustee Tucker ... Naomi Seligman, comms. director for L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti ... Matt McAlvanah, assistant USTR for public and media affairs and a Patty Murray alum ... Loretta Solon Greene ... Matt "Butters" Hirsch, a McCain War Room alum ... Dan Conley, exec. comms manager at Discover ... Todd Metcalf, chief tax counsel at Senate Finance ... Jonathan Peled, Israeli ambassador to Mexico ... Brooke Henderson, P.R. manager at BrandLinkDC ... Neil Schoolnik ... Tom Daley ... Julio Iglesias is 72 ... Erik-Michael Estrada ("Making the Band") is 36 ... tennis player Melanie Oudin is 24 (h/ts AP)

TOMORROW: Michael Kennedy is 4-0 (h/t Natalie)

DESSERT - "What's Hot for Halloween? Turtles, Walking Dead, Superheroes," by AP's Joyce Rosenberg: "Expect to see a lot of Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael [of] 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' ... Girls are expected to choose costumes based on the Disney TV movie, 'The Descendants,' the story of the children of Disney characters such as Cruella De Vil and Cinderella. Adult costumes and accessories based on TV shows like 'The Walking Dead' and 'Orange Is the New Black' are expected to sell well. Costumes based on superheroes like the Avengers or Batman should also be brisk sellers." https://cnb.cx/1iLFUrd

** A message from the American Bankers Association: High-profile data breaches underscore the need for stronger and more innovative security solutions that protect consumers. Banks and payment networks continue to invest heavily in the development and implementation of promising new technologies that protect consumers everywhere purchases are made. Some people want Congress to mandate a static payments technology. That would be a mistake, as security safeguards would be quickly out of date. Mandates hinder the ability to adapt and react to evolving threats. Let's Innovate. Not Mandate. Learn more at letsinnovatenotmandate.com **

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