Should I stay or should I go?

The power players, latest policy developments, and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing.

Aug 16, 2023 View in browser   By Lauren Egan, Eli Stokols and Lawrence Ukenye Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producer Raymond Rapada Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren Election years can be grueling — especially for a White House whose boss is on the ballot. Only so much can be done to alleviate the inherent stress that next year will bring. But one step that some White House staffers are taking to minimize uncertainty is to decide now whether they can commit to staying in their jobs through November 2024. And there’s a widespread understanding across campus that if they can’t stick it out through the election, they need to hand in their resignation letters soon. “Having a consistent team is really important,” said a White House staffer. “People are having internal conversations about what they want. And if they don’t have another year in them, then most people know to leave soon.” Staffers who spoke with West Wing Playbook called it a natural time in any administration for people to move on. Many viewed it as a courtesy to their colleagues to be upfront about whether they will be around through President JOE BIDEN’s reelection. It can take time to fill vacancies and get people up-to-speed on the job. It can be hard to recruit people to a White House with uncertainty if the job will last past January 2025. And no one wants to deal with newcomers figuring out the rhythms of the White House just months out from an election, when there’s little room for error. Optics are another concern. Some staffers said that while it’s critical to maintain a good workflow, they also want to avoid any unfavorable headlines about staff departures that could undermine the president during an election year. Some bosses have been more direct than others about wanting to have their 2024 team locked in place soon. In the vice president’s office, for example, some staff have explicitly been asked to either leave now or plan to stay through next fall, according to one person familiar with the conversations. Still, staffers noted that there hasn’t been the same senior-level push from the West Wing as earlier this summer when chief of staff JEFF ZIENTS asked Cabinet members to decide if they wanted to leave so the White House could avoid confirmation battles during an election year. Biden's Cabinet has remained remarkably stable, especially compared to previous administrations. But turnover has been much higher among senior-level staffers, with director of legislative affairs LOUISA TERRELL and CELESTE DRAKE, Biden’s top labor adviser, announcing their departures most recently. As people begin to wind down their summer and return from vacation, staffers said they anticipate more departure announcements in the coming weeks. Some political appointees at federal agencies said they felt like they had more time to make their exits than White House staffers because there’s less attention paid to the inner-workings of their offices and their departments have more resources than the West Wing to fill in staffing gaps. But in general, officials said they felt like they needed to make a commitment by January. “Life happens and plans can change,” said one agency official. “But you do feel a sense of obligation to the people around you not to ditch.” “After Nov. 5, all bets are off,” the person joked. MESSAGE US — Are you GAUTAM RAGHAVAN, director of the Office of Presidential Personnel? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!    GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.     POTUS PUZZLER Thanks to the White House Historical Association for this question! Which president presented pianist DUKE ELLINGTON with the Presidential Medal of Freedom? (Answer at bottom.) The Oval WE’VE PUT IT ON OUR CALENDAR: The White House announced on Wednesday that the president and first lady JILL BIDEN plan to visit Maui on Monday to survey the destruction from catastrophic wildfires, our KIERRA FRAZIER reports. FEMA Administrator DEANNE CRISWELL told reporters at Wednesday's press briefing that Biden spoke with Hawaii Gov. JOSH GREEN to ensure the visit wouldn’t disrupt the state’s recovery efforts. “And I want everybody to know this — the president, FEMA and the entire federal family will be there to support the people of Hawaii as long as we are needed,” Criswell said. YOU DON’T LOOK A DAY OVER 0: The Inflation Reduction Act turned one on Wednesday and Biden celebrated his signature climate bill with a White House ceremony where he touted growth in clean energy jobs and domestic manufacturing investments. “Where is it written that America can't create the most vibrant and innovative economy and be the world's leading manufacturer again? Where's that written?" Biden said. Rep. NANCY PELOSI (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER were among the lawmakers present, but Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) was notably absent as he continues to wrestle with the administration’s implementation of the bill’s tax credits. Our KELSEY TAMBORRINO has the details. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This piece by CNN’s MATT EGAN about how vulnerable communities are landing badly-needed investments from the IRA. A Treasury Department analysis found that roughly 90 percent of announced investments from the law have gone to counties with below-average weekly wages. Adams Fork Energy, which is a clean ammonia project, announced plans to build a $3 billion production facility in Mingo County, W. Va., where roughly a third of residents live below the poverty line. “This hasn't received enough attention,” tweeted communications director BEN LABOLT. ALSO THIS: A Biden ally pointed us toward DAN FROOMKIN’s latest Press Watch piece which has caught the eye of some folks in the White House. Froomkin argues that the press is “wildly overplaying” stories about HUNTER BIDEN’s legal woes, saying the stories are “confusing some voters into thinking that Biden is as much of a criminal as Donald Trump.” He equates it to coverage of HILLARY CLINTON’s emails in 2016. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by our own ALEX DAUGHTERY about how the FAA will get another temporary administrator if the White House and the Senate fail to nominate and confirm a new nominee by October. POLLY TROTTENBERG has served as the agency’s acting administrator and plans to step down on Oct. 25, while the nation’s airline industry continues to grapple with flight delays and a shortage of air traffic controllers. Trottenberg informed agency employees that attorney KATIE THOMSON will be the FAA's next acting administrator, although the White House believes there are plenty of professionals who can lead until a permanent administrator is seated. THE BUREAUCRATS PERSONNEL MOVES: AVERY (GORDY) STRINGER is now assistant to the executive clerk at the White House. She most recently was public affairs coordinator at Bose Public Affairs Group. — STEPHANIE SYKES is now special assistant to the president in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She most recently was a senior adviser at the Commerce Department. Agenda Setting ELECTRIC SHOCK: Although the White House plans to celebrate IRA investments aiding in the transition to electric vehicles, Energywire’s DAVID FERRIS writes that hurdles remain in ensuring the law leads to additional growth in jobs and manufacturing. One challenge includes ensuring long-term Republican support for the burgeoning industry. For example, former President DONALD TRUMP has called EVs job killers. Worries about auto workers' views toward the law loom large as the White House watches whether United Auto Workers is able to strike a deal with Detrot’s three largest car manufacturers. SUMMER SLOWDOWN: The State Department is struggling to overcome a growing backlog of passport applications that is wreaking havoc on summer travel plans and leading to growing bipartisan pressure on Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN, the New York Times’ MICHAEL CROWLEY reports. The department attributes the slowdown to lingering effects from the pandemic — wait times are now as long as 13 weeks. Sen. MARK WARNER (D-Va.) expressed frustration about the passport delays but acknowledged some of the challenges relate to the department’s hiring freezes during the Trump administration. SHOW, ME, THE, MONEY: Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (I-Ariz.) is voicing her frustration over the administration’s decision to dole out more funding for migrant facilities to New York compared to a border state like hers. Calling out Arizona’s disproportionately small share of an $800 million pot — roughly less than a third — she noted the announcement about the funds came from congressional leadership and “not from the White House or from FEMA.” Our BURGESS EVERETT has the details. What We're Reading The IRA turns 1. Many Democrats are already talking about the next climate law. (POLITICO's Emma Dumain) The Sriracha Shortage Is A Very Bad Sign (The Atlantic’s Katherine J. Wu) Federal judges agree to abortion pill restrictions, but the drugs remain legal for now (POLITICO's Alice Miranda Ollstein) POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER President RICHARD NIXON presented Ellington with the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on April 29, 1969, according to the White House Historical Association. To learn more about President Nixon’s life, tune into History Happy Hour: "Richard Nixon: California's Native Son” on Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. ET. A CALL OUT! Do you think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best one about the presidents, with a citation or sourcing, and we may feature it! Edited by Eun Kyung Kim and Sam Stein.   A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY.       Follow us on Twitter Eli Stokols @EliStokols Lauren Egan @Lauren_V_Egan Lawrence Ukenye @Lawrence_Ukenye   Follow us

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