| | | | |  | | By Eli Stokols, Lauren Egan and Ben Johansen | | Presented by |  | | | Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren Doing prep work for the Democratic National Committee’s August convention can be a grueling job. But for the young political staffers tasked with putting together the affair, there are some real perks. While their counterparts in Wilmington are coming to terms with the world’s smallest dating pool, they’re enjoying summer in Chicago. That means Cubs games, runs along the lake and Saturday nights in the West Loop. And, for a number of staffers, it has also meant a very specific and recurring celebrity encounter. “I just walked past Cousin from The Bear,” MATT HILL, the DNC’s convention communications director, texted a coworker back in February. “STOP,” the coworker texted back. “DID YOU SAY HI” Hill did not say hi to EBON MOSS-BACHRACH, who won an Emmy award for his portrayal of the hot headed but increasingly endearing Richie on Hulu’s hit series. But Hill and his colleagues would have other chances to meet the cast, which has returned to Chicago for the filming of the show’s third season. Press Secretary ALLISON JANOWSKI marked her own February run-in with an Instagram story, posting a selfie with the caption: “A run-in with cousin Richie on the walk to work is integral to Chicago culture.”
|  Allison Janowski | A few weeks later, Hill wrote about seeing — you guessed it — Cousin again on his Substack (yes, he has a personal substack, and it’s about television) after observing him inside the Foxtrot (RIP) in the West Loop. “He scanned the store for snacks, but left empty handed because everything was probably too bougie compared to the beef he's used to,” Hill wrote. He added that another “source” had spotted JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, the show’s lead, at the Chicago Art Institute the weekend before. Press secretary JAIDAN IDARRAGA saw Moss-Bachrach in April near La Colombe on Randolph Street and immediately texted Janowski that he was “90% sure I walked past cuz rn,” noting that “he was yelling on the phone.” “That bumps it up to 95%,” Janowski wrote back. But as the sightings have continued the excitement has not worn off. “Running through the rain to meet up with bae Jeremy Allen White,” ISABELLA O’CONNOR, who heads up the DNC’s surrogate operations, texted co-workers in mid-April after seeing The Bear filming in Fulton Market. CASEY FRARY, the senior director of venue operations, and CONOR KELLY, deputy director of media logistics, bumped into Moss-Bachrach and MATTY MATHESON outside of Bavette’s, a steakhouse near the river. Matheson portrays the handyman NEIL FAK on the show. Frary texted colleagues she didn’t get a photo but told the actors that she loved the show. “Much like the show, I had no chill,” she said upon returning to the office. If there are any plans to have The Bear cast members take part in the convention itself this August, the campaign is keeping them close to the vest. But staffers say they will continue to keep a keen eye on their surroundings as they do their work, all in search of their holy grail: the elusive AYO EDEBIRI, who, somehow, no one in the DNC has seen yet. “We are trying so hard,” said MEGHA BHATTACHARYA, deputy director for surrogate communications. Ironically, after months of run-ins with seemingly everyone but Edebiri, the office staff will likely have to wait to binge season three. It drops on June 27 — the night of the first debate between President JOE BIDEN and DONALD TRUMP. MESSAGE US — Are you EBON MOSS-BACHRACH? And would you like to give the DNC keynote address? 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!
| | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes: President Biden: American chemistry is the backbone of innovation.
It's time to address the regulatory overload stifling American chemistry. Chemistry powers our semiconductors, medical devices, and clean energy initiatives. But your administration’s avalanche of regulations is hampering America’s progress and competitiveness. American chemistry is more than an industry; it's our future. The Biden Administration must commit to smarter, growth-oriented regulations before it’s too late - because when chemistry is enabled to create, America competes. | | | | | Which sport did DWIGHT EISENHOWER play at West Point? (Answer at bottom.)
| | DAD TALK: President Biden this morning issued a rare statement on the criminal trial of his son HUNTER BIDEN. As our EUGENE DANIELS reports, the president emphasized that he would not get involved in the matter legally or politically, but conveyed his affection for his son. “I am the President, but I am also a Dad. Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today,” Biden said. “Hunter’s resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he has brought to his recovery are inspiring to us.” The president’s statement came as Hunter Biden’s gun charges trial got underway Monday in Delaware, where he’s facing three criminal counts of buying a gun while addicted to crack-cocaine and lying about it on a background check. NEUTRAL TERRITORY: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS and National Security Adviser JAKE SULLIVAN will travel to Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 15 to participate in the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, the White House announced Monday. During the summit, scheduled for the day after the G7 so heads of state could attend, Harris will underscore the administration’s support for Ukraine in its effort to “secure a just and lasting peace.” Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY had previously urged Biden to attend. But the president has a major Los Angeles fundraiser that day, featuring BARACK OBAMA, GEORGE CLOONEY and JULIA ROBERTS. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This Atlanta Journal Constitution op-ed from former Georgia Lt Gov. GEOFF DUNCAN, who gives the Biden camp a buoyant outlook on the potential fallout from Donald Trump’s conviction. In contrast to the momentum that Trump gained last year following his indictment, Duncan writes that the former president’s political fate rests with “swing and suburban voters who belong to neither political party.” And in a new Morning Consult poll, nearly half of independent voters think Trump should end his campaign in the aftermath of the conviction. Campaign spokesperson JAMES SINGER shared the piece on X. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by NBC’s RAF SANCHEZ, YULIYA TALMAZAN and MONICA ALBA who report that a senior Israeli official said President Biden’s description of Israel’s ceasefire proposal last week was “not accurate.” The official specifically disputed that Israel had agreed to fully withdraw troops from the Gaza Strip as part of the deal to free hostages. “Israel has not changed its conditions to reach a permanent ceasefire,” the official said. “That will only happen after our objectives are met including destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.” AN HISTORIC VICTORY: President Biden on Monday congratulated Mexico’s President-elect CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM for her historic landslide victory as the first female president of Mexico. “I look forward to working closely with President-elect Sheinbaum in the spirit of partnership and friendship that reflects the enduring bonds between our two countries,” Biden said in a statement.
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | | THEY’RE COMING OUT: This National Pride Month, the Biden campaign is launching an effort to shore up support among LGBTQ voters, NBC’s AARON GILCHRIST reports. The campaign plans to have a large presence at more than 200 Pride events across 23 states and will release a paid media blitz aimed at mobilizing the constituency. The campaign will cap off the month of events with a June 28 campaign fundraiser in New York City.
| | PERSONNEL MOVES: DANIEL E. WHITE is now the deputy assistant secretary for strategic integration and policy planning at the Department of Homeland Security, our DANIEL LIPPMAN has learned. He most recently was the deputy chief of staff to the secretary of the Army.
| | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes:   | | | | | LET’S TRY THIS AGAIN: The Pentagon said Monday that it expects to re-anchor the temporary pier constructed by the U.S. military to Gaza by the middle of this week, after bad weather caused a piece to break off last week, our LARA SELIGMAN reports for Pro subscribers. The U.S. military is also working to recover two out of four Army vessels that were beached after the pier broke loose. YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THIS: The Kremlin on Monday warned Washington that it could face “fatal consequences” if it allows Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to retaliate against Russia, our PIERRE EMMANUEL NGENDAKUMANA reports. “I would like to warn American leaders against miscalculations that could have fatal consequences," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister SERGEI RYABKOV said. “For unknown reasons, they underestimate the seriousness of the rebuff they may receive.”
| | When everyone’s met a Biden in Delaware, how hard will it be to find a jury? (The News Journal’s Ryan Cormier) What Europe Fears (The Atlantic’s McKay Coppins) Washington Post Newsroom Reels From Sudden Editor Exit (NYT’s Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson)
| | | | A message from American Chemistry Council – Chemistry Creates America Competes: Did you know that it takes 500 highly specialized chemicals to manufacture one semiconductor chip? And the Biden Administration is investing billions to build semiconductor plants in the U.S.
There’s just one big problem: the president’s administration keeps rolling out regulations and restrictions that could impair chemical manufacturers’ ability to produce the very inputs needed to achieve this expansion.
“You can build all the semiconductor plants you want, but if critical chemistries aren’t available, you won’t be successful in onshoring the chip manufacturing supply chain. This is an issue of national security.” – Chris Jahn, President and CEO, American Chemistry Council
Call on the Biden Administration to stop undercutting American innovation and national priorities.
Learn more at chemistrycreates.org | | | | | | Long before his White House years, Eisenhower made a name for himself in the football arena as a halfback and linebacker at West Point. Ike even played a game against one of the greatest athletes of all time: JIM THORPE. According to an account of the game, Eisenhower wanted to hit Thorpe hard enough “to knock him out of the contest with a hard tackle.” Unfortunately for him, Eisenhower would suffer a knee injury that game — one that nearly, but didn’t, cut short his military career but did end his career on the football field. See kids! Always smart to have a fall back. 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 Sam Stein and Rishika Dugyala.
| | | | JOIN US ON 6/12 FOR A TALK ON THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY: As air travel soars again, policymakers and airlines are grappling with a series of contemporary challenges to the industry's future. Join POLITICO on June 12 for a topical and timely conversation with government leaders and aviation stakeholders about the state of the airline industry. From what passengers want to what airlines need amid the high demand for air traffic, workers and technology solutions. What can Washington do to ensure passengers and providers are equipped to fly right? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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