Can Pod Save Biden?

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Jan 28, 2022 View in browser   By Sam Stein, Max Tani and Alex Thompson Presented by Facebook Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With Allie Bice. Send tips | Subscribe here| Email Alex | Email Max Months before JOE BIDEN  took office, the folks at liberal-oriented Crooked Media offered him a small piece of press relations advice. "[D]evelop closer ties with progressive outlets," they wrote. "Give them scoops and access and grow their audiences and influence the way [Donald] Trump's team has nurtured fringe rags like Newsmax and OAN." One year in, Biden's team has not followed through, according to those who operate in the progressive media ecosystem. There have been fits and starts. Last week, chief of staff RON KLAIN sat for a lengthy chat with EZRA KLEIN's  podcast. This week, press secretary JEN PSAKI  did an interview on The PoliticsGirl Podcast Podcast — a production from the liberal entity MediasTouch. She also sat down with the co-hosts at Crooked's own Pod Save America . But during the first year of his administration, Biden didn't conduct a single interview with a digital media organization, despite regular requests from those outlets. One source familiar with the ask said HuffPost and BuzzFeed News have a standing joint interview request with Vice President KAMALA HARRIS' office on the issue of voting rights, but the veep so far hasn't made any plans for a sit down. CENK UYGUR , the founder of lefty video and streaming network The Young Turks, said they basically never hear from the White House, and have never scored an interview with any White House officials. "I think it would offend their sensibilities if they had to lower themselves to talk to progressive media," Uygur said of the White House. At a time when Biden is slipping among Democrats, when his administration has struggled to generate news cycles, and when the White House is battling disinformation campaigns, the reluctance to utilize liberal media has struck progressive operatives as bewildering. Then again, it also puts Biden firmly in the mainstream of Democratic politicians. Progressive operatives have long complained that elected Democrats loath working through, or elevating, ideologically-allied outlets. There are a variety of reasons: a sense that there is limited impact in doing so, a love affair with the more establishment brands, and fear they could get trapped into talking about issues (weed! the drone wars!) they'd rather avoid. "Republicans are scared of their base and Democrats hate their base. This plays out in the media," said ARI RABIN-HAVT, who has worked in both progressive media and as an adviser to top liberal politicians, including former Sen. HARRY REID (D-Nev.) and Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.). "Republicans feel like they have to do these shows. Democrats for the most part find reporters with progressive ideologies annoying and don't want to deal with them." The result, as Rabin Havt sees it, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Having determined that progressive media isn't a good bang for the buck, Democratic officials deprive those media outlets of the scoops, content, and interviews that would give them additional heft. The dynamic has worsened in recent years as the media ecosystem has become decentralized and dispersed. Democratic donors are backing some new ventures. But in interviews, executives at major progressive media outlets say that the big money has never gone towards sustained investments in liberal press. "There is a failure [among donors] to grasp how information moves today," said one of those executives. That doesn't mean the well's been dry. Progressive media has scored interviews and scoops with Cabinet-level officials, from FTC Chair LINA KAHN discussing the difficulty in canceling gym memberships with the new labor-focused nonprofit outlet, More Perfect Union, to Interior Secretary DEB HAALAND sitting down with HuffPost several times . A source familiar with the White House's thinking said the Biden team hasn't ignored digital news outlets. Harris has sat down with NowThis this month and discussed the infrastructure bill with the celebrity social media news outlet the Shade Room. But at the top, there is a notable absence of engagement, and it stands in contrast to the last two administrations. For DONALD TRUMP , ideological-allied media hits were a dopamine kick. Often, it got him in trouble, with the friendly questions compelling him to say something wildly out of the mainstream. But as a political matter, it kept his base enthralled and drove storylines. How beneficial those storylines were a separate matter. The Obama White House was a late adopter to the idea that ideological press could be a value-add. In the middle of the second term, Obama sat down with the author of this newsletter (then at Huffpost) and Buzzfeed News, visited a prison with the founder of Vice News, did multiple interviews with Klein, then Vox's editor, as well as one with tech journalist KARA SWISHER. Even Mic News, the liberal social video site which imploded several years later, nabbed an exclusive. SEND YOUR HOT TAKE — We want to incorporate more of your feedback. Is there something we missed about progressive media? Do you have a tip to share or a thought on our coverage? Send us an email or text and we will try to include your thoughts in the next day's edition. Can be anonymous, on background, etc. Email us at westwingtips@politico.com or you can text/Signal Alex at 8183240098 or Max at 7143455427. Do you work in the Biden administration? Are you in touch with the White House? Are you MICHAEL COLLINS, director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs for the Vice President? (Email/text us! Please?) A message from Facebook: Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230 Aaron is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook. Hear from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet's most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.   POTUS PUZZLER From the University of Virginia's Miller Center  Following his failure to matriculate into college after graduating high school, which future president bought a car and drove to California with friends? (Answer at the bottom.) Cartoon of the Week Cartoon by Chip Bok | Courtesy of Creators That time of the week again — cartoon feature Friday! This one is courtesy of CHIP BOK. Our very own MATT WUERKER also publishes a selection of cartoons from all over the country. View the cartoon carousel here.   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER:  The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     The Oval BIDEN MEETS FETTERMAN'S BARE LEGS —Our own HOLLY OTTERBEIN sends this dispatch from Pennsylvania: Traveling to Pittsburgh today, Biden was greeted by a large man wearing athletic shorts in the snow. It was Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. JOHN FETTERMAN , the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for the state's open Senate seat this year. Twitter was immediately ablaze with images of the 6-foot-9-inch Fetterman sporting a goatee, black hoodie pulled up over his bald head, and those shorts, as he, the president, and others surveyed a bridge that had collapsed in the city, hours before Biden's scheduled visit to talk infrastructure and manufacturing. Fetterman told us that when he got dressed today, he did not know he was going to meet Biden: "I was going to go to the gym when I learned the bridge collapsed, and I immediately went there." "I'm a shorts-365-day kind of guy," he added. "But I don't recommend being out in 22-degree weather for six hours straight." It wasn't Fetterman's outfit that caught the attention of political insiders in the state, though. They're used to his bare legs. Rather, it was the fact that he showed up at all. Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Fetterman said he couldn't make it due to a scheduling conflict. It appeared he was the latest Democratic candidate who didn't want to be seen with the president. "The bridge collapse changed everything," said Fetterman, who added that he canceled all his plans today. "I was proud to be with President Biden." Biden seemed proud too. During his speech in Pittsburgh, he joked, "John, if I had you in front of me when I was playing at Delaware, I could have been an all-American." FLASHBACK: Our look last August at the close relationship between Biden and Rep. CONNOR LAMB (D-Pa.), who is challenging Fetterman in the Democratic primary. As Biden once said of Lamb: "He reminds me of my Beau." WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO SEE: This cartoon from The Atlanta Journal Constitution's MIKE LUCKOVICH, which was retweeted by deputy press secretary ANDREW BATES.  Tweet by Andrew Bates | Twitter WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO READ: Tough headline and subheadline in this New Yorker profile of former Biden NSC official ANDREA FLORES, who left the administration last fall for Sen. BOB MENENDEZ's office. "The Disillusionment of a Young Biden Official: Andrea Flores's efforts to roll back Trump's immigration policies faced opposition inside and outside the White House." JONATHAN BLITZER reports that the resistance to easing Trump-era immigration restrictions came from RON KLAIN, SUSAN RICE, and JAKE SULLIVAN. #COTUS : The White House needed some good headlines and they managed to get them with lots of cute cat content. The introduction of the new White House cat was greeted with headlines that'd make any comms director cry with joy: NYT: Relax, America: Willow, the White House Cat, Has Arrived NPR: Meet Willow, the Bidens' new, very presidential-looking cat WaPo: 'Who scoops the litter box?' Answers about the mysterious lives of White House cats. HuffPo: Jill Biden Welcomes Adorable Cat To The White House TIME: Where the New First Cat Fits in the History of Presidential Pets Buzzfeed: Willow, The First Cat, Stole Dr. Biden's Heart After Interrupting Her Speech, So She Kept Her Because We Love Opinionated Pets We also counted two White House officials making "purrrrfect" jokes , which is two too many. You've been warned! OOO: FLOTUS communications director ELIZABETH ALEXANDER is out of the office 'til Sunday, per a bounce back email we received inquiring about COTUS. And her work phone is going straight to voicemail so you know she's seriously out of the office.   A message from Facebook:   THE BUREAUCRATS YOU GET AN INTERVIEW! YOU GET AN INTERVIEW! — CDC Director ROCHELLE WALENSKY continued her media blitz with an interview with Insider that published today . Asked about the challenges in Year One, she said: "I like to meet people. It's been hard at an agency of 12,000 people when people are working remotely. It's been hard to get to know people. And that's how I sort of foster relationships." Flashback: We reported earlier this month that Walensky hasn't moved to Atlanta and has often been working from Boston. Advise and Consent CALIFF WORRIES MOUNT — ROBERT CALIFF's supporters fear his nomination to lead the Food and Drug Administration is on the brink of defeatin the Senate — raising the threat of a setback for Biden and the health agency at the center of his pandemic response, DAVID LIM, ADAM CANCRYN and LAUREN GARDNER report. More than two months after Califf was picked, the confirmation is stymied by Democratic skepticism of the longtime cardiologist's regulatory track record and a new GOP push to kill his nomination.The White House is now calling into service some of its top advisers, including Dr. ANTHONY FAUCI, to try and rescue the nomination.   DON'T MISS CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. CHECK OUT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE.     Agenda Setting AVOIDING HEALTHCARE.GOV — WIRED's STEVEN LEVY has an interesting story on how the Biden White House, U.S. Digital Service, and the Post Office pulled off the launch of covidtests.gov. What We're Reading Ukraine's president criticizes West's handling of Russia crisis (Wapo's David L. Stern, Robyn Dixon, Rick Noack and John Hudson) Pelosi casts doubt on timetable for passing Biden's economic plan (Bloomberg's Billy House) Russia has enough troops and equipment at Ukraine's borders to invade the whole country, the Pentagon says (NYT's Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt) Where's Joe He received the President's Daily Brief in the morning, before leaving for Pittsburgh, Pa. Deputy chief of staff BRUCE REED, Infrastructure Act implementation coordinator MITCH LANDRIEU, communications director KATE BEDINGFIELD, principal deputy press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE and senior presidential speechwriter DAN CLUCHEY traveled with him. Biden visited the site of the collapsed bridge in Pittsburgh's Frick Park and spoke with first responders before touring Carnegie Mellon University at Mill 19, a former steel mill that is now a university research and development facility, and delivering remarks on the supply chain and infrastructure. He traveled back to Washington, D.C. in the afternoon. Where's Kamala No public events scheduled. The Oppo Book ROB FLAHERTY, now the White House's director of digital strategy, was getting tested for coronavirus when the news broke about Biden winning the 2020 presidential election. Flaherty was the campaign's digital director at the time and described the chaotic moment with North Reading Transcript last January : "I'm sitting in the car, having just gotten Covid-tested, and the race is over." There was no time to wait: "Meanwhile, we have to figure out how to get the victory tweet out, and the website's gotta be changed…we're driving back into D.C. and people are shooting off fireworks, they're like out on the road, there's fire trucks driving around waving flags — it was kind of crazy." News really never stops, huh! POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER LYNDON JOHNSON. After doing some odd jobs in California and briefly working in his cousin's law office, LBJ hitchhiked back to Texas and began doing manual labor on a road crew. He fell into fights and drinking that eventually led to his arrest. In 1927, he refocused his energies on a teaching career and was accepted to Southwest Texas State Teachers College. For more on Johnson's antics before becoming president, visit millercenter.org. A CALL OUT — Have a better trivia question? Send us your hardest trivia question on the presidents and we may feature it on Wednesdays. Edited by Emily Cadei A message from Facebook: Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230 Aaron is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook. Hear from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet's most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.     Follow us on Twitter Alex Thompson @AlexThomp Maxwell Tani @maxwelltani Allie Bice @alliebice   Follow us

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