The art of the [desperately desired] deal

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

Nov 30, 2023 View in browser   By Myah Ward, Jennifer Haberkorn, Lauren Egan and Benjamin Johansen Presented by 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 The White House is dialing up pressure on Hill negotiators to deliver a deal on border security. Top White House and Biden administration officials have been working the phones daily, urging the bipartisan team of senators to forge ahead and cut a deal to get Ukraine funding across the finish line, according to several senators involved in the negotiations and three people familiar with the talks. The push from the White House is being internalized as a clear sign that President JOE BIDEN urgently wants a deal done. At stake is a nearly $106 billion request the administration has made for aid to Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and for border security. The White House has viewed the money as critical, as the president manages crises at home and abroad. “[The White House] desperately wants Ukraine aid, and they also want ‘credible fear’ changes,” said one person familiar with the talks, referring to a change in asylum law that would ultimately deny more migrants the opportunity to apply for asylum in the U.S. Several Republicans also said the White House has been more involved in conversations, particularly since last week’s Thanksgiving recess. Sen. THOM TILLIS of North Carolina said “there has been some discussion, including some discussion with JAMES [LANKFORD],” the group’s top Republican negotiator. “I suspect that there has been encouraging discussions among Democrats.” Sen. CHRIS MURPHY of Connecticut, the chief Democratic negotiator, confirmed the outreach has increased recently, “by necessity.” “We’re talking with the administration a lot more” than on other recent Hill negotiations, such as last year’s bipartisan gun agreement, he said. “But the law’s more complicated and the stakes are frankly higher.” This week has unveiled just how challenging it will be to deliver on Biden’s $106 billion request. Republicans have continued to raise demands for more border policy reforms, while immigrant advocates and progressives warn that Democrats aren’t getting anything in return, such as a deal for Dreamers and DACA recipients. As the risk of the deal crumbling heightens, deputy chief of staff NATALIE QUILLIAN is among the officials involved in Hill engagement from the White House, two people familiar with the calls told West Wing Playbook. Homeland Security Secretary ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS has also been calling senators. “It seems like there is a little bit of difference of opinion between the White House and what [Democratic] senators are trying to negotiate,” said another person familiar with the talks. “The White House is like, let’s just get this done.” White House assistant press secretary ANGELO FERNÁNDEZ-HERNÁNDEZ said the administration has followed the negotiation’s progress “closely and provided technical assistance as requested.” “Any characterization of the White House’s view of the negotiations in the Senate should be considered suspect and supplied by people who do not speak on behalf of the President or his Administration,” he said in a statement. Just how much the White House is willing to give up on the border in order to secure foreign aid remains the billion dollar question. Biden officials are pushing aggressively on changes to raise the credible fear standard on asylum claims — a tweak to the current law’s language could in theory mean fewer migrants are able to demonstrate a fear of persecution, torture or returning to their country and, therefore, more being denied the opportunity to apply for asylum. Some officials have also expressed openness to third safe country agreements, which would prevent people from applying for asylum in the U.S. if they failed to first apply in Mexico or another country they passed through initially, according to two people familiar with the talks. Changes to the humanitarian “parole” system have caused the most heartburn inside the administration and among Hill Democrats. “The linchpin of their border management strategy is creating legal pathways. If that is yanked away from them, then they’re really not left with a whole lot more they can do,” said one former administration official on Biden’s use of humanitarian parole. But advocates remain concerned that there isn’t a definitive red line on parole and other border policy changes for the White House — that the desire to get Ukraine aid will override other considerations; that the administration quietly wants to neutralize the border as a political issue heading into an election year. “My own sense is that their cold hard calculation is, this will help us as we start gearing up for the elections of 2024, and it matters that we appear to be tough on issues related to asylum and the humanitarian parole program,” the second person familiar with the talks said. “You know, fuck the reality of what this is and what this isn’t, and the long-term impact in the immigration ecosystem.” “But is this really the way we’re going to negotiate on difficult issues going forward? You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.” MESSAGE US — Are you ROSE PETOSKEY, senior adviser to the office of intergovernmental affairs and director of tribal affairs? 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!    SUBSCRIBE TO CALIFORNIA CLIMATE: Climate change isn’t just about the weather. It's also about how we do business and create new policies, especially in California. So we have something cool for you: A brand-new California Climate newsletter. It's not just climate or science chat, it's your daily cheat sheet to understanding how the legislative landscape around climate change is shaking up industries across the Golden State. Subscribe now to California Climate to keep up with the changes.     POTUS PUZZLER Which president reportedly would start his day by eating cottage cheese with ketchup for breakfast? (Answer at bottom.) The Oval A STATEMENT ON KISSINGER: The president responded to the death of HENRY KISSINGER on Thursday with a fairly short, clearly measured statement befitting the complicated legacy that the former national security adviser and secretary of State left behind. “Throughout our careers, we often disagreed,” he said. “And often strongly. But from that first briefing — his fierce intellect and profound strategic focus was evident. Long after retiring from government, he continued to offer his views and ideas to the most important policy discussion across multiple generations.” The Biden-Kissinger relationship is tricky to diagnose. In the New York Times’ obituary, there is a line that says Kissinger “advised” the president. But the White House did not respond to a request for comment as to when, exactly, that took place. In fact, back in July 2022, the New York Post ran a headline that said Kissinger had been invited to the White House by every president “except Biden.” The White House didn’t mind that one. Many Democrats (and Republicans, too) had long ago become reviled by the legacy of civilian death and general disinterest in human rights that personified Kissinger’s approach to the world — alongside his never-ending goal for some form of global stability among the major powers. But Biden also seemed to view him as a competitor, too. “I think I know as much about American foreign policy as anybody living, including Dr. Kissinger,” he said at a fundraiser in 2019. THE GUY JUST CAN’T HELP HIMSELF: Press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE abruptly ended Thursday’s White House briefing after it was disrupted by SIMON ATEBA, the correspondent for the website Today News Africa. Ateba chastised her and National Security Council spokesperson JOHN KIRBY for not taking his question on the day that Biden hosted the Angolan president at the White House. “We can end this briefing if it’s not going to be respectful,” Jean-Pierre warned, before pulling the plug and walking out of the room. As West Wing Playbook has written, Ateba has been a constant thorn in the side of other reporters in the room, as well as the White House press shop. But it’s unclear what — if anything — can be done to address his persistent disruptions. The White House Correspondents’ Association did not renew his membership this year, so they don’t have much leverage to get Ateba to respect the briefing room etiquette. And Ateba is suing Jean-Pierre over the decision to change the criteria to qualify for a hard pass (although he’s still allowed to submit daily security clearances to get access to the briefing room), complicating any White House efforts to rein him in. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: These inflation numbers showing the personal consumption expenditures index, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation, falling to its lowest rate since March 2021. It is the latest sign suggesting the Fed could be done hiking interest rates when it meets in December. “Alongside yesterday’s news that our economy grew by more than 5% last quarter, this flat inflation is helping deliver the breathing room families need right now, especially around the holidays,” Biden said in a statement. White House chief of staff JEFF ZIENTS also shared the news on X. WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: This piece by Bloomberg’s AKAYLA GARDNER about how Angolan President JOÃO LOURENÇO’s visit to the White House “puts a spotlight on Biden’s unfulfilled pledge to visit the continent.” Gardner writes that African leaders are still waiting on Biden to follow through on his pledge to visit. Although other high-profile U.S. officials have visited, Gardner reports that “Africa’s leaders still waiting for a presidential trip are concerned the continent is again taking a backseat to other geopolitical priorities.” CHANGING OF THE LECTERN: The James Brady briefing room has a chic new lectern for the first time since the GEORGE W. BUSH administration, NBC’s KELLY O’DONNELL shared on X. The lectern, designed by Army, Navy and civilian team members, is named after ALICE DUNNIGAN and ETHEL PAYNE, the first two Black women in the White House press corps. Just look at this sexy beast: BIDENOMICS? NEVER HEARD OF IT: The president appears to be walking away from the term “Bidenomics.” NBC’s MEGAN LEBOWITZ, GHAEL FOBES and PETER NICHOLAS report that Biden has not used the word in his public remarks since Nov. 1, a stark contrast to just a few months ago when the term “Bidenomics” was peppered throughout his speeches. Although the White House and the Biden campaign still include the word in written statements and online posts, the NBC team notes that the “absence of the word in Biden’s speeches comes as some Democratic strategists and Biden allies have criticized the branding.”   A message from bp: bp added more than $70 billion to the US economy last year. We did it by making investments from coast to coast – like acquiring America’s largest biogas producer, Archaea Energy, and producing natural gas with fewer operational emissions in the Permian Basin. See how else bp is investing in America.   THE BUREAUCRATS FIRST IN WEST WING PLAYBOOK: JESSE LEE has started a political messaging firm, Jesse C. Lee, LLC, where he’ll help clients with comms, digital and political strategy, “only for the good guys,” he told DANIEL LIPPMAN. His first client is the Natural Resources Defense Council. Lee most recently was senior adviser for communications to the National Economic Council at the White House and is an alum of former Speaker NANCY PELOSI and the Obama White House. MORE PERSONNEL MOVES: KATHERINE BAUER is now director of surrogate operations for the Biden campaign, Lippman has also learned. She most recently was associate director of strategic planning in the office of political strategy and outreach at the White House. — MICHAEL TAM is leaving the White House, where he has been policy adviser at the National Security Council, Lippman has (again) learned. He is heading to the Department of Commerce in the next few weeks.  — HEATHER SAMUELSON is now senior confirmations counsel at the White House. She most recently was senior vice president for administration at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and previously worked at the State Department. Agenda Setting TOUGH NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE DRINKING LEAD: The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed a new set of rules requiring most U.S. cities to replace lead water pipes within the next 10 years, AP’s MICHAEL PHILLIS and MATTHEW DALY report. The agency says that the change would improve the IQ scores of children in affected cities and reduce high blood pressure and heart disease in adults. “The proposal, called the lead and copper rule improvements, would for the first time require utilities to replace lead pipes even if their lead levels aren’t too high. Most cities have not been forced to replace their lead pipes and many don’t even know where they are,” Phillis writes. BE WARNED, BIBI: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN on Thursday met with Israeli Prime Minister BENJAMIN NETANYAHU and other war cabinet members in Israel, according to Axios’ BARAK RAVID. During the meeting, which was described as a “frank exchange of views,” Blinken warned the officials that the longer the intense military operation, the more international pressure both countries will face. According to Ravid, Blinken asked the officials to take additional steps to mitigate the civilian casualties during their war efforts in southern Gaza. HURRY IT UP: Secretary of Education MIGUEL CARDONA is facing pressure from House Democrats who want an update on the department’s proposed changes to its Title IX rule, our BIANCA QUILANTAN and MACKENZIE WILKES report for Pro subscribers. The proposal is expected to overturn many of the Trump-era Title IX policies, including how schools should respond to sexual misconduct. In a letter sent Thursday to Cardona, House Democrats said they want the department to finalize the changes “as soon as possible” and are “concerned about the delay.”   A message from bp:   What We're Reading The 543-word editorial that may have just upended the presidential campaign (POLITICO’s Meridith McGraw and Adam Cancryn) Henry Kissinger’s Century (WSJ’s Niall Ferguson) The oil baron running the climate talks — and the US envoy who’s had his back (POLITICO’s Zack Colman, Karl Mathiesen and Corbin Hiar) The Oppo Book JOSH NUDELMAN, intergovernmental affairs coordinator and policy adviser for the White House office of intergovernmental affairs, had quite the reputation at his alma mater, Chapman University. Nicknamed “the Noodle,” which we assume is a reference to his last name, he was awarded the title of “Mr. University,” in 2014, and according to the school’s Her Campus chapter, “is one of those ‘someones’ who knows everyone.” He also said that because he “likes camera time and is a catch,” he would want to be on "The Bachelorette." He seems pretty tied up with things at the White House, but who knows, maybe in a few years he can take the reins from GERRY as “Golden Bachelor.”   A message from bp: bp supports more than 275,000 US jobs. Jobs keeping oil and gas flowing and jobs developing more lower carbon energy. It’s and, not or. See what doing both means for energy nationwide.   POTUS PUZZLER ANSWER RICHARD NIXON, who said that he picked up the habit of eating cottage cheese regularly for the health benefits from his grandmother. But, according to the Los Angeles Times, Nixon could not stomach the taste of cottage cheese, so he drizzled ketchup on it to help it go down easier. [Editor’s note: This sounds absolutely disgusting.] 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.   GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12. SUBSCRIBE NOW.       Follow us on Twitter Lauren Egan @Lauren_V_Egan Myah Ward @MyahWard Ben Johansen @BenJohansen3   Follow us

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