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Presented by PhRMA: Playbook is POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the day in Washington Sep 11, 2018 View in browser
By Jake Sherman, Anna Palmer, Daniel Lippman and Eli Okun

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THE LATEST ON HOUSE VOTES ... HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CALIF.) advised this morning that "due to the important nature of votes expected on the Floor and in committee this week-there are no changes to the House schedule at this time. We will continue to monitor Hurricane Florence and send further updates as needed."

PLAYBOOK EXCLUSIVE -- WITH CONTROL OF THE HOUSE IN PLAY ... DEMOCRATIC TEXAS REP. HENRY CUELLAR invited supporters to a breakfast fundraiser for REPUBLICAN TEXAS REP. JOHN CARTER this morning in San Antonio at Mi Tierra Cafe. The invite sent from a Cuellar political staffer links to a "John Carter Conservative for Congress" contribution page with donor levels up to $2,700.
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IT'S INCREDIBLY RARE for any lawmaker to help raise money for someone of the other party. BUT CUELLAR RAISING MONEY FOR CARTER is even more shocking considering the Texas Republican is in a surprisingly tight race against Democratic standout candidate MJ HEGAR. ADDING TO THE DRAMA: Hegar has been endorsed by the Blue Dog Coalition, of which Cuellar is a co-chair! One Democratic source familiar with the race also noted that Cuellar and Carter held the fundraiser on Sept. 11, and Hegar is a veteran.

HEGAR is one of the Democratic challengers leaders hope will surprise in November. She raised $1.1 million last quarter, and has had a couple of viral ads that put her on the map. THE DCCC was first informed of the Cuellar fundraiser by Playbook.

CUELLAR'S RESPONSE: "Although I was not a host of the event, I was honored to attend as I typically do for colleagues who visit my district. Judge Carter is a dear friend and trusted colleague with whom I work on Appropriations. He is knowledgeable and supportive of issues important to South Texas. In today's climate, more than ever, friendship is more powerful than partisanship."

TRUMP SPEAKS -- "Trump honors 'brave patriots' on Flight 93 at Sept. 11 service," by Quint Forgey: "'A piece of America's heart is buried on these grounds,' Trump said. 'But in its place has grown a new resolve to live our lives with the same grace and courage as the heroes of Flight 93. This field is now a monument to American defiance. This memorial is now a message to the world. America will never, ever submit to tyranny.'" POLITICO

-- THE PRESIDENT also used the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" and said, "America's future is not written by our enemies. America's future is written by our heroes," per pooler Geoff Earle of The Daily Mail. Full remarks

-- SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER ... "No End in Sight," by The Atlantic's Krishnadev Calamur: "At least as long as the U.S. remains in the country, the Afghan government will remain in charge even as the Taliban continues to showcase its ability to carry out attacks seemingly at will. The duration of that war, and the U.S. war in Iraq, has meant repeated deployments for some U.S. military personnel, the psychological cost of which the Army was already warning about a decade ago. ...

"But the U.S., buoyed by an unprecedented Eid ceasefire along with direct U.S.-Taliban talks, now hopes that it can force the Taliban into a dialogue with the Afghan government." The Atlantic

-- SPOTTED this morning at the commemoration in NYC marking the 17th anniversary of 9/11: Mayor Bill De Blasio, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Sandra Lee, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, George Pataki, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Reps. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), Ray Kelly, Chris Christie, Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Joe Hockey, Jeh Johnson, Rick Cotton, Barbara Underwood, John Miller, James P. O'Neill and Letitia James.

Good Tuesday afternoon. THE LATEST ON FLORENCE -- ACCUWEATHER's RENEE DUFF: "Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane Florence likely to stall and pound Carolinas, Virginia for days"

FOR YOUR RADAR -- "Trump campaign cancels Missouri rally because of Hurricane Florence," by Matthew Choi: POLITICO

A message from PhRMA:

As a Medicare Part D Cliff looms for seniors, the program's successful structure is also in jeopardy. Congress can act now to protect seniors from the donut hole suddenly increasing by more than $1,200 and secure the program for the future by fixing changes that undermine its successful competitive structure.

ABC's TARA PALMERI sat down with DONALD TRUMP JR. for "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": "'I think there are people in there that he can trust, it's just -- it's a much smaller group than I would like it to be,' Trump Jr. said in an interview aired Tuesday on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'It would be easier to get things done if you're able to fully trust everyone around you ... I think that's a shame.'" ABC ... More from Emily Goldberg

ON THE WORLD STAGE -- "U.S. President Donald Trump cancels controversial planned visit to Ireland," by the Irish Independent's Kevin Doyle: "Sources say the controversial trip, planned for November 12, will not now go ahead. The development will come as a massive relief to the Government. ... Sources have indicated to Independent.ie that his entire European itinerary is now under review - but the Irish element is set to be cancelled." Irish Independent

-- "U.S. Weighs Sanctions Against Chinese Officials Over Muslim Detention Camps," by NYT's Edward Wong: "The economic penalties would be one of the first times the Trump administration has taken action against China because of human rights violations. United States officials are also seeking to limit American sales of surveillance technology that Chinese security agencies and companies are using to monitor Uighurs throughout northwest China.

"Discussions to rebuke China ... gained urgency two weeks ago, after members of Congress asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to impose sanctions on seven Chinese officials." NYT

HEADS UP -- "War games and business deals: Russia, China send a signal to Washington," by WaPo's Anton Troianovski, Anna Fifield and Paul Sonne with a Vladivostok, Russia, dateline: "[T]his is the first time that Moscow has integrated Chinese forces into its annual strategic exercises typically reserved for Russia's closest allies ...

"The addition of the Chinese units underscores a potentially major shift: Two countries that had long considered each other potential military adversaries are now partners in confronting the United States." WaPo

BREAKING -- "Koch group loses donor secrecy fight at appeals court," by Josh Gerstein: "A nonprofit group founded by conservative political megadonors Charles and David Koch must disclose its largest givers to law enforcement authorities in California, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. ...

"The foundation's head, Tim Phillips, testified in the case that the group believes it is being targeted for political reasons by California officials. ... The appeals court said it had 'serious concern' about lapses that led to disclosure of the donor lists in the past, but said steps the state has taken to prevent those in the future were reasonable." POLITICO

WHAT'S ON THE PRESIDENT'S MIND -- @realDonaldTrump at 7:19 a.m.: "New Strzok-Page texts reveal 'Media Leak Strategy.' @FoxNews So terrible, and NOTHING is being done at DOJ or FBI -- but the world is watching, and they get it completely."

... at 7:59 a.m.: "Rudy Giuliani did a GREAT job as Mayor of NYC during the period of September 11th. His leadership, bravery and skill must never be forgotten. Rudy is a TRUE WARRIOR!"

... at 8:58 a.m.: "17 years since September 11th!"

2018 WATCH -- "Rhode Island's Democratic Governor Faces Challenge From the Left," by WSJ's Jennifer Levitz in Warwick, Rhode Island: "[Gina] Raimondo takes credit for the improving the economy, cranes rising in Providence and the dip in unemployment in the nation's smallest state.

"But it isn't time to toast yet. The 47-year-old governor, who is running for re-election, is the latest Democratic establishment incumbent fending off a political threat from the party's progressive wing. ... Polling is scarce, but recent negative advertising against [Matt] Brown by the Raimondo campaign suggests the governor is taking her challenger seriously." WSJ

-- USA TODAY's FREDREKA SCHOUTEN: "Exclusive: McConnell-aligned PAC unleashes $6.4 million ad blitz to protect Senate majority"

-- ISAAC DOVERE in Silver Spring, Maryland: "Can a Democrat Win in ... Maryland?": "[Ben] Jealous is the first major player to come directly off [Bernie] Sanders' 2016 campaign and have done this well in a campaign of his own. He's the first leader of the NAACP-from 2008-13, the youngest in its history-to be this close to winning statewide office. He's a test case to see if someone with his kind of strident politics can win something more than a primary, even in a heavily Democratic state.

"While voters elsewhere in the country seem to be tilting blue, Jealous is running way behind in polls in a state that has elected only three Republicans governor in the past 60 years ... [H]e swears, the policies he's latched on to are all rooted in his idea of what works-where pragmatism meets principle. He plays up being a nexus-someone who can live at the intersection of different worlds and can build bridges between them." POLITICO

-- SCOTT BLAND: "GOP redistricting group names executive director"

WAPO's AMY GARDNER in Apex, North Carolina: "Voter backlash to Trump, bathroom law has put conservative N.C. legislature in play": "An unusual political battle is raging across North Carolina, where national and state Democrats have recruited an army of candidates and are pouring millions of dollars into a campaign to loosen a years-long Republican grip on a state legislature ... The campaign reflects an often-overlooked subplot of the Democratic Party's broader push ... tapping into voter anger over President Trump as well as Republican policies on school funding, taxes and health care to chip away at GOP dominance in state capitals." WaPo

TRADE WARS -- "China Woos U.S. Companies Again, Dropping Trade Threats," by WSJ's Lingling Wei and Yoko Kubota in Beijing: "Chinese leaders are stepping up a charm offensive with U.S. multinationals and sheathing earlier threats of retaliation as Beijing changes tack to keep the trade fight with Washington from scaring off foreign investors. ...

"The tone is a marked shift from a few months ago ... Chinese leaders are turning the cheek out of deepening concern that the spiraling trade battle could batter the economy and investment seen as critical to China's future ... Beijing is looking to U.S. companies to help it lobby the Trump administration for a negotiated settlement." WSJ

MORE 'FEAR' FALLOUT -- "Lindsey Graham's Under-the-Radar Push to Turn Trump Into a Defense Hawk," by The Daily Beast's Lachlan Markay, Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Desiderio: "Graham has sought to encourage Trump to adopt a more hawkish foreign policy, occasionally in contrast to some of the president's senior military and foreign-policy aides.

"Graham, a recurring Trump golfing buddy, appears to have developed a vocabulary that hits all the right notes in his conversations with the president-warning of hits to his legacy, and trash-talking the Obama foreign policy brain trust at which Trump himself has taken aim. It's a clever way to push Trump toward a U.S. foreign policy stance more in line with previous Republican presidents than the rhetoric of Trump's campaign, with its skepticism of certain military adventurism." The Daily Beast

WAR REPORT -- "Last ISIS Redoubt Under Attack in Syria," by NYT's Rukmini Callimachi: "The last vestige of Islamic State territory in Syria came under attack, as members of an American-backed coalition said Tuesday that they had begun a final push to oust the militants from Hajin ...

"The assault is the final chapter of a war that began more than four years ago ... Even if it is defeated in Hajin, however, the Islamic State is likely to remain a powerful terrorist force. ... The Syrian Democratic Forces is nevertheless preparing for a slog: between two and three months, according to one senior official with the militia." NYT

THE INVESTIGATIONS -- "Declassification of Russia investigation materials poses a risky gambit for GOP," by CNN's Manu Raju and Laura Jarrett: "An outspoken bloc of House conservatives continues to call on President Donald Trump to declassify materials related to the Russia investigation as soon as this week, but their latest effort could backfire if it fails to confirm their allegations of serious misconduct ...

"[F]urther removing redactions on the FISAs and releasing the 302s could run the risk of upending the narrative House Republicans have spent months crafting if the documents confirm that the FBI had more than the dossier to justify the surveillance of Page -- and if they show that [Bruce] Ohr was working appropriately in reporting leads in the Russia probe." CNN

WIVB's DAVE GREBER: "EXCLUSIVE: Congressman Chris Collins gives first interview since insider trading indictment": The 12-min. video interview

THE NEW YORKER's ELIZA GRISWOLD: "Franklin Graham's Uneasy Alliance with Donald Trump": "Franklin Graham ... possesses little of his father's charisma. Personally and politically, he is far more divisive. ... Since 2012, the Trump Foundation has donated at least a hundred thousand dollars to Graham's organizations ...

"The younger Graham said he did his best to avoid Beltway politics. 'I stay out of Washington as much as I can,' he added. 'I try to keep my distance.' That's not easy under Trump, who, as we have seen, demands a display of total loyalty from his allies. ... Graham doesn't need to go to Washington to enter the political fray: he has 1.75 million followers on Twitter and another seven million on Facebook, where he often defends the President or Christian conservatives." The New Yorker

MEDIAWATCH -- JIM SCIUTTO will be joining Poppy Harlow as co-anchor of "CNN Newsroom" from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. He will continue to be the network's chief national security correspondent.

SPOTTED at a book party at Cafe Milano last night for the launch of "Moon Washington DC," a travel guide by Samantha Sault: hosts Franco Nuschese, Chuck Conconi, Matt J. Lauer, Kevin Chaffee, Linda Mercado Greene, Pat de Stacy Harrison and Karin Tanabe; Walt Cronkite, Sam Dealey, Capri Cafaro, Nick Owens, Willee and Finley Lewis, Janet Donovan, Peter Newsham, Steve Clemons, Roxanne Roberts, Emily Goodin, Sean T. Miles, Tom Quinn, Lynly Boor, Virginia Coyne, Scott Thuman and Marvin Bowser.

TRANSITION -- HILLARY ALUMNI: Stephanie Benedict is now an executive at the Brunswick Group in Washington. She is a Hillary for America and Madeleine Albright alum.

WEEKEND WEDDING -- CLINTON ALUMNI: Sean O'Shea, a former staffer to both Bill and Hillary Clinton who is now partner at Alexander, Borovicka & O'Shea Government Solutions and president of SPO Strategic Consulting and, on Saturday married Sebastian Contreras Jr., dean of student success at Oakton Community College in Illinois. Pic

WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Molly Gannon Conway, communications manager for WaPo, and Ryan Conway, senior project manager for Events DC, on Monday welcomed Norah Rose Conway, who came in at 8 lbs 2 oz and 21 inches long.

BONUS BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Mark Dubowitz, CEO of Foundation for Defense of Democracies, is 50. What he's been reading recently: "I just finished Bob Kagan's recent article in the Wall Street Journal based on Bob's new book, 'The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World.' He defends the importance of the American-led liberal order from those on the left and right who believe the sacrifice is not worth the costs." Q&A

A message from PhRMA:

There's lots of talk about how to change Part D to address affordability and predictability for seniors. But there are right ways and wrong ways to do that. The budget change passed in February was the wrong way, removing incentives experts agree are necessary to drive Part D's successful market-based structure, and potentially jeopardizing the program for the future. One right way is for Congress to address the looming Part D Cliff. In 2020, the donut hole will increase by more than $1,200, raising out-of-pocket costs for the most vulnerable seniors with significant health care needs. Congress should act now on both of these issues to protect seniors from a sudden spike in out-of-pocket
costs in Part D, while securing and strengthening the program for the long-term. Learn more.

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