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Today's POLITICO Playbook presented by PhRMA

By JAKE SHERMAN (sherman@politico.com; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER (anna@politico.com; @apalmerdc) and DANIEL LIPPMAN (daniel@politico.com; @dlippman)

Listen to today's Audio Briefing | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Driving the Day
SETTING THE TABLE ... TODAY'S BIG IMMIGRATION MEETING ... House Republicans, facing an immigration revolt from both poles of their conference, will meet this morning in the basement of the Capitol to try to settle some of the most nettlesome migrant policies that have felled party leaders for more than a half-dozen years.

REPUBLICAN LEADERS are looking to wrestle back control of the House floor, by orchestrating a series of GOP immigration votes that relegates the so-called discharge petition to the dustbin. In short: Republican leaders want the power of their majority back.

KEEP YOUR EXPECTATIONS LOW. Meetings with upwards of 230 members of Congress, dozens of aides and a hallway full of reporters waiting to pounce are typically not fruitful or helpful. Gatherings of this nature typically devolve into hours of grandstanding and screaming matches.

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR ISSUES AT PLAY in thinking about a GOP immigration plan: The universe of DACA recipients that would get legal status, and whether that legal status would lead to a special pathway to citizenship, or not.

AND THERE ARE TWO CAMPS that need to be taken care of: the so-called moderates, led by Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo and California Rep. Jeff Denham, and the House Freedom Caucus, led by its chairman Mark Meadows of North Carolina, and co-founder Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

THERE IS SKEPTICISM that the Freedom Caucus will ever give on a special pathway to citizenship. Many of its members would like DACA recipients to get temporary legal status, but have them apply for citizenship like other immigrants. Some other Republicans -- and Democrats -- would like to see DACA recipients get permanent legal status. The other policy issues -- visa limits and border security, for example -- are eminently solvable.

IF THE MODS don't get what they want, they still have the discharge petition in their pocket -- they are three votes short, which would force a wide-ranging floor vote on everything from the conservative bill penned by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, to the DREAM Act, to some version of a moderate bill penned by Reps. Will Hurd (R-Texas) and Pete Aguilar (R-Calif.). In some sense, the discharge petition is a more desirable outcome for moderates.

THE IMPORTANT CAVEAT ... THIS IS A SCHEME. NEARLY EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS understands that whatever passes -- either via discharge petition or the leadership-driven process -- will not become law. This is a political exercise.

HOW IT'LL GO DOWN ... SPEAKER PAUL RYAN is going to lay out -- probably by PowerPoint-style slide -- where the two camps agree, and where they still have work to do. Then he'll open it all up for questions.

NOTE TO NETWORKS: Ryan said this meeting might last two or three hours.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK ... We told you a few weeks ago that the entire leadership would be attending a fundraiser for Protect the House, the big joint-fundraising committee run by HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY and VP MIKE PENCE. We got our hands on the invite. It's next Wednesday night. THE EVENT IS, where else, but the TRUMP HOTEL.

-- MCCARTHY and PENCE are the main attractions -- it's their committee. The invite also notes that RYAN, HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP STEVE SCALISE, GOP CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS and CHIEF DEPUTY WHIP PATRICK MCHENRY are special guests.

-- TICKETS aren't cheap. They range from $10,000, which gets you a ticket to the afterparty only, to $250,000, which gets you the afterparty, a roundtable and photo opportunity. The invite http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d92810ae38ebc45d0b0d473af788e0fce3efda9b19be0a631405abcad41292acada04ee4003e0df64

Good Thursday morning. SPOTTED in the Capitol Wednesday: John Boehner.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS can win the Stanley Cup tonight, when they face off against the Vegas Golden Knights in Nevada. The game starts at 8 p.m. on NBC.

-- FOR YOUR RADAR ... AP/LAS VEGAS: "Count out Devante Smith-Pelly if the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup and are invited to the White House to celebrate with President Donald Trump.

"'The things that he spews are straight-up racist and sexist,' Canada's Postmedia quoted Smith-Pelly as saying Wednesday as the Capitals prepared for Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights. 'Some of the things he's said are pretty gross. I'm not too into politics, so I don't know all his other views, but his rhetoric I definitely don't agree with. It hasn't come up here, but I think I already have my mind made up.' Smith-Pelly, one of two black Capitals players along with defenseman Madison Bowey, is from the Toronto area." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642de9b47e9ed84ad3ea7795716060e5e06a622dd63b5247bb7de5dee8c0a6a8b29bb8b6d5fbd5ca9612


****** A message from PhRMA: New analysis from IHS Markit shows providing access to discounted medicine prices at the pharmacy could save seniors with diabetes more than $350 annually. Sharing negotiated rebates could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 annually for every senior taking diabetes medication, reducing total health care spending by approximately $20B over the next 10 years. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642df42da4fa9aa8aece55d1ada4f5dd632115741327873e7b09f6ed24ece7ecf835c656e8b9b46c1cc1 ******

JOHN HARRIS -- "What Bill Clinton Was Really Thinking: His book tour provided an important window into understanding an old man at a new moment - and revealed Clinton as painfully behind the times": "People say they want authenticity from politicians - just show us what you really feel - but when Bill Clinton gave it to them this week on the Today show in his peevish interview about #MeToo and Monica Lewinsky, many viewers were aghast and indignantly demanded a show of artifice.

"Clinton later complied, in part, uttering contrite words in what Stephen Colbert offered as a 'do-over' interview. But the original display-defiant, self-justifying, 'tone deaf,' in CNN's description, a 'meltdown' in the Washington Post's-was the more important window into understanding an old man at a new moment.

Part of the Today show interview revealed Clinton as painfully behind the times in his understanding of how recent events have changed the public conversation about sexuality, power, and respect for women. He spoke accurately about the big personal and financial price he paid for his transgressions and sincerely (or so it seemed to me) about how badly he felt over his own lapses.

"But he gave no hint that he understood that what the modern audience is clamoring for is a sign that he understands the price other people paid for his behavior, including the woman who was an intern of 22 when they began their West Wing affair. He suggested a public apology to Lewinsky 20 years ago had paid that debt in full and declined even to speak her name." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d4e3ec7c91a4bb70a8458e2a2d5832b864fb2d9fbda0a869e2647c452ae5e75a22723cc63b0c52cbf

DRAMA IN CHARLEVOIX ... G7 UPDATE: "France Warns Trump It Won't Sign a G-7 Statement," by Bloomberg's Helene Fouquet: "France has joined Germany in warning President Donald Trump that it won't sign a joint statement of the Group of 7 at the summit in Quebec this week without major concessions from the U.S., a French official in the president's office said.

"President Emmanuel Macron has signaled that progress on tariffs, Iran nuclear agreement and Paris climate accord must be made before he'll be willing to sign a joint statement, the official told reporters Wednesday in Ottawa. The French president spent the day meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials ahead of the June 8-9 summit in La Malbaie, Quebec. ...

"Macron has concluded that the other members of the G7 -- the U.K., Germany, Japan, France, Italy and Canada -- must stand up to the U.S. over Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Canada and Mexico as well as other issues.

"Macron's stance emerged as world leaders converged upon Canada for the summit and echo German Chancellor Angela Merkel's vow to challenge Trump on trade and climate change at the summit. She also said the lack of room for compromise meant leaders might not agree on the traditional final statement." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d920c459c1c401879259f67d0b57de11505a8ca8e3b3a89a3720860a83bde92f52170a9b16bbf1ec2

TRUMP, UNPLUGGED ... WAPO'S JOSH DAWSEY: "In private FEMA remarks, Trump's focus strays from hurricanes": "The meeting was supposed to be about hurricane preparedness, as disaster officials gathered at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters days after the start of the 2018 season.

"But President Trump had a lot else on his mind, turning the closed-door discussion into soliloquies on his prowess in negotiating airplane deals, his popularity, the effectiveness of his political endorsements, the Republican Party's fortunes, the vagaries of Defense Department purchasing guidelines, his dislike of magnetized launch equipment on aircraft carriers, his unending love of coal and his breezy optimism about his planned Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"'It's an interesting journey. It's called the land of the unknown - who knows? We'll maybe make a deal. Maybe not. As I say to everybody, are you going to make a deal?' Trump said, according to audio of the FEMA meeting obtained by The Washington Post. 'Maybe and maybe not. Who knows?' ...

"'We saved $1.6 billion on Air Force One ... Can you believe it? I got involved in the negotiations. The press refuses to report that, but that's okay. ... People were really surprised.' Military officials have not been able to explain where Trump got such a figure. A Defense Department official told Bloomberg News this year that the department had no information to back up that claim." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d64a5368e19663405e4ce8e10d3002c058059cd325d59e73810b29e5717324fa81fa6169ee39ac4d1

BAD NEWS FOR REPUBLICANS ... NBC NEWS/WSJ POLL, by NBC's Mark Murray: "By a whopping 25-point margin, voters say they're more likely to back a congressional candidate who promises to serve as a check on President Donald Trump, according to a new national poll from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal. ...

"[T]he poll shows that Democrats enjoy a 10-point advantage on congressional preference, with 50 percent of registered voters wanting a Democratic-controlled Congress, versus 40 percent who want a GOP-controlled one. Democrats held a 7-point edge on this question back in April, 47 percent to 40 percent." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dd0e1636c9ffe57138e2d796f4314f2598b4a83c3eab8a71f995798174ca4220adc2ff89ca268262e

STATE OF PLAY, NYT A1: CARL HULSE and JONATHAN MARTIN: "Democrats Strengthen House Takeover Prospects in Primary Voting": "Democrats enhanced their prospects for winning control of the House with Tuesday's coast-to-coast primary results, skirting potential calamity in California and lining up likely gains in New Jersey and possible victories in Iowa and New Mexico.

"The Democratic Party had feared disaster in California, where a quirky 'jungle primary' gives the November ballot to the top two finishers, regardless of party. But Democratic contenders there leveraged financial and strategic help from the national party to weather the winnowing primary, and ensure that they will field candidates in multiple districts that they will most likely need if they are to win control in November. ...

"Republicans avoided their own worst-case scenario as well, securing a spot in the California governor's race, which should help bring G.O.P. voters to the polls this fall to vote for their party's House candidates. Republicans missed a slot on the ballot to challenge Senator Dianne Feinstein's re-election bid, but a shutout in both California's Senate race and its contest for governor could have severely depressed conservative turnout." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642da1bc24f12d31ea6c80c8a9985bb9a6d0afc91f90bac22a16d3a0f98de68309ed462f20235d72a4a9

-- WAPO'S MICHAEL SCHERER: "Democrats strengthen hand in seeking control of House, even if odds of a blue wave are diminishing": "Halfway through the primary season, election results across the country have strengthened the Democrats' hand in their quest for control of the House, even as shifts in the national mood raise the possibility that an anticipated electoral wave could flatten into a ripple. ...

"Republicans are counting on an improving economy and the local roots of their incumbents, buttressed by a financial advantage among outside fundraising groups. Their fears of an electoral catastrophe in November have been eased by declining concern among voters about the direction of the country and rising approval ratings for President Trump, who continues to dominate the daily news cycle by embracing polarizing issues such as immigration, criticism of federal law enforcement and the racially fraught topic of National Football League players kneeling during the national anthem." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d6fd2ab715f145ac3fdcb8a92d6ed91cd188aec486f7404ab594b1c51fb73575e6bba6381a6e4d7c8

-- DAVID SIDERS: "How Democrats escaped disaster in California": http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dc99e17b3ce3143821b7f5a1fb3acba24b3f92af86caafb0d64a2cc56f785fb80635f4672472fc197

TRUMP PLAYING LOCALLY ... BOSTON GLOBE'S MATT STOUT: "From statewide contests to local races, all politics are about Trump": "Donald J. Trump has never campaigned in Hatfield. The president is not calling for cuts to school funding in Southampton or denying new liquor licenses in Northampton. But in the race for the First Hampshire District's state representative seat, where the East-West railway and dairy farming are campaign fodder, so is Trump.

"'He's kind of like that figure -- he who shall not be named -- who sort of looms above all things,' said Lindsay Sabadosa, who is vying against fellow Democrat Diana Szynal for the open House seat. 'Even at my campaign kickoff, I was asked: 'What can you do, as a state representative, about Trump?' ... If all politics was local in the era of Tip O'Neill, the reverse may be true under Trump." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d18dc98295d71fb732b663e7275f5ae5a796d240e7713a81ffefea1a9e4bc52679b0f09e9f8281ada

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- 45Committee, the pro-Trump group backed by the Adelson and Ricketts families, is releasing a video about Trump's first 500 days. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d68d4eb22cd971ab873d08b58186cdc9021e059936654a798ef46372f995b114fc0010a3831c55942

SCOOP -- HELENA BOTTEMILLER EVICH and ANDREW RESTUCCIA: "Trump seeks to reorganize the federal government": "The Trump administration is preparing to release a sweeping plan for reorganizing the federal government that includes a major consolidation of welfare programs -- and a renaming of the Health and Human Services Department.

"The report, set to be released in the coming weeks by the White House Office of Management and Budget, seeks to move safety-net programs, including food stamps, into HHS, two sources with knowledge of the plan told POLITICO.

"The plan would also propose changing the name of the sprawling department, while separately seeking cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dd96742c67b05945a02d8e8bcf20d464cc72c930c1d8e5cf01168d4826408620fa6745435e5f08f6b

THE LATEST ON NORTH KOREA ...

ELIANA JOHNSON: "Trump and Bolton spurn top-level North Korea planning": "National Security Adviser John Bolton has yet to convene a Cabinet-level meeting to discuss President Donald Trump's upcoming summit with North Korea next week, a striking break from past practice that suggests the Trump White House is largely improvising its approach to the unprecedented nuclear talks.

"For decades, top presidential advisers have used a methodical process to hash out national security issues before offering the president a menu of options for key decisions. On an issue like North Korea, that would mean White House Situation Room gatherings of the secretaries of state and defense along with top intelligence officials, the United Nations ambassador, and even the treasury secretary, who oversees economic sanctions.

"But since Trump agreed on a whim to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on March 8, the White House's summit planning has been unstructured, according to a half-dozen administration officials. Trump himself has driven the preparation almost exclusively on his own, consulting little with his national security team outside of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642da9dce3a8a43af15c206b178fd0e320387979c0655d7c5d80da7d51ccd76b4ea0182de48ded552496

REUTERS: "Bolton takes back seat, but remains looming North Korea summit presence," by Matt Spetalnick and David Brunnstrom: "While the hawkish [John] Bolton - who has adopted a lower-key approach in recent days - is expected to be in Singapore for the talks on Tuesday, Pompeo has taken the lead as the administration assumes a softer tone toward Pyongyang ahead of the summit, several U.S. officials said.

"Pompeo's ascendance combined with Bolton's more muted public role illustrates how the sometimes messy power dynamic in Trump's inner circle has played out going into the first-ever meeting between U.S. and North Korean leaders." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642da4ae5a46513dc0adc6b1322e60980c1a9303b7d610ecff94d4b80872b0f88246b73bb6d398e64232

DIPLOMACY, TRUMP STYLE -- "Trump invokes War of 1812 in testy call with Trudeau over tariffs," by CNN's Jim Acosta and Paula Newton: "President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a testy phone call on May 25 over new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration targeting steel and aluminum imports coming from Canada, including one moment during the conversation in which Trump made an erroneous historical reference, sources familiar with the discussion told CNN.

"According to the sources, Trudeau pressed Trump on how he could justify the tariffs as a 'national security' issue. In response, Trump quipped to Trudeau, 'Didn't you guys burn down the White House?' referring to the War of 1812.

"The problem with Trump's comments to Trudeau is that British troops burned down the White House during the War of 1812. Historians note the British attack on Washington was in retaliation for the American attack on York, Ontario, in territory that eventually became Canada, which was then a British colony. When asked if the comment was received as a joke, one source on the call said: 'To the degree one can ever take what is said as a joke. The impact on Canada and ultimately on workers in the U.S. won't be a laughing matter.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d72a5cf8aa01e4de34c134d2b40cf103047afa488f6afe8810380bf56df7dee27c529aecfdcbcb2ad

-- CASE IN POINT: "Foreign leaders who embraced Trump now feel burned," by Matt Nussbaum: "Call it friends without benefits. Foreign leaders are learning that hand-holding, golf games, military parades and other efforts to personally woo President Donald Trump do not guarantee that Trump won't burn them on key policy issues.

"Trump calls Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who visits the White House Thursday, his 'good friend.' French president Emmanuel Macron is a 'great friend.' And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a 'great friend, neighbor, and ally.' All have sought to butter up Trump through friendly face time, recognizing that the quickest way to the president's heart is through his ego. But all, to varying degrees, are exasperated with Trump." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d4780f350d1f60a79f5561b4b00d8ff95c71631041e5d161c33211383e18d8a59f73b028f98485695

THE INVESTIGATIONS ...

KYLE CHENEY and RACHAEL BADE: "FBI to share new details of Trump campaign informant with Congress": "The Justice Department intends to offer an additional briefing to a select group of senior lawmakers who have pressed for details about the FBI's use of an informant to make contact with associates of President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.

"A senior Justice Department official said lawmakers in the so-called Gang of Eight - a group that includes Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) - will have an opportunity to review documents that they didn't review during a high-level classified briefing last month.

"'The Department and FBI are prepared to brief members on certain questions specifically raised by the Speaker and other members,' the DOJ official said. 'The Department will also provide the documents that were available for review but not inspected by the members at the previous briefing along with some additional material.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dc82a4dcd30d1af1a40db3d2dc612deeebd2da0b95c8c9a0146f89909c78afa6b85eec29ba7c6f2e6

-- "GOP congressman blasts Trump's spy conspiracy," by Kyle Cheney and Rachael Bade: "Rep. Tom Rooney, a top Republican lawmaker on the House Intelligence Committee, is ripping President Donald Trump's unsupported claim that the FBI inserted a spy inside his campaign. 'What is the point of saying that there was a spy in the campaign when there was none?' Rooney said in an interview on Wednesday. 'You know what I'm saying? It's like, 'Let's create this thing to tweet about knowing that it's not true.' ... Maybe it's just to create more chaos but it doesn't really help the case.'

"Though Rooney isn't the first GOP lawmaker to question Trump's assertion, his comments were the most forceful repudiation to date from a Republican lawmaker. Rooney, a five-term Florida Republican who is retiring at the end of the year, was one of three GOP House members to lead the Intelligence Committee's year-long Russia probe after Chairman Devin Nunes stepped aside." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dc337fc61783024ecbbdf8546e274cca64c0a1b9fea54852a7b823f63fb6a08b80df71069feb0ce62

-- "Stormy Daniels suit: My old lawyer was a 'puppet' for Trump, Cohen," by NBC's Sarah Fitzpatrick and Tracy Connor: "Stormy Daniels says in a new lawsuit that her former attorney betrayed her and became a 'puppet' for President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer while still representing her.

"The filing Wednesday alleges that Trump attorney Michael Cohen 'hatched a plan' and 'colluded' with the adult film actress' lawyer, Keith Davidson, in an attempt to get her to go on Fox News in January and falsely deny she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d8dc0f3f16877d42cc1f7da1e28227a02e140f44c89ee23d0e176fcea8a5e852c6dcdd4db464b2ec9

PRUITT'S PROBLEMS ...

-- YA CAN'T MAKE IT UP! -- "Another mess for Pruitt: Overstaying his White House welcome at lunch," by Emily Holden, Andrew Restuccia and Anthony Adragna: "EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt loves eating at the White House mess, an exclusive U.S. Navy-run restaurant open only to White House officials, Cabinet members and other dignitaries. But apparently he liked it too much, and the White House asked him to please eat elsewhere sometimes.

"In response to Pruitt's recurring use of the restaurant next to the Situation Room in the basement of the West Wing, a member of the White House's Cabinet affairs team told agency chiefs of staff in a meeting last year that Cabinet members shouldn't treat the mess as their personal dining hall, according to three people with knowledge of the issue.

"The message was clear, according to one person close to Pruitt: 'We love having Mr. Pruitt, but it's not meant for everyday use.' Another person added that the White House asked Cabinet members to visit the mess only occasionally because there are few tables available." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d6cf21b5a2c435cfc46b6b067e11e1592ce2c1bdba0becae75a589dc6b9a6be0bb2916a31ec275f6e

-- "Pruitt Aide Resigns Amid Scandals," by The Atlantic's Elaina Plott: "A top aide to Scott Pruitt, Millan Hupp, resigned from the [EPA], according to a source briefed on the matter and correspondence reviewed by The Atlantic. Her last day will be Friday. Hupp, who worked as the director of scheduling and advance, has been entangled in many of the scandals dogging EPA Administrator Pruitt. ...

"According to one top EPA official, the 26-year-old was 'tired of being thrown under the bus by Pruitt,' and weary of seeing her name constantly appear in headlines about the agency. ... When reached by phone, Jahan Wilcox, an EPA spokesperson, would not comment. He said: 'You have a great day, you're a piece of trash.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d1a45de54ccab06b142d198db0bea309f6dbe0b26df1f2bb052bae9887c494e24da11f3a4f747271f

-- NYT'S ERIC LIPTON (@EricLiptonNYT): "NEWS: Just told by senior EPA person that Sarah Greenwalt, senior counsel to Pruitt, has also resigned. Asking EPA public affairs for confirmation. Comes after another aide Millan Hupp also resigned today".

COVER DU JOUR - TIME's new cover shows Trump looking in the mirror with a reflection back of him wearing a crow, "King Me. Visions of Absolute Power." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dffe43dc2dd583e93f0c9600d7ae85c098564fda3eed0f7f16d1c8ffa06559e64f07e38f30cf201da

YOU'RE INVITED -- HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP STEVE SCALISE (R-La.) will sit down with us JUNE 12 at the D.C. Bar headquarters (901 4th Street NW). RSVP http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d3ca07c762a3a66f0e593ecaa9217a1ab893ec2efbb31b4be743c7d2f5479989f584953fe2818874e

THE JUICE ...

-- IAN FURY is the new communications director for REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OHIO). Fury worked at Americans for Prosperity in Kansas and for former Gov. Sam Brownback.

TRUMP'S THURSDAY -- In the afternoon, the president is having lunch with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The two will also hold a joint press conference at 2 p.m. Trump will also meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

-- SPOTTED: Abe and his entourage dining in the back room at BLT last night ahead of his WH visit. "Tons of visible security; everyone else trying to go in had to be wanded," per our tipster.


Playbook Reads


PHOTO DU JOUR: Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a briefing on this year's hurricane season at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters on June 6 in Washington, D.C. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- OHIO GOV. JOHN KASICH has penned an essay in the new issue of Foreign Affairs, "Reclaiming Global Leadership: The Right Way to Put America First": "Although American leaders should always put American interests first, that does not mean that we have to build walls, close off markets, or isolate the United States by acting in ways that alienate our allies. Continuing to do that will not insulate us from external challenges; it will simply turn us into bystanders with less and less influence. I choose cooperation and engagement. Only those who have forgotten the lessons of history can credibly contend that peace and prosperity await us inside 'Fortress America.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d01ade5614309580107dbe465e450fe7c2eb9291fa019c6a2b9366f26ed1f76be60e4ecfde56e86f9

BILL CASSIDY to DAN DIAMOND: "Republicans shouldn't be 'DON QUIXOTE' on Obamacare. The Louisiana senator appeared on the latest episode of POLITICO's 'Pulse Check' podcast, where he suggested the GOP should prioritize smaller reforms to lower health costs rather than lose another ACA repeal fight. 'We should have another vote, absolutely ... if we've got the ability to lower the cost to the average American who's purchasing insurance,' Cassidy said on the podcast, touting his new proposals intended to increase affordability." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d9f641669daf627ff52382b48cdbb8e697a05c987e1ce3f66d8f6183c089d948d2b7c972e6d0dfb26 ... Listen and subscribe http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d17985f97782b99f97018a6034d61bebaf3397ca7726cc50288d9ec491f58229dbd51ee7d28fc91a1

-- "Bush Scion Is Out as Health Firm's Chief After Intense Activist Campaign," by NYT's Kate Kelly and David Enrich: "A member of one of America's best-known political families resigned on Wednesday from the health care technology company he started more than two decades ago, in a victory for one of the world's most powerful hedge funds.

"Jonathan Bush, a nephew of one president and cousin of another, stepped down as chief executive of Athenahealth under intensifying pressure from Elliott Management, which last month made a hostile takeover offer for the company. The $35 billion hedge fund is renowned for its use of sharp-elbowed tactics to accomplish its investing goals." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642da1bc24f12d31ea6c80c8a9985bb9a6d0afc91f90bac22a16d3a0f98de68309ed462f20235d72a4a9


****** A message from PhRMA: For more than 10 years, Medicare has provided prescription drug coverage for seniors. Competition continues to keep premiums low, but seniors are facing higher out-of-pocket spending. Insurers negotiate significant discounts for medicines in Part D. Giving seniors 80% of those discounts at the pharmacy counter could save a senior with diabetes more than $350 per year on their health care costs. The change could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 per year for every senior taking diabetes medication. How? By helping patients afford the drugs they need to stay healthy and stay out of the hospital. Seniors share the cost. They should share the savings.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642df42da4fa9aa8aece55d1ada4f5dd632115741327873e7b09f6ed24ece7ecf835c656e8b9b46c1cc1 ******

FOR YOUR RADAR -- "A diplomat's mysterious illness could jeopardize China's relationship with the U.S.," by Christian Caryl in WaPo: "Mark Lenzi and his family started noticing the noises in April 2017. He would later describe to me hearing something like 'marbles bouncing and hitting a floor, then rolling on an incline with a static sound.' At first, he and his wife thought that their neighbor - a fellow Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China - was responsible. The neighbor denied having anything to do with it. A few months later, the headaches started - excruciating pain that lasted for days at a time. Lenzi, his wife, and their 3-year-old son experienced the
same symptoms, which soon included chronic sleeplessness as well.

"Lenzi says he asked his superiors for help but they dismissed his concerns. Consulate doctors prescribed painkillers and Ambien, which did nothing to address the underlying causes of the problem. And then, last month, Lenzi was shocked to learn his next-door neighbor had been evacuated from their building and flown back to the United States for a thorough medical assessment, which soon determined that the person in question was suffering from 'mild traumatic brain injury.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642dcc0be2717349315a9eb1346958e76d360a29fa958a36f33f38a3fa8d83150d3c96441dc0d0e2af93

THE RESISTANCE -- "House Dems seethe over superdelegates plan," by John Bresnahan and Heather Caygle: "The controversial issue of 'superdelegates' and their future in the Democratic Party led to an angry confrontation on Tuesday night between [DNC] Chairman Tom Perez and House Democrats, according to several lawmakers. But the members' angst may not help them as it appears that the DNC is ready to rein in the status of superdelegates, also known as 'unpledged' delegates, no matter what lawmakers say or do." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d8e8295296cc1235b8eaf9e36d677d1cf3ab798e591a0a404136e2c81d10ab7f3d7adf0c1f31016ad

THE AGENDA -- Politico convened leading thinkers and policymakers to look closely at the financial well-being of future American retirees. Explore the latest issue of The Agenda to dig more into this important topic and download the Working Group Report to see what potential solutions are being proposed to solve the country's retirement puzzle. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d9fa3e83c6aff6d660b0db2d3674e57f96cb091c09fbd342611e748c42cc07bcfadbd40c92e2e6e45 ... The report http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d6f02eb1dbfcec6a71c6e5748682a77c80367f3d0b02ce8e51abb4ae67c875903b3b00eaa227c807f Presented by Prudential

AT THE BORDER ... -- "Border arrests exceed 50,000 for third month in a row," by WaPo's Nick Miroff: "U.S. border agents made more than 50,000 arrests in May for the third month in a row, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday, an indication that escalating enforcement tactics by the Trump administration - including separating migrant parents from their children - has not had an immediate deterrent effect.

"DHS took 51,912 migrants into custody in May, nearly three times the number detained in May 2017, a period when illegal immigration plunged following Trump's inauguration. Arrests at the border this spring have jumped to their highest levels since Trump took office, and the reversal has left the president furious at Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other aides who he believes aren't doing enough to stop the trend." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642db4d855c1ea63adc58ae9ec24bc3f597087262c410936ac144f0e73dbdb9cb3102e52a91ce4b33581

HMM -- "U.S. announces plan to release American ISIS suspect to Syria over his objections," by WaPo's Spencer S. Hsu: "U.S. officials intend to return and release an American citizen accused of supporting the Islamic State back into Syria against his will, after holding him for nine months in U.S. military custody without charges.

"The plan was revealed Wednesday night in a brief federal court notice in Washington in a case that has tested whether U.S. citizens captured on a battlefield as suspected 'enemy combatants' have the right to challenge their detentions. The planned release would take place in 72 hours and would be done over the objections of the man, who has not been named publicly, the government said. A longer sealed court filing also was entered in court.

"The American Civil Liberties Union, which has been representing the man, said it will ask a court to block the release, which it condemned as 'disgraceful' and a de facto 'death warrant.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d054499a5e9f27a47dc6f0610fb571a28aadf18f4240919f1b357d478ba103964d7a153ee4bce791b

MEDIAWATCH - Per Morning Media: "Veteran media executive Vivian Schiller will be the inaugural CEO of the Civil Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that will uphold and advance journalistic standards on Civil, a new startup supported by blockchain technology. ...

-- "Laura Meckler, who has spent 13 years at the Wall Street Journal covering three presidential campaigns, the White House, demographics and, most recently, immigration, is joining the Washington Post as national education writer."

Playbookers
SPOTTED: Kerry Washington at Dulles getting off a United flight from LAX with her two kids and two assistants ... Chris Christie yesterday near the House carriage entrance on the East front of the Capitol.

SPOTTED yesterday at the reception at the Irish Ambassador's house after the 50th anniversary event of Bobby Kennedy's assassination at Arlington (where President Clinton spoke): Ethel Kennedy, Ambassador Dan Mulhall, Terry McAuliffe, Chris Dodd, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Reps. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Chris Matthews, John Podesta, Greta Van Susteren, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Kick Kennedy, Chris Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Jr., Edward M. Kennedy, Jr., Kerry Kennedy, John McCarthy, Luke Russert, Jason Zuccari, Jim Boland, Bruce Morrison, Elizabeth Bagley, Alan Fleischmann, Alan Kessler, Anastasia Dellaccio, Tim Wirth, Francesca Craig and John Arundel.

-- SPOTTED at the McLarty Associates 20th anniversary celebration at the Freer Gallery last night: Mack McLarty, Nelson Cunningham, Ambassador John Negroponte, Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), former Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Reps. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Jim Himes (D-Ct.), Ray Mabus, John Dalton, Penny Pritzker, Carla Hills, Adrienne Arsht, Neera Tanden, Mike Henry, Christopher Ruddy, Tony Fratto, Margaret Warner, Robin Wright, Jerry Seib, Dan Yergin, Stuart Holliday, Jorge Guajardo, Lee Feinstein, Tim Broas, Jim Hock, Christopher Cox, Scott Mulhauser, Debra Bruno and Bob Davis.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Elizabeth Thorp, editor-in-chief at PYPO, a women's comedy and content platform, and former EIC of Capitol File. An interesting book she's been reading recently: "I've just started Jake Tapper's 'The Hellfire Club' and I'm obsessed. Yet also, a little annoyed. Is there nothing he can't do?" Read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642d29dfe4039f34912bf4202a168c98eebcf8f89b62680135f3137d0104a1b460a3936e49087c5cbbf1

BIRTHDAYS: Vice President Mike Pence is 59 ... John Bash, Trump WH Counsel alum and now U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas ... Drew Teitelbaum of the NSC ... Wendy Sherman, senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group ... Keith Maley, director of PR at the Trust for Public Land and Obama WH alum ... Mick Foley ... conservative columnist Myra Adams ... Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) is 46 ... Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) is 47 ... Lizzie Fine ... Tina Dupuy ... Micheál Keane ... Christina Animashaun ... James Day ... Emily Greenhouse, managing editor at The New Yorker (h/t Jon Haber) ... Lars Anderson, founding partner at BlueDot Strategies and a FEMA alum ... Tracy Schmidt
... Politico Europe's Geoffroy Vitoux ... William Kaplan ...

... Matt Borges, director of Roetzel Consulting Solutions and former Ohio Republican Party chairman ... former Coast Guard Admiral Brian Peterman (h/t Ed Cash) ... Alexander Mooney, associate at Gibson, Dunn ... Colyer Woolston ... Ryan Lynch ... Stephanie Reichin, SVP at SKDKnickerbocker ... Chris Ortman, VP of corporate comms at MPAA (h/t Dan Swartz) ... Lester Crown is 93 ... Jerry White ... Sema Emiroglu ... Franklyn Palau ... Sulome Anderson ... Ryan Tarinelli ... Haley Dorgan ... Isaac Luria ... Katie Mulhall ... David Kim ... Danielle Piacente ... Laura Pereyra ... CNN's Javier De Diego ... Mary Cory ... Robert Gruber ... Andy Alexander ... Bradley Warren ... Vija Udenans ... Chilli
Amar ... Bea González ... Kevin Peraino, author of "A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949," is 42 ... Josh Jones ... Katie Boyce ... Eric Tabor ... Eric Blackwell (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

****** A message from PhRMA: For more than 10 years, Medicare has provided prescription drug coverage for seniors. Competition continues to keep premiums low, but seniors are facing higher out-of-pocket spending. Insurers negotiate significant discounts for medicines in Part D. Giving seniors 80% of those discounts at the pharmacy counter could save a senior with diabetes more than $350 per year on their health care costs. The change could also save Medicare nearly $1,000 per year for every senior taking diabetes medication. How? By helping patients afford the drugs they need to stay healthy and stay out of the hospital. Seniors share the cost. They should share the savings.
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a0ba3593294642df42da4fa9aa8aece55d1ada4f5dd632115741327873e7b09f6ed24ece7ecf835c656e8b9b46c1cc1 ******

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