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Today's Playbook Power Briefing presented by PhRMA

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


TRUMP ON GETTING READY FOR NORTH KOREA -- AP'S ZEKE MILLER (@zekejmiller): "Trump on Kim summit: 'I think I'm very well prepared. I don't think I have to prepare very much. It's about attitude. It's about willingness to get things done. But I think I've been prepared for this summit for a long time'"

NO SHOCK, but the House Republican immigration meeting wrapped, and it was mostly a conversation, not a deal-cutting session. Talks will continue, aides say (yawn, they probably won't, because most of these differences are intractable). The discharge petition is at 215, and could reach 218 pretty soon.

-- IF THE DISCHARGE PETITION reaches 218, the bill has to be on the calendar for seven legislative days before getting a vote. The vote can only occur on the second or fourth Monday of every month. So the discharge petition needs to reach 218 by June 12 or 13 in order to hold a vote this month. If they don't get the signatures by then, it could slip until July or later.

-- RACHAEL BADE: "[D]espite the happy talk, the reality hadn't changed: conservatives had not yet agreed to a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers - and moderate Republicans continued threatening to work with Democrats to force bipartisan immigration votes unless they did.

"'We are fully committed to the discharge process,' said petition leader Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida. ...

"[Curbelo] ... acknowledged that the positive atmosphere surrounding the talks may now delay moderates' effort to force immigration votes for a few days: 'Naturally a lot of our colleagues who expressed a willingness to sign [the petition] want to be sensitive to the negotiations, so I'm anticipating members will continue giving these negotiations a couple days.'

"Already both sides were running into problems, however. Two sources familiar with ongoing talks between moderates and conservatives told POLITICO that the Freedom Caucus agreed Wednesday night to offer Dreamers a new visa program that would include a pathway to citizenship. They said they never got the commitment written on paper and were hoping to have it soon. But conservatives sources denied that to POLITICO. And while exiting the meeting, a number of conservatives said the citizenship question had yet to be settled." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20ec7055677d291b1feae62d880632f510f3f44d8d5436ecff5e343ed83ae4f8744f12ead64156c5667

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK ... HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP STEVE SCALISE's operation says he raised $700,000 last week at roughly 12 meetings and fundraisers in Florida, Texas and Louisiana, including $186,000 online.

-- THE TENNESSEAN: "U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise set attend gubernatorial fundraiser for Diane Black": "With Republicans set to gather for their annual fundraiser in Nashville on Friday, the event's keynote speaker U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is set to participate in a fundraiser for his House colleague and gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Diane Black.

"Scalise, R-Louisiana, who is the keynote speaker for the Tennessee Republican Party's Statesmen's Dinner, will attend Black's fundraiser, which will be at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20e7d2ae007a2414912e7022061098e5f9233ac6a739c0b8592a9c6ff37009dd48493fb6e0b0c5c7fe5

Good Thursday afternoon. SPOTTED: Oprah Winfrey on the treadmill at the Equinox Sports Club ... House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi walking out of the Four Seasons in Georgetown this morning.

PAGING MITCH MCCONNELL -- "Judge Jeanine still tangoing with Trump over an administration role," by Eliana Johnson and Andrew Restuccia: "A former prosecutor and judge, [Fox News host Jeanine] Pirro has repeatedly told Trump's aides and advisers over the last 18 months that she's interested in taking over as the nation's top law enforcement official, according to four people familiar with the conversations.

"Trump has dangled the possibility of giving her a top appointment. During a November meeting in the Oval Office, the president raised the possibility of nominating Pirro to a federal judgeship, according to a former administration official, though this person added that Trump was more likely engaging in flattery than seriously considering putting Pirro on the bench." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20e829a8e3e08bae89b10ef6fbffcf3752f7f187c8628145962bec385bf2f0ea154aabb0528e9dea793

POTUS V. FLAKE, CHAPTER 1 MILLION -- @realDonaldTrump at 9:49 a.m.: "How could Jeff Flake, who is setting record low polling numbers in Arizona and was therefore humiliatingly forced out of his own Senate seat without even a fight (and who doesn't have a clue), think about running for office, even a lower one, again? Let's face it, he's a Flake!" ...

... at 10:07 a.m.: "Our Justice Department must not let Awan & Debbie Wasserman Schultz off the hook. The Democrat I.T. scandal is a key to much of the corruption we see today. They want to make a 'plea deal' to hide what is on their Server. Where is Server? Really bad!" ...

... at 11:10 a.m.: "When will people start saying, "thank you, Mr. President, for firing James Comey?'" He also sent out several tweets bashing the Russia probe, wished Alice Johnson -- the woman whose sentence he commuted yesterday -- good luck and said the Obama administration had "totally illegal" dealings with Iran. He also tweeted he'll be talking about North Korea and trade with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

TRADE WAR FIZZLING? -- "U.S. hits China's ZTE with $1 billion penalty in deal to end crippling sanctions, Commerce Secretary Ross says," by CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Anita Balakrishnan: "The U.S. has struck a deal with Chinese telecom giant ZTE to end crippling American sanctions, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Thursday. The department said the deal includes a $1 billion penalty against ZTE and a U.S.-chosen compliance team.

"'We are literally embedding a compliance department of our choosing into the company to monitor it going forward. They will pay for those people, but the people will report to the new chairman,' Ross said in a 'Squawk Box' interview." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20e9ebd1269fd8b69422e2fd0ede5802850eb787c5a6b92de4c64226cd525be80ac6c564b34741f4021

** 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=ff3488aa8868e20e045523d4be83f820a5957758144c08fcc8aefbb2bdddbc1aafb30be326c96b9c0fbad1aa753038ff **

MORE ON TRUMP AND HURRICANES -- "Trump: Many Texans watched Harvey from their boats, requiring Coast Guard rescue," by the Houston Chronicle's Andrea Zelinski and St. John Barned-Smith: "Trump was on a conference call with state and federal leaders in preparation for another dreadful hurricane season. During the call, Trump thanked the Coast Guard for its service in helping save 16,000 people after Harvey, Hurricane Maria and other storms. The Coast Guard doesn't 'get enough credit,' Trump said.

'Sixteen thousand people, many of them in Texas, for whatever reason that is. People went out in their boats to watch the hurricane,' Trump said. 'That didn't work out too well.'

"Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez took umbrage with the president's remarks, crediting civilians with making an 'extraordinary effort' with their own boats to rescue neighbors, relatives and pets as Hurricane Harvey flooded the Texas coast with 52 inches of rain last year." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20e6458de18cf105620c5028dcce4747447354046f93282e550fc22aa788e5e4388d0a4da9665bc908c

ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA ... WaPo's JOSH ROGIN: "Trump still holds Jimmy Carter's view on withdrawing U.S. troops from South Korea": "Less publicly, but still privately, Trump continues to say he doesn't agree with the argument that U.S. troops in South Korea are strategically necessary, and he thinks the United States gets nothing back from paying to keep them there, according to administration officials and people who have spoken to Trump directly about the issue. He often asks his generals to explain the rationale for America's deployments in Asia and expresses dissatisfaction with their answers.

"At Trump's direction, the Pentagon has taken a hard line in ongoing negotiations with the South Korean government over a new cost-sharing agreement for U.S. troops there. If those negotiations fail, Trump could have another excuse to move forward with large reductions." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20eb5a977a5a3f912d15249054eca0dfff61506bb89553051b93b15ec7558390571035e73f6035186ee

AT HUD -- "Analysis: HUD plan would raise rents for poor by 20 percent," by the AP's Juliet Linderman and Larry Fenn: "Overall, the analysis [from Center on Budget and Policy Priorities] shows that in the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas, low-income tenants -- many of whom have jobs -- would have to pay roughly 20 percent more each year for rent under the plan. That rent increase is about six times greater than the growth in average hourly earnings, putting the poorest workers at an increased risk of homelessness because wages simply haven't kept pace with housing expenses." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20ea5791952df9d756851e600de42b84af103f0c2fb8b79ab5d52f80c595d81ad030f22bca618ef6ad7

WAR REPORT -- "Afghan Leader Declares Brief, Unilateral Cease-Fire in Taliban Fight," by NYT's Mujib Mashal: "President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan declared a brief unilateral cease-fire with the Taliban on Thursday, a strategic gamble seen as a trust-building measure to encourage the armed group to conduct peace talks even as the war continues to grow deadlier. ...

"Many American military officers advising the Afghan units were also caught by surprise, hearing word of the cease-fire hours only before it was announced. There are about 14,000 American troops in the country, advising Afghan forces and carrying out counterterrorism operations." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20e091b70785748485997b8c476afa5c990b66e2745ebbd7533b50f894b84fb34c5c9601c36d57b1e80

BEN SCHRECKINGER: "Key figures in Gulf crisis cut ties with Qatar: The defections are a setback in the monarchy's yearlong power struggle with its Middle East neighbors": "A New York businessman who played a crucial role in Qatar's efforts to win influence in the United States has terminated his relationship with the Persian Gulf nation and is now condemning it as a threat to Middle East peace.

"Joey Allaham, a Syrian-born restaurateur and entrepreneur, had been helping Qatar make politically useful investments and curry favor with the American Jewish community, but told POLITICO that he has recently cut ties with the country. ... His defection comes at the same time that another top Qatari agent, Nick Muzin, a former adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), is also stopping work for the wealthy monarchy." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20ead43c35e87fe4ea3c4f4bf112a26562e4830e5bdb075228edba038e7c8a4ab41979b9089282f3eb3

QUOTE OF THE DAY -- Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) on what's she's looking for in judges: She wants them to be fair, qualified and "care about individual and civil rights" and "if that's considered liberal, as opposed to what I call justice and fairness, as I am wont to say, f*** them!" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20ef83819147fec4c2818b5babcc8c5bd9779af5e350d205ebfe55b7d846d6d1b0d7d68e7a0f769f32d

SPORTS BLINK -- "Sources: Colin Kaepernick's legal team expected to subpoena President Trump in case against NFL," by Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson: "Kaepernick's legal team is expected to seek federal subpoenas in the coming weeks to compel testimony from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other officials familiar with the president's agenda on protesting NFL players, sources with knowledge of the quarterback's collusion case against the NFL told Yahoo Sports The aim will be a dive into the administration's political involvement with the NFL during Kaepernick's free agency and the league's handling of player protests, sources said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ff3488aa8868e20ee2c21d6374d5a517f0f8f0450a85d45056bf0c61a8bf5c396b21478b891f3d7d68a51af56dd3ac38

SPOTTED: Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) at Boogie Babes in Eastern Market.

TRANSITION -- Leslie Shedd is now senior comms adviser for Jim Renacci's Senate campaign in Ohio. She most recently was VP of comms at the National Restaurant Association.

OUT AND ABOUT -- SPOTTED at the League of Conservation Voters capital dinner last night at the Washington Hilton: Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Reps. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kathleen Welch, Gene Karpinski, Adrian Grenier, Carol Browner, John Podesta, Tiernan Sittenfeld and Cristobal Alex.

-- SPOTTED at a party for Run for Something last night in Chinatown: Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) playing cornhole, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jennifer Carroll Foy, Amanda Litman, Ross and Jess Morales Rocketto, Tim and Jennifer Lim, Adam Conner, Jen O'Malley Dillon, Stephanie Schriock, Luther Lowe, Allen Kramer, Christina Reynolds, Jesse Thomas, Heidi Mitchell, Heidi Sieck, Bob Fertik, Seisei Tatebe-Goddu, Robert Wrasse, Lesley Lopez, Jennifer Carroll Foy, Caroline Fiddler, Isaac Dovere, Carla Frank, Rob Flaherty, Ray Glendening and Garance Franke-Ruta.

** 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=ff3488aa8868e20e045523d4be83f820a5957758144c08fcc8aefbb2bdddbc1aafb30be326c96b9c0fbad1aa753038ff **

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