Subject: POLITICO Playbook, presented by POET: Happy Father’s Day -- JAY SEKULOW: Trump is not under investigation -- Scalise update -- WHITE HOUSE week ahead -- KNOWING MARK CORALLO – SCHUMER’s first big test -- WEEKEND READS – RODAY/MARRE wedding pool report
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Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2017 09:00:54 -0600
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Today's POLITICO Playbook presented by POET 
    
06/18/2017 10:57 AM EDT
        
By JAKE SHERMAN ([email-masked]; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER ([email-masked]; @apalmerdc) and DANIEL LIPPMAN ([email-masked]; @dlippman)
        
Visit the online home of Playbook
                  Driving the Day         
Good Sunday morning. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! SPEAKER PAUL RYAN discusses what he's learning as a father as his kids approach their teenage years. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5e2cb74e1d7eaee687427cda7a8651baf9c62032b7eabd0810f755ffc161383df0e9c4285dd4790a7c4577b296eafde61

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- Speaker Paul Ryan spent the weekend at the Homestead in Virginia for his annual "Team Ryan" summer outing. His message to K Streeters and donors: the Republican agenda is on track. The Wisconsin Republican laid out his preferred timeline for Obamacare repeal bill, saying that it will be done by mid-summer and tax reform will be completed by the end of the year. Ryan said that he expected the Senate to pass their health care bill before the July 4 recess and that would give House Republicans the rest of July to take action. Ryan said he has been talking to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell daily. Ryan also was bullish on infrastructure, telling the group that a
 series of infrastructure bills will be passed by the end of the year. SPOTTED: Chris Russell, Bob Wood, Chris Giblin, David Tamasi, Richard Hunt, Ray Berman, Ed Kutler and Nicole Gustafson.

STATEMENTS FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FROM CAMP DAVID -- @realDonaldTrump at 6:38 a.m.: "The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt. Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm,.." ... at 6:46 a.m.: "...massive regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills signed, great new S.C.Justice, and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in works!" ...at 7:02 a.m.: "The new Rasmussen Poll, one of the most accurate in the 2016 Election, just out with a Trump 50% Approval Rating.That's higher than O's #'s!"

-- @kylegriffin1: "For reference (spot the outlier): Gallup 38 ... Economist/YouGov 42 ... Reuters/Ipsos 40 ... PPP 41 ... Quinnipiac 34 ... Rasmussen 50"

TAKE NOTE: Trump had just one surrogate on the Sunday shows: a member of his legal team. Not one Cabinet secretary or adviser talking about policy or politics.

SUNDAY BEST, PART I -- JAY SEKULOW tells CHUCK TODD on NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS" that the president isn't under investigation -- TODD: "The president tweeted earlier this week, 'I am being investigated for firing the F.B.I. director by the man who told me to fire the F.B.I. director. Witch hunt.' So let me start with this. When did the president become aware that he was officially under investigation by the special counsel?" SEKULOW: "The president is not under investigation by the special counsel. The tweet from the president was in response to the five anonymous sources that were purportedly leaking information to The Washington Post about a potential investigation of the president. But the
 president, as James Comey said in his testimony and as we know as of today, the president has not been and is not under investigation."

-- MARCO RUBIO to JAKE TAPPER on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" -- TAPPER: "Some of your Senate colleagues, as you know, are concerned that President Trump is preparing to fire Mueller or Mueller and Rosenstein. How would you react if he did?" RUBIO: "Well, first of all, that's not going to happen. I don't believe it's going to happen. And here's what I would say. The best thing that could happen for the president, and the country, is a full and credible investigation. I really, truly believe that. If we want to put all this behind us, let's find out what happened, let's put it out there, and let's not undermine the credibility of the investigation. And so my view on it is that's the best thing
 that could happen for the president and for the country, and I believe ultimately that's what will happen, irrespective of all the other stuff that's going on out there."

-- SEKULOW GETS TESTY under sharp questioning from Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday": "I do not appreciate you putting words in my mouth, when I've been crystal clear that the president is not and has not been under investigation."

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S WEEK -- MONDAY: Trump has Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and his wife to the White House. He will participate in an American Technology Council roundtable at 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY: The president is going to Iowa. THURSDAY: The Congressional picnic.

THE BIG SUNDAY READ -- NYT, A1 -- "How Michael Flynn's Disdain for Limits Led to a Legal Quagmire," by Nick Confessore, Matt Rosenberg and Danny Hakim: "Mr. Flynn decided that the military's loss would be his gain: He would parlay his contacts, his disdain for conventional bureaucracy, and his intelligence career battling Al Qaeda into a lucrative business advising cybersecurity firms and other government contractors. Over the next two years he would sign on as a consultant to nearly two dozen companies, while carving out a niche as a sought-after author and speaker -- and ultimately becoming a top adviser to President Trump.

"'I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit,' Mr. Flynn said in an interview in October 2015. In the military, he added, 'I learned that following the way you're supposed to do things isn't always the way to accomplish a task.' But instead of lofting him into the upper ranks of Beltway bandits, where some other top soldiers have landed, his foray into consulting has become a legal and political quagmire, driven by the same disdain for boundaries that once propelled his rise in the military." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a551030de5206460bb8a3d0ca57bf62b129a024f417b62c00beeb1dd899333cc457b4a7f776366523fd59b221bce982345

SCALISE UPDATE -- "Hospital says Scalise showing 'signs of improvement' after additional surgery," by Rebecca Morin: "[House] Majority Whip Steve Scalise is showing 'signs of improvement' and is 'speaking with his loved ones' following an additional surgery, according to an update provided by MedStar Washington Hospital Center on Saturday. The hospital also downgraded his condition from critical to serious.

"'Congressman Steve Scalise is in serious condition. He underwent another surgery today, but continues to show signs of improvement,' according to a statement from the hospital, courtesy of the Scalise family. 'He is more responsive, and is speaking with his loved ones. The Scalise family greatly appreciates the outpouring of thoughts and prayers.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a55efaf40ddb66164164b75632de83d86618d6441ce76d4b92e1b796ff4bf3c019fa4a95f887b129b699e7ced26fe38729

-- TEAM SCALISE's video from Thursday's Congressional baseball game http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5af54183f9e2df6060778ef08183caa5f7fb8a7bb5fca872b3a5098744be686e3a13a76d7578275c2d9a86b4fdedef088

FROM TYSON LOBBYIST MATT MIKA'S FAMILY: "We want to thank the team at George Washington University Hospital for their world-class care, and we continue to be grateful beyond words for the heroic actions of the U.S. Capitol Police this week. In addition, the positive thoughts, prayers and words of encouragement from across the nation have meant the world to Matt and to all of us.

"Matt has undergone additional surgery and his physicians have reported positive results. Matt will remain in the ICU through at least this weekend. He continues to communicate with us through notes, and even signed the game ball for the Congressional Baseball Game. Matt especially valued the professionalism of the officers of the Capitol Police, and would appreciate contributions to the Capitol Police Memorial Fund, one of the designated charities at Thursday night's ballgame.

"While we know there will be difficult and challenging days ahead for Matt and our family, the physicians and specialists at Matt's side expect a full recovery. This will be our final update pending Matt's discharge from the hospital. We again ask for your understanding and respect of our family's privacy."

****** A message from POET - one of the world's largest ethanol producers: Led by scientists and engineers, POET operates 30 biofuel facilities & America's first cellulosic biofuel plant. We produce a cleaner fuel for millions of drivers, every day. We're POET and we're driving innovation, from the ground up. Learn more here. ******

FOR YOUR RADAR -- "Navy stops search for 7 missing sailors after bodies found," by AP's Mari Yamaguchi in Yokosuka, Japan: "The search for seven U.S. Navy sailors missing after their destroyer collided with a container ship off Japan was called off Sunday after several bodies were found in the ship's flooded compartments, including sleeping quarters. Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, the commander of the Navy's 7th Fleet, described the damage and flooding as extensive, including a big puncture under the waterline. The crew had to fight to keep the ship afloat, he said, and the ship's captain is lucky to have survived." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a58f772ff2e31a72ce7a491523bdfaf9d084f2718e72e914642038a6ed7430a37998ea4d56c9230804ab7626338e938604

BLAST FROM THE PAST -- KNOWING MARK CORALLO: "Meet the man managing Trump's biggest crisis yet," by Eliana Johnson, Josh Dawsey, and Josh Gerstein: "Veteran GOP operative Mark Corallo is known for accepting tough crisis-management cases, but even he wasn't daredevil enough to accept the job an embattled President Trump considered him for last month: White House communications director. Instead, Corallo chose to stay outside the building, becoming the top spokesman for Trump's personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz.

"In his new role, he finds himself handling the White House's defense against independent counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the presidential election, which has expanded to include inquiry into whether Trump himself tried to obstruct the investigation. Corallo had never met Trump or Kasowitz before taking the job but is now routinely in the West Wing several times a week, strategizing with a temperamental and media-obsessed president who sees himself as his own best spokesman.

"'I think I will be more help to the president on the outside than I would have been on the inside,' Corallo told POLITICO." With cameos from Karl Rove, David Ayres and Ed McFadden http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5f5b55bf8a8adedfe4469501768c6b0adeb9ddfdb9a4cb2319ce76d1b1e0c4e8011d2d8e6e4f3f3e7d778b58af82ea0a6

-- FLASHBACK: Corallo speaking to Isaac Dovere in May about Trump staff: "They're hostages." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a52d2e4048031c0ca11a1b59c882445306842ca0e79384749a2f1faf90bf67bfef07c57fc05074afeab6e88f20d4329b78

SCHUMER'S FIRST BIG TEST -- "Democrats to step up attacks on GOP's Obamacare repeal effort," by Burgess Everett: "Democratic senators are planning to hold the Senate floor until at least midnight on Monday to thrash Senate Republicans for refusing to hold committee hearings on their health-care overhaul, according to several people familiar with the plan. The round of speeches is being organized by Sens. Patty Murray of Washington state and Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

"But on the more weighty question of whether to object to the GOP's committee hearings or refusing to allow routine business in the Senate regarding nomination votes or uncontroversial matters, the party has made no final decision. While the party's liberal wing is demanding that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and his team shut the Senate down, Schumer has made no decision and often tries to forge consensus in his caucus before executing party strategy.

"Though several sources on the party's left believe Schumer may be open to the idea, Democratic leaders have been resistant to procedural obstruction thus far. They believe blocking unrelated matters could shift the spotlight from Republicans' secretive process to Democratic obstruction. And it could set expectations high among the party's base that Democrats can stop the repeal, when in reality if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has the votes the party will be powerless to stop him." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c180e09f566a6fa037a311efab0644ddbaada6fca01b2457af9be79b77a1249151dd5b90f4ee078858f854c9e0d30f40

-- IT'S WORTH NOTING: Since assuming the top Senate leadership job after the 2016 election, Schumer has made it his leadership style to govern by consensus. Depending on how the Obamacare repeal effort plays out, this could be test for how he'll appease his frustrated left flank while not overplaying his hand.

THE JUICE ...

-- Community Catalyst Action Fund is launching a seven-figure TV and radio ad buy targeting Republican senators in Alaska, Maine, Nevada and West Virginia on Obamacare repeal. The TV ads, produced by GMMB, will run for the next two weeks and feature a mother whose son has chronic asthma and requires frequent trips to the doctor. The radio ad, also produced by GMMB, and digital ad component are part of the "Keep Care at Home" campaign, which is focused on Medicaid cuts, and will also include events in each state. The TV ads http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a511f92a423101cd4a4622a5360479f63007842183400f2595c805e1cd45cc51dd6e0bcf487ca2f3d12c532dc0461c9c2c ... The radio ad http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c438a8f475e5d65e228bc401e8f1ee5a3cf19e322bd6a1064b0cfd7b09217eb0706d1a7333fc3a9e4a3952514edc19bf

THE LATEST IN GEORGIA -- TOO CLOSE TO CALL: "Georgia special election hurtles toward nail-biting finish," by Steven Shepard: "As the most expensive House race in history rushes toward the finish line Tuesday, the latest public polls are unanimous: The Georgia special election between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel is too close to call. The race for the suburban Atlanta seat, closely watched for clues about the shape of the 2018 midterm elections, appears to be within a few percentage points - with perhaps the slightest edge to Ossoff, the 30-year-old Democrat seeking to wrest away a traditionally Republican seat in the first major election of Donald Trump's presidency. ...
 The current state of play: Of the six public polls conducted in June, Ossoff leads in five of them - and hits the 50-percent mark in each of the five - with the fifth showing a tie." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a52668654f1a4cdc847c19690d5524bb8d3ded1ba650109a665b8c803510fd8b389c8f19a412627d47a802e89330215f89

-- NYT's ALEX BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN: "High-Stakes Referendum on Trump Takes Shape in a Georgia Special Election" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a55ba0a5010a5625147de5ee91a7552c87e9a78a55d902333bab79d0f7f3e0141f5127e6427522308a1cb44eb7f5ee06ac

SUNDAY BEST, PART II -- JOHN DICKERSON speaks to SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FLA.) on CBS'S FACE THE NATION -- DICKERSON: "The president has called the investigations a witch hunt. What's your opinion of that?" RUBIO: "Well, I know he feels very strongly about it. My advice to the president is what I communicated publicly. The way I've tried to communicate to everyone on this issue. And that is this. It is in the best interest of the president and the country to have a full investigation. If I were the president, I would be welcoming this investigation. I would ask that it be thorough and completed expeditiously and be very cooperative with it. That's what ultimately I anticipate they will do.
 That's in the best interest of the president. I really believe that. I think it's in the best interest of our country that we have a full-scale investigation that looks at everything so that we can move forward."

DICKERSON: "So regardless of what you may think about James Comey's firing as FBI director, you think it should be investigated?" RUBIO: "Well, I just think it's important to answer questions. Because otherwise, if people have any doubts, it undermines confidence in our system of government, in our elections, in our leaders. As I said, the best thing that can happen for the president and for America is that we have a full-scale investigation that is credible, that it reaches its conclusion one way or the other so that we can move on. But at the same time be knowledgeable. We have to know everything the Russians did and how they did it so that we can prevent this from happening in the
 future."

RUBIO talks with CHUCK TODD on NBC's "MEET THE PRESS" -- TODD: "The more the administration tries to soften the sanctions in the House, at any point, do you understand, if some people see that as circumstantial evidence in this probe?" RUBIO: "I could understand how some people would make that argument. I could also tell you though that I personally believe that at the core of the resistance is not the president. And I don't think the president himself has a problem with additional sanctions on Russia. I think the concern actually comes from the State Department and for the following reason: they argue that they are trying to get the Russians to be more cooperative on a number of fronts and
 that this could set us back. It's a legitimate argument, I've thought about it, I don't agree with it. And you saw the majority of my colleagues didn't agree with it this week."

POWER PLAYBOOKER - DAVID PETRAEUS to PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff on why Americans should support staying engaged in Afghanistan: "This is a generational struggle. This is not something that is going to be won in a few years. We're not going to take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade. We need to be there for the long haul but in a way that's sustainable. You know we've been in Korea for 65-plus years because there's an important national interest for that. We were in Europe for a very long period of time, still there of course, and actually with a renewed emphasis given Russia's aggressive actions." Video http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a502e1b0f73f12cad0c9346a984ef66412eb0e95acab8e99fb3a15bea767c29062326ae3b239c93674eef8d21c46114323

          Playbook Reads         

PHOTO DU JOUR: President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron Trump, board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on June 17 en route to Camp David in Maryland. | Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

THE BIG QUESTION AHEAD OF TRUMP'S TECH SUMMIT -- "CEOs Have Access to Trump, but Do They Have Clout?," by WSJ's Vanessa Fuhrmans and Peter Nicholas: "When tech industry executives gather at the White House Monday, brainstorming ways to modernize government will be on the agenda. But on display will be President Donald Trump's evolving relationship with America's corporate chieftains. Some 300 business leaders have met with Mr. Trump since he took office promising the nation's top executives a direct line to the Oval Office and a chance to shape economic policy.

"The discussions have helped the president project an image of CEO-in-chief as he awaits a major legislative victory and have given CEOs a voice in initiatives like the administration's push to expand apprenticeship programs. But corporate leaders are learning about the limits of their clout. Hopes for an overhaul of the corporate-tax code this year are fading, some executives and corporate lobbyists say, as the White House and lawmakers struggle to reach consensus on a plan that could get through Congress. Mr. Trump's move to quit the Paris climate accord has been a stinging lesson for some that White House face time doesn't always translate into influence." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5a113237c7ca3972867cf124cdb9f1295ffa6a6daa353802087a98a6e932a25a55f0af039b652baca2aebf330c070038c

WHAT K STREET IS READING -- "Republicans debating remedies for corporate tax avoidance," by Reuters' David Morgan: "President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress will soon confront a complex challenge for tax reform: how to limit U.S. corporate tax avoidance schemes that take advantage of low tax rates in foreign countries. Congressional and administration staff have begun to examine options to address profit-shifting schemes that include so-called transfer pricing, earnings stripping and tax inversions. A decision on how to handle these in tax legislation could come before Congress leaves town for its one-week July 4 recess on June 29, officials and lobbyists said." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a536e016169c55adb6b7200d759feeb6f9b81ff4d5b6369ed6c2c00af3401c6d325f1f638698caacd6dbaf6e382f330a40

WAPO'S ABBY PHILLIP -- "Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke rescinds acceptance of Homeland Security post": "'Late Friday, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. formally notified Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly that he had rescinded his acceptance of the agency's offer to join DHS as an assistant secretary,' said Craig Peterson, an adviser to Clarke. 'Sheriff Clarke is 100 percent committed to the success of President Trump and believes his skills could be better utilized to promote the president's agenda in a more aggressive role.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a54e3648c25a8895ae89544a79ad239dd1e32a68b76452bcfd23540f4e13722b1d6d0b12b625346ce1d9826137de3ea0a7

****** A message from POET - one of the world's largest ethanol producers: Led by scientists and engineers, POET is a biofuels company built from innovation. POET operates 30 biofuel facilities across eight states & America's first cellulosic biofuel plant. Across the country, we support 40,000 renewable energy jobs producing a cleaner fuel for millions of drivers, every day. Inside the Beltway, we advocate for pro-biofuel policies to remove barriers to consumer fuel choices with a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) fix, support a strong Renewable Fuel Standard, and open new markets for U.S. exports and trade. We are securing a cleaner future for all of us. We are POET and we're driving innovation,
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MORE ON MEGYN KELLY -- "Unedited Putin Interview Reveals A Missed Opportunity For Megyn Kelly and America," by Yashar Ali in HuffPost: "As Megyn Kelly and NBC News face a firestorm over her interview with InfoWars' Alex Jones, unedited footage from her recent interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin shows a nervous Kelly who asked the authoritarian leader softball questions and failed to hold him accountable on key topics. Most troubling, Kelly devoted precious time in her short interview to a question that led one former CIA Russia analyst to say that it sounded as if Putin had written the question himself.

"In the full, unedited discussion, obtained by HuffPost, Kelly repeatedly fails to interrupt the Russian president while he rambles in his responses. She also asks Putin questions he can easily dispute. The last question Kelly asked Putin, which was not aired, was startling in its pandering. 'We have been here in St. Petersburg for about a week now. And virtually every person we have met on the street says what they respect about you is they feel that you have returned dignity to Russia, that you've returned Russia to a place of respect. You've been in the leadership of this country for 17 years now. Has it taken any sort of personal toll on you?'" 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5f286147f69f58ea15ad048c2a72a9813446142219b61471257deaaa217c183d6f2994e6772dc1bcc53862ad978f9c008

MEDIAWATCH -- "The Danger of Ignoring Alex Jones," by Charles J. Skyes in the NYT: "When Mr. Jones was merely a marginal figure on the paranoid right, the case could plausibly be made that he was better left in obscurity. But now that, at least according to Mr. Jones, the president of the United States has praised him and thanked him for the role he played in his election victory, it's too late to make that argument. We can't keep ignoring the fringe. We have to expose it." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5510365bdf1adb294f448ba995dcf45682798c59dac88c1df960ab9dbf8ca72a4a5533d9920d98d3ae9556a9e2d09a34b ... Charlie Sykes is an MSNBC contributor

TV TONIGHT -- MSNBC will air a special edition of "The Point with Ari Melber" at 5 p.m. for the 45th anniversary of the Watergate break in. The show features Tom Brokaw, Dick Cavett, former Watergate special prosecutors and never-before-seen documents from the Justice Department's Watergate Special Prosecution Force.

BONUS GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Daniel Lippman:

--"Young Men Are Playing Video Games Instead of Getting Jobs. That's OK. (For Now)," by Peter Suderman in Reason in the July 2017: "A military shooter might offer a simulation of being a crack special forces soldier. A racing game might simulate learning to handle a performance sports car. It's a simulation of being an expert. It's a way to fulfil a fantasy. That fantasy is one of work, purpose, and social and professional success." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c37d0677c80ab173e3224f4155c2e0a8268951d6d72590d3973b16937c75dae0d3d6c61b73992d54be0a101514f533f4

--"Can Democrats Fix the Party?" by Rolling Stone's Tim Dickinson: "Trump's victory exposed the party establishment as utterly broken - now Dems hope to rebuild in time for a 2018 comeback." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a568ed8131bcb320bbc1878c836e9c2013e44ab05bb2b0e667e78e02da5876f4d43f831add536f637ad64212f640d88e18

--"What Makes a Glass House the Ideal Home for a Communist Gynecologist," by Cody Delistraty in JStor: "The windows in the waiting area are high, allowing light to enter, but also arranged so that infertile women waiting for the doctor weren't forced to see the Dalsace children playing in the backyard." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a59ed8acdfdada82707ac83fa60073274acbc58092c3726e7fce91ba7d87d7b6b726d4d305314af1c1e3213f36827bfce3

--"The Ideal Iceland May Only Exist in Your Mind," by Taffy Brodesser-Akner in Afar magazine: "But you can, and should, still go in search of it." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5791e6600b2214bd9122c648736f4b9aaa7a06255e2a6e07fbc09771958d07d1bbe4a18355763cf0c268cc7a1c954b255

--"Vatican tailors, cobblers try to adapt to Francis's 'papal athleisure,'" by Claire Giangrav&egrave; in Cruxnow: "Pope Francis's emphasis on simplicity and frugality is a hit all around the world, but it's produced just a bit of backlash among fashion-conscious Italians, including an exclusive club of tailors and shoemakers who outfit pontiffs -- some of whom are a little nostalgic for the days when being pope also meant dressing to the nines." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c5ccd54a552ecc96b7a47cc4733fe0bdfca1da048b493add90f2ae70a9348584530abb7a75d693e305a9ce7fcc99b233

--"The Fake Hermit," by Natalia Portinari in piaui: "Thomas [Pynchon] was very thin and very handsome, like a Romeo kind of guy. He was like an Italian lover, very, very sexy. He wasn't interested in money. He had a very dry sense of humor, so that's why we got along so well. He never hurt my feelings. He tried to be a hippie, but it wasn't easy for him. He was a hard worker." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a53fa2177f11338f803c37e0e6e8615a59b9a44dfa6b0eadb95044e9870e8ac0d0e355ecbf39476b12795e2d61efd616e4

--"What Duck Sex Reveals about Human Nature," by Johann Grolle in Der Spiegel: "Copulation in most birds is achieved by a cloacal kiss, just an apposition of orifices. This is the essential reason why birds are so beautiful. Since they have the freedom of choice, females exhibit aesthetic preferences. And, as a result of these preferences, males developed amazingly elaborate ornaments." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5f220b9514082cac017e2550b6184ff3b47a7a4a28ba0d68915f5608679bf40eea006f250103fb31983b52d377f6a682e

--"How the U.S. Triggered a Massacre in Mexico," by ProPublica's Ginger Thompson, co-published in NatGeo: "There's no missing the signs that something unspeakable happened. Entire blocks lie in ruins. In March 2011 gunmen from the Zetas cartel swept through like a flash flood, demolishing homes and businesses and kidnapping and killing dozens, possibly hundreds, of men, women and children. The destruction and disappearances went on in fits and starts for weeks." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a59e5df915d88c0eaf766fee93f2dfb652432c0e4ee8d73ae0a8e7b82dfe2131b56a050c978babcdee2bc61abc3e9d7e45

--"If Israel were smart," by Sara Roy on Gaza in the London Review of Books: "[A]lmost half the labour force [do not] any means to earn a living. Unemployment - especially youth unemployment - is the defining feature of life. It now hovers around 42 per cent (it has been higher), but for young people (between the ages of 15 and 29) it stands at 60 per cent. Everyone is consumed by the need to find a job or some way of earning money. 'Salaries control people's minds,' one resident said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c7d511f32d101a9757087ac495f11a3175305fefc9fb1f32062b7d104c446890944f36132957bc529aa310df1c4fd737

--"Philip Roth's Newark," by Steven Malanga in City Journal: "The city at its peak and in its decline are the novelist's two greatest characters." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5fc26e7537745f6cdcc7be5668fdb0c2e276a979c303812bb42f568408694ab6ed3b7527f726684c23c6274b8d402d7c0 (h/t ALDaily.com)

--"'A reckoning for our species': the philosopher prophet of the Anthropocene," by Alex Blasdel in The Guardian: "Timothy Morton wants humanity to give up some of its core beliefs, from the fantasy that we can control the planet to the notion that we are 'above' other beings. His ideas might sound weird, but they're catching on." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5208718e2cca17ab2ceb5b4f05c1adc67e95bd2f9057f6872733e1b3d29b932667f8e9da27e807a450783ac601f8f4d67 (h/t Longform.org)

--"What It Would Really Take To Sink A Modern Aircraft Carrier," by Robert Farley in Jalopnik: "Even a supersonic cruise missile can take twenty minutes to reach its target area at maximum range, and a carrier maneuvering at high speed can move ten miles in the same period of time. A massive aircraft carrier can move surprisingly fast for something weighing over 100,000 tons, with a top speed of more than 30 knots, or about 35 miles an hour, which is what you get when you go for nuclear power." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5ebc516dfd6a6e35a6aecfebf5039c2f1b70e721c70f99e16de4f14b54440d847aeef47ec023594645bf04747a45030b6

--"After Oranges," by Wyatt Williams in Oxford American, discussing "Oranges," by John McPhee: "Fifty years later, Oranges reads as an agile survey of world history, a vivid period piece of changing American foodways, and an early classic by a master just beginning to find his form ... Today, no one is quite sure if Florida's oranges will survive" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a517a38f19a88c0ef5fa4b37d19a8b44853bf6c76769c36e4c1d0d96b367ef02f8db393436e4519919c30ee452d6d4039a (h/t TheBrowser.com)
                  Playbookers         
WEEKEND WEDDINGS - Zack Roday, press secretary for Team Ryan, and Alleigh Marre, who does press for HHS, got married on Saturday with the ceremony and reception at Rust Manor House in Leesburg, Virginia. The bride came down the aisle to "At Last," and the wedding was officiated by Zack's childhood friend and Best Man Ben Horwitz. The couple met on Gov. Scott Walker's campaign in Wisconsin. Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5dba7e033d7293abda31b9d6f159020e9697c571a72a4803778ce641339ff2e29d314a5c587490f53b8dcf19168d7bb70 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a556644b67e5967a220a56b65de2ec31b58ccdc2404340f4547c592480ed5866c8fc1ff087aaea3ddb390dc885196076b4 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5d6fe8838900e456450d0a5036ba14fee24da09cab933bf706bb5994b6967632100e84a02441595231672c46c93f9cccb

--SPOTTED: Gov. Scott and Tonette Walker, Matt Gorman and Annie Clark, Jesse Hunt and Kim Kaiser, Ian and Elsie Prior, Chris and Andrea Grant, Jake Kastan, Kevin Seifert, Betsy Ankney, Eli Miller, Jason Heath, Alexandra Clark and Scott Dillie, Bryant Avondoglio and Ellie Krust.

--"Cathryn Cl&uuml;ver, Tom Ashbrook" - N.Y. Times: "The bride, 41, is the founding executive director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School. She graduated from Brown and received a master's in European studies from the London School of Economics and a master's in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. ... The groom, 61, is the host of the NPR talk show 'On Point,' a daily program produced at WBUR in Boston. He graduated from Yale. He is the author of 'The Leap,' which chronicles his time as an internet entrepreneur, after a career as a journalist." With pic 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5c2c006390a7a7c4b75ef14f4284e5a54b08ce76876b094470f5c5d3fb5f58871844320d4231acf0471a9e5d31a54f8c4 

- "Stephanie Sy, David Ariosto": "Ms. Sy, 40, is a New York-based special on-air news correspondent for PBS and the host of Carnegie Council's 'Ethics Matter' interview series, a public affairs program that is shown periodically on PBS. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. ... On June 26, Mr. Ariosto, 36, will begin working as a supervising producer of 'All Things Considered,' the NPR news program. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and received a master's degree in public policy from George Mason University. ... The couple met in June 2015, at Al Jazeera America, where the bride was a news anchor and the groom an on-air reporter." With pic 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a5acda01aa3bd737c159ae65c602544e58e030adbb05edd96ec693b39c6cfe955222dbecc2d8002f33e797b34e8d5a451f

--"Sara Randazzo, Christopher Kirkham": "The bride, 31, is a legal reporter at The Wall Street Journal in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles. ... The groom, 33, is also a reporter at The Journal in Los Angeles, covering the casino and hotel industries. He graduated from Northwestern, where he also received his master's degree in journalism. ... The couple were introduced through mutual friends in New York in November 2011." With pic http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1bf564843a3586a53026b93d4b3fa037b963bce37113e26c4d48279992872a847d5571bfe167a3ed2d3448de703235ff85976e7fbd2112cb

SPOTTED at the going-away party last night (with a live band) in DC for Paul Wood and Ruth Sherlock, who is leaving in two weeks to become NPR's new Beirut correspondent (she was previously U.S. editor at The Telegraph): Susannah Cunningham, Merrit Kennedy, Susannah Wellford, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Emily Lenzner, Suzanne Kianpour, John Hudson, Nihal Krishan, Vivek Jain, Matt Rosenberg, Karoun Demirjian, Diaa Hadid, Athena Jones, Karen Attiah.

BIRTHDAYS: Dina Powell ... WaPo's Fred Barbash ... Charlie Herman ... Joanne Lipman, chief content officer at Gannett and editor in chief of USA Today ... Niall Stanage, WH columnist at The Hill, is 43 ... David Wood (Mr. Beth Frerking), Pulitzer winner ... Kate Knudson ... Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) is 66 ... Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) is 68 ... Nick Johnston, editor at Axios, is 4-0 (h/t Bill McQuillen) ... Megan Mitchell ... Bipartisan Senate alumni birthday: former Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WVa.) is 8-0 and former Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) is 67 ... David Drucker, senior political correspondent at Washington Examiner, is 46 ... Romney alum John Whitman, now press secretary for Texas Gov.
 Greg Abbott ... HFA alum John McCarthy, COS for Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.), (h/ts Fran Holuba, Anastasia Dellaccio and Ben Chang) ... Millie Harmon Meyers, public affairs at the U.S. Mission to the UN (h/t Ben) ... Geri M. Joseph is 94 ... Kenneth Lipper is 76 ... Blair Effron is 55 (h/ts Jewish Insider) ... DOT alum Ajashu Thomas ... Clare Bresnahan, executive director of She Should Run (h/t Jill Bader) ... Politico Europe's Blanca Renedo is 29 ... Kevin Landrigan, legendary New Hampshire political correspondent ... HFA and GSG alum Chris Allen ... Bob Scutari ...

... Will Kinzel, managing director of gov't affairs at Delta ... Jennifer Carignan ... Politico's Claire Okrongly and Shannon Rafferty ... LifeZette's Jim Stinson (h/t Jon Conradi) ... BuzzFeed's Mary Ann Georgantopoulos ... Bert Gomez, Univision's SVP of federal and state gov't relations... Tom Readmond ... Michael Van Der Galien ... former Hardballer Jeremy Bronson, now creator of "The Mayor," airing this fall on ABC ... former CNNer Meryl Conant Governski, now an associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP ... Zach Wilkes ... Jason Kello ... Daniel Epstein is 33 ... Levi Drake ... Max Stahl is 3-0 ... Lisa Barron ... AJ Goodman ... Ron Rosenblith ... Dick Mark ... Debbie Shore (h/ts
 Teresa Vilmain) ... country singer Blake Shelton is 41 (h/t Kurt Bardella) ... Sir Paul McCartney is 75 ... Dizzy Reed (Guns N' Roses) is 54 (h/ts AP)

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