Subject: POLITICO Playbook, presented by Better Medicare Alliance: AND WE’RE BACK: Washington kicks into gear for bruising January … ADVANTAGE DEMOCRATS? -- TRUMP losing ground in Iowa -- SCARAMUCCI telling people TRUMP wants him back -- B’DAY: Mike Zapler
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Date: Tue, 02 Jan 2018 05:14:17 -0600
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Today's POLITICO Playbook presented by Better Medicare Alliance 
            
By JAKE SHERMAN ([email-masked]; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER ([email-masked]; @apalmerdc) and DANIEL LIPPMAN ([email-masked]; @dlippman)
        
Listen to today's Audio Briefing | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Visit the online home of Playbook
                  Driving the Day         
Good Tuesday morning. THIS WEEK: The Senate is out. The House is in. President Trump is back in town. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) go to the White House tomorrow to try to begin untangling the mess of issues on Washington's calendar this month: funding the government, stabilizing Obamacare, renewing a children's health program, hashing out a plan to prevent hundreds of thousands of people from deportation, boosting border security, busting spending caps and potentially lifting the debt limit. 

-- ADVANTAGE DEMOCRATS? Republicans were able to get through December relatively unscathed. They kept the government funded without giving up much of anything. But as D.C. barrels toward Jan. 19 -- when government funding runs out -- Democrats have a strong hand to play. Fixing DACA and stabilizing Obamacare are issues that unite Democrats and divide Republicans. GOP STRATEGY: There will be an effort by Republicans to take care of some of these issues on their own terms early this month to avoid getting jammed up against the January deadline.

-- A TEST FOR TRUMP? A few Republicans have been telling us that it will be incumbent upon President Donald Trump to get GOP lawmakers comfortable with an immigration deal -- something that nearly toppled Republican leaders in past years. 

WELCOME BACK -- "White House aides already anxious about 2018," by Eliana Johnson, Annie Karni, and Andrew Restuccia: "President Donald Trump returned to Washington from his sunny holiday break in Florida in an upbeat mood, relaxed and rested -- but many of his top aides are dreading what's to come in 2018. After ending their first year on a high, signing a sweeping tax reform bill into law, Trump's advisers are divided about how to capitalize on that victory and maintain momentum going forward with Hill Republicans again at odds over their legislative agenda.

"They're facing a brain drain on a White House that already had trouble recruiting top talent. Many senior West Wing aides are expected to depart in the coming year, with no replacements lined up. White House chief of staff John Kelly -- who has already fired several presidential aides -- wants to push out more, but has struggled to find suitable alternatives. And they're still working under the shadow of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, despite repeated assurances from the White House legal team that the inquiry is wrapping up.

"The grim reality of 2018 has generated a sense of foreboding among White House aides, according to more than a dozen current and former officials and outside advisers. West Wing aides, who worked furiously to push through legislation and executive actions during Trump's first year in office, expect limited prospects for getting things done in Washington this year heading into a contentious midterm election." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7e6102ab049f5b6be6b69b16eef41bcc9efc565b95e6f60c48fbf6d18e7ceda4ea36a551e362c22f0

NOT ANY EASIER UNDER THE DOME -- "Congress will return to a full slate of difficult issues," by WaPo's Jeff Stein: "Congress faces a jam-packed to-do list this month with deadlines looming on difficult issues -- including how to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, stabilizing the nation's health insurance program for poor children, and whether to shield young undocumented immigrants from deportation. 

"Fresh off a party-line vote in favor of legislation overhauling the tax code, the negotiations will test whether Congress and the White House still have the potential to craft any form of bipartisan agreement. If so, several of the year's most contested issues might be resolved with months to spare before the 2018 midterm campaign heats up.

"If not, the government could soon be on the verge of a shutdown, with pressing questions regarding health care, immigration and other policies left unresolved. Also on the agenda are emergency relief for regions upended by last year's natural disasters, a key national security program and the fate of an agreement to stabilize health insurance markets under the Affordable Care Act." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea70afa85cd7bd8bf1f696c59a8eec9b826612248e214d38562a8f792cfcfdc85d60109b51005fdd76b

SPEAKING OF HEALTH CARE -- "GOP Obamacare quandary - easy to hate, hard to kill," by Jen Haberkorn: "Republicans start the year divided over whether to tear down or prop up Obamacare, a split that could derail their legislative agenda leading up to the 2018 midterm elections. GOP leaders on Capitol Hill don't want a repeat of last year's Obamacare fumble: They spent precious time on a failed attempt to repeal the health care law every member of the GOP was presumed to hate. But they also don't want to take repeal off the table, which would provoke conservatives who are still determined to undo Obamacare.

"The reality is the GOP is so divided on Obamacare, they don't have the votes to achieve either objective -- repeal or stabilization. That means former President Barack Obama's signature legislative accomplishment could keep limping along, crippled by the repeal of the individual mandate in the tax law but lifted by the surprisingly strong enrollment for the coming year." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea73309007d7063e4b7989df1c57b6634832be603114b44976419b18080e38ed04403cfe42deb2cf17d

2018 WATCH -- WAPO'S DAVE WEIGEL in DES MOINES: "Iowa went big for Trump, but there are signs its voters are souring on the president": "[I]owa has seemingly soured on the president and his party. The end-of-year Iowa Poll, an industry standard conducted by Des Moines-based Selzer and Co., found Trump with just 35 percent approval in the state. Only 34 percent of Iowans said they would back Republicans for Congress in 2018, and 61 percent said they were turned off by politics altogether." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea71aa3340d77f201683ab64e4705c5710918a3eecd1f57ff661a93083ed08ff91e4da8725e182cb68a 

2020 ISN'T FAR OFF ... -- "Warren positions for potential 2020 run," by Gabe Debenedetti: "Elizabeth Warren has spent the past year making a series of below-the-radar moves that would put her in prime position to run for president in 2020 if she decides to. The liberal icon and Republican bete noire has amassed more money in her campaign war chest than nearly any senator in modern history, groomed political connections with Democrats who've been skeptical of her in the past, and worked to bolster her bipartisan and foreign policy bona fides.

"It's part of a conscious break from the heads-down posture that Warren purposefully maintained during the first five years of her Senate career, a wide range of Democrats close to the Massachusetts senator and her tight-knit political operation told POLITICO. And it's representative of Warren's tricky navigation between the wishes of advocates who want her cutting a clear path to 2020, and supporters who think her best bet is to run up the score in her reelection race this year.

"The balancing act is evident everywhere, as Warren takes steps she never did when activists were pressuring her to jump into the 2016 presidential race. Warren is sitting on more campaign cash -- $12.8 million -- than nearly any other incumbent senator ever has at this point in an election cycle, despite what's expected to be an easy reelection. But she also held 17 town hall events back home in Massachusetts last year." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea75b382cd5d535f5f6a5f47b562a0d16873c7a70d7fbb17384f2f3947409fc1b20cc0f380969c2d498

THE MOOCH - "Anthony Scaramucci Is Telling Pals That Donald Trump Wants Him Back," by the Daily Beast's Lachlan Markay and Asawin Suebsaeng: "The former White House communications director has privately told friends and associates that the president and other members of the Trump family, including White House adviser and first daughter Ivanka Trump, miss him and want him back in the West Wing. Three sources close to Scaramucci have independently told The Daily Beast that the Mooch continues to brag that he and President Donald Trump talk on the phone, and that the Mooch believes his resurrection in Trump-world could be imminent. One of these sources said that the Mooch claimed he was flying
 out to either Washington, D.C. or Mar-a-Lago early this month to meet Trump to talk about it."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea785ad0c2fe65d21c63b0148b45d80cfcc72842df0aa3c90f1e70e98bf0590141bea0c79e4b4db0824

****** A message from Better Medicare Alliance: HEALTH CARE POLICY ALERT: We can all agree that high need, high cost patients deserve the best care. And with Medicare Advantage, seniors and people with disabilities are getting the high-value care they need through flexible benefits and specialized care. Learn more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea711231fd817205ec61060335019ff9c04041583b627b2a0078bb7740640fabbfb070ef39ff01ea07d ******

A STORY HEADED FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DESK - NYT A1, "The Trump Effect: Business, Anticipating Less Regulation, Loosens Purse Strings," by Binyamin Appelbaum and Jim Tankersley: "A wave of optimism has swept over American business leaders, and it is beginning to translate into the sort of investment in new plants, equipment and factory upgrades that bolsters economic growth, spurs job creation - and may finally raise wages significantly. While business leaders are eager for the tax cuts that take effect this year, the newfound confidence was initially inspired by the Trump administration's regulatory pullback, not so much because deregulation is saving companies money but because the
 administration has instilled a faith in business executives that new regulations are not coming. ...

"[I]n the administration and across the business community, there is a perception that years of increased environmental, financial and other regulatory oversight by the Obama administration dampened investment and job creation - and that Mr. Trump's more hands-off approach has unleashed the 'animal spirits' of companies that had hoarded cash after the recession of 2008. ... Administration officials said last month that, since January 2017, federal agencies have delayed, withdrawn or made inactive nearly 1,600 planned regulatory actions. Further rollbacks will affect financial services as well as energy and labor rules, among others."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea77ab74a957acafb5916b7eee77231899a7c0c1e9f3fdfc3598c44c3fe07c191a686ab5cdbd402ea4a

-- "In Cities With Low Unemployment, Wages Finally Start to Get Bigger," by WSJ's Shayndi Raice and Eric Morath in Minneapolis: "In U.S. cities with the tightest labor markets, workers are finding something that's long been missing from the broader economic expansion: faster-growing paychecks. Workers in metro areas with the lowest unemployment are experiencing among the strongest wage growth in the country. 

"The labor market in places like Minneapolis, Denver and Fort Myers, Fla., where unemployment rates stand near or even below 3%, has now tightened to a point where businesses are raising pay to attract employees, often from competitors. It's an outcome entirely expected in economic theory, but one that's been largely absent until now in the upturn that began more than eight years ago." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea78d338564201a18d66d96a7bba94f0dd9293d93b3160f213164ed8b9e151a48f6410a2a2039c48a3a

TRUMP'S TUESDAY -- The President will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Labor Secretary Alex Acosta.

AROUND THE TAX HORN ... 
 
-- THEO MEYER: "Tax overhaul means years of paydays for K Street": "President Donald Trump just signed into law the biggest tax overhaul in a generation, but that means more work - not less - for Washington's tax lobbyists. Rather than streamlining the tax code, Republicans have made it more complicated by jamming through a new series of temporary tax breaks for everything from craft brewers to citrus growers. Lobbyists expect these breaks, known as tax extenders, to generate paydays for years.

 "Adding to their workload: Republicans rammed their bill, H.R. 1 (115), through Congress so quickly that it's almost certain to require follow-up legislation to fix the mistakes and miscalculations still being discovered, according to interviews with half a dozen tax lobbyists. 'Trump said this was a giant Christmas present to the American people,' said John Raffaelli, a former Senate tax aide and the founding partner of Capitol Counsel, a prominent lobbying firm. 'Well, it's a giant present to the tax lobbying community as well because of the extenders.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7a3c48dd3f4d102a35b68efd0a2fa4aa0776e7c34b15381c75ac67164e3a31eecb78fa73c2cc06c8f

- "What New Tax Law? Caterpillar Fights to Protect Its Swiss-Made Profits," by WSJ's Andrew Tangel and Michael Rapoport: "More than a decade before federal agents arrived at Caterpillar Inc. in March with search warrants, an anonymous employee claimed in a letter to its chief executive that something was wrong about how the heavy-machinery maker used a subsidiary in Switzerland to shrink its tax bill. When customers outside the U.S. need parts for a bulldozer or mining truck, their order often is shipped from a Caterpillar warehouse in Morton, Ill. Nearly all the sales and profits flow through a company subsidiary in Geneva, where the company has paid an effective tax rate as low as 4%.
 Caterpillar began the practice in 1999 and has never stopped. ... Caterpillar faces a potential tax bill of $2 billion from the IRS."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea725f77e22e3061012fb8f1a5410e73c8298ba08f372e5b8836f8406ec2ed3e550a01945a1f3419ddd

GOOD NEWS -- Brandon Finnigan (@B_M_Finnigan): "Confirmed: not a single passenger death on a commercial JET aircraft anywhere on earth in 2017. First time in sixty years and a first since such aircraft became the dominant form of travel." WSJ story, "2017 Marked Safest Year in Commercial Aviation History" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7cfbfbbf6b58c90d5d4da64bce3ef82ac78768e201002fccfa44d06943514f9a567840e475bfe4553 

A TWIST... -- NYT A1, "Kim Jong-un's Overture Could Drive a Wedge Between South Korea and the U.S.," by Choe Sang-Hun in Seoul and David E. Sanger in Weston, Vermont: "Beyond a New Year's declaration by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, that he would move to the mass-production of nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles in 2018 lies a canny new strategy to initiate direct talks with South Korea in the hope of driving a wedge into its seven-decade alliance with the United States. Mr. Kim, perhaps sensing the simmering tension between President Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, called for an urgent dialogue between the two Koreas before the opening of the Winter Olympics
 in the South next month. The strained relationship between the allies has been playing out for months, as Mr. Moon, a liberal, argued for economic and diplomatic openings with the North, even as Mr. Trump has worked hard to squeeze the North with increasingly punishing sanctions.

"Mr. Moon also angered Mr. Trump and his aides in recent months by suggesting he holds what he called a veto over any American pre-emptive military action against the North's nuclear program. ... [T]he dramatic shift in tone and policy, toward bilateral talks between the two Koreas, suggests that Mr. Kim sees an opportunity to develop and accentuate the split between Mr. Moon and Mr. Trump, betting that the United States will be unable to mount greater pressure on the North if it does not have South Korean acquiescence. The gambit may work. Hours after Mr. Kim's speech, Mr. Moon's office welcomed the North's proposal, in a way that could further aggravate tensions with the United States."  
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7e4e8c55833db52ef9ee24f3d618c724fc6a66df097ab7928debfa3c775c5a502ac727f1fa557d067

LATEST ON IRAN PROTESTS -- "Iran state TV says 9 killed in nationwide protests, unrest," by AP's Nasser Karimi in Tehran and Jon Gambrell in Dubai: "Clashes overnight between protesters and security forces in Iran killed nine people, state television reported Tuesday, including some rioters who tried to storm a police station to steal weapons. ...

"State TV reported that six people were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. It reported that clashes were sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the police station." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea71b01afb562af73d45a32905c07c4281b5192b65de0e9406376778310cc1527b107a8b31749648d47 

-- AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI (@khamenei_ir): "In recent events, enemies of #Iran have allied & used the various means they possess, including money, weapons, politics &intelligence services, to trouble the Islamic Republic. The enemy is always looking for an opportunity & any crevice to infiltrate &strike the Iranian nation. ... I have something to say on these events, and I will speak to the dear people when the time is right."

-- "Where We Can Agree on Iran: How Americans of both political parties can come together to support the Iranian people," by Mark Dubowitz and Daniel B. Shapiro in Politico Magazine: "We are long-time friends who have disagreed vehemently on the wisdom of President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran; Dan is Obama's former ambassador to Israel, and Mark is one of that agreement's most persistent critics. But we agree with equal passion that Americans, regardless of party or position on the nuclear deal, should be supporting the aspirations of Iranians to be free from their brutal and corrupt rulers. That's the dream of the tens of thousands of Iranians who have taken to the streets this
 past weekend in dozens of cities across the country."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea70f2688669131e6d4dd2f11b042982675932da33c9b97b224b5b34e872290a0d23554627d2eae4feb

NYT TEHRAN BUREAU CHIEF THOMAS ERDBRINK (@ThomasErdbrink): "I can't be everywhere in this big city. What I'm seeing are smaller groups of protesters and people in cars and on the sidewalks. Security forces are everywhere. The atmosphere is tense. Protests occur sporadically, with people shouting slogans and leaving. ... I'm back in the office now. It is important to note that while the numbers of protesters in Tehran is small, the discontent is widespread. Many people complaining about high prices, corruption and lack of change." His story on A1 today http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7c80657a0fe2681340c943bb168c4960fbb6609f5c909a1ca29990082f01f9f2270a30025c929372a 

-- Hossein Derakhshan (@h0d3r): "A few key facts about protesters in #iran that I've gathered so far: - Mostly male - Mostly under 25 - No respect for Green Movement and its leaders - Many slogans in favour of Pahlavist Monarchy #IranProtests".

FALLOUT FROM A TRUMP TWEET -- "Pakistan summons U.S. ambassador after Trump's angry tweet," by Reuters' Drazen Jorgic in Islamabad: "Pakistan summoned the U.S. ambassador in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's angry tweet about Pakistan's 'lies and deceit', while Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the outburst as a political stunt. David Hale was summoned by the Pakistan foreign office on Monday to explain Trump's tweet ... A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the meeting took place." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea731251ebddbed246b27fa96daa6ee4dd7ab53936a737f23ab774647bc01440a8f0104e6a063eebb9c

HMM -- AP/JERUSALEM: "Pence's office says VP visit to Israel remains in plans": "Mike Pence's office on Monday said the U.S. vice president still plans on visiting Israel this month, despite an apparent delay in the schedule.

"Pence had been scheduled to come during the week of Jan. 14. But Israel's Foreign Ministry said Monday that the visit was no longer on its schedule for January. Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon gave no reason for the apparent delay, but said it was still possible that Pence could still decide to come. 'It's not on our schedule,' he said. 'We can always adapt it and change it.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea74f3187222d446ae2e6a647432ae1fde464f02f87fd59b3447e67608e145611bf544bf9fe4c9b0c7f 

-- WHY IS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT telling reporters that Pence isn't going to Israel if, in fact, he is? 

WSJ: "Islamic State Returns to Guerrilla Warfare in Iraq and Syria: Driven out of territorial control, militants resort to hit-and-run attacks on civilians and military forces," by Raja Abdulrahim in Beirut and Isabel Coles in Baghdad: "Despite Syrian and Iraqi claims of victory over Islamic State, thousands of militants still holed up in both countries have mounted a number of recent guerrilla-style attacks on civilians and military forces, according to the U.S.-led coalition fighting the extremist group and others.

"The fighters, hiding in isolated desert or mountain regions or among civilian populations in the neighboring countries, are stepping up hit-and-run style attacks now that they have lost much of the territory they seized several years ago, according to coalition officials, local activists and other experts." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7151c09b064a4bb937dc101b3dbf3c9db15b1ae9a41867168d213416236380c76a84a5a73add4c8a6 

HARASSMENT FILES -- "Two women say former Anniston Star publisher assaulted them," by Montgomery Advertiser's Brian Lyman: "Two women who worked for The Anniston Star in the 1970s said former publisher H. Brandt Ayers spanked them in two separate incidents in 1975. One woman, Veronica Pike Kennedy, said Ayers - long a prominent figure in Alabama journalism - assaulted her with a long thin metal ruler in the middle of The Star's newsroom. A second woman ... said Ayers summoned her to his office later that year and spanked her after she missed covering a local meeting.  Both women said the assaults shook their professional confidence and left them with emotional scars."  
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7afc08f3bcbedd22ca04b6b2b5c18a1501ba593788d7cda89f9f903ba5cab89a6221b2e9679226d13

THE NEW NYT BOSS -- A.G. SULZBERGER, "A Note From Our New Publisher": "The Times will continue to search for the most important stories of our era with curiosity, courage and empathy - because we believe that improving the world starts with understanding it. The Times will continue to resist polarization and groupthink by giving voice to the breadth of ideas and experiences - because we believe journalism should help people think for themselves. The Times will hold itself to the highest standards of independence, rigor and fairness - because we believe trust is the most precious asset we have. ... These values guided my father and his predecessors as publisher as they steered this company
 through war, economic crisis, technological upheaval and major societal shifts.

"These same values sustained them as they stood up to presidents; battled for the rights of a free press in court; and overrode the financial interests of our business in favor of our journalistic principles. The challenge before me is to ensure The Times safeguards those values while embracing the imperative to adapt to a changing world. I've spent most of my career as a newspaper reporter, but I've also been a champion of The Times's digital evolution. I'm protective of our best traditions, and I look to the future with excitement and optimism. Much will change in the years ahead, and I believe those changes will lead to a report that is richer and more vibrant than anything we could have
 dreamed up in ink and paper.

"What won't change: We will continue to give reporters the resources to dig into a single story for months at a time. We will continue to support reporters in every corner of the world as they bear witness to unfolding events, sometimes at great personal risk. We will continue to infuse our journalism with expertise by having lawyers cover law, doctors cover health and veterans cover war. We will continue to search for the most compelling ways to tell stories, from prose to virtual reality to whatever comes next. We will continue to put the fairness and accuracy of everything we publish above all else - and in the inevitable moments we fall short, we will continue to own up to our mistakes,
 and we'll strive to do better." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7378b8e4a6a9ec44a10d56bee85c06eff699b22e2fcd8f1b92354f66f2a5bccf96995f361df9779d9

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -- ALL S.E.C. AFFAIR -- Alabama vs. Georgia, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. in Atlanta. THE BETTING LINE opened up with Alabama as a 4.5-point favorite.

          Playbook Reads         

PHOTO DU JOUR: The Georgia Bulldogs celebrate with copies of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the Bulldogs beat the Oklahoma Sooners 54-48 in double overtime in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl on January 1 in Pasadena, California. | Harry How/Getty Images

KAREN TUMULTY in WaPo, "'If we don't run, then we won't achieve.' Why a record number of women are eyeing a run for governor": "This year, at least 79 women - 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans - are running for governor or seriously considering it as filing deadlines approach, according to a tally by the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. The numbers are more than double what they were four years ago and on track to surpass the record 34 women who ran for governor in 1994. In Ohio, there are three women running for governor in the Democratic primary and one in the Republican. In Georgia, both Democratic candidates are named Stacey."  
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7a581c9589671d4a8b0c51003e249873fc5761699117fa3372d3aa0b6a1c18b15f30daa1e82fe7165

ISAAC DOVERE talks with JOHN DEAN of Watergate fame in the latest "Off Message" podcast: "Would Nixon have been able to ride it out today? 'There's more likelihood he might have survived if there'd been a Fox News.' On Trump's lawyers thinking they have a handle on what Michael Flynn and George Papadopoulos might have told Mueller, based on his experience with Ehrlichman and Haldeman: 'They didn't know how much I knew. I knew much more than they thought I did. With Flynn and his proximity, he had even more proximity than I did.'

"On Watergate and Trump: 'What they thought [was that] because what they were doing was purely political, and trying to minimize the impact of this blundered break-in at the Watergate, they had no criminal intent. Well, they intended to do the actions they did, which was stop the investigation. That's what Trump did. His motive is irrelevant.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7ce6116aeda7bb5a94a5e20df6878f7da2eba1a1ee3e749e166360c0675ccab583d0ba13d1f675762 ... Listen to the full podcast http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7c2f50ea1c66ebd37e50a6fe94b157ba8526c69cb3a153c9ecbe973e7da907360dd733a76344c55da

JOSH GERSTEIN -- "Homeland Security deployed 'crisis action team' to enforce first Trump travel ban": "When protests and widespread confusion broke out at airports across the U.S. after President Donald Trump issued his first travel ban executive order last January, White House officials scoffed at the scenes of turmoil and insisted the president's plan was smoothly moving into place. ... However, Department of Homeland Security records obtained by POLITICO reflect confusion on the frontlines about how to implement the order and show that DHS officials deemed the situation a 'crisis' requiring a high-level response.

"'The National Operations Center (NOC) Crisis Action Team (CAT) activated at 0800 this morning to assist in facilitating DHS response and reactions to the Presidential Executive Order Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nations,' an email sent to senior DHS officials on Jan. 29 and released last week in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea751ae7d9f32201973d9047b6706f5582de438608828052fe3a506fc90554ddbde237d00d8519a70dd

****** A message from Better Medicare Alliance: CONGRESS HAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS TO PROTECT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE SENIORS: 19 million seniors and people with disabilities choose Medicare Advantage for one reason: it gives them the flexible, affordable, and robust health care they need. And with health needs in this country becoming more complex, it's clear that innovative, holistic solutions are required. 

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Enrollment in Medicare Advantage and consumer satisfaction is growing. There is more evidence that Medicare Advantage is improving outcomes and leading efforts to implement innovations in delivery of care. Learn more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea711231fd817205ec61060335019ff9c04041583b627b2a0078bb7740640fabbfb070ef39ff01ea07d ******

MEDIAWATCH -- CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN EMAILS THE NEWSROOM at 4 a.m.: "We're excited to announce the newest addition to the POLITICO Magazine team: Chris Suellentrop, a wildly smart and creative editor who comes to us via senior roles at the New York Times Magazine and Op-Ed page, Yahoo! News and Slate. 

"A native of Kansas, Chris is also an accomplished freelance writer who has published stories in the Times Magazine, Wired, New York, Grantland, NewYorker.com and a host of other august places. Fun fact about Chris: He assigned and edited Mark Leibovich's profile of Mike Allen, 'The Man the White House Wakes Up To,' which won a National Magazine Award in 2011. Chris also founded and helmed 'The Opinionator,' the maiden blog of the New York Times opinion section, and was the first employee of the Times hired exclusively to blog. He has a sharp political mind and an eye for counterintuitive story angles.

"As we gear up for the 2018 and 2020 elections, Chris will be playing a major role in our coverage, working with many of you across the newsroom as well as the magazine staff. A graduate of Tulane and the University of Missouri, Chris will be splitting his time between Rhode Island and our D.C. office. He starts January 8."

-- "Playboy Might Kill Magazine to Focus on 'World of Playboy,'" by WSJ's Lukas I. Alpert: "The death of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is ushering in a new era for the adult-entertainment enterprise in more ways than one. His passing in September at the age of 91 has set in motion a process that will move ownership of the iconic brand out of his family's hands and could soon spell the end of its once pace-setting U.S. print edition after nearly seven decades on newsstands."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7038a9ac6088196d4b94a3ef0d70d272df8a157929a343c984538effbc1a2afa932e80ce6c0f8dbf3

                  Playbookers         
SPOTTED: VP Pence with his family on Sunday at Buttermilk ski area near Aspen, Colorado.

WEEKEND WEDDINGS -- Josh Robinson, co-founder of RedPrint Strategy, and Lauren Lofstrom, national finance director for Ted Cruz, married Sunday night at the Kimpton Lorien Hotel in Old Town, Alexandria. The couple met while working at the RGA. Pic by Rich Kessler  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7abf873420bf8d42fc7feabba20f9ef3f20a6b74839bf0ba090752cb56ebf837faafd433abede3340

SPOTTED: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and wife, Heidi, Rep. Will Hurd (R-Tex.), Jackie Berkowitz, Kiley Smith, Casey Phillips, Brian O. Walsh, Dan and Kara Conston, Ethan Zorfas, Aaron Liebowitz, Roshan Patel, Alice Stewart, Charlie and Lisa Spies, Dorinda Moss, Mary Ann Voigt Laconte, Caitlin Schroeder, Ben and Batya Klein, Lee Roy and Tandy Mitchell.

ROMNEY ALUMNI -- Jeremy Rose, co-founder and head of events for Advoc8 and a Romney 2012 and Bruce Rauner alum, and Caity Moran, operations manager for Tempus, were married on New Year's Eve in Chicago. Pool report: "Friends and family braved the single digit temperatures that were no match for the warm candlelit reception at the Lincoln Park Zoo's Cafe Brauer. As midnight approached, guests enjoyed some of Chicago's favorite delicacies: Chicago-style hot dogs, Portillo's Italian beef sandwiches, and an unobstructed view of the fireworks over Lake Michigan." Pics by Ashley LeTourneau http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7a46528ed5a187f82cfc6641e0dd003bf234f4a4999461c10a9dbed6a1a99a64cf719b72037fe3f1f ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea7116507bce19d7874a045b26baa0e84a1671309d58b834b68369ee70525745f152c6cd3417ff039b4 

SPOTTED: Christina Ruffini, John Legittino, Lindsay Walters, Alyssa Moyer and Elliott Echols, Ben Adams, Nina Verghese, Lauren Pratapas, Jake Peterson, Christine Dudley, Andy Magliochetti.

NEW YEAR'S PARTY CIRCUIT -- Adrienne Arsht hosted a "Hair of the Dog" New Year's Day brunch at her Massachusetts Heights mansion. The party favor for attendees was an assortment of dog treats to bring home to their pets. SPOTTED: Kellyanne and George Conway, Tom Bossert, Capricia and Rob Marshall, Dee Dee Myers, Tom Nides, Virginia Moseley, Mary Jordan, Katty Kay, Michael LaRosa, Tony Blinken, Patrick Steel and Lee Satterfield, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Ann and Lloyd Hand, Chris Isham, Stephen Hadley, Robert Pullen and Luke Frazier, Catherine and Wayne Reynolds.

--SPOTTED at a New Year's Day buffet brunch hosted by Melissa Moss and Jonathan Silver: Capricia and Rob Marshall, Catherine and Wayne Reynolds, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Elsa Walsh and Bob Woodward, Gary Knell and Kim Larson, former Sec. Bruce and Hattie Babbitt, Jane Mayer and Bill Hamilton, Tom Nides and Virginia Mosley, Patrick Steel and Lee Satterfield, Lois Romano and Swen Holmes, Mandy Grunwald, Margaret Carlson, Maya MacGuineas, Melanne and Phil Verveer, Don Baer and Nancy Bard, Leslie Dach and Mary Dickie, former Sec. of Navy Ray Mabus, Roxanne Roberts, Robin Sproul, Ruth Marcus and Jon Leibowitz, Susan Brophy and Gerry McGowan, Tipper Gore and Bill Allen, Vicki Kennedy, Roy
 Neel, Gloria Dittus, Kevin Chaffee, Dee Dee Myers.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Judy Miller, Fox News contributor and contributing editor at Manhattan Institute's City Journal. A trend she thinks deserves more attention: "Bio terror and America's growing vulnerability to germ and cyber-warfare." Read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea722425933c62cfffc27ef6a544eb1808a9abcc08e84c6ab78ad007189b6f0b58845616da4ed9966ee 

BIRTHDAYS: Mike Zapler, Politico deputy managing editor ... Erin Hughes, director at DCI Group and a Bush 43 alum ... Mike Sozan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and former chief of staff for Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) (hat tip: James Owens) ... Greg Mueller, president of CRC Public Relations ... Annie Lewis, who leads Facebook's political and nonprofit ad sales team out of the company's D.C. office (h/t David Fahrenthold) ... Will Jawando ... Ava Jawando ... Cyrus Farivar of Ars Technica ... Lindsey Ross ... Michael Webb is 52 ... Christi Layman ... Chris Hartline-Shearer ... Stephanie Woodrow ... Rachel Perrone ... former Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-Texas) is 64 ... Jessica
 Cameron ... Cheyenne Foster, senior associate at Axiom Strategies ...

... Annie Starke, research associate at McGuireWoods Consulting and a JD Candidate at Catholic University, celebrating with friends tonight at Dirty Habit (h/ts Jill Barclay, filing from Sandpoint, Idaho, and Laura Howard) ... Marc Johnson, APCO Worldwide's global digital practice lead (h/t Anthony DeAngelo) ... Justin Bartolomeo, VP at HDMK and diehard Carolina Panthers fan (h/t Andrew Bates) ... Lizzie Langer, an MBA candidate at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business and a BlackRock alum ... Rachel Hicks, director of comms at American Beverage Association ... James Tisch, CEO of Loews Corporation, is 65 ... Robert Wexler, president of the D.C.-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East
 Peace, is 57 ... Jane Krause ... Elliott Smith ... Kelly Schulz ... Douglas Faulkner ... Stephanie Woodrow ... Alexa Barchuk, associate at the Eurasia Group ... Faridon Abbas ... Craig Varoga ... Linda Gaumer (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

****** A message from Better Medicare Alliance: Better Medicare Alliance is helping to build towards the future of care through Medicare Advantage. As a community of experts, we're leading the way on health care through research, advocacy, and grassroots organization. Together, we're creating a path forward for innovative, modern health care. Stand with us: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e97c88f7ed4deea711231fd817205ec61060335019ff9c04041583b627b2a0078bb7740640fabbfb070ef39ff01ea07d ******

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