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DOORBUSTER EDITION – INSIDE MARCO’S IOWA PUSH – TRUMP TROLLS NYT – RNC hires FOI lawyer for Hillary oppo -- ENGAGED: Gar...

2015-11-27

By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; <a href="mailto:mallen@politico.com" target="_blank">mallen@politico.com</a>) and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; <a href="mailto:dlippman@politico.com)" target="_blank">dlippman@politico.com)</a>Happy Black Friday. Hope you had a restful day of family, feasting and football. Rough day to be an Eagles-Packers family. But Evan says Green Bay still a shoe-in for playoff wild card. Politico’s Marty Kady and his wife, Suz Redfearn, hosted 31. Marty emailed: “I made a gallon of roasted butternut squash soup -- with a little heat from chipotle in adobo sauce, a 22-pound fresh turkey with a maple glaze, vegetarian cornbread and ‘sausage’ stuffing for the non-meat-eaters. We have four chafing dishes and two crock pots for other sides, and four tables spread around the house.” The kids ate outside.ARTICLE OF THE DAY – JONATHAN CHAIT, in the forthcoming New York magazine, “Terrorism in the Age of Trump: The right-wing mind is fixated on the imagined enemy at home instead of the real one abroad”: “It is Trump who has set the pace. His talent for manipulating the darkest emotions of the conservative id, while minimizing specific policy commitments, has been on full display. … “The tea-party movement had initially fashioned itself as wildly anti-statist. Now its advocates have veered into wild authoritarianism. None of this requires intellectual justification in lizard-brain America, and Trump, for now, is the Lizard King.” <a href="http://nym.ag/1OuXgU0" target="_blank">http://nym.ag/1OuXgU0</a> **SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: <a href="http://politi.co/1M75UbX" target="_blank">http://politi.co/1M75UbX</a>THE POLITICO CAUCUS, our weekly insider poll of early-state officials, operatives and activists – “Insiders: Trump’s grip on Iowa is tenuous … Cruz gaining ground and Clinton pushing Sanders aside in the early voting states,” by Steve Shepard: “POLITICO analyzed seven months-worth of responses to our weekly benchmark question – who would win your state if the voting were today. … Roughly three-in-four GOP insiders in New Hampshire and South Carolina, many of whom have been repeatedly and consistently skeptical of Trump’s chances, now say he would win their states if their primaries were held today. … “But his hold on Iowa and Nevada is more tenuous, according to insiders who note those states’ caucuses require significant organizational muscle to produce a win. GOP insiders now have Cruz nudging Trump out of the lead in Iowa.” <a href="http://politi.co/1XvHqLd" target="_blank">http://politi.co/1XvHqLd</a>2016 PLAYERS -- N.Y. Times, below the editorials, “Editorial Observer: Inside the G.O.P. Opposition Research Machine -- No Hillary Clinton factoid is too small,” by Elizabeth Williamson: “Raj Shah runs the [RNC’s] opposition research arm, a beehive of two dozen tech-savvy idealists who have already spent two years searching through decades of government documents, tax filings, TV footage and news archives. …“More than 330 Freedom of Information Act requests have netted 11,000 pages of records, and counting. The R.N.C. has also retained Mark Zaid, an attorney who also is representing the Gawker website in suing the State Department over records from Mrs. Clinton’s time as secretary of state.” <a href="http://nyti.ms/1MIcJPZ" target="_blank">http://nyti.ms/1MIcJPZ</a>WHAT IOWA IS READING – Des Moines Register lead story, “Risks and rewards for Rubio in seeking faith vote: Evangelicals skeptical of biblical interpretations, intrigued by magnetism,” by Jennifer Jacobs: “Rubio hasn’t visited Iowa much this year, but hit the gas starting last week with four days of campaigning. He declined previous requests to appear at events hosted by the religious conservative American Renewal Project, but this week gave speeches at two Renewal events, in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. And he participated in a forum hosted by the Family Leader, competing with six other GOP candidates in front of an audience of 1,100 in Des Moines.“His campaign swing raised some questions about missed opportunities … On Friday night, Rubio didn’t stick around after the Family Leader event, although his campaign had rented a reception room. Aides said he'd had a long day, with a 14-hour schedule. Four other candidates — Cruz … Fiorina … Santorum … Huckabee — also paid for green rooms, and stayed until they'd greeted all of the Iowans who had braved a snowstorm to come see them. Cruz, whose day started at 9 a.m., was the last to go, at 11:30 p.m.“On Sunday, on day three of Rubio’s five-day Iowa visit, he didn't schedule any campaign events. He went to church at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church in West Des Moines, then watched football with his state chairman, Jack Whitver, in Ankeny. Presidential candidates often take a day off when they're at home with their families, but the Register's candidate tracker shows it is unusual to do so in the middle of a multi-day swing.” <a href="http://dmreg.co/1Ng08oL" target="_blank">http://dmreg.co/1Ng08oL</a>** A message from Walmart: BLACK FRIDAY IS HERE: Our associates have been preparing for the biggest day of the year. That’s why we’re preparing them for the future. Did you know our average full time hourly associate earns $13 an hour and has the opportunity to receive quarterly cash bonuses, a matched 401K, and healthcare benefits? Learn more. <a href="http://bit.ly/1WZgZT8" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1WZgZT8</a> **PRESIDENTIAL PIES (and kale): First Family Thanksgiving menu, via White House pool report by Peter Baker: “Thyme Roasted Turkey ... Garlic Jus and Cranberry-Orange Relish ... Honey-Baked Ham with Apricot-Mustard Glaze ... Prime Rib and Creamed Horseradish ... Cornbread Stuffing with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers ... Oyster Stuffing ... Braised Winter Greens (Collards, Kale, and Turnip Greens) ... Macaroni and Cheese ... Sweet Potato Gratin ... Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes ... Green Bean Casserole ... Fresh Greens ... Kale Caesar Salad … “DESSERT: “Banana Cream Pie ... Coconut Cream Pie ... Pumpkin Pie ... Apple Pie ... Pecan Pie ... Cherry Pie.”ENGAGED! Garrett Haake -- rock star 2012 embed, now at WUSA Channel 9 in D.C. -- to CNN’s Sara Murray: “I asked her just before thanksgiving dinner in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in front of her family. We met covering Mitt Romney back in Iowa in late 2011. Wedding details TK -- but will have to wait until after 2016. … I’d rate her surprise at an 11 out of ten. And she adds that I was ‘very chill’ going through airport security with the ring box in my pocket.”BEN CARSON in JORDAN – Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle and Jordan Schachtel: “Carson boarded a flight to … Jordan late on Thanksgiving to embark on a tour of Syrian refugee camps [and hospitals] there [today] … Carson is taking [the tour] so he can learn more about how to solve the refugee crisis by resettling Syrians throughout the Middle East, rather than bringing any refugees to the United States of America or placing more in Europe.” <a href="http://bit.ly/1MVlSCs" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1MVlSCs</a>DAILY TRUMP – Tweet storm by @realDonaldTrump – Wed.: “Why would @greta use @KarlRove as an election analyst when he has made so many mistakes. He still thinks Romney won. An establishment dope! … The failing @nytimes should be focused on good reporting and the papers financial survival and not with constant hits on Donald Trump! … The @nytimes is so poorly run and managed that other family members are looking to take over control. With unfunded liabilities-big trouble! … The dopes at the @nytimes bought the Boston Globe for $1.3 billion and sold it for $1.00. Their great old headquarters-gave it away! So dumb … “So, since the people at the @nytimes have made all bad decisions over the last decade, why do people care what they write. Incompetent! … The numbers at the @nytimes are so dismal, especially advertising revenue, that big help will be needed fast. A once great institution-SAD!”Yesterday: “Happy Thanksgiving to all. Have a great day and look forward to the future. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! … I do not know the reporter for the @nytimes, or what he looks like. I was showing a person groveling to take back a statement made long ago! … The failing @nytimes should focus on fair and balanced reporting rather than constant hit jobs on me. Yesterday 3 boring articles, today2!” <a href="http://bit.ly/1NSoKA1" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1NSoKA1</a> SUNDAY SO FAR:--“Meet the Press”: “exclusive Trump interview” … Ben Carson … Roundtable: Hugh Hewitt, Molly Ball, Eugene Robinson, Andrea Mitchell--“Fox News Sunday”: Chris Wallace talks to Carly Fiorina … Senate Intelligence Chair Richard Burr … Panel: Brit Hume, Jane Harman, James Rosen, Bob Costa--“Face the Nation”: Jeb Bush … Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham … political panel: Peggy Noonan, Jeffrey Goldberg, David Ignatius, Michael Gerson … presidential book panel: Doris Kearns Goodwin (“Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream”), Jon Meacham (“The Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush”), Edward Larson (“The Return of George Washington”), Karl Rove (“The Triumph of William McKinley”)--CNN’s “State of the Union,” with Brianna Keilar anchoring from D.C.: Mike Huckabee … House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul … Panel: Donna Brazile, S.E. Cupp, Bakari Sellers, Sean Spicer!POLITICO’s “BROKEN BY DESIGN” series – “How Washington created some of the worst schools in America,” by Maggie Severns: “The network of schools for Native American children run by an obscure agency of the Interior Department remains arguably the worst school system in the United States, a disgrace the government has known about for eight decades and never successfully reformed. … POLITICO asked [Education Secretary] Arne Duncan, about what is perhaps the federal government’s longest-running problem: ‘It’s just the epitome of broken,’ he said. ‘Just utterly bankrupt.’” <a href="http://politi.co/1R8tPcQ" target="_blank">http://politi.co/1R8tPcQ</a> CLICKER – “The nation’s cartoonists on Thanksgiving,” edited by Matt Wuerker – 11 keepers <a href="http://politi.co/1kVmD81" target="_blank">http://politi.co/1kVmD81</a> HOLIDAY PARTY TRENDS -- WashPost, top of Business page, “Holiday parties going extinct?” by Jena McGregor (online: “Fewer companies are throwing office holiday parties”): “[T]he Society for Human Resource Management [said] 30 percent of the H.R. professionals [in an annual survey] said their companies do not usually have year-end parties for all employees. That's the largest percentage … since the organization started doing the survey in 2009. … “59 percent [said they would serve alcohol. 71% of those] planned to offer drink tickets to regulate employees' consumption … compared to 57 percent in 2012.” <a href="http://wapo.st/1NbXHik" target="_blank">http://wapo.st/1NbXHik</a>TASTY READ – NYT lead sports story, “An Engaging TV Moment: Thirty years ago, Ahmad Rashad proposed to Phylicia Ayers-Allen (via Bob Costas) during a Thanksgiving football broadcast, achieving a perfect marriage of sports and pop culture,” by contributor (and former sports-TV producer) Rob Weintraub: “Rashad, a host of the network’s pregame show, “NFL ’85,” was there for on-site coverage. Bob Costas introduced Rashad to talk X’s and O’s in his usual manner. … “Costas had been informed before the broadcast by Michael Weisman, the executive producer of NBC Sports [now “Morning Joe” executive in charge], that Rashad planned to propose on the show, but he gamely played the surprised accomplice, yelping, ‘You’re not kidding, are you, Ahmad?’ … “On Dec. 14, 1985, at the Church of the Master in Harlem, Rashad married Ayers-Allen. … [A] handsome Rashad stands flanked by the man giving away the bride, [Bill] Cosby, and his best man, [O.J.] Simpson. … [T]he marriage … ended in divorce in 2001.” <a href="http://nyti.ms/1kWHec5" target="_blank">http://nyti.ms/1kWHec5</a>PICS DU JOUR -- “Highlights From The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade” – 17 photos on one page <a href="http://huff.to/1NaUMXs" target="_blank">http://huff.to/1NaUMXs</a> BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Jake Kuryk Bernstein, SVP of marketing and comms at CarePoint Health, and an Obama WH and DHS alum ... Amy Shlossman, former chief of staff at DHS and OMB, now CEO of the Portland Red CrossBIRTHDAYS: Ambassador Caroline Kennedy is 58. … Tim Pawlenty is 55 … Gail Sheehy, the pride of Mamaroneck, N.Y., who tells us she “will celebrate by declaring a Trump-free Zone” … Stephen Siciliano is spending the day with his parents, older brother Alex, and Alex’s fiancée, Emily, in New York City. They are all missing Stuart, Ali, and their two little ones, Betsy and Annie … Sam Love, legislative assistant for Sen. Cory Gardner … Politico Florida’s Daniel Ducassi ... Bush W.H. alum Brian McCormack, V.P. for political and external affairs at the Edison Electric Institute ... Andrea Koppel-Pollack ... Nick Massella, director of audience engagement and comms. at PBS “NewsHour,” and the pride of Chardon, Ohio ... Mary Vought of Vought Strategies ... Kathryn Ciano ... Mike Cross ... Alex Wagner ... Rich Verma, U.S. Ambassador to India, formerly of Albright Stonebridge, assistant secretary for legislative affairs at State and senior national security advisor to Harry Reid (h/ts Ben Chang) ... … Joe Solmonese ... Victoria Lai ... Jake Boatright ... Paul Maslin ... Jason Gold, COO of the McGraw Hill Financial Global Institute (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) ... Libby Leist, senior producer of NBC’s “Today” ... John Aravosis ... Ashley Robinson, strategic comms. manager at Amazon and a Mercury alum … Susan Falconer, chief of staff to Rep. Barbara Comstock ... Kathryn Ciano, general counsel at i360 ... Dina Cappiello, VP at Edelman and an AP alum … Katie Campo, program officer at National Endowment for Democracy ... Facebook’s Kaiya Waddell ... Christine Taylor, EVP of corporate comms and external affairs at MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings and a Bloomberg alum ... Jess Byrne Knox ... Sid Burgess of GovDelivery ... footwear designer Manolo Blahnik is 73 … Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) is 64 … Bill Nye, the Science Guy, is 60 … Robin Givens is 51 … actress/singer Aubrey Peeples (“Nashville”; "Sharknado”) is 22 (h/ts AP)SECONDS – “A look at the hot toys for holiday 2015” – AP/N.Y.: “‘STAR WARS’ … ROBOTIC PETS: Imaginext Ultra T-Rex from Mattel's Fisher-Price: robotic dinosaur that has sound effects, walks, stands and fires projectiles. $99.99 … OTHER: Nerf Rival from Hasbro: latest blaster under Nerf that has a trigger lock and high-impact rounds. $49.99 (1200 blaster) $24.99 (700 blaster) … Marvel Avengers XPV Remote Control Hulk Smash Vehicle from Jakks-Pacific: remote-controlled Hulk that smashes, flips and does wheelies. $69.99. ... Pie Face from Hasbro: Kids put whipped cream or a wet sponge on the ‘hand’ of the game and start turning the handle. It could go off any minute — and splat. $19.99.” <a href="http://bit.ly/1HsbrJQ" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1HsbrJQ</a> ** A message from Walmart: BLACK FRIDAY IS HERE: Without the hard work of our associates, we couldn’t focus on our number one priority: the customer. That's why we give our associates an additional 25% discount for working through the busiest time of year. Our associates are building better lives for their families and we’re proud to be a part of their success stories, especially during the holiday season. Learn more about our $2.7 billion investment over this year and next in higher wages, training, and education. <a href="http://bit.ly/1WZgZT8" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1WZgZT8</a> **SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook: <a href="http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=df5b904cc7122c446f27886cad1d5948ac4b58982c7dcf660a4a51b864091949" target="_blank">http://politi.co/1M75UbX</a> ... 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