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Good Friday morning. SCOOP -- INTERNAL GOP TALKING POINTS AND PLANS FOR REPLACING OBAMACARE -- We literally have the song-sheet from which Republicans will theoretically be singing when it comes to the new health care law. Read the 19-page internal GOP document http://bit.ly/2lY6crR
IT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY. Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress for the first time in more than a decade. After eight years of Barack Obama, GOP lawmakers had big plans: repeal Obamacare, overhaul the tax code, pass a massive infrastructure, just to name a few. But so far, Republicans have made little progress on any of President Donald Trump’s grandiose campaign promises and the daily dramas of his administration are starting to take their toll on everyone, most notably elected officials on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue. Republicans say they won’t be distracted by his tweets or his missives, but they are starting to be the defining characteristic of his administration. Trump’s press conference on Thursday was supposed to be a reset moment. Instead, the event became an extended sideshow of epic proportions. It’s unclear how, or if, Trump will be able to lead his administration into calmer waters. He was dealt another blow Thursday when Robert Harward, a well-regarded retired vice admiral, turned down the national security adviser job.
FASCINATING NYT A1 -- Photo of NBC’s Peter Alexander fact-checking President Trump, with Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller looking back at him. HEADLINES: “An Aggrieved President Stands Up for Himself … TRUMP DELIVERS HEATED DEFENSE OF FIRST MONTH -- SAYS ‘I INHERITED A MESS’: Dismisses Reports That Aides Had Contact With Russia … Meager Gains for Republicans On Bold Legislative To-Do List” http://nyti.ms/2kwInv1
-- N.Y. POST -- “WILDEST SHOW ON EARTH: Ringmaster Don whips media in epic rant” http://nyp.st/2kQvZBT
JOSH DAWSEY and ALEX ISENSTADT: “Trump unleashes fury after four long weeks”: “After stewing in anger during four rocky weeks in the White House, President Donald Trump had his say on Thursday. He spent 80 minutes in an impromptu East Room news conference shredding his critics, relitigating the election, bragging about his crowds, crowing about his accomplishments and denying, deflecting and obfuscating a series of mushrooming bad stories that have dogged his presidency and depressed his approval ratings. It was an extraordinary scene in the White House, which Trump essentially turned into a venue for a campaign rally, trashed the country's most influential news outlets, cited approval polls and spread misinformation. It came two days before Trump hits the road for a campaign rally in Florida, where he said the crowds will be ‘massive.’
“‘I won,’ Trump said at one point, explaining to the media why they weren’t important, even as he dissected their coverage and said he coveted better stories. ‘The people get it.’ He put blame at the feet of his predecessor, Barack Obama, as he lamented that his administration doesn’t get the credit it deserves. ‘To be honest, I inherited a mess. It’s a mess. At home and abroad, a mess,’ he said. Trump said he was baffled by the ‘hatred coming from the media, and insisted that he’s being unfairly picked on -- ‘I’m really not a bad person, by the way.’” http://politi.co/2lqgHH6
-- “In 77 Chaotic Minutes, Trump Defends ‘Fine-Tuned Machine’,” by NYT’s Michael Shear, Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush: “President Trump, smarting from a series of crises, moved his surrogates aside on Thursday and assigned the rescue of his month-old presidency to the only spokesman he’s ever really trusted — himself. For days, a frustrated and simmering president fumed inside the West Wing residence about what aides said he saw as his staff’s inadequate defense and the ineffectiveness of his own tweets. Over the objections of some top advisers who wanted to steer him away from confrontation, Mr. Trump demanded to face the media, determined to reject the narrative that his administration is sinking into chaos, scandal and incompetence. … ‘I turn on the T.V., open the newspapers and I see stories of chaos,’ Mr. Trump said as he attempted — with little discipline — to read from prepared remarks listing his accomplishments since being inaugurated one month ago. ‘Chaos. Yet it is the exact opposite. This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine.’” http://nyti.ms/2m1qYXh
WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO BE TALKING ABOUT -- @realDonaldTrump at 5:13 a.m.: “Despite the long delays by the Democrats in finally approving Dr. Tom Price, the repeal and replacement of ObamaCare is moving fast!" ... at 6:38 a.m. "Going to Charleston, South Carolina, in order to spend time with Boeing and talk jobs! Look forward to it." ... at 6:43 a.m. "Thank you for all of the nice statements on the Press Conference yesterday. Rush Limbaugh said one of greatest ever. Fake media not happy!"
WHY HARWARD BAILED -- “Retired admiral balks at Trump’s national security adviser offer,” by Bryan Bender with Daniel Lippman, Eli Stokols, Tara Palmeri, Eliana Johnson, and Michael Crowley: “Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward has turned down an offer from President Donald Trump to be national security adviser, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation, raising new questions whether a White House in turmoil can find a permanent replacement for Michael Flynn. Harward, a former deputy to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, was seen by many as a steadying hand after Flynn’s tumultuous tenure atop the National Security Council. … [A]ccording to an individual familiar with Harward’s thinking, the former Navy SEAL who served on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush turned down the Trump offer because he did not receive sufficient assurances about staffing and autonomy. Specifically, the source said Harward wanted commitments that the National Security Council would be fully in charge of security matters, not Trump's political advisers. And he wanted to be able to select his own staff.” http://politi.co/2kwBoCj
-- @jaketapper: “A friend of Harward’s says he was reluctant to take NSA job bc the WH seems so chaotic; says Harward called the offer a ‘s*** sandwich.’”
WHAT JEFF SESSIONS IS READING -- “Flynn in FBI interview denied discussing sanctions with Russian ambassador,” by WaPo’s Sari Horwitz and Adam Entous: “Former national security adviser Michael Flynn denied to FBI agents in an interview last month that he had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with that country’s ambassador to the United States before President Trump took office, contradicting the contents of intercepted communications collected by intelligence agencies, current and former U.S. officials said. The Jan. 24 interview potentially puts Flynn in legal jeopardy. Lying to the FBI is a felony offense. But several officials said it is unclear whether prosecutors would attempt to bring a case, in part because Flynn may parse the definition of the word ‘sanctions.’ He also followed his denial to the FBI by saying he couldn’t recall all of the conversation, officials said. Any decision to prosecute would ultimately lie with the Justice Department.” http://wapo.st/2lpb6S0
UNREST IN FOGGY BOTTOM -- “State Dept. carries out layoffs under Rex Tillerson,” by CBS News’ Margaret Brennan and Kylie Atwood: “While Rex Tillerson is on his first overseas trip as Secretary of State, his aides laid off staff at the State Department on Thursday. Much of the seventh-floor staff, who work for the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and the Counselor offices, were told [Thursday] that their services were no longer needed. These staffers in particular are often the conduit between the secretary’s office to the country bureaus, where the regional expertise is centered. Inside the State Department, some officials fear that this is a politically-minded purge that cuts out much-needed expertise from the policy-making, rather than simply reorganizing the bureaucracy.
“There are clear signals being sent that many key foreign policy portfolios will be controlled directly by the White House, rather than through the professional diplomats. Not a single State Department official was included in the White House meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner - who has no regional expertise or diplomatic experience - had a greater role in the meeting than the Senate-confirmed secretary of State.” http://cbsn.ws/2lqfSyf
--“Tillerson Forced to Stay at Sanitarium in German Village for G-20,” by Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams and Patrick Donahue: “On his first trip abroad as U.S. secretary of state, Rex Tillerson was forced to stay at a sanitarium in a German village known for its hot springs, 30 minutes from where other world leaders gathered. Diplomatic security agents mingled in the parking lot with elderly people in wheelchairs arriving for spa treatments. Tillerson, the former head of Exxon Mobil Corp., was at the sanitarium because Bonn’s hotels were all booked by the time he confirmed his attendance at this week’s Group of 20 meeting. … The unusual diplomatic debut continued during an awkward encounter with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. After Lavrov delivered some perfunctory opening remarks alongside Tillerson, U.S. aides quickly ushered reporters from the room. ‘Why did they shush them out?’ Lavrov asked.” http://bloom.bg/2lS0zzg
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER -- “Officials: Mike Dubke to be named as White House communications director,” by CNN’s Jim Acosta and Euan McKirdy: “Crossroads Media founder Mike Dubke is expected to be named as White House Communications Director, two administration officials tell CNN. The appointment is expected to be announced as early as Friday … The expected appointment is rankling some inside the White House, with longtime Trump loyalists inside and outside the West Wing saying they would have preferred a veteran from the campaign.” http://cnn.it/2kwv2ml
JUST ANOTHER DAY AT 1600 -- “White House dismisses 6 over failed background checks,” by Tara Palmeri: “Several White House staffers were dismissed Thursday morning after failing FBI background checks, according to sources familiar with the matter. Some of the aides were ‘walked out of the building by security’ on Wednesday after not passing the SF86, a Questionnaire for National Security Positions for security clearance. Among those who won’t be working at the White House [anymore] was President Donald Trump’s director of scheduling, Caroline Wiles, the daughter of Susan Wiles, Trump’s Florida campaign director and former chief of staff to Governor Rick Scott. ... Two sources close to Wiles said she will get another job in Treasury.” http://politi.co/2m18JRQ
CLICKER -- “Donald Trump: 28 Days Later,” by Henry C. Jackson and Matt Nussbaum: “So far, Trump has signed at least 23 executive actions, signed five bills into law, seen 12 members of his Cabinet confirmed and sent 168 (undeleted) tweets.” http://politi.co/2kwGZbB
TAX REFORM UPDATE -- “Ryan struggles to sell tax reform plan to fellow Republicans,” by Rachael Bade, Burgess Everett and Eliana Johnson: “Paul Ryan showed up to Senate Republicans’ weekly lunch on Tuesday hoping to salvage a controversial pillar of his tax reform plan that would change how imports and exports are taxed. ‘Keep your powder dry,’ the House speaker pleaded. The next day, Sen. Tom Cotton took to the Senate floor to slam Ryan’s so-called border adjustment tax, saying ‘some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe them. Many other senators share these concerns and we most certainly will not “keep our powder dry,”’ Cotton went on, without naming the speaker in his speech.
“The sequence was an ominous sign for a linchpin of Ryan’s tax plan -- and perhaps for the prospects of tax reform happening at all. The border adjustment tax would generate more than a trillion dollars over a decade; there’s no obvious way to replace that money, which is needed to help pay for a steep cut in corporate and income taxes. In meetings with administration officials and Senate leaders, Ryan has framed his proposal as a compromise between a tariff, which the president wants, and conservative orthodoxy against border taxes. He has suggested it’s in keeping with President Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ mantra, since it would reward American manufacturers that make products here and sell it abroad. But the idea is sharply dividing Republicans — even within the White House.” http://politi.co/2kEURvK
GRAND JURY ALERT -- “FBI Searches for Possible Accomplices in Probe of Fallen K Street Lobbyist: Investigators are examining tens of millions of dollars in transactions between Washington consulting firms and former Genentech lobbyist Evan Morris,” by WSJ’s Brody Mullins: “A federal grand jury has obtained records from companies tied to a prominent Washington consultant in the government investigation involving Evan Morris, a former drug-industry lobbyist suspected of embezzling millions of dollars, said people familiar with the matter. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Mr. Morris was suspected by authorities of siphoning money from his employers, Genentech Inc. and Roche Holding AG, to pay for real estate and a lavish lifestyle of food, wine and golf. He died in 2015.
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department are looking at whether media strategist James Courtovich or any employee of National Media Inc., where he was formerly a consultant, had knowingly assisted Mr. Morris to hide unlawful payments or kickbacks, the people familiar with the matter said. Prosecutors are examining financial records from Genentech and Mr. Morris’s personal bank account that show Mr. Morris gave tens of millions of dollars’ worth of business from 2005 to 2015 to three companies with ties to Mr. Courtovich, including National Media, according to people familiar with the matter and records viewed by the Journal. The companies sent millions of dollars to Mr. Morris’s personal bank account, the records show.
“‘Any attempt to portray National Media Inc. other than as an innocent party and victim of deception would be grossly inaccurate,’ said Evan Tracey, a National Media senior vice president. He said previously the firm’s account with Genentech had appropriate contracts, purchase orders and ‘a clearly defined approval and verification process.’ … Eric Lewis, a lawyer for Mr. Courtovich and one of Mr. Courtovich’s firms, Sphere Consulting LLC, said Sphere has cooperated with the government. ‘It is our understanding that multiple companies, in addition to Sphere, provided documents in connection with the investigation of Mr. Morris,’ he said. ‘During our communications with the government we have been given no indication that Sphere or any of its employees are targets of any investigation.’ Mr. Lewis said Sphere’s strict accounting controls ‘required full documentation prior to the release of any reimbursement checks.’” http://on.wsj.com/2l01cFs ... Brody's original blockbuster http://on.wsj.com/2lbbEuD
THE JUICE …
-- RECESS WARNING …. The House Sergeant at Arms sent an email to offices yesterday reminding them of the “significance of maintaining an enhanced security awareness in your District” ahead of the week-long congressional recess. The email http://politi.co/2kFr4mG
-- SPOTTED -- SNL’s Kate McKinnon dining with HILLARY CLINTON at Orso in New York Wednesday night. McKinnon, of course, played Clinton on SNL during the campaign. Pic http://bit.ly/2lqmkVT
-- JOHN KERRY is headed back to Yale as the college’s first-ever distinguished fellow for global affairs. “A 1966 graduate of Yale College, Kerry will return to his alma mater to oversee the Kerry Initiative, an interdisciplinary program that will tackle pressing global challenges through teaching, research, and international dialogue,” per a release.
-- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- Veteran Democratic operatives Krista Zuzenak and Missy Kurek are launching a strategic partnership, mKz Strategies and Events. The two former members of the DCCC executive leadership have raised more than half a billion dollars and planned more than 1,000 events. Kurek most recently served as deputy executive director for the DCCC and political director for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Zuzenak ran the DCCC’s events operation for seven years.
-- MWWPR has hired Amy Dacey, the DNC’s former CEO, to run the firm's D.C. office. Her official title is executive vice president and managing director of issues management and public affairs.
HAPPENING TODAY -- PRESIDENT TRUMP is going to Boeing in Charleston, South Carolina, then retreating to Mar-a-lago. VP PENCE is en route to Munich this morning. He'll meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Latvian President Raimonds Vējonis, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
TIM ALBERTA PROFILES MARK SANFORD: “‘I’m a Dead Man Walking’”: “None of this feels normal. The congressman greets me inside his Washington office wearing a wrinkly collared shirt with its top two buttons undone, faded denim jeans and grungy, navy blue Crocs that expose his leather-textured feet. Nearing the end of our 30-minute interview, he cancels other appointments and extends our conversation by an hour. He repeatedly brings up his extramarital affair, unsolicited, pointing to the lessons learned and relationships lost. He acknowledges and embraces his own vulnerability—political, emotional and otherwise. He veers on and off the record, asking himself rhetorical questions, occasionally growing teary-eyed, and twice referring to our session as ‘my Catholic confessional.’ And then he does the strangest thing of all: He lays waste to the president of his own party. Most Republicans in Washington are biting their tongues when it comes to Donald Trump, fearful that any candid criticisms of the new president could invite a backlash from their constituents or, potentially worse, provoke retribution from the commander in chief himself. Mark Sanford is not like most Republicans in Washington.” http://politi.co/2lUSmHq
PLOUFFE FINED -- “Former Obama aide fined $90,000 for illegally lobbying Emanuel on Uber’s behalf,” by Chicago Tribune’s Bill Ruthhart and Hal Dardick: “A former Uber senior executive who once served as Barack Obama’s campaign manager has been fined $90,000 by the Chicago Board of Ethics for illegally lobbying Mayor Rahm Emanuel on behalf of the ride-sharing company. The board voted 5-0 to find that David Plouffe violated city ethics rules by failing to register as a lobbyist after contacting Emanuel to help the company on regulations for picking up travelers at Chicago’s two airports. Plouffe’s lobbying violation only became public after Emanuel in December released hundreds of personal emails related to public business under the pressure of two open records lawsuits alleging the mayor violated the state's open records law.” http://trib.in/2ldSySl
WORTH WATCHING -- “Trump family’s elaborate lifestyle is a ‘logistical nightmare’ — at taxpayer expense,” by WaPo’s Drew Harwell, Amy Brittain and Jonathan O’Connell: “Barely a month into the Trump presidency, the unusually elaborate lifestyle of America’s new first family is straining the Secret Service and security officials, stirring financial and logistical concerns in several local communities, and costing far beyond what has been typical for past presidents — a price tag that, based on past assessments of presidential travel and security costs, could balloon into the hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of a four-year term. Adding to the costs and complications is Trump’s inclination to conduct official business surrounded by crowds of people ... The handful of government agencies that bear the brunt of the expenses, including the Defense and Homeland Security departments, have not responded to Washington Post requests for data laying out the costs since Trump took office.” http://wapo.st/2lUGB3z
PLAYBOOK INBOX -- From Donald J. Trump with the subject line “You’re our last line of defense,” sent yesterday at 2:26 p.m.: “[Y]ou -- the American people -- are our last line of defense against the media’s hit jobs. You are our greatest asset in helping our movement deliver the truth to the American people. Which is why I need you to take the Mainstream Media Accountability Survey to do your part to fight back against the media’s attacks and deceptions.” 25 question survey http://bit.ly/2le1ZBc
MICHAEL ANTON PROFILE – “Michael Anton is the most interesting man in the White House,” by Yahoo’s Hunter Walker: “He’s a Renaissance man who has developed a following as an expert on bespoke menswear. From 2009-2010, Anton told Yahoo News, he worked in the kitchen of L’Ecole, a now defunct Michelin-recommended French restaurant in Manhattan that was operated by the International Culinary Center cooking school. He has 600 bottles of wine in his personal collection and makes meals at home with Japanese chef’s knives that he sharpens by hand.” https://yhoo.it/2kFb1oD
CONFIRMATION WATCH -- “E.P.A. Workers Try to Block Pruitt in Show of Defiance,” by NYT’s Coral Davenport: “Employees of the [EPA] have been calling their senators to urge them to vote on Friday against the confirmation of Scott Pruitt, President Trump’s contentious nominee to run the agency, a remarkable display of activism and defiance that presages turbulent times ahead for the E.P.A. Many of the scientists, environmental lawyers and policy experts who work in E.P.A. offices around the country say the calls are a last resort for workers who fear a nominee selected to run an agency he has made a career out of fighting — by a president who has vowed to ‘get rid of’ it.” http://nyti.ms/2ldSGBj
-- “Where’s The Director Of National Intelligence?,” by NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly: “Call it the case of the mysterious moving confirmation hearing. Donald Trump nominated Dan Coats to the nation’s top intelligence post back on Jan. 7, when Trump was still president-elect and Coats -- an Indiana Republican -- was a sitting senator. But today -- nearly four weeks into the Trump administration -- there’s still no firm date on the calendar … Capitol Hill aides first told NPR that the confirmation hearing was slated for early February, then said the target date might shift to this week. [On Thursday], Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., told reporters he is aiming for the last week of February.” http://n.pr/2ldSHVI
OBAMA ALUMNI -- “The Rules of the Brave New Cyberworld: A chaotic, dangerous cyber-enabled landscape is on the horizon. Can Trump -- and the United States -- define the rules and harness the power to build and contain it?” by William Burns and Jared Cohen in Foreign Policy. http://atfp.co/2ldOMs8
LATE-NIGHT BEST -- STEPHEN COLBERT on TRUMP’s presser http://bit.ly/2m1y7qS
MEDIAWATCH -- “Jared Kushner Delivers Critique of CNN to Time Warner Executive,” by WSJ’s Keach Hagey and Damian Paletta: “Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, met with a senior Time Warner Inc. executive in recent weeks and expressed the administration’s deep concerns about CNN’s news coverage, according to a White House official and other people familiar with the matter. In a meeting at the White House, Mr. Kushner complained to Gary Ginsberg, executive vice president of corporate marketing and communications at CNN’s parent Time Warner, about what Mr. Kushner feels is unfair coverage slanted against the president.” http://on.wsj.com/2m19uKH
-- “Fox News anchor Heather Nauert in talks to be State Dept. spokesperson,” by Tara Palmeri and Hadas Gold: “Fox News anchor Heather Nauert is in talks to be named the next spokesperson for the State Department, multiple sources with knowledge of the talks tell POLITICO. ... Nauert, who has been with Fox since 1996 with a two-year break at ABC News, is currently a news anchor for the network’s morning show ‘Fox & Friends.’ According to her Fox News biography, she graduated from Mt. Vernon College with an undergraduate degree in communications and received her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.” http://politi.co/2m1dXx2
-- Martha Raddatz was honored by the National Press Foundation with the Sol Taishoff Excellence in Broadcasting Award last night at the Marriott Marquis. SPOTTED at the dinner: AshLee Strong, Brendan Buck, Lauren French, Doug Heye, Samantha Boyd, Caitlin Carroll, Riva Litman, Lauren Claffey, Poppy MacDonald, Caroline Fiddler, Jill Kerr, Ali Breland, Byron Tau, Jay Newton-Small, Jim Acosta, Rachel Hicks, and many more.
SPOTTED: John Heilemann, Arianna Huffington, Jeff Fager and Mika’s brother Mark at Prohibition for Joe Scarborough’s concert last night -- pic http://bit.ly/2kZW6ck -- Joe’s performance was also live streamed on the NASDAQ tower in Times Square – pic http://bit.ly/2kQu7t7 … former Sen. Bob Dole with a table of 8 at Tosca yesterday evening ... Karl Rove at DFW yesterday catching up with Rachel and Jack Oliver (Karl’s former Bush colleague) as the Olivers were heading to Cabo San Lucas for the long weekend … Howard Dean on 59th and 6th in Manhattan at 6 p.m. (h/t @Ganzarsko)
OUT AND ABOUT -- Entertainment Software Association celebrated its new offices Thursday night. SPOTTED: ESA President Mike Gallagher: Reps. Mimi Walters, John Ratcliffe, and Juan Vargas, Yebbie Watkins, Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Antonio Tijerno, AT&T’s Lyndon Boozer, U.S. Chamber’s Raymond Towle, Magic Leap’s Ali Amirhooshmand, Steve Elmendorf, CTA’s Tiffany Moore, GIPC’s Frank Cullen and Jared Parks, Clyde Group’s Aubrey Quinn and Alex Slater.
-- SPOTTED at yesterday’s S&P Global Open House to celebrate their newly renovated D.C. offices: former Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), Todd Wooten, Mike Ference, Courtney Geduldig, Darlene Rosenkoetter, Dave Guarino, Monique Frazier, Jackie Moran, Noelle Clemente, Justin Daly, former Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Summer Bravo
-- BuzzFeed Brews featured Tarini Parti interviewing members Thursday night from the House Freedom Caucus, including Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). SPOTTED: Matt Flegenheimer, Josh Dawsey, Tom Kaplan, Dave Weigel, Rosie Gray, Katie Glueck, Kevin Robillard, Asawin Suebsaeng, Shani Hilton, Kate Nocera, Chris Geidner, Paul McLeod, Emma Loop, Hayes Brown, Sarah Mimms, Katie Rayford, Melissa Brown, Madeleine Weast, Nihal Krishan.
--SPOTTED at Steve Clemons’ house last night to celebrate his husband Andrew Oros’ newly published third book, “Japan’s Security Renaissance: New Policies and Politics for the 21st Century,” out March 7: British ambassador Sir Kim and Lady Darroch, French Ambassador Gerard Araud, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Margaret Carlson, Josh and Ali Weinberg, Becky Weinberg whose husband Max is drummer in E Street Band, Uri Friedman, Pam Stevens, Glen Fukushima, Matt Wuerker, Jonathan Rauch, Shelly Porges and Rich Wilhelm, intelligence writer James Bamford, Jeff Carneal, Eleanor Clift, Sid and Jackie Blumenthal, Kevin Chaffee, and many more. Pre-order -- $27.90 on Amazon http://amzn.to/2lpqEoI
TRANSITIONS -- Visa hired Marni Goldberg as the company’s new senior director of public affairs in their D.C. office. She previously served in the Obama administration as the director of public affairs for former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. ... The Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s Nick Magallanes begins today as senior director of government relations at PhRMA ... Mike Connolly has joined PA State Treasurer Joe Torsella as his communications director. Most recently he was director of military and veteran affairs at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and worked on the O’Malley campaign. ... Duke Energy has hired Louis Renjel as its new VP of federal government affairs and strategic policy. http://prn.to/2lS96Cn … Malala Fund just announced a new CEO, Farah Mohamed, who will be taking over from Meighan Stone. Farah comes to the Fund from G(irls)20, an organization she founded dedicated to girls’ education and employment. http://bit.ly/2kZDwRi
WELCOME TO THE WORLD -- Julia Lawless, comms director for the Senate Finance Committee under Chairman Hatch, and Jonathan Lawless, VP of product development and affordable housing at Fannie Mae, emailed friends and family: “Zane Alexander Lawless was born at 4:54 am on 2/15, weighing 7 lbs and 1 oz and measuring 18.5 inches. He is a chill baby. He and mom are doing really well, and big sister Maeve thrilled to take on her new role.” Pic http://politi.co/2kETNbb
SUNDAY SO FAR -- CBS’ “Face the Nation”: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) ... Mike Morell and Tom Donilon. Political panel: Bob Woodward, Jeffrey Goldberg, Indira Lakshmanan, and Michael Graham
--NBC’ “Meet the Press”: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Panel: David Brooks, Former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Hugh Hewitt, Amy Walter
--“Fox News Sunday”: Rush Limbaugh … Power Player: Bao Bao. Panel: Karl Rove, Mo Elleithee, Kimberley Strassel, Charles Lane
--CNN’s “State of the Union,” anchored by Jim Sciutto: Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Panel: Amanda Carpenter, Nina Turner, Rick Santorum, Jason Kander
--CNN’s “Inside Politics,” guest-hosted by Nia-Malika Henderson: Julie Pace, Ryan Lizza, Jackie Kucinich, Manu Raju
BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Robert Allbritton, who had dinner last night at Rasika and is celebrating with a ski trip this weekend with family and friends (hat tip: Elena)
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Betsy Fischer Martin, the pride of New Orleans, Bloomberg Politics podcast host, and executive in residence at AU – she’s celebrating with JMart and her daughter at dinner tonight, more friends in NYC over the weekend and then New Orleans next weekend for Mardi Gras – read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2kZR4MI
BIRTHDAYS: Kristin Roberts, executive editor of McClatchy Washington and a Politico alum ... Dianna Heitz, assistant managing editor at CNN Politics and a Politico alum ... Ashley Berrang, comms director for Sen. Shelley Moore Capito -- Ashley is a new mom to baby Charlie Berrang, who was born on January 27 – the same day as his dad, Alex Berrang -- pic http://bit.ly/2lpuNZM (h/t Capito Press Team) .... Curtis Tate, McClatchy D.C. bureau Washington correspondent and train expert, who won the National Press Foundation’s Feddie Award last year ... Sean Cartwright ... White House Deputy Political Director Brian Jack is 29 -- he’s celebrating with friends at a tacky chain restaurant (h/ts Rebecca Coffman and David Pasch) ... Surya Gunasekara, COS to Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) ... Mark Shriver, president of Save the Children Action Network (h/t Allie Wright) ... Keegan Goudiss, partner at Revolution Messaging and one of the gurus behind Bernie’s innovative advertising strategy last year (h/ts Lisa Leonard and Sean Johnson) ... Lachlan Markay, reporter at Washington Free Beacon ... Spence Geissinger ... Shantanu Chandra, advisory manager at PwC Advisory ... Richard W. Pinto Jr. of Fabiani & Company ... Cara Camacho, back at Treasury after a stint at the NSC ... Drew Cantor … Ted Gavin ... Barbara Shipley (h/ts Jon Haber) ... Brian Cohen, executive director of the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life (the Columbia / Barnard Hillel) ... Filmmaker Michael Bay is 52 (h/ts Jewish Insider) … Politico’s Kelsey Tamborrino and Lindsey Sullivan ... Greg Matusky of Gregory FCA Public Relations ... Andrew Bilski … Hon. Robert A. Carpentier (h/t Gary) ... Justin Fairfax, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, celebrating this morning with supporters at a breakfast at Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown on Wisconsin and N Streets (h/t Marina and Joe McCarthy) ... Reuters alum Edith Honan, now a freelancer in Kenya …
... Danielle Most, the pride of Hastings, Minnesota and legislative director for the “fighting Fifth” district of Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) (h/t Peter Cherukuri) … Samantha Vinograd, public policy at Stripe and alum of Goldman Sachs and NSC ... Frederick “Freddie” Hill, comms. director for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and an Issa/OGR alum (h/t Lauren Hammond) … Alison Kutler ... Kelsey Rohwer, PR and comms manager at 360i, is 26 … Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is 53 ... Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) is 54 ... former Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) is 65 ... Adam Benson, VP of public policy and comms at Vrge Strategies and a Dingell alum ... Alicia Davis ... James Lynch, client services director at Ari Fleischer Communications, is 3-0 ... Alex Sutton is 51 ... Deborah M. Hohlt ... Allison Hunn, Obama WH alum now a law student at UC Berkeley … Ali McLaughlin, editorial project manager at U.S. News & World Report ... Shana Marchio ... Bush 43 WH alum Skyla Freeman ... Ashley Graham ... Dave Cieslewicz ... Mike Sager ... Eric Traczyk (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Frederick Velez Burgos, scheduler for Rep. Jose Serrano ... David Carriero ... Emmanual An’Twain Guillory ... Michael Jordan is 54 ... Larry, the Cable Guy is 54 ... Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 36 ... Paris Hilton is 36 (h/ts AP)