Driving the Day
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NICE PARKING JOB! -- A Playbooker sends this photo of a particularly bad parking job from the parking lot reserved for members of Congress at DCA. http://bit.ly/2oCMqET Will anyone own up to this one?
Story Continued Below
QUITE THE QUOTE -- PENCE at the DMZ -- PANMUNJOM, South Korea (AP) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says era of strategic patience is over with North Korea. Ken Thomas's story from South Korea http://apne.ws/2ohiFIM
-- HEADLINE THAT WAS LOST ON EASTER SUNDAY: Trump Said to Not Shy Away From Sudden Strike on North Korea, by Bloombergs Jen Jacobs and Michelle Jamrisko: In the wake of North Koreas failed medium-range missile test this weekend, President Donald Trump is willing to consider ordering kinetic military action, including a sudden strike, to counteract North Koreas destabilizing actions in the region, said a person familiar with the White Houses thinking.
But Trumps very strong preference is for China to take the lead on dealing with North Korea, said the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Trumps strategy isnt exactly a departure from long-standing U.S. policy. He isnt particularly interested in toppling the regime of leader Kim Jong Un and isnt looking to force a reunification of the two Koreas, the person said. He instead wants to push for their long-term cooperation. https://bloom.bg/2nTOiMa
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WELL PUT -- Robert Litwak of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in David Sanger and William Broads Page Oner in the NYT about North Korea: the Cuban missile crisis in slow motion. http://nyti.ms/2nU7bi0
NOTE FROM THE WEST WING -- White House insiders are particularly pleased that they have another week with Congress out of town, hoping they can keep their momentum from last week going for another few days. Remember: When Congress returns next week, Washington will be thrown into full shutdown mode. The government shuts down a week from Friday. ALSO: National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster will return from Afghanistan, and is expected to brief members of the administration on what he saw there. VP Mike Pence is in South Korea and will visit Japan, Indonesia and Australia, in a trip that looks awfully presidential. (NYT: How Trumps Travel Compares With Past Presidents http://nyti.ms/2pHNtmc)
-- THE TIMES OF LONDON: Trump demands goldplated welcome: President insists on a carriage journey down The Mall to Buckingham Palace, by Francis Elliott and Fiona Hamilton: Donald Trump waving from the Queens royal carriage is not a scenario many would have foreseen a year ago, but it has become a very real prospect, forcing security services to plan an unprecedented lockdown. The White House has made clear it regards the carriage procession down the Mall as an essential element of the itinerary for the visit currently planned for the second week of October, according to officials. Security sources have warned, however, that the procession will require a monster security operation, far greater than for any recent state visit. http://bit.ly/2oOz1vc
-- BUZZ AT 1600 PENNSYLVANIA: CONCERNS ABOUT PULLING OFF THE EASTER EGG ROLL: While there is certainly plenty of heavy world matters to discuss, Trumps White House has another high hurdle: putting on a smooth White House Easter Egg Roll. The annual event should be an easy, fun photo op. But it will be the first time since Trumps inauguration where crowd size and overall organization will be on public display. And the politics of who gets a ticket is a classic display of Washington political currency. We hear agency officials were doling out handfuls of tickets as recently as late last week.
TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON SPECIAL ELECTIONS -- @realDonaldTrump at 8:49 p.m.: The recent Kansas election (Congress) was a really big media event, until the Republicans won. Now they play the same game with Georgia-BAD! The election is tomorrow.
-- THE LATEST FROM THE PEACH STATE: Warring Republicans try to unite against Ossoff in Georgias Sixth, by the Atlanta Journal Constitutions Greg Bluestein: Fractious Georgia Republicans tried to unite behind a stop Jon Ossoff movement ahead of Tuesdays special election to represent a suburban Atlanta district, with party leaders urging voters to stream to the polls and prevent an upset victory by the Democrat.
Republicans face a daunting enthusiasm gap in the 18-candidate race to represent the 6th District, and the leading GOP contenders have spent the final days feuding with each other. Ossoff, one of five Democrats in the race, is leading in the polls and aiming for an outright victory in Tuesdays vote.
At a GOP voter drive in the districts western flank of Marietta, about 30 volunteers and officials turned out to make calls and listen to several likely Republican statewide candidates. This is personal, said Attorney General Chris Carr, who lives in Dunwoody. We have great candidates. But whoever you support is better than the other side. They are trying to embarrass us, but lets show them this district is Republican red. Ill be very blunt: These lines were not drawn to get Hank Johnsons protg to be my representative. And you didnt hear that, said [state Sen. Fran] Millar. They were not drawn for that purpose, OK? They were not drawn for that purpose. http://on-ajc.com/2pHUl2N
CLICKER -- DAILY MAIL -- A picture perfect moment! Barack and Michelle Obama pose on billionaire David Geffens superyacht during day out with Oprah, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks in French Polynesia http://dailym.ai/2poXqbD
KNOWING MIKE CONAWAY -- PAGE ONE OF THE TIMES -- Unfamiliar Spotlight for Texan Taking Lead on Russia Inquiry, by Emmarie Huetteman in Midland, Texas: President Trump does not know Mike Conaway. A Republican congressman from a long brush stroke of West Texas, Mr. Conaway recalled meeting with him at the White House with other House Republicans. And he has shaken hands with Mr. Trump, a standard, 500-people-on-a-rope-line, shaken-hand kind of thing. He wouldnt know me from third base, Mr. Conaway said.
Whether he has exchanged pleasantries with the president may not have mattered before, but it does now. Mr. Conaway is taking over the House Intelligence Committees investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election. He is replacing Representative Devin Nunes, the California Republican whose suspiciously cozy relationship with Mr. Trump derailed the inquiry before he was ultimately forced to step aside. ...
He parlayed a football scholarship into a career in accounting in Midland, Tex., which brought him to Mr. Bush. He became the chief financial officer of Mr. Bushs oil and gas company, which ultimately faltered with the falling oil prices of the mid-1980s. About a decade later, Mr. Bush, by then governor of Texas, appointed Mr. Conaway to a state board overseeing other accountants. In some ways, a hometown-boy aura has followed him throughout his life. Mr. Conaway won his seat in 2004, the beneficiary of efforts by state Republicans who redrew districts with the clear intent of electing him and a handful of others to Congress. http://nyti.ms/2om5kOB
****** A message from UC Davis: At UC Davis, unusual collaborations in veterinary medicine, human health and engineering lead to groundbreaking treatments for beloved pets and other animals, from furry to feathered. Those breakthroughs lead to translatable human medicine. Its a One Health approach that benefits the health of all. Learn more at 21stcentury.ucdavis.edu. ******
READ WSJS RICH RUBIN, MR. PRESIDENT -- Trumps Renewed Focus on Health Bill Vexes GOP Tax Overhaul Strategy: Political shuffle underscores knotty relationship between budgetary priorities: Mr. Trump signaled last week that one of the reasons he has reprioritized health care is that he was relying on savings from the health bill to bolster the tax plan. If the health plan is signed, we get hundreds of millions of dollars in savings that goes into the taxes, said Mr. Trump said in an interview Wednesday. Could we do it without health care? Absolutely but its a cleaner package if we get health care done.
The budget reality isnt that straightforward. Budgetary savings from a health bill dont get plowed into the tax bill, so the lack of a health bill wouldnt necessarily change the tax-bill math. There is also no requirement that the health bill come first. But the two pieces of legislation are interrelated because the GOP health bill would eliminate discrete taxes created as part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, smoothing the process of passing a broader tax overhaul. ...
On one hand, the delay on tax policy gives lawmakers more time to reach a deal on taxes, which has proven elusive so far. But the strategy and sequencing also leaves the tax overhaul waiting behind a messy health care bill and a 2018 budget resolution, which is necessary to trigger a reconciliation bill. Republicans on Capitol Hill worry that they may not be able to adopt a 2018 budget resolution because of intraparty disagreements on spending. http://on.wsj.com/2oFBvMb
-- WHAT HILL INSIDERS ARE SAYING: Republicans will be tempted to pass a straight corporate and individual tax cut, and skip overall tax reform. A disappointment, for sure, but an easier victory for lawmakers on the Hill in the leadup to the midterm elections next year. We still bet they try to swing for the fences and go for a big overhaul.
TRUMPS WORLD -- Trump learning to love Bush aides, by Tara Palmeri: Throughout his presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly declared that the last thing we need is another Bush, as he vowed to take on two political dynasties the Bushes and the Clintons. But as president, Trump has been increasingly dipping into the talent pool from the George W. Bush administration that he regularly vilified during the campaign to now fill critical administration posts. Trump promised to drain the swamp and instead rely on Washington outsiders, but nearly 100 days into his term, the staffing and political realities have set in, and his team has been turning to some of the top old hands of the Bush administration. Just this past week, the White House sent out a press release announcing the nomination of four confirmation-level hires, with three out of the four being former Bush administration staffers. http://politi.co/2nU6bun
GREAT BEHIND-THE-SCENES DETAILS -- 2018 WATCH -- Can the consumer watchdog Trump loathes win an election in Ohio?, by Lorraine Woellert, Daniel Strauss and Ben White: Gary Cohn gave Richard Cordray, the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an ultimatum over dinner a few weeks ago: Go the easy way, or go the hard way. Cohn, President Donald Trumps top economic adviser, had heard the rumors that Cordray wanted to run for governor in Ohio. He left dinner that night thinking that they were true, according to people familiar with the meeting. So the White House decided to hold off on firing Cordray. Trump didnt want to cause a sensation that could boost his candidacy and juice his fundraising.
Cordray -- whose five-year term expires next July -- has yet to announce his political intentions and his window for launching a gubernatorial campaign is starting to close. But whether or not Trump ultimately decides to fire him, he may already have enough political support to lead the field to replace Republican Gov. John Kasich in 2018. http://politi.co/2pHKpXl
SCOOP -- Trump expected to pick Treasury veteran as top bank cop, by Ben White and Victoria Guida: President Donald Trump is expected to nominate former Treasury undersecretary Randy Quarles as the Federal Reserve's top bank regulator, a person close to the decision said. The selection would send a clear signal that the administration is looking to take a pragmatic approach to paring back bank regulation, rather than choosing an ideologue who would seek to eviscerate the rules enacted since the financial crisis. Quarles still needs to meet with the president, which will happen in the coming days, but he is likely to get the nod for the post, the most important bank regulatory position in government, barring unexpected developments. http://politi.co/2ohwPJR
CHRISTIE 2.0? -- Christie angling for a comeback, by Ryan Hutchins and Josh Dawsey: Chris Christie is enjoying significant influence in Trumps world, spearheading a new national anti-addiction effort, talking to the president several times per week, and recently spending much of two days in the Oval Office advising Trump. Its unclear exactly what Christie is angling for, besides attempting to repair his public standing. One person familiar with his thinking said the governor plans to go make some money when he leaves office, but hes clearly eager to keep other options open, possibly in Trumps administration. I think he feels very good. I think he feels very good at serving out two full terms, said Mike DuHaime, Christies longtime political strategist. Hes always enjoyed being out there, being active. http://politi.co/2ohH6FV
PART OF THE TEAM -- Hillary Clintons Campaign Turns Over Email List To DNC, by HuffPosts Sam Levine and Sam Stein: The [DNC] announced on Sunday that Hillary Clintons campaign had turned over its email list, giving the party a major boost as it rebuilds under a new chair and prepares for the midterm elections next year and the 2020 presidential race. The list, provided as an in-kind contribution from the Hillary for America campaign organization, includes more than 10 million new names that the DNC did not have on its voter files, according to both Clinton and DNC aides. The contribution was valued as $3.5 million. http://huff.to/2oOEUJ0
THE REINFORCEMENTS -- Pro-Trump group launches a $3 million ad campaign to prop up House allies, by WaPos Bob Costa: America First Policies, a pro-Trump nonprofit outfit ... is starting a $3 million advertising campaign to bolster a dozen House Republicans who publicly backed the health-care proposal that has stalled on Capitol Hill. ... The House Republicans receiving air support are: Gary Palmer (Ala.), Jeff Duncan (S.C.), David Schweikert (Ariz.), Keith Rothfus (Pa.), Rob Wittman (Va.), Tom Graves (Ga.), Scott R. Tipton (Colo.), Thomas Garrett (Va.), David Joyce (Ohio), Michael R. Turner (Ohio), Martha McSally (Ariz.) and Brian Mast (Fla.). http://wapo.st/2oD2KVV One of the ads http://bit.ly/2om9ZQt
TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK! IMF warnings of US protectionism rubbish, says [Wilbur] Ross, by FTs Shawn Donnan and Demetri Sevastopulo: The billionaire investor ... said veiled criticism by Ms Lagarde and other defenders of multilateralism about rising protectionism were clearly aimed at the new administration. It is! It is! And the response is very simple: we are the least protectionist of the major areas. We are far less protectionist than Europe. We are far less protectionist than Japan. We are far less protectionist than China, he told the Financial Times in an interview. ... [T]hey talk free trade. But in fact what they practise is protectionism. And every time we do anything to defend ourselves, even against the puny obligations that they have, they call that protectionism. Its rubbish. http://on.ft.com/2p9zsSb
FOR YOUR RADAR -- Opposition to challenge votes on expanding Erdogans powers, by APs Susan Frazer in Ankara: Turkeys main opposition party on Monday prepared to contest the results of a landmark referendum that gave a narrow victory to President Recep Tayyip Erdogans long-time plans to greatly expand the powers of his office. Turkey's electoral board confirmed the yes victory in Sunday's referendum and said the final results would be declared in 11-12 days. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the yes vote stood at 51.41 percent, while the no vote was 48.59 percent. The margin fell short of the sweeping victory Erdogan had sought in the referendum. Nevertheless, it could cement his hold on power in Turkey and is expected to have a huge effect on the countrys long-term political future and its international relations. http://apne.ws/2nU3itE
--Erdogan Claims Vast Powers in Turkey After Narrow Victory in Referendum, by NYTs Patrick Kingsley: The constitutional change will allow the winner of the 2019 presidential election to assume full control of the government, ending the current parliamentary political system. The ramifications, however, are immediate. The yes vote in the referendum is a validation of the current leadership style of Mr. Erdogan, who has been acting as a de facto head of government since his election in 2014 despite having no constitutional right to wield such power. The office of Turkeys president was meant to be an impartial role without full executive authority. http://nyti.ms/2ohzEuu
THE JUICE
-- DNC CHAIR TOM PEREZ and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are starting their six-day, eight-state tour today across the country as part of the Come Together and Fight Back tour. The tour is focused on needs of working families and building a Democratic Party which is strong and active in all 50 states, and a party which focuses on grassroots activism, according to an operative involved in the effort. The tour includes stops to Portland, Maine; Louisville, Kentucky; Miami; Dallas; Omaha, Nebraska; Salt Lake City, Utah; Mesa, Arizona; and Las Vegas.
-- SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) will be on the Today show tomorrow morning talking news of the day and about her new book.
PHOTO DU JOUR: Vice President Mike Pence arrives with military commanders at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War on April 17. | Lee Jin-man/AP Photo
REAL WORLD -- In Travis County custody case, jury will search for real Alex Jones, by the Austin American-Statesmans Jonathan Tilove: At a recent pretrial hearing, attorney Randall Wilhite told state District Judge Orlinda Naranjo that using his client Alex Jones on-air Infowars persona to evaluate Alex Jones as a father would be like judging Jack Nicholson in a custody dispute based on his performance as the Joker in Batman. Hes playing a character, Wilhite said of Jones. He is a performance artist. But in emotional testimony at the hearing, Kelly Jones, who is seeking to gain sole or joint custody of her three children with Alex Jones, portrayed the volcanic public figure as the real Alex Jones. Hes not a stable person, she said of the man with whom her 14-year-old son and 9- and 12-year-old daughters have lived since her 2015 divorce. ... He broadcasts from home. The children are there, watching him broadcast. http://atxne.ws/2p9jyah
WASHINGTON, INC. -- Inside the Hotel Industrys Plan to Combat Airbnb, by NYTs Katie Benner: The main prongs of the associations plan to constrain Airbnb include lobbying politicians and state attorneys general to reduce the number of Airbnb hosts, funding studies to show Airbnb is filled with people who are quietly running hotels out of residential buildings and highlighting how Airbnb hosts do not collect hotel taxes and are not subject to the same safety and security regulations that hotel operators must follow. The group said it would focus its efforts in key markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Washington and Miami. The efforts were spearheaded last year by Katherine Lugar, chief executive of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The trade group began to form alliances with politicians, affordable housing groups and neighborhood associations. The industry also forged relationships with hotel labor unions which it typically faces off against on many issues about dealing with Airbnb. http://nyti.ms/2ppcZQu
MEDIAWATCH -- "How a Tiny Florida Newspaper Became a Must-Read in the Trump Era," by Washingtonian's Ben Freed: The Palm Beach Daily News "or 'Shiny Sheet,' as its known to locals for the higher-than-usual-quality paper it prints on -- typically covers events at Palm Beach's charity galas, local real-estate transactions, and goings-on in town government. It's only got about 5,000 subscribers, but it's become required reading for a Washington that is still struggling to make sense of the 45th President. ... The Shiny Sheet doesn't score the big national-security or palace-intrigue scoops that deep-pocketed news organizations like the Washington Post and New York Times do, but its role as a chronicler of South Florida's swells has allowed it to break its share of presidential news." http://bit.ly/2pt6yJv
--"The Society Columnist [Shannon Donnelly] With a Front-Row Seat at Mar-a-Lago," by NYT's Katie Rogers: http://nyti.ms/2pI0uw6
FUTURE OF NEWS -- Instant recall: Facebooks Instant Articles promised to transform journalism -- but now big publishers are fleeing, by The Verges Casey Newton: [A]fter two years of experimenting with Instant Articles, many outlets appear to have had enough. The New York Times, which had been a launch partner for Instant Articles, abandoned the platform last fall. Vice News, Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and Hearst publications are among the large publishers who have joined it in leaving. Others are publishing a small handful of articles to the platform while pushing the majority of their readers to their own websites, including CNN, the New York Daily News, and the Wall Street Journal. http://bit.ly/2oCwEtG
****** A message from UC Davis: Ranked first in the world for veterinary medicine, UC Davis believes collaborating across disciplines in animal, human and environmental health is the best way to advance the health of all creatures great and small. Using this One Health approach to problem solving, our research much of which is federally funded is resulting in cost-saving, translatable treatments for cancer, breakthroughs in stem cell therapy, increased awareness and management of emerging zoonotic diseases, better protection for endangered species, and comprehensive responses to environmental crises like oil spills and floods. Learn more about UC Davis health innovation at 21stcentury.ucdavis.edu. ******
AGENCY WATCH -- EPA emerges as major target after Trump solicits policy advice from industry, by WaPos Juliet Eilperin: Just days after taking office, President Trump invited American manufacturers to recommend ways the government could cut regulations and make it easier for companies to get their projects approved. Industry leaders responded with scores of suggestions that paint the clearest picture yet of the dramatic steps that Trump officials are likely to take in overhauling federal policies, especially those designed to advance environmental protection and safeguard worker rights. Those clues are embedded in the 168 comments submitted to the government after Trump signed a presidential memorandum Jan. 24 instructing the Commerce Department to figure out how to ease permitting and trim regulations with the aim of boosting domestic manufacturing. The [EPA] has emerged as the primary target in these comments, accounting for nearly half, with the Labor Department in second place as the subject of more than one-fifth, according to a Commerce Department analysis. http://wapo.st/2psMZAQ
VALLEY TALK -- Selling Mark Zuckerberg: The Facebook CEOs likability blitz isnt a presidential campaign, its a focus group for his 1.8 billion constituents -- and part of a high stakes campaign to win your likes, by BuzzFeeds Nitasha Tiku: Zuckerberg, now a 32-year-old dad with one daughter and another on the way, has evolved considerably in the intervening decade. He hired speechwriters. He spruced up his uniform from Valley schlub to monochrome minimalism. He took on a series of annual self-improvement challenges that made him into a lifestyle guru for some male tech workers, according to the New York Times Style section. ... Now, Zuckerberg is even leading the charge for Silicon Valley tech CEOs who, post-election, have committed to leaving their bubble and interacting with the American public. http://bzfd.it/2pHIx0v
THE GLOBAL POLITICO PODCAST: Michael Anton wrote inflammatory essays backing Trump during last years campaign. Now hes in charge of explaining Trumps keep-em-guessing foreign policy at Trumps NSC. In an exclusive interview with Susan Glassers Global POLITICO podcast, Anton talks Syria, North Korea, Steve Bannon -- and the virtues of Trumps unpredictability. Not to mention whos best dressed in the White House, and why his intellectual hero Machiavelli would approve of the president. http://politi.co/2psW1ho Transcript http://politi.co/2p9lobh Subscribe http://apple.co/2kJ9q1U
SPOTTED -- HUD Secretary Ben Carson sitting in a middle seat in coach from Palm Beach to DCA Sunday evening Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin entering Brooks Brothers on Connecticut and Rhode Island avenues on Saturday afternoon Former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez at Cafe Milano Easter brunch.
ENGAGED KATIE GLUECK, senior political correspondent at McClatchy and a Politico alum, to MAOR COHEN, senior dedicated analyst at the Advisory Board who is attending Columbia Business School this fall -- she posts on Instagram: Best news I could ever break: were getting married!! So, so overjoyed and grateful to be doing life with my very favorite person #katiesamormaor #maorgetsglucky -- pic http://bit.ly/2pt6qtl
--Katie emails us the backstory: We were spending Passover in Boston with Maors family, and Maor told me he had bought our return tickets to Washington. But at the last minute, he told me those tickets were fake news, and that we weren't in fact returning to DC. It wasnt until we got to the airport gate that I learned we were actually going to Puerto Rico! We went for a walk on the beach at sunset that evening, and he popped the question. We met at a party hosted by a mutual friend on the Saturday after the 2012 election.
WEEKEND WEDDING -- #shepickedflowers: Darien B. Flowers, a policy advisor at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and former legislative aide to Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) married Kirsten Ferreira, an associate at the McChrystal Group in Miami, Florida, the brides hometown. Sean Conner, Uber lobbyist and former press secretary to Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), officiated the ceremony. Pics http://bit.ly/2oFdXqQ http://bit.ly/2ohrXEq
SPOTTED among the nearly 200 guests: Dan Henke of Monument Policy Group and a Pat Roberts alum, Lonald Wishom of Sen. Orrin Hatchs office, Emma Kenyon of Sen. Claire McCaskills office, Sophie White, aviation lobbyist formerly with Sen. McCaskill, Zephranie Buetow, deputy legislative director with Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), USAIDs Anna McCracken, Samuel Negatu, legislative counsel for Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) and Kay Hagan alum Johnnie Williams.
TRANSITIONS OBAMA ALUMNI -- Kevin Griffis has been named the vice president for communications at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. He previously served as the assistant secretary for public affairs at HHS under President Obama. http://politi.co/2p9jKGx
-- As Jill Hazelbaker moves into her new role leading policy and communications globally for Uber, Justin Kintz is taking over policy and communications in the Americas. He will continue to work out of Ubers Dupont Circle office. ... TJ Helmstetter, formerly the DNCs associate communications director, is now communications director at Americans for Tax Fairness, preparing for the fight against Trumps forthcoming tax plan.
BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Sefy Hendler, columnist for Haaretz and art history department chair at Tel Aviv University (hat tip: Ben Chang)
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Jim Acosta, CNNs senior White House correspondent, celebrating with family. Every free moment I have with my kids is precious. Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2ohBuvn
BIRTHDAYS: Ieva Augstums, deputy VP for comms. and public affairs at PhRMA, a Purple Strategies and AP alum NYT White House reporter Julie Hirschfeld Davis ... Angelo Roefaro of Sen. Schumers office and a Syracuse alum, is 33 ... Ben Butterfield Erika Soto Lamb, chief comms. officer at Everytown for Gun Safety ... Annie Hughes Rep. George Holding (R-N.C.) is 49 ... Tom Giovanetti, president of the Institute for Policy Innovation ... Alex Kellner, senior director at Bully Pulpit Interactive, a McAuliffe alum, and the best grillmaster in politics (h/t Rob Flaherty) ... Jackie Whisman of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation ... Dean Lieberman Deans last day at State was Friday, and hes going to backpack around Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, disconnect from the world and lounge at a beach bungalow for a few weeks (h/t Ben Chang) ... Emily Cooper, VP of global partnerships at Nat Geo Chris Durlak, managing director at Purple Strategies ... David Lindsey, executive editor of news and features at NatGeo and a Reuters, USA Today and WashPost alum (and Mike Allens editor, when he was the Arlington/Alexandria reporter) ... political consultant Will Leaverton Greg Lemon, comms director for Rep. Rob Wittman Alex Schaffer of Mothership Strategies (h/t Nicole Berns) ... Jennifer Laptook LaTourette of Van Scoyoc Associates ... CBOs Lara Robillard (h/ts Marda Robillard) ...
... Matt Kravitz, Center for Responsible Lending comms manager and Rep. Garamendi alum, celebrating with Passover macaroons that his wife Tamar Ariel baked him ... NYU political scientist and Monkey Cage blog co-author Joshua Tucker ... Shelly Banjo, retail, food and consumer columnist at Bloomberg Gadfly ... Politico alum Adekunle Ogunfolu ... Ellen Dargie, senior director of govt affairs and counsel at the Internet Association and an Issa alum Atul Shembekar ... Valentina Cano ... Susan Effler, marketing manager for Uber in Boston ... Melanie Griffin, not the actress but the writer and pastor (h/t Dan) ... John Spencer (Jack) Rodgers ... Matt Aks, MBA student at Harvard and an NSC and CEA alum ... Michael Myers, managing director at the Rockefeller Foundation ... Ed Gilroy, director of workforce policy at the House Education and Workforce Cmte. Sean Dalton, special assistant at the NTSB Trait Thompson, avid Aggies follower John Collins Rachel Pryor ... Clay Hanna, who shares his birthday with his daughter Ruby (h/t Autumn) Chris Gilbert ... Sandra Fluke is 36 ... Brian Temple Smith is 38 ... John Cahill ... Micah Kleit ... Benjamin Runkle is 45 ... Gabrielle Porter ... Robert Bateman is 5-0 ... legal affairs journalist Ken Jost ... Florida attorney Jessica Ehrlich ... Robin Canter Monica Fischer (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) Eric Sayers, special assistant to the commander of U.S. Pacific Command ... Victoria Beckham is 43 ... Rooney Mara -- cousin of Rep. Tom Rooney -- is 32 (h/ts AP)
****** A message from UC Davis: Ranked first in the world for veterinary medicine, UC Davis believes collaborating across disciplines in animal, human and environmental health is the best way to advance the health of all creatures great and small. Using this One Health approach to problem solving, our research much of which is federally funded is resulting in cost-saving, translatable treatments for cancer, breakthroughs in stem cell therapy, increased awareness and management of emerging zoonotic diseases, better protection for endangered species, and comprehensive responses to environmental crises like oil spills and floods. Learn more about UC Davis health innovation at 21stcentury.ucdavis.edu. ******
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