Driving the Day

THE REALITY OF TRUMP’S NEW REALITY -- PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’s administration and top Republicans on Capitol Hill spent the weekend grappling with a new reality: They are likely to need to work with Democrats on Capitol Hill to govern and move their legislative priorities. The White House -- and the leadership in the House -- has, for the moment, written off the House Freedom Caucus, the roughly 30 House Republicans who helped scuttle Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan’s health-care bill. Without them, the GOP has a majority of roughly 200 in the House, which would mean 18 Democrats would have to support any measure to bring it across the finish line if every other Republican votes yes. That’s a major shift in the legislative dynamics in Washington. Democrats -- fresh off their first win since taking a beating in the 2016 election -- are hardly expected to rush to help Trump. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will know how much those votes are worth.

-- HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT IF TRUMP IS WORKING WITH DEMOCRATS: Trump and Republicans will be unable to attach policy riders to government-funding bills, including the one that needs to be passed in the next month. That means no whacking Planned Parenthood and no chipping away at Obamacare. The debt ceiling increase will have to be clean -- no spending cuts and no fights over whether it gets hiked. Tax reform will look a lot different, and will take a lot longer -- Democrats and Republicans are miles apart on an overhaul of the tax code. Read Heather Caygle, “Trump’s Obamacare stumble empowers Pelosi” http://politi.co/2nEllm0

REAL DEADLINE -- The government shuts down in 34 DAYS. AND ... THE HOUSE -- where Trump just stumbled -- has just 12 more days in session until a shutdown.

JMART on A1 of the NYT, “Democrats, Buoyed by G.O.P. Health Defeat, See No Need to Offer Hand”: “‘We’re not going to sacrifice our values for the sake of compromise,’ said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. ‘You think people from red states are going to be for tax reform with 98 percent of tax breaks going to the top 1 percent?’ For Democrats, the task of remaining unified was made easier when Republicans decided to go it alone and hastily draft a bill that turned out to be deeply unpopular. … ‘The unity we had internally, combined with the outside mobilization, really made this success possible,’ said Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the top House Democrat. Both Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi insist that they are open to working with Mr. Trump if he shifts to the middle and abandons Republican hard-liners. But while Democrats are loath to hold up Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a fierce and calculating opponent, as a role model, his strategy as the Republican leader in denying Mr. Obama bipartisan support is plainly more alluring now.” http://nyti.ms/2o9bYJ8

BUT … We think Trump will try to split the Freedom Caucus first.

A TALE OF TWO NARRATIVES -- “Freedom Caucus member resigns from group over Obamacare rift,” by Rachael Bade: “Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) resigned from the House Freedom Caucus over the group’s opposition to the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.” http://politi.co/2omKgaP

-- “Back home, Freedom Caucus’ Meadows hailed as anti-Obamacare hero,” by Adam Cancryn in Highlands, North Carolina: “House insurgent Mark Meadows embarrassed the White House and forced his fellow Republicans to turn tail on a seven-year pledge to tear down Obamacare. His constituents are throwing him a party.” http://politi.co/2n9b9iw

WHAT’S NEXT -- NYT, A1 -- “Dealt a Defeat, Republicans Set Their Sights on Major Tax Cuts,” by Alan Rappeport: “Mr. Trump’s inability to make good on his promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act has made the already daunting challenge of tax reform even more difficult. Not only has Mr. Trump’s aura of political invincibility been shattered, but without killing the Affordable Care Act, Republicans will be unable to rewrite the tax code in the sweeping fashion that the president has called for. The grand plans of lower rates, fewer loopholes and a tax on imports may have to be scaled back to a big corporate tax cut and possibly an individual tax cut. A lot of people think Mr. Trump might go for this to get an easy win. …

“Because of the arcane rules of lawmaking in Congress, there may be little choice. If Republicans intend to act again without the help of Democrats, they will need to use a procedure called budget reconciliation to have the Senate pass tax legislation with a simple majority. To make their changes to the tax code permanent, their plans cannot add to deficits over a period of 10 years. … [Ways and Means Chairman Kevin] Brady’s tax-writing committee is expected to convene a meeting about an overhaul on Tuesday.” http://nyti.ms/2n8qxuI

WSJ EDITORIAL -- “The Tax Reform Damage: The GOP health debacle makes pro-growth reform more important but also much harder”: “Republicans are consoling themselves that after their health-care failure they can move on to tax reform, and they have little choice. The large complication is that the Freedom Caucus’s ObamaCare preservation act has also made a tax bill much harder politically even as it makes reform more essential to salvaging the Trump Presidency and GOP majorities in 2018. … The risk now is that the health failure will make the GOP Congress even less cohesive and less likely to follow its leaders. Freedom Caucus Members sit in safe seats and don’t need achievements to win re-election. They are almost happier in the minority where they can more easily vote no on everything. …

“The other big risk is that Republicans will now settle for a modest tax cut without a fundamental reform that clears out special-interest favors. That is better than nothing but would diminish the effect on economic growth and incomes. … Mr. Trump lacks the political base of most Presidents, so he is hostage more than most to performance. Above all that means presiding over faster growth, which is the only real way to help Trump voters. If the GOP can’t deliver on tax reform, the Freedom Caucus will have done far more harm than saving ObamaCare.” http://on.wsj.com/2n8Yg8c

LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK -- “White House looks to rack up wins after health care calamity,” by Tara Palmeri: “Instead of dwelling on the humbling Obamacare repeal defeat, President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon told POLITICO there would be ‘action, action, action’ this week coming from the White House. Expect executive orders this week on trade, energy and environmental regulations, he said in a text message. … One senior administration official says the White House now has their eyes on courting moderate Democrats. That official said they plan to reach out to House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and other rank-and-file Democrats who they think will be amenable to infrastructure spending and tax reform.” http://politi.co/2n8hnyo

THE SWAT TEAM -- “Trump taps Kushner to lead a SWAT team to fix government with business ideas,” by WaPo’s Ashley Parker and Phil Rucker: “President Trump plans to unveil a new White House office on Monday with sweeping authority to overhaul the federal bureaucracy and fulfill key campaign promises -- such as reforming care for veterans and fighting opioid addiction -- by harvesting ideas from the business world and, potentially, privatizing some government functions. The White House Office of American Innovation, to be led by Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, will operate as its own nimble power center within the West Wing and will report directly to Trump. Viewed internally as a SWAT team of strategic consultants, the office will be staffed by former business executives and is designed to infuse fresh thinking into Washington, float above the daily political grind and create a lasting legacy for a president still searching for signature achievements.” http://wapo.st/2o8UfBr

-- JUST ASKING: How many roles does Jared Kushner have? As Parker and Rucker note: “The 36-year-old former real estate and media executive will continue to wear many hats, driving foreign and domestic policy as well as decisions on presidential personnel. He also is a shadow diplomat, serving as Trump’s lead adviser on relations with China, Mexico, Canada and the Middle East.” So he’s going to strike a Middle East peace deal with two peoples that have been warring for eons, he’s managing the relationship with three world powers and is charged with reforming the massive federal government. Where was he when Trump’s health-care bill was going down in flames? (This is a rhetorical question: He was in Aspen.)

--“Ivanka Trump plans to attend economic summit in Germany,” by AP’s Catherine Lucey: “Ivanka Trump is planning a trip to Germany to attend a summit on the economic empowerment of women, a senior administration official said Sunday. The first daughter was invited by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during Merkel’s recent White House visit, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss details of the trip by name and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The W20 summit, a women-focused effort within the Group of 20 countries, will be held in Berlin in late April. Trump’s plans are still being worked out, but she hopes to study successful apprenticeship programs during her visit.” http://abcn.ws/2nXcA7l

PIC DU JOUR -- @IvankaTrump: “Making some new friends in DC!” Ivanka with her kids at the National Zoo (with an elephant photobombing everyone) http://bit.ly/2n8tPy0

MUST READ: PALACE INTRIGUE -- “White House blame game intensifies as Trump agenda stalls,” by Alex Isenstadt: “With President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda hitting the rocks as he edges toward the 100-day mark, top aides, political allies and donors are embroiled in a furious round of finger-pointing over who is at fault. The recriminations extend far beyond the implosion of the GOP’s Obamacare repeal on Friday. Senior aides are lashing each other over their inability to stem a never-ending tide of negative stories about the president. There is second-guessing of the [RNC’s] efforts to mobilize Trump’s electoral coalition on behalf of his legislative priorities. At the [EPA], a top official quit recently amid accusations the department is failing to advance the president’s campaign promises. And one of Trump’s most generous benefactors, Rebekah Mercer, has expressed frustration over the direction of the administration.

“This account of White House infighting is based on interviews with more than two dozen Trump aides, confidants and others close to his administration, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity. They described a distracting and toxic atmosphere, with warring power centers blaming one another for an ever-growing list of setbacks. The dysfunction has further paralyzed an administration struggling to deliver on its blunt promises of wholesale change. The environment, many Trump aides are convinced, has been created by the president himself - a larger-than-life figure famously loath to admit error. As Trump’s health care plan ran into problems, he found ways to divert blame - sometimes turning on his own staff. …

“Many Trump loyalists criticize former RNC employees now working in the communications office. Among the complaints: That RNC veterans mobilize with force when reporters are working on critical stories about Priebus, the former party chairman, but sometimes lack the same urgency when responding to articles about Trump. It has spurred allegations that communications officials, many of whom worked for Priebus at the committee and followed him to the White House, are loyal to the chief of staff above all else. … [T]he blame game is taking a toll on an exhausted White House. At the highest levels of the West Wing, the mood has grown so tense that staffers have begun calling up reporters inquiring whether other senior aides are leaking damaging information about them.” http://politi.co/2nWFQuR

-- “Internal White House battles spill into Treasury,” by Ben White and Nancy Cook: “The fight for the direction of Donald Trump’s presidency between the Goldman Sachs branch of the West Wing and hardcore conservatives is spilling into the Treasury Department, threatening Trump’s next agenda item of overhauling the tax code. Conservatives inside and outside Treasury say the new secretary, former Goldman Sachs banker, movie producer and Democratic donor Steven Mnuchin, is assembling a team that is too liberal and too detached from the core of Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ platform of ripping up trade deals, gutting the Dodd-Frank banking rules and generally rejecting ‘globalism’ in all its forms.

“The ideological divide has been brewing for weeks inside the White House as a result of appointing a raft of top advisers with radically different worldviews. The battle at Treasury is simply an extension of that brutal fight, according to interviews with over a dozen administration officials, donors, lobbyists and conservative policy experts.” http://politi.co/2mHkNMU

COMING ATTRACTIONS -- “Trump administration weighs deeper involvement in Yemen war,” by WaPo’s Karen DeYoung and Missy Ryan: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has asked the White House to lift Obama-era restrictions on U.S. military support for Persian Gulf states engaged in a protracted civil war against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to senior Trump administration officials. ... Approval of the request would mark a significant policy shift. ... It would also be a clear signal of the administration’s intention to move more aggressively against Iran.” http://wapo.st/2onkO59

MARKET WATCH -- “A Correction Now Might Not Be So Bad, Some Investors Say,” by WSJ’s Aaron Kurlioff, Corrie Driebusch and Akane Otani: “Investors don’t typically root for stocks to fall, but some now think a period of declines might be healthy. Many investors and analysts fear a postelection rally that has driven the S&P 500 up roughly 10% has cleaved share prices from the underlying fundamentals that tend to drive gains over time, such as interest rates and corporate earnings. What’s due now, some investors say, is a correction: a 10% pullback from the indexes’ March 1 highs. They contend such a retreat would tamp down speculation, deflate pockets of froth in popular investments and provide buying opportunities for those still on the sidelines.” http://on.wsj.com/2nE8xMz

-- We’ve been saying for a while now that Wall Street has been riding high, based on predictions from Trump advisers like Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin saying tax reform will be done by August. That isn’t realistic.

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- THE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECT, started by former Obama aides, is running a new broadcast and cable ad in Nevada, Arizona and D.C. targeting Trump’s SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch. The ad, which is part of a seven-figure campaign to defeat Gorsuch, focuses on his 2008 ruling on an autistic boy seeking better education. The Supreme Court overruled his approach last week while Gorsuch testified by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The ad http://bit.ly/2nWG2tS

SPORTS BLINK -- THE FINAL FOUR -- South Carolina vs. Gonzaga, Saturday at 6:09 p.m. (Gonzaga is a 6.5-point favorite); Oregon vs. North Carolina, Saturday at 8:49 p.m. (North Carolina is a 4.5-point favorite). Both games will be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

-- PLAYBOOK POOL UPDATE -- Brandon Yeh of D.C. and Kyle Simon of Florida share the lead at 190 points in the Playbook Pool. Both Brandon and Kyle picked three of the Final Four teams correctly, with Brandon picking Oregon to go all the way while Kyle has UNC winning it all. Jenni Pinkelman and Paul Blythe, both of Florida, and Virginia’s Aaron Baer are close behind with 188 points each.

Playbook Reads

PHOTO DU JOUR: Riot police officers detain a protester during a demonstration in central Moscow on March 26. Thousands of people crowded in St. Petersburg for an unsanctioned protest against the Russian government, the biggest gathering in a wave of nationwide protests that were the most extensive show of defiance in years. | Alexander Utkin/AFP/Getty

WHAT MIKE MCFAUL IS READING -- “Nationwide protests bring thousands to Russia’s streets,” by AP’s Howard Amos and Jim Heintz in Moscow: “Russia’s opposition, often written off by critics as a small and irrelevant coterie of privileged urbanites, put on an impressive nationwide show of strength Sunday with dozens of protest across the vast country. Hundreds were arrested, including Alexei Navalny, the anti-corruption campaigner who is President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic. It was the biggest show of defiance since a 2011-2012 wave of demonstrations rattled the Kremlin and led to harsh new laws aimed at suppressing dissent. Almost all of Sunday's rallies were unsanctioned, but thousands braved the prospect of arrest to gather in cities from the Far East port of Vladivostok to the ‘window on the West’ of St. Petersburg. An organization that monitors Russian political repression, OVD-Info, said it counted more than 800 people arrested in the Moscow demonstrations alone. That number could not be confirmed and state news agency Tass cited Moscow police as saying there were about 500 arrests.” http://apne.ws/2nXhuRH

BUSINESS BURST -- “AP Exclusive: ‘Bathroom bill’ to cost North Carolina $3.76B,” by AP’s Emery P. Dalesio and Jonathan Drew in Raleigh, North Carolina: “Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina’s ‘bathroom bill’ isn’t hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years, according to an Associated Press analysis. … North Carolina could lose hundreds of millions more because the NCAA is avoiding the state, usually a favored host. The group is set to announce sites for various championships through 2022, and North Carolina won't be among them as long as the law is on the books. The NAACP also has initiated a national economic boycott.

“The AP analysis — compiled through interviews and public records requests — represents the largest reckoning yet of how much the law, passed one year ago, could cost the state. The law excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from statewide antidiscrimination protections, and requires transgender people to use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates in many public buildings.” http://apne.ws/2nrnWQ0

THE NEW ECONOMY -- “Lyft pushes feel-good factor as Uber reels,” by USA Today’s Marco della Cava: “As Uber grapples with accusations of sexism, Lyft is making more moves to position itself as the feel-good ride hailing company to consumers who may not be familiar with the smaller rival.Lyft announced Sunday that it would soon be rolling out Round Up & Donate, an opt-in app feature that allows riders to automatically route rounded-up ride charges to charity....Lyft currently operates in 300 U.S. cities. Uber is in nearly 600 cities and more than 80 countries. Lyft’s value is pegged at $7 billion while Uber’s is ten times that.” http://usat.ly/2nEd41v

THE LOYAL OPPOSITION -- “Meet Indivisible, the young progressives leading the resistance to President Trump,” by L.A. Times’ Kurtis Lee: “What at first started with a small group of young progressives batting around ideas on how to move forward under a Trump administration has blossomed into a national movement, known as Indivisible. The mission centers on grass-roots advocacy targeting members of Congress inclined to work with the new administration and those who, in Indivisible’s view, don’t do enough to oppose it. In keeping with the loose structure of other movements such as Black Lives Matter, Indivisible isn’t a hierarchical organization with a national headquarters and local chapters. Instead, it’s a collection of groups committed to the same goal, employing tactics and operating on principles shared by Indivisible’s founders online.” http://lat.ms/2on60U7

TRUMP INC. -- “Key pieces of tax reform collide with White House business interests,” by Colin Wilhelm: “Two of the most fought over aspects of the tax blueprint drafted by House Speaker Paul Ryan and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady would directly affect the holdings of Trump and some of his closest advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner. … Border adjustment … is hated by retailers and other businesses that import their goods or materials. Both President Trump and his daughter Ivanka have clothing lines that are imported and would be subject to the tax. … The House plan would also eliminate the net interest deduction for corporate debt, a provision of the tax code frequently used by commercial real estate companies like the Trump Organization and the Kushner Companies, in which Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law turned senior adviser, still holds a stake.” For proshttp://politico.pro/2o03W8D

MARY KATHARINE HAM PROFILE -- “Mary Katharine Ham Is Not Here to Entertain You: The right-wing pundit doesn’t much care about shock value or tossing red meat to the base—yet somehow she’s more popular than ever. How she managed to scale the ranks of Washington media while grieving the death of her liberal-activist husband,” by Washingtonian’s Elaina Plott. http://bit.ly/2nEfvkv

OFF MESSAGE PODCAST -- ROGER STONE -- The committee hearing that wasn’t: Everything that Roger Stone did or said he did or said he didn’t do during the 2016 campaign, especially related to the WikiLeaks founder and Russia, is under intense scrutiny. In the latest episode of Off Message, Stone gives a faux testimony on the allegations of Russian interference in the election and why there is no proof. Asked if there was anything he discussed that he’d plead the Fifth on if he ever gets called in front of the committee. “No,” Stone said. “Why would I?”http://politi.co/2onyJZ1 … Listen and subscribe http://apple.co/2nEa7y0

DEEP DIVES – STEVE BRILL’s latest opus, “Donald Trump, Palantir, and the Crazy Battle to Clean Up a Multibillion-Dollar Military Procurement Swamp” in Fortune: “Peter Thiel’s software company says it has a product that will save soldiers’ lives—and hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds. The Army, which has spent billions on a failed alternative, isn’t interested. Will the President and his generals ride to the rescue?” http://for.tn/2o99om8

-- MAUREEN DOWD in April’s Vanity Fair, “Elon Musk’s Billion-Dollar Crusade to Stop the A.I. Apocalypse”: “Elon Musk is famous for his futuristic gambles, but Silicon Valley’s latest rush to embrace artificial intelligence scares him. And he thinks you should be frightened too. Inside his efforts to influence the rapidly advancing field and its proponents, and to save humanity from machine-learning overlords.” http://bit.ly/2nmRKLW

MEDIAWATCH -- “Reporter and photographers say they were assaulted by Trump supporters at Huntington Beach rally,” by L.A. Times’ Angel Jennings and Anh Do: “An OC Weekly reporter and two photographers said Sunday that they were physically assaulted by pro-Trump demonstrators at a Make America Great Again rally in Huntington Beach and are seeking the public’s help in identifying at least one of the people responsible.” http://lat.ms/2mHmVEH … The video http://bit.ly/2nE8obV

-- “Brands Try to Blacklist Breitbart, but Ads Slip Through Anyway,” by NYT’s Sapna Maheshwari: “Fewer advertisers seem to be appearing on Breitbart, which may be a result of some ad networks and brand safety companies blocking it in recent months, citing hate speech violations or deeming the content too inflammatory. Breitbart had about 1,300 advertisers on its website last month, showing about 2,600 display ads, according to data from Moat Pro, a digital ad intelligence product. That was down from 3,300 advertisers and 11,500 display ads in November. It is not clear if the boycott has had a financial impact, although the top thousand domestic advertisers accounted for 73 percent of display advertising spending last year ...

“The New York Times has also inadvertently run ads on Breitbart. The Times started limiting its ads in the United States to a list of preapproved websites on Jan. 1, said Jason Sylva, vice president for media at the company. But since then, the company has been spotted on Breitbart by people accessing the site from countries like Finland and Canada. The Times is in the process of developing an international preapproved list.” http://nyti.ms/2n8j5j4

-- “Univision anchor: GOP Congress is shunning us,” by Hadas Gold: “After a year of feuding with Donald Trump, Univision is finding that Republicans are unwilling to appear on the network, according to Enrique Acevedo, the anchor spearheading Univision’s coverage of the Trump administration. Acevedo said GOP members of Congress — save for those who represent the Miami area, where Univision is headquartered and is particularly strong — have been avoiding the network, the nation's largest Spanish language platform, since inauguration day.” http://politi.co/2nEgVvD

Playbookers

SPOTTED -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) buying roast chicken on Sunday at the Safeway on Capitol Hill ... Ken Duberstein and son Andy on Sunday took in a Nats spring training game in West Palm Beach. Pichttp://bit.ly/2n8u1xa

OUT AND ABOUT -- ALYSSA MASTROMONACO held a public conversation with POLITICO’s Annie Karni and Audrey Gelman, co-founder of The Wing, at Politics & Prose Sunday for her new book “Who Thought This Was A Good Idea?” SPOTTED: Denis McDonough, Melissa Winter, Danielle Crutchfield, Valerie Jarrett, Tina Tchen, Stephanie and Declan Cutter, Liz Allen, Lauren Kelly, Samantha Tubman, Roger Fisk, Tovah Ravitz-Meehan, Laurie Rubiner and Lona Valmoro.

TRANSITIONS -- MATT NEGRIN, a POLITICO and Bloomberg alumnus known for his video mashups and original creations (“How to Really Rig an Election, Ocean’s Eleven-Style,” http://bit.ly/2o8YywJ) is headed to The Daily Show. His first day is today. … Andrew Shult starts today with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) heading up the Whip’s digital operation. Previously, he served as digital director for the House Oversight Committee under Chairmen Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah). … Hayley D’Antuono starts today as First Lady Melania Trump’s scheduler; she previously was scheduler for Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas). … The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is announcing today that it’s adding a number of scholars including Denis McDonough, Jake Sullivan, and Jarrett Blanc. http://ceip.org/2nrSJvT

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Susan Molinari, former congresswoman who is now Google’s VP of public policy and gov’t affairs for Americas – she is “happily celebrating with family, friends and my new pound puppy (a day early) at the beach in Sarasota, Florida” – read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2nrY0U4

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About The Author : Anna Palmer

Anna Palmer is a senior Washington correspondent for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Anna covers the world of Congress and politics, and has successfully chronicled the business of Washington insiders for years. Her stories take readers behind the scenes for the biggest fights in Washington as well as the 2016 election.

Prior to becoming POLITICO’s senior Washington correspondent, Anna was the co-author of the daily newsletter, POLITICO Influence, considered a must-read on K Street.

Anna previously covered House leadership and lobbying as a staff writer for Roll Call. She got her start in Washington journalism as a lobbying business reporter for the industry newsletter Influence. She has also worked at Legal Times, where she covered the intersection of money and politics for the legal and lobbying industry, first as a staff writer and then as an editor.

A native of North Dakota, Anna is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where she was executive editor of the weekly campus newspaper, the Manitou Messenger. She lives in Washington, D.C.

About The Author : Jake Sherman

Jake Sherman is a senior writer for POLITICO and co-author of POLITICO’s Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Jake is the top congressional reporter on Capitol Hill and has built a career on landing hard-to-get scoops.

Since 2009, Jake has chronicled all of the major legislative battles on Capitol Hill, and has also traveled the country to cover the battle for control of Congress.

Jake takes readers inside the rooms where decisions are made. His high-impact reporting resulted in the resignation of Aaron Schock.

Before landing at POLITICO, Jake worked in the Washington bureaus of The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He also interned on the metro desk of The Journal News (N.Y.) and, during high school, worked on the sports desk of the Stamford Advocate (Conn.).

Jake is a Connecticut native, and a graduate of The George Washington University — where he edited The GW Hatchet — and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Jake lives in Washington with his wife Irene, and listens to an unhealthy amount of Grateful Dead and Phish.

About The Author : Daniel Lippman

Daniel Lippman is a reporter for POLITICO and a co-author of POLITICO's Playbook, the most indispensable morning newsletter for the biggest influencers in politics.

Before joining POLITICO, he was a fellow covering environmental news for E&E Publishing and a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in New York. He has also interned for McClatchy Newspapers and Reuters. During a stint freelancing in 2013, he traveled to the Turkish-Syrian border to cover the impact of the Syrian civil war for The Huffington Post and CNN.com.

He graduated from The Hotchkiss School in 2008 and from The George Washington University in 2012. Daniel hails from the Berkshires in western Massachusetts and enjoys playing tennis, seeing movies and trying out new restaurants in his free time.