Smithsonian birthday party

By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]) and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected]) Good Saturday morning. Enjoy the dinner, and the last day of April.Story Continued Below ZEITGEIST – “GOP’s Stop-Trump fever breaks: But a small core of Never-Trump operatives is still plotting a contested convention,” by Kyle Cheney and Ben Schreckinger: “[P]ro-Cruz and anti-Trump forces are running out of options to prevent Trump from becoming the nominee. If the real estate developer and reality television star scores a big win in Indiana on Tuesday, Cruz’s only remaining strategy may be a hostile takeover of the Republican National Convention — a move GOP insiders still see as possible but certainly one that could severely damage the party.” http://politi.co/24cq1zD JUICY READ – “Donald Trump, José Andrés and the death of a grand Washington restaurant,” by WashPost’s Jonathan O’Connell: … [Read more...] about GARDEN BRUNCH EDITION — TRUMP revives Latino activism – POOL REPORTS from WHCD party circuit — B’DAYS: Tina Flournoy, Fred Hiatt, Jim Margolis, Luiza Savage

Driving the Day Listen to Playbook in 90 Seconds http://bit.ly/2gFaCBJ … Subscribe on iTunes http://apple.co/2eX6Eay TRUMP GOES AFTER UNION BOSS -- @realDonaldTrump at 7:41 p.m.: “Chuck Jones, who is President of United Steelworkers 1999, has done a terrible job representing workers. No wonder companies flee country!” … at 8:56 p.m.: “If United Steelworkers 1999 was any good, they would have kept those jobs in Indiana. Spend more time working-less time talking. Reduce dues”.Story Continued Below --DANIELLE PAQUETTE (@DPAQreport) of the Washington Post at 8:41 p.m.: “Just talked to Chuck: ‘He needs to worry about getting his cabinet filled and leave me the hell alone.’ … “Chuck, a union leader in Indianapolis, says he is now getting death threats.” Danielle’s story http://wapo.st/2hnaSoK Good Thursday morning. The government is set to shut down tomorrow evening. (No, we don't expect that it will)A MUST READ … [Read more...] about NYT: Trump will keep a stake in his biz — Union leader gets death threats after Trump tweets — EXCLUSIVES: MIKE SHIELDS and ROB SIMMS start a firm; Danielle Burr going downtown — WH XMAS party spotteds

Driving the Day Good Sunday morning. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK -- THE PRESIDENT’S WEEK -- MONDAY: The president will sign a “Law Day” proclamation, drop by a meeting of the Independent Community Bankers Association and have lunch with VP Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. He’s also meeting privately with Tillerson. TUESDAY: The president will present the Commander in Chief Trophy to the Air Force Academy. WEDNESDAY: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will be at the White House. THURSDAY: Trump will return to New York for the first time in his presidency, and will give “remarks commemorating the 75thAnniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.”Story Continued Below SUNDAY BEST -- JOHN DICKERSON talks with PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP on CBS’S “FACE THE NATION” -- DICKERSON: “What do you make of the North Korean leader?” TRUMP: “I have -- I really, you know, have no comment on him. … [Read more...] about WHCD PARTY PATROL — ABBAS to the White House on Wednesday, TRUMP to NY Thursday — SUNDAY BEST: Dickerson and Trump talk North Korea — TRUMP: 100 days milestone is ‘phony’ — B’DAY: Lindsay Walters

Driving the Day Good Sunday morning. WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT -- TRUMP’S SUNDAY MORNING THOUGHTS -- @realDonaldTrump at 6:44 a.m.: “If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!” … at 7:13 a.m.: “...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.” -- @RyanLizza: “Goes to sleep threatening nuclear war. Wakes up suggesting boycott of NFL.”Story Continued Below -- THE FIRST NFL GAME TODAY: “Jaguars and Ravens players kneel during national anthem, Baltimore owner supportive of demonstration,” by N.Y. Daily News’ Zachary Ripple: “Jaguars owner Shad Khan, the only minority owner in the NFL, also made a definitive statement, locking arms with his players during the anthem. Khan is one of several league owners to have contributed $1 … [Read more...] about TRUMP vs. THE NFL — Could GRAHAM-CASSIDY be alive? — POLITICO GETS RESULTS: Price stops flying private on gov’t dime – POOL REPORTS from JEH JOHNSON’s 60th birthday party and KATIE WALSH/MIKE SHIELDS wedding

Driving the Day POLITICO EUROPE’S CHARLIE COOPER -- “The European Commission recommended to the European Council on Friday that ‘sufficient progress’ has been made in Brexit talks to allow negotiations to move on to Phase 2, which will cover trade and the U.K.’s future relationship with the EU.” http://politi.co/2AF1dGS … Read our very scoopy London Playbook, by Jack Blanchard http://politi.co/2yOKLTd Good Friday morning. Senate Republicans passed a two-week government funding bill last night avoiding a government shutdown. Now all eyes are on Dec. 22 and whether President Donald Trump and congressional leadership can come to an agreement.Story Continued Below -- THE TIMELINE: We hear Republicans want to have their tax bill finished and passed by Dec. 18, 19 or so. That leaves three days to get another government funding bill, which is expected to last sometime into early or mid January. The spending cap deal will also hit the floor that week … [Read more...] about BREXIT talks move to phase 2 — SHUTDOWN AVERTED, problems punted to the end of the month — TRUMP soaks rich New Yorkers — INSIDE the White House Hanukkah party — ZINKE loves helicopters — B’DAY: Jim Yong Kim

Driving the Day Good Saturday morning. FOUR ITEMS that illustrate the times we are living in … THE OPPONENT to the speaker of the House had a $1-million quarter. THE AFRICAN UNION decried the president’s remarks as racist and xenophobic. A VETERAN REPUBLICAN senator is getting railed on in rural Iowa for the president’s behavior. AND NEWSPAPER FRONTS are asking if the president is a racist. -- PLAYBOOK SCOOP: RANDY BRYCE, the Wisconsin Democrat who is challenging Speaker Paul Ryan, brought in an eye-popping $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, according to his campaign. His team also noted it had gotten contributions from 82,000 individuals with 102,000 contributions averaging $24 to $25. The strong fundraising push by Bryce comes as there has been widespread speculation about Ryan’s political future and how long he’ll remain atop House GOP leadership. Story Continued Below RYAN has won -- quite comfortably -- in a R+5 district for nearly two … [Read more...] about RYAN CHALLENGER pulled in 1.2M last quarter — AFRICAN UNION CONDEMNS Trump — GRASSLEY gets lambasted in rural Iowa — ELIANA JOHNSON on JOHN KELLY — SPOTTED: Obama golfing in Florida — B’DAY: Rod Rosenstein