POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: How #MAPOLI reacted to Trump-Biden DEBATE – BAKER’s new REOPENING rules – WARREN won’t meet with SCOTUS nominee

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY

Presented by CuriosityStream

GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. HOW #MAPOLI REACTED TO THE DEBATE — President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden squared-off last night in a chaotic debate where the president once again refused to say whether he'd accept the election results in November. The spectacle left some political observers wondering if the candidates should scrap the next two debates altogether. Just look at the front pages of the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald. The Globe's headline reads "CHAOS ON THE DEBATE STAGE," while the Herald opted for "MUD FIGHT." The Trump-Biden showdown was panned by many Bay State elected officials as troubling, especially when the president sought to cast doubt on the legitimacy of voting by mail and declined to denounce white supremacists. Support for the Democratic candidate n its bizarre nature, especially because it happened against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. "Why is it so hard for @realDonaldTrump to condemn white supremacy?" Boston Mayor Marty Walsh wrote on Twitter . "He is not a president. He is a disgrace." Sen. Ed Markey said Trump was "delegitimizing our election on national TV," while Sen. Elizabeth Warren warned debate watchers that they should "vote like our democracy depends on it — because it does." And Attorney General Maura Healey reacted by saying "Donald Trump is trying to scare people and keep them from voting." "Did he denounce the Proud Boys and we missed it?" Rep. Ayanna Pressley asked, referencing the far-right group. Trump was asked to denounce white nationalist groups during the debate, and instead said members should "stand back and stand by." On the Republican side, GOP Gov. Charlie Baker did not react publicly to the debate last night, and has not said who he plans to vote for in November. Massachusetts Republican Party chair Jim Lyons, however, said he is "proud to support President Trump" after the debate. Members of the Republican State Committee declared Trump had defeated Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, the debate moderator, with Biden as a witness. Only around 460,000 Massachusetts voters — fewer than 10% — are registered Republicans, according to the secretary of state's office. The bulk of the state's 4.6 million registered voters are unenrolled. As many as 2.6 million voters do not affiliate with a party, while 1.6 million voters are registered Democrats. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Rep. Katherine Clark and New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries hold a press conference in Washington. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh speaks to reporters at City Hall, and participates in a virtual Tufts University lunch, a TD Bank small business program and a press conference with Community Labor United. Brockton Mayor Bob Sullivan hosts a phone bank with the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

A message from CuriosityStream: Is docu-binging a thing? If it isn’t, then it definitely should be. Discover a treasure trove of enlightened entertainment with CuriosityStream, the first on-demand documentary streaming service. Unlock access to thousands of streamable documentaries and non-fiction TV shows on History, Nature, Science, Food, Technology, Travel, and more for just $14.99 for the whole YEAR by using the code POLITICO when you sign up. Sign Up Today.

HAPPENING THURSDAY - SOLVING THE DRUG PRICING PUZZLE: The cost of prescription drugs is top of mind for millions of Americans and a motivating factor in the upcoming election. Join POLITICO Thursday, Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. EDT for a conversation exploring ideas to make prescription drugs more affordable, including patent reform, how the FDA can build on its recent record of fast-tracking generic approvals, and the role of international price benchmarking. REGISTER HERE.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

– “Massachusetts reports 450 new COVID cases, 8 deaths; hospitalizations and rate of positive tests continue climbing,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials confirmed another 450 coronavirus cases on Tuesday as the test positivity rate and the number of COVID-related hospitalizations continues to tick up. There are now 129,243 cases of COVID across Massachusetts.”

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– “Disease experts raise concern as Baker says state will ease restrictions on indoor venues,” by Kay Lazar and Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “Despite signs that infection rates are edging up, Governor Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that most Massachusetts communities can relax coronavirus restrictions next week, allowing indoor performance venues to reopen and gyms, museums, and libraries to increase capacity.” – “Why Police Reform Is Stalled On Beacon Hill,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “A bill to certify police officers in Massachusetts and hold them more accountable for uses of force remains trapped in a legislative deadlock as thousands around the country and here in the Commonwealth march for reforms to the way law enforcement interact with the public. The House and Senate - both controlled by Democrats - are hung up on the membership of a new state oversight panel and whether to remove protections police are entitled to against civil lawsuits.” – “Massachusetts rejected nearly 18,000 primary ballots amid surge of mail-in voting,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts election officials rejected nearly 18,000 ballots from this month’s state primary, roughly half because they arrived too late, illustrating the pitfalls of hundreds of thousands of residents voting by mail for the first time. The new data, released by the secretary of state’s office in response to a Globe request, come amid intense scrutiny of the Nov. 3 election, when hundreds of thousands, if not millions, more people could vote in Massachusetts than during the Sept. 1 primary.” – “Baker all-in on COVID-19 community approach,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The Baker administration on Tuesday went all-in on its community-by-community approach to COVID-19, allowing lower-risk municipalities to move forward with reopening plans while putting cities and towns considered high risk on hold. Since community-by-community COVID-19 data were broken out in August, the Baker administration has used the information to target testing and other resources where they are needed most.” – “State officials moving forward with plans to resume MCAS tests in spring,” by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: “Third-graders through high schoolers will be taking Massachusetts standardized tests next spring after a one-year hiatus, Education Commissioner Jeff Riley told the state board of education Tuesday. ... The tests were canceled last school year amidst the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and a debate has raged over whether, and when, to reinstate them .” – “‘Every step the governor is making right now ... is a good thing’; Massachusetts arcade, laser tag and bowling alley owner excited about new guidelines,” by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: “David Breen, CEO and founder of Pinz Entertainment told MassLive that he was informed of the move 20 minutes before the announcement was public. He is thrilled at the news and feels the governor is making exactly the right choice.”

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– “Boston Mayor Walsh Hints At Reelection Bid, But Stops Short Of Saying He'll Seek Third Term,” by Callum Borchers, WBUR: “Boston Mayor Marty Walsh sounds like a man who plans to be in office for another term. Walsh made ‘ending systemic racism’ a centerpiece of his annual address to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Tuesday and at one point said, ‘I don't want to be back here in this Chamber meeting three years from now, having this same conversation again. We must do more.’”

FROM THE HUB

– “Walsh is talking about systemic racism, but can he bring business leaders along?” by Adrian Walker, Boston Globe: “Mayor Martin J. Walsh chose a community agency in Dorchester as the setting to send a message to downtown: You haven’t done enough on race. Walsh’s annual address to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Tuesday was delivered, like nearly everything in this plague year, virtually. So it was that he addressed the business community from The Guild, a community services agency in Four Corners.” – “Rollins’s ‘Brady List’ not factoring in Boston police reform report,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Members of a task force charged with recommending reforms for the Boston Police Department say that a list of names of law enforcement officers accused or found guilty of misconduct will not factor in their final proposal to Mayor Marty Walsh. Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins released the prosecutorial watch list Friday night with the names of 136 law enforcement officials whose behavior casts doubt on their credibility in court.” – “Small study shows Moderna vaccine creates antibodies in older patients,” by Jonathan Saltzman, Boston Globe: “Moderna’s experimental coronavirus vaccine stimulated an immune response in older patients in an early-stage clinical trial without causing serious side effects, according to a medical journal article on the two-shot regimen now being tested on up to 30,000 people in a late-stage study. The vaccine developed by Cambridge-based Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases produced antibodies and white blood cells known as T cells in 40 volunteers, the New England Journal of Medicine said in an article posted online Tuesday.” – “Boston Police Reform Panel Defends Mayor-Dominated Appointment Structure,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “Members of Boston’s Police Reform Task Force on Tuesday defended their recommendation that the mayor hold appointment power over virtually all aspects of the proposed police oversight office. The task force, assembled by Mayor Marty Walsh in June, was charged to examine Boston Police operations in the wake of the national and local outcry over the killing of unarmed Black men and women.” – “Front-line workers sound alarm on easing of coronavirus restrictions,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “An easing of coronavirus restrictions in restaurants and other businesses has increased risk for front-line workers and low-income families, advocates say, and has worsened outcomes for Black, brown and immigrant families.” – “ACLU claims Massachusetts lacks enough privacy protections against corporate and government tracking of K-12 and college students amid pandemic,” by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: “The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (ACLUM) is seeking information from state education agencies about how they are working to protect the privacy of both K-12 and college students amid the coronavirus pandemic.”

BALLOT WARS

– “Ballot Question 1: A High-Cost, High-Stakes Clash Of Automotive Titans,” by Adam Reilly, GBH News: “In the fight over Massachusetts' ballot Question 1, supporters and opponents alike paint dire pictures of what could happen if the other side prevails. Backers claim a no vote would drive small mechanics out of business, and force people to spend big bucks on repairs at greedy automotive dealerships. Opponents, in turn, say a yes vote would be a massive safety risk, with incredibly sensitive personal data falling into the hands of sexual predators and other would-be wrongdoers.”

DAY IN COURT

– “COVID-19 crimes may be tough to prove,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “‘Utterly baffling’ was how Mark Pearlstein, the attorney retained by Gov. Charlie Baker to investigate what went wrong at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, described the decision to combine 42 veterans with dementia – some of them infected with COVID-19 – into a single unit with a capacity to hold 25. Attorney General Maura Healey on Friday called the decision criminal, and filed charges against the superintendent and medical director of the facility for criminal neglect and causing or permitting serious bodily injury.” – “After Discovery Of Prosecutors' Racist Emails, Plymouth DA Will Not Seek New Trial For Woman Over Parents Death,” by Deborah Becker, WBUR: “The state will not pursue a fourth murder trial for Frances Choy. She was convicted of setting her Brockton home on fire and killing her parents in 2003. A judge vacated her conviction earlier this year — in part because of the discovery of racist emails written by the prosecutors who tried the case. At a status hearing Tuesday afternoon, the Plymouth County District Attorney filed a nolle prosequi — meaning it will not seek another trial.” – “Ex-Boston Grand Prix Executive Charged In Fraud, Tax Scheme,” The Associated Press: “The former chief financial officer of the Boston Grand Prix has been charged in a scheme to defraud financing companies who gave him money for ice rink he owned, federal authorities said Tuesday. The U.S. attorney's office said John F. Casey of Ipswich has been indicted on eight counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, three counts of money laundering and three counts of filing false tax returns.”   A message from CuriosityStream:     WARREN REPORT – “In Senate questionnaire, Barrett won't pledge to recuse herself from 2020 election cases,” by Andrew Desiderio and Marianne Levine, POLITICO: “Several Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have said they will refuse to meet with Barrett altogether, citing what they view as an ‘illegitimate’ nomination.” – “Democrats To Unveil Bill Addressing Government’s Cultural Genocide Of Native Americans,” by Jennifer Bendery, HuffPost: “Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) will introduce legislation Tuesday to make the federal government address the ‘intergenerational trauma’ it has caused for Native Americans with its former Indian boarding school policy, a nearly century-long policy of forcibly removing Indigenous children from tribal lands and putting them into boarding schools to be assimilated into white culture.” TRUMPACHUSETTS – “Did Donald Trump really call a Globe reporter to pitch laundry detergent? Of course he did,” by Mark Shanahan, Boston Globe: “Wait, I once talked to Donald Trump about a laundry detergent? Apparently I did. In its latest expose about Trump’s tax returns, The New York Times reports that as part of a promotion for Unilever, the future president of the United States cold-called me in 2005 to tout the company’s All Cleans & Softens brand laundry detergent.” THE PRESSLEY PARTY – “With Or Without Hair, We Send A Message,” by Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Aisha Francis, Elle: “Our hair loss journeys were markedly different—for Aisha, it was the result of chemotherapy to treat ovarian cancer, and for Ayanna, it was caused by alopecia universalis, an autoimmune condition characterized by the complete loss of hair, including on the scalp, face, and body. Our mothers instilled in us a deep respect for our elders, our education, and our crowns.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – “Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor Is ‘Very Likely to Work,’ Studies Suggest,” by Henry Fountain, The New York Times: “Scientists developing a compact version of a nuclear fusion reactor have shown in a series of research papers that it should work, renewing hopes that the long-elusive goal of mimicking the way the sun produces energy might be achieved and eventually contribute to the fight against climate change.” ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: “MUD FIGHT,” — Globe: “CHAOS ON THE DEBATE STAGE.” FROM THE 413 – “Springfield City Council votes overwhelmingly to greenlight lawsuit against mayor to restore civilian police commission,” by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: “The Springfield City Council overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday to wage a lawsuit against Mayor Domenic J. Sarno over the restoration of a five-member civilian Board of Police Commissioners. Only At-large member Sean Curran voted against the measure, considered for the first time publicly during a brief special meeting of the council.” – “Western Mass. legislators urge Governor to look to the west when appointing a justice to the Supreme Judicial Court,” by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: “A total of 18 legislators who represent the four counties in Western Massachusetts are joining the effort to urge Gov. Charlie Baker to fill at least one of two vacant seats on the Supreme Judicial Court with a resident from Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden or Hampshire County.” – “Neediest missed out on federal jobless benefit, Berkshire lawmakers say,” by Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle: “Massachusetts should retroactively increase its minimum unemployment benefit to support residents who didn't qualify for an added federal benefit, argues a Thursday letter signed by over 100 state lawmakers. The state participated in the Lost Wages Assistance program, which supplied an additional $300 of unemployment benefits per week for six weeks, ending Sept. 5.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Leominster mayor declares public health emergency to get kids back to school during COVID-19 pandemic, argues city’s coronavirus numbers are low,” by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: “The mayor of Leominster on Monday declared a public health emergency in an effort to get kids back to school amid the coronavirus pandemic, arguing remote learning has had a detrimental impact on children’s learning, news outlets reported. During an emergency Leominster School Committee meeting Mayor Dean Mazzarella called on Monday, the top city official argued the community has low COVID-19 numbers and that K-12 students learning at home is causing a crisis, WBZ reported.” – “‘The Blob’: Low-oxygen water killing lobsters, fish in Cape Cod Bay,” by Doug Fraser, Cape cod Times: “Researchers have nicknamed it The Blob, a lens of water on the bottom of Cape Cod Bay with unprecedentedly low levels of oxygen. While scientists think lobsters detect de-oxygenated water and leave, that doesn’t help those caught in traps, and The Blob can kill a trapped lobster in about a half a day, said Tracy Pugh, senior biologist with the state Division of Marine Fisheries.” MEDIA MATTERS – “'He Wasn't Afraid': How Chris Wallace's Start In Boston Foreshadowed His Future As Presidential Debate Moderator,” by Callum Borchers, WBUR: “When Chris Wallace joined the Boston Globe in 1969, fresh out of Harvard, his colleagues didn't know much about him. But they did know his father.” REMEMBERING REV. JAMES P. BREEDEN … via Boston Globe: “Rev. Breeden, whose activism reached from the civil rights era through anti-apartheid demonstrations and beyond, died in his Easthampton home Sept. 20 of cancer. He was 85.” Link. TRANSITIONS – Sarah Hong joins Benchmark Strategies. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Joe Rull, SVP at Benchmark Strategies; Greg Mecher, Arielle Picheny Dufour, Phillip Martin, Arielle Picheny Dufour and Paul Guercio. NEW EPISODE: YES WE CAMPBELL – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela discuss Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell’s entrance into the 2021 mayoral race, and Rebecca Hart Holder of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts talks about the Supreme Court and reproductive rights. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   A message from CuriosityStream: Educate and enlighten the whole family with award-winning documentaries streaming on CuriosityStream . Refine your content consumption with 35 curated collections, hand picked by their experts featuring some of their originals even feature incredible hosts like David Attenbourough, Stephen Hawking, Nick Offerman, and Chris Hadfield. CuriosityStream also works on just about any device, so you can keep learning no matter where you go. Use code POLITICO to sign up, a year’s worth of access to award-winning exclusives and originals for just $14.99. Sign Up Today.     NEW EPISODES: LISTEN TO POLITICO'S GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS PODCAST: The world has always been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, but in 2020 many of those issues have exploded. Are world leaders and political actors up to the task of solving them? Is the private sector? Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, unpacks the roadblocks to smart policy decisions, and examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. Subscribe now for Season Two, launching Oct. 21.       Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US   POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA