POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The SOTU reviews are in

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY With help from Mia McCarthy DEMOCRATIC BINGO — The all-Democratic congressional delegation had a long wish list of issues they wanted President Joe Biden to address in his fiery, election-setting State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress Thursday night. For the most part, they heard them. WHAT THEY WANTED Democrats wanted Biden to brag more about his accomplishments. They wanted him to bash Republicans for blocking the bipartisan border deal. They hoped he would highlight an improving economy. And they wanted him to voice a full-throated defense of reproductive rights, including access to in vitro fertilization. Rep. Ayanna Pressley wanted Biden to call for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. Sen. Elizabeth Warren hoped he would talk about making the wealthy pay their fair share and — as she said on CNN shortly before the speech — shrinkflation. Sen. Ed Markey, of course, wanted to hear Biden focus on climate issues. WHAT THEY GOT Most of it. Biden promised to restore Roe v. Wade and called on Congress to guarantee access to IVF, as Democrats in a crowd peppered with IVF patients and doctors rose and applauded. “So many of us in the room were just reassured that he was in the fight with us,” Rep. Lori Trahan, whose guest was a doctor at the Boston IVF fertility clinic where she underwent treatments to get pregnant with her two daughters, told Playbook in a phone interview after the speech. Biden took on the economy head-on — acknowledging that prices are still high, but reminding Americans that inflation has been ticking down. Warren, in particular, should be pleased with what came next: Biden repeated her rallying cry to “make the wealthy pay their fair share.” He mentioned shrinkflation — and even ad-libbed about the shrinking size of Snickers bars. He hit on junk fees. And he highlighted his efforts to cancel student loan debt. Warren was seen applauding when he called for raises for public school teachers, too. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) (left) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) cheer on President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address. | Shawn Thew/Pool via AP Biden also went for Republicans’ jugular over the failed border bill. And he referenced “my predecessor” more than a dozen times — knocking Trump (though never by name) for the hand he had in tanking the bipartisan deal; his policies on health care, gun control and foreign policy; and over the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “This was a strong speech that drew sharp contrast,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss told our colleague Mia McCarthy at the Capitol. And it’s “going to make it a lot more challenging for Republicans to try to hit [Biden] on immigration now.” Trahan isn’t so sure on that last part. "I have become more and more convinced, and it was only just emphasized to me tonight, that [Republicans] would rather scream out '5,000 a day' or 'shut down the border' or complain about this or campaign on it — even worse — than actually solve the problem,” said Trahan, who was seated near one of Biden’s chief antagonists, the MAGA-hat wearing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). WHAT THEY DIDN’T GET A call for a permanent cease-fire. Pressley was spotted nodding along when Biden said “protecting and saving innocent lives must be a priority” for Israel. But she rebuked his refusal to go beyond calling for a six-week pause in fighting. “We need a lasting, indefinite #CeasefireNOW to save lives, return the hostages, and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Pressley posted on X . The president, she added, “has a moral, humanitarian, and political mandate to make that happen.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) (left) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) hold up signs protesting President Joe Biden's policies in the Israel-Hamas conflict as he delivers his State of the Union address. | Alex Wong/Getty Images Warren indicated that the president’s plan to establish a temporary port in Gaza to improve the flow of humanitarian aid isn’t enough. “The port entry is really important and it shows the president's commitment to humanitarian aid,” Warren told Mia ahead of Biden’s speech. “But we need to hold the Netanyahu government accountable for the humanitarian disaster that has occurred," Warren continued. "We need hostage release. We need a cease-fire. We need humanitarian relief, and we need to be pushing both parties toward a two-state solution.” (Biden did call for the release of hostages and a two-state solution.) Some abortion-rights activists also criticized the president for failing to specifically say the word “abortion” during his 67-minute speech. But not House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark: “Job well done, @POTUS,” she posted on X . “Thank you for standing up for reproductive freedom.” GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . SPOTTED AT SOTU: Markey almost missing the Senate procession into the House chamber (h/t Mia); Warren, Pressley and Clark hugging it out ; Healey administration Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt as Rep. Richard Neal’s guest; Clark and members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus wearing “suffragette” white to symbolize their commitment to women’s rights. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends a ribbon-cutting event in Salem and keynotes a Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce event at 11:45 a.m. Atorney General Andrea Campbell testifies on her budget at a 10:30 a.m. legislative hearing in Gloucester. Auditor Diana DiZoglio and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are among the pols attending state Sen. Sal DiDomenico ’s annual St. Paddy’s Celebration at 7:15 p.m. in Charlestown. THIS WEEKEND — The Boston Globe’s James Pindell is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. YMCA of Greater Boston's David Shapiro and Heading Home CEO Danielle Ferrier are on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday. Campbell is on NBC10’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Tips? Scoops? SOTU thoughts? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com.   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The stakes are high as America's health care community strives to meet the evolving needs of patients and practitioners, adopt new technologies and navigate skeptical public attitudes toward science. Join POLITICO’s annual Health Care Summit on March 13 where we will discuss the future of medicine, including the latest in health tech, new drugs and brain treatments, diagnostics, health equity, workforce strains and more. REGISTER HERE .     DATELINE D.C. President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address. | Shawn Thew/Pool via AP AGE-OLD PROBLEM — President Joe Biden ’s age is among his biggest liabilities in his reelection campaign. And he addressed the concerns head-on in his speech, both in demeanor and in word choice. “I felt this was very different,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss said. “What he did was he took his age and he walked the American public through how it’s shaped how he’s acted as president. … What it did is it created an appreciation for his wisdom, for his age.” THE REPUBLICAN RESPONSE — While Sen. Elizabeth Warren was hyping Biden, one of her Republican challengers, John Deaton , said the president's speech shows Washington is the “same cast of characters, fumbling around with the same problems and coming up with the same failed solutions.” That includes Warren, he said. BTW, Deaton “will not” support Biden or Donald Trump this fall, a spokesperson for his campaign said. While many other Republicans are falling in line behind the former president now that the GOP primaries are effectively over, Deaton, who registered as a Republican shortly before announcing his bid against Warren, is not. DEATON DOES NOT VOTE REGULARLY!  WASN'T EVEN REGISTERED TO VOTE... NEVER HELD PUBLIC OFFICE! THE GUY'S A LOSER! DATELINE BEACON HILL SENATE’S EARLY ED PLAY — The Senate plans to vote next Thursday on a bill that aims to make child care and early education more affordable. There isn’t a specific price tag attached to the legislation, which would make permanent Commonwealth Cares for Children grants and an existing loan forgiveness program for early educators. NOT KEEPING A LOW PROFILE — Another day, another profile of Auditor Diana DiZoglio , this time from Boston Magazine . One fun fact we learned from it: DiZoglio does a daily cold plunge (she says it’s for the health benefits). DEPARTURE LOUNGE — Add state Reps. Jay Barrows and Peter Capano to the list of Beacon Hill lawmakers not running for reelection this year. MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — “Mass. launches new $10.5M program to help 400 migrant families move out of state-run shelters,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts’ eight resettlement agencies inked $10.5 million worth of contracts with the state to move 400 migrant families out of state-run shelters and into stable housing by the end of the year, kicking off a program the Healey administration hopes will free up shelter space." FROM THE HUB NOT BACKING DOWN — Restaurateurs suing Boston over outdoor dining restrictions in the North End are amending their lawsuit to account for the losses they say they’re anticipating this year and declaring they are “at war” with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , the Boston Herald’s Lance Reynolds reports . — “Boston reparations task force will not complete work by end-of-year target,” by Laney Ruckstuhl and Rupa Shenoy, WBUR: “The task force charged with making recommendations to city leaders regarding possible reparations for Black Bostonians will not complete its work by the end of this year as originally planned, its chair said this week. Attorney Joseph Feaster, who oversees the task force, said the group is still gathering research in what is the first of three phases involved with creating its final report.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS — Finally, a good reason for a MBTA delay. The Green Line experienced delays on Thursday after officials helped a baby duck off the tracks between North Station and Science Park. The duck was safely returned to the river, per WBUR, which has video (!).   On the ground in Albany. Get critical policy news and analysis inside New York State. Track how power brokers are driving change across legislation and budget and impacting lobbying efforts. Learn more .     YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS NOT SO SLOW AFTER ALL — More than 1.2 million people voted in Tuesday’s presidential primaries, according to unofficial tallies. And Trump continues to be a turnout driver — both for and against him. The 567,000 ballots cast in the GOP primary amounted to the second-highest Republican primary turnout in state history. The highest: 2016. Turnout on the Democratic side was 632,000 , which Secretary of State Bill Galvin ’s office said was the “highest in recent history” when there was an incumbent president on the ballot. Nearly half of all voters, 48 percent, took advantage of the state’s no-excuse vote-by-mail program, to Galvin’s delight. “There is little doubt” that mail-in voting “helped drive turnout in this primary,” he said in a statement. Early voting remains more popular among Democrats than Republicans. Voters in Rockport on Super Tuesday. | AFP via Getty Images CHALLENGING TIME — Warren’s crypto criticism could draw her another challenger on the Republican side — though unlike Deaton, this one’s lived in the state for more than a couple of months. Quincy City Council President Ian Cain is making calls about running against Warren as a Republican, according to two Republicans familiar with the conversations. The first openly gay, Black president of the city’s council, Cain also co-founded a startup incubator called QUBIC Labs and is an advocate for blockchain. He didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Boston Globe first reported his interest in the race . Cain’s politics are murky: He is a former Democrat who switched to unenrolled in 2019 and then re-registered as a Republican on Feb. 29, according to the Quincy City Clerk’s office. A poll that tested him as a potential challenger to Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch (who he once interned for) last September described him as “part of the next generation of progressive Democrats.” Both Cain and Lynch denied to Playbook at the time that they were behind the survey. Cain told the CommonWealth Beacon last year that if he had to pick a political party to align with, it would be the GOP. Yet he’s also donated to Democrats, backed then-Rep. Joe Kennedy III against Sen. Ed Markey in 2020 and posted photos to social media in August 2022 promoting then-candidates Maura Healey and Andrea Campbell for governor and attorney general, respectively. WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — “What lies beneath towns may be the downfall of the MBTA Communities law,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “[M]any municipalities, mostly small or medium-sized communities outside of Boston, tell GBH News their concern is more mundane than political: What to do with the sewage?” — “Mass. promised to 'significantly reduce' public housing vacancies. The effort barely made a dent,” by Todd Wallack, WBUR. — “Lawsuit filed against MIT accuses the university of allowing antisemitism on campus,” by Michael Casey, The Associated Press. — “Massachusetts ramps up financial oversight for 2 faith-based colleges,” by Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive. excerpt: Dive Brief:  The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education is ramping up financial oversight for two of the state’s faith-based colleges, warning that it cannot confirm the institutions have the resources to stay open through the next academic year.  The agency said last month that it is working with the two institutions, Northpoint Bible College and Boston Baptist College, to craft contingency plans in the event they close.  Both higher education institutions have at least one major risk factor for financial troubles — small student populations. Northpoint Bible College enrolled 225 students in fall 2022, while Boston Baptist College had just 43 students.  HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Emma Brodie and Axios Boston’s Mike Deehan . HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Stefani Jones, who celebrates Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-er Dave Newman . NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: STUPOR TUESDAY — Hosts Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky parse the Bay State’s not-at-all-surprising Super Tuesday results and what they mean for November. Host Jennifer Smith checks in on the first of a series of committee hearings on the current slate of ballot measures. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Trahan's leadership play

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY , LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY TALKING TRAHAN — Several top Democrats in the U.S. House hail from Massachusetts. Lori Trahan could join their ranks today. Trahan is competing for co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee — a key (if little known beyond Capitol Hill) panel that controls the caucus’ messaging. House Democrats will meet in a few hours to pick either Trahan or Colorado Rep. Jason Crow for the leadership post that will be instrumental to the party’s efforts to win the House majority in 2024. “I am a competitor, a former athlete,” Trahan, who played volleyball for Georgetown University, told Playbook at the Capitol last night. “I want to do everything I can to make sure we leave it all out on the field coming next November.” Rep. Lori Trahan is looking to join her Massachusetts colleagues in Democratic leadership | AP To the casual observer, the congresswoman’s bid came as a surprise — especially after Rep. Jake Auchincloss sent up a public trial balloon for the post Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) gave up before launching his presidential bid. (Auchincloss told Playbook he is supporting Trahan today.) But Trahan has been quietly climbing the rungs of House Democratic leadership since she came to Congress in 2019. She’s already a senior member of Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s whip team. And she’s a member of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ Regional Leadership Council and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The chaos that gripped Congress this fall complicated Trahan’s campaign. Days that should have been filled with lengthy votes on appropriations bills were replaced by only occasional votes for House speaker, scrambling Trahan’s opportunities to pitch her caucus-mates. So Trahan changed her approach, handing out fliers to members’ offices outlining why she was running — with a s'more from Lowell's Sweet Lydia’s attached to each one. During the few votes that were held in October, Trahan was seen talking to dozens of Democrats around the House floor. In the end, Trahan told Playbook, she talked to every Democratic member. If Trahan wins, she would increase the Bay State’s already outsized influence in the House. Massachusetts is a small but mighty state: Of its nine House members, three — Clark and Reps. Richard Neal and Jim McGovern — hold positions of power as minority whip and the ranking Democrats on the Ways and Means and Rules committees, respectively. “Pretty great for a small state,” Neal told Playbook. Trahan heads into this morning’s vote with the backing of several Bay State colleagues, Neal included. Rep. Stephen Lynch even helped campaign for her. And while Clark, Trahan’s mentor, can’t endorse anyone because she's a member of leadership, she lauded the Westford Democrat for stepping forward to run for the post. “Lori is incredibly talented and would do an excellent job , especially going into an election year. She brings tremendous insight,” Clark told Playbook. “It's a terrific opportunity for her to join leadership.” GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Say hi to Mia around Capitol Hill! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey participates in a press conference on the Army-Navy game at 11:15 a.m. at Gillette Stadium. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon.  ADDED: "R" voters are consistently uninformed and fail to do their research before supporting an "R" candidate. PETER DURANT ENDORSED DESANTIS! MASS GOP statement: And the MassGOP’s ability to help Durant may be limited by its still-dire financial straits — even though a win in this race is exactly what the party needs to start turning its fortunes around. “If we didn’t have the debt, certainly we would be able to do more in this race,” Carnevale said. “But we certainly are confident in our chances.” PETER DURANT IS A CLOWN FOR ENDORSING DESANTIS, THE BOOK BANNER, RE-WRITES HISTORY, DON'T SAY GAY DIM WIT! That's before defining the ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION in FLORIDA or the numerous other issues...homeowners insurance? radioactive roads? DEAD MANATEES? POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DESANTISLAND — One of GOP state Rep. Peter Durant ’s first big actions as state senator-elect: endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, per the Florida governor's campaign. THIS IS THE CLOWN THAT PETER DURANT ENDORSED: NOTE: GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded think tank - it's a SCAM! Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video excerpt: One of the video's main speakers, Dr. Stella Immanuel, is a physician who operates a medical clinic in a Texas strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries. In the video, she called hydroxychloroquine a "cure" and said, "You don't need a mask" to prevent the virus' spread. Immanuel has claimed that ovarian cysts and endometriosis are caused by "demonic seed." Demons insert sperm into sleeping individuals when they have sex in their dreams, Immanuel claimed in articles on her church's website. Ladapo has also promoted the anti-parasite medication ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against using ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment. In October 2020, Ladapo signed the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement that called for developing societal herd immunity to COVID-19 through natural infection. https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-new-surgeon-general-appeared-demon-sperm-doctors-covid-conspiracy-video-1631372 Healey and Driscoll swear in Peter Durant as a senator at 3 p.m. in the governor’s ceremonial office. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a winter weather preparedness press conference at 9:45 a.m. at the Boston Public Works Yard and speaks about a flood risk-management project at 11 a.m. in Fenway. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: mmccarthy@politico.com , lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com .   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     IN MEMORIAM The late John Walsh | Courtesy photo REMEMBERING ‘CAPTAIN SUNSHINE’ — John Walsh wasn’t one for the spotlight. But the dozens of top Democratic officials and operatives who packed Faneuil Hall’s Great Hall yesterday to pay tribute to the “architect of the modern-day grassroots” served as a public testament to his lasting impact on Massachusetts politics. In all, hundreds of people came out to commemorate Walsh, an insurance salesman and son of Irish immigrants who helped engineer Deval Patrick ’s historic rise to the governor’s office in 2006 and Sen. Ed Markey ’s 2020 reelection. Walsh died on Nov. 20 at age 65 after a battle with stomach cancer. “John Walsh changed the face of Massachusetts politics,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said. “So many women and people of color count him as a mentor.” Markey called Walsh a “Buddha with a spreadsheet” who’s probably “already started organizing Heaven.” Attorney General Andrea Campbell described him as the guiding force behind a generation of politicians and operatives and a strategist whose “political genius was unmatched.” An emotional Patrick read a letter to Walsh’s family from former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle , offering their condolences. But tears mixed with laughter throughout the nearly two-hour celebration of life. Friends and family and current and former elected officials commemorated Walsh not just for his political know-how, but for an optimism so unfailing that his sister once said he “was born with a rainbow up his ass” — a line delivered by Patrick to peals of laughter. “John’s optimism wasn’t wishful thinking,” Patrick said. “It was leadership.” Former Gov. Deval Patrick speaks at the celebration of life for the late John Walsh. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO ALSO SPOTTED — House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark , Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll ; former Gov. Mike Dukakis , Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , former Sen. Mo Cowan , state Sens. Julian Cyr, Lydia Edwards, Will Brownsberger, Jamie Eldridge, Robyn Kennedy, Adam Gomez, Pavel Payano and Marc Pacheco ; current and incoming Boston City Councilors Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta, Ruthzee Louijeune, Sharon Durkan, Henry Santana and Enrique Pepén ; former Boston City Councilor Larry DiCara ; state Reps. Kate Donaghue, Dylan Fernandes, Judith Garcia, John Moran, Tram Nguyen, Samantha Montaño and Chris Worrell ... ...former NBC10 reporter Alison King ; Mary Anne Marsh, Doug Rubin, Scott Ferson, Corey Welford , former state Rep. Jim Cantwell , Chris Dempsey , former Auditor Suzanne Bump, Jon Cohn, Kate Cook, Liz Vlock, Jesse Mermell, former state Sen. Ben Downing ; former Treasurer Shannon O’Brien ; Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle ; Alex Goldstein , Sean Curran, Sydney Asbury, MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan , former MassDems Chair Gus Bickford and many more. DATELINE BEACON HILL — “ ‘It’s frankly shameful.’ Mass. Legislature closes out least productive period in decades. ” by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Nearly 11 months after it convened, the Legislature has failed to move proposals to Healey’s desk that would address some of the state’s most pressing issues — housing, gun control, and oversight of the beleaguered MBTA. And by Tuesday, lawmakers hadn’t yet sent Healey a nearly $3 billion spending bill designed to close out last fiscal year, and this time, includes hundreds of millions in funding for homeless children and families.” — “Governor Healey unveils plan to protect Mass. coastline from climate change,” by Jason Margolis and Billy Baker, Boston Globe: “On Tuesday morning, the governor laid out a new regional approach called ‘ResilientCoasts,’ a plan to collaborate with 78 coastal communities. It will be led by a chief coastal resilience officer at the Office of Coastal Zone Management. The team will unite communities that share similar landscapes and face similar challenges from climate change, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and more severe storms.” — “Gun control bills bring heated testimony to Beacon Hill,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “Dozens of gun control measures under consideration by the state Legislature are plainly at odds with recent rulings by the Supreme Court and wouldn’t actually prevent gun violence or crime, firearms advocates told a legislative joint committee. However, some of the would-be gun laws might make Massachusetts safer and potentially save lives, if advanced to the full Legislature and given the governor’s signature, gun safety advocates told the same group of lawmakers.” — “Goldberg indicates meeting with O’Brien to be private,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: “State treasurer Deborah Goldberg’s office indicated on Tuesday that she intends to meet next week with Shannon O’Brien to discuss why she suspended O’Brien as chair of the Cannabis Control Commission. A spokesperson for the treasurer said the meeting would be private, suggesting the public will most likely remain in the dark about what led to O’Brien’s suspension more than two months ago.” FROM THE HUB BIDEN’S GOT A FRIEND IN JAMES TAYLOR — Grammy-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor is hosting a concert with President Joe Biden in Boston on Tuesday to benefit the president’s reelection campaign and other Democratic fundraising arms. Tickets range from $50 to $7,500 for the event, according to the invitation . Biden’s visit comes less than a month after Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Boston to fundraise for the Democratic National Committee.   GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK : Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR CEASE-FIRE NOW — Somerville City Council President Ben Ewen-Campen joined residents in delivering an open letter to Markey and Warren’s offices in Boston urging the senators to “stand up for our shared humanity” and call for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Dozens of hostages who were held by Hamas and more than 100 Palestinian prisoners in Israel have been freed in recent days thanks to a temporary truce that has allowed much-needed aid into Gaza. While Markey and Warren have praised the temporary pause in fighting — and called for it to be extended — neither has voiced support for permanent cease-fire. — “Harvard University faces federal civil rights investigation for antisemitism amid Israel-Hamas war,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The U.S. Department of Education has added Harvard University to its list of schools that are under investigation for possible civil rights violations as students have reported antisemitic incidents amid the Israel-Hamas war.” — More: “Harvard, MIT presidents to testify before Congress about confronting antisemitism on campus,” by Hilary Burns, Boston Globe. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “'Stealing' overtime was common for years in Mass. State Police, retired trooper testifies,” by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: “‘Stealing’ by not working full overtime shifts was commonplace in the Massachusetts State Police dating to the 1980s, a retired trooper testified under an immunity agreement Tuesday in federal court." — “Police stun gun use continues to decline,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “The use of stun guns and Tasers by Massachusetts law enforcement officers dropped in 2021, according to a new report, which shows the decline comes as more officers are trained to use the non-lethal devices.” — “Resolution Against Hate now hangs in Attleboro City Hall,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HALEY HAS A MOMENT — Fresh off a big endorsement from a Koch brothers-backed super PAC, Nikki Haley is turning new heads in New Hampshire. Spotted among the few hundred people who packed into the Derry Opera House to hear her last night: former Sen. Gordon Humphrey (R-N.H.) who backed John Kasich in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 out of disdain for Donald Trump . Humphrey told POLITICO he’s “leaning” toward Haley and has requested a private meeting with her to help make up his mind. He said he’s drawn to her “experience, her qualifications, her energy, her policy positions and the fact that she can win” — or at least finish a “strong second” in New Hampshire. As for whether he would support Biden again, Humphrey said it “depends on who the Republican nominee is. I supported Biden because I despise Trump.” MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND — “Mr. Amo goes to Washington (and Smithfield),” by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe: “Three weeks have passed since Amo, a Providence Democrat, defeated Gerry W. Leonard Jr., a Jamestown Republican, in the special election to fill Rhode Island’s First Congressional District seat. And at this point, even insiders are struggling to get his name right.” HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Former state Sen. John O’Brien has been named COO of JERA Americas, a Houston-based energy company expanding into New England. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Joe Valente, Seth Gitell, Katherine Forde, Dominique Manuel, Trent Spiner, Kaveesh Pathak and Maddie Kilgannon. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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