By Lauren Egan, Eli Stokols and Lawrence Ukenye

Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producer Raymond Rapada

Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren

When GABE AMO announced in April that he was jumping into the crowded Democratic primary to replace Rhode Island Rep. DAVID CICILLINE, few Ocean State political insiders thought that the former special assistant to President JOE BIDEN had a decent shot at winning.

There were a number of reasons why. He’d never run for office before and didn’t have a base of supporters. He was still living in D.C. up until days before he announced his candidacy. He wasn’t racking up a ton of local endorsements, and he had very low name recognition compared to others in the race, like Lt. Gov. SABINA MATOS.

And yet, the race wasn’t particularly close. The AP called it for Amo within an hour of polls closing Tuesday night. He won 32 percent of the vote, beating out 10 other Democrats to advance to the general election. The No. 2 candidate, former state representative AARON REGUNBERG, trailed 8 points behind.

Even those close to Amo’s campaign expressed a bit of surprise by the results. And some acknowledged that luck was a part of the story here. Matos, who was seen at the start of the race as the strongest candidate, had a series of scandals (allegations of misrepresenting endorsements and campaign signature fraud) that she was unable to recover from. And Regunberg, a progressive backed by Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) and Rep. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-N.Y), struggled to shake the “privileged rich kid” label after getting support from a super PAC funded by his family.

“It’s helpful not to be a frontrunner and I think Gabe benefited from being underestimated throughout the race, especially early,” said BRETT BROESDER, the founding executive director of the Democrats Serve PAC, which backed Amo.

But for Biden world, Amo’s win was quickly chalked up to being more about what he presented and less about the shortcomings of the also-rans.

Amo intentionally positioned himself as a more moderate candidate with close ties to the president. His campaign ads featured pictures of him and Biden and touched on similar messages the president has focused on since taking office, such as threats to American democracy.

Gabe Amo campaign

“Democratic primary voters in Rhode Island are looking for common sense, pragmatic Democrats, which of course is very much Joe Biden’s brand and who he is,” said JEFREY POLLOCK, the Amo campaign pollster.

There is, of course, something inherently self-serving in drawing broad national conclusions from the result of a special election primary in a Democratic district in which 38,000 of people voted.

But the Biden network did do its share to buoy Amo’s candidacy, particularly when it came to fundraising. Biden campaign manager JULIE CHÁVEZ RODRÍGUEZ, director of the Office of Public Engagement STEVE BENJAMIN, deputy communications director HERBIE ZISKEND and deputy Cabinet secretary DAN KOH were among the Biden officials who donated to Amo. Other donors included officials with whom Amo had developed relationships through his White House work, such as former Philadelphia Mayor MICHAEL NUTTER and former Massachusetts Gov. DEVAL PATRICK.

“He raised money everywhere he could from his network and then plowed that into a TV advertising campaign that branded him as a Democrat who has served Democratic presidents,” said TED NESI, the politics editor at Providence’s WPRI, which moderated one of the primary debates. “If he didn’t have the money to run that TV campaign, I think it would have made a big difference.”

TJ DUCKLO, the Biden campaign’s senior communications adviser, said that “voters continue to demonstrate that experience and delivering results matter.”

Amo’s win also was widely cheered by White House staffers, who sent emails to each other celebrating as soon as the race was called (heavy on the exclamation marks). Biden himself called Amo on Wednesday afternoon to congratulate him. “President Biden is proud a White House alumnus won in a resounding victory last night,” said assistant press secretary MICHAEL KIKUKAWA.

Whether Amo’s win was a sign of the president’s brand being stronger than perceived was another matter. Certainly, there were those in Biden world who moved quickly to claim it so.

“For pundits who dismiss Bidenism as a force in our party, @gabeamo just won a crowded primary by centering his campaign on his experience working for — and close alliance with — @joebiden,” former White House chief of staff RON KLAIN tweeted about the race.

MESSAGE US — Are you GINA RAIMONDO? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at [email protected].

Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here! 

GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.

Thanks to the White House Historical Association for this question!

Who originally proposed the idea of a first lady portrait collection?

(Answer at bottom.)

TO MASK OR NOT TO MASK: White House press secretary KARINE JEAN-PIERRE told reporters Wednesday that the president again tested negative for Covid, has no symptoms and plans to mask and test regularly 10 days post-exposure while traveling and attending G-20. Reporters also asked a number of questions about the president’s removal of his mask during Tuesday’s Medal of Honor ceremony for Capt. LARRY L. TAYLOR, in which Biden abruptly left the proceedings after placing the medal around Taylor’s neck.

Jean-Pierre said Biden intentionally removed his mask to deliver “incredibly important remarks'' and award the medal to Taylor. As for the president’s early exit, she said it was planned for the president to leave during a pause in the program “in order to minimize his close contact with attendees.”

Left unsaid: Why Biden, if he was trying to minimize close contacts, decided to walk through the crowd toward the exit. Biden also went maskless when he walked into the State Dining Room for an event Wednesday. “They keep telling me because it has to be 10 days or something, I gotta keep wearing it. But don’t tell them I didn’t have it on when I walked in,” he said.

EQUAL UNDER THE LAW: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS believes former President DONALD TRUMP and Jan. 6 rioters should be held accountable for their role in the insurrection, our KIERRA FRAZIER reports. Harris, who spoke in Indonesia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, has previously called for rioters to be prosecuted, but she’s been less outspoken on Trump’s legal issues stemming from the attacks at the Capitol. "I believe that people should be held accountable under the law," Harris said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And when they break the law, there should be accountability."

THE STAFF BUILDUP GAINS STEAM: Biden’s campaign is gradually bolstering its reelection effort through a series of staffing hires aimed at buffing its communications and surrogate outreach, our HOLLY OTTERBEIN reports. AMMAR MOUSSA, who currently serves as the DNC’s national press secretary, is joining the campaign as its rapid response director. MARÍA CAROLINA CASADO will serve as the campaign’s director of Hispanic media, a similar role she held at the DNC. GRACE LANDRIEU is set to become the campaign’s policy director after serving on the National Economic Council, and CARLA FRANK will join the team as the director of the national advisory board and surrogate operations.

WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS YOU TO READ: This piece by the Washington Post’s GLENN KESSLER debunking a claim by Rep. JAMES COMER (R-Ky.) that Biden used a pseudonym in an email to advance his son’s business dealings. The House Oversight chair told Newsmax last week that he believed the president flew to Ukraine to urge the dismissal of a prosecutor general, VIKTOR SHOKIN, in exchange for U.S. aid. Kessler found little evidence of that claim and writes that Shokin’s departure had no connection to Biden. White House investigations spokesperson IAN SAMS posted the piece in a tweet.

WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ: Any story about the Justice Department pursing charges on the president’s son. Special counsel DAVID WEISS plans to pursue an indictment on HUNTER BIDEN before the end of the month, with CNN reporting that it will center on gun charges. Our  BETSY WOODRUFF SWAN, who also had the news, previously reported that Hunter Biden’s lawyers had said they would call the president himself as a witness if the case went down this route.

We’ll see …

The charges come after attempts to reach a plea deal fell apart last month.

RAHM HITS THE ROAD: U.S. Ambassador to Japan RAHM EMMANUEL is showing support for Japanese products after China banned Japanese seafood in response to the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.

Emmanuel has called the ban politically motivated and has noted that health officials have said the water release has no impact on food safety. To prove his point, he ate flounder and sea bass sashimi with the local Fukushima mayor last week, and he brought back peaches, figs, grapes, flounder and sea bass for his kids, according to AP’s MARI YAMAGUCHI. On Monday, he guided a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Rep. ELISE STEFANIK (R-N.Y.) to a Fukushima store offering fish cake samples. And he plans to serve food sourced from Fukushima when Speaker KEVIN MCCARTHY, who is in Tokyo for a G-7 meeting, has lunch at the ambassador’s residence on Thursday.

“The United States stands firmly with Japan, especially when contrasted with China’s overtly political decision to ban all Japanese seafood imports and past failures in openness and scientific cooperation,” Emmanuel said in a statement.

And yet, the culinary adventurism is alive within us, as we wonder what a piece of radioactive yellow tail with a touch of chive and avocado might actually taste like.

FIRST IN WEST WING PLAYBOOK: MATTHEW HOECK is now the director of congressional affairs at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, our DANIEL LIPPMAN has learned. He previously was special assistant to the USTR.

— SEAN CONWAY has been appointed deputy chief counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Lippman has also learned. Conway previously served as chief of staff and senior legal counsel in NTIA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.

MORE PERSONNEL MOVES:  MICHAEL LAROSA, former press secretary to first lady JILL BIDEN, is now a partner at Ballard Partners, the GOP-aligned firm that has made a name for its close ties to DONALD TRUMP, our CAITLIN OPRYSKO reports.

— JOSEPH WALDOW is now chief of staff of the science division in the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House. He most recently worked at the Office of Management and Budget.

— HOPE WILLIAMS has been promoted to senior associate director for presidential boards and commissions at the White House.

— HOWARD OU has been named White House liaison at the Environmental Protection Agency. He most recently worked as director of government relations at The Asian American Foundation and also served in the White House Office of Public Engagement.

— MAGGIE POLACHEK is now senior director at Evergreen Strategy Group. She most recently was a special adviser for implementation at the EPA and is an alum of the Biden White House.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, BUT THE LANDING REMAINS DICEY: Biden plans to tap MIKE WHITAKER to head the FAA, an agency without a Senate-confirmed leader for nearly two years, our ORIANA PAWLYK and ALEX DAUGHERTY report. Whitaker previously served as the FAA’s deputy administrator and worked as an executive in United Airlines.

The nomination comes as the agency has struggled with turnover amid a fraught time for the industry, which has grappled with numerous flight delays and near-collisions. To be seen: whether he will get the votes.

A RISKY VISIT: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN visited Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders while the country was targeted by Russian airstrikes that left at least 16 civilians dead, our MATT BERG reports. Progress on Ukraine’s counteroffensive has been slow, but Blinken said troops have made headway. Blinken announced $1 billion in new aid for Kyiv, Berg reports.

ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL WEAPONS TRANSFER: The Biden administration plans to send controversial depleted-uranium, armor-piercing munitions to Ukraine for the first time as part of a $175 million weapons package, our LARA SELIGMAN reports.

U.S. officials claim the munitions don’t pose a radioactive danger despite some groups expressing concern over the health risks, including cancer from exposure to depleted-uranium dust.

DRILL THERE, BUT NOT THERE: The Interior Department will cancel oil drilling leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that were sold under the Trump administration, our BEN LEFEBVRE reports. The move could quell environmentalists' frustration with Biden's approval of the Willow Project, another controversial drilling project in the northern part of the state.

Unions seek gains in hostile territory: ‘If you change the South, you change America’ (POLITICO's Olivia Olander)

Top Biden Cyber Official Accused Of Workplace Misconduct At Nsa In 2014 — And Again At White House Last Year (The Intercept's Noah Culwin and Sam Biddle)

In the late 1860’s, former first lady JULIA TYLER proposed to President ANDREW JOHNSON the idea of a collection of portraits of the wives of presidents. She also donated an 1848 portrait of herself by artist FRANCESCO ANELLI to the White House as the first piece in the collection, according to the White House Historical Association.

To learn more about presidential history and other topics, tune in on Sept. 25-28 for the The White House Historical Association’s 2023 Presidential Sites Summit. Click here to register.

A CALL OUT! Do you think you have a harder trivia question? Send us your best one about the presidents, with a citation or sourcing, and we may feature it!

Edited by Eun Kyung Kim and Sam Stein.

Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings

This email was sent to [email protected] by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.