| Welcome to The Daily 202 newsletter! Tell your friends to sign up here. On this day in 1986, the U.S. Senate begins a three-month trial of televising its live floor proceedings. Senators voted later to make it permanent. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, up for reelection in 2022 and a much-discussed contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, needs a creative solution to a problem partly of his own making: A standoff with cruise lines over vaccine requirements. The conflict tests the political skills of an ambitious and Trump-allied governor who made reopening the economy and resisting health mandates his political calling card in 2020, now up against one of his state's most powerful industries. If 2024 seems a long way off — and it is impossible to know precisely today what voters will want then from aspiring commanders-in-chief — DeSantis has left no doubt he'll run for reelection next year on his pandemic response.  Florida Gov. Ron Desantis (R), shown here speaking at a rally for President Donald Trump in October, could seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. (Tom Brenner/Reuters) | Yesterday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced she'd seek the Democratic nomination for governor, telling voters she was their best chance to "stop Ron DeSantis, break Florida's corrupt system." Beyond of course the impact on the thousands of people whose livelihoods are at stake as the pandemic recedes and the economy rebounds, the DeSantis vs Cruise Lines — not a framing he would accept — is also packed with political significance. As a business, U.S-based cruise lines have been largely aground since March 2020, beached after high-profile coronavirus outbreaks led to disease and death among vacationers, with estimated losses easily running into the billions of dollars. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gave its approval for Royal Caribbean to resume operations out of Florida late this month — provided 98 percent of the crew and 95 percent of passengers are vaccinated. But DeSantis has signed a law to prevent businesses from requiring customers to prove they've been vaccinated. In the case of the floating cities with hundreds or thousands aboard, it could mean cruise lines facing $5,000 in fines per passenger asked to prove they've had their shot(s). The law takes effect July 1. The first Florida-based cruise takes to the Caribbean June 26. And, as of last week, DeSantis isn't budging — publicly, at least. "We are going to enforce Florida law," DeSantis said Friday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. "We have laws that protect the people and the privacy of our citizens, and we are going to enforce it. In fact, I have no choice but to enforce it." ("We are working with the Governor's office to align on the path forward," Celebrity Cruises spokesperson Susan Lomax told the Miami Herald last week.) The DeSantis administration and the CDC are in mediation to try to resolve a lawsuit he filed to lift its vaccination requirements on the industry and set the stage for the resumption of cruises. It's not clear what the cruise lines would do if DeSantis wins — that would probably turn on what their lawyers advise — and whether passengers would crowd the floating buffets and pack the dance floors without the certainty their shipmates were vaccinated. The economic stakes — and therefore the political ones — are high. The CEO of Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings warned in early May his company might seek bluer harbors if the ban on asking customers to prove their vaccinated status stands. "Cruise ships have motors, propellers and rudders, and God forbid we can't operate in the state of Florida for whatever reason, then there are other states that we do operate from. And we can operate from the Caribbean for ships that otherwise would've gone to Florida," Norwegian's Frank Del Rio said. That sounds … costly. For every entity involved. The mediation would seem to offer a potential path forward. What about a special carve-out for cruise ships? That was the solution when Florida Republicans drafted a constitutionally suspect law to punish social media companies that ban certain politicians. As I wrote last month: "In a transparent nod to Disney, the legislation exempts any such platform 'operated by a company that owns and operates a theme park,' which would seem to create tantalizing loophole opportunities — pack your bags, kids, we're going to Zuckerworld or Dorseyland!" Could something similar be worked out for cruise lines? According to this report from Suzanne Rowan Kelleher at Forbes, it's a definite maybe. Suzanne got the audio of a conference call including a top Celebrity Cruise executive, Dondra Ritzenthaler, and travel agents in which the former says DeSantis has been working with cruise lines to … clarify his interpretation of the law. "Apparently, the revised messaging would assert that the cruise terminal will be in Florida, while 'as soon as you pass through and step on the ship, you're no longer considered to be local. You're now in international waters,' said Ritzenthaler, who noted that DeSantis will still be able to say 'that people in Florida will not have to show vaccination proof to go to bars and restaurants and Walmart and Target, but how cruising is a little bit different.' " That would seem to require redefining American territory to achieve a near-miraculous solution — let's call it a parsing of the waters? | | | What's happening now JBS, the world's biggest meat supplier, says its systems are coming back online after a cyberattack shut down U.S. plants. "JBS, the world's largest meat supplier, said late Tuesday its systems are coming back online after a massive cyberattack that shut down some of its U.S. and Australian operations this week," Hamza Shaban, Ellen Nakashima and Rachel Lerman report. "In its statement, it said it was making progress at resolving the cyberattack and the 'vast majority' of its plants would be operational Wednesday. Several of its pork, poultry and prepared-food plants were working Tuesday, and its beef plant in Canada had started operating again." To start your day with a full political briefing, sign up for our Power Up newsletter. | | | Lunchtime reads from The Post - "This Senate is the oldest in American history. Should we do anything about it?" by Roxanne Roberts: "Twenty-three members of the Senate are in their 70s; only one is under 40. According to the Congressional Research Service, the average age of senators at the beginning of this year was 64.3 years — the oldest in history. So begins the debate: Experience vs. new ideas? Career politicians vs. short timers? Old vs. young? Boomers vs … everybody else?"
- "In Naomi Osaka's withdrawal, some see a 'wake-up call' for sports that neglect mental health," by Liz Clarke: "Osaka became the latest high-profile athlete to challenge the rules and traditions of a powerful sports organization they believe does them harm. ... Osaka's actions are a 'wake-up call' to athletes, too, said Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association, an athlete-advocacy group founded in 2001. 'Her taking that stance is a signal to athletes everywhere that it's up to them to ultimately look out for their own well-being,' Huma said."
| | | … and beyond - "In Tulsa and beyond, Biden tasks Black women with fighting the legacy of inequity," by the 19th's Errin Haines: "President Joe Biden deputized Vice President Kamala Harris to lead Democrats' fight for voting rights, linking it to the country's broader need to address the legacy of systemic racial inequality. Harris, who the president had already charged with addressing migration from Central America, now adds to her portfolio another of the most intractable and politically divisive priorities facing the new administration. ... Harris is among the several Black women in Biden's Cabinet who are tackling some of the most difficult and longstanding challenges in the country. Their roles are an acknowledgment of the leadership of Black women who have always been on the front lines, but who have not always been visible, said Karen Finney, a Democratic strategist."
- "National Enquirer parent, ex-CEO fined for breaking election law in 2016 campaign," by the WSJ's Joe Palazzolo: "The publisher of the National Enquirer agreed to pay $187,500 as part of a settlement with the Federal Election Commission over a 2016 scheme to buy and suppress the story of a woman who alleged an affair with former President Donald Trump. The May 17 agreement between A360 Media LLC and the FEC characterized the $150,000 payment to model Karen McDougal as an illegal corporate campaign contribution. Federal law prohibits companies from making contributions to candidate committees."
- " 'SpongeBob' and 'Transformers' cost U.S. taxpayers $4 billion, study says," by the New York Times's Edmund Lee: " 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' was the top box office film in 2014, bringing in $1.1 billion, with more than three-quarters of those dollars coming from overseas. ViacomCBS's Paramount Pictures, which distributed the computer-animated action-fest, saved much of that money by licensing the international rights through a complex strategy designed to avoid paying U.S. taxes, according to a study published on Tuesday by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, a nonprofit group funded in part by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is common practice for multinational corporations to take advantage of tax shelters. The report offers a rare look at how one company has pulled it off."
| | | At the table Today, we're having lunch with Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. McCaul has introduced legislation urging President Biden to do more to confront China over its repression of the Uyghur minority. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Knox: You and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.) have a resolution about China's repression of the Uyghur minority. Why is it important to use the word "genocide" in this measure? McCaul: It has a very historic context from the Geneva Convention after World War II, in addressing the Holocaust that was perpetrated on the Jewish people by the Nazis. Congress has rarely done this. I think only three times has Congress condemned another country for genocide. So it's very important. It also lays the predicate for things like sanctions, [and] makes it easier, probably, to pass the Forced Labor Prevention Act, which would prohibit the purchasing of goods out of Xinjiang province which were made by slave labor. I just think it sends a moral authority message to the world and [shines] a spotlight on what's happening over there. Knox: What should the Biden administration be doing about the Uyghur situation? McCaul: They have referred to it as a genocide. But this I think will give more momentum. If Congress is declaring it's a genocide, it will give the State Department more authority to stand up to this — and the president needs to stand up to this, in very strong terms. We can't turn a blind eye to this, this is really the moral test of our time. And I think the Biden administration needs actions and not just words. Knox: China has been flexing its muscle with the private sector — airlines, hotel chains, Hollywood, sports leagues — how do you counter that? McCaul: If Congress condemns this as a genocide taking place, then I think it puts the burden on the corporate world to have more corporate responsibility, to not bow to the pressures of the Chinese Communist Party, to not buy goods out of Xinjiang province, like cotton, to not be complicit with this genocide that's taking place. I think corporate America needs to be more responsible. Knox: Some of your colleagues have called for a "diplomatic boycott" of the Olympics in China. Where do you come down on U.S. participation in the 2022 Games? McCaul: I think that the athletes have trained all their lives, they should be allowed to participate. But I think a showing of resistance against this genocide would be a great opportunity. I do think there ought to be a diplomatic boycott. If we boycotted, with all athletes, say, the Munich Games when Hitler was in power, we wouldn't have shown the world that Jesse Owens could win the track competition and show Hitler the Aryan race was not supreme. By the same token, when we boycotted the Russian Olympic Games, Russia and China won all the gold medals. I want to see the United States winning the gold, they shouldn't be the ones punished. But I think our diplomats need to send a strong message to the CCP that we will not tolerate this genocide taking place. Knox: It's unfair to ask you to give a short answer to this complicated question, but as the U.S. pulls out of Afghanistan, what, if anything does Washington owe Afghan interpreters and their families? McCaul: We have a moral obligation and responsibility to protect them. They were loyal to us. We promised them that we would provide special immigration visas. We need to keep our promises. I would hope the Biden administration — I know they're going through an inter-agency process — would come out very strongly that we are going to expedite these visas. And if we can't expedite them, get them to a safe place, a safe country where they can process. Gen. Mark Milley [chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] is putting a plan together to help evacuate these heroes that worked alongside of our special forces. And we need to execute that plan, and protect them in this time of great peril because they all have a target on their backs from the Taliban. | | | The Biden agenda Pressure is mounting on West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) as Democrats worry about voting rights. - "Democratic leaders and activists are urgently stepping up pressure on Sen. Joe Manchin III to support legislation to fight Republican-led voting restrictions across the country, with party officials increasingly concluding that the battle over voting rights could come down to what the centrist Democrat from West Virginia does," Sean Sullivan and Mike DeBonis report.
- "Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) recently announced that his chamber would vote this month on a House-passed elections bill co-sponsored by every Democratic senator except Manchin — a move that would force Manchin to pick a side in a fight that has taken on new urgency in recent weeks. Even some of Manchin's Democratic colleagues are beginning to prod him more aggressively to join their cause, while activists and civil rights leaders are loudly decrying his hesitation."
| | | Quote of the day "I hear all the folks on TV saying why doesn't Biden get this done? Well, because Biden only has a majority of effectively four votes in the House and a tie in the Senate, with two members of the Senate who vote more with my Republican friends," Biden said in Tulsa, offering a blunt defense for the inaction that has plagued his first months in office. He was clearly making a dig at Sens. Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) "But we're not giving up." Biden is meeting with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today to talk infrastructure. - "The planned meeting with Capito comes as Democrats are striking a more urgent tone on negotiations," John Wagner reports. Capito is the Republican point person on infrastructure spending. "Ultimately, we cannot sit and negotiate forever. We need to get to an end," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said during an appearance this morning on CNN.
- "Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said that Capito would be the only GOP senator present at Wednesday's meeting with Biden. Last month, she attended an Oval Office meeting with Biden with a larger group of Republican colleagues. In an advisory, the White House billed the meeting as an opportunity for Biden and Capito 'to continue their discussion on investing in American infrastructure.'"
Biden will declare June "a national month of action" to get more Americans vaccinated ahead of the Fourth of July. - "That's the date he has a set to meet a goal of at least 70 percent of U.S. adults having received at least one shot," Wagner reports. During remarks later today, Biden will "outline an all-of-America approach to getting more people vaccinated including by mobilizing national organizations, community-based and faith-based partners, businesses, social media influencers, celebrities, athletes, colleges, young people, and thousands of volunteers," according to a White House statement.
- About half of the country's population has now received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest data from the CDC.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. will soon distribute millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines around the world, including in Latin America. - "The question on the minds of many — which countries will receive doses first and how quickly will they be delivered — remained unanswered as Blinken began his first official visit to the region," John Hudson reports. "Sometime in the next week to two weeks, we will be announcing the process by which we will distribute those vaccines," Blinken said at a news conference in San Jose with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada.
- The U.S. may be starting to go back to normal — but other countries are going through their worst outbreaks right now. "The authorities in Malaysia have barred people from venturing more than about six miles from home. Covid-19 patients are spilling into the hallways of overcrowded hospitals in Argentina. In Nepal, 40 percent of coronavirus tests are positive, suggesting that the virus is racing through the population," the Times's Shashank Bengali reports.
The Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" program is officially over, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. - The administration has scrapped the program that required migrants from Central America and other regions to await their U.S. asylum hearings in Mexico, Maria Sacchetti reports. Mayorkas said he reviewed the program and concluded it was ineffective, costly and risky for migrants.
| | | More on the future of the GOP A Nevada GOP consultant sought help from the Proud Boys to build a crowd for a pro-Trump rally to protest the counting of ballots in the state. - "The rally at the Clark County Election Department in North Las Vegas, one of many such demonstrations around the nation, looked like an organic response to a president then trailing in early returns and threatening anew to contest his defeat. But private messages from Facebook and interviews show the extent of the efforts, in at least one battleground state, to demonstrate the appearance of grass-roots energy to spread Trump's falsehoods about the election," Michael Scherer reports. "The behind-the-scenes maneuverings in Nevada involved a liberal activist who had faked a persona to get close to far-right activists, and a consultant working with the state Republican Party who contacted her in a bid to recruit the Proud Boys, a far-right men's group, to attend the rally."
- "Woodrow Johnston, the vice president of McShane LLC, a consultancy that had been hired by the party to investigate electoral fraud, wrote on Nov. 4 to Sarah Ashton-Cirillo in a Facebook Messenger chat, telling her that Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.), one of his firm's clients, was preparing a 'Brooks Brothers Riot' in Arizona. That was a reference to the Republican protests that disrupted vote counting in Florida after the 2000 presidential election. 'We might need to do the same here in Nevada,' Johnston wrote ... 'Which means we need to get the Proud Boys out.' "
- "Johnston's involvement also has highlighted the turmoil that has beset Republicans nationally as far-right groups have sought more influence in the party."
The RNC is threatening to advise its future presidential candidates not to participate in debates hosted by the Commission on Presidential Debates. - That is unless the nonpartisan organization addresses a litany of complaints detailed in a letter, Wagner and Josh Dawsey report.
- "The letter, signed by RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, reprises many of Trump's complaints about the commission and decisions it made last year as it sought to negotiate the pandemic, including Trump contracting the coronavirus. The RNC complaints include the commission's decision to hold a virtual debate, which Trump withdrew from, and plans to put plexiglass between the candidates at a subsequent debate."
- "In the letter, McDaniel 'strongly encourages' the commission to take several actions, including pledging to host at least one debate before early voting begins in any state and instituting term limits for commission members."
| | | Hot on the left Michael Flynn, a former Trump national security adviser, suggested the U.S. needed a military coup during a Memorial Day weekend conference linked to QAnon. He is now backtracking his comments, but the criticism is already out. An audience member at the "For God & Country Patriot Roundup" conference in Dallas asked Flynn "why what happened in Myanmar can't happen here" — referring to the Myanmar military's overthrow of a quasi-democratic government, the Times's Maggie Astor reports. Flynn replied: "No reason. I mean, it should happen here. No reason." Richard Painter, the chief ethics attorney for former President George W. Bush, said Flynn's call for a coup amounted to sedition. "This is extremely dangerous for a former general to be calling for a military coup," Painter told CNN. "This cannot be accepted in the United States of America." Flynn is now denying he implied support for a coup, claiming reporters are misquoting him. There's video evidence, though: | | | Hot on the right "The conservative book world doesn't know what to do with Biden," writes the Atlantic's McKay Coppins: "His presidency may be young, but industry insiders have told me in recent weeks that the market for anti-Biden books is ice cold. Authors have little interest in writing them, editors have little interest in publishing them, and — though the hypothesis has yet to be tested — it's widely assumed that readers would have little interest in buying them. In many ways, the dynamic represents a microcosm of the current political moment: Facing a new president whose relative dullness is his superpower, the American right has gone hunting for richer targets to elevate." | | | Serious injuries at Amazon warehouses, visualized In 2020, for every 200,000 hours worked at an Amazon warehouse in the United States — the equivalent of 100 employees working full time for a year — there were 5.9 serious incidents, according to new work-related injury data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. That's nearly double the rate of non-Amazon warehouses, Jay Greene and Chris Alcantara report. | | | Today in Washington Biden will deliver remarks at 1:15 p.m. on the pandemic response. Harris will attend. | | | In closing | Jimmy Kimmel said he had a great long weekend because he's vaccinated:  | | | | | | |
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