Sinema’s Speech Stunned the White House

Playbook: “The White House legislative affairs team woke up this morning to some unwelcome news from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema: At noon, the Arizona Democrat would make a floor speech doubling down against eliminating the filibuster for voting rights — right before President Joe Biden’s planned arrival at the Capitol for a private lunch with Senate Dems to rally support for the proposal.”

“The call sent Biden aides and Hill Democratic leaders into a tailspin… Their scripted kabuki theater would now have a new and unplanned scene from a player who has been very deliberate about when she speaks up — and would likely upstage the president’s own appearance on the Hill.”