A quick anecdote from Playbook on COVID-19 reliefe negotiations:

On Tuesday afternoon, @SpeakerPelosi hosted @SenSchumer, @stevenmnuchin1 and @MarkMeadows in her office suite for a mtg.

This was meant to be a touch-gloves moment for the two sides, which will be at loggerheads for the next few weeks. Internally, in the Capitol, the move was seen as risky by some Rs. Why would the administration meet with PELOSI before Senate Republicans put out their bill?

BUT, REGARDLESS of the concerns, they headed to PELOSI’S quarters for the meeting. SCHUMER entered through the main entrance, walking through a clutch of reporters to remind us that the Republicans were in “shambles.” MEADOWS said little on his way in.

WHEN THEY GOT TO THE TABLE -- attendance was light, there were fewer than a dozen present -- Republicans were ticking off their priorities, and noting that they had come to the Democrats’ side on several issues.

THE ADMINISTRATION and Senate Republicans were willing to increase money for schools to $105 BILLION, which they noted, was $5 BILLION more than Democrats had in their HEROES Act back in May.

> @SpeakerPelosi/ @SenSchumer interjected that no, they needed way more than that for schools -- their number by now was closer to $400 BILLION.

Democrats argue Republicans have dawdled for more than two months, so the need for money for schools has ballooned. Republicans say that Democrats were already looking for more cash. Both sides saw this as an illustration of just how far apart they are at the moment.

PELOSI AND SCHUMER emerged from that late-afternoon session with MEADOWS and MNUCHIN to say that Republicans are in disarray -- not totally wrong, but not quite right either -- and they would wait until the GOP put out their bill to begin negotiations.

This is why we led Playbook with the idea that this negotiation is going to last a while — and if they come to a deal, it’s going to be quite hard fought.