Archives for April 2015

Clinton Kicks Off Fundraising Blitz

April 29, 2015 at 5:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

Bloomberg: “The Democratic presidential contender’s first day of donor hobnobbing for her newly formed campaign included back-to-back-to-back stops at the homes of some of her most loyal supporters in Manhattan. Her haul, based on the number of attendees and price of admission: Somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million.”

“A proven fundraiser, Clinton banked $229 million during her 2008 presidential campaign before conceding the nomination to Barack Obama. Yet aides and friends have been trying to tamp down expectations for her return to political fundraising, repeatedly emphasizing that she is only collecting money for the primary contest at this point.”

Sanders Will Run for President

April 28, 2015 at 8:05 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 71 Comments

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) plans to run for president as a Democrat, becoming the only official party challenger so far to Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reports.

“According to people familiar with the senator’s plans, he will release a statement on Thursday and make a more formal announcement of candidacy later next month in Vermont. That event will likely take place at City Hall in Burlington, where he was mayor.”

USA Today: “It also will be the first time that the fiercely independent politician has run as a Democrat. He has long criticized both parties for being too beholden to corporate interests. He does not accept campaign contributions from corporate political action committees.”

Walker Holds Double-Digit Lead in Iowa

April 28, 2015 at 4:17 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 20 Comments

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Iowa finds Gov. Scott Walker well ahead of the rest of the Republican presidential field with 23%, followed by Marco Rubio at 13%, Jeb Bush at 12%, Mike Huckabee at 10%, Rand Paul at 10%, Ted Cruz at 8%, Ben Carson at 7% and Chris Christie at 5%.

Anti-Gay Lawmaker Outed In Gay Chat Group

April 28, 2015 at 4:12 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 51 Comments

North Dakota state Rep. Randy Boehning (R) sent an explicit photo of himself to another man and claims “the exchange being made public is retaliation for a recent vote against expanding gay rights,” the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reports.

“The exchange came to light when Dustin Smith, a 21-year-old Bismarck man with no known connections to the Capitol, contacted The Forum earlier this month, saying he recognized Boehning from a gay dating smartphone app called Grindr. Chatting under the user name Top Man!, Boehning sent Smith sexually suggestive messages and, in the early morning hours of March 12, an unsolicited photo of his penis.”

But Boehning is glad he was outed: “The 1,000-pound gorilla has been lifted. I have to confront it at some point.”

Christie Says No Grudge Over Ally Who Defected

April 28, 2015 at 3:14 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 17 Comments

Gov. Chris Christie “says he was blindsided by longtime ally and friend Joe Kyrillos’s decision to back Jeb Bush over him in 2016, but that he doesn’t hold a grudge over the slight,” the Newark Star Ledger reports.

Said Christie: “This is politics. He made a business decision. That’s the only way I view it. I don’t view it as some personal shot at me. He’s made the decision that Jeb Bush is a better candidate for president. That’s okay. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t like me.”

Former Romney Aides Split Over Mike Lee

April 28, 2015 at 2:41 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 3 Comments

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) “has hired consulting firm America Rising, led by Mitt Romney’s former campaign manager Matt Rhoades, to offer advice and research on potential 2016 opponents. That might result in a Romney confidant investigating the background of another Romney confidant,” the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

“Alex Dunn, who worked on Romney’s campaigns and on his gubernatorial staff in Massachusetts, is considering a run against Lee, spurred on by Spencer Zwick, Romney’s former finance director, and Josh Romney, one of Mitt Romney’s five sons.”

Paul Blames ‘Lack of Fathers’ for Riots

April 28, 2015 at 2:34 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 73 Comments

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told Laura Ingraham that it was a “lack of fathers” and a “lack of a moral code in our society” which were responsible for the “thievery and thuggery” in Baltimore last night.

He added: “I came through the train on Baltimore last night, I’m glad the train didn’t stop.”

How Well Do You Know the News?

April 28, 2015 at 2:04 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 32 Comments

Pew Research has a 12 question news quiz which compares your answers to those of the general public. Questions about politics proved particularly challenging.

The Fix: “The takeaway from all of this? Assuming — as lots and lots of people who either live in D.C. or follow politics closely do — that the average person is a deeply-informed consumer of political news is not even close to right. For most people, politics is something that almost never intersects with their daily lives and which they spend zero mind space on day in and day out.”

Is Jeb Bush Losing the Invisible Primary?

April 28, 2015 at 1:21 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 27 Comments

FiveThirtyEight: “But money is unlikely to be Bush’s problem in this campaign, and cash may be a less valuable resource than another sort of currency in which he is lacking: the support of influential Republicans, like current senators and governors, especially those who publicly endorse a candidate. Historically, these endorsements have been the best proxy for support in the ‘invisible primary’ and a leading indicator for which candidates may emerge victorious through the rough-and-tumble nomination race.”

“So far, Bush has won very few endorsements. No current Republican senators or governors have endorsed him, and only five members of the House of Representatives have done so, all from his home state of Florida.”

Justices Appear Deeply Divided on Gay Marriage

April 28, 2015 at 1:16 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 35 Comments

“A divided and cautious Supreme Court on Tuesday probed whether states barring same-sex marriage are violating a right for gay couples, hearing extended arguments on one of the most direct constitutional issues to cross its docket in recent memory,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Justices questioned whether they should require all 50 states to recognize same-sex unions or allow state political processes to decide on a piecemeal basis. Court watchers were focused intently on Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was seen going into the case as the most crucial vote to the outcome. ”

New York Times: “The justices appeared to clash over not only what is the right answer but also over how to reach it. The questioning illuminated their conflicting views on history, tradition, biology, constitutional interpretation, the democratic process and the role of the courts in prodding social change.”

Florida Republicans Paralyzed by Infighting

April 28, 2015 at 11:28 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 32 Comments

Miami Herald: “They can’t agree on using federal money for people with no health care and as a result, budget negotiations are in disarray in a year with a $1 billion surplus. Unable to resolve their differences after months of refusing to compromise, Republican lawmakers will end the regular session next Friday without completing the one task they are required to do: passing a state budget.”

“The government of the nation’s third-largest state is controlled by one party, yet the standoff is Republican against Republican, in some cases involving members of the same family. House Republicans have been distracted by a leadership coup while Gov. Rick Scott is personally threatening to veto Republican senators’ bills and spending items unless they approve his tax cuts of $673 million.”

Headline of the Day

April 28, 2015 at 10:59 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 22 Comments

“Gangs call for calm in Baltimore”

— Baltimore Sun, April 28, 2015.

Paul Says It Was a Mistake to Topple Saddam Hussein

April 28, 2015 at 10:47 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 75 Comments

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) “said flatly that it had been a mistake for the United States to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. And he suggested that the situation in Libya had deteriorated because of the overthrow of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi,” thew New York Times reports.

Said Paul: “Each time we topple a secular dictator, I think we wind up with chaos, and radical Islam seems to rise.”

Trumps Says He’ll Build Massive Wall on Mexican Border

April 28, 2015 at 10:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 61 Comments

Donald Trump, at a campaign event in New Hampshire, touted his building expertise to show how he’ll tackle border security and immigration reform, the Washington Post reports.

Said Trump: “I will build the best wall, the biggest, the strongest, not penetrable, they won’t be crawling over it, like giving it a little jump and they’re over the wall, it costs us trillions. And I’ll have Mexico pay for the wall. Because Mexico is screwing us so badly. I will take it from out of just a small fraction of the money they’ve been screwing us for over the last number of years.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

April 28, 2015 at 9:55 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 22 Comments

“I will disclose my records. I will disclose everything. And I tell you what: People will be very, very, impressed.”

— Donald Trump, quoted by the Washington Post, on his flirtations with a presidential bid.

Bonus Quote of the Day

April 28, 2015 at 9:53 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 19 Comments

“If you can’t seek redress and demand reform without a brick in your hand, you risk losing this moment for all of us in Baltimore. Turn around. Go home. Please.”

— The Wire creator David Simon, writing about the Baltimore riots on his website.