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Did Journalists Fall Into Trump’s Trap Again?

November 1, 2018 at 7:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

CNN: “For the first half of the month, there was little news coverage of the Central American migrants traveling through Mexico en route to the United States border. Then, on October 16, came the tweets.”

“And with that, just as he has done so often throughout his presidency, Trump commandeered the news cycle, transforming a peripheral story into one that has dominated the run-up to this year’s midterm elections.”

“But the national debate is not limited to whether thousands of migrants should be granted asylum, or whether Trump should deploy troops to the border, or whether he has the right to undo the 14th Amendment by executive order. The story has spawned another intense debate, one limited mostly to journalistic circles, over how — or how much — the press should cover a story that seemingly came out of nowhere and has created widespread misunderstanding.”

Quote of the Day

November 1, 2018 at 7:12 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“I always want to tell the truth. When I can, I tell the truth. And sometimes it turns out to be where something happens that’s different or there’s a change, but I always like to be truthful.”

— President Trump, in an interview with ABC News.

Trump’s Reality Distortion Field

November 1, 2018 at 7:03 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “As he embarks on a final eight-state, 11-rally blitz before Tuesday’s midterm elections, Mr. Trump has hammered Democrats — not just for their actual policy positions but for some they have not taken. He accused them, without proof, of helping to orchestrate a caravan of Central American migrants; complained that Democrats had opposed opioid legislation when in fact they universally voted for it; and asserted that they would not protect patients with pre-existing conditions — even though that was the heart of President Barack Obama’s health care program.”

“Mr. Trump’s penchant for prevarication has been a well-documented hallmark of his presidency. He dismisses journalists who point out his falsehoods as nit-pickers who do not understand that he is speaking a larger truth that resonates with many Americans. Supporters at his rallies across the country tell reporters that they understand he may not be strictly accurate in his roaring stump speeches, but they see him as a champion of their values.”

“Still, even some in Mr. Trump’s orbit acknowledge that this campaign season has brought out a torrent of untruths that, they worry, distracts from a record he should be proud to outline factually.”


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Christie Says GOP Too Late on Health Care Messaging

November 1, 2018 at 6:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Chris Christie told ABC News that Republicans have been “ineffective” in pressing their case with voters on health care – by some measures, the most important issue for voters.

Said Christie: “In some of these competitive House seats in suburban areas, the pre-existing condition issue is one that’s really cutting. And the Republicans to this point, I think, have been pretty ineffective in terms of making their case on why they weren’t going after the pre-existing condition coverage and that we’re going to maintain it. I think you’re being drowned out by the amount of money that Democrats are spending on the issue.”

Democrats Rush to Save Robert Menenedez

November 1, 2018 at 6:15 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “Democrats are poised to win a number of governorships across the country and perhaps control of the House on Tuesday, thanks in large part to a suburban backlash to President Trump. But in a state rich with commuters and cul-de-sacs, party leaders are being forced to mount a last-minute, all-hands-on-deck effort to rescue Mr. Menendez’s candidacy and preserve their long-shot dreams of a Senate majority.”

“So, in an already difficult election year for Senate Democrats, when they are defending 10 states Mr. Trump carried, the party was forced to spend significant time, money and energy attempting to retain a seat in a state Hillary Clinton carried by 14 points.”

Trump Says George Soros Might Be Funding Caravan

November 1, 2018 at 6:02 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump said that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if billionaire philanthropist George Soros or someone else is funding the caravan of Central American migrants moving toward the U.S., The Hill reports.

Said Trump: “I don’t know who, but I wouldn’t be surprised. A lot of people say yes.”

Early Voting Has Already Set Records

October 31, 2018 at 8:55 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Americans have already voted in record numbers in many states in this year’s midterm elections, confirming the heightened interest in the fight for control of Congress and state houses playing out in dozens of bitterly contested races,” the Washington Post reports.

“With less than a week remaining until Election Day, voters in at least 17 states surpassed overall early and absentee voting numbers from 2014… In some cases, early and absentee vote totals are on track to double since four years ago.”

National Archives Releases Draft Indictment of Nixon

October 31, 2018 at 8:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

CNN: “One document released Wednesday showed a series of charges drawn up against Nixon, who was never formally charged for crimes in the Watergate scandal and was pardoned by President Gerald Ford after he resigned.”

“The document is a draft, as noted in handwriting in the upper right-hand corner of the first page, dated February 1, 1974, a month before Nixon’s co-conspirators were indicted.”

“The draft indictment showed that a grand jury planned to charge Nixon with bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and obstruction of a criminal investigation. A month later, seven of Nixon’s aides were charged with conspiracy and six were charged with obstruction of justice, but none were charged with bribery.”

Forecast Sees Bigger Democratic Gains

October 31, 2018 at 8:05 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Cook Political Report has revised its House forecast to a Democratic gain of 30 to 40 seats. It was 25 to 35 last month and could change again before Election Day on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, FiveThirtyEight gives Democrats a 85.7% chance of taking control of the House.

Kemp Pulls Out of Debate to Campaign with Trump

October 31, 2018 at 8:01 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Brian Kemp (R) will not appear as scheduled at what would have been the second and final televised debate with opponent Stacey Abrams (D) in Georgia’s race for governor, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

“With Kemp scheduled to campaign alongside Donald Trump in Macon at 4 p.m. on Sunday, it created a conflict with the debate to begin at 5 p.m. in Atlanta.”

“Abrams’ team accused of Kemp of backing out on his commitment and said she will find a way to still answer voters’ questions on Sunday at 5 p.m.”

Democrats Hopeful About Unseating Gianforte

October 31, 2018 at 7:58 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Montana Democrat Kathleen Williams is raising her party’s hopes for a long-shot House gain in a Republican-tilting state,” Bloomberg reports.

“Republican Greg Gianforte is seeking his first full term in office after he won a 2017 special election to his at-large seat after Representative Ryan Zinke was appointed to become President Trump’s Interior secretary. Yet Gianforte, with less than a week to go, has yet to put away the race, according to recent polling.”

“That the result is even close at all is remarkable in a state that Trump won by 20 percentage points in 2016. However, if House Democrats are competitive in states like Montana — and especially if Williams wins — it raises questions of how broad Democratic gains may be on election night.”

Dead Heat for Alaska Governor

October 31, 2018 at 6:41 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Alaska Survey Research poll shows Mike Dunleavy (R) and Mark Begich (D) deadlocked in the race for governor, 42% to 42%.

“A week and a half after he announced his withdrawal from the governor’s race, incumbent independent Gov. Bill Walker still holds a measure of support among voters. Just under 8 percent of Alaskans said they will vote for him.”

Senate Battlegrounds Remain Tight

October 31, 2018 at 6:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new set of Fox News polls:

  • AZ-Sen: Kyrsten Sinema (D) 46%, Martha McSally (R) 46%
  • MO-Sen: Claire McCaskill (D) 43%, Josh Hawley (R) 43%
  • IN-Sen: Joe Donnelly (D) 45%, Mike Braun (R) 38%
  • TN-Sen: Marsha Blackburn (R) 50%, Phil Bredesen (D) 41%
  • ND-Sen: Kevin Cramer (R) 51%, Heidi Heitkamp (D) 42%

A new NBC News/Marist Poll:

  • IN-Sen: Joe Donnelly (D) 48%, Mike Braun (R) 46%

Democrat Says Project Veritas Infiltrated Her Campaign

October 31, 2018 at 6:27 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A conservative group that creates undercover ‘sting’ videos infiltrated the campaign of Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat in a tight race with Rep. Dave Brat in Virginia’s 7th District,” the Washington Post reports.

“The campaign said a young woman working for Project Veritas posed as a Democratic volunteer and spent every day over the past several weeks in Spanberger’s suburban Richmond campaign office, performing basic office tasks — and peppering her office mates with questions that eventually raised red flags.”

Senate Launches Investigation Into Steve Bannon

October 31, 2018 at 5:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee is pursuing a wide-ranging investigation into former White House adviser Steve Bannon’s activities during the 2016 presidential campaign,” Reuters reports.

“The committee is looking into what Bannon might know about any contacts during the campaign between Moscow and two advisers to the campaign, George Papadopoulos and Carter Page.”

Wall Street Overwhelmingly Backs Democrats In Midterms

October 31, 2018 at 4:45 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“There’s still a week to go before the midterm elections, but Wall Street has already voted — with its campaign contributions,” CBS News reports.

“The securities and finance industry has backed Democratic congressional candidates 63% to 37%… Democratic candidates and political action committees have received $56.8 million, compared to Republicans’ $33.4 million.”

GOP House Fund Won’t Help Steve King

October 31, 2018 at 4:43 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The National Republican Congressional Committee says it will not help out Rep. Steve King (R-IA), who has supported far-right causes and white supremacists, in the remaining days of his bid to win re-election to his Iowa 4th District seat against Democratic challenger J.D. Scholten, CNBC reports.

The NRCC cited King’s “words and actions” for its decision to sit out the race.

Trump Now Says He’ll Send 15,000 Troops to Border

October 31, 2018 at 4:40 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump said that “he is considering a significant increase to the number of military personnel along the border, two days after he unveiled plans to send 5,200 troops there,”  the Washington Post reports.

Said Trump: “We’ll go up to anywhere between 10 and 15,000 military personnel on top of Border Patrol, ICE and everybody else at the border. Nobody’s coming in. We’re not allowing people to come in.”

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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