New York Times: “In a string of important races across the country, national Democrats have been embracing recruits near the political center, hoping they will give the party the chance to compete in states like Utah and Kansas where a liberal Democrat might stand little chance of winning. About a dozen crucial House races this fall are likely to feature Democratic nominees who are positioned markedly closer to the middle than the national party’s activist base — more than enough to determine control of the House.”
Aide Told Meghan McCain She Would Publicly Apologize
“White House aide Kelly Sadler promised Meghan McCain she would apologize publicly for mocking her father’s health, a source familiar with the conversation has told CNN, but Sadler has yet to do so.”
“Sadler, a special assistant for surrogate communications, made the promise in an apologetic phone call to McCain after it was reported that she had jokingly said of Sen. John McCain, ‘he’s dying anyway,’ in response to his opposition to President Trump’s pick for CIA director, Gina Haspel.”
“During the phone call, McCain told Sadler she needed to apologize publicly, and the White House aide said she would, according to the source. As of Sunday, however, neither the White House nor Sadler has made a public apology.”
Democrats Fret Over Trump’s Improved Standing
“After months of confidence that public discontent with President Trump would lift Democrats back to power in Congress, some party leaders are fretting that their advantages in this year’s midterms are eroding amid a shifting political landscape,” the Washington Post reports.
“Driving their concerns are Trump’s approval rating, which has ticked upward in recent weeks, and high Republican turnout in some recent primaries, suggesting the GOP base remains energized. What’s more, Republicans stand to benefit politically from a thriving economy and are choosing formidable candidates to take on vulnerable Democratic senators.”
Trump Talks to Hannity Before Bedtime
New York Magazine: “Their chats begin casually, with How are yous and What’s going ons. On some days, they speak multiple times, with one calling the other to inform him of the latest developments. White House staff are aware that the calls happen, thanks to the president entering a room and announcing, ‘I just hung up with Hannity,’ or referring to what Hannity said during their conversations, or even ringing Hannity up from his desk in their presence.”
“On the phone, he and the president alternate between the ‘witch hunt!’ and gabbing like old girlfriends about media gossip and whose show sucks and who’s getting killed in the ratings and who’s winning (Hannity, and therefore Trump) and sports and Kanye West, all of it sprinkled with a staccato fuck … fucking … fucked … fucker.”
“‘He’s not a systematic thinker at all. He’s not an ideologue,’ one person who knows both men said of Hannity. ‘He gives tactical advice versus strategic advice.’”
Gas Prices Rise to Highest Level In 3 Years
CBS News: “You may have noticed, gas prices are on the rise and hitting levels not seen in more than three years. Gas prices nationwide are up a nickel in just the last week. That’s 20 cents in the last month, according to AAA.”
Democrats Road-Test Their 2020 Messages
Washington Post: “Before the start of a 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, at least 25 candidates — mayors, governors, entrepreneurs, members of the House and Senate — have hit the road to workshop their vision, experiment with catchphrases and test policy ideas that could keep President Trump from winning a second term.”
“Many deny that their actions have anything to do with a coming presidential run, but they unmistakably play off the chords of campaigns past, seeking a way to break through a political maw that has been focused more on the latest actions of the president and the coming midterm elections.”
Greitens Accuser Takes Stand Next Week
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “After three months of an almost-daily barrage of courtroom fireworks, the public will hear for the first time next week from a woman who has accused Missouri’s sitting governor of physical and sexual abuse, of taking a semi-nude picture of her without her consent and threatening to distribute the photo if she told anyone about their encounter.”
“The indictment of Gov. Eric Greitens (R) on a felony invasion-of-privacy charge in February has triggered an investigation by a Missouri House committee as well as calls for Greitens’ resignation and impeachment. He also faces a second felony charge of computer tampering for allegedly taking without permission a donor list from a charity he founded.”
How California Could Bust Up the Two Party System
New York Times: ‘At the start of this year, barely a quarter of registered voters in California said they were Republicans, down from more than a third in 1997. At the same time, the number of voters in the state who say they have no party preference has more than doubled, to about 25 percent. This strongly suggests that most people who have left the Republican Party have not become Democrats and would be open to a center-right political party.”
“If a new California-based party can win votes and legislative seats, it could send a signal to politicians around the country that moderation can be a bankable political strategy, helping to break the vise grip of tribal politics that has turned so much of national politics into a blood sport and made it impossible for Congress to pass substantive bipartisan legislation.”
“If a third party has a chance anywhere in the United States, it’s in California. The state allows the two candidates who get the most votes in a so-called open primary, regardless of party affiliation, to advance to the general election.”
Trump Flipped an Entire Party’s Core Beliefs
Jim VandeHei: “Reversing one of the basic assumptions of politics, Trump has shown you can radically change a political party’s core beliefs and brand overnight. Only six years ago, the GOP’s Romney-Ryan ticket was preaching the evils of Russia, the virtue of free trade, the sin of deficits. With no debate and little resistance, Trump has flipped an entire party’s core beliefs. Turns out, voters are far more malleable than we thought — and candidates and presidents can change minds overnight.”
“We always assumed party affiliation was a prerequisite for leading a political party, and some political experience a must. Trump was a liberal Democrat and he hijacked conservatism. The hunger for something different is unmistakable, partly because a big chunk of voters have had it with conventional politics and politicians. No reason another exotic Republican — or third party, or even a surprise Democrat — couldn’t do the same.”
Senate Candidates Agree to Poll with Loser Dropping Out
“Two candidates for the GOP nomination for Missouri’s U.S. Senate race agreed in writing that one would drop out of the race after a joint poll determined which of the two had the better chance to defeat state Attorney General Josh Hawley in the Aug. 7 primary,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
“One of the candidates, Austin Petersen, said that the other, Tony Monetti, has withdrawn from the agreement. But Monetti told the Post-Dispatch hours later that he still wants to go ahead with it.”
Bloomberg Warns of ‘Epidemic of Dishonesty’
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg warned that Americans are facing an “epidemic of dishonesty” in Washington that’s more dangerous than terrorism or communism, the AP reports.
Said Bloomberg: “There is now more tolerance for dishonesty in politics than I have seen in my lifetime. The only thing more dangerous than dishonest politicians who have no respect for the law is a chorus of enablers who defend their every lie.”
Sanders Scolds Team In Meeting About Leaks
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders scolded her staff for the derogatory comment about Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leaked from a closed-door meeting, ABC News reports.
“Sanders called the comment “unacceptable,” but was said to be more upset about the leak than the off-handed comment from White House staffer Kelly Sadler that McCain’s opposition to their CIA director nominee Gina Haspel “doesn’t matter, because he’s dying anyway.”
Jonathan Swan: “The White House communications and press team has been beset by leaks. This last one appears to have crossed a line, and several people in the room on Friday told me they now walk into meetings knowing they can’t trust their own colleagues. In big meetings, they feel inclined, now, to keep their mouths shut.”
Advisers Bad Mouth Nielsen as a ‘Never Trumper’
“President Trump’s frustration with Kirstjen Nielsen, which boiled over Wednesday in a Cabinet meeting tirade, has been growing for weeks — stoked by associates who have privately made the case that she’s a closeted ‘never Trumper’ who still doesn’t fully back his agenda,” Politico reports.
“As a result, Trump has come to believe that Nielsen — who considered quitting this week after the president berated her over an uptick in migrant arrests — is not focused enough on carrying out his immigration agenda, one of the people said. The president has told friends that he believes chief of staff John Kelly, with whom he has a strained relationship, foisted his deputy Nielsen upon him, according to two of the people, complaining that he didn’t know what he was getting.”
Trump Appointee Runs Federal Agency from Dallas Home
Washington Post: “The man named by President Trump last year to oversee regulation of the nation’s $1.4 trillion credit union industry has taken a novel approach to the agency he leads. Instead of going to his office near Washington every day, J. Mark McWatters works from his home. In Dallas.”
Inside Kelly’s Agonizing Relationship with the Press
Politico: “White House chief of staff John Kelly has declined all requests to appear on the Sunday show circuit, even though the president loves seeing his staff mount combative defenses of him on TV. But he was willing to sit down with a National Public Radio reporter he has known for years – John Burnett, who forged a good relationship with Kelly when he spent time embedded with the four-star general in Iraq, sources said – for an extended stemwinder that circumvented the Washington reporters Kelly has come to view with a mix of distrust and disdain.”
“Former colleagues said Kelly generally does not like being prepped for interviews, and won’t read talking points.”
Oklahoma Governor Signs ‘Anti-LGBT’ Adoption Law
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) signed a law that says no child-placement agency will be required to put children up for adoption or in foster care in situations that “violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies,” CNN reports.
Russian Ads Focused Mainly on Race
USA Today: “The Russian company charged with orchestrating a wide-ranging effort to meddle in the 2016 presidential election overwhelmingly focused its barrage of social media advertising on what is arguably America’s rawest political division: race.”
“While some ads focused on topics as banal as business promotion or Pokémon, the company consistently promoted ads designed to inflame race-related tensions. Some dealt with race directly; others dealt with issues fraught with racial and religious baggage such as ads focused on protests over policing, the debate over a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico and relationships with the Muslim community.”
It’s What We Don’t Know That Worries Trump Allies
Mike Allen: “One thing is true of all major political scandals: What we know in the moment is but a tiny, obscured, partial view of the full story later revealed by investigators.”
“That’s what makes the Trump-Russia drama all the more remarkable. Forget all we don’t know. The known facts that even Trump’s closest friends don’t deny tell a damning tale that would sink most leaders.”
“The undisputed known knowns about Trump, Russia and his associates are damning and possibly actionable. But the known unknowns of how much more Robert Mueller knows that is publicly unknown is what spooks Trump allies most… Mueller has every incentive to keep the public and Trump himself in suspense.”
