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NASA Scientist Forced to Unlock Phone at Airport

February 12, 2017 at 8:50 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Sidd Bikkannavar is a natural-born US citizen who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. He’s also a prolific traveler who found himself reentering the United States right as the controversial immigration ban took effect. For unexplained reasons, he was detained and border agents demanded access to his NASA-issued phone which could contain highly sensitive information,” Gizmodo reports.

“Bikkannavar insisted that he wasn’t allowed to do that because the phone belonged to NASA’s JPL and he’s required to protect access. Agents insisted and he finally relented. He still does not know why they stopped him or what they did with his data.”

Chaffetz Says Protesters Were Paid

February 12, 2017 at 5:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R_UT) said the raucous reception he received at a town hall meeting this week was “bullying and an attempt at intimidation” from a crowd opposed to President Trump’s election, the Deseret News reports.

Said Chaffetz: “You could see it online a couple days before, a concerted effort in part to just cause chaos. Democrats are in disbelief that they have nothing but flailing and screaming to deal with this.”

He also claimed it was “more of a paid attempt to bully and intimidate” than a reflection of the feelings of his constituents.

The Deportations Have Begun

February 12, 2017 at 2:44 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

President Trump’s rhetoric about deporting undocumented immigrants has centered around the idea that he wants to protect Americans from “bad hombres.”

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White House Keeps Doubts Alive About Flynn

February 12, 2017 at 2:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The ominous silence around National Security Advisor Michael Flynn deepened as senior White House adviser Stephen Miller declined to say if the president still has confidence in him, the Los Angeles Times reports.

“Miller’s silence on Flynn was significant because the White House had booked him on several of the major Sunday television interview programs as the administration’s spokesperson this weekend. White House officials appear to have deliberately chosen Miller, whose portfolio does not include foreign policy, in part to avoid having to give a definitive answer about Flynn.”

“Flynn’s future with the administration is at issue because of indications that he may have misled his colleagues, including Vice President Mike Pence, about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the weeks before Trump’s inauguration. That would normally be a severe problem for someone in Flynn’s position, but Trump may not want to appear to be dropping an aide under pressure from the media and Democratic critics.”

Quote of the Day

February 12, 2017 at 1:57 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“We have a president who is delusional in many respects, a pathological liar.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), quoted by the Washington Post., adding that “it is very harsh, but I think that’s the truth.”

GOP Plans for Obamacare Repeal/Tax Reform Hit a Wall

February 12, 2017 at 1:48 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Stan Collender writes that the Republican strategy on quickly repealing the Affordable Care Act and enacting tax reform seemed to be so creative and smart when it was first revealed right after the election but “may soon become the prime source of legislative hell for House and Senate Republicans.”

“The worst case scenario is that the once slam-dunk GOP grand scheme will end up preventing both ACA repeal and tax reform from happening at all.”

The Unlikely Rise of Stephen Miller

February 12, 2017 at 1:25 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “The ascent of Mr. Miller from far-right gadfly with little policy experience to the president’s senior policy adviser came as a shock to many of the staff members who knew him from his seven years in the Senate. A man whose emails were, until recently, considered spam by many of his Republican peers is now shaping the Trump administration’s core domestic policies with his economic nationalism and hard-line positions on immigration.”

“But his unlikely rise is emblematic of a White House where unconventional résumés rule — where the chief strategist is Stephen K. Bannon, until recently the head of the flame-throwing right-wing website Breitbart News, and the president himself is a former reality television star who before winning the nation’s highest office had never shown much interest in the arcana of governing.”

Trump’s Approval Continues to Slide

February 12, 2017 at 1:20 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The latest Gallup daily tracking poll finds President Trump’s approval at 40% to 55%, a new low since he took office just over three weeks ago.

For members: How Low Can Trump Go?

Trump Friend Slams Priebus

February 12, 2017 at 12:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump’s friend Christopher Ruddy appeared on CNN and attacked White House chief of staff Reince Priebus as weak and incompetent.

Said Ruddy: “The White House is showing not the amount of order that we need to see. I think there’s a lot of weakness coming out of the chief of staff. I think Reince Priebus, good guy, well intentioned, but he clearly doesn’t know how the federal agencies work. He doesn’t have a really good system. He doesn’t know how the communications flow… the President’s not getting the back-up he needs in the operation of the White House and sometimes the push back he needs to have with a stronger… White House chief of staff.”

Jonathan Swan has the backstory: “Ruddy tweeted yesterday that he joined Trump for a drink the day before after the Abe dinner (Trump had a diet Coke, Ruddy had a scotch), and that the 2 talked for half-an-hour. Two days later Ruddy is publicly attacking Priebus. We now have a public glimpse into some of the advice Trump is getting privately. And people who work with Trump are keenly aware of his history of making major staff changes when he’s not happy with how things are going.”

White House Aide Makes False Claims on Voter Fraud

February 12, 2017 at 12:01 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

In an ABC News interview, White House senior advisor Stephen Miller doubled down on unsubstantiated New Hampshire voter fraud claims.

Said Miller: “Voter fraud is a serious problem in this country.”

Rick Hasen: “More evidence the ‘Pence Commission’ on voter fraud will be a sham.. And most chilling is Miller referring to DOJ as getting ready to crack down on this non-existent fraud, making it appear more likely this will be an excuse to suppress the votes of those likely to vote for Democrats.”

Christie Hits Flynn for Conversations with Russia

February 12, 2017 at 12:00 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) criticized President Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn, “saying he needs to clear up questions about whether he discussed sanctions in his pre-inauguration conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States,” CNN reports.

Said Christie: “That’s a conversation he is going to need to have with the President and the vice president to clear that up, so that the White House can make sure that they are completely accurate about what went on.”

Cornyn Says Wall Not a Priority for Texans

February 12, 2017 at 9:34 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, believes that constructing a physical wall on the U.S.-Mexico border would not rate high among Texans, The Hill reports.

Said Cornyn: “I think people would say, if you are talking about a physical wall, it would rate very low. Because I think most people in Texas understand that our 1,200-mile border is not … the same at every point along the way.”

Gillibrand Says She’s Focused on Re-Election

February 12, 2017 at 9:20 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is denying rumors that she will run for president in 2020, The Hill reports.

Said Gillibrand: “No, I am running for Senate. I’m running for Senate in 2018. I really love my job and I feel like I can make a huge difference for New Yorkers, fighting for them.”

Trump Already Scouting Potential 2020 Rivals

February 12, 2017 at 9:11 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The White House is already tracking which Democrats could challenge President Trump in 2020 and Gov. Cuomo and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand aren’t on the list,” the New York Post reports.

“Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, asked consultants to scour the backgrounds of four outspoken Democrats — Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, two sources close to the administration said.”

Trump responds on Twitter about the Mark Cuban speculation: “He’s not smart enough to run for president!”

Why It Looks Like Clinton Will Run Again

February 12, 2017 at 9:03 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Matt Latimer: “No inside information informs this prediction. No argument is advanced as to whether her run is a good or a bad idea—there are many ways to make a case either way. Instead this is just a statement of simple facts (if facts mean anything anymore, that is). And the facts are clear that the former secretary of state is doing everything she needs to do to run for the White House one more time. If she finds a path to do so, she will take it. And I can prove it.”

“Yes, barring some calamity, Clinton is running. And this brave columnist will go one step further. Not only will Clinton will run again, she has an excellent shot at getting the Democratic Party nomination again. But only if she approaches it quite differently.”

What Kellyanne Conway Wants

February 12, 2017 at 9:00 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “She’s taking a long view in her bid to rise in the White House ranks — and she’s performing for an audience of one: President Donald Trump… For Conway, the prize for loyalty is eventually landing a spot as chief of staff, becoming the first woman ever to hold the role and cementing her spot at the center of Trump’s inner circle.”

“Currently, Conway is seen within the White House as a “Queen without an Army,” according to a former campaign official. Conway has a vague title of ‘counselor,’ and recently hired a chief of staff and an assistant to support her on her quest to dig into the ‘next phase of issues,’ according to Conway. She has taken ownership of opioid-abuse and veterans affairs, a portfolio that Trump cares deeply about. Conway says she plans to turn her office into a war room, and was quick to mention that she has top-security clearance.”

Washington Post: How Kellyanne Conway became Trump’s spin-master

Betting on Impeachment

February 12, 2017 at 8:54 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “Gambling houses all over the world are taking in action on whether Trump, inaugurated just last month, will resign or be impeached. And the odds aren’t as long as you might think.”

“Ladbrokes, the British oddsmaking giant, has Trump’s chances of leaving office via resignation or impeachment and removal at just 11-to-10, or just a little worse than even money. The odds of Trump being impeached this year in the House of Representatives are only 4-to-1, according to the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, despite GOP control of the chamber. You can win $180 on a $100 bet with Bovada, the online gaming site, that Trump won’t make it through a full term — though the bet is off if Trump passes away during the next four years.”

Most in Iowa Disagree with Trump’s Travel Ban

February 12, 2017 at 8:25 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Des Moines Register poll finds that 51% of Iowans disagree with President Trump’s executive order pausing refugee resettlement and barring travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries.

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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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