Despite not winning Donald Trump’s endorsement, a new Remington Research Group poll finds Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) leads primary challenger Paul Nehlen, 80% to 14%.
Trump Is Remaking the Map, But Not As He Hoped
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Why Party Defections Matter
Jonathan Bernstein: “In a normal election when both parties are united behind their nominee, voters will hear one message for months: that people like themselves, including the politicians they like, are supporting one candidate, while people they normally dislike or disagree with are backing the other one. Whether voters consider themselves partisans or not, that message pushes them in the ‘correct’ direction — to the candidate of the party they normally support.”
“Conventions are especially powerful in sending such signals because they dominate the news for a few days at least, drowning out the voices of the opposing party. Even after the convention, that message can be strong — if the party is united, that is. The muddier things are, however, the less likely voters will be pushed in the ‘correct’ direction.”
“This is probably a big part of what has given Clinton a solid lead in the polls right now. The Democrats are united and sound united, while Republicans clearly are not.”
Virginia Mayor Arrested In Meth-for-Sex Sting
Fairfax, Virginia mayor Scott Silverthorne is facing drug charges after police say he was arrested in a meth-for-sex sting, the AP reports
Investigators looking into a possible methamphetamine distributor made contact with the mayor through a website used to arrange sexual encounters between men.
GOP Insiders Want Trump Out
An astonishing 70% of Republican insiders anonymously polled by Politico want Donald Trump to drop out of the race.
Said one: “I’d rather take our chances with nearly anyone else than continue with this certain loser who will likely cost the Senate and much more.”
Another Strong Jobs Report
The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. employers hired at a steady pace in July with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 255,000. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9%.
In addition, the jobs reports for the past two months were also revised higher.
How Trump Views Charitable Giving
David Fahrenthold: “For one thing, he frequently attends charity galas and events, where attendance carries the implication (but not the requirement) that guests have made donations to the cause. I’ve even found galas where Trump was given a title like ‘honorary chairman’ — with the implication of an even bigger gift — but actually gave nothing. In fact, Trump made money on these galas, since they were held at his Florida clubs. Several of the charities said they were glad to have Trump as the honorary chairman anyway, since Trump’s name drew a crowd.”
“Separately, Trump seems to exploit the assumption that the money in the Donald J. Trump Foundation came originally from Donald J. Trump’s pocket. It doesn’t, and hasn’t for years. Instead, the foundation’s biggest recent gifts came from wrestling moguls Vince and Linda McMahon, who gave a total $5 million (and won’t comment about why). Since then, Trump has been effectively giving the McMahons’ money away, but — because his name is on the foundation — the recipients often give Trump the credit.”
Trump Adviser Says ‘No Doubt’ Obama Is a Muslim
Carl Paladino, Donald Trump’s New York co-chair, told the New York Observer that President Obama’s foreign policy proves he’s a Muslim.
Said Paladino: “In the mind of the average American, there is no doubt he is a Muslim. He is not a Christian.”
Quote of the Day
“In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.”
— Former CIA Director Michael Morell, writing in the New York Times.
Todd Akin Says Trump Is ‘Refreshing’
Former Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), whose U.S. Senate bid was derailed for his “legitimate rape” comments, told Morning Consult that the uncompromising rhetoric of Donald Trump is “refreshing.”
Said Akin: “It’s because you’ve got an incredibly one-sided Democratic national media, and Republicans are scared to death of them. Look at my race. I got hammered, really, because I’m pro-life. That’s the bottom line of it.”
McCain Won’t Say Trump Is Fit to Control Nukes
Greg Sargent catches this interview with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ):
QUESTION: Are you comfortable with Donald Trump possibly having control of the nuclear arsenal?
McCAIN: [Silence, followed by unintelligible stammering.] Anyone that the people of this country choose to be the commander in chief and the President of the United States — therefore can lead this country, and will lead in a responsible fashion. Anyone who is elected president fairly in this country. And that’s the way that our democratic system works. That’s how our government works. The American people select the next president of the United States, knowing full well what the role of the commander in chief is. Therefore, I have the utmost respect for the verdict of the people.
Republicans for Hillary
“Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, hoping to take advantage of growing public unease with rival Donald Trump, is recruiting prominent Republicans in a bid to make GOP voters comfortable casting ballots for the Democratic nominee this November,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The effort, which largely targets national-security experts and business leaders, began several months ago but has ramped up in the wake of Mr. Trump’s recent troubles, including his spat with the parents of a Muslim U.S. Army captain who died in Iraq… It is expected to culminate in a Republicans for Hillary group, whose members will endorse her candidacy.”
Los Angeles Times: Which Republicans are jumping ship?
Beyond Narcissism
Charles Krauthammer: “Of course we all try to protect our own dignity and command respect. But Trump’s hypersensitivity and unedited, untempered Pavlovian responses are, shall we say, unusual in both ferocity and predictability.”
“This is beyond narcissism. I used to think Trump was an 11-year-old, an undeveloped schoolyard bully. I was off by about 10 years. His needs are more primitive, an infantile hunger for approval and praise, a craving that can never be satisfied. He lives in a cocoon of solipsism where the world outside himself has value — indeed exists — only insofar as it sustains and inflates him.”
“Most politicians seek approval. But Trump lives for the adoration. He doesn’t even try to hide it, boasting incessantly about his crowds, his standing ovations, his TV ratings, his poll numbers, his primary victories. The latter are most prized because they offer empirical evidence of how loved and admired he is.”
Trump Dismisses Bad Polls
Donald Trump was asked by WGME-TV if a new Fox News poll that showed him running 10 points behind Hillary Clinton is “concerning” to him.
Said Trump: “No, it’s very, very early and I think we’re going to do very well.”
Another Big GOP Donor Will Work for Clinton
GOP megadonor Seth Klarman told Reuters that he would work to get Hillary Clinton elected president because he finds recent comments by Donald Trump “shockingly unacceptable.”
Said Klarman: “His words and actions over the last several days are so shockingly unacceptable in our diverse and democratic society that it is simply unthinkable that Donald Trump could become our president.”
He added: “He is completely unqualified for the highest office in the land.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“If in 96 days Trump loses this election, I am pointing the finger directly at people like Paul Ryan.”
— Sean Hannity, quoted by Yahoo News.
Ryan’s Challenger Suggests Deporting All Muslims
Paul Nehlen (R), who is running against Speaker Paul Ryan (R) in a Wisconsin primary and has been praised by Donald Trump, told a radio station that the United States should have a “discussion” about deporting all Muslims from the United States.
Said Nehlen: “The question is, why do we have Muslims in the country?”
Clinton Surges to Huge National Lead
A new McClatchy-Marist poll finds Hillary Clinton has surged to a 15-point lead over “reeling, gaffe-plagued” Donald Trump, 48% to 35%.
Said pollster Lee Miringoff: “This is coming off the Democratic convention, where a bounce is expected. What you don’t want is to have the worst week of your campaign.”
A new WSJ/NBC poll shows Clinton leading by 9-point lead, 47% to 38%.
