Andy Borowitz: “When the curtain rises on the first Democratic debate of the 2016 campaign, all eyes will be on the bitter rivalry between the former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee and the former Virginia senator Jim Webb. While both camps are mum about the vicious hatred that has consumed the two men on the campaign trail, political insiders familiar with the Chafee-Webb blood feud are expecting fireworks in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.”
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Clinton Holds Huge Lead in Democratic Race
A new Morning Consult poll finds Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential race, 54% to 22%. If Vice President Joe Biden jumps in, Clinton would lead with 47%, followed by Sanders at 20% and Biden at 17%.
On the Republican side, Donald Trump leads with 34%, followed by Ben Carson at 20%, Jeb Bush at 9%, Ted Cruz at 5%, Marco Rubio at 5% and Carly Fiorina at 5%.
How Sanders Connects with Crowds
The New York Times looks at six key moments in a recent Bernie Sanders speech.
“Something surprising happens when Bernie Sanders starts speaking at his presidential campaign rallies. He doesn’t ingratiate himself with audiences by praising their hometowns, or telling easy jokes, the way many candidates do. He gets right down to business, delivering a searing indictment of American politics, with crusty, to-the-barricades exhortations.”
Politico: Sanders plans fundraising push around debate
Trump Will Live Tweet the Democratic Debate
Though he thinks it will be “a boring two hours,” Donald Trump will live tweet the first Democratic presidential debate tonight.
Ryan Freezes Contest for House Speaker
“It’s the Paul Ryan paralysis syndrome and it’s gripping any House Republican who wants to be speaker,” Politico reports.
“The Wisconsin Republican has said he doesn’t want to be speaker of the House, but he is considering it. And until he flatly rules it out, the other potential candidates for the chamber’s top job — a list nearly two dozen names long and growing — are forced to proceed gingerly. With one breath they’re gauging support, with the next they’re letting would-be backers know their interest could be temporary if the Ways and Means Committee chairman gets in.”
Washington Post: “His reluctance to run for the House speaker job reflects some of the same dilemmas that many working parents face.”
Clinton’s Toughest Month So Far
“The next few weeks look to be the toughest phase of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign since she entered the race in April, posing a series of tests that will answer whether she can shore up her front-runner status and win back the confidence of voters,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Democrats Mainly Agree on the Issues
New York Times: “After watching two viscerally divisive debates among the Republican presidential contenders, Americans are about to witness a confrontation by the Democrats that will most likely center on differences of degree, not direction, and on how hard they will push a liberal agenda, not where they hope to lead the nation.”
“The most telling aspect of Tuesday night’s debate in Las Vegas may be how much the candidates agree on the issues.”
Washington Post: “Americans will either find a pleasing contrast in Tuesday’s debate to the attack-filled show Republicans have put on — or they’re going to be bored senseless.”
Mike Allen: 3 things to watch in tonight’s debate
Clinton’s Email Server Was Vulnerable to Hackers
“The private email server running in Hillary Clinton’s home basement when she was secretary of state was connected to the Internet in ways that made it more vulnerable to hackers,” according to data and documents reviewed by the Associated Press.
“Clinton’s server, which handled her personal and State Department correspondence, appeared to allow users to connect openly over the Internet to control it remotely, according to detailed records compiled in 2012. Experts said the Microsoft remote desktop service wasn’t intended for such use without additional protective measures, and was the subject of U.S. government and industry warnings at the time over attacks from even low-skilled intruders.”
Will Dennis Hastert Plead Guilty?
Politico: “A federal court deadline Tuesday will be a pivotal turning point in his felony case, signaling whether the former House speaker will plead guilty to a deal that has been under negotiation since at least late September with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago.”
“A plea deal would give Hastert his best hope of averting a full public reckoning of allegations and rumors about his alleged misconduct as a teacher and coach, stories that Politico found have circulated for decades in political circles in and around Yorkville, Illinois.”
Cruz Warns About Using Military for Social Experiments
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said that the military’s moves to include transgender soldiers in its ranks had shifted its focus away from its core mission, the Washington Post reports.
Said Cruz: “How about having the military focusing on hunting down and killing the bad guys…instead of treating it as this crucible for social justice innovations. We’ve lost sight of what their job is and that’s what we need to get back to.”
He added: “We shouldn’t view the military as a cauldron for social experiments.”
Ellison Endorses Sanders for President
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, according to Minnesota Public Radio.
Ellison released a statement saying he’s backing Sanders because Sanders has “demonstrated a willingness to push for progressive ideas that will help American families and restore balance” to the nation’s economy.
Ex-Staffer Says Gowdy Broke Federal Law
“The legal battle between the House Benghazi Committee and its former investigator, Todd Podliska, escalated Monday afternoon, when Podliska’s lawyers alleged that Chairman Trey Gowdy violated government confidentiality rules and federal law,” MSNBC reports.
Jindal Trashes Father of Oregon Shooter
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said the father of the Oregon gunman who killed 9 people at a community college “has no right to be lecturing the rest of us” on gun control, the Huffington Post reports.
Said Jindal: “He’s a complete failure as a father, he should be embarrassed to even show his face in public.”
Christie Says He Would Shoot Down Russian Planes
Gov. Chris Christie “ramped up his tough talk on foreign policy on Monday, calling President Obama a ‘weakling’ and saying that the United States should threaten to shoot down Russian planes conducting airstrikes in Syria,” the New York Times reports.
Said Christie: “My first phone call would be to Vladimir, and I’d say, ‘Listen, we’re enforcing this no-fly zone.’ And I mean we’re enforcing it against anyone, including you. So don’t try me. Don’t try me. Because I’ll do it.”
Flores Will Run for Speaker If Ryan Doesn’t
Rep. Bill Flores (R-TX) “is moving toward running for House speaker, and has sent a letter to his colleagues laying out what he sees as his qualifications,” Politico reports.
But Flores, who chairs the Republican Study Committee, said in the letter that he “will not run” should Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) decide to run.
Fake Candidate Tops Bush in Straw Poll
“Honest Gil” Fulbright’s presidential campaign is literally a joke, but that didn’t stop him from beating Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham in a New Hampshire straw poll over the weekend, Time reports.
101 Ways to Open a Speech
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Bonus Quote of the Day
“Trump said he would stay in the party, and refuse to run as an independent, as long as the Republicans treated him fairly. I’m beginning to have a sense of what he was talking about. If the party won’t allow me to run as a Democrat, that creates a lot of pressure to think about a different way of running that would allow me to make this case to the American people.”
— Lawrence Lessig, quoted by the Washington Post, suggesting he could run as an independent if not included in the Democratic debates.
