Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
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Quote of the Day
“The media frequently wants to goad people into wars, into gladiator fights, you know. And I’m certainly not going to get into that.”
— Ben Carson, quoted by the Washington Post, after Donald Trump challenged his faith and called him an “okay doctor.”
Why John Boehner Could Be Ousted as Speaker
First Read says “you have the making for a perfect storm — a conservative electorate angry that President Obama is poised for another win, despite Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress; a 2016 race where the incentive is for the candidates to move to the right; and the Age of Trump where his central argument is: ‘Why is everyone so weak?’ If you add those things up and throw in a fight over Planned Parenthood and abortion, then you get trouble. Big trouble.”
“Here is the irony about Boehner’s predicament: He’s with GOP conservatives on the ideology. He’s against Planned Parenthood. He’s against the Iran deal. He criticizes Obama at every opportunity (see his comments yesterday on the Syrian migrants). But Boehner’s problem isn’t ideology; it’s tactics. House conservatives view Obama as someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to win — executive action, Dem Senate eliminating the filibuster for executive appointments — and they don’t know why their leaders aren’t doing everything they can do to beat him. And now you have the situation where House GOP leaders can no longer blame Harry Reid and Senate Democrats for their inability to stop Obama since Republicans have the majority in that chamber.”
Jindal Will Attack Trump In Effort to Rise in Polls
Gov. Bobby Jindal is planning a major attack on GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump, the Washington Examiner reports.
“In a Thursday speech that was previewed by his advisors, the Louisiana governor will begin a concerted campaign to discredit the New York businessman/entertainer who sits atop nearly every poll in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.”
Republicans Have No Plan to Avoid Shutdown
“Congressional Republican leaders returned to Washington this week with no clear plan for extending government funding later this month that risks shutting down federal agencies amid a growing outcry from conservatives ready for a fight over funding Planned Parenthood,” the Washington Post reports.
“Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that there was ‘widespread support’ among House Republicans to approve a stopgap bill well into the fall to allow for more time to negotiate final budget numbers with President Obama. But, he acknowledged, GOP leaders have not decided how to handle the large demand for language in the funding plan that would strip Planned Parenthood of the small amount of federal funds it receives each year.”
“The speaker’s closest ally, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has already signaled that there is no chance of getting a funding bill through with limitations on the female-health-service provider because Senate Democrats have enough votes to filibuster such a bill and Republicans have nowhere near enough votes to reach a two-thirds majority to override a likely veto from Obama.”
Republicans Get One More Shot at Obamacare
A federal judge “allowed House Republicans to proceed with a parts of a lawsuit challenging the Obama administration’s implementation of the 2010 health-care law, opening the door for another legal battle over the Affordable Care Act,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The judge dealt a blow to the White House by declining to dismiss the lawsuit outright, rejecting the Obama administration’s argument that the court should not referee a political dispute between the other two branches of government… The judge, however, did side with the Obama administration on other issues, throwing out additional legal claims that House Republicans sought to bring.”
Wonk Wire: Obamacare enrollment remains on track
Graham Barred from Home State Presidential Forum
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will not take part in a Republican presidential forum next week that is being held 45 minutes from his S.C. home because his national poll numbers in August failed to reach the 1 percent threshold set by the forum’s organizers, the Columbia State reports.
A new Public Policy Polling survey in South Carolina finds 78% of GOP voters want Graham to drop out of the race.
Reporter Fired for Asking Vitter About Prostitutes
Gawker: “Derek Myers, a television reporter with NBC affiliate WVLA in Baton Rouge, was fired from the network Tuesday after asking U.S. Senator and Louisiana gubernatorial candidate David Vitter about his admitted history of patronizing prostitutes. Myers believes that he was terminated because Vitter’s campaign threatened to pull $250,000 in advertising from WVLA over the confrontation.”
Kasich Made Super PAC Ads Before Launching Bid
Gov. John Kasich filmed television ads used by a super PAC supporting him before he officially became a presidential candidate, WMUR reports.
Said a spokeswoman: “In order for there to be coordination, there must be a candidate, and John Kasich was not a candidate for president when the footage referenced in this complaint was filmed. As with all of the ads that have aired to date, the footage featuring Gov. Kasich was filmed before any decision to seek the presidency. Additionally, the governor himself does not say anything about running for president.”
National Journal: When a super PAC acts like a campaign
Trump Expands His Lead Nationally
A new CNN/ORC poll finds Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential race with 30%, followed by Ben Carson at 19%, Jeb Bush at 9%, Ted Cruz at 7%, Mike Huckabee at 5%, Scott Walker at 5% and all other candidates at 3% or less.
Key finding: “Trump’s gains come most notably among two groups that had proven challenging for him in the early stages of his campaign — women and those with college degrees. While he gained just 4 points among men in the last month (from 27% in August to 31% now), he’s up 13 points among women, rising from 20% in August to 33% now.”
Wonk Wire: Why won’t Trump win? He’s not an elite
Sanders Moves Ahead of Clinton in Iowa
A new Quinnipiac poll in Iowa finds Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) leading Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race, 41% to 40%, with Vice President Joe Biden at 12%.
Said pollster Peter Brown: “Sen. Bernie Sanders has become the Eugene McCarthy of 2016. He is the candidate of the Democratic left, against his own party’s bosses and their prized presidential candidate, Secretary Hillary Clinton. Sanders has seized the momentum by offering a message more in line with disproportionately liberal primary and caucus voters.”
Trump Quote of the Day
“I’m not dropping out of anything. I never drop out.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by CNN.
The Last of the President’s Men
Out next month: The Last of the President’s Men by Bob Woodward.
Politico says the book reveals the secrets of Alexander Butterfield, a West Wing aide who oversaw the installation of President Richard Nixon’s fateful taping system.
Democrats Prepare for Possible Plan B
“If Hillary Clinton’s new apology for her private email server fails to reassure jittery supporters, it could amplify the chatter among some Democrats who have been casting about for a potential white knight to rescue the party from a beleaguered Clinton candidacy,” the New York Times reports.
“Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Secretary of State John Kerry, Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Al Gore: Each has been discussed among party officials in recent weeks as an alternative to Mrs. Clinton if she does not regain her once-dominant standing in the 2016 presidential field and instead remains mired in the long-running email controversy, with its attendant investigations.”
Bonus Trump Quote of the Day
“Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?! I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?”
— Donald Trump, quoted by Rolling Stone, commenting on GOP rival Carly Fiorina.
Palin Says Obama Lives in a Fantasy World
Sarah Palin blasted President Obama for living in a fantasy world on the Iran nuclear deal, the Daily Mail reports.
Said Palin: “Only in an Orwellian Obama world full of sprinkly fairy dust blown from atop a unicorn as he’s peeking through a really pretty pink kaleidoscope would he ever see victory or safety of America or Israel in this treaty.”
Bratton Fires Back at Christie
New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton ripped into Gov. Chris Christie for questioning New York City’s crime statistics, NY1 reports.
Said Bratton: “When you live in a glass house with a lot of broken windows, I wouldn’t be throwing stones and I think the governor basically unfortunately made a bit of a fool himself.”
Trump Wants Debate Revenue Donated to Vets
Donald Trump asked CNN to donate all ad revenue generated from the news channel’s upcoming presidential debate to veterans groups, NBC News reports.
“Believing that increases in ad rates are due to his celebrity and mass appeal, Trump noted that he is self-funding his presidential campaign and that CNN should view their role in the political contest with similar benevolence.”
