Former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has been floated as a leading candidate to be ambassador to Cuba, Foreign Policy reports.
“Dodd was an early proponent of relaxing sanctions on Cuba.”
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Texas Attorney General Could Face Felony Charge
The criminal investigation against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) “has taken a more serious turn, with special prosecutors now planning to present a first-degree felony securities fraud case against him,” WFAA reports.
Sanders Draws 10K to Rally
Sen. Bernie Sanders drew “10,000 screaming fans” to a speech in Madison, WI “and promised to fulfill all of their progressive dreams: paid vacation for all, generous maternity leave, tuition-free public colleges, a minimum wage of $15, no more big banks, less youth unemployment, dramatic prison reform and an end to economic inequality,” the Washington Post reports.
Said Sanders: “Please, think big, not small. Our vision should be that in the wealthiest country in the history of the world there is nothing that we cannot accomplish.”
The AP reports Sanders has raised $15 million since entering the presidential race in late April.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“I’ve lost count how many Republicans are running for this job. They’ll have enough for an actual Hunger Games.”
— President Obama, quoted by ABC News.
Fact Checking Paul LePage
Back in April, Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) stood up at a breakfast forum and told the crowd that seniors were sending him emails demanding that he stop the minimum wage from going up, the Bangor Daily News reports.
The report piqued the interest of reporter Amy Browne, who filed a Freedom of Access Act request with the governor’s office asking for “any emails received by Governor LePage from people identifying themselves as elderly and in opposition to minimum wage increases.”
“Two months later, on June 26, his office sent her the results: two emails. Neither email author gave their age, nor did they cite the specific and personal sort of concerns that LePage raised in his talk.”
Bundler Says Biden Is Planning a White House Bid
Vice President Joseph Biden’s team “is putting out the word that he is leaning in favor of joining the presidential race next month,” the Washington Times reports.
Said Democratic bundler Jon Cooper: “They have given increasingly strong signals that Biden is going to throw his hat in the ring. I’m as confident as I can be that he will be entering the race.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“He’s the nicest person I think I’ve ever met in politics. He is as good a man as God has ever created.”
— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), in an interview with the Huffington Post, on Vice President Joe Biden.
Webb Is Running
Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) announced his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Said Webb: “I understand the odds.”
Investigation Launched Into Dealings of Maine Governor
Members of the Maine legislature’s Government Oversight Committee voted unanimously to start a formal investigation into Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) use of taxpayer money to force Good Will-Hinckley to fire House Speaker Mark Eves (D), the Bangor Daily News reports.
LePage’s office claims the legislature has no right under the state constitution to investigate him.
Trump Quote of the Day
“Well, somebody’s doing the raping, Don. I mean somebody’s doing it. Who’s doing the raping?”
— Donald Trump, in an interview with CNN, when anchor Don Lemon pointed out that a Fusion article Trump cited was about migrant women being raped and not immigrants crossing the border illegal committing rape.
White House Plans Domestic Policy Push
While President Obama‘s “top foreign-policy initiatives–particularly on Cuba, trade and Iran–have dominated the headlines lately, the White House is gearing up for a domestic policy push that’s largely been under the radar,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“In coming weeks, the White House is expected to roll out more executive orders, perhaps on gun safety. And top White House officials are hoping to capitalize on their successful collaboration with congressional Republicans on trade to advance a business-tax overhaul and transportation initiatives targeted at shoring up the country’s infrastructure. Changes to the criminal justice system are also at the top of the president’s domestic wish list.”
Quote of the Day
“You rise above it publicly, but quietly, underneath, cut somebody’s legs off.”
— Former New York Gov. George Pataki (R), in an interview on MSNBC, on how he would handle the public feud between New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio (D).
Rubio Rushes to Book TV Time in Early States
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has spent about $10 million into reserved TV air time in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — including nearly $5 million in Iowa alone, WMUR reports.
First Read: “It’s smart, and we’re surprised that we haven’t seen other campaigns talking about doing the same thing. The early buys give Rubio a competitive advantage over other candidates, since he’s been able lock down good time slots for ads – not to mention at a cheaper rate. With a combined 20 or so candidates of both parties running for president – and at least one super PAC for each of ’em – there could be as many as 40 different political committees jockeying for ad time. There’s only so much advertising time between 6am and 11pm in Iowa and New Hampshire, and candidates who reserve late are simply going to get stuck airing ads in the dead of night. Sooner or later, you’re going to see a panicked run on the available time that’s left.”
Republicans Losing Ground with Big Business
First Read: “Donald Trump vs. Macy’s. The battle over the Ex-Im bank. Conservatives decrying the same-sex marriage ruling, immigration reform and normalization of relations with Cuba. A lot of stories in the past week have demonstrated how the Republican Party just isn’t a reliably comfortable home for big business anymore. A big part of that has to do with the fast-changing landscape on social issues. Big brands raced to find catchy ways to embrace the same-sex marriage decision last week even as the 2016 Republican candidates denounced it. As we’ve seen with the spectacularly quick race of businesses like Macy’s and now professional golf organizations away from Donald Trump, companies had no interest in being associated with anti-Latino statements.”
“This is all for financial reasons, by the way; businesses have decided that they don’t want to offend customers and they don’t want to be boycotted. That’s a cynical way to look at, we know. But it also shows just how influential groups like Latinos and the LGBT community have become – not just politically, but when it comes to purchasing power as well.”
Why Are Conservatives Defending Donald Trump?
Jonathan Chait: “It is not politically significant that Donald Trump would claim to be running for president, that he would say something flamboyantly ignorant, or that he would ‘surge’ to ‘second place’ in polls by using his name recognition to get into double digits in a splintered field. What is significant and genuinely disturbing, not to mention poisonous to the Republican Party’s electoral interests, is the fact that conservative thought leaders feel compelled to defend Trump’s nativist ramblings. And not just bottom-feeding outlets like the Daily Caller and Breitbart, either. National Review editor Rich Lowry writes in Politico that Trump ‘has a point.'”
The Latest on Wonk Wire
Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
Big Majority in New Jersey See Christie as a Bad President
A new Monmouth University Poll in New Jersey, taken after Gov. Chris Christie’s presidential announcement, found that “a large majority feels that Christie has abandoned his commitment to the state and few say he is a good fit for the Oval Office.”
Key finding: “Just 27% of New Jerseyans say Chris Christie would make a good president. More than two-thirds (69%) say he would not.”
Matt Bai: “At least he’s not running for reelection as governor. Because with a 30 percent approval rating in New Jersey, Christie is now less popular in his home state than his predecessor, Jon Corzine, whom he beat pretty much by just showing up and having a pulse. If Christie takes a liking to bucolic New Hampshire, he might consider moving there.”
Walker Schedules Announcement for July 13
Gov. Scott Walker will file paperwork with the FEC this morning to formally jump into the GOP presidential race, with a formal announcement event planned for July 13, NBC News reports.
