A new Quinnipiac poll in Iowa finds Sen. Bernie Sanders is gaining ground on Hillary Clinton in the Iowa Democratic Caucus and now trails the front-runner 52% to 33% among likely caucus participants.
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An Inside Look at the Fall of Richard Holbrooke
“When it comes to Washington backbiting, even the dead don’t get to rest in peace. Among the revelations to emerge from the latest trove of Hillary Clinton emails are jokes and gibes at the expense of Richard Holbrooke, the legendary diplomat who died on the job of a torn aorta (literally a broken heart) in December 2010 as he sought to contain the chaos in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Politico reports.
“The emails, released by the State Department in response to a request by the House special committee on Benghazi, tend to confirm the sad narrative of Holbrooke’s last years, when he found himself cut out of senior-level discussions and his powers curtailed by the Obama White House. He was also made the butt of jokes by former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta over what even Holbrooke’s friends admit was his lifelong, almost desperate, ambition to be secretary of state.”
Hillary Clinton’s Most Trusted Aide
Politico profiles Huma Abedin, who is “is weaning herself slowly away from a life on the road to occupy a perch overseeing the campaign operation and serving more often as an independent surrogate for her boss.”
“Her elevation comes as longtime top Clinton aides like Cheryl Mills, Maggie Williams and Philippe Reines have receded in influence and are not functioning as part of the current campaign’s inner circle. Instead, Abedin has been elevated to the most senior member of Clinton’s old guard, and the person filling a role Clinton has always valued: that of the strong, trusted, female advisor.”
Democrats Cheer as Trump Surges in Polls
“For Democrats, Donald Trump amounts to a kind of divine intervention. With the Republican Party on an urgent mission to woo Latino voters, one of its leading presidential candidates has been enmeshed for two weeks in a nasty feud over his inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants,” the Washington Post reports.
“The comments — and many more since — have prompted an uproar among Latino groups and acrimonious breakups between Trump and various corporate partners. His outlandish rhetoric and skill at occupying the national spotlight are also proving to be dangerously toxic for the GOP brand, which remains in the rehabilitation stage after losing the 2012 presidential race.”
New York Times: “Democrats relish the situation.”
LePage Says Legislature Cannot Investigate Him
Maine Gov. Paul LePage’s (R) chief legal counsel “has told the Legislature’s watchdog agency that it doesn’t have the constitutional authority to investigate whether the governor exceeded his executive power when he threatened to withhold state funding from a private nonprofit unless it withdraw a job offer to Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
Macy’s Drops Trump Merchandise
Following a storm of protest, Macy’s has decided to drop its Donald Trump merchandise, according to WWD.
From a statement: “In light of statements made by Donald Trump, which are inconsistent with Macy’s values, we have decided to discontinue our business relationship with Mr. Trump and will phase out the Trump men’s wear collection, which has been sold at Macy’s since 2004.”
Business Insider says Trump has called on Americans to boycott Macy’s.
Clinton Raises Record $45 Million in Launch Quarter
“Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign raised at least $45 million during its first quarter,” her campaign told Bloomberg.
“Clinton’s haul from her campaign’s launch in mid-April through June 30 is a record for primary money raised in a candidate’s first quarter. President Barack Obama held the previous record for a campaign’s first quarter, raising $41.9 million after launching his re-election bid.”
The Latest on Wonk Wire
Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
- Jeb Bush Profited From Obamacare
- The Limited Impact of the Court’s Ruling on Gerrymandering
- All is Not Lost for Obamacare Lawsuit Supporters
- Gun Control and Abortion Are Different Than Gay Marriage
- Has the Supreme Court Become More Liberal?
- Don’t Sanitize America’s Racist Past: Leave Confederate Monuments Intact
Two Republican Brackets
First Read sees the GOP presidential field betting on different early states: “About half of Republicans are betting on success in the Hawkeye State, and the other half are focused on the Granite State, with a little overlap between the two.”
- Iowa bracket: Scott Walker, Ben Carson and Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal
- New Hampshire bracket: Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich, George Pataki, maybe Lindsey Graham
- Crossovers: Rand Paul, Marco Rubio
Two Ways to Handle Disclosures
First Read: “We witnessed two very different disclosures on Tuesday. One candidate (Jeb Bush) controlled his disclosure regarding his taxes, and even had a story to tell about his business work and about how all Americans (including the wealthiest) should pay less in taxes. Another candidate (Hillary Clinton) let others control the rollout of her State Department emails. Of course, there doesn’t appear to be any disqualifying smoking gun in Hillary’s emails. But one person looked prepared; the other didn’t. One was proactive; one was reactive.”
Rick Klein: “For reporters spending a portion of Tuesday clicking through dueling document dumps, the contrast was unmistakable – and, of course, that just might have been intentional. Jeb Bush released 33 years of his own tax returns, along with his personal email address. A partial trove of Hillary Clinton’s old emails, meanwhile, were released as well – by the State Department, under court order, and under a cloud of questions about what’s not included.”
Supreme Court to Decide More Big Issues Next Year
The Washington Post looks ahead to Supreme Court decisions that will come during the heat of the presidential campaign.
“In the next term, the court could be pressed to decide whether states that restricted abortion rights or voting procedures or gun ownership have gone beyond what the Constitution protects. Already, the justices have chosen to again examine the use of race in college admissions. In each of these instances, the court may allow states to adopt widely diverging rules.”
U.S. Will Open Embassy in Cuba
The United States and Cuba “have agreed to open embassies in each other’s capitals, the biggest tangible step in the countries’ historic bid to restore ties after more than a half-century of hostilities,” the AP reports.
Bush Leads GOP Pack Nationally
A new CNN/ORC poll finds Jeb Bush leading the GOP presidential race nationally with 19%, followed by Donald Trump at 12%, Mike Huckabee at 8%, Ben Carson at 7%, Rand Paul at 7%, Marco Rubio at 6% and Scott Walker at 6%.
“The findings suggest Bush is making progress toward being seen as the frontrunner in a field that has long lacked a clear leader. He holds a significant lead over the second-place candidate Trump, is seen as the candidate who could best handle illegal immigration and social issues, and runs about even with Trump and well ahead of the other candidates when Republicans are asked which candidate can best handle the economy.”
Quote of the Day
“Here I was as a twenty-six-year-old man looking at explicit porn with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor who was standing alongside the colleague she had once dated in law school. As we watched these graphic pictures fill our screens, wide-eyed, no one said a word.”
— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), quoted by the Huffington Post, in his new memoir.
Walker Leads GOP Field in Iowa
A new Quinnipiac poll in Iowa finds Scott Walker leading the GOP presidential pack at 18%, followed by Donald Trump at 10%, Ben Carson at 10%, Rand Paul at 9%, Ted Cruz at 9%, Jeb Bush at 8%, Marco Rubio at 7% and Mike Huckabee at 5%.
Said pollster Peter Brown: “Those who thought the Republican race in the Iowa caucuses might begin to clarify itself better think again. As even more candidates toss their hats into the ring, the race has gotten even more muddled.”
Webb Will Announce Decision Soon
Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) will decide in the next few days whether he is running for president, the Washington Post reports.
Trump Quote of the Day
“Our country is honestly going to hell. The illegals are pouring into the country… It’s far worse than anybody knows.”
— Donald Trump, quoted by National Journal.
De Blasio Accuses Cuomo of Seeking Revenge
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, “in candid and searing words rarely employed by elected officials of his stature,” accused Gov. Andrew Cuomo of stymieing his city’s legislative goals out of personal pettiness, “game-playing” and a desire for “revenge,” the New York Times reports.
Said de Blasio: “I started a year and a half ago with a hope of a very strong partnership. I have been disappointed at every turn.”
“His criticism — barbed by any measure, but especially so for a sitting mayor — amounted to an audacious gambit by Mr. de Blasio: The mayor is betting that he can outflank a governor who wields enormous power over his administration’s affairs, even as he needs him as a negotiating partner.”
First Read: “This feud is going to keep political reporters in NYC busy and entertained for some time.”
