Emma Watson, of the Harry Potter movies, gave an impassioned speech on feminism at the U.N. Headquarters in New York over the weekend to launch the “HeForShe” campaign.
It’s definitely worth watching.
Clinton’s Next Stop is New Hampshire
Hillary Clinton “will attend a fund-raiser later this month for a prominent New Hampshire Democrat, the latest indication that the former secretary of state is laying the groundwork for a second presidential run,” CNN reports.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“Politics has become too personal.”
— Vice President Joe Biden, quoted by the New York Times, on why Washington doesn’t work well anymore.
Control of Congress Matters to Most
A new Gallup Poll finds that 40% of Americans say the specific party that controls Congress matters a great deal to them, while 29% say it matters a moderate amount and another 30% say it generally doesn’t matter to them.
Outside Spending Sets New Midterm Record
Morning Line: “Back in April, we wrote that outside spending was on a record-breaking pace. Well, on this first day of fall — and with 43 days still to go until Election Day — outside spending has now surpassed the mark for most money ever spent in a midterm election. In fact, the $228 million (and climbing) spent by outside interest groups is not only the most ever spent in a midterm, but it’s also more spent in any election except the 2012 presidential election… The fact is: this is a whole new world. There should be a red line drawn on anyone’s timeline when reporting on election spending to signify Jan. 21, 2010, the date the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling was handed down, opening up unlimited money to flow into elections from unions and corporations.”
An Unstable Senate
Ron Brownstein: “If Democrats lose their majority this year, it will extend a striking pattern: Since 1980, neither party has controlled the Senate for more than eight consecutive years. That persistent volatility marks a distinct change from most of the 20th century. Given the underlying trends in voting behavior, it’s likely the Senate will continue to experience fragile and fleeting majorities. And that points toward both more partisan conflict and mounting pressure to rewrite Senate rules–like the filibuster–in ways that strengthen the majority.”
Predict the Senate
Democratic polling firm Hickman Analystics has a useful Senate prediction tool to test your assumptions about some of the closer races.
Rand Paul Opens Political Office in California
“Signaling that he may be edging closer to a 2016 White House run, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Saturday he plans to open an office in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the nation’s strongest Democratic bastions – and a convenient link to Silicon Valley,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Trippi Says It Would Be a ‘Miracle’ if Democrats Hold Senate
Democratic strategist Joe Trippi told Fox News that it would be a “miracle” in the current political environment for Democrats to hold on to the Senate.
Said Trippi: “I would gauge that Republicans are likely to pick up between five and eight seats.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“Don’t lose too much weight now. I like my girls chubby!”
— Former Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), quoted by the New York Times, to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
The Best TV Shows for Political Ads
“Six weeks before Election Day, campaigns are deciding where and when they want to air their political ads all over the country. But not all shows and networks are equal in the eyes of media buyers. They have more choices than ever, and they approach these decisions with deliberation and armed with ratings data,” Roll Call reports.
“In interviews, operatives repeatedly said they look for three kinds of programs for political ads: Live events, and shows that attract women and seniors. Both parties fight fiercely for the female demographic, and seniors serve as one of the most reliable voting blocs in a midterm.”
Quote of the Day
“I’m staying out of that race. I think folks know that I love him.”
— George P. Bush, quoted by the Texas Tribune, when asked if he would endorse his father in the 2016 Republican presidential race.
Kansas Candidate Admits Strip Club Incident
“In the late 1990s the Democratic candidate for governor of Kansas was getting a lap dance at a strip club when cops raided it in search of drugs, a situation Paul Davis (D) on Saturday described as being ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time,'” Politico reports.
“Davis was not charged with any crime, but a police chief involved in the raid wrote afterward that he had been drinking and was found ‘in a somewhat compromising position … in a back room of the club.'”
GOP Holds Intensity Edge
A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Annenberg poll shows that 54% of Republicans say they’re highly interested in the upcoming elections, compared to 44% of Democrats who say the same.
Another way to look at the GOP intensity advantage: Democrats hold a four-point lead on the generic ballot, 46% to 42%. But among high-interest voters, Republicans have the edge, 51% to 43%.
Giffords Unleashes Attacks on GOP Candidates
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ), “whose recovery from a gunshot wound to the head captivated the country, has unleashed some of the nastiest ads of the campaign season, going after GOP candidates in Arizona and New Hampshire with attacks even some left-leaning commentators say go too far,” Politico reports.
“And Republicans on the receiving end are largely helpless to hit back, knowing a fight with the much-admired survivor is not one they’re likely to win.”
Rove Says Democrats Have Money Edge
Karl Rove points to Democrats’ cash edge “as the main advantage the party has in keeping the GOP from taking control of the Senate,” Politico reports.
Said Rove: “The dynamics are good for Republicans — enthusiasm is high, Obama is low. The one advantage Democrats have had is a big cash advantage. They’ve already booked between Labor Day and election day $107 million in television advertising. The Republicans — $25 million less.”
Wolf Still Way Ahead in Pennsylvania
A new Muhlenberg College/Allentown Morning Call poll in Pennsylvania finds Tom Wolf (D) continuing to crush Gov. Tom Corbett (R) in the race for governor, 54% to 33%.
Coakley Holds Slim Lead in Massachusetts
A new Boston Globe poll in Massachusetts finds Martha Coakley (D) barely leads Charlie Baker in the race for governor, 39% to 36% with 19% of likely voters undecided.
