Nate Cohn: “Opponents of immigration reform are right about one thing: Hispanics aren’t enough for Republicans to win back the White House. But that doesn’t mean that the GOP can sacrifice Hispanics without big consequences for their chances. That’s already happened in New Mexico and Nevada, where the Hispanic vote has flipped two states from red to blue. The GOP’s route to the presidency has survived the loss of those two small states–they’re worth just 11 electoral votes. But it’s a whole different story if Florida suffers the same fate as Nevada, as it very well might if Republicans can’t improve among Hispanics.”
Napolitano Will Resign as Homeland Security Secretary
Janet Napolitano will resign as the head of the Department of Homeland Security to become the next president of the University of California, “in an unusual choice that brings a national-level politician to a
position usually held by an academic,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
Her
appointment also means the 10-campus system will be headed by a woman
for the first time in its 145-year history.
Interesting speculation: If President Obama appoints Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, to replace Napolitano, it would open a U.S. Senate seat for Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden (D).
Snowden Struggling to Find Way to Latin America
Edward Snowden said that he “would seek political asylum in Russia until he could find a way to travel to one of several Latin American countries that have offered him safe harbor,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The request marks a sharp turnaround for Mr. Snowden, who had retracted a request for asylum in Russia earlier this month after President Vladimir Putin said it would only be considered if the former government contractor stopped leaks deemed harmful to U.S. interests.”
Summers Wants to be Fed Chairman
Coming to Do Good, Staying to Do Well
Walter Shapiro read Mark Leibovich’s This Town and concludes “the sad-eyed truth that, ultimately, everyone sells out.”
He notes former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott’s honest explanation, “Washington is where the money is. That’s generally what keeps people here.”
The GOP’s Compassion Problem
First Read: “The party really seems to be struggling with that compassion thing. Take passing the farm bill WITHOUT the food stamp program. Or the scant attention to the plight of the undocumented immigrants — and their families — who are currently living in the shadows of this country. Compassion is a powerful thing in politics; remember, George W. Bush won a presidential election (in 2000) on that theme. Republicans are going to need to figure out how to add a compassionate element to their austerity push.”
“Of course, conservatives would argue the one place they show the most compassion (on the issue of abortion) doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Then again, on abortion, there is another side that believes there is a lack of compassion for women on this issue. Point is, the GOP has a perception problem on this front — something the Republican National Committee noted, and they’ve done little to fix it.”
Most Blame Republicans for Gridlock
A new Quinnipiac poll finds 51% of Americans say Republicans are responsible for gridlock in Washington, D.C while 35% percent say President Obama “lacks the skills to convince leaders of Congress to work together.”
Asked another way, 53% say Obama is doing “too little” to compromise with congressional Republicans, but 68% of voters say congressional Republicans are doing “too little.”
Said pollster Peter Brown: “Voters think the Democrats and Obama aren’t playing nice, but they think the Republicans are worse.”
GOP on the Verge of Committing Political Suicide
David Brooks: “It’s beginning to look as though we’re not going to get an immigration reform law this year. House Republicans are moving in a direction that will probably be unacceptable to the Senate majority and the White House. Conservative commentators like my friends Bill Kristol and Rich Lowry are arguing that the status quo is better than the comprehensive approach passed by the Senate. The whole effort is in peril.”
“This could be a tragedy for the country and political suicide for Republicans, especially because the conservative arguments against the comprehensive approach are not compelling.”
Alaska Republicans Hear Nothing from Palin
Even though Sarah Palin said she is considering a U.S. Senate — resulting in a lot of national buzz — “party leadership in Alaska hasn’t heard a peep from her,” Alaska Public Media reports. “Republican Party Chair Peter Goldberg says that there’s been no communication between him and Palin. Ever.”
Said Goldberg: “I would think she would want to at least speak briefly to the new head of the Alaska Republican Party. But no, never met the lady. Never spoken to her. I have seen her once.”
Spitzer Submits Signatures to Get on Ballot
Just four days after he launched his campaign, Eliot Spitzer (D) said that “over 27,000 signatures” were submitted to the Board of Elections just ahead of a midnight deadline to get on the ballot for New York City comptroller, the AP reports.
Spitzer needs 3,750 valid petition signatures to get on the Democratic primary ballot for September.
Perry Plans Foreign Trip
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said that he will visit Israel in October, “a move that signals to the political world that he is seriously considering making another presidential run in 2016,” the Washington Times reports.
Said Perry: “We will be going to Israel to bring together Arabs, Christian and Jews in an educational forum.”
Certified Dead Man Wins Election in Mexico
A man who has been legally dead since 2010 was elected mayor of a small Mexican town, the New York Times reports.
“Authorities say relatives of Lenin Carballido used a death certificate showing that he died of a diabetic coma in 2010 to convince police to drop an arrest warrant against him for allegedly participating in a 2004 gang rape.”
“A living Carballido later ran in, and narrowly won, Sunday’s election in San Agustin Amatengo in Oaxaca state.”
Clinton Would Beat Christie in 2016 Race
A new Quinnipiac poll finds Hillary Clinton leads New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) 46% to 40% among American voters in an early look at the 2016 presidential election.
Mayor Admits He Sexually Harassed Women
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) admitted to allegations from political allies that he has sexually harassed numerous women, the San Diego Union Tribune reports.
Said Filner: “I begin today by apologizing to you. I have diminished the office to which you elected me. The charges made at today’s news conference are serious. When a friend like Donna Frye is compelled to call for my resignation, I’m clearly doing something wrong. I have reached into my heart and soul and realized I must and will change my behavior.”
“As someone who has spent a lifetime fighting for equality for all people, I am embarrassed to admit that I have failed to fully respect the women who work for me and with me, and that at times I have intimidated them.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“So this is really a sad, sad day for the United States Senate. And if we don’t pull back from the brink here, my friend, the majority leader, is going to be remembered as the worst leader of the Senate ever.”
— Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by Mediaite, in regards to pushing filibuster reform.
Robertson Insists He’s Not Anti-Gay
Pat Robertson said on the 700 Club that’s he’s not “ant-gay” and said “we have many, many, many homosexuals watching this program and many of them are looking for love and acceptance and help.”
Said Robertson: “A lot of people are into this homosexual thing because they’ve been abused by a parent, abused by a coach, abused by a sibling, abused by a friend, they’re little boys and little girls and they don’t know any better and then they somehow think, ‘well I must be gay,’ they aren’t they are heterosexual and they just need to come out of that.”
He added that some gay people “maybe got some chromosomal damage that’s different from heterosexuals.”
Clinton Racks Up Speaking Fees
The Washington Post reports Hillary Clinton has given or has scheduled at last 14 speeches, for which she charges $200,000 per appearance.
“As a former secretary of state and U.S. senator, Clinton is following a path well-worn by retired politicians such as her husband — who has racked up tens of millions of dollars in speaking fees since leaving office — and by State Department predecessors such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright. But the extent of Clinton’s speaking schedule, and the size of her standard fee, is more unusual for someone considering a run for president.”
Boys with Sisters More Likely to be Republicans
A new study in the Journal of Politics by Andrew Healy and Neil Malhotra finds that young men who were raised with sisters are more likely to express socially conservative views on attitudes about gender roles.
“Having sisters makes males more politically conservative in terms of their gender role attitudes and their partisanship. Particularly for gender role attitudes, we find that these political socialization effects persist until respondents are well into adulthood.”
