Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - August 16, 2016
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Tuesday's Leading Stories
- Donald Trump delivered a speech on national policy in Ohio on Monday where he introduced the “three pillars” of his antiterrorism platform. (The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Heavy)
- Trump said that he would introduce a new ideological screening test for immigrants similar to what was in place during the Cold War. “The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. I call it extreme, extreme vetting. Our country has enough problems. We don’t need more,” he said. Trump continued, “In addition to screening out all members or sympathizers of terrorist groups, we must also screen out any who have hostile attitudes toward our country or its principles ― or who believe that Sharia law should supplant American law.”
- He reiterated his call for a temporary ban on “immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism.”
- Trump also emphasized the importance of alliances with "moderate Muslim reformers in the Middle East.” He said that he would seek to hold an international conference with the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, Israel, and “all others who recognize this ideology of death that must be extinguished.” Trump also noted that there was an opportunity for improved relations with Russia, saying, “I also believe that we could find common ground with Russia in the fight against ISIS. They too have much at stake in the outcome in Syria, and have had their own battles with Islamic terrorism.”
Polls
- In a new Elway poll of Washington voters, Clinton led Trump among registered voters, 43 percent to 24 percent. Gary Johnson received 7 percent support and Stein 4. Another 16 percent said they were undecided. (Elway)
- Clinton leads Trump by nine points, 50 percent to 41 percent, in a two-way tracking poll from NBC News/SurveyMonkey released on Tuesday. In a four-way race, Clinton has 43 percent, Trump 37, Johnson 11, and Stein 4. (NBC News)
- On Tuesday, The Washington Post released a poll of registered voters in Virginia finding Clinton ahead of Trump by double digits, 52 percent to 38 percent. “Aside from the rural southwestern part of the state, Clinton’s lead spans all regions, most by a wide margin. She trounces Trump among minority voters, and slashes the advantage Republicans usually count on among whites in Virginia,” The Washington Post reported. (The Washington Post)
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
- The chairmen of the House Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary Committees, U.S. Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), submitted a joint letter to the Justice Department requesting it investigate Hillary Clinton for perjury. The letter provided four examples where Clinton allegedly lied under oath about her private email server, making statements that were “incompatible” with the conclusions of the FBI investigation. (Roll Call)
- Vice President Joe Biden campaigned with Clinton in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Monday. He argued that Trump was too “dangerous” to be commander-in-chief. "If my son were still in Iraq and I say to all those who were there, the threat to their life has gone up a couple of clicks, it has gone up a couple clicks,” he said, referencing his son, Beau, who served in the Army and died of cancer last year. Biden added that Trump was “not qualified” to know the nuclear launch codes and “can't be trusted!” (CNN)
- The Clinton campaign announced on Tuesday that former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been tapped to lead the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project. (Bloomberg)
- On Friday, the State Department agreed to produce all recovered emails sent by Clinton on her private email server to the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch. State Department Director of Press Relations Elizabeth Trudeau said on Monday that a production schedule would be offered on August 22. (Fox News)
Republicans
Donald Trump
- In a new fundraising effort on Monday, the Trump campaign sent supporters a “mainstream media accountability survey.” Once completed, respondents were taken to a donation page that said, “Thank you for standing up to the media's lies and attacks. Now take the next step and make a contribution to fight back.” (CNN)
- U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) wrote an op-ed in The New York Times on Sunday calling on Trump to release his tax returns. “I suggest this not as a partisan against Mr. Trump. I am a conservative Republican who, though I have no stomach for his personal style and his penchant for regularly demeaning others, intends to support my party’s nominee because of the importance of filling the existing vacancy on the Supreme Court, and others that might open in the next four years. However, my ability to continue to do so will in part be driven by whether Mr. Trump keeps his word that he will release his tax records,” Sanford wrote. (The New York Times)
- Trump hinted that he believed Hillary Clinton’s health was in question during his foreign policy speech on Monday, saying that she lacked “the mental and physical stamina” to combat ISIS and adversaries in trade. (The Huffington Post)
- The New York Times noted on Monday that Trump has “has not held a single event aimed at black voters in their communities, shunning the traditional stops at African-American churches, historically black colleges and barber shops and salons that have long been staples of the presidential campaign trail.” Although Trump’s campaigning style leans heavily towards large rallies, in general, he has rejected invitations to speak at events for black leaders, such as the NAACP, National Association of Black Journalists, and National Urban League. (The New York Times)
Third Party Candidates
- The Commission on Presidential Debates announced its official criteria for inclusion in the 2016 presidential debates on Monday and current polling indicates that Gary Johnson and Jill Stein are unlikely to qualify. Candidates must reach 15 percent in an average of five national polls in order to participate in the debates. The CPD announced it will use polling from ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News, and NBC/Wall Street Journal. So far, neither Johnson nor Stein has hit 15 percent in any of these organizations' national polls. (Commission on Presidential Debates)
- Independent candidate Evan McMullin announced on Monday that he had qualified for the Utah ballot. Over the weekend, the Independence Party of Minnesota also selected McMullin to be its presidential nominee. (The Hill)
Jill Stein (Green Party)
- Jill Stein criticized Hillary Clinton and the investigation into her private email server in an interview on Monday. "I think there should have been a full investigation. I think the American people are owed an explanation for what happened, and why top secret information was put at risk, why the identity of secret agents were potentially put at risk," she said. "There is much more that is coming to public attention about Hillary Clinton's behavior, including the recent revelations about favors bestowed on the Clinton Foundation's donors who got special deals, who got state partnerships,” Stein added. (CNN)
Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party)
- The Libertarian Party submitted paperwork on Monday to swap placeholder candidate Charlie Earl with Gary Johnson to appear on the ballot in Ohio as an independent candidate. "The law being unclear, Secretary Husted believes the spirit of ballot access should prevail," said Husted’s office. (The Columbus Dispatch)
See also
- Presidential election, 2016
- Presidential candidates, 2016
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
- Important dates in the 2016 presidential race
- Polls and Straw polls
- 2016 presidential candidate ratings and scorecards
