Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - August 17, 2015
From Ballotpedia
|
Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential Briefing was sponsored by the Leadership Project for America. | ||||
|
Monday's Leading Stories
- Poll: In a Fox News poll released on Sunday, Donald Trump retained his lead over the Republican field with 25 percent support. Ben Carson, Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush followed with 12 percent, 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively. For Democratic-leaning voters, Hillary Clinton dropped slightly to 49 percent support, but still led Bernie Sanders by 19 points. (Fox News)
- Donald Trump announced the details of his immigration platform on Sunday. To pay for a border wall, Trump said he would “impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages; increase fees on all temporary visas issued to Mexican CEOs and diplomats (and if necessary cancel them); increase fees on all border crossing cards – of which we issue about 1 million to Mexican nationals each year (a major source of visa overstays); increase fees on all NAFTA worker visas from Mexico (another major source of overstays); and increase fees at ports of entry to the United States from Mexico.” Trump also said he would end birthright citizenship, defund sanctuary cities and enhance penalties for overstaying a visa. (Donald J. Trump for President)
Democrats
Joe Biden
- On Saturday, Joe Biden attended the memorial service for five servicemen killed in the Chattanooga shootings in July. Although he did not know personally know the men, Biden said, “I knew them. Confident, committed, determined, trustworthy, passionate and always, always loyal — I knew them. They were my son.” (The Los Angeles Times)
- CNN reported on Sunday that Biden’s advisors recommended a presidential bid should initially focus on Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. They have also said October 1, 2015, would be the latest he could declared his candidacy. (CNN)
Lincoln Chafee
- Lincoln Chafee spoke at the Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday. His speech highlighted that he was the only Republican senator to vote against the use of military force in Iraq and his experience as a council member, mayor, governor and U.S. senator. Chafee also criticized Jeb Bush for drinking “some kind of neo-con Kool-Aid” for blaming the Obama administration for instability in Iraq. (The Des Moines Register, Iowa Public Radio)
Hillary Clinton
- In April, Hillary Clinton completed a questionnaire on labor issues for the AFL-CIO. Yahoo News reported on Monday that Clinton stated in this questionnaire that she wanted to “improve how Social Security works for women” and “enhance benefits for our most vulnerable seniors.” (Yahoo News)
- According to Politico, Clinton had a much different approach to engaging with Iowans at the State Fair this weekend than she had during her previous presidential run. “In stark contrast to her 2008 campaign — which unraveled fast after Iowans rejected her for more a more approachable Barack Obama — Clinton put herself out at the Iowa State Fair Saturday, embracing the masses that engulfed her,” Politico noted. (Politico)
- Clinton responded to Jeb Bush’s criticism that the Obama administration had created instability in Iraq. “I find it somewhat curious that Jeb Bush is doubling down on - defending - his brother's actions in Iraq. But if he's going to do that, he should present the entire picture. And the entire picture, as you know, includes the agreement George W. Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2011 as the date to withdraw American troops,” Clinton said during a press conference on Saturday. (Reuters)
- Joking about the investigation into her use of a private email server while secretary of state, Clinton said on Saturday, “You may have seen that I recently launched a Snapchat account. I love it. I love it. Those messages disappear all by themselves." (NBC News)
Martin O’Malley
- Martin O’Malley declined to directly comment on Hillary Clinton’s email server investigation on Sunday. “You have a legitimate question to ask and Secretary Clinton and her lawyers can answer it. From my part as a candidate I intend to put out the ideas and the policies that make college more affordable for more people, that expand Social Security, that get wages to go up again for a majority of us who are working harder instead of down so that's what I'm going to talk about...and I'll leave you to ask Secretary Clinton those other questions," O'Malley said. (CBS News)
- O’Malley wrote an op-ed for CNN on Monday about the cholera epidemic in Haiti, stating the United Nations “should acknowledge its role in the tragedy” and “endeavor to broaden its campaign to combat the ongoing epidemic.” He also noted the importance of the United States assuming a “greater leadership role in our own hemisphere.” O’Malley concluded, “As president, I would embrace a new national security approach focused on proactive, long-term threat reduction and reinvigorated regional alliances.” (CNN)
Bernie Sanders
- In his speech at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Bernie Sanders said he welcomed hatred from “the billionaire class” just as Franklin D. Roosevelt had. “And let me echo that today: If the Koch brothers and the billionaire class hate my guts, I welcome their hatred. Because I am going to stand with working families,” Sanders said. (USA Today)
- According to an informal straw poll monitoring voters in real-time, Sanders' support from Iowa voters increased from 46 percent to 52 percent on the second day of the Iowa State Fair, beating Clinton’s 41 percent. (Daily Caller)
Republicans
Jeb Bush
- The super PAC supporting Jeb Bush, Right to Rise, is expected to purchase at least $10 million of media buys for spots in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina between September and December. Super PAC spokesman Paul Lindsey called it the “first phase of our sustained campaign to independently support Jeb Bush.” (CBS News, USA Today)
- According to The Huffington Post, Bush never met with Black Lives Matter activists prior to the rally they interrupted last week. Rather, Bush met with a local elected official, lobbyist and anti-poverty worker. (The Huffington Post)
Ben Carson
- The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Ben Carson was the winner of the first Republican debate based on the 71 percent increase in his poll performance following the debate. (The Washington Post)
- Speaking at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Carson blamed both Democrats and Republican for “blowing up the budget.” He said, “How much longer will it be that we can print money? If we can’t, it will be much worse than the stock market crash of 1929.” (The Hill)
- Carson is scheduled to appear at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday with an estimated 6,500 supporters. After, he will tour the border by helicopter. Spokesman Doug Watts explained, “We’re embarking on a new stage of the campaign. We’ve spent the last few months introducing ourselves to America. … It’s time for us to start addressing some issues specifically and taking them head on. So we are, prior to the rally in Phoenix, we’re going to be stopping in Durango, Colorado, to address the Gold King mine issue and the failures of the EPA which are pretty emblematic of government in general—not just the Obama administration, but the government in general.” (Breitbart)
Chris Christie
- Chris Christie said Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server to conduct state business should be criminally investigated. “Could you imagine if after the bridge investigation began, I came out and said, ‘Oh by the way, I’ve done all my business as governor on a private email server, and I’ve deleted now 30,000 of those emails, but trust me, none of it had to do with the bridge?’ … There is ample evidence here to criminally investigate her conduct.” (Politico)
- Christie attacked Donald Trump for his proposal to make Mexico pay for a wall along the border. “This makes no sense. I've met [Mexican] President Nieto a number of times. I don't think if we present him with a bill he's going to pay for it. This is not negotiation of a real estate deal, OK? This is international diplomacy, and it's different," Christie said. (The Hill)
- A Rutgers-Eagleton poll released last week found that 54 percent of New Jersey residents believe Christie should resign as governor given his presidential run. (Philly Voice)
Ted Cruz
- Ted Cruz jumped to third place in a new poll from Fox News with 10 percent support, a 6-point increase from a month ago. (Fox News)
- Cruz campaigned in Nevada on Saturday and “drew the most energy” from a crowd of 1,500 conservatives. The other attendees were Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina and Scott Walker. (Politico)
Carly Fiorina
- Carly Fiorina dismissed calls to increase the number of ground troops in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS. “I disagree that we're at that point where we need to put tens of thousands of boots on the ground. … We really are sitting by when we could be leading a coalition of Arab allies to defeat ISIS,” Fiorina said on Sunday. (The Hill)
- Fiorina criticized Hillary Clinton for her handling of the Benghazi attack on Sunday. “[T]he night that Benghazi attack happened, Secretary of State Clinton, President Obama and others knew that this was a purposeful, pre-planned terrorist attack. Nevertheless, the next morning she addressed the American people from the State Department and talked about a video and how it didn’t represent the values of the American people and several days later, she stood over the bodies of the fallen and said the same. What she should have said that morning was the truth. This is a purposeful terrorist attack and we will seek retribution. Instead, she basically apologized. And so what signal did that send? What signal did that send to all the bad guys all over the world? The signal it sent, was open season, we can attack an embassy, murder four Americans and nothing is going to happen," Fiorina said. (Daily Caller)
- Fiorina said on Sunday that she was not convinced Trump was a conservative. “Well, you know, it’s not clear to me that Donald Trump is a Republican, first of all, based upon his willingness to run a third-party bid, and some of the positions that he’s taken,” Fiorina said. (Breitbart)
Jim Gilmore
- In a new poll from Fox News, Jim Gilmore did not register enough support to be numbered. (Fox News)
Lindsey Graham
- Lindsey Graham emphasized his military experience in a radio interview on Saturday. “I’m going to make the argument that the last thing in the world you want to do after Barack Obama has been president is elect a novice commander in chief. I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan 35 times. I learned a lot from [George W.] Bush’s mistakes. I learned a lot from Obama’s mistakes and my own. I understand the military better than anyone else running,” Graham stated. (Breitbart)
Mike Huckabee
- On Sunday, Mike Huckabee said he supported Paraguay’s decision to deny access to abortion for a 10-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by her stepfather. “A 10-year-old girl being raped is horrible. But does it solve a problem by taking the life of an innocent child? That's really the issue. … There are two victims. One is the child; the other is that birth mother who often will go through extraordinary guilt years later when she begins to think through what happened – with the baby, with her. And again, there are no easy answers here,” Huckabee said. (CNN)
- Huckabee will visit Israel this week to fundraise for his presidential campaign and discuss the Iranian deal. (The Washington Post)
John Kasich
- Governor of Alabama Robert J. Bentley endorsed John Kasich on Monday. “I feel he can win, I really do. We’ve had some changes in attitudes and philosophies in the last eight years that maybe require that we move back a little to the center,” Bentley said. (The New York Times)
- Kasich wrote an op-ed for CNN on Monday to discuss his positions on national security. He stated his support for a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget, the renewal of the Navy and better tools to regulate cyberspace. (CNN)
- Kasich rejected a proposal to trade with Democrats $1 in tax increases for $10 in spending cuts. "If the government takes more, they'll spend it," he said. (CBS News)
- On Sunday, Kasich laid out his solution for immigration reform, saying, “In my opinion there is a solution to this issue of immigration. Finish the wall, and make it clear. Anyone that comes over that wall once we’ve done it, you’re going back. And to the 12 million that are here, you know, legalize them, but make sure we don’t have anybody with a criminal element here. And have a guest worker program here. I think the country can unite around that.” (Daily Caller)
Bobby Jindal
- Matt Windschitl, a Republican in the Iowa House of Representatives, endorsed Bobby Jindal. Windschitl said in a statement, “[Jindal’s] ability to govern in tough economic times is well demonstrated. As are his abilities to balance a budget and work with folks from all walks of life to get the job done. He has demonstrated bold leadership on many issues, including taking steps to defund the abortion industry in light of recent revelations about the sale of body parts." (The Des Moines Register)
George Pataki
- On Sunday, George Pataki said he would give higher priority to combating the Islamic State if he were president. “I would send in American special ops to destroy those recruiting centers, those planning hubs, and kill them there, and get out before they have the chance to kill us here,” Pataki said at the Iowa State Fair. (U.S. News & World Report)
Rand Paul
- Rand Paul did not attend the Iowa State Fair over the weekend. Instead, he traveled to Haiti to provide pro bono eye surgeries, a common congressional recess activity for Paul. (The Courier-Journal)
- Paul targeted FEMA in his latest “Waste Report” on wasteful government spending. He stated that more than $50 million were spent on disaster payments that insurance companies had already covered. “In a disaster, it is understandable that quick action is needed and some things fall through the cracks. However, with longer-term projects ... it should not be that hard to figure out if something is covered by insurance or already paid for," Paul wrote. (The Hill)
Rick Perry
- Ray Sullivan, the co-chairman of a super PAC supporting Rick Perry, said he became aware of the presidential candidate’s funding problems “by reading the newspapers.” He added, “Seriously, that’s how we learned how much money they had raised initially and how we learned that they were scaling back their spending and staffing dramatically." Some journalists are closely watching how the super PAC interacts with Perry's campaign given strict FEC regulations barring collaboration. (San Antonio Express-News)
Marco Rubio
- A new poll from Fox News has Marco Rubio in ninth place with 4 percent support. (Fox News)
- After criticizing the Obama administration for opening relations with Cuba on Friday, Rubio said, ““I will make this pledge here and now: As president, as a symbol of solidarity between my administration and those who strive for freedom around the world, I will invite Cuban dissidents, Iranian dissidents, Chinese dissidents, and freedom fighters from around the world to be honored guests at my inauguration.” (Latin Post)
Rick Santorum
- While speaking at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, Rick Santorum said President Obama “has not just turned a blind eye, he has deliberately empowered the enemy by his actions. He has empowered China, he has empowered Russia, he has empowered ISIS and he has empowered Iran.” Santorum added that the government should focus on taking back territory claimed by ISIS and destroying the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (The Hill)
- Santorum said he would close the newly reopened embassy in Cuba unless the Cuban government dramatically changed. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Donald Trump
- Donald Trump attended the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, but declined to make a speech on the Soapbox where candidates must contend with questions yelled at them by Iowa residents. Instead, Trump greeted the crowd with a large security detail and allowed children to take rides in his $7 million helicopter. He also noted he was willing to spend $1 billion to fund his campaign. (WLWT, CNN)
- In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said there should be three exceptions to abortion: “Rape, incest, if the mother is going to die.” (The Washington Post)
- Trump reiterated his belief over the weekend that Rand Paul should not run for both the Senate and the presidency. “Rand Paul is using the people of Kentucky. Either run for Senate and do a good job, or run for president. You don’t run for president but by the way oh maybe I’ll become your senator reluctantly. If I were somebody, a good strong Republican from Kentucky, I would run against him in a heartbeat and you’d win because the people of Kentucky are being used by Rand Paul,” Trump said. (Breitbart)
- Trump commented on his presidential competitors in a rapid-fire New York Times interview on Saturday. He made the following statements:
- Joe Biden – “A person who was very loyal to the president, which I respect. I’d love to run against him because it’s going to be an election based on competence and I’m really competent.”
- Jeb Bush – “He’s a stiff. The guy can’t even talk. He has zero energy. You would fall asleep interviewing him.”
- Hillary Clinton – “Highly complex person who can’t help going over the edge. She just can’t stay true to herself. She has a real bad thing going with the emails. I’m not talking politically. That’s one thing and it’s going to be a disaster. But what she did was illegal. She could be having more fun. But this is no fun for her. The F.B.I. is checking everything.”
- Chris Christie – “He’s a friend of mine but he missed his time. If he would have done it four years ago he would have beaten Romney and he could be president right now. But this is a different time.”
- Marco Rubio – “Don’t know Rubio. Got to know him behind the lectern. Really nice guy. Highly thought of. Very young. But I have better hair than he does.” (The New York Times)
Scott Walker
- A new poll from Fox News has Scott Walker in sixth place with 6 percent support, a 9-point drop from his performance last month. (Fox News)
- While Walker discussed his plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and lower taxes, he also responded to hecklers at the Iowa State Fair on Monday. “I am not intimidated by you, sir, or anyone! I will fight for the American people, we will not back down. We will do what is necessary,” he said. (CBS News)
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
