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Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - August 21, 2015
From Ballotpedia
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Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential Briefing was sponsored by the Leadership Project for America. | ||||
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Friday's Leading Stories
- Donald Trump is expected to hold the largest primary event of the election season on Friday in Mobile, Alabama. Trump’s campaign moved the rally from the Mobile Civic Center to the Ladd-Peebles Stadium, which can hold 50,000 people, due to spectator demands. According to The Washington Post, Trump selected Mobile for the event “to show strength across the entire Deep South.” (The New York Post, The Washington Post)
- Emmet Sullivan, a federal judge, requested the State Department work with the FBI to determine whether documents could be restored from Hillary Clinton’s private email server in the next 30 days. “We wouldn’t be here today if this employee had followed government policy,” Sullivan said, asserting Clinton had violated regulations governing official document storage. (Politico, Washington Times)
Democrats
Joe Biden
- The New York Post reported on Thursday that the super PAC, Draft Biden, is expected to raise up to $3 million by the end of September. “We’ve seen a tremendous boost. We’re focused on making sure [Biden] has the infrastructure he needs to hit the ground running,” Josh Alcorn, a former Biden presidential campaign staffer, said. (The New York Post)
- Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Obama, has signaled her approval of a Biden presidential run, Newsmax reported on Thursday. (Newsmax)
Hillary Clinton
- Hillary Clinton announced a new service element of her higher education reform policy on Thursday. The plan would see AmeriCorps expanded to 250,000 members with greater scholarship awards for AmeriCorps volunteers who commit to three years of public service. (CBS News)
- U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) suggested an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) would be a boon for Clinton. “She’s got great credibility among a huge swath of the Democratic party. I would hope that she comes around to endorse Hillary. That’s probably something that they’ve talked about extensively,” Lynch said. (The Boston Herald)
- Priorities USA Action and EMILY’s List will begin working together to raise $20 million to promote Clinton in a women-focused campaign. “The entire Republican field is a case study in extremism, and we must fight back against their agenda that would marginalize opportunities for women of every race, age, and economic background,” Guy Cecil of Priorities USA Action said. (Independent Journal Review)
- In a Marquette University poll released on Thursday, Clinton maintained her lead in Wisconsin over Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. (Marquette University)
Martin O’Malley
- Martin O’Malley’s campaign released a white paper on Friday outlining O’Malley’s plan to expand Social Security. As president, O’Malley would seek to increase Social Security benefits for all retirees, remove the cap on payroll taxes for workers earning more than $250,000, improve the cost-of-living adjustments formula, offer “caregiver credits” to elder care providers and maintain the current Social Security retirement age. (Martin O'Malley for President)
- O’Malley continued his call for more Democratic debates on Thursday. “I think not having debates hurts our party and our label and what we have to offer in the fall. In the absence of debates, then we are left with the daily news about our contest being all about questions that only she and her lawyers can answer about her e-mail. I don’t really have an answer for that,” O’Malley said. (Variety)
Bernie Sanders
- Friday marks Bernie Sanders first campaign visit to South Carolina. The Washington Post reported, “The test for Sanders in South Carolina will be not only the size of the crowds he’s able to attract but the racial diversity of those crowds. The big turnouts that have buoyed Sanders’ candidacy in other states have been overwhelmingly white and he has twice while campaigning he has been confronted by young activists from the Black Lives Matter movement.” (The Washington Post)
Jim Webb
- Jim Webb expressed his disapproval of the Iran nuclear deal on Thursday. “I think that the focus on this deal has simply been on a slowing down [of] the potential acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran, and we’ve never been in [this] situation before where we have sort of given a tacit approval for the eventual acquisition of nuclear weapons by another country,” Webb said in an interview on CNN. (The Washington Times, CNN)
Republicans
Jeb Bush
- George H.W. Bush wrote an email to Jeb Bush’s supporters on Thursday, calling his brother “a proven leader with an optimistic outlook and a clear, conservative agenda for America’s future.” George H.W. added, “I wanted to make sure I asked for your support on behalf of my brother, Jeb. He’s got a tough road ahead – take it from someone who's been there. With his strengths and your support, he will succeed. But he needs you." (The Huffington Post)
- Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R) hinted on Thursday he would endorse Jeb Bush for president. “I’m a little biased. I care mostly about a former governor of a southern state whose brother and father have been prominent in public service,” Straus said. (CBS Dallas)
- Bush rejected the idea the Fourteenth Amendment’s language should be changed by invoking the names of his rivals, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. “Now, if people are here legally, they have a visa, and they have a child who’s born here, I think that they ought to be American citizens. People like Marco Rubio, by the way, that’s how he came. You know, so to suggest that we make it impossible for a talented person like that not to be a candidate for president — or Ted Cruz. I mean, I think we’re getting a little overboard here, and we’re listening to the emotion rather than to the reality of this.” (Politico)
- Bush stood by his use of the term “anchor babies” on Thursday while taking questions from the press in New Hampshire. When asked if he regretted using the term, Bush responded, "No, do you have a better term? OK, you give me, you give me a better term and I'll use it. I'm serious." (CNN)
Chris Christie
- Chris Christie pledged on Thursday that his first nominee to the Supreme Court would not be a graduate of Harvard Law School or Yale Law School. “You need folks who have real life experiences, who have had real struggles, and who have made a difference in their communities in ways that are different than just going to an Ivy League school,” Christie said. (CBS News)
- On Friday, three advocacy groups sued Christie for paying for his security detail’s travel expenses with taxpayer money as he campaigns across the country. (Business Insider)
- Christie is scheduled to speak at the Iowa State Fair’s Soapbox on Saturday. (USA Today)
Ted Cruz
- Politico published a profile of Ted Cruz’s strategy “to reclaim the mantle of the anti-establishment presidential candidate” and build his campaign in the South by connecting with grassroots activists. (Politico)
- On Friday, CNN described Heidi Cruz “as effectively leading her husband’s fundraising operation” and integral to the $14 million already contributed. “Nearly every candidate heralds their spouse as an asset, but few significant others in this election season –with the exception of Hillary Clinton's – have the same level of political experience as Heidi Cruz. A Harvard Business School graduate, she helped guide economic policy on George W. Bush's campaign – where she met a hard-charging domestic policy aide, Ted – and then worked in the Bush White House for four years,” CNN noted. (CNN)
- While speaking in Wyoming on Thursday, Cruz said he would halt regulations on the coal industry imposed by the Obama administration. (Casper Star-Tribune)
- Cruz responded to Jeb Bush’s suggestion on Thursday that he benefited from “birthright citizenship.” Cruz said, “I appreciate Governor Bush’s concern. I would note it seems he’s having a problem and getting confused between legal immigration and illegal immigration. With regard to legal citizens, I’m a United States citizen because my mother was a United States citizen, born in Wilmington, Delaware. And it has been the law since the beginning of the country that the children of American citizens born here or abroad are.” (Politico)
Carly Fiorina
- On the campaign trail, Carly Fiorina has emphasized the importance of hearing from citizen voices and using technology to measure public opinion. For example, “Fiorina said she would gather 10 or 12 veterans in a room...and ask what they want. Fiorina would then vet this plan via telephone poll, asking Americans to ‘press one for yes on your smartphone, two for no,” The Washington Post reported. Fiorina explained, “You know how to solve these problems, so I’m going to ask you.” (The Washington Post)
Lindsey Graham
- Lindsey Graham will be campaigning in New Hampshire this weekend. (WMUR 9 ABC)
Mike Huckabee
- Appearing on Fox News on Thursday, Mike Huckabee criticized Hillary Clinton and other liberals for protesting the term “anchor baby” but supporting Planned Parenthood. Huckabee said, “For all of the leftists who are having a big problem talking about anchor babies, I'd love for them to have a real discussion on all babies.” (Newsmax)
- Huckabee wrote an op-ed in The Jerusalem Post on Thursday calling for regime change in Iran. “I would announce on my first day as president that the new policy of the United States is to support freedom in Tehran. I would double-down against Iran with tougher sanctions. Officials within the Iranian government, clerical establishment and military would face a clear choice: They can stay on a sinking ship, or abandon a regime that has outlived its shelf life,” Huckabee wrote. (The Jerusalem Post)
John Kasich
- John Kasich is scheduled to discuss national security at an event hosted by Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security on August 31. (The Detroit News)
Bobby Jindal
- Planned Parenthood Gulf States, which will lose its Medicaid funding on September 2, may exercise a legal option to challenge Bobby Jindal’s administration for withdrawing the funding. “We are certainly looking forward to Gov. Jindal changing his mind and federal law being followed. The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services has said this is illegal for a state to defund a provider out of Medicaid,” Raegan Carter, Planned Parenthood’s senior director for external services, said. Carter added, “I think them making sure it was known it was illegal, that is the first step of them doing something to enforce it." (The Times-Picayune)
- On Friday, Jindal criticized Scott Walker for his healthcare proposal, calling it another “federal entitlement program.” Speaking at the Defending the American Dream Summit, Jindal said, “His plan would likely cost over $1 trillion, and he does not indicate how he would pay for it, which of course is the Washington way.” (Breitbart)
George Pataki
- Appearing on CNN’s “Wolf” on Thursday, George Pataki dismissed Donald Trump’s use of the term “anchor baby” and the media discourse around it. Pataki said, “I think the whole thing is ridiculous. We’re talking about what term you use to describe children born in America. The world is falling apart. Iran is on the verge of having an illegal nuclear program. ISIS poses a threat to us here in America. Our economy is not growing and we’re arguing back and forth about utter nonsense. I think the whole Donald Trump thing has been not just a distraction but it’s demagoguery when Americans understand we need a leader who can bring us together and actually solve problems.” (Daily Caller)
Rand Paul
- On Saturday, the Republican Party of Kansas will vote on whether to use a caucus system to select a Republican presidential nominee, thereby allowing Rand Paul to simultaneously run for president and senator of Kentucky. (U.S. News & World Report)
- Jesse Benton and John Tate, two senior officials on leave from America’s Liberty, a super PAC supporting Rand Paul, have pled not guilty to federal charges involving alleged payments made to an Iowa state senator in exchange for his endorsement of Ron Paul during the 2012 presidential race. (The Wall Street Journal)
- Paul wrote an op-ed for Newsmax on Friday calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve. “According to Deloitte & Touche, which conducts a conventional audit of the Fed's financial statements, the Fed spent $6.1 billion for operating expenses in 2013 and an additional $5.2 billion in interest paid to banks. The audit I would like to see would assess whether those payments are reasonable and necessary or whether they raise conflicts of interest between the Fed's role in monetary policy and its role as a bank regulator,” Paul wrote. (Newsmax)
Rick Perry
- In a radio interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show” on Thursday, Rick Perry said he did not plan on leaving the presidential race due to his current campaign finance issues. He explained, “I’m not in this for the fun of it. I’m not in it for any other reason than to take the conservative values that we know work, and we’ve got a track record to back it up. … This is a long race. This is a marathon. This isn’t a sprint. There’s a lot of time left. There are a lot of debates. There’s a lot of work to be done.” (Politico)
Marco Rubio
- Although Marco Rubio rejected the repeal of the Fourteenth Amendment on Thursday during an interview on Fox News, he said it was a “legitimate” concern that people were “deliberately coming here for purposes of having a child.” (Tampa Bay Times)
- Rubio criticized Hillary Clinton’s “New College Compact” on Thursday, saying, “Hillary Clinton recently came out with a plan. And here’s what it is: to raise taxes and throw $350 billion at a current broken education system without doing a single thing to fix its underlying problems. This is lazy leadership.” (The Washington Times)
Rick Santorum
- On Thursday, Rick Santorum said he would have American workers build a wall on the border and press on Mexico to be more vigilant in immigration enforcement. “While I won’t demand the government of Mexico build a wall, I want U.S. workers to do that by the way, I’ll make it clear to the Mexican government that they must stop facilitating the lawlessness on the border and cooperate with our efforts. I will do all I can do change Mexico’s behavior for the benefit of both countries,” Santorum said. (The Blaze)
- Santorum suggested he would consider withdrawing from the presidential race if he did not win the Iowa caucuses. “Look, I didn't [continue to] run for president four years ago and you know when your time is up. You realize, when they decided four years ago, when it wasn't fruitful to continue on. And if we're ever in that position this time around, I have no problems in making that call," Santorum said. (Newsmax)
- In an interview on Fox News on Friday, Santorum said it was “absolutely proper” for Congress to determine what citizenship is. “A lot of legal scholars would say Congress has the right to define what citizenship is and a right to look at the 14th Amendment and interpret it and pass a law [so that] children born in this country to illegal immigrants are not legal citizens,” he said. (Newsmax)
Donald Trump
- Early Friday morning, Donald Trump tweeted that ABC News and reporter Tom Llamas should apologize for “bad reporting for the sake of sensationalizing something.” According to Trump, Llamas had misused a statement Trump made regarding the deportation of criminals and gang members. (Talking Points Memo)
- Trump took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to explicitly condemn the alleged assault of a Hispanic man by two Bostonians. Trump wrote, “Boston incident is terrible. We need energy and passion, but we must treat each other with respect. I would never condone violence.” (TIME)
Scott Walker
- In a Marquette University poll released on Thursday, Hillary Clinton led Scott Walker 52 percent to 42 percent in Walker’s home state of Wisconsin. Walker gained two points from the same poll in April. (Marquette University)
- On Thursday, Walker said he supported a bill to block federal funding of Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- Walker declined to take a position on birthright citizenship on Friday, saying border security and “enforcing the laws” should be the first priority of immigration reform. (CNBC)
- At a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Friday, Walker attacked Clinton for her handling of classified information as secretary of state. “She's either violated the law or she didn't know what that information was, which makes her incompetent. Either of which disqualifies her from being President of the United States," Walker 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
