Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - August 9, 2016
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Tuesday's Leading Stories
- Fifty Republican senior national security officials released a joint statement on Monday charging that Donald Trump “fundamentally...lacks the character, values, and experience” to be commander-in-chief. They continued, “He is unable or unwilling to separate truth from falsehood. He does not encourage conflicting views. He lacks self-control and acts impetuously. He cannot tolerate personal criticism. He has alarmed our closest allies with his erratic behavior.” While they also expressed reservations with Hillary Clinton, they concluded that Trump “is not the answer to America’s daunting challenges and to this crucial election.” (The New York Times)
- Trump gave an economic policy speech in Detroit on Monday where he unveiled several new proposals, including reducing the number of tax brackets from seven to three—12 percent, 25 percent, and 33 percent. He also proposed making childcare costs tax-deductible, placing a moratorium on new federal agency regulations, ending the death tax, renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, and renewing the Keystone XL pipeline project. (Bloomberg, CNBC)
- U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) published an op-ed in The Washington Post on Monday declaring that she would not vote for Trump in November. “With the passage of time, I have become increasingly dismayed by his constant stream of cruel comments and his inability to admit error or apologize. But it was his attacks directed at people who could not respond on an equal footing — either because they do not share his power or stature or because professional responsibility precluded them from engaging at such a level — that revealed Mr. Trump as unworthy of being our president,” she wrote. Collins cited his apparent mocking of a reporter with disabilities, questioning of federal judge Gonzalo Curiel’s ability to preside over a Trump University lawsuit fairly because of his Mexican heritage, and dispute with the Khan military family as causes for concern. (The Washington Post)
Polls
- On Monday, Monmouth University released a national poll finding Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump among likely voters by 13 points, 50 percent to 37 percent. Gary Johnson earned 7 percent support and Jill Stein 2. “Importantly, Clinton continues to maintain a lead in the swing states - ten states that were decided by less than seven points in the 2012 election. She holds a 42% to 34% edge over Trump in these states, which is similar to her 46% to 39% swing state lead last month,” the pollsters noted. (Monmouth University)
- Trump leads Clinton in Utah with 37 percent to Clinton’s 25 percent. Johnson followed with 16 percent support. “Republicans in Utah have seemingly fallen in line behind Trump after rejecting him during the party's March caucus when he finished in 3rd place. Now, 63% of Republican voters say they support the businessman who won their party's nomination. In our June poll, 57% of Republicans said they would vote for Trump,” according to Utah Policy. (Utah Policy)
- In a national NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll released on Tuesday, Clinton leads Trump by 10 points, 51 percent to 41 percent. “Over the past four weeks, Trump has lost support from core Republican voters. In previous weeks, the Republican nominee dominated Clinton among men. This week, however, Trump's margin over Clinton among men is only 5 points, down from a 16-point margin two weeks ago,” NBC News noted. (NBC News)
- According to an ABC27/Susquehanna Polling and Research survey of likely voters in Pennsylvania, Clinton leads in a two-way race with 47 percent to Trump’s 37 percent. (Susquehanna Polling and Research)
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
- The Associated Press published a profile of Hillary Clinton’s handling of U.S.-Russia relations while secretary of state, chronicling her success in pushing for a nuclear arms-control treaty and missteps with Syria. “Russia outmaneuvered her in negotiations over a complicated Syria peace plan, dealing her what was arguably her worst diplomatic defeat. While Clinton hailed it as a triumph, the war only escalated. And while her aides still insist she came out on top, the blueprint effectively gave Syria's Moscow-backed president, Bashar Assad, a veto over any transition government, hampering all mediation efforts still,” The Associated Press reported. (The Associated Press)
- Former George W. Bush aide Lezlee Westine endorsed Clinton in a statement on Monday. “Our nation faces a unique set of challenges that require steady and experienced leadership. That is why today I am personally supporting Hillary Clinton,” she said. (The Washington Post)
- On Monday, Freedom Watch USA’s Larry Klayman filed a lawsuit in federal court against Clinton on behalf of Patricia Smith and Tyrone Woods for wrongful death, defamation, and the intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress from the death of their sons in the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi. "Having used a secret private email server that we now know was used to communicate with Ambassador Christopher Stevens with confidential and classified government information, and which we also now know was likely hacked by hostile adversaries such as Iran, Russia, China and North Korea aligning with terrorist groups, it is clear that Hillary Clinton allegedly negligently and recklessly gave up the classified location of the plaintiffs' sons, resulting in a deadly terrorist attack that took their lives,” Klayman said in a statement. (Fox News)
- In a statement on Monday, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta said that Clinton had accepted the debate scheduled set by the Commission on Presidential Debates. "It is concerning that the Trump campaign is already engaged in shenanigans around these debates. It is not clear if he is trying to avoid debates, or merely toying with the press to create more drama,” added Podesta. (USA Today)
Republicans
- Republican consultant Rick Wilson and pollster Joel Searby are heading the presidential campaign of Evan McMullin, a former CIA counterterrorism officer and the chief policy director of the House Republicans. McMullin is also backed by some operatives from Better for America, a nonprofit working to gain presidential ballot access for independent candidates, which has been partially funded by John Kingston, a bundler for Mitt Romney. (The Daily Beast)
Donald Trump
- Florida Republican Party spokesman Wadi Gaitan has left his post to work for the LIBRE Initiative, a nonprofit that encourages Hispanic voters to support conservative politicians. He said in a statement that “moving on gives me a great, new opportunity to continue promoting free market solutions while avoiding efforts that support Donald Trump.” (The Washington Post)
- Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the oldest son of Trump’s former presidential rival Jeb Bush, endorsed Trump. On Saturday, the younger Bush said at a meeting of Texas Republican activists, “From Team Bush, it's a bitter pill to swallow, but you know what? You get back up and you help the man that won, and you make sure that we stop Hillary Clinton.” (CNN)
- As Trump announced new tax policies to assist working parents on Monday, The Washington Post reported that the company that designs Ivanka Trump’s clothing line does not offer paid maternity leave. Her own company, however, offers eight weeks of paid maternity leave. (The Washington Post)
Third Party Candidates
Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party)
- Petitions were filed in Ohio and Massachusetts on Monday to place Gary Johnson on the ballot in November. (Cincinnati.com The Boston Globe)
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
