Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - July 31, 2015
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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
- Bernie Sanders pledged on Thursday that he will not run as an Independent if he fails to earn the Democratic nomination in 2016. “I would not want to be responsible for electing some right-wing Republican president,” Sanders said. (The Hill)
- Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders spoke at the National Urban League annual conference on Friday. Alluding to the name of Jeb Bush’s super PAC, Clinton said in her speech, “I don’t think you can credibly say that everyone has a right to rise and then say you’re for phasing out Medicare or for repealing Obamacare. People can’t rise if they can’t afford health care. They can’t rise if the minimum wage is too low to live on. They can’t rise if their governor makes it harder for them to get a college education. And you cannot seriously talk about the right to rise and support laws that deny the right to vote.” (Sun Sentinel, Bloomberg)
- Questions have arisen over Hillary Clinton’s relationship with UBS, a Swiss bank that assisted wealthy Americans in a tax avoidance scheme. During Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, she met with Swiss diplomats in 2009 to help the Department of Justice reach a settlement with UBS. In the years that followed, UBS increased its donations to the Clinton Foundation, joined the Clinton Economic Opportunity Initiative and paid Bill Clinton $1.5 million for 11 speaking events. There is no evidence of a direct link between Clinton’s involvement in the settlement and the benefits the Clinton family received from UBS, but critics have suggested there was, at least, a conflict of interest. (The International Business Times)
Democrats
Joe Biden
- Joe Biden met with House Democrats on Thursday to promote the Iran nuclear agreement before lawmakers break for August recess. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
Lincoln Chafee
- In August, Lincoln Chafee is scheduled to make appearances in Iowa, New Hampshire and Minnesota. (Lincoln Chafee for President)
Hillary Clinton
- Speaking after a meeting with AFL-CIO leadership, Hillary Clinton hinted she supported raising the minimum wage to $12 by complimenting the legislative efforts of Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) on the issue. More generally, Clinton said, “It’s going to be important that we set a national minimum, but then we get out of the way of cities and states that believe that they can and should go higher. I’ve said before that the cost of living is different in various parts of the country. I supported what New York did, what L.A. did, what other cities are doing. And I think they should be experimenting with what that will do to raise incomes and create more opportunity for people. But there should be a higher federal level, so I’m going to be supporting the effort to do that in Congress." (The Hill)
- Clinton’s campaign released a letter from her personal physician on Friday stating Clinton “is in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as President of the United States.” (Politico)
- In an open letter to Dean Baquet of The New York Times, Clinton’s communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, slammed the newspaper for its “inaccurate report” on a potential inquiry into Clinton’s handling of classified information. “The New York Times is arguably the most important news outlet in the world and it rushed to put an erroneous story on the front page charging that a major candidate for President of the United States was the target of a criminal referral to federal law enforcement. Literally hundreds of outlets followed your story, creating a firestorm that had a deep impact that cannot be unwound. This problem was compounded by the fact that the Times took an inexplicable, let alone indefensible, delay in correcting the story and removing "criminal" from the headline and text of the story,” Palmieri wrote. (Hillary for America)
Martin O’Malley
- In an interview with Iowa Public Radio, Martin O’Malley suggested the Iran nuclear deal might be a path for the United States to begin “waging peace.” O’Malley explained, “[T]he key now is to make sure that it is in fact enforceable, verifiable, tightly monitored, and that we're prepared to snap sanctions back into place in the event that the Iranians were to cheat on this. But I think it holds a lot of promise. And I think this is how an effective foreign policy works, not merely using our military powers, but also our diplomatic. We have to also be about waging peace. And perhaps this deal is that path forward.” (Iowa Public Radio)
Bernie Sanders
- Speaking to reporters after an event at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Bernie Sanders reaffirmed his belief that a completely open border policy would have a negative impact on minority groups. “When you have 36 percent of Hispanic kids in this country who can’t find jobs, and you bring a lot of unskilled workers into this country, what do you think happens to the 36 percent of them who are today unemployed? Or 51 percent of African-American kids? I don’t think there’s any presidential candidate, none, who thinks we should open up the borders,” Sanders said. (Real Clear Politics)
Republicans
Jeb Bush
- Jeb Bush discussed the importance of campaigning to all constituencies earlier this week. “Republicans need to campaign everywhere. Not just amongst Latinos, but amongst blacks. It's okay to get outside your comfort zone. It's okay that not everybody agrees with my views. It's not okay to not try. That's the difference,” Bush said. He noted, however, “There is no [Hispanic] outreach plan here, this is an integral part of my campaign. I have Hispanic children. I have Hispanic grandchildren. I'm part of the community.” (FOX News Latino)
- Bush is scheduled to step away from the campaign trail to engage in “intense debate preparation” this weekend in Miami, a process that will include policy briefings and extensive reading. (Politico)
- Bush announced endorsements from several Iowa farmers and agriculture professionals. Called the “Iowa Farm Team,” these supporters include the past presidents of the National Corn Growers Association and the National Pork Producers Council.” (Quad-City Times)
Ben Carson
- According to The Hill, Ben Carson is “taking a laissez-faire approach” to the upcoming Republican debate, relying on his experience at town hall events rather than conducting practice runs. “I’m not going to fill my head full of talking points, because my lifetime has filled my head with talking points. I’ll just talk about what I truly believe,” Carson explained. (The Hill)
- In an interview with The Daily Signal’s Genevieve Wood, Carson described the evolution of his political identity. “I used to be a flaming liberal. You know, I grew up in Detroit, a liberal strong-hold. Went to Yale University, a liberal bastion. Came back, lived in Baltimore after being in Ann Arbor, another liberal bastion. And I probably would have continued to drink the liberal Kool-Aid, except that I started seeing so many people in my practice who were dependent upon the government, who were able-bodied people. And I said, ‘What in the world is going on here?’ And I started listening to Ronald Reagan, which was a no-no, because as a liberal you can’t possibly listen to anything a Republican has to say. . . . My mind changed. It wasn’t a diseased brain, it was just a brain that had been fed the wrong material,” Carson said. (The Daily Signal, YouTube)
- The Washington Post reported Carson received “a subdued response” at the National Urban League’s annual conference in Florida on Friday morning. He focused his speech on how to improve economic outcomes for urban communities by providing “people a ladder to get them out of dependency.” He also recounted his personal experiences with racism, adding that it would always exist. (The Washington Post)
Chris Christie
- Chris Christie has slipped in national polls from 12 percent this time last year to 3 percent now. Currently positioned to take the final spot in the primetime Republican debate on August 6, 2015, Christie’s declining poll numbers leave some room for Rick Perry or Bobby Jindal to squeeze him out. (CNN)
Ted Cruz
- Speaking on the “Chad Hasty Show” on Thursday, Ted Cruz accused Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney of weakening the party by being too passive on issues like the Iran nuclear deal. After saying the Obama administration would bear the responsibility of murders carried out by jihadists, Cruz argued, “You know, one of the reasons Republicans keep getting clobbered is we have leaders like Mitt Romney and like Jeb Bush who are afraid to say that. . . . Part of the reason Mitt Romney got clobbered by Barack Obama is because we all remember that third debate where Barack Obama turned to Mitt and said, 'I said the Benghazi attack was terrorism and no one is more upset by Benghazi than I am.’ And Mitt, I guess listening to his own advice, said, 'Well, gosh, I don't want to use any rhetoric, so okay, never mind, I'll just kind of rearrange the pencil on the podium here.’ We need to stand up and speak the truth with a smile, but we need – the truth has power and every time we have Republicans who shy away, who don’t want to engage, who don’t want to speak the truth, we lose.” (The Hill, YouTube)
- Cruz introduced a resolution on Thursday to delay the 60-day review period of the Iran nuclear deal until the Obama administration releases all materials related to the agreement, including “side deals” between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. (The Hill)
Carly Fiorina
- In a telephone town hall on Thursday, Carly Fiorina said she would win a debate against Hillary Clinton because of her commitment to demanding answers about Benghazi. “Whether or not people have committed to me yet, everyone says the same thing: I would love to see you debate Hillary Clinton. And the reason people would love to see that is they know what I would do. They know that I would win that debate. They know I would bring up all the tough issues that are not being brought up,” Fiorina said. (Daily Caller)
Jim Gilmore
- Jim Gilmore released a video on Thursday formally announcing his candidacy for president. Appearing on FOX News the same day, Gilmore said, “I think the United States is in decline. It's in decline on its foreign policy, it's in decline on its national security, we're in decline on our economics. The report today was not good, I don't care what anybody says, we're not doing as well as we're supposed to do in economics. And I have the credentials to address these issues.” (YouTube, FOX News)
Lindsey Graham
- Security is Strength, a super PAC backing Lindsey Graham, has raised $3 million to support his campaign. Investor Ronald Perelman and Houston Texans owner Robert McNair each donated $500,000. (USA Today)
- Graham went on the offensive against Donald Trump on Thursday, saying he was not an electable candidate during an interview with Newsmax TV. “I don't believe you're going to elect a man president of the United States who spent thousands of his own dollars, he claims, trying to find out if Obama was born in Kenya. I don't think you're going to elect a man president of the United States who's basically said most illegal immigrants are drug dealers and rapists, who slandered veterans like Sen. McCain. I just don't believe he's marketable. Why are all the major companies that he has endorsed products for firing him? Here's what I would say to the Republican Party. You're about to hire somebody that everybody else is firing,” Graham said. (Newsmax)
- Discussing his immigration policy during a campaign stop in Chicago on Thursday, Graham warned he would veto any immigration reform bill that did not include a pathway to citizenship. (The Chicago Tribune)
Mike Huckabee
- The super PAC supporting Mike Huckabee, Pursuing America’s Greatness, raised $3.6 million between January and June 2015, with $3 million of those contributions coming from Ron Cameron, a poultry producer. (National Journal)
- On Thursday, Huckabee said he would secure the U.S.-Mexico border in less than a year and that it should come before any other immigration reform. (Newsmax)
- Huckabee challenged the Pentagon’s decision to allow transgender soldiers to serve in the military during a Newsmax TV interview. “It’s naive to think that it doesn’t affect morale. Men are men. Women are women. There’s a distinction. There’s a difference. The military should understand that and should respond to that. The military is not a social organization. The military is not a place where we try out experiments. The military is designed to kill people and break things. The purpose of the military is to train a fighting force to defend this country and to fight our battles. It’s not to fight the battles of sexual identity or orientation. It’s to fight the battles that threaten American sovereignty and American freedom,” Huckabee said. (YouTube)
John Kasich
- John Weaver, a top advisor to John Kasich, questioned the utility of multimillion dollar ad buys to improve a candidate’s performance in national polls prior to the August 6, 2015, debate. “We’re focused on doing the responsible thing to win the nomination. I’d bet some campaigns that have done so are going to regret spending $3 million to influence a poll of 300 or 600 people. That truly is voodoo economics. You can’t influence anything with that money,” Weaver said. (Politico)
George Pataki
- In an interview on CNN’s “New Day” on Friday, George Pataki insisted standing in the Republican primary now is not determinative of 2016. “If you look at history, the summer of the year before does not predict who the nominee is going to be,” Pataki said. He also voiced his support for defunding Planned Parenthood, saying of its alleged sale of fetal tissue from abortions, “Disturbing is too kind a word. Horrific is the word that I would use. I think they're doing something with callous disregard for humanity and people's sensibilities. And I think that is horrible. And I don't think they should be funded by the federal government." (CNN, YouTube)
Rand Paul
- Rand Paul downplayed rumors on Thursday that his campaign had begun to flounder. “We are now beating Hillary Clinton in five states won by President Obama, including Pennsylvania, which hasn’t been won by a Republican since 1988. So, I think we have some good things. Could things be better? Sure. We wish we had as much money as the royal Bush family, but we don’t. And, I don’t think anyone is going to. But, I don’t think he’s going to be able to buy the presidency, and I don’t think he’s made himself inevitable by having $100 million. We have enough to compete and we will compete and we’re going to work hard. There is definitely Bush-Clinton fatigue and there are a lot of voters that will not be excited. I don’t think you’ll have a rousing grassroots that turns out if it’s a Bush-Clinton campaign and I think it’ll be a disaster for us,” Paul said. (Daily Caller, Politico)
- According to Politico, Paul’s debate prep this weekend will include practicing against a Donald Trump stand-in played by Rex Elsass, a conservative political consultant. (Politico)
- Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday, Paul said of Donald Trump’s rise in popularity, “I think this is a temporary sort of loss of sanity, but we're going to come back to our senses and look for someone serious to lead the country at some point.” (The Hill)
Rick Perry
- Bloomberg’s John Heilemann suggested Rick Perry might be unprepared to be on the main debate stage on August 6, 2015, after he struggled to define what Republican leadership was doing well in Congress during an interview on “With All Due Respect.” (Bloomberg)
Marco Rubio
- Conservative Solutions PAC has spent $2.6 million to air television ads supporting Marco Rubio prior to the August 6, 2015, debate. (Politico)
- In a survey of nearly 100 evangelical leaders, 39 percent named Rubio as their first- or second-choice candidate, placing him ahead of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. (World Magazine)
Rick Santorum
- Rick Santorum’s campaign produced a parody website showing “what everyday life at the Clinton campaign probably looks like.” It features a “live focus group” of Hillary Clinton’s logo and a video of her “rapid response” room containing file boxes labeled “Benghazi” and “Whitewater.” (Real World Hillary, Breitbart)
Donald Trump
- Donald Trump tried to temper expectations about his August 6, 2015, debate performance on Thursday. “As far as preparing for the debates, I am who I am. I don’t know. I’ve never debated before. I’m not a debater. I get things done, whether it’s this or whatever. I build, I create jobs. Nobody does it better. That’s what I do,” Trump said. (ABC News)
- In a Forbes interview on how to replace Obamacare, a Trump spokesperson said, “Mr. Trump will be proposing a health plan that will return authority to the states and operate under free market principles. Mr. Trump’s plan will provide choice to the buyer, provide individual tax relief for health insurance and keep plans portable and affordable. The plan will break the health insurance company monopolies and allow individuals to buy across state lines.” (Forbes)
- While the Koch brothers have declined to provide voter data or funding to Trump’s campaign, Yahoo Politics reported on Thursday that the RNC offered its records – “which has the names, voting history and consumer data on roughly 250 million Americans” – to Trump shortly after he announced his candidacy. (Yahoo)
Scott Walker
- Unintimidated PAC, a supporter of Scott Walker’s presidential run, has raised nearly $20 million. Half of those contributions came from large donations by Joe and Marlene Ricketts, owners of the Chicago Cubs, and Diane Hendricks, a billionaire from the roofing supply industry. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mother Jones)
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
