July 24-27, 2016
Jul 24 07:57 Pro-Trump fundraising gets boost Jul 24 17:51 Wasserman-Schultz stepping down Jul 24 19:37 HRC hires DWS after getting fired Jul 25 01:10 Sanders is the latest sellout Jul 25 10:16 Hillary needing a bounce Jul 25 15:38 Take down that flag Jul 27 08:56 Remaining Freddie Gray charges dropped
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Pro-Trump fundraising gets boost
According to this article , the spigots have opened from GOP donors and the money is starting to pour into the pro-Trump superPACs. It's quite the change from a month ago when "Trump only had $1.3 million in his campaign account. Both SuperPACs were also cash poor. One only had $500,000 in funds, and another only had a little over a million dollars in useable funds."
That's a far cry from this weekend because the Rebuilding American Now superPAC "received a single $3 million donation from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus and held a fundraiser at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Cleveland Wednesday evening, with 25 high-powered donors in attendance." Thanks to those things, the pro-Trump superPACs have started showing signs of life.
That isn't the only good news on the pro-Trump superPAC front. Another bit of good news is that another "pro-Trump superPAC called Great America PAC held a 100-person dinner on Monday. Dorothy Woods, a widow of the terror attacks in Benghazi spoke in an attempt to rally the crowd." As a result of these events, Hillary will face a mini-barrage of ads this upcoming week:
Trump ended June with $41 million in reserves, according to FEC records. The large fundraising boost granted by the convention will enable the Republican Party to take control of a portion of the news cycle during the Democratic National Convention starting Monday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Let's hope Trump uses some of that money to run a negative ad that asks this simple question: Are you safer now than you were 8 years ago? Finish that ad by asking if the threat of terrorism is greater than it was 8 years ago. The other ad would be about the economy. I'd have that ad ask whether the Obama recovery passed you by. Finish that ad by saying that Wall Street did well but Main Street didn't do so hot, that green energy got guaranteed loans while coal miners got pink slips with more heading their direction.
In June, Hillary outspent Trump $57,000,000 to $4,000,000. The polls tightened in Trump's favor. Let's see whether the polls start shifting in Trump's direction if the advertising is competitive.
Posted Sunday, July 24, 2016 7:57 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 24-Jul-16 02:51 PM
Getting the money into politics is not the sane aim.
Getting the money out of politics is.
Wouldn't you rather watch TV commercials for Kia? They are better made, and are positive in outlook; i.e., Kia is good buy one; vs Clinton is evil, buy a Trump V8, with overdrive, cruise control, and the favored color, white.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 24-Jul-16 06:12 PM
I prefer everyone having the right to criticize politicians. If people want to spend money expressing their opinions, God bless them. Period.
Wasserman-Schultz stepping down
Bernie Sanders will get what he asked for. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is stepping down as chair of the Democratic National Committee at the end of the Democratic National Convention. CNN is reporting "Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced Sunday she is stepping down as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee at the end of the party's convention, which is set to begin here Monday."
CNN is also reporting that Wasserman-Schultz's resignation was the result of "pressure from top Democrats" because of "the release of leaked emails showing DNC staffers favoring Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the party's 2016 primary contest." In other words, they pushed her out because the scandal was getting all of the attention while effectively squashing Mrs. Clinton's announcement of her running mate pick.
In her statement, Wasserman-Schultz said that she "remains committed to seeing Clinton elected president" and that she had talked with both President Barack Obama and Clinton before making her announcement.
This video sums things up quite nicely:
Wasserman-Schultz's legacy won't be an illustrious one. She presided over the party's wave election defeats, though it's fair to blame those defeats on President Obama and Harry Reid as much as on Ms. Wasserman-Schultz.
This doesn't take away from the fact that the DNC felt they had to tip the scales to help Hillary win the nomination over a nobody governor and a 74-year-old socialist. That doesn't project confidence in their candidate.
I'd bet that other heads will roll, too. Don't be surprised if this sucks the media oxygen out of the room for Monday's open of the convention in terms of the media. They're pro-Clinton but they love a scandal, too.
UPDATE: Wasserman-Schultz didn't preside over the 2010 landslide. My bad.
Posted Sunday, July 24, 2016 6:31 PM
Comment 1 by Bob J. at 25-Jul-16 09:41 AM
The only difference between the DNC and RNC is that the DNC rigs its process in private.
HRC hires DWS after getting fired
You can't make this stuff up. If ever there was something that proves that the system was rigged, it's the news that WikiLeaks provided in the form of 19,000+ emails from the DNC showing that the DNC intentionally tipped the scales in Hillary's favor during the primaries. Thanks to that leak, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was forced to resign as the chair of the Democratic National Committee, effective the day after the Democratic National Convention.
If you think that's proof that the DNC rigged the primaries to guarantee a Hillary nomination victory, you're right. It's definitely proof that the system was rigged in HRC's favor. If you think that's where the corruption and the rigging stops, you're wrong. You're extremely wrong. One of the women that assisted DWS rig the system in Hillary's favor is Donna Brazile. According to multiple news reports, including this one , Ms. Brazile has just been named the interim chair of the DNC.
If you think that's the end of the corruption, you aren't cynical enough. You're not close. The RightScoop is reporting that Ms. Wasserman-Schultz has found new employment. Late this afternoon, I tweeted that Ms. Wasserman-Schultz could always get a job with the Clinton Foundation because it's obvious she has the connections to make it happen. That might still happen but it'll have to wait because -- wait for it -- Ms. Wasserman-Schultz has a new job ... as "honorary chair" of Hillary's "50-state program to gain ground and elect Democrats in every part of the country..."
That isn't just proof that the system is rigged. It's proof that corruption pays, especially if you're pandering to the Clintons. I've heard the Clintons complain about corporate execs getting golden parachutes before. When it comes to their friends, they don't believe in golden parachutes. They apparently believe in soft landings on 1,600-thread count sheets. That's apparent because that's what HRC just gave Ms. Wasserman-Schultz.
Posted Sunday, July 24, 2016 7:37 PM
No comments.
Sanders is the latest sellout
When Elizabeth Warren endorsed Hillary Clinton , Sen. Warren's supporters accused her of selling out to Wall Street and Goldman-Sachs. They were right. Sen. Warren sold out to Wall Street without hesitation.
During her interview with Rachel Maddow, Sen. Warren said "I'm ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States and to make sure that Donald Trump never gets any place close to the White House." Tonight, Bernie Sanders became the final sellout . Tonight, the hard left learned that Sen. Sanders and Sen. Warren talked tough about fighting Wall Street but then endorsed Wall Street's bought-and-paid-for candidate.
This isn't shocking. The Democratic Party is the party that sells people out. Another example of the Democratic Party selling out the people is how Hillary Clinton is selling out police officers in the hopes of increasing minority turnout:
The mothers of several African-Americans killed by police or gun violence will be put in the spotlight at the Democratic National Convention. The Mothers of the Movement will put presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's embrace of the Black Lives Matter movement at center stage.
I wrote this post last week to highlight the police officers' outrage with Mrs. Clinton. John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 in Philadelphia, wrote this statement last week:
The Fraternal Order of Police is insulted and will not soon forget that the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton are excluding the widows and other family members of police officers killed in the line of duty who were victims of explicit and not implied racism.
Democrats aren't hiding their motivation for inviting Mothers of the Movement:
Obama won more than 90 percent of black voters and well over half of women and younger voters in both 2008 and 2012, exit polling shows. Clinton has a strong lead over Trump among blacks, according to a June survey by Quinnipiac, and tends to carry big margins among female voters, but she has to shore up support among millennials and young voters, who are only slowly warming to her.
Hillary Clinton doesn't stand with law enforcement. Period. She's made statements about standing with law enforcement and that violence is never justified but when push comes to shove, Hillary will push law enforcement officers off the stage. Then she'll invite Mothers of the Movement, the New Black Panther Party and #BlackLivesMatter onto that stage.
This weekend has provided Americans with lots of proof that Democrats will sell the American people out for their special interest allies. Let's hope they decide they won't tolerate the Party of Sellouts to live in the White House for another 4 years.
Posted Monday, July 25, 2016 1:10 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 25-Jul-16 09:12 AM
Elizabeth Warren is okay. Don't dump on her. She can choose the same way you can. Gary, it is apparent you in your sidebar name listings omitted: Donald Trump.
I remember the neverTrump stuff, Gary.
You adjusted, Warren adjusted, neither of your are bad persons, nor deceitful. Elizabeth Warren is the hope of the future of the Democratic Party. The Clintons - your party is a step ahead, rejecting the Bush dynasty, at least short term, this cycle. And it is good.
Let the Dems catch up. Elizabeth Warren is taking one for the team. That's not evil. It's a political reality.
Your party had a hell of a big count of convention absentees - unwilling to take one for the team.
Remember that. Respect Warren. She'd be a great first female USA president, ever. In a better world, she'd be the candidate.
Comment 2 by Bob J. at 25-Jul-16 09:43 AM
[This isn't shocking. The Democratic Party is the party that sells people out.]
As a Cruz supporter, I beg to differ.
Comment 3 by Chad Q at 25-Jul-16 05:32 PM
Yeah, Warren would make a great president. Another rich white person who lied to get to her position of power yet blathers on about fighting for the underprivileged.
Cruz lost fair and square, no sell out. As a former Cruz supporter myself, what he did at the convention was childish. Have some class and come back in 2020.
Comment 4 by eric z at 27-Jul-16 02:23 PM
Forgot to say, if looking for a sell-out; Mike Pence is the sell-out of sell-outs. Along with Bachmann on Trump's Jesus Board. Anything, for advancement.
Bernie gets zippo for endorsing Hillary with the clearly lukewarm words he used, "better than Trump."
Gary, how recent was it your were neverTrumping?
Judge not.
Hillary needing a bounce
If this CNN/ORC poll is right, then Hillary will need a healthy bounce coming out of this week's Democratic National Convention. If Debbie Wasserman-Schultz sticks around, that bounce will be virtually impossible to picture.
In the horserace poll, Donald Trump leads "Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, topping her 44% to 39% in a four-way matchup including Gary Johnson (9%) and Jill Stein (3%) and by three points in a two-way head-to-head, 48% to 45%." That's the least bad news for Hillary.
There's more. Another thing that the convention did is that it "helped Trump make strides in his personal image. A majority (52%) now say Trump is running for president for the good of the country rather than personal gain, just 44% say the same about Clinton."
Meanwhile, the Democratic National Convention is off to a tough start for Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. It's so bad that she got booed by the Florida delegation's meeting this morning:
Robbie Mook is making matters worse by insisting that the WikiLeaks email dump was instigated by Russian President Vladimir Putin:
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook tells CNN's 'State Of The Union' on Sunday morning that a vast conspiracy is behind the release of damaging DNC emails this week. He puts forward the theory that the Russians hacked the DNC, and then gave that information to Wikileaks, who released it at the perfect moment in order to help elect Donald Trump.
" Sources are saying the Russians are releasing these emails for the purpose of actually Helping Donald Trump," he said. "I don't think it is coincidental that these emails are released on the eve of the [Democratic National] Convention."
"And that is disturbing, I think we need to be concerned about that. We also saw last week at the Republican convention that Trump and his allies made changes to the Republican platform to make it more pro-Russian."
Notice that he didn't say that the emails were false. He just pulled a trick out of Hillary's VRWC playbook.
This isn't helping Hillary either:
He's increased the share who call him honest and trustworthy (from 38% to 43%), and who would be proud to have him as president (from 32% to 39%). And nearly half now say he's in touch with the problems ordinary Americans face in their daily lives (46% say so, 37% did before the convention).
This is just one poll so it's best not to draw too many conclusions from it. Still, the Hillary campaign can't like what they've seen in terms of Trump's post-convention bounce.
Posted Monday, July 25, 2016 10:16 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 25-Jul-16 12:55 PM
The Rooskies are coming, patrol the coasts?
There is a TPM item with a bit more gravitas than Robby Mook's inept spinning about DNC offensiveness not mattering, look, the Rooskies are behind it.
However, what do you know/hear about the Republican platform from the convention on the Ukraine, Trump's people and Trump's own input?
Comment 2 by eric z at 25-Jul-16 12:58 PM
Wasn't there a vast right wing conspiracy against Ms. Clinton, or Bill during impeachment, 2008 or earlier - some time in the past she talked that way?
Comment 3 by Gary Gross at 27-Jul-16 09:25 AM
Hillary talked that way in 1998 but it was BS.
Take down that flag
Over 2,000 protesters have gathered outside the Democratic National Convention. They apparently didn't get the memo that tonight's theme was supposed to be Unity Night.
The article opened by saying "The convention begins: Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake gavels in the Democratic National Convention (though she forgot to rap the gavel initially and had to return to the podium). The mayor is opening instead of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who resigned her post as party chair amid the email leak scandal. Protesters marching on the arena, still, as convention opens."
Saying that the Democratic Convention isn't off to a strong start is understatement.
Posted Monday, July 25, 2016 3:38 PM
Comment 1 by JerryE9 at 27-Jul-16 08:36 AM
I listened to the first speech of the convention and had to turn it off. I characterized it as "spinning lies into fantasies." I expect far more of the same.
Comment 2 by eric z at 27-Jul-16 12:17 PM
Some Sanders delegates walked out. Tuesday I believe.
I have seen some links, but no MSM coverage. Are any other readers familiar with the situation/circumstances?
Remaining Freddie Gray charges dropped
The remaining charges against the officers in the Freddie Gray case have been dropped. That's what the Baltimore Sun is reporting .
UPDATE: Fox is now reporting that Marilyn Mosby failed to get a single conviction in the Freddie Gray case.
Posted Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:18 AM
Comment 1 by Chad Q at 27-Jul-16 05:50 PM
And now the City can fork over millions more in law suits from the officers wrongly accused of mistreating Freddy. That will go on top of the millions they gave Freddy. What a joke.
