thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--Trump campaign to Biden: Bring it on in Texas and waste your money

The Trump campaign is dismissing polls that show traditionally deep-red Texas competitive , urging presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to squander resources by placing a big bet on winning the state ’ s 38 Electoral College votes .
“ I would invite the Biden campaign to play in Texas , ” Bill Stepien , President Trump ’ s campaign manager , said Friday in a conference call with reporters .
“ They should play hard , they should go after Texas really , really heavily — spend a lot of money in the Houston and Dallas media markets .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ll even buy their first ad.
” Texas is traditionally Republican and has not voted Democratic for president since 1976 .
For years , GOP insiders waved off as outliers the occasional poll showing the state up for grabs .
Like Stepien , they encouraged Democrats to invest there because it is expensive to compete in the state ’ s approximately 20 media markets and viewed it as a drain on money and manpower .
But an influx of newcomers and voter erosion Republicans are experiencing in Texas ’ s heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Houston , and San Antonio are changing the political character of the state .
The RealClearPolitics average of recent public surveys shows Trump and Biden essentially tied in Texas , and Republican insiders in the state say the shift is real — and so are the polls .
“ It ’ s completely consistent with everything I ’ ve seen , ” a Republican strategist in the state said of the polls .
“ We ’ re heading into the face of the tsunami in a kayak with a rope tied around every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suburbs are out of reach for the president and down-ballot Republicans , Texas Democrats are encouraging Biden to focus on denting in Trump ’ s big advantage in rural counties and energizing voters in South Texas , where Hispanic voters make the demographics more favorable .
Although Biden began advertising in Texas this month , the former vice president has yet to make a full-scale investment in the state .
But the Texas Democratic Party is claiming a staff of 100 mostly dedicated to field operations .
Abhi Rahman , a party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign ’ s social media advertising , and the president ’ s travel schedule , all suggest that Stepien knows Biden could win Texas .
“ It ’ s completely false bravado , ” he said .
Meanwhile , Stepien is rejecting polls showing Biden would win Arizona and Georgia , two other states that have voted Republican for president for decades but appear in danger of turning blue .

The Trump campaign is dismissing polls that show traditionally deep-red Texas competitive, urging presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to squander resources by placing a big bet on winning the state’s 38 Electoral College votes.
“I would invite the Biden campaign to play in Texas,” Bill Stepien, President Trump’s campaign manager, said Friday in a conference call with reporters. “They should play hard, they should go after Texas really, really heavily — spend a lot of money in the Houston and Dallas media markets. I would invite them to do that. I’ll even buy their first ad.”
Texas is traditionally Republican and has not voted Democratic for president since 1976. For years, GOP insiders waved off as outliers the occasional poll showing the state up for grabs. Like Stepien, they encouraged Democrats to invest there because it is expensive to compete in the state’s approximately 20 media markets and viewed it as a drain on money and manpower.
But an influx of newcomers and voter erosion Republicans are experiencing in Texas’s heavily populated suburbs around Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are changing the political character of the state. The RealClearPolitics average of recent public surveys shows Trump and Biden essentially tied in Texas, and Republican insiders in the state say the shift is real — and so are the polls.
“It’s completely consistent with everything I’ve seen,” a Republican strategist in the state said of the polls. “We’re heading into the face of the tsunami in a kayak with a rope tied around every other Republican in the country.”
Confident the suburbs are out of reach for the president and down-ballot Republicans, Texas Democrats are encouraging Biden to focus on denting in Trump’s big advantage in rural counties and energizing voters in South Texas, where Hispanic voters make the demographics more favorable. Although Biden began advertising in Texas this month, the former vice president has yet to make a full-scale investment in the state.
But the Texas Democratic Party is claiming a staff of 100 mostly dedicated to field operations. Abhi Rahman, a party spokesman, said the data, the Trump campaign’s social media advertising, and the president’s travel schedule, all suggest that Stepien knows Biden could win Texas. “It’s completely false bravado,” he said.
Meanwhile, Stepien is rejecting polls showing Biden would win Arizona and Georgia, two other states that have voted Republican for president for decades but appear in danger of turning blue.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--Joe Biden polling better in swing states than past two Democratic nominees

To understand how poorly President Trump is currently faring against Joe Biden , look at past polls taken in late July by the past two Democratic nominees , Hillary Clinton in 2016 , who lost to Trump , and President Barack Obama in 2012 , who won reelection over Republican rival Mitt Romney .
A recent survey from Fox News confirms what much of the Trump campaign already knows : they 're falling behind — and fast .
In Michigan , which Trump narrowly won in 2016 , Biden leads him by 9 points .
In Pennsylvania , the gap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just a few months ago , the Trump campaign was planning an aggressive push to flip Minnesota to the GOP column , something the president came close to doing in 2016 .
But with Biden holding a 13-point lead , according to Fox News , Minnesota seems pretty much off-limits to a Trump victory .
And Biden 's current strength means the electoral map looks more and more like something from Bill Clinton 's victories in 1992 and 1996 , with the former vice president outperforming Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the state of those races in July during the last three presidential cycles shows Biden doing better than either candidate in Texas , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , Arizona , Georgia , Florida , Nevada , New Hampshire , North Carolina , and Michigan .
Obama comfortably won reelection in 2012 , even as his race against Mitt Romney started tightening up in the summer .
In 2016 , Trump actually pulled ahead slightly against Clinton by late July .
Biden also appears to be the only Democrat in 12 years who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , Arizona , and North Carolina roughly 150 days out to the election .
Even in North Carolina , which Obama won against John McCain in 2008 by just over 14,000 votes out of more than 4.3 million cast , had the late Arizona senator leading in polls at this point in the race .
Should these polls hold , Biden would go on to win 388 electoral votes out of 538 , assuming he won all of Clinton 's states in 2016 and Trump managed to hold onto Ohio .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have him virtually tied with Trump , such as Texas , or slightly behind , such as Georgia , he 'd still win 334 electoral votes .
In 2016 , Trump defeated Clinton with 304 electoral votes .
At 388 electoral votes , Biden would outperform his old boss 's margin in 2008 , when Obama won 365 electoral votes over McCain .
Not since Bill Clinton 's wins in the 1990s has a presidential candidate approached 400 Electoral College votes , with Clinton earning 370 in 1992 and 379 in 1996 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump campaign maintains its insistence that polls paint an inaccurate picture , citing the 2016 election result as evidence that firms are biased against Republicans , or many voters are simply reluctant to tell surveyors they plan on voting for the president .
The Biden campaign , meanwhile , is telling supporters not to be complacent , and many Democrats expect the race to tighten by September .
On Friday , Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez went as far as saying he does n't trust current polls showing Biden leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls .
I see a poll that shows Biden up 10 points , '' he said during a SiriusXM interview with liberal talk show host Joe Madison .
`` Do n't believe it . ''

To understand how poorly President Trump is currently faring against Joe Biden, look at past polls taken in late July by the past two Democratic nominees, Hillary Clinton in 2016, who lost to Trump, and President Barack Obama in 2012, who won reelection over Republican rival Mitt Romney.
A recent survey from Fox News confirms what much of the Trump campaign already knows: they're falling behind — and fast. In Michigan, which Trump narrowly won in 2016, Biden leads him by 9 points. In Pennsylvania, the gap is even larger, at 11 points.
Just a few months ago, the Trump campaign was planning an aggressive push to flip Minnesota to the GOP column, something the president came close to doing in 2016. But with Biden holding a 13-point lead, according to Fox News, Minnesota seems pretty much off-limits to a Trump victory.
And Biden's current strength means the electoral map looks more and more like something from Bill Clinton's victories in 1992 and 1996, with the former vice president outperforming Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. Looking at the state of those races in July during the last three presidential cycles shows Biden doing better than either candidate in Texas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Michigan.
Obama comfortably won reelection in 2012, even as his race against Mitt Romney started tightening up in the summer. In 2016, Trump actually pulled ahead slightly against Clinton by late July.
Biden also appears to be the only Democrat in 12 years who has led a Republican in the states of Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina roughly 150 days out to the election. Even in North Carolina, which Obama won against John McCain in 2008 by just over 14,000 votes out of more than 4.3 million cast, had the late Arizona senator leading in polls at this point in the race.
Should these polls hold, Biden would go on to win 388 electoral votes out of 538, assuming he won all of Clinton's states in 2016 and Trump managed to hold onto Ohio. If Biden lost the states where polling averages have him virtually tied with Trump, such as Texas, or slightly behind, such as Georgia, he'd still win 334 electoral votes. In 2016, Trump defeated Clinton with 304 electoral votes.
At 388 electoral votes, Biden would outperform his old boss's margin in 2008, when Obama won 365 electoral votes over McCain. Not since Bill Clinton's wins in the 1990s has a presidential candidate approached 400 Electoral College votes, with Clinton earning 370 in 1992 and 379 in 1996.
Despite this troubling picture for the president, the Trump campaign maintains its insistence that polls paint an inaccurate picture, citing the 2016 election result as evidence that firms are biased against Republicans, or many voters are simply reluctant to tell surveyors they plan on voting for the president.
The Biden campaign, meanwhile, is telling supporters not to be complacent, and many Democrats expect the race to tighten by September. On Friday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez went as far as saying he doesn't trust current polls showing Biden leading.
"Don't look at these polls. I see a poll that shows Biden up 10 points," he said during a SiriusXM interview with liberal talk show host Joe Madison. "Don't believe it."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--Republicans scramble to come up with plan after Trump cans Jacksonville convention

The Republicans are scrambling to put together a virtual convention after President Trump suddenly canceled plans for the party to meet in Jacksonville to celebrate his renomination due to the coronavirus spike in Florida .
Party officials said Friday that the Republican National Committee did not have a plan at the ready to coronate Trump properly in a largely digital setting .
They said it could take time to develop a blueprint for convention activities that elevate the president and allow GOP delegates and conservative activists to participate from afar .
It was the second time in two months that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrangements for its quadrennial presidential nominating convention .
An RNC spokesman declined to elaborate on the party ’ s next steps , instead pointing to tweets posted by GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel .
In those missives , McDaniel reiterated Trump ’ s priority was the health and safety of Jacksonville residents and convention attendees after he announced Thursday he was , acknowledging that the coronavirus presented unacceptable risks .
“ We look forward to @ realDonaldTrump accepting the nomination and addressing the American people on his vision for the next four years !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not responded to a request for comment at press time , although it was possible that his new campaign manager Bill Stepien would address the matter during a Friday afternoon conference call with reporters .
In June , the president pressured the RNC to abandon Charlotte because North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper , a Democrat , refused to greenlight a traditional , arena-style convention , citing concerns that a mass gathering might pose health risks during the pandemic .
At the time , Trump was focused on promoting the reopening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem the tide of the outbreak .
On Thursday , Trump shifted gears again , this time saying it was too risky to hold a convention with thousands of people from all over the United States while the rate of COVID-19 infections was on the rise .
Republican delegates are still scheduled to meet in Charlotte in late August to conduct the formal business of renominating Trump .
When the RNC picked Jacksonville for the president ’ s renomination celebration , Florida ’ s coronavirus case count was low .
Since then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s biggest hot spots .
Recently , Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry , a former RNC member , implemented regulations mandating the wearing of masks in his city .
Meanwhile , McDaniel responded to the change in conditions by laying out plans for a scaled-back convention , including slashing attendance and relying on a mix of indoor and outdoor venues .
But in the end , it wasn ’ t enough .
Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams admitted this week he didn ’ t even have the money or manpower to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prepare .
Trump ’ s decision to nix the Jacksonville portion of the convention was mostly welcomed by the party faithful .
Yet , many expressed their disappointment to the Washington Examiner .
“ I remember attending the last convention in Cleveland .
And I guess it 's a sign of the times , but it ’ s very disappointing for those of us who want to be there and be part of the process , ” .
`` His strength is going out , talking to the people .
I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrating to him that he ca n't go out and do this , and that 's how he won.
” Trump told reporters Thursday he would still deliver a speech to the party ahead of the fall fight against presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Delegates will precede with their meetings in Charlotte that Monday , with “ telerallies ” and other online activities added to the agenda , according to Trump .
“ I looked at my team , and I said , ‘ The timing for this event is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right with what 's happened recently — the flare-up in Florida — to have a big convention .
It 's not the right time , ’ ” he said .
Democrats will be doing something similar the week before for Biden in Wisconsin after delaying their version by a month due to the virus .
Democratic National Convention delegates and members of Congress , however , have been discouraged from traveling to Milwaukee , their host city .
Their iteration will be heavily virtual , , with nightly programming of content “ anchored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as satellite broadcasts .

The Republicans are scrambling to put together a virtual convention after President Trump suddenly canceled plans for the party to meet in Jacksonville to celebrate his renomination due to the coronavirus spike in Florida.
Party officials said Friday that the Republican National Committee did not have a plan at the ready to coronate Trump properly in a largely digital setting. They said it could take time to develop a blueprint for convention activities that elevate the president and allow GOP delegates and conservative activists to participate from afar. It was the second time in two months that Trump has forced the RNC to alter arrangements for its quadrennial presidential nominating convention.
An RNC spokesman declined to elaborate on the party’s next steps, instead pointing to tweets posted by GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. In those missives, McDaniel reiterated Trump’s priority was the health and safety of Jacksonville residents and convention attendees after he announced Thursday he was scrapping Florida events hastily organized for this cycle’s confab , acknowledging that the coronavirus presented unacceptable risks.
“We look forward to @realDonaldTrump accepting the nomination and addressing the American people on his vision for the next four years!” McDaniel wrote.
We support this difficult decision and thank Governor DeSantis, Mayor Curry, and the people of Jacksonville for their hospitality.
We look forward to @realDonaldTrump accepting the nomination and addressing the American people on his vision for the next four years! — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) July 23, 2020
The Trump campaign had not responded to a request for comment at press time, although it was possible that his new campaign manager Bill Stepien would address the matter during a Friday afternoon conference call with reporters.
In June, the president pressured the RNC to abandon Charlotte because North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, refused to greenlight a traditional, arena-style convention, citing concerns that a mass gathering might pose health risks during the pandemic. At the time, Trump was focused on promoting the reopening of the economy after a monthslong lockdown to stem the tide of the outbreak.
On Thursday, Trump shifted gears again, this time saying it was too risky to hold a convention with thousands of people from all over the United States while the rate of COVID-19 infections was on the rise. Republican delegates are still scheduled to meet in Charlotte in late August to conduct the formal business of renominating Trump.
When the RNC picked Jacksonville for the president’s renomination celebration, Florida’s coronavirus case count was low. Since then, the state has become one of the country’s biggest hot spots. Recently, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, a former RNC member, implemented regulations mandating the wearing of masks in his city.
Meanwhile, McDaniel responded to the change in conditions by laying out plans for a scaled-back convention, including slashing attendance and relying on a mix of indoor and outdoor venues . But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams admitted this week he didn’t even have the money or manpower to provide the necessary security with so little time to prepare.
Trump’s decision to nix the Jacksonville portion of the convention was mostly welcomed by the party faithful. Yet, many expressed their disappointment to the Washington Examiner.
“I remember attending the last convention in Cleveland. And I guess it's a sign of the times, but it’s very disappointing for those of us who want to be there and be part of the process,” Texas Republican Rep. Mike McCaul said . "His strength is going out, talking to the people. I know, personally, that it’s frustrating to him that he can't go out and do this, and that's how he won.”
Trump told reporters Thursday he would still deliver a speech to the party ahead of the fall fight against presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Delegates will precede with their meetings in Charlotte that Monday, with “telerallies” and other online activities added to the agenda, according to Trump.
“I looked at my team, and I said, ‘The timing for this event is not right. It's just not right with what's happened recently — the flare-up in Florida — to have a big convention. It's not the right time,’” he said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--Christian leaders urge DNC to remove 'abortion extremism' from platform

A group of more than 100 Christian pastors and religious advocates signed a letter to the Democratic Party urging leadership to moderate the party 's position on abortion .
The letter acknowledges that those who are calling for the action are among a mix of political parties and registered voters , but they all `` appreciate the Democratic Party 's stated commitment to human rights , equality , and fairness . ''
The Christian leaders argued that by softening the platform 's pro-abortion stance , the party would do more to embrace policies that protect women and children , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recognize the inviolable human dignity of the child , before and after birth , '' the letter reads .
`` We urge you to reject a litmus test on pro-life people of faith seeking office in the Democratic Party .
Crucially , we urge you to end the explicit support in your platform for abortion extremism , such as taxpayer-funded abortion in America and overseas . ''
The Democratic National Committee 's platform drafting committee is set to release its proposed 2020 platform , which will be approved at its August convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal funding for Planned Parenthood and may for the first time include a commitment to codify Roe v. Wade , per the recommendation of the Biden-Sanders Unity Taskforce .
`` Democrats believe that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services , including safe and legal abortion , '' the recommendation says .
`` Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women ’ s reproductive rights , including repealing the Hyde Amendment , and will work to protect and codify Roe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the executive director of Democrats For Life of America , said the letter emphasizes voters ' disagreements with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's personal stance on abortion and that he is at risk of alienating Democratic minorities and religious voters because of them .
“ The Democratic Party should seek to include these voters rather than push them into the arms of the Republican Party , '' Day said .
`` An extreme approach to abortion is playing right into the hands of Donald Trump ’ s destructive agenda .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its platform and show a real sign of openness to pro-life voters .
”

A group of more than 100 Christian pastors and religious advocates signed a letter to the Democratic Party urging leadership to moderate the party's position on abortion.
The letter acknowledges that those who are calling for the action are among a mix of political parties and registered voters, but they all "appreciate the Democratic Party's stated commitment to human rights, equality, and fairness."
The Christian leaders argued that by softening the platform's pro-abortion stance, the party would do more to embrace policies that protect women and children, especially minorities.
"We call upon you to recognize the inviolable human dignity of the child, before and after birth," the letter reads. "We urge you to reject a litmus test on pro-life people of faith seeking office in the Democratic Party. Crucially, we urge you to end the explicit support in your platform for abortion extremism, such as taxpayer-funded abortion in America and overseas."
The Democratic National Committee's platform drafting committee is set to release its proposed 2020 platform, which will be approved at its August convention in Milwaukee. It seeks to restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood and may for the first time include a commitment to codify Roe v. Wade, per the recommendation of the Biden-Sanders Unity Taskforce.
"Democrats believe that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion," the recommendation says. "Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women’s reproductive rights, including repealing the Hyde Amendment, and will work to protect and codify Roe v. Wade."
Kristen Day, the executive director of Democrats For Life of America, said the letter emphasizes voters' disagreements with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's personal stance on abortion and that he is at risk of alienating Democratic minorities and religious voters because of them.
“The Democratic Party should seek to include these voters rather than push them into the arms of the Republican Party," Day said. "An extreme approach to abortion is playing right into the hands of Donald Trump’s destructive agenda. We call on the Democratic Party to moderate its platform and show a real sign of openness to pro-life voters.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--Trump campaign taps provocateur and critic of Pope Francis to help lead Catholic outreach

The Trump campaign on Friday announced the addition of Taylor Marshall , a traditionalist Catholic provocateur , to the advisory board of its coalition focused on grabbing the Catholic vote .
`` This is our battle for the unborn , the exploited , the trafficked , and for the protection of our Churches , '' Marshall said in a tweet announcing his new position , adding that he is `` honored '' to be working with the Trump campaign .
`` Please pray for me . ''
Marshall , who has stoked controversy with the Roman Catholic Church for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Catholics within the Trump administration , who reportedly have asked the president to promote his work .
Trump in early July plugged on Twitter a One America News Network interview that Marshall did with host Jack Posobiec , in which Marshall declared that `` there is a war on Christianity . ''
Trump in the past few months has attempted to broaden his appeal to traditional Christians and especially traditional Catholics .
In June , he praised Carlo Vigano , the controversial former papal nuncio to the United States who once said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , Vigano had written an open letter to Trump in which he framed the coronavirus pandemic and the protests after the death of George Floyd as an attempt by the `` deep state '' to undermine the president .
Trump 's campaign in the past month has ratcheted up its outreach to religious voters , emphasizing the president 's defense of religious liberty .
“ President Trump , through his four years in office , has been a fierce defender of Christianity and our right to practice openly around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s top fundraisers , said in a Thursday video .
“ The Democrats who claim to be staunch defenders of human rights around the world feel comfortable denying you this most sacred right we have as Americans .
”

The Trump campaign on Friday announced the addition of Taylor Marshall, a traditionalist Catholic provocateur, to the advisory board of its coalition focused on grabbing the Catholic vote.
"This is our battle for the unborn, the exploited, the trafficked, and for the protection of our Churches," Marshall said in a tweet announcing his new position, adding that he is "honored" to be working with the Trump campaign. "Please pray for me."
Marshall, who has stoked controversy with the Roman Catholic Church for his criticism of Pope Francis, has appealed to Catholics within the Trump administration, who reportedly have asked the president to promote his work. Trump in early July plugged on Twitter a One America News Network interview that Marshall did with host Jack Posobiec, in which Marshall declared that "there is a war on Christianity."
Trump in the past few months has attempted to broaden his appeal to traditional Christians and especially traditional Catholics. In June, he praised Carlo Vigano, the controversial former papal nuncio to the United States who once said that the pope should resign.
At the time, Vigano had written an open letter to Trump in which he framed the coronavirus pandemic and the protests after the death of George Floyd as an attempt by the "deep state" to undermine the president.
Trump's campaign in the past month has ratcheted up its outreach to religious voters, emphasizing the president's defense of religious liberty.
“President Trump, through his four years in office, has been a fierce defender of Christianity and our right to practice openly around the world,” Kimberly Guilfoyle, one of Trump’s top fundraisers, said in a Thursday video. “The Democrats who claim to be staunch defenders of human rights around the world feel comfortable denying you this most sacred right we have as Americans.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-24--The risk for Trump running as the 'law and order' candidate: He is in charge

Donald Trump Jr. and Trump campaign aide Boris Epshteyn retweeted images of Portland burning with a similar message : This is Joe Biden ’ s America .
Then came the rejoinders : But Donald Trump is president .
This highlights the dilemma Trump faces as he tries to run on a law-and-order platform against the civil unrest gripping major American cities , uniformly with Democratic mayors , since the death of George Floyd in police custody earlier this year .
Unlike Richard Nixon in 1968 , who also ran as a law-and-order candidate , Trump is the incumbent president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame for the lawlessness .
But the more Trump acts to quell the violence , the more ownership he has of the problem .
Trump is nevertheless plunging ahead , announcing an escalation of the “ Operation Legend ” initiative offering federal assistance to cities coping with a surge in violence .
It is named for LeGend Taliferro , a 4-year-old boy who was shot to death while sleeping in Kansas City .
“ This bloodshed must end , this bloodshed will end , ” Trump said on Wednesday .
“ President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands ready and willing to assist any of our state and local law enforcement partners across the nation responding to violent crime , '' concurred Attorney General William Barr .
But Democratic mayors in cities such as Portland and Chicago are resisting .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Trump ’ s focus on homicides in her city are intended to distract from what she described as his COVID-19 mismanagement .
Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown , a Democrat , has likened Department of Homeland Security agents present in Portland protecting a federal courthouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has taken an unprecedented approach to communicating and working with our nation ’ s governors and mayors to guarantee they have the resources they need and the ability to make the best on-the-ground decisions , but he has not backed away from exposing these officials for their inaction , not based on partisanship but because it ’ s the right thing to do , ” said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere .
“ The most fundamental responsibility of elected officials at every level of government is keeping our citizens safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has made clear that if state and local officials do not meet this sacred responsibility , he will take action to protect our citizens and ensure safe , healthy communities.
” The Trump campaign and its surrogates have not hesitated to tie the liberal mayors ’ inaction to Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee .
“ Despite scores of videos coming out of cities like Portland highlighting the destructive actions of the left-wing mob , when Biden isn ’ t being a ‘ mute bystander , ’ he ’ s defending rioters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the Republican National Committee rapid response team on Thursday .
“ Biden ’ s lack of reaction to violence is a stark reminder that you won ’ t be safe in Joe Biden ’ s America .
President Trump on the other hand reminded the American people that he is the law and order President.
” “ Joe Biden and his team of leftwing radicals are ok with this happening in every city and town across America , ” Don Jr. wrote as he retweeted journalist Andy Ngo ’ s video of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to condemn these criminals !
” wrote Epshteyn , who retweeted the same video , adding , “ A Joe Biden presidency would bring this destruction and chaos to all of America.
” But CNN ’ s Kaitlan Collins challenged the president on Wednesday about why the buck didn ’ t stop with him , pointing to his criticism of Barack Obama for urban violence .
The Wall Street Journal ’ s Bill McGurn Colin Powell ’ s warning to George W. Bush about invading Iraq : “ The hysterical reaction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pottery Barn rule : The moment Mr. Trump intervenes in a troubled city , he owns it.
” The legal issues involved also become complicated when cities and states don ’ t request federal help .
“ In Portland , I think the situation is much different .
Reasonable minds can differ about how to read it , but my read is that Trump thinks violent protests make him look weaker , and he has a preference for what we might call ‘ muscular responses ’ when those are available , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal justice at the libertarian Cato Institute .
“ And I think there are very serious and constitutional and other kinds of legal concerns about what we have seen in terms of a federal response.
” Charles Stimson , senior legal fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation , said Trump is well within his rights to deploy federal officers .
“ That ’ s not trampling on states ’ rights , because states don ’ t have a say in whether federal troops can come into their state , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are part of a republic , and there ’ s a Constitution , with amendments to the Constitution that allow individuals to have rights up against the government.
” Republican strategist Ford O ’ Connell said Trump needs to keep taking his message straight to the public , with “ succinct , realistic , and informative ” briefings .
“ Then not only will key voters come home to him because they will see him as front and center in the battle against the virus , but they and others will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden being a figurehead for the far-left of the Democratic Party and the need for law and order in our cities , ” O ’ Connell said .

Donald Trump Jr. and Trump campaign aide Boris Epshteyn retweeted images of Portland burning with a similar message: This is Joe Biden’s America.
Then came the rejoinders: But Donald Trump is president.
This highlights the dilemma Trump faces as he tries to run on a law-and-order platform against the civil unrest gripping major American cities, uniformly with Democratic mayors, since the death of George Floyd in police custody earlier this year. Unlike Richard Nixon in 1968, who also ran as a law-and-order candidate, Trump is the incumbent president, muddying his message that Democrats are to blame for the lawlessness. But the more Trump acts to quell the violence, the more ownership he has of the problem.
Trump is nevertheless plunging ahead, announcing an escalation of the “Operation Legend” initiative offering federal assistance to cities coping with a surge in violence. It is named for LeGend Taliferro, a 4-year-old boy who was shot to death while sleeping in Kansas City. “This bloodshed must end, this bloodshed will end,” Trump said on Wednesday.
“President Trump has made clear: The federal government stands ready and willing to assist any of our state and local law enforcement partners across the nation responding to violent crime," concurred Attorney General William Barr.
But Democratic mayors in cities such as Portland and Chicago are resisting. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Trump’s focus on homicides in her city are intended to distract from what she described as his COVID-19 mismanagement. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, has likened Department of Homeland Security agents present in Portland protecting a federal courthouse to an invading army.
“President Trump has taken an unprecedented approach to communicating and working with our nation’s governors and mayors to guarantee they have the resources they need and the ability to make the best on-the-ground decisions, but he has not backed away from exposing these officials for their inaction, not based on partisanship but because it’s the right thing to do,” said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere. “The most fundamental responsibility of elected officials at every level of government is keeping our citizens safe while respecting their constitutional rights. President Trump has made clear that if state and local officials do not meet this sacred responsibility, he will take action to protect our citizens and ensure safe, healthy communities.”
The Trump campaign and its surrogates have not hesitated to tie the liberal mayors’ inaction to Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee. “Despite scores of videos coming out of cities like Portland highlighting the destructive actions of the left-wing mob, when Biden isn’t being a ‘mute bystander,’ he’s defending rioters as ‘peaceful protesters,’” said the Republican National Committee rapid response team on Thursday. “Biden’s lack of reaction to violence is a stark reminder that you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America. President Trump on the other hand reminded the American people that he is the law and order President.”
“Joe Biden and his team of leftwing radicals are ok with this happening in every city and town across America,” Don Jr. wrote as he retweeted journalist Andy Ngo’s video of flames flickering in Portland. “They refused to condemn these criminals!” wrote Epshteyn, who retweeted the same video, adding, “A Joe Biden presidency would bring this destruction and chaos to all of America.”
But CNN’s Kaitlan Collins challenged the president on Wednesday about why the buck didn’t stop with him, pointing to his criticism of Barack Obama for urban violence. The Wall Street Journal’s Bill McGurn invoked Colin Powell’s warning to George W. Bush about invading Iraq: “The hysterical reaction to the limited DHS intervention in Portland illuminates the Pottery Barn rule: The moment Mr. Trump intervenes in a troubled city, he owns it.”
The legal issues involved also become complicated when cities and states don’t request federal help. “In Portland, I think the situation is much different. Reasonable minds can differ about how to read it, but my read is that Trump thinks violent protests make him look weaker, and he has a preference for what we might call ‘muscular responses’ when those are available,” said Clark Neilly, vice president for criminal justice at the libertarian Cato Institute. “And I think there are very serious and constitutional and other kinds of legal concerns about what we have seen in terms of a federal response.”
Charles Stimson, senior legal fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Trump is well within his rights to deploy federal officers. “That’s not trampling on states’ rights, because states don’t have a say in whether federal troops can come into their state,” he said. “They are not a country. They are part of a republic, and there’s a Constitution, with amendments to the Constitution that allow individuals to have rights up against the government.”
Republican strategist Ford O’Connell said Trump needs to keep taking his message straight to the public, with “succinct, realistic, and informative” briefings. “Then not only will key voters come home to him because they will see him as front and center in the battle against the virus, but they and others will be far more receptive to his messages concerning Biden being a figurehead for the far-left of the Democratic Party and the need for law and order in our cities,” O’Connell said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-28--Kanye West submits paperwork to appear on Missouri ballot

The presidential campaign of Kanye West is rolling on after the rapper-turned-political candidate submitted paperwork to appear on the Missouri general ballot .
West 's campaign filed signatures with the Missouri State Board of Elections on Monday just before the 5 p.m. cutoff time , according to Maura Browning , a representative for Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft .
Browning stressed that West will not appear on the ballot unless all 10,000 signatures required can be validated as legitimate .
West 's whirlwind presidential bid was seen as a joke by many pundits , but he has so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot in Oklahoma and his home state of Illinois .
His outsider campaign has promoted a pro-life , pro-gun , pro-illegal immigrant message that pulls from the populist broader instincts of both major political parties .
The candidate also attempted to gain enough signatures to appear on the South Carolina ballot and appeared at an in-person rally to spur support , but he failed to get enough signatures to gain ballot access in the southern state .
West , who was an outspoken supporter of President Trump and has donned his `` Make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times throughout the past four years , is running an independent presidential campaign on a self-styled Birthday Party ticket .
He has relied on social media and word of mouth to generate exposure and support for his campaign , which kicked off in early July .
The White House hopeful has acted erratically throughout his campaign , alleging that his wife Kim Kardashian West tried to put him in a mental asylum after he opened up about their back-and-forth over possibly having an abortion when Kardashian West was pregnant with their daughter , @ @

The presidential campaign of Kanye West is rolling on after the rapper-turned-political candidate submitted paperwork to appear on the Missouri general ballot.
West's campaign filed signatures with the Missouri State Board of Elections on Monday just before the 5 p.m. cutoff time, according to Maura Browning, a representative for Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Browning stressed that West will not appear on the ballot unless all 10,000 signatures required can be validated as legitimate.
West's whirlwind presidential bid was seen as a joke by many pundits, but he has so far delivered by filing to appear on the ballot in Oklahoma and his home state of Illinois. His outsider campaign has promoted a pro-life, pro-gun, pro-illegal immigrant message that pulls from the populist broader instincts of both major political parties.
The candidate also attempted to gain enough signatures to appear on the South Carolina ballot and appeared at an in-person rally to spur support, but he failed to get enough signatures to gain ballot access in the southern state.
West, who was an outspoken supporter of President Trump and has donned his "Make America Great Again" hat at various times throughout the past four years, is running an independent presidential campaign on a self-styled Birthday Party ticket. He has relied on social media and word of mouth to generate exposure and support for his campaign, which kicked off in early July.
The White House hopeful has acted erratically throughout his campaign, alleging that his wife Kim Kardashian West tried to put him in a mental asylum after he opened up about their back-and-forth over possibly having an abortion when Kardashian West was pregnant with their daughter, North.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Biden warns Trump about allowing risky COVID-19 vaccine on market

If President Trump is going to push drug companies to release a vaccine for the coronavirus , he should do so with an interest in public safety , Joe Biden says .
`` It ’ s great news that scientists are making progress in the search for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine , '' the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee wrote in a statement Monday evening .
`` We all hope the next phases of clinical trials will yield positive results to support an approval based on the scientific evidence , but the development of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coordination , transparency , truth , and fairness to all — and we have a President who stands for none of these things . ''
In recent weeks , scientists around the globe have made promising findings in the quest to immunize the public from the coronavirus , which has claimed nearly 150,000 lives and infected more than 4.2 million people in the United States alone so far .
On Monday , the biotechnology giant Moderna launched the world 's largest coronavirus vaccine trial on roughly 30,000 people across 89 sites to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long pined for a vaccine to end the pandemic and the economic collapse associated with a shutdown of businesses across the country .
In May , Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced `` Operation Warp Speed , '' aimed at producing and distributing 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021 .
The Department of Defense signed a $ 1.95 billion deal with firms Pfizer and BioNTech to produce a safe vaccine and 100 million doses .
But should the government pour enormous research and funds into a project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the president should commit to `` three principles of integrity in the development of a vaccine , '' argued Biden .
Those include a ban on White House officials pushing `` to provide emergency authorizations prematurely , '' and the president should not `` hype treatments or vaccines , overstate their results , or undermine confidence in scientific findings . ''
Biden also called for `` clinical data for any vaccine the FDA approves '' to be `` made available to the public for independent expert review . ''
He also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a new vaccine , `` senior career scientists and public health experts '' should appear before Congress and testify on its effectiveness .
Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed concerns about a vaccine rushed to the market .
A Morning Consult poll found that Republicans are 3 times more likely to say they wo n't get the vaccine compared to Democrats .

If President Trump is going to push drug companies to release a vaccine for the coronavirus, he should do so with an interest in public safety, Joe Biden says.
"It’s great news that scientists are making progress in the search for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine," the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee wrote in a statement Monday evening. "We all hope the next phases of clinical trials will yield positive results to support an approval based on the scientific evidence, but the development of a new vaccine requires a dedication to science, coordination, transparency, truth, and fairness to all — and we have a President who stands for none of these things."
In recent weeks, scientists around the globe have made promising findings in the quest to immunize the public from the coronavirus, which has claimed nearly 150,000 lives and infected more than 4.2 million people in the United States alone so far. On Monday, the biotechnology giant Moderna launched the world's largest coronavirus vaccine trial on roughly 30,000 people across 89 sites to test the new breakthrough.
Trump has long pined for a vaccine to end the pandemic and the economic collapse associated with a shutdown of businesses across the country. In May, Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced "Operation Warp Speed," aimed at producing and distributing 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021. The Department of Defense signed a $1.95 billion deal with firms Pfizer and BioNTech to produce a safe vaccine and 100 million doses.
But should the government pour enormous research and funds into a project such as "Operation Warp Speed," the president should commit to "three principles of integrity in the development of a vaccine," argued Biden.
Those include a ban on White House officials pushing "to provide emergency authorizations prematurely," and the president should not "hype treatments or vaccines, overstate their results, or undermine confidence in scientific findings."
Biden also called for "clinical data for any vaccine the FDA approves" to be "made available to the public for independent expert review." He also said before any "license is final" on a new vaccine, "senior career scientists and public health experts" should appear before Congress and testify on its effectiveness.
Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed concerns about a vaccine rushed to the market. A Morning Consult poll found that Republicans are 3 times more likely to say they won't get the vaccine compared to Democrats.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Biden continues courting major chunk of Trump base: Seniors

The latest ad campaign by Joe Biden is n't hiding where he thinks President Trump is most vulnerable : voters over the age of 65 .
Team Biden just committed to spending $ 14.5 million on television spots in six swing states , including Arizona and Florida , home to a number of retirees .
Trump won both states in 2016 , in large part to the fact that Trump earned 53 % of older voters , 9 points more than Hillary Clinton .
In Florida , Trump won the senior vote by a 17-point margin over Clinton .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden now leading Trump with seniors .
Some statewide polls have Biden , 77 , winning that crucial group , with voters in the highest numbers , by close to 20 points in a number of states .
A survey by Fox News released this month showed 51 % of seniors currently back Biden , with 46 % supporting Trump .
That same poll found that 51 % of voters say Biden would handle the coronavirus pandemic better than Trump , with 34 % saying they preferred the president .
And Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those voters or win more over .
The commercials set to air this week focus on Trump 's handling of the coronavirus , of which a majority of voters disapprove .
The spots will air in the daytime , during shows most viewed by seniors .
The ad begins with a Wisconsin resident named Jessica , who speaks candidly about losing her grandmother to the coronavirus .
“ Last time I saw my grandmother , we weren ’ t going to be allowed in the hospital .
We asked if we could video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little something , '' Jessica says .
`` We gathered as a family and prayed .
But the fact that she was alone , it just breaks my heart . ''
Jessica goes on to attack Trump 's `` downplaying [ of the ] virus '' and saying she `` felt like our elderly have not been a priority for this administration . ''
Alongside the television spots will come a digital ad campaign , with Biden noting that “ our seniors , that are being hit the hardest , '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start by caring for aging parents and loved ones , making their homes safer , but more importantly give them peace of mind , helping them live independently , '' Biden says .
`` Everyone ’ s entitled to be treated with dignity .
Everyone.
” Evidence is mounting that highlighting questions about Biden 's mental acuity has backfired on the Trump campaign , with polling data finding that many seniors find the attacks offensive .
Seniors remain at the highest risk of mortality to the coronavirus , with the vast bulk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those in their 70s and 80s .
A significant majority of deaths from the virus in various states come from those living in nursing home facilities .
“ We have seen recent polling that has the vice president running 15 percentage points better with seniors than Democrats did in 2016 , ” Biden campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon said in a press conference in May .

The latest ad campaign by Joe Biden isn't hiding where he thinks President Trump is most vulnerable: voters over the age of 65.
Team Biden just committed to spending $14.5 million on television spots in six swing states, including Arizona and Florida, home to a number of retirees. Trump won both states in 2016, in large part to the fact that Trump earned 53% of older voters, 9 points more than Hillary Clinton. In Florida, Trump won the senior vote by a 17-point margin over Clinton.
But that lead has significantly slid, with Biden now leading Trump with seniors. Some statewide polls have Biden, 77, winning that crucial group, with voters in the highest numbers, by close to 20 points in a number of states. A survey by Fox News released this month showed 51% of seniors currently back Biden, with 46% supporting Trump.
That same poll found that 51% of voters say Biden would handle the coronavirus pandemic better than Trump, with 34% saying they preferred the president.
And Biden's campaign clearly sees an opening to secure those voters or win more over. The commercials set to air this week focus on Trump's handling of the coronavirus, of which a majority of voters disapprove. The spots will air in the daytime, during shows most viewed by seniors.
The ad begins with a Wisconsin resident named Jessica, who speaks candidly about losing her grandmother to the coronavirus.
“Last time I saw my grandmother, we weren’t going to be allowed in the hospital. We asked if we could video chat her, and everyone could say a little something," Jessica says. "We gathered as a family and prayed. But the fact that she was alone, it just breaks my heart." Jessica goes on to attack Trump's "downplaying [of the] virus" and saying she "felt like our elderly have not been a priority for this administration."
Alongside the television spots will come a digital ad campaign, with Biden noting that “our seniors, that are being hit the hardest," by the coronavirus.
"Let’s start by caring for aging parents and loved ones, making their homes safer, but more importantly give them peace of mind, helping them live independently," Biden says. "Everyone’s entitled to be treated with dignity. Everyone.”
Evidence is mounting that highlighting questions about Biden's mental acuity has backfired on the Trump campaign, with polling data finding that many seniors find the attacks offensive.
Seniors remain at the highest risk of mortality to the coronavirus, with the vast bulk of nearly 150,000 deaths in the country coming from those in their 70s and 80s. A significant majority of deaths from the virus in various states come from those living in nursing home facilities.
“We have seen recent polling that has the vice president running 15 percentage points better with seniors than Democrats did in 2016,” Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a press conference in May.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Former Bernie Sanders campaign co-chairwoman likens voting for Biden to eating 'bowl of s---'

The Democratic primary race for president may have ended in March , but bitter words are still festering among some members of the Bernie Sanders campaign .
Speaking to the Atlantic on Monday , former co-chairwoman of Sanders 's 2020 White House campaign Nina Turner used a harsh image to describe how she feels about having former Vice President Joe Biden 's as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
“ It ’ s like saying to somebody , ‘ You have a bowl of shit in front of you , and all you ’ ve got to do is eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing.
’ It ’ s still shit , ” Turner said .
The former Ohio state senator and longtime Sanders supporter was one of the Vermont senator 's most outspoken allies during his recent bid for the White House .
Turner 's strong words could potentially signal waning support among Sanders voters who might be unwilling to turn out at the polls for Biden .
Although polling data shows Biden with a firm lead over President Trump in several battleground states , some liberals have criticized the former vice president 's campaign for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address many of the top issues for Sanders voters , including `` Medicare for All '' and erasing student debt .

The Democratic primary race for president may have ended in March, but bitter words are still festering among some members of the Bernie Sanders campaign.
Speaking to the Atlantic on Monday, former co-chairwoman of Sanders's 2020 White House campaign Nina Turner used a harsh image to describe how she feels about having former Vice President Joe Biden's as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
“It’s like saying to somebody, ‘You have a bowl of shit in front of you, and all you’ve got to do is eat half of it instead of the whole thing.’ It’s still shit,” Turner said.
The former Ohio state senator and longtime Sanders supporter was one of the Vermont senator's most outspoken allies during his recent bid for the White House.
Turner's strong words could potentially signal waning support among Sanders voters who might be unwilling to turn out at the polls for Biden. Although polling data shows Biden with a firm lead over President Trump in several battleground states, some liberals have criticized the former vice president's campaign for its centrist-leaning policy initiatives that fail to address many of the top issues for Sanders voters, including "Medicare for All" and erasing student debt.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--George Soros contributes record $50M to back 2020 Democratic efforts

Liberal billionaire George Soros is breaking his own record by pouring more than $ 50 million into Democratic campaigns and causes just months before the November election .
Soros , an advocate with deep pockets for liberal causes , doled out $ 48 million total through his political action committee , Democracy PAC , which was created last year .
An additional $ 4 million was given directly to Democratic campaigns and committees .
His spending is already more than double than the amount he committed to in the 2016 election cycle , the Washington Free Beacon reported Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ money from Democracy PAC include groups seeking to keep Democratic control of the House , Planned Parenthood , and various Senate campaigns .
In the wake of recent racial tensions that escalated after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody , Soros pledged an additional $ 220 million to various organizations dedicated to advancing racial progress .
Soros , 89 , has been a major critic of President Trump and said at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , this year that the `` fate of the world '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Hungarian-American financier has become known as a polarizing and controversial figure over the years , particularly for conservatives .
Soros is often the subject of various conspiracy theories because of his large donations .
Since Trump 's victory , false claims that he is the mastermind behind violent protests across the country have continued to circulate and resurfaced in recent months throughout national unrest .

Liberal billionaire George Soros is breaking his own record by pouring more than $50 million into Democratic campaigns and causes just months before the November election.
Soros, an advocate with deep pockets for liberal causes, doled out $48 million total through his political action committee, Democracy PAC, which was created last year. An additional $4 million was given directly to Democratic campaigns and committees.
His spending is already more than double than the amount he committed to in the 2016 election cycle, the Washington Free Beacon reported Monday.
Federal data shows that the organizations receiving money from Democracy PAC include groups seeking to keep Democratic control of the House, Planned Parenthood, and various Senate campaigns.
In the wake of recent racial tensions that escalated after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, Soros pledged an additional $220 million to various organizations dedicated to advancing racial progress.
Soros, 89, has been a major critic of President Trump and said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this year that the "fate of the world" is at stake in the 2020 election.
[Read more: George Soros: Trump’s self-destruction 'exceeded my wildest expectations']
The Hungarian-American financier has become known as a polarizing and controversial figure over the years, particularly for conservatives. Soros is often the subject of various conspiracy theories because of his large donations. Since Trump's victory, false claims that he is the mastermind behind violent protests across the country have continued to circulate and resurfaced in recent months throughout national unrest.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Democratic outside groups outspending GOP rivals

With 99 days to go before the election , the largest super PAC supporting President Trump is falling behind its Democratic counterparts in terms of spending .
Two of the Joe Biden-backing super PACS with the most funds , Priorities USA and American Bridge , have bought $ 54.1 million in future ad buys , over a third more than America First 's $ 33.6 million buy .
A third , smaller pro-Democratic super PAC , Future Forward , purchased $ 19 million in television ads .
Those ads are set to play in swing states such as Arizona , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite an early advantage from Trump , which has resulted in $ 70 million worth of television ads from America First already spent across the country , Biden backers are close to surpassing that number by the end of the summer .
Much of that lack of ad-spending comes from an ever-shrinking pro-Trump donor base , with many wealthy supporters of the president expressing concern about current polls forecasting a landslide victory for Biden .
Much of the money used to buy ad space has come from a handful of individual donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last month , for example , almost half of the $ 2 million raised by America First , came from real estate tycoon Geoffrey Palmer .
Earlier in July , the pro-Trump group announced a $ 23 million ad blitz in North Carolina , Arizona , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin to counter the attacks on the president from the Democratic PACs .
The fundraiser woes for Trump do n't end there .
In the month of June , Biden and the Democratic Party outraised Trump for the second month in a row , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to $ 131 for the GOP .

With 99 days to go before the election, the largest super PAC supporting President Trump is falling behind its Democratic counterparts in terms of spending.
Two of the Joe Biden-backing super PACS with the most funds, Priorities USA and American Bridge, have bought $54.1 million in future ad buys, over a third more than America First's $33.6 million buy. A third, smaller pro-Democratic super PAC, Future Forward, purchased $19 million in television ads.
Those ads are set to play in swing states such as Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Despite an early advantage from Trump, which has resulted in $70 million worth of television ads from America First already spent across the country, Biden backers are close to surpassing that number by the end of the summer.
Much of that lack of ad-spending comes from an ever-shrinking pro-Trump donor base, with many wealthy supporters of the president expressing concern about current polls forecasting a landslide victory for Biden. Much of the money used to buy ad space has come from a handful of individual donors, rather than a grassroots army. Last month, for example, almost half of the $2 million raised by America First, came from real estate tycoon Geoffrey Palmer.
Earlier in July, the pro-Trump group announced a $23 million ad blitz in North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to counter the attacks on the president from the Democratic PACs.
The fundraiser woes for Trump don't end there. In the month of June, Biden and the Democratic Party outraised Trump for the second month in a row, bringing in a whopping $141 million compared to $131 for the GOP.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Biden struggling to find the perfect running mate pick

Joe Biden is struggling to choose the perfect vice president , a possible side effect of his pledge to choose a woman to be his running mate .
Biden ’ s pledge to pick a woman , which he announced during the last Democratic primary debate , was important for him to cement support in the last weeks before Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race .
And it 's a signal that he will serve as a bridge to the “ old ” Democratic Party and its rising stars .
Unnamed sources close to Biden told Politico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choosing a woman to fit the bill — someone who is loyal , knowledgeable about foreign policy , can handle the national spotlight , and can be a symbol of the next generation of Democrats .
`` He 's not kidding when he says , ' I really want someone I 'm simpatico with , ' someone he can trust , '' one person said .
`` His experience with Obama was one of genuine closeness and trust . ''
The former vice president often said that he could think of many women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But by limiting the selection to only one gender , he limited his pool of options and ability to choose a running mate confidently that can fulfill the role in the way he wants : being a close confidant who will defer to him on setting a tone and strategy for his policy agenda , as he did to President Barack Obama .
“ There is no one ideal , home run choice , ” one person who has consulted with the Biden campaign about running mates told Politico .
The pledge rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a good vice presidential pick , such as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker , former Housing Secretary Julian Castro , and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown , as well as energizing picks such as former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg on whom Biden has heaped high praise .
With the rise of Black Lives Matter protests , Biden has increased pressure to choose a black woman to be his running mate , whereas he may have been able to choose a black man as his pick with little pushback had he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of Biden ’ s reported favorite contenders for vice president have removed themselves from the running , further limiting his options : Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
California Sen. Kamala Harris has long been the favorite and obvious choice to balance out Biden ’ s ticket , but her sharp debate attack on Biden for working with segregationist senators to oppose federally mandated busing in the 1970s is causing some to question her loyalty .
According to a Biden donor who spoke with Politico , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dodd asked Harris about the attack , she laughed and said , “ That ’ s politics.
” The reaction reportedly made Dodd concerned that Harris would focus more on her own political career than on being loyal to Biden and made him push California Rep. Karen Bass as a possibility .
Bass , who heads the Congressional Black Caucus , has her own drawbacks : no statewide elected experience and little foreign policy experience .
Former U.N .
Ambassador Susan Rice has the most foreign policy experience of any of the picks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has never sought elected office and comes with her own baggage from being part of the Obama administration .
Strategists indicated that Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on better terms with Biden than some may think , despite their disagreement on a 2005 bankruptcy bill .
But the main argument for her is that she could cement party unity , and Biden is having little trouble bringing the wings of the Democratic Party together .
The importance to Biden of picking someone he gets along with well could mean that a little-discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as Rhode Island Gov .
Gina Raimondo .
“ I don ’ t think there is an obvious front-runner , ” one Biden ally said .
“ And that ’ s why it is going to come down to trust and relationships .
”

Joe Biden is struggling to choose the perfect vice president, a possible side effect of his pledge to choose a woman to be his running mate.
Biden’s pledge to pick a woman, which he announced during the last Democratic primary debate, was important for him to cement support in the last weeks before Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race. And it's a signal that he will serve as a bridge to the “old” Democratic Party and its rising stars.
Unnamed sources close to Biden told Politico that the Democratic nominee is having trouble choosing a woman to fit the bill — someone who is loyal, knowledgeable about foreign policy, can handle the national spotlight, and can be a symbol of the next generation of Democrats.
"He's not kidding when he says, 'I really want someone I'm simpatico with,' someone he can trust," one person said. "His experience with Obama was one of genuine closeness and trust."
The former vice president often said that he could think of many women who were capable of being president. But by limiting the selection to only one gender, he limited his pool of options and ability to choose a running mate confidently that can fulfill the role in the way he wants: being a close confidant who will defer to him on setting a tone and strategy for his policy agenda, as he did to President Barack Obama.
“There is no one ideal, home run choice,” one person who has consulted with the Biden campaign about running mates told Politico.
The pledge rules out individuals who pundits commonly theorized would make a good vice presidential pick, such as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, as well as energizing picks such as former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg on whom Biden has heaped high praise.
With the rise of Black Lives Matter protests, Biden has increased pressure to choose a black woman to be his running mate, whereas he may have been able to choose a black man as his pick with little pushback had he not already committed to choosing a woman.
Some of Biden’s reported favorite contenders for vice president have removed themselves from the running, further limiting his options: Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
California Sen. Kamala Harris has long been the favorite and obvious choice to balance out Biden’s ticket, but her sharp debate attack on Biden for working with segregationist senators to oppose federally mandated busing in the 1970s is causing some to question her loyalty.
According to a Biden donor who spoke with Politico, when Biden vice presidential search committee member Chris Dodd asked Harris about the attack, she laughed and said, “That’s politics.” The reaction reportedly made Dodd concerned that Harris would focus more on her own political career than on being loyal to Biden and made him push California Rep. Karen Bass as a possibility.
Bass, who heads the Congressional Black Caucus, has her own drawbacks: no statewide elected experience and little foreign policy experience.
Former U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has the most foreign policy experience of any of the picks and is close to Biden, but she has never sought elected office and comes with her own baggage from being part of the Obama administration.
Strategists indicated that Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on better terms with Biden than some may think, despite their disagreement on a 2005 bankruptcy bill. But the main argument for her is that she could cement party unity, and Biden is having little trouble bringing the wings of the Democratic Party together.
The importance to Biden of picking someone he gets along with well could mean that a little-discussed dark horse candidate could earn the nod, such as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.
“I don’t think there is an obvious front-runner,” one Biden ally said. “And that’s why it is going to come down to trust and relationships.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan may vote for Biden

Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan is leaving open the possibility of crossing party lines this November to vote for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden over President Trump .
`` Like everybody else , I get to go into the voting booth and pull the lever for the person that I think is going to do the best job .
And we ’ re going to figure that out in the next 100 days , '' the Republican chief executive said Monday in an interview with conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt .
`` I ’ m going to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America . ''
Hogan is a Trump critic who weighed a 2020 campaign to challenge the president 's renomination in the GOP presidential primary .
The governor opted against , concluding there was little appetite for his brand of centrism inside the Republican Party and no path to victory .
Despite Hogan 's longstanding differences with Trump , which have extended to the president 's handling of the coronavirus , Hewitt expressed surprise that the Marylander might not support the GOP ticket in the upcoming election .
`` You know , every Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say I ’ m with the ticket , '' Hewitt said .
`` Now you ’ ve been a Reagan conservative since ’ 76 .
You ’ re not going to vote for Donald Trump over Joe Biden ?
That ’ s not easy to answer ? ''
Hogan said it was not , recalling that he opposed Trump in the general election four years ago .
`` I mean , there ’ s , there are other choices , '' the governor said .
`` I didn ’ t make that choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump the first time .
I did a write-in for my dad , who I had a lot of respect for , and who we could probably touch on with your Nixon background there .
But you know , it ’ s , it ’ s not a black or white decision . ''
Hogan 's father , who died in 2017 , served in Congress during Watergate and was one of the first Republicans to break with President Richard Nixon during that scandal .
Hogan , who has not ruled out running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's program to promote his new book , Still Standing .

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is leaving open the possibility of crossing party lines this November to vote for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden over President Trump.
"Like everybody else, I get to go into the voting booth and pull the lever for the person that I think is going to do the best job. And we’re going to figure that out in the next 100 days," the Republican chief executive said Monday in an interview with conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt. "I’m going to try to make that decision like everybody else in America."
Hogan is a Trump critic who weighed a 2020 campaign to challenge the president's renomination in the GOP presidential primary.
The governor opted against, concluding there was little appetite for his brand of centrism inside the Republican Party and no path to victory. Despite Hogan's longstanding differences with Trump, which have extended to the president's handling of the coronavirus, Hewitt expressed surprise that the Marylander might not support the GOP ticket in the upcoming election.
"You know, every Republican governor out there, I expect to say I’m with the ticket," Hewitt said. "Now you’ve been a Reagan conservative since ’76. You’re not going to vote for Donald Trump over Joe Biden? That’s not easy to answer?"
Hogan said it was not, recalling that he opposed Trump in the general election four years ago.
"I mean, there’s, there are other choices," the governor said. "I didn’t make that choice between Hillary [Clinton] and Donald Trump the first time. I did a write-in for my dad, who I had a lot of respect for, and who we could probably touch on with your Nixon background there. But you know, it’s, it’s not a black or white decision."
Hogan's father, who died in 2017, served in Congress during Watergate and was one of the first Republicans to break with President Richard Nixon during that scandal. Hogan, who has not ruled out running for president in 2024, joined Hewitt's program to promote his new book, Still Standing.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--'Don't be hidin' out, bring Joe Biden out': Awkward lyrics in Kristin Chenoweth 'Popular' parody at

'Don't be hidin' out, bring Joe Biden out': Awkward lyrics in Kristin Chenoweth 'Popular' parody at Biden fundraiser

Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth performed a parody of `` Popular '' from the hit musical Wicked at a Joe Biden virtual fundraiser with some awkward lyrics that subtly criticized the candidate for `` hidin ' out '' and questioned whether he would be popular enough with young voters to win the presidency .
Chenoweth , who played the good witch , Glinda , in the original Broadway production of the musical , joined a star-studded Sunday grassroots fundraiser along with other celebrities , such as Barbra Streisand , Jay Leno , Adam Lambert , and John Legend , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Broadway star 's `` Popular '' parody , which originally appears in the Wicked musical during a point in which her character tried to give a makeover to wicked witch Elphaba , jokingly nudged the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate to dye his hair and make other changes in order to be popular in the 2020 election .
Some of the playful lines , though , may have hit too close to home for the Biden campaign 's comfort .
`` Do n't be hidin ' out , bring Joe Biden out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a reference to Biden being confined to his Delaware basement throughout the coronavirus lockdown and his reluctance to sit for tough one-on-one media interviews .
Some Democrats , such as former Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe , think that Biden 's basement strategy should continue , citing increasing poll numbers .
At another point , Chenoweth questioned whether Biden , a former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator , is appealing enough to win the votes of younger voters : `` And just as you tell the truth , will that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decent man you were — well , are — I 'm gon na guide you to becoming popular . ''
A portion of lyrics from Chenoweth 's performance , transcribed from a video posted by Deadline reporter Ted Johnson , is posted below : '' Oh , I 'll tell you what ties to wear Maybe dye your hair Everything that really counts to be Popular You 're going to be popular You see , I 'm adorable I 'm deplorable Well Joe , you could be that too Be like me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red states blue Joe , I hear folks with blue collars trust you to increase their dollars As you 've always done on their behalf But think of certain current heads of state who think they 're great communicators Do they have brains , heart , or courage ?
Do n't make me laugh They 're just popular Joe , I know about popular And just as you tell the truth Will that win the youth ?
And though a decent man you were — well , are — I 'm gon na @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hidin ' out Bring Joe Biden out And very popular you 'll be Just not quite as popular as Jill , or Michelle , or me . ''

Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth performed a parody of "Popular" from the hit musical Wicked at a Joe Biden virtual fundraiser with some awkward lyrics that subtly criticized the candidate for "hidin' out" and questioned whether he would be popular enough with young voters to win the presidency.
Chenoweth, who played the good witch, Glinda, in the original Broadway production of the musical, joined a star-studded Sunday grassroots fundraiser along with other celebrities, such as Barbra Streisand, Jay Leno, Adam Lambert, and John Legend, to mark 100 days until the November election.
The Broadway star's "Popular" parody, which originally appears in the Wicked musical during a point in which her character tried to give a makeover to wicked witch Elphaba, jokingly nudged the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate to dye his hair and make other changes in order to be popular in the 2020 election.
Some of the playful lines, though, may have hit too close to home for the Biden campaign's comfort.
"Don't be hidin' out, bring Joe Biden out," Chenoweth sang at one point, a reference to Biden being confined to his Delaware basement throughout the coronavirus lockdown and his reluctance to sit for tough one-on-one media interviews. Some Democrats, such as former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, think that Biden's basement strategy should continue, citing increasing poll numbers.
At another point, Chenoweth questioned whether Biden, a former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator, is appealing enough to win the votes of younger voters: "And just as you tell the truth, will that win the youth? And though a decent man you were — well, are — I'm gonna guide you to becoming popular."
Kristin Chenoweth preforming another original song — I think it is called Popular — with some biting lyrics. pic.twitter.com/FWS61poJbZ — Ted Johnson (@tedstew) July 27, 2020
A portion of lyrics from Chenoweth's performance, transcribed from a video posted by Deadline reporter Ted Johnson, is posted below:
"Oh, I'll tell you what ties to wear
Maybe dye your hair
Everything that really counts to be
Popular
You're going to be popular
You see, I'm adorable
I'm deplorable
Well Joe, you could be that too
Be like me, and let's turn all of those red states blue
Joe, I hear folks with blue collars trust you to increase their dollars
As you've always done on their behalf
But think of certain current heads of state who think they're great communicators
Do they have brains, heart, or courage?
Don't make me laugh
They're just popular
Joe, I know about popular
And just as you tell the truth
Will that win the youth?
And though a decent man you were — well, are —
I'm gonna guide you to becoming popular
La, La, La, la, la
Don't be hidin' out
Bring Joe Biden out
And very popular you'll be
Just not quite as popular as Jill, or Michelle, or me."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-27--A few GOP dissidents ready to let Biden win and look ahead to 2024

President Trump is down in the polls .
The Republican National Convention is mostly canceled .
And now , some Republicans are contemplating the unthinkable : Would they be better off losing in November and rebuilding for 2024 ?
“ The thought is starting to cross people ’ s minds , ” said a Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly .
“ One way or the other , there will be life after Trump.
” This remains a small minority position among Republicans .
Trump ’ s popularity with rank-and-file party members endures .
Even a recent Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump showed 73 % of his supporters were happy with their choices , compared to 62 % of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s .
But Trump has never been particularly strong with the GOP ’ s governing and consultant class , dating back to 2016 , and his relationship with them has waxed and waned with his political fortunes .
The theory is that if Trump is defeated , Democrats led by an aging and diminished Biden will pursue an unpopular left-wing political agenda and inherit the pandemic , economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would likely recover in the midterm elections in 2022 , possibly regaining a chamber or two of Congress .
This could put the party in a strong position to turn the page on Trump in 2024 .
This is roughly how it played out for the GOP in the midterm elections of 1994 , 2010 , and 2014 in response to the Democratic presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama .
But they failed to defeat Clinton and Obama for reelection , so both Democrats served eight years despite their party 's down-ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two liberals on the Supreme Court , though the Senate GOP blocked a third .
Clinton won a tax increase Republicans later partially repealed , a crime bill with a since-expired assault weapons ban , and also added two liberals to the Supreme Court .
Even so , his welfare reform , a capital gains tax cut , and the balanced budget were more to Republicans ’ liking .
The Clinton healthcare bill was defeated before Republicans won their first House majority in 40 years .
If Biden wins , the question would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two additional liberal justices would happen before the next GOP electoral triumph .
“ The argument is basically whether the country could withstand the Left 's agenda for two years , especially if Schumer gets rid of the filibuster , if Biden wins , and the Senate goes down , ” said a second Republican strategist .
“ Versus , can we wait another four years for the party to start to recover from Trump.
” One fear Republicans had of Trump ’ s 2016 candidacy was that he would reduce the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote to something approximating its frequently single-digit percentage of the black vote .
While Trump receives poor marks in most polls for his handling of race relations , that hasn ’ t happened .
Trump slightly improved on Mitt Romney ’ s 2012 performance with minority voters , and Republican candidates continued to win between a quarter and a third of Latinos , even in the otherwise disappointing 2018 midterm elections .
But Republicans have taken a beating with college-educated , suburban white voters , once a reliable GOP constituency , since Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That was more than offset in 2016 by gains among working-class white voters , who were better distributed in the states needed for an Electoral College majority , yet not in 2018 nor the polls so far in 2020 .
If the Rust Belt turns blue again , Trump would be a one-term president , and some party operatives would view that single term as a Pyrrhic victory .
Some are skeptical the party can quickly recover under either scenario .
“ Just how do eunuchs grow back their balls ?
” asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump critic .
“ No , this will be a post-Watergate-scale wipeout of the formerly Grand Old Party.
” Congressional Republicans and possible 2024 contenders are already regardless .
“ The handful of Louie Gohmerts and Jim Jordans of the party are always complaining at the mics about something when conference meets , so this week was no surprise , ” said strategist Rory Cooper , a former communications director for then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor .
“ Certainly when and if Trump loses , they will want to reassert their typical antagonism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governing philosophy , which has been temporarily displaced by defending anything Trump says or does.
” Still , the overwhelming majority of Republicans support Trump , and neither the campaign nor the candidate have given up .
The president resumed regular coronavirus briefings , celebrated the return of baseball on the White House lawn , and raised $ 20 million in a virtual fundraiser this week .

President Trump is down in the polls. The Republican National Convention is mostly canceled. And now, some Republicans are contemplating the unthinkable: Would they be better off losing in November and rebuilding for 2024?
“The thought is starting to cross people’s minds,” said a Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly. “One way or the other, there will be life after Trump.”
This remains a small minority position among Republicans. Trump’s popularity with rank-and-file party members endures. Even a recent Fox News poll that contained mostly bad news for Trump showed 73% of his supporters were happy with their choices, compared to 62% of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s. But Trump has never been particularly strong with the GOP’s governing and consultant class, dating back to 2016, and his relationship with them has waxed and waned with his political fortunes.
The theory is that if Trump is defeated, Democrats led by an aging and diminished Biden will pursue an unpopular left-wing political agenda and inherit the pandemic, economic downturn, and civil unrest. Republicans would likely recover in the midterm elections in 2022, possibly regaining a chamber or two of Congress. This could put the party in a strong position to turn the page on Trump in 2024.
This is roughly how it played out for the GOP in the midterm elections of 1994, 2010, and 2014 in response to the Democratic presidencies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. But they failed to defeat Clinton and Obama for reelection, so both Democrats served eight years despite their party's down-ballot losses.
Obama secured Obamacare and put two liberals on the Supreme Court, though the Senate GOP blocked a third. Clinton won a tax increase Republicans later partially repealed, a crime bill with a since-expired assault weapons ban, and also added two liberals to the Supreme Court. Even so, his welfare reform, a capital gains tax cut, and the balanced budget were more to Republicans’ liking. The Clinton healthcare bill was defeated before Republicans won their first House majority in 40 years. If Biden wins, the question would be whether something like Medicare for All or two additional liberal justices would happen before the next GOP electoral triumph.
“The argument is basically whether the country could withstand the Left's agenda for two years, especially if Schumer gets rid of the filibuster, if Biden wins, and the Senate goes down,” said a second Republican strategist. “Versus, can we wait another four years for the party to start to recover from Trump.”
One fear Republicans had of Trump’s 2016 candidacy was that he would reduce the party’s share of the Hispanic vote to something approximating its frequently single-digit percentage of the black vote. While Trump receives poor marks in most polls for his handling of race relations, that hasn’t happened. Trump slightly improved on Mitt Romney’s 2012 performance with minority voters, and Republican candidates continued to win between a quarter and a third of Latinos, even in the otherwise disappointing 2018 midterm elections.
But Republicans have taken a beating with college-educated, suburban white voters, once a reliable GOP constituency, since Trump became the face of the party. That was more than offset in 2016 by gains among working-class white voters, who were better distributed in the states needed for an Electoral College majority, yet not in 2018 nor the polls so far in 2020. If the Rust Belt turns blue again, Trump would be a one-term president, and some party operatives would view that single term as a Pyrrhic victory.
Some are skeptical the party can quickly recover under either scenario. “Just how do eunuchs grow back their balls?” asked Republican strategist Rick Tyler, a frequent Trump critic. “No, this will be a post-Watergate-scale wipeout of the formerly Grand Old Party.”
Congressional Republicans and possible 2024 contenders are already jockeying for position regardless. “The handful of Louie Gohmerts and Jim Jordans of the party are always complaining at the mics about something when conference meets, so this week was no surprise,” said strategist Rory Cooper, a former communications director for then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. “Certainly when and if Trump loses, they will want to reassert their typical antagonism of leadership because that sums up their governing philosophy, which has been temporarily displaced by defending anything Trump says or does.”
Still, the overwhelming majority of Republicans support Trump, and neither the campaign nor the candidate have given up. The president resumed regular coronavirus briefings, celebrated the return of baseball on the White House lawn, and raised $20 million in a virtual fundraiser this week.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-28--Trump doubles Biden in Spanish-language advertising

President Trump has spent $ 2.4 million to advertise on Spanish-language television over the past month as part of a comprehensive campaign to woo Hispanic voters in Arizona , Florida , and Pennsylvania .
The spending is double that of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden , who has devoted $ 1.2 million to advertise on Spanish-language television in Arizona and Florida since June 19 .
Since June 26 , the Trump campaign has invested $ 587,000 in Arizona , $ 1.8 million in Florida , and $ 10,000 in Pennsylvania to run a series of different spots targeting Hispanic voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump won 28 % of the Hispanic voters , compared to 66 % for Democrat Hillary Clinton , according to exit polls , continuing the GOP ’ s trend of underperforming with this demographic in presidential elections .
Biden is on track for another big win , polls show .
But some recent surveys suggest the former vice president could fall short of recent Democratic nominees , a vulnerability the Trump campaign is hoping to exploit through an aggressive media campaign and its Latinos for Trump coalition .
To reach different segments of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has run at least nine different Spanish-language ads and two radio spots .
Simultaneously , Trump ’ s team continues to build an army of Hispanic volunteers to target voters in their community while using its vast field team and data analytics operation generally to identify , persuade , and turn out Hispanic voters .
“ While Biden is focused on winning over American socialists , appeasing Latin American dictators , and taking the Latino vote for granted , President Trump will continue to build on his record of success , ” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal Biden supporters are concerned the former vice president is not putting enough resources into turning out this crucial community .
The Biden campaign said nothing could be further from the truth .
Citing one example of its commitment , an official explained that the campaign is tailoring Spanish-language advertising such that spots airing in Arizona have a Mexican accent , ads airing in Miami have a Cuban accent , and those airing in Tampa are spoken with a Puerto Rican accent .
“ We know that Latinos can be the difference-makers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Cristobal Alex said .
“ The campaign is not taking any Latino voter for granted.
” The Spanish-language advertising expenditures by the Biden and Trump campaigns were provided by Medium Buying , a firm that tracks political advertising .

President Trump has spent $2.4 million to advertise on Spanish-language television over the past month as part of a comprehensive campaign to woo Hispanic voters in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
The spending is double that of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who has devoted $1.2 million to advertise on Spanish-language television in Arizona and Florida since June 19.
Since June 26, the Trump campaign has invested $587,000 in Arizona, $1.8 million in Florida, and $10,000 in Pennsylvania to run a series of different spots targeting Hispanic voters on Spanish-language television.
In 2016, Trump won 28% of the Hispanic voters, compared to 66% for Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls, continuing the GOP’s trend of underperforming with this demographic in presidential elections. Biden is on track for another big win, polls show. But some recent surveys suggest the former vice president could fall short of recent Democratic nominees, a vulnerability the Trump campaign is hoping to exploit through an aggressive media campaign and its Latinos for Trump coalition.
To reach different segments of the Hispanic population, the Trump campaign has run at least nine different Spanish-language ads and two radio spots. Simultaneously, Trump’s team continues to build an army of Hispanic volunteers to target voters in their community while using its vast field team and data analytics operation generally to identify, persuade, and turn out Hispanic voters.
“While Biden is focused on winning over American socialists, appeasing Latin American dictators, and taking the Latino vote for granted, President Trump will continue to build on his record of success,” Trump campaign spokesman Ken Farnaso said.
Some liberal Biden supporters are concerned the former vice president is not putting enough resources into turning out this crucial community. The Biden campaign said nothing could be further from the truth. Citing one example of its commitment, an official explained that the campaign is tailoring Spanish-language advertising such that spots airing in Arizona have a Mexican accent, ads airing in Miami have a Cuban accent, and those airing in Tampa are spoken with a Puerto Rican accent.
“We know that Latinos can be the difference-makers in this upcoming election,” Biden campaign spokesman Cristobal Alex said. “The campaign is not taking any Latino voter for granted.”
The Spanish-language advertising expenditures by the Biden and Trump campaigns were provided by Medium Buying, a firm that tracks political advertising.