“I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.”
- Woodrow Wilson
YOU’VE GOT BAIL: Hillary Clinton and her team dodged a bullet (more like a nuclear bomb) after FBI Director James Comey concluded that the agency will not recommend criminal charges against Clinton or any of her aides over the use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State. Comey’s slap on the wrist had a stern sting to it though - as he further characterized her practices as “extremely careless” but lacking clear evidence of an intent to violate the law. The release comes just in the nick of time as speculation about Clinton’s meeting with the FBI over the weekend, along with the stir created by the ill-conceived appearance of her husband and Attorney General Lynch were reaching new heights. Clinton now hopes that the remnants of the controversy fade quickly, so she can refocus on rebuilding her image - we think the Republicans won’t give her that chance.
TAR HEEL TAKEDOWN: Clinton hit the trail with President Obama to tackle the Tar Heel state while Donald Trump and Senator Bob Corker (TN) tried their own hand just hours away. Clinton and Obama touted their friendship, focusing on why she’s the right leader for the job, while hitting on Trump’s obsession with Twitter. Trump bashed Clinton for her email controversy, and rigging the system (of course). Trump rallies on the idea that if Clinton is elected, it will be a continuation of Obama’s presidency - maybe so, but Clinton believes that with the help of the president, she can rouse voters and build her own legacy. Top aides believe NC - which Mitt Romney won in 2012 - is the biggest must-win for Trump - and will be on everybody’s mind until November 8.
GUNS, RYAN AND DEMS: Though House Democrats put a lot of work into forcing a vote on guns in the coming week, the actual thrust of the legislation remains a sticking point. Democrats believe the Republican proposal does not take sufficiently strong enough action to thwart terrorism, warning that renewed protests are possible later this week. Remember, we have just eight legislative days until a very loooong summer recess. Better get moving.
THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Trump thinks so, as he will head to the Hill later this week to address rank-and-file House and Senate Republicans for the third time in recent weeks. In the past, we’ve seen Trump push his own agenda and philosophies, but could this time be different? Republican’s hope Trump’s plan is to listen given that we’re less than two weeks away from the convention and there remains scant unity between the standard bearer and practically everyone else in the party. He faces an uphill battle though as many Republicans, particularly those who face tough reelection fights, plan to skip the meeting this week and will be as far away from Cleveland as possible.
HEALTHY PLATFORM: July is finally here, which means both parties are in the throes of finalizing their agendas for the upcoming conventions. Democrats are calling for a public health insurance option while their platform committee plans to wrap up the full agenda for the big blue party by the end of this week. Notch a victory for Bernie Sanders (remember him?) as the inclusion of the language was one of the centerpieces of his “Medicare for all” campaign. Looks like remaining in the race paid off…for him.
TWITTER THUMPS TRUMP: Trump simply cannot get out of his own way, this time sparking a major backlash on his favorite media outlet and taking the Clinton email story off the front pages. Trump claims that an image he tweeted depicting Clinton alongside a Star of David and a pile of money wasn’t anti-Semitic. Whether he likes it or not, he has offended nearly every race, religion and culture, and continues to give Clinton and her surrogates easy fodder to attack him. He may be a loose cannon in front of the cameras, but his unforced errors on social media should be easy to prevent. He must know that the impact of images like these is immediate and consequential, and that the originals will continue to circulate, even if he deletes them.