July 05, 2016

No Charges For Hillary Clinton In FBI Email Inquiry | Trump Doubles Down On Star Tweet

July 05, 2016/ Anne Enke

FBI recommends no criminal charges in Clinton email probe The Washington Post

FBI Director James B. Comey said Tuesday that his agency will not recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server as secretary of state but called Clinton and her staff “extremely careless” in handling sensitive material.

The announcement means that Clinton will not have to fear criminal, legal liability as her campaign moves forward, though Comey leveled sharp criticism at the past email practices of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and called into question many of the defenses she has raised in recent weeks.

The FBI director said those who acted as Clinton and her staffers did were “often subject to security or administrative sanctions,” though in comparing her case with similar investigations in the past, the bureau did not find any of the aggravating factors that typically lead to the filing of criminal charges.

Sanders: Democratic Party Platform Doesn't Go Far Enough

As expected, Bernie Sanders says the language currently in the Democratic platform around the TPP - saying that the party is split around this issue - is not satisfactory for Sanders, who is demanding an outright rejection of President Obama's trade deal. Obama has said "no way", which is why the Hillary Clinton delegates voted for the 'compromise' language. Bernie's op ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer says this is not negotiable on his end -- the Democratic platform must reject it. Bernie also wants even stronger language around the $15/hr wage.

Related: Bernie Sanders just won a string of concessions from the Democratic party VOX

HERE IS THE DRAFT OF THE 2016 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

Bernie made good progress on the goal of a $15 minimum wage and lost on TPP and fracking. There is an accommodation on TPP with the statement that the party holds multiple views. Platform says health care for all is a right, medicare should be expanded to states not currently offering it, and a public option for health care should be explored. Note, we've published several articles hows how to get to universal health care through the current system without a big fight and with a government-sponsored public option that will be cheaper than the insurance companies. Most pundits believe that over time, the govt will win.

Entire platform pdf is below.

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/dnc_platform.pdf

Clinton's Massive June Fundraising Haul: Nearly $70 Million Politico

Hey Berners.It's not $27 but $48 is the average contribution in Hillary's campaign to date, boosted by a whopping $70 millon haul in June. Of that total $40.5 million went to Hillary's campaign and $28 million went to the DNC. To date, Hillary has raised $90 million for down ballot Democrats.

"Our first month of general election fundraising proved to be the best of the campaign," campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. "Thanks to the continued support of nearly 1.6 million people, we have been able to help Democrats build out an organizing infrastructure across the country that will mobilize millions of voters and help elect progressive candidates up and down the ballot."

Potential Clinton VP Perez still supports trade deal Politico

Labor Secretary Tom Perez refuses to abandon his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade deal opposed by Hillary Clinton. Will this position invalidate him for serious consideration as a VP candidate? Or does his expertise on labor issues and trade help him become an explainer in chief for Democrats.

The Democratic Party is deeply divided over TPP, with President Barack Obama and many congressional leaders supporting the agreement and both Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders opposing it. Still, it seems insane that America would quit trading and exporting, which often sound like the position of Bernie Sanders.

Perez said the TP trade deal does more to protect American workers and the middle class than any prior deal and he's happy to take credit for his achievements.

"Absolutely," Perez said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday when asked whether he supports the trade deal. "Absolutely what we have done in the negotiations with Mexico and with Vietnam are I think some of the most far-reaching protections that we've seen in a labor agreement. And that's the work that I have done and I'm proud of that work we've done."'

Related and Just IN!: An Open Letter to Jared Kushner, From One of Your Jewish Employees The Observer

Note: Dana Schwartz is an entertainment reporter at The Observer, a New York media outlet owned by Donald Trump's son-in-law and Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner.

Donald Trump and the Jews, explained VOX

Donald Trump set the Internet on fire Saturday, Tweeting a meme accusing Hillary Clinton of being “the most corrupt candidate ever.” A typically Trump Tweet, the post would have gone largely ignored except for its graphic design: It featured a Star of David superimposed on a bed of money.

Further sleuthing by MIC's Anthony Smith traced the meme to the 8Chan forum /pol/, a known hotbed of “alt-right” internet activism and a flourishing culture of overt racism and anti-Semitism. The original author is believed to have previously Tweeted an image of a swastika made from Hillary Clinton heads.

As of Tuesday July 6, 2016 the Trump campaign insists that the visual is a sheriff's badge and has no connection to Israel of the Jewish people.

Can Hillary Overcome Her Trust Problem? The Washington Post

I'm getting exhausted with this entire topic of Hillary's trust problem, frankly. I've probably heard the media narrative over 40 times today alone.

But the comments about Joe Biden campaigning for Hillary are noteworthy, especially because he's dropped more than one flip comment about her candidacy.

"Biden, in an NPR interview Sunday, said a goal in campaigning for Clinton was to “vouch” for her. The two will appear together Friday in Scranton, Pa., which is Biden’s beloved home town and also where Clinton’s father grew up. Her story of the family lace factory there is a staple of her stump speech.

“The hardest thing is vouching. When you vouch for them you say ‘I’m putting my reputation on the line. I believe this person is a good person, has character,” Biden said in the interview for NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” “You’re putting your rep on the line. You’re saying, ‘I think this person has character,’ and that’s what I’m prepared to do for Hillary.”

Hillary Clinton Headlines July 5, 2016

Can Bernie Sanders Take Yes For An Answer? by David Corn Mother Jones

Republican women organize to support Clinton CNN

Clinton to play Atlantic City card against Trump at campaign stop Politico

Trump blasts NBC's 'Meet the Press' The Hill

Eric Trump: Biased media the worst part of society The Hill

Sanders' Supporters Can't Quite Say Goodbye LA Times

Major GOP donor Paul Singer says Trump would cause a depression CNBC

Republican Women Organize to Support Clinton CNN

Clinton Dominates Trump On the Ground Politico

'This is a historic day': California lawmakers send governor sweeping gun control package LA Times

June 21, 2016

Clinton Seeks Rock Star Dem Convention AS Black Lawmakers Say 'No Way' To Ending Superdelegates

June 21, 2016/ Anne Enke

HIllary Clinton's lead in the polls may be larger than it seems. Here's Why. Washington Post

We know that one of the reasons the polls were wrong in the 2012 presidential campaign involved underestimating the voting power of minorities.

We know that the infamous Monmouth poll from 6 wks ago showing Trump tied or leading HIllary in swing states made assumptions about the % of Latino and African American voters voting in the 2016 presidential and significant assumptions around the DECLINE of so-called minority voters this year. There was the opposite trend in the primary voting data and new voter registration. To be fair, voter suppression laws are in effect since 2012. Monmouth estimated a combined reasons effective decrease of 4%, with a significant impact on results. Also, Bernie continued to draw white voters against Trump in greater #s than Clinton.

"Now, in 2016, it looks like many pollsters didn’t learn much from 2012.

Several polls suffer from flaws in how they sample Latinos. While large bilingual polls of Latino voters from outlets such as Latino Decisions and Univision/Washington Post have reported very little support for Donald Trump, other national polls that interview Latinos only in English show that 29 percent to 37 percent of Latinos will support Trump — better even than Romney fared. These polls also show Trump doing as well or better among Asian-Americans, compared to Romney. Some polls even estimate that 20 percent to 25 percent of blacks support Trump."

About Those Superdelegates, Bernie

Sanders collides with black lawmakers Politico

We suppose that if Bernie had good relations with black lawmakers, he would known that he's on a collision course with the Congressional Black Caucus with his proposals to 1) end superdelegates and 2) open Democratic primaries up to independents and Republicans

This isn't the first letter sent by the CBC to the Sanders campaign. A couple months ago the Caucus sent a letter demanding that Sanders stop describing Hillary's wins in the Southern states as not representative of the Democratic party and representing conservatives instead. I think Bernie was even complaining about Virginia -- although he did spare Massachusetts.

Simply stated, the CBC sent a defiant message to Bernie saying in spirit "Don't even think about it. It will never happen. Over our dead bodies." Philadelphia just got a whole lot more interesting and Senator Sanders is in the hot seat in a way that may surprise him.

Of course, if Bernie didn't spend his whole life lecturing us and reached out to members of the 'establishment' (that would be 98% of the members of Congress) and their colleagues, he would know that the CBC views his proposals as totally rascist, sexist and anti-LGBT community. Who have I forgotten? Sorry, just leave a comment.

No offence intended to the terrific men who are Hillary supporters. You understand what I'm sayin'. When you want to turn the Democratic party over to Republicans, you scare the crap out of every Democrat except white men who probably welcome the opportunity to get us all marching to their orders again. Bernie's strategy to recruit Republicans has scared the wits our of us since the day we heard about it a year ago in Rolling Stone ~ Anne

Grandma & Grandpa Clinton

Chelsea Clinton left New York's Lennox Hospital with husband Marc Mezvinsky and new baby boy Aidan on Monday afternoon. In tow were proud grandparents Hillary and Bill Clinton, who are "over the moon" with the birth of their second grandchild.

Clinton Seeks Rock-Star Convention Lineup Politico

The apparently broke Donald Trump campaign is promising true spectacle at the upcoming Republican Convention.His counterpart Hillary Clinton has a few tricks up her own sleeve, including reaching out to the Tony-Award-winning writer and star of the hit musical 'Hamilton' Lin-Manuel Miranda about appearing at the convention.

It's far from a done deal for Miranda, who will leave Broadway's 'Hamilton' on July 9 and is scheduled to be in London filming a Disney remake of 'Marry Poppins' the week of the convention.

Democratic convention entertainment will put extra focus on young voters, African-Americans and Latinos.

For the Democrats to follow Republicans is generally considered to be an advantage, writes Politico. But with Trump being Trump, it's already possible that he will dominate the stage every night in Cleveland.

'"He's a political Kardashian,” said Democratic strategist Tommy Vietor, a former aide to Obama. “His campaign has been the longest, grossest sex tape ever released.”

Some Democrats involved with the campaign worry that without big, out-of-the-box “moments,” Trump coverage — even if it’s negative — will seep into Clinton’s big week. And while Clinton seems to have found her footing attacking an opponent whose bare-bones campaign appears to be in free fall, her campaign still needs to put out a clear and positive message about the Democratic nominee. Entertaining acts can accentuate that, said Clinton allies."