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For more coverage of Hillary Clinton at Daily Kos, visit theHillary Writers Circle.
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Good Morning, everybody. Hope you all are well on this Saturday.
Lots to cover, so let’s go:
Index
1. Hillary Clinton meets with potential VP picks
2. Meet Hillary Clinton's Potential Vice Presidents In 100 Words
3. WaPo: Despite the political risks, Hillary Clinton is eager to talk about race
4. Hillary Clinton moves swiftly to urge preservation of democracy in Turkey after 'coup' erupts
5. Hillary on Nice, France terror: “We will not be intimidated”
6. TeenVogue: How Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Differ on Immigration
7. AFL-CIO: Hillary Clinton opposes TPP
8. Reuters/Ipsos national poll: Hillary leads by 12% over Trump
9. Hillary’s team reacts fast to Mike Pence’s VP selection
10. 4 ways Mike Pence hurts Donald Trump’s case against Hillary Clinton
11. Mike Pence Praised Hillary Clinton During The Libya Intervention
12. Clinton’s Convention Of Democratic Stars Blows Away Trump’s Festival Of Losers
1. Hillary Clinton meets with potential VP picks
The big Hillary related news item on Friday was the fact that she met with potential VP hopefuls all day.
Clinton meets with potential VP picks
Hillary Clinton met Friday with several high-profile potential vice presidential picks at her Washington, D.C., home, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
Hillary was at a rally in Virginia with Tim Kaine on Thursday, so the fact he wasn’t part of these VP meetings does not mean anything.
Cars were seen going in and out of the house on Whitehaven Street near Dupont Circle, with occupants entering through a protected garage. Warren's was the fourth car to arrive at the home, and she visited for roughly an hour.
A liberal stalwart known for championing issues related to economic inequality, Warren is on Clinton's short list of possible vice presidential picks, according to Democrats familiar with the process. The Clinton campaign is aware that Warren's addition to the ticket could galvanize the left wing of the Democratic Party, particularly supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, her primary competitor.
I would say that Elizabeth Warren is in the top 3 of potential VP picks at this point. Kaine is up there, I think Castro is not going to be the selection in the end.
A source familiar with the vice presidential vetting process told CNN
Castro also visited Friday, but didn't provide further details. A message left with Castro's office was not immediately returned. His meeting with Clinton was
first reported by U.S. News and World Report.
Castro, an early front-runner for the job, is seen as young, vibrant and someone would further cement the Latino vote. But his experience is far less than anyone else on Clinton's list and some Democrats fear he could be cast as a lightweight.
And Trump's poor polling among Latinos suggest the need to consolidate Latinos is no longer a top concern for the campaign.
That last one might be big. Latinos aren’t going to swing for Trump in the last 3 ½ months in a big way, Trump’s numbers with Latinos are bound to be terrible and Hispanics/Latinas are expected to come out in a big way this year. That might make it possible to select somebody with foreign policy experience as VP, something that has become much more important in recent days with multiple terror attacks occurring abroad.
Clinton is leaning toward announcing her decision immediately after the Republican convention ends on July 21. But aides say she is leaving open the possibility of waiting until Democrats are already gathering for their convention in Philadelphia the following week to disclose her selection, hoping to stoke drama and build interest in the Democratic ticket.
Clinton has been coy about her possible VP pick, pointing to the preparedness for the job, diversity and competence as top priorities.
"I want to be sure that whoever I pick could be president immediately if something were to happen," Clinton told CNN last month. "That's the most important qualification."
If readiness to step in immediately if something were to happen is the “most important qualification” that appears to leave out the relatively inexperienced Castro.
2. Meet Hillary Clinton's Potential Vice Presidents In 100 Words
NPR has a pretty good synopsis about all the potential VP candidates, their pros and cons.
Meet Hillary Clinton's Potential Vice Presidents In 100 Words
Hillary Clinton will already make history with her nomination for president, becoming the first woman to lead a major presidential ticket. Now the question is whether she wants to do it again with her choice of running mate.
linton is expected to name her vice presidential pick sometime after the Republican National Convention ends and before her own convention begins in Philadelphia on July 25.
On her list are several Hispanic lawmakers, African-Americans and at least one woman.
The article goes on to provide profiles for some of the more talked about VP candidates, and does a pretty good job at it.
3. WaPo: Despite the political risks, Hillary Clinton is eager to talk about race
Jonathan Capehart’s Washington Post piece discusses Hillary and race.
Despite the political risks, Hillary Clinton is eager to talk about race
Hillary Clinton speaks during the LULAC National Convention at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on July 14. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
“I don’t know what’s happening…but we have to reject Trump’s divisive rhetoric,” Hillary Clinton said about presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in a phone call with me a couple of hours before terror struck in Nice, France, on Thursday. “It’s a threat to our democracy.
...
But Clinton was eager to talk about race.
For the last 10 days, the nation has been traumatized by the videos of killings of two African American men by police in Louisiana and Minnesota and the murderous ambush of Dallas police officers that left five dead and nine wounded. The fear and anger unleashed by all three horrific events demand something more from our leaders. We need them to comfort us as much as we need them to explain how we’ll get through it.
Discussing the swirl of criminal justice, gun control and race these killings raise is fraught with political risk. Trump opted to side with the view that the Black Lives Matter movement is “inherently racist.” Clinton has chosen to engage in the messy, difficult conversation all these issues present head-on with a maturity and nuance that is desperately needed in a crisis.
“We need criminal justice reform. Too many black families are mourning the loss of a loved one at the hands of police,” Clinton told me. “We need to support our police, particularly in departments like the one in Dallas that has been reforming itself and stand up for the men and women who protect us, giving them the resources and training they need to do their jobs. And we need to reduce gun violence across America. I think we have to do all of these things at once.
“We need to face up to these challenges and fix them in order to become a stronger fairer, country,” she said. “And we need, therefore, in my opinion, a president who can help pull us together, not tear us apart.”
“I really believe that the restraint and the dignity and discipline we have seen is incredibly moving. I remind my audiences that the officers in Dallas were protecting the peace right to protest when they were shot down,” she said. “We have to change laws and attitudes. We will be more successful in bringing about those changes if we listen respectfully to each other and we work toward a consensus about police reform, about protecting our police, about taking on gun violence.
“I continue to believe, certainly hope, that that will be the overwhelming reaction. And I also hope, with all my heart, we don’t face this again.”
When we do face this again, because we will, only one presidential candidate has shown the ability to lead the nation through such trauma. And it’s not Trump.
This article goes into a lot more detail. I strongly encourage a read.
4. Hillary Clinton moves swiftly to urge preservation of democracy in Turkey after 'coup' erupts
“The Independent” has an article about Hillary’s swift and strong reaction to the coup attempt in Turkey.
Hillary Clinton moves swiftly to urge preservation of democracy in Turkey after 'coup' erupts
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Yana Paskova/Getty
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The sudden and highly volatile constitutional crisis in Turkey threatens to add a new, unpredictable dynamic in the US presidential race, just as both candidates are preparing for their respective national conventions beginning with the Republican gathering in Cleveland starting on Monday.
Clearly, it offers some potential advantage to Ms Clinton, an entirely seasoned denizen of the world scene, who moved faster than Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, to speak to the drama and insist that the democratic will of the Turkish people must be preserved.
“I am following the fast-moving developments in Turkey tonight with great concern,” Ms Clinton said in a statement issued late on Friday evening.
“We should all urge calm and respect for laws, institutions, and basic human rights and freedoms – and support for the democratically elected civilian government. All parties should work to avoid further violence and bloodshed, and the safety of American citizens and diplomatic missions must be ensured.”
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Mr Trump, who spent Friday hailing his choice of running mate, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana, was silent on Turkey.
Trump’s silence is deafening. Lightweight.
His campaign will be braced for a barrage of questions on Turkey, fully aware that the crisis may only expose the slender national security credentials of both the Republican politicians, as opposed to the deep experience of foreign affairs of Ms Clinton, who was Secretary of State in the first term of President Barack Obama.
It surely won't help that Mr Trump now has as his running mate a Midwest governor who also has almost zero experience of international affairs.
5. Hillary on Nice, France terror: “We will not be intimidated”
The New York Times reports:
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‘We Will Not Be Intimidated,’ Hillary Clinton Says
- At least 84 people were killed in Nice, France, and 50 more were “between life and death,” President François Hollande said on Friday.
- A truck plowed into a large crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks on Thursday night.
- The Paris prosecutor identified the man believed to have committed the attack as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, a delivery-truck driver from Tunisia who moved to France around 2005.
- There have been no claims of responsibility for the attack.
In a statement released on Twitter, Hillary Clinton said the attack “struck at one of our closest allies in Europe.”
“Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated,” she said. “We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life. This cowardly attack only strengthens our commitment to our alliance and to defeating terrorism around the world.”
6. TeenVogue: How Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Differ on Immigration
TeenVogue has an interesting look at Hillary’s and Trump’s views on Immigration.
How Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Differ on Immigration
Hillary Clinton talks to 'Dreamer' students at Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty
With some 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States and the ongoing crisis of Syrian refugees, immigration and border control will be key issues as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump battle it out for the White House.
That said, these two candidates have very different views on this topic and border control.
TRUMP: "They’re rapists."
Trump has made disparaging comments about immigrants a cornerstone of his campaign.
During his campaign, Trump has repeatedly claimed that illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States costs U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars annually, takes jobs away from American workers, and creates crime in the United States.
There’s little data to back up Trump’s claims about undocumented immigrants being criminals, but that hasn’t stopped Trump from repeatedly doubling down on them. Trump’s ire isn’t reserved for Mexican immigrants either. He’s called refugees fleeing the civil war in Syrian a“Trojan horse” who will bring terrorists into the United States, and he’s said he would “send [them] home”. His plan to combat terrorism includes banning some Muslims from immigrating to or visiting the United States.
..
Finally, Trump said he would end birthright citizenship — a guarantee through the 14th Amendment that anyone born in the United States is automatically a citizen. This rule doesmake America an anomaly, as most countries around the world do not offer this right, but isn'tthat what makes America so great?
Clearly. Trump is an enemy to all Immigrants, whether they are documented or undocumented.
CLINTON: "I will do everything possible under the law to go even further."
Clinton has staked out a much different position on immigration, tracking way to the left of Trump and even of President Barack Obama.
"I will fight for comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship,” Clinton told a group of DREAMers — undocumented immigrants whose parents brought them to the U.S. as children — in November. “I will fight to stop partisan attacks on the executive action that would put DREAMers with us today at risk of deportation. If congress refuses to act, as president I would do everything under the law to go even further.”
7. AFL-CIO: Hillary Clinton opposes TPP
The largest labor union in the land came out with a statement about Hillary and the TPP:
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Hillary Clinton Opposes TPP
In an appearance this week, Hillary Clinton spoke out against bad trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The video shows, once again, that she's with us.
Hillary just says ‘no’
EDITOR’S NOTE — Mike Pence, on the other hand, has voted for every job-killing “free trade” deal he could, and strongly supports passage of the Granddaddy of the all, the TPP.
8. Reuters/Ipsos national poll: Hillary leads by 12% over Trump
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Clinton leads Trump by 12 points ahead of Republican convention: Reuters/Ipsos poll
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Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks with Senate pages as she departs after meeting with Senate Democrats during their luncheon gathering at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. July 14, 2016.
REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump trailed Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by 12 percentage points in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday, making him the clear underdog ahead of next week's Republican National Convention.
Forty-five percent of likely voters supported former Secretary of State Clinton, 33 percent supported Trump, the wealthy businessman, and the remainder supported neither, according to the July 11-15 online poll.
The survey showed little change from Tuesday, when Clinton had led Trump by 13 percentage points.
….
The poll results were mostly gathered before Thursday night's deadly truck attack in Nice, France, and before Trump's announcement on Friday that Indiana Governor Mike Pence would be his vice presidential running mate.
The poll results suggest that Clinton’s use of personal email for government business while secretary of state and her handling of classified information have not damaged her support among likely voters.
9. Hillary’s team reacts fast to Mike Pence’s VP selection
As I pointed out in my diary yesterday, Hillary’s team was swift and cutting in their reaction to Donald Trump selecting tea party darling and extremist Mike Pence for his VP running mate:
Hillary: Swift response to Mike Pence: "Most extreme VP pick in a generation". Plus: New LOGO fun.
The “vetting” of Mike Pence to the public hasn’t stopped.
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Pence blasted Trump viciously for his call to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling it both “offensive” and “unconstitutional”. Now he is Trump’s VP?
10. 4 ways Mike Pence hurts Donald Trump’s case against Hillary Clinton
The Washington Post is pointing out a few of the ways the Mike Pence selection hurts Trump’s case against Hillary:
4 ways Mike Pence hurts Donald Trump’s case against Hillary Clinton
In picking Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump similarly undercuts some of his core arguments against Hillary Clinton.
...
Here are four ways that Pence hampers Trump's ability to attack Clinton, listed by the arguments he's used:
1. She's too much of an insider.
2. She is pro-war.
3. She is too soft on ISIS and refugees.
4. She is pro-free trade.
The article goes into detail on the counterpoints Mike Pence represents, worth a read.
11. Mike Pence Praised Hillary Clinton During The Libya Intervention
Mike Pence Praised Hillary Clinton During The Libya Intervention
This complicates things for Donald Trump.
Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R), praisedHillary Clinton for her handling of the chaos in Libya during the early days of civil unrest there and encouraged the Obama administration to take aggressive action in the country.
The comments, which came during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in March 2011, put Pence at odds with the man with whom he now shares a ticket. Though Trump initially called for the U.S. to help Libyan rebels oust the country’s long-ruling dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, he has since reversed course. During the campaign, he harshly criticized the invasion of Libya and the role that Clinton, as secretary of state, specifically played in it.
Trump has flip-flopped on Lybia, and now his VP selection is on record praising Hillary on the subject.
During the March 2011 hearing, Pence, then a congressman, offered Clinton pro forma niceties for her role during the Libya crisis. But he also went on to “encourage and urge the administration to stand with” the rebels, and called for “a coordinated international response, including a no-fly zone.” He added, emphatically, “Gaddafi must go.”
No wonder Trump had second thoughts about Mike Pence late into the night. Pence destroys many of Trump’s intended angles of attack against Hillary.
12. Clinton’s Convention Of Democratic Stars Blows Away Trump’s Festival Of Losers
Politicususa shows the differences between the Democratic and Republican convention, and it is stunning.
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Clinton’s Convention Of Democratic Stars Blows Away Trump’s Festival Of Losers
Democrats have announced their lineup of speakers for the upcoming convention, and it blows Donald Trump’s Republican convention out of the water.
Here is a preview of the Democratic schedule for their convention in Philadelphia:
Monday: United Together Featuring First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders and DREAMer Astrid Silva Gavel time expected at 3:00pm
Monday will focus on putting the future of American families front and center and how we’re stronger together when we build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top and when everyone has a chance to live up to their God-given potential. DREAMer Astrid Silva will share her story and her fight to keep families together.
Tuesday: A Lifetime of Fighting for Children and Families Featuring President Bill Clinton and Mothers of the Movement Gavel time expected at 4:00pm
Tuesday will feature the roll call vote and how Hillary has spent her entire career working to make a difference for children, families, and our country. The Mothers of the Movement participating include Gwen Carr, Mother of Eric Garner; Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin; Maria Hamilton, Mother of Dontré Hamilton; Lucia McBath, Mother of Jordan Davis; Lezley McSpadden, Mother of Michael Brown; Cleopatra Pendleton-Cowley, Mother of Hadiya Pendleton; Geneva Reed-Veal, Mother of Sandra Bland.
Wednesday: Working Together Featuring President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden Gavel time expected at 4:30pm
On Wednesday speakers will take an in-depth look at just how high the stakes are in this election and how Hillary has the experience and steadiness to bring people together to tackle the big challenges and get real results.
Thursday: Stronger Together Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton Gavel time expected at 4:30pm
While Donald Trump can’t even get Tim Tebow to speak, Hillary Clinton will have the political stars in the country in her corner. There is no comparison between Trump’s convention and what the Democrats will be presenting.
Trump will feature Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, who are two of the least popular politicians in the country. Clinton’s convention will feature two of the most popular political figures in the US in President Obama and Vice President. Trump has pig castrator, Sen. Joni Ernst. Clinton’s got First Lady Michelle Obama. Trump has the reviled Ted Cruz. Clinton’s got popular populist Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Trump will have zero current or former presidents at his convention. Hillary Clinton will have two in Philly. Trump wanted stars at his convention. Instead, he got Bobby Knight, Dana White, and the fringe of the Republican Party. Democrats are excited about their convention in Philadelphia, while Republicans enter Cleveland with a sense of doom.
Trump’s sideshow of losers is no match for Hillary Clinton’s convention of stars.
I'll end with the haunting ad “Role Models” that was released by Hillary campaign a couple of days ago, which shows how Donald Trump’s nastiness is seen through the eyes of children:
Happy Weekend, everybody.