September 01, 2016

Does Trump Know There Aren't Enough White Men To Elect Him President?

September 01, 2016/ Anne Enke

Gallup: Life got better for pretty much everyone under Obama Washington Post

Every group has gained ground under President Obama, including whites. This will no doubt come as a surprise to Donald Trump and his supporters, who want voters to buy into his dark, dystopian vision: building walls to keep people out and limiting entrance to U.S. of certain religions, among other chilling proposals. Hillary Clinton's policies promise to build upon the gains of the Obama presidency, which is at it should be in a nation of immigrants, dreamers and optimists.

"The percentages of U.S. whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians who are thriving have all increased during the Obama era," Gallup notes. The percentage of blacks thriving has risen by about 6 points, as has the percentage of whites and Hispanics. Asian thriving has risen by about 10 points since 2008.

Lewandowski: Trump Immigration Speech Meant To Appeal To White Men Talking Points Memo

Devoted Trump supporter and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowsky defended the presidential candidate's fiery anti-immigration speech in Arizona last night. And he casts Trumps' strategy in a very bright light of white men reclaiming control of America. There is no math that supports the argument -- that white men can deliver a national election in America -- but we agree with Lewandowsky that this is Trump's strategy and the overall psychology that he is playing to. So kudos to Lewandowsky for telling it like it is!! Bravo! One small problem is that Trump is not winning with college-educated white men in recent polls, but that's a small blemish on Lewandowsky's argument.

“Look, I think Donald Trump’s message tonight was the message that he started with back on June of 2015, which was ‘America First,’” Corey Lewandowski, who still receives a severance from the Trump campaign, said on CNN. “That’s what he believes, and what he is playing to — and if you look at the polling data, he’s got about an 18-point lead in the demographic of white males who are voting in this election.”

“They have a high propensity of voting, and so he’s got about an 18-point lead on Hillary Clinton in that particular demographic,” he went on. “This speech is clearly geared at those individuals right now, to make sure they are there, he has locked them in for the election.”

Latinos for Trump founder warns of 'taco trucks on every corner' Politico

Mexican-born Marco Gutierrez, founder of the Latinos for Trump group, warned Thursday evening that without Donald Trump in the White House, there would be “taco trucks on every corner” in America.

“My culture is a very dominant culture,” Gutierrez said on MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes.” “It is imposing and it’s causing problems. If you don’t do something about it, you’re going to have taco trucks on every corner.”

Joy Reid, who was guest-hosting Hayes’ show, dropped the hammer, saying, “I don’t even know what that means, and I’m afraid to ask,”. Reid -- who takes no nonsense in her interviews -- replied before going to New York state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, a Dominican, for a reaction.

“I’m offended,” Espaillat said.

Gutierrez reinforced his point: “We have a lot of good things that we’re bringing to the United States, but we also have problems.”

Clinton Campaign Raises $143 Million in August Politico

Hillary had a heck of an August in fundraising with a haul of $143 million, some of that earmarked for other Democrats. We're thrilled with the average donation of $50, underscoring how many regular Americans support Clinton. Having said that, imo it's time for Hillary to hit the road.

“Thanks to the 2.3 million people who have contributed to our campaign, we are heading into the final two months of the race with the resources we need to organize and mobilize millions of voters across the country,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement.

Hillary Clinton Headlines Sept. 1, 2016

National poll: Clinton up 7 points on Trump Politico

Clinton Holds A Seven-Point Lead Over Trump In National Poll TPM

Top Jeb Bush donor says he's with Clinton Politico

Some Hispanic Trump backers pull support after Trump immigration speech Reuters

Democrats really might have a shot at taking the House. Here's the math. VOX

Kaine Launches Attack on Trump's 'Threat to American Democracy' NBC News

Mark Burns, Trump's Favorite Black Pastor: Hillary Wants 'Genocide' for Blacks The Daily Beast

August 31, 2016

Mexican President Nieto Says He Bluntly Told Trump That Mexico Would Never Pay For His Wall | Trump Denies -- Will He Call Mexico's President Lyin' Enrique?

August 31, 2016/ Anne Enke

Mexicans Accuse President of 'Historic Error' in Welcoming Donald Trump New York Times

The general consensus in Mexico is that President Enrique Peña Nieto has betrayed the Mexican people in inviting Donald Trump to meet with him in advance of the American presidential election. Hillary Clinton also received an invitation and said she would meet with President Nieto at the appropriate time.

“It’s a historic error,” said Enrique Krauze, a well-known historian. “You confront tyrants, you don’t appease them.”

On Mexico’s most popular morning television show on Wednesday, a livid Mr. Krauze likened the president’s meeting with Mr. Trump to the decision by Neville Chamberlain, then the British prime minister, to sit down with Hitler in Munich in 1938.

“It isn’t brave to meet in private with somebody who has insulted and denigrated” Mexicans, Mr. Krauze said. “It isn’t dignified to simply have a dialogue.”

With this backdrop, Donald Trump met with the Mexican president and then make public statements that sought to position Trump as a statesman. It worked for about an hour. And then Twitter blew up with President Nieto's insistence that he made it very clear to the Republican candidate that "Mexico will not pay for the wall." Nieto's statement was in direct contradiction to Trump's assertions before the cameras -- and in the presence of a diplomatic President Nieto -- that the two discussed the wall but not who would pay for it. Read on: Leader Says He Told Trump Mexico Won't Pay for a Wall.

Hillary Clinton Piles Up Research in Bid to Needle Donald Trump at First Debate New York Times

Writer Tony Schwartz, Donald Trump's ghostwriter and equal revenue partner in 'Art of the Deal', is coaching the Clinton team and her key advisers in preparation for the upcoming debates. It wouldn't surprise us if Clinton finds time in the coming weeks to spend some quality time with Schwartz in a very personal listening tour into Trump's mind and details of his past.

Clintonites are also consulting with psychology experts to 1) assemble a medical psychological profile of Trump including his anticipated responses to attacks and 2) how he can be expected to deal with a woman as his sole adversary on the debate. We keep wondering if Trump could have a total meltdown on the national debate stage . . sort of like his buddy Gov. Paul Lapage in Maine.

The national press clearly has not done their homework, reporting that Hillary is carrying around massive heaps of policy binders. Of course, Clinton is prepping on policy but the deeply competitive debater seems to hope to trip up Trump's massive ego into confirmation of his temperamental unfitness for the presidency. ~ Anne

Colin Powell's foundation and Hillary Clinton's are treated very differently by the media VOX

In 1997, after a distinguished career in military service that culminated with stints as national security adviser under Ronald Reagan and chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Colin Powell launched a charity. Named America’s Promise, it’s built around the theme of F ive Promises to America’s children. And while I’ve never heard it praised as a particularly cost-effective way to help humanity by effective altruists, it was surely a reasonably good cause for a famous and politically popular man to dedicate himself to.

Powell continued to be involved in American political life and accepted the important role of Secy of State with the first phase of the George W. Bush presidency. Powell did not wind down his charity and there was no pressure on him from either political party to do so.

Powell’s wife, Alma Powell, took it over, and it continued to solicit and receive donations from corporate America. Ken Lay, the chair of Enron, was a big donor, and he also backed a literacy-related charity that was founded by the then-president’s Barbara Bush. Powell interceded as US Secy of State on behalf of Enron in a dispute with the Indian government.

No one questioned any of the actions around Colin Powell's charity or the people associated with it, even its contributors. This documented reality must be a bitter irony to Hillary Clinton, as VOX points out.

Because Colin Powell was judged by the press as a good guy, no one ever questioned any potential conflicts of interest associated with his foundation, even though it clearly existed to keep his name in the spotlight as well as doing good. Contributors could bask in the positive halo of Powell's excellent reputation.

Hillary Clinton has enjoyed no similar relationship with the media, and it's not because she hates press conferences. Clinton knows that the press will NEVER treat her with the same respect and ethical respect they accord Colin Powell. And this is interesting because Hillary Clinton has never been found to be guilty of any wrongdoing. The next post about Julian Assange comes with its own note of irony.

Julian Assange: American Press Supports 'Demon' Hillary Clinton Politico

This assault by Julian Assange on the presidential election and Hillary Clinton specifically is getting totally out of hand. When Assange calls our presidential candidate a 'demon', that means he's as right wing as the most ardent Trump supporters and Bernie Bros. It remains to be seen if Assange will ever be tried in Sweden on the multiple rape allegations he's charged with. But this man is no hero to us at AOC.

Former Models for Donald Trump's Agency Say They Violated Immigration Rules and Worked Illegally Mother Jones

You may have already heard about the many businesses that Donald Trump refused to pay for services rendered or people bilked out of life savings by investing in Trump University or Trump Tower resorts in Tampa and Baha, Mexico.

Donald Trump will callously and casually exploit anyone who dares to be vulnerable with their hopes and dreams. Now we are learning about the userous, sometimes illegal and very hypocritical treatment of beautiful young women who sign on with his modeling agency. "It is like modern-day slavery."

Having been connected to the fashion industry for so many year, I can honestly say that Trump Models has never registered significantly on my radar.