Saturday, September 17, 2016

Clinton campaign pushes Democratic party stars to shore up youth vote

With Hillary Clinton's lead in the polls over Donald Trump all but gone, her campaign is pushing prominent Democrats, including former primary rival Bernie Sanders, into the field in an effort to lock up the youth vote for the Democratic nominee.
The effort began in earnest Friday, when first lady Michelle Obama addressed a rally at George Mason University in northern Virginia. She warned young voters against being "tired or turned off," and urged them to rally around Clinton, "particularly given the alternative."
Despite the first lady's efforts, the Wall Street Journal reported some members of the crowd could be heard chanting "Four more years!"
Clinton led most national polls by double digits in the days following the Democratic convention, but most recent polls have the race in a statistical dead heat. Much of that can be attributed to a drop in her support among young people.
In a Fox News poll taken in early August, days after the convention, Clinton led Trump by 27 points among voters under 35. In the most recent Fox News poll, Clinton led Trump by just five points among likely voters under 35.
Many of the voters who once backed Clinton appear to have thrown their support to Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson. In the recent Fox News poll, Johnson only garnered the support of 8 percent of all likely voters. However, Johnson polled at 16 percent among under-35s.
Sanders, who mounted a surprisingly strong primary challenge to Clinton with the help of overwhelming youth support, was scheduled to speak on Clinton's behalf at two Ohio colleges Saturday. A recent CNN/ORC poll showed Trump with a five-point lead over Clinton in the Buckeye State.
"I can criticize Hillary Clinton for this, that, and the other thing," Sanders told CNN Friday. "Trump literally changes his views every other day."
The self-described democratic socialist went on to call the real estate mogul "a fraud and a phony" who was running a "campaign of bigotry."
Clinton pollster and adviser Joel Benenson admitted to the Journal Friday that the campaign "closed the deal" with young voters. Another Clinton campaign official said they planned to stress a message that a vote for a third-party candidate like Johnson or Jill Stein of the Green Party was in effect a vote for Trump.
But other Clinton supporters believe the best advocate may be Michelle Obama, whom they want in battleground states as much as possible between now and Election Day.
Jennifer Palmieri, Clinton's communications director and a former Obama adviser, called the first lady "an advocate without peer."
"There is no other surrogate with the reach, credibility and respect she has," Palmieri said.

Trump says Clinton bodyguards should lose their guns 'and let's see what happens to her'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump revived another campaign controversy Friday night, sarcastically calling for Hillary Clinton's Secret Service agents to be stripped of their firearms before adding, "let's see what happens to her."
"I think that her bodyguards should drop all weapons. They should disarm, right?" Trump asked the crowd at a Miami rally. "Take their guns away, she doesn't want guns. Take their — and let's see what happens to her. Take their guns away. OK, it would be very dangerous."

There was no immediate comment or clarification from the Trump campaign about the remarks. However, the Clinton campaign had a quick reaction. Spokesman Robby Mook released a statement Friday night saying Trump "has a pattern of inciting people to violence. Whether this is done to provoke protesters at a rally or casually or even as a joke, it is an unacceptable quality in anyone seeking the job of Commander in Chief.
"This kind of talk should be out of bounds for a presidential candidate," Mook wrote.
A spokeswoman for the Secret Service declined to comment.
The riff recalled a remark Trump made last month that many Democrats condemned as a call for Clinton's assassination. Speaking at a rally in North Carolina, the Republican nominee said his opponent wants to "abolish, essentially, the Second Amendment."
He continued: "By the way, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."
Mook said then, "A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."
Trump later disputed that criticism, saying everyone in his audience knew he was referring to the power of voters and "there can be no other interpretation."
Trump, who has the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, eventually took to Twitter to say the Secret Service had not contacted him about the remarks.
While campaigning in South Florida, which has a large Cuban-American population, Trump also said that if he's elected president, he will reverse Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba — unless the country abides by certain "demands." Among those, he said, would be religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of all political prisoners.
Trump says he'll "stand with the Cuban people in their fight against communist oppression."
The comment marks yet another reversal for the GOP candidate, who previously said he supported the idea of normalized relations, but wished the U.S. had negotiated a better deal.
Trump also said the U.S. has a broader obligation to stand with oppressed people — a comment that seems at odds with his "America first" mantra. "The next president of the United States must stand in solidarity with all people oppressed in our hemisphere, and we will stand with oppressed people, and there are many," he said.
He added that the people of Venezuela "are yearning to be free, they are yearning for help. The system is bad. But the people are great."
Trump has often cited the country as a model of a failed state, warning that if Clinton is elected, she'll turn the U.S. into Venezuela.

Friday, September 16, 2016

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed Cartoons

Dumb Ass

Missouri state senator sits during Pledge of Allegiance

Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, chose to remain seated as the Pledge of Allegiance was recited Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in the Missouri Senate chambers. (Julie Smith/News Tribune via AP)

Colin Kaepernick’s National Anthem protest has started a ripple effect across the sports spectrum, reaching other NFL players, soccer stars and even high school student athletes. On Wednesday, his protest trickled into the Missouri Legislature.
State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, a St. Louis Democrat, refused to stand while her colleagues recited the Pledge of Allegiance in the state Capitol. She said her silent protest on the Senate floor was intended to show solidarity with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
Kaepernick has kneeled for the National Anthem in protest of police brutality and what he has described as social injustice against minorities in the U.S. Nasheed, who is black, said she wants to call attention to those issues and isn’t “anti-America.” Nasheed’s protest was met with silence in the chamber.
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, a former GOP candidate for governor who presided over the Senate Wednesday, released a statement calling Nasheed's protest an "occasion for great sorrow." He said he worried about "the example she is setting, particularly for our young people."
U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who already drew controversy for kneeling during the National Anthem before a club match, knelt again before the U.S. match against Thailand Thursday.
After the game, which the United States won 9-0, U.S. Soccer issued a statement to ESPN that said representing the country is a "privilege and honor" for any play or coach associated with the national teams.
"Therefore, our national anthem has particular significance for U.S. Soccer. In front of national and often global audiences, the playing of our national anthem is an opportunity for our Men's and Women's National Team players and coaches to reflect upon the liberties and freedom we all appreciate in this country.
"As part of the privilege to represent your country, we have an expectation that our players and coaches will stand and honor our flag while the National Anthem is played."
It was unclear whether Rapinoe would face any sanctions from the federation.

Pence: People Are Seeing Trump's Commitment to MAGA for Everyone

Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence joined Hannity to discuss Donald Trump's surging poll numbers and expanding appeal.
The Indiana governor said that Americans are starting to see Trump more clearly now.
"I don’t think anything’s really changed. I just think Donald Trump’s optimistic message to make America great again, rebuild our military, have America standing tall on the world’s stage, and revive this economy through all the principles he described today at the economic club in New York, through less taxes, less regulation, more American energy, stronger trade deals..."
Pence said that Trump's a fighter and a winner, and it's been on display everywhere he's gone the past few weeks, from Mexico to Baton Rouge and Michigan.
"There he is in African-American churches showing his heart and his commitment to make America great again for everyone, regardless of race or creed or color or gender. What people are seeing is the kind of President Donald Trump will be and I think that’s why you’re seeing all the momentum, the turnout at the rallies...in all these key states around the country."

Fox News Poll: Clinton and Trump in a one-point race among likely voters

one-point race among likely voters

By Dana Blanton

Published September 15, 2016

FoxNews.com

Trump and Clinton release medical details amid growing debate

Now Playing Grading the presidential candidates' health

The presidential race is tight. Hillary Clinton tops Donald Trump by just one point among likely voters in the four-way ballot. In the head-to-head matchup, Trump’s up by one point.
Clinton receives 41 percent to Trump’s 40 percent, according to a new Fox News Poll, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at 8 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 3 percent.
In a two-way matchup, likely voters give Trump the edge over Clinton: 46-45 percent.
The poll, released Thursday, was conducted Sunday through Wednesday evenings, at a time when Clinton faced new questions about her health after falling ill at a 9/11 memorial event.
It’s the first Fox News Poll this season that includes results among likely voters, so a direct comparison can’t be made to previous polls.
An apples-to-apples comparison is possible among registered voters, and the two-way vote trend shows the race has definitely tightened: Clinton was up by 10 points at the beginning of August (49-39 percent). By the end of August she was up 6 points (48-42 percent) -- and now she’s up by just 3 points (46-43 percent).
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL POLL RESULTS
Likely voters are those registered voters who report a high probability they will cast a presidential ballot this year. At this point, fewer non-white and younger voters are saying they intend to vote compared to other groups -- and that hurts Clinton.
“It’s clear what the Clinton campaign needs to do, and that’s make sure non-white and younger voters show up on Election Day,” says Democratic pollster Chris Anderson. “If these traditional Democratic voters turn out at past rates, she probably wins.”
Both tickets have the backing of most of their key voting blocs. In the four-way race, Trump has the advantage among white evangelical Christians (+52 points), whites without a college degree (+31), and men (+13).
Clinton is preferred among non-whites (+51 points), women (+13), and those voters living in households earning less than $50,000 (+16).
Independents prefer Trump over Clinton by 36-31 percent, while 16 percent go for Johnson and 7 percent Stein. Eighty percent of Republicans back Trump, and 81 percent of Democrats support Clinton.
"Lately Trump’s avoided the sort of controversy that undermined his efforts throughout August," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll along with Anderson. "By allowing Clinton's problems to be the story, he may finally be consolidating Republican support."
Fewer Democrats (77 percent) than Republicans (86 percent) are “extremely” or “very” interested in the presidential election right now.
Even so, supporters on both sides are about equally enthusiastic about their candidate. Almost all of those backing Clinton feel certain they’ll vote for her in November (87 percent) and say it’s important to them she win (91 percent). That’s matched among Trump supporters, as they overwhelmingly say they’re certain to vote for him (90 percent) and it’s important he win (87 percent).
In addition, 53 percent of Clinton’s backers strongly favor her, while 24 percent have some reservations. For Trump, 50 percent strongly favor him and 27 percent have reservations. On both sides, about one in five says their support is driven by dislike of the other candidate.
Seven in ten voters don’t like the way the government is working, including 44 percent who are dissatisfied and 27 percent who are “angry.”
Over half would go even further: 57 percent say the world’s “going to hell in a handbasket.”
“Angry” voters prefer Trump over Clinton (by 54 points), as do “handbasket” voters (by 35 points). That’s driven by the fact that Republicans are nearly three times as likely as Democrats to feel angry about the way the government is working, and about twice as likely to feel the world’s going to hell.
Likely voters trust Trump over Clinton on handling the economy (+7 points) and corruption in government (+11). They favor Clinton on race relations (+24 points), immigration (+5), nominating the next Supreme Court justice (+1), and terrorism/national security (+1).
On immigration, while there’s been some back-and-forth on Trump’s position on deportation, he’s been consistent on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Over half of likely voters disagree with the GOP nominee and oppose building a wall. The same is true among registered voters, which is a change in sentiment. In the past, half or better favored the wall. That shift is mainly due to a double-digit increase in opposition among Democrats.
Seven-in-ten Republicans favor the wall, and a recent Fox News Poll found nearly three in ten favor deporting as many illegal immigrants as possible (August 28-30).
The new poll finds many voters think those favoring deportation are motivated by racism (37 percent say racism is a major factor in favoring deportation and 32 percent minor factor).
Pollpourri
Among registered voters:
-- Republicans split over their nominee, as 50 percent are happy with Trump, while 48 percent wish it were someone else. That’s mostly unchanged since June.
-- 52 percent of Democrats are happy with Clinton at the top of their ticket. That’s down from 58 percent in June. Forty-three percent would rather have Bernie Sanders, up from 37 percent.
-- 12 percent of Republicans who preferred someone else as their nominee defect to Clinton in the four-way ballot. Only five percent of Sanders backers back Trump.
The Fox News Poll is based on landline and cellphone interviews with 1,006 randomly chosen registered voters nationwide and was conducted under the joint direction of Anderson Robbins Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R) from September 11-14, 2016. The survey includes results among 867 likely voters. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points for results among both registered and likely voters.

Trump, Clinton trade barbs over Obama 'birther' movement

Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton traded barbs Thursday over the Republican nominee’s past suggestions that President Barack Obama was born outside the U.S. and thus ineligible to be president, despite the fact that he was born in Hawaii – also known as the “birther” movement.
Trump’s campaign spokesman said the Republican candidate now believes Obama was born the U.S., but has been called upon to say so himself. Campaign spokesman Jason Miller said Trump "did a great service to the country" by bringing closure to an "ugly incident" that Trump, in fact, fueled.
"In 2011, Mr. Trump was finally able to bring this ugly incident to its conclusion by successfully compelling President Obama to release his birth certificate," Miller said.
"Mr. Trump did a great service to the President and the country by bringing closure" to the issue, he added. "Inarguably, Donald J. Trump is a closer. Having successfully obtained President Obama's birth certificate when others could not, Mr. Trump believes that President Obama was born in the United States."
Trump’s “birther” comments were long seen by some as an attempt to delegitimize the nation’s first black president and have turned off many of the African-American voters he is now attempting to court in his bid for the White House.
According to the Associated Press, the statement came after The Washington Post asked trump whether he believed Obama was born in the U.S. "I'll answer that question at the right time," Trump told the paper. "I just don't want to answer it yet."
Asked by the paper whether his campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, was accurate when she said in a recent television interview that her boss now believes the president was born in the U.S., Trump responded: "It's okay. She's allowed to speak what she thinks. I want to focus on jobs. I want to focus on other things."
Clinton went on the attack Thursday night at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute over Trump’s refusal to say whether Obama was born in the U.S.
"He was asked one more time where was President Obama born and he still wouldn't say Hawaii. He still wouldn't say America," Clinton said. "This man wants to be our next president? When will he stop this ugliness, this bigotry?”
Trump fueled the “birther” movement in the days when Obama took officer. In August 2012 — more than a year after the president released the document in April 2011 — Trump was pushing the issue on Twitter, according to the AP.
"An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud," he wrote.
Trump has said repeatedly during the campaign that he no longer talks about the "birther" issue, but hasn’t retracted his previous statements.
"I don't talk about it because if I talk about that, your whole thing will be about that," he told reporters in his plane last week. "So I don't talk about it."
The Trump campaign’s statement late Thursday claims that Clinton launched the “birther” movement during her unsuccessful primary run against Obama in 2008.
"Hillary Clinton's campaign first raised this issue to smear then-candidate Barack Obama in her very nasty, failed 2008 campaign for President," the statement claims. "This type of vicious and conniving behavior is straight from the Clinton Playbook. As usual, however, Hillary Clinton was too weak to get an answer."
Clinton has long denied the claim.
Hillary For America press secretary Brian Fallon challenged Trump on Twitter to say he believed Obama was born in the U.S.
Obama had released a standard short form of his birth certificate before the 2008 presidential election. Anyone who wants a copy of the more detailed, long-form document must submit a waiver request, and have that request approved by Hawaii's health department.
In 2011, amid persistent questions from Trump about his birthplace, Obama submitted a waiver request. He dispatched his personal lawyer to Hawaii to pick up copies and carry the documents back to Washington on a plane.
The form said Obama was born at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu. It is signed by the delivery doctor, Obama's mother and the local registrar.
On the day he released the document, Obama jabbed at Trump. "We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," he said.