TODAY: Clinton, Sanders In Fierce Debate | GOP Debate Saturday | Key Senator Turns Against TPP | Flint Scandal Deepens
MORNING MESSAGE
The
face-off between Senator Bernie Sanders and Secretary Hillary Clinton last night
in New Hampshire highlighted the strengths and vulnerabilities of both. Both put
in impressive, strong performances. Both got their message out. ... The clear
victor of the night was populism. ... Sanders champions it; Clinton has chosen
to embrace it. It is amazing to watch a debate in which the two Democratic
candidates argue about who is the real progressive.
Clinton, Sanders In Fierce Debate
Clinton,
Sanders debate who can best bring change. WSJ: “She described herself more
as a battle-scarred veteran who has learned the hard way that it is best to do
the work within the real world without, as she said, ‘making promises that I
cannot keep.’ … ‘No, you just can’t negotiate with Mitch McConnell,’ he said.
‘Mitch is gonna have to look out the window and see a whole lot of people
saying, “Mitch, stop representing the billionaire class. Start listening to
working families.”‘”
At
debate, Clinton again challenged on Goldman Sachs ties. Bloomberg: “Clinton
was asked if she would release transcripts of the paid speeches she’s made.
Clinton declined to say yes or no. ‘I will look into it,’ she said. ‘I don’t
know the status.’ Some of her contracts for paid speeches included
confidentiality agreements that would complicate their release.”
Clinton
charges Sanders with trafficking in smears. NYT: “…she challenged her
opponent to identify even one example of how her Wall Street contributions or
paid speaking fees resulted in a favor from her, calling the implication an
‘artful smear’ by Mr. Sanders. ‘If you’ve got something to say, say it directly’
… [He] returned to his old refrain: Wall Street is too big, too powerful, and no
one in their right mind believes they contribute to politicians out of the
goodness of their hearts…”
“Sanders
outraised Clinton in January” reports W. Post: “The Clinton campaign brought
in roughly $15 million in January … about $5 million less than Sanders … Clinton
raised an additional $5 million for the Democratic National Committee and state
parties during January, but that money cannot be used [for the primary] …”
“Democratic
establishment starts to gang up on Sanders” reports The Hill: “‘I believe it
could have real serious down-ballot consequences,’ [Rep. Gerry] Connolly told
The Hill. Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), who is one of the biggest Republican
targets in the 2016 election cycle, [said] ‘He certainly wouldn’t match my
district very well.'”
GOP Debate Saturday
ABC
to host Republican debate in NH, Sat. at 8 PM ET: “The network will extend
invitations to the following candidates: Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco
Rubio, Dr. Ben Carson, former Gov.Jeb Bush, Gov. Chris Christie and Gov. John
Kasich.”
NH
Republicans may embrace Trump’s anti-immigrant message. NYT: “In New
Hampshire, concerns about immigration have long been a potent weapon. [In 1996,
presidential primary winner Pat] Buchanan talked about building ‘the Buchanan
fence’ along the southern tier of the country.”
Marco
Rubio tries to defend lack of major accomplishments. CNN: “Sen. Marco Rubio
is defending his record in Congress after Rick Santorum, now a Rubio backer,
struggled to name any legislative accomplishments by the Florida senator … Rubio
then pointed to a veterans affairs measure, sanctions on Hezbollah, killing an
Obamacare provision and a measure to prevent human trafficking … his role in
pushing to kill the Obamacare provision, which let the government provide a key
backstop for insurance companies, has been the subject of sharp dispute.”
Chris
Christie gets endorsement from MA Gov. Charlie Baker. Politico: “Baker
provides a window into what Christie is counting on if he can achieve a strong
showing in New Hampshire: the support — and access to — the finance networks of
the governors he helped win election or re-election during his time atop the
RGA.”
Key Senator Turns Against TPP
GOP
Sen. Rob Portman expresses opposition to TPP. W. Post : “The announcement is
a significant but not fatal blow to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
agreement, which is protected by fast-track rules that ensure it cannot be
filibustered in the Senate. ‘I cannot support the TPP in its current form
because it doesn’t provide that level playing field,’ Portman said in a
statement. ‘I will continue to urge the Obama administration to support American
workers and address these issues before any vote on the TPP agreement.'”
NYT
adds: “The lawmaker, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who was a trade ambassador
under President George W. Bush, objects to the accord’s provisions on currency
manipulation, auto parts and pharmaceutical industry protections. Lawmakers in
both parties have raised the same issues, but Mr. Portman’s authority on trade
is certain to carry extra weight with colleagues.”
Flint Scandal Deepens
“Emails
Reveal Early Suspicions of a Flint Link to Legionnaires’ Disease” reports
NYT: “Michigan state officials were aware of an increase in Legionnaires’
disease cases and a possible tie to Flint’s troubled water supply at least 10
months before Gov. Rick Snyder informed the public of the situation last month,
newly obtained emails show.”
Clinton
to visit Flint Sunday. Detroit Free Press: “Clinton will leave the campaign
trail in New Hampshire — the first state to hold a primary election next week —
to make the stop in Flint. Her main purpose, according to the Clinton campaign,
is to urge action on an energy bill in the U.S. Senate that the Democrats
blocked in order to make sure that the $600 million in funding for Flint was
added to the bill.”
Progressive
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