MORNING MESSAGE
Sanders
is the hedgehog; he knows one big thing. He forcefully presents the calamity of
a corrupted politics and rigged economy ... Yet his most insightful moment was
when he noted how the financial collapse brought on by Wall Street’s excesses
hit African Americans and Latinos the hardest ... Clinton is the fox; she knows
many things ... She concluded, somewhat disingenuously, that she is not a
“single-issue candidate and America is not a single-issue country.” ... Clinton
may want to dismiss his critique of our corrupted politics and rigged economy as
a “single issue,” but more and more Americans are coming to understand that this
is the heart of the matter."
NEVADA PRESIDENTIAL FORUM SATURDAY
Bernie
Sanders and Clinton surrogate to appear Saturday, Feb. 13th 11:30 AM PT/2:30 PM
PT, at forum organized by Nevada community groups. Click here for
Livestream: Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Cory Booker (representing Hillary
Clinton) will answer questions from grassroots community leaders about how to
best target federal investments to the people and places that need them most.
Emphasis will be placed on issues important in the South and Mountain West. The
event will be moderated by Dorian Warren. For
more information, go to Real Solutions for Real People.
DEMS VIE FOR PROGRESSIVE MANTLE
Dems
tussle over immigration. The Hill: “Bernie Sanders on Thursday night
challenged Hillary Clinton over deportation raids, arguing that the children who
fled Central America in 2014 should be allowed to stay in the country … Clinton,
a former secretary of State, fired back that America needed to ‘send a message’
to Central American families to discourage them from sending their children on
the “dangerous journey” to the United States.”
And
over Obama’s legacy. Bloomberg: “She chided him for having criticizing
Obama’s leadership, something, she said, ‘I do not expect from someone running
for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama.’ Sanders called that
“a low blow … Last I heard, a United States senator had the right to disagree
with the president, including a president who has done such an extraordinary
job,’ he said.”
Clinton
argues Sanders would make government too big. The Hill: “‘I think that the
best analysis that I’ve seen based on Sen. Sanders’s plans is that it would
probably increase the size of the federal government by about 40 percent,’
Clinton said … doubling down on framing her opponent as an idealist who cannot
fulfill his promises.”
But
Hillary moves away from Bill. Bloomberg: “In a single debate last week,
Hillary Clinton affirmed her opposition to every major multilateral trade pact
of the last the last quarter-century, volunteered concern for the politics of
racial and sexual identity, and implied she might be pleased to see the U.S.
Supreme Court again ban capital punishments by states … For Hillary to survive,
Clintonism had to die.”
Clinton
Super PAC swoops in. W. Post: “[Priorities USA is] launching a radio
campaign in South Carolina and spearheading a $4.5 million effort to drive early
turnout of African American, Latino and female voters in states that hold
contests in March.”
Dems
wait on big SC endorsement. The Hill: “Rep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.), the
third-ranking House Democrat and a leading member of the Congressional Black
Caucus (CBC), said Thursday that he plans to endorse either former Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton or Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) before the Palmetto State’s
Feb. 27 vote. ‘It’ll be after this weekend,’ Clyburn told a horde of
reporters…”
Republicans
start targeting Sanders. WSJ: “…a digital ad released Thursday from the
Republican group America Rising Squared … shows a younger (and even
wilder-haired) Mr. Sanders praising Cuba’s Fidel Castro and airs recent footage
of him saying, ‘We will raise taxes, yes we will.'”
OBAMA DEFENDS CLIMATE PLAN
Obama
remains confident climate plan will be upheld. The Hill: “Obama told an
audience at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser Thursday that he is
confident in the legality of the Clean Power Plan … ‘This a legal decision that
says, “Hold on until we review the legality.” We are very firm in terms of the
legal footing here.'”
EPA
urges states to proceed with climate plans. The Hill: “Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy told state regulators
Thursday … ‘Are we going to respect the decision of the Supreme Court? You bet,
of course we are,’ she said. ‘But it doesn’t mean it’s the only thing we’re
working on and it doesn’t mean we won’t continue to support any state that
voluntarily wants to move forward.’ … several states have said they will
continue implementing the plan, including Colorado, Virginia and
Pennsylvania.”
BREAKFAST SIDES
Trade
enforcement bill clears Congress. NYT: “The Senate gave overwhelming final
approval Thursday to the most comprehensive overhaul of customs law in decades,
giving presidents new tools to combat unfair trade, yet falling short of
bipartisan demands for penalties against other nations that manipulate their
currencies … the enforcement package is not expected to similarly improve Mr.
Obama’s low odds of winning congressional approval this year of the Pacific
agreement…”
Senate
Dems hone election message. Politico: “Senate Democrats are testing out a
new election year message: Republicans talk a big game on responding to national
crises but are cheaping out when it comes to solutions. Democrats have blasted
Republicans for their opposition to emergency spending to address the Flint
water crisis, the opioid epidemic or the Zika virus…”
Progressive
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