Subject: Stitch — Trump Treatment of Women Story Points to New Media Scrutiny, David Frum on Foreign Policy Future, Dems Push Sanders to Exit
From: Jonathan Allen <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 14 May 2016 15:18:23 +0000
List-Id: dff5dea186e38c29c57ca6f8fmc list <dff5dea186e38c29c57ca6f8f.326717.list-id.mcsv.net>

** WHAT'S THE STITCH
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Stitch is a morning news speed-read highlighting the work and insights of Newsmakers that is followed by a daily chat on hot political topics.

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TRUMP NOW GETTING THE FULL TREATMENT FROM THE MEDIA
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There are about 16 Republican candidates for the presidency, and a whole lot of elected GOP officials, who must be thinking almost exactly the same thing right now:Why the hell didn't Donald Trump get this kind of scrutiny during the primary?

Three big storylines that have popped in the last few days could dog Trump:
* He won't commit to releasing his tax returns.
* The Washington Post reported yesterday (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/donald-trump-alter-ego-barron/2016/05/12/02ac99ec-16fe-11e6-aa55-670cabef46e0_story.html)  that he often used pseudonyms "John Miller" and "John Barron" to pretend to be a spokesman for himself when dealing with New York's tabloids and even the New York Times.
* The New York Times spent six weeks interviewing about 50 former girlfriends, friends, acquaintances and assistants of Trump to shed light on how he treats women in private. You could shorthand the Times' assessment (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?_r=0)  as "An Offender and a Gentleman." But the focus is much more on the latter in the report by MICHAEL BARBARO & MEGAN TWOHEY.

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"Their accounts...reveal unwelcome romantic advances, unending commentary on the female form, a shrewd reliance on ambitious women, and unsettling workplace conduct, according to the interviews, as well as court records and written recollections. The interactions occurred in his offices at Trump Tower, at his homes, at construction sites and backstage at beauty pageants. They appeared to be fleeting, unimportant moments to him, but they left lasting impressions on the women who experienced them.

—Michael Barbaro & Megan Twohey / NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?_r=0)

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TRUMP'S RESPONSE
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"A lot of things get made up over the years ... I have always treated women with great respect. And women will tell you that.”

—Donald Trump / NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/us/politics/donald-trump-women.html?_r=0)

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The faux-spox act is potentially the most damaging because Trump has made such an asset of his willingness to attack his opponents directly, rather than relying on surrogates. That's been a big part of his ability to portray himself as a straight-talker even as his positions on policy bounce around like an air-hockey puck.

In and of themselves, and even taken together, these stories aren't game-changers. The Times' piece on his treatment of women shows he's the same in private as he is in public — which will be a relief to his fans — and most voters won't care about the tax returns.

But what they do signal is this: Trump won't get as free of a ride in the general election as he did in the primary. Now, the reporting staffs that were spread thin across 17 campaigns earlier in the process and unable to do much more than report on his Tweets or debate-night insults are going to start digging into Trump's past.

An establishment D.C. insider who has come to support Trump, sent the following thoughts on the stories. ...

ON THE TIMES STORY
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"My first reaction, was how come no one published such as expose after the [Jennifer] Flowers press conference? A public that has lived through Bill Clinton's exploitation of women (while married I might add), scores of stories of politicians' sexual exploits and the disgrace of icons like Bill Cosby will hardly blink an eye. The NYT story was, frankly, boring."

—A D.C. GOP insider / to Stitch

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ON TAX RETURNS

"First thought was observing how appointees from business world who realize what they have to disclose (and divest) are always shocked when they find out how invasive the disclosure rules are now. Second thought was Trump will have to be at least as transparent as he will demand of his VP candidates. Welcome to politics Mr Trump. There are some rules and expectations you won't be able to defy."

—D.C. GOP insider / to Stitch

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ON THE FAUX-SPOX STORY

"It's just silly. Cable news fodder. And not what voters are concerned about even those trying to stop him. There's plenty of material to critique when it comes to his policy positions. These 'personal' critiques are falling on deaf ears."

—D.C. GOP Insider / to Stitch

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The insider added this analysis of Trump's challenge going forward

"Trump's most important task as he makes his was to the Oval is developing a filter. Number one priority. Doesn't have to change himself just needs to discipline himself."

—D.C. GOP insider / to Stitch

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** SIDEWIRE CHAT: THE STATE AND FUTURE OF FOREIGN POLICY
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DAVID FRUM of the Atlantic joined ELI LAKE of Bloomberg for a chat yesterday on the state of the conservative movement. Frum, as always, had powerful insights into the trendlines shaping the Republican Party and American politics, particularly on foreign policy. Here's a little taste:

ON TRUMP'S FOREIGN POLICY
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"Trump has taken many different sides of many issues, including immigration. He's consistent only about one thing: he rejects the US-led world order built since 1941."

—David Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/c39f5909-0332-42a2-9eda-98119b26ae2d)

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"This is more than the "limits of power" ... we've seen that before."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/116d6115-cb81-484f-b662-0f757cea7350)

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"Trump rejects the concept that America's interests are, can be, or should be aligned with friends and allies like the Europeans, the Japanese, etc."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/e114be82-dff1-4e48-99c5-9b178a6c830e)

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ON THE TRENDLINE AWAY FROM GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

"Much for the future will depend on whether Hillary Clinton can and will redirect the Democratic party back to the historic mainstream of American foreign policy."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/5ca75dcf-b47e-46bc-8c7d-825361641874)

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"George W. Bush was in many ways a traditional Atlanticist - but he used means that US allies found unilateral, shocking, even dangerous."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/b2274079-ce5d-4add-8d6e-1972f7cef014)

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"Barack Obama used means that US allies found soothing and familiar ... but in pursuit of ends that were not Atlanticist, that actually renounced US leadership of the global alliance network."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/ab3f878e-5554-4eda-b483-627ce00b4573)

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"Trump renounces both traditional ends and traditional means."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/42c2b4bc-1413-45e4-8365-924eb487c132)

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"But the migration issue? here to stay. The retreat from US leadership? Yeah, I fear that has staying power too."

—Frum / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/9391de5e-8f33-4069-96a1-8178d5ea43ec)

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TURNING THE TABLES ON ELI AND ASKING WHETHER CLINTON WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM OBAMA ON FOREIGN POLICY
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"I am more skeptical on this point than some. Mark Landler had a superb piece on this in the NYT magazine which suggested, yes she would be more hawkish. But I think she is also a creature of today's Democratic party. So she needs to get back to...some basics and make the case to her own party about how American power in the world is a force for good and not just an excuse to drone Afghan wedding parties."9

—Eli Lake / Sidewire Chat, part 1 (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/7ec179f0-8f3d-49ed-8502-d29b43390076) , part 2 (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/021e1f6a-f19e-4b3d-bb95-dba5c636d1cc)

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"She may have to take out an ad in the Free Beacon asking for foreign policy hands. Wanted, youngish US foreign policy hands who don't think America is as bad as the Taliban. Experience a plus, but necessary."

—Lake / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5/commentary/5858bd92-dfc3-48ab-887a-71a664d969dc)

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CLICK HERE (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/1dcef8e7b35915b01e39c026d6fe70d5)  for the full chat.

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**
TRIVIAL PURSUITS
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ABOUT TODAY
Louis XIV, the Sun King (and the son king), became king of France on this date in 1643 after his father's death, though he would not take practical control of the kingdom for many years.

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA
John F. Kennedy was the first president to honor an NBA champion at the White House. It was 1963, and the team was his hometown Boston Celtics.

TODAY'S TRIVIA
What's the smallest number of electoral college votes ever from the home state of a winner of the presidency in the year in which he was elected?

Send answers to [email-masked]. The first person to respond correctly wins honor, fame and no fortune.

WHERE TO SEND TIPS, SUGGESTIONS & CORRECTIONS
[email-masked]

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**
DEMOCRATS PRESSURE BERNIE SANDERS TO GET OUT NOW
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LISA LERER & KEN THOMAS of the AP report that Democratic officials are starting to pressure Bernie Sanders to exit the race for the party's nomination.

There is concern among Democrats that Sanders is creating an echo of Trump's arguments against Hillary Clinton and that the two-on-one effect could create lasting damage.
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"I would just hope that he would understand that we need to beginconsolidating our vote sooner rather than later,

—Rep. Steve Israel / AP (http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1af2285654664e2e8c1828895900212f/fearing-trump-some-democrats-pressure-sanders-exit)

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DAVID WADE, former aide to presidential candidates John Kerry and Joe Biden, joined Sidewire for a chat yesterday on just that topic. He thinks Sanders can effect change by dropping out and leading a campaign-finance reform movement.

Here's David on whether Sanders should, as some of his aides and supporters have suggested, lead an anti-Trump movement:
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"I think him heading an anti-Trump effort is intriguing -- but I think he can play a bigger role than that -- he could go out and do what LCV did in the 1970's: defeat people opposed to his agenda."

—David Wade / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/a3aa803f3f33366691558d770ab38b1d/commentary/61e78abc-f585-406d-a033-fdc50b05e783)

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CLICK HERE (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/a3aa803f3f33366691558d770ab38b1d)  for the full chat, which includes David's thought on a Clinton vice presidential nominee and other great nuggets.

** SIDEWIRE CHAT: AMBASSADOR KIM DARROCH ON BRITAIN'S UPCOMING EU REFERENDUM
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SIR KIM DARROCH, the British ambassador to the United States, argued that the U.K. is far better served by remaining a member of the EU when voters choose whether to bolt the consortium of European nations on June 23.
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"I spent 5 years in Brussels negotiating for the UK. I reckon we got what we needed pretty much every time. So my experience was of Britain winning its arguments and showing leadership."

—Sir Kim Darroch / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/6f8f70ce6dcb77a4c59c0ddd03d5cfc2/commentary/9978e56e-71ca-43a5-b1c2-d66798175445)

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He also spoke to the timing of the referendum in an exchange with DAVID MORTLOCK, a British-born American who worked at the National Security Council for President Obama.
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"It's been 40 years since the question was last posed to the British people. The EU has changed massively since then. We can't be afraid of asking the people whether they still believe in membership of what the EU has become: that's democracy."

—Darroch / Sidewire Chat (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/6f8f70ce6dcb77a4c59c0ddd03d5cfc2/commentary/5be506d8-113c-430f-b8e9-b189712e9c74)

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CLICK HERE (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/6f8f70ce6dcb77a4c59c0ddd03d5cfc2)  for the full chat on the causes and potential effects of the EU referendum.

** STITCH CHAT: BEN CARSON SPOKESMAN SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON
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SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON joined Stitch yesterday to talk politics. Here's his take on what folks who don't support Carson don't get about him.
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"They probably wonder why he supports Donald Trump, but Dr. Carson truly believes that Mr. Trump has what it takes not only to win, but to do what is in the best interest of the American people. ... There are many in the party who don't like Donald Trump, but he will be our nominee and we as Republicans have to do everything we can to assist him in winning. That is our obligation as Republicans and anything less is indefensible."

—Shermichael Singleton / Stitch Chat, part 1 (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/21c13e63f17bf59ce62bdae70c414879/commentary/4137bffd-9d3a-4a8e-8e02-00c84be56c81) , part 2 (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/21c13e63f17bf59ce62bdae70c414879/commentary/ef2e3755-b2d0-47c3-a1e3-2a42c0dd65a9)

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CLICK HERE (https://sidewire.com/politics/articles/21c13e63f17bf59ce62bdae70c414879)  for the full chat.

THE BIG QUESTION

Will Trump survive, thrive or wilt under the new scrutiny from the media?

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