Subject: POLITICO's 2016 Blast: Oregon and Kentucky vote — Trump’s general election moves — Nevada chaos highlights Democrats’ fears — 5 things you need to know
From: "POLITICO's 2016 Blast" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 May 2016 15:56:04 -0600

By Henry C. Jackson | 05/17/2016 05:53 PM EDT

STILL VOTING HERE: Here we go again. Kentucky and Oregon Democrats vote tonight. Collectively, they'll give BERNIE SANDERS the chance to pick up two more victories. But - stop us if you've heard this before - they likely won't change his ability to win in the big race against HILLARY CLINTON.

POLITICO's Steve Shepard looks at where Sanders must win to beat Clinton in Kentucky tonight. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e1db755f7b250641036bc3b03ccf592d558eb7c530505db21 He'll have to outperform her in more rural areas. Sanders is also favored in Oregon, where a more homogeneous and liberal electorate favors him.

What this amounts to for Clinton is potential for more embarrassment. As POLITICO's Daniel Strauss reports, even a pair of losses are unlikely to change her path to the Democratic nomination. Her supporters, though, are wondering when this will end. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e860a67bfb2ea3aad98e04ae310fe903fdf1cf8ef336db6d6 

It's Tuesday. Turn on some Bluegrass and enjoy yet another primary night in America. Oh, and here's your 2016 Blast. Henry C. Jackson (@henrycjjackson) is here to guide you through the day's campaign news, so send your tips, complaints and best cockpit chatter to: [email-masked]. 

2) STAFFING TRUMP TOWER: DONALD TRUMP's general election plans are taking some shape. POLITICO's Marc Caputo reports Trump, who has eschewed pollsters, hired Tony Fabrizio, a Florida-based operative. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ef8ee53435cde30237dfa38739166b596f85c282738233c31 And POLITICO's Kenneth P. Vogel and Alex Isenstadt report Trump is creating a fairly complex fundraising system that would establish two separate fundraising committees that will let him solicit mega donations to help down-ticket GOP candidates. Collectively, these two stories show the same thing: Trump's operation is putting thought and structure into its strategy for November. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e530b2b0ba73187fb60bba66fc9bcd62d434e46ec8bcf3b27 

3) GENERAL PRACTICES: As we know, HILLARY CLINTON's still seeing off a Democratic challenger. But her allies are eyes-ahead, looking at the looming (Trump) tower. POLITICO's Gabriel Debenedetti looks at how that's taking shape: by pushing voters to learn more about DONALD TRUMP. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e7b468cdc45f3443e8880f7ba158a43ba5f6fc4ea57b70298 A new series of ads unloads on Trump, targeting his treatment of women. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ee808609a7e45b7b2dc8276a399ccf3a638999a9ae602aa70 And an appearance by Clinton's top policy aide, Jake Sullivan, offered a window into how the Clinton campaign will target Trump on foreign policy: As an unstable and inconsistent voice who would sow chaos. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e738d7fa0fd97e0cbd40083cfd8d006c6f80404a95bd35c51 

4) PHILLY WARNING? There was chaos at the Nevada conventions, and the fear among Democrats is that what happens there won't stay there. As POLITICO's Daniel Strauss and Sarah Wheaton report that DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is calling on BERNIE SANDERS and HILLARY CLINTON to denounce chaos that unfolded over the weekend in Nevada. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ef2a522f4375c9411b2306f392b19742746eacaf004b40818 Harry Reid called it a "test of leadership" for Sanders. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e9e28a1bde3d193e75de3eee181fbf4572bb6c5522a1d89e7 But Sanders didn't see it the same way: He issued a statement this afternoon railing against party leaders for Nevada and blaming their tactics for chaos. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6eedc13241e37eea5271aa930cbdcf064a5a66eb789ef2a661 

BLAST-ROUND: Just catching up?: A group of angry Sanders supporters were so unruly this weekend that a Las Vegas hotel shutdown the state convention. More protesters descended on the state Democratic Party headquarters the next day. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e51e3cdf20ff9a7e4315b54a6780934c7ef6a1a4ef5a936bd

5) BETTER TO BERN OUT THAN TO FADE AWAY: A pair of potential victories in Oregon and Kentucky likely won't speed up BERNIE SANDERS' exit from the Democratic race. But there were still some clues about his endgame today: First, a sign he isn't planning to pull his punches on the way out. Campaigning in San Juan, Puerto Rico Sanders questioned HILLARY CLINTON's judgement in appointing her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as her "economy czar." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e5163c87b5e7d7a8d794d6fa762e130e7e678a97660594dad And yet, there are signs Sanders sees an end, including word of yet more staff leaving Sanders' campaign operation, per POLITICO's Gabriel Debenedetti. Among the departures: his top technology
 officer and three California aides. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e47c1a43792988ea97fe9ee82264940c5134c59da93dff08e 

TRAIL MIX: Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Mitch McConnell gives a nudge. DONALD TRUMP is a polling menace. His lawyer drops a lawsuit before it starts. J.K. Rowling defends him. Sort of. The actor who played Bunk attempts to debunk. HILLARY CLINTON is big in Albania. Marshawn Lynch keeps Bill Clinton in check and Clinton county isn't Clinton Country. 

SENATORIAL SUBTLETY: Mitch McConnell says that DONALD TRUMP not releasing his taxes would be a "break with tradition." But doesn't, you know, demand he release them either. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e79f3bae24aa447a6eac72ecb6e9a58735796f5dde0d435d2 

TRUMPING DATA: DONALD TRUMP has already, and will continue to, cause really big issues for pollsters. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6edc3e9c1c78bb2bfebe8da10871bd873409529742dfc1fbb0 

A PANTS SUIT: A DONALD TRUMP lawyer retracts his threat to sue The New York Times. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ef78ac65e56bdd1bd4d4fb652a12c8e9f27699f51e53ad921 

FAIR ENOUGH: A spokeswoman for DONALD TRUMP notes, while pushing back on stories about his treatment of women, that his own wife has endorsed him. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e3d11af75f4759b8993413c0e00bd55fc08d5f9415617e384 

DEFENDING SLYTHERINS: Author J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame deeply dislikes DONALD TRUMP but defends his right to speak his mind. (Vanity Fair). http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e2d1ad0c675af228abfe471d64c75e2b7892ad1f08aeb5acb 

BUNK DEBUNKS: Actor Wendell Pierce of The Wire fame took to Twitter to dispel rumors after he was arrested following an argument with BERNIE SANDERS supporters. (Mediaite) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e422e0f9bdff4d71bed5381bdbdb0c6c45b3095dc468246c4 

BLAST NOTE: The Blast does not like to rank its favorites, but if think you have an argument for why any show is better than The Wire, we're all ears.

FROM ALBANY TO ALBANIA: An Albanian city is putting up a bust of HILLARY CLINTON to honor her role in helping the country. (CBS) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e8e57a3328cbb00db01a243031ab1bb010e313fdea4659208 

DRAG RACE: This is a story about drag queens competing to be the next HILLARY CLINTON. (Mashable) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ea16394b73b7b71c041b9c9831ddae21dbe2bdbe9cd390419 

BEAST MODE: The time Marshawn Lynch made Bill Clinton throw down a north Oakland hand signal before he'd take a photo with him. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e6872fde0f254c7491ea069ed43a56b961849367b18987f18 

STRUGGLES IN 'CLINTON' COUNTRY: HILLARY CLINTON has lost eight "Clinton" counties so far. (ABC) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6e2a5db848e6f624112a167255d4f4f41bbb90767b2fcd2829 

WHAT'S NEXT: Voting is HAPPENING NOW in Oregon and Kentucky. BERNIE SANDERS decamps for Northern California tomorrow with stops in Vallejo and San Jose. 

THEY SAID IT: "He's not Hitler." - Melania Trump, talking about her husband, DONALD TRUMP. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ee74121b8d8cb9af32b453f50d291183912c0f9a3105dcfdb 

MAGIC NUMBER: 3. That's HILLARY CLINTON's lead over DONALD TRUMP in a new NBC News/Survey Monkey poll - Clinton's margin is already two points smaller than it was last week. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6eef8af146d460544f15d8e7b3034cc67f4e4e7c1041ef4726 

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There you go - now you're caught up on the 2016 race. TBNR. As a reward, treat yourself to this awesome scene from The Wire. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97484d82b8012b6ed6b54c8eddf480d064d714d4aa86bb9042d3cc91b8872d73 

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