Subject: POLITICO's 2016 Blast: Bern’s 'messy' day — The Trump-RNC fundraising apparatus — Rubio’s relives his robot moment — 5 things you need to know
From: "POLITICO's 2016 Blast" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2016 14:42:55 -0600

By Henry C. Jackson | 05/24/2016 04:40 PM EDT

UNCONTROLLED BERN: It seems we will Bern until the end.

With the last Democratic contests just weeks away, BERNIE SANDERS gave an interview to The Associated Press http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ea202f24d266a1f2cb0b2747c64ffc521e9806a7709becce63711690f366a03f in which he seemed to take a blase attitude toward chaos at the Democratic convention, declaring things might be "messy." Sanders and campaign aides cleaned up the remarks somewhat today, claiming he was only referring to the process of democracy. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ea202f24d266a1f247be789ed5516afc3c7de591f4b0f115cd0ec216fb5820ca 

Not walked back: His campaign's call for a recanvass of Kentucky, a state where HILLARY CLINTON was declared a winner, narrowly, last week. Given that Democrats dole out delegates proportionately, a recount would likely net Sanders, at best, one more delegate. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ea202f24d266a1f257cbcdd4edf4142fb47f8560e01b89d77028f1e03800ab86 

Happy Tuesday. There's no walking this back: It'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 favorite '90s things (more on that in a second) to: [email-masked]. 

2) BUNDLE UP: DONALD TRUMP is consolidating his support. Today, the Republican National Committee announced a leadership structure for the joint fundraising committee it has formed with the presumptive GOP nominee. It includes an executive at Hardee's, the New York Jets' owner and a couple of former ambassadors. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ea202f24d266a1f266f6f89de3d27280ea5e84ca9ffca6ad2584c0a541f2b443 The committee will hold its first fundraiser Wednesday in Los Angeles. The committee fits a broader reunification, as POLITICO's Eli Stokols explores: Many people who were pretty far out on the ledge of NeverTrump have found their way back. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=ea202f24d266a1f2acf5cec40fc0ae504767f97377067d074f727db37e308b75 Consider Ed Rollins: Two months ago, calling Trump
 a narcissist and, two months later, leading a super PAC designed to get him elected.

3)  WHAT (A) DRAG: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus made an earnest effort to pacify restive senators today - arguing that they'll be just fine with DONALD TRUMP at the top of the ticket. Priebus spoke with Senate Republicans this afternoon, POLITICO's Burgess Everett reports. His basic argument: Things will be better than currently perceived with Trump at the top of the ticket. It wasn't clear that Priebus entirely convinced his audience. Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, who has been wary of Trump particularly in his home state of Nevada, said of the pitch he heard, "He has to say that. I'm taking him for his word." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece710bcda452aa20736889877ce72f906c38f1f1d3df373b29 

4) I LOVE THE '90s: Over the last day or so, DONALD TRUMP's election playbook seems to have been drafted by House Republicans circa 1997. On Monday, he released a video that highlighted former President Bill Clinton's past sex scandals. Then, for good measure, he talked to The Washington Post about former Clinton aide and friend Vince Foster, whose suicide has long been the subject of Internet conspiracy swamps. Today, Trump's surrogates carried on the attack. Collectively, they defended Trump's decision to rehash Clinton's sex scandals and said remarks Trump made then - which seemed to express sympathy for Bill Clinton - were not relevant now. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece35d538d22a153c8f699a602576f736affea11b468149bf7c 

BLAST NOTE: Here's a shortlist of some things we miss from the '90s: Starter jackets. Larry Johnson Grandmama commercials. "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." The phrase "as if." Snap bracelets. 

5) ROBOT, RECONSIDERED: In an interview with The Guardian, MARCO RUBIO comes to grips with a moment that many feel was an inflection point for his campaign: the seemingly robotic repeat response to CHRIS CHRISTIE's badgering during a GOP debate in New Hampshire. But Rubio said that while he could have handled the situation differently (and perhaps should have) he didn't think it swayed voters - just drove media coverage. But - thanks media! - Rubio also seems to think coverage changed things a bit: "I do think it impacted media coverage in the days leading up to the New Hampshire vote, which I think ultimately hurt us," Rubio said. "I think we would have finished very strongly in New
 Hampshire had it not been for that, and it might have led to a different outcome in South Carolina and maybe changed the trajectory of the race." More here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece3607ce40853edbda1f6c10e1d9d81f2a41b8e980880f7621  

TRAIL MIX: Elsewhere on the campaign trail, no more debates! No more debates!! No more debates!!! (Until the fall.) BERNIE SANDERS wishes there were more, DONALD TRUMP has many conspiracy theories, Neil Young has no problem and the FBI investigation of Terry McAuliffe is another unwelcome FBI investigation for HILLARY CLINTON. 

DE-END: HILLARY CLINTON's campaign formally declines a Fox News debate which means, officially, we are done with primary debates. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece2a8f5a0c28ef9ddbf5acb11b763837c0cdcacee5c3c3e84d 

BIG BERN: And BERNIE SANDERS thinks that's an insult to voters. (ABC) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece33d55c633b6c4738629783d7bb5dfe0c422971f3a5f57926 

MOUSE IN THE HOUSE: Campaigning right near Disneyland, BERNIE SANDERS has some harsh things to say about Disney. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece8d0aeafd3990bf4b5708b18bf725f2b643bd78aeb3ff19f9 

BIG MAC: A Justice Department investigation of Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is a bit of a mess for his longtime friend HILLARY CLINTON. (Vice) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece9969d15a083fed3c5d25bc1f8cf72e0a4d3f83fb8462fa16 

CONSPIRACY THEORY THEORY: NPR has a comprehensive guide to conspiracy theories that DONALD TRUMP has toyed with during his presidential campaign. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=41d0b1d117082738f902d662829ca22da9bf420fb9b442e69c58dbaeed2b477c 

KEEP ON ROCKING: Neil Young has no problem with DONALD TRUMP using "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World." (Rolling Stone) http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=41d0b1d117082738ad6e43a24ef3244e2610a5fb824a665f4c6bc92886996544 

WHAT'S NEXT: California. HILLARY CLINTON has an event in Salinas, Calif. BERNIE SANDERS continues to campaign in the state. The joint RNC-DONALD TRUMP committee has its first fundraiser in the Los Angeles area. 

THEY SAID IT: "It's not that we lost, it's that DONALD TRUMP won." - MARCO RUBIO explaining his theory of the GOP primary race. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=1fc1a3ab33b54ece3607ce40853edbda1f6c10e1d9d81f2a41b8e980880f7621 

MAGIC NUMBER: 10. 

That's roughly the average number of percentage points by which BERNIE SANDERS leads DONALD TRUMP in general election polling right now - compared to about 2 percentage points for HILLARY CLINTON. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=41d0b1d117082738a9b44af59a659bb9d2ef16d7bbd943ecf5a1e657d2e69709 

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There you go - now you're caught up on the 2016 race. If you've made it this far, enjoy this from vintage L.J. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=2c7450c7d66871ce2694b2e511fe5dd0294bbcb0e50ebb0a3b7da0a054740441 TBNR. We'll see you back here tomorrow.

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