Subject: Correct The Record Friday December 12, 2014 Afternoon Roundup
From: Burns Strider <[email-masked]>
To: CTRFriendsFamily <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:06:22 -0500
List-Id: <CTRFriendsFamily.americanbridge.org>

*​**Correct The Record Friday December 12, 2014 Afternoon Roundup:*

*Tweets:*

*Correct The Record* @CorrectRecord: .@HillaryClinton
<https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton> held WH Conference on Child Care to
address the need for safe, affordable child care #HRC365
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/HRC365?src=hash>
http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/New/Childcare/about.html …
<http://t.co/tvG2l3t0RI> [12/12/14, 12:29 p.m. EST
<https://twitter.com/CorrectRecord/status/543457718091411456>]

*Headlines:*

*MSNBC: “Democrats eager to help Republicans – tear each other apart”
<http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/democrats-eager-help-republicans-tear-each-other-apart>*

“American Bridge’s nearly 200 page new research book, dubbed a ‘Scouting
Report’ of the 2016 Republican presidential field, is a one-stop shop for
controversial quotes, past scandals, questionable business ties and
embarrassing photos of likely GOP presidential candidates (and some
unlikely ones).”

*New York Times: First Draft: “Insiders Say Clinton’s Speeches Are No Hint
to Her ’16 Timeline”
<http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/12/?entry=6989>*

“People close to Mrs. Clinton are brushing off the oft-repeated assumption
in the news media that a few paid speeches she is scheduled to deliver… are
indications that she will wait until at least the spring to announce
whether she will seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.”

*Bloomberg: Al Hunt: “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Democratic Front-Runner”
<http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-12-12/virginia-reel-kaine-picks-clinton-over-webb>*

“Senator Tim Kaine is staying with his embrace of Hillary Clinton for the
2016 Democratic presidential nomination, even though his fellow Virginia
Democrat Jim Webb looks like he will run too.”

*Washington Post blog: The Fix: “Hillary Clinton decided to postpone her
presidential announcement. She might want to reconsider.”
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/12/hillary-clinton-decided-to-postpone-her-presidential-announcement-she-might-want-to-reconsider/>*

“The Warren buzz has to make some longtime Hillary allies a little
skittish, reminding them of another liberal firebrand senator six years
ago.”

*The Hill blog: Ballot Box: “Obama alums: We're Ready for Warren”
<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/226918-obama-campaign-alums-urge-warren-to-run>*

“More than 300 former Obama campaign staffers have signed a letter urging
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to run for president, part of a growing
effort to get the liberal champion to run.”

*Associated Press: “Former Obama Aides Urging Warren Run For President”
<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WARREN_2016?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>*

“Hillary Rodham Clinton has yet to announce a presidential campaign but has
drawn support from a number of top former Obama aides.”

*CNBC: “Bill Richardson won't support Hillary, yet”
<http://www.cnbc.com/id/102263834#.>*

“Bill Richardson told CNBC's ‘Squawk Box’ on Friday he's not ready to
endorse Hillary Clinton should she seek the 2016 Democratic presidential
nomination.”

*Articles:*

*MSNBC: “Democrats eager to help Republicans – tear each other apart”
<http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/democrats-eager-help-republicans-tear-each-other-apart>*

By Alex Seitz-Wald

December 12, 2014, 9:56 a.m. EST

Democratic super PACs generally don’t try to help out Republicans. And
that’s especially true for Democratic groups whose entire purpose on this
planet is to dig up dirt on their opponents, stalk them with video trackers
and try to embarrass the GOP on a daily basis.

And yet, that’s exactly what the latest research project from the
Democratic opposition research group American Bridge may do – though it
will be to help Republicans more effectively tear each other apart.

American Bridge’s nearly 200 page new research book, dubbed a “Scouting
Report” of the 2016 Republican presidential field, is a one-stop shop for
controversial quotes, past scandals, questionable business ties and
embarrassing photos of likely GOP presidential candidates (and some
unlikely ones).

The book, which includes 60 pages of endnotes, is billed as a “media guide”
and says its intended audience is “anyone involved in politics,” according
to Democratic strategist Paul Begala, who wrote the forward. And that
includes the Republicans running for president themselves, according to
several people involved in the production of the book, who acknowledged
that one goal is to help plant information Republicans might use against
each other in what’s expected to be a crowded 2016 GOP primary field.

“The beauty of this book is that anyone involved in politics can find a use
for it. It can be used as a reference guide for the press or as a playbook
for political operatives. And if prospective GOP candidates find it useful
to beat the hell out of one another, well, praise the Lord and pass the
potato salad,” American Bridge President Brad Woodhouse told msnbc.

Indeed, while the book focuses on lines of attacks you might expect from a
Democratic group, it also dwells at length on “problems with the base”
several candidates might have. And while rumor has it the best stuff has
been left out and saved for later, there’s still plenty that might cause
discomfort for anyone about enter a GOP primary.

For instance, the book unearths a letter Texas Gov. Rick Perry wrote to
then-first lady Hillary Clinton in 1993, praising her ill-fated project to
overhaul the American health  care system. The then-Texas agriculture
commissioner’s letter opens: “Dear Mrs. Clinton: I think your efforts in
trying to reform the nation’s health care system are most commendable.” And
it concludes: “Your efforts are worthy … Please do not hesitate to contact
me if I can be of any assistance.”

American Bridge, which has a subsidiary dedicated to promoting and
defending Clinton, probably has no problem with Perry reaching out to the
former first lady. But former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and the rest of the
potential Republican field might. Jon Huntsman’s letters to President Obama
became a liability for him during the 2012 campaign.

But the other potential 2016 GOP candidates may have their own “problems
with the base.”

The research book, for instance, digs up a quote of Bush’s saying the GOP
needs to get over it’s “nostalgia” for conservative icon Ronald Reagan, and
it raises questions about Bush’s ties to a health care company that
supports Obamacare.

For Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who ran in 2000, and is reportedly laying the
groundwork for another run in 2016, the Democratic group points to Kasich’s
“deciding vote” in the House to pass the 1994 assault weapons ban. In fact,
the NRA endorsed Kasich’s Democratic opponent in 2010.

Beyond the conservative blasphemies, there are plenty of issues that could
make it into 30-second attack ads regardless of political ideology, from
Bush’s work for Lehman Brothers to Christie apparently pulling strings to
get out of traffic tickets.

And by putting it out there now, American Bridge is hoping Republicans do
some of the dirty work for them against whoever emerges as the Republican
nominee.

After all, it was Newt Gingrich who first went after Mitt Romney for his
tenure at the private equity firm Bain Capital in 2012. The former House
speaker accused Romney of “looting” companies, while a pro-Gingrich super
PAC spent millions to produce and promote a 28-minute documentary titled
“When Mitt Romney Came to Town” that portrayed Romney as a heartless
corporate raider.

And long before Harry Reid made hay of Romney’s tax returns, Perry and Ron
Paul were demanding Romney release more information about his finances.

Opposition research books – the compiled binders of campaigns’ dirt-digging
– are usually held confidential and protected like a state secrets,
sometimes even long after the end of a campaign. But by making its
opposition research public now, Democrats can hope some of it gets in the
bloodstream early and for free. There may be no better way to define a
candidate early ahead of a general election than by getting their primary
opponents to do it for you.

*New York Times: First Draft: “Insiders Say Clinton’s Speeches Are No Hint
to Her ’16 Timeline”
<http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/12/?entry=6989>*

By Amy Chozick

December 12, 2014, 11:13 a.m. EST

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s timeline to declare whether she will run for
president rests on many factors. Keeping her commitment to the New Jersey
chapter of the American Camp Association is probably not one of them.

Indeed, people close to Mrs. Clinton are brushing off the oft-repeated
assumption in the news media that a few paid speeches she is scheduled to
deliver — at a “global perspectives” gathering in Canada in late January,
at a women’s conference in Silicon Valley in February and to summer camp
professionals in Atlantic City in March — are indications that she will
wait until at least the spring to announce whether she will seek the
Democratic nomination for president in 2016.

The Harry Walker Agency, which arranges Mrs. Clinton’s paid speeches (at
around $250,000 a pop) will continue to book speeches as long as it can,
the people close to her said. She can always cancel. If nothing else, Mrs.
Clinton’s pared-down paid speech schedule (she delivered them almost weekly
before her book tour this summer) confirms aides’ insistence that she has
not made up her mind about running.

Mrs. Clinton’s paid speeches have been criticized, especially those she has
given to hedge funds and Wall Street banks. But so far, the coming
addresses are mostly aligned with her broader charitable work of advancing
women and girls and early childhood development.

Although the political optics of accepting money to speak while running for
president may be tricky, there’s no legal reason that presidential
candidates must stop delivering paid speeches once they’ve formed an
exploratory committee, said Kenneth A. Gross, who leads the political law
practice at Skadden Arps.

“This may be the power of nonincumbency in that she is unbridled in her
ability to accept speaking engagements and money for them,” he said.

*Bloomberg: Al Hunt: “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Democratic Front-Runner”
<http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-12-12/virginia-reel-kaine-picks-clinton-over-webb>*

By Albert R. Hunt

December 12, 2014, 11:05 a.m. EST

Senator Tim Kaine is staying with his embrace of Hillary Clinton for the
2016 Democratic presidential nomination, even though his fellow Virginia
Democrat Jim Webb looks like he will run too.

"I am going to stick with Hillary," Kaine, also a former governor of
Virginia, said in an interview for Friday's "Charlie Rose" PBS program. He
said he believes the former secretary of state is "the best qualified
person to be a great president."

Many Democratic politicians are jumping on the Hillary bandwagon, but Kaine
is a particularly interesting example for two reasons. One, he was an
important supporter of Barack Obama in 2008 when the Illinois senator
defeated Clinton for the nomination. He was on the final short-list of
possible Obama running mates that summer. Second, Webb was Kaine's
predecessor in the Senate; Kaine won the seat in 2012 when Webb retired.

Last month, Webb launched an exploratory committee to consider running for
the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton, if she runs, would be a
prohibitive favorite to get the nod, though some Democrats, including a few
Clintonites, believe Webb could score political points against her. Webb is
an economic populist, critical of Wall Street; she has close Wall Street
ties. Webb also is a decorated Marine combat officer who is much more
skeptical than Clinton about foreign interventions.

Kaine was optimistic that Ms. Clinton would run: "I don't have any inside
intelligence, but my intuition says yes."

The full interview can be seen tonight on PBS and will later be rebroadcast
on Bloomberg Television.

*Washington Post blog: The Fix: “Hillary Clinton decided to postpone her
presidential announcement. She might want to reconsider.”
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/12/hillary-clinton-decided-to-postpone-her-presidential-announcement-she-might-want-to-reconsider/>*

By Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake

December 12, 2014, 12:40 p.m. EST

Hillary Clinton, after much debate within her inner circle, appears to have
put off formally entering the 2016 presidential race until the spring of
2015.   "Hillary Rodham Clinton is considering the nitty-gritty details of
how and when to organize a presidential campaign amid signs that she will
postpone making her shadow campaign official until later in 2015 than
expected, according to advisers and Democratic strategists," wrote WaPo's
Anne Gearan and Matea Gold this week. That jibes with plenty of other
reporting on the matter and seems as close to a consensus opinion as you
will get when it comes to the remarkably opaque decision-making process of
the former Secretary of State.

While there are plenty of reasons that argue in favor of waiting -- legal
ones in terms of how she incorporates (or doesn't) the various outside
groups that have blossomed in support of her over the past few years,
political ones about looking less, well, political for as long as possible
-- there's also a big reason why she should at least consider announcing
sooner rather than later. And it's named Elizabeth Warren. Or, at least,
the energy and passion among liberals that is, at the moment, channeled
through Warren.  An attempt to draft the Massachusetts Senator launched
formally this week and her stern opposition to the CRomnibus bill because
of a provision that would ease derivative trading by corporations drew
scads of national coverage.

That's not to say Warren is running or even thinking about it at the
moment. But, let's say the next three months play out like the last three
months. The dominant narrative remains that Clinton is the heavy favorite
to be the Democratic nominee. But that storyline is accompanied by another
one -- which is that the heart of the Democratic party really wants
Warren.  And, as that storyline continues, more and more people hear about
it; an actual movement develops, all fueled by the anti Wall Street
populism that Warren embodies.

If Clinton waits until April, let's say, to announce, it's uniquely
possible that the populist/draft Warren movement in the party has grown
strong enough that it has forced the Massachusetts Senator to reconsider
her past denials of interest in the race. And, if Warren runs, it's a
totally different race for Clinton than if she doesn't. (To be clear,
Clinton would be a favorite over Warren. But not a huge one.)

So, why not get in earlier -- before the Warren movement gets any more
energy or excitement behind it? Plus, the sooner she gets in, the sooner
Clinton can start raising the money and building the campaign
infrastructures that should be her biggest advantage in the race. And, what
if she used her formal campaign announcement to deliver a message on income
inequality -- sending a message about how central that would be to her
candidacy in 2016?

In short: Make it as hard as humanly possible for Warren to reconsider or
for the movement trying to get her to reconsider to gain steam. Be the
prime mover. Act and make Warren, and everyone else, react.

Below are our rankings of the six people either running, talking about
running or being talked about as potential runners for 2016 for the
Democratic nomination. The candidate ranked number one -- let's not pretend
here: it's Clinton -- is considered the most likely nominee.

6. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders: Sanders is not a Democrat -- he;s a
Socialist -- and he's not going to win the Democratic nomination for
president. Yet, he still appears on this list, because there's a decent
chance he will run. And that's more than we can say for a lot of folks. For
now, Sanders is the most likely outlet for liberals who think Clinton is
too closely allied with Wall Street. But, the idea that a guy who calls
himself a "socialist" is going to gain real traction in this race is hard
to believe.

5. Former Virginia senator Jim Webb: The one-term senator is the first real
entrant in the 2016 presidential race. And there won't be any more
surprising candidate. That's because Webb retired from the Senate after one
term and never seemed to enjoy the political process very much --
especially the campaigning part. The fact that this is the guy some are
holding up as a more liberal alternative to Clinton just doesn't really
make sense. But he is a former senator and Navy secretary, so he's got some
national profile.

4. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley: A few years ago, O'Malley would have been
seen as Clinton's biggest obstacle. He's a capable politician, a two-term
governor and has national experience as Democratic Governors Association
chairman. But O'Malley's two terms as governor ended on a low note. His
approval rating dropped to 41 percent (in a blue state), and his lieutenant
governor lost in the most shocking upset of the 2014 election. O'Malley
seems one of the most likely big-name politicians to run, but he's hardly
looking strong these days.

3. Vice President Biden: He's a two-term Vice President of the United
States, a longtime senator, and he wants to run for president. Yet almost
nobody thinks Biden can give Clinton a run for her money. The reason? He's
a little too "Uncle Joe" and not really "President Biden." We keep going
back to it, but we think it's illustrative: A Quinnipiac University poll
last year showed 65 percent of Americans didn't think Biden would make a
good president. And only a bare majority of Democrats (51 percent) said
that he would. Biden needs to show a more presidential side before he has a
shot.

2. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Warren is the the beating heart of
the Democratic base. She is also the only person on the list other than
Clinton with a track record of raising lots (and lots) of money. (Warren
raised $42 million in her 2012 victory over then Sen. Scott Brown.) Combine
those two factors and you see why the possibility -- albeit it slim --
chance of a Warren presidential bid intrigues so many people.  She still is
giving no indication she wants to run. But, if ever that changes, Warren is
a bad matchup for Clinton and could give the former Secretary of State real
problems.

1. Hillary Clinton: The Warren buzz has to make some longtime Hillary
allies a little skittish, reminding them of another liberal firebrand
senator six years ago. Given that experience, however, Clinton (and her
people) should be more ready in the unlikely event Warren does reverse
course and run. Clinton, over the past year, has begun to talk much more
about income inequality -- a clear rhetorical bow in Warren's direction and
a subtle attempt to co-opt the energy forming behind the Massachusetts
Senator.  Assuming Warren stays out, Clinton starts the primary further
ahead than any non-incumbent in modern history.

*The Hill blog: Ballot Box: “Obama alums: We're Ready for Warren”
<http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/226918-obama-campaign-alums-urge-warren-to-run>*

By Peter Sullivan

December 12, 2014, 8:38 a.m. EST

More than 300 former Obama campaign staffers have signed a letter urging
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to run for president, part of a growing
effort to get the liberal champion to run.

The letter, posted Friday on Ready for Warren's website, cites President
Obama's come-from-behind victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary,
as some Democrats look for a challenger to Clinton once again.

"We believed in an unlikely candidate who no one thought had a chance," the
letter states. "We worked for him — and against all odds, we won in Iowa.
We organized like no campaign had organized before — and won the Democratic
primary."

"We know that the improbable is far from impossible," it adds.

The signers include Rajeev Chopra, Obama's chief information officer in
both campaigns; Stephen Geer, director of online fundraising in 2008; and
Catherine Bracy, director of the tech field office in San Francisco in 2012.

However, many of the more prominent Obama campaign names have lined up with
the Clinton campaign-in-waiting. Jim Messina, Obama's 2012 campaign
manager, signed on this year as co-chairman of the pro-Clinton super PAC
Priorities USA. John Podesta, currently an advisor to Obama, is expected to
leave the White House soon ahead of possibly chairing a Clinton campaign.

Ready for Hillary has signed on 270 Strategies, the firm of top Obama
campaign aides Mitch Stewart and Jeremy Bird.

The letter is far from the only effort urging Warren to run. Liberal
groups, including MoveOn.org and Democracy for America, this week began
campaigns to convince Warren to enter the race.

Warren has repeatedly said that she is not running, and has given few
indications that she is preparing to jump in.

There are still some on the left who argue Clinton is not strong enough on
fighting income inequality and too close to Wall Street.

"Rising income inequality is the challenge of our times," the former Obama
staffers' letter states. "And we want someone who will stand up for working
families and take on the Wall Street banks and special interests that took
down our economy."

*Associated Press: “Former Obama Aides Urging Warren Run For President”
<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_WARREN_2016?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>*

By Ken Thomas

December 12, 2014, 11:25 a.m. EST

More than 300 former campaign staffers and organizers for President Barack
Obama have signed on to a letter urging Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
to run for president in 2016. It's the latest effort to nudge Warren into
the race.

The ex-Obama staffers say they want someone who will "stand up for working
families and take on the Wall Street banks and special interests."

Hillary Rodham Clinton has yet to announce a presidential campaign but has
drawn support from a number of top former Obama aides. But the letter from
field organizers and others show the interest in a Warren campaign even
though she says she's not running.

MoveOn.org announced this week that it was starting a draft Warren campaign
and promoting Warren in early presidential states Iowa and New Hampshire.

*CNBC: “Bill Richardson won't support Hillary, yet”
<http://www.cnbc.com/id/102263834#.>*

By Matthew Belvedere

December 12, 2014

Bill Richardson told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday he's not ready to
endorse Hillary Clinton should she seek the 2016 Democratic presidential
nomination.

Richardson, who served as energy secretary and ambassador to the United
Nations under President Bill Clinton, supported Barack Obama in 2008 after
dropping his own Democratic bid for president.

"He still won't talk to me," Richardson quipped, referring to Bill Clinton.

While there should be a primary contest, he said, Hillary will likely get
the 2016 nomination. And at that time, Richardson said, he would support
her.

The former governor of New Mexico said he's worried about what would happen
if former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush gets the Republican presidential
nomination. He said Bush's popularity with Latinos would make the race
tough for any Democrat.

Neither Hillary Clinton nor Bush have said whether they are going to run
for the White House in 2016.