Progressive Breakfast: Trump 2016: The Three Shadows Haunting Cleveland

MORNING MESSAGE

Richard Eskow

Trump 2016: The Three Shadows Haunting Cleveland

The first shadow is that of the extremist Republican right ... Their free-market voodoo and corporate pandering is promoted by wild-eyed believers and cutthroat cynics who know that their ideas are unpopular and their theories disproved ... The second shadow is that of a new fundamentalism, both political and religious ... They’ve claimed their religion on behalf of their political ideology, but despise what it and all spiritual traditions really represent ... The third shadow is that of Trump himself, a bloated bleached-blond Narcissus transfixed by his own silhouette.

(SOME) REPUBLICANS CONVENE IN CLEVELAND

“Surprises” promised as convention begins. W. Post:“After promising details for weeks … convention organizers unveiled a partial speaking schedule Sunday … The theme is scheduled to shift Tuesday from [Monday’s theme of]
veterans and Benghazi to the economy. The most notable speakers on ‘Make America Work Again’ night will be Donald Trump Jr. and Tiffany Trump…”

Trump brings “law and order” message to convention. NYT:“…it was unclear if a thunderous response to the shooting in Louisiana will help allay voters’ concerns. While Republicans often run on law-and-order themes, an indelicate approach could carry considerable danger at a moment of such unusual political instability.”

Republican senators stay away from convention. NYT:“[Ohio Sen. Rob] Portman once looked forward to a convention in Cleveland that would turbocharge his re-election campaign. Now he joins other swing-state Republican senators who are shying away … busily campaigning at home … The convention avoiders include four of seven senators on the ballot in states President Obama won twice.”

Secret money funds convention. Time:“The RNC’s near total dependence on private money is the direct result of a series of recent federal rule changes that eliminated public funding for conventions and made it easier for parties to rake in unlimited sums of private cash, with no extra oversight … the public won’t find out who the major corporate funders are to either the Republican or Democratic conventions until sometime in the fall.”

“Art of the Deal” ghostwriter rips Trump in New Yorker interview:“I put lipstick on a pig. I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention and made him more appealing than he is … I genuinely believe that if Trump wins and gets the nuclear codes there is an excellent possibility it will lead to the end of civilization.”

TRUMP PICKS FREE TRADER FOR VP

Trump says he’s for “free trade” after picking pro-TPP Mike Pence for VP. WSJ:“In Sunday’s [“60 Minutes”] interview, Mr. Pence downplayed any differences between them. ‘What I hear Donald Trump saying is let’s look at these trade agreements and reconsider them and renegotiate them,’ he said. Added Mr. Trump: ‘I’m free trade, but I want to make good deals.'”

“In Choosing Mike Pence, Donald Trump Moves Closer to Big Donors” reports NYT:“… the [Koch] network … signaled that it would stay out of the presidential race, instead focusing on Senate elections. A spokesman for Freedom Partners, James Davis, said on Thursday that Mr. Trump’s choice of running mate was unlikely to change that decision … the choice of Mr. Pence could yet yield financial dividends. Mr. Pence has his own relationships to donors aligned with the Kochs…”

CLINTON EMBARKS ON "COUNTER-CONVENTION"

Clinton campaign won’t cede stage this week. WSJ:“The presumptive Democratic nominee plans to punch back with a week’s worth of counter-programming aimed … [The campaign] will focus on the theme ‘better than this’ … Across the country, Democrats also will hold voter registration events this week…”

Clinton addresses NAACP today. NYT:“…Clinton is expected to build on her previous calls, including imploring white Americans to have more empathy for African-Americans who fear encounters with the police.”

Sanders supporters look toward running for officeas The Guardian reports from last month’s People’s Summit.

BREAKFAST SIDES

NLRB considers grad student unionization. WSJ:“The National Labor Relations Board is expected … this summer in a ruling that could pave the way for graduate students at private schools across the country to unionize … Since most of the current board members are Democrats appointed by President Barack Obama, observers expect the board is more likely to side with the students and the union.”

Republican Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari eyes breakup of big banks. Bloomberg:“While his push to find a new solution for dealing with large banks has been lauded by Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders and a policy wonk at the libertarian Cato Institute alike, he’s been criticized for appearing on the scene with his own proposals to fix problems the Fed has been grappling with for years.”

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