Progressive Breakfast: Clinton Should Tell Obama To Withdraw TPP To Save Her Presidency

MORNING MESSAGE

Dave Johnson

Clinton Should Tell Obama To Withdraw TPP To Save Her Presidency

According to Politico’s Wednesday Morning Trade, the Obama administration is launching a “TPP blitz” push to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership ... This undermines Clinton’s credibility [and] harms her ability to govern if she is elected ... Clinton on Thursday is giving an economic speech near Detroit ... She should loudly call on President Obama to withdraw TPP now, and call on Democrats to vote against the TPP if he does not do that.

LEFT UNSETTLED BY CLINTON STRATEGY

Support for Clinton from hawks unnerves left. W. Post:“…said Glenn Greenwald, … ‘I think she’s receiving those endorsements because they like what her foreign policy will be. That’s what worries me.’ … ‘I don’t like it, but it cannot give me pause, since the alternative is vastly worse, even on endorsements,’ [Noam] Chomsky said … What neither the critics nor the endorsers can know is how the cross-party endorsements will affect a possible Clinton administration.”

“Liberals hold nose as Clinton seeks to win over GOP” reports The Hill:“‘This is going to be a base turnout election so there’s a real risk if you work too hard to win some of these endorsements that are anathema to progressive values that it could hurt Democratic turnout and enthusiasm and will make the legislative fights you’ll face in the White House even tougher,’ said Democracy for America (DFA) spokesman Neil Sroka … liberal groups have begun launching petitions and email campaigns to keep the pressure on Clinton to hold steady in her support of the progressive policies she embraced during the primary.”

Clinton appears to diverge with Paul Krugman on deficit spending. Bloomberg:“While not commenting specifically on Clinton’s economic program, Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman made the case this week that now’s the time for the government to be borrowing more and worrying less about debt … The former secretary of state has contrasted the Republican’s plan with her own fiscal prudence, maintaining that her proposed spending increases are offset by equal-sized tax hikes on the wealthy and corporations.”

Poverty gets short shrift in campaign. NYT:“…the candidates have this in common: Both promise to help Americans find jobs; neither has said much about helping people while they are not working.”

RACE FOR SENATE TIGHTENS

Some Senate races tighten. USA Today:“…according to a Quinnipiac Poll … In Florida, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is ahead of Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., by 3 points, 48%-45% … In Pennsylvania, Democratic challenger Katie McGinty was 3 points ahead of GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, 47%-44% … There was good news for the GOP in Ohio, where [Sen Rob] Portman was clearly ahead of former governor Ted Strickland, 49%-40%.”

Russ Feingold leads in Wisconsin. The Hill:“Democrat Russ Feingold has a 6-point lead over incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson … In a three-way race with Libertarian Party candidate Phil Anderson included, Feingold’s lead grows to 9 points…”

NYT speculates Mayor Bill de Blasio may have tough re-election:“…the recent poll … found that a majority of respondents disapprove of Mr. de Blasio’s performance as mayor, [but] none of his obvious potential opponents fared well against him in hypothetical matchups. The poll’s findings, however, suggested that there may be an opportunity for a Democrat running as an independent … Among the politicians frequently identified as potential challengers are [City Comptroller Scott] Stringer, who has a large campaign war chest and has already won a citywide election; Letitia James, the public advocate; and Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president.”

Progressives score notable wins in state primaries. OurFuture.org’s Kathy Mulady:“… an almost unnoticed but potentially more critical political wave is becoming visible in state and local elections … The common link that unites many of them is their connection to People’s Action … in [MN] Ilhan Omar [is] her way to becoming the country’s first Somali-American legislator … In [VT] State Sen. David Zuckerman … won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Zuckerman was endorsed by Rights and Democracy, another People’s Action affiliate organization … The key victories Tuesday come on top of earlier primary season wins – notably, that of the Washington candidate for a U.S. House seat Pramila Jayapal, the founder and former executive director of People’s Action affiliate OneAmerica…”

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