PRIORITIES USA FRIDAY HOT TAKES!
MUCH TO GOP’S DISMAY, HILLARY WINS IOWA — PRIORITIES RELEASES 2 NEW WEB ADS — REPUBLICANS GET NASTY IN NH — RUBIO’S BAD DAY: SURROGATE CLAIMS HE HAS “NO ACCOMPLISHMENTS,” NEW QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT TIME AT FIU
Hello and welcome to a post-Iowa, pre-New Hampshire edition of Friday Hot Takes! In the run-up to Iowa, it became clear that Republicans were desperate to do anything they could to stop Hillary from becoming the Democratic nominee, even funding an “anti-Bernie Sanders” super PAC designed to push votes to the Senator. The Huffington Post reported “On Sunday, however, more evidence emerged that ESA Fund is, indeed, trying to prop up Sanders as a means of taking Clinton down. In the group’s filing with the Federal Election Commission, it revealed some massive contributions from high-profile donors, including $500,000 from hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, $850,000 from Ricketts’ wife, Marlene, and $500,000 from Paul Singer, another hedge fund manager (who has now given ESA over $1 million).” It didn’t work. No doubt about it, Iowa was close — but Hillary Clinton won and in doing so became the first woman in history to win the Iowa Caucus. On to the week that was…
PRIORITIES WEB ADS TARGET TRUMP & CRUZ. With the start of primary and caucus season upon us, it’s important to remember what the candidates running for president would do if they were elected. Our first web ad of the week titled “What They Would Do” compared the dangerous agendas of Republicans like Rubio, Trump, & Cruz on choice, guns, immigration and more to Hillary Clinton’s pledge to protect the progress we’ve made. Post Iowa, the second spot focused in on the GOP frontrunners (sorry, Marco) Ted Cruz & Donald Trump. First reported by The Hill, it can also be watched below.
The Hill: New Clinton super-PAC ad targets Cruz, Trump
RUBIO BACKER: HE HAS “NO ACCOMPLISHMENTS.” Newly minted Marco Rubio surrogate Rick Santorum’s probably not going to be asked to do Morning Joe for the Rubio campaign again anytime soon. In a brutal segment in which Santorum had *six* different opportunities to name a Rubio accomplishment, he was unable to do so even once — and in fact at one point told the truth (see, Marco it can be done) and said “I guess it’s hard to say there are accomplishments.”
THEN RUBIO’S BAD DAY GOT WORSE. A new report from NBC News found that Rubio’s time in the Senate “isn’t the first job where Rubio has taken heat for failing to go all in. Documents and records obtained by NBC News suggest that as a visiting professor at Florida International University, he worked less than 10 hours a week and missed three-in-10 classes during his first semester of teaching — all while making more than most part-time visiting professors…According to his office, from August of 2008 — November of 2009, Rubio raised approximately $125,000 for the Center — enough to cover his salary and then some. A sizeable chunk of that, $100,000, came from Norman Braman — the wealthy auto magnate who’s been a longtime benefactor to Rubio, is helping to bankroll his campaign and whose charitable foundation employs Rubio’s wife…And in a 2012 deposition obtained by NBC News, Moreno acknowledged that whether Rubio “would devote the necessary time” to the job was a question for administrators while they initially considered whether to offer him the position.”
IN FACT, RUBIO’S THURSDAY LOOKED LIKE THIS. YIKES.
Politico: Santorum can’t name any of Rubio’s Senate accomplishments
NBC News: Questions Surround Marco Rubio’s Role at Florida College
Buzzfeed: Marco Rubio’s Campaign Doesn’t Know Why His Law Firm Bio Says He Lobbied Congress
Washington Post: Marco Rubio is running scared
Huffington Post: Actually, Marco Rubio Is The One Pitting Americans Against Each Other
GOP GETS NASTY HEADING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. The Republican race is down to nine candidates and things are heating up before New Hampshire when inevitably the field will be culled once more to see who joins Jim Gilmore as frontrunners for the GOP nomination.
Washington Post: Cruz campaign accuses Rubio of hypocrisy on ‘social pressure’ voter mail
Politico: Pro-Kasich super PAC targets Rubio on domestic violence vote
Politico: Kasich tells Christie and Jeb to stop the negative ads
Politico: Rubio tightens the noose on Bush
Politico: Marco Rubio trades insults with Chris Christie
Politico: Full-page Bush ad takes aim at Rubio
Politico: Christie ramps up attacks on Rubio
GOP CANDIDATES DROPPING LIKE FLIES. They say things happen in threes, and this week that was the case in the GOP race. We said goodbye to three campaigns who struggled mightily throughout the primary season, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Rand Paul. Never forget. Who wants to bet Ben Carson is next?
Politico: Mike Huckabee suspends his 2016 campaign
Politico: Rand Paul dropping out of White House race
CNN: Rick Santorum dropping presidential bid
PRIORITIES IN STRONG POSITION TO HELP ELECT HILLARY CLINTON PRESIDENT. With $51 million raised, $45 million of that in the bank and another $42 million in commitments, we’re in a strong position to do everything we can to help elect Hillary Clinton President.
New York Times: ‘Super PAC’ Backing Hillary Clinton Says It Will Raise More Than It Did in ’12
Politico: Pro-Clinton super PAC raised nearly $41 million in 2015
The Hill: Pro-Clinton super-PAC has $45 million in bank
USA Today: Hillary Clinton super PAC raised more than $25 million in last half of 2015
Washington Post: Pro-Clinton super PAC brings in more than $50 million
Wall Street Journal: Pro-Clinton Super PAC Announces Large Fundraising Haul
New York Post: Pro-Clinton super PAC has a $92.5 million war chest
MINI-TAKES:
Priorities USA Chief Strategist Guy Cecil On Medium: “Mary Lee Riley and Hillary Clinton” (A powerful must-read)
New York Times: Rubio’s Call for No Capital Gains Tax Is a Break With the G.O.P. (Mitt Romney pays no taxes under this plan)
New York Times: Donald Trump Field Organizer Accuses Campaign of Sex Discrimination (Trump’s gonna Trump)
Politifact: Marco Rubio incorrectly says illegal immigrant population is higher than 5 years ago (Another Rubio Lie)
Buzzfeed: Ben Carson Isn’t Quitting His Campaign — He’s Just Going To Florida To Do Laundry (Time to drop out)
Washington Post: Scott Brown to endorse Trump (Because New Hampshire loves their Senator!)
New York Post: Super PAC fuels Bernie Sanders’ White House bid (Kind of a big deal, all things considered)
Buzzfeed: Prominent Nevada DREAMer Activist Endorses Hillary Clinton (Not just a press hit.)
The Hill: Bush asks audience to ‘please clap’ (LOL)
TWEET OF THE WEEK: This week’s tweet of the week goes to Vox’s Ezra Klein:
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: HOT TAKES VIDEO!
Have a great weekend.
Justin Barasky
@JustinBarasky |
Courtney Rice