Year: 2016

“There used to be some things that were sacred in American politics, that you don’t do, like criticizing the parents of a fallen soldier, even if they criticize you. If you’re going to be leader of the free world, you have to be able to accept criticism, and Mr. Trump can’t.” — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by the New York Times, adding that “unacceptable” doesn’t even begin to describe Donald Trump’s behavior.

Politico reports that Donald Trump was trapped with 10 people in an elevator before his rally in Colorado. He was rescued within 30 minutes by the Fire Department. Twenty minutes later he attacked the Fire Marshall in his speech.

Josh Barro: “Many of the conservatives who watched with dismay as the Republican Party nominated Donald Trump have now watched with amazement as Democrats co-opted some of Republicans’ favorite themes at the Democratic National Convention.” “Democrats’ thinking was clear: We’re the only political party left for grown-ups, so we’d better make sure we have something to offer voters on both sides of the aisle.” “There was a clear choice about tone, especially on the last two days of the convention: Speakers would not mock conservatives for getting into bed with Donald Trump. They would mock Trump and make the case that conservatives should be embarrassed and ashamed that their party nominated him — and should look across the aisle at a party that shares more of their goals and values than they may have realized.”

Brian Beulter on Hillary's plan to beat Trump:

The question is how she intends to do it. What kind of campaign will she run? She answered that question Thursday night. [...] The implicit theme of the convention’s final night was that Americans shouldn’t see the election as a contest between Democrats and Republicans, but between responsible citizens and Donald Trump. Reagan Republicans and devout Muslims on one team; Donald Trump and Scott Baio and the sewer scavengers of right-wing talk radio on the other. “A man you can bait with a tweet,” Clinton said in her peroration, “is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons.” This is indisputable. But has Clinton chosen the most surefire way to keep them out of his hands? [..] The truth, though, is that this debate is unnecessarily binary [this maximal inclusive strategy v. labeling Trump a Republican]. Elections are state-based as much as they are national, and there is nothing stopping the Clinton campaign, buffeted by Obama and her other top surrogates, from running an inclusive campaign, while Democratic congressional candidates drape their opponents’ Trump endorsements around their necks. And the larger point is that coalitions aren’t normally built on unforgiving honesty. In an ideal world, Clinton would trounce Trump, extending her coattails all the way down the ballot, to capture Congress as well, leaving Republicans branded as the Trump party for a generation. That outcome is still possible, but it can’t be pursued in a way that makes the risk of defeat unacceptably high. Clinton’s primary imperative is to prevent Trump from winning, even narrowly, and that in turn means leaving a door ajar to Republicans who can’t reconcile themselves to Trump’s nomination. Clinton showcased on Thursday night what a campaign like that looks like: a maximal coalition to defeat a maximal threat.