Thanks for that info, Luis. Edited below, per the President's remarks:
DNC Chair Statement in Honor of Cinco de Mayo
Washington, D.C - DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement today in honor of Cinco de Mayo:
"Cinco de Mayo is a special day in Mexican history - a day that commemorates what can be best described as an improbable victory. On May 5, 1862, Mexican fighters and workers decided to take a stand and defend themselves from the mighty French Army despite being both out-manned and out-armed. The odds were clearly against them, but it was the hope of creating a better life for themselves and their children that fueled them and that ultimately allowed them to emerge victorious at the Battle of Puebla.
"More than 150 years later, that spirit of resilience and determination very much lives on among the millions of Mexican Americans in our country. Simply put, they've made immense contributions in politics, education, medicine, engineering, sports, food, and military service, and in so doing, our two cultures have grown closer than ever. And so, as we celebrate this important day that brings both sides of the border together, I would like to make one thing crystal clear: we, the Democratic Party, are proud to stand with Mexican Americans and all others from coast-to-coast who want nothing but the chance to live the American dream and bring to fruition a brighter future. We celebrate our diversity, for it has made us a richer and more vibrant place.
"This, of course, stands in stark contrast with what we have heard time and again from the official Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Let us not forget that he kicked off his campaign by calling Mexicans 'rapists' and 'drug dealers,' that he has promised to tear families apart and deport 11.3 million undocumented immigrants, and that he has promised to get rid of President Obama's executive orders on immigration, known as DACA and DAPA. That is fundamentally un-American, and it runs counter to the values that have made America great for so long. End of story."
###
From: Miranda, Luis
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 4:04 PM
To: Garcia, Walter
Cc: Walker, Eric; Paustenbach, Mark
Subject: RE: FOR COMMS APPROVAL: DWS Cinco De Mayo Statement
Needs work. Please look at Obama's remarks on Cinco de Mayo. Also, it's as American as Apple Pie. It really got popular in California. It's an example of how deeply our cultures are tied together.

According to a paper published by the UCLA
Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States
, the modern American focus on that day first started in California
in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico. "Far up in the gold country town of Columbia (now Columbia State Park
) Mexican miners were so overjoyed at the news that they spontaneously fired off rifles shots and fireworks, sang patriotic songs and made impromptu speeches."[29]
A 2007 UCLA Newsroom article notes that "The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico."[29]
TIME magazine reports that "Cinco de Mayo started to come into vogue in 1940s America during the rise of the Chicano Movement
."[18]
The holiday crossed over from California into the rest of the United States in the 1950s and 1960s but did not gain popularity until the 1980s when marketers, especially beer companies, capitalized on the celebratory nature of the day and began to promote it.[30]
[31]
It grew in popularity and evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, first in areas with large Mexican-American populations, like Los Angeles
, Chicago
, Houston
and San Jose
.[32]
In a 1998 study in the Journal of American Culture it was reported that there were more than 120 official US celebrations of Cinco de Mayo in 21 different US states. An update in 2006 found that the number of official Cinco de Mayo events was 150 or more, according to José Alamillo, a professor of ethnic studies at Washington State University
in Pullman, who has studied the cultural impact of Cinco de Mayo north of the border.[33]
[
Cinco de Mayo celebration in Saint Paul, Minnesota
In the United States Cinco de Mayo has taken on a significance beyond that in Mexico.[5]
[34]
[35]
[36]
On June 7, 2005, the United States Congress
issued a concurrent resolution
calling on the President of the United States
to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities.[2]
To celebrate, many display Cinco de Mayo banners while school districts
hold special events to educate students about its historical significance. Special events and celebrations highlight Mexican culture, especially in its music and regional dancing. Examples include baile folklórico
and mariachi
demonstrations held annually at the Plaza del Pueblo de Los Ángeles
, near Olvera Street
. Commercial interests in the United States have capitalized on the celebration, advertising Mexican products and services, with an emphasis on alcoholic beverages,[37]
[38]
foods, and music.[39]
[40]
www.www
Cinco de Mayo marks a singular moment in Mexican history.  Nearly 150 years ago, a ragtag band of soldiers and citizens, badly outnumbered and facing impossible odds, held their ground on a muddy hill to defend their nation from what was at the time the most fearsome fighting force in the world.  That decisive victory at what became known as the Battle of Puebla ignited a pride in country and culture that Mexican Americans feel to this day.
And tomorrow, on both sides of our border, we'll pay tribute to our shared heritage by celebrating with friends and family, with love and laughter.  We'll remember that America is a richer and more vibrant place thanks to the contributions of Mexican Americans -- (applause) -
... We'll remember that the contributions of commerce and culture, in language and literature, in faith, and in food have all made America a better place.  And we will honor the service of Mexican Americans who have worn the uniform of the United States.  We'll also recommit to advancing the ambitions and the dreams of generations of Mexican Americans and all Latinos who have had an immeasurable impact on the life of this nation.

Now, the events of this date in history are well-known -- how nearly 150 years ago, at the Battle of Puebla, a band of Mexican patriots faced off against a massive European army and won a victory that inspires the world to this day.
Less well-known is that General Zaragoza, who led those patriots, was born in what is now the town of Goliad in Texas.  In fact, you can go there today -- are you from there?
...
So the glory of this day is shared by both of our countries. And so is our pride in the lasting contributions that Hispanics have made to America throughout our history, including the men and women who join us here tonight.
...
Now, by celebrating the story of Hispanics in America, we're really celebrating the larger story of America.  After all, the dreams of Mexican Americans and all Latinos are the same dreams as any other American.  It's why, in the face of an unprecedented economic crisis, we took bold action to get our economy growing again, creating jobs again and laying the foundation for lasting prosperity.
...So today reminds us that America's diversity is America's strength.  That's why I spoke out against the recently passed law in Arizona.  (Applause.)  Make no mistake, our immigration system is broken.  And after so many years in which Washington has failed to meet its responsibilities, Americans are right to be frustrated, including folks along border states.  But the answer isn't to undermine fundamental principles that define us as a nation.  We can't start singling out people because of who they look like, or how they talk, or how they dress.  We can't turn law-abiding American citizens -- and law-abiding immigrants -- into subjects of suspicion and abuse.  We can't divide the American people that way.  That's not the answer.  That's not who we are as the United States of America. ...
So, today I want us to remember -- the United States and Mexico are not simply neighbors, bound by geography and history. We're two societies that are woven together by millions of family and friends, by common interests and a shared future.  Those are bonds that are unbreakable.  They're bonds of an aspirational community -- you and your mothers and fathers, and brothers and sisters who struggled and sacrificed to realize the American Dream.  They're also bonds of commerce and trade that sustain millions of jobs -- both in Mexico and in the United States.

But this is really a day for commemorating our shared heritage.  Our shared heritage -- Mexicans and Americans.  It's a day for remembering that America is a richer, stronger, more vibrant place thanks to the contributions of Mexican Americans to the life of this nation -- contributions in commerce, culture, in language and literature, in faith, and obviously in food.  (Laughter.)...
we all come from different backgrounds, we have different beliefs, we have sometimes petty and sometimes not-so-petty political differences. But we all share a set of ideals.  We all have a common future.  We're the heirs to mothers and fathers and grandparents, great grandparents, who struggled and sacrificed to forge and realize the American Dream.
And that fills us with the collective responsibility to leave an even bigger and bolder, more generous, more compassionate nation for our children.
[SigDems]
Luis Miranda, Communications Director
Democratic National Committee
202-863-8148 - MirandaL@dnc.org
- @MiraLuisDC
From: Garcia, Walter
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 3:15 PM
To: Miranda, Luis
Cc: Walker, Eric; Paustenbach, Mark
Subject: FOR COMMS APPROVAL: DWS Cinco De Mayo Statement
DNC Chair Statement in Honor of Cinco de Mayo
Washington, D.C - DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement today in honor of Cinco de Mayo:
"Cinco de Mayo is a special day in Mexican history - a day that commemorates what can be best described as an improbable victory. On May 5, 1862, Mexican fighters and workers decided to take a stand and oppose the French Army despite being both out-manned and out-armed. The odds were clearly against them, but it was the hope of creating a better life for themselves and their children that fueled them and that ultimately allowed them to emerge victorious at the Battle of Puebla.
"More than 150 years later, that spirit of resilience and determination lives on among the millions of Mexican Americans in our country, as evident by the immense contributions that they've made to fields like politics, education, medicine, engineering, and sports. And so, as we celebrate on this important day, I would like to make one thing crystal clear: we, the Democratic Party, are proud to stand with Mexican Americans and all others from coast-to-coast who want nothing but the chance to live the American dream and bring to fruition a brighter future.
"This, of course, stands in stark contrast with what we have heard time and again from the official Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Let us not forget that he kicked off his campaign by calling Mexicans 'rapists' and 'drug dealers,' that he has promised to tear families apart and deport 11.3 million undocumented immigrants, and that he has promised to get rid of President Obama's executive orders on immigration, known as DACA and DAPA. That is fundamentally un-American, and it runs counter to the values that have made America great for so long. End of story."
###
--
Walter Garcia
Western Regional Press Secretary
Democratic National Committee (DNC)
Email: GarciaW@dnc.org
Twitter: @WalterGarcia231
[SigDems]


Sanders campaign is releasing this letter; says the standing committees at the convention should reflect Clinton and Sanders' support in the primaries and caucuses. Says if the process is unfair or one-sided they'll mobilize for floor fights on the platform and rules.
Any comment/reaction to this?

Ken Thomas
National Political Reporter
The Associated Press
202-641-9543 (d)
202-365-2881 (m)
kthomas@ap.org
@KThomasDC
Gchat: kthomaswdc@gmail.com


Here's how The Hill reported her CNN hit, it came across with what we wanted: a hard pivot to Trump/GOP:

Ballot Box feed
May 18, 2016, 01:47 pm
Dem party chief's response to 'throwing shade' remark? '#SMH'
By Rebecca Savransky
Democratic National Committee Chairwoman (DNC) Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Wednesday had a simple response to Bernie Sanders
's campaign manager after Jeff Weaver said she had been "throwing shade" at the Vermont Senator's campaign.
"My response to that is #SMH," Wasserman Schultz said on CNN. "SMH" is an acronym used to mean "shaking my head," often meant to show someone does not agree with something said.
Weaver earlier Wednesday slammed
the Wasserman Schultz, saying she was disrespecting the Vermont senator's presidential campaign.
"We could have a long conversation just about Debbie Wasserman Schultz and how she's been throwing shade at the Sanders campaign since the very beginning," Weaver said on CNN.
Wasserman Schultz had said earlier that Sanders's response to the chaos at last weekend's Nevada Democratic Convention was unacceptable. She said the Sanders campaign didn't adequately condemn the violence from its supporters.
On Wednesday afternoon, Wasserman Schultz said the party needs to focus on getting through the primary and then working to prepare for the general election.
"And make sure that we can continue to draw the contrast between either one of our really fine candidates who are focused on helping people reach the middle class and make sure that we get equal pay for equal work and create jobs," she said.
"And not let the Republicans take healthcare away from 20 million Americans, do everything we can to make sure Donald Trump
never becomes president of the United States."
Wasserman Schultz said she is singularly focused on making sure a Democrat wins the White House and won't let anything else distract her.
-----Original Message-----
From: Tracie Pough
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 1:44 PM
To: Miranda, Luis
Cc: Banfill, Ryan; Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Subject: VERY CONCERNED!!!!
I don't want her out there anymore.  There is NOTHING GOOD THAT will come of this.
- TP


Donald Trump Jr. is unhinged
From: Wei, Shu-Yen
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2016 9:13 AM
To: Comm_D
Subject: RE: Chain for CNN SOTU
Veepstakes beginning
HRC already compiling list, list flashes on the screen (15-20 names)
Sanders up now
Q: Should you and HRC be first on each other's VP list?
A: Sanders pivots to economic inequality -->that's what americans care about
Q: should you or E. Warren be on the veep list to highlight those issues?
A: economic inequality, higher education; veep needs to have those in mind too
Q: What is your response to David Plouffe telling you to call it quit?
A: He is working for HRC, we are giving everyone in the states a voice; debate helps turnout
Q: Do you have a path to the nom? What states can you win?
A: doesn't say speculate states, mentions CA. It's going to be hard
Q: ISIS question; is the U.S. at war again, should congress pass another reauthorization?
A: we need another reauthorization, but cannot be a perpetual vote, hits HRC on her Iraq vote
Q: HRC carried low income household, even though you have an income inequality message; you say that poor people don't vote
A: Need to overturn Citizens United; people are disillusioned; campaign is  all about getting people in the process
Q: are you surprised that you lose low income voters to HRC?
A: I am surprised by how well we've done
Q: Is it appropriate that Rosario Dawson talked about Monica Lewinsky?
A: Rosario is great, pivots to large corporations paying their fair share
Q: presses on Lewinsky; should his surrogates be commenting on that.
A: says he had no idea what exactly Dawson said; we should worry about climate change instead
Donald Jr. on next
From: Wei, Shu-Yen
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2016 9:01 AM
To: Comm_D
Subject: Chain for CNN SOTU
Starting now
__________
Shu-Yen Wei
Northeast Press Secretary
AAPI & Women's Media
Democratic National Committee
207-512-0005
weis@dnc.org


Hi Luis-
Checking in. Will there be any press staff traveling to Philly with the Chair?
Thanks,
Jonae
Jonae Wartel
Executive Director
Association of State Democratic Chairs
E: wartelj@dnc.org
C: 770.653.9789
O: 202.479.5104
T: JonaeASDC
[ASDC Logo]


Watch here
From: Sarge, Matthew
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 1:07 PM
To: Comm_D
Subject: Video Request: Pierson and Duffy on CNN
On now


Thank you!
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: "Crystal, Andy"
Date: 04/23/2016 8:29 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: "Miranda, Luis"
, RR2
Cc: Ryan Banfill
, "Manriquez, Pablo"
, "Paustenbach, Mark"
, Kate Houghton
Subject: RE: PLEASE REVIEW: Fox News Sunday Briefing for DWS
________________________________
From: Miranda, Luis
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 8:11 PM
To: Crystal, Andy; RR2
Cc: Ryan Banfill; Manriquez, Pablo; Paustenbach, Mark; Kate Houghton
Subject: RE: PLEASE REVIEW: Fox News Sunday Briefing for DWS
Thanks but unfortunately for DWS we need to submit a word doc. Can you send the edits back in the document? Thank you.
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: "Crystal, Andy"
Date: 04/23/2016 7:58 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: "Miranda, Luis"
, RR2
Cc: Ryan Banfill
, "Manriquez, Pablo"
, "Paustenbach, Mark"
, Kate Houghton
Subject: RE: PLEASE REVIEW: Fox News Sunday Briefing for DWS
Some eds below, also added polling at the bottom.
TALKING POINTS
Topline Message
*   This week Donald Trump is essentially becoming the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, and despite what his new handler Paul Manafort says, it’s not just a “part” Dangerous Donald has “been playing.” Trump is campaigning on the same ugly and divisive politics that Republican leaders have embraced for years, and any of their candidates would be dangerous and damaging to our nation.
*   We’re confident we’ll have a much stronger candidate, not only because voters agree that our primary is energizing the Party, but because our candidates are serious, substantive, and their values are in line with where the American people are today, well into the 21st century.
*   The choice is clear. We can move America forward with Democrats, build on 7 years of progress that took us from the Republican Recession to the economy we have today and its over 14 million new jobs. We can continue to move toward becoming a more inclusive, dynamic, and competitive country. Or we can get dragged backwards by Republicans who would undo every bit of progress our country has made.
*   We like our odds, but we’re not going to take anything for granted, we’re going to work hard, we’re going to ask the American people for their vote, and a Democrat is going to win in November.
Key Message:
*   Our primary and caucus contests have undoubtedly strengthened our party. In New York on Tuesday, exit polls showed that nearly 7 out of every 10 Democrats believe that this campaign has energized the Party.
*   That’s consistent with what we saw in Wisconsin where 7 out of 10 Democrats in those exit polls said they were excited or optimistic about both of our candidates.
*   That’s something we’re not seeing on the Republican side where serious questions have been raised about their understanding of the issues, not to mention their temperament given how ugly, divisive and insulting they’ve been.
*   Their own voters know it. Just 39% of Republicans in New York think that their campaign has energized their party. In Wisconsin 4 out of 10 Republican primary voters…let me say that again…Republican primary voters said they fear what a Trump presidency would do to our country. And roughly a third would rather stay home, vote for a third party, or vote for a Democrat than support either Trump or Cruz.
*   That’s stunning, but it tells you that Democrats are heading into November in a far stronger position than Republicans.
*   Whichever side you’re on, it’s clear that our two candidates have consistently offered strong, well thought-out visions for our country that would move America forward.
*   We just marked 100 days until our conventions, and I’m more confident than ever we’ll be united and strong heading out of ours, while Republicans continue to struggle to defend a bankrupt ideology and divisive campaigns that aren’t worthy of the American people.
*   Down the stretch, in any campaign, you expect the candidates and their supporters to step it up, to lay it all on the line, and we’re certainly seeing that on the Democratic side.
*   But Democrats can be proud of our candidates, who even through fierce campaigning have had an incredibly substantive debate about the future of our country. Our candidates are well prepared, and they’re not afraid to take tough questions.
*   Voters want to see that the men and women running to serve as their president have the energy, the enthusiasm, the fire in the belly. Both of our Democratic candidates proved they’ve got that fire, and that they are ready to fight on behalf of the American people.
*   Even Republicans are abandoning the Republican Party. You’ve already seen Republican candidates in tight races, like Senator Kirk in Illinois and John McCain – the GOP nominee eight years ago – say they will not attend their own convention in Cleveland. But don’t let them fool you, they’re not any better than the top of their ticket.
GOP Frontrunner Trump Does Not Have the Temperament to Be Commander-in-Chief
*   Donald Trump’s new chief advisor, Paul Manafort, said that Trump’s outrageous behavior on the campaign trail is simply a “part he’s been playing” and that Trump is “evolving” to become more presidential. Really?
*   The candidate we have been watching on the campaign trail over the past year is the same Donald Trump that will occupy the Oval Office if we don’t stand up now. . He will govern with the same inappropriate, xenophobic and divisive behavior, because that is who Donald Trump is.
*   But there’s a bigger issue here, Donald Trump IS the Republican Party. He may have been more direct and outrageous in how he campaigned over the past few months, but make no mistake that the ugly and dangerous rhetoric and policies he’s pitching are what the Republican Party has been driving for years.
*   He called for punishing women who have abortions in the same week Ted Cruz and John Kasich reiterated they he opposes the right of a woman to a safe and legal abortion EVEN in the cases of rape and incest. And Trump reiterated this week he wouldn’t make an exception for the health of a woman.
*   They all deny climate change.
*   They all have economic plans focused on tax cuts for the wealthy that would drag our economy backwards.
*   And they all embrace the same divisive and offensive positions on immigrants and wanting to deport DREAMers.
*   Words matter. Republicans know their primary has been divisive, and in fact it has already done a great deal of damage to our country and our standing in the world. We’ve already seen a spike in bullying
and racial tensions in our schools, as students try to mimic Trump. And, he’s inflamed tensions around the world with his irresponsible comments.
But this week Trump came out in support of the LGBT community on the North Carolina bathroom bill, speaking out against HB2 and saying it should be left to the states. Will Trump be able to win over moderates with what Manafort is promising will be a new tone in the general election?
*   There’s a bigger issue here. Trump may have been more direct and outrageous in how he campaigned over the past few months, but make no mistake that the ugly and dangerous rhetoric and is what the Republican Party has been driving for years.
*   Republicans can’t separate themselves from Trump, and he won’t be able to separate himself from the ugly things he, his fellow candidates, and the leadership of the Republican Party have said for years.
*   If Donald Trump becomes President, if Republicans take over the White House, they will drag America backwards on everything from LGBT rights, to the economic progress we’ve made under President Obama.
*   Taking a new tone for the general election can’t erase the damage Trump himself has done with his ugly rhetoric, and it won’t make up for what Republicans have done when in office and what they’re promising to do if they win.
Dangerous Donald Lacks the Temperament and Judgment to be President
*   The Economy: Trump’s unfounded predictions
of recession and warnings against investing in the stock market are reckless, and economists have already predicted his policies could start an international trade war and cause a global recession.
*   Foreign Policy: Trump’s threat to pull back from our most important military alliances
in NATO sends a dangerous message, which is particularly troubling in light of his past praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
*   Nuclear Proliferation: Last week, Trump refused to say he wouldn’t use nuclear weapons on European territory, then suggested South Korea
and Japan should either develop nuclear weapons or pay the United States for protection against North Korea.
*   On abortion: Last week Trump took multiple positions on abortion - from a dangerous and offensive call to punish women who get an abortion, to saying he would allow states to restrict women’s rights, to saying abortion laws are set but he would eliminate them with judicial appointments.
Joint Fundraising Committees
*   We welcome any effort by our candidates to help raise money for the DNC and state parties.
*   Similar agreements were set up with both the Clinton campaign and the Sanders campaign early in the cycle, precisely because of the urgency to build a strong national infrastructure now that will help elect Democrats up and down the ballot in November. The Sanders campaign has not used theirs.
*   It’s important to note, the funds that the DNC and state parties get through the joint victory funds help strengthen, for example, our national voter file and communications, research and digital support for state parties and down ballot candidates. That includes training across a variety of areas, for example, and access to media monitoring and rapid response support. This is helping us build infrastructure for the general election.
*   These arrangements are not new or unusual. Similar joint fundraising committees were established with our Democratic candidate in both 2008 and 2012. And again, both campaigns have signed on and have the option of using joint victory funds.
*   And let’s be clear, neither the DNC nor state parties are subsidizing fundraising through these committees for either campaign. For whatever each campaign raises under the agreement that then goes to their campaign, that campaign pays a directly proportional amount for the cost of that fundraising.
Contested Convention / Arizona Lawsuit
*   It is way too early to discuss the questions of a contested convention. There are nearly twenty contests still to play out, including tonight’s primary in New York.
*   Secretary Clinton and Senator Sanders are drawing sharp differences with one another, but their differences remain focused on how to best move America forward.
*   They’re focused on how to make sure our government reflects the values of the American people, that we have an economy and a democracy that are inclusive, and that we respect everyone in America.
*   And last Thursday we our ninth debate saw showed that they both see the bigger picture.
*   The Democratic National Committee and our Senatorial Campaign Committee are suing officials in Arizona whose decisions led to voters having to wait for hours to vote during their March primaries, and many to be disenfranchised as a result.
*   If you want to talk about rigging elections, that’s the real example, and it’s a serious problem and we’re glad both our candidates are interested in supporting that. In Maricopa County, officials reduced the number of polling locations to just 1 for every 21,000 people. That’s seven eight times what it was in other parts of the state, and it shows you the magnitude of the efforts to make it harder to vote that Republicans are championing all across the country.
*   And it’s not just Arizona, you had a member of Congress from Wisconsin, Glenn Grothman, who flat out said that they expected they could now win Wisconsin because of the Voter ID law. It was his Kevin McCarthy moment, and the type of rigging of the system we’re not going to put up with.
*   When voters go to the polls in November, they can be certain that the Democratic nominee will have the temperament and judgment to serve as commander in chief, and that's not something you can say about the Republican candidates.
Clinton’s Speeches and Sanders’ Taxes
*   Our job at the Party isn’t to handicap our own primary, we’re not going to referee.
*   There are real differences, but they’re with the Republicans, and while you have to expect that the candidates are going to draw sharp differences, they’re also highlighting what a much better option voters have with Democrats.
*   Just look at the issue of taxes as millions of Americans filed last week yesterday, but most of them didn’t get to take advantage of special loopholes or get special breaks. Yet every single Republican plan for the economy is based on tax cuts for those at the very top of the income scale. It’s exactly the economic policy that the Bush Administration had as they drove us toward the great recession.
*   So ultimately those are the differences that will matter most in November.
Cruz
*   The vast majority of his Republican colleagues can barely muster a straight face to say anything nice or positive about him!
*   Lindsey Graham crassly talked about how no one in the Senate would object if he was killed on the Senate floor, and said that endorsing him over Trump was the equivalent of choosing to get poisoned over being shot.
*   Senator Jim Risch of Idaho – TWICE – gave one of the most passive, non-endorsement endorsements I’ve ever seen.
*   It’s going to be very difficult for Senators and Congress members to run alongside a presidential nominee they really don’t like! And if these guys are reluctant to show their support for a Senate colleague, I am not sure how the American people will be able to back Cruz either.
The GOP’s Problem with Women Voters
Trump is viewed unfavorably by 7 out of 10 women, but both of his primary opponents showed this week that they would also alienate women voters with their policies as the nominee.
*   Kasich said that he wants to see Roe v. Wade repealed
, and when asked what kind of punishment that would lead to, he evaded the question by saying that it should be left to the states.
*   Cruz said that even if a woman has been brutally raped, she should be forced to carry the pregnancy caused by her attacker to term.
*   In the past, the Republican candidates have opposed ensuring equal pay, family leave, and voted against the Violence Against Women Act.
This past Tuesday was Equal Pay Day was a couple week ago, the day in 2016 when women’s earnings have caught up with men’s earnings from 2015. On average we earn 79 cents to their dollar, and it’s worse for women of color. All of the Republican presidential candidates would stand against protections that ensure greater equality in the workplace.
*   John Kasich has consistently belittled women and said that we don’t need workplace protections, just a ‘change of heart’ among major employers.
*   Ted Cruz voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act three times and ridiculed the legislation as a ‘show vote.’
*   Donald Trump stated that women would have pay equity if we did ‘as good a job’ as men.
Republicans to Blame for Trump and His Down Ballot Impact
It’s fitting that Donald Trump is the standard-bearer of a party that has relied on divisive politics and scapegoating for electoral gain for so long. Since 2004 they’ve used gay marriage as a wedge issue, demonized immigrants and stoked fears about border security. They’ve given birthers like Trump a pass, and fueled the Tea Party with lies about a total government takeover of healthcare and the economy. Then while in office, the only thing Republicans have done in Washington over the last seven years is obstruct. Trump IS the Republican Party.
Advantage, Democrats
Despite all the media attention that Republican frontrunner Trump gets with his say-anything strategy, Democrats are winning where it matters.
Secretary Clinton has earned over 10.4 million vote 9.6 million votes – a full 1.4 1.7 million more than Trump – while Senator Sanders has seven almost 8 million votes (well ahead of Kasich and Cruz) and has garnered more than seven million individual campaign contributions.
Overall fundraising shows a Democratic edge, with Democrats raising a total of $72.1 million in February and 67.5 million in March, and eclipsing Republicans’ fundraising, which amounted to less than $12 million for Cruz, $6
million for Trump, and just $3.4 million for Kasich in February.
Overall
And while Trump continues to claim that he is self-funding his campaign, his latest report with the FEC
shows that he has loaned his campaign $24 million throughout this election cycle, while he raising just $34 million from outside contributors and loans for the entire cycle.
Democrats will have the strongest candidate in November. Period. And we are poised to take back the Senate and make serious gains in the House.
Broad Contrast and Infrastructure
We have been building an infrastructure and operation that will work regardless of who the Republicans nominate. We see the numbers of course; it’s clear Trump is far ahead of his competitors, and we’re ready for him if he makes it through what is shaping up to be a train wreck of a convention.
But we don’t think taking on Trump is fundamentally different from any of the others.
At least with Trump, he’s not shy about exposing what the Republican brand has truly become. Ted Cruz and John Kasich are every bit as extreme as their party’s front-runner, they just hide it a bit better.
They promise the same extreme agenda on women’s rights, they deny the threat of climate change, and they oppose fixing a broken immigration system with a path to  citizenship.
They all want to drag America back to the failed economic policies of the last Republican president who left office losing 800,000 jobs a month and having plunged our country into the Great Recession.
And they’ve all been just as offensive in their rhetoric, using language that alienates our allies, helps ISIS recruit terrorists, and makes America less safe.
So if it is Trump, we’re ready. Maybe it’s Cruz, but it’s hard to see how that comes together in the end. But regardless we’re building a ground game and an infrastructure that’s ready to challenge him on every single position he’s taking on the campaign trail, and that holds him accountable for what those positions would actually mean for the American people.
Polling:
General Election (
*   Clinton (48.8) v. Trump (39.5) = Clinton + 9.3
*   Clinton (45.3) v. Cruz (43.0) = Clinton +2.3
*   Clinton (40.2) v. Kasich (48.0) = Kasich +7.8
*   Sanders (52.8) v. Trump (37.6) = Sanders +15.2
*   Sanders (50.7) v. Cruz (39.5) = Sanders +11.2
*   Sanders (46.2) v. Kasich (42.2) = Sanders +4.0
Connecticut (4/26)
*   Clinton (50.0) v. Sanders (42.5) = Clinton +7.5
*   Trump (49.0) v. Kasich (27.0) v. Cruz (18.0) = Trump +22
Delaware (4/26)
*   Clinton (45.0) v. Sanders (38.0) = Clinton +7
*   Trump (55.0) v. Kasich (18.0) v. Cruz (15.0) = Trump +37
Maryland (4/26)
*   Clinton (57.0) v. Sanders (35.3) = Clinton +21.7
*   Trump (41.0) v. Kasich (26.3) v. Cruz (24.5) = Trump +14.7
Pennsylvania (4/26)
*   Clinton (52.8) v. Sanders (37.0) = Clinton +15.8
*   Trump (43.8) v. Cruz (24.6) v. Kasich (23.6) = Trump +19.2
Rhode Island (4/26)
*   Clinton (49.0) v. Sanders (40.0) = Clinton +9
*   Nothing recent for the GOP race
________________________________
From: Miranda, Luis
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 5:48 PM
To: RR2
Cc: Ryan Banfill; Manriquez, Pablo; Paustenbach, Mark; Kate Houghton
Subject: PLEASE REVIEW: Fox News Sunday Briefing for DWS
Hi team Research, please review but please also add recent polling in here, both for the upcoming Tuesday April 26 contests, as well as the national hypothetical match ups: Trump v Clinton, Trump v Sanders, Cruz v ... etc..
Thank you.


I will blast
--
[DNC]
Rachel Palermo
Democratic National Committee
PalermoR@dnc.org
202-863-8041
From: Lykins, Tyler
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2016 9:52 AM
To: Paustenbach, Mark; RR2
Subject: RE: For Review: NBC News: Former Speaker Boehner Calls Cruz 'Lucifer in the Flesh'
Awesome - good here.
From: Paustenbach, Mark
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2016 9:51 AM
To: RR2
Subject: For Review: NBC News: Former Speaker Boehner Calls Cruz 'Lucifer in the Flesh'
Looks like another Washington establishment figure is ready to rally around Trump! It makes perfect sense - Boehner's obstruction of progress and inability to rein in the most extreme voices in his party laid the groundwork for the GOP's natural frontrunner and his "texting buddy," Donald Trump.
NBC News: Former Speaker Boehner Calls Cruz 'Lucifer in the Flesh'
by CARRIE DANN
John Boehner is not a big fan of Ted Cruz.
So much so, in fact, that the former Republican House Speaker told an audience at Stanford University Wednesday that the Texas senator is "Lucifer in the flesh" and a "miserable son of a bitch."
Asked about the 2016 presidential candidate at a forum hosted by Stanford in Government (SIG) and the Stanford Speakers Bureau, Boehner drew laughter for making a face of disgust, according to the Stanford Daily.
"Lucifer in the flesh," Boehner said, according to the paper. "I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."
He added that he would vote for Donald Trump in a general election if he becomes the Republican nominee but that he would not vote for Cruz.
Boehner was reportedly urged by the event's moderator, Professor David M. Kennedy, to be frank because the event was not being broadcast.
The former Ohio lawmaker had kinder words for his "texting buddy" Donald Trump, with whom Boehner has played golf with for "years."
And he described another 2016 candidate, John Kasich, as a "friend" too, although he suggested that the relationship takes "more effort" than others.
"[Kasich] requires more effort on my behalf than all my other friends ... but he's still my friend, and I love him," Boehner said.
Cruz famously led a group of hard-line conservatives who derailed House leaders' attempts to avoid a government shutdown in 2013. Cruz's failed attempt to force the defunding of President Barack Obama's signature health care law resulted in a 16-day shutdown that was widely seen as politically damaging for the Republican Party.
Boehner stepped down from his role as House Speaker last September under political pressure from conservatives on Capitol Hill.
NBC News has reached out to Cruz's team for comment.


@KThomasDC
2m2 minutes ago
.@BernieSanders
on his supporters: "I will not allow them to be silenced at the Democratic National Convention."

@KThomasDC
6m6 minutes ago
New: Sanders threatening floor fight over rules & platform planks at convention if the DNC stacks the cmtes w/ Clinton supporters.
--
[DNC]
Rachel Palermo
Democratic National Committee
PalermoR@dnc.org
202-863-8041
From: Palermo, Rachel
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 11:12 AM
To: Comm_D
Subject: FLAG: AP: Sanders threatens floor fight at Dem convention
The Latest: Sanders threatens floor fight at Dem convention
AP
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is threatening a floor fight over rules and platform planks at the party's summer convention if the Democratic National Committee stacks the committees with supporters of Hillary Clinton.
Sanders writes in a letter to Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz that the makeup of the standing committees should reflect the level of support that he and Clinton received in the primaries and caucuses.
He says many of his supporters have not been included and notes Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy will be in charge of the convention's platform committee and former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank will run the rules committee. He calls both "aggressive attack surrogates" for Clinton.
Sanders says if the process is unfair, he'll challenge platform planks, electoral reform planks and rules changes.
--
[DNC]
Rachel Palermo
Democratic National Committee
PalermoR@dnc.org
202-863-8041


Pablo calm it down buddy. We just asked a question. You can deal with DWS in the am if you want.
On May 17, 2016, at 7:01 PM, Manriquez, Pablo
> wrote:
They structured their whole show on that we’ll make news in the 6am hour. We told them a time. They took care of us. Now they’re all asleep. Are we really going to screw them over on our mistake???
Plus Luis, Mark
On May 17, 2016, at 6:54 PM, Banfill, Ryan
> wrote:
Pablo,
What's the status of tomorrow's CNN AM hit? Can we move it closer to the 820 POTUS hit?
If not we may have to pull the plug.
Let us know ASAP.
Thanks,
Ryan
Sent from my iPhone
Pablo Manriquez
Democratic National Committee
Phone: 202.572.5488
Email: pablo@dnc.org
web: democrats.org
Twitter: @Pablo_DNC


From: Michael Briggs
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 2:29 PM
To: Brinster, Jeremy
Subject: NEWS: More Proof Sanders is Democrats’ Best Bet in November
[Image removed by sender. Bernie 2016]
More Proof Sanders is Democrats’ Best Bet in November
May 10, 2016
Contact: Michael Briggs (802) 233-8653
STOCKTON, Calif. – There was new evidence on Tuesday that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders would be the strongest candidate Democrats could nominate to face Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 general election.
“Virtually every poll has us way, way ahead of Donald Trump,” Sanders told more than 5,700 supporters at a lakeside park for a mid-morning outdoor rally in this Central Valley city. In battleground states across the country, Sanders added, he also polls much stronger than Hillary Clinton.
“There is no question about which campaign is energizing the American people,” Sanders said. “If you want the strongest candidate to defeat Donald Trump that’s us.”
Sanders was on a two-day campaign swing through northern California and the San Francisco Bay area ahead of the Golden State’s June 7 primary election. California, the largest state, will elect 475 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
The rally in Stockton was the second big turnout in two days. On Monday night, the U.S. senator from Vermont spoke to more than 16,000 at a soccer field in Sacramento.
In Stockton, he referred to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll
released on Tuesday which examined how Sanders and Hillary Clinton fared against Trump in three general election battleground states: Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.
In two of those states Sanders led Trump by significantly greater margins than Clinton.
In Ohio, Clinton actually trailed Trump by four points. Sanders prevailed with 43 percent to Trump’s 41 percent.
In Pennsylvania, Sanders had a six-point lead over Trump. She was up only by 1 percent.
In Florida, he had a two-point edge compared to her one-point advantage.
In each state, more voters have unfavorable opinions of both Clinton and Trump.
In yet another state poll, this one in New Hampshire, Sanders trounced Trump 49 percent to 28 percent, a 21-point spread. Clinton led Trump by only five points, 34 percent to 29 percent, while a much greater share of Granite State voters, 37 percent, unsure who they would prefer among the two unpopular candidates, according to the May 4 poll by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College
.
Nationwide, Sanders topped Trump 53 percent to 40 percent in a new NBC News/Survey Monkey
poll. Clinton held a much narrower 5-point edge over Trump in the same nationwide survey. She narrowly defeated Trump 49 percent to 44 percent.
###
Paid for by Bernie 2016
[Image removed by sender. (not the billionaires)]
PO Box 905 - Burlington, Vermont 05402, United States
[Image removed by sender.]


Eric -
I must be missing you when I go by your desk.
I know things are busy, but let me know when you want to meet this week.
I'm working on our/Lindsey's priority of getting surrogates/talkers into the database.
Thanks.
From: Sanchez, Jennifer
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2016 5:22 PM
To: Alvillar, Raul; Walker, Eric
Cc: Miranda, Luis; Moore, Colby
Subject: RE: Surrogates
Raul, you shouldn't have to be in the meeting.
Eric and I are meeting as a follow up to the April 26 meeting with Luis and Eric.
1)      To give Eric an overview of the surrogate database
2)      Discuss the Communications Surrogate List to upload to the surrogate database, per Lindsey
Thanks, all.
From: Alvillar, Raul
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2016 3:37 PM
To: Sanchez, Jennifer; Walker, Eric
Cc: Miranda, Luis; Moore, Colby
Subject: RE: Surrogates
With Colby
Raul Alvillar
National Political Director
Democratic National Committee
Tele. 202.863.8000
From: Sanchez, Jennifer
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2016 3:31 PM
To: Walker, Eric
Cc: Alvillar, Raul; Miranda, Luis
Subject: RE: Surrogates
A reminder, when can you meet Monday?
From: Sanchez, Jennifer
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 3:45 PM
To: Walker, Eric
Subject: Surrogates
Hi Eric -
Per our meeting with Luis, let me know when we can set up a 30-minute meeting.
I'll walk you through the surrogate process and the surrogate database.
I'd prefer to meet sooner than later.
I'm open -
5-7P, Thursday, 4/28
10-11:30A or 3-6P, Friday, 4/29
10A-3P, Monday, 5/2
Thanks,
Jenn
Jennifer W. Sanchez
Deputy Director for Surrogate Operations
Democratic National Committee
Cell: 801.403.4817 |Office: 202.863.8070
Email: jennifer@dnc.org
| Twitter: @jennsanchezmpa
Address: 430 S. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
www.Democrats.org


Hi Team,
Re-watched MSNBC broadcast from tonight. Notes below and in caucus-primary slack. 2 FLAGS below in red.
Thanks!
Pablo
MTP Daily
Barry Bennet, Senior Advisor to Trump Campaign.
Basic Trump as outsider TPs (not a very strong spox)
Barbara Boxer
On Trump - “There’s a difference between someone who is flexible and someone without a center. He has no center.”
On deportations - “mean-spirited"
Hardball with Chris Matthews
Steve Schmitt: The blue collar core of Dem party support of previous elections has shifted to the Obama coalition. The GOP has a huge opportunity to win back that demographic this election.
Luciana Lopez: This election isn’t about left versus right. It’s about insider versus outsider.
Paul Manafort: "Donald Trump understands media. He’s a television star and he’s connected with America."
FLAG: Paul Manafort: “I’m going to Cleveland Wednesday and Friday. I’m sitting down with the RNC leadership and we’re going to talk about that. We have some ideas."
Paul Manafort on GOP Convention: “This is the ultimate reality show. It’s the presidency of the United States."
Paul Manafort: We will expose the hypocrisy of Hillary Clinton playing the female card.
Ann Coulter: “Trump is the party. He’s the heart and soul of the party.”
All In with Chris Hayes
Jeff Weaver: It’s going to take a lot to convince disaffected voters that the Democratic Party stands with them.
Jeff Weaver: People in America have a lot of trouble finding quality affordable childcare.
Steve Schmidt: General election debates likely to be the most-watched broadcast since the moon landing.
Neera Tanden: Hillary Clinton will be fine because she’s been attacked before.
The Rachael Maddow Show
Maddow on GOP message: “It’s better to give the nuclear launch codes to an erratic conman than it is to not vote Republican.” Luv it.
Andrea Bernstein: Latest allegations from Bridgegate prosecutor are not as speculative as previous allegations from Bridgegate prosecutor. FLAG: There either is, or might be, new evidence in the conspiracy to close the George Washington Bridge, or Bridge-gate. The new evidence is believed to be a list of un-indicted co-conspirators in the bridge closing. The list includes people for whom there is “sufficient evidence” to believe they were part of the conspiracy to close bridge. It’s unclear if Chris Christie is on the list.
The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell
Rory Cooper (Never Trump Super-PAC): Hillary got lucky Trump sucked all of the oxygen out of primary. Never Trump Super-PAC seeks to “continue to shine a light between what the conservative movement is all about and what Donald Trump is all about.” Never Trump Super-PAC “believes there is a football sized space between those two things."
Ken Cuccinelli: Showmanship alone won’t cut it in the primary.
Ben Labolt: Democrat strategy of taking the high road when Trump takes the low road ignores need for compelling narrative. When Donald Trump attacks women, Democrats should go harder.
On May 10, 2016, at 11:06 PM, Spolarich Jr., Gary
> wrote:
Watch here
From: Manriquez, Pablo
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 10:46 PM
To: Comm_D
Subject: Video Request: MSNBC
Hardball (2nd Interview)
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL)
This Republican will not support Trump for any reason.
Chuck: Would you like to see a 3rd alternative (to Trump and Hillary)?
CC: It’s possible. Look this year has been unpredictable. I’m 36. This is the first election where I’m actually age eligible. Maybe I’ll run.
Pablo Manriquez
Democratic National Committee
Phone: 202.572.5488
Email: pablo@dnc.org
web: democrats.org
Twitter: @Pablo_DNC
Pablo Manriquez
Democratic National Committee
Phone: 202.572.5488
Email: pablo@dnc.org
web: democrats.org
Twitter: @Pablo_DNC


Thanks!
Sent from my iPhone
On May 13, 2016, at 9:32 AM, DNC Press
> wrote:
FYI-
From: Holway, Daniel B (NBCUniversal, MSNBC)
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 8:17 AM
To: DNC Press
Subject: MSNBC Interview Request - Monday 1pm
Hey everyone,
My name is Dan Holway, I am a booking producer for MSNBC. I wanted to see if Debbie Wasserman Schultz might be available to join us for an interview on Monday anytime between 1pm-3pm. We would talk about the Democratic race and Trump on the GOP side. If Monday doesn’t work in these hours, we would be interested in any day next week. Please let me know what works best. My number here is (212) 664-1450. Hope to hear from you soon.
-Dan Holway
MSNBC


Watch here
From: Price, Jenna
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 4:46 PM
To: Comm_D
Subject: Video Request: Tad Devine on MSNBC now
Not sure when interview started, but capture entire segment. Thanks!
Jenna Price
Democratic National Committee
pricej@dnc.org
215-578-9696
[SigDems]


Who: DWS with Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum
What: One on one interview on state of the race.
When: OPEN, 9am to 11am ET
Where: OPEN
Pablo Manriquez
Democratic National Committee
Phone: 202.572.5488
Email: pablo@dnc.org
web: democrats.org
Twitter: @Pablo_DNC


WEATHER: 63F, RAIN
POTUS and the Administration
Obama: We're living in 'most peaceful' era in human history
WASHINGTON TIMES // JESSICA CHASMAR
We're fortunate to be living in the most peaceful era in human history, President Obama said in Germany on Monday before announcing that he was sending 250 more American special operations forces troops to Syria
.
"I want to begin with an observation that, given the challenges that we face in the world and the headlines we see every day, may seem improbable, but it's true," Mr. Obama said
in Hanover on the final day of his tour of Europe and the Middle East. "We are fortunate to be living in the most peaceful, most prosperous, most progressive era in human history.
Michelle Obama Encourages New York Students to Reach Higher
ASSOCIATED PRESS // DEEPTI HAJELA
High school seniors on their way to college were feted by U.S. first ladyMichelle Obama
and a host of celebrities on Tuesday as she encouraged them to make the most of their college experiences, get involved in campus life and ask for help when they need it. "We are so proud of everything you've achieved, and we don't take the struggle for granted," Obama told a roaring crowd of young people in attendance at an event in Harlem.
Obama was marking her third and last College Signing Day, part of the Reach Higher initiative she started to encourage young people to extend their educations past high school. The events were in Detroit and San Antonio the first two years.
John F. Kerry and the Vietnam War continue to be intertwined
WASHINGTON POST // CAROL MORELLO
Secretary of State John F. Kerry's career has long been intertwined with Vietnam, and the devastating, divisive war he fought in and against. After a tour in Vietnam as a young Navy officer, Kerry burst onto the public stage as an antiwar protester in the 1970s. As a senator, he helped create conditions for the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations in the 1990s. Next month, he will accompany President Obama to Hanoi, no longer Washington's foe but an important strategic and economic partner. Kerry's past and present will merge once again Wednesday at a Vietnam symposium at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin. He will preview the Obama trip, and chat onstage with filmmaker Ken Burns about Burns's upcoming documentary on the Vietnam War.
Democrats
House Democrats question if Valeant is withholding records
REUTERS // SARAH LYNCH
Democrats on a powerful U.S. congressional panel are questioning whether Canada-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals may be wrongfully withholding documents in connection with its ongoing probe into sky-rocketing drug prices, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The memo, which was sent to Democratic members of the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from the staff of its top Democrat Elijah Cummings, reveals that Valeant previously withheld readily available analyst reports prepared by banks such as Goldman Sachs, saying they were protected by attorney-client privilege. The memo says it also raises questions about other documents that are still being withheld, saying some of these "were not drafted by attorneys and do not include communications with attorneys."
Senate Nears Deal for at Least $1.1 Billion to Fight Zika Virus
NEW YORK TIMES // DAVID HENDERSON
Senate negotiators on Tuesday moved closer to an agreement to provide at least $1.1 billion in emergency financing to combat the rapidly spreading Zika virus, which public health officials warn poses an imminent threat in the United States, but House Republicans said they were still not ready to approve additional funds. The White House bluntly warned that Republicans were not acting quickly enough and that the needed money might not arrive before mosquitoes carrying the disease, which causes birth defects, reach the United States. "This is an emergency," said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. "The American people are counting on Congress to act. And instead, we've gotten bureaucratic excuses."
U.S. Senate Nears Deal for Emergency Zika Virus Funding
WALL STREET JOURNAL // SOIBHAN HUGHES
Senate Republicans said Tuesday they were close to an agreement with Democrats on new funding to combat the Zika virus, but conservative House Republicans remained skeptical about the need for an emergency appropriation. Proponents of the funding say the onset of warmer weather is creating an urgent need for the funding, which would be used to control mosquito populations, develop vaccines and increase laboratory capacity for research into the virus, which has been linked to birth defects. Budget Director Shaun Donovan said earlier this month that the U.S. shouldn't take the risk of having the outbreak spread and get out of control before Congress acts.
Democrats Pressure Republicans To Move On Emergency Zika Funding Ahead Of Break
THE HUFFINGTON POST // LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ
As lawmakers prepare to leave for a weeklong recess, Democrats are calling for a vote on emergency funding to combat the spreading Zika virus. Republicans indicated last week they planned to work with Democrats, after weeks of ignoring the administration's request to direct emergency money toward the epidemic. The virus, according to the World Health Organization, causes microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. There have been 388 travel-related Zika cases reported in the U.S. since the start of 2015. On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urged Republicans to move now, ahead of the brief recess that begins for both chambers on Friday. "There's been talk about some kind of arrangement, but there is no deal," Reid said, adding that the amount Republicans are eyeing (over $1 billion) isn't enough.
Senate Democrats Expand Scope of #DoYourJob Barbs
MORNING CONSULT // WILL DOBBS-ALLSOPP
It started as the mantra Senate Democrats used to urge their GOP colleagues to grant Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a hearing and floor vote: "Do your job." For weeks, every Democratic tweet urging Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to take up Garland's nomination ended with #DoYourJob. At press conferences and in video releases, Senate Democrats brought forward doctors, nurses, and municipal employees to explain what would happen if they refused to do their jobs. Their point, though a tad heavy-handed, was clear: Republican senators are skipping out on work. But with little prospect of a Garland hearing and a number of other pressing issues dominating the news cycle, the #DoYourJob campaign has evolved. Once a movement with the sole purpose of getting Garland a confirmation hearing and vote, the tagline has become a bicameral effort to paint congressional Republicans as generally obstructionist on a host of items.
One of these Dem stars is about to suffer a crushing defeat
THE HILL // MIKE LILLIS
Democratic voters in Maryland head to the polls on Tuesday to decide the fate of two of the party's most promising stars. Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards are vying to replace outgoing Sen. Barbara Mikulski in the Free State, and the stakes are enormous. One lawmaker will see a fruitful congressional career come to a screeching halt with a primary loss and be left to face an uncertain political future. The other will be a big favorite to win a November promotion and become a fixture in the upper chamber, where Maryland hasn't been represented by a Republican in three decades.
Reid says Sanders can't win, but won't call on him to quit race
CNN // MANU RAJU
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that Bernie Sanders can't win the Democratic nomination, but he won't call on the Vermont senator to quit the race. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, the Nevada senator was asked if he thought Sanders had a path to the presidential nomination. "No, I don't," Reid replied. Reid said he was comfortable with Sanders' vow to take the campaign to the convention in July, saying he "should do what he has to do."
Republicans
Addiction Recovery Groups Warn House Republicans Are Prolonging Opioid Crisis
HUFFINGTON POST // RYAN GRIM
Addiction recovery groups are opening up a full-throated campaign against legislation that House Republicans will propose as the chamber's response to the opioid epidemic. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have been promising swift action following the March passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act in the Senate by a vote of 94-1. On Wednesday, House Republicans will introduce the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, an advance copy of which was obtained by The Huffington Post. If the House had been hoping its parallel effort would win the support of the drug policy and addiction community, though, a barrage of letters has been unleashed to set them straight.
House set to limit paid time off for federal employees under investigation
WASHINGTON POST// ERIC YODER
Federal agencies could no longer put employees on indefinite paid leave while investigating them for misconduct or poor performance under a bill set for a House floor vote as soon as Tuesday. The measure is one of many seeking to limit "administrative leave" following investigations finding that agencies had used that form of leave routinely to keep employees off the job, although with full pay and benefits, for months - and in some cases a year or more. The bill would limit such leave to 14 days; if an investigation were not finished by then, the employee generally would have to return to work. If the agency decided that the employee would pose certain risks, even if assigned to different duties or to telecommuting, the leave could be extended for additional 30-day periods, with reports to Congress required each time.
Fed Up With the Senate
US NEWS AND WORLD REPORTS // DJUAN WASH
Right now, there are key vacancies at a vital government institution. President Barack Obama has fulfilled his duty and put forward eminently qualified nominees to fill the vacancies. Yet despite the nominees' strong credentials, Republicans in the Senate have dragged their feet, and the chair of the committee whose job it is to consider the nominees has refused to even schedule hearings. No, this isn't the high-profile battle to fill the seat of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. While the fight over Scalia's replacement may be stealing headlines, Republican obstructionism is actually preventing another important government body from functioning as it should: the Federal Reserve. Two vacant spots on the seven-person Federal Reserve Board of Governors have sat unfilled since 2014. Obama nominated former community banking CEO Allan Landon to be a Federal Reserve governor in January 2015, yet Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby has let Landon's appointment languish for over a year.
Zika Fight Starts to Bite Republicans Ahead of Mosquito Season
BLOOMBERG POLITICS // STEVEN DENNIS
Senate Republican leaders entered this week hoping to act quickly to fight the Zika virus, but ran into internal feuding and now face the prospect of political fallout in election battleground states like Florida. Talks with Democrats on an emergency spending package stalled and lawmakers now anticipate doing nothing before they leave on a one-week recess at the end of the week. Republican leaders say they will bring a bill to the Senate floor at some point as they continue to negotiate on the details, but it remains unclear when and how such a measure would advance. Republicans had been slow to address an Obama administration request in February for $1.9 billion to prevent a Zika outbreak, but evidence that the virus is spreading faster than originally feared has injected new urgency into the debate.
McConnell: House moving first on Puerto Rico debt bill
THE HILL // JORDAIN CARNEY
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that the upper chamber will wait for the House to pass legislation on Puerto Rico's growing debt crisis as lawmakers struggle to reach a deal. "We're going to let the House go first on Puerto Rico. We know it needs to be dealt with, and we're in discussions with them about what ought to be done," he told reporters. His comments came after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters earlier Tuesday that he doesn't think Congress will be able to pass legislation before a crucial deadline. The island territory is at risk of defaulting on a $422 million payment due May 1. Lawmakers are scheduled to leave town at the end of the week and won't return until May 9.
2016 Democrats
Clinton decisively wins Democratic primaries in 4 states
WASHINGTON POST // ABBY PHILLIP, JOHN WAGNER, AND ANNE GEARAN
Hillary Clinton all but secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday after a long and bruising primary fight against rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, scoring decisive victories in four of five East Coast states to cast ballots.
In the last big day of multiple contests before Democrats conclude their primary voting in June, Clinton won Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware, and Sanders won in tiny Rhode Island, the only state where independents could vote in the Democratic contest. Overall, Sanders picked up a fraction of the delegates awarded to Clinton.
Pulling Away From Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton Is Turning to the Fall
NEW YORK TIMES // AMY CHOZICK
After months of trying to sideline an unexpectedly deft and well-financed liberal opponent, Hillary Clinton on Tuesday won a series of primaries that freed her to present herself as the de facto victor of the Democratic nomination fight and gave her the impetus to shift focus decisively toward the November election. Now all but certain to clinch the Democratic nomination, Mrs. Clinton will continue to face Mr. Sanders's criticism, but is expected to move swiftly to claim an early advantage against the leading Republican candidate, Donald J. Trump. Her advisers and allies say she will spend the coming weeks honing her message for the general election, and ramping up fund-raising efforts that have lagged in the face of Mr. Sanders's challenge. "With your help, we're going to come back to Philadelphia for the Democratic National Committee, with the most votes and the most pledged delegates," Mrs. Clinton told a crowd of 1,300 here after she took the stage to "Eye of the Tiger." "And we will unify our party to win this election and build an America where we can all rise together."
Hillary Clinton projected to win Democratic primaries in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware
LOS ANGELES TIMES // EVAN HALPER
Hillary Clinton was projected to win primaries in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, three of the five states voting Tuesday, as the Democratic front-runner seeks to build an insurmountable lead over rival Bernie Sanders. Clinton is expected to expand her lead of 275 pledged delegates when ballots are counted in the five Eastern states at stake. Sanders was the winner in Rhode Island, according to the Associated Press. Results were still pending in Connecticut. But the delegate haul from Pennsylvania and Maryland, the two largest states voting, could make it close to impossible for Sanders to catch up, even with voting on June 7 in the biggest prize of the campaign, California. Polls show he faces an uphill race there as well.
Hillary Clinton Wins Three States, Bernie Sanders Takes Rhode Island
WALL STREET JOURNAL // PETER NICHOLAS
Hillary Clinton swept to primary victories over rival Sen. Bernie Sanders in Pennsylvania and Maryland Tuesday night, winning the two largest prizes of the evening and also capturing Delaware in a showing that makes her the all-but-certain Democratic presidential nominee. Mrs. Clinton's chief task now shifts from winning more states to unifying a fractured party and persuading Sanders supporters to coalesce behind her. A likely first step is turning down the rhetorical temperature, giving Mr. Sanders's supporters space to move in her direction. Meanwhile, Mr. Sanders pulled off a win in Rhode Island, and results in Connecticut were still being tallied into the evening, with preliminary results there suggesting a close race.
Hillary Clinton moves closer to nomination with wins in three states
THE GUARDIAN // DAVID SMITH
Hillary Clinton appears to be within touching distance of the Democratic nomination after three victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware set her up for a dominant night in Tuesday's primary elections. Maryland, called by the Associated Press moments after polls closed at 8pm eastern time, was the first of a convincing night. And 38 minutes later, Delaware followed - Clinton's margin there was a comprehensive 59%-39%. Pennsylvania was also called for Clinton at 9.01pm - with one third of the votes counted, she was 57%-42% ahead of Bernie Sanders. In Connecticut, with 48% of the votes in, Sanders led by 49% to 48%.
An Obama-friendly electorate delivers a big win for Hillary Clinton in Maryland
WASHINGTON POST // EMILY GUSKIN
More than six in 10 Maryland Democratic voters on Tuesday said they wanted the next president to continue President Obama's policies, according to preliminary exit polling. That's far more than the 54 percent average across contests so far this year. Meanwhile, just 23 percent said they preferred more liberal policies -- less than the 30 percent average so far. The numbers suggest a friendly electorate for Hillary Clinton, whose campaign has stressed that she will fight to maintain Obama's policies - whereas Sanders has pressed a more liberal agenda and criticized Obama at times for not pushing things far enough to the left.
Bernie Sanders is right: poor people don't vote and it's a problem
THE GUARDIAN // LUCIA GRAVES
Bernie Sanders said something he wasn't supposed to say: that poor people don't vote. Although it's true that voter turnout is inversely correlated with income, all anyone wanted to comment on was that Sanders looked defensive and deflated on Meet the Press, where he made the statement on Sunday. Lost was the fact that this is a truth we should be struck by, ashamed of even, and should do more about. The impolitic remark came in response to a question about why the candidate had been losing so much in the places he should have been winning (he's lost 16 of the 17 states with the highest levels of income inequality). The most straightforward thing for him to say would be to acknowledge that he hasn't performed well with minority voters who tend to be less affluent. But he didn't want to say that on television. Instead, he decided to talk about something else that's actually more important than where he, personally, is up or down. He said: "Poor people don't vote. I mean, that's just a fact. That's a sad reality of American society". He also noted that "80% of poor people did not vote" in the 2014 election.
2016 Republicans
The parallel universe where Cruz is beating Trump
POLITICO // KYLE CHENEY AND KATIE GLUECK
Donald Trump has earned more than 9 million votes in the Republican primary and amassed a lead that puts him on the brink of clinching the GOP nomination. But in the shadow contest for the delegates to a contested national convention, he's getting obliterated by Ted Cruz. It's halftime in the hustle for loyal convention delegates. By the weekend, more than 1,300 will have been elected in county, state or congressional district elections or selected by local Republican leaders. So far, Cruz has consistently dominated these contests, securing slots for hundreds of loyalists to the convention in Cleveland in July. Trump, on the other hand, has consistently flopped.
Voters in Eastern Seaboard primaries embrace Trump
WASHINGTON POST // PHILIP RUCKER AND JOSE A. DELREAL
Donald Trump rolled to crushing victories Tuesday in primaries across the Eastern Seaboard, substantially expanding the divisive mogul's delegate lead and narrowing the chances for his opponents to stop his march to the Republican presidential nomination. Trump was projected to win all five of the states holding contests - Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island - by decisive, double-digit margins.
Tuesday's rout was an embarrassing and potentially debilitating blow for Trump's nearest rival, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Cruz finished a distant third in at least three of the states, behind Ohio Gov. John Kasich as well as Trump.
Trump sweeps five states, moves closer to Republican nomination
REUTERS // LUCIANA LOPEZ
Donald Trump swept primaries in five Northeastern states on Tuesday, moving closer to winning the Republican presidential nomination as he easily defeated rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich. Trump scored victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Delaware, U.S. television networks projected. His margin of victory in each state appeared to be even larger than in his home state of New York a week ago, a major show of strength that sets the stage for a potentially pivotal battle next week in Indiana. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, already in control of the Democratic race, defeated challenger Bernie Sanders in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. But in a surprise, Sanders was projected to have won Rhode Island. Connecticut's Democratic vote was too close to call.
Trump's big sweep: Why a winner's aura matters more than math
FOX NEWS // HOWARD KURTZ
Presidential campaigns are about media, math and momentum. But in the wake of Donald Trump's five-state sweep in the Northeast yesterday, it's time to add another measure. And that is psychology. Which may be his biggest advantage. By adding Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island to his New York landslide, Trump is clearly riding a wave of momentum and positive media coverage.
Poll: Trump Reaches 50 Percent Support Nationally for the First Time
MSNBC // HANNAH HARTIG
Donald Trump has reached 50 percent support from Republicans and Republican-leaners nationally for the first time since the beginning of the NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll in late December. This milestone is significant as the 2016 primary heads into its final few weeks of contests, as there has been intense speculation that Trump's support has a ceiling. Though his support has hovered in the high 40s since mid-March, the front-runner had yet to secure half of Republican voters. These results are according to the latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking poll conducted online from April 18 to April 24 of 10,707 adults aged 18 and over, including 9,405 registered voters.
Donald Trump Calls on Ted Cruz and John Kasich to Drop Out of the Race
TIME MAGAZINE // OLIVIA WAXMAN
TIME 100 honoree Donald Trump said fellow Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich "should drop out" of the race, shortly before it was announced that he'd swept the primaries in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island. "They should drop out, because frankly they have no path to victory," Trump said on the red carpet at the TIME 100 gala on Tuesday night. His comments come after Cruz and Kasich announced that they are teaming up to stop the real estate mogul from reaching the 1,237 delegates necessary to cinch the GOP nomination.
Ted Cruz Needs Indiana to Be Like Wisconsin
WALL STREET JOURNAL // REID EPSTEIN
For Ted Cruz to stop Donald Trump from seizing the Republican presidential nomination, he must replicate his Wisconsin victory in Indiana, another Midwestern state with similar demographics and population. But even with Ohio Gov. John Kasich's ceding Indiana to him as part of a nonaggression pact, it's a tall hurdle. Mr. Cruz has none of the structural advantages he enjoyed in Wisconsin, where the GOP governor and conservative talk-radio hosts backed him to block Mr. Trump. Indiana's most respected Republican voices have stayed neutral, and local conservative media haven't picked sides ahead of the May 3 vote.
Trump starts spending to end Cruz in Indiana
POLITICO  // SHANE GOLDMACHER
Despite landslide victories on Tuesday, Donald Trump still needs to win Indiana - and he's starting to act like it.
The frugal Manhattan mogul has begun opening his wallet for the air war, spending more than $900,000 on TV and radio ads. He's working the inside game, wooing Gov. Mike Pence one-on-one
in what multiple Indiana insiders said appears to have been a successful effort to keep the governor on the endorsement sidelines. And Trump's new campaign strategist Paul Manafort has been telling Republican officials, multiple people told POLITICO, that Trump is in the midst of doubling the ground team there, with plans to balloon his in-state operation to 40 people.
Ted Cruz recreates scene from 'Hoosiers' in Indiana, refers to 'basketball ring'
WASHINGTON POST // PETER STEVENSON
Basketball is a big deal in Indiana. It's the state where Larry Bird grew up shooting jump shots into a basket mounted on his garage. Where cornfields are broken up only by county roads, farmhouses and the occasional worn-down hoop. It's home to some of the country's largest high school gyms - the New Castle Fieldhouse seats almost 10,000 people -- more than Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. And the state university's basketball team is tied for fourth on the list of most NCAA men's basketball championships. (That's IU, not Purdue. Sorry, Boilermakers.) So perhaps it's not a huge surprise that two Republican presidential contenders who really want to win the Hoosier state's winner-take-most primary on May 3 are going all-in on basketball-related pandering.
Cruz braces for another tough primary night, tries likening Trump to Clinton
WASHINGTON POST // SEAN SULLIVAN
Ted Cruz delivered a speech here Tuesday night dedicated to turning the page on what was expected to be another very difficult primary day for him and looking ahead to his colossal showdown with Donald Trump here next Tuesday. In a speech timed to get ahead of voting results in five Eastern states where Trump was expected to add to his delegate lead, the Texas senator took sharp aim at his Republican presidential rival, tying him repeatedly to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Cruz accused Trump of standing with Clinton on a litany of policy and political fronts and said in jest that Clinton has tapped Trump as his running mate.
Editorials/Op-Eds
Voting Rights Lose in North Carolina
NEW YORK TIMES // EDITORIAL BOARD
Late Monday, a federal district judge upheld
one of the most regressive and restrictive voting laws in the country - a 2013 North Carolina law
that eliminated same-day voter registration and preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds; cut back on early voting by a week; barred counting votes cast outside voters' home precincts; and required voters to show identification at the polls. State lawmakers said these changes were necessary to reduce fraud and inefficiency in elections - though there is no evidence of voter fraud to combat or inefficiency to cure. The Justice Department, the American Civil Liberties Union, the N.A.A.C.P. and the Advancement Project, among others, sued on the grounds that the law illegally discriminates against minority voters.
Donald Trump's Success Carries Lessons for Democrats, Too
NEW YORK TIMES // EDITORIAL BOARD
As primary voters went to the polls in five Northeastern states today, it seems long ago that Mitt Romney went on TV to say, "If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished." In that March 3 speech, Mr. Romney advanced a plan to deprive Mr. Trump of the votes he needs to win the Republican presidential nomination without a convention fight in July. Mr. Romney proposed that the candidate in the best position to beat Mr. Trump in each state should run unimpeded by other contenders. After losing in New York, Senator Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich seemed ready to embrace this idea. Late Sunday they announced that Mr. Cruz would run hard in Indiana's May 3 primary, and Mr. Kasich, though he was favored in suburbs surrounding Indianapolis, would stand down in that state. Mr. Kasich, in turn, would focus on beating Mr. Trump in New Mexico and Oregon, unimpeded by Mr. Cruz. But within hours, they backed away, as Mr. Cruz's campaign quietly told supporters not to engage in "tactical voting," and Mr. Kasich said that although he wouldn't hold rallies, he'd still attend a fund-raiser and meetings with Republican leaders in Indiana.
Restoring sanity to the debate over transgender bathroom use
WASHINGTON POST // EDITORIAL BOARD
"I DIDN'T ask to be this way. All I want to do is be a normal child and use the restroom in peace." That's what 16-year-old Grimm told
the Gloucester County (Va.) School Board last year as it debated whether to bar the transgender student from using the boys' restrooms. His appeal for personal dignity didn't seem to matter. Nor did the fact that he had been using the boys' bathrooms without incident until some adults in the community got riled up about the issue. So a federal appellate ruling
in his favor was a welcome development that will help to advance protections for the rights of transgender people.


That's great. I did include state party communications directors but I think it's good if chairs get it from Ray.
Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: Patrice Taylor
Date: 04/25/2016  11:54 AM  (GMT-05:00)
To: "Federico, Courtney"
, "Dacey, Amy"
, "Miranda, Luis"
Subject: RE: Memo from Rules and Bylaws Co-Chairs on Delegate Selection Process
Thanks, Courtney!
Would you like me to send this to Sr Staff?
Also, we are getting great emails from folks thanking us for the memo.  Specifically, Ray is asking if he can send this to state parties.  Do you all have any issues with him doing that?
From: Federico, Courtney
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 11:36 AM
To: Dacey, Amy; Miranda, Luis
Cc: Patrice Taylor
Subject: FW: Memo from Rules and Bylaws Co-Chairs on Delegate Selection Process
Amy and Luis,
Hope you are both doing well today.  Patrice and I wanted to let you know that the delegate selection process memo has been sent out to the RBC members and to the presidential campaigns.
Thanks,
Courtney
From:
talkers-bounces@dnc.org
On Behalf Of Miranda, Luis
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 10:37 AM
To: Miranda, Luis
Cc: Paustenbach, Mark
Subject: Memo from Rules and Bylaws Co-Chairs on Delegate Selection Process
Friends, ahead of tomorrow’s electoral contests I wanted to make sure you saw this memo from this weekend from the Co-Chairs of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee with an update with where we are and how our process works.
TO:                             Interested Parties
FROM:                       Lorraine Miller and Jim Roosevelt, Jr.,
Co-Chairs of the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee
REGARDING:           An Overview of the Democratic Delegate Selection Process
DATE:                        April 22, 2016
2016 CYCLE OVERVIEW
Democrats are excited about the 2016 Democratic primary election season, and that’s because we have strong candidates who are dedicated to solving the issues
that matter most to Americans.  Voters are eager to cast their vote for the next Democratic presidential nominee and participate in the Democratic delegate selection process in their state.  Our process aims to uphold our Party’s values of inclusivity, diversity,
and transparency.
Here is the Democratic delegate selection process by the numbers:
·
4,765 = total number of Democratic delegates as of today
·
4,051 = total number of pledged Democratic delegates
·
714 = total number of unpledged delegates
·
2,383 = number of delegate votes needed to win the Democratic nomination as of today
·
57 = the number of presidential nominating contests
PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) reviews the Delegate Selection Rules prior to each presidential election year.  While the general structure of the
Democratic delegate selection process has been in place since 1972, the Committee, over the course of many public meetings, reflects on the delegate selection process of the previous cycle and updates the Rules accordingly.
The RBC met five times in 2014 in order to finalize the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2016 cycle, which were then shared with the 57 state and territory
Democratic parties.  In May of 2015, each party submitted their Delegate Selection Plan to the RBC.  These plans were subsequently reviewed by the Committee
to ensure compliance with the DNC’s Delegate Selection Rules during the summer of 2015 at three public meetings, attended by press, presidential campaigns, and other interested parties, held on June 26, July
24 and August 27.  In partnership with the RBC, DNC staff, and presidential campaigns, state parties work to implement their Delegate Selection Plans starting in September of 2015 until the process draws to a close.
While state and territory parties are the drivers of their process, the creation and implementation of their Plans are governed by the DNC’s Delegate Selection
Rules, the Call for the Convention, and the Regulations of the Rules and Bylaws Committee.  These materials provide states and territories with the guidance that ensures fundamental values of the Democratic Party—such as a commitment to diversity and participation
of all eligible voters—are upheld throughout this process.  For example, each state and territory party solicits public comment on their Plan for no less than 30 days to allow for input from constituents, making the drafting of the Delegate Selection Plan
a democratic process.
Additionally, each state is required to develop and implement an extensive affirmative action and inclusion outreach plan. The state and territory parties
as well as presidential campaigns are tasked with conducting widespread outreach and recruitment to encourage Democrats of all backgrounds to run to be delegates.  Our Party believes that our convention should look like America, and state and territory parties
and campaigns are responsible for striving to meet that diversity goal.
THE REPUBLICAN DELEGATE SELECTION PROCESS VERSUS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
Some stark differences between the Democrats’ delegate selection process and the Republican’s delegate selection process were mentioned in the previous section,
but that’s not where the differences end.  Outlined below are some major differences between our process and that of the Republicans:
·
A commitment to diversity and equal representation of men and women
·
The solicitation of input from the public during the creation of a state’s Delegate Selection Plan
·
The transparent development of our Rules
·
Proportional allocation of pledged delegates to presidential candidates based on the results of the state’s primary or caucus
o
Unlike the Republicans, we do not allow for “winner-take all” outcomes, meaning that the candidate who wins the majority vote in a state does not win all of the state’s delegates.
o
Instead, presidential candidates who break threshold, which is 15% in all states, are allocated delegates proportional to the percentage of the vote that they won in the primary or caucus.
o
Delegates must affirm in writing that they are bona fide supporters of the candidates that they are representing in the delegation and are subject to review by each campaign.
o
We believe that this is the fairest way to reflect the intention of Democratic voters and to mirror the results at each step in the delegate selection process in the states.
·
Delegates elected in the states are pledged not bound, meaning that they are required only to represent in good faith those who elected them.
UNPLEDGED DELEGATES
An often discussed feature of the Democratic delegate selection process is the unpledged delegates, also referred to as “superdelegates.”  These individuals
serve by virtue of the elected office that they hold, and they include:
·
Democratic Governors
·
Democratic Members of Congress
·
Distinguished Party Leaders (such as former presidents and former leaders in the Senate and the House)
·
DNC Members
We ensure these leaders have a voice in our convention, and their existence as a separate group means that interested voters don’t have to run against elected
officials in order to attend the Democratic National Convention. Unpledged delegates are also distinguished by the fact that they are not pledged to a presidential candidate based on the results of their state’s primary or caucus and instead exercise their
best judgment when selecting a presidential candidate to support.
Concerns that unpledged delegates may change the outcome of the election are historically unfounded—unpledged delegates have never changed the outcome of
an election since unpledged delegates were established over 30 years ago.  Like pledged delegates, unpledged delegate cast
one vote, which carries the same weight as the vote of any other delegate.
There have been recent reports of harassment or mistreatment of state parties who are managing the process in their state and unpledged delegates.  This does
not reflect the values of this process and our great Party.  State Parties are working year round to elect Democrats at every level and are the foundation of our Party.  Unpledged delegates have been a feature of our process for many decades and will continue
to play a role.
We encourage all interested parties, including presidential candidates and members of the press and public, to learn all about their state’s process. It is
important that our process is open, transparent, and maximizes participation.  Each state plan has undergone a rigorous review process to ensure compliance with our Rules, and changing Rules midway through the cycle would lead to confusion among participants
in the delegate selection process, unnecessary costs to state parties, and inconsistent standards for states to abide by.
Our Party spends years preparing for each presidential election cycle, and we believe that our process is designed to best position our Party and our eventual
nominee for victory in the general election in November.  We are looking forward to the Democratic National Convention in July where our delegates will cast their vote for the next President of the United States.
----
Luis Miranda,
Communications Director
Democratic National Committee
202-863-8148 – MirandaL@dnc.org -
@MiraLuisDC


What do folks think? I haven't had any conversations like that with him. Luis, have you?
On May 11, 2016, at 9:16 PM, Sammon, Bill
> wrote:
If Fox were to send letters of invitation to the two candidates for a final debate in California, can we say that the DNC is amenable to Fox hosting it? Thank you.
On May 4, 2016, at 8:00 AM, Erik Smith
> wrote:
I'm happy to talk anytime. Let me know a good time for you.
On May 3, 2016, at 10:01 PM, Sammon, Bill
> wrote:
Folks:
Given Bernie's victory tonight, should we move forward with talks for a debate in Simi Valley in late May? A Democratic debate on Fox, with Megyn et al, would draw an enormous audience and drive voter interest through the roof. Would love your thoughts.
Best,
Bill
On Apr 26, 2016, at 5:48 PM, Sammon, Bill
> wrote:
Thanks, Luis. Erik, that sounds great. Let's talk tomorrow. 202-302-0964. Best...Bill
On Apr 26, 2016, at 5:32 PM, Erik Smith
> wrote:
Thanks Luis.  Bill good to reconnect.  We used to talk a while back when I was Gephardt's flack.
We'll know a lot more about where we are tomorrow since both campaigns have suspended talks until after the primary.
From: Miranda, Luis
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2016 5:26 PM
To: Sammon, Bill; Erik Smith
Subject: Connecting you...
Hi Erik, I'm connecting you here with Bill Sammon who is the Vice President of News and Washington Managing Editor for Fox News Channel. As you know Fox recently hosted Senators Clinton and Sanders for a Town Hall. Bill and his team led that effort, and they are interested in being considered for the possible additional May debate. I had a good conversation with Bill yesterday and laid out the process, so I wanted to make sure he's in touch with you directly.
Thanks, - Luis.
Luis Miranda, Communications Director
Democratic National Committee
202-863-8148 - MirandaL@dnc.org
- @MiraLuisDC
This message and its attachments may contain legally privileged or confidential information. It is intended solely for the named addressee. If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to the addressee), you may not copy or deliver this message or its attachments to anyone. Rather, you should permanently delete this message and its attachments and kindly notify the sender by reply e-mail. Any content of this message and its attachments that does not relate to the official business of Fox News or Fox Business must not be taken to have been sent or endorsed by either of them. No representation is made that this email or its attachments are without defect.


Kelly has some similar comments if we want to add that rather than doing a straight blast.
Or they could be pitched
On May 19, 2016, at 9:20 PM, Dieter, Austin
> wrote:
Good to go
SL: When Trump Wins, Everyone Else Loses
From: Paustenbach, Mark
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 9:17 PM
To: RR2
Subject: FOR RR2: ICYMI: CNN - Donald Trump in 2006: I 'sort of hope' real estate market tanks
Donald Trump in 2006: I 'sort of hope' real estate market tanks
By Jeremy Diamond, CNN
Two years before the housing market collapsed in 2008 and millions of Americans lost their homes, Donald Trump said he was hoping for a crash.
"I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy," Trump said in a 2006 audiobook from Trump University, answering a question about "gloomy predictions that the real estate market is heading for a spectacular crash."
The U.S. housing bubble burst two years later, triggering the stock market crash of 2008 that plunged the U.S. economy into a deep recession, leaving millions of Americans unemployed.
Trump was speaking with Jon Ward, a marketing consultant who "masterminded all the initial education programs for Trump University," according to his website
. The audiobook is available on iTunes.
"If there is a bubble burst, as they call it, you know you can make a lot of money," Trump said in the 2006 audio book, "How to Build a Fortune." "If you're in a good cash position -- which I'm in a good cash position today -- then people like me would go in and buy like crazy."
The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Few, including Trump, predicted the 2008 crash or the magnitude of the recession that would ensue.
"I'm not a believer that the interest market -- that the real estate market is going to take a big hit," Trump said in the same interview.
But Trump's comments in the audio book, a project of his Trump University -- which is currently facing three lawsuits representing thousands of former students
-- underscore the challenges the billionaire and presumptive Republican nominee will increasingly face in the general election as comments from his life before politics return to haunt him.
Trump has come under fire for a slew of remarks he made before entering the presidential fray last year, from misogynistic comments about women to statements on certain issues that undercut his current policy positions.
But in beating back such criticism, Trump has sought to convince voters that, despite his multiple flirtations with running for president over the last two decades, he never planned to run for president, "Don't forget, I was never going to run for office," he has said.
Trump, who has staked his candidacy on his wealth and business acumen, has also been unabashed about prioritizing his business interests above all else -- even when it has involved helping politicians with policy positions antithetical to his own.
He defended his hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to Democrats by saying that he "got along with everybody" in order to boost his business.
Trump has also defended the bankruptcies several of his businesses have undergone, saying he has "taken advantage of the laws of this country," even as thousands of his employees lost their jobs as a result.
And he has also defended manufacturing much of his merchandise abroad, including in countries like China.
But as he launched his presidential bid last June, Trump flipped the script and struck a decisively populist tone --pledging take on very same self-interested maneuvers of businesses that he also employed -- and vowed to compel U.S. businesses to manufacture in the U.S. and slammed the influence of special interests in Washington.


On now.


Conference call with +1 (215) 398-5252, +1 (703) 672-2725, Patrice Taylor
Duration: 30 Minutes 38 Seconds
+1 (703) 672-2725
Other:  +1 (703) 672-2725
+1 (215) 398-5252
Other:  +1 (215) 398-5252
Patrice Taylor
Director, Party Affairs & Delegate Selection
Mobile:         +2027870754
Work:   +1 (202) 863-8046
Mobile:         (202) 787-0754
Email:  TaylorP@dnc.org
IM:     taylorp@dnc.org
Microsoft Lync


Luis --
For the past seven and a half years, folks like you have proven that
you're committed to doing whatever it takes to make life better for
people in every corner of this country. Your hope and optimism
paved the way to a brighter America: One where folks can marry
who they love, where students don't just have to dream about
going to college because it's become a real possibility, where we're
taking action to make sure our kids and grandkids inherit a healthy
planet. Our progress is real, Luis. It's tangible, and every day
we're seeing the results more and more.
Together, we're going to build on that:

And I know we've got lofty goals, Luis. We always have. And
there will always be cynics and naysayers -- but we can't be
beholden to them. We've got a job to do and people across the
country who are counting on us to keep doing the work around
things that matter most in their lives.
Electing Democrats is how we keep that work up, so right now I'm
asking you to pitch in $3 or whatever you can before our deadline
at midnight tonight so that Democrats across the country have the
resources they need to win in November:

One of the greatest things about our country is that we're never
finished. We're writing our own history every single day and we have
the opportunity to create the change we believe in.
So thank you. Thank you for standing by me.
Barack Obama
**************************************************************
Paid for by the Democratic National Committee,  430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington DC 20003 and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. Contributions or gifts to the Democratic National Committee are not tax deductible.
**************************************************************
This email was sent to mirandal@dnc.org.
If this isn't the best email address at which to reach you, update your contact information at  Our email list is the best way we have of staying in regular contact with supporters like you across the country and letting you know about the work President Obama and other Democrats are doing. Visit  to unsubscribe from our supporter list. If you like staying in touch, but want to receive only the most important messages, go here:  Go here to unsubscribe from our supporter list:  but if you leave, it will be harder for you to stay involved in the organization that you've been such a critical part of. This organization is powered by you, and we'd love to hear your ideas. Send us any comments, criticisms, or feedback:  or just reply to this email! Thanks for supporting President Obama and other Democrats.


Outgoing call to +1 (202) 738-0059 (Other)
Duration: 09 Seconds
+1 (202) 738-0059
Other:  +1 (202) 738-0059
Microsoft Lync


Have a coffee and then an alumni event at GWU - will be available via phone as always. Thanks
Eric Walker
walkere@dnc.org
732-991-1489
@ericmwalker