Welcome to THE TRAIL 2016, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.
Win or lose for Hillary Clinton, Tuesday night marks a historic moment in America’s 238-year history–the first time a woman will win the presidential nomination of a major party.
The Democratic National Convention’s roll-call vote for the nomination comes nearly eight years after the party nominated the nation’s first black presidential candidate and 32 years after the first woman was nominated to a major party ticket as vice president.
Democrats hope the moment will help bridge the divide between Clinton supporters and those who have dug in their heels in support of Bernie Sanders–building off of the tone of Monday night’s convention speeches by Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren and Sanders himself.
Yet it’s far from a guarantee that Sanders supporters will go quietly even despite the urging of their leaders, considering the raucous display on the floor yesterday evening. And Clinton aides are warning that more emails from the national party’s leak could drop at any point, which could threaten to destroy any fragile peace between Democrats.
We’ll be with you all night as the Democrats take to the stage for the convention’s second night, topped off by a speech from President Bill Clinton. And to get you ready for his speech, here’s Amie Parnes with five things Clinton needs to do with his convention speech. And come back tomorrow for Day 3 coverage.
RACE TO 1600 PENN
BERN-STORMING DOWN TICKET: The Hill’s Sarah Ferris reports: The Senate Democrats’ campaign arm is looking to Bernie Sanders to help rally the base in key battleground races across the country.
UNCLE JOE PREACHES UNITY: The Hill’s Jordan Fabian reports: Vice President Joe Biden downplayed concerns about a “fracture” in the party and said that he expects the vast majority of Sanders supporters to back Hillary Clinton when it’s all said and done.
NO KAINE DO: The Hill’s Jordan Carney reports: Backers of Bernie Sanders are accusing the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of slow-walking — and ultimately stifling — an uphill challenge to Sen. Tim Kaine’s vice presidential nomination.
GANG-GREEN: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Bernie Sanders warned his supporters against flocking to the Green Party to protest Hillary Clinton. He also told the supporters that while it’s “easy to boo,” not backing Clinton means a Donald Trump presidency.
WHERE’S ISIS?: The Hill’s Harper Neidig reports: Donald Trump and other Republicans blasted the Democratic Party on Tuesday for failing to address the group during the first night of its convention.
DEMS THANK BERNIE: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donna Brazile, the future interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said Tuesday that Bernie Sanders “came through” in backing Hillary Clinton this week.
ODDS AND ENDS:
HAVE-TA TALK ABOUT NAFTA: The Hill’s Nikita Vladimirov reports: The leader of the United Auto Workers (UAW) says he has heard directly from Hillary Clinton that she wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), according to Reuters.
DIVERSION: The Hill’s Scott Wong reports: Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman said Tuesday that Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz had become a “flashpoint” and “diversion” from the campaign, saying it was the “right thing” for her to resign after this week’s party convention.
CLINTON CARBON QUESTION: The Hill’s Timothy Cama reports:Hillary Clinton is open to working with lawmakers on a tax on carbon dioxide emissions if Congress wants it, her energy adviser said.
POLL POSITION
GEORGIA PEACHY FOR CLINTON: The Hill’s Nikita Vladimirov reports: Hillary Clinton is within just 1 percent, below the margin of error, of Donald Trump in Georgia. The state has gone red in every election since 1992.
BUMP OR NO BUMP: The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reports: An NBC News/Survey Monkey online poll found that Donald Trump didn’t experience a sizable post-convention bump, despite other polls that have shown otherwise.
THE DAILY TRUMP
TRUMP DELAYS HISPANIC EVENT: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Donald Trump’s campaign is postponing its Hispanic leadership roundtable for the second time, citing a scheduling snag. The event had to be postponed earlier this month after the shooting in Dallas.
PAY AMERICA’S KIDS AGAIN: The Hill’s Paulina Firozi reports: The father of one of the young girls who performed a Donald Trump-themed song at a Florida rally plans to sue the GOP presidential nominee, claiming the campaign reneged on promises to pay them.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’d come out of a retirement just to beat him like a rented mule.”
— Former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), who resigned in disgrace after a sexting scandal, about the prospect of Donald Trump Jr. running for mayor of New York City.
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
A CIVIL UNION: The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reports: Sen. Rob Portman snagged another big endorsement from Ohio’s largest law enforcement union as he takes on Democrat Ted Strickland. It comes one day after Ohio’s Teamsters endorsed the Republican over the Democrat.
WHEELS COMING OFF: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Two major progressive groups pulled endorsements of Rep. Alan Grayson after domestic violence accusations, and a fundraising firm working for his campaign followed suit. Grayson also made headlines Tuesday in an altercation with a Politico reporter who tried to ask him about the accusations.
HOOSIER SHOWDOWN: The Hill’s Reid Wilson reports: Indiana Republicans on Tuesday chose Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb as their nominee to replace Gov. Mike Pence, who dropped his reelection bid after being named GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s running mate earlier this month.
CRUZING FOR A CHALLENGE: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro is keeping the door open to challenging Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, as Cruz faces blowback from his party for his decision not to endorse Donald Trump.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: The Senate Republicans’ campaign arm is needling Pennsylvania Democratic Senate nominee Katie McGinty for calling her opponent an “a–hole,” borrowing from Hillary Clinton’s new ad to paint McGinty’s rhetoric as disqualifying.
MONEY WATCH
CLINTON’S WOLF OF WALL STREET: The Hill’s Jonathan Swan reports: Get to know the former investment banker serving as a key donor and ally to Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.
SOME SERIOUS CASH: The Hill’s Maria Rachal reports: A prominent businessman is publicly pledging to donate $1 million to any charity of Donald Trump’s choosing if the GOP presidential nominee releases his tax returns.
CLINTON FUNDRAISES OFF OF SLUMPING POLLS: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Hillary Clinton’s campaign is fundraising off polls that show her lead over Donald Trump has evaporated.
KOCH HITS INDIANA: The Hill’s Lisa Hagen reports: A top Koch network group is launching a seven-figure ad buy in the Indiana Senate race, targeting Democrat Evan Bayh for his votes for the Wall Street bailout.
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW:
(All times Eastern)
Democratic National Convention Day 2 speakers and entertainment today include:
From 7-10 p.m.: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi; video message from President Jimmy Carter; Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.); Actress Elizabeth Banks; DNC vice chair and incoming interim chair Donna Brazile; former Attorney General Eric Holder; “Scandal” actor Tony Goldwyn; mothers of children who have been killed in altercations with police or neighborhood watch; Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards; actresses America Fererra and Lena Dunham; Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.); actress Debra Messing; two 9/11 first responders; actress Erika Alexander; former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean; former secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
From 10-11 p.m.: Former President Bill Clinton; actress Meryl Streep; musical performer Alicia Keys.
Donald Trump will hold a speech at his Miami-area hotel Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. before he and his running mate Mike Pence stop in Scranton, Pa., on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. town hall. Trump is also is scheduled to appear in Toledo at 8 p.m. Wednesday, while Pence continues on to Waukesha, Wis., and Grand Rapids, Mich.
Democratic National Convention Day 3 keynote speakers include President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. The party will announce more speakers and times as it gets closer to the gaveling in time of 4:30 p.m.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Write us with tips, suggestions and news: Jonathan Easley, Ben Kamisar, Jonathan Swan, Lisa Hagen.
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