Welcome to The Lid, your afternoon dose of the 2016 ethos… Scott Walker and Rick Perry hopped on motorcycles over the weekend in Iowa at GOP Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride event. Marco Rubio was there but decided not to ride, for fear the New York Times may uncover that he put his signal on a little late before that right hand turn.
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'16 AT 30 THOUSAND
This morning, our big sibling First Read noted the New York Times’ piece on how Hillary Clinton is running the same playbook as Barack Obama by working to mobilize her core supporters -- and NOT necessarily trying to build a sweeping coalition in the mold of Bill Clinton. Duly noted, and we’ll add this: While this plan is causing some consternation among downballot Democrats in, say, West Virginia and Kentucky, who would certainly love some Clinton coattails to boost them in 2016, Clinton’s strategy isn’t exactly a shocking move. In 2012, Obama won the states that he carried by an average of about 17 percentage points. (An average brought up by states like, say, California (+21), New York (+27) and Maryland (+25)). On the other side of the aisle, Obama lost the states that Mitt Romney carried by an even larger average of almost 20 points. (Think Tennessee (-21), Texas (-16), Alabama (-23) and West Virginia (-26)). Spending energy in a state that most recently selected the other party’s presidential nominee by a two-to-one margin simply doesn’t make that much sense in this political environment -- and by the way, that goes for Democratic and Republican general election candidates alike.
POPPING ON NBC POLITICS
- Our own Perry Bacon Jr. looks at the progressive push for debt-free college. But will Hillary Clinton embrace the idea?
- Kalief Browder, the former Rikers Island inmate whom Rand Paul commonly cited in his criminal justice push, committed suicide this weekend, msnbc’s Anthony Terrell writes.
- While in Germany for the G-7 summit, President Obama said the Supreme Court should reject the pending challenge to the Affordable Care Act, NBC’s Erin McClam reports. He also talked soccer, Russia and ISIS.
- Bernie-mentum is sweeping the country, MSNBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald reports. But it’s unclear if it’s just curiosity for the new guy or real support that could lead to votes.
- First Read this morning looked at Clinton’s base-voter strategy -- and how, while it’s the way to win, it could make governing much harder.
CAMPAIGN QUICK READS
BUSH: Longtime GOP operative Danny Diaz will be Jeb Bush’s campaign manager, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
The New York Times previews Jeb Bush’s challenges in going to Germany, where his brother is still viewed skeptically.
CLINTON: A Free Beacon report suggests a $100,000 donation from the Clintons to the New York Times charitable fund influenced the paper to endorse Hillary Clinton’s presidential run in 2008. The Times has said no donation has ever influenced an endorsement.
PERRY: The Washington Post breaks down the facts behind the “Texas Miracle.”
FOR THE RECORD…
“Sometimes when someone asks me to do something I really don’t want to do, I can say, ‘I might not be alive.’ It works.”
- Barbara Bush, on the advantages of being 90 years old
TOMORROW’S SKED
Jeb Bush begins his European trip in Berlin where he’ll address the Economic Council of the Christian Democratic Party’s annual conference.
Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina campaign in New Hampshire.
Rand Paul addresses the Baltimore County GOP in Maryland.
