* By all accounts Sen. John McCain is still doing his Arizona balancing act so that he doesn’t alienate Trump voters and make his re-election bid more problematic than necessary. Thus, he won’t flat-out denounce the unqualified presidential candidate who insulted his war record. The irony is that by putting the brash, uninformed Sarah Palin on his 2008 ticket, he helped grease the skids for the unconscionable candidacy of Donald Trump. Political karma, Senator.
* No one can deny the scope and professionalism of the Clinton campaign’s grass-roots organization. It’s impressive–even if not contrasted with the frenetic, seat-of-the-pants efforts of its competition. But a couple of strategic moves still mystify.
It may not be the most direct response to charges of a pay-for-play Clinton Foundation, but why not make a well-documented, endorsement-heavy case that the Clinton Foundation does some very, very important–including life and death–work in the world? Moreover, it’s work that watchdog organizations have given high ratings for low overhead.
Press conferences are over-rated forums for candidate agendas and preening, gotcha media. That said, you don’t go a campaign eon without doing one? Especially if you are well-informed and fast on your feet. Hillary Clinton knows better.
* Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto inadvertently did what he could to enable the Trump campaign recently. His open-ended invitation for a visit provided a candidate without geo-political bona fides the opportunity to strut onto a stage across from a world leader in Mexico City. Cropped photos to die for. Then Donald Trump denied in a high-profile, public forum with Nieto that payment of “the wall” just, well, didn’t come up in their private discussion.
Nieto, however, said it surely did come up. Only he didn’t say that in public. He waited until later and tweeted that he had said Mexico wouldn’t pay for it. Awful timing, but it’s what a political prop does. Meanwhile, Trump made any diplomatic veneer totally moot by reverting to scorpion form a few hours later by arrogantly doubling down on wall payment. “They don’t know it, but they’re going to pay for it.”
This is not about one-upsmanship over a casino or hotel deal. This is international relations with a border neighbor and major trading partner–and an insulting demeanor. This–yet again–can’t be happening.