Victoria Jones created and edits Quick Morning News. She is chief White House correspondent with Washington DC-based Talk Media News, where her insight and analysis are made available to over 400 news talk radio stations around the country and internationally.
Quick News
Trump protest in Albuquerque turns violent
Washington primary: Clinton, Trump win
Elizabeth Warren hammer-slams Trump
VA chief: Sorry for Disney wait time comparison
Ryan changes rules after Dem LGBT amendment
Trump internet troll targets Dem 2016ers
Lawmakers slam Saudi Arabia: Terrorism bill
Trump Protest in Albuquerque Turns Violent(TMN, NYT, Politico, me)
• Police pushed people protesting a Donald Trump event back from Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque Tuesday night, Talk Media News’ reporter Nick Salazar live tweeted from the scene. Protesters revved car engines. Protesters threw cones, metal and trash at police as they moved forward. Protesters massed at an intersection
• A secondary group of protesters joined the first group, Salazar tweeted, as police braced for the group to double in size. A protester hit a fellow reporter in the leg with a flag. Salazar reported that he himself had been hit in the leg “pretty badly” with a rock. Police deployed smoke and pepper spray. TMN reported that protesters threw rocks at reporters as well as police
• Albuquerque police tweeted that protesters threw rocks and bottles at police horses (I’m utterly done with these so-called protesters – disgusting behavior – police? reporters? horses? – what do they have to do with Trump?) Police later called the protest a “riot” (don’t know what you call it – but you don’t take rage or frustration out on the innocent)
• Inside the rally, (more disgusting behavior). Trump called the media “dishonest slime,” called Hillary Clinton a “lowlife,” said “she screams and it drives me crazy,” called Sen Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) “Pocahontas,” in a state with a large Native American population, and attacked the state’s Republican Hispanic governor, Susana Martinez, who hasn’t endorsed him (a normal night…)
• Trump’s introductory speaker, lawyer David Chavez, a former member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, “jokingly” said: “If Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are on a boat together – if they’re on a boat together and it sinks. Who survives? America!” Also: “Even Bill Clinton chose other women, so you should, too.” (wishing death. nice – lowest are protesters = rock throwing)
• This is weird. Having claimed he raised $6 million for veterans’ groups (which he didn’t) at a Jan fundraiser and donated $1 million of his own money (which he didn’t), Donald Trump on Tuesday promised $1 million to a single charity after a WaPo reporter embarrassed him on Twitter by asking vets’ groups if they’ve received any cash. They hadn’t – a good read – Donnie’s livid (WaPo, me)
Washington Primary: Clinton, Trump Win (AP, TMN, me)
• Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump each won primaries in Washington state Tuesday. Trump won at least 27 delegates, with 17 still to be allocated. He has 1,196 delegates. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination (as ye sow, so shall ye reap)
• Clinton’s win might give her some momentum, but it won’t get her any delegates. There were none at stake. Washington Democrats already awarded their delegates based on primary caucuses. Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) won Washington’s caucuses in March, getting 74 delegates. Clinton got 27
• There are no more Republican contests until 7 June, when the last five states vote. With a total of 303 delegates at stake in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota, Trump should easily clinch the nomination that day (done. dusted)
• Sanders trails Clinton in the delegate count and he is running out of contests in his bid to catch up. Clinton has 1,768 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. Sanders has 1,497
• Jumping to the general election, what about a third-party candidate? A WSJ/NBC News poll out Sunday shows 47% would consider it. Former Gov Gary Johnson (Libertarian-NM), who’s a possible candidate, is pulling in 10% according to a Fox News poll. He could play spoiler, depending from whom he took votes
• Is Democratic National Committee chair Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla) about to get the boot? Democrats on Capitol Hill are discussing whether she should step down before the party’s national convention in July. She’s seen as too divisive to unite the party in 2016, which they see as crucial to defeating Donald Trump in November (buh bye) (Hill)
Elizabeth Warren Hammer-Slams Trump(WaPo, Hill, me)
• Sen Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) on Tuesday said Donald Trump eagerly sought profits from the 2008 housing market crash. “Donald Trump was drooling over the idea of a housing meltdown – because it meant he could buy up a bunch more property on the cheap,” she said (she hasn’t endorsed a Democratic candidate, but she’s certainly helping Hillary Clinton right now)
• “What kind of man is that?” Warren asked at the Center for Popular Democracy’s annual gala in DC Tuesday night. “Root for people to get thrown out on the street? Root for people to lose their jobs? Root for people to lose their pensions?”
• Warren also hammered Trump’s position on Dodd-Frank financial regulations. “Donald Trump is worried about helping poor little Wall Street?” she asked. “Let me find the world’s smallest violin to play a sad, sad song. Can Donald Trump even name three things that Dodd-Frank does?” Warren asked. Seriously, someone should ask him.” (but nobody will…) (love her “small” refs)
• Warren’s remarks follow Dem presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton attacking Trump Tuesday. “He actually said he was hoping for the crash that caused hard-working families in California and across America to lose their jobs,” she said, campaigning in Los Angeles. “All because he thought he could take advantage of it to make some money for himself.” (make a “small” ref, Hill, lol)
• “I sort of hope that happens because then people like me would go in and buy,” Trump said in a 2006 audiobook for Trump University. “If there is a bubble burst, as they call it, you know, you could make a lot of money. At the same time, I don’t think that will happen.” (soooo: greedy, callous – and wrong in his prediction)
• Is President Obama going to host Rap City after his presidency? At a town hall event in Ho Chi Minh City today, a young woman told him she was a rapper, so Obama asked her to perform a few bars and did a brief beat box rhythm. “Do you need a little beat? Go ahead, c’mon.” The woman rapped in Vietnamese to applause. Next it’s Japan and the G-7 summit. No rap there… (WaPo, me)
VA Chief: “Deeply Regret” Disney Wait Time Comparison (AP, Hill,TMN, me)
• Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald said Tuesday he deeply regrets remarks he made comparing long wait times at VA health care sites to waiting in line at a Disney amusement park. “It was never my intention to suggest that I don’t take our mission of serving veterans very seriously. … Nothing could be further from the truth.” (think it’s true – but #whatafail)
• McDonald’s statement came after Sen Roy Blunt (R-Mo) called for his resignation and lawmakers and veterans’ service groups slammed his remarks as insulting and inappropriate. Blunt said McDonald’s “preposterous statement is right out of Never Never Land” and said the VA leader has shown he cannot ensure that veterans receive health care in a timely manner
• McDonald said at a breakfast Monday that the VA shouldn’t use wait times as a measure of success. “When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? What’s important is what’s your satisfaction with the experience.” (death?) Late Tuesday, Sen Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the Senate’s first female combat veteran, called for McDonald’s resignation
• House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis) called McDonald’s comments “disgusting and beyond the pale” but stopped short of calling for his to step down. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) said McDonald “could have done a better job talking about Disneyland, but he didn’t He is a good man, he’s doing his best under very, very difficult circumstances.”
• McDonald took office after his predecessor was forced out amid a scandal over chronically long wait times at VA health care sites and reports that as many as 40 patients died while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA hospital. Similar problems were found at VA health care sites nationwide
Ryan Changes House Rules After Dem LGBT Amendment (Hill,AP, me)
• Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis) is taking steps to bring greater order to the House floor after a Democrat-authored gay rights amendment caused chaos last week. Members will now have to submit their amendments ahead of time so that they’re printed in the Congressional Record, according to leadership aides. (no more surprises) The change starts after Memorial Day recess
• A spox for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) blasted the change. “Obviously, we are deeply disappointed that the House Republican leadership has apparently decided that discriminating against LGBT Americans is a top legislative priority,” spox Drew Hammill said in a statement
• Last week, Sen Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) offered an amendment to a VA spending bill that would enforce an executive order President Obama issued two years ago prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity
• The amendment was set to pass with 217 votes in favor. But House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) could be seen on the floor strong-arming Republicans to flip the votes to sink Maloney’s measure. They held the vote open against their own rules for seven minutes until the amendment failed on a 212-213 vote. Democrats shouted “Shame!”
• The night before, the House had passed the annual Defense authorization bill with a provision that effectively exempts religious organizations from Obama’s executive order. Maloney’s office said Tuesday that he will offer his amendment this week on an Energy Dept spending bill (will come down to what the Senate says as Maloney will likely fail)
• Dylann Roof, who is accused of killing nine people during a racially motivated assault last June at a Charleston, SC, church, will face two death penalty trials after the Justice Dept said Tuesday that it would seek his execution (NYT)
Trump Internet Troll Targets Democratic 2016ers(Raw Story, AP, Raw Story, me)
• An internet troll who claims to have found deep divisions among factions of the left on Twitter laid out a plan Saturday for fellow Donald Trump supporters to exploit those fissures. Posting on iffy message board 4chan, the writer says s/he posed as a Dem voter and trolled supporters of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in an effort to help Trump secure victory in November
• “If we’re serious about a Trump presidency we need to start infiltrating their conversations in order to sow more divison [sic]. I’m talking systematic and long-term/mischief/, not just a hew minutes trolling dumbass SJWs. Look at the chaos and damage I was able to make yesterday, just one person, with no real rudeness in my replies.”
• Separately, Trump holds his first fundraisers this week. The events directly benefit his campaign, but he doesn’t see it that way. “The RNC really wanted to do it, and I want to show good spirit,” Trump told AP. “‘Cause I was very happy to continue to go along the way I was.” His self-funding has been a point of boasting – what will he do now? (when has that stopped him?)
• Meanwhile, and just for fun, in a video, the NRA warns the “ayatollahs of Iran and every terrorist you enable” that America isn’t like “flower child” President Obama. No, sir. America is basically only people who live in the heartland, swamp folk who wrestle gators, mountain men or cops who “fight the good fight in the urban war zones.” Watch out, townees
Lawmakers Slam Saudi Arabia: Terrorism Bill(Hill, Hill, me)
• Lawmakers from both parties took shots at Saudi Arabia over alleged terrorism ties during a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, in what could presage a one-sided effort to pass legislation opening the kingdom up to legal jeopardy for alleged activity ahead of 9/11 – a bill that would allow 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia
• “What concerns me is the Saudi govt comes to us and say ‘You’re our friend and you should protect us from this statute,’ while defending every day the Wahhabi mullahs who not only preach orthodox practices of Islam, but preach violence and murder against those whom they disagree with,” said Rep Brad Sherman (D-Calif)
• The Senate has approved legislation opening the door for lawsuits. The WH has pledged to veto the bill and Saudi has warned that it could lead to dire consequences. Sen Rand Paul (R-Ky) has filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to force public release of 28 classified pages of a 2002 congressional investigation of the 9/11 attacks
• There have never been firm links made been the Saudi royal family or govt and the 19 al Qaeda hijackers and the kingdom has vehemently disputed allegations about a connection. There’s speculation that the 28 pages will shed light on all of it and portions of the pages could be released in coming weeks (unless pushback from the CIA stops it)
• Rep Darrell Issa (R-Calif) warned: “If we look at it and allow discovery – the poking-around of a typical trial lawyer’s look-see – then the rest of the world will likely respond. When the rest of the world likely responds, there is no question that the actions of U.S. persons or U.S. entities, including but not limited to our intel community will have us in courts around the world.” (point)
• Don’t try this at this at home! Watch a young Romanian person’s (think it’s a guy from news reports) car literally fly over a roundabout and land with a splash in a puddle on the other side in Braila, a city on the Danube
