podesta_email_21614.txt

podesta-emails 4,160 words email

P22 D6 P17 V11 P19

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*​**Correct The Record Monday December 8, 2014 Afternoon Roundup:* *Tweets:* *Correct The Record* @CorrectRecord: .@HillaryClinton <https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton> "fearlessly leads the fight for women’s rights and education" http://bluenationreview.com/malala-hillary-forged-bond-built-determination-educate-girls-everywhere/ … <http://t.co/dd1cpV5f1s> via @BlueNationRev <https://twitter.com/BlueNationRev> [12/8/14, 11:06 a.m. EST <https://twitter.com/CorrectRecord/status/541987122320658434>] *Correct The Record* @CorrectRecord: "Because of ... #Malala <https://twitter.com/hashtag/Malala?src=hash> and @HillaryClinton <https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton> we are making great strides ... for human rights & gender equality." http://bluenationreview.com/malala-hillary-forged-bond-built-determination-educate-girls-everywhere/ … <http://t.co/dd1cpV5f1s> [12/8/14, 10:41 a.m. EST <https://twitter.com/CorrectRecord/status/541980802938970112>] *Correct The Record* @CorrectRecord: New from @shellyporges <https://twitter.com/shellyporges> in @bluenationrev <https://twitter.com/BlueNationRev>, "Malala & Hillary Forge a Bond to Educate Girls Across the World" http://bluenationreview.com/malala-hillary-forged-bond-built-determination-educate-girls-everywhere/ … <http://t.co/dd1cpV5f1s> [12/8/14, 10:34 a.m. EST <https://twitter.com/CorrectRecord/status/541979032405823488>] *Headlines:* *Blue Nation Review: Shelly Porges: “Malala & Hillary Forge a Bond to Educate Girls Across the World” <http://bluenationreview.com/malala-hillary-forged-bond-built-determination-educate-girls-everywhere/>* “Because of the work of women like Malala and Hillary we are making great strides in the fight for human rights and gender equality. I hope we don’t have to wait much longer for the fight to end – or for America’s first female president.” *New York Times: First Draft: “2 Years Out, Democratic Group Seeks to Derail Potential G.O.P. Candidates” <http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/08/?entry=mb-3>* “No Republican has yet made a formal presidential announcement, but American Bridge is not waiting.” *The Hill blog: Ballot Box: “Hillary trouncing potential GOP contenders” <http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226283-hillary-trouncing-potential-gop-contenders>* “No Republican presidential contender is within 5 percentage points of Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton, according to a poll released Monday by Bloomberg.” *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Here’s why Hillary Clinton would be so formidable in 2016” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/12/08/heres-why-hillary-clinton-would-be-so-formidable-in-2016/>* “It's worth noting that as Clinton mulls a White House run, she has yet to fully -- or arguably even roughly -- spell out what her overarching campaign theme(s) would be or what her ‘vision for the Future’ would look like, precisely. But the fact that she already scores high on that question illustrates why she should not be underestimated.” *New York Times: “G.O.P. Donors Seek to Narrow Field of Presidential Candidates to One” <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/us/politics/gop-donors-seek-to-narrow-field-of-presidential-candidates-to-one.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0>* “Dozens of the Republican Party’s leading presidential donors and fund-raisers have begun privately discussing how to clear the field for a single establishment candidate to carry the party’s banner in 2016, fearing that a prolonged primary would bolster Hillary Rodham Clinton, the likely Democratic candidate.” *RNC: Press Release: “Retooled GOP Ground Game Delivered” <https://gop.com/retooled-gop-ground-game-delivered/>* “The RNC will continue to refine and test our field operation as we prepare to take on Hillary Clinton in 2016.” *Articles:* *Blue Nation Review: Shelly Porges: “Malala & Hillary Forge a Bond to Educate Girls Across the World” <http://bluenationreview.com/malala-hillary-forged-bond-built-determination-educate-girls-everywhere/>* By Shelly Porges, former senior advisor to the Global Entrepreneurship Program at the U.S. State Department, and launched the State Department’s Global Women’s Business Initiative December 8, 2014, 8:43 a.m. EDT This week we celebrate International Human Rights Day. It marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is the day on which the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipient is a symbol of the continuing fight towards human rights, in particular for the rights of women and girls around the world. Malala Yousfzai was shot in the head by the Taliban in her native Pakistan. Why? Because she wanted to go to school. That may sound strange, especially if you’ve ever heard a child complain about “having” to go to school. But for more than 50 million girls around the world, going to school isn’t even an option. Malala at CGIFor many years, girls in the Swat region of Pakistan, including Malala, were able to attend school and pursue an education. That began to change around 2007 with the growing influence of the Taliban, who believe educating girls violates their strict interpretation of Islamic law. By 2008, the Taliban had taken control of the area and were threatening girls and burning down their schools. But that didn’t stop Malala. She was just getting started and finding her voice. At only 11 years old, Malala spoke out against the Taliban in a speech entitled “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to an Education.” She started a blog about life under Taliban control and two weeks later, the local Taliban leader issued an order shutting down all girls’ schools. Malala’s blog made the world aware of the violence and oppression happening around her, and it sparked international outrage. As Malala’s voice grew even louder, the Taliban tried to silence her. On October 9, 2012, Malala was on her way home from school when masked Taliban members stormed her school bus with guns, screaming her name, and shot her point blank in the head. She was 15 years old. Doctors did not think she would survive. She was first treated in Pakistan, but was then put in an induced coma so she could be flown to Birmingham, England, where she would continue to fight for her life – and her cause. While still in the hospital recovering, Malala received an outpour of support, including from Hillary Clinton, who fearlessly leads the fight for women’s rights and education – calling it “the great unfinished business of the 21st century.” At a UNESCO event on International Human Rights Day, only two months after the assassination attempt on Malala, Hillary Clinton honored her in a video message expressing her support for Malala and for their shared cause. “Today, we stand together with Malala and the millions of other girls and women who literally risk their lives to get an education,” Hillary said. “On behalf of Malala and countless other girls who share her dream, let us champion their right to an education – and let us expose and hold accountable those who would deny it. Together, we can build a world where opportunity and education are truly a powerful force for progress – for girls and boys, for men and women.” The continued work of Malala and Hillary Clinton is making that possible. The Malala Fund was formed to empower women through education, and in a video message at the 2013 Women in the World Summit, Malala said, “Today I’m going to announce the happiest moment of my life and that is the first grant of Malala Fund. In Swat Valley in my motherland, we are going to educate 40 girls…Let us turn the education of 40 girls into 40 million girls.” Hillary responded in a major way, announcing a $600 million effort called CHARGE to educate 14 million girls in the developing world. When Malala was honored at the Clinton Global Citizen Awards she said, “Women are not even accepted as human beings, they are treated with injustice and inequality…Women are denied, they are neglected even in the developed countries, where they are not given the opportunities to move forward and be what they want. Even in America, even in America, people are waiting for a woman president.” Because of the work of women like Malala and Hillary we are making great strides in the fight for human rights and gender equality. I hope we don’t have to wait much longer for the fight to end – or for America’s first female president. *New York Times: First Draft: “2 Years Out, Democratic Group Seeks to Derail Potential G.O.P. Candidates” <http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/08/?entry=mb-3>* By Jonathan Martin December 8, 2014 No Republican has yet made a formal presidential announcement, but American Bridge is not waiting. The liberal group is releasing a bound book on Monday of opposition research on the potential Republican presidential field. Covering 20 would-be contenders, the “2016 Scouting Report” is a 194-page compilation of innocuous biographical information alongside unflattering pictures and potentially damaging anecdotes and issue positions. Nearly a third of the tome is endnotes, a signal to reporters who may use the information that it is all sourced. Brad Woodhouse, the president of American Bridge, called the book “the most comprehensive early look at a presidential field that has ever been assembled.” Aside from the many period pictures – a young John R. Kasich with Richard M. Nixon, Nikki R. Haley with Strom Thurmond – this is mostly “votes and quotes” information, gleaned from the public record and news media accounts. It is also, Mr. Woodhouse notes, only the start. The online version of the book will be continually updated on American Bridge’s website. *The Hill blog: Ballot Box: “Hillary trouncing potential GOP contenders” <http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226283-hillary-trouncing-potential-gop-contenders>* By Jonathan Easley December 8, 2014, 9:24 a.m. EST No Republican presidential contender is within 5 percentage points of Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton, according to a poll released Monday by Bloomberg. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush trails Clinton by 6 in a head-to-head matchup, as do Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.) and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney (Mass.). Clinton has an 8-point lead on Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), and a 13-point advantage on Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) in the poll. Clinton is boosted in the poll by a deep well of public respect for her resume. An overwhelming majority, 78 percent, say it’s an advantage that Clinton has lived in Washington and worked in the federal government, while 77 percent say it’s an advantage that she served as Secretary of State. In addition, 67 percent said they viewed it as an advantage that she’s married to former president Bill Clinton, 60 percent said it’s good that she’s run for president before, 59 percent say it’s a positive that she served in the Obama administration, and 52 percent admire her close ties to Wall Street. These figures contribute to giving Clinton the best favorability rating in the field by far. Fifty-two percent said they have a positive view of Clinton, against 42 percent negative. Of the potential Republican candidates, only Paul and Christie have positive favorability ratings, coming in at 32-29 and 36-35, respectively. Romney is underwater at 43 positive and 44 negative, Cruz comes in with a 26-29 split, and Bush at 32-37. The Bloomberg Politics Poll of 1,001 adults was conducted between Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 and has a 3.1 percentage point margin of error. *Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “Here’s why Hillary Clinton would be so formidable in 2016” <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/12/08/heres-why-hillary-clinton-would-be-so-formidable-in-2016/>* By Sean Sullivan December 8, 2014, 11:20 a.m. EST Hillary Clinton tops every top potential GOP presidential contender in the Bloomberg Politics poll released Monday. Another number in the poll may give an indication why she could make such a formidable 2016 opponent: She scores high on the qualities Americans prioritize when they size up presidential candidates. The new poll tells the story. When given four candidate qualities and asked which is most important to them, 29 percent chose "shares your values"; 27 percent went with "has a vision for the future"; and 26 percent said "is a strong leader." Coming in fourth with 15 percent is "cares about people like you." In other words, the public is all over the place on this question. There is no one, dominant answer. But take a look at how the public rates Clinton on the three most popular responses when pitted head to head against leading Republicans. She tops former Florida governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz on all fronts. (She also tops them on the question of who "cares about people like you.") Take Paul, who is arguably the hottest name on the GOP side right now. The public rates Clinton better on "sharing your values" by a 49 percent to 36 percent margin. On "strong leader," she wins 52 percent to 34 percent. "Caring about people like you" tilts toward the former secretary of state 48 percent to 37 percent. And "vision for the future" is advantage Clinton, 48 percent to 38 percent. The caveat to all this is that the question about which qualities people care about was not an open-ended one. So it's possible American prioritize other traits more -- and that Clinton is not winning on those traits. Still, the qualities tested routinely come up as focal points in the presidential elections. It's worth noting that as Clinton mulls a White House run, she has yet to fully -- or arguably even roughly -- spell out what her overarching campaign theme(s) would be or what her "vision for the Future" would look like, precisely. But the fact that she already scores high on that question illustrates why she should not be underestimated. *New York Times: “G.O.P. Donors Seek to Narrow Field of Presidential Candidates to One” <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/us/politics/gop-donors-seek-to-narrow-field-of-presidential-candidates-to-one.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0>* By Nicholas Confessore December 8, 2014 Dozens of the Republican Party’s leading presidential donors and fund-raisers have begun privately discussing how to clear the field for a single establishment candidate to carry the party’s banner in 2016, fearing that a prolonged primary would bolster Hillary Rodham Clinton, the likely Democratic candidate. The conversations, described in interviews with a variety of the Republican Party’s most sought-after donors, are centered on the three potential candidates who have the largest existing base of major contributors and overlapping ties to the top tier of those who are uncommitted: Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and Mitt Romney. All three are believed to be capable of raising the roughly $80 million in candidate and “super PAC” money that many Republican strategists and donors now believe will be required to win their party’s nomination. But the reality of all three candidates vying for support has dismayed the party’s top donors and “bundlers,” the volunteers who solicit checks from networks of friends and business associates. They fear being split into competing camps and raising hundreds of millions of dollars for a bloody primary that will injure the party’s eventual nominee — or pave the way for a second-tier candidate without enough mainstream appeal to win the general election. “If you are philosophically a center-right donor, I think you have an interest in clearing the field,” said Bobbie Kilberg, a top Republican fund-raiser in Virginia with ties to Mr. Romney and the Bush family. “I think that’s important because there is clearly going to be a competition of philosophies for who is going to be the presidential nominee. And I firmly believe that person has to be from the center-right.” But talk of an establishment coronation is likely to incur the wrath of party activists and outside groups seeking a more conservative nominee. For the first time in decades, the Republican Party is facing a wide-open primary with up to a dozen serious candidates representing virtually every branch of the party. Republican leaders, hoping to minimize damage to their eventual standard-bearer, have already sought to compress the formal primary season and reduce the number of candidate debates. With the midterms over, Mr. Christie and Mr. Bush have begun pushing top bundlers to commit to them in advance should they announce a White House bid, according to several donors, putting intense pressure on the corps of contributors who helped Mr. Romney and the Republican Party raise a billion dollars for the 2012 campaign. Those requests have intensified the discussion in some circles about whether to coalesce behind a single candidate early or, alternatively, delay it until after the early Republican debates next summer. “What the donors are looking at is, how do we find someone we are confident can win and not get involved in 2015 with people just throwing money around,” said Ray Washburne, the finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, who has met with most in the likely presidential field. Many leading donors, like Woody Johnson, the billionaire Jets owner, who helped lead Mr. Romney’s Northeast fund-raising efforts in 2012, have relationships with both Mr. Bush and Mr. Christie, but would prefer to wait until Mr. Romney makes a decision, according to people who have discussed the matter with Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson hosted both Mr. Christie and Mr. Romney at a Jets game last week. The fear of a bloody primary extends even to the ranks of the ultra-wealthy donors whose seven-figure largess to super PACs helped prolong the Republican nomination battle in 2012, forcing Mr. Romney into pitched battles for late-voting states like Michigan. Foster Friess, who donated $2.1 million to a super PAC backing Rick Santorum in 2012, said he was committed to helping Mr. Santorum again. But he has discussed with other donors the need to encourage candidates to avoid overly personal attacks. “I think this time the candidates are not going to be quite as divisive in the primary season,” Mr. Friess said. Sheldon G. Adelson, the casino mogul whose family provided $20 million to a super PAC backing Newt Gingrich in 2012, is increasingly wary of writing checks to consultant-run outside groups, according to his political advisers. “We are evaluating all options, and we may fundamentally change how we engage in the process while staying true to our principles,” said Andy Abboud, one of Mr. Adelson’s lieutenants. Mr. Adelson, who is based in Las Vegas, is engaged in discussions with his small circle about how to take his political spending in-house and is considering setting up his own super PAC to intervene in congressional and presidential races. And Mr. Adelson, a major donor to pro-Israel groups and someone with moderate views on social issues, is inclined to be more cautious when engaging in the Republican primary. “He’s very focused on picking someone who can win,” said a Republican strategist involved in the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Mr. Adelson was not yet ready to announce his plans. “He wants to ensure whatever candidate he gets behind reflects that philosophy and can win the general election.” Many donors said they believed that Mr. Romney was likely to wait until late summer to decide whether to enter the race, while Mr. Christie could make a decision much sooner. That could leave elite bundlers — already jockeying for status and rank within the campaigns’ likely finance operations — in an awkward position if Mr. Romney does not run. “When you get that call” to commit to Mr. Bush or Mr. Christie, said one prominent Republican fund-raiser, “the answer to that question is yes.” The fund-raiser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve his relationships with all three men, added: “Anything else and you’re on the B team. You’re on the second list. People that like to do this want to be on the A team.” Some donors said they believed it was now inevitable that the primary would feature more than one establishment candidate along with several from the Tea Party wing. In that case, the donors said, they would probably seek to avoid committing substantial resources or coalescing behind any one candidate until later next year. The discussions are unfolding against a burst of 2016-related activity in recent weeks, with potential candidates like Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas organizing private conferences of potential staff members and donors. Mr. Perry’s ability to continue tapping into the deep well of wealthy Texas donors would be tested by Mr. Bush’s entry into the race. Mr. Perry may also find it harder to raise money when he leaves behind the Texas governor’s office — and the thousands of political appointments it controls around the state — in January. Mr. Paul has avidly courted establishment donors and bundlers across the country in recent months, generating more interest than firm commitments to his likely 2016 campaign. While he has added political staff for a potential White House bid, including the former finance director for Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate majority leader, several donors said they did not believe there was an obvious candidate to lead Mr. Paul’s fund-raising operation. “Can’t have a finance chair for something that doesn’t exist,” Doug Stafford, Mr. Paul’s top political aide, said in an email. “We have a large and expanding finance team, both professionals, bundlers and volunteers. Announcements on who they are and what positions they hold would be premature at this point.” *RNC: Press Release: “Retooled GOP Ground Game Delivered” <https://gop.com/retooled-gop-ground-game-delivered/>* By RNC Chief of Staff Mike Shields December 8, 2014 Saturday’s double-digit win over three-term incumbent Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu was the capstone on a historic election cycle for Republicans. Our candidates won at every level of government in red states, purple states, and blue states. It was a stinging rebuke of the failed policies of President Obama and the Democrat Party. What’s more, these victories are a testament to the improvements we made as a party when it comes to identifying and turning out voters and implementing the recommendations of the Growth and Opportunity Project. Consider the scope of the victory: · More than two incumbent Senate Democrats were defeated by the GOP for the first time since 1980. · Republicans will hold their largest majority in the U.S. House of Representatives since at least 1946. · Republicans will control 31 governorships, the second highest total since the 1920’s. · Republicans will control 69 of the nation’s state 99 legislative chambers, the most in history. · Republicans will control more than 4,100 of the nation’s 7,386 state legislative seats, the most ever. · More than half of the nation’s Lt. Governors, Attorneys General, Secretaries of State, and State Treasurers will be Republican. We also made history with our candidates and won in deep blue territory. New faces like Joni Ernst (R-IA), the first female combat veteran elected to the U.S. Senate, and Mia Love (R-UT), the first Republican African-American woman elected to Congress, will join the ranks of a bigger, more diverse GOP Conference in Washington. And at the state level, Republicans picked up governorships in deep blue Massachusetts, Maryland, and Illinois while reelecting GOP governors in 8 states the President won twice. To be sure, President Obama had a hand in these sweeping victories: a majority of Americans view his presidency as a failure. Still, the only way to translate public sentiment into votes is with a robust GOTV operation. That’s where the RNC focused it’s time, talent, and resources: · The RNC invested more than $105 million in 26 states to fund the retooled V365 field program. · The RNC made a multi-million dollar upgrade to the data and digital operation, and opened up an office in Silicon Valley to recruit top tech talent. · The V365 field program included more than 2,000 paid staff and nearly 30,000 precinct captains who would go on to make 35 million voter contacts and identify 2.4 million low propensity voters. · The RNC utilized new mobile walk apps to upload data in real time, launched early voter and election day Facebook apps, and integrated voter data into a revamped GOP.com website. · The RNC developed a 1 to 100 scoring system to model voters. · The RNC increased its grassroots email list from 2 million to 12 million, leading to record-breaking online fundraising and improved turnout. · In the Louisiana runoff, the RNC had hundreds of people doing GOTV, testing and training for 2016. These resources were brought to bear earlier than ever before, beginning a full 18 months before election day. For the first time, the RNC focused on persuasion and turning out low-propensity voters early. Our retooled GOTV strategy was clearly a difference-maker for candidates across the country—from our come from behind win in the FL-13 special election in March, to Thom Tillis’ upset win in North Carolina, to taking the lead in the Iowa early vote for the first time in history. None of this would have been possible without the RNC’s record-breaking fundraising that consistently outpaced the DNC this cycle. Republicans will head into 2016 with a proven field operation and a record of resounding victories. The GOP will also have another advantage: a clear shift in public opinion away from the Democrats. A Pew Research Center survey found earlier this year that nearly two-thirds of Americans want their next president to pursue polices different from the Obama Administration’s. Voters’ growing distaste for Democrats, their records, and their policies will make it difficult for them to hold the White House or take back either chamber of Congress. It’s a bad omen for Hillary Clinton and all of the other Democrats who would only continue the President’s failed agenda. But our work is far from finished. The Democrats will not be taking a day off and neither will we. The RNC will continue to refine and test our field operation as we prepare to take on Hillary Clinton in 2016.