January 29, 2019

Top Obama aide: Trump team not ready for foreign policy crisis

BY JOHN BOWDEN - 01/29/19 10:26 AM EST

A former deputy secretary of state to President Obama says that the Trump administration is unprepared for a major terrorist attack or other foreign incident that requires a U.S. response.

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Antony Blinken argued Tuesday that the administration has been rattled by high turnover and the president's disregard for policy.

"[N]o administration in modern memory has been less prepared to deal with a true crisis than this one," Blinken writes, while citing a reduction in the reported number of meetings of several White House committees including the National Security Council, headed by John Bolton, as a warning that policy is being made with little deliberation among advisers.

"Some combination of these committees typically met multiple times a day," he continues. "Now, it is reportedly once or twice a week at most. The result is greater control of the policy process for Mr. Bolton and fewer messy meetings in which someone might challenge his wisdom."

Blinken went on to argue that the Trump administration had no "plan B" for what to do if Venezuela's political crisis dissolves into violence.

"Take the meltdown in Venezuela. The administration deserves credit for leading the international isolation of the country’s illegitimate president, Nicolás Maduro," Blinken says. "But there is no evidence it has a comprehensive strategy to advance a peaceful transition — or a Plan B if Mr. Maduro digs in or lashes out."

more
https://thehill.com/policy/international/427424-top-obama-aide-trump-team-not-ready-for-foreign-policy-crisis

January 29, 2019

UPDATED: U.S. Intelligence Chiefs Contradict Trump on North Korea and Iran

Source: The New York Times


By Julian E. Barnes and David E. Sanger

Jan. 29, 2019

WASHINGTON — A new American intelligence assessment of global threats has concluded that North Korea is “unlikely to give up” all of its nuclear stockpiles, and that Iran is not “currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activity” needed to make a bomb, directly contradicting two top tenets of President Trump’s foreign policy.

Daniel R. Coats, the director of national intelligence, also challenged Mr. Trump’s insistence that the Islamic State had been defeated, a key rationale for his decision to exit from Syria. The terror group, the annual “Worldwide Threat Assessment” report to Congress concluded, “still commands thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria,” and maintain eight branches and a dozen networks around the world.

Mr. Trump is expected to meet next month with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, in a second round of direct negotiations aimed at ridding Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons.

But Mr. Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that “we currently assess North Korea will seek to retain its W.M.D. capability and is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capability.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/29/us/politics/intelligence-chiefs-senate-threats-.html

---

UPDATE:

U.S. intel agencies: Russia and China plotting to interfere in 2020 election

DNI chief Dan Coats also noted that U.S. intelligence agencies believe North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons.

Jan. 29, 2019, 10:30 AM EST / Updated Jan. 29, 2019, 10:44 AM EST

By Ken Dilanian

U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Russia and China will seek to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, having learned lessons from Russia's operation in 2016, according to the annual public survey of national security threats issued Tuesday.

"We assess that foreign actors will view the 2020 U.S. elections as an opportunity to advance their interests," Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, told the Senate intelligence committee at the worldwide threats hearing.

-snip-

On political interference, the written assessment added that intelligence analysts expect American adversaries "to refine their capabilities and add new tactics as they learn from each other's experiences, suggesting the threat landscape could look very different in 2020 and future elections."

Political interference, using social media and cyber attacks, was scarcely mentioned in threat assessments before last year, but was listed second behind cyber attacks in Tuesday's array of the challenges facing U.S. national security policy-makers.

"Russia's social media efforts will continue to focus on aggravating social and racial tensions, undermining trust in authorities, and criticizing perceived anti-Russia politicians," says the written threats assessment. "Moscow may employ additional influence toolkits—such as spreading disinformation, conducting hack-and- leak operations, or manipulating data—in a more targeted fashion to influence US policy, actions, and elections."

more
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/u-s-intel-agencies-russia-china-plotting-interfere-2020-election-n963896

January 29, 2019

Danziger: Every Picture Tells A Story

Jeff Danziger

January 29, 2019 7:28 am



http://www.nationalmemo.com/danziger-every-picture-tells-a-story/

January 29, 2019

House Democrats unveil top 2020 targets

By David Wright, CNN

Updated 10:19 AM ET, Mon January 28, 2019

(CNN) - House Democrats on Monday unveiled an initial 2020 battlefield map, targeting 33 Republican-held or open congressional seats with an emphasis on suburban districts -- and Texas in particular.

The target list was released in a strategy memo from Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and DCCC executive director Allison Jaslow, who announced that the committee "is gearing up for an aggressive effort to fortify and expand" the majority won by House Democrats in 2018.

"As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense, and we couldn't agree more," they wrote.

"2018 was just the tip of the iceberg for Democrats," said Bustos. "Today we are announcing our plan to go on offense and grow our New Democratic Majority. We have a clear path to expanding our Democratic Majority, and by putting our plans in motion earlier in the cycle than ever before, we are demonstrating to Democrats across the country that the political arm of House Democrats is operating in high gear from the start.

Looking to build on their success targeting such seats in the recent midterms, the Democrats said that "many of the districts on our list have big suburban populations; many have also experienced rapid population growth in recent years -- particularly in diverse communities" and described the districts as "ripe pick-up opportunities."

-snip-

Here's the full list of targeted districts:

AZ-06 -- Dave Schweikert
CA-22 -- Devin Nunes
CA-50 -- Duncan Hunter
CO-03 -- Scott Tipton
FL-15 -- Ross Spano
FL-18 -- Brian Mast
GA-07 -- Rob Woodall
IA-04 -- Steve King
IL-13 -- Rodney Davis
IN-05 - Susan Brooks
KY-06 -- Andy Barr
MI-06 -- Fred Upton
MN-01 -- Jim Hagedorn
MO-02 -- Ann Wagner
NC-02 -- George Holding
NC-09 -- OPEN
NC-13 - Ted Budd
NE-02 -- Don Bacon
NY-01 -- Lee Zeldin
NY-02 -- Peter King
NY-24 -- John Katko
NY-27 -- Chris Collins
OH-01 -- Steve Chabot
PA-01 -- Brian Fitzpatrick
PA-10 -- Scott Perry
PA-16 - Mike Kelly
TX-10 -- Mike McCaul
TX-21 -- Chip Roy
TX-22 -- Pete Olson
TX-23 -- Will Hurd
TX-24 -- Kenny Marchant
TX-31 -- John Carter
WA-03 -- Jaime Herrera Beutler

full article
https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/28/politics/dccc-2020-battlefield-map-memo-texas-suburbs/index.html

January 29, 2019

Trump-loving states facing biggest long-term economic peril: report

MARTIN CIZMAR
29 JAN 2019 AT 08:52 ET

Economic changes wrought by climate change will hit the hardest in areas that supported President Donald Trump in the 2016 election, a new study from the Brookings Institution shows.

The study’s authors point out that while climate change is a major issue for people in blue states, the heaviest toll will be paid by people in red states, which the authors argue could be used to broker political compromise. The study used “county-by-county statistics” to compute “climate-change vulnerabilities” including agricultural yields, mortality, coastal damage and risk to labor.

“According to the map, climate change could actually bestow net economic benefits… on the Pacific Northwest, parts of the Interior West, the upper Midwest, and New England, even as it creates stark losses in the Southwest, Southeast, and Florida,” the study notes.

Taking the sunny view that Trump-loving areas in line for rising seas, brutal droughts, and other climate havoc are rational actors who might be convinced to support progressive notions of how to mitigate the dangers, the authors write that “the current gridlock might not be as permanent as it now seems.”



more
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/trump-loving-states-facing-biggest-long-term-economic-peril-report/

January 29, 2019

Cliff Sims Reacts in Real Time to Trump Blasting Him: 'Nothing More than a Gofer'

by Colby Hall | Jan 29th, 2019, 9:07 am

-snip-

During an appearance on CNN’s New Day in which Sims shared more remarkable details about his 500 days working in the White House, President Trump apparently had enough and delivered the following dismissive Tweet to his followers:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1090244651578204160

-snip-

Co-host Alisyn Camerota made her guest away by saying “you would be shocked that the president just tweeted about you while we were doing the interview.”

A surprised Sims seemed to act somewhat gleefully, saying “really?” before Camerota read the Tweet.

Sims took the online and presidential diss in stride saying “look, I knew that was a possibility when I wrote the book. I said my identity isn’t wrapped up in being a trump staffer. My identity is wrapped up in who I am in my faith. Those are things that matter to me. I know who Jesus says I am. Don’t matter to many what Donald Trump or anyone else says.”Camerota pressed “you don’t find being called a gofer?”

“Not one bit.”

full article + video
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-cliff-sims-reacts-in-real-time-to-trump-blasting-him-as-a-mess-nothing-more-than-a-gofer/

January 29, 2019

Howard Schultz Rips Kamala Harris for Backing Medicare for All: 'That's Not American'

by Colby Hall | Jan 29th, 2019, 8:37 am

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is out promoting a new book and talking about a presumptive run for President as an Independent candidate. During a Tuesday morning appearance on CBS Morning, Schultz was asked about a potential political foe Kamala Harris and did not demur in his reply.

Host Norah O’Donnell challenged previous comments that Schultz made on 60 Minutes in which Schultz ostensibly compared Democrat’s proposal for universal health care to a border wall.

Schultz recalled a clip previously aired of Senator Harris supporting Medicare for all by saying “she wants to abolish the insurance industry.”

“That’s not correct. That’s not American,” Schultz claimed, adding “What’s next? What industry are we going to abolish next? The coffee industry?”

He then pivoted to a follow-up criticism of the GOP, adding “the Republicans want to get rid of the affordable care act. I don’t agree with that. The affordable care act should stay and be refined. To think to get rid of the insurance industry, this is the situation, it’s far too extreme from both sides.”

video
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/howard-schultz-rips-kamala-harris-for-backing-medicare-for-all-thats-not-american/

January 29, 2019

Howard Schultz's Venti-Size Disaster

A triple-shot of horrible developments in American politics have been poured into one 2020 presidential candidate.

By JEFF GREENFIELD January 28, 2019

Jeff Greenfield is a five-time Emmy-winning network television analyst and author.

-snip-

Let me float three reasons behind Howard Schultz’s long-shot bid, which he announced in a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday evening, followed by an introductory tweet that met with widespread derision from political insiders.

Reason No. 1 is the notion, at least a century old, that a successful business career suggests presidential timber. It’s why Henry Ford was at one time a leading contender for the White House (he won the 1916 Michigan Republican primary). It’s why Mitt Romney based his 2012 presidential campaign on the strength of his business successes, rather than his record as governor of Massachusetts. And it’s why the fictional portrait of Donald Trump as a firm, decisive business leader on The Apprentice was the key to his political credibility in 2016.

The second development is the now-limitless ability of very wealthy people to spend as much as they want in the pursuit of office. It’s not that wealthy politicians always win—they often don’t. But big money now provides direct access to the playing field. It offers an ability to become a serious candidate with no other asset, such as the potency of your ideas, or a track record of public service, or the support of a significant constituency.

And the third is the powerful draw of “independence,” the idea that an alienated majority is waiting for an alternative to the two major parties.

All three of these notions are either wrongheaded or deplorable. Combining them into one candidacy would not only increase the odds of a second term for President Trump, but it would also encourage other rich people to follow Schultz’s lead. Instead of one Trump, we may be about to see dozens of Trumps.

It’s not that success in business can’t lead to success in politics. Our current president is evidence that one can lead to the other, at least if you define success by winning elections. And Trump’s career of running enterprises into bankruptcy while lying about nearly everything turned out to be an excellent guide to his presidency. Still, the skills to build a successful business tell us little about an ordinary CEO’s ability to work in Washington, with its competing power centers and ideologies. At the least, aspiring tycoons-turned-presidents should test their political skills by running for a lesser office, as Michael Bloomberg, Romney and many others did. Seeking the presidency first suggests, at the least, an excess of self-esteem.

more
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/28/howard-schultz-2020-224382

January 29, 2019

Poll shows trouble for Trump, Dem voters undecided on early 2020 field

Source: Politico



By CAITLIN OPRYSKO 01/29/2019 08:30 AM EST

As the 2020 Democratic primary field for president begins to take shape, the race for a shot to unseat President Donald Trump is up for grabs, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday.

With a handful of candidates already declared for what is expected to be a crowded 2020 Democratic primary, 56 percent of those polled did not offer a candidate of choice. But while no front-runner has yet to emerge in the 2020 campaign's early going, Tuesday's poll did reveal warning signs for the president in his reelection bid.

The survey found that 56 percent of all Americans would “definitely not vote for" Trump to be reelected, compared to 28 percent who said they would “definitely” vote for Trump and 14 percent who said they would consider voting for him in 2020. Majorities of key demographics for Trump’s reelection hopes — women, suburbanites and independents — also ruled out voting for him in 2020.

The poll also showed some dissatisfaction with the president within his own party. While the poll found that 75 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents said they approved of Trump, almost a third, 32 percent, said they wanted the GOP to nominate someone else in 2020.



Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/29/2020-election-poll-democrats-trump-1133205

January 29, 2019

Trump admin blames shutdown for 'slow roll' on House oversight

Many White House staffers who deal with document and email requests from Democratic committees were furloughed, but some members of Congress are suspicious of the excuses.

By ANITA KUMAR 01/29/2019 05:01 AM EST

The Trump administration has tried to delay answering some unwelcome questions from eager House investigators — and it says the just-ended government shutdown is to blame.

The 35-day partial shutdown depleted the White House’s staff, furloughing many lower-level employees who help with requests. They include legal assistants who compile documents and IT workers who search vast email archives. Senior aides who remained at work during the standoff with Congress were overwhelmed with other priorities and unable to pick up the slack, according to people familiar with the situation.

And because of the staff furloughs, lawyers and officials involved in the White House’s legislative affairs office — which handles much of the oversight response load — were forced to take turns at their desks, working a few days at a time before being sent home.

The shutdown also slowed down work at many of the Trump departments and agencies from which Congressional Democrats are demanding documents, email and testimony. The White House typically reviews all oversight requests sent to federal departments and agencies.

Perhaps the clearest evidence of the shutdown’s impact on the administration’s oversight compliance came in a Jan. 11 letter from the Department of Homeland Security to the House Committee on Homeland Security. The letter, sent by the department’s assistant secretary for legislative affairs and obtained by POLITICO, explained that “the furlough has greatly limited our response to inquiries” about the separation of migrant families at the southern border. It added that the department “will respond more thoroughly as soon as possible.”

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/29/trump-investigations-democrats-congress-shutdown-1133202