Slappy Statist Candidates for US President 2016

[Chef Ramsay]

Biden to make Iowa trip next week

Joe Biden, the vice president and an underdog for the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, is scheduled to be back in Iowa next week.

Biden will speak in Des Moines on Thursday, sources familiar with preparations for his trip told The Des Moines Register. His office later confirmed that he will deliver remarks at Drake University and do a roundtable at Des Moines Area Community College on college affordability.

The news comes in the wake of the release this past weekend of a new Iowa Poll that shows Biden trails both Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren in the horse race for most popular presidential pick among likely Democratic caucusgoers.

Biden's timing suggests he wants to keep his name in circulation as presidential material - any time top-shelf politicians make a trip here it reinforces the notion that they harbor aspirations for the top job. He is currently in Belgium, meeting with European leaders in part to talk about sanctions against Russia and security and aid to Ukraine. He'll also attend a security summit in Germany.

Democrats generally think the 2016 Democratic nomination is Clinton's if she wants it, although she has yet to announce an official candidacy. In September, Biden made headlines for chasing Clinton here just three days after she made her Iowa comeback after a seven-year absence; she spoke before an audience of 10,000 and a horde of media at the Harkin Steak Fry.

Biden's event Thursday, like the one in September, will be an official White House trip to talk about the Obama administration's economic policies. Biden remarks in September, with the Iowa Capitol in the background, had the air of a campaign stump speech, as he called for raising the minimum wage and making life better for the middle class.

More...http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/06/biden-to-make-iowa-trip-next-week/22997139/

Only an arrogant asshole would stump and say upping the min wage will make a better life for the middle class as they don't rely on low wage jobs to pay the mortgage and feed the kids. The job market engineered by the rejects in the Obama regime is what will keep those working min wage jobs hopelessly ensnared in that lifestyle and never to make it to a middle class life.

[1714660361]

1714660361

[BADecker]

It seems that big government is making all kinds of trouble for people around the world. It doesn't seem like there is much that anyone can do about it.

How about as an answer, prepare for the crash. Then work to make it happen by electing the craziest big government people you can. Let's crash it now, while we are young enough to pick up the pieces individually.

I don't want to be in the position of an old person who can't take care of himself, and has to rely on the whims and abilities of others, when the crash comes.

[Chef Ramsay]

Clinton may look inevitable, but some Iowa Democrats are ready for Warren
IA dems tiring of Hillary?

AMES, Iowa — Thirteen Iowa Democrats wearily took their seats here this weekend and discussed among themselves the source of their angst: Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“I’m utterly tired, tired of the Clintons and the whole establishment,” said Carole Brannon, 71, a retired nurse.

Anne Kinzel, 57, a former health-care attorney, nodded sympathetically.

“The hacks think Hillary is entitled to be president,” Kinzel said. “I think she is one of those people who has lost the sense of why they are in politics.”

As Clinton prepares to launch her all-but-certain 2016 campaign, the former secretary of state remains a favorite of a vast majority of Democrats and the front-runner for the party’s presidential nomination. Still, there is unease among progressives about her largely uncontested ascent.

More...http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-may-look-inevitable-but-some-iowa-democrats-are-ready-for-warren/2015/02/09/1f0063fe-b083-11e4-854b-a38d13486ba1_story.html

[jaysabi]

Clinton may look inevitable, but some Iowa Democrats are ready for Warren
IA dems tiring of Hillary?

AMES, Iowa — Thirteen Iowa Democrats wearily took their seats here this weekend and discussed among themselves the source of their angst: Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“I’m utterly tired, tired of the Clintons and the whole establishment,” said Carole Brannon, 71, a retired nurse.

Anne Kinzel, 57, a former health-care attorney, nodded sympathetically.

“The hacks think Hillary is entitled to be president,” Kinzel said. “I think she is one of those people who has lost the sense of why they are in politics.”

As Clinton prepares to launch her all-but-certain 2016 campaign, the former secretary of state remains a favorite of a vast majority of Democrats and the front-runner for the party’s presidential nomination. Still, there is unease among progressives about her largely uncontested ascent.

More...http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-may-look-inevitable-but-some-iowa-democrats-are-ready-for-warren/2015/02/09/1f0063fe-b083-11e4-854b-a38d13486ba1_story.html

God, I'd rather see Warren run than Hillary. Warren is at least principled, even if you disagree with her policies. She has stated emphatically though that she will not run in 2016.

[Chef Ramsay]

Kissinger Chooses Jeb as His Candidate
Shocked I tell you! Kissinger is basically the chief emissary of the New World Order power structure. In other words, Jeb has a near limitless funding source at his disposal.

On Wednesday night, several dozen people with the means to attend an event so pricey its invitation doesn’t list an expected contribution will gather in the Park Avenue apartment of Henry and Marie-Josée Kravis to meet Jeb Bush and add to the quickly filling coffers of Right to Rise, the PAC set up to aid Mr. Bush’s presidential ambitions. The affair will be co-chaired by Mr. Kravis’ colleagues at KKR, including Ken Mehlman, who managed George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign and later became chairman of the Republican National Committee.

This is the second event Mr. Kravis, a coveted GOP donor who leads the storied leveraged buyout firm that bears his name, has hosted for Mr. Bush in a month. On the afternoon of January 8th, KKR hosted an event at its offices where the still undeclared candidate met with 80 supporters. The night before, Mr. Bush traveled to Greenwich, where an even larger crowd of 130 greeted the former Florida governor.

It’s no secret that Jeb Bush has been moving aggressively to vacuum up cash and secure support. These three events are part of that effort and the Observer’s cover story last week shared for the first time names of more than a dozen New Jersey and New York finance heavyweights who attended a fourth event – a January 8th dinner hosted by New Jersey lawyer and former RNC finance chief Larry Bathgate.

More...http://observer.com/2015/02/jeb-money-train-makes-two-more-nyc-stops/

[Chef Ramsay]

Jeb Bush’s eye-popping event: $100k per ticket

NEW YORK — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will raise money on Wall Street on Wednesday at an eye-popping $100,000 per-ticket Park Avenue event hosted by private equity mogul Henry Kravis and his wife.

The price of admission to the event, which will raise funds for Bush’s “Right to Rise” super PAC, surprised even Wall Street veterans used to high-dollar fundraisers.

The event comes as Bush continues a shock and awe approach to early 2016 fundraising that people close to the campaign say could eventually see the former governor reach a total of between $50 million and $100 million between the super PAC, a traditional political action committee and an eventual presidential campaign.

Bush spokeswoman Kristy Campbell declined to comment on the price of the Kravis fundraiser, the second event the private equity titan has held for Bush.

“We don’t detail info on private finance events,” she said in an email. But two people familiar with the event confirmed the $100,000 amount.

“I shook my head when I heard the number,” one senior Wall Street executive who is not attending the event said on Tuesday. Another said the event would likely draw a significant crowd and would put Bush well on a path to raise over $50 million for the super PAC alone.

Bush is moving quickly to consolidate financial support in the wealthy enclaves of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, in many cases squeezing out New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. People familiar with the matter said the KKR event is likely to feature Kravis and other senior executives at the firm, including Ken Mehlman, who managed George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign, and Alexander Navab. Mehlman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More...http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/jeb-bush-fundraiser-100k-per-ticket-115086.html#ixzz3ROLPxphg

The insiders are trying to set this general election up by making the Hillary and Jeb the big dollar raisers so it would only seem logical for this to play into their electability meme they're trying to create for Jeb, which is mostly already a given on the left.

[Bit_Happy]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry indicted on two felony charges

A grand jury has indicted Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, saying he abused his power by trying to pressure a district attorney to resign.

The two felony counts against Perry, a Republican, stem from his threat to veto funding for a statewide public integrity unit run by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg unless she stepped down, the special prosecutor in the case, Michael McCrum, said.

Perry attorney David L. Botsford called the indictment a "political abuse of the court system." He said the action "violated the separation of powers" and "sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a grand jury to punish the exercise of a lawful and constitutional authority afforded to the Texas governor."

CNN affiliate KVUE reported that Perry will have to report to the Travis County Jail in the capital of Austin to be booked, fingerprinted and have his photo made for a mugshot.

Perry can continue to serve as governor while under indictment, KVUE reported. His attorneys could seek to have the charges thrown out, a motion that would delay the case, at the very least.

The grand jury in Travis County indicted the governor on charges of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity.

The charges have serious political implications, both in Texas and beyond. Perry is entering his final few months in office after a historic 14-year run in Austin.

The Republican running to replace Perry is state Attorney General Greg Abbott, who will have to answer questions about the legal drama. Abbott is facing off against Democratic star Wendy Davis, whose campaign is already making hay of Friday's news.

Perry's presidential prospects could be damaged. It's an open secret he's laying groundwork for a second presidential campaign after his disastrous 2012 effort.

More...http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/15/politics/rick-perry-indictment/index.html

I missed this the first time around, thanks for the good news.
Rick Perry has shown once again, he doesn't have what it takes to build momentum.



"They" made him a front-runner once, will that ever happen again?
 

[Chef Ramsay]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry indicted on two felony charges

A grand jury has indicted Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, saying he abused his power by trying to pressure a district attorney to resign.

The two felony counts against Perry, a Republican, stem from his threat to veto funding for a statewide public integrity unit run by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg unless she stepped down, the special prosecutor in the case, Michael McCrum, said.

Perry attorney David L. Botsford called the indictment a "political abuse of the court system." He said the action "violated the separation of powers" and "sets a dangerous precedent by allowing a grand jury to punish the exercise of a lawful and constitutional authority afforded to the Texas governor."

CNN affiliate KVUE reported that Perry will have to report to the Travis County Jail in the capital of Austin to be booked, fingerprinted and have his photo made for a mugshot.

Perry can continue to serve as governor while under indictment, KVUE reported. His attorneys could seek to have the charges thrown out, a motion that would delay the case, at the very least.

The grand jury in Travis County indicted the governor on charges of coercion of a public servant and abuse of his official capacity.

The charges have serious political implications, both in Texas and beyond. Perry is entering his final few months in office after a historic 14-year run in Austin.

The Republican running to replace Perry is state Attorney General Greg Abbott, who will have to answer questions about the legal drama. Abbott is facing off against Democratic star Wendy Davis, whose campaign is already making hay of Friday's news.

Perry's presidential prospects could be damaged. It's an open secret he's laying groundwork for a second presidential campaign after his disastrous 2012 effort.

More...http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/15/politics/rick-perry-indictment/index.html

I missed this the first time around, thanks for the good news.
Rick Perry has shown once again, he doesn't have what it takes to build momentum.



"They" made him a front-runner once, will that ever happen again?
 

"They" haven't even been discussing him on the news lately (Fox), it's been mostly Jeb Bush and a little about Walker from WI as the 'conservative' guy. They're starting to ignore Rand and just heavily have panel discussions about Jeb all the time. It's sickening and almost an all time low for these kinds of tactics - either that or my memory has frozen or stalled since the last go around via Ron Paul and the treatment he received. Rand has been doing things way different so there's no reason he should be treated similar as his dad was. I'm sick of this Bush shoveling to the top crap. This is what the bitcoin community needs to see and realize and why Rand is so important from our standpoint, otherwise we get neocon crap from here on in w/ Hillary as the altcoin. Yet Perry is in reserve to bring up at the right time when the inevitably either Walker or Rubio fails. Bush is the option from the getgo.

[jaysabi]

I started a thread on Jeb Bush's flub of dumping all his e-mails on the internet "in the name of transparency." Problem was those e-mails contained the personally identifiable information of Florida residents: names, addresses, and in some cases SSNs, which makes those poor people targets for identity theft. Pretty careless move for someone who wants to be President. Anyway, thought you'd like that in this thread too, since this is kind of a master trove of materials.

A trove of 250,000 emails released by prospective 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush includes the sensitive personal information of several Florida residents, leaving them vulnerable to identity thieves.

A scan of the email dump by technology blogs The Verge and Gizmodo revealed names, emails and in some cases, Social Security numbers of Bush's correspondents. Many appear to be normal Florida residents unaware their messages to the then-governor would eventually become public.

The tech blogs redacted the personal information in their posts.

Bush was already in the spotlight Tuesday for acknowledging in an e-book that he spent "30 hours a week" answering email as governor, but tech blogs were taking far greater interest in the details of the email dump by the afternoon.

Many posts were critical of Bush, who is expected to be a major contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

"Even if most of these emails are subject to Sunshine Law disclosure, a public request for specific information is not the same as a huge, indiscriminate data dump being made for political reasons," wrote T.C. Sottek with The Verge, which first reported the presence of Social Security numbers in the trove.

"At minimum, it shows a serious ignorance of the volume of sensitive information in the records and a carelessness about their disclosure — not a good look for someone who may want to sit in the White House," Sottek wrote.

At the time of this post, the messages still included some Social Security numbers, leaving individuals vulnerable to identity theft. Some messages also included sensitive personal stories, and many explicitly ask that their contents do not become public. 

A note on Bush's site said he was posting the emails "in the spirit of transparency."

"Emails kept me connected to Floridians and focused on the mission of being their governor," Bush said in a statement on the site. "Some are funny; some are serious; some I wrote in frustration. But they're all here so you can read them and make up your own mind."

[Cicero69]

I am not sure that it really matters who becomes the next president of the world. The banks run the show and the business run the wars.
Too bad we don't live in a democracy, we could have voted them all out!

[Chef Ramsay]

Business Insider : Chris Christie's next scandal?

A plan to bring one of the world's largest online gambling companies to Atlantic City has seemingly stalled, and some critics are pointing their fingers at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino mogul and one of the GOP's most influential donors.

Adelson has a reputation as a man whose money can make or break a presidential campaign, and Christie is widely seen as a likely 2016 hopeful. Their relationship made headlines last week after revelations showed Adelson had lent the governor his plane.

Christie's office told Business Insider it is "nonsensical" to say he interfered with the deal, which a local union leader claimed would bring about 1,000 desperately needed jobs to the troubled Garden State gambling destination. However, one influential Democratic lawmaker suggested the New Jersey Legislature should potentially consider investigating the issue.

'Christie put a stop to it'
The company in question is PokerStars, which runs one of the world's most popular online poker sites. In July 2013, PokerStars announced a partnership with Atlantic City's Resorts Casino Hotel. PokerStars planned to open a $10 million poker room at the casino. This would have allowed PokerStars to build its brand with live poker tournaments and other events. However, the company has been unable to obtain a gaming license in New Jersey. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a Democrat who sponsored the bill that legalized online gambling in the state, blamed the company's inability to get licensed on Christie.

"Christie put a stop to it," said Lesniak. "With a high degree of confidence it's apparent that's exactly what has happened."

More...http://www.businessinsider.com/christie-accused-of-blocking-casino-deal-for-adelson-2015-2

[Chef Ramsay]

Cruz's 2016 anxiety: Jeb's money

The early dinner crowd near the Capitol on Thursday yielded at least one notable pairing, with overtones of the presidential election cycle to come: Sen. Ted Cruz and former Ambassador John Bolton.

Sharing a meal at Johnny’s Half Shell before Bolton was set to appear on Fox News, Cruz launched into a discussion of 2016 strategy audible to anyone within earshot, including a reporter for the Washington Examiner.

Bolton has himself flirted with the idea of running for president in 2016, but his conversation with Cruz suggested the Texas senator, at least, views Bolton as a source of valuable input, not as a potential challenger.

In a discussion spanning roughly one hour, Cruz appealed to Bolton for policy advice and gamed out the potential 2016 landscape with him, including sizing up other potential Republican candidates.

“It seems to me that Rand is running,” Cruz said of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has stepped eagerly toward the presidential campaign trail, although he has yet to announce his candidacy.

Cruz seemed unintimidated by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who last month ended his show on Fox News to weigh a presidential bid. Huckabee is viewed as having strong appeal among many of the same conservative Republicans Cruz would be courting — but Cruz predicted he would be able to take a bite out of Huckabee’s base.

And Cruz noted Mitt Romney’s assessment, reported in multiple press accounts as the former Massachusetts governor toyed with a third bid for the presidency, that the Republican field as it is developing is inherently flawed.

The stickiest point of strategy for Cruz seemed to be fundraising, which at this stage of the invisible primary is the focus among likely candidates. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has crisscrossed the country looking to lock up the Republican Party’s biggest donors, in hopes of posting a “shock and awe” first fundraising quarter for his Right To Rise political action committee.

Bush is perceived as a major fundraising threat to most other Republicans, but he will likely prove especially strong in Florida, his home state, and Texas, the power center of his family’s political network — eating in to fundraising by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Cruz.

In his conversation with Bolton, Cruz acknowledged the tough fundraising climb ahead.

“I view the Jeb operation as, they’re going to have all the money they need,” Cruz said, “whereas we need sufficient grassroots support to get the message out.”

Cruz has acknowledged he is looking at running for president, and he has said publicly that he will decide by June. In the meantime, he has acted unmistakably like a candidate: traveling to Iowa recently to speak at the Freedom Summit, with plans to return to New Hampshire next month. Cruz also joined Paul and Rubio last month for a forum hosted by the Koch brothers network of outside groups, which any Republican contender for the presidency would be wise to court.

Cruz’s political operation is also beginning to take shape. At the helm are Jason Johnson, who engineered Cruz’s unlikely Senate victory in 2012, and Jeff Roe, a Republican operative based in Kansas City. This week, former Newt Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler signed on with Cruz’s Jobs, Growth and Freedom PAC as a senior communications adviser.

Now, Cruz is looking to build a stable of policy advisers to help shape his campaign platform, he told Bolton.

“We are putting together policy advisers,” Cruz said, “and I would love your thoughts on that.”

Tyler, Cruz’s spokesman, characterized the meeting as a standard one for anyone looking at a bid for president, as Cruz is.

“Sen. Cruz is seriously considering a run in 2016, and he is actively seeking advice from other thoughtful leaders,” Tyler said Friday. “John Bolton would certainly qualify as someone you’d want to reach out to, particularly on national security issues.”

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/cruzs-2016-anxiety-jebs-money/article/2560200

[WW3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IjrgdRu4LY

You can't trust anyone, I've given up long ago on having a "good guy" on our side.

https://scontent-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/10679904_729117597125233_1435607696573587384_o.jpg

Goldwater was, amoungs Rand and Spooner the only decent people left to speak.

[Agestorzrxx]

Lindsey Graham running means that the establishment/warmonger vote is divided.

[Chef Ramsay]

Lindsey Graham running means that the establishment/warmonger vote is divided.

True but he's only in it to keep the debates heavily focused on foreign policy and trying to get as many people on stage pushing a hawkish policy to make Rand look like the odd man out. Or, forcing Rand to capitulate to make himself seem more in step and not to be singled out thus making him shed some of the support he has on the libertarian side and those that supported his dad. Either way, it's to weaken the only person on stage that could actually get broad populist support in both the primary and the general election as well. What Rand needs to keep him at or near the top of the pack is to get mass funding from the Koch bros and their network plus major help from Silicon Valley. It'll be tough to keep up with the establishment money from all special interest in government, like the military industrial complex and wall street bankers for starters, that is going to Bush and to others that they are propping up at the right times and until the right time for one of their guys to get the nomination and then they can chill. Bush v Clinton is a win-win for all of these interests and it doesn't really matter who wins as nothing will change.

[Chef Ramsay]

Report: Elizabeth Warren Secretly Met With Hillary Clinton

A short two-mile drive northwest from the White House—encircled by the embassies of the United Kingdom, Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, Denmark, and New Zealand—Hillary Clinton invited Senator Elizabeth Warren to her home for a private, one-on-one meeting in December, reported the New York Times on Tuesday.

Clinton, who has all but announced her 2016 presidential candidacy, met with the Massachusetts senator at her brick, colonial-style home in Washington in an effort to “cultivate the increasingly influential senator and leader of the party’s economic populist movement,” according to the Times.

Clinton did not ask for an endorsement from Warren, but instead “solicited policy ideas and suggestions.” Though the two met without aides, the Times reported a Democrat briefed on the meeting called it “cordial and productive.”

Though the former secretary of state, U.S senator and First Lady is the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president, many progressives have clamored for Warren to throw her hat in the 2016 ring, viewing Clinton as too hawkish on foreign policy and cozy with Wall Street.

More...http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/02/17/report-elizabeth-warren-secretly-met-with-hillary-clinton/kbpIvbhYRwAoIBHoysBVKJ/story.html

Hillary is gonna attempt to use some of Warren's (fake) economic populist sentiments to carve her rough crony wall street edges to keep her base locked up and fooled like the drones that they are. Her only threat is Rand Paul in the general election as only he can pull from different pockets in her base. Furthermore, having Warren not in a primary against her will save money and a potential bloody democratic primary that would split the base. Also, giving Warren the VP slot would really help out her voter turnout in the general because the entire base won't be super-excited about her only that they hate what the republicans have to offer especially if Bush or someone similar it the GOP nominee. Little do the liberal drones know that their gal and Bush are virtually the same and more of the same garbage that will continue to drag this country down.

[Chef Ramsay]

Clinton, Warren see opportunity in joining forces

Hillary Clinton allies say the former secretary of State and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have everything to gain and nothing to lose from their secret meeting in December.

Clinton needs to make sure liberals are fully on board with her candidacy ahead of a likely 2016 run for the White House. Win over Warren, who some Democrats believe could give Clinton a run for her money in a Democratic primary, and Clinton would win over the left.

“No question Sen. Warren taps into a wellspring of enthusiasm among a part of the party which will be important in both primary season and [get out the vote] time,” said one longtime Clinton ally, who called the meeting “smart and sensible.”
At the same time, Warren has much to gain as well.

By tapping into Clinton, the Massachusetts senator can make sure she influences the race for the White House, even if she chooses against being a candidate; she has repeatedly ruled out running for president.

Warren also wants to make sure the causes she champions, particularly financial reform, are not given short shrift by the likely Democratic nominee, who is seen as close to Wall Street.

That sets up a couple of challenges for Clinton, since, the ally said, there are cases where her ideas diverge with Warren’s.

“It’s a delicate balance, because going too far left risks losing the center. But it’s doable.”

Another ally of Clinton’s predicted Warren “won’t come cheap,” and that the senator inevitably will want something in return, a political maneuver others in Clintonland acknowledge as well. They predict Warren will ask for commitments on policies that the senator champions.

“It remains unclear what Warren really wants out of all of this,” another Clinton backer said. “But she wants something. I’m sure it’s a mix of commitments, including promises to look out for progressive issues and policies. She’s no dummy.”

Progressives who have criticized Clinton and clamored for Warren to enter the race embraced the meeting, calling it “positive news.”

“And it will be even more positive news if economic populist thinkers are appointed to her inner circle,” said Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) in a statement on Tuesday. “The way for Democrats to win the general election in 2016 is by actively campaigning on an Elizabeth Warren-style economic message — big ideas like expanding Social Security benefits, a national goal of debt-free college and stopping Wall Street banks from wrecking our economy again.”

Clinton and Warren met at the former first lady’s request in December at the Clintons’ home in Northwest Washington, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Clinton asked for policy ideas and suggestions from Warren, according to the Times, but did not seek an endorsement.

Top Democratic officials, bundlers and political strategists said they took the meeting as an indication Warren will not enter the Democratic presidential primary.

“I think this is Hillary Clinton reaching out to a major player in the Democratic Party, and I think this is something she needs to do if she’s going to run the campaign everyone hopes she’ll be running,” a third Clinton source said.

Democrats who have spoken to Warren say they haven’t been given any real indication that Warren would run. “I take her at her word,” one Democratic strategist said.

Clinton supporters are also confident Warren won’t run against their candidate.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who still thinks Warren is running for president, but a lot of people expect this to be an inclusive presidential campaign, and this is a huge part of that,” one Clinton ally said.

The first longtime ally to the former first lady said that, despite some differences, the two “probably agree on more issues than disagree.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/233042-clinton-warren-see-opportunity-in-joining-forces

Another angle

[Chef Ramsay]

Bush jumps into privacy fight, backs controversial NSA program

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is putting his weight behind controversial spying programs at the National Security Agency, setting up a battle within the Republican Party ahead of the 2016 presidential race.

In a major foreign policy address at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Wednesday, the likely presidential candidate praised the NSA’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone data, which critics call a massive invasion of privacy.

“This is a hugely important program to use these technologies to keep us safe,” Bush said.

“For the life of me, I don’t understand [how] the debate has gotten off-track,” he added, while maintaining that program rules “do protect our civil liberties.”

The defense of the program puts Bush at odds with the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

More...http://thehill.com/policy/technology/233107-bush-wades-into-privacy-fight-by-backing-controversial-nsa-program

[Chef Ramsay]

Inside the Long-Awaited Launch of the Jeb Bush Campaign.

The confidence with which Bush is pursuing his strategy was evident last Wednesday in the Picasso-adorned Park Avenue home of private-equity titan Henry Kravis. It was Bush’s 62nd birthday, and he celebrated in Kravis’ 26-room penthouse with more than 40 of the richest people in New York. Among them were Bush’s cousin, George Walker IV, the chief executive of the investment management firm of Neuberger Berman, and real estate mogul Jerry Speyer, along with Ken Mehlman and Alex Navab of Kravis’ firm, KKR. The admission price: a minimum of $100,000, also the going rate for other Bush fundraisers.

Guests took an elevator straight to the foyer and noshed on salmon and other hors d’oeuvres while listening to Bush talk about strategy for the upcoming campaign.

“You don’t get the big job by tearing other people down and you don’t get it by trying to appeal to everyone,” a donor recalled Bush saying. “I’m going to play this thing my way and let the chips fall where they may.”

The donors understood, as Bush does, that he needs their sizable help to offset his shaky support from some of the party’s conservative activist base, miffed over his positions on immigration and the Common Core educational standards. The money he collected would pay for time later in the campaign that he could devote to grassroots campaigning.

As it turns out, Kravis’ $4 million haul has led to a donor arms race with Coral Gables billionaire Miguel “Mike” Fernandez, who wrote in an email obtained by POLITICO that he intends to raise $5 million at a fundraiser next week at his waterfront mansion. About $1 million of that haul would come from Fernandez himself.

All this money flows to Bush’s Right to Rise PAC and a separate super PAC that can take money in unlimited sums. The way that Bush set up the two committees — at the same time and with the same attorney, former Romney super PAC lawyer Charlie Spies — is “unique,” said elections law lawyer Kenneth Gross, a former attorney for the Federal Election Commission. Because Bush is not an announced candidate or a federal office holder, he is far freer than others to work with the super PAC to collect unlimited contributions. Once Bush announces his candidacy, he will be restricted from working directly with the super PAC. But, by then, the committee will have been thoroughly infused with Bush’s campaign DNA and operate almost automatically in accordance with his campaign vision.
In less than a month, Bush has attended and spoken at a dozen super PAC fundraisers — about as many as Romney did in the entire 2011-12 election cycle.

“What Bush has done will usher in two things with other candidates in the future: 1) the way to get big donors up front with a greater measure of coordination and 2) a way to delay your official candidacy,” Gross said.

So far, his fundraising efforts may have pushed one potential rival out of the race: Romney. Once the 2012 nominee realized the seriousness of Bush’s intentions, he began dialing donors. Many had already committed to Bush.

Bush also outmaneuvered Romney by getting to the 2012 nominee’s top Iowa consultant, David Kochel. Murphy made first contact in early fall just to feel Kochel out. Bradshaw followed up months later by phone.

As Right to Rise was being formed, the conversations turned more serious. Kochel met Bush on Jan. 21 in Washington. Nine days later, Bush offered him a top role in Right to Rise, with the implicit understanding he would be a leading player — not just an Iowa guy — if Bush ran for president.

“I felt like it was an important thing to do for my career and for where I thought I could be most helpful and useful in preparation for what could be a campaign in 2016,” Kochel said. He said he made the “difficult call” to a “gracious and generous” Romney.
The next week, Romney told supporters he would likely forgo a third run for the presidency. Bush then embarked on an effort to lock down the former governor’s New York-area supporters and keep them away from Christie and any other would-be 2016 contenders.
“Jeb was on the phone with me right away and he was very persuasive,” said one Wall Streeter who raised millions for Romney’s campaigns. “Jeb has done a very good job, and he’s a natural place where people will go who are Mitt supporters. And there has been a significant amount of outreach to all of Romney’s folks.”

This donor, who plans to hold a mega-fundraiser for Bush that he says will outstrip the Kravis affair, described his conversations with the former Florida governor as direct and convincing. “Nothing about him is overly flashy. But his plan is well thought-out. He’s just doing his thing and is not that into paying attention to what anyone else is doing.”

Another major bundler for Republicans, who backs a rival candidate, marveled at the aggressive nature of the Bush fundraising operation.

“Jeb has quickly come to dominate the New York-area money the way he dominates Florida money,” this person said. “The only place he doesn’t dominate yet is in California. But they could easily raise the $100 million they claim if not much more.”

Bush’s team is well aware that the huge dollar fundraisers, especially on Wall Street, open Bush up to attacks from both the left and the right that he is creature of the wealthy. And the frenzied vacuuming of cash plays directly into one Democratic line of attack, should Bush win the GOP nomination: portray him as another out-of-touch rich guy, as they successfully did with Romney.

But they say few voters are paying close attention now. And once they are, these people say, Bush will be fully funded and able to spend all of his time selling his message of economic growth coupled with immigration and education reform.

One sign of Bush’s preparations for hitting the campaign trail was visible at the Kravis affair. To celebrate Bush’s birthday, the hosts brought him a slice of chocolate cake. But Bush didn’t indulge. Since late last year, the somewhat portly former governor has gone on the “paleo” diet to slim down.

Handed a piece of birthday cake, he plucked only the blueberry off the top and ate it.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/inside-jeb-bushs-shock-and-awe-launch-115272_full.html

[Chef Ramsay]

19 out of 21 Jeb Bush forgeign policy advisors are hawks from previous GOP administrations

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/02/18/jeb-bushs-foreign-policy-team-is-eerily-familiar-in-1-venn-diagram/



That's really all you need to know to realize that this is just Bush 3.0