Jeb Bush says NFL’s Washington Redskins name not offensive
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush is drawing criticism for saying he would not change the controversial name of the Washington Redskins football team. During a pre-recorded interview on Sirius XM’s show “The Arena,” Bush says he did not think the nickname is “offensive” to Native Americans. Bush says: “It’s a sport, for crying out loud,” adding that he must be missing something here. That’s according to a transcript of the interview released Wednesday by SiriusXM. The interview airs Friday. Democrats say Bush’s support of the nickname is “extremely insulting to Native American people.” Bush said the same issue arose with the Florida State University nickname, the Seminoles, when he was Florida governor. He said the tribe came to the defense of the university and the controversy subsided. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
For Hillary Clinton, October presents series of risks and rewards
With a presidential debate and a contentious appearance in Congress coming, Hillary Rodham Clinton faces an October full of opportunity and risk for her presidential campaign. The former secretary of state has spent months watching her poll numbers sink in crucial early voting states and faced endless questions about her email practices at the State Department. The first Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas and her congressional testimony before a Republican-led panel investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, will give Clinton a big platform to make the case for her candidacy and challenge her Republican critics. These events, of course, are equally a platform for opponents to try to weaken her. Also in October, Clinton’s campaign will disclose details about its fundraising and expenditures. The full Democratic field will appear at the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner, which was a turning point for Barack Obama in his upstart bid against Clinton in the fall of 2007. The most pivotal development could come from Vice President Joe Biden. His potential entry into the Democratic field could shake up the race and offer the party another alternative to Clinton, along with her chief rival now, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. A preview of Clinton’s October: __ BIDEN Will he or won’t he? Biden’s decision could have major ramifications for Clinton’s standing in the primaries. If the vice president runs, he would give wary Democrats an excuse to abandon Clinton, even though she has locked up lots of congressional endorsements and financial donors. If Biden stays out, Clinton would campaign from a stronger position and could further make the case that she is the most electable Democrat against Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and others. Biden has said he is unsure whether he and his family will have the “emotional energy” for a campaign so soon after the death of his 46-year-old son, Beau Biden. But his appearances around the country have turned into a parlor game for political insiders, creating a distraction for Clinton as she tries to consolidate support. __ FUNDRAISING Clinton raised $47.5 million after launching her campaign in April. Her next fundraising report will show how she fared during the typical summer lull and give insiders a look into how efficiently her campaign is running. Clinton’s team has built a massive operation at its Brooklyn, New York, headquarters and has hired dozens of field organizers in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, where it has been spending about $400,000 a week on television advertising. Sanders is running a much leaner operation, and most of his $15.2 million haul in his first report came from donors giving $200 or less. Any signs that Clinton’s fundraising edge is dwindling or she is burning through cash would set off more alarm bells in the party. __ FIRST DEBATE The Oct. 13 debate in Nevada will give voters their first opportunity to measure Clinton on stage against Sanders and the rest of the field. Clinton has avoided directly criticizing Sanders’ policy positions or his role in the primaries but her campaign has indicated voters may soon see a contrast between the two candidates. Clinton needs to tread carefully because she will need Sanders’ supporters to help her campaign if she wins the nomination. Millions of people have tuned into the first two Republican debates, raising the potential stakes for Democrats. There could be an element of surprise: CNN will allow Biden to participate even if he decides to become a candidate in the hours before the debate. Clinton’s team sees debates as a strong suit for her. But observers remember her struggles, in an October 2007 debate, to answer a question about whether immigrants in the U.S. illegally should be issued driver’s licenses. __ BENGHAZI TESTIMONY For months, Clinton has tried to provide public testimony before the panel investigating her response to the Benghazi attack while she was President Obama’s top diplomat. She will get that opportunity Oct. 22. Supporters hope for a reprise of her fiery January 2013 appearance before lawmakers. Clinton’s advisers view the October testimony as a chance for her to take on her Republican critics and predict some GOP lawmakers will overreach to the point of bullying her — imagery that could make the inquiry look like a political vendetta and boost her campaign. Still, the appearance could bring more attention to her use of a private email address and server and to questions about whether she exchanged classified information at the time. __ THE J-J If Clinton hopes to project strength in Iowa, the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner is the place to do it. The Oct. 24 dinner typically draws thousands of hardcore Democratic activists. It’s where eventual Democratic nominee John Kerry took on Howard Dean in the fall of 2003, and where Obama electrified Democrats in 2007. Some of Clinton’s stronger moments during this campaign have come at large party events such as her speech before the New Hampshire state party convention, her address to the Democratic National Committee in Minneapolis and her “Wing Ding” speech in Iowa, when she railed against Republicans playing “partisan games.” Clinton’s 2007 appearance at the dinner fell flat next to Obama’s. How she stacks up in the hall against Sanders and potentially Biden could set the tone for the remainder of the Iowa campaign. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Republican field pushes tax cuts bound to drive up debt
Republicans came into this presidential campaign with painful memories of how, in the last one, Democrats blasted Mitt Romney’s tax plan as a giveaway to the rich. Yet Donald Trump‘s tax plan adds to the number of major GOP presidential candidates who propose to cut all taxes — but especially those for the wealthy — as deeply, or deeper, than Romney proposed. The lesson Republicans seem to have drawn is to simply stop worrying about balancing the budget. The plans would blow open deficits over the next decade that economists estimate ranging from $3.6 trillion to $12 trillion. Oren Cass, who was Romney’s domestic policy adviser, noted the former Massachusetts governor had pledged to make his tax cuts deficit-neutral by cutting tax loopholes, though he never fully detailed how his plan would do so. Yet he was still savaged by Democrats who accused him of planning to stiff middle-class ratepayers for the benefit of the rich. “You look at what Gov. Romney did and you say, ‘There’s nothing to be gained from being responsible that way,’ ” Cass said. “You may as well do the plan that your base is going to love.” Trump initially hinted he might buck conservative economic orthodoxy and raise taxes on the wealthy. But he ended up releasing the most aggressive tax cut of all candidates to date. The Tax Foundation, which favors lower taxes, estimated that his plan would increase the deficit by $12 trillion. The foundation found more than one-fifth of the plan’s benefit would accrue to the top 1 percent of income earners. Trump’s plan pointed to the enduring power of traditional conservative thinking — that lower taxes are the best way to spark growth, and any skew toward the wealthy is mainly a reflection of the outsized amount of taxes the rich already pay. “Even for Trump, it’s hard to be different,” said Martin Sullivan, chief economist for the nonpartisan research group Tax Analysts. “The new flavor is a lot of tax benefits at the low end and then much more on the high end.” With his trademark showmanship, Trump vowed to remove families making less than $50,000 from the tax rolls and allow them to send the IRS a single-page form declaring “I win!” Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush‘s plan is less flamboyant but reduces rates and raises standard deductions enough to remove those families making $40,000 and under from the rolls. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, meanwhile, would increase the child tax credit and lower the rate for families making less than $150,000 to 15 percent. Still, Rubio would eliminate taxes on investment gains, which is how most of the affluent make most of their money, and Bush would lower top rates dramatically as well. Both of their plans are skewed to the wealthy, like Trump’s, but less so. Criticism of tax proposals that benefit the wealthy grates on conservative economists. They note that the top 1 percent already pays more than a third of federal income taxes, so any large reduction would inevitably benefit them anyhow. They also argue that, by goosing the economy, the benefits from well-designed tax cuts would spread out more equitably through the economy. Still, Democrats are poised to exploit the issue. “Each one of these candidates has a tax plan that would rip a multi-trillion-dollar hole in the federal deficit, which would likely have to be offset by cuts to programs important to the middle class, including Social Security, Medicare, infrastructure and education,” said Eric Walker, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “We need a tax system that rewards work instead of just wealth.” That sort of sound bite gnawed at Romney in 2012. This time, the Republican tactic is to shrug off the slam on the deficit, said Kyle Pomerleau, an economist at the Tax Foundation. “Republican candidates aren’t looking to be revenue-neutral” anymore, he said. “They’re saying ‘let’s cut taxes for everyone so we’re not accused of raising taxes for everyone.’ “ Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Donald Trump gives Russia’s Vladimir Putin an ‘A’ on leadership
One day after President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin made little headway in their standoff over Syria at their first formal meeting in more than two years, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is agreeing with Putin on his backing of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Speaking on Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor” Tuesday evening, the billionaire businessman and presidential front-runner praised Russia’s recent military buildup in Syria and expressed little concern for Putin’s support for his longtime Syrian ally. “If he wants to fight ISIS, let him fight ISIS,” Trump said in an interview taped at his Trump Tower skyscraper in Manhattan. “I say there’s very little downside with Putin fighting ISIS,” he added. The U.S. has long insisted that Syria’s future cannot include Assad. But Putin has cast Assad’s government as the best defense against Islamic State militants, a group the U.S. is also working to defeat. Trump also suggested that Assad, who has used barrel bombs and chemical weapons against civilians, was preferable to other potential options. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump talks about his tax plan during a news conference, Mo … “Personally, I’ve been looking at the different players and I’ve been watching Assad, Trump said, ” … and I’m looking at Assad and saying maybe he’s better than the kind of people that we’re supposed to be backing because we don’t even know who we’re backing. We have no idea.” Obama and Putin have a tense relationship that was on full display as the pair met at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump has long predicted that he would get along well with Putin and declared Monday that, “Putin is a nicer person than I am.” He repeated his criticism that Putin is the better leader when compared with Obama. “I will tell you that, in terms of leadership, he’s getting an ‘A’ and our president is not doing so well,” he said. “They did not look good together.” It was Trump’s first appearance on Fox since he announced last week that he’d be boycotting the network for “the foreseeable future” because of what he deemed unfair treatment. The boycott lasted less than a week. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Robert, Dianne Bentley divorce final: records show how couple will divvy up assets, alimony, Alabama football tickets
A judge on Tuesday signed a divorce decree for Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and former first lady Dianne Bentley, quietly concluding the couple’s 50-year marriage. Tuscaloosa Family Court Judge Philip Lisenby signed the decree a day after the Bentleys submitted an agreement to divide their financial assets and a month after Dianne Bentley filed for divorce saying their marriage had suffered an “irretrievable breakdown.” Dianne Bentley told the judge in a sworn statement unsealed Tuesday that the couple, both 72, had become incompatible, citing a difference in their preferred lifestyle. “During my marriage to my husband our likes, dislikes and lifestyles have become so different that it has caused discord and arguments in our home. We have become incompatible and our differences cannot be resolved,” Dianne Bentley said in the sworn testimony. “I know that we cannot live together again and that our separation is now permanent. I feel that a divorce is in the best interest of both us and our family,” she said. The court record did little to shed light on the specific differences that led to the marriage’s disintegration, but indicated that the governor disagreed with the contention that the marriage was beyond repair. The governor submitted a brief court response saying he agreed with some statements, such as that they have adult children, and the location of their residences. “Defendant denies each and every other allegation contained in said complaint,” Bentley wrote. However, the governor did not fight the divorce proceeding. The couple on Monday jointly submitted an agreement dividing their financial assets accumulated over their marriage and Bentley’s career as a dermatologist. Dianne Bentley will have possession of the couple’s two beach homes. The former first lady can reside at the couple’s Tuscaloosa home until the end of 2017, but Bentley will have title to the property. The governor will retain possession of the property that belonged to his family in Shelby County. Dianne Bentley will get ownership of the couple’s Fidelity investment account and half of the governor’s Individual Retirement Account. The agreement, like most divorces, spells out the minute details of dividing possessions. The former first lady will keep her jewelry and most household furnishings. The governor will keep his University of Alabama football tickets and all memorabilia from his time as governor. “The last four weeks have been a very difficult time for my family and for our state. The people of Alabama have prayed for us and have encouraged us. For that, I am extremely grateful,” Gov. Bentley said in a statement issued Monday after the divorce agreement was filed. A judge had initially sealed the divorce case at the request of couple, but multiple news media outlets filed a motion to have the case made public. Lisenby unsealed the sparse record on Tuesday at the couple’s request. When Bentley, a legislator from Tuscaloosa, launched what was then a longshot bid for governor in 2010, his wife said at the time she was not excited at the prospect of being a politician’s wife but grew to love visiting the state’s small towns. “I’m just a very shy person. I’m not comfortable out with people and crowds,” she said in an interview. The governor has said he had felt tired and “dying” as his medical career wound down, but felt a renewed purpose and energy with his election in 2010. “I believe in my heart I was placed here to do a job,” Bentley told his Cabinet last month. While the divorce filing said the Bentleys had been separated since January, the couple continued to travel together and made appearances at public events, according to public records. Dianne Bentley signed the divorce papers Aug. 26. On Aug. 28, the smiling couple made a joint appearance with college mascots at the Governor’s Mansion less than an hour after the divorce papers were stamped as filed. The couple met at the University of Alabama, when Bentley, a dermatologist, was in his first year of medical school. Dianne Bentley said during campaign interviews that she worked in medical labs for $325 a month to help put him through medical school. They have four adult sons, seven granddaughters and one grandson. The Bentleys marked their 50th wedding anniversary in July. The first couple, or their public relations staff, traded anniversary wishes via their official social media accounts, and the governor tweeted a photo from their wedding. “Today @FirstLadyDB and I celebrate another wonderful year of marriage. Happy Anniversary Dianne!” the governor wrote. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Mike Hubbard’s defense lawyers want to put AG Luther Strange on stand
House Speaker Mike Hubbard‘s defense lawyers want additional testimony from Attorney General Luther Strange as he seeks to dismiss his ethics case. Lawyers for the Auburn Republican have subpoenaed Strange to testify at an Oct 26 hearing. Prosecutors have asked a judge to quash the subpoena, saying the court already allowed a deposition of Strange. The defense has accused prosecutors of misconduct. They are also arguing the case against the powerful Republican is a selective prosecution. Prosecutors dismissed the claims as defense “conspiracy” theories. Strange stepped aside from the investigation and appointed a retired district attorney to lead the case. Hubbard faces 23 ethics counts accusing him of using his public positions to benefit his businesses. He has maintained his innocence. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
