Wake Up To Politics - April 8, 2015
To read today's edition of Wake Up To Politics in a PDF format, click here. Continue reading to find the text of the Wake Up in the body of the email!
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
580 Days Until Election Day 2016It's Wednesday, April 8, 2015, I'm Gabe Fleisher for Wake Up To Politics, and reporting from WUTP world HQ in my bedroom - Good morning: THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL!!!
To send me questions, comments, tips, new subscribers, and more: email me at wakeuptopolitics@gmail.com. To learn more about WUTP or subscribe, visit the site: wakeuptopolitics.com, or read my tweets and follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/Wakeup2Politics or read stories on Wake Up To Politics by clicking the media logos at the bottom.
Race to 45
Paul Launches Presidential Bid, Takes Aim at Everybody Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul announced his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a rally in Louisville.
In his remarks, Paul repeatedly hit members of his own party, as well as Democrats. He took aim at Republicans, saying, “Too often, when Republicans have won, we’ve squandered our victory by becoming part of the Washington machine,” Paul said. “If we nominate a candidate who is simply Democrat-light, why bother? What’s the point?”
Paul also talke the wealth gap and hit special interests, not traditional GOP language: a sign of his plans to expand the party’s base, which is viewed as Paul’s path to the White House.
“I have a message, a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words. We have come to take our country back! We have come to take our country back from the special interests that use Washington as their personal piggy bank, the special interests that are more concerned with their personal welfare than the general welfare,” Paul said Tuesday.
“The message of liberty, opportunity and justice is for all Americans, whether you wear a suit, a uniform or overalls, whether you're white or black, rich or poor,” he continued. “Many Americans, though, are being left behind. The reward of work seems beyond their grasp. Under the watch of both parties -- the poor seem to get poorer and the rich get richer.”
Beyond rhetoric, Paul also made specific policy proposals: a “read the bills” resolution he introduced in the Senate, a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget, “an effort to use tax revenues from repatriated corporate earnings to pay for investments in highways,” according to Roll Call, as well as promises to “do whatever it takes to defend America from these haters of mankind” and “immediately end this unconstitutional surveillance.”
Paul caught the eyes of many with his focus on technology: a donating tracker on his website, YouTube videos functioning as ads, a Facebook “town hall,” and, most notably, an online store.
Paul’s online store caught attention because of the odd items it sells, including an “Autographed Constitution by Rand Paul,” a “Giant Rand Paul Birthday Card,” “Rand Paul Flip Flops,” a “NSA Spy Cam Blocker,” and “Rand on a Stick”.
Notable as well: this online store accepts Bitcoin donations, making Paul the first-ever presidential candidate to accept purely-digital campaign funds.
With his announcement, Paul became the second major candidate to jump into the GOP nomination race, joining Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. In a statement, Cruz said, “I am glad to welcome my friend Rand Paul into the 2016 GOP primary. Rand is a good friend, and we have worked side by side on many issues…His entry into the race will no doubt raise the bar of competition, help make us all stronger, and ultimately ensure that the GOP nominee is equipped to beat Hillary Clinton and to take back the White House for Republicans in 2016.”
Travel Tracker Rand Paul is holding a rally at Milford Town Hall in Milford, New Hampshire, the first stop on his five-day announcement tour.
Ted Cruz will speak at a Passover retreat in Orange County, California, attended by Orthodox Jews paying $11,000-a-head.
Lindsey Graham will be in New Hampshire today, as the guest speaker of the Belknap County Republican Committee at its meeting today.
Rick Perry will hold a fundraiser for Rep. David Young at Pizza King in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Rick Santorum will hold three events in Iowa: speaking to a meeting of the Bull Moose Republican Club in Des Moines, and then in West Des Moines as part of the Dallas County GOP spring speaker series, and finally signing copies of his book in West Des Moines.
Donald Trump will speak at the campus of Simpson College in Iowa on education today, and then at a Polk County Republican Party fundraiser in Ankeny.
White House Watch
The President’s Schedule At 4:35 PM, President Obama will depart the White House for Jamaica, where he arrives at 7:35 PM.
At 8:30 PM, the President will meet with Embassy personnel and families in Kingston, Jamaica.
Obama’s visit to Jamaica is part of a trip to Panama, where he will attend the Summit of the Americas.
Before departing for Jamaica, the President is also scheduled to meet with Secretary of State John Kerry (most likely on the Iran nuclear deal) and then with his national security team to discuss U.S. efforts to reach zero Ebola cases in West Africa.
Election Central
Emanuel Wins Second Term as Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fended off challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia to win a second term as mayor of Chicago.
At the time the Associated Press called the race for Emanuel, he was leading 56% to 44%.
While that is a pretty large margin of victory, that the race reached a runoff – lasting this long and costing millions of dollars – is a victory for the progressive movement Garcia represents.
