Peter Daou

GOP CIVIL WAR: Republican strategist slams “intellectual rot” in his party

Donald Trump’s campaign has triggered a GOP civil war. Republican strategist Steve Schmidt captured the essence of the meltdown on Meet The Press, slamming Republican lawmakers who have “repeatedly put their party ahead of their country.” The weeks ahead will likely determine the fate of the modern Republican Party.

By Peter Daou - October 09, 2016

Hillary Clinton’s dignity shines brighter than ever at this moment

Two videos, one of Hillary Clinton connecting with women and girls, the other of Trump demeaning them, illustrate why she would be an exceptional president and he a terrible one. First, Clinton: Next, Trump: There isn’t much more to say.

By Peter Daou - October 07, 2016

I’ve worked for both Clintons and Trump is playing with fire assailing their marriage

During the 2016 primaries, when Donald Trump began teasing his promised assault on the Clinton marriage, I wrote about my experience in Clinton world and why I believed his attacks would fail. Now, as his campaign shows signs of imploding, Trump and his band of Clinton dirt-merchants (Roger Stone, David Bossie, Roger Ailes, Newt Gingrich, Sean Hannity, Rudy Giuliani, Stephen […]

By Peter Daou - September 29, 2016

Robert De Niro on Trump: “A punk, a mutt, a pig.”

De Niro channels anti-Trump sentiment in his own inimitable fashion: He’s so blatantly stupid. He’s a punk. He’s a dog. He’s a pig. He’s a con, a bullshit artist, a mutt who doesn’t know what he’s talking about, doesn’t do his homework, doesn’t care. Thinks he’s gaming society. Doesn’t pay his taxes. He’s an idiot. Colin […]

By Peter Daou - October 08, 2016

Trump campaign in full crisis mode over sexually explicit audio

Week after week, month after month, Donald Trump has gotten away with one disqualifying comment after another. His luck may have run out. The Washington Post unearthed audio of Trump discussing his degrading approach to women: “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I […]

By Peter Daou - October 07, 2016

CREEPY: Trump walked in on naked pageant contestants

My colleague Melissa McEwan singles out a passage from a CNN story on Trump’s misconduct around women: https://twitter.com/Shakestweetz/status/784847963562602497 Despite the massive outcry over the already-infamous recording of Trump talking about grabbing women’s genitals, he has doubled down on his candidacy: The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly – I WILL […]

By Peter Daou - October 08, 2016

The most neglected and disrespected person in 2016: The Clinton voter

The national media have spent more than 570 days covering Hillary Clinton’s email server, but barely any time talking about the millions of Americans who are poised to elect the first woman president in U.S. history. These are people from all backgrounds who refuse to be marginalized, mistreated, and ignored. Instead of using words to describe who they […]

By Peter Daou - October 02, 2016

NEW VIDEO: Trump trashes women and brags about unsolicited groping

The Washington Post has unearthed audio of Trump discussing his degrading approach to women: “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.” “And when you’re a star, they let you do it,” Trump says. “You can do anything.” “Whatever you want,” […]

By Peter Daou - October 07, 2016

Gary Johnson’s running mate breaks ranks, will focus only on defeating Trump

As the 2016 presidential election nears its conclusion, tough choices are being made: Libertarian VP candidate Bill Weld told the Boston Globe that he plans to focus exclusively on attacking Donald Trump for the remainder of the campaign — essentially admitting that running mate Gary Johnson can not become president. Trump has Weld’s “full attention,” […]

By Peter Daou - October 05, 2016

Tim Kaine had a phenomenal debate

Tim Kaine is not just an affable person, but a highly accomplished public servant with a comprehensive grasp of the issues. His debate performance against Mike Pence was exceptional. Here is a sample of the feedback: Tim Kaine wins CNN undecideds group — Neera Tanden🌻 (@neeratanden) October 5, 2016 Tim Kaine debated as the 2016 vice presidential […]

By Peter Daou - October 04, 2016

CNN SCOOP: Trump has appeared in at least three Playboy videos

https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/783760761151774724 From CNN: Donald Trump’s tame appearance in a 2000 Playboy video came to light late last week after he attacked a former beauty queen for her alleged “sex tape” past. CNN’s KFILE has now uncovered two more Playboy videos in which Trump makes an appearance, including one in which he is depicted photographing fully […]

By Peter Daou - October 05, 2016

Michelle Obama taps her mic in brilliant jab at Trump’s debate complaints

At a Clinton campaign event, Michelle Obama made a priceless dig about Trump’s constant complaints that a faulty microphone was to blame for his widely-panned debate performance. “Hillary Clinton doesn’t complain, she doesn’t cry foul,” said the First Lady, tapping her microphone to emphasize the point. Watch: RT CNNPolitics: Michelle Obama: “Hillary Clinton is tough”… When she […]

By Peter Daou - October 04, 2016

Crushing letdown for Clinton opponents as promised WikiLeaks bombshell is an epic bust

Hillary Clinton’s opponents have been salivating for months over a promised WikiLeaks revelation that would end her career. October 3rd was touted as the day of the big announcement, prompting Donald Trump’s sleaze-merchant-in-chief, Roger Stone to make this prediction: Wednesday@HillaryClinton is done. #Wikileaks. — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) October 2, 2016 Stone’s laughable tweet was the culmination of months of similar pronouncements from Clinton’s […]

By Peter Daou - October 04, 2016

Bernie Sanders warns: A third party vote is a vote for Trump

Here is Bernie Sanders speaking as directly as he ever has on the choice facing voters in November: .@BernieSanders: Voting for anyone but Clinton essentially "a vote for Trump." https://t.co/liTKZNYuTx #ThisWeek https://t.co/9e2gM17mAz — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 2, 2016 The evidence is overwhelming that the next president of the United States is going to […]

By Peter Daou - October 02, 2016

Unbelievably powerful clip of Biden tearing into Trump for insensitive comment on vets

Donald Trump’s suggestion that veterans who take their own lives “can’t handle it,” thus implying they are somehow weaker than veterans who survive, is not just deeply insensitive, but flatly wrong. Illness, whether physical or psychological, is not indicative of “weakness.” At a campaign stop in Florida, Joe Biden reacted to Trump’s heartless comments. If ever […]

By Peter Daou - October 03, 2016

Clinton gets incredible first-ever Democratic endorsement from Arizona Republic

https://twitter.com/gdebenedetti/status/780935749327872000 These excerpts are incredible: Clinton knows how to compromise and to lead with intelligence, decorum and perspective. She has a record of public service as First Lady, senator and secretary of state. She has withstood decades of scrutiny so intense it would wither most politicians. The vehemence of some of the anti-Clinton attacks strains […]

By Peter Daou - September 27, 2016

SCOOP: Trump has his 47% moment

David Corn broke the Romney 47% story in 2012 and now he has this: [Trump] engaged in his own demonization of Americans that has echoed the “47 percent” comment that landed Mitt Romney in trouble during the 2012 campaign. More than once, the reality television celebrity has dismissed tens of millions of Americans—up to half of all […]

By Peter Daou - September 13, 2016

Trump adult film cameo unearthed by BuzzFeed

An offensive early morning tweetstorm from Trump against Alicia Machado captivated the political world: Trump’s attempt to shame Machado was met with appropriate criticism. https://twitter.com/anamariecox/status/781846264946319360 https://twitter.com/sadydoyle/status/781841655242559488 This is Khan-level, 2am-unhinged, Twitter-unravelling. Trump proves again how easy he is to bait on twitter https://t.co/zpapW53Re4 #scary — Bryna Corcoran (@BrynaTweets) September 30, 2016 It boggles the mind that Trump woke […]

By Peter Daou - September 30, 2016

5:30 AM tweet: Trump tells voters to watch Machado “sex tape”

Trump was up at 3:20 AM tweeting his frustrations, something no qualified presidential candidate would ever do. But the indignity wasn’t just the time of morning, but the content. Shortly after 5 AM, he tweeted the following: Wow, Crooked Hillary was duped and used by my worst Miss U. Hillary floated her as an "angel" without […]

By Peter Daou - September 30, 2016

Gary Johnson freezes up on Hardball, calls it an “Aleppo moment”

Here’s George Takei on Gary Johnson: Libertarian Johnson supports TPP, fracking, Citizens United, and no min wage. How any Sanders supporters could back him is baffling to me. — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 24, 2016 My colleague Matthew Chapman elaborates: Gary Johnson has proposed abolishing the income tax, the Department of Education, the EPA, and […]

By Peter Daou - September 28, 2016

Lester Holt can redeem his profession with one debate question: “Can you forgive us?”

With the mass media’s popularity at an all time low, Monday night’s debate can be a redeeming moment for our political press. The New York Times lays down the marker: If the moderators of the coming debates do not figure out a better way to get the candidates to speak accurately about their records and policies […]

By Peter Daou - September 25, 2016

Omarosa warns: “Every critic will have to bow down to President Trump”

Alarmingly, this is not an outlier remark, but emblematic of a campaign designed to intimidate critics: Omarosa: 'Every Critic, Every Detractor, Will Have to Bow Down to President Trump' https://t.co/wJhPmVyukH (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/WkznzNSdDT — Mediaite (@Mediaite) September 22, 2016 Here is the full quote: Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. It’s […]

By Peter Daou - September 22, 2016

USA Today rocks political world with Trump anti-endorsement

Reaction to USA Today’s unprecedented anti-endorsement has been fast and furious: They've never taken sides in a presidential race until now: USA TODAY Ed Board: Trump is 'unfit for the presidency' https://t.co/PKAjrzm4Lw — Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) September 29, 2016 Do not vote for 'demagogue' Trump, USA Today tells its readers https://t.co/rqwUMarmnc via @Reuters — of […]

By Peter Daou - September 29, 2016

Hillary Clinton won the first debate, hands down

Hillary Clinton showed America precisely why she is the best (and frankly, only) qualified candidate running for president. She was firm and steady and displayed a total command of the issues. Donald Trump was nervous, blustering and erratic, with no perceptible grasp of fundamental questions. Here are highlights from real-time coverage: Donald Trump has given us the worst debate […]

By Peter Daou - September 26, 2016

Nervous Trump tells Fox he doesn’t want debate moderators to fact check

The New York Times profiles Shareblue today and says this: [Shareblue is] already warming up for the biggest event of the general election so far: the first debate, on Monday night. It has already published a piece calling on moderators to fact-check Mr. Trump on the spot, and will continue through debate night, whipping up support […]

By Peter Daou - September 22, 2016

OCTOBER SURPRISE: NY Times reports Trump may have avoided taxes for 18 years

A game-changing story from the New York Times: Donald J. Trump declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax returns, a tax deduction so substantial it could have allowed him to legally avoid paying any federal income taxes for up to 18 years, records obtained by The New York Times show. The 1995 […]

By Peter Daou - October 01, 2016

UPDATED: Trump accused of grabbing female reporter’s wrist after debate

This behavior is reminiscent of Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, grabbing a female reporter by the arm during the primaries. https://twitter.com/leximccammond/status/780604698160136192 https://twitter.com/leximccammond/status/780604905799254020 McCammond elaborates on her encounter with Trump: I asked, “How would you respond to young women who are nervous about voting for you?” This question was inspired by the countless students I spoke to earlier […]

By Peter Daou - September 27, 2016

Gary Johnson has bizarre tongue-wagging episode on Morning Joe (Warning: this is disturbing)

There is really very little we can say about this other than to warn you that it’s truly bizarre (and note the reporter reflexively recoiling): Johnson is not a serious option for young voters, not least of which because of his reckless environmental policies. This tongue-wagging moment just confirms what we already know.

By Peter Daou - September 23, 2016

Trump loses control at rally: Mocks Clinton’s pneumonia, accuses her of infidelity

There are really no words to describe this. https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/782393839986368512 As if that wasn’t enough, there’s this: Trump on Clinton: "I don’t even think she’s loyal to Bill, you want to know the truth. And really, folks, really, why should she be, right?" — Thomas Kaplan (@thomaskaplan) October 2, 2016 No one exhibiting this kind of depraved behavior should […]

By Peter Daou - October 01, 2016

There’s only one true protest vote: FOR Hillary Clinton

FACT: The most prominent and accomplished people in America vouch for Hillary Clinton’s honesty and integrity, from Barack and Michelle Obama to Warren Buffett, Jimmy Carter, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden. FACT: The most respected activists and progressive leaders in the country support Hillary Clinton, from John Lewis to Dolores Huerta, Lilly Ledbetter, Bernie Sanders and the […]

By Peter Daou - October 01, 2016