BULLETIN -- 10:18 p.m.: “ROME (AP) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude estimated at 6.1 has rattled Rome and central Italy in the middle of the night” … 1:15 a.m.: “The ANSA news agency says two bodies have been pulled from the rubble of quake-hit Amatrice in central Italy.”
-- “6.2-Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Italy, Killing Dozens,” by NYT’s Elisabetta Provoledo in Amatrice, Italy: “Strong earthquakes struck a mountainous stretch of central Italy early Wednesday, killing at least 38 people, the Italian news media reported, trapping scores under debris and setting off tremors that awakened residents in Rome, nearly 100 miles to the southwest.” http://nyti.ms/2bzmAKD
Good Wednesday morning from Washington. Seventy-six days until Election Day, and the New York Times front page is devoid of politics today (http://nyti.ms/2bhiwSW). We look pretty judiciously at all the nation’s fronts, and this is a rare occurrence! Two political stories on the front page of the Washington Post: Bob Costa, Phil Rucker and Jenna Johnson on Donald Trump’s quest to show he’s not a racist (http://wapo.st/2bfJjxz) and this great piece by Matea Gold and John Wagner (http://wapo.st/2bvchtB), which takes us inside Hillary Clinton’s tony August fundraisers.
-- “Inside the exclusive events helping to fund Clinton and the Democratic Party”: “The price of entry to see Hillary Clinton on Sunday evening was $50,000 per person, a sum that got you an al fresco meal of tomato and mozzarella salad, lobster, strawberry shortcake and an intimate conversation with the possible next president of the United States. ‘It was the easiest event I’ve ever done,’ said Elaine Schuster, a longtime Clinton friend who hosted the soiree at her waterfront home on Cape Cod, Mass. ‘Everyone wanted to come.’...”
“Clinton has touted her growing support from small contributors, whose donations of $200 or less made up nearly 40 percent of her campaign’s $62 million haul in July. But the former secretary of state devoted much of this month to seeking big money to finance the Democratic Party, a race for cash that has taken her from Greenwich, Conn., to Nantucket, Mass., to Beverly Hills, Calif.” Graphic that shows how Clinton has raised $32 million in the last three weeks http://bit.ly/2bvd2mF
CLINTON INC. -- “Clinton Foundation donors got face time with her at State,” by AP’s Stephen Braun and Eileen Sullivan: “More than half the people outside the government who met with Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state gave money — either personally or through companies or groups — to the Clinton Foundation. It's an extraordinary proportion indicating her possible ethics challenges if elected president.
“Donors who were granted time with Clinton included an internationally known economist who asked for her help as the Bangladesh government pressured him to resign from a nonprofit bank he ran; a Wall Street executive who sought Clinton's help with a visa problem; and Estee Lauder executives who were listed as meeting with Clinton while her department worked with the firm's corporate charity to counter gender-based violence in South Africa.
“They are among at least 85 of 154 people with private interests who either met or had phone conversations scheduled with Clinton and also gave to her family's charities, according to a review of State Department calendars released so far to The Associated Press. Combined, the 85 donors contributed as much as $156 million. The 154 does not include U.S. federal employees or foreign government representatives.” http://apne.ws/2c5LJSl … Donors who met with Clinton at State http://apne.ws/2bBaPaS
TRUMP TOWER BRAIN DUMP from Jason Miller, Trump spokesman, describing today’s message – “For the first time this election, Hillary Clinton is desperate to be the change candidate, but not for the reason Americans want - Clinton is desperate to change the discussion away from an explosive new AP investigation showing that more than half of her non-gov’t meetings and phone calls as Secretary of State were with Clinton Foundation donors, and Clinton is desperate to change the discussion away from public calls for a Special Prosecutor to look into the likely illegalities of this activity. This new AP report shows that there was no division between Clinton’s State Department and the Clinton Foundation, raising more questions about the pay to play culture that saw Clinton donors getting access and the Clintons getting rich - at the same time Hillary Clinton was deleting her emails and covering her tracks ... [During appearances in Florida and Mississippi today] Trump will use his national platform to call for real change, something that terrifies insiders like Hillary Clinton.”
-- “As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton Hosted at Dinner a Ukrainian Donor to Family Foundation,” by WSJ’s Peter Nicholas: “While she was secretary of state, Hillary Clinton hosted a dinner involving Clinton Foundation donors, including a Ukrainian businessman who had given money to the organization and who had retained a lobbyist to arrange State Department meetings.” http://on.wsj.com/2bzlX3F
-- “Hillary Clinton’s run-out-the-clock strategy: The Democrat aims to ignore the email and Foundation controversies, seeing a shrinking calendar as her friend,” by Annie Karni: “She is not planning on sitting for another televised armchair confessional to rehash regrets about a private email server. Nor is the campaign setting up the kind of war room employed last year to discredit a book that aimed to expose a quid-pro-quo relationship between Clinton Foundation donors and State Department officials. With 75 days until Election Day and new emails once again casting a pall over her campaign, Hillary Clinton aims to ‘run out the clock,’ confidants say, on the latest chapters of the overlapping controversies that have dogged her campaign since the start.” http://politi.co/2bBbSHH
BROOKLYN RESPONDS -- via NBC’s Monica Alba (@albamonica), with Brian Fallon calling the AP story “grossly unfair, inaccurate.” http://bit.ly/2bEkU4z
--MURDOCH’S TWO WORLDS: WSJ has “Trump Faces Narrow Path” splashed across its front page. The New York Post has Hillary Clinton, smoking a cigar with a green eyeshade on in front of piles of cash, with the headline “DOUGH NATION: Donors’ special access to Hillary”. NYPost cover http://nyp.st/2bzgBp9 … WSJ http://bit.ly/2aVNXyP
THE PIVOT -- “Trump open to ‘softening’ some immigration laws,” by Bianca Padró Ocasio: “Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he’s open to a ‘softening’ of laws affecting undocumented immigrants, further distancing himself from his previous hardline proposals. Trump’s latest explanation of his immigration views came during a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, who asked the nominee, ‘Is there any part of the law that you might be able to change that would accommodate those people that contribute to society, have been law-abiding, have kids here? … Would there be any rule in your mind?’ ‘There certainly can be a softening because we're not looking to hurt people,’ Trump replied…‘We want people — we have some great people in this country.’” http://politi.co/2bfU5Up
TRUMP TOWER: STEPPING IT UP -- Before the Republican convention, Republicans on Capitol Hill had a hard time getting Trump Tower to answer their phone calls. They were begging for surrogate talking points to no avail. But in recent weeks, the Trump campaign has stepped up its surrogate operation both from New York and in the states, according to a few Hill sources. The Trump campaign is booking backers on local television, organizing op-eds and distributing talking points in a timely manner. Will it help him close a yawning nine-point gap in key states? Probably not. But it’s a start. The Trump campaign did not respond to a couple of requests for comment.
PLAYBOOK SCOOP: GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE is hosting a conference call at 12:15 p.m. today to discuss Trump’s transition planning, which he is leading. Per an email invite: “This is an opportunity to get an inside look on the transition and the Governor’s efforts. We opened our office in DC [at 1717 Pennsylvania Ave] three weeks ago today.”
NEW CLINTON AD -- “SHIRTS,” off embargo at 7 a.m. -- New England Shirt Company’s Robert Kidder knocks Donald Trump for making clothing overseas. “This factory has been here since 1883. We have over 60 people here making shirts labeled ‘Made in America,’ but Donald Trump's brand of shirts come from China, his suits from Mexico, his coats from India. Trump’s products have been made in 12 other countries because he says there’s no place in America that he can make them. Well there is. You know Donald Trump says he’ll make America great again while he’s taking the shirts right off our backs.”
The Clinton campaign says it plans to air the ad in Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Watch the 30-second spot: http://bit.ly/2bfHjp6
HAPPENING TODAY -- Hillary Clinton is in the Bay Area, where she’ll have three fundraisers, including, most notably, an evening event with Apple CEO -- and Paul Ryan fundraiser! -- Tim Cook. Donald Trump is in Tampa for a 1 p.m. rally, and in Jackson, Mississippi, for a 7 p.m. event. Mike Pence has no announced events.
NRCC PUSHES ‘WIN IN 2016’: The National Republican Congressional Committee sent donors a memo Tuesday asking them to pony up cash for joint fundraising committees for several states to help Republicans win in November. The fundraising effort asks top donors for $80,000 and to attend a money event for the House Republican Conference at the Hamilton Sept. 14 for an “Exclusive Meet & Greet with the Big & the Rich.”
The email’s subject line: “sobering news.” From the body of the email: “The news is sobering- the DCCC outraised us by more than $7 million and we significantly underperformed what we’ve historically raised in a July of an election year. This pattern is unsustainable. We can’t go another month with the Democrats outraising us by such significant amounts. If your PAC hasn’t yet contributed the maximum $15,000 to the NRCC general account this year, can you do so ASAP?”
--TRUMP GOLD CARD is now $49! Down from $200, per a Trump for President ad. http://bit.ly/2bMOGT9
DAILY DONALD -- “Donald Trump planning meeting with black and Latino activists,” by Yahoo’s Hunter Walker and Colin Campbell: “Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is planning a Thursday morning meeting with Latino and African-American activists at his Manhattan headquarters in Trump Tower. The activists are fellows from the Queens, N.Y., office of the Republican Leadership Initiative, a program designed to train young, diverse recruits to be campaign field operatives.” http://yhoo.it/2bFi5Bl
--Trump has the support of one percent of black voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, polls had Trump at 4 percent with black voters in Florida. The most recent NBC News/Survey Monkey tracking poll had him at 8 percent with black voters, and 22 percent with Hispanic voters.
POLLS DU JOUR -- MONMOUTH: Trump up 1 in Missouri! -- Donald Trump 44, Hillary Clinton 43 ... Sen. Roy Blunt (R) 48, Jason Kander (D) 43 ... GOV RACE: Chris Koster (D) 51, Eric Greitens (R) 40. http://bit.ly/2bfKpG4. (Mitt Romney won by 9 in 2012).
--ROANOKE poll -- VIRGINIA: Hillary Clinton 48, Donald Trump 32. http://bit.ly/2bNfaUE
-- “S.C. Democrats tout new poll showing Clinton, Trump in dead heat,” by the Post and Courier’s Emma Dumain: “The poll, paid for by the South Carolina Democratic Party and conducted by the Feldman Group, found Clinton and Trump neck-and-neck at 39 percent in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for president since Jimmy Carter in 1976. ‘Clinton could win South Carolina this year if her campaign chooses to contest the state,’ the Feldman Group told S.C. Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison in a memo accompanying the poll results, which drew from interviews with a sample size of ‘600 likely voters’ between August 18-21…‘Let me spare everyone the suspense,’ [Trump’s S.C. campaign chairman Ed] McMullen said in a statement to The Post and Courier. “I predict we’ll have six more of these ‘troll polls’ before Labor Day ... They know they don’t have a chance, and so does everyone else.” http://bit.ly/2bOteyh
--“Clinton asks Romney’s allies for cash to stop Trump,” by Gabe Debenedetti in Los Angeles: “The effort began Aug. 12, when Clinton finance director Dennis Cheng wrote a 1,200-word email to the candidate’s top fundraisers, describing how they could win over GOP and independent contributors. That email included a sample letter fundraisers could send Republican prospects and presents potential aisle-crossers the option to donate or raise either $10,000, $27,000, $50,000, or $100,000 for the Clinton operation. In a pitch delivered one fundraiser to another, Clinton’s wealthiest Democratic allies are targeting their friends and colleagues in Republican fundraising networks including Romney’s.” http://politi.co/2bMDiGP ... The email and letter http://bit.ly/2c67dhK
CAUGHT ON TAPE -- “Raising Money for Clinton, Cher Sounds Off (and Not Just About Trump),” by NYT’s Jonathan Martin: “She compared him to Hitler, likened his campaign to a ‘racist’ version of ‘Fun with Dick and Jane’ and even said he evoked the murderous child star in ‘The Bad Seed.’ ‘I just think he’s’ an idiot, Cher said of Donald J. Trump, adding a decidedly unprintable modifier. The crowd on Sunday in Provincetown, Mass., one of the country’s gay capitals, roared its approval at Cher’s succinct and salty assessment ... She was introducing Hillary Clinton at a fund-raiser for her presidential campaign. ... ‘This chick is just tougher than Chinese algebra,’ Cher said of the Democratic nominee.” http://nyti.ms/2bOqhOi ... Video http://bit.ly/2c5KX7A
TWEET DU JOUR -- @IsaacDovere: “We always knew eventually this election would lead to @jmartNYT writing about @cher” … @jmartNYT in response: “@IsaacDovere if only you could turn back time and put some money on it”
GLENN THRUSH’s “OFF MESSAGE” -- LIVE IN LONDON WITH TONY BLAIR!: “Tony Blair isn’t sure the center can hold – hell, he isn’t even certain that centrists like Hillary Clinton or himself have a viable future in Western politics. ‘It’s a very open question whether the type of politics I represent really has had its day or not,’ said the 63-year-old former Labour prime minister, speaking to me on Monday in his London office…’There were times when I was growing up in politics and when I was prime minister when I had complete confidence in my own ability, just as a professional, to predict the course of politics. The last few years have caused me to question [that],’ he added – referring to the rise of hard-left upstarts Jeremy Corbyn in the U.K. and Bernie Sanders in the U.S.” http://politi.co/2bhv1Jh … Transcript http://politi.co/2bEmfbx
HILL WATCH -- “Ryan hosts major donor retreat in Wyoming,” by Rachael Bade and Ken Vogel: “House Speaker Paul Ryan convened more than 100 of the Republican Party’s biggest donors this week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to talk policy and 2016 congressional campaign strategy – including how Donald Trump would impact House races — according to several sources present or familiar with the retreat.” http://politi.co/2beI58G
BEING THERE -- “The return of ‘Straight Talk’ McCain,” by Burgess Everett in Scottsdale, Arizona: “The dour John McCain of Capitol Hill is on hiatus. In his place, at least for a day: The loose, accessible, happy warrior of Straight Talk Express yesteryear. McCain is deadly serious about winning reelection and continuing his long-running battle against the health care and foreign policies of President Barack Obama. But as he approaches a Republican primary here next week he's expected to easily win, the five-term senator and two-time presidential hopeful is confident and relaxed enough to kid around about ethnic jokes. ‘One of the sad things in American politics today is that you can’t tell any ethnic jokes except Irish jokes. Now, why that should be I do not know. I have never understood it,’ McCain cracked to the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce as he wrapped up a freewheeling q-and-a session.” http://politi.co/2bMMDhD
-- “Establishment Republicans Tired Of ‘Slick Moral Preening’ By GOP Trump Opponents,” by HuffPo’s Ryan Grim: “A ... Washington Republican, who is voting for Trump but doing so quietly, lamented: ‘The slick moral preening in the media by former Bushies and NeverTrumpers at bottom reflects their desperate need to be accepted in the liberals’ putative morally superior universe. Thus their public shaming of Trump and his supporters has nothing to do with the Republican Party or conservatism ― the latter of which they know very little, as evidenced by the egregious big-government achievements that they enabled and advanced in the Bush administration. What they really want is to be liked by their enemies. And oh yes: to assure their well-paying clients who may be thinking of cutting them loose that they are on the side of the right and the true. It’s all so pathetic and disgusting.’” http://huff.to/2beLxQz
HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES -- --“Behind the private jet journey of Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin,” by CNBC’s Eamon Javers: “On Saturday afternoon, November 3, 2012, a Clinton Foundation staffer [Dennis Cheng] emailed a tempting offer to Huma Abedin, Hillary Clinton’s key aide at the State Department. ‘Are you coming to [Little Rock, Arkansas]?’ he asked. ‘We have donors flying privately on Friday afternoon if u want a ride.’ Abedin, apparently, said yes. The next Monday, from her State Department email account, she emailed her full name and date of birth to the staffer, who replied: ‘Is your personal email working yet?’ ... ‘Huma, please meet Michel Pratte, who has graciously offered to give you a lift to Little Rock on Friday. I’ll let the two of you take it from here!’” http://cnb.cx/2bMD0j4
THIS IS CNN -- @CNNPolitics: “GOP vice presidential nominee Gov. Mike Pence is getting a haircut. Watch now on Facebook live”: http://cnn.it/2c3RgbP
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK – American Bridge is releasing a new video today (called “Trump/Pence Make America Mass-Deport Again!”) on what they call “Trump’s consistent position on mass deportations.” 38-second video http://bit.ly/2beBCdG
FOR YOUR RADAR -- “Putin offers Middle East peace talks,” by the Times of London’s Bel Trew in Cairo and Tom Parfitt in Moscow: “President Putin is pushing to host peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in the latest sign of his ambition for Russia to replace the United States as chief power broker in the Middle East. Mr Putin made his overture to President Sisi of Egypt, who said that it would involve a meeting at the Kremlin between Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president.” http://bit.ly/2bN4sxC
-- “Sarkozy to focus on Islam and identity in presidential bid: Ex-president nudges race rival Alain Juppé on to slippery terrain,” by the FT’s Anne-Sylvaine Chassany in Paris: “For Nicolas Sarkozy, placing identity politics at the heart of his presidential campaign worked in 2007 but backfired in 2012. As he launches yet another bid for the Elysee this week, he is betting the same strategy will give him an edge in a nation made anxious by Islamist terror. In Tout pour la France (Everything for France), a 232-page book to be released on Wednesday, the former French president dedicates a full chapter to identifying what he believes is one of the threats to the French way of life: Islam. ‘Let’s say it clearly without any polemic, it’s not with religions that the Republic has difficulties today, but with one of them that has not done the work, necessary as well as inevitable, to integrate,’ the 61-year-old politician writes.” http://on.ft.com/2bEgFpw
WEST COAST WATCH -- “California’s climate change law clears a big hurdle after lobbyists crank up pressure,” by LATimes’ Chris Megerian, Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon: “A controversial measure to extend California’s target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was approved by the Assembly on Tuesday, clearing a major hurdle in a battle at the Capitol over the future of the state’s environmental programs. White House officials and Gov. Jerry Brown cranked up the pressure on Assembly members to support the legislation, while oil industry lobbyists huddled with sympathetic lawmakers in an attempt to stall an effort that once seemed unlikely to gain traction this year. The legislation would require slashing greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030, an easier target than the current goal of hitting 1990 levels by 2020 …
“Democratic donor and environmentalist Tom Steyer was also in the Capitol during Tuesday’s debate talking to lawmakers. ‘You’re dancing to the flute of a rich hedge fund billionaire who is running for governor,’ Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Plumas Lake) told his colleagues who were supporting the legislation, a nod toward Steyer’s rumored political ambition. Steyer said it was only a coincidence that he was present Tuesday.” http://lat.ms/2beDiEe
-- “House Homeland Security staffer faces tax charges,” by Toby Eckert: “Isaac Lanier Avant, chief of staff to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Democratic staff director for the Homeland Security Committee, allegedly did not file returns for the 2009 to 2013 tax years. ... Avant, 38, earned about $170,000 during the period in question ... If he’s convicted, Avant faces up to five years in prison and monetary penalties.” http://politi.co/2bUN64D
DEEP DIVE – “Secret Cameras Record Baltimore’s Every Move From Above,” by Monte Reel on the cover of Bloomberg Businessweek: “Since January, police have been testing an aerial surveillance system adapted from the surge in Iraq. And they neglected to tell the public.” http://bloom.bg/2bfLQYl
MEDIAWATCH -- “New York Times’s Moscow Bureau Was Targeted by Hackers,” by Nicole Perlroth and David E. Sanger: “The New York Times’s Moscow bureau was the target of an attempted cyberattack this month. But so far, there is no evidence that the hackers, believed to be Russian, were successful. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the attempted attack on The Times, a government official briefed on the inquiry said, but has no investigations underway of such episodes at other news organizations. ... The Times had not hired outside firms to investigate the attempted intrusion.” http://nyti.ms/2beA57w
--“BuzzFeed Divies Its News and Entertainment Divisions in Company-Wide Reorganization,” by Vanity Fair’s Emily Jane Fox: “The company announced [Tuesday] that it will separate itself into two distinct departments—BuzzFeed News and a newly formed BuzzFeed Entertainment Group (BFEG)—in a move aimed at solidifying its dominance in digital video. ... BuzzFeed Entertainment, led by BuzzFeed Motion Pictures president Ze Frank ... will serve as an umbrella for all its entertainment content, including short- and long-form video, lists, quizzes, and micro-content. The group will also focus on expanding its entertainment video in New York City—outside of the massive Los Angeles lot that Frank currently oversees.” http://bit.ly/2bUMQ5G
--“Viacom Veteran Carole Robinson to Lead Communications at BuzzFeed,” by The Hollywood Reporter’s Natalie Jarvey: “As the first person to serve as BuzzFeed's communications chief, Robinson will report directly to its CEO Jonah Peretti and oversee all global communications strategy, public relations, media relationships and internal communications.” http://bit.ly/2bOqnoW
FUTURE OF MEDIA – “Facebook Tests Video Ads With Sound Automatically Turned Up,” by AdAge’s Garett Sloane: “Facebook popularized autoplay video ads, but it has also made sure that their default volume was ‘mute’ so as not to turn off users. The problem has been that most of the ads are therefore viewed silently, forcing advertisers to find creative ways to get consumers to turn on the sound -- or to build ads that work without volume.” http://bit.ly/2bN3vFx
SIGN OF THE TIMES -- “Howard Johnson’s restaurant to close, leaving only 1 more,” by AP’s David Sharp: “The closing of one of the last two Howard Johnson restaurants in a couple of weeks will mark the end of its fried clam strips, ice cream and other menu staples that nourished baby boomers and leave the once-proud restaurant chain teetering on the brink of extinction. ... The closing will leave only one Howard Johnson restaurant, in Lake George, New York. ... The orange-roofed eateries once numbered more than 800, with the New England-based restaurant chain predating the ubiquitous Howard Johnson hotels.” http://apne.ws/2bUMuvY
CLICKER -- Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake & Hillary Clinton in a photo booth at their house yesterday where they hosted a Clinton fundraiser, which raised $3.34 million, per CNN’s Dan Merica http://bit.ly/2bE8oC6
SPOTTED: Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler walking into the Four Seasons Tuesday during lunchtime. His solo band played the Warner Theater last night … Merrick Garland “outside Charlie Palmer, meandering down the sidewalk without a care in the world” ... Meg Whitman at HRC’s big money event in Los Angeles Monday night.
FIRST LOOK – The Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service at the McCourt School of Public Policy today announced its fall Fellows class: Scott Mulhauser (L’05), Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Embassy, Beijing; former VP Biden Deputy Chief of Staff, Obama-Biden 2012 … Martin O’Malley (P’13), 61st Governor of Maryland; Candidate for President of the United States … Rebecca Sinderbrand (C’99), Deputy National Political Editor, The Washington Post … Michael Steel, Former Senior Advisor, Jeb! 2016; former Press Secretary, House Speaker John Boehner; and Juana Summers, Editor, CNN Politics. http://bit.ly/2bLsys2
TRANSITIONS -- Katy Summerlin is leaving her post as comms director for Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) to join the team at Rokk Solutions as an account manager, starting Sept. 6 after the holiday weekend. She is also an alum of Issa/Oversight and Frank Wolf.
WEST WING DEPARTURE LOUNGE -- “Steven Avila and Ryan Price are departing the Obama Administration this week. Steven, formerly of the White House, currently serves as adviser to the Interior secretary. Ryan is special assistant and adviser in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. Ryan and Steven, who met as White House interns in spring of 2012, will be taking a four-month long RV tour of National Parks across the country before starting graduate school next fall.”
WHITE HOUSE DISPATCH – Per pooler Todd Gillman of the Dallas Morning News: “Emerging from Marine One, now in blazer, President Obama made a beeline for press corp. It turned out he was heading to the family of Marine Major Patrick Richardson, who piloted the chopper that had just delivered him home. Richardson was making his final flight at the end of a one year assignment as a Marine One commander ... Obama greeted the major’s wife and their two sons. He leaned across the rope and kissed the mom. Then he turned to the man next to her: ‘Is this the dad? Didn’t mean to kiss your wife without asking,’ Obama said, playfully and smiling, as he shook the dad’s hand.”
WELCOME TO THE WORLD – Lexi Rudolph, senior booking producer for the “Today Show” and Scott Rudolph welcomed baby twins Brock Asher and Sasha Brynn on Monday at 3 a.m. Scott left his job in finance to start Banza, the “first high-protein, high-fiber pasta made from chickpeas which is now sold in 3,000 stores” which was named by TIME magazine as one of 2015 products of year. Pic http://bit.ly/2bvqaIl ... 30-second video of the Today Show announcement http://bit.ly/2bmpovp
OUT AND ABOUT -- Last night guests toasted Evan Siegfried’s new book, “GOP GPS: How to Find the Millennials and Urban Voters the Republican Party Needs to Survive” at at Porchlight Bar in New York. Guests drank the specially created cocktail, Roadmap to the Future (bourbon, honey, ginger and lemon), with a toast celebrating the principles of #NeverTrump by Carrie Sheffield and a short riff of the author’s feelings toward the GOP nominee. $16.85 on Amazon http://amzn.to/2bBcyx3
SPOTTED: Rick Wilson, Tara Setmayer, Lis Smith, Hunter Walker, Colin Campbell, Kirsten Haglund, Carrie Sheffield, Jessica Tarlov, Danielle McLaughlin, Harlan Hill, Kristin Tate, Gianno Caldwell, Allan Smith, Max Tani, Jason and Nicole Weingartner, Nick Iacono, and Corey Chambliss.
BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): John Hall, director of client strategy at Targeted Victory … Ian Jeffries of Association of American Railroads and a Senate Commerce alum
BIRTHDAYS: Todd Harris, partner at Something Else Strategies and the pride of Walnut Creek, Calif. (hat tips: Ieva, Dan Conston) ... Nick Denton is 5-0 – in his farewell Gawker post on Monday, he wrote, “Gawker.com is shutting down today ... some 13 years after it began and two days before the end of my forties.” (http://bit.ly/2c64vZA) ...David Gregory, CNN political analyst and host of The David Gregory Show podcast is 46 ... former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) is 74 ... Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) is 64 ... Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WVa.) is 69 ... Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) is 69 ... Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.) is 44 ... Rep. John Culberson (R-Tex.) is 6-0 ... Major Garrett is 54 ... Mike Huckabee is 61 ... Galia Slayen, spokeswoman for Rep. Patrick Murphy’s Florida Senate campaign, is 26 (h/t Joshua Karp and Sadie Weiner) ... Ricki Seidman (h/t Jon Haber) ... David Molina of Molina Healthcare (h/t Mallory Howe) ... Sahar Wali, national comms director for SEIU ... Betsy Wright Hawkings, program director for the Governance Initiative at the Democracy Fund (hubby tip: David) ... Politico’s Brendan Cheney ... Facebook’s Mary Hood, a CBS News alum ...
… Natalie Strom, RNC regional press coordinator ... Bonnie Reiss, global director of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute ... CBS Radio’s Pam Coulter ... “Inside City Hall” host Errol Louis ... Abbie McDonough, Sen. Heitkamp’s comms director ... Aaron Houston, political adviser at Ghost Group ... JB Britten … Erik Brydges, director of innovation and special projects at DSPolitical ... USC junior Morgan Buckley, comms intern at Kamala Harris for Senate (h/t Colby Bermel) ... Justin Roth, COS for Rep. Martha McSally ... Meagan Shephard of Sen. Jeff Flake’s office ... Zach Zampella of Sen. Rubio’s office ... Carissa Gillespie of Rep. Jeff Miller’s office ... James Manasco of Rep. Robert Aderholt’s office ... Dabnesy Hegg of Senate Approps (h/ts Legistorm) ... Merrit (Martin) Gillard, senior editorial associate at CFED and a Commerce alum … Randan “Rannie” Swindler … Harry Rhoads Jr. … Media Matters alum Lisa Reed ... Joann Orner ... Emily Cherniack (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) ... Courtney Robinson ... Danny Finnegan is 54 ... Trey Barnes ... Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is 56 ... Craig Kilborn is 54 ... actor-comedian Dave Chappelle is 43 ... Rupert Grint (“Harry Potter” films) is 28 (h/ts AP)