If you only read one thing: Donald Trump is set to “clarify” his revolving rhetoric on immigration in a speech in Phoenix Wednesday. It comes after Trump was burned for the first time by his deliberate ambiguity on policy—a tactic that had served him well until it was extended to his core issue. For Trump, policy positions are just another communications tool—designed to be massaged and amended to suit an audience. It makes him an almost perfect opposite to Clinton, for whom policy—with a few key exceptions [cough, TPP, cough, debt-free college, cough]–is carefully crafted and put on a pedestal. Clinton’s team has produced the equivalent of a small book’s worth of policy plans, while Trump barely reads his far smaller team’s bullet-points. By avoiding being pinned down he hopes to be everything to everyone. But even Trump’s elasticity on the issues has its limits, requiring the specific speech tomorrow to clear up the confusion for his core supporters.
It’s primary day in Florida and Arizona, where Marco Rubio and John McCain face primary fights that they are expected to win. The races represent the limits of Trump-style insurgent candidates, who can talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk.
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are less forthcoming than their predecessors, raising questions about their potential administrations. Clinton talks debating Trump. And Rush Limbaugh claims he never fell for Trump’s immigration plan.
Here are your must reads:
Must Reads
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Are Less Forthcoming Than Past Candidates
A precedent that could haunt the winner, TIME’s Philip Elliott writes
How Tuesday’s Primaries Reflect the 2016 Elections
TIME’s Jay Newton-Small on today’s contests
Fired Manager Corey Lewandowski Still Involved in Donald Trump Campaign
Ousted in shakeup, he’s back in the inner circle [ABC]
Trump Woos Women and Minorities by Pitting One Group Against Another
Trump’s us-versus-them pitch [Washington Post]
Trump’s Deportation Waffle Highlights Campaign Weaknesses
His lack of a firm grip on his own policies bites him in the back [Associated Press]
Donald Trump’s Unorthodoxy Extends to Spending
Half of the GOP presidential nominee’s top-10 paid consultants never worked on a presidential campaign [Wall Street Journal]
Sound Off
“I’m running against someone who will say or do anything. And who knows what that might be … I do not know which Donald Trump will show up. Maybe he’ll try to be presidential and try to convey a gravity. Or maybe he’ll try to come in and try to … score some points.” — Hillary Clinton Monday overheard by reporters in a conversation with donors on Long Island
“I wanted to pull it out from under the rock so people could see it and understand that David Duke has endorsed Donald Trump, he is the former Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan.” — Clinton to donors on her “alt-right” speech last week
Bits and Bites
Donald Trump Surrogate Tweets Cartoon of Hillary Clinton in Blackface [TIME]
John McCain is in the fight of his political life in the age of Donald Trump [Washington Post]
Limbaugh Swears He Never Took Trump Seriously on Immigration [Mediaite]
Hillary Clinton Piles Up Research in Bid to Needle Donald Trump at First Debate [New York Times]
Harry Reid Cites Evidence of Russian Tampering in U.S. Vote, and Seeks F.B.I. Inquiry [New York Times]
Democrats delay ad spending on Ohio Senate race [Washington Post]
Rick Perry joins Dancing With the Stars [ET]
Kasich back in New Hampshire with nostalgia, eye on future [Associated Press]
Donald Trump to Press Case With Black Voters in Detroit [New York Times]
‘Trump Revealed’: The reporting archive [Washington Post]