Two More CEOs Quit WH Panel, Trump Main Barrier To Anti-Gay Ex-Judge Joining Senate, And 2018 To Test Dem Tactics

August 15th, 2017 Top Stories --------------------------------------------------------------- [Blue Collar Bounce Back Or Suburban Success? 2018 Will Test Dem Strategies]( The Gist: The Trump era has injected new urgency in the years-old party fight about whether Democrats should focus on regaining the ground they’ve lost in older, whiter, less educated and more rural areas or push to boost their numbers in the diversifying, largely suburban areas that have been trending their way. The bad news for Democrats: They need to improve significantly in both places to win back any real power in Washington. The good news: The next election will test both theories, with House and Senate strategists facing nearly opposite approaches. [Trump Is Best Chance At Blocking Anti-Gay Ex-Judge Roy Moore From Senate]( The Gist: The biggest thing in between controversial former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) and the U.S. Senate is Donald Trump. Heading into election day on Tuesday, the question is whether the president and the GOP establishment have been able to do enough to push their favored candidate, appointed Sen. Luther Strange (R-AL), into a runoff where they think they can defeat a man best known for his anti-gay and religious right stances. [Two More CEOs Quit White House Panel Over Trump’s Charlottesville Response]( The Gist: Three prominent CEOs have resigned from their roles on President Donald Trump’s manufacturing council over his initial failure to condemn white supremacists in the wake of the deadly attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. The CEO of Intel, Brian Krzanich, cited the Charlottesville attack and criticized “leadership in Washington” for attacking those who disagree with them in his statement announcing his resignation from the council. From The Reporter's Notebook --------------------------------------------------------------- The mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, where a white supremacy rally turned deadly over the weekend, is “finished” talking about President Donald Trump after he failed to condemn neo-Nazis and racists over the weekend, [TPM's Nicole Lafond reports](. Mayor Michael Signer's (D) criticism is just one of many Democrats and Republicans who have expressed frustration that the President didn’t take a harder stance on white supremacists groups. “I think a lot of this speaks for itself. We saw the campaign they ran. We saw the folks they surround themselves with...I’m kind of finished talking about the President,” he said, adding he and his city are ready to band together and move on from the tragic event. The President finally condemned white supremacist groups during a press conference Monday, but many critics say it doesn’t undo the fact that he waited two full days to come out against Nazis. Agree Or Disagree? --------------------------------------------------------------- Josh Marshall: "What is Robert E. Lee known for? Lee is known for one thing: being the key military leader in a violent rebellion against the United States and leading that rebellion to protect slavery. [That’s it](. Absent his decision to participate in the rebellion he’d be all but unknown to history. He outlived the war by only five years. There’s simply no positive side of the ledger to make it a tough call. The only logic to honoring Lee is to honor treason and treason in the worst possible cause." Say What?! --------------------------------------------------------------- "I am seriously considering a pardon for Sheriff Arpaio." - President Donald Trump [saying]( Sunday that he was considering pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a convict who gained infamy for what were widely viewed as inhumane detention practices. BUZZING: Today in the Hive --------------------------------------------------------------- From a TPM Prime member: "Calling a racist a racist has a surprisingly chilling effect on racist behavior. We don't need to all get along and love each other, but we do need rules, boundaries and standards. Trump has eroded those rules. We had a big Nazi skinhead movement in the 80s, but it didn't have the sanction of the Reagan gov't, even if there were many aligned with Reagan who were sympathizers. That a GOP government didn't support the skinheads and condemned them officially had a chilling effect. That George W. Bush nipped anti-Islamic violence following 9/11 in the bud was also important." Related: [Father Denounces Son Identified As Participant In White Supremacist Rally]( Have something to add? Become a [Prime]( member and join the discussion [here](. What We're Reading --------------------------------------------------------------- Political Correctness Doesn't Kill People ([The Outline]( Charlottesville: Witnessing The 'Monstrous' Attack ([Al Jazeera]( [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences]( | [view email in browser](