Summer barbecues. Fireflies. Lazy weekends catching up with the latest round of insults, gaffes, accusations and spin. Welcome to a presidential campaign unlike any in the past five decades: a convention-free, free-for-all, political August.
Not since 1960 have both parties’ conventions ended before August. Which means we have a long, long way to go till Election Day, and no debates until late September.
“This is not going to be a normal August,” said Jeffrey Horwitt, analyst at Peter Hart Research, a Washington-based pollster.
Fourteen weeks until the polls open across the nation.
News roundup
▪ New polls are showing that the Democratic National Convention put some fresh spring in the step of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, giving her a sizable lead over Republican nominee Donald Trump.
▪ Why it’s hard to count Donald Trump out, no matter what he does.
Having witnessed him commit so many death knell moments during the Republican primaries, I’m resistant to call this a death knell moment.
Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary for President George W. Bush, on whether
▪ An open letter to the Go-Along Republicans: “There is no redemption in saying you went along with it, but only halfway.”
▪ Donald Trump, who has taken aim the parents of a slain Muslim American soldier, received 5 deferments from the Vietnam draft.
▪ Billionaire Warren Buffett has pretty much had it with Donald Trump. | More election coverage