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From The Reporter’s Notebook
For the first time since launching his campaign, Donald Trump seemed prepared to accept the possibility of losing the presidential election. As TPM’s Allegra Kirkland notes, the Republican nominee said earlier in the race that his bid would have been a “total and complete waste of time, energy and money” if he lost. As recently as last week, Trump and his staffers were floating the idea that voter fraud could result in a “rigged” election victory for Hillary Clinton. Yet as Trump’s poll numbers sink in key battleground states and he continues to stoke negative press coverage with inflammatory remarks, he seems to have come around to the idea that he might not take the White House in November. Trump brushed aside the need to “get out the vote” and said that if he loses the election, he’ll just go back to a “very good way of life.”
Agree or Disagree?
Josh Marshall: “Hillary Clinton is back at 335 electoral votes in her column versus Trump at 164. Needless to say, that is a healthy lead. But the bigger number is that Clinton is now up by at least 10 points in states accounting for 263 electoral votes. I’ve noted that number a few times over the last week or so. Really though, the number is 273, which is just 10 votes more but a world of difference since you need 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. In other words, Clinton is ahead by at least 10 points in states which are alone enough to win her the presidency.”
Say What?!
“I don’t know that we need to get out the vote.”
– Trump trumpeted a confident assessment of his campaign, insisting that he will not dial back his rhetoric or alter his off-the-cuff style.
BUZZING: Today in the Hive
From a TPM Prime member: “The RNC is in an awkward situation, in that they normally count on the nominee to help them fund-raise for everybody else. Now they have a nominee who has his hand out, and shows little if any interest in helping anybody but himself. I don’t think that threatening to reduce his funding is apt to have a profound effect, as Trump likely believes he can continue to thrive with contributions from small donors, and he may even benefit in that regard by complaining about how the establishment is trying to kill his campaign.”
Related: More than 70 Republicans signed a letter urging the RNC to shift resources to congressional races to “prevent the GOP from drowning with a Trump-emblazoned anchor around its neck.”
Have something to add? Become a Prime member and join the discussion here.
What We’re Reading
El Chapo and the secret history of the heroin crisis. (Esquire)
Ivanka and Jared’s power play. (The New Yorker)
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