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From The Reporter’s Notebook
Though Donald Trump said during the Republican primaries that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) “totally knew” about Bridgegate while the politically-motivated revenge plot was underway, he doesn’t seem bothered by his transition team chair’s alleged involvement in one of the most high-profile scandals to hit the Garden State in years. As TPM’s Allegra Kirkland points out, Trump’s presidential campaign has since hired two former Christie staffers who worked in the governor’s office when the scandal broke. One of them, ex-Christie campaign manager Bill Stepien, has said he told Christie the details of the scheme a month before the governor publicly claimed to know the motivation behind it.
Agree or Disagree?
Josh Marshall: “I’m still uncertain whether Pence went in with a plan to toss Trump overboard or whether that’s more how it came out in the moment. To the extent it was planned, Pence’s mission seemed to be a simple message to GOP stalwarts: Do you see how good I could be if I weren’t running with this jackass? The response from high profile Republicans seemed to be: We see, and it’s killing us. The fact that Pence got frustrated and created the ‘Mexican Thing’ meme is is just an additional benefit for the Clinton campaign. “
Say What?!
“From where I sat, Donald Trump won the debate.”
– Mike Pence declared Trump the winner of the vice presidential debate after repeatedly denying the GOP nominee’s comments.
BUZZING: Today in the Hive
From a TPM Prime member: “I think that encapsulates the brilliance of Kaine’s strategy. Yes, he was grating. But it’s the VP debate, it doesn’t matter big picture. That’s why VP’s are historically the campaign’s attack dogs, because they can get away with it without harming the campaign too deeply. So by doing what Kaine did, constantly interjecting to attempt to paint Pence with Trump’s comments could only have possibly ended two ways: 1) Pence defends Trump, and ruins his own political career; or 2) As happened, Pence refuses to defend Trump, ignores or blatantly lies about Trump’s record of troubling statements, and in the process alienates Trump and sends him on tilt.”
Related: At the end of the vice presidential debate, the verdict was in: Pence had virtually severed himself from Trump.
Have something to add? Become a Prime member and join the discussion here.
What We’re Reading
Staff say that conservative news darling The Blaze is coming apart. (The Huffington Post)
McMansions and haunted houses. (Slate)
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