For the first time ever, a Bush launched a White House bid on a bland, center-right platform with the objective of challenging an establishment Democrat who was running a hapless, defensive campaign. Arlington County is cracking down on foul language, though considering the locale, that could include speaking ill of a Cheesecake Factory. And shark attacks made their first appearance in the Summer 2015 news cycle. Fun fact: If the shark sees its shadow, we have at least six more weeks of totally moronic summer news coverage. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Monday, June 15th, 2015:
UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR TRADE BILL - Though if we don't ship your job to some guy in Thailand in under 30 minutes, he gets it for free. Laura Barron-Lopez: "After his own party dealt him a stunning defeat last week, President Barack Obama may find little consolation returning to work Monday as the path forward for his trade agenda remains uncertain in the House. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters Monday that GOP leadership has "made no decisions yet" on how they will proceed with the packaged trade bills that stalled on Friday, but added they have 'options.' Dealing Obama a crippling blow on Friday, House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), voted against a Trade Adjustment Assistance bill, which would help workers displaced by trade deals like the one Obama is currently negotiating with 11 Pacific nations, as well as workers displaced by globalization not related to trade deals. 'The best option right now would be for Democrats come to their senses so we’ll be able to move TAA,' McCarthy said." [HuffPost]
THE BUSHES ARE BACK - America's cyclical tolerance of the Bush Family -- think of them as the exposed brick of politics -- is cresting again. Paige Lavender and Molly Reilly: "Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) officially announced he's running for president, an office formerly held by his father and his brother. Bush formally announced his 2016 campaign Monday at Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida. 'Our country is on a very bad course and the question is, 'What are we going to do about it?' The question for me is, 'What am I going to do about it?'' Bush said. 'And I've decided I'm a candidate for president of the United States of America.' Bush filed paperwork to run for president with the Federal Elections Commission earlier Monday. In his remarks at Miami Dade, Bush pledged to make the United States an 'economic superpower like no other.' 'So many challenges could be overcome if we just get this economy growing at full strength,' he said. "There is not a reason in the world why we cannot grow at a rate of four percent a year. Describing himself as a 'reforming governor,' Bush touted his leadership experience while diminishing the records of his opponents coming from the U.S. Senate (as well as onetime-senator President Barack Obama)." [HuffPost]
Hillary Clinton formally announced her campaign again over the weekend.
LINDSEY GRAHAM SINGLE, POSSIBLY READY TO MINGLE - It's a real pity he doesn't have a spouse whom he never sees like the rest of his colleagues. Sam Stein: "Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is many things as a senator: a foreign policy hawk, an immigration reform supporter and a voice of relative moderation amid feverish partisanship. But as a presidential candidate, he's been reduced to one thing: a bachelor...'It was so amazing to see this pop out,' said Bella DePaulo, a longtime member of the group Unmarried Equality. 'I have to admit I love how unapologetic he is. He says things like, 'I have a family' and 'I'm OK with me.' And I just love how he will not hide from it or apologize for it. I think that is exactly how single people should react.' On a personal level, DePaul and others in the Single Lobby aren't particularly enthused by Graham. They look at the 59-year-old South Carolina Republican and see someone with conservative social views and an off-putting penchant for believing that bombs and armed forces can cure America's foreign policy ills." [HuffPost]
Julian Brave Noisecat reports on a clash between labor rights and Indian sovereignty playing out on Capitol Hill.
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - Ninety percent of low-income seniors don't get home-delivered meals, according to a sad report from the Government Accountability Office. "About 83 percent do not receive meals among low-income adults who are food insecure, meaning they report three or more conditions such as skipping meals because they did not have enough money for food. Similarly, an estimated 83 percent of low-income older adults who have difficulties with two or more daily activities do not receive meals." This information does not help explain Social Security politics. [GAO.gov]
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HILLARY ORDERS REPORTER TO STAND DOWN - Someone stop her. Annie Linskey: "Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign this morning banned a representative from the national print pool from attending any of her events in New Hampshire, a development that will make coverage for her trip to New Hampshire spotty for some of the country’s largest print outlets. The campaign team for Clinton, who is a former US secretary of state, is not allowing a reporter from the Daily Mail, a London news outlet, to have access to her events. Nick Merrill, a Clinton campaign spokesman, said that the campaign is getting 'blowback' from foreign outlets. Foreign outlets have not been granted access to some Clinton events because the campaign wants to give preference to US publications...The flap is the latest flashpoint between the Clinton campaign and the political press corps. Clinton has only answered a handful of questions from the press, and over the weekend sat for her first interviews since she declared her candidacy in mid-April. Her near universal name recognition sets her apart from other political candidates who typically seek news coverage to promote their campaigns." [Boston Globe]
WHITHER DENNIS HASTERT'S PORTRAIT? - Maybe they should comprise and put up "George W. Bush Self-Portrait In Bathtub" as a placeholder. Emma Dummain: "The lurid charges levied against J. Dennis Hastert have sent chills through lawmakers who know the former House speaker -- but Republican leaders have remained largely silent on what, if anything, Congress should do in response. After the Illinois Republican was indicted last month and accused of paying hush money to keep secret allegations he molested male students when he was a high school teacher, Hastert’s alma mater, Wheaton College, took his name off the school’s center on economics and public policy. On Capitol Hill, members are being asked whether his official portrait should be removed from its place of prominence in the wall of the Speaker’s Lobby. Speaker John A. Boehner and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy have both said they need to see more details before taking such dramatic, if symbolic, action. But last week, one member of Congress had a moment with the portrait that suggested the revelations are on everybody’s mind." [Roll Call]
So Scott Brown is moving to Oregon to challenge Blumenauer, we guess: "If you bought a bike from Gus’ Bike Shop in North Hampton in the past few months, there’s a good chance it was put together by Scott Brown. The former Republican U.S. senator from Massachusetts started volunteering at the store in December, about a month after narrowly losing the Senate race to Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. Since then, Brown has learned the basics of bike maintenance and repair. He’s also assembled almost 40 bikes under the guidance of longtime mechanic Dean Merrill. 'Back in December, I came in and said, ‘Listen, I don’t need a job, I don’t need any money, but I’ve always wanted to learn how to put together and take apart bikes',' Brown said during a recent interview." [Foster's Daily Democrat's Casey Conley]
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here are some dogs trying to grab things on tables.
LOCAL CONSTABLES FIGHTING SCOURGE OF IMPRECATIONS - Ballston still called Ballston, though. Benjamin Freed: "Uttering some of the more expressive words in the English language will cost you up to $250 if you say them in Arlington, now that county officials have upped their fines on public uses of profanity. The Arlington County Board just approved a measure increasing penalties for public intoxication and blue language from $100 to $250. Even if Arlington is sacrificing its reputation as an urbanist’s dream community, its leaders have not given up their mission to clean up its residents sometimes-naughty antics. The code change adopted during Saturday’s board meeting came after the Arlington Police Department reported making 664 arrests for public inebriation and foul-mouthed talk in 2014." [Washingtonian]
COMFORT FOOD
- "Psycho," with kittens.
- The world's most flexible limbo champion limbos under a car.
- Dog can't handle the shame.
TWITTERAMA
@aedwardslevy: I've prepared some helpful headlines for overreacting to small changes in polls
WALKER SHOCKER
JEBB EBB
TRUMP SLUMP
GRAHAM SLAM
PAUL FALL
@LoganDobson: Modern Sisyphus unsubscribes from a mailing list just seconds after his email address was sold to yet another third party
@OKnox: In the movie about aging pickpockets, the "one massive last haul before we retire" scene is set at Farragut North at rush hour.
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