The Note: French Connection
The Note: French Connection
— -- NOTABLES
--WHO IS DAVID FRENCH? A source involved in the effort to draft a third-party candidate tells ABC News that Iraq War veteran and constitutional lawyer David French has had serious discussions about agreeing to run, ABC’s ALANA ABRAMSON and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE report. The possibility of a breakout independent presidential candidate has followed the 2016 campaign since the beginning, when Donald Trump used the threat of separating from the Republican race as a way to win establishment support. Prominent Republican Bill Kristol, who is the editor and founder of the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard, has been actively predicting another person will run. http://abcn.ws/1r272W5
--BACKSTORY: In addition to his role as a staff writer at the National Review, French is an attorney with a concentration in constitutional law and the law of armed conflict, and a veteran of the Iraq war, according to his biography at the National Review. He currently lives and works in Columbia, Tennessee, according to his biography at the National Review. He did not immediately respond to request for comment from ABC News. His wife, Nancy French, has worked as a ghostwriter for Sarah Palin and Bristol Palin. http://abcn.ws/1r272W5
--MITT SPEAKS: @MittRomney: I know David French to be an honorable, intelligent and patriotic person. I look forward to following what he has to say.
--ANALYSIS -- ABC’s RICK KLEIN: David French is, without doubt, a patriot and a scholar who has something important to contribute to the national debate, in a year where that debate craves some substance. That is not, by itself, enough to make him a credible candidate for president of the United States. As the folks behind his possible candidacy know well, running for president requires vast resources and organization even when the individual is extremely well-known, with a track record of winning elected office. Running for president starting in June, without even a Wikipedia page or a verified Twitter account, not to mention an identifiable electoral base – it just doesn’t work that way. “Presidential campaigns are not fantasy football,” GOP strategist Kevin Madden Tweeted. “You can't just randomly drop/add from the waiver wire from week to week.” If the intention is not to simply try to deny Donald Trump the presidency, but to actually line up behind a candidate who can win, does anyone truly believe David French is the answer?
BY THE NUMBERS -- CLINTON HAS SLIGHT LEAD OVER TRUMP. A new national poll shows Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton with a slight lead over presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, ABC’s In a Quinnipiac poll released today, 45 percent of voters said they would vote for Clinton, while 41 percent favor Trump. Men and women are divided over Clinton and Trump - Men prefer Trump over Clinton, 51 to 35 percent. And women go for Clinton over Trump, 54 to 30 percent. Clinton loses to Trump among white voters by 17 points; Trump pulls in 50 percent of support among white voters as Clinton gets 33 percent. Black voters choose Clinton over Trump, 93 to 4 percent, and Hispanic voters also pick Clinton over Trump, 65 to 18 percent. http://abcn.ws/1TPTivb
YESTERDAY ON THE TRAIL with ABC’s VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and PAOLA CHAVEZ
TRUMP UNIVERSITY LAWSUIT DOCUMENTS RELEASED. It was a sales pitch straight out of a boiler room. “How would you like to work with Donald Trump’s Real Estate Experts? This is not something we offer to just anyone…” Pitchmen for the now-defunct Trump University were instructed to entice potential customers by flaunting Trump’s name. “You know who my boss is right? Mr. Trump is on a mission to create the next wave of independently wealthy entrepreneurs in America.” The language is contained in a 48-page document made public yesterday in San Diego where plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit have accused Trump University of being a sham. To them, it’s the script of fraud. The document and several others were ordered unsealed by the judge overseeing the case despite opposition from Trump himself. “The judge has been very unfair and has not done a good job,” Trump said yetserday during a news conference in New York. ABC’s AARON KATERSKY, KATHERINE FAULDERS and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE have more: http://abcn.ws/1Y1kUxb
TRUMP FOUNDATION MADE A NUMBER OF DONATIONS TO VETERAN GROUPS LAST WEEK. Of the 41 veterans groups Trump claims he has sent donations totaling $5.6 million, at least 14 said they received the money -- representing 35 percent of the total cash -- last week after questions were raised about where the cash was going. Of those 14 organizations, 11 said they had never received previous donations from or through Trump. Three of those groups, Achilles International, the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund -- said they had received some money earlier this year, in the months following Trump’s Jan. 28 Des Moines, IA veterans fundraiser, but also received donations last week. ABC’s ALANA ABRAMSON, LIZZY THOMAS, and SHUSHANNAH WALSHE have more. http://abcn.ws/1Uciy97
CLINTON SHIFTS HER SCHEDULE TO FOCUS ON CALIFORNIA. Hillary Clinton has shifted her game plan to show more love to California before the state's June 7 primary. The Democratic front-runner changed her schedule for this week, canceling a Thursday event in New Jersey in order to be in California on the days leading up to next Tuesday’s election there. ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY and LIZ KREUTZ report, Clinton will now be in California from June 2 to June 6, her campaign said this weekend. This isn't the first time she has changed her schedule to allow more face time with California voters: She also added a roundtable event in Oakland Friday before heading back to the East Coast for the Memorial Day weekend. But a Clinton campaign aide dismissed speculation that the changes are an indication of anything more than scheduling adjustments. http://abcn.ws/1XcvAu7
NOTED: CALIFORNIA GOV. ENDORSES CLINTON. California Gov. Jerry Brown has thrown his support behind Hillary Clinton one week before his state’s primary contest. “On Tuesday, June 7, I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump,” Brown wrote in an open letter to California Democrats and Independents, which he posted on his Twitter and Facebook accounts. ABC’s ALANA ABRAMSON notes Brown’s endorsement comes in spite of a contentious history with Bill Clinton, who he ran against in 1992. http://abcn.ws/1O27DCt
THE 5 MOST CONTENTIOUS EXCHANGES FROM YESTERDAY’S TRUMP NEWS CONFERENCE. Donald Trump is no stranger to the media. As he mentions often, he’s been in the limelight for years, and is known for calling reporters and newsrooms directly to float story ideas or contest coverage. And while relations between journalists and the candidates they cover can be contentious, it is rare, perhaps, for a presidential candidate to hurl insults at the press corps with as much frequency as this presumptive Republican nominee does. At Tuesday’s news conference, for instance, he referred to various reporters as “dishonest,” “disgusting” and “sleazy,” while mocking one as “a real beauty.” ABC’s CANDACE SMITH has more on the five of the most combative moments. http://abcn.ws/1TVCuB9
CLEVELAND MAYOR, SAFETY OFFICIALS UNVEIL RNC SECURITY PLAN. Cleveland really wants you to know that it will be safe and prepared to host the 2016 Republican National Convention in July. City officials unveiled a "preparedness plan" Tuesday to show how they plan to secure the large-scale event, touting the work they are doing in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and saying they're "all in" -- a nod to the phrase made popular by the city's finals-bound professional basketball team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. "We are prepared," Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said during the press conference. "We have done our due diligence in many different ways." ABC’s MARIAM KHAN reports, Federal agencies will also be involved in securing the RNC. http://abcn.ws/1Xd7oI7
WHO’S TWEETING?
@PhilipRucker: .@edatpost @mikedebonis go inside the Democrats’ Trump-fueled scramble to take back the House https://t.co/jyHrzgjOhS
@Timodc: I'm old enough to remember when Trump railed against loser establishment DC hacks getting rich on Super PACs
@DavidMDrucker: .@ByronYork explains @realDonaldTrump's attack on @Gov_Martinez: http://washex.am/1Y2pify ... I explain GOP reaction: http://washex.am/1XPei4O
@politico: .@HillaryClinton wants to reboot her image — but a certain homebrewed server stands in the way http://politi.co/1UdQUIV via @AnnieKarni http://politi.co/282QnDI
@danmericaCNN: HRC will headline a "summer celebration" fundraiser tonight in Boston that includes a performance by Jon Bon Jovi.
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