2020 Daily Trail Markers: When Kamala Harris praised Joe Biden
"FAMILY" FEUD? Former Vice President Joe Biden said he plans to not be so "polite" to Sen. Kamala Harris at the next debate. Yesterday, he reiterated that he was surprised by her attacks on him at the last debate, noting that not that long ago she asked him to speak at the 2016 California Democratic Convention. In her speech, Harris praised Biden and alluded that he was "family."
Here's what she said then:
"And speaking of family, let me say something about our next speaker, Joe Biden, the Vice President of the United States. Joe has given so much to our country and on top of everything he has accomplished he gave us my dear friend Beau Biden. In fact it is through my friendship with Beau that I truly came to know Joe Biden, not just as a leader but as a person. So California Democrats I say from my personal experience that the Biden family truly represents our nation's highest ideals—a powerful belief in the nobility of public service. Let's give it up for Joe Biden. Yeah!"
Watch the full clip, dug up by CBS News Campaign Reporter Bo Erickson, here.
After Harris' 2016 speech, Biden took the stage and called Harris a "great friend." Months later, he endorsed her bid for the Senate along with President Barack Obama.
FROM THE CANDIDATES
SEC. JULIAN CASTRO: CBS News Campaign Reporter LaCrai Mitchell says after a stop through the Palmetto state last weekend, Sec. Julián Castro's team has announced 16 new campaign and promotions in their San Antonio headquarters and in early primary states, like South Carolina. Christina Cue, who was announced as the South Carolina State Director, says she's excited to be back in her home state after previously working with the Obama administration.
"I'm excited to be back home working for the Secretary in S.C.…it's important to have people on his team from the state because we know our state best," said Cue. "It's important to have people from your own town and neighborhood that can convey Secretary Castro's message to put people first in every aspect of his agenda, especially in S.C."
Press secretary Sawyer Hackett added that these additions will strengthen their presence in the "first in the South" primary state.
"As our campaign continues to build momentum and expand our presence across the country, we couldn't be more excited to have Christina and Elizabeth—two talented political and organizing operatives from the Palmetto State—join our team," said Hackett. "Their combined experience and local expertise will be invaluable to Secretary Castro's ability to compete in the state next February"
SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand doubled down on the Democratic primary theme of "ending Forever wars" in a speech to the Chicago Council of Global Affairs on Wednesday. She promised the audience that she "will ask Congress to pass a bill to require that we never again authorize a war without a clear time limit, without naming specific enemies, and without geographic parameters."
CBS News Political Unit AP Ellee Watson notes that many candidates, including Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders, have called for Congressional Authorizations of Use of Force to have clear end goals, but Gillibrand is the first to propose setting strict time limits.
BETO O'ROURKE: 2020 Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke's South Carolina team has announced their first office openings in the state. In a press release Thursday, O'Rourke's South Carolina senior adviser Tyler Jones said the openings are just the beginning of the team's expansion throughout the state.
"Beto is committed to winning South Carolina by running a grassroots campaign that includes everyone and counts no one out," said Jones. "Team Beto will continue expanding its footprint in the state throughout the summer so that every South Carolinian — no matter who they are or where they live — knows that we are putting their concerns and voices at the center of our campaign."
A South Carolina campaign spokesperson added to CBS News Campaign Reporter LaCrai Mitchell that while these are the first office openings, the team plans to continue capitalizing on the excitement they've seen from voters during O'Rourke's previous visits. To date, he's made 4 visits to the state since declaring his candidacy.
STATELY COVERAGE
DOWN SOUTH: On the heels of former special counsel Robert Mueller's Congressional hearings, one South Carolina resident says that she felt his testimony was a wake-up call to Congress. Katherine, who didn't want her last name to be used and recently moved to the Palmetto state from Ohio, said she plans to register in South Carolina for the 2020 presidential election.
"I think people thought [Mueller's testimony] would be black and white like Twitter but he had to word it in a way to give the public a message without putting his career or profession in jeopardy," said Katherine. She went on to add that people must "read between the lines" and take note of the urgency Mueller placed on the importance of securing the 2020 presidential election.
"When he said 'we must act swiftly' and when I started reading today, I said to myself 'did people not just hear what Mueller said?'" recalled Katherine. "It scares me because I'm afraid people are going to put his important message on the backburner because they don't want to deal with it anymore."
Throughout the week, CBS News Campaign Reporter LaCrai Mitchell has spoken with several South Carolina voters who have differing views on the importance and relevance of Mueller's testimony. The majority of voters said that his investigation and testimony have not impacted their day-to-day lives.
OUT WEST: Just days after Beto O'Rourke inaugurated his team in Nevada, fellow Texan Julián Castro is touting a slew of his own hires, says CBS News Campaign Reporter Alex Tin. Among them are Nevada State Director Kirstian Carranza and State Political Director Michael Cullen, who have been on the ground leading Castro's all-Latino team in the Silver State. With its significant Latino and immigrant electorate, Nevada's Feb. 22 caucus could prove a unique opportunity for the former Obama housing chief among the early states. Seventy percent of the state's Latino Democrats say they are likely to vote in the contest, according to a recent poll by UnidosUS.
MONEY MATTERS
ON THE MONEY: It's summer fundraising season, and for some democratic candidates that means heading to the Hamptons. According to an invite obtained by CBS News Political Unit AP Sarah Ewall-Wice, Sen. Kamala Harris will be stopping by the popular vacation spot for a fundraiser August 18th. The event will take place at the home of public relations firm MWWPR's founder and CEO Michael Kempner and his wife Jackie. According to FEC filings, Kempner has donated to several presidential candidates this year besides Harris including former VP Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Cory Booker, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The summer fundraising swing comes after Sen. Harris raised $12 million in the second quarter of the year.
IN THE SENATE: CBS News Political Unit AP Ellee Watson reports that individual Democratic Senate candidates are raking in cash, but the overall effort to flip the Senate is not receiving the same jolt. For the first time since 2011, the National Republican Senate Campaign Committee is outpacing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in an off-year. The Center for Responsible Politics has found that Democratic donors are giving more to Senate candidates individually than committees like the DSCC and Democratic National Committee.
CAPITOL COVERAGE
ANOTHER GOP RETIREMENT: For the second time this week, a GOP Representative has announced retirement at the end of their term, reports CBS News Political Unit Broadcast Associate Aaron Navarro. Texas Rep. Pete Olson was first elected in 2008 and said in a news release that it's time "for another citizen-legislator to take up this mission, not to make a career out of politics, but to help lead in the cause of empowering our people, defending our liberties, and making sure America remains the greatest nation in history."
Just yesterday, Michigan Rep. Paul Mitchell announced he would not run for re-election due to the "rhetoric" in politics. Like Mitchell, Olson disavowed President Trump's racist Tweets against four progressive congresswomen of color. In his Tweet, Olsen said that Trump's comments don't reflect the values of his district and urged the president to "immediately disavow his comments." National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Emmer thanked Olsen in a statement and said whoever the Democratic nominee is, they "will be forced to defend their party's radical agenda of socialized medicine and killing oil and gas jobs with the Green New Deal in a solid Republican district."