CNN’s POLITICAL GUT CHECK | for July 22, 2014 | 5 p.m.
— n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle
FAA BANS U.S. FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL, CITING ROCKET ATTACKS … The FAA has told U.S. airlines that they are prohibited from flying to or from Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport for a period of up to 24 hours. "The notice was issued in response to a rocket strike which landed approximately one mile from" the airport on Tuesday morning, the FAA said.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: ALBRIGHT: ISRAEL ‘OVER-DOING’ IT … Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tuesday that Israel was “hurting” its “moral authority” with its response to the attacks in Gaza.
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“I do think they are over-doing” it, she said. While Albright argued that Israel does have the right to defend itself, she said that the issue of “proportionality” of lives lost is important in this situation.
EU ACCELERATES TOUGHER SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA … The European Union is on track to reach agreement for the first time on a list of companies and organizations to hit with sanctions in connection with the crisis in Ukraine. To date, only individuals have been targeted. Agreement is expected to come at a meeting of EU ambassadors on Thursday; the names of the companies and organizations targeted should be published on Saturday.
A PROPAGANDA WAR? Read some of the alternate takes Russia is offering to what brought down MH17.
CONFLICTING COURT DECISIONS ISSUED ON KEY PART OF OBAMACARE PROGRAM … In a dramatic blow to a key Obamacare program, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that individuals cannot use tax credits or subsidies to buy health insurance on federally run exchanges. But in a second decision on the same issue, a federal appeals court in Richmond on Tuesday ruled in favor of government subsidies for people signing up for Obamacare health coverage … For now, the law remains unchanged and the subsidized policies are unaffected until the legal case plays out, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.– Bill Mears and Tom Cohen
RUBIO: “With two conflicting appellate court rulings on ObamaCare today, I reaffirm my belief that this law ultimately will fall apart.”
PEACH FIGHT TONIGHT: GOP SENATE CANDIDATES VIE FOR SPOT TO TAKE ON NUNN IN NOVEMBER … Voters cast ballots Tuesday in Georgia's Republican Senate primary runoff, after weeks of the two candidates sharpening their attacks. The battle's between Rep. Jack Kingston and businessman David Perdue, with the winner facing off against Democrat Michelle Nunn in November … Perdue and Kingston finished first and second in a seven candidate field in the May 20 primary. But while Perdue edged Kingston by five percentage points in the primary, the most recent polling in the runoff suggests Kingston holds a single-digit edge. – Paul Steinhauser
THE CHAMBER PUMPED $2 MILLION INTO THE STATE TO AID KINGSTON … CNN’s Peter Hamby writes in the second part of his multi-part series called “The Final Chapter”: The Chamber is hardly a new player in political campaigns, having dabbled in elections up and down the ballot statewide and federally for the better part of two decades, usually backing Republicans over Democrats in general election contests, late in the race rather than early, and never taking sides in primaries. But Chamber officials say the business community's growing exasperation with Washington intransigence demanded a juiced-up political program this cycle – both in Republican primaries and with early advertising salvos against targeted Democrats.
READ THE FULL PIECE: Company men: the U.S. Chamber flexes its new political muscle
THE BUZZ: GOVERNMENT AGENCY TWEETS ABOUT KARDASHIANS, BAFFLES LAWMAKERS … In what seems to be a complete social media flub, the official Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water’s Twitter handle tweeted out an automated message promoting a new Kardashian Hollywood game. “I'm now a C-List celebrity in Kim Kardashian: Hollywood,” @EPAWater tweeted Monday night. “Come join me and become famous too by playing on iPhone!“
The tweet drew confused responses from many people, including some lawmakers. "I'm the last original author of the Clean Water Act, but I have no idea who/what a Kardashian is and I rarely play games," longtime Democratic Rep. John Dingell of Michigan wrote in a tweet back to the EPA. "You OK, @EPAwater?" he added
MARKET WATCH: S&P 500 ends 0.5% higher, but shy of record high set earlier, following earnings reports. Dow rises 62 points.
TRAIL TRIVIA
(Answer Below)
In the rare instance that two Supreme Court justices are sworn in on the same day, how is seniority is determined?
the LEDE
Did you miss it?
Leading CNNPolitics: Obama set to rake in millions, despite criticism of fundraising during tumult
Based on descriptions of Obama’s fundraisers from Democratic officials, Obama could raise north of $6 million during a three-day West Coast swing, which comes at the same time as an Israeli ground invasion into Gaza and international outcry over the downing of a jetliner over Ukraine. – Kevin Liptak
Leading CNNMoney: Sanctions: Top 10 Russian targets
The U.S. government, whose lead Europe might now follow, has taken a tougher approach - targeting Russian companies and oligarchs, some close to President Vladimir Putin. The sanctions haven't gone after broad sectors of the Russian economy, but they have set key players scrambling. – Mark Thompson
Leading HuffPo: Truly Horrifying: Eyebrow-raising GOP Immigration Theories Explored
Since the beginning of October, more than 57,000 unaccompanied children have been caught at the U.S.-Mexico border trying to enter the United States illegally. As the number of detained children grows, so does the number of politicians who have spoken on the subject. – Natasha Bach
Leading Drudge: Flight Diverted After Rocket Lands Near Tel Aviv Airport
Delta Air Lines is canceling all flights to Israel until further notice after a rocket landed near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. A Delta Boeing 747 from New York was flying over the Mediterranean headed for Tel Aviv on Tuesday when it turned around and flew to Paris instead. Flight 468 had 273 passengers and 17 crew on board. U.S. Airways also suspended service to Israel Tuesday.
Leading Politico: Money gap: Why don't women give?
For all the progress women have made in Congress and in elections, they are practically sitting out the new game that is redefining American politics: big money.- Anna Palmer and Tarini Parti
Leading New York Times: Obama’s Secret to Handling Criticism? Focus, and No TV
President Obama had to laugh. He had just been asked how he deals with criticism, and something about the question just struck him as funny. Maybe it is because criticism is one thing he sees no shortage of these days. – Peter Baker
HOT SOTS
The political bites of the day
– Discrepancy: Who makes decisions about flight plans? –
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOSH EARNEST TO CNN’S JIM ACOSTA AT A WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING TUESDAY: “Individual carriers … make the decisions about their individual flight plans and whether or not to alter certain routes based on hostilities on the ground.”
INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION IN A STATEMENT WEDNESDAY: “Airlines carry the passengers and cargo. Governments and air navigation service providers inform airlines about the routes that they can fly and with what restrictions. Airlines comply with that guidance.”
– Clapper: We face worse threats today that I’ve ever seen –
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE JAMES CLAPPER AT A TEN-YEAR 9/11 COMMISSION ANNIVERSARY EVENT IN WASHINGTON: “The threats we're facing are more diverse than they were three years ago, or at any time since I started in this business in 1963. And these recent world events show how complex our challenges are.”
– Christie implies unlikely for him to support Cuomo for NY Gov. –
CHRIS CHRISTIE AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT FOR TOM FOLEY IN CONNECTICUT MONDAY: "I will spend time in places where we have a chance to win, I said that right from the beginning … We don't pay for landslides and we don't invest in lost causes.”
– Republican candidate: Maybe Christie should step down from RGA –
REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IN NEW YORK ROB ASTORINO IN AN INTERVIEW WITH FRED DICKER ON WGDJ-AM: “Unless he is unable or unwilling because he has an issue that we don't know about with Andrew Cuomo and the bridgegate scandal. And if that's the case and he feels he can't do it, then maybe he should step down as chairman because his role is to raise money for Republican candidates.”
– Durbin to Walgreens: Denouncing American corporate citizenship ‘hard to defend’ –
SEN. DICK DURBIN, D-ILLINOIS, IN A LETTER TO THE CEO OF DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS-BASED WALGREENS: “Customers have many choices about where to shop and where to have their prescriptions filled. I believe you will find that your customers are deeply patriotic and will not support Walgreen’s decision to turn its back on the United States. Nearly all of your $2.5 billion in profits earned last year were from sales to U.S. taxpaying customers … Is ‘the corner of happy and healthy’ somewhere in the Swiss Alps?”
– POTUS to Netherlands: As your friend, ‘we will not rest until we are certain that justice is done’ –
PRESIDENT OBAMA IN A CONDOLENCES BOOK AT THE EMBASSY OF THE NETHERLANDS: “On behalf of the American people, I extend our deepest condolences to the people of the Netherlands as they mourn the loss of so many family and friends. No words can adequately express the sorrow the world feels over this loss. It is made more acute by the deep ties of friendship between our two countries. Bound by that friendship, we will not rest until we are certain that justice is done. God Bless, Barack Obama.”
TOP TWEETS
What stopped us in 140 characters or less
Michael Koplow (@mkoplow)
Now that Hamas rockets have shut down incoming flights, it will be much harder for Israeli politicians to call for leaving the West Bank.
Dave Stroup @DaveStroup
I think the 4th Circuit just subtweeted the DC Circuit.
Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo)
Ideology/intent aside, Obamacare was horribly written. Congress needs rules requiring more transparency, time for bills to be read
Evan Pérez (@evanperez)
DoJ suspends sending observers to poll watch. No poll observers in Ga, Miss elex. http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/22/politics/justice-department-poll-watching/index.html …
Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman)
FEC says @PRyan can use campaign $ to buy his new book. He’ll also have a bus tour, which will NOT stop in Wis http://politi.co/1nxwuzF
Reid Wilson (@PostReid)
The Most Interesting Politician in the World is running for governor of Colorado — http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/07/22/colorados-self-declared-most-interesting-politician-in-the-world/ … https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p0124QpoM4Q
Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet)
Pres. Obama nixs guesting on @jimmykimmel because going on comedy show would look bad in wake of #MH17, other crisis, says@PressSec Earnest.
Nikki Schwab (@NikkiSchwab)
The time Martin O'Malley and David Simon hang out on an @Amtrak train – http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/omalley-still-hates-the-wire-but-will-drink-beer-snap-a-selfie-with-david-simon/2014/07/22/67a08f44-11af-11e4-9285-4243a40ddc97_story.html?wpisrc=nl_buzz … – via @washingtonpost
Marlena Baldacci (@MarlenaCNN)
Happy 1st birthday, Prince George! The future king's first year in photos: http://cnn.it/1jTgqqV pic.twitter.com/1v6OXjUFGZ via @cnni
John Dingell (@john_dingell)
Staff has now informed me of what a Kardashian is. I'm only left with more questions.
TMZ (@TMZ)
Sarah Palin - Ticketed for Speeding ... 'I Wasn't Speeding, I Was Qualifying' http://dlvr.it/6PDmVQ
TRIVIA ANSWER from @sarafischer
In the rare instance that two Supreme Court justices are sworn-in on the same day, seniority is determined by age. This has happened in one instance, when Lewis Powell, Jr., and William H. Rehnquist were both sworn-in on January 7, 1972. Although Rehnquist took Constitutional Oath before Powell, Chief Justice Warren Burger administered the Judicial Oath to Powell before Rehnquist because he was older. Powell was 64. Rehnquist was 47.
http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/oath/supremecourtoathfirstsandtrivia2009.aspx
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