June 19, 2019: President Donald Trump kicked off his re-election campaign last night, featuring the slogan Keep America Great. The New York Times released a series of interviews where it asked 21 Democratic candidates the same 18 questions.

Notable Quotes of the Day

“It is clear that the inherently dubious nature of [the debates] has been exacerbated by the party’s new rules. A real debate would provide a substantive back and forth between candidates on major issues; but despite the considerable build-up, that’s not what these nationally televised sessions deliver.”

—Elizabeth Drew, Daily Beast

“The field will winnow. And I don’t think that it’s worth it for the DNC to be involved in the winnowing. I don’t find it concerning or alarming to have 20 people running for president. I think it’s great.”

—U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Politico

Democrats

• The New York Times released a video interview series with 21 of the Democratic candidates, where it asked each candidate the same 18 questions. The three candidates to not participate were Joe Biden, Mike Gravel, and Wayne Messam.
• Joe Biden visited Stonewall Inn in New York City to celebrate Pride Month.
• Bill de Blasio expressed support for New York’s new law allowing immigrants residing in the country without legal permission to obtain driver’s licenses.
• Cory Booker will testify before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties at a hearing on paying reparations to descendants of slaves.
• Steve Bullock met the polling threshold to qualify for the second Democratic debate in July.
• Jay Inslee announced the hiring of a number of campaign staff, including press secretary Katie Rodihan and operations director Molly Keenan.
• Seth Moulton participated in a virtual town hall for Business Insider. Moulton discussed his National Service Guarantee plan and the Green New Deal.
• Beto O’Rourke released his voting policy plan, which called for a new Voting Rights Act that allows for same-day and automatic voter registration and limits gerrymandering.
• Bernie Sanders discussed the Trump administration’s Iran policy on MSNBC.
• Elizabeth Warren introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that would implement her universal child care plan.
• Marianne Williamson spoke at the World Affairs Council of New Hampshire, where she said that the U.S. should re-enter the Paris climate accords and the Iran nuclear deal.
• Andrew Yang appeared on MSNBC’s Meet the Press Daily, where he discussed his campaign and told viewers he would not be running in 2020 if Trump had not won in 2016.

Republicans

• Donald Trump announced his re-election bid in Orlando, Florida. His 2020 campaign slogan will be Keep America Great.
• The Independent Journal Review published an interview with Bill Weld.

General Election Updates

• The Bridge Project released an ad in opposition to Trump that highlights audio from last year related to family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border. The ad played on the radio in Orlando prior to Trump’s re-election announcement. According to the group’s website, The Bridge Project “is dedicated to opposing the conservative movement’s extreme ideology and exposing its dishonest tactics.”

What We’re Reading

• Vanity Fair: “What Can You Say in 60 Seconds?”: As the First Debate Looms, Democrats Prepare to Face Reality
• Politico: Inside Donald Trump’s Florida obsession
• National Review: The 2020 Battle Begins

Flashback: June 19, 2015

Time released an article highlighting Hillary Clinton’s plan to live stream house parties across the country in order to build grassroots support.