Notable Quotes of the Day

“If our economic growth falters, the president will blame the Federal Reserve Board for its bungling of interest rates, and he’ll claim that he bravely jeopardized his reelection bid by taking on the Chinese – something that had to be done. He will be right on both counts and he will be forgiven by his supporters.”

– Liz Peek, Fox News

“A recession between now and the 2020 election would likely put a dagger in the heart of President Trump’s reelection chances. The president has argued that the currently low unemployment and high stock prices are the product of his economic policies. If unemployment rises and stock prices fall, as they would in a recession, it is hard to see how he won’t own these failures in the minds of voters.

Not that he won’t try to pin the economy’s problems on others, most notably the Federal Reserve and the conduct of monetary policy, but I doubt most voters will be duped.”

– Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics

Democrats

• ABC News announced the details of its upcoming presidential primary debate on September 12-13, 2019. George Stephonapolus, David Muir, Jorge Ramos, and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate. If more than 10 candidates qualify, a selection event will be held on Aug. 29 and the candidates will be randomly distributed across both nights. Texas Southern University will host the event.

• Michael Bennet proposed spending $500 billion over a decade on apprenticeship and skills training programs for workers without college degrees.

• Joe Biden posted a new digital ad about the Trump administration’s gun regulation policy, which ends with the written text, “Joe Biden has beat the NRA twice. And will do it again.” 

• Cory Booker discussed trans issues and his nonbinary relative in an interview with the National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund. He also traveled to Los Angeles Wednesday for a grassroots fundraising event. 

• Steve Bullock attended the Jeremy Bullock Safe Schools Summit Tuesday and spoke about gun safety Wednesday on MSNBC.

• Pete Buttigieg is campaigning Thursday in Portland, Maine.

• Julián Castro proposed doubling investment in wind power, spending $10 billion annually in renewable technology export promotion, and creating a $200 billion fund to invest in climate infrastructure.

• Kamala Harris will attend a fundraiser in Los Angeles Thursday. She also expanded her California staff, bringing on seven new hires.

• Jay Inslee suspended his presidential campaign Wednesday night, making the announcement on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show.

• Amy Klobuchar will be in the Twin Cities for the opening day of the Minnesota State Fair Thursday.

• Beto O’Rourke toured the Veterans Community Project, a village of tiny houses for homeless veterans in Kansas City, Wednesday.

• Bernie Sanders released a union policy proposal that would end “right to work” laws and ban the replacement of striking workers.

• Elizabeth Warren held a town hall in Los Angeles Wednesday.

• Marianne Williamson discussed her faith and previous statements about illness and disease and how spirituality informs the political climate on The Argument, a podcast from The New York Times.

Republicans

• In an interview on Hacks on Tap, Anthony Scaramucci said he was forming a super PAC to air ads targeting Donald Trump.

On the Cusp: Tracking Potential Candidates

• Conservative radio show host and former Rep. Joe Walsh is considering entering the Republican primary and could make an announcement as early as this weekend.

Flashback: August 22, 2015

The Kentucky Republican Party approved holding a presidential caucus rather than primary, which would allow Rand Paul to simultaneously run for president and U.S. Senate.