Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning Must Reads for Friday, October 14, 2016

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 288th day of the year. There are 78 days left in 2016.

Utah GOP Chair James Evans floats a Clinton conspiracy theory. Mia Love makes a big fundraising haul. A new poll gives Donald Trump a 6-point lead in Utah.

The clock:

• Three days to the 1st Congressional District debate at Weber State University (10/17/2016)
• Five days to the 3rd Congressional District debate at Utah Valley University (10/19/2016)
• Five days to the third presidential debate at UNLV (10/19/2016)
• 18 days to register to vote online in Utah (11/1/2016)
• 25 days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)
• 101 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (1/23/2017)
• 146 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (3/9/2017)

Ten talking points for Friday:

1. Oof! Utah GOP Chairman James Evans is shut down on live TV by a CNN anchor after he attempts to float a conspiracy theory that Bill Clinton fathered an illegitimate child with a prostitute [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
   
   
2. Mia Love pulls in a massive 3rd quarter fundraising haul of $1.4 million, which leaves her with nearly $1.2 million in the bank [Utah Policy]. Two GOP PACs are set to pour a half-million dollars into Utah's 4th district to boost Love in the final days of the 2016 campaign [Utah Policy].
   
   
3. A new poll gives Donald Trump a 6-point lead over Hillary Clinton, 34-28%. Independent candidate Evan McMullin is at 20% [Utah Policy].
   
   
4. Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine says the Clinton campaign plans to make a play to win Utah in the final days before November [ABC 4].
   
   
5. Michelle Obama delivers a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump's alleged mistreatment of women [Bloomberg].
   
   
6. Donald Trump lashes out at the women accusing him of sexual misconduct, calling their claims "fabricated" and "absolutely false," alleging they are part of a "vast conspiracy" against him [NBC News]. 
   
   
7. Leaked emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta showed the campaign tried to move the Illinois primary to a later date [CBS News].
   
   
8. Independent candidate Evan McMullin has a chance of winning the White House in November, but it's a very long-shot [Five Thirty Eight].
   
   
9. The candidates for Salt Lake County Mayor clash over the Mountain Accord. Republican Dave Robinson says Democratic incumbent Ben McAdams is using the group to push contracts toward his supporters. McAdams forcefully denies those allegations [Tribune].
   
   
10. The Salt Lake County GOP votes to censure Julie Dole, who is the chief deputy for embattled Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott. The county party says Dole made "blatantly false public statements" and attempted to hide Ott's deteriorating mental state from the public [Deseret News].

On this day in history:

• 1066 - William, Duke of Normandy, better known as William the Conqueror, led his invading army to victory over England's King Harold at Hastings.
• 1912 - Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning for a return to office, was shot in Milwaukee. He refused to have the wound treated until he finished his speech.
• 1933 - Nazi Germany announced its withdrawal from the League of Nations.
• 1947 - Air Force test pilot Charles E. Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier when he flew the experimental Bell X-1 rocket plane over Edwards Air Force Base in California.
• 1964 - Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1968 - The first live telecast from a manned U.S. spacecraft was transmitted from Apollo 7.

Today At Utah Policy

Bob Bernick's Notebook: Utah GOP Has 'Trump Trouble' By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor OK, we’ve all said and done stupid things....

Trump's Troubles and a Clinton Landslide? - Bernick and Schott on Politics, Episode #302 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick Donald Trump is having massive problems in Utah. Could the GOP nominee actually lose rock-solid Republican Utah in November?...

GOP Groups Pouring Money in Utah's 4th District Race to Help Mia Love By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Two GOP political action committees are set to pump a half-million dollars into Utah's 4th Congressional District race....

Monmouth Poll Gives Trump 6-Point Lead in Utah By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Another poll shows GOP nominee Donald Trump struggling mightily in Utah....

Love Pulls in Massive $1.4 Million Cash Haul in Latest Fundraising Quarter By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Mia Love pulled in a whopping $1,434,016 during the latest fundraising quarter, leaving her with $1,193,472 in the bank....

James Evans Booted by CNN Host After Bringing Up Story About Bill Clinton Love Child (with video) By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Let's just say Utah GOP Chairman James Evans has had better weeks....

Weekly Survey: Will the Trump Tape Affect the Presidential Race in Utah? By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Many Utah Republicans have abandoned their support for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump after a tape surfaced showing him making offensive comments about women. Will the fallout allow another candidate to win Utah's six Electoral Votes in this traditionally Republican s...

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on Politics, Episode #302 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick  Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott give you the "what" and the "why" from the past week in Utah politics....

Wise Words

Courage
"Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage." Confucius

Lighter Side

Working Out
"Supporters of Donald Trump are saying the fact that he lost a billion dollars and then didn't pay income taxes for 18 years means he is a 'genius.' They also say three marriages makes him a 'feminist,' so it kind of works out." Conan O'Brien