News Reporter: The Daily 202 : Donald Trump isn't the only problem facing Republican women

Donald Trump isn't the only problem facing Republican women

Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., shrugs off Donald Trump's comments about women. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (CQ Roll Call via AP Images)

THE BIG IDEA:

By Rachel Van Dongen, filling in for James, who is on vacation

Republican women have a problem -- and it's not just Donald Trump. They are vastly underrepresented in the halls of Congress compared to female Democrats. And perhaps even more problematic, only one woman serves among the House's top four leadership positions, and no Republican woman holds a top-ranking leadership role in the Senate. In a fundamental way, that means fewer GOP women have a seat at the table as the power of Democratic women grows.

Nancy Pelosi is aiming once again to be House speaker if Hillary Clinton wins the White House, which would represent a watershed moment for women in American politics as two women would control the most powerful jobs in previously male-dominated Washington (read Kelsey Snell's piece on Pelosi, what she's doing to retake the House majority and her definition of real power)

These are the findings of PowerPost's "Women in Power" project that launches today and explores how women gain, consolidate and experience power in politics and policy.

One of the most fundamental issues for high-ranking women in the nation's capital, reports Elise Viebeck in a piece called "Where are all the high-ranking GOP women?," is the lack of party parity. Today, there are 20 women in the Senate (14 Democrats and 6 Republicans) and 84 women in the House (62 Democrats and 22 Republicans), according to Rutgers' Center for American Women in Politics. That is not a whole lot higher than the two Senate and 12 House Republican women that held office when Clinton first came to Washington in 1993.

Now, Clinton might become the first female president. And conservative women are busy fending off attacks on their gender by Trump. That doesn't seem to bother them, however. As Elise writes, "In more than a dozen interviews, Republican women generally shrugged their shoulders at Trump's comments ... 'Many of us wish he had not said some things,' said Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.) recently. "My hope is that we're going to see a change of tone and a change of demeanor' ... 'But, when you've worked like I have in male-dominated environments for years, you many times push comments like that aside.'"

Disrespect is nothing new for Republican women anyway. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) recalls being angry by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumseld mansplaining the revelations surrounding the Abu Ghraib scandal in 2004: "It angered me that he blew off what I thought was a very central, legitimate question," Collins told Elise. "I didn't think my question was unfair. I remember he would not look at me when I was asking the question. And I felt that indicated his total lack of respect." Read more of Elise's story here.

And make sure to read the rest of the pieces in the first installment of this series:

Matea Gold reports that female donors are -- slowly -- breaking into the top echelons of funders. So far, 37 women rank among the top 150 donors to super PACs this cycle, contributing nearly $63 million to super PACs through the end of June, Matea finds.
Q and As with Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) on leading as African American and Hispanic women lawmakers
Karoun Demirjian tells us about the quest of the four female combat veterans in Congress to have a voice on military and national security issues, traditionally the bastion of male veterans

We also have a host of video content with revealing interviews from some of the most senior women in Washington. Watch them below. And please, let us know what you think of these stories, and tell us your own experiences about what it's like to be a woman in Washington at womeninpower@washpost.com.

Watch the Collins-Rumsfeld exchange on Abu Ghraib:

2004: Collins, Rumsfeld clash over Abu Ghraib

Katie Walsh is the chief of staff at the Republican National Committee and the youngest person to ever have that job.

Women in Power | Katie Walsh

Kim Koopersmith is the chairperson of D.C. legal powerhouse Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP:

Women in Power | Kim Koopersmith

And Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) tells us why she never saw her limitations as a woman in power:

Women in Power | Terri Sewell

Welcome to the Daily 202, PowerPost's morning newsletter.
With contributions from Breanne Deppisch (@breanne_dep) and Elise Viebeck (@eliseviebeck) Sign up to receive the newsletter.

President Obama visits Vietnam's commercial hub to tout TPP.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING:

Forecast for trade, cloudy with small chance of clearing:

--President Obama will use a visit from the prime minister of Singapore today to launch a final public campaign for the embattled Trans-Pacific Partnership, David Nakamura writes. "Meanwhile, even its proponents are losing hope that the deal can survive strong anti-trade rancor in the Democratic Party." What to look for: "Administration officials said Obama intends to reassure Singapore's Lee Hsien Loong during a White House meeting that Congress will ratify the TPP before the president leaves office in January.

But that is looking increasingly less likely." With time running out, Obama reaffirmed his commitment to the 12-nation deal, declaring he remains "optimistic" that Congress will ultimately support it. "I know that the politics around trade can be very difficult, especially in an election year," Obama said in an interview with the Straits Times of Singapore. "The answer isn't to turn inward and embrace protectionism … We can't just walk away from trade."

Obama's remarks continue to put him at odds with Hillaty Clinton, who strongly reiterated her opposition to TPP in Philadelphia last week (despite Clinton friend and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe saying otherwise). The move, aimed at quelling party unrest, was seen by White House allies as a setback for the administration.

--The U.S. airstrikes against ISIS in Libya marked a significant expansion of the U.S. campaign against the militant group.:

From Missy Ryan and Sudarsan Raghavan: "The attacks come at a pivotal point in the effort to retake control of Sirte, which militants seized in early 2015 and have sought to transform into an annex of its so-called caliphate. The militants have also used Sirte as a base of operations to seize more territory and launch attacks on Libya's oil infrastructure. If the use of American air power is sustained, the Sirte campaign would open a new chapter in the Obama administration's war against the Islamic State and its campaign to establish a caliphate across a wide swath of Africa, the Middle East and Asia."

GET SMART FAST:

Federal health authorities urged pregnant woman not to visit parts of south Florida where new Zika cases have begun to emerge. The announcement comes after an additional 10 people were diagnosed with Zika in the state, bringing the total number of identified cases to 14. (Lena H. Sun, Drew Harwell and Brady Dennis)
A longtime FBI agent with top-secret security clearance pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of China. The 46-year-old, who was secretly arrested in March, was accused of being lavished with prostitutes, cash and expensive hotel rooms in exchange for providing officials with sensitive information. (Adam Goldman)
Iran's top leader said that the Iranian people have not seen any benefit from the nuclear deal passed last year, accusing the U.S. of breaching its promises and citing "the futility of negotiations with the Americans." The senior leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told state media that the talks should be deemed "an instructive lesson" on the "dangers posed by interactions with governments he regards as enemies." (New York Times)
A Kentucky judge blocked Gov. Matt Bevin (R) from dissolving the University of Louisville board of trustees, ruling against his controversial efforts to overhaul leadership and appoint new board members himself. Critics said the move would give Bevin "unchecked control" over the public university. (Danielle Douglas-Gabriel)
Olympic athletes and tourists heading to the Rio Olympics have been warned to steer clear of filthy waterways, which are "teeming" with human sewage and dangerous bacteria. Athletes -- who will be competing in the infested waters -- were warned they could contract "serious illness" if they put their head underwater. (AP)
Meanwhile, security experts in Rio were forced to destroy a suspicious package found at the site of the opening games, deploying a bomb-disposal robot to blow up what turned out to be a toolbox. (Cindy Boren)
Joe Biden officiated his first wedding ceremony Monday, marrying two longtime White House staffers at his home. "Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house," the vice president tweeted. "Couldn't be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys." His wife Jill later tweeted, "Love is love!" (Time)
A federal judge blocked North Dakota's new voter ID law, deeming the legislation unfair to Native Americans. The ruling is the latest in a series of recent victories against state-imposed voting restrictions ahead of the November election. (Robert Barnes)
A 29-year-old Maryland woman was saved from rising flood waters this weekend after a group of good Samaritans formed a human chain, risking their lives as they helped her scramble from her quickly submerging vehicle. (Angela Fritz)
Several school districts said the Satanic Temple's plan to open "after-school Satan" clubs in public elementary schools "probably conforms" with policies and local laws. The news comes as the Temple seeks to create a counterpart to evangelical Christian programs across the nation. (Katherine Stewart and Moriah Balingit)
Defense attorneys for Charleston gunman Dylann Roof are challenging the federal government's intent to seek the death penalty in his murder trial. Lawyers for Roof are arguing that the state's death penalty -- as well as the federal death penalty law -- are unconstitutional. (Buzzfeed)
After a beloved 85-year-old priest was murdered at his church in Rouen, France, Christian and Muslim worshippers have begun praying together and attending one another's church and mosque services in a show of solidarity. (New York Times)
India's government is moving to evacuate thousands of laid-off workers in Saudi Arabia stranded in work camps after a downturn in the oil industry. Officials are considering airlifting out the beleaguered laborers, many of whom are without food or proper exit visas to return home. (Rama Lakshmi)
Scientists pinpointed 15 separate DNA locations associated with depression in a groundbreaking new study, helping illustrate the genetic component involved in one of the most common mental illnesses. (Ariana Eunjung Cha)
Police arrested a Milwaukee man who drowned his own baby during a domestic dispute, steadily walking the child into a lake as passersby – and the three-month old child – screamed. (Travis M. Andrews)
A new website called "Reparations" allows white people to offer belongings and services directly to people of color, helping connect communities to combat present-day discrimination. Offers and requests from free Excel lessons to Tarot card readings, to help buying an engagement ring. (Elise Schmelzer)
An Arizona couple was arrested for child neglect after abandoning their two-year-old son to play Pokémon Go. When police finally reached the gaming parents to tell them their son had been found, they reportedly replied with a simple "whatever" before hanging up. (Sarah Larimer)

Hillary Clinton plays with balloons during a celebration on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

POST-CONVENTION BUMP UPDATE:

-- Clinton emerged from the Philadelphia convention with a seven-point bounce over Trump, per a new CNN/ORC poll. The Democratic presidential nominee now leads Trump 52 to 43 percent, and 45 to 37 percent in a four-way contest with Gary Johnson and Jill Stein.

More Americans say Clinton's policies will "move the country in the right direction" – up from 43 to 48 percent – while Trump's numbers stayed stagnant after Cleveland. And 44 percent of Clinton supporters said their minds were made up, while just 36 percent said the same of Trump.
Meanwhile, a majority of Hillary's supporters – 58 percent -- say their vote is more aimed at backing her than opposing Trump, a 10-point shift in her favor since May.

-- Americans are split on how they see the Democratic Party after its national convention in Philadelphia, according to a Gallup Poll: 44 percent of Americans said they viewed the party more favorably after the convention, while 42 said the opposite.

Meanwhile, just 35 percent of voters said they saw the Republican Party more favorably after the GOP convention in Cleveland. 52 percent said they viewed it less favorably.

--The former secretary of state now holds an eight-point lead over Trump (50 percent to 42 percent), according to an NBC/SurveyMonkey poll. She formerly led by just one point last week.

Donald Trump speaks during a town hall campaign yesterday in Columbus, Ohio . (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

THE DAILY DONALD:

"Have you no sense of decency, sir?" That's the question posed to then-Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy at a congressional hearing as part of the Wisconsin Republican's crusade to root out communist sympathizers. And now it's being asked by many Trump critics -- including many Republicans -- following Trump's extended scuffle with Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the parents of Capt. Humayum Khan, an Army captain who was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomb in 2004, reports Philip Rucker.

Some political strategists think that Trump's continuing attacks on the Khans may break through with voters because they're regular people not elites or political establishment types, who voters seem to enjoy when Trump lampoons:

"Nobody minds when he attacks other politicians; in fact, they like it. He's instilling an accountability that doesn't exist. But they don't like it when he goes after real people, and they wish he would stop," said Frank Luntz.
"I think people appreciate and even enjoy when he kicks the high and mighty in the butt, but I think they recoil when he is unkind to people who are vulnerable or when he is nasty to people who are thoroughly honorable," said David Axelrod.
"Priorities USA, the leading pro-Clinton super PAC, has conducted extensive research to determine the most effective ways to attack Trump and found that video footage of Trump making wild arm and hand gestures to impersonate Kovaleski registers in focus groups as among the most damning. The footage has been featured in numerous anti-Trump ads."

"The big question here with the Khan situation is, will that transcend just the Muslim community or just the community of veterans and be something that is universally regarded as inhuman and indecent?" asked Tim Miller, an ex-strategist for the Jeb Bush's super PAC.

Some Republicans withdrew their support from Trump because of his attacks on the Khans:

Longtime Jeb Bush adviser Sally Bradshaw announced she is leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, saying she will vote for Clinton in November if the presidential race in her home state of Florida is close. From Ed O'Keefe: The GOP is "at a crossroads and have nominated a total narcissist — a misogynist — a bigot," she told CNN in an email. "This is a time when country has to take priority over political parties. Donald Trump cannot be elected president." Her statement comes as Trump's criticism of the parents of a Muslim-American soldier killed in Iraq have sparked national controversy. "This election cycle is a test," she said in her email, adding that she "can't look her children in the eye" and tell them she voted for Trump. "I didn't make this decision lightly -- I have worked hard to make our party a place where all would feel welcome," she finished. "But Trump has taken the GOP in another direction, and too many Republicans are standing by and looking the other way."
"Bradshaw was a top adviser to Bush's failed presidential bid, working especially on hiring staff and crafting his overall message," O'Keefe writes. She was also a writer of the GOP "autopsy" report following Mitt Romney's 2012 loss, which called on the party to be more inclusive. "The tenets of the report -- which for less of a focus on social issues and for party members to adopt a softer tone -- have been largely dismissed in this election.

But others continued to support The Donald, while condemning these specific remarks:

Paul Ryan, in Colorado Springs for the Koch network funding summit, warned that Republicans were engaged in a "fight for the soul of our party'" over free-market principles, heralding his policy agenda as a "bulwark against 'forms of progressivism' seeping into the GOP." From Matea Gold: Ryan did not mention Trump by name, but touted the importance of free trade, an issue Trump has railed against. "Holding a pamphlet detailing his policy agenda, Ryan noted that the House GOP policy platform was developed before there was a clear White House front-runner." "It's just unique," he said to laughs. "But the point is, we're out there running on this."
-- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) condemned Trump for his attacks on the Khan family Monday, writing that he had "disparaged a fallen soldier's parents." But the veteran didn't withdraw his own support of the GOP nominee in a tough reelection year for him. "He has suggested that the likes of their son should not be allowed in the U.S. — to say nothing of entering its service. I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump's statement. McCain said, adding: "While our party has bestowed upon him the nomination, it is not accompanied by unfettered license to defame those who are the best among us." (Sean Sullivan)
Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) criticized Trump for his assertion that Mr. Khan has "no right" to criticize the Republican nominee, praising the Muslim American family while stopping short of repudiating Trump directly. "I think his parents are heroes and they have a First Amendment right to speak out on their politics, as all Americans do," Rubio told reporters in Clearwater. "Their son died for the Constitution and I honor that." (Politico)

And the New York Times editorial board slammed "spineless Republicans" for continuing to back Trump: "Repudiation of his candidacy is the only principled response," they wrote.

-- The Post's Fact Checker gives Trump Four Pinocchios for his continued claims that he did NOT Kovaleski at a rally in November, saying his joking movements were meant to imitate his "groveling" instead. "It remains a mystery why Trump feels to need to revisit past controversies, particularly ones that reflect poorly on his tenor and judgment," Glenn Kessler writes. "But, as the evidence shows, Trump clearly mocked Kovaleski – who in any case never 'groveled' or in any way took back his reporting."

-- Meanwhile, billionaire investor Warren Buffet -- at an Omaha event for Clinton -- eviscerated Trump for refusing to release his tax returns, telling the mogul he'll release his own tax records if Trump does too. "I'll bring my return, he'll bring his return, we're both under audit," said Buffett, who is among the top 10 richest men in the world. "You will learn a whole lot more about Donald Trump if he produces his income tax returns." (Abby Phillip)

-- President Obama criticized Trump for disparaging the American military as "weak," defending his administration's efforts to rebuild a Department of Veterans Affairs weighed down by recent scandals. Greg Jaffe: "I am pretty tired of people trash talking America's military and troops. Let's get some facts straight. …" Obama said. "We have the most capable fighting force in history, and we are going to keep it that way." He condemned Trump's suggestion that the NATO alliance was irrelevant, saying that the United States would never respond to Russian aggression by turning "our back to our allies in Europe."

And Trump and his allies did not back down on Khan, going much -- much -- further in some instances:

Ex-Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski argued Capt. Khan would "still be alive" had Trump been president during the time of his service: "… We've got 7,000 soldiers who died, $6 trillion wasted in wars overseas and, if [Trump] was the president, we would never have had, and Captain Khan would be alive today," he said on CNN.
Trump suggested his position on keeping terrorists out of the U.S. is what "bothered Mr. Khan more than anything else": "Well, I was very viciously attacked, as you know, on the stage," Trump told an ABC affiliate in Columbus, referring to Khan's remarks at the DNC. "And when you have radical Islamic terrorists probably all over the place, we're allowing them to come in by the thousands and thousands … And I think that's what bothered Mr. Khan more than anything else." (Buzzfeed)
In an interview with CBS this morning, Eric Trump tried to walk things back a bit: "I think that this was something that was honestly blown in, hugely, out of proportion. Because, first of all, he said that the Khan family looked like amazing people, in that interview, which for whatever reason never wants to get reported, he called him a hero so many, so many different times, and again, he's not, he wasn't talking, this isn't a Muslim thing, this is an ISIS thing and also an anti-Syrian, anti-refugee thing coming into the country because he doesn't want to see more Americans dead."

And Trump consigliere Roger Stone continues to suggest ties between jihadists and the Khans:

The feuding -- which has now reached its FIFTH day -- continues to leave pundits baffled.

-- "For the life of me, I can't figure out what Trump is doing here — and whether there is absolutely any strategy behind it." Chris Cillizza writes. "Going back and forth with a family that has lost a son in combat is, on its face, the height of stupidity, politically speaking. My best guess — and it's only a guess — is that Trump simply believes that he won the Republican primary battle by fighting constantly against political conventional wisdom and/or political correctness. If traditional political advice suggests you play nice with a Gold Star family, Trump goes nasty. It's that simple. He zigs when everyone else zags — no matter the circumstances."

-- WIDENING THE APERTURE: Wall Street Journal's Gerald F. Seib said Trump's general election challenge will be "passing the plausibility test" with voters: "With both parties spinning out of their conventions, and the general-election campaign now essentially in full swing, one megaquestion hovers over the whole affair: Will enough Americans get comfortable with the idea of Donald Trump as president? If they do, the presidential race likely will be a close one—and one he could well win. Mr. Trump does, after all, have two enormous assets: He is seen as the agent of change in a year in which change is desired, and he is thought to be better able to handle the economy. On the other hand, if Americans can't see a man so brash and unpredictable … as their president, Mr. Trump will hit a ceiling and won't be able to rise further."

-- And Michael Gerson urged Republican leaders to dump Trump: "… Trump's view of nationalism is based on culture, ethnicity and exclusion. It does not even matter if suspicious outsiders have made what Abraham Lincoln called 'so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.' Their faith, in Trump's view, is foreign and immediately associated with stereotypes of oppression and violence. Leaders who support Trump — members of Congress, conservative thinkers, figures of the religious right — do so for a variety of reasons. But whatever their motivations, they are encouraging an alternate and degraded version of the American story. In his last public address, the night before his murder, [Marin Luther King Jr.] mused on mortality, saying that he would die 'happy' and 'not fearing any man' because he was sure of his life's mission, which included 'standing up for the best in the American dream.' Which Republican leaders can now rest in that confidence? It is not too late to repudiate."

The New York Times leads its homepage with a piece on Trump's 'sacrifice' in Vietnam, when he received five deferments from the draft, one for 'bone spurs' in his heels:

Steve Eder and Dave Philipps on the new details regarding the businessman's draft record: "Back in 1968, at the age of 22, Donald J. Trump seemed the picture of health. He stood 6 feet 2 inches with an athletic build; had played football, tennis and squash; and was taking up golf. But after he graduated from college in the spring of 1968, making him eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam, he received a diagnosis that would change his path: bone spurs in his heels. The diagnosis resulted in a coveted 1-Y medical deferment that fall, exempting him from service in Vietnam … For many years, Mr. Trump, 70, has also asserted that it was 'ultimately' the luck of a high draft lottery number — rather than the medical deferment — that kept him out of the war. But his Selective Service records … suggest otherwise. Mr. Trump had been medically exempted for more than a year when the draft lottery began … well before he received what he has described as his 'phenomenal' draft number."

Last month, Trump told the Times that the bone spurs had been "temporary" — a "minor malady" that had not had a meaningful impact on him: "I had a doctor that gave me a letter — a very strong letter on the heels," Mr. Trump said in the interview. [Now], his experience during the era is drawing new scrutiny after the Muslim American parents of a soldier who was killed in Iraq publicly questioned whether Mr. Trump had ever sacrificed for his country …"

-- Finally, Trump tripled down on support for warmer U.S.-Russian relations during a campaign rally yesterday in Mechanicsburg, Pa., "acidly mocking opponents" who say he is too friendly with Vladimir Putin. From NYT's Alexander Burns: The Republican nominee cast his choice as a political necessity, arguing the U.S. could easily combat ISIS and other terror groups alongside Russia. "If we could get Russia to help us get rid of ISIS — if we could actually be friendly with Russia — wouldn't that be a good thing?" Trump said, winning loud applause from the crowd. "If we could get along with Russia, wouldn't that be a good thing, instead of a bad thing?"

-- Trump has long sought a real-estate foothold in Russia, trying, unsuccessfully to build towers in Soviet states during the 1980s. From the WSJ's Alexandra Berzon, Alan Cullison and Michael Rothfeld: "In his book 'The Art of the Deal,' published in 1987, Mr. Trump … wrote about his attempt to build a 'large luxury hotel' across the street from the Kremlin in a joint-venture partnership with the Soviet government … After receiving encouragement from the ambassador that Soviet Union tourism officials might be interested in a deal, Mr. Trump said he flew with his then-wife to Moscow and stayed in Lenin's former suite at the National Hotel." He later said he was "impressed" with the ambition of the Soviet officials, though the project never took off.

His efforts spanned the next two decades: "In the 2000s, he began working with a Kazakhstan metals businessman, Tevfik Arif, who sought to help Mr. Trump build hotels in Moscow, in Kiev, in Poland and elsewhere. Asked in a 2007 legal deposition whether he had any concerns about doing business in Russia, Mr. Trump said he didn't. "It's ridiculous that we wouldn't be investing in Russia," [he said]. Russia is one of the hottest places in the world for investment."

Clinton stands alongside Warren Buffett introduces her at a rally in Omaha. (AP/Andrew Harnik)

THE DAILY HRC -- in search of the white male vote:

-- Politico, "Doubts Start Creeping In for Democrats," by Jeff Greenfield: Ask about Clinton's prospects in November, you get a number—actually a lot of numbers. "The numbers show there are more of us than there are of them," they say. "But ask enough people close to the campaign, privately, and you hear something else: a note of worry. What if, in this one unusual year, past isn't prologue? What if the patterns dont hold up? For instance, the prognosticators say that for Trump to win with the expected electorate, he'd need almost two-thirds of the white vote, and that target is all but out of reach. But why? What if Trump can draw them out with his blisteringly effective strategy of tweets, rallies and free TV? This does not require a revolution. What it requires is enough white voters to get excited in the right states." "If turnout is 70 percent white, I like her chances," Democratic pollster Cornell Belcher said of Clinton. "If it's 74 percent ... I'm very worried."

---- New York Times "Hillary Clinton Targets a Skeptical Crowd: White Male Voters," by Matt Flegenheimer: "In her first general election road trip after accepting the Democratic nomination for president … Mrs. Clinton rumbled by bus through the heart of the white male resistance. There is no group that views Mrs. Clinton with greater antipathy. Yet in these two states, Ohio and Pennsylvania, which Mr. Trump will almost certainly need to win the presidency, Clinton aides sense an opportunity to put him on defense. They need not catch Mr. Trump among white men, or even come particularly close. But chipping away could be decisive, given their massive advantages among nonwhite voters in cities like Philadelphia and Cleveland. In particular, the campaign is targeting college-educated whites, a group that Mitt Romney won handily four years ago. At the same time, across regions where blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and other sectors have evaporated, Mrs. Clinton is attempting a delicate balancing act: insisting she is not satisfied with the economy even as she defends Mr. Obama's work, positioning Democrats as the party of optimists …"

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., gives his his wife Anne Holton a hug during a rally Monday in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

The Post goes deep on Tim Kaine's record:

-- "Tim Kaine's zigzag path to gun control," by Laura Vozzella: "At his national introduction as Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine suggested that he has done what few swing-state Democrats have dared: taken on the National Rifle Association. But as Kaine hits the campaign trail and makes gun control a central Democratic theme in the 2016 race for the White House, his relationship with the nation's most powerful gun lobby is more nuanced than the kind of 'High Noon' faceoff he suggested. In more than two decades as a political figure in Virginia ... Kaine has pivoted on guns … depending on the political climate, the office he sought and particular events. He has been an urban mayor determined to reduce gun deaths. And he has been a statewide candidate who embraced the Second Amendment ... He has become quiet on the issue at times, and played offense at other moments. As he served in different political roles, in a changing Virginia, Kaine has tailored his stance as the politics surrounding guns have evolved."

-- "Tim Kaine: a white mayor in a divided city with a painful racial past," Rosalind S. Helderman: "A young member of the Richmond City Council, Kaine wanted to be mayor. Now a venerable civil rights group, the Richmond Crusade for Voters, was debating a touchy subject: Was it all right, in 1998, for a majority-black city that bore unique scars of the United States' painful racial past to be led by a white mayor?" Now, some Democrats have expressed disappointment by Clinton's selection of Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate, hoping for a more liberal candidate who brought more demographic diversity. "But people who worked with Kaine when he served on the City Council in Richmond — a forum routinely convulsed by racially charged debates about the city's divisive past — say he brings a nuanced and historically informed approach to race that could help soothe a country racked by debates about policing and discrimination."

WAPO HIGHLIGHTS:

-- "'They took too damn long': Inside the police response to the Orlando shooting," by Adam Goldman and Mark Berman: "When Omar Mateen finished pumping bullets into dozens of people sprawled on the dance floor inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, he walked toward the bathrooms, where many patrons had hidden. It was just minutes after Orlando police were called about the gunfire, and law enforcement officers began descending on the club. Four of them entered the building through one patio, while six others shot out a window to get inside. Among the 10 officers who went into Pulse, some had powerful military-style rifles and one had a shield. At least two had tactical experience. Police fired at Mateen when he popped his head out of one the bathrooms. The shooter was outgunned and outnumbered. But then, police decided not to pursue him." This account provides the most complete picture yet of the law enforcement response in Orlando. [But] the new details raise questions about how police and fire agencies responded to what became the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history — and how the attack turned into a hostage standoff that lasted nearly three hours."

SOCIAL MEDIA SPEED READ:

Jaws dropped when Trump gave a shout-out to Paul Ryan's primary opponent, Paul Nehlen:

Meanwhile, here's what Ryan's busy with on social media (click to watch):

Earlier, Trump continued to go after Khan:

Tried to clean up his comments on Ukraine:

And launched into a lengthy tirade against CNN:

Charlie Dent suggested Trump should be "condemned" for his comments on Khan:

Jeff Flake supported McCain after he weighed in against Trump:

Pro-Trump radio host Bill Mitchell seemed to refer to Humayun Khan with this tweet:

But insisted he did not:

Ex-Cruz campaign official Ron Nehring urged anti-Trump Republicans not to leave the party:

Hertz is trying to get in on the 2016 conversation:

Here's the map released as part of the CDC's Zika advisory:

Biden officiated a wedding at his home:

Congressional offices are still enjoying Pokemon Go:

HOT ON THE LEFT:

"Four 'juvenile lifers' in Pennsylvania jails since 1970s are granted parole," from The Guardian: "Pennsylvania officials have granted parole to four 'juvenile lifers' jailed decades ago after the US Supreme Court retroactively banned mandatory life terms for minors ... They are now in their 50s and 60s. The court decision means that more than 500 Pennsylvania inmates and 2,500 across the country can seek new sentencing hearings and perhaps parole. 'They were told they were going to go to prison and die, so it's a source of incredible optimism,'" said Bradley Bridge, a lead lawyer working on the issue.

HOT ON THE RIGHT:

"Hillary Clinton supporter attacks an elderly pro-Trump protester …" from the Daily Mail: "A Hillary Clinton supporter was arrested outside the Democratic nominee's rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday for attacking an elderly man. Joshua Sturman, 23, walked over to a group of protesters holding Donald Trump signs across the street from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and attempted to light an American flag on fire before tackling a man to the ground … He was apprehended by police on the scene soon after and is now facing charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct, causing or risking catastrophe and recklessly endangering another person. Sturman was later photographed sticking his tongue out at the group after being put in handcuffs by police."

DAYBOOK:

On the campaign trail: Trump is in Ashburn, Va. Pence stops in Tucson and Phoenix, Ariz. Kaine campaigns in Daytona Beach, Fla.

At the White House: Obama hosts Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the White House.

On Capitol Hill: The Senate and House are out.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "He made a deal with the devil. She's the devil," Trump said of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.:

-- Less humidity and more sun – today's Capital Weather Gang forecast sounds like a winner: "Partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Humidity is moderate, but not quite as high as yesterday. We run the chance for widely scattered mainly afternoon thunderstorms or showers, but most of us probably stay dry."

-- Two men were arrested in Montgomery County after they attacked two transgender females, repeatedly punching and kicking the victims at inside a 7-Eleven store Monday morning. Both victims received minor injuries. (Dan Morse )

-- Police charged a 21-year-old man in Southeast Washington after he fatally shot his girlfriend in the head while she was holding their two-month-old infant. The man told officials they were "joking around" when he fired his weapon, which he believed to be unloaded. (Peter Hermann)

VIDEOS OF THE DAY:

In case you missed it, The Simpsons released this two-minute video about the election: