Cleveland, cockroaches and the Clintons

2: Statistics don’t lie: The economy is sleepwalking its way to the weakest recovery since 1949. And slow growth is the fuel that has powered the populist ascendancies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. All of which puts Clinton in a box: Run as Obama’s third term and thereby ignore his weak economic record, or indict the slow recovery and risk turning off an Obama-loving Democratic base.

3: The irony of a New York City real estate mogul connecting with working class voters in Rust Belt states is not lost on those of us who campaigned with Mitt Romney through coal country four years ago. Romney, the successful businessman, marketed a Trump-like message: “I’ll be the country’s CEO” — but failed to close the deal with enough of these targeted households to flip Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin. Not so with Trump this cycle. Perhaps another four years of abysmal growth has gained the attention of this vital block, most of whom do not resent wealth or the one percent.

4: Seems everyone is talking about Pennsylvania — and for good reason. Many GOP pundits consider it to be the most “flippable” of states on Trump’s narrow path to the presidency. The calculus is not complicated: Clinton must maximize African-American turnout in Philadelphia to maintain a Democratic winning streak dating back to 1992. Conversely, Trump must be competitive with white women in the Philadelphia suburbs. Remember, the “Keystone State” trends red during off-cycle elections (Republicans control both chambers of the legislature) when base Democrats tend to go missing.

5: Athletic coaches stress that mere activity is different from production. The former marks time, the latter propels one to a goal. Likewise, political campaigns market a candidate’s resume — as opposed to a candidate’s successes (progress). Keep this distinction in mind while pondering Clinton’s reminder that she visited 112 countries while secretary of state. Now ask yourself how many of these visits produced a positive outcome for the U.S.

Russia? Nope, the vaunted reset of bilateral relations has been a disaster. China? Just increased tension and more showdowns in the South China Sea. Libya? What about all those pleas for additional security at our consulate in Benghazi? Israel? Recall it was her administration that dispatched a political hit team to defeat Benjamin Netanyahu two years ago. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates? These Sunni-Muslim allies fear our new friendship with the world’s most aggressive state sponsor of terror (Iran); their recent overtures to Putin speak volumes about how they feel about Obama/Clinton era foreign policy.

Of course, just showing up 112 times is appealing to some because … it shows you care. But such naivete is dangerous. Hopefully, we are not too far from the day our enemies (again) fear us and our allies (again) respect us.

6: Speaking of the Democratic nominee, many of my GOP friends remain fatalistic when it comes to her political survival. FBI Director James Comey’s non-indictment-indictment of Clinton was only the latest chapter in that well known book: The Only Things to Survive a Nuclear Attack Will be Cockroaches and the Clintons. The litany of Hillary’s near death experiences is impressive: Travelgate, Cattlefuturegate, Whitewater, Rose Law Firm billing records, Hillarycare, Vince Foster, Monica Lewinsky, Norman Hsu, bimbo eruptions, sniper fire scandal, Benghazi, Emailgate, and the Clinton Foundation — among others.

But such cynicism must be weighed against present reality: Clinton is unpopular. More than 50 percent of Americans view her unfavorably; two-thirds of us believe she doesn’t tell the truth. Of course, my buddies would be justified in their cynicism if Clinton survives to win the presidency. But don’t count your chickens just yet: Three decades of scandal does tend to stain a politician’s image, and even Clinton is no exception.

7: One of the more tangible scandals this cycle is the ongoing mess at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This agency is tasked with one duty: Take care of the people who fought and were injured in the defense of our freedom. Long waiting lists that led to premature, inexcusable deaths and suicides made this a sensational (if not horrific) saga when the story initially broke. Lately, we learn of millions of dollars in expensive artwork at VA facilities and an explosion of non-physician hiring. But thanks to groups such as OpenTheBooks.com, taxpayers have more tools to hold this wildly inefficient agency accountable. Here, Trump is right on with a plan to revitalize a broken system. The mistreatment of injured vets is immoral and should never be tolerated.