Morning Must Reads: June 17

And then there were 12. Reality television star Donald Trump’s decision to jump into the presidential race causes problems for the credible GOP candidates, effectively knocking one out of the debates and making the stage a potential firing-line for Trump’s outlandish rhetoric. His presence in the race highlights the flaws in the GOP nominating process that are bedeviling candidates this year. A new poll of swing states finds Marco Rubio in striking distance of Hillary Clinton in Florida and favorite son John Kasich with a lead over the Democrat in Ohio—but no candidate has yet emerged with across-the-board appeal to take on Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, Clinton will call for apprenticeship tax credits in South Carolina. A Ronald Reagan myth is busted. And Jeb Bush slow-jammed the news on the Tonight Show.

Here are your must-reads:

Must Reads

Trump Launches Presidential Campaign With Empty Flair
His announcement highlights the flaws in the nominating system, TIME’s Alex Altman and Charlotte Alter report

Hillary Clinton to Call for Youth Apprenticeship Program
TIME’s Sam Frizell on the latest policy proposal from the Democratic front-runner

Pope’s Views on Climate Change Add Pressure to Catholic Candidates
Rubio and Bush face calls to address environment [New York Times]

As Budget Fight Rages at Home, Wisconsin’s Scott Walker Goes Abroad
Walker travels oversees on the public’s dime as he prepares to run for president [Washington Post]

G.O.P. Is Wary That Health Care Win Could Have Its Own Risks
Sometimes victory creates more problems [New York Times]

Sound Off

“We’ll go through the political season, and they’ll be cringing when I say I worked well with them. But my co-sponsor on health care for the national guard and reserves was Lindsey Graham. And he may not want to be reminded of it, but we worked really hard to get that done. I have worked until the political winds changed with John McCain on climate change.” — Hillary Clinton to the Concord Monitor

“My brother, I would say, is a significantly better artist than I am. I’m still doing stick drawings, and he can actually paint … I’m a whole lot younger and better looking.” — Jeb Bush on the Tonight Show

Bits and Bites

Jeb Bush slow jams the news [Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon]

Secret Service, historians call Reagan gun claim bogus [TIME]

Neil Young to Donald Trump: Don’t rock in my free world [Mother Jones]

Why Donald Trump isn’t a real candidate, in one chart [FiveThirtyEight]

How to make the presidential debates more interesting [Annenberg Public Policy Center]