Donald Trump Hits the Reset Button, Again

If you only read one thing: Donald Trump will attempt to hit the reset button for the umpteenth time Monday as he delivers an economic address in Detroit. Following a brutal 14 days for his campaign, in which he squandered his convention bounce, Trump is hoping that returning to scripted economic speeches will provide him a path back to contention. Trump will announce tweaks to his tax plan designed to make it more populist, but he has yet to provide and indication of how he’d pay for the massive reduction in revenue—the original would cost $11 trillion over a decade—as he calls for doubling U.S. infrastructure spending and increasing defense spending, all without touching entitlements. Hillary Clinton is set to deliver her own economic address in Detroit on Thursday. Her plans are more cohesive, generally including specific pay-fors for her proposals. For Trump, the bar to meet though isn’t to deliver an master plan, rather it is far more mundane: can he deliver the speech without yet another unforced error to derail his campaign. Republican Party officials will be watching Trump closely this week to determine whether he can, in fact, stick to a message. And the consequences for him if he does not may be harsh.

Hillary Clinton’s reflexively protective response to questions about her use of a private email server have once again got her into hot water. After telling Fox News last week that the FBI validated her public claims about not using the server for classified information—an easily falsifiable statement—Clinton claimed she “short-circuited” her answer Friday. The line instantly entered the political lexicon as emblematic of how Clinton’s penchant for obfuscation is often her own worst enemy. The email controversy has been a classic case of, “it’s not the crime, it’s the cover up,” as nearly every statement she has uttered on the subject has needed to be revised, extended, or corrected.

Obama reveals his handicap. A Bush endorses Trump. And Trump is struggling with the College Republican crowd.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

Hillary Clinton’s Strategy Against Donald Trump: I’m a Wonk, He’s a Scrooge
TIME’s Sam Frizell on the Clinton economic argument

Clinton Sets Out Most Efficient Path to Get to 270
A win is a win [Associated Press]

The Crusade of a Democratic Superlawyer With Multimillion-Dollar Backing
Combatting restrictive election laws [Washington Post]

Donald Trump Looks to Steady His Campaign With New Economic Speech
Clinton and Trump will deliver dueling speeches in Detroit this week [Associated Press]

A ‘Short-Circuit’ on F.B.I. Inquiry? Hillary Clinton Seeks to Explain
Clinton struggles as she repeats debunked claim [New York Times]

Sound Off

“What I told the FBI, which he said was truthful, is consistent with what I have said publicly. I may have short-circuited and for that I will try to clarify.” — Hillary Clinton Friday as she tried to explain the debunked claim that the FBI found her public statements on her private email server to be truthful

“I know that this is something that she’s learned from, and we’re going to be real transparent, absolutely.” — Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine on Clinton’s email use, even as the campaign lags behind her predecessors in press access

Bits and Bites

Obama reveals golf handicap ahead of 300th round as president [CNN]

Trump is a Turnoff to Some College Republican Groups [ABC]

Kasich: Trump Jr. called aide to float VP offer [CNN]

Mike Pence’s Response to H.I.V. Outbreak: Prayer, Then a Change of Heart [New York Times]

Hillary Clinton Just Wants to Remind You: Donald Trump Was a Birther [TIME]

George P. Bush, a Trump Holdout, Urges Support For Nominee [Texas Tribune]

Donald Trump Continues Love-Hate Relationship With Iowa [TIME]

Hillary Clinton Q&A at Journalism Conference Draws Criticism [TIME]