Your politics briefing: Labor closes ranks with Clinton; Trump has an anniversary

Unions going to work for Clinton

Hillary Clinton now has endorsements from several major organized labor groups that had stayed on the sidelines or sided with Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary battles.

That puts big resources on her side. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Thursday the 12.5-million member labor federation would run “a sophisticated, targeted ground campaign” for the Democrat.

Trumka called the election “a stark choice between an unstoppable champion for working families and an unstable charlatan who made his fortune scamming them.”

Other big labor groups switching from Sanders to Clinton recently include the Communications Workers of America, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Transport Workers Union. Some unions are still sticking with Sanders.

New York State AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento added: "Hillary worked closely with our local affiliates on behalf of working men and women throughout the state of New York when she served with such distinction as a United States Senator."

Trump denounced the AFL-CIO leaders as “part of the rigged system in Washington, D.C., that benefits only the insiders,” and predicted he will win more union votes.

Clinton taps chief for DNC

Clinton forces reached into labor leadership ranks Thursday to install a new chief of staff at the Democratic National Committee. He is Brandon Davis, the former national political director of the Service Employees International Union.

A Trump News Network?

Trump, who has bragged about generating big ratings and revenue for TV news, is thinking about starting his own network, according to a Vanity Fair report that cited “several people briefed on the discussions.”

Trump’s theory, according to one of the sources, is that “win or lose, we are onto something here.” His daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who owns the The New York Observer, are among those said to be looking at the idea.

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said, “While it’s true Mr. Trump garners exceptionally high ratings, there are absolutely no plans or discussions taking place regarding a venture of this nature.”

The take-away: Runaway PACs?

Several super PACs supporting Trump or Clinton are being run by people who once voiced misgivings about the same candidates. If they become disaffected again, asks Newsday’s Dan Janison, could they go rogue?

Dialing for Donald goes awry

A Garden City adoption law office is being inundated by callers who want to reach a pro-Trump super PAC but are off by a digit when they dial, reports Newsday’s Emily Ngo.

The Great America PAC has run ads on CNN and Fox News urging those who stand with Trump to dial an 800 number. Brent Lowder, the PAC’s executive director, said “caller enthusiasm” has resulted in misdials.

McCain channels Trump

Sen. John McCain, an endorser of Trump but not a fan, seemed to be echoing him when he told reporters in Washington that President Barack Obama is “directly responsible” for the Orlando shootings because of the rise of Islamic State group on his watch.

Later, the Arizona Republican partly walked back his remarks: “I misspoke. I did not mean to imply that the president was personally responsible. I was referring to President Obama’s national security decisions” — including the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq in 2011.

A year of Trump

Trump marked the first anniversary of his entry into the presidential race with a Facebook post proclaiming that his campaign “has been one of honesty and substance.”

Clinton commemorated the anniversary too, tweeting a video compilation of controversial comments by the now presumptive GOP nominee.

ABC News collected 12 key moments from the Trump campaign.

What else is happening

• Sanders told supporters via webstream Thursday night that defeating Trump is “the major political task” ahead — one for which he will soon “begin my role.” There was no concession or endorsement — discussions with the Clinton campaign will continue.
• Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state under George W. Bush, told Politico he will vote for Clinton over Trump.
• Clinton's value as a role model for young women is sharply limited by her economic privilege, a St. Louis-based writer argues...
• Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt is back on board with Trump after deciding there was no appetite for a rules change at the GOP convention that could thwart his nomination.
• “I just can’t do it,” Ohio Gov. John Kasich said of endorsing Trump. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said Trump is “too bigoted and racist” and he will write in former Gen. David Petraeus for president.
• Clinton and Trump face big, well-known conflict-of-interest issues...
• Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus flew with Trump to Texas and tweeted, “reports of discord are pure fiction.”
• House Speaker Paul Ryan said he will disregard Trump’s call for GOP leaders who disagree with him to “be quiet.” He vowed to “robustly defend the separation of powers.”
• Buy it or not, some of Trump's behavior can be explained through the prism of game theory, says this analyst.
• Sports and entertainment figures could help turn Trump's nominating convention into an  adoration festival for  himself beyond the usual convention infomercial, the WSJ reports.
• One kid's impressions of Clinton, Obama, Trump and Sanders in his middle-school graduation speech is going viral. As presented by NPR.