Morning Must Reads July 30
The GOP top-tier is not firmly established going into the first debate. At the top is Donald Trump, Scott Walker, and Jeb Bush. Then things get complicated  real complicated. Nine candidates are in a statistical tie in the latest Quinnipiac University Poll for 4th-12th place, making next week's winnowing of the field to 10 candidates on the first debate state essentially arbitrary if coming polls produce similar results. With 17 GOP candidates declaredformer Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore entered the race Wednesdaythere is unlikely to be a statistically significant polling difference between the person occupying the 10th spot on stage and the 11th person left off it. Hillary Clintons use of a private email server that allegedly contained classified information opens up a legal can of worms for the former Secretary of State if investigators determine that she knew the information was classified. The controversy is already leading to a major hit to her national poll numbers, as Bush and Walker now poll even with Clinton in hypothetical general election match-ups. Clinton's favorability and trustworthiness ratings are also at new lows. Elsewhere in politics, Rick Perry has an unusual challenge for Donald Trump, and Ben Carsons surgeon's hands breeze through a game of "Operation.", Here are your must-reads, Must Reads, Donald Trump Dominates in New National Republican Poll Nine candidates in a statistical tie for 4th place TIME, Facebook Expands in Politics, and Campaigns Find Much to Like The new advertising "monster" New York Times, Clinton's Planned Parenthood ties run deep Videos are "disturbing," she says, but Clinton has long been a supporter Politico, The Legal Question Over Hillary Clinton's Secret Emails Her exposure depends on what she knew, TIME's Massimo Calabresi writes, Koch Network Takes Cue from Obama Playbook A 1,000-strong ground game more than a year from Election Day Washington Post, UBS Deal Shows Clinton's Complicated Ties Wall Street Journal Donations to family foundation increased after secretary of state's involvement in tax case, Sound Off, "Let's get a pull-up bar out there and see who can do more pull-ups."  Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry challenges Donald Trump, "She wanted to breast pump in front of me and I may have said that's disgusting, I may have said something else. I thought it was terrible. She's a vicious, horrible person."  Donald Trump on lawyer Elizabeth Beck, with whom he allegedly clashed with over breastfeeding, Bits and Bites, Hillary Clinton Losing Strength in New National Polling TIME, Facts in Clinton's Secret' Emails Came From Five Intelligence Agencies McClatchy, The Trumpification of Congress TIME, How to Beat Operation' With Ben Carson IJ Review, Bernie Sanders Hosts Biggest Organizing Event of 2016 So Far TIME, Hillary Clinton to Call for Lifting Cuba Embargo TIME, James Gilmore, Ex-Virginia Governor, Files Papers to Run for President New York Times, Donald Trump Says His Past Politics Were Transactional Wall Street Journal, Judge Explodes Over Hillary Email Delays Politico, Planned Parenthood Website Hacked CNN