#Podesta15: Wikileaks releases latest batch of emails from Clinton campaign chair

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Wikileaks has released its 15th batch of emails from Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta.

The whistleblowing website has already released half of the 50,000 mails it vowed to publish in the lead up to the presidential election on November 8.

The latest tranche comprises of around 1,095 emails on a range of campaign operations.

Saturday’s release includes emails calling a Sanders adviser a “f**ker”, incorporating Martin Luther King Jr quotes into Clinton speeches, and referring to the Daily Show as “infuriatingly disgusting”.

The previous data dumps have revealed details of Hillary Clinton’s Wall Street speeches, insights into Clinton’s relationship with the MSM, Clinton insiders’ negative opinions of Bernie Sanders and Chelsea Clinton, as well as criticism of the candidate herself from her aides.

The leaks have also included emails allegedly from an account used by US president Barack Obama, and details of Obama and Bill Clinton’s involvement in influencing the EU’s Greece austerity deal.

READ MORE: #Podesta emails: Bill Clinton & Obama worked to influence EU’s Greece austerity deal

Slamming a Sanders adviser

The emails leaked on Saturday include one exchange from earlier this year among Clinton aides criticizing former Center for American Progress (CAP) vice-president Faiz Shakir for advising Clinton’s rival Bernie Sanders.

In the email chain, Podesta says he gave Shakir “a very hard time” over the move, adding, “I have to say this does not go down easy with me.”

Neera Tanden, president and CEO of CAP, responded simply: “He's a f**ker.”

Email server ‘jokes’

In an email thread from March 2015, Hillary Clinton’s PR team discusses innovative - and potentially lighthearted - ways to respond to the private email server scandal.

“I wanted to float idea of HRC making a joke about the email situation,” Clinton’s Director of Communications, Jennifer Palmieri, starts the discussion.

Her Press Secretary, Nick Merril responds: “I don’t think it’s nuts if we can come up with the right thing. But it could also be nuts…”

Deputy Communications Director Kristina Schake offers her take, writing: “I think it would be good for her to show some humor. This is her crowd so the response would be great. Also Dan is looking to add more humor overall so more jokes are welcome too.”

However, Clinton’s PR firm, Grunwald Communications, steps in with long time adviser Mandy Grunwald offering a sober assessment: “We don't know what's in the emails, so we are nervous about this. Might get a big laugh tonight and regret it when content of emails is disclosed.”

Military shopping in Afghanistan

In a March 2014 email titled ‘Afghan Economy’, John Podesta’s son Gabe, an Air Force Judge Advocate, wrote to his father from Afghanistan, comparing his workplace to the fashion show ‘Project Runway’.

“My coworkers spend multiple duty hours each and every day shopping at the bazaars. They buy jewelry. They buy rugs. They buy electronics. They buy fur coats. Fur coats!

"Not a day goes by without someone coming into my office to show off a new purchase. My Afghanistan workplace is Project Runway and I'm Tim Gunn - I disapprove of everything around me and hope everyone will be sent home.”

Podesta Jr. also reveals that bank statements from his colleagues showed they had spent between $5,000 and $10,000 since being posted to Afghanistan.

“Rather than speak up, however, I sit here meekly and feign agreement with the ridiculous notion that a mink fur will look resplendent at the Dyess Officers' Club in Abilene, TX when she redeploys this summer,” he notes.

He ends the email to his father humorously: “And no, I will not put in purchase orders for you. Gabe”.