This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/22/us/politics/donald-trump-transition.html

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 9 Version 10
Decision to Pull Back on Case Against Clinton Provokes Backlash Decision to Pull Back on Case Against Clinton Provokes Backlash
(about 3 hours later)
Right Now: Donald Trump just concluded a meeting with The New York Times. See the updates on our live-blog. Earlier Today: The New York Times had an exclusive interview with Donald Trump. See how it unfolded on our live-blog.
The apparent decision by President-elect Donald J. Trump not to pursue charges against Hillary Clinton may be provoking a backlash in the ardently conservative corners of the electorate that propelled his victory. Meantime, Mr. Trump showed surprising strength among voters that few would have foreseen: Muslims. The apparent decision by President-elect Donald J. Trump not to pursue charges against Hillary Clinton may be provoking a backlash in the ardently conservative corners of the electorate that propelled him to victory. Meantime, Mr. Trump suggests that his son-in-law will bring peace to the Middle East and seems to reverse tack on climate change.
Mr. Trump, as it turns out, didn’t care all that much about Mrs. Clinton’s private email server.Mr. Trump, as it turns out, didn’t care all that much about Mrs. Clinton’s private email server.
But there are consequences. When his senior adviser, Kellyanne Conway, announced that the incoming administration will not pursue the investigation of Mrs. Clinton’s private email server, the response from the right was swift. But there are consequences. When his senior adviser, Kellyanne Conway, announced that the incoming administration would not pursue the investigation of Mrs. Clinton’s private email server, the response from the right was swift.
“Broken Promise,” blared Breitbart, the conservative website that promoted Mr. Trump’s candidacy and gave him the mastermind of his campaign, Stephen K. Bannon. The conservative provocateur Ann Coulter was no more subtle.“Broken Promise,” blared Breitbart, the conservative website that promoted Mr. Trump’s candidacy and gave him the mastermind of his campaign, Stephen K. Bannon. The conservative provocateur Ann Coulter was no more subtle.
Judicial Watch, the conservative legal organization that has doggedly pursued Mrs. Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, also chimed in:Judicial Watch, the conservative legal organization that has doggedly pursued Mrs. Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, also chimed in:
Ms. Conway said Tuesday that it is now Mr. Trump’s intention to move beyond the issues of the campaign and focus on the task of running the country instead. “If Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps that’s a good thing,” Ms. Conway said on the MSNBC program “Morning Joe.” Ms. Conway said Tuesday that it was now Mr. Trump’s intention to move beyond the issues of the campaign and focus on the task of running the country instead. “If Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps that’s a good thing,” Ms. Conway said on the MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Of course, the attorney general is supposed to be independent, but things may not work the usual way with President Trump.Of course, the attorney general is supposed to be independent, but things may not work the usual way with President Trump.
“I think when the president-elect, who’s also the head of your party, tells you before he’s even inaugurated that he doesn’t wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone and content” to fellow Republicans, Ms. Conway said.“I think when the president-elect, who’s also the head of your party, tells you before he’s even inaugurated that he doesn’t wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone and content” to fellow Republicans, Ms. Conway said.
Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is expected to serve somewhere in the new administration, told the news media at Trump Tower that the president-elect was making a tough call.Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is expected to serve somewhere in the new administration, told the news media at Trump Tower that the president-elect was making a tough call.
“Look, there’s a tradition in American politics that after you win an election, you sort of put things behind you,” Mr. Giuliani said. “And if that’s the decision he reached, that’s perfectly consistent with sort of a historical pattern of things come up, you say a lot of things, even some bad things might happen, and then you can sort of put it behind you in order to unite the nation. So if he made that decision, I would be supportive of it. I’d also be supportive of continuing the investigation.”“Look, there’s a tradition in American politics that after you win an election, you sort of put things behind you,” Mr. Giuliani said. “And if that’s the decision he reached, that’s perfectly consistent with sort of a historical pattern of things come up, you say a lot of things, even some bad things might happen, and then you can sort of put it behind you in order to unite the nation. So if he made that decision, I would be supportive of it. I’d also be supportive of continuing the investigation.”
Michelle Rhee, a Democrat who has been willing to ruffle feathers on education, didn’t exactly take herself out of the running for Mr. Trump’s education secretary, but she did push back on critics who do not approve of her visits to Trump Tower.
But Mr. Trump has lofty ambitions.But Mr. Trump has lofty ambitions.
Former Marine General James Mattis is no fan of waterboarding, which could present problems if he becomes secretary of defense. Why? Because the president-elect is a really big fan. James Mattis, a former Marine Corps general, is no fan of waterboarding, which could present problems if he becomes secretary of defense. Why? Because the president-elect is a really big fan.
As recently as Monday night, President-elect Trump said in a video that he would scuttle President Obama’s energy and environmental regulations — put in place to fight climate change — to unleash coal and hydraulic fracturing.As recently as Monday night, President-elect Trump said in a video that he would scuttle President Obama’s energy and environmental regulations — put in place to fight climate change — to unleash coal and hydraulic fracturing.
Yet in his meeting with Times reporters and editors, he seemed to soften on climate change, which he used to call a hoax. Yet in his meeting Tuesday with Times reporters and editors, he seemed to soften on climate change, which he used to call a hoax.
But:But:
With Mrs. Clinton’s popular vote lead at 1.75 million and climbing, Mr. Trump defended the Electoral College in his meeting with Times reporters and editors — but also the popular vote. Donna Brazile, the interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, took to Medium to make the case that Democrats need not panic, but they do need to get back to work.
Mr. Trump told Times editors and reporters he had no interest in influencing matters of state to improve his business interests. But he didn’t exactly deny he was doing that, nor did he say he planned to divest himself of those business interests. On the one hand, she noted:
Asked if he had tried to press the British politician Nigel Farage to battle a wind farm in sight of one of his Scottish golf course, he basically said yes. On the other, with Republican gains in state legislatures, the party is working off a structural disadvantage. She explained:
But no worries:
And no action is coming:
Steve Bannon, the former chairman of Breitbart and soon to be senior White House adviser, is being badly mistreated by his detractors, Mr. Trump says.
And don’t make too much of Breitbart, which has published articles calling conservative commentator Bill Kristol a “renegade Jew” and said birth control “makes women unattractive and crazy.”
Senator Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, broke with Mr. Trump after whipping up a firestorm by saying he could serve as a role model for Granite State children, then saying she could no longer defend him.
She then lost her re-election bid in a squeaker to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan.
Mr. Trump remembers.
As a candidate, Mr. Trump proposed ramping up surveillance of mosques and a moratorium on Muslim immigration, compelling to a surge in American Muslims registering to vote.As a candidate, Mr. Trump proposed ramping up surveillance of mosques and a moratorium on Muslim immigration, compelling to a surge in American Muslims registering to vote.
Surprisingly, a lot of them actually voted for Mr. Trump.Surprisingly, a lot of them actually voted for Mr. Trump.
According to an exit poll of 2,000 Muslim voters conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, 13 percent backed Mr. Trump, while 74 percent supported Mrs. Clinton. According to an exit poll of 2,000 Muslim voters conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, 13 percent backed Mr. Trump, while 74 percent supported Mrs. Clinton.
That is nearly twice as much support as Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, received from Muslim voters four years ago.That is nearly twice as much support as Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, received from Muslim voters four years ago.
Robert McCaw, a spokesman for CAIR, said Mr. Trump’s strength with Muslims was somewhat surprising, but that about 15 percent of Muslims do identify themselves as Republicans and that Mrs. Clinton did little direct outreach to Muslims.Robert McCaw, a spokesman for CAIR, said Mr. Trump’s strength with Muslims was somewhat surprising, but that about 15 percent of Muslims do identify themselves as Republicans and that Mrs. Clinton did little direct outreach to Muslims.
“There were aspects of Trump’s candidacy that either appealed to them or it was a vote against Hillary Clinton,” Mr. McCaw said. “It might not necessarily have been as much a vote of confidence for Trump as an expression of no confidence in Clinton.”“There were aspects of Trump’s candidacy that either appealed to them or it was a vote against Hillary Clinton,” Mr. McCaw said. “It might not necessarily have been as much a vote of confidence for Trump as an expression of no confidence in Clinton.”
The votes may have been significant, since Mr. Trump won Michigan — which has one of the largest Arab populations in the country — by barely more than 11,000 votes.The votes may have been significant, since Mr. Trump won Michigan — which has one of the largest Arab populations in the country — by barely more than 11,000 votes.
Some Muslims of Syrian descent voted for Mr. Trump, believing he would support President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. More broadly, there may have been a Sunni-Shiite split in the rust belt, where Shiites more generally favored Mr. Trump.Some Muslims of Syrian descent voted for Mr. Trump, believing he would support President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. More broadly, there may have been a Sunni-Shiite split in the rust belt, where Shiites more generally favored Mr. Trump.
David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post continues his dogged pursuit of the Trump Foundation, reporting Tuesday that the president-elect’s charitable organization has apparently admitted that it violated the legal prohibition against “self-dealing.”David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post continues his dogged pursuit of the Trump Foundation, reporting Tuesday that the president-elect’s charitable organization has apparently admitted that it violated the legal prohibition against “self-dealing.”
That prohibition prohibits nonprofit leaders from using their charity’s money to help themselves, their businesses, or their families. The news came in a tax filing for 2015 that was posted on the nonprofit tracking service Guidestar on Monday — less than two weeks after Election Day.That prohibition prohibits nonprofit leaders from using their charity’s money to help themselves, their businesses, or their families. The news came in a tax filing for 2015 that was posted on the nonprofit tracking service Guidestar on Monday — less than two weeks after Election Day.
Mr. Trump famously told the world and Mrs. Clinton during a presidential debate that he would appoint a special prosecutor if elected with the express purpose of putting his political opponent in jail.Mr. Trump famously told the world and Mrs. Clinton during a presidential debate that he would appoint a special prosecutor if elected with the express purpose of putting his political opponent in jail.
There may be a practical reason the new president would pull back. The latest tally shows Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Trump in the popular vote by 1,752,899 votes. Pursuing her might not prove very popular. There may be a practical reason the new president would pull back. The latest tally shows Mrs. Clinton leading Mr. Trump in the popular vote by 1,754,204 votes. Pursuing her might not prove very popular.
Her leadership is being challenged. The complaints about an aging slate of commanders are growing louder.Her leadership is being challenged. The complaints about an aging slate of commanders are growing louder.
So Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, 76, the House minority leader, has issued a plan.So Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, 76, the House minority leader, has issued a plan.
In a letter to House Democrats on Tuesday night, she promised to create No. 2 posts on each House committee to be filled by a Democrat with four terms or less in the House. When the post of assistant Democratic leader (now filled by Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina, who is also 76) is vacant, it will be filled via an election with a member who has served three terms or less.In a letter to House Democrats on Tuesday night, she promised to create No. 2 posts on each House committee to be filled by a Democrat with four terms or less in the House. When the post of assistant Democratic leader (now filled by Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina, who is also 76) is vacant, it will be filled via an election with a member who has served three terms or less.
(The No. 2 House Democrat, Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, is 77.)(The No. 2 House Democrat, Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, is 77.)
Other offers were made along with a vow to fight any effort by the Republican leadership and Mr. Trump to privatize the Veterans Affairs hospitals and add private insurance vouchers to compete with fee-for-service Medicare.Other offers were made along with a vow to fight any effort by the Republican leadership and Mr. Trump to privatize the Veterans Affairs hospitals and add private insurance vouchers to compete with fee-for-service Medicare.
President Obama continues to whittle down his bucket list. On Tuesday, he will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to an assortment of popular athletes, singers and actors. It is Mr. Obama’s last chance to bestow the honor, and he has taken full advantage by assembling a who’s who of personal favorites.
Among those receiving the honor will be the basketball greats Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; the musical stars Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross; and the actors Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Robert Redford and Cicely Tyson. Other luminaries attending include Bill and Melinda Gates and Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of “Saturday Night Live.”