This week in politics: A quieter, no-shutdown week
Compared to last week's bombshell of announcements, it's been a tame week in the political sphere. We didn't even get to use our best government shutdown pickup lines. Still, tame doesn't mean nothing happened. It is politics, after all. Welcome to this week's roundup.
More Clinton email goodness
The latest batch of emails from Hillary Clinton's private server were released Wednesday. Among the highlights: Sen. Barbara Mikulski saying the Supreme Court "just screwed us" following the Citizens United decision and Clinton replying, "Oh, Barb, we got trouble w a capital 'T' in River City. I miss you too and will try to call soon. Keep going, as your and my 'home girl' Harriet Tubman would say!" The Democratic candidate also thinks of a certain city as "Indianoplace." State Department email releases: the gift that keeps on giving.
The latest in GOP polls
Donald Trump, watch your back: Ben Carson is catching up to you. At least, that's what the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll says. The two candidates are polling at 21% and 20% respectively. Of course, you can take the Jeb Bush view to all of this: that the numbers don't really matter. It's the kind of view Lindsey Graham probably endorses.
Rubio's on the rise
He hasn't made as many headlines as other candidates this summer, but Marco Rubio continues to have a solid standing among the large GOP roster. That was most apparent this week when he overtook Donald Trump to become No. 2 in the Paste BN GOP Power Rankings. What helped him out: his performance in the last #GOPDebate (never forget, "America is not a planet"). "Suddenly, Rubio finds daylight, moves into top tier," Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire, said. How can we tell that Rubio really is doing well: both Jeb Bush and Donald Trump are now on the attack when it comes to the Florida senator.
Let's remember that other branch of government for a moment
Even before a vote takes place for the Speaker of the House gavel, Rep. Kevin McCarthy's already the target of a campaign to have him fired. The House majority leader is heir apparent to the retiring John Boehner -- and some conservatives are not happy about it. "We are firing a shot across their bow that it is completely unacceptable to have a second coming of John Boehner," Constitutional Rights PAC Chairman Larry Ward said. Still, McCarthy's the favorite for the vote set to take place this coming week.
Best politics photo of the week
Sen. Lindsey Graham is often polished on the trail and in the Capitol. He dressed down during a Sunday meet-and-greet in his home state and donned a baseball cap -- perhaps he's taking note of a certain other candidate's success with hats?