Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent running for the Democratic nomination, made his appeal to a crowd of small-dollar fundraisers Monday night in Chicago, Hillary Rodham Clinton's hometown. As the Chicago Tribune's Kim Geiger reports, when Sanders spoke of police shootings of African Americans, the audience took an interest:

When super PACs need campaign cash, New York and California are prime locations to rake in big checks.

During the last fundraising quarter, Right to Rise -- a super-PAC backing Republican Jeb Bush -- hauled in about $100 million. And Unintimidated PAC, which is backing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, raised about $20 million.

Large sums of money raised by the PACs, which can receive unlimited contributions, came from the Midwest. Illinois to be exact.

The Chicago Tribune looks at some of the big-money Illinois donors playing in 2016.

The Los Angeles Times' Seema Mehta is still soaking up the political fun at the Iowa State Fair. She caught up with Carly Fiorina on Monday as the former tech exec fielded questions and prepped "corn in a cup." It's all for you, Iowa.

After partaking in the public spectacle that is the Iowa State Fair, Hillary Rodham Clinton spent the weekend away from the prying eyes and ears of the national press corps at a familiar getaway -- Martha's Vineyard.

Or at least that was the goal.

Instead, two events Clinton intended to be private become somewhat public Monday, offering a glimpse of the Democratic presidential candidate's pitch to campaign donors and her cutting it up at a party for longtime family friend.

On Saturday, Clinton joined her husband as well as President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, who are vacationing again here this August, to celebrate Vernon Jordan's 80th birthday party.

The White House that night issued what's referred to as a “readout” of the affair, noting the presence of President Bill Clinton, the Obamas, among others, but not the potential future president. But Monday the band that played at the party posted a two-minute video clip of both Clintons dancing along to the music.

On Sunday, Hillary Clinton attended two fundraisers for her campaign, one on Martha's Vineyard and the other on nearby Nantucket, attended by a combined 555 on both vacation islands. Again, the events were designed to be closed to the press, but a reporter from Politico overheard some of the presidential hopeful's remarks.

According to the report, the thrust of her remarks were about early childhood education, at one point invoking her granddaughter, Charlotte, as she joked about how often the family reads, talks and sings to her -- steps that research shows will benefit her down the road. “She's a Clinton, she's talking too much, probably,” she joked.

What's notable about what the reporter overheard -- particularly given the fallout of Mitt Romney's “47 percent” comments that leaked out from a similarly closed fundraiser -- was how similar it is to her regular stump speech on the campaign trail.

Donald Trump reported for jury duty at the Manhattan Supreme Court this morning. Trump was greeted by throngs of reporters wanting to document the GOP front-runner doing his civic duty. Although he's never shown up before, Trump said this time, he was "happy to do it," the New York Post reports.

On paper, Jeb Bush is the perfect establishment candidate for the Republican presidential nomination:

A two-term governor of a crucial swing state who oversaw economic expansion and spearheaded education reform.

A conservative, but with a cerebral, optimistic tone that probably won't enrage moderate voters, unlike the unabashed social issue warriors in the GOP field.

A prolific fundraiser whose advantage stems from the powerful donor networks of his brother, former President George W. Bush, and his father, former President George H.W. Bush.

Yet the former Florida governor -- for all his might on paper -- has failed to catch on with GOP voters.

In recent weeks, his strongest showing was in the low double digits in polls both nationally and in the states that hold the first contests in the 2016 race for the White House. A CNN/ORC poll taken in Iowa and released Wednesday showed Bush with 5% support compared with front-runner Donald Trump's 22%.