CORPORATE AMERICA'S BOGUS BLAME THE ELECTION EXCUSE
This contentious and seemingly never-ending presidential election campaign makes me want to eat more comfort food to boost my spirits. But maybe I'm alone. Executives from several food companies -- as well as other big consumer brands -- have warned in recent weeks that the Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton battle for the White House is actually hurting their results. The CEO of Dunkin' Brands (DNKN), which owns both Dunkin' Donuts and ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins, said in an earnings call last Thursday that franchisees were nervous because of "the overwhelming dampening effect of the presidential election."