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Trump and Bush duel in New Hampshire as Hillary Clinton emails released – as it happened
Trump and Bush duel in New Hampshire as Hillary Clinton emails released – as it happened
(4 months later)
8.00pm ET01:00
1.00am BST
01:00
The candidates are off the stage, and we’re going to wrap up our live coverage for the evening.
The candidates are off the stage, and we’re going to wrap up our live coverage for the evening.
We’ll have a news story shortly on the remarkable contrast tonight between Bush and Trump, captured best in their contrasting replies to the Syrian refugee crisis.
We’ll have a news story shortly on the remarkable contrast tonight between Bush and Trump, captured best in their contrasting replies to the Syrian refugee crisis.
“I think we’re duty bound to provide support,” Bush said.
“I think we’re duty bound to provide support,” Bush said.
Trump called the refugees a “tactical ploy”, an invading army, and said “If I win, they’re going back.”
Trump called the refugees a “tactical ploy”, an invading army, and said “If I win, they’re going back.”
Jaw-dropping. Two tweets minutes apart, from two #fitn events just now. pic.twitter.com/WLh2nyWHUQ
Jaw-dropping. Two tweets minutes apart, from two #fitn events just now. pic.twitter.com/WLh2nyWHUQ
7.37pm ET00:37
12.37am BST
00:37
Back to the emails for a moment:
Back to the emails for a moment:
MORE: Newly released emails show hackers linked to Russia tried to access Hillary Rodham Clinton's private email: http://t.co/RcXrbZbKG7
MORE: Newly released emails show hackers linked to Russia tried to access Hillary Rodham Clinton's private email: http://t.co/RcXrbZbKG7
7.37pm ET00:37
12.37am BST
00:37
More profanity from Trump:
More profanity from Trump:
Trump on Iraq: "As soon as we leave, they knock the shit out of everybody."
Trump on Iraq: "As soon as we leave, they knock the shit out of everybody."
7.35pm ET00:35
12.35am BST
00:35
That’s a study in contrasts.
That’s a study in contrasts.
Donald Trump, in Keene, NH, on Syrian refugees: "If I win, they're going back." pic.twitter.com/LCmf4n0R9X
Donald Trump, in Keene, NH, on Syrian refugees: "If I win, they're going back." pic.twitter.com/LCmf4n0R9X
7.34pm ET00:34
12.34am BST
00:34
Bush, meanwhile, has just taken a question from a weeping Syrian-American who says that 10 members of her family have had to leave Syria. She asks about how to help the refugees.
Bush, meanwhile, has just taken a question from a weeping Syrian-American who says that 10 members of her family have had to leave Syria. She asks about how to help the refugees.
Bush calls for a strengthened humanitarian response – and for a confrontation with Assad.
Bush calls for a strengthened humanitarian response – and for a confrontation with Assad.
“What we should have done was to tell Assad, no more barrel bombs,” Bush says. “We’ll wipe out your air force. We’ll wipe out your air force.”
“What we should have done was to tell Assad, no more barrel bombs,” Bush says. “We’ll wipe out your air force. We’ll wipe out your air force.”
7.31pm ET00:31
12.31am BST
00:31
Trump seems to be on a real roll here, even for him:
Trump seems to be on a real roll here, even for him:
Donald Trump just accused American soldiers of dealing money from Iraqi government. "I wouldn't be surprised if the cash didn't get there."
Donald Trump just accused American soldiers of dealing money from Iraqi government. "I wouldn't be surprised if the cash didn't get there."
7.28pm ET00:28
12.28am BST
00:28
Trump: Syrian refugees a 'tactical ploy'
Trump: Syrian refugees a 'tactical ploy'
Trump unleashes a whole new league of whopper:
Trump unleashes a whole new league of whopper:
Donald Trump says Syrian refugees are one of the greatest tactical ploys of all time. It could be a 200k army [of ISIS sleeper agents]
Donald Trump says Syrian refugees are one of the greatest tactical ploys of all time. It could be a 200k army [of ISIS sleeper agents]
7.27pm ET00:27
12.27am BST
00:27
Sanders to announce $25m quarterly haul
Sanders to announce $25m quarterly haul
If you thought Carson’s $20m was big...
If you thought Carson’s $20m was big...
The Burlington Free Press reports that Bernie Sanders took in $25m.
The Burlington Free Press reports that Bernie Sanders took in $25m.
Ball’s in your court, camp Clinton.
Ball’s in your court, camp Clinton.
The @bfp_news scoops: @BernieSanders will report a whopping $25m for the third quarter: http://t.co/KgC2NHGeLj
The @bfp_news scoops: @BernieSanders will report a whopping $25m for the third quarter: http://t.co/KgC2NHGeLj
7.24pm ET00:24
12.24am BST
00:24
Bush on pope: 'he's not a scientist, he's a theologian'
Bush on pope: 'he's not a scientist, he's a theologian'
Bush takes a question in Spanish about the pope and what the pope says about protecting the environment.
Bush takes a question in Spanish about the pope and what the pope says about protecting the environment.
“He’s not a scientist. He’s a theologian, and a very good one,” Bush says of the pope.
“He’s not a scientist. He’s a theologian, and a very good one,” Bush says of the pope.
“I think he has every right to talk about these things. Our natural environment is a gift from god.
“I think he has every right to talk about these things. Our natural environment is a gift from god.
“And I think having a focus on economic activities” creates opportunities to preserve the environment, Bush says.
“And I think having a focus on economic activities” creates opportunities to preserve the environment, Bush says.
7.21pm ET00:21
12.21am BST
00:21
“Again, I’m the most militaristic person in this room, but you’ve got to know when to use it,” Trump is saying.
“Again, I’m the most militaristic person in this room, but you’ve got to know when to use it,” Trump is saying.
Then he seems to dabble a bit at the edges of suggestions of hints of 9/11 conspiracy theory.
Then he seems to dabble a bit at the edges of suggestions of hints of 9/11 conspiracy theory.
“They sent their families a day early, back to Saudi Arabia,” he says, apparently referring to the bin Ladens. “They went back to Saudi Arabia, not to Iraq. I think one might have. Nobody knows. We know nothing. We know nothing. We know nothing.”
“They sent their families a day early, back to Saudi Arabia,” he says, apparently referring to the bin Ladens. “They went back to Saudi Arabia, not to Iraq. I think one might have. Nobody knows. We know nothing. We know nothing. We know nothing.”
7.18pm ET00:18
12.18am BST
00:18
Bush is taking questions about how economic interests and national security interests intertwine. It’s his third or fourth question. He’s leading a conversation about policy.
Bush is taking questions about how economic interests and national security interests intertwine. It’s his third or fourth question. He’s leading a conversation about policy.
Trump is riffing about how General Douglas MacArthur would handle Isis, and handle questions about Isis. “He’d smack the reporter in the face. Kick him in the lips,” Trump says.
Trump is riffing about how General Douglas MacArthur would handle Isis, and handle questions about Isis. “He’d smack the reporter in the face. Kick him in the lips,” Trump says.
One’s a community board meeting. The other is a sporting event.
One’s a community board meeting. The other is a sporting event.
7.11pm ET00:11
12.11am BST
00:11
Trump calls bullshit:
Trump calls bullshit:
Trump gets a round of applause for saying Rubio/Jeb's compliments for each other is "political bullshit"
Trump gets a round of applause for saying Rubio/Jeb's compliments for each other is "political bullshit"
Also, I don't think I've ever heard Trump curse at a speech before
Also, I don't think I've ever heard Trump curse at a speech before
7.09pm ET00:09
12.09am BST
00:09
Oh yeah he said that too
Oh yeah he said that too
"You want to be cherished, you want to be respected, you want to be everything. Am I right, women?" -- Donald Trump
"You want to be cherished, you want to be respected, you want to be everything. Am I right, women?" -- Donald Trump
The line was applauded and cheered.
The line was applauded and cheered.
7.08pm ET00:08
12.08am BST
00:08
Bush: “Maybe the stay-out-home spouse wants to begin to work. Your marginal tax rate on that second income is extraordinarily high.”
Bush: “Maybe the stay-out-home spouse wants to begin to work. Your marginal tax rate on that second income is extraordinarily high.”
Trump is all about slagging off Rubio for being soft on immigration and Bush for supporting Common Core. Bush in contrast is bravely slogging through the policy weeds.
Trump is all about slagging off Rubio for being soft on immigration and Bush for supporting Common Core. Bush in contrast is bravely slogging through the policy weeds.
Now Bush is taking questions.
Now Bush is taking questions.
7.06pm ET00:06
12.06am BST
00:06
Trump: Won’t that be sad, if Trump doesn’t make it? Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing?
Trump: Won’t that be sad, if Trump doesn’t make it? Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing?
7.06pm ET00:06
12.06am BST
00:06
Interesting split-screen now for Fox News and CNN. Fox has Putin and Syria. CNN is carrying Trump live.
Interesting split-screen now for Fox News and CNN. Fox has Putin and Syria. CNN is carrying Trump live.
Maybe the O’Reilly factor appearance this week wasn’t the end of the latest Trump-Fox spat after all.
Maybe the O’Reilly factor appearance this week wasn’t the end of the latest Trump-Fox spat after all.
Or maybe Russia in Syria’s the real news.
Or maybe Russia in Syria’s the real news.
Update: CNN toggles to a split-screen between the candidates:
Update: CNN toggles to a split-screen between the candidates:
Trump vs Bush on CNN. Guess which one gets the volume? Miraculously, Fox News is at least focusing on war and peace. pic.twitter.com/7g35DO867u
Trump vs Bush on CNN. Guess which one gets the volume? Miraculously, Fox News is at least focusing on war and peace. pic.twitter.com/7g35DO867u
Updated at 7.12pm ET
Updated
7.04pm ET00:04
at 12.12am BST
12.04am BST
00:04
Trucks and ramps and drugs oh my!
Trucks and ramps and drugs oh my!
Trump says trucks filled with drugs driving up a ramp and over the current wall on the American border
Trump says trucks filled with drugs driving up a ramp and over the current wall on the American border
7.02pm ET00:02
12.02am BST
00:02
Here’s the crowd Bush stacks up against Trump’s thousands:
Here’s the crowd Bush stacks up against Trump’s thousands:
Andy Crews of AutoFair introduces Bush in Bedford: "There's only one candidate who will make America great again." pic.twitter.com/4mVOAtwakm
Andy Crews of AutoFair introduces Bush in Bedford: "There's only one candidate who will make America great again." pic.twitter.com/4mVOAtwakm
6.59pm ET23:59
11.59pm BST
23:59
Carson campaign announces $20m haul
Carson campaign announces $20m haul
A big number for the Carson camp.
A big number for the Carson camp.
MORE: Ben Carson's presidential campaign says it raised more than $20M in past three months: http://t.co/RBernCvaRc
MORE: Ben Carson's presidential campaign says it raised more than $20M in past three months: http://t.co/RBernCvaRc
6.55pm ET23:55
11.55pm BST
23:55
Trump: Nobody respects women more than I do.
Trump: Nobody respects women more than I do.
Bush: Capital equipment that creates the highways jobs, it should be fully expensed, which means we will have a renaissance on main street, the real economy.
Bush: Capital equipment that creates the highways jobs, it should be fully expensed, which means we will have a renaissance on main street, the real economy.
Trump: We owe now $19tn. For a few months I’ve been saying 18, now it’s up to 19. We owe China $1.5tn. Think of that.
Trump: We owe now $19tn. For a few months I’ve been saying 18, now it’s up to 19. We owe China $1.5tn. Think of that.
Bush: The waters of the United States, which now has, the EPA with massive overreach in getting involved in local issues as it relates to development.
Bush: The waters of the United States, which now has, the EPA with massive overreach in getting involved in local issues as it relates to development.
Trump: Well China, it’s almost $400bn a year. $400bn! Japan is almost $70bn a year, and Mexico 45. $45bn. And people say oh, you can’t get Mexico to pay for the wall.
Trump: Well China, it’s almost $400bn a year. $400bn! Japan is almost $70bn a year, and Mexico 45. $45bn. And people say oh, you can’t get Mexico to pay for the wall.
Bush: We could only do that because we had a growing economy. High growth creates the opportunity of protecting wild Florida, wild United States.
Bush: We could only do that because we had a growing economy. High growth creates the opportunity of protecting wild Florida, wild United States.
Trump: You’ve all seen it. And in two weeks – this is something that I’ve really gotten to know a lot about – we’ve got to take care of our vets. I’m going to put out a policy paper.
Trump: You’ve all seen it. And in two weeks – this is something that I’ve really gotten to know a lot about – we’ve got to take care of our vets. I’m going to put out a policy paper.
Bush: We have now more than a hundred, we have a hundred years of natural gas, the most cost-effective fuel to be able to transform this country.
Bush: We have now more than a hundred, we have a hundred years of natural gas, the most cost-effective fuel to be able to transform this country.
6.50pm ET23:50
11.50pm BST
23:50
OK Trump is talking about the price of washers. We’re going to ditch him for Jeb Bush in Bedford for the moment.
OK Trump is talking about the price of washers. We’re going to ditch him for Jeb Bush in Bedford for the moment.
A Bush live feed is here.
A Bush live feed is here.
It’s true, the Bush room feels small compared to the Trump crowd. He’s got about 30 people behind him on chairs in the camera shot.
It’s true, the Bush room feels small compared to the Trump crowd. He’s got about 30 people behind him on chairs in the camera shot.
It’s more a town hall at the Bush event. He’s standing with his sleeves rolled up in the middle of a crowd and pacing and turning as he speaks.
It’s more a town hall at the Bush event. He’s standing with his sleeves rolled up in the middle of a crowd and pacing and turning as he speaks.
He’s talking about economic growth and reforming the tax code.
He’s talking about economic growth and reforming the tax code.
6.45pm ET23:45
Trump has finally stopped talking about crowd size and the media depiction of crowd sizes. He pivots to immigration and “anchor babies.”
6.44pm ET23:44
Trump: 'Nobody has crowds like us. Including Bernie'
Trump demands that the camera pan out to show the crowd. The camera doesn’t pan out.
Trump is demanding that TV networks stop showing him and start showing the crowds. The opposite of Scorsese's approach with The Last Waltz
Trump says that according to the fire marshal, there are 3,564 people at the event, and there would have been more except they could not stick people in the aisles.
“And it’s always like this, by the way,” Trump says.
How long is he going to talk about the size of his crowd?
He’s now talking about a “beautiful” crowd he had in South Carolina.
“It was such a beautiful day,” he said. But the cameras showed empty chairs at the back of the room. And Trump is obsessing about the depiction that the event was less-than-full. Maybe because of that Times piece.
I'm getting the feeling that Trump is about to complain about @jmartNYT here
He’s still talking about it. “Nobody has crowds like us. Nobody. Including Bernie, who does pretty well.”
Updated at 6.47pm ET
6.40pm ET23:40
Trump is up.
“Jeb Bush is down the road tonight,” he says. “They’re expecting 150 people.”
Here’s a live stream:
6.22pm ET23:22
Coming up in New Hampshire: Donald Trump and Jeb Bush, in dueling town hall appearances.
The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs is at Trump, in Keene. Bush is at the SERESC Conference Center in Bedford.
6.16pm ET23:16
“I actually collapsed.” Why did she collapse? Did she hit anything in collapsing? Has it happened before? Why is she working past 7?
"I actually collapsed" (ht @SemperBanU) pic.twitter.com/YqTK6EkNsZ
6.08pm ET23:08
We’ll meet you there, Madame Secretary
Spot the babyboomer pic.twitter.com/U2mk9lPST4
6.05pm ET23:05
Subject line: “Abu Ghraib-like pics from Afghanistan”.
Body: Redacted.
(h/t: @nickywoolf)
6.03pm ET23:03
Clinton: “Mother Earth must be very unhappy w us all.”
(h/t @nickywoolf)
6.01pm ET23:01
Hillary Clinton: faithful Guardian reader.
5.44pm ET22:44
Senator Mikulski gets riffing:
A powerful if garbled email from Sen Mikulski moaning to Clinton that Obama not doing enough to help the middle class pic.twitter.com/JDmuL1D1JQ
5.41pm ET22:41
Our correspondent Ben Jacobs runs into a wall of awesome at the scene of the imminent Donald Trump town hall in Keene, New Hampshire:
Supporter has made these Trump yards to hand out for free at the event tonight pic.twitter.com/K08CUmjofn
Literally thousands of signs have brought up here by sign printer in Rhode Island for this event pic.twitter.com/reaaHxJehR
5.22pm ET22:22
Did Clinton vote against raising the debt ceiling – a policy stance associated with the reactionary wing of the GOP?
The Wikileaks dump of reams of diplomatic cables struck fear in the heart – or inspired asphyxia, at least – in the White House, to hear the emails tell it:
Clinton emails reveal relief as Obama cleans up diplomatic mess after Wikileaks from the White House situation room. pic.twitter.com/Ig4KrE1bc3
UPDATE: For background, read the contemporary news report here:
President Barack Obama told Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Mexican President Felipe Calderon in phone calls on Saturday that WikiLeaks’ actions were “deplorable” and the leaders agreed it would not hurt ties with Washington, the White House said.
Updated at 5.26pm ET
5.08pm ET22:08
Not only did Hillary Clinton use a personal email account while secretary of state.
Clinton aide Huma Abedin used the personal email account belonging to Clinton while Clinton was secretary of state.
And she didn’t spell out “you” .
So it appears that Huma had access to — and at times was using — Hillary Clinton’s personal email account. pic.twitter.com/5j7RcqDcaG
5.06pm ET22:06
BTW, no government shutdown, Planned Parenthood retains what federal funding it receives, and they all lived happily ever after, until December when the debt ceiling fight happens and the spending resolution has to be renewed.
BREAKING: No shutdown: House vote sends spending bill to Obama, keeping government open through Dec. 11.
5.02pm ET22:02
She can’t send a fax, she doesn’t know what the E3+3 is and she doesn’t know what FUBAR means.
And Hillary Clinton wants to be president?
Hillary Clinton asking her staff to translate some choice diplomatic language in the latest email release pic.twitter.com/XyNHLuw3mj
5.01pm ET22:01
In this email, Anne-Marie Slaughter, the scholar, sometimes-official and think tank-er, points out that “NO ONE uses a State-issued laptop and even high officials routinely end up using their home email accounts to be able to get their work done quickly” because of how crappy state department technology infrastructure is.
Clinton agrees with Slaughter that the state department ought to attempt to draw public attention to the problem. But then adviser Cheryl Mills pours cold water on the idea.
A.M. Slaughter emails HRC's personal email account to decry how many top State officials use personal email accounts pic.twitter.com/KeHEE0C86E
4.55pm ET21:55
In this email, Clinton seems angry at an unidentified underling who decided the state department would refer to parents as “parent one and two” instead of “mother and father”.
Clinton says the state department should retain “the presumption of mother and father.” She frets about “a huge Fox-generated media storm led by Palin et al.”
Clinton angry about how State refers to 'nontraditional' families, frets of 'Fox-generated media storm led by Palin' pic.twitter.com/3pEVNEKYPs
4.42pm ET21:42
Ben Carson called for an end to fiat currency in a news conference following his town hall appearance today in Exeter, New Hampshire, Ben Jacobs reports.
In his town hall appearance, Carson had detoured into monetary policy, seeming to call for a return to the gold standard.
“I think we should attach the printing of money to something,” Carson said afterwards. “Does it have to be gold? No.”
Carson said the currency could be tied to an energy source.
In response to a second question about Russian military activity inside Syria, Carson expressed “significant concerns about the whole alliance between Russia, the Assad regime in Syria, and the Iranians.”
Updated at 4.47pm ET
4.35pm ET21:35
Wait till Trey Gowdy gets his hands on this email.
Chris Coons was sad when Hillary Clinton didn’t recognize him. :( pic.twitter.com/m7qu9LLGuo
4.32pm ET21:32
In which Hillary Clinton fights with a White House operator who is like yeah right, you’re Hillary Clinton, and I’m Winston Churchill:
"Right now I'm fighting w the WH operator who doesn't believe I am who I say" pic.twitter.com/oY1SvXAQKD
4.29pm ET21:29
Ben Carson is now in his second New Hampshire event of the day, a town hall at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
And it appears he’s just made a joke about police shooting African-Americans:
Carson jokes about running away from cops as a kid: "That was back in the day before they would shoot you -- I'm just kidding," he laughs
4.25pm ET21:25
Clinton email bombshell
Thank you, State Department, for this partial release. pic.twitter.com/U5awdpclIH
4.23pm ET21:23
Here’s another Clinton email celebrating her popularity. (In 2011.)
Look at my pollllss! Sounds like the Trump campaign over there.
Philippe celebrates Clinton approval rating hitting 67%: "This is why we cooperate with so many profiles" pic.twitter.com/PjdsCnccng
4.19pm ET21:19
Why would the Clinton team be circulating media stories about Clinton’s popularity as secretary of state making voters second-guess their decision to pick Obama over her?
When @HumaAbedin forwarded HRC a @McCormickJohn story about "buyer's remorse" over Obama pic.twitter.com/X5st3ftIsG
4.02pm ET21:02
New batch of Clinton e-mails released
The 6,000 fresh pages are out, and viewable online at the State Department web site here.
3.56pm ET20:56
Clinton: GOP admission on Benghazi 'dishonors the four we lost'
Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said that House majority leader Kevin McCarthy touting the political efficacy of a special Benghazi committee was “deeply distressing”.
Clinton said in an interview with MSNBC that McCarthy had demonstrated “unequivocally that this was always meant to be a partisan political exercise,” which she called “a grave disservice and dishonors not just the memory of the four we lost, but everybody who serves our country.”
Speaking on Fox News Tuesday, McCarthy, who is running to be the next speaker of the House, said he had a “strategy to fight and win.”
“And let me give you one example,” McCarthy continued. “Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee. A select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping.”
“I find them deeply distressing,” Clinton said of the remarks. “I knew the ambassador that we lost in Benghazi. Along with him, we lost three other brave Americans that were representing us in a dangerous part of the world...
“So when I hear a statement like that, which demonstrates unequivocally that this was always meant to be a partisan, political exercise, I feel like it does a grave disservice and dishonors not just the memory of the four we lost, but everybody who serves our country.”
3.34pm ET20:34
Next GOP 'main stage' debate may see fewer contestants
Criteria just published for the next Republican debate, to air 28 October, 2015, on CNBC, suggest that multiple candidates who appeared on the main stage last time may not make it this time.
Only candidates with at least 2.5% in polling averages will be invited to the main stage debate, CNBC has announced. Only polls from six national news outlets conducted between 17 September and 21 October will count.
There will be a separate, “kids’ table” debate.
It’s too early to say how the candidates will fare in those particular polls. But in Pollster’s current overall polling averages, Rand Paul would just make the cut at 2.5%, John Kasich would miss it at 2.4% and Mike Huckabee would also fall out at 2.3%.
Here are the criteria:
National polls will be used to determine a candidate’s eligibility and placement on the stage. To be eligible to appear in either segment, a candidate must have at least 1% in any one of the methodologically sound and recognized national polls conducted by: NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN and Bloomberg, released between September 17, 2015 and October 21, 2015.
To appear in the 8pm debate a candidate must have an average of 3% among these polls. The polls will be averaged and will be rounded up to 3% for any candidate with a standing of 2.5% or higher. Candidates who average below that will be invited to the 6pm debate.
Something tells us in five years this is going to be bigger than Burning Man
Are you ready for #FordFest2015 ? Join my brother Doug and I on October 2nd for our annual BBQ! All are welcome pic.twitter.com/3ZouOAm9ho
(h/t: @attackerman)
3.01pm ET20:01
As we wait for the Clinton emails to drop – will she, this time, dress down the adviser who called John Boehner “louche, alcoholic [and] lazy”? – let’s quickly catch up on Trey Gowdy’s career.
Gowdy is only a second-term Tea Party Republican from South Carolina who chairs the Benghazi committee to bring down Hillary Clinton and who does not care what you think about his tie. That’s him:
Rep Trey Gowdy (R-SC) winks at Planned Parenthood Pres Cecile Richards during today's Hse Oversight Cmte he... https://t.co/BRh6EeMuec
A colleague told C-Span in an interview that Gowdy planned to retire from Congress, after such a brilliant start, at the end of this term, prompting reports that that would happen.
Those reports appear to have been premature. The lawmaker, John Fleming, had miscontrued a statement Gowdy made, according to yet a third House Republican in the world’s most boring game of telephone:
GOP member says @RepFleming misconstrued comments @TGowdySC made at a GOP conference meeting http://t.co/FUGdYiHDSK pic.twitter.com/0CiUcoR8My
One reason Gowdy might not retire: outgoing speaker John Boehner met with him secretly to encourage him to run for House majority leader, the No.2 position, according to Politico:
The previously undisclosed meeting reveals new behind-the-scenes involvement by Boehner, who has not endorsed any candidates in the leadership race
Read the full piece here.
Updated at 3.09pm ET
2.46pm ET19:46
There’s a stir at the Ben Carson event when the candidate attacks Planned Parenthood, Ben Jacobs reports:
Ben Carson: Planned Parenthood has been disgraced and I am ashamed to have something like that associate with our government
Planned Parenthood has some defenders in crowd at NH senior center. Several women get up and leave as Carson answers second question abt it
2.37pm ET19:37
The White House spokesman calls would-be House speaker Kevin McCarthy’s touting the Benghazi special committee as a tool for destroying Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers a “classic Washington gaffe”:
.@GOPLeader committed "classic Washington gaffe" of saying something everybody knows is true, Earnest says re: Benghazi cmte hurting HRC
Trey Gowdy, the chairman of the Benghazi committee, had tried to set up two hearings with testimony by Clinton, to make more time to ask her about the email habits that have created a months-long headache for her presidential campaign.
The FBI and Congress are investigating whether Clinton inappropriately handled any classified material over the personal email account she used as secretary of state.
We’re expecting a new tranche of emails any minute now.
Brian Fallon is press secretary for the Clinton campaign:
Notwithstanding Rep. McCarthy's admission that Benghazi Cmte was set up to attack @HillaryClinton, she looks forward to testifying on Oct 22
Updated at 2.44pm ET
2.28pm ET19:28
Ben Jacobs is taking in Carson’s stump speech. The retired neurosurgeon seems to be enjoying his new vocation...
Ben Carson says politics is "complete filth and dishonesty."
...and as far as Dr Carson sees it, the feeling’s mutual:
Carson: The political establishment in both parties dislikes me
Have you listened to Carson on the stump this year yet? You’ll want to weigh in on this –
Is it just me or do Ben Carson's cadences resemble Levon Helm's in Strawberry Wine?
– and to the tape:
2.18pm ET19:18
Voters support 'stupid' 'jerk' Donald Trump in national poll
Asked for one word that describes Republican polling champion Donald Trump, 10% of Republicans in a new national poll from USA Today said either “idiot” or “jerk” or “stupid” or “dumb.”
Six percent said “arrogant.”
Nearly two percent said “ballsy” or its close synonyms “exciting” and “exhilarating.”
Trump, it goes without saying, showed a strong lead in the poll of 380 likely Republican voters with 23% support. That’s up 6 points from the same pollster in July.
Ben Carson and former Hewlett Packard executive Carly Fiorina tied for second this time at 13%.
The USA Today poll asked voters to describe Trump in one word. This is what they said: pic.twitter.com/SUvsTg9Rkx
Polling averages look less awesome for Trump, whom 5.6% of Republicans in the USA Today poll described as “crazy” or “nuts.”
Consider the below aggregation of 173 polls from 30 pollsters with data from Pollster hosted by the Huffington Post.
Trump is the red one.
Updated at 2.19pm ET
2.04pm ET19:04
Go Pats
Mitt Romney: “I was approached in the airport some time ago, someone said, 'You look familiar. Who are you?' I said, 'Tom Brady.’"
2.03pm ET19:03
Carson’s up now with the first of two town hall meetings, to be followed this evening by a meeting with doctors in New Castle, New Hampshire.
Trump and Bush have dueling town halls tonight, scheduled to kick off at 6.30pm.
What’s Bush been up to? His campaign has rolled out a new video ad attacking Hillary Clinton for refusing to support the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
The video takes a page from Subterranean Homesick Blues. Words over audio – works every time:
Earlier Wednesday, in an occasionally fraught round table on the heroin crisis in New Hampshire, Bush made a rare reference to his daughter Noelle’s struggles with drug abuse, Ben Jacobs (@bencjacobs) reports:
At the roundtable, Bush told attendees: “I’ve had personal experience of dealing with the challenges of drug addiction. It’s not easy. It’s not just the loss of a life or the loss of potential of one person, which is phenomenal.” The Republican presidential candidate added: “I can go into meetings and I know the people whose families have suffered because of this. It’s very easy to see, you can see it drained out of your face, you can just feel it.”
Read the full piece here.
1.54pm ET18:54
Here’s a Twitter not to neglect if you keep a keen eye on politics:
Carson is told to hold microphone close to his mouth here. His response "I can't get it any higher it will be in my mouth."
Ben Carson is touting how 19th century Americans know how to build "roads and containment facilities"
Ben Carson: Within 200 years of the advent of America men were walking on the moon. It fundamentally changed the trajectory of mankind
1.50pm ET18:50
Ben Jacobs (@bencjacobs) finds a packed house at the Riverwoods Senior Living Community in Exeter, New Hampshire, ahead of an appearance by Ben Carson.
“However, the big crowd shouldn’t be taken as a sign of overwhelming support,” Ben writes:
Many of the attendees at this event, which is limited to residents and their families, seem to be here simply because it’s the most exciting activity available on a wet, dreary Wednesday afternoon.
Before Carson arrived, Ron Spiers sat thumbing through a copy of the Economist with his wife Patience. Both Ron and Patience plan on voting for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, but they turned up here to see what Carson had to say, after he had few opportunities to speak in the first two Republican debates.
“I don’t have an sense of where he is [on the Affordable Care Act] as a doctor with a prominent medical background,” said Ron Spiers.
1.41pm ET18:41
Wisconsin voters respond to Walker call to take out Trump... by backing Trump
It appears that all the punditry about Senator Marco Rubio being the candidate most likely to scoop up supporters from the defunct Scott Walker campaign was not strictly “right” or “correct”.
Walker memorably dropped out of the race eight days ago with a clarion call for a “positive, conservative alternative” to Donald Trump.
It was a brave valedictory, Walker falling on his sword, saying he was called to lead by clearing the field so that a more viable standard-bearer could emerge.
Voters appear to have responded by throwing their support behind Trump, according to a Marquette University poll. That’s how Wisconsin feels about Scott Walker right now. The same poll has him at 37% approval in his home state. Not a great political season for Walker.
.@realDonaldTrump was candidate helped most in Wis by @ScottWalker dropping out. Moved from 9% to 20%.
Updated at 1.46pm ET
1.22pm ET18:22
Trump and emails and House of Cards – oh, yes!
Hello! And welcome to our rolling coverage of the day on the campaign trail, which looks to be busier than Harris Teeter on game day.
Donald Trump, Jeb Bush and Ben Carson will be making afternoon appearances in New Hampshire. Unclear whether they car-pooled, like that time Michael Jackson, Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando drove from New York to Ohio.
Speaking of driving, the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs (@bencjacobs) is motoring around the Granite State all afternoon to take us inside the candidates’ appearances ... we’ll bring you all of the substance and none of the spittle.
Hillary Clinton, apparently the most prolific correspondent since Queen Victoria, will see 6,000 additional pages of her emails released by the State Department this afternoon. The Guardian’s Washington bureau chief Dan Roberts (@RobertsDan) will be reading her email so you don’t have to. We can’t wait to find out how the gefilte fish episode was resolved and whether she learned to fax.
Last but not least, gossip is swirling around Trey Gowdy, the chairman of the House special committee on Benghazi, after prospective House speaker Kevin McCarthy said on TV Tuesday night that the committee is part of “a strategy to fight and win” against Democrats and had successfully driven down Hillary Clinton’s poll numbers. Don’t care about Beltway musical chairs? No problem: we’ll do a House of Cards version for you with the Guardian’s Nicky Woolf (@NickyWoolf) on the Hill.
Gowdy has said the purpose of the committee is to clarify what happened in the 11 September 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed. But he also really, really likes Clinton’s emails.
Depending on whom you believe, Gowdy is now either being advanced as a prospective Number 2 to McCarthy – or Gowdy is retiring from Congress.
Here’s the McCarthy [no relation] interview if you haven’t seen it:
Anyway, follow us on the road and across DC ... at whatever pace you like.
