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| US politics: Trump grabs commanding lead in latest poll – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.56pm GMT18:56 | 6.56pm GMT18:56 |
| Ben Jacobs | Ben Jacobs |
| Vain attempts by skeptics of Donald Trump’s candidacy for the White House to somehow wish away his commanding lead received another blow on Monday. | Vain attempts by skeptics of Donald Trump’s candidacy for the White House to somehow wish away his commanding lead received another blow on Monday. |
| A new poll from Monmouth University shows Trump with the support of 41% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters nationally, up a whopping 27% on his nearest competitor, Ted Cruz. Cruz mustered the support of only 14% of GOP voters. | A new poll from Monmouth University shows Trump with the support of 41% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters nationally, up a whopping 27% on his nearest competitor, Ted Cruz. Cruz mustered the support of only 14% of GOP voters. |
| The poll is not perfect –there is no national presidential primary, and the sample of 385 voters is less than robust. However, the survey marks an important benchmark in the race, even if it could be an outlier. | The poll is not perfect –there is no national presidential primary, and the sample of 385 voters is less than robust. However, the survey marks an important benchmark in the race, even if it could be an outlier. |
| Trump has now become the first candidate to receive the support of over 40% of Republicans in any national poll, a landmark that Mitt Romney only reached once before April in the 2012 primary against a far smaller and less distinguished field. | Trump has now become the first candidate to receive the support of over 40% of Republicans in any national poll, a landmark that Mitt Romney only reached once before April in the 2012 primary against a far smaller and less distinguished field. |
| Trump also has built a strong grassroots organization in early primary states, is neck and neck with Ted Cruz in Iowa and consistently leads the Republican field in New Hampshire. | Trump also has built a strong grassroots organization in early primary states, is neck and neck with Ted Cruz in Iowa and consistently leads the Republican field in New Hampshire. |
| It has long been fashionable for Acela corridor elites to dismiss Trump as a sideshow and a carnival barker, but it’s clear they so at their own risk. Trump could still implode. It’s quite possible to envision him losing Iowa and doing his own version of the famous Dean scream from 2004. | It has long been fashionable for Acela corridor elites to dismiss Trump as a sideshow and a carnival barker, but it’s clear they so at their own risk. Trump could still implode. It’s quite possible to envision him losing Iowa and doing his own version of the famous Dean scream from 2004. |
| But, in the meantime, as unlikely as it may seem, Trump has been a consistent frontrunner for the Republican nomination for nearly six months, has built up commanding leads in early primary states and has a message that resonates with Republican voters. | But, in the meantime, as unlikely as it may seem, Trump has been a consistent frontrunner for the Republican nomination for nearly six months, has built up commanding leads in early primary states and has a message that resonates with Republican voters. |
| He shouldn’t start writing his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention – let alone start measuring the drapes in the Oval Office – but the time to scorn Trump as a novelty act has long since passed. | He shouldn’t start writing his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention – let alone start measuring the drapes in the Oval Office – but the time to scorn Trump as a novelty act has long since passed. |
| Updated at 6.57pm GMT | Updated at 6.57pm GMT |
| 6.47pm GMT18:47 | 6.47pm GMT18:47 |
| Trump's doctor says Trump would be healthiest president of all time | Trump's doctor says Trump would be healthiest president of all time |
| Ben Jacobs | Ben Jacobs |
| The Trump campaign has released a note from his doctor attesting to the candidate’s general health and well being. | The Trump campaign has released a note from his doctor attesting to the candidate’s general health and well being. |
| Trump shows “astonishingly excellent” test results and would “be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” the doctor writes. | Trump shows “astonishingly excellent” test results and would “be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency,” the doctor writes. |
| See for yourself: | See for yourself: |
| Update: Trump: ‘I have been blessed with great genes’ | Update: Trump: ‘I have been blessed with great genes’ |
| The candidate releases a statement reacting to his doctor’s statement. | The candidate releases a statement reacting to his doctor’s statement. |
| I am proud to share this report, written by the highly respected Dr. Jacob Bornstein of Lenox Hill Hospital, stating that I am in excellent health. I am fortunate to have been blessed with great genes --- both of my parents had very long and productive lives. I have truly enjoyed working on the campaign trail with one objective in mind, to Make America Great Again! People have been impressed by my stamina, but to me it has been easy because I am truly doing something that I love. Our country will soon be better and stronger than ever before. – Donald J. Trump | I am proud to share this report, written by the highly respected Dr. Jacob Bornstein of Lenox Hill Hospital, stating that I am in excellent health. I am fortunate to have been blessed with great genes --- both of my parents had very long and productive lives. I have truly enjoyed working on the campaign trail with one objective in mind, to Make America Great Again! People have been impressed by my stamina, but to me it has been easy because I am truly doing something that I love. Our country will soon be better and stronger than ever before. – Donald J. Trump |
| Worth noting Trump's doctor's note doesn't mention the foot issues which got him a draft deferment during the Vietnam War | Worth noting Trump's doctor's note doesn't mention the foot issues which got him a draft deferment during the Vietnam War |
| Updated at 7.01pm GMT | Updated at 7.01pm GMT |
| 6.20pm GMT18:20 | 6.20pm GMT18:20 |
| Mike Huckabee, the TV and radio personality who formerly governed Arkansas and who currently is running for president, doesn’t have the polling juice to make it into the mainstage debate tomorrow night. | Mike Huckabee, the TV and radio personality who formerly governed Arkansas and who currently is running for president, doesn’t have the polling juice to make it into the mainstage debate tomorrow night. |
| He also doesn’t have a communications director anymore, according to multiple media reports. | He also doesn’t have a communications director anymore, according to multiple media reports. |
| #Scoop: @GovMikeHuckabee communications director, @alicetweet, has left his pres. campaign, @foxnews has learned according to Huck insider. | #Scoop: @GovMikeHuckabee communications director, @alicetweet, has left his pres. campaign, @foxnews has learned according to Huck insider. |
| Huckabee won the Iowa Republican caucuses in 2008 and a handful of other states besides. That was then, it looks like. | Huckabee won the Iowa Republican caucuses in 2008 and a handful of other states besides. That was then, it looks like. |
| 6.08pm GMT18:08 | 6.08pm GMT18:08 |
| Summary | Summary |
| The president has spoken at the Pentagon on the effort to defeat the Islamic state group. Here’s what happened: | The president has spoken at the Pentagon on the effort to defeat the Islamic state group. Here’s what happened: |
| 5.55pm GMT17:55 | 5.55pm GMT17:55 |
| Obama wraps. No questions this time. Presser ends. | Obama wraps. No questions this time. Presser ends. |
| 5.55pm GMT17:55 | 5.55pm GMT17:55 |
| Obama dispatches Carter to Middle East | Obama dispatches Carter to Middle East |
| The president says the defense secretary will leave to the Middle East as soon as the news conference is through to raise coalition support for the war effort. | The president says the defense secretary will leave to the Middle East as soon as the news conference is through to raise coalition support for the war effort. |
| All this said, we recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster,” Obama says. “Just as the United States is doing more in this fight... so must others. And that’s why I’ve asked secretary Carter to go to the Middle East... to work with our coalition partners on securing more aid on this front.” | All this said, we recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster,” Obama says. “Just as the United States is doing more in this fight... so must others. And that’s why I’ve asked secretary Carter to go to the Middle East... to work with our coalition partners on securing more aid on this front.” |
| Updated at 6.00pm GMT | Updated at 6.00pm GMT |
| 5.52pm GMT17:52 | 5.52pm GMT17:52 |
| Obama: 'Our next message to them is simple: you are next' | Obama: 'Our next message to them is simple: you are next' |
| In keeping with the setting, Obama assumes a more bellicose posture. He says the air strikes campaign against Isil has intensified. He names the group’s leaders killed in Syria, Iraq and Libya. He says the group has no new significant battlefield gains. | In keeping with the setting, Obama assumes a more bellicose posture. He says the air strikes campaign against Isil has intensified. He names the group’s leaders killed in Syria, Iraq and Libya. He says the group has no new significant battlefield gains. |
| He warns other Isis leaders that they face the fate of their peers: | He warns other Isis leaders that they face the fate of their peers: |
| Our next message to them is simple: you are next. | Our next message to them is simple: you are next. |
| 5.50pm GMT17:50 | 5.50pm GMT17:50 |
| Obama calls his meeting with the national security council a “regular” meeting. | Obama calls his meeting with the national security council a “regular” meeting. |
| He says the United States is leading a coalition embarked on a four-pronged strategy to defeat the Islamic state group: | He says the United States is leading a coalition embarked on a four-pronged strategy to defeat the Islamic state group: |
| • hunting down and taking out terrorists; | • hunting down and taking out terrorists; |
| • training and equipping the Syrian opposition; | • training and equipping the Syrian opposition; |
| • disrupt recruitment, financing and propaganda; | • disrupt recruitment, financing and propaganda; |
| • diplomacy to end Syrian civil war | • diplomacy to end Syrian civil war |
| Obama tries out some vivid imagery: | Obama tries out some vivid imagery: |
| As we squeeze its heart, it will make it harder for Isil to pump its propaganda and terror to the world. | As we squeeze its heart, it will make it harder for Isil to pump its propaganda and terror to the world. |
| 5.47pm GMT17:47 | 5.47pm GMT17:47 |
| Here comes the president. | Here comes the president. |
| 5.35pm GMT17:35 | 5.35pm GMT17:35 |
| The Pentagon briefing room is full as we wait for the president. Watch it live here: | The Pentagon briefing room is full as we wait for the president. Watch it live here: |
| 5.00pm GMT17:00 | 5.00pm GMT17:00 |
| Hello, and welcome to the day in politics. Today we’ve got the Republican candidates gearing up for what looks to be a dramatic debate on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where our Sabrina Siddiqui, Paul Lewis and Jeb Lund will hit the ground Trumping. And on the other side of the country, Hillary Clinton is preparing to deliver what’s being billed as a major Democratic policy speech on immigration in Brooklyn. (Lauren Gambino will be reporting live, with a little of Ben Jacobs on the ground in Iowa for good measure.) | Hello, and welcome to the day in politics. Today we’ve got the Republican candidates gearing up for what looks to be a dramatic debate on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where our Sabrina Siddiqui, Paul Lewis and Jeb Lund will hit the ground Trumping. And on the other side of the country, Hillary Clinton is preparing to deliver what’s being billed as a major Democratic policy speech on immigration in Brooklyn. (Lauren Gambino will be reporting live, with a little of Ben Jacobs on the ground in Iowa for good measure.) |
| The first order of business, however, is a public statement from Barack Obama at the Pentagon, following meetings there this morning on the threat posed by the Islamic State group and associated terror threats. | The first order of business, however, is a public statement from Barack Obama at the Pentagon, following meetings there this morning on the threat posed by the Islamic State group and associated terror threats. |
| That appearance is scheduled to begin momentarily. It comes just a week after the president used a rare Oval Office appearance to tamp down talk of a new ground war in Syria and warn against religious intolerance. Polling meanwhile has registered a spike in anxiety about terrorism among Americans. (We’ll have a lot more on polls – from data editor Mona Chalabi on the latest in the rise of Ted Cruz – throughout the day.) | That appearance is scheduled to begin momentarily. It comes just a week after the president used a rare Oval Office appearance to tamp down talk of a new ground war in Syria and warn against religious intolerance. Polling meanwhile has registered a spike in anxiety about terrorism among Americans. (We’ll have a lot more on polls – from data editor Mona Chalabi on the latest in the rise of Ted Cruz – throughout the day.) |
| Meanwhile, here’s our coverage of what the president said last week on the topic: | Meanwhile, here’s our coverage of what the president said last week on the topic: |
| Related: Obama's Oval Office address: president resists pressure for 'ground war' on Isis | Related: Obama's Oval Office address: president resists pressure for 'ground war' on Isis |
| Updated at 5.05pm GMT | Updated at 5.05pm GMT |