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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Sanders campaigns in New Hampshire as Clinton flies to Flint – campaign live | Sanders campaigns in New Hampshire as Clinton flies to Flint – campaign live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.16pm GMT | |
| 19:16 | |
| Sanders: 'we need a political revolution' | |
| Sanders slides into his stump. “In order to bring about the changes that the American people want, we need a political revolution. And the concept of a political revolution, that’s not just rhetoric, that’s reality.” | |
| Sanders rips his jacket off and the crowd goes nuts. | |
| Here’s his entrance: | |
| 7.13pm GMT | |
| 19:13 | |
| Heeere comes Bernie - pure pandemonium in the room. | |
| “This is a loud and boisterous crowd,” Sanders begins. “Thank you!” | |
| 7.11pm GMT | |
| 19:11 | |
| The Bernie Sanders rally where your blogger is posted up has yet to properly start. Palpably more energy – and physically more people, maybe twice as many – in the room, we’d note, than at Hillary Clinton’s morning get-out-the-vote event yesterday in Concord. Here in Portsmouth there are full bleachers and a properly packed gym floor and a media pack to dwarf what Clinton had. | |
| That Trump event in Plymouth continues to seem lively. The candidate is mocking a rival’s mother. Or mocking the rival for having a mother? | |
| Trump mocks Jeb Bush for having Barbara Bush campaign for him. "Mommy, walk in the snow Mom." | |
| Trump is now talking about a 35% tariff. Used to talk about a 45% tariff. | |
| Trump continues via Ben: | |
| Trump: “I am not calling him the Supreme Leader, he’s not my Supreme Leader” | |
| Trump now says “there’s something strange going” because Obama refers to Khamenei by his title of Supreme Leader | |
| Trump now says “there’s something strange going on” because Obama refers to Khamenei by his title of Supreme Leader | |
| Back at the Sanders event, a state legislator is warming up the crowd. “Just like 1776, Americans are saying, enough is enough!” Big cheering. Sounds like they just won the state meet. | |
| 7.02pm GMT | |
| 19:02 | |
| The Guardian’s Lauren Gambino is at an event with Bill Clinton in Keene, New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton is in Flint, Michigan, today, for an update on the local water crisis. | |
| Bill Clinton has just said that Hillary Clinton’s primary race is like his “on steroids,” Lauren writes: | |
| "@HillaryClinton is in Flint Michigan with the mayor," @billclinton said and the crowd applauds. | |
| @hillaryclinton didn’t say who do you want me to blame, she said what do you want me to do.” @billclinton | |
| Guardian columnist Lucia Graves is in Flint tailing Hillary Clinton: | |
| 7.00pm GMT | |
| 19:00 | |
| Donald Trump has been speaking to a packed house at Plymouth State University, in Holderness, New Hampshire, reports Alan Yuhas. | |
| He’s talking about a rigged system … just like Bernie Sanders does. He says that insurance companies would “rather have monopolies in each state” than compete, and that they’ve divvied up the country into various regions like a cartel. | |
| “I know these people,” Trump says. “The insurance companies say, ‘I want to take New York, you take, you take some other place. You take Iowa.’ | |
| “But they have lines around the states,” he says, apparently meaning they’ve drawn borders between their respective regions. | |
| “And New Hampshire has the same thing. And for those of you who have businesses it’s very hard to get competitive bids … I have thousands of employees. So hard for me to make deals on healthcare because I can’t get bids.” | |
| He throws a little red meat to the Republican crowd – “Obamacare is a disaster, and it’s expensive, and it’s no good, and it doesn’t work” – but then he pulls off a Sandersian riff about the corrupting power of money in politics. | |
| Moneyed interests make “tremendous political contributions to the guys that I’m on the stage with,” Trump says. “Whether the insurance companies or the drug companies or the oil companies, it’s all the same thing.” | |
| Later he talks about how we need to protect the environment and our “clean, beautiful air”. He mocks Obama for flying on a large jet, just like his private jet. (He doesn’t mention his own private jet.) | |
| There’s some isolated screaming from the back. Some are “friends” but one is a shirtless guy with “Trump is a racist” draw in marker on his back. He gets tossed out. “Get ‘em out,” Trump laughs. “They’re lost, they’re lost people.” | |
| “We kid and joke,” he says. “If we can’t smile at ourselves, and we can’t smile at how stupidly we’re being run, then we’re just not gonna make ourselves feel so good.” | |
| The crowd loves it. “Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump.” | |
| 6.56pm GMT | |
| 18:56 | |
| Hillary Clinton’s campaign has continued to accuse Bernie Sanders’s of misleading voters, running advertisements and sending mailers that make it appear that he has been endorsed by groups that have not actually endorsed him, writes Lauren Gambino in Keene, NH. | |
| Calling this a “pattern of deceptive campaign tactics”, Clinton’s team blasts Sanders for abandoning his promise to run a positive campaign and has demanded he stops. | |
| “It seems the Sanders campaign has shifted from insulting and dismissing people who don’t support him to falsely claiming their support,” said Clinton communications director Jen Palmieri. “Despite being called on deceptive campaign tactics and misleading ads for weeks now, Sanders has now chosen to mislead voters on a veteran and veterans’ group’s support. Enough is enough—voters deserve better.” | |
| (Read more about the ongoing dispute over endorsements here.) | |
| Also, MSNBC has reported that Sanders attended a fundraiser in 2007 in Martha’s Vineyard that was attended by the very lobbyists he now rails against. The piece shows just how difficult ideologically purity can be in the dirty game of politics. | |
| 6.48pm GMT | |
| 18:48 | |
| Protester tossed from Trump rally | |
| It’s warmer in New Hampshire than it was yesterday but still this demonstrates admirable physical stoicism: | |
| Shirtless protester just removed from Trump rally | |
| The protester took off his shirt to reveal an arrow pointing at his ass: | |
| It's not a Trump rally until someone gets tossed out pic.twitter.com/noM1MVkjWS | |
| Updated | |
| at 6.51pm GMT | |
| 6.46pm GMT | |
| 18:46 | |
| Harry Enten is an analyst with the data-journalism-and-so-much-more site FiveThirtyEight, whose handicapping of the New Hampshire race looks good for Trump: | |
| Your reminder that Trump is a decent sized favorite heading into Tuesday right now. (He was far lower going into IA) pic.twitter.com/0ZbGNQgJzq | |
| Hard to disagree with this analysis: | |
| I got a good feeling someone will win on Tuesday. In fact, a winner from each party will emerge. #analysis | |
| 6.42pm GMT | 6.42pm GMT |
| 18:42 | 18:42 |
| Guardian political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui has followed Florida senator Marco Rubio from Londonderry to Bedford, New Hampshire. | Guardian political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui has followed Florida senator Marco Rubio from Londonderry to Bedford, New Hampshire. |
| Among other topics, Rubio touches on one close to his heart and on everyone’s mind this weekend: the Super Bowl. | Among other topics, Rubio touches on one close to his heart and on everyone’s mind this weekend: the Super Bowl. |
| Rubio on Super Bowl: "I can't tell you who's not playing, the Miami Dolphins. That's been true now for 30 some years." | Rubio on Super Bowl: "I can't tell you who's not playing, the Miami Dolphins. That's been true now for 30 some years." |
| Rubio to Bedford crowd: “Tom Brady’s 38 years old. Why is he still playing? There should be mandatory retirement ages.” | Rubio to Bedford crowd: “Tom Brady’s 38 years old. Why is he still playing? There should be mandatory retirement ages.” |
| A 9 year old asks Rubio what he’s going to do about the national debt. Rubio blames “people in Washington that don’t care right now.” | A 9 year old asks Rubio what he’s going to do about the national debt. Rubio blames “people in Washington that don’t care right now.” |
| Rubio in Bedford: "What's happening with Christians in the Middle East is genocide." | Rubio in Bedford: "What's happening with Christians in the Middle East is genocide." |
| 6.38pm GMT | 6.38pm GMT |
| 18:38 | 18:38 |
| Guardian political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui flags a fresh poll of the Republican race in New Hampshire published by Monmouth university. | Guardian political reporter Sabrina Siddiqui flags a fresh poll of the Republican race in New Hampshire published by Monmouth university. |
| It shows a fight for second. And Trump in runaway first, gobbling nearly a third of votes of support. | It shows a fight for second. And Trump in runaway first, gobbling nearly a third of votes of support. |
| In two days we’ll know. | In two days we’ll know. |
| New Monmouth NH GOP poll shows close fight for 2nd:Trump: 30Kasich 14 Rubio 13 Jeb! 13Cruz 12 Christie 6Fiorina 5Carson 4 | New Monmouth NH GOP poll shows close fight for 2nd:Trump: 30Kasich 14 Rubio 13 Jeb! 13Cruz 12 Christie 6Fiorina 5Carson 4 |
| Real Clear Politics polling averages have Trump in first by 15.7 points and Rubio instead of Kasich in second – though Rubio-Kasich-Cruz are packed into a four-point band in the averages, tight tight tight. | Real Clear Politics polling averages have Trump in first by 15.7 points and Rubio instead of Kasich in second – though Rubio-Kasich-Cruz are packed into a four-point band in the averages, tight tight tight. |
| 6.34pm GMT | 6.34pm GMT |
| 18:34 | 18:34 |
| Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs is at a Donald Trump rally in Plymouth, New Hampshire, with his hands on the tweetboard: | Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs is at a Donald Trump rally in Plymouth, New Hampshire, with his hands on the tweetboard: |
| Trump: Let's say Jeb won, which is an impossibility | Trump: Let's say Jeb won, which is an impossibility |
| Donald Trump: I have no friends as far as I am concerned | Donald Trump: I have no friends as far as I am concerned |
| [What about the Mexicans and Muslims and Chinese and members of the media and everyone else he claims as close friends before he shivs them?] | [What about the Mexicans and Muslims and Chinese and members of the media and everyone else he claims as close friends before he shivs them?] |
| Trump: Even in the Wild West, you’ll get shot. They’ll shoot you but they won’t cut your head off. | Trump: Even in the Wild West, you’ll get shot. They’ll shoot you but they won’t cut your head off. |
| Donald Trump is now insisting college kids were scalping tickets to the debate last night | Donald Trump is now insisting college kids were scalping tickets to the debate last night |
| 6.31pm GMT | 6.31pm GMT |
| 18:31 | 18:31 |
| With two days to go until New Hampshire votes, the Republicans are turning on one another like underfed house pets (got a better analogy? Self-publish in the comments – that’s what they’re there for!). | With two days to go until New Hampshire votes, the Republicans are turning on one another like underfed house pets (got a better analogy? Self-publish in the comments – that’s what they’re there for!). |
| Jeb Bush has turned Trump’s preferred imprecation back on the source. LOSER. And the crowd loves it! He should bring up the wall? | Jeb Bush has turned Trump’s preferred imprecation back on the source. LOSER. And the crowd loves it! He should bring up the wall? |
| I've never seen Bush so fired up. He gets a long standing ovation for calling Trump a "loser" pic.twitter.com/0CfwmKn8MH | I've never seen Bush so fired up. He gets a long standing ovation for calling Trump a "loser" pic.twitter.com/0CfwmKn8MH |
| 6.28pm GMT | 6.28pm GMT |
| 18:28 | 18:28 |
| Well-observed. | Well-observed. |
| Cruz still blasting country music at these NH town halls. If he wants the @RandPaul vote he should switch to Rush. | Cruz still blasting country music at these NH town halls. If he wants the @RandPaul vote he should switch to Rush. |
| 6.27pm GMT | 6.27pm GMT |
| 18:27 | 18:27 |
| A good night’s sleep has not slackened New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s thirst for the attack. | A good night’s sleep has not slackened New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s thirst for the attack. |
| Here he is at a rally in New Hampshire today speaking at length about how much he admires Ohio governor John Kasich – before throwing him under the bus. He says Kasich’s record has not been combed by local media. “The interrogation by the Akron Sun ain’t doin’ it.” | Here he is at a rally in New Hampshire today speaking at length about how much he admires Ohio governor John Kasich – before throwing him under the bus. He says Kasich’s record has not been combed by local media. “The interrogation by the Akron Sun ain’t doin’ it.” |
| Ahem. It’s the Akron Beacon Journal, governor. | Ahem. It’s the Akron Beacon Journal, governor. |
| “I’m just better. I’ve been tested,” Christie says. He points out that New Jersey is one of the toughest media markets in the world. He implies that he’s survived nicely. In fact barrels of ink have been spilled by the regional press describing and decrying Christie’s shortcomings, and he’s deeply unpopular in his home state. | “I’m just better. I’ve been tested,” Christie says. He points out that New Jersey is one of the toughest media markets in the world. He implies that he’s survived nicely. In fact barrels of ink have been spilled by the regional press describing and decrying Christie’s shortcomings, and he’s deeply unpopular in his home state. |
| But at least he’s vetted? | But at least he’s vetted? |
| Christie: "With all due respect, to I think it's the Columbus Journal [it's the dispatch] it ain't the NYTimes" https://t.co/4gE75jyRij | Christie: "With all due respect, to I think it's the Columbus Journal [it's the dispatch] it ain't the NYTimes" https://t.co/4gE75jyRij |
| 6.15pm GMT | 6.15pm GMT |
| 18:15 | 18:15 |
| Hello from Sanders event in Portsmouth, NH | Hello from Sanders event in Portsmouth, NH |
| Tom McCarthy | Tom McCarthy |
| We’ve relocated the blog for the moment to Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, New Hampshire – we’re in the gym – where Bernie Sanders is scheduled to appear in about 45 minutes for a get-out-the-vote rally. | We’ve relocated the blog for the moment to Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, New Hampshire – we’re in the gym – where Bernie Sanders is scheduled to appear in about 45 minutes for a get-out-the-vote rally. |
| Packed house here. “I don’t think that we’re gonna get a seat,” says one arrival. She’s extremely right. | Packed house here. “I don’t think that we’re gonna get a seat,” says one arrival. She’s extremely right. |
| Pre-rally music includes the under-heard Steve Earle song The Revolution Starts Now. | Pre-rally music includes the under-heard Steve Earle song The Revolution Starts Now. |
| And now it’s Neil Young. Click on this video, it will be like being here – but with seats! | And now it’s Neil Young. Click on this video, it will be like being here – but with seats! |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.20pm GMT | at 6.20pm GMT |
| 5.54pm GMT | 5.54pm GMT |
| 17:54 | 17:54 |
| Steinem apologizes | Steinem apologizes |
| Feminist writer Gloria Steinem has apologized for her remarks made this weekend about young women who support Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton. | Feminist writer Gloria Steinem has apologized for her remarks made this weekend about young women who support Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton. |
| On Sunday Steinem posted to her Facebook page that she “misspoke” and did not mean to imply “young women aren’t serious in their politics”. | On Sunday Steinem posted to her Facebook page that she “misspoke” and did not mean to imply “young women aren’t serious in their politics”. |
| In a case of talk-show Interruptus, I misspoke on the Bill Maher show recently, and apologize for what’s been misinterpreted as implying young women aren’t serious in their politics. | In a case of talk-show Interruptus, I misspoke on the Bill Maher show recently, and apologize for what’s been misinterpreted as implying young women aren’t serious in their politics. |
| What I had just said on the same show was the opposite: young women are active, mad as hell about what’s happening to them, graduating in debt, but averaging a million dollars less over their lifetimes to pay it back. Whether they gravitate to Bernie or Hillary, young women are activist and feminist in greater numbers than ever before. | What I had just said on the same show was the opposite: young women are active, mad as hell about what’s happening to them, graduating in debt, but averaging a million dollars less over their lifetimes to pay it back. Whether they gravitate to Bernie or Hillary, young women are activist and feminist in greater numbers than ever before. |
| On the Bill Maher show late on Friday night, Steinem said: “Women are more for [Clinton] than men are. Men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age, women get more radical because they lose power as they age. | On the Bill Maher show late on Friday night, Steinem said: “Women are more for [Clinton] than men are. Men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age, women get more radical because they lose power as they age. |
| “They’re going to get more activist as they grow older. And when you’re younger, you think: ‘Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.’” | “They’re going to get more activist as they grow older. And when you’re younger, you think: ‘Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.’” |
| More than 3,000 people signed a petition – entitled “Walk it back Ms Steinem – we aren’t here for the boys” – asking Steinem to apologize for the remark. | More than 3,000 people signed a petition – entitled “Walk it back Ms Steinem – we aren’t here for the boys” – asking Steinem to apologize for the remark. |
| Related: Gloria Steinem: women are supporting Bernie Sanders 'for the boys' | Related: Gloria Steinem: women are supporting Bernie Sanders 'for the boys' |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.26pm GMT | at 6.26pm GMT |
| 5.39pm GMT | 5.39pm GMT |
| 17:39 | 17:39 |
| Adam Gabbatt | Adam Gabbatt |
| An event in North Hampton this morning showed that Chris Christie has essentially pinned his primary hopes on his performance in last night’s debate, in which he pummeled Marco Rubio for repeating the same canned lines over and over. | An event in North Hampton this morning showed that Chris Christie has essentially pinned his primary hopes on his performance in last night’s debate, in which he pummeled Marco Rubio for repeating the same canned lines over and over. |
| On Sunday Christie had one message. It boiled down to: “I was good in the debate last night.” He repeated it a lot. | On Sunday Christie had one message. It boiled down to: “I was good in the debate last night.” He repeated it a lot. |
| “I decided to engage last night and how do you think it went?” Christie asked the crowd in an event in a school. | “I decided to engage last night and how do you think it went?” Christie asked the crowd in an event in a school. |
| They thought it went well. | They thought it went well. |
| Of Washington DC, Christie asked: “Does the place need to be burned down?” | Of Washington DC, Christie asked: “Does the place need to be burned down?” |
| They believed that it did. | They believed that it did. |
| “Yeah it does, and I’m a good as arsonist as anybody you saw that last night.” | “Yeah it does, and I’m a good as arsonist as anybody you saw that last night.” |
| Of Marco Rubio, Christie said he like him. But the Texas senator is just too inexperienced, he said. | Of Marco Rubio, Christie said he like him. But the Texas senator is just too inexperienced, he said. |
| “The lights were bright last night and all of America saw whose ready and whose not I’m ready he’s not.” | “The lights were bright last night and all of America saw whose ready and whose not I’m ready he’s not.” |
| Christie’s performance in the debate - where he came out firing at Rubio and carried on pulling the trigger for two-and-a-half hours - had resonated with the crowd, as well as with himself. | Christie’s performance in the debate - where he came out firing at Rubio and carried on pulling the trigger for two-and-a-half hours - had resonated with the crowd, as well as with himself. |
| “You were on fire last night!” a woman shouted out as the New Jersey governor took questions. | “You were on fire last night!” a woman shouted out as the New Jersey governor took questions. |
| “And I don’t intend to cool off until I beat Hillary Clinton.” | “And I don’t intend to cool off until I beat Hillary Clinton.” |
| The importance of Christie’s debate prowess, he says, is that he is the only Republican who can beat Clinton in a one on one. | The importance of Christie’s debate prowess, he says, is that he is the only Republican who can beat Clinton in a one on one. |
| He offered an extended metaphor where he compared himself to an old truck. | He offered an extended metaphor where he compared himself to an old truck. |
| Sometimes when people buy a new truck but it doesn’t get through mud as well as their old truck, he said. “You nominate this old truck and I tell you what’s going to happen, I’m going to get through that mud. I’m going to run her right over on my way to the White House.” | Sometimes when people buy a new truck but it doesn’t get through mud as well as their old truck, he said. “You nominate this old truck and I tell you what’s going to happen, I’m going to get through that mud. I’m going to run her right over on my way to the White House.” |
| Christie just did a solid Trump impression here in Hampton, NH, mocking his plans for a "beautiful marvelous wall" pic.twitter.com/FkHqfhjMwU | Christie just did a solid Trump impression here in Hampton, NH, mocking his plans for a "beautiful marvelous wall" pic.twitter.com/FkHqfhjMwU |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.41pm GMT | at 5.41pm GMT |
| 5.23pm GMT | 5.23pm GMT |
| 17:23 | 17:23 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| After Saturday’s Republican debate the talk of the trail has been Marco Rubio’s difficulties with pre-prepared lines, their tone-deaf repetition, and how to handle Chris Christie when the governor barrels into the middle of those lines like a heavyweight champion scenting blood. | After Saturday’s Republican debate the talk of the trail has been Marco Rubio’s difficulties with pre-prepared lines, their tone-deaf repetition, and how to handle Chris Christie when the governor barrels into the middle of those lines like a heavyweight champion scenting blood. |
| It may be easy, in all that excitement, to forget that before the debate Rubio was emerging as the favourite to take the “establishment” mantle and challenge Donald Trump and Ted Cruz for the nomination. | It may be easy, in all that excitement, to forget that before the debate Rubio was emerging as the favourite to take the “establishment” mantle and challenge Donald Trump and Ted Cruz for the nomination. |
| Here’s one of many, many talking heads – David Frum, once a George W Bush speechwriter, now senior editor at The Atlantic – on CNN’s GPS with Fareed Zakaria, discussing what Rubio has to do, surving debate blunders aside. | Here’s one of many, many talking heads – David Frum, once a George W Bush speechwriter, now senior editor at The Atlantic – on CNN’s GPS with Fareed Zakaria, discussing what Rubio has to do, surving debate blunders aside. |
| The “lane” Frum refers to is the part of the nomination race occupied by such “mainstream”, “establishment” or, whisper it, “moderate” candidates as Christie, Jeb Bush and John Kasich. | The “lane” Frum refers to is the part of the nomination race occupied by such “mainstream”, “establishment” or, whisper it, “moderate” candidates as Christie, Jeb Bush and John Kasich. |
| Rubio is certainly … leading in the group it is most lucrative to be leading in. You would certainly like to be his finance chairman in the week after Iowa. | Rubio is certainly … leading in the group it is most lucrative to be leading in. You would certainly like to be his finance chairman in the week after Iowa. |
| But … a lot of things have to go right for him … There’s a tendency to report as if OK, it’s now all over because … he is now leading in the most lucrative lane. | But … a lot of things have to go right for him … There’s a tendency to report as if OK, it’s now all over because … he is now leading in the most lucrative lane. |
| He has to dominate that lane very quickly. He has to persuade the other people in that lane to exit soon and graciously. He has to persuade George – sorry, Jeb Bush, not to use his $50m remaining of Super Pac money to destroy Rubio in a way that they have been doing until now. | He has to dominate that lane very quickly. He has to persuade the other people in that lane to exit soon and graciously. He has to persuade George – sorry, Jeb Bush, not to use his $50m remaining of Super Pac money to destroy Rubio in a way that they have been doing until now. |
| And he has to find some way to get Donald Trump to exit the stage without smashing all the scenery on the way off the set. | And he has to find some way to get Donald Trump to exit the stage without smashing all the scenery on the way off the set. |
| Challenging. | Challenging. |
| Here, meanwhile, is Frum discussing his most famous bit of work for Bush. | Here, meanwhile, is Frum discussing his most famous bit of work for Bush. |
| Related: Julian Borger meets David Frum, the man who created the axis of evil | Related: Julian Borger meets David Frum, the man who created the axis of evil |
| 4.41pm GMT | 4.41pm GMT |
| 16:41 | 16:41 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| More from Chris Christie, who exuded confidence during his tour of the shows, after his debate takedown of the double-downing Marco Rubio. That was, after all, the go-to debate footage for all the shows to show on Sunday. | More from Chris Christie, who exuded confidence during his tour of the shows, after his debate takedown of the double-downing Marco Rubio. That was, after all, the go-to debate footage for all the shows to show on Sunday. |
| Appearing on Fox News Sunday, the New Jersey governor looked to parlay the debate-stage blows he landed so heavily on Rubio into New Hampshire votes, handy things to have when the state is central to the survival of one’s campaign. He did so in part by suggesting the Florida senator would be the wrong guy to send into a presidential debate against Hillary Clinton. | Appearing on Fox News Sunday, the New Jersey governor looked to parlay the debate-stage blows he landed so heavily on Rubio into New Hampshire votes, handy things to have when the state is central to the survival of one’s campaign. He did so in part by suggesting the Florida senator would be the wrong guy to send into a presidential debate against Hillary Clinton. |
| Christie asked: do Republican voters want someone who can “absolutely answer” every point made by Clinton – or Bernie Sanders, Chris, or Bernie Sanders – or do they want someone who will “crumble” when the former secretary of state – or the senator from Vermont, Chris, or the senator from Vermont – turns up the heat? | Christie asked: do Republican voters want someone who can “absolutely answer” every point made by Clinton – or Bernie Sanders, Chris, or Bernie Sanders – or do they want someone who will “crumble” when the former secretary of state – or the senator from Vermont, Chris, or the senator from Vermont – turns up the heat? |
| Christie then finished his appearance by telling Fox host Chris Wallace: “Thanks for coming on.” | Christie then finished his appearance by telling Fox host Chris Wallace: “Thanks for coming on.” |
| Cue much hilarity and hilarious banter between interviewer and interviewee, in an exchange almost – but not quite – as amusing as ABC’s debate intro fluff or subsequent Fox guest John Kasich’s live-to-the-nation struggle to detach himself from his microphone and let incoming governator Jeb Bush sit down. | Cue much hilarity and hilarious banter between interviewer and interviewee, in an exchange almost – but not quite – as amusing as ABC’s debate intro fluff or subsequent Fox guest John Kasich’s live-to-the-nation struggle to detach himself from his microphone and let incoming governator Jeb Bush sit down. |
| Wallace then said he felt like “a barber”, his chair constantly filled – in this case, by presidential candidates with lovely, thick heads of hair. | Wallace then said he felt like “a barber”, his chair constantly filled – in this case, by presidential candidates with lovely, thick heads of hair. |
| “I need a haircut,” said Bush. | “I need a haircut,” said Bush. |
| And then the red-hot political debate – politichat? politifun? – resumed. | And then the red-hot political debate – politichat? politifun? – resumed. |
| Related: Marco Rubio doubles down on debate repetition: 'I'm going to keep saying it' | Related: Marco Rubio doubles down on debate repetition: 'I'm going to keep saying it' |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.42pm GMT | at 4.42pm GMT |
| 4.09pm GMT | 4.09pm GMT |
| 16:09 | 16:09 |
| Trump defends his defense of torture. He says “In terms of getting information, it works.” | Trump defends his defense of torture. He says “In terms of getting information, it works.” |
| NBC host Chuck Todd doesn’t mention the comprehensive Senate report that found torture didn’t work, and even produced false information, but it was released way back in 2014 so maybe he’s forgotten. | NBC host Chuck Todd doesn’t mention the comprehensive Senate report that found torture didn’t work, and even produced false information, but it was released way back in 2014 so maybe he’s forgotten. |
| But he does ask shouldn’t the US be better than subjecting prisoners to mock drowning and other torture techniques? | But he does ask shouldn’t the US be better than subjecting prisoners to mock drowning and other torture techniques? |
| “OK they can do it but we can’t?” Trump asks. “Look when they fly planes into the World Trade Center and kill many thousands … you can do waterboarding, and you can do a step beyond waterboarding, it wouldn’t bother me a little bit.” | “OK they can do it but we can’t?” Trump asks. “Look when they fly planes into the World Trade Center and kill many thousands … you can do waterboarding, and you can do a step beyond waterboarding, it wouldn’t bother me a little bit.” |
| Related: US report on 'enhanced interrogation' concludes: torture doesn't work | Related: US report on 'enhanced interrogation' concludes: torture doesn't work |
| 4.06pm GMT | 4.06pm GMT |
| 16:06 | 16:06 |
| Donald Trump is also on the NBC program, and Chuck Todd asks him the same thing CNN asked how he feels about his Iowa loss to Texas senator Ted Cruz. Does he need victory in New Hampshire? | Donald Trump is also on the NBC program, and Chuck Todd asks him the same thing CNN asked how he feels about his Iowa loss to Texas senator Ted Cruz. Does he need victory in New Hampshire? |
| “I would say that I would like to win but I don’t know that it’s necessary,” Trump says. “I don’t know that I need it, I hope that I get it.” | “I would say that I would like to win but I don’t know that it’s necessary,” Trump says. “I don’t know that I need it, I hope that I get it.” |
| He’s quiet about the malfeasance of the Cruz campaign in Iowa, where staffers falsely told voters that Ben Carson had dropped out of the campaign. | He’s quiet about the malfeasance of the Cruz campaign in Iowa, where staffers falsely told voters that Ben Carson had dropped out of the campaign. |
| I think what happened was very unfortunate. I think it was very unfair to Ben, and in a certain way it was unfair to me … I was a strong second, but I’m not thinking about Iowa, I’m thinking about New Hampshire, I’m not thinking about it any more. | I think what happened was very unfortunate. I think it was very unfair to Ben, and in a certain way it was unfair to me … I was a strong second, but I’m not thinking about Iowa, I’m thinking about New Hampshire, I’m not thinking about it any more. |
| “I worked hard there, I really liked Iowa, I liked the people of Iowa,” he goes on. “I like this system much better in New Hampshire where you go out, you like somebody and you vote.” | “I worked hard there, I really liked Iowa, I liked the people of Iowa,” he goes on. “I like this system much better in New Hampshire where you go out, you like somebody and you vote.” |
| He says he’s $50m under budget, and that he’s given his staffers unlimited access to the bank to get out the vote. | He says he’s $50m under budget, and that he’s given his staffers unlimited access to the bank to get out the vote. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.14pm GMT | at 4.14pm GMT |
| 3.48pm GMT | 3.48pm GMT |
| 15:48 | 15:48 |
| Clinton: we're getting offended by everything | Clinton: we're getting offended by everything |
| Hillary Clinton’s now on NBC’s Meet the Press. Host Chuck Todd asks about a comment made yesterday by former secretary of state Madeleine Albright in support of Clinton on Saturday, namely: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other!” | Hillary Clinton’s now on NBC’s Meet the Press. Host Chuck Todd asks about a comment made yesterday by former secretary of state Madeleine Albright in support of Clinton on Saturday, namely: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other!” |
| “Madeline has been saying this for many, many years,” Clinton says. “She believes it firmly, in part because she knows what a struggle it has been, and she understands the struggle is not over.” | “Madeline has been saying this for many, many years,” Clinton says. “She believes it firmly, in part because she knows what a struggle it has been, and she understands the struggle is not over.” |
| “I don’t want people to be offended,” Clinton says, but when asked whether she understands why someone might take offense she channels the spirit of anti-political correctness so familiar to Republicans. | “I don’t want people to be offended,” Clinton says, but when asked whether she understands why someone might take offense she channels the spirit of anti-political correctness so familiar to Republicans. |
| “Good grief we’re getting offended by everything these days!” she says. “People can’t say anything without offending somebody.” | “Good grief we’re getting offended by everything these days!” she says. “People can’t say anything without offending somebody.” |
| Clinton says people can take Albright’s “light hearted but very pointed remark” however they see fit. It doesn’t change her admiration for Albright: “She has a life experience that I respect.” | Clinton says people can take Albright’s “light hearted but very pointed remark” however they see fit. It doesn’t change her admiration for Albright: “She has a life experience that I respect.” |
| Related: Albright: 'special place in hell' for women who don't support Clinton | Related: Albright: 'special place in hell' for women who don't support Clinton |
| 3.30pm GMT | 3.30pm GMT |
| 15:30 | 15:30 |
| Jeb: I'd support Trump over Clinton | Jeb: I'd support Trump over Clinton |
| John Ellis Bush, aka Jeb, is on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, who’s just very awkwardly ushered John Kasich away after repeatedly telling the Ohio governor to leave. | John Ellis Bush, aka Jeb, is on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, who’s just very awkwardly ushered John Kasich away after repeatedly telling the Ohio governor to leave. |
| Bush talks about eminent domain and Donald Trump: “He tried to take the property of a 75-year-old woman to tear it down,” Bush says, “to turn it into a parking lot for limousines for high rollers going to his failed casinos.” | Bush talks about eminent domain and Donald Trump: “He tried to take the property of a 75-year-old woman to tear it down,” Bush says, “to turn it into a parking lot for limousines for high rollers going to his failed casinos.” |
| Wallace asks about Rubio, who was Bush’s ally and some say protege back in their days together in Florida. Rubio “came across as kind of robotic”, Bush says. “He’s gifted but he’s never had the chance to actually make a tough decision.” | Wallace asks about Rubio, who was Bush’s ally and some say protege back in their days together in Florida. Rubio “came across as kind of robotic”, Bush says. “He’s gifted but he’s never had the chance to actually make a tough decision.” |
| Bush then tries to top Chris Christie’s boasts about dealing with Hurricane Sandy, saying he’s faced “eight hurricanes and four tropical storms in 16 months”. | Bush then tries to top Chris Christie’s boasts about dealing with Hurricane Sandy, saying he’s faced “eight hurricanes and four tropical storms in 16 months”. |
| He also brags about his conservative bona fides: “I’m going to support the Republican nominee, even if it’s Donald Trump, to show you how commit—” | He also brags about his conservative bona fides: “I’m going to support the Republican nominee, even if it’s Donald Trump, to show you how commit—” |
| Wallace cuts in: “How crazy you are!” | Wallace cuts in: “How crazy you are!” |
| Bush finishes: “—mitted I am to the Republican party. … Hillary Clinton would be an unmitigated disaster for this country.” | Bush finishes: “—mitted I am to the Republican party. … Hillary Clinton would be an unmitigated disaster for this country.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.16pm GMT | at 4.16pm GMT |
| 3.15pm GMT | 3.15pm GMT |
| 15:15 | 15:15 |
| Rubio defends debate display | Rubio defends debate display |
| Sabrina Siddiqui | Sabrina Siddiqui |
| Marco Rubio has defended his performance in Saturday night’s Republican presidential debate, writes Sabrina Siddiqui from Londonderry, New Hampshire, one day after he was widely panned for coming off as scripted in a tense exchange with Chris Christie. | Marco Rubio has defended his performance in Saturday night’s Republican presidential debate, writes Sabrina Siddiqui from Londonderry, New Hampshire, one day after he was widely panned for coming off as scripted in a tense exchange with Chris Christie. |
| In an interview with ABC’s This Week, the Florida senator was asked to explain why he repeated the same line – about Barack Obama intentionally weakening America – at least four times in the first hour of the debate, when pressed by Christie on his relative inexperience. | In an interview with ABC’s This Week, the Florida senator was asked to explain why he repeated the same line – about Barack Obama intentionally weakening America – at least four times in the first hour of the debate, when pressed by Christie on his relative inexperience. |
| Rubio, according to most observers, played directly into the New Jersey governor’s attack that he is rehearsed and incapable of straying from the same set of talking points. | Rubio, according to most observers, played directly into the New Jersey governor’s attack that he is rehearsed and incapable of straying from the same set of talking points. |
| “Actually, I would pay them to keep running that clip, because that’s what I believe passionately,” Rubio said, reiterating once more his point about Obama deliberately harming the country. | “Actually, I would pay them to keep running that clip, because that’s what I believe passionately,” Rubio said, reiterating once more his point about Obama deliberately harming the country. |
| Host George Stephanopoulos interjected, telling Rubio he was “getting pounded” for having repeated himself. | Host George Stephanopoulos interjected, telling Rubio he was “getting pounded” for having repeated himself. |
| Rubio pushed back, noting, as his aides did the night before, that his campaign raised more money online in the first hour of the debate than any previous event. | Rubio pushed back, noting, as his aides did the night before, that his campaign raised more money online in the first hour of the debate than any previous event. |
| “As far as that message, I hope they keep running it and I’m going to keep saying it because it’s true,” Rubio said. “It’s one of the reasons I’m running for president.” | “As far as that message, I hope they keep running it and I’m going to keep saying it because it’s true,” Rubio said. “It’s one of the reasons I’m running for president.” |
| Obama was changing the country, he said, “in a way that is robbing us of everything that makes us special”. | Obama was changing the country, he said, “in a way that is robbing us of everything that makes us special”. |
| “I’m going to keep saying that, because not only is it the truth, it is at the core of our campaign.” | “I’m going to keep saying that, because not only is it the truth, it is at the core of our campaign.” |
| Pressed by Stephanopoulos again on his repetition, as Christie taunted him for that very attribute, Rubio again doubled down: “It’s what I believe and it’s what I’m going to continue to say.” | Pressed by Stephanopoulos again on his repetition, as Christie taunted him for that very attribute, Rubio again doubled down: “It’s what I believe and it’s what I’m going to continue to say.” |
| “This is the greatest country in the history of mankind because of a set of principles. Barack Obama wants us to abandon them.” | “This is the greatest country in the history of mankind because of a set of principles. Barack Obama wants us to abandon them.” |
| Speaking a town hall in Londonderry, before a packed crowd at a high school cafeteria shortly after his ABC appearance, Rubio brought up the debate criticism himself. | Speaking a town hall in Londonderry, before a packed crowd at a high school cafeteria shortly after his ABC appearance, Rubio brought up the debate criticism himself. |
| “People said, ‘Oh you said the same thing,’” he said. “I’m going to say it again. | “People said, ‘Oh you said the same thing,’” he said. “I’m going to say it again. |
| “These things [Barack Obama’s] done to America are not accidents.” | “These things [Barack Obama’s] done to America are not accidents.” |
| Related: Marco Rubio turns into 'Marcobot' in disastrous debate gaffe | Jonathan Freedland | Related: Marco Rubio turns into 'Marcobot' in disastrous debate gaffe | Jonathan Freedland |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.17pm GMT | at 4.17pm GMT |
| 3.04pm GMT | 3.04pm GMT |
| 15:04 | 15:04 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| Picture editor Sarah Gilbert has collected together some pictures of Donald Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters. As the example following shows, there isn’t much more to say… | Picture editor Sarah Gilbert has collected together some pictures of Donald Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters. As the example following shows, there isn’t much more to say… |
| The full gallery is here: | The full gallery is here: |
| Related: Donald Trump's most enthusiastic supporters – in pictures | Related: Donald Trump's most enthusiastic supporters – in pictures |
| 2.56pm GMT | 2.56pm GMT |
| 14:56 | 14:56 |
| “Do you think this is a Marco Rubio coronation? Or do you need someone who’s been tested? Tested by a Democratic legislature? Tested by hurricane Sandy. Tested by a hostile media in New York City?” | “Do you think this is a Marco Rubio coronation? Or do you need someone who’s been tested? Tested by a Democratic legislature? Tested by hurricane Sandy. Tested by a hostile media in New York City?” |
| That’s Christie, talking about sinister media folk like us. Not by name though. | That’s Christie, talking about sinister media folk like us. Not by name though. |
| Finally Tapper asks how the campaign has changed Christie. He says it’s “taught me just how profound the problems are in our country.” | Finally Tapper asks how the campaign has changed Christie. He says it’s “taught me just how profound the problems are in our country.” |
| And taught me again just how to be a better listener … Whatever happens in this race, I’ve been content with the way I’ve done it.” | And taught me again just how to be a better listener … Whatever happens in this race, I’ve been content with the way I’ve done it.” |