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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Trump and Clinton lead South Carolina polls as Scalia's death adds fuel to the fire — as it happened | Trump and Clinton lead South Carolina polls as Scalia's death adds fuel to the fire — as it happened |
| (7 months later) | |
| 5.05pm GMT | 5.05pm GMT |
| 17:05 | 17:05 |
| Summary | Summary |
| And that’s that for the morning after the night before. The campaign continues, of course, but we’re closing our blog for now. So, what have we learned? Bullet points: | And that’s that for the morning after the night before. The campaign continues, of course, but we’re closing our blog for now. So, what have we learned? Bullet points: |
| And finally, vitally: | And finally, vitally: |
| 4.33pm GMT | 4.33pm GMT |
| 16:33 | 16:33 |
| As we roll towards a merciful close, something not from a talk show. Sort of. | As we roll towards a merciful close, something not from a talk show. Sort of. |
| A new CBS/YouGov poll in South Carolina gives Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton solid leads in the state, less than a week before the vote on 20 February: | A new CBS/YouGov poll in South Carolina gives Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton solid leads in the state, less than a week before the vote on 20 February: |
| Note the appearance of Ben Carson (5%, Republican) and Hillary Clinton (59%, Democratic), two shrinking violets who did not appear all over the shows this morning. Possibly for different reasons. | Note the appearance of Ben Carson (5%, Republican) and Hillary Clinton (59%, Democratic), two shrinking violets who did not appear all over the shows this morning. Possibly for different reasons. |
| Note also David Smith’s splendid piece from South Carolina, in which he spoke to many voters about Clinton and Sanders and their chances in the primary… | Note also David Smith’s splendid piece from South Carolina, in which he spoke to many voters about Clinton and Sanders and their chances in the primary… |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.34pm GMT | at 4.34pm GMT |
| 4.22pm GMT | 4.22pm GMT |
| 16:22 | 16:22 |
| And here's what Bernie Sanders said on CBS… | And here's what Bernie Sanders said on CBS… |
| Ed Helmore was watching… | Ed Helmore was watching… |
| It is “beyond comprehension” that Republicans are threatening to deny President Obama his right to nominate and confirm a supreme court justice to replace Scalia, the Vermont senator said. | It is “beyond comprehension” that Republicans are threatening to deny President Obama his right to nominate and confirm a supreme court justice to replace Scalia, the Vermont senator said. |
| “It illustrates the level of Republican obstructionism against Obama from day one. This is not something in debate. The constitution provides for a president to nominate a supreme court justice and the Senate hold hearings to approve that nomination. The idea that Republicans want to deny the president his basic constitutional right is beyond my comprehension.” | “It illustrates the level of Republican obstructionism against Obama from day one. This is not something in debate. The constitution provides for a president to nominate a supreme court justice and the Senate hold hearings to approve that nomination. The idea that Republicans want to deny the president his basic constitutional right is beyond my comprehension.” |
| Sanders vowed to do everything he could to make the legislative body go through with speeding confirmation hearings. Asked what leverage Democrats have if the Republican majority in Congress decides to “slow-walk” the process, Sanders said the main leverage Democrats have is in “rallying the American people.” | Sanders vowed to do everything he could to make the legislative body go through with speeding confirmation hearings. Asked what leverage Democrats have if the Republican majority in Congress decides to “slow-walk” the process, Sanders said the main leverage Democrats have is in “rallying the American people.” |
| “The issue must be taken to the people,” he said. “Fair-minded Americans, no matter what their political point of view, will say this is absurd, this is obstructionism and not what democracy, or Congress, is supposed to be about.” | “The issue must be taken to the people,” he said. “Fair-minded Americans, no matter what their political point of view, will say this is absurd, this is obstructionism and not what democracy, or Congress, is supposed to be about.” |
| 4.14pm GMT | 4.14pm GMT |
| 16:14 | 16:14 |
| What Bernie Sanders said about the Scalia successor on ABC earlier! | What Bernie Sanders said about the Scalia successor on ABC earlier! |
| “President Obama, in my view, should make that nomination. I hope he does it as soon as possible and I hope that the Senate confirms and begins deliberations as soon as possible.” | “President Obama, in my view, should make that nomination. I hope he does it as soon as possible and I hope that the Senate confirms and begins deliberations as soon as possible.” |
| Nice use of the “hopey changey stuff”, there. Evokes nostalgia for 2008, as well as a sort of cold, mirthless laughter. | Nice use of the “hopey changey stuff”, there. Evokes nostalgia for 2008, as well as a sort of cold, mirthless laughter. |
| Furthermore: “I don’t think that Mitch McConnell has it right on this issue. The constitution is pretty clear and that it is the job of the president of the United States to appoint [and] nominate members to the supreme court and the Senate confirms. When there is a vacancy, the president makes a nomination and the Senate deliberates and then votes up or down. I hope that happens.” | Furthermore: “I don’t think that Mitch McConnell has it right on this issue. The constitution is pretty clear and that it is the job of the president of the United States to appoint [and] nominate members to the supreme court and the Senate confirms. When there is a vacancy, the president makes a nomination and the Senate deliberates and then votes up or down. I hope that happens.” |
| And on Scalia? “He was clearly a brilliant man, very outspoken, very forceful.” | And on Scalia? “He was clearly a brilliant man, very outspoken, very forceful.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.15pm GMT | at 4.15pm GMT |
| 4.08pm GMT | 4.08pm GMT |
| 16:08 | 16:08 |
| The shows are now approaching their end – a sad weekly moment signalled by NBC cutting to the panel, a revolving bunch of journalists and “strategists” who wear the haunted look both of people who know there’s nine months of this to go, and people who know Joel Osteen has bought up the next hour of programming. | The shows are now approaching their end – a sad weekly moment signalled by NBC cutting to the panel, a revolving bunch of journalists and “strategists” who wear the haunted look both of people who know there’s nine months of this to go, and people who know Joel Osteen has bought up the next hour of programming. |
| Still hunting down those darned Democrats. | Still hunting down those darned Democrats. |
| 4.06pm GMT | 4.06pm GMT |
| 16:06 | 16:06 |
| Still looking for Democrats. In the meantime, many people on The Internet have noticed that Jeb Bush has taken his glasses off. | Still looking for Democrats. In the meantime, many people on The Internet have noticed that Jeb Bush has taken his glasses off. |
| I don't think that #JebBush should ever take his glasses off. | I don't think that #JebBush should ever take his glasses off. |
| However: | However: |
| #TBT Jeb Bush on eyewear: ‘I’m not going to take off my stinking glasses’ https://t.co/edog4MK2dy | #TBT Jeb Bush on eyewear: ‘I’m not going to take off my stinking glasses’ https://t.co/edog4MK2dy |
| Does this in fact Mean Something? I think we should be told. | Does this in fact Mean Something? I think we should be told. |
| 4.01pm GMT | 4.01pm GMT |
| 16:01 | 16:01 |
| Edward Helmore is now watching Face the Nation, debate host CBS’s Sunday show. I’m surprised the show is running, given the battering the anchors took from the candidates/children in front of them last night, which left John Dickerson with blue smoke coming out of his ears. But still. | Edward Helmore is now watching Face the Nation, debate host CBS’s Sunday show. I’m surprised the show is running, given the battering the anchors took from the candidates/children in front of them last night, which left John Dickerson with blue smoke coming out of his ears. But still. |
| Also, there are no Democrats in sight yet. Ed, he say: | Also, there are no Democrats in sight yet. Ed, he say: |
| Responding to accusations that last night’s debate had been reduced into un-presidential slug-fest, Donald Trump told CBS that since he went to an Ivy League university, he ‘could be so politically correct you’d be bored to tears’. | Responding to accusations that last night’s debate had been reduced into un-presidential slug-fest, Donald Trump told CBS that since he went to an Ivy League university, he ‘could be so politically correct you’d be bored to tears’. |
| Instead, he repeated his accusations that President George W Bush had failed to protect America when the Twin Towers were destroyed during his presidential “reign”. | Instead, he repeated his accusations that President George W Bush had failed to protect America when the Twin Towers were destroyed during his presidential “reign”. |
| “We weren’t safe,” he said. “The World Trade Center came down and the CIA had said something was going to happen.” | “We weren’t safe,” he said. “The World Trade Center came down and the CIA had said something was going to happen.” |
| Trump did try to back-track on earlier accusations that the former president had lied on the issue of WMD in Iraq. “If he knew there were no weapons, “that would be a lie. So maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.” | Trump did try to back-track on earlier accusations that the former president had lied on the issue of WMD in Iraq. “If he knew there were no weapons, “that would be a lie. So maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.” |
| Either way, Trump added, “we went to war when there when there were no weapons of mass destruction. He thought there were and there weren’t. He shouldn’t have started it. He should have gone to the beach and not done anything. Saddam was not a good person but he made a living killing terrorists.” | Either way, Trump added, “we went to war when there when there were no weapons of mass destruction. He thought there were and there weren’t. He shouldn’t have started it. He should have gone to the beach and not done anything. Saddam was not a good person but he made a living killing terrorists.” |
| The Iraq expedition, Trump concluded, “was a disaster that started a chain over events that could now lead to the destruction of Europe”. | The Iraq expedition, Trump concluded, “was a disaster that started a chain over events that could now lead to the destruction of Europe”. |
| 3.57pm GMT | 3.57pm GMT |
| 15:57 | 15:57 |
| Todd now asks Rubio about his remark onstage last night, that 9/11 was basically Bill Clinton’s fault because he didn’t kill Osama bin Laden. He repeats the charge that chances – four of them, according to the 9/11 report – to take out al-Qaida leadership were not taken. | Todd now asks Rubio about his remark onstage last night, that 9/11 was basically Bill Clinton’s fault because he didn’t kill Osama bin Laden. He repeats the charge that chances – four of them, according to the 9/11 report – to take out al-Qaida leadership were not taken. |
| “It is doubtful 9/11 would have taken place at least on 11 September 2001”, he says, if this had happened. Huh. | “It is doubtful 9/11 would have taken place at least on 11 September 2001”, he says, if this had happened. Huh. |
| Todd isn’t clear. Are you putting 9/11 on Bill Clinton? | Todd isn’t clear. Are you putting 9/11 on Bill Clinton? |
| “No, I’m putting it on his decision not to take out the al-Qaida leader, absolutely.” | “No, I’m putting it on his decision not to take out the al-Qaida leader, absolutely.” |
| Well that makes all the difference. | Well that makes all the difference. |
| 3.55pm GMT | 3.55pm GMT |
| 15:55 | 15:55 |
| Meet the Press now goes on to recorded chats with Rubio and Kasich, about the same things: the supreme court, the beastliness of last night’s debate. | Meet the Press now goes on to recorded chats with Rubio and Kasich, about the same things: the supreme court, the beastliness of last night’s debate. |
| Todd goes again on shouldn’t Republicans in the Senate at least go through the motions on a nomination. Rubio says, flatly, that they just won’t “while this president is in the White House”. Shouldn’t someone ask if they would do this if that president were Republican? | Todd goes again on shouldn’t Republicans in the Senate at least go through the motions on a nomination. Rubio says, flatly, that they just won’t “while this president is in the White House”. Shouldn’t someone ask if they would do this if that president were Republican? |
| “We’re going to have an election, we’re going to have a new position, I believe it’s gonna be me and we’re going to look for someone like Scalia.” | “We’re going to have an election, we’re going to have a new position, I believe it’s gonna be me and we’re going to look for someone like Scalia.” |
| So that’s that. | So that’s that. |
| 3.47pm GMT | 3.47pm GMT |
| 15:47 | 15:47 |
| I can’t find any Democrats. On NBC, we have pre-recorded Cruz. A case of 4,057 Channels (and Nothin’ On but Republicans, Frothing). | I can’t find any Democrats. On NBC, we have pre-recorded Cruz. A case of 4,057 Channels (and Nothin’ On but Republicans, Frothing). |
| Cruz denies that each term of a presidency is only three years long, with the final year a year in which nominations and other business are not allowed. Unfortunately Chuck Todd goes on too long in his question and gets on to the mechanics of a 4-4 court, letting Cruz off a hook of his own making. | Cruz denies that each term of a presidency is only three years long, with the final year a year in which nominations and other business are not allowed. Unfortunately Chuck Todd goes on too long in his question and gets on to the mechanics of a 4-4 court, letting Cruz off a hook of his own making. |
| Shouldn’t the Senate at least go through the process? | Shouldn’t the Senate at least go through the process? |
| “The Senate’s duty is to advise and consent,” says Cruz, “and we’re advising the president now.” | “The Senate’s duty is to advise and consent,” says Cruz, “and we’re advising the president now.” |
| Then he mentions Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, but only really as a means to attack Donald Trump for supporting liberals. And he’s back to the second amendment being written out of the constitution if Trump gets in, which of course it absolutely wouldn’t be. | Then he mentions Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, but only really as a means to attack Donald Trump for supporting liberals. And he’s back to the second amendment being written out of the constitution if Trump gets in, which of course it absolutely wouldn’t be. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.50pm GMT | at 3.50pm GMT |
| 3.45pm GMT | 3.45pm GMT |
| 15:45 | 15:45 |
| Donald Trump is on NBC now – to camera, not on the phone. I’m looking for Democrats, really I am. | Donald Trump is on NBC now – to camera, not on the phone. I’m looking for Democrats, really I am. |
| Who would he appoint? | Who would he appoint? |
| “We need great intellect.” | “We need great intellect.” |
| Well, yeah. | Well, yeah. |
| “Somebody like Justice Scalia.” | “Somebody like Justice Scalia.” |
| Well, quite. | Well, quite. |
| And we’re back to the 2008 “impeach Bush” remark – maybe Trump has a box of buttons like Alvy in Annie Hall: “impeach Bush, impeach Reagan, impeach McCain, impeach any part of humanity that gets in the way”. | And we’re back to the 2008 “impeach Bush” remark – maybe Trump has a box of buttons like Alvy in Annie Hall: “impeach Bush, impeach Reagan, impeach McCain, impeach any part of humanity that gets in the way”. |
| More hammering of Jeb on Iraq. As Nicky Woolf observed yesterday, this must poll well. And more on 9/11 and whether George W Bush kept America safe: | More hammering of Jeb on Iraq. As Nicky Woolf observed yesterday, this must poll well. And more on 9/11 and whether George W Bush kept America safe: |
| “No … I wish he did … I have nothing against George Bush … how did he keep us safe when the World Trade Center came down … that was the worst tragedy in our history.” | “No … I wish he did … I have nothing against George Bush … how did he keep us safe when the World Trade Center came down … that was the worst tragedy in our history.” |
| Could Bush have prevented it? | Could Bush have prevented it? |
| “Yes, the answer is he should have known.” Trump blames “the agencies” that were fighting each other. | “Yes, the answer is he should have known.” Trump blames “the agencies” that were fighting each other. |
| Look, I wrote about Osama bin Laden in 2000 in a book. | Look, I wrote about Osama bin Laden in 2000 in a book. |
| Chuck Todd tells Trump this is a risky strategy, attacking George W Bush on 9/11 and Iraq and WMD. | Chuck Todd tells Trump this is a risky strategy, attacking George W Bush on 9/11 and Iraq and WMD. |
| “I didn’t call anyone a lier,” says Trump. “I said maybe there were lies.” | “I didn’t call anyone a lier,” says Trump. “I said maybe there were lies.” |
| Will this cost Trump South Carolina? Trump says the Republican party is rejecting the war in Iraq and is with him, despite his attack on a popular ex-president. He still thinks he’ll win. | Will this cost Trump South Carolina? Trump says the Republican party is rejecting the war in Iraq and is with him, despite his attack on a popular ex-president. He still thinks he’ll win. |
| 3.36pm GMT | 3.36pm GMT |
| 15:36 | 15:36 |
| “It was like a demolition derby but the good news is that my car’s still going round the circuit.” | “It was like a demolition derby but the good news is that my car’s still going round the circuit.” |
| So sayeth Kasich, bringer of civility and aw-shucks expressions of wonder at the viciousness of the Republican race. | So sayeth Kasich, bringer of civility and aw-shucks expressions of wonder at the viciousness of the Republican race. |
| “By the way, I think these debates are ridiculous. This is not a way to pick a president. You want to pick a president, come to a town hall.” | “By the way, I think these debates are ridiculous. This is not a way to pick a president. You want to pick a president, come to a town hall.” |
| He did more than 100 of those in New Hampshire, where he came in second, invigorating his campaign – although his South Carolina numbers ain’t, by any stretch of the imagination, great. | He did more than 100 of those in New Hampshire, where he came in second, invigorating his campaign – although his South Carolina numbers ain’t, by any stretch of the imagination, great. |
| Kasich says he is familiar with the process of nominating a supreme court justice, or at least justices to the supreme court in his state, Ohio. “It’s pretty interesting,” he says. | Kasich says he is familiar with the process of nominating a supreme court justice, or at least justices to the supreme court in his state, Ohio. “It’s pretty interesting,” he says. |
| Stephanopoulos agrees. | Stephanopoulos agrees. |
| Kasich has that effect: he’s agreeable, people agree with him, and now he says he understands the president’s intent to nominate. He would do the same. But he wants “broad consensus across the country” to “start the healing process”. | Kasich has that effect: he’s agreeable, people agree with him, and now he says he understands the president’s intent to nominate. He would do the same. But he wants “broad consensus across the country” to “start the healing process”. |
| My colleague Jeb Lund doesn’t buy Kasich’s presentation, though: | My colleague Jeb Lund doesn’t buy Kasich’s presentation, though: |
| John Kasich’s performative appeals to political civility [are] all about maintaining a brand. | John Kasich’s performative appeals to political civility [are] all about maintaining a brand. |
| So sayeth the Guardian’s Jeb – the one, true Jeb – here. | So sayeth the Guardian’s Jeb – the one, true Jeb – here. |