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| Trump, Cruz and Rubio square off for Super Tuesday elections – campaign live | Trump, Cruz and Rubio square off for Super Tuesday elections – campaign live |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| 4.24pm GMT | |
| 16:24 | |
| Representative Tulsi Gabbard has resigned from her post as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee in order to support Bernie Sanders. She made the announcement on the NBC show Meet the Press. | |
| “I think it’s most important for us, as we look at our choices as to who our next commander in chief will be, is to recognize the necessity to have a commander in chief who has foresight, who exercises good judgment,” she said. | |
| Gabbard, an Iraq war veteran and representative for Hawaii, is the fourth member of Congress to endorse Sanders. She elaborated on her decision on the show: “As a veteran and as a soldier I’ve seen firsthand the true cost of war. | |
| “I served in a medical unit during my first deployment, where every single day I saw firsthand the very high human cost of that war. I see it in my friends who now, a decade after we’ve come home, are still struggling to get out of a black hole. | |
| “I think it’s most important for us, as we look at our choices as to who our next commander in chief will be, is to recognize the necessity to have a commander in chief who has foresight, exercises good judgment, who looks beyond the consequences, looks at the consequences of the actions they’re looking to take, before they take those actions, so we don’t continue to find ourselves in these failures that have resulted in chaos in the Middle East and so much loss of life.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.35pm GMT | |
| 4.11pm GMT | |
| 16:11 | |
| Back on NBC, Todd asks Sanders about foreign policy, a weak point for the senator compared to Clinton’s long experience as secretary of state. Specifically the NBC host asks about intervention in Libya, and whether Clinton’s hawkish position at the time was the right one. | |
| The senator says he has “strong differences of opinion on foreign policy” with Clinton, but that “no one can speculate, nobody knows” what would have happened without western air strikes. | |
| “These are terrible dictators, but you’ve got to be thinking about the day after,” Sanders says. Noting that “Isis now has a strong foothold” in Libya, he says “I would’ve done it differently if I were president of the United States. | |
| “I would’ve worked more patiently, I know it was a difficult situation, but you can’t just go thinking about regime change.” | |
| He compares the Libyan civil war to one that has raged in Syria for more than four years – and notes that both he and Barack Obama don’t support a no-fly zone that Clinton and many Republicans want. “I fear that can get us entangled more into that war,” he says. | |
| Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, has also testified to Congress that a no-fly zone would entail huge numbers of ground troops, massive expenses and a number of dangers. | |
| Related: US military intervention in Syria would create 'unintended consequences' | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.12pm GMT | |
| 4.06pm GMT | |
| 16:06 | |
| Edward Helmore | |
| More from Ed, who had the pleasure of watching Chris Christie, Trump cheerleader in chief now he’s given up hope of being US commander in chief, who was this morning publicly hammered by one of his own top aides, Hewlett Packard CEO Meg Whitman, for backing the billionaire… | |
| George Stephanopoulos racked Chris Christie on how he could reconcile past criticism of his new friend, Donald Trump. The New Jersey governor said their past divergence on everything from immigration to social security reform to banning Muslims were small disagreements. | |
| “I ran against the guy, so of course I disagreed with him on some things,” he said. Christie then said Trump had backed off his threat to ban Muslims from the US: “It’s just one piece of an overall national security puzzle.” | |
| On Trump’s promised US-Mexico wall? “He’ll use the trade relationship to get them to do something on immigration. There are all types of appropriate conversations between countries when then time comes.” | |
| On social security? “He’ll give appropriate answers when the time comes.” | |
| These were minor disagreements, Christie said, compared to what would happen when | |
| Hillary Clinton became the Democratic nominee. “She’s moving so far to the left to beat Bernie Sanders,” he said, “I don’t know which one is the socialist.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.19pm GMT | |
| 4.05pm GMT | |
| 16:05 | |
| Sanders: we got decimated in South Carolina | |
| Bernie Sanders is next on Meet the Press. Host Chuck Todd asks Sanders what happened in South Carolina, where he lost by an extraordinary 40-plus-point margin. | |
| “Well, we got decimated,” Sanders says. “It was pathetic, from our perspective. But by the way, the glimmer of positive news for our group was we won the 29 and younger.” | |
| He says there’s “no question, secretary Clinton won that state and she won it big.” Sanders says he’s hopeful for Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts and Vermont on Super Tuesday. | |
| “We have come a long, long way fighting for the message that we’re going to end income inequality, and we’re going to mend a broken criminal justice system,” fixing campaign finance, etc – Sanders touches on the central platforms of his campaign. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.13pm GMT | |
| 3.50pm GMT | |
| 15:50 | |
| Cruz: maybe Trump has mob ties | |
| Ted Cruz is on NBC’s Meet the Press, and talking with Chuck Todd about Donald Trump’s tax returns and why they’re important. | |
| Cruz says maybe Trump has connections with organized crime. citing “numerous reports of Donald’s business dealings with the mob, with the mafia”. | |
| Todd is nonplussed: “that’s openly speculative! Do you have any facts to support that Donald Tump has mob ties?” | |
| Cruz says Trump hired “S&A construction, owned by ‘Fat Tony’ Salerno, a mobster who is in jail.” | |
| “That has been reported in multiple media outlets,” Cruz says, before returning back to the more cryptic musing: “we don’t know what it is that he’s hiding in his tax returns.” | |
| Cruz is referring to allegations raised in a 1992 unauthorized biography of Trump. The author of that book cites court documents to link the S&A concrete company to Trump’s construction of Trump Plaza. Anthony Salerno was head of the Genovese crime family and co-controlled the company with the Gambino family. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.59pm GMT | |
| 3.44pm GMT | |
| 15:44 | |
| Edward Helmore | |
| More from Ed on more from Trump on why he is not going to release his tax returns just yet, this time on CBS. He throws in a reference to a scandal from the Obama administration… | |
| Trump rejects accusations that he is ducking producing his tax returns for scrutiny. | |
| “I’ve been under audit for 10 or 12 years. It’s not a fair situation. Why am I audited. Maybe it’s because I love the Tea Party? But until that audit is complete I’m not going to show anything …” | |
| 3.44pm GMT | |
| 15:44 | |
| Rubio: I can win without any wins | |
| Wallace asks Rubio what exactly has he accomplished in the Senate? | |
| Rubio says he’s willing to work with people, even Bernie Sanders on making Veterans Affairs accountable – a departure from his long insistence that he was a hardline conservative, back when Ted Cruz spent most of his time attacking the Florida senator | |
| But Rubio wavers on his support for the immigration reform bill that failed, despite bipartisan work in the Senate. He says he never wanted it to pass the House, even though he thought it “the best we can do here in this Senate run by Harry Reid”. | |
| Finally Wallace asks whether Rubio really believes he can still win if Donald Trump runs the table on Super Tuesday. | |
| “Donald Trump will never have” the delegates he needs for the nomination, Rubio promises. “I don’t care how long I have to work. I will go to every state and every territory.” | |
| Wallace: So you could go zero for 15 states, all losses, and you still believe you could win? | |
| Rubio: “Sure, that’s not the plan by the way, but sure. Cause we’re going to pick up a lot of delegates. … People will see what they’re about to fall con to, and then we will start to win states, and that includes Florida.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.01pm GMT | |
| 3.39pm GMT | 3.39pm GMT |
| 15:39 | 15:39 |
| Florida senator Marco Rubio is next on Fox News Sunday. Chris Wallace’s first question is about Trump. Rubio looks tired. | Florida senator Marco Rubio is next on Fox News Sunday. Chris Wallace’s first question is about Trump. Rubio looks tired. |
| “I really believed that voters would see through this con job that he’s trying to do, obviously that’s not happened,” Rubio says. | “I really believed that voters would see through this con job that he’s trying to do, obviously that’s not happened,” Rubio says. |
| “I believe that a first rate con artist is on the verge of taking over the party of Reagan and Lincoln.” He says that Trump isn’t a conservative, but that he continues to trick Americans into liking him with his wild boasts of winning all people: “This is part of the clown act.” | “I believe that a first rate con artist is on the verge of taking over the party of Reagan and Lincoln.” He says that Trump isn’t a conservative, but that he continues to trick Americans into liking him with his wild boasts of winning all people: “This is part of the clown act.” |
| There are “all these struggling Americans who’re really hurting economically, and now he’s preying on them,” Rubio says. “We cannot allow this guy to become the Republican nominee, the Democrats are going to tear him to shreds.” | There are “all these struggling Americans who’re really hurting economically, and now he’s preying on them,” Rubio says. “We cannot allow this guy to become the Republican nominee, the Democrats are going to tear him to shreds.” |
| Trump “has lived a pampered life,” the senator continues. “He portrays himself as this great businessman,” but if he had invested what he inherited, Rubio says “he’d have more money than Warren Buffet does. | Trump “has lived a pampered life,” the senator continues. “He portrays himself as this great businessman,” but if he had invested what he inherited, Rubio says “he’d have more money than Warren Buffet does. |
| “Instead he’s done all these risky ventures … Donald Trump has a history of business failures, four businesses in bankruptcy.” | “Instead he’s done all these risky ventures … Donald Trump has a history of business failures, four businesses in bankruptcy.” |
| “He’s going to make America broke, like he did those four companies. He’s going to make it a casino.” Rubio laughs at that, but it’s not a happy laugh. | “He’s going to make America broke, like he did those four companies. He’s going to make it a casino.” Rubio laughs at that, but it’s not a happy laugh. |
| 3.33pm GMT | 3.33pm GMT |
| 15:33 | 15:33 |
| Wallace hammers Cruz on the ethics of his campaign: its calls to Iowan falsely telling them Ben Carson had quit, a communications director who spread a misleading video about Marco Rubio, fabricated “voter violation” forms posted on voters doors. | Wallace hammers Cruz on the ethics of his campaign: its calls to Iowan falsely telling them Ben Carson had quit, a communications director who spread a misleading video about Marco Rubio, fabricated “voter violation” forms posted on voters doors. |
| Cruz congratulates Wallace for having read Trump’s plan of attack, aka the “oppo research”. | Cruz congratulates Wallace for having read Trump’s plan of attack, aka the “oppo research”. |
| This riles Wallace up – he tells Cruz to wait a minute and answer the question about whether his campaign has as much integrity as he claims it does. He personally apologized to Carson for the Iowa spat, and that Cruz fired the communications director over the Rubio video. | This riles Wallace up – he tells Cruz to wait a minute and answer the question about whether his campaign has as much integrity as he claims it does. He personally apologized to Carson for the Iowa spat, and that Cruz fired the communications director over the Rubio video. |
| “Chris, please don’t interrupt me,” Cruz interrupts Wallace at least four times in a soft voice. | “Chris, please don’t interrupt me,” Cruz interrupts Wallace at least four times in a soft voice. |
| Wallace: “Please don’t accuse me of doing something I didn’t do! You apologized for one, and you fired your communications director.” | Wallace: “Please don’t accuse me of doing something I didn’t do! You apologized for one, and you fired your communications director.” |
| “Our campaign from the beginning has been the highest level of integrity,” Cruz says, adding that when his team is insulted “we don’t respond in kind.” | “Our campaign from the beginning has been the highest level of integrity,” Cruz says, adding that when his team is insulted “we don’t respond in kind.” |
| Not two minutes ago Cruz impugned Wallace’s ethics with a suggestion that he was doing Trump’s attack work for him. | Not two minutes ago Cruz impugned Wallace’s ethics with a suggestion that he was doing Trump’s attack work for him. |
| “The facts matter, I understand that there are folks that don’t want to focus on the facts,” Cruz concludes, not incorrectly. | “The facts matter, I understand that there are folks that don’t want to focus on the facts,” Cruz concludes, not incorrectly. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.46pm GMT | |
| 3.29pm GMT | 3.29pm GMT |
| 15:29 | 15:29 |
| Edward Helmore | Edward Helmore |
| Ted Cruz is doing “the full Ginsburg” today – in which someone does all five main morning shows, the process named for Monica Lewinsky’s lawyer, who did it in 1998. Ed watched him appear on ABC’s This Week: | Ted Cruz is doing “the full Ginsburg” today – in which someone does all five main morning shows, the process named for Monica Lewinsky’s lawyer, who did it in 1998. Ed watched him appear on ABC’s This Week: |
| Continuing his strafing of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz returned to the subject of the developer’s unreleased tax returns. Cruz released nine years’ worth of his returns on Saturday, after Marco Rubio released some details of his own. | Continuing his strafing of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz returned to the subject of the developer’s unreleased tax returns. Cruz released nine years’ worth of his returns on Saturday, after Marco Rubio released some details of his own. |
| “A lot media outlets have reported that he doesn’t make nearly as much money as he claims,” he said. “Maybe it’s his dealings with the Mafia? | “A lot media outlets have reported that he doesn’t make nearly as much money as he claims,” he said. “Maybe it’s his dealings with the Mafia? |
| “ABC has reported on dealings with S&A Concrete that, as ABC news has reported, was owned by two big crime families in New York. Maybe that’s what his tax returns show? We dont know. The point is, Republican primary voters deserve to know if there’s a scandal there, or as Mitt Romney puts it, ‘a bombshell.’ | “ABC has reported on dealings with S&A Concrete that, as ABC news has reported, was owned by two big crime families in New York. Maybe that’s what his tax returns show? We dont know. The point is, Republican primary voters deserve to know if there’s a scandal there, or as Mitt Romney puts it, ‘a bombshell.’ |
| 3.27pm GMT | 3.27pm GMT |
| 15:27 | 15:27 |
| Next Wallace asks about John Roberts, now the chief justice of the supreme court – and about Ted Cruz’s flip-flop on the judge. Cruz wrote thousands of words in support of Roberts back during his confirmation hearings, and now says the judge has betrayed | Next Wallace asks about John Roberts, now the chief justice of the supreme court – and about Ted Cruz’s flip-flop on the judge. Cruz wrote thousands of words in support of Roberts back during his confirmation hearings, and now says the judge has betrayed |
| “I supported the Republican president in his nomination,” Cruz says. “That was a mistake, in hindsight that was a mistake.” | “I supported the Republican president in his nomination,” Cruz says. “That was a mistake, in hindsight that was a mistake.” |
| He would’ve nominated his former boss, he says. “Too many Republican presidents aren’t willing to spend the capital to nominate and confirm a proven conservative.” | He would’ve nominated his former boss, he says. “Too many Republican presidents aren’t willing to spend the capital to nominate and confirm a proven conservative.” |
| Then Cruz calls Donald Trump’s sister a “radical” and pro-abortion judge; Maryanne Trump Barry is a senior federal judge on the third circuit court of appeals. In 2000 she wrote a decision that struck down a late-term abortion law for being “unconstitutionally and incurably vague”. | Then Cruz calls Donald Trump’s sister a “radical” and pro-abortion judge; Maryanne Trump Barry is a senior federal judge on the third circuit court of appeals. In 2000 she wrote a decision that struck down a late-term abortion law for being “unconstitutionally and incurably vague”. |
| 3.22pm GMT | 3.22pm GMT |
| 15:22 | 15:22 |
| Ted Cruz is next up on the Fox program. According to the latest polls you’re only leading in Arkansas and Texas, Chris Wallace tells him. | Ted Cruz is next up on the Fox program. According to the latest polls you’re only leading in Arkansas and Texas, Chris Wallace tells him. |
| Cruz plays diplomat at first, saying the first four states “narrowed” the field of presidential candidates. Super Tuesday will do that again he says. He repeats his line about 65% of Republicans don’t want Donald Trump, and asks those people to stand with him – even though many people in his own party recoil from Cruz. | Cruz plays diplomat at first, saying the first four states “narrowed” the field of presidential candidates. Super Tuesday will do that again he says. He repeats his line about 65% of Republicans don’t want Donald Trump, and asks those people to stand with him – even though many people in his own party recoil from Cruz. |
| Wallace hits Cruz with the results and exit polls out of South Carolina, a state Cruz had hoped to do well in. South Carolinians wanted someone from “outside the establishment” – and they went with Trump. Social conservatives also went with Trump. Wallace asks: Isn’t Trump beating you at your own game? | Wallace hits Cruz with the results and exit polls out of South Carolina, a state Cruz had hoped to do well in. South Carolinians wanted someone from “outside the establishment” – and they went with Trump. Social conservatives also went with Trump. Wallace asks: Isn’t Trump beating you at your own game? |
| “A primary is an extended conversation,” Cruz says. “And Donald Trump has told many, many times in his own words that he was part of the establishment” seven months ago. “He is a Washington dealmaker, and it’s Washington deals that have bankrupted this country.” | “A primary is an extended conversation,” Cruz says. “And Donald Trump has told many, many times in his own words that he was part of the establishment” seven months ago. “He is a Washington dealmaker, and it’s Washington deals that have bankrupted this country.” |
| 3.16pm GMT | 3.16pm GMT |
| 15:16 | 15:16 |
| What about your suggestion to curb press freedoms, Wallace asks Trump. | What about your suggestion to curb press freedoms, Wallace asks Trump. |
| Trump gets upset about the New York Times. “You can say anything you want, and that’s not fair.” | Trump gets upset about the New York Times. “You can say anything you want, and that’s not fair.” |
| He bulldozes past first amendment rights and Wallace’s observation that the supreme court has ruled emphatically against expanded libel laws. You’d have to change the constitution itself to clamp down on press freedoms, Wallace says. | He bulldozes past first amendment rights and Wallace’s observation that the supreme court has ruled emphatically against expanded libel laws. You’d have to change the constitution itself to clamp down on press freedoms, Wallace says. |
| Trump goes past it, saying “I would absolutely work to open up libel laws” to become more like Britain’s. | Trump goes past it, saying “I would absolutely work to open up libel laws” to become more like Britain’s. |
| His ideal scenario: “If you write something that’s wrong, at least knowingly wrong, a person like me can write lawsuits and collect damages.” | His ideal scenario: “If you write something that’s wrong, at least knowingly wrong, a person like me can write lawsuits and collect damages.” |
| Related: Donald Trump pledges to curb press freedom through libel laws | Related: Donald Trump pledges to curb press freedom through libel laws |
| 3.13pm GMT | 3.13pm GMT |
| 15:13 | 15:13 |
| The tax returns rear their mathematical heads. Trump | The tax returns rear their mathematical heads. Trump |
| “First of all let me just tell you something. As you know I have filed unbelievable, voluminous documents as to my net worth and the company I have built.” | “First of all let me just tell you something. As you know I have filed unbelievable, voluminous documents as to my net worth and the company I have built.” |
| “People in your profession” were very impressed by those forms, Trump says. “You can’t learn anything from tax returns about net worth or anything like that. The tax returns are being audited. I have been audited for many, many years.” | “People in your profession” were very impressed by those forms, Trump says. “You can’t learn anything from tax returns about net worth or anything like that. The tax returns are being audited. I have been audited for many, many years.” |
| Wallace keeps asking, can you tell us your gross income? Trump won’t do it. He says go look at the FEC forms. | Wallace keeps asking, can you tell us your gross income? Trump won’t do it. He says go look at the FEC forms. |