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| Trump defies protesters as Sanders and Clinton prepare for town hall — campaign live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.51pm GMT | |
| 13:51 | |
| John Kasich is the last candidate to appear on the CNN program, where he incongruously holds back on denouncing Trump’s language, as the other candidates have done. | |
| “There’s no question Donald Trump has created a toxic atmosphere, pitting people against each other,” Kasich says. “He needs to back off of this and being more aspirational.” | |
| He says his own rallies are “aspirational”. “I don’t watch Turmp rallies” or the news, he goes on. “I basically watch the golf channel when I’m traveling, believe it or not, but when I saw the violence in Chicago I had enough.” | |
| Kasich also rejects the criticisms of free trade agreements from Trump and Bernie Sanders, saying they’re not practical: “we’re not going to lock the doors or pull down the blinds and tell the rest of the world to go away.” | |
| Tapper asks Kasich about his history with Wall Street – he spent seven years with Lehman Brothers, where he made hundreds of thousands of dollars until the firm collapsed in 2008 and took the world economy down with it. Who do you blame for the economic collapse, Tapper asks. | |
| “I think there was greed on Wall Street, no doubt about it,” Kasich says. Then he doesn’t answer the question. He says critics and financiers both should find religion, and trust the invisible hand of the | |
| market | |
| God. | |
| “Get a little bit of morality, folks, and realize that free enterprise is great but it has to have a moral underpinning.” | |
| Nobody mentions that religion has existed in myriad forms for thousands of years, always, and often quite compatibly, with greed. | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.58pm GMT | |
| 1.42pm GMT | |
| 13:42 | |
| Rubio: 'it's hard to justify Republican pledge to family' | |
| “We need to wake up,” Rubio says. “This is really going to do damage to America.” | |
| “There are people out there that are unbalanced there are people out there who don’t have control of themselves we don’t know what they will do.” | |
| Rubio is not yet willing to say he will not support Trump, should the billionaire win the nomination. But he gets very close to saying it. | |
| “I’m not prepared to say something different today other than to say I hope we can avoid that,” he says. “It’s getting harder every day to justify that statement to myself, to my children, and to my family and to the people that support me.” | |
| The election has already had extraordinary damage, Rubio says. | |
| “This is not going to end well one way or another. He’s going to be the nominee and he’s going to lose, or he’s going to throw this party into disarray … if it crumbles or divides or splits apart it’s going to be very difficult to hold [conservative] views.” | |
| Trump’s very suggestions challenge America’s founding principles, Rubio says. “We have a president. The president is an American citizen … the president works for the people, not the people for the president … he’s going to singlehandedly do this and do that, without regard for whether it’s legal or not.” | |
| He even holds back on blaming Bernie Sanders or the protesters – though he does say, without evidence, that some of them may have been paid. “I don’t agree with them going and thinking they can shut down a rally,” he says, “but [Trump] wants to deflect and distract.” | |
| Rubio even turns his ire toward the media, saying that they’ve given wall-to-wall coverage to Trump’s outrageous statements for ratings. “We have we contributed, to this culture that has turned American politics into the equivalent of the comments sections in these blogs, where presidential candidates are now basically Twitter trolls.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.59pm GMT | |
| 1.38pm GMT | |
| 13:38 | |
| Rubio: Trump threatens our republic | |
| Marco Rubio is now on the CNN, where he sounds exhausted and genuinely alarmed at the turn the presidential election has taken. | |
| “All the gates of civility have been blown apart,” he says. “This is not about political correctness, this is about rules of civility.” | |
| He says he’s “very concerned” about the chances someone gets seriously hurt or even killed because of Trump’s language. “We don’t know what’s going to happen next here. We’ve reached the point if they don’t agree with you that they can get angry at you, that you’re a bad and evil person.” | |
| “Do we really want to live in a country where everybody hates each other? Because we disagree about the tole of government, or the tax rate … we end up hating each other? Cause that’s what it feels like.” | |
| He says he’s “so tired of arguing” and screaming with other Americans, and hearing “’you’re a bad person, you’re an evil person.” | |
| Rubio goes on to say that Trump’s language, telling his supporters that they can “basically beat up the protesters, beat up the hecklers” and he’ll pay legal fees, are becoming incredibly dangerous. | |
| “There are people out there who are not balanced, people out there who are not completely in control of themselves, and they hear something like this from a leader and you don’t know what they’re going to do.” | |
| He goes on: “it’s reckless and it’s dangerous, and I hope people wake up on time and they realize what’s happening here … Without it getting to levels of violence and anger.” | |
| He alludes to “images of Americans now literally at each other’s throats”, the Trump supporter who suckerpunched a protester and then said he might kill someone next time, Trump’s invented story about a general who dipped bullets into pig’s blood, his suggestion that one protester had links to Isis. | |
| The senator frames Trump’s chaotic movement in the strongest possible terms:.“We’re going to lose our republic,” he says. “It looks like something out of the third world.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.58pm GMT | |
| 1.27pm GMT | 1.27pm GMT |
| 13:27 | 13:27 |
| Tapper also briefly asks Sanders about Hillary Clinton’s brief praise for the late Nancy Reagan, whom she said started a “national conversation” on HIV/Aids – and then apologized for the comment, given the former first lady’s extremely conspicuous silence during a health crisis that affected tens of thousands of Americans. | Tapper also briefly asks Sanders about Hillary Clinton’s brief praise for the late Nancy Reagan, whom she said started a “national conversation” on HIV/Aids – and then apologized for the comment, given the former first lady’s extremely conspicuous silence during a health crisis that affected tens of thousands of Americans. |
| I just don’t know what she was talking about. In fact that was a very tragic moment in modern American history, there were many many people who were dying of Aids, and in fact there was demand all over the country for President Reagan to start talking about this tragedy, and yet he refused to talk about it | I just don’t know what she was talking about. In fact that was a very tragic moment in modern American history, there were many many people who were dying of Aids, and in fact there was demand all over the country for President Reagan to start talking about this tragedy, and yet he refused to talk about it |
| I’m glad she apologized, but the truth it was not President Reagan and Nancy Reagan who were leaders … quite the contrary … they didn’t get involved in it. | I’m glad she apologized, but the truth it was not President Reagan and Nancy Reagan who were leaders … quite the contrary … they didn’t get involved in it. |
| 1.22pm GMT | 1.22pm GMT |
| 13:22 | 13:22 |
| Sanders: Trump lies about communism and protests | |
| Bernie Sanders is next on the CNN program, and the host asks the Vermont senator about Trump’s accusations of sending “disrupters” to rallies. | Bernie Sanders is next on the CNN program, and the host asks the Vermont senator about Trump’s accusations of sending “disrupters” to rallies. |
| Sanders says we should take “Mr Trump’s words with a grain of salt because, I think, as almost everybody knows, this man” can’t stop lying. | Sanders says we should take “Mr Trump’s words with a grain of salt because, I think, as almost everybody knows, this man” can’t stop lying. |
| “To call me a communist is a lie. To talk about our organization or our campaign disrupting his event is a lie.” | “To call me a communist is a lie. To talk about our organization or our campaign disrupting his event is a lie.” |
| He acknowledges that some of the protesters in Chicago were supporters of his, “but certainly, absolutely, our campaign had nothing to do with his meeting,” | He acknowledges that some of the protesters in Chicago were supporters of his, “but certainly, absolutely, our campaign had nothing to do with his meeting,” |
| “Even his Republican colleagues make this point,” Sanders goes on, “his language, his intonations, when you see people suckerpunch, people kick people when they’re down. This is a man who keeps impyling violence and you are getting what you see.” | “Even his Republican colleagues make this point,” Sanders goes on, “his language, his intonations, when you see people suckerpunch, people kick people when they’re down. This is a man who keeps impyling violence and you are getting what you see.” |
| “In the United States of America you don’t go beating up people, people have a right to peacefully protest,” he says. | |
| Sanders takes the thought further, saying that “Trump is getting nervous” and “getting reckless” because he’s seeing the senator ahead of him in hypothetical general election polls. | Sanders takes the thought further, saying that “Trump is getting nervous” and “getting reckless” because he’s seeing the senator ahead of him in hypothetical general election polls. |
| “We cannot have a president like Trump who insults Mexicans, who insults Muslims, who insults women,” he says. | “We cannot have a president like Trump who insults Mexicans, who insults Muslims, who insults women,” he says. |
| He reasserts that his campaign had nothing to do with the protests. “There were many many many organizations,” in Chicago, he says. “I do not like anybody disrupting anybody’s meetings,.” | He reasserts that his campaign had nothing to do with the protests. “There were many many many organizations,” in Chicago, he says. “I do not like anybody disrupting anybody’s meetings,.” |
| He concludes that he’ll gladly tell his supporters, as often as he has to, that there’s no place for violence or attempts to suppress free speech. | He concludes that he’ll gladly tell his supporters, as often as he has to, that there’s no place for violence or attempts to suppress free speech. |
| Updated | |
| at 2.00pm GMT | |
| 1.16pm GMT | 1.16pm GMT |
| 13:16 | 13:16 |
| Tapper asks about Trump’s tweet this morning that threatens to disrupt Sanders rallies. | Tapper asks about Trump’s tweet this morning that threatens to disrupt Sanders rallies. |
| Trump: “It’s not a threat, it’s not a threat. It’s not a threat at all! … My people have said we oughtta go to his rallies, when liberals, and super liberals, I don’t even call ‘em liberals. | Trump: “It’s not a threat, it’s not a threat. It’s not a threat at all! … My people have said we oughtta go to his rallies, when liberals, and super liberals, I don’t even call ‘em liberals. |
| “These people are bad people that are looking to do harm to our country. These people come into mine … They’re being arrested and all sorts of things are happening to them. … There’s a horrible thing going on in the media. We are treated so unfairly, and I’m treated so unfairly.” | “These people are bad people that are looking to do harm to our country. These people come into mine … They’re being arrested and all sorts of things are happening to them. … There’s a horrible thing going on in the media. We are treated so unfairly, and I’m treated so unfairly.” |
| Even Tapper stands up to him, saying people are getting hurt – Trump doesn’t let him finish. | Even Tapper stands up to him, saying people are getting hurt – Trump doesn’t let him finish. |
| “My fellow Republicans are running against me, they are losing big league.” | “My fellow Republicans are running against me, they are losing big league.” |
| Tapper tries to bring it back to the human cost of Trump’s rhetoric, Trump repeats in an irritated voice “excuse me, excuse me!” He dismisses the idea that anyone was hurt or could be hurt because of his rallies. | Tapper tries to bring it back to the human cost of Trump’s rhetoric, Trump repeats in an irritated voice “excuse me, excuse me!” He dismisses the idea that anyone was hurt or could be hurt because of his rallies. |
| “The danger was ended by a very good managerial decision not to have” a rally in Chicago, he says. “How many people have been injured at my rallies? Zero, zero!” | “The danger was ended by a very good managerial decision not to have” a rally in Chicago, he says. “How many people have been injured at my rallies? Zero, zero!” |
| Tapper: “I don’t think it’s zero…” | Tapper: “I don’t think it’s zero…” |
| Trump does not mention the protester suckerpunched last week, the reporter assaulted (allegedly by Trump campaign manager), or the protester bloodied outside a rally in St Louis. | Trump does not mention the protester suckerpunched last week, the reporter assaulted (allegedly by Trump campaign manager), or the protester bloodied outside a rally in St Louis. |
| He says that his rallies get “thousands and thousands of people” who don’t get hurt, suggesting that the few who do get hurt don’t matter. But he doesn’t acknowledge those people. The interview ends. | He says that his rallies get “thousands and thousands of people” who don’t get hurt, suggesting that the few who do get hurt don’t matter. But he doesn’t acknowledge those people. The interview ends. |
| 1.10pm GMT | 1.10pm GMT |
| 13:10 | 13:10 |
| First up this Sunday morning is Donald Trump on CNN’s State of the Union. | First up this Sunday morning is Donald Trump on CNN’s State of the Union. |
| Host Jake Tapper tells Trump he’s “being faulted for a tone, encouraging violence”, and asks the Republican frontrunner whether he ever thinks about triyng to calm people down. | Host Jake Tapper tells Trump he’s “being faulted for a tone, encouraging violence”, and asks the Republican frontrunner whether he ever thinks about triyng to calm people down. |
| “I think in many cases I do lower the temperature,” Trump says, “when I say things like I’d lie to punch him, frankly this is a person” who’s violent and “crazy”. | “I think in many cases I do lower the temperature,” Trump says, “when I say things like I’d lie to punch him, frankly this is a person” who’s violent and “crazy”. |
| He says he doesn’t even call the protesters protesters, he says. “I call ‘em disrupters. A lot of them come from Bernie Sanders, whether he wants to say it or not, if he says no, he’s lying.” | He says he doesn’t even call the protesters protesters, he says. “I call ‘em disrupters. A lot of them come from Bernie Sanders, whether he wants to say it or not, if he says no, he’s lying.” |
| “We have great rallies, we have by far the biggest rallies … and out of that we’ve had very little problem.” | “We have great rallies, we have by far the biggest rallies … and out of that we’ve had very little problem.” |
| “What I did with Chicago, it would’ve been easier to go … because you had professional disrupters, thousands of them, from Sanders, and to a smaller extent Hillary.” | “What I did with Chicago, it would’ve been easier to go … because you had professional disrupters, thousands of them, from Sanders, and to a smaller extent Hillary.” |
| “You had Sanders disrupters going over there … and I’ll tell you what, I think what I did, and I’ve gotten a lot of credit for [canceling]. … My supporters have tremendous love of this country, they’re tired of getting ripped off.” | “You had Sanders disrupters going over there … and I’ll tell you what, I think what I did, and I’ve gotten a lot of credit for [canceling]. … My supporters have tremendous love of this country, they’re tired of getting ripped off.” |
| He says “you would’ve had a tremendous clash,” had he not canceled the rally in Chicago. | He says “you would’ve had a tremendous clash,” had he not canceled the rally in Chicago. |
| 12.47pm GMT | 12.47pm GMT |
| 12:47 | 12:47 |
| Trump threatens to disrupt Sanders events | Trump threatens to disrupt Sanders events |
| Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2016 presidential election – of late a contest seeing pepper spray and police intervention, racially charged arguments and violent clashes, all at the stoking of one man: Donald Trump. | Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2016 presidential election – of late a contest seeing pepper spray and police intervention, racially charged arguments and violent clashes, all at the stoking of one man: Donald Trump. |
| Trump began the weekend in Chicago, which he quickly left in a state of disarray: he cancelled a rally at the sight of hundreds of protesters outside the venue and dozens inside it. Those protesters scuffled with his supporters, two police officers were injured and five people arrested, including a CBS News reporter who was charged with “resisting arrest”. | Trump began the weekend in Chicago, which he quickly left in a state of disarray: he cancelled a rally at the sight of hundreds of protesters outside the venue and dozens inside it. Those protesters scuffled with his supporters, two police officers were injured and five people arrested, including a CBS News reporter who was charged with “resisting arrest”. |
| But the billionaire sallied onward, speaking at events in Ohio and Missouri with little regard for facts of the night before. Although Chicago police quickly asserted that “they did not consult us at all”, the billionaire put out a statement that the police were “informed of everything before it happened. Likewise secret service and private security firms were consulted and totally involved”. | But the billionaire sallied onward, speaking at events in Ohio and Missouri with little regard for facts of the night before. Although Chicago police quickly asserted that “they did not consult us at all”, the billionaire put out a statement that the police were “informed of everything before it happened. Likewise secret service and private security firms were consulted and totally involved”. |
| He then blamed supporters of Bernie Sanders, organized groups, “many of them thugs”, and defended his sometimes violent fans. | He then blamed supporters of Bernie Sanders, organized groups, “many of them thugs”, and defended his sometimes violent fans. |
| “I don’t have regrets,” he said on Friday. “These were very, very bad protesters. These were bad dudes. They were rough, tough guys.” | “I don’t have regrets,” he said on Friday. “These were very, very bad protesters. These were bad dudes. They were rough, tough guys.” |
| He started up again on Sunday. No thuggishness to see here. | He started up again on Sunday. No thuggishness to see here. |
| Bernie Sanders is lying when he says his disruptors aren't told to go to my events. Be careful Bernie, or my supporters will go to yours! | Bernie Sanders is lying when he says his disruptors aren't told to go to my events. Be careful Bernie, or my supporters will go to yours! |
| The Democratic candidates denounced him: Sanders called him a “a pathological liar” who heads “a vicious movement” and Hillary Clinton said he was guilty of “political arson”. | The Democratic candidates denounced him: Sanders called him a “a pathological liar” who heads “a vicious movement” and Hillary Clinton said he was guilty of “political arson”. |
| His Republican rivals hedged on their pledges to support the party nominee, even Trump: Ted Cruz said his opponent’s campaign “affirmatively encourages violence”, Marco Rubio said “this is what happens” when a campaign feeds off resentment, and John Kasich said the frontrunner was preying on fears. | His Republican rivals hedged on their pledges to support the party nominee, even Trump: Ted Cruz said his opponent’s campaign “affirmatively encourages violence”, Marco Rubio said “this is what happens” when a campaign feeds off resentment, and John Kasich said the frontrunner was preying on fears. |
| There are only two days left before Kasich and Rubio’s reckoning: they need to win their home states of Ohio and Florida on Tuesday to have any chance at all of staying in the race. Meanwhile, many Republicans are debating the devil they know – Ted Cruz, a man so personally disliked he has spawned a Zodiac killer meme – versus the devil they don’t – the bilious Trump. | There are only two days left before Kasich and Rubio’s reckoning: they need to win their home states of Ohio and Florida on Tuesday to have any chance at all of staying in the race. Meanwhile, many Republicans are debating the devil they know – Ted Cruz, a man so personally disliked he has spawned a Zodiac killer meme – versus the devil they don’t – the bilious Trump. |
| For Democrats, Sanders’ win last week in Michigan rattled Clinton, although she retains a huge lead in delegates and superdelegates according to AP estimates. | For Democrats, Sanders’ win last week in Michigan rattled Clinton, although she retains a huge lead in delegates and superdelegates according to AP estimates. |
| All this and more is on the talk show tables this morning, where cable TV hosts will confront the candidates on policy, personality and the campaign chaos. They may even succeed in keeping it relatively civil, as these pro- and anti-Trump protesters did in St Louis. | All this and more is on the talk show tables this morning, where cable TV hosts will confront the candidates on policy, personality and the campaign chaos. They may even succeed in keeping it relatively civil, as these pro- and anti-Trump protesters did in St Louis. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.00pm GMT | at 1.00pm GMT |