This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/06/trump-campaign-clinton-panic-losing-blue-states
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Trump's campaign says Clinton 'hitting the panic button' in blue states | Trump's campaign says Clinton 'hitting the panic button' in blue states |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A bullish Donald Trump campaign claimed momentum is building as it forces Democrats to defend blue states such as Michigan, New Mexico and Minnesota in the closing hours of the presidential election. | |
| “They would not be sending President Obama back into [Michigan] on the eve of the election if they were not hitting the panic button,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters in a conference call. | “They would not be sending President Obama back into [Michigan] on the eve of the election if they were not hitting the panic button,” Trump spokesman Jason Miller told reporters in a conference call. |
| “I remember when they were saying they were going to [red states like] Arizona and Georgia, but they are not going on offense anymore. They are limping toward the finish line.” | “I remember when they were saying they were going to [red states like] Arizona and Georgia, but they are not going on offense anymore. They are limping toward the finish line.” |
| The Clinton team argued that its response to Trump’s late push into blue territory was merely precautionary and said their opponent was flailing in the face of terrible early voting numbers in more important swing states. | The Clinton team argued that its response to Trump’s late push into blue territory was merely precautionary and said their opponent was flailing in the face of terrible early voting numbers in more important swing states. |
| “I think looking at Trump’s schedule versus our schedule is pretty emblematic of how we’re approaching this strategically. Trump is basically going everywhere,” campaign manager Robby Mook told reporters on the Clinton plane. | “I think looking at Trump’s schedule versus our schedule is pretty emblematic of how we’re approaching this strategically. Trump is basically going everywhere,” campaign manager Robby Mook told reporters on the Clinton plane. |
| “As far as I’m concerned the more time he spends in Minnesota and Nevada the better … it looks like he’s just trying to go everywhere all at once.” | “As far as I’m concerned the more time he spends in Minnesota and Nevada the better … it looks like he’s just trying to go everywhere all at once.” |
| Early voting numbers were also disputed. Despite strong evidence that Democrats may have already won states like Nevada on the basis of ballots cast so far, the Trump campaign argued that it was seeing far more Republicans turn out than in 2012 while Democrats faced the reverse problem in key swing states such as North Carolina and Florida. | Early voting numbers were also disputed. Despite strong evidence that Democrats may have already won states like Nevada on the basis of ballots cast so far, the Trump campaign argued that it was seeing far more Republicans turn out than in 2012 while Democrats faced the reverse problem in key swing states such as North Carolina and Florida. |
| Bill Dunn, director of early and absentee voting for the Republican National Committee, claimed Trump had “a slight lead in ballots returned in Colorado”, which Republican internal polling shows is now tied, and was outperforming the Republican 2012 total by 16,000 ballots in Nevada. | Bill Dunn, director of early and absentee voting for the Republican National Committee, claimed Trump had “a slight lead in ballots returned in Colorado”, which Republican internal polling shows is now tied, and was outperforming the Republican 2012 total by 16,000 ballots in Nevada. |
| But Democrats dismissed the tighter-than-expected races in many battleground states as simply a sign some of wavering Republicans gravitating back to Trump. | But Democrats dismissed the tighter-than-expected races in many battleground states as simply a sign some of wavering Republicans gravitating back to Trump. |
| “This is a natural tightening of the race,” Mook said. “If anything, in the last few days we’ve seen things improve a little bit. These were all battleground states. We built operations in all of them. You build a ground game to win in the margin of error. | “This is a natural tightening of the race,” Mook said. “If anything, in the last few days we’ve seen things improve a little bit. These were all battleground states. We built operations in all of them. You build a ground game to win in the margin of error. |
| “This demonstrates the enormous amount of room we have to maneuver in the map,” he said. “If we lost Florida, we don’t actually have to win Pennsylvania. And if we weren’t to win Michigan or Wisconsin, you could make up for all those electoral votes by winning Florida. Donald Trump has to win all of these battleground races.” | “This demonstrates the enormous amount of room we have to maneuver in the map,” he said. “If we lost Florida, we don’t actually have to win Pennsylvania. And if we weren’t to win Michigan or Wisconsin, you could make up for all those electoral votes by winning Florida. Donald Trump has to win all of these battleground races.” |
| Predictably, the Trump campaign argued the reverse: claiming a widening number of possible paths to its victory as a result of the expanding battleground. | Predictably, the Trump campaign argued the reverse: claiming a widening number of possible paths to its victory as a result of the expanding battleground. |
| “We have a clear focus on traditional battleground states, making sure we close strong in places like Florida and North Carolina, but we are also making an aggressive play to try to put some blue states into the red camp,” said Miller. | “We have a clear focus on traditional battleground states, making sure we close strong in places like Florida and North Carolina, but we are also making an aggressive play to try to put some blue states into the red camp,” said Miller. |
| “There are a number of states now that could put him over the top – New Hampshire, New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania – a number of pathways to 270.” | “There are a number of states now that could put him over the top – New Hampshire, New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania – a number of pathways to 270.” |
| As well as public polls and early voting data, the two campaigns are nervously eyeing each other’s behaviour. | As well as public polls and early voting data, the two campaigns are nervously eyeing each other’s behaviour. |
| “We see Virginia as a place that is breaking late in Trump’s direction,” said Miller. “Look at the fact the Clinton campaign is back on TV having publicly pulled the plug and saying the state was wrapped up. | “We see Virginia as a place that is breaking late in Trump’s direction,” said Miller. “Look at the fact the Clinton campaign is back on TV having publicly pulled the plug and saying the state was wrapped up. |
| “Why are they up on TV in New Mexico? in Michigan? If we had said two months ago that President Obama would be heading to Michigan on the eve of the election, I don’t think you’d have bought it. We have the momentum and everything is coming up Trump at the moment.” | “Why are they up on TV in New Mexico? in Michigan? If we had said two months ago that President Obama would be heading to Michigan on the eve of the election, I don’t think you’d have bought it. We have the momentum and everything is coming up Trump at the moment.” |
| Democrats, however, feel confident that their much more sophisticated and better-funded ground game and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts are paying dividends. | Democrats, however, feel confident that their much more sophisticated and better-funded ground game and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts are paying dividends. |
| “Since the start of early voting in late September, we’ve been able to knock on 8.3m doors, and have made 37.4m phone calls, which is more than 45m doors or phone calls in total and more than one million per day throughout the early voting period,” said Marlon Marshall, Clinton’s director of state campaigns and political engagement, on Friday. | “Since the start of early voting in late September, we’ve been able to knock on 8.3m doors, and have made 37.4m phone calls, which is more than 45m doors or phone calls in total and more than one million per day throughout the early voting period,” said Marlon Marshall, Clinton’s director of state campaigns and political engagement, on Friday. |
| By contrast, the Trump campaign claims 3,100 paid staff and 4,500 “trained fellows” have led a GOTV counter-effort that has surpassed Republican performance in 2012 – knocking on 16.3m doors in battleground states and making 12m phone calls since the beginning of early voting. It planned to make 2.5m more over the last weekend. | By contrast, the Trump campaign claims 3,100 paid staff and 4,500 “trained fellows” have led a GOTV counter-effort that has surpassed Republican performance in 2012 – knocking on 16.3m doors in battleground states and making 12m phone calls since the beginning of early voting. It planned to make 2.5m more over the last weekend. |
| But the two campaigns are taking very different approaches to their public rallies, with Trump sticking to a familiar formula while Clinton enlists a growing army of big name surrogates and celebrities. | But the two campaigns are taking very different approaches to their public rallies, with Trump sticking to a familiar formula while Clinton enlists a growing army of big name surrogates and celebrities. |
| “Unless she has a VIP with her, most of these events are pretty flat and pretty boring,” said Miller. “How much can celebrities and surrogates carry her over the finish line?” | “Unless she has a VIP with her, most of these events are pretty flat and pretty boring,” said Miller. “How much can celebrities and surrogates carry her over the finish line?” |
| The Clinton team says the range of voices is successfully showing Americans how unsuited their rival is for office. It will again be deploying its secret weapon in New Hampshire: the parents of the Muslim war hero captain Humayun Khan. | The Clinton team says the range of voices is successfully showing Americans how unsuited their rival is for office. It will again be deploying its secret weapon in New Hampshire: the parents of the Muslim war hero captain Humayun Khan. |
| “Of all the voices that we have heard in the campaign, I don’t believe there is any voice that better embodies the values that we hold as Americans than Mr and Mrs Khan have,” Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri told reporters. | “Of all the voices that we have heard in the campaign, I don’t believe there is any voice that better embodies the values that we hold as Americans than Mr and Mrs Khan have,” Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri told reporters. |