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| Nevada primary live: Donald Trump's endorsement | Nevada primary live: Donald Trump's endorsement |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 3.50pm: I thought this would be excruciating, but it's worse than that. Romney has built his enitre campaign on looking presidential, yet here he is, dancing to the strings of Trump, an egotistical reality show host who is held in derision by most people in America. | |
| And that's it. Sensibly, Romney wraps it all up as quickly as possible. The whole thing took less than five minutes. Looks like he wants to get out of there fast. | |
| 3.48pm: Romney, who has been standing at the edge of the stage looking even more uncomfortable than usual, takes to the podium, bearing the ancient Trump family seal. "Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to create jobs." Huh? I thought the whole point of Donald Trump is that he fires more people than he hires, but there we go. | |
| 3.46pm: Trump goes on: "Mitt is tough, smart and sharp. He's not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country we all love. Governor Romney – go out and get 'em." | |
| Of course, that's it – elect Romney, he'll stop bad things happening. Jeez. | |
| 3.45pm: And Donald Trump is on. "Our country is in serious trouble," he says. He's worried about what the rest of the world thinks about America. "They take advantage of us, they laugh at us." No Don, that's just you. | |
| 3.29pm: The Romney/Trump press conference is about to start. If you can bear it, ABC news is carrying a live stream here. | 3.29pm: The Romney/Trump press conference is about to start. If you can bear it, ABC news is carrying a live stream here. |
| 3.05pm: Our Washington bureau chief, Ewen MacAskill, has been pondering what a Trump endorsement means for Romney. He comes to a pretty simple conclusion. | 3.05pm: Our Washington bureau chief, Ewen MacAskill, has been pondering what a Trump endorsement means for Romney. He comes to a pretty simple conclusion. |
| Endorsements can matter in politics. Sarah Palin's support certainly helped a number of Tea Party favourites secure the Republican nomination for the 2010 congressional mid-term elections. But most of the time they count for absolutely nothing. Hardly a day goes past without at least one or more announcements from the Romney press office of endorsements from Republican members of Congress, mayors or state representatives. I have long ceased even to bother opening them. | Endorsements can matter in politics. Sarah Palin's support certainly helped a number of Tea Party favourites secure the Republican nomination for the 2010 congressional mid-term elections. But most of the time they count for absolutely nothing. Hardly a day goes past without at least one or more announcements from the Romney press office of endorsements from Republican members of Congress, mayors or state representatives. I have long ceased even to bother opening them. |
| Herman Cain's endorsement of Gingrich did not help in Florida last week, unless you make the assumption that the scale of his defeat would have been even higher without it: hard to believe. Nor did Rick Perry's endorsement help Gingrich either and, with Perry's popularity dropping even in Texas, might even be more of a hindrance than a help when that state votes in April. | Herman Cain's endorsement of Gingrich did not help in Florida last week, unless you make the assumption that the scale of his defeat would have been even higher without it: hard to believe. Nor did Rick Perry's endorsement help Gingrich either and, with Perry's popularity dropping even in Texas, might even be more of a hindrance than a help when that state votes in April. |
| The only person I can think of whose endorsement might make a difference would be the Pope, who would presumably sway swithering Catholics, but he is unlikely to be endorsing anyone any time soon. | The only person I can think of whose endorsement might make a difference would be the Pope, who would presumably sway swithering Catholics, but he is unlikely to be endorsing anyone any time soon. |
| That leaves Trump. His endorsement is worth nothing and might even cost Romney a few votes. Polls show the public almost equally divided between those who like and dislike him. | That leaves Trump. His endorsement is worth nothing and might even cost Romney a few votes. Polls show the public almost equally divided between those who like and dislike him. |
| The only person who takes Trump seriously in politics , I assume, Trump himself. Journalists report him, as they did last year when he claimed he was toying with a presidential run, because he is a bit of fun, something new to catch the eye of news desks beginning show fatigue with the daily grind of the Republican horse-race. | The only person who takes Trump seriously in politics , I assume, Trump himself. Journalists report him, as they did last year when he claimed he was toying with a presidential run, because he is a bit of fun, something new to catch the eye of news desks beginning show fatigue with the daily grind of the Republican horse-race. |
| Political junkies are tweeting that Romney has accepted the endorsement to prevent irritating criticisms from Trump in the months to come. I doubt that. Romney has already showed he is not afraid of offending him, refusing to participate in his proposed post-Christmas debate. The only reason I can think of for Romney doing this for cheap publicity on a quiet day. | Political junkies are tweeting that Romney has accepted the endorsement to prevent irritating criticisms from Trump in the months to come. I doubt that. Romney has already showed he is not afraid of offending him, refusing to participate in his proposed post-Christmas debate. The only reason I can think of for Romney doing this for cheap publicity on a quiet day. |
| 2.59pm: Newt Gingrich's campaign has confirmed that it will make a formal complaint to the national Republican party about Florida's intention not to award delegates to the national congress proportionately. According to the Republican party rules, any state that holds its primary before April 1 is forbidden from running a "winner takes all" vote. | 2.59pm: Newt Gingrich's campaign has confirmed that it will make a formal complaint to the national Republican party about Florida's intention not to award delegates to the national congress proportionately. According to the Republican party rules, any state that holds its primary before April 1 is forbidden from running a "winner takes all" vote. |
| Florida was already fined half of its 99 delegates for holding its vote early, in defiance of national party rules. But Florida has not yet "officially" awarded its delegates – leading to speculation that it might not do so until April. | Florida was already fined half of its 99 delegates for holding its vote early, in defiance of national party rules. But Florida has not yet "officially" awarded its delegates – leading to speculation that it might not do so until April. |
| 1.22pm: Who would have thought that a big hairy muscle bear would gaze so fondly upon Newt Gingrich? Maybe it's a granddaddy thing. | 1.22pm: Who would have thought that a big hairy muscle bear would gaze so fondly upon Newt Gingrich? Maybe it's a granddaddy thing. |
| 1.15pm: CNN's Peter Hamby has written up the monstering of Newt Gingrich's campaign spokesman RC Hammond (I reprinted his tweet about it earlier). Sounds like Hammond was rattled. | 1.15pm: CNN's Peter Hamby has written up the monstering of Newt Gingrich's campaign spokesman RC Hammond (I reprinted his tweet about it earlier). Sounds like Hammond was rattled. |
| Was the communications mix-up a sign of the campaign's disorganization? Or had Trump given Gingrich assurances about his endorsement, and then backed away? | Was the communications mix-up a sign of the campaign's disorganization? Or had Trump given Gingrich assurances about his endorsement, and then backed away? |
| With a raft of digital audio recorders shoved in his face, Hammond refused to answer the questions. "The only person who knows what Donald Trump is going to do today is Donald Trump," he said, repeating the line at least five different times. | With a raft of digital audio recorders shoved in his face, Hammond refused to answer the questions. "The only person who knows what Donald Trump is going to do today is Donald Trump," he said, repeating the line at least five different times. |
| 1.13pm: In more non-Trump news, Rick Santorum's campaign has announced that he will visit a company in Minnesota that manufactures his signature sweater-vests. I'm sure that won't turn into a complete media circus with fawning coverage at all. | 1.13pm: In more non-Trump news, Rick Santorum's campaign has announced that he will visit a company in Minnesota that manufactures his signature sweater-vests. I'm sure that won't turn into a complete media circus with fawning coverage at all. |
| 1.07pm: Let's tear ourselves away from the Trump circus for a moment and concentrate on something that actually has a bearing on the electoral process in Nevada. All the polls suggest that Ron Paul will come in a poor third there – the latest one, out this morning, has him on just 9%. But. as Ryan Devereaux pointed out at 10.42am, Paul is very well organized in the state. | 1.07pm: Let's tear ourselves away from the Trump circus for a moment and concentrate on something that actually has a bearing on the electoral process in Nevada. All the polls suggest that Ron Paul will come in a poor third there – the latest one, out this morning, has him on just 9%. But. as Ryan Devereaux pointed out at 10.42am, Paul is very well organized in the state. |
| Now David Weigel of Slate reminds us that the polls significantly underestimated Paul's performance in Nevada last time around, and that this time, his on-the-ground organization is even better. | Now David Weigel of Slate reminds us that the polls significantly underestimated Paul's performance in Nevada last time around, and that this time, his on-the-ground organization is even better. |
| 12.41pm: Mitt Romney's campaign has confirmed that he will appear alongside Donald Trump at 12.15pm at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas (3.15pm ET). So that settles that, then. | 12.41pm: Mitt Romney's campaign has confirmed that he will appear alongside Donald Trump at 12.15pm at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas (3.15pm ET). So that settles that, then. |
| 12.31pm: Think Progress has done the smart thing of rounding up all the times that Donald Trump trashed Mitt Romney – including the interview last April in which he predicted Romney would lose a general election. | 12.31pm: Think Progress has done the smart thing of rounding up all the times that Donald Trump trashed Mitt Romney – including the interview last April in which he predicted Romney would lose a general election. |
| 12.02pm: So. Several thoughts about the Trump thing. | 12.02pm: So. Several thoughts about the Trump thing. |
| • First in regards to Newt Gingrich, it was a very bad move of his campaign to lead journalists from major news organizations into thinking that the Trump nomination was in the bag, when it wasn't. | • First in regards to Newt Gingrich, it was a very bad move of his campaign to lead journalists from major news organizations into thinking that the Trump nomination was in the bag, when it wasn't. |
| Those journalists are now being shouted at very loudly by their editors (or, in the case of the New York Times, at the receiving end of a very severe tutting) for making their publications and TV stations look very foolish. And journalists don't like to be made to look foolish, so they are all now turning on RC Hammond, the Gingrich spokesman. | Those journalists are now being shouted at very loudly by their editors (or, in the case of the New York Times, at the receiving end of a very severe tutting) for making their publications and TV stations look very foolish. And journalists don't like to be made to look foolish, so they are all now turning on RC Hammond, the Gingrich spokesman. |
| And because Gingrich has been attacking the media so vociferously recently, the media are not exactly well disposed to him anyway. This could easily turn into a story of Gingrich campaign incompetence – and, because the media loves a narrative, a wider story of Gingrich failure. | And because Gingrich has been attacking the media so vociferously recently, the media are not exactly well disposed to him anyway. This could easily turn into a story of Gingrich campaign incompetence – and, because the media loves a narrative, a wider story of Gingrich failure. |
| • Second, in regards to Mitt Romney, in December he won praise for refusing to join the circus by declining an invitation to take part in a Trump-moderated TV debate. Now, Romney is embracing a man who made a fool of himself by prompoting the "birther" theory over Barack Obama's birth certificate. | • Second, in regards to Mitt Romney, in December he won praise for refusing to join the circus by declining an invitation to take part in a Trump-moderated TV debate. Now, Romney is embracing a man who made a fool of himself by prompoting the "birther" theory over Barack Obama's birth certificate. |
| • Third, also in regards to Mitt Romney, why, why, why does he want to associate himself with Trump, who is known principally for taking delight in firing people – particularly in the same news cycle as being slammed for not caring about the "very poor"? | • Third, also in regards to Mitt Romney, why, why, why does he want to associate himself with Trump, who is known principally for taking delight in firing people – particularly in the same news cycle as being slammed for not caring about the "very poor"? |
| In all seriousness, question wisdom of Mitt attaching himself to someone iconically known in pop culture for phrase "You're fired!" | In all seriousness, question wisdom of Mitt attaching himself to someone iconically known in pop culture for phrase "You're fired!" |
| — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 2, 2012 | — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 2, 2012 |
| Chuck Todd of MSNBC has the only plausible explanation for Romney accepting the Trump endorsement – fear of what might happen if he didn't. | Chuck Todd of MSNBC has the only plausible explanation for Romney accepting the Trump endorsement – fear of what might happen if he didn't. |
| In all seriousness, only other logical explanation re: Trump: Romney camp accepting out of fear of offending him and turning him into thorn | In all seriousness, only other logical explanation re: Trump: Romney camp accepting out of fear of offending him and turning him into thorn |
| — Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) February 2, 2012 | — Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) February 2, 2012 |
| Unrelated fact: a new series of The Apprentice starts in two weeks. | Unrelated fact: a new series of The Apprentice starts in two weeks. |
| 11.42am: In Las Vegas, angry campaign reporters are turning on Newt Gingrich's campaign spokesman RC Hammond. Gingrich's campaign yesterday talked up the prosepct of a Trump endorsement, leading many news organizations, including the New York Times, to report it confidently. | 11.42am: In Las Vegas, angry campaign reporters are turning on Newt Gingrich's campaign spokesman RC Hammond. Gingrich's campaign yesterday talked up the prosepct of a Trump endorsement, leading many news organizations, including the New York Times, to report it confidently. |
| Quite the spectacle as over a dozen reporters swarm @rchammond asking why Gingrich campaign was telling press that Trump was in the bag | Quite the spectacle as over a dozen reporters swarm @rchammond asking why Gingrich campaign was telling press that Trump was in the bag |
| — Peter Hamby (@PeterHambyCNN) February 2, 2012 | — Peter Hamby (@PeterHambyCNN) February 2, 2012 |
| 11.19am: From the picture at the top of the blog, it looks liks Mitt has been practicing his "your fired" gesture. | 11.19am: From the picture at the top of the blog, it looks liks Mitt has been practicing his "your fired" gesture. |
| 11.10am: Breaking Donald Trump news: it looks like he's flip-flopped to endorse the flip-flopper. CNN is repporting that Trump will actually endorse Mitt Romney at the event in Las Vegas today. | 11.10am: Breaking Donald Trump news: it looks like he's flip-flopped to endorse the flip-flopper. CNN is repporting that Trump will actually endorse Mitt Romney at the event in Las Vegas today. |
| The New York Times, which in this morning's print edition confidently announced that Trump would back Gingrich, is also saying that it has confirmed he will endorse Romney. | The New York Times, which in this morning's print edition confidently announced that Trump would back Gingrich, is also saying that it has confirmed he will endorse Romney. |
| 10.48am: Mitt Romney complains that quotes from his CNN interview were taken out of context. Judge for yourself: here's the full interview. | 10.48am: Mitt Romney complains that quotes from his CNN interview were taken out of context. Judge for yourself: here's the full interview. |
| | |
| 10.42am: While we are waiting for Donald Trump to speak, lets take a look at the main developments of the day, from Ryan Devereaux. | 10.42am: While we are waiting for Donald Trump to speak, lets take a look at the main developments of the day, from Ryan Devereaux. |
| As the Republicans set their sights on Nevada a new poll suggests Mitt Romney is poised for victory in Saturday's caucus. According to a survey conducted for the Las Vegas Review Journal, the former Massachusetts governor wins 45% of the support from Nevada Republicans who plan to caucus. Gingrich trails Romney with 25%, while Rick Santorum at 11% has the edge on Ron Paul, who received 9%. Paul is not to be counted out, however. Historically the Texas congressman has performed well in caucus states, relying heavily on his army of on-the-ground organizers. Paul has been preparing for the contest in Nevada for months. | As the Republicans set their sights on Nevada a new poll suggests Mitt Romney is poised for victory in Saturday's caucus. According to a survey conducted for the Las Vegas Review Journal, the former Massachusetts governor wins 45% of the support from Nevada Republicans who plan to caucus. Gingrich trails Romney with 25%, while Rick Santorum at 11% has the edge on Ron Paul, who received 9%. Paul is not to be counted out, however. Historically the Texas congressman has performed well in caucus states, relying heavily on his army of on-the-ground organizers. Paul has been preparing for the contest in Nevada for months. |
| Real estate tycoon Donald Trump is expected to endorse Newt Gingrich at an event in Las Vegas today. Last year Trump suggested he might make a run at the presidency himself. Then he attempted to organise a presidential debate, but the plan was ditched after Mitt Romney refused to take part. | Real estate tycoon Donald Trump is expected to endorse Newt Gingrich at an event in Las Vegas today. Last year Trump suggested he might make a run at the presidency himself. Then he attempted to organise a presidential debate, but the plan was ditched after Mitt Romney refused to take part. |
| Further examination of filings to the Federal Election Commission reveal that, despite rules designed to ensure transparency, sources of some of the cash is hard to identify. Much of the funding to Super Pacs supporting the campaigns came from predictable sources – the coal industry, hedge funds, holding companies. But significant donations to Restore our Future, the Super Pac supporting Romney, were reported from at least one company that has a PO box for a headquarters and no employees, according to the New York Times. And while Romney has continually assailed Newt Gingrich as a lobbyist, the filings reveal he has received over $1m in support from corporate lobbyists. | Further examination of filings to the Federal Election Commission reveal that, despite rules designed to ensure transparency, sources of some of the cash is hard to identify. Much of the funding to Super Pacs supporting the campaigns came from predictable sources – the coal industry, hedge funds, holding companies. But significant donations to Restore our Future, the Super Pac supporting Romney, were reported from at least one company that has a PO box for a headquarters and no employees, according to the New York Times. And while Romney has continually assailed Newt Gingrich as a lobbyist, the filings reveal he has received over $1m in support from corporate lobbyists. |
| Romney was in damage-control mode after an interview on CNN in which he said: "I'm not concerned about the very poor." The quote quickly went viral and by Wednesday afternoon Romney was doing his best to clarify the claim. The comment adds to a growing list of Romney gaffes that reinforce his reputation as an out-of-touch rich guy. Previous gems include his suggestion that $374,327 is "not very much" money, his offer to make a casual $10,000 bet with Rick Perry, his insistence that "corporations are people" and his off-color joke to a group of out of work Americans that, he too, is "unemployed". | Romney was in damage-control mode after an interview on CNN in which he said: "I'm not concerned about the very poor." The quote quickly went viral and by Wednesday afternoon Romney was doing his best to clarify the claim. The comment adds to a growing list of Romney gaffes that reinforce his reputation as an out-of-touch rich guy. Previous gems include his suggestion that $374,327 is "not very much" money, his offer to make a casual $10,000 bet with Rick Perry, his insistence that "corporations are people" and his off-color joke to a group of out of work Americans that, he too, is "unemployed". |
| 10.30am: Good morning. We're back from Florida with a bump, and already our eyes are set west for the Nevada caucus on Saturday, which Mitt Romney is expected to win comfortably. | 10.30am: Good morning. We're back from Florida with a bump, and already our eyes are set west for the Nevada caucus on Saturday, which Mitt Romney is expected to win comfortably. |
| Newt Gingrich is in real trouble now, because although he's trying to fight a delegate campaign, he can't avoid the momentum campaign being fought by Romney. And all the momentum is with Romney: most of the states between here and Super Tuesday in early March are likely to fall the former Massachusetts governor's way. | Newt Gingrich is in real trouble now, because although he's trying to fight a delegate campaign, he can't avoid the momentum campaign being fought by Romney. And all the momentum is with Romney: most of the states between here and Super Tuesday in early March are likely to fall the former Massachusetts governor's way. |
| But look! Here's Donald Trump! He's going to endorse Newt today. Which obviously will be a load of help. | But look! Here's Donald Trump! He's going to endorse Newt today. Which obviously will be a load of help. |
| Despite Romney's frontrunner momentum, he still has a habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The latest self-derailment came yesterday with his comment that he wasn't much concerned about the "very poor". | Despite Romney's frontrunner momentum, he still has a habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The latest self-derailment came yesterday with his comment that he wasn't much concerned about the "very poor". |
| He complained that it was taken out of context – which is a bit rich for a man who built his Florida campaign on exaggerating the failings of his opponent – but the problem is that it feeds into the narrative that he's a member of a weatly elite that doesn't have an instinctive feel for the problems of ordinary Americans. | He complained that it was taken out of context – which is a bit rich for a man who built his Florida campaign on exaggerating the failings of his opponent – but the problem is that it feeds into the narrative that he's a member of a weatly elite that doesn't have an instinctive feel for the problems of ordinary Americans. |
| Richard Adams is off today – this is Matt Wells minding the shop. | Richard Adams is off today – this is Matt Wells minding the shop. |