Welcome to Breitbart News’s daily live updates of the 2016 horse race.
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1.35: Ben Carson says he’s being offered money to quit the 2016 race.
1.30: Sen. Marco Rubio fends off protestors at his rally who call him an “empty suit.”
2:20: Gov. John Kasich gets an endorsement from the Detroit Free Press.
11.55: Sen. Rubio gets an endorsement from the CEO of Hobby Lobby.
11:40: Planned Parenthood touting its support for Hillary Clinton.
11:00 A.M: Donald Trump, up early and tweeting.
10:30: A Mexican-American voter in Texas tells MSNBC that she is for a border wall and will be voting for Trump on Tuesday. How did this narrative-busting voter get airtime on MSNBC?
10:00: New York Times: Messrs. Rubio, Schumer convinced Fox News to give pro-amnesty Gang of Eight Senators “breathing room” on comprehensive amnesty bill:
A few weeks after Senator Marco Rubio joined a bipartisan push for an immigration overhaul in 2013, he arrived alongside Senator Chuck Schumer at the executive dining room of News Corporation’s Manhattan headquarters for dinner.
Their mission was to persuade Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the media empire, and Roger Ailes, the chairman and chief executive of its Fox News division, to keep the network’s on-air personalities from savaging the legislation and give it a fighting chance at survival.
Mr. Murdoch, an advocate of immigration reform, and Mr. Ailes, his top lieutenant and the most powerful man in conservative television, agreed at the Jan. 17, 2013, meeting to give the senators some breathing room.
But the media executives, highly attuned to the intensifying anger in the Republican grass roots, warned that the senators also needed to make their case to Rush Limbaugh, the king of conservative talk radio, who held enormous sway with the party’s largely anti-immigrant base.
[…]
The dinner at News Corporation headquarters — which has not been previously reported — and the subsequent outreach to Mr. Limbaugh illustrate the degree to which Mr. Rubio served as the chief envoy to the conservative media for the group supporting the legislation. The bill would have provided a pathway to American citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants along with measures to secure the borders and ensure that foreigners left the United States upon the expiration of their visas.
It is a history that Mr. Rubio is not eager to highlight as he takes on Donald J. Trump, his rival for the Republican presidential nomination, who has made his vow to crack down on illegal immigration a centerpiece of his campaign.
Flashback: Rush: ‘Quite Telling’ Fox Didn’t Want Me to Criticize Immigration Reform
9:55: Huckabee: Trump scaring “daylights” out of insiders
9:47: Sanders says his campaign is “listening to women” and pivots to pay equity. He rails against old-fashion “sexism” that women still face. He also says “this campaign is listening to the African-American community. They are asking how does it happen in this country… that we have more people in jail than in any other country on earth.” He rails against institutional racism. He says his campaign is also listening to our “brothers and sisters in the Latino community” who are tired of being exploited, living in the shadows, and seeing their friends and family get deported.
9:42: Sanders says his campaign is doing well because “we are listening to the pain and the needs of ordinary people and not to the needs of billionaire campaign contributors.”
9:35: In Minnesota, Sanders says the campaign is about “transforming America” and “thinking big.” He says that in the last 30 years, there has been a massive redistribution of wealth in the wrong direction. Sanders accuses Republican lawmakers of making it harder for people to vote to “get out of politics and get another job” if they fear free and fair elections.
9:30: Enthusiasm gap. Four states in a row:
9:16: Minnesota: Star Tribune paper endorses Clinton
9:12: On CNN, Van Jones, again revealing some inconvenient truths in these post-election panels, says Trump is like Teflon while Clinton seems like velcro because so many charges just stick to her.
9:08: Cruz also releases “tax returns.”
Cruz’s campaign points out that “it’s possible Trump has been a significant donor to left-wing organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, which would seriously undermine his claim to be pro-life. He has repeatedly said that he thinks Planned Parenthood ‘does wonderful things.’ Moreover, for decades, Trump donated to the most liberal members of the Democratic Party, so it is reasonable to question whether he has given to some of the most radical left-wing organizations as well.”
“It’s time for Trump to come clean and release his tax returns,” Cruz said. “If he’s not been completely honest or has supported the most radical left-wing groups in America, voters deserve to know.”
8:56: SC delegate count:
8:50: Left-wing reporters and pundits on CNN/MSNBC are praising Clinton for motivating “angry” black voters who were outraged by police shootings/killings/brutality. They make “anger” seem constructive/good re: Hillary and something destructive when speaking about Trump supporters who are “angry” at Washington.
Flashback: Anger gets people to the polls:
A 2011 University of Michigan study found that anger actually motivates people to vote.
“Anger in politics can play a particularly vital role, motivating some people to participate in ways they might ordinarily not,” Nicholas Valentino, the study’s lead author and a professor of communication studies and political science, said. “We normally think people with a lot of resources and political skills are the ones who participate, but many citizens in this category regularly abstain from politics. Furthermore, many citizens with few resources can be mobilized if they experience strong anger.”
Valentino added that “anger leads citizens to harness existing skills and resources in a given election. Therefore, the process by which emotions are produced in each campaign can powerfully alter electoral outcomes.”
8:43: That’s why they do it.
8:41: Poor O’Malley:
8:35: On MSNBC, Chuck Todd and Andrea Mitchell reveal that Clinton aides worry about potentially running against Trump because Trump doesn’t play by the traditional political rules. Mitchell says a Trump candidacy could be a “big problem” for Clinton.
[Tony Lee: What the GOP political pundits (and their equivalents on the left) who want to attack the Democrats’s “War on Women” campaign with “binders full of women” and powerpoint presentations do not understand is Hillary Clinton is that kid in high school who just memorizes all of the answers to the test. But she short-circuits if there is a pop quiz or anything on the test that she has not prepared for in advance. She won’t be able to gameplan for Trump like she can for predictable candidates like Rubio and Cruz because, frankly, Trump is so unconventional. That type of candidate is the worst nightmare for robotic candidates like Clinton.]
8:03: Clinton says we need more “love and kindness” in America.
8:01: Begala cheers on Clinton. But he seemed a bit nervous when crediting Trump earlier in the evening. Begala said the GOP had one of the most talented presidential fields in history and Trump steamrolled them to date. Begala said Trump has to be given credit for that.
7:59: Even bigger Clinton victory in South Carolina:
7:55: Slamming Sanders, Clinton says America is more than a single-issue country. Middle-class Americans need a raise. The country needs better jobs. Clinton says don’t let anyone tell you you can’t make things in America. I know we can and I know we will. Clinton also rails against “systemic racism” that still “plays a significant role in determining who gets ahead in America and who gets left behind.” She talks about criminal justice reform and immigration reform. “Opportunity, dignity, and justice” for everyone she says. She also thanks five mothers whose sons were killed by police/gun violence–including Trayvon Martin’s–who campaigned for her across South Carolina.
7:52: Clinton says corporations/Wall Street will “pay a price” if they turn their backs on America.
7:51: Clinton also says this victory for the entrepreneur who told her more dreams die in the parking lots of banks than anywhere else. Clinton says that’s especially true for women and people of color.
7:49: Clinton claims “grassroots donors are powering this campaign.”
7:46: Hillary: Tomorrow, this campaign goes national.
In South Carolina, Hillary says she is so gratefully appreciative of South Carolinas. She says “if we stand together, there is no barrier too big to break.” Clinton congratulates Sen. Sanders on running a great race and “tomorrow, this campaign goes national.” She says she is not taking anything and anyone for granted. She thanks Clyburn and the 850,00 people who have contributed to her campaign.
7:42: Rep. Clyburn on the stage at Clinton’s victory party getting ready to introduce Clinton. His endorsement–and political machine–helped Clinton big time to say the least.
7:30: Clinton dominates with black voters over 65:
7:25: Priebus highlights Democrats’s low enthusiasm/terrible candidates.
7:18: Tough map for Sanders going forward:
7:15: Hillary thanks South Carolina Dems:
7:13: Sanders concedes South Carolina.
In his concession statement, Sanders says he is proud of the campaign he ran and his grassroots supporters.
Let me be clear on one thing tonight. This campaign is just beginning. We won a decisive victory in New Hampshire. She won a decisive victory in South Carolina. Now it’s on to Super Tuesday,” Sanders said in his concession statement. “In just three days, Democrats in 11 states will pick 10 times more pledged delegates on one day than were selected in the four early states so far in this campaign. Our grassroots political revolution is growing state by state, and we won’t stop now.”
7:08: Hillary overwhelmingly winning black voters in South Carolina. Sanders wins Whites 58-42.
7:00: No surprise. Networks project Hillary Clinton win South Carolina’s Dem. Primary.
6:55: Trump keeps hammering Rubio about his credit card scandal. He says he is self-funding his campaign and is not beholden lobbyists.
6:53: Rubio campaign backdrop tonight:
6:50: Rubio releases “tax returns.”
6:45: SC Dems believe race relations have gotten worse under Obama:
6:39: Yahoo report: Sanders staffers told Charleston NAACP President that he should support Sanders because “Sanders is for Welfare.” Typical liberals engaging in stereotypes:
Dot Scott, the president of the NAACP’s Charleston branch, was similarly critical of Sanders’ team. Scott, who admitted being family friends with Clinton’s South Carolina state director, said she only had one contact with the Sanders campaign, and it went “sour.”
Like many South Carolinians, Scott has received calls at home from phone bankers. She said one of these entreaties from the Sanders campaign led her to go off on a 10-minute tirade and demand an apology.
“One of my experiences that I think I won’t forget for a long time is a call that I got from the Sanders campaign. This person that called asked me was I voting for Sen. Sanders. I said no. I was voting for Secretary Clinton. The phone went silent for a little bit,” Scott recounted. “You could hear this person struggling to come up with what they’re going to say next. … They call that a real pregnant pause, nine months’ worth of pregnant pause. And he finally came back and he says to me, ‘You know, Senator Sanders is for welfare.’”
This did not provoke a positive reaction from Scott.
“I lost it. So you’re going to assume either from my voice or from my selection that the most important thing that Senator Sanders is going to be working on that would interest me is more welfare?” Scott said. “I went on to read him the riot act. Listen, I’m not only a college graduate; I’ve got a masters. My daughter is a college graduate. I have never had one ounce of welfare before. I ain’t never lived in public housing. None of those things.”
According to Scott, the Sanders supporter who called her “didn’t know what to say.”
“By the time he hung up, it was t10n minutes later,” she said. “I got one of the managers to call me back and apologize.”
6:35: Sanders far away from South Carolina:
6:30: New York AG accuses Trump of “racial demagoguery”:
6:02: Trump up in Massachusetts:
5:58: Jack Welch with lots of praise for Cruz:
5:55: Rubio releases “tax returns.”
5:52: CNN’s Acosta makes a good point here. It would be better for Trump to point out that he is criticizing national/Beltway reporters. Voters like their local reporters.
5:50: Big crowd for Trump in Tennessee:
5:40: Exit Polls: SC Dems Trust Clinton on Race Relations:
More than eight in 10 trust Clinton to handle race relations, while fewer, more than six in 10, trust Sanders on the issues. Among blacks, trust for Clinton to handle race relations peaks at nine in 10, and trust in Sanders falls to half. It’s a concern: nearly half say race relations have gotten worse in the last few years, and eight in 10 say it was an important factor in their vote today.
5:36: SC Dems want to continue Obama’s policies:
5:35: Advantage Clinton:
5:30: South Carolina exit polls: SC Dems Think Clinton More Honest than Sanders:
Clinton isn’t having as many problems on the honesty front as she’s seen elsewhere. More South Carolina voters think Clinton is honest than say so about Sanders – more than seven in 10 in her case vs. more than six in 10 in his. In New Hampshire, by contrast, twice as many saw Sanders as trustworthy than said so about Clinton.
5:10: DREAMer asks Rubio question about path to citizenship.
5:09: Ditka for Trump:
https://twitter.com/BretBaier/status/703702893908647937
5:05: Trump v. Clinton:
4:59: Press now allowed to film Hillary de-planing:
4:55: Rubio insists mainstream media members are pulling for Trump:
4:50: Trump stares down protester in ‘KKK’ shirt at rally.
4:43: Sanders’s wife takes a spill after husband’s rally.
4:40: Cruz Super PAC Hammers Clinton and Trump:
4:35: Rubio also accuses the mainstream press that have called Trump a “bigot” of “cheering” for Trump to win the GOP nomination:
4:34: Rubio continues to make the argument that he can across the board support…. but it’s Trump that’ s winning all demographic groups, including Hispanics, and doing what the elites said Rubio would do in the primary.
4:22: Trump attacks Rubio again on Twitter:
4:20: Rubio Speaking at Yellowhammer News event. Continues to call Trump a con man:
4:11: Kasich: I’m Going Home if I Don’t Win Ohio:
“Some of the other candidates, if they can’t win their home state, they got to get out, O.K.?” Kasich told the New York Times. “If I don’t win my home state, I’ll get out. But you know what? I’m going to win Ohio.”
4:05: Atlanta Journal Constitution: The question for Marco Rubio: ‘Where are you going to win?’
Saturday’s reporter scrum with Marco Rubio occurred in the football locker room of the Mount Paran Christian School Eagles, who went 10-2 last year. A great winning season.
Much of the Florida senator’s remarks were intended to get under the skin of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump. The phrase “con artist” littered Rubio’s locker room session.
But two representatives of the Washington Post double-teamed the senator on a more uncomfortable topic – like the fact that, unlike the Eagles, Rubio hasn’t posted a win yet this season, and isn’t likely to on Tuesday:
First reporter: How to you make a claim to the nomination if you go zero for 15?
Rubio: Again, we’re in the proportional part of the process. So as long as we’re picking up delegates – here’s the bottom line you need to begin to focus in on. It takes 1,237 delegates to be the nominee of the Republican party. Donald Trump will never have 1,237 delegates. It will not happen. And I will be in this race as long and as hard as I need to be….
4:02: Castro stumping (auditioning) for Clinton in Colorado:
4:00: No Enthusiasm for Dem. Candidates: Reporters noticing low turnout in South Carolina. CNN’s Joe Johns is the latest. Anecdotally, he .
3:55: Breitbart’s Spiering has the answer:
3:50: Charlie Sheen rips Trump:
https://twitter.com/charliesheen/status/703579279934685185
3:45: Cruz in Georgia:
3:25: CNN: Trump: ‘Rubio stole from the Republican Party’
Bentonville, Arkansas (CNN) Donald Trump on Saturday accused Florida Sen. Marco Rubio of stealing from the Florida Republican Party and suggested Rubio should have been “indicted” for using a state party American Express card for personal expenses.
“Rubio stole from the Republican Party,” Trump said of Rubio, with whom he has recently engaged in a public war of words.
Rubio used a corporate American Express card that the Florida state GOP entrusted to him during his time as a Florida state lawmaker for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses, which he later reimbursed.
In November, Rubio released nearly two years of statements for the card, hoping to put to rest any lingering questions of impropriety.
Trump suggested on Saturday that Rubio only reimbursed the funds after he was caught.
“For some reason, he didn’t get indicted. Why didn’t he get indicted?” Trump asked.
3:10: The real reason why GOP elites may hate Trump and love Rubio:
3:05: Cruz also trying to get into Trump’s head and throw him off message/his game:
3:03: Aaron Carter endorses Trump:
https://twitter.com/aaroncarter/status/703644247862317056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
3:00: Cruz gets big endorsement in Alabama:
2:55: Kingston ripping Trump for “birther” attacks:
2:49: Why people hate politics. As Rubio attacks Trump University…Bloomberg reported last year:
Last summer, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida asked the U.S. Department of Education to “demonstrate leniency” toward Corinthian Colleges by permitting the wealthy for-profit company to continue accessing millions of dollars in federal financial aid while it was cooperating with a federal investigation.
Ten months later, the company shuttered its remaining 28 campuses, instantly displacing some 16,000 students just days after it was fined $30 million by the Department of Education for a scheme involving “confirmed cases of misrepresentation of job placement rates” for as many as 947 students. The decision to close shop came after years of federal and state investigations into the company.
The top-tier Republican presidential candidate had made his plea in a letter—obtained by Bloomberg Politics—dated June 20, 2014 and addressed to Jim Shelton, the deputy secretary of education, and Ted Mitchell, the undersecretary for post-secondary education.
“It has been brought to my attention that the U.S. Department of Education has recently placed extreme financial constraints on Corinthian Colleges, Inc. by restricting the company’s timely access to federal financial aid. It is my understanding the the Department of Education has requested extensive documents be provided by Corinthian Colleges for review, and Corinthian has acted in good faith to try to provide these documents as expeditiously as possible,” Rubio wrote. “While I commend the Department’s desire to protect our nation’s students from fraudulent and malicious activity by any institution of higher education, regardless of tax status, I believe the Department can and should demonstrate leniency as long as Corinthian Colleges, Inc. continues to expeditiously and earnestly cooperate by providing the documents requested.”
2:42: Big Rubio crowd in Georgia:
2:40: Texans have said she is one of Cruz’s best surrogates
2:35: Too little, too late?
2:32: Jean-Marie Le Pen for Trump:
2:28: Importance of black voters for Clinton underscored:
2:27: Hutchinson says it’s up to Arkansas to stop the Trump show:
2:25: Kasich optimistic:
2:22: Interesting point by Chuck Todd:
2:19: Sanders says he will win the general election because “love trumps hate”:
2:17: Trump needs to stop winging it:
2:15: Hugh Hewitt realizes the importance of the Supreme Court, says he will vote for Trump if he is the nominee:
2:07: Interesting, former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe publicly concedes that Trump could “narrowly” win a general election:
https://twitter.com/davidplouffe/status/703641133738364929
2:05: Every now and then, Fournier gets something right. He blasts smug consultants for again looking down on voters:
2:02: Sanders, Trump both getting big reactions when talking about fairer trade deals:
2:01: Trump says America will have great trade deals because we have deals that are “so bad.”
2:00: Trump says Rubio “stole” from the Republican Party. He asks why Rubio has not gotten indicted from “stealing” from the Republican Party by charging personal expenses on his credit card.
1:59: Trump says he may shop permanently at Walmart if he wins Arkansas.
1:57: Trump making same mistake Rubio did yesterday by repeating/broadcasting Rubio’s “con man” attack and denying that he is a con man. “I am not a con man,” he says. Trump says former Trump University students are suing him because of a “sleaze bag” law firm. Rubio said that many former Trump University students have called his office in recent days and Americans will be hearing from them soon.
1:55: Trump attacks Rubio:
1:53: Trump says he may change libel laws to sue lying politicians like Rubio.
1:50: Trump gets the endorsement of former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer:
1:45: Rubio fan girl not in the GOP permanent political/pundit class ask Rubio to be her prom date during his rally. She says prom is on March 12 and Rubio quips he may come back to Georgia since that is after Super Tuesday:
1:40: Rubio says China is stealing our inventions and making Trump’s ties. He blasts Trump for claiming he will bring jobs back to America when his shirts and ties are made in China and Mexico. Rubio getting better at using the “freak show” to get his broader message out to a wider audience.
1:35: Rubio calls Trump a “con man” and suggests, like North Korea, America has a “lunatic” trying to get nuclear weapons
1:30: Rubio getting more aggressive attacking Trump:
11:51 am – As #NeverTrump trends and kitchen sinks fly, a Trump staffer asks….
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11:48 am – “Chaos in Cleveland is the only way to stop Trump”
11:37 am – Report: Trump to start fundraising for a general election campaign.
[D]uring a conference call with his donor network, Christie said that “I sense that once we get to a general election campaign, that his posture may become different” with the prospect of “how well-funded Hillary will be on the other side.”
11:35 am – Rubio launches Trumpslams.com.
11:22 am – Reuters: In a 3-way race it is Trump 49%, Cruz 26%, Rubio 21%; proving that all this talk about Trump’s ceiling and how he will lose once the field consolidates is nothing more than spin, propaganda, and wishful thinking.
Should either Cruz or Rubio drop out, Trump will sail over 50%.
Someone might have a ceiling in that threesome, but it is not Trump.
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10:59 am – Traffic in Arkansas backed up a mile for Trump rally
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10:39 am – Bill Clinton Loses It Over Benghazi Hecklers At Campaign Rally [VIDEO]
10:28 am – Bernie Sanders is winning his home state by +75 points.
Rubio is losing his by -20 points.
10:14 am – Round up of Democrat Super Tuesday polls — RCP average.
Texas – Hillary +26
Georgia – Hillary +37
Massachusetts – Sanders +1
Virginia – Clinton +20
Minnesota – Clinton +26
Colorado – Clinton +28*
Tennessee – Clinton +23
Alabama – Clinton +28*
Arkansas – Clinton +29
Oklahoma – Clinton +9
Vermont – Sanders +75
*Most recent poll. Not enough polling or recent polling has been done to create an accurate average.
10:03 am – Round up of Republican Super Tuesday polls — RCP average.
Virginia – Trump +15
Texas – Cruz +7
Georgia – Trump +16
Massachusetts – Trump + 27.5
Oklahoma – Trump +7
Alabama – Trump 18
Minnesota – Trump +6
Arkansas – Cruz +4*
Tennessee – Trump +4*
Colorado – Carson +6*
Alaska – Trump +4*
Vermont – Trump +15*
*Most recent poll. Not enough polling or recent polling has been done to create an accurate average.
9:47 am – Hillary hopes to close the deal in SC tonight
The latest poll shows Clinton with a significant lead over Sanders, 58 percent to nearly 32 percent, according to RealClearPolitics.
Saturday’s primary is a key step toward Super Tuesday next week, when both parties vote in a dozen states.
CBS News’ Nancy Cordes reports the Clinton team sees South Carolina as the state that will finally re-establish her as the indisputable front-runner.
9:35 am – Fascinating NYTs story detailing how Rubio mishandled any chance at winning a Christie endorsement.
Mr. Rubio showed a lack of finesse in dealing with his fallen rivals’ injured egos.
Mr. Christie had attacked Mr. Rubio contemptuously in New Hampshire, calling him shallow and scripted, and humiliating him in a debate. Nevertheless, Mr. Rubio made a tentative overture to Mr. Christie after his withdrawal from the presidential race. He left the governor a voice mail message, seeking Mr. Christie’s support and assuring him that he had a bright future in public service, according to people who have heard Mr. Christie’s characterization of the message.
Mr. Christie, 53, took the message as deeply disrespectful and patronizing, questioning why “a 44-year-old” was telling him about his future, said people who described his reaction on the condition of anonymity. Further efforts to connect the two never yielded a direct conversation.
9:22 am – NYT: The GOP knows they cannot stop Trump; all smoke and mirrors now.
In public, there were calls for the party to unite behind a single candidate. In dozens of interviews, elected officials, political strategists and donors described a frantic, last-ditch campaign to block Mr. Trump — and the agonizing reasons that many of them have become convinced it will fail. Behind the scenes, a desperate mission to save the party sputtered and stalled at every turn.
9:11 am – More desperate Daily News trolling.
9:01 am – Panicked donors look for third party road map
Conservative donors have engaged a major GOP consulting firm in Florida to research the feasibility of mounting a late, independent run for president amid growing fears that Donald Trump could win the Republican nomination.
A memo prepared for the group zeroes in on ballot access as a looming obstacle for any independent candidate, along with actually identifying a viable, widely known contender and coalescing financial support for that person. The two states with the earliest deadlines for independent candidates, Texas and North Carolina, also have some of the highest hurdles for independents to get on the ballot, according to the research.
8:25 am – Trump seen as winner of last debate by 44% of Americans. Only 30% chose Rubio.
8:16 am – “Chris Christie Delivers Major Blow to Party Elites Resisting Trump“
8:01 am – Latest national Reuters tracking poll: Trump 44%, Rubio 14%, Ted Cruz 21%.
Looks as though Trump’s ceiling is now 44%. Nationally, he is beating Rubio by +30 points.
7:44 am – A new poll shows that Rubio loses to Hillary in Florida by -2 points but Trump beats Hillary in Florida by +2 points.
Three polls in a row have shown Trump ahead in Florida. Three polls in a row have either shown Rubio losing to Hillary or tied. Florida is Rubio’s home state.
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7:31 am – Today Democrats vote in South Carolina. The outcome is pretty much assured. Hillary Clinton has a huge lead over Bernie Sanders, a full 27 points.
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