Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - April 15, 2016
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Friday's Leading Stories
Leading Stories
- According to a Ballotpedia Insider’s Poll “of more than 90 Democratic and Republican political insiders, 70 percent of the Democrats said that Clinton was the biggest winner of the debate” last night in Brooklyn, New York. (Ballotpedia)
- Former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) endorsed John Kasich on Thursday. Pataki said, "I'm proud to endorse Governor John Kasich to be the next president of the United States. He will win this race if he's the Republican nominee. He will bring Americans together and he will successfully lead this great country. So I'm honored to endorse Governor Kasich." Kasich responded to the endorsement, saying, "We're going to be able to use him actually at the convention, talking about the points that he's made. We will go into that convention having won more delegates, we will have momentum, and then to have somebody like George Pataki working across all the delegations to let people know about the fact that we can win, and that that matters. He is respected by people all across the country because of his success in running New York. This is a guy who was the governor of New York three times. That is almost like a miracle when you can do that, and he brought people together, and with his stature, his support, I think we're going to be in very good shape." (CNN)
- Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg announced on Thursday that Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will not be prosecuted for “grabbing and yanking” former Breitbart reporter Michelle fields away from Trump when she was attempting to ask the candidate a question last month. Aronberg said, "It's our belief that, what we saw in the video, that any contact was incidental.” He added, "I think that had an apology been given at the beginning of all this, we could have avoided the whole criminal justice process for this matter.” (The Washington Post)
- After the announcement, the Trump campaign released the following statement: "Corey Lewandowski is gratified by the decision to drop the misdemeanor charge and appreciates the thoughtful consideration and professionalism by the Palm Beach State Attorney and his staff who carefully reviewed this matter, as well as Mr. Trump’s loyalty and the support of his colleagues and family during this time. The matter is now concluded."
Polls
- A Fox News poll released on Thursday shows Hillary Clinton (48 percent) with a two point lead over Bernie Sanders (46 percent) in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. On the Republican side, Donald Trump leads Ted Cruz 45 percent to 27 percent, and John Kasich is close behind Cruz with 25 percent support. In general election matchups, the poll shows Clinton leads Trump by seven points and Cruz by one point. Kasich leads Clinton by nine points. Sanders leads Trump by 14 points, Cruz by 12 points, and Kasich by 4 points. (Fox News)
- Clinton (48 percent) v. Trump (41 percent);
- Clinton (45 percent) v. Cruz (44 percent);
- Kasich (49 percent) v. Clinton (40 percent);
- Sanders (53 percent) v. Trump (39 percent);
- Sanders (51 percent) v. Cruz (39 percent);
- Sanders (47 percent) v. Kasich (43 percent).
- Clinton and Trump are also leading their opponents in the race for the Democratic and Republican nominations, according to a CBS News poll released on Thursday. Clinton (50 percent) has a six-point lead over Sanders (44 percent) in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Trump leads Cruz 42 percent to 29 percent in the race for the Republican nomination. Kasich follows with 18 percent support. In general election matchups, the poll shows that Clinton leads Trump by 10 points and Cruz by three points. Kasich leads Clinton by six points. Sanders leads Trump by 17 points, Cruz by 12 points, and Kasich by 5 points. (CBS News)
- Clinton (50 percent) v. Trump (40 percent);
- Clinton (45 percent) v. Cruz (42 percent);
- Kasich (47 percent) v. Clinton (41 percent);
- Sanders (53 percent) v. Trump (36 percent);
- Sanders (50 percent) v. Cruz (38 percent);
- Sanders (46 percent) v. Kasich (41 percent).
- According to an NBC 4 NY/WSJ/Marist poll released on Thursday, Clinton (57 percent) leads Sanders (40 percent) by 17 points in the New York Democratic presidential primary. (NBC 4 NY/WSJ/Marist)
- According to a Monmouth poll released on Thursday, Trump leads Cruz 44 percent to 28 percent among likely Republican primary voters in Pennsylvania. Kasich follows with 23 percent support. (Monmouth)
Democrats
- The following comments from last night’s CNN Democratic debate are from a transcript prepared by The New York Times.
Hillary Clinton
- On raising the minimum wage: “I have said from the very beginning that I supported the fight for $15. I supported those on the front lines of the fight for — it happens to be true. I also — I supported the $15 effort in L.A. I supported in Seattle. I supported it for the fast food workers in New York. The minimum wage at the national level right now is $7.25, right? We want to raise it higher than it ever has been, but we also have to recognize some states and some cities will go higher, and I support that. I have taken my cue from the Democrats in the Senate, led by Senator Patty Murray and others, like my good friend Kirsten Gillibrand, who has said we will set a national level of $12 and then urge any place that can go above it to go above it. Going from $7.25 to $12 is a huge difference. Thirty-five million people will get a raise. One in four working mothers will get a raise. I want to get something done. And I think setting the goal to get to $12 is the way to go, encouraging others to get to $15. But, of course, if we have a Democratic Congress, we will go to $15.”
- On whether she was blaming Vermont for New York’s gun violence in a recent statement: “No, of course not. Of course not. This is — this is a serious difference between us. And what I want to start by saying — it’s not a laughing matter — 90 people on average a day are killed or commit suicide or die in accidents from guns, 33,000 people a year. I take it really seriously, because I have spent more time than I care to remember being with people who have lost their loved ones. So, yes, we have a problem in America. We need a president who will stand up against the gun lobby. We need a president who will fight for commonsense gun safety reforms. And what we have here is a big difference. Senator Sanders voted against the Brady Bill five times. He voted for the most important NRA priority, namely giving immunity from liability to gun-makers and dealers, something that is at the root of a lot of the problems that we are facing. Then he doubled down on that in the New York Daily News interview, when asked whether he would support the Sandy Hook parents suing to try to do something to rein in the advertising of the AR-15, which is advertised to young people as being a combat weapon, killing on the battlefield. He said they didn’t deserve their day in court. I could not disagree more. And, finally, this is the only industry in America, the only one. That has this kind of special protection. We hear a lot from Senator Sanders about the greed and recklessness of Wall Street, and I agree. We’ve got to hold Wall Street accountable...Well, what about the greed and recklessness of gun manufacturers and dealers in America?”
- On whether she changed her opinion on fracking: “No, well, I don’t think I’ve changed my view on what we need to do to go from where we are, where the world is heavily dependent on coal and oil, but principally coal, to where we need to be, which is clean renewable energy, and one of the bridge fuels is natural gas. And so for both economic and environmental and strategic reasons, it was American policy to try to help countries get out from under the constant use of coal, building coal plants all the time, also to get out from under, especially if they were in Europe, the pressure from Russia, which has been incredibly intense. So we did say natural gas is a bridge. We want to cross that bridge as quickly as possible, because in order to deal with climate change, we have got to move as rapidly as we can. That’s why I’ve set big goals. I want to see us deploy a half a billion more solar panels by the end of my first term and enough clean energy to provide electricity to every home in America within 10 years. So I have big, bold goals, but I know in order to get from where we are, where the world is still burning way too much coal, where the world is still too intimidated by countries and providers like Russia, we have got to make a very firm but decisive move in the direction of clean energy.”
- On the United States’ involvement with NATO: “I support our continuing involvement in NATO. And it is important to ask for our NATO allies to pay more of the cost. There is a requirement that they should be doing so, and I believe that needs to be enforced. But there’s a larger question here. NATO has been the most successful military alliance in probably human history. It has bound together across the Atlantic countries that are democracies, that have many of the same values and interests, and now we need to modernize it and move it into the 21st century to serve as that head of our defense operations in Europe when it comes to terrorism and other threats that we face. So... yes, of course they should be paying more, but that doesn’t mean if they don’t we leave, because I don’t think that’s in America’s interests. … I will stay in NATO. I will stay in NATO, and we will continue to look for missions and other kinds of programs that they will support. Remember, NATO was with us in Afghanistan. Most of the member countries also lost soldiers and civilians in Afghanistan. They came to our rallying defense after 9/11. That meant a lot. And, yes, we have to work out the financial aspects of it, but let’s not forget what’s really happening. With Russia being more aggressive, making all kinds of intimidating moves toward the Baltic countries, we’ve seen what they’ve done in Eastern Ukraine, we know how they want to rewrite the map of Europe, it is not in our interests. Think of how much it would cost if Russia’s aggression were not deterred because NATO was there on the front lines making it clear they could not move forward.”
- On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: “I negotiated the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in November of 2012. I did it in concert with...President Abbas of the Palestinian authority based in Ramallah, I did it with the then Muslim Brotherhood President, Morsi, based in Cairo, working closely with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli cabinet. I can tell you right now I have been there with Israeli officials going back more than 25 years that they do not seek this kind of attacks. They do not invite the rockets raining down on their towns and villages. They do not believe that there should be a constant incitement by Hamas aided and abetted by Iran against Israel. And, so when it came time after they had taken the incoming rockets, taken the assaults and ambushes on their soldiers and they called and told me, I was in Cambodia, that they were getting ready to have to invade Gaza again because they couldn’t find anybody to talk to tell them to stop it, I flew all night, I got there, I negotiated that. So, I don’t know how you run a country when you are under constant threat, terrorist tact, rockets coming at you. You have a right to defend yourself. … That does not mean — that does not mean that you don’t take appropriate precautions. And, I understand that there’s always second guessing anytime there is a war. It also does not mean that we should not continue to do everything we can to try to reach a two-state solution, which would give the Palestinians the rights and… The rights and the autonomy that they deserve. And, let me say this, if Yasser Arafat had agreed with my husband at Camp David in the Late 1990s to the offer then Prime Minister Barat put on the table, we would have had a Palestinian state for 15 years.”
Bernie Sanders
- On whether Clinton has the judgment to be a president: “I do question her judgment. I question a judgment which voted for the war in Iraq… the worst foreign policy blunder in the history of this country, voted for virtually every disastrous trade agreement which cost us millions of decent-paying jobs. And I question her judgment about running super PACs which are collecting tens of millions of dollars from special interests, including $15 million from Wall Street. I don’t believe that that is...the kind of judgment we need to be the kind of president we need.”
- On how he would promote American businesses around the world and promote the creation of jobs for Americans: “There are some great businesses who treat their workers and the environment with respect. Verizon happens not to be one of them. And what we need to do is to tell this guy Immelt, who’s the head of General Electric, he doesn’t like me, well, that’s fine. He has outsourced hundreds of thousands of decent-paying jobs throughout the world... — cut his workforce here substantially and in a given year, by the way, it turns out that both Verizon and General Electric, in a given year, pay nothing in federal income tax despite making billions in profits. ...Well, for a start, we’re going to raise the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. And number two, while it is true we may end up paying a few cents more for a hamburger in McDonald’s, at the end of the day, what this economy desperately needs is to rebuild our manufacturing sector with good-paying jobs. We cannot continue to sustain the loss of millions of decent-paying jobs that we have seen over the last 20, 30 years, based on trade agreements of which Secretary Clinton has voted for almost every one of those. That has got to change.”
- On how he will reduce the number of individuals who are incarcerated: “We’re going to work with state governments all over this country. And you know what? In a very divided Congress, and a very divided politics in America, actually the one area where there is some common ground is conservatives understand that it’s insane to be spending $80 billion a year locking up 2.2 million people. With federal and presidential leadership, we will work with state governments to make sure that people are released from jail under strong supervision, that they get the kind of job training and education they need so they can return to their communities. On this one, Errol, actually I think you’re going to see progressive and conservative support. We can do it, if we’re prepared to be bold.”
- On whether his nationwide ban on fracking would drive the country back to coal and oil: “No, they wouldn’t. Look, here’s where we are. Let me reiterate. We have a global crisis. Pope Francis reminded us that we are on a suicide course. Our legislation understands, Errol, that there will be economic dislocation. It is absolutely true. There will be some people who lose their job. And we build into our legislation an enormous amount of money to protect those workers. It is not their fault... It is not their fault that fossil fuels are destroying our climate. But we have got to stand up and say right now, as we would if we were attacked by some military force, we have got to move urgency — urgently and boldly.”
- On making members of NATO pay their “fair share”: Well, what I believe, if my memory is correct here, we spend about 75 percent of the entire cost of the military aspect of NATO. Given the fact that France has a very good health care system and free public education, college education for their people, the U.K. has a good National Health Service and they also provide fairly reasonable higher education, you know what, yeah, I do believe that the countries of Europe should pick up more of the burden for their defense. Yes, I do. … All I can tell you is, with a huge deficit, with 47 million people living in poverty, with our inner cities collapsing, yeah, I do think countries like Germany and U.K. and France and European countries whose economy, or at least its standard of living and health care and education, they’re doing pretty well. So I would not be embarrassed as president of the United States to stay to our European allies, you know what, the United States of America cannot just support your economies. You got to put up your own fair share of the defense burden. Nothing wrong with that.”
- On Israel’s right to defend itself: “Well, as somebody who spent many months of my life when I was a kid in Israel, who has family in Israel, of course Israel has a right not only to defend themselves, but to live in peace and security without fear of terrorist attack. That is not a debate. But — but what you just read, yeah, I do believe that. Israel was subjected to terrorist attacks, has every right in the world to destroy terrorism. But we had in the Gaza area — not a very large area — some 10,000 civilians who were wounded and some 1,500 who were killed. Now, if you’re asking not just me, but countries all over the world was that a disproportionate attack, the answer is that I believe it was, and let me say something else. And, let me say something else. As somebody who is 100% pro-Israel, in the long run — and this is not going to be easy, God only knows, but in the long run if we are ever going to bring peace to that region which has seen so much hatred and so much war, we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity. So what is not to say — to say that right now in Gaza, right now in Gaza unemployment is s somewhere around 40%. You got a log of that area continues, it hasn’t been built, decimated, houses decimated health care decimated, schools decimated. I believe the United States and the rest of the world have got to work together to help the Palestinian people. That does not make me anti-Israel. That paves the way, I think...to an approach that works in the Middle East. … So here is the issue: of course Israel has a right to defend itself, but long term there will never be peace in that region unless the United States plays a role, an even-handed role trying to bring people together and recognizing the serious problems that exist among the Palestinian people. That is what I believe the world wants to us do and that’s the kind of leadership that we have got to exercise. … There comes a time — there comes a time when if we pursue justice and peace, we are going to have to say that Netanyahu is not right all of the time.”
Republicans
Ted Cruz
- During an MSNBC town hall event on Thursday, Ted Cruz said that he supports a law in North Carolina that prohibits transgender individuals to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. Cruz said, “I’m a constitutionalist. And the state has the power to pass their own laws. … As the father of daughters, I’m not terribly excited about men being able to go alone into a bathroom with my daughters. And I think that’s a perfectly reasonable determination for the people to make.” (NBC News)
- During the same town hall event, Cruz discussed accusing Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of lying last July while the Senate was debating Export-Import bank legislation. In July Cruz said, "What we just saw today was an absolute demonstration that not only what he told every Republican senator, but what he told the press over and over and over again, was a simple lie. We know now that when the majority leader looks us in the eyes and makes an explicit commitment, that he is willing to say things that he knows are false. That has consequences for how this body operates." When asked about his comments, Cruz said, "Every word I said there is true and accurate. No one disputed a word I said. The reaction in the Senate is how dare you say that out loud? They're not upset that somebody lied to them!" Despite the incident, Cruz said that as president he will be able to work with members of Congress. He said, "I think I'll be able to work very, very well with Republican leadership, partially for focusing on issues that bring us together.” (NBC News)
- On Wednesday, during a CNN town hall event, Cruz praised Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and said that he would be a “terrific candidate for vice president.” Cruz said, “Anyone would naturally look at Marco as a terrific candidate for vice president. You’d be a fool not to consider him. He’s very, very talented. I think the world of Marco. … He is one of the best communicators in the Republican Party. He ran a campaign that inspired millions of people. It inspired me.” When asked if Cruz would choose Rubio as his running mate if he wins the GOP nomination, Cruz said, “We’re in the process of looking now at a number of different options. I think very, very highly of Marco.” (The Hill)
John Kasich
- During an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Thursday, John Kasich said that "’the court has ruled’ on same-sex marriage and he would not advocate for any efforts to ban it, even though he supports traditional marriage,” according to NBC News. Kasich added, "There could be an effort to pass a Constitutional Amendment. I'm not for doing it. I'm for moving on.” (NBC News)
- On Thursday, Ohio state officials announced several suicide prevention programs, “including more resources for survivors, increased training for people who work with at-risk individuals, adding text message support for hotlines, and continued support for the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.” Kasich set aside $2 million in the state’s budget to fund the programs. (WLWT5)
- On Thursday, Kasich was asked what he thought about laws that allow transgender individuals to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. Kasich replied, “We’re not going to sign any bills like that in Ohio. There’s none under consideration.” (CBS New York)
Donald Trump
- On Thursday, the New York Post editorial board endorsed Donald Trump. They wrote, “Trump is now an imperfect messenger carrying a vital message. But he reflects the best of ‘New York values’ — and offers the best hope for all Americans who rightly feel betrayed by the political class. He has the potential — the skills, the know-how, the values — to live up to his campaign slogan: to make America great again. For those reasons, The Post today endorses Donald Trump in the GOP primary.” (New York Post)
- During a meeting with “reporters from Jewish and Israel-focused publications and Orthodox activists” on Thursday, Trump was asked how he would refer to the West Bank. Instead of answering, Trump said, there are "many words that I've seen to describe it. … Jason, how would you respond to that?" Jason Greenblatt is “the chief legal officer for the Trump Organization.” According to CNN, “Many Israelis call the area, which their government controls, by the biblical names of Judea and Samaria, terms often embraced by pro-Israel activists and evangelical Christians.” (CNN)
- On Thursday, Michael Cohen, “who currently serves as special counsel to Mr. Trump and is the executive vice-president of the Trump Organization,” revealed during an interview on CNN that he will not be able to vote for Trump in New York’s primary election because he is a registered Democrat. (The Washington Times)
- When asked if he had a favorite Bible verse during an interview on Thursday, Trump said, "Well, I think many. I mean, when we get into the Bible, I think many, so many. And some people, look, an eye for an eye, you can almost say that. That's not a particularly nice thing. But you know, if you look at what's happening to our country, I mean, when you see what's going on with our country, how people are taking advantage of us, and how they scoff at us and laugh at us. And they laugh at our face, and they're taking our jobs, they're taking our money, they're taking the health of our country. And we have to be very firm and have to be very strong. And we can learn a lot from the Bible, that I can tell you." According to CBS News, “Trump did not mention that the Old Testament's ‘Eye for an eye’ is later renounced in the New Testament in favor of ‘turn the other cheek,’ in Matthew 5:38: ‘You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.’” (CBS News)
Third Party Candidates
Jill Stein (Green Party)
- On Thursday, the Federal Election Commission declared Jill Stein “eligible to receive federal matching funds,” according to Green Party Watch. “To become eligible, a candidate must raise a threshold amount of $100,000 by collecting at least $5,000 in 20 different states in amounts of no more than $250 per individual. On March 28, the Stein campaign filed data on such contributions from 21 states. The FEC has requested that the United States Treasury make an initial payment of $100,000 to the Steins campaign.” (Green Party Watch)
Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party)
- During an interview on Thursday, Gary Johnson criticized Donald Trump’s policies, and he said that the United States does not have an immigration problem. Johnson said, “I get the pitch Trump is making, I made the same pitch to New Mexico. Look, I have never been involved in politics before, I am a successful business guy, and I am just going to apply these same business principals to state government.’ And I got elected governor of New Mexico as a Republican in a state that is two to one Democratic and I got reelected. I get the pitch, but I never said anything as crazy as deporting 11 million illegal immigrants. I never said anything as crazy as ‘let’s build a fence across the Mexican border and we are going to get them to pay for it.’ I never said anything as crazy as ‘let’s kill the families of Islamic terrorists.’ I never said anything as crazy as ‘I am all for free markets’ and then in the next sentence said ‘I am going to make Apple make their iPads and iPhones in the United States. Then (Trump) talks about bringing back waterboarding, or even worse if that's what it takes.’ I mean really, this is about as far removed from reality as I think you can be.” When asked about immigration and border security, Johnson said, “Look, I am a border state governor with Mexico, there is not a problem, let me tell you, this is a political boogey man. We are a country of immigrants, these people are the cream of the crop when it comes to workers coming across the border. They are not taking jobs that U.S. citizens want. There is not an issue of lower pay unless there is an issue of language and they are the first ones that recognize that, so let’s make it as easy as possible for someone who wants to come into this country and work to get a work visa. Not a green card, not citizenship, but a work visa.” (Boston Herald)
See also
- Presidential election, 2016
- Presidential candidates, 2016
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
- Important dates in the 2016 presidential race
- Polls and Straw polls
- 2016 presidential candidate ratings and scorecards
