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Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - December 22, 2015
From Ballotpedia
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Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential Briefing was sponsored by the Leadership Project for America. | ||||
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Tuesday's Leading Stories
- Lindsey Graham suspended his presidential campaign on Monday. In an interview on CNN, he said that he was, however, “not going to suspend [his] desire to help the country.” He continued, “I'll probably go back to Iraq and Afghanistan and get another update. Thirty-six trips has informed me. But the one thing I feel really good about is I did it with a smile on my face. I talked about things that are important to me and somebody better fix one day." (CNN)
- Poll: Quinnipiac University released a national poll on Tuesday showing Donald Trump ahead of the Republican field by four points with 28 percent support. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio followed with 24 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Hillary Clinton led Bernie Sanders 61 percent to 30 percent. Quinnipiac also found that 50 percent of all voters would be “embarrassed” to have Trump as their president. Clinton fared slightly better with 35 percent of respondents saying they would be “embarrassed.” (Quinnipiac University)
- Poll: According to a new Public Policy Polling poll released on Monday, Marco Rubio is the only Republican who beats Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup, leading her 44 percent to 43 percent. PPP also reported, “This is the fourth straight poll since Thanksgiving where we've found Bush doing the worst of any of the Republicans in head to head match ups.” (Public Policy Polling)
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
- In response to Donald Trump’s demand that Hillary Clinton apologize for saying that Trump was “becoming ISIS’ best recruiter,” a Clinton spokesman said on Monday, “Hell no. Hillary Clinton will not be apologizing to Donald Trump for correctly pointing out how his hateful rhetoric only helps ISIS recruit more terrorists.” (CNN)
- Clinton’s campaign released a Grinch-themed video on Monday that uses clips of Republican presidential candidates speaking about immigration and Planned Parenthood to tell the story of “How the Republicans Steal Progress.” (CNN)
Martin O’Malley
- In a radio interview on Monday, Martin O’Malley reiterated his belief that Donald Trump was a “fascist” after a caller into the show said Trump “represents what a lot of people are feeling and thinking nowadays.” O’Malley said that “any guy running for president who says that we should issue ID cards to people on their religion needs to be called out for the fascist he is. And I make no apology about it. … Who’s gonna be next, man? Catholics? Lutherans? Is this the sort of country you want for your kids? It’s not the sort of country I want for mine. He is a fascist and I make no apologies for it.” (BuzzFeed)
- The Baltimore Sun compiled reporting on O’Malley’s debate performance from major media outlets like The Huffington Post, Fox News and Politico on Monday. He was characterized as “annoying, “struggling,” and showing “desperation.” An author from Vanity Fair said “he got swatted away like a giant gnat, over and over and over again” by the moderators. (The Baltimore Sun)
Bernie Sanders
- In response to the grand jury decision not to indict any police officers in the death of Sandra Bland, Bernie Sanders released the following statement: “Sandra Bland should not have died while in police custody. There’s no doubt in my mind that she, like too many African-Americans who die in police custody, would be alive today if she were a white woman. My thoughts are with her family and her loved ones tonight. We need to reform a very broken criminal justice system.” (Bernie Sanders for President)
- Sanders requested on Monday that Hillary Clinton join him in demanding the Democratic National Committee’s voter data system be independently audited. “We want to be confident we can get to the bottom of how data is handled at the DNC. I think all the campaign [sic] need to know what the status is,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager. (CNN)
Republicans
- Fox News announced on Monday that it would hold the last Republican date before the Iowa caucuses on January 28, 2016. Anchors Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace will moderate. (USA Today)
Jeb Bush
- Jeb Bush briefly defended Donald Trump on Monday against Hillary Clinton’s claim that he was “becoming ISIS’ best recruiter” because of his rhetoric on Muslims. “Hillary Clinton suggesting that Donald Trump is being used in an ISIS recruiting video, man, talk about chutzpah. There’s no evidence of that. There’s no evidence of that at all,” Bush said. He continued, “I could not believe she said that without any evidence. This is how they play the game on the left. They’re always blaming somebody. In this case, while I don’t agree with Trump’s idea, I don’t think he has anything to do with being a part of a recruiting video.” (BuzzFeed)
Ben Carson
- In an interview on Monday, Ben Carson responded to some people’s perception that he does not possess “strength” because is “a nice guy.” He said, “You know, our society has been manipulated, quite frankly, into believing that the louder you talk and the more you gesticulate, somehow the stronger you are. And that’s a false narrative. What really needs to be looked at is what have you accomplished?” Carson pointed to his 67 honorary doctorates and Presidential Medal of Freedom as evidence that others do not perceive him as “weak.” (Politico)
- Carson said it was important for students to “engage in dialogue...about their different ideals and philosophies” in response to a Wheaton College professor being placed on administrative leave after she publicly stated Muslims and Christians worship the “same” God. He added, however, “A lot of people have different impressions and different ideals of who that is, and some people have perhaps distorted the character, but I believe there’s one God.” (Yahoo)
Chris Christie
- When asked about a California law that allows transgender children to use the bathroom of their choice, Chris Christie said on Monday, “Life is confusing enough right now for our children. Think about those kids in Los Angeles who last week had their entire district closed because of a threat. Think about what they felt like the next day when they went back to school. Did they feel completely comfortable, did they feel like they were safe? … The fact though is that we want our kids not to have to decide which bathroom they get to go in. And not to be subject to peer pressure about which one to go in. … Why do we do this to our children? It doesn't make any sense. So I don't know. I'm the common sense guy from New Jersey, you know, I don't think life needs to be this complicated. I think it needs to be a lot more straightforward.” (CNN)
- Christie said on Monday that he was “proud to wholeheartedly embrace” a set of findings produced by New Jersey Firearm Purchase and Permitting Study Commission that recommend the state “broaden...the statutory requirement that an applicant must demonstrate a 'justifiable need' to carry a handgun." Christie said, "New Jersey citizens should be permitted to defend themselves and not encounter unlawful delays and impediments.” (NJ.com)
Ted Cruz
- Ted Cruz said on Monday that Marco Rubio was “hiding from the grassroots” by conducting his campaign “from a TV studio.” He also suggested Rubio would have significant competition among moderates in New Hampshire. He said, "Marco is perceived by many to be the most formidable candidate in the moderate lane. But he has serious competition in the moderate lane," he said. "Look, the winner of the moderate lane has to win New Hampshire. And right now there are a number of moderates who are competing vigorously for New Hampshire, and at this point it is not clear to me who will win." (Politico)
- Last week, Cruz co-signed a letter with 31 members of Congress calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to revoke the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s waiver allowing them to keep an office in Washington, D.C. Cruz said in a statement, “Our close ally Israel is enduring another wave of Palestinian terrorism in the form of car-ramming, rock-throwing, and brutal knife attacks. These horrific acts of terrorism are due to the continued incitement and glorification of violence by Palestinian leadership. Just last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the recent attacks a ‘justified popular uprising’ following his remarks in September, in which he said, ‘We welcome every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem.’ … We must make it clear such actions are blatantly unacceptable and close the PLO office in Washington, D.C.” (U.S. Senator for Texas, Ted Cruz)
- The Washington Post reported on Monday that Ted Cruz held a “secret” meeting on December 7 to secure several key endorsements from the evangelical coalition. Another gathering is expected shortly after Christmas at a ranch in Texas. “Some of the 100 or so leaders flying to the ranch, owned by conservative billionaire Farris Wilks are still considering other candidates, including Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), who also is maneuvering to be the Trump alternative,” wrote Tom Hamburger of The Washington Post. (The Washington Post)
Carly Fiorina
- CNN aired an interview on Monday with Carly Fiorina’s husband of 20 years where he discussed her success at AT&T and relationship with his daughters and his own experience as a political spouse. Speaking about his decision to retire to support Fiorina, he said that “when you think about a person that's that smart, and that hard working, and that focused, it's hard to keep up sometimes. There's very few things that during our tenure when we were dating or since we've been married that Carly didn't do better than me.” (CNN)
Jim Gilmore
- Responding to Lindsay Graham’s exit from the presidential race, Jim Gilmore tweeted on Monday, “Sen. Graham recognizes the threat to America. As the only remaining veteran in the race I will carry the banner for veterans in this race.” (CNN)
Mike Huckabee
- While campaigning in Iowa on Monday, Mike Huckabee emphasized the importance of a strong agricultural economy to American freedom. “If we start importing our food we are exporting our freedom. Whoever feeds us owns us. It’s that simple,” he said. Huckabee added that energy production and manufacturing were also essential. “If someone else is supplying bullets, bombs, tanks, planes, trains, trucks and ammunition, then whoever is supplying that, owns us. So I don’t think we should let anyone out-manufacture us,” he said. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
John Kasich
- John Kasich announced the launch of Women for Kasich on Monday at a campaign event in New Hampshire with his wife and twin daughters. (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Kasich and the New Day for America super PAC announced several former supporters of Lindsay Graham had joined their campaign on Monday. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Kasich also spoke to U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), but he did not push him for an endorsement because he knew McCain and Graham “were like brothers.” (The Columbus Dispatch)
George Pataki
- According to Andrew Smith of the University of New Hampshire Polling Center, George Pataki demonstrates that extensive campaigning in New Hampshire does not guarantee success in the primary season. “Campaigning here a lot is not going to win you the nomination. … So this cycle, the two Republican candidates who are campaigning the most are Lindsey Graham and George Pataki, neither of whom are polling above 1 percent. And the reason they’re campaigning here is because they have no money to do any other kind campaigning,” Smith said. (WBUR)
Rand Paul
- On Monday, Rand Paul introduced the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act, “which would void and prohibit funding for any of President Obama’s executive orders on gun control that undermines the powers reserved for Congress under the Constitution.” (U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul)
- In a “special Christmas edition” of “The Waste Report” released on Monday, Paul highlighted money spent on a government program to promote the sale of Christmas trees. (U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul)
- Paul released a digital ad on Monday called “Where in the World is Marco Rubio?” The video focuses on Rubio’s absence in the Senate during major votes, including last week’s omnibus budget bill. (Politico)
- In an interview on Monday, Paul said defeating ISIS without significant local support would require 500,000 American troops and potentially lead to a power vacuum. He said, “If you want to send half-a-million of Americans' sons and daughters back over there, we can militarily defeat ISIS. The problem is, if you militarily defeat ISIS, my fear is, they slither off and another generation arises. I think ultimately the defeat has to come from Sunni Muslims, because they're not going to accept Americans there, even Shiite Muslims there. … That's when you'll get the long-lasting peace,” Paul said. (Newsmax)
Marco Rubio
- During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Monday, Marco Rubio called Lindsey Graham “one of the most forceful voices on any of the debate stages about rebuilding our military,” but said it would be “premature” to seek his endorsement. Rubio then pivoted to Rand Paul, criticizing him for opposing military spending. “You have people who want to be commander-in-chief who openly supported what was called a ‘containment budget.' That’s what the Rand Paul budget was called. … Rebuilding our military should be a consensus position in our party. How anyone could support these defense cuts or even further defense cuts that some of the people running for president have, is for me unfathomable,” said Rubio. (ABC News)
Rick Santorum
- Rick Santorum said on Tuesday that he was counting on the Iowa caucuses to bolster his campaign. Pointing to his success in Iowa in 2012, Santorum said, "Seventy-five percent of Iowans four years ago didn't decide until the last month of the campaign, and half didn't decide until the last week. I think that actually will be a higher number this year." (CNBC)
Donald Trump
- During a campaign rally in Michigan on Monday night, Donald Trump made two personal attacks against Hillary Clinton. Discussing her performance in the 2008 Democratic primary, Trump said, “She was favored to win and she got schlonged. She lost. I mean, she lost.” Trump also criticized her late arrival to one debate segment after returning from the bathroom, saying, “I know where she went. It’s disgusting. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s disgusting.” (Politico)
- According to a study from Morning Consult, Trump’s support in telephone-based surveys may be underestimated. “Some significant number of Trump supporters, especially those with college educations, are ‘less likely to say that they support him when they’re talking to a live human” than when they are in the ‘anonymous environment’ of an online survey, said the firm's polling director, Kyle Dropp,” The Los Angeles Times reported. (The Los Angeles Times)
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
