Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - January 13, 2016
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Wednesday's Leading Stories
- During an interview on Monday night, Vice President Joe Biden compared Bernie Sanders’ and Hillary Clinton’s approaches to handling income inequality. Biden said, "Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on it. … It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that." He noted that Clinton has "come forward with some really thoughtful approaches to deal with the issue. … Hillary's focus has been other things up to now, and that's been Bernie's -- no one questions Bernie's authenticity on those issues.” (CNN)
- Biden also commented on a Trump presidency, saying, "If Donald Trump gets the nomination and wins the election, if he's as smart as I think, he's going to regret having said the things he's said and done." Biden also “suggested Trump enroll in ‘a couple crash graduate courses before he started to try to exercise the role of president.’” (CNN)
- When asked about Biden’s assertion that she only recently began talking about income inequality, Clinton said, "I have been on this issue in many different ways -- how do we make education more equal, how do we make health care more equal? Of course that's tied to income equality. But there's also a broader range of issues that I have a long record addressing. … I have a broader agenda. It's not the only thing I talk about, because I think you have to view the quality of opportunity and how we deliver that in the 21st century from many different perspectives. And that's what I try to do." (CNN)
- Biden later clarified his comments about Clinton, saying, "What I meant was, for the last five years, she's been engaged in foreign policy [as Secretary of State].” (CNN)
- On Tuesday, MoveOn.org endorsed Bernie Sanders. Sanders won MoveOn.org’s online endorsement contest with “78.6 percent of the vote out of 340,665 ballots cast.” Hillary Clinton earned 14.6 percent of the vote, and Martin O'Malley earned 0.9 percent. MoveOn.org Political Action Executive Director Ilya Sheyman said, “This is a massive vote in favor of Bernie Sanders, showing that grassroots progressives across the country are excited and inspired by his message and track record of standing up to big money and corporate interests to reclaim our democracy for the American people. MoveOn members are feeling the Bern. We will mobilize aggressively to add our collective people power to the growing movement behind the Sanders campaign, starting with a focus on voter turnout in Iowa and New Hampshire.” (Politico)
- The Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed Rand Paul on Tuesday. In a statement, RLC National Chairman Matt Nye said, "Senator Paul is the candidate of choice among our state charters and membership at large. Senator Paul has been a consistent favorite with our members since he announced his candidacy." (Washington Post)
- Poll: According to a Des Moines Register/ Bloomberg Politics poll released on Wednesday, Ted Cruz is leading in Iowa with 25 percent support. Donald Trump is close behind with 22 percent. Marco Rubio and Ben Carson follow with 12 and 11 percent, respectively. (Des Moines Register)
- Poll: According to a CBS/ New York Times poll released on Tuesday, Donald Trump leads Ted Cruz nationally for the Republican nomination 36 percent to 19 percent. Marco Rubio follows with 12 percent, and Ben Carson and Jeb Bush are tied at 6 percent. (CBS/ New York Times)
- Poll: According to a CBS/ New York Times poll released on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders nationally for the Democratic nomination 48 percent to 41 percent. Martin O’Malley has 2 percent. (CBS/ New York Times)
- Poll: In a Monmouth University poll released on Tuesday, Bernie Sanders leads Hillary Clinton among likely Democratic voters in New Hampshire 53 percent to 39 percent. Martin O’Malley has 5 percent. (Monmouth University)
- Poll: Donald Trump leads Ted Cruz among likely Republican voters in Iowa 28 percent to 26 percent, according to a Public Policy Polling poll released on Tuesday. Marco Rubio and Ben Carson follow with 13 percent and 8 percent, respectively. (Public Policy Polling)
- Poll: Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders among likely Democratic voters in Iowa 46 percent to 40 percent, according to a Public Policy Polling poll released on Tuesday. Martin O’Malley has 8 percent. (Public Policy Polling)
- Poll: Bernie Sanders leads Hillary Clinton among likely Democratic voters in Iowa 49 percent to 44 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday. Martin O’Malley has 4 percent. (Quinnipiac University)
Democrats
- Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced on Tuesday that Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley and Rocky De La Fuente will appear on Vermont’s primary ballot. (WPTZ News Channel 5)
Hillary Clinton
- Hillary Clinton’s campaign sent out the following fundraising email after last night’s State of the Union address: “I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished under President Obama’s leadership — if we win this election, you and I are going to build on his progress together. But there’s no guarantee we get that chance. The polls are tightening in Iowa and New Hampshire. If we don’t have the resources to win those key early states and then the nomination, the next State of the Union could be delivered by Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. This can’t wait. Chip in $1 tonight.” Clinton also sent out the following tweets: “America is better because of @POTUS’ leadership. Proud to call him my friend. Let’s build on his progress.” “Progress isn’t inevitable. We have a choice between pushing forward — or undoing all the work we’ve done.” (Washington Times)
- On Tuesday, Clinton criticized Bernie Sanders for not revealing his fiscal plan or tax plan. She said, "Sen. Sanders has some very big ideas, but he hasn't yet told anybody how he would pay for them. … And he had promised that he would roll out his tax plans before the Iowa caucus on February 1. Well, if you wait too long, nobody will have a chance to see them or analyze them." (CNN)
- At the Brown and Black Forum in Iowa on Monday, Clinton was asked “to give an example of how her ‘white privilege’ has benefited her in life.” She said, “I was born white, middle-class, in the middle of America. I went to good public schools. I had a very strong, supportive family. I had a lot of great experiences growing up. I went to a wonderful college. I went to law school.” She also said that she “didn’t understand how privileged she was until an experience she had when she was 11. She said she babysat children of migrant workers and quickly noticed they had a much different life than hers.” (Washington Times)
Martin O’Malley
- Martin O’Malley praised President Obama’s State of the Union address, tweeting, “FACT: Thanks to @POTUS’ leadership, we have seen 70 straight months of positive job growth. We are stronger today b/c of him.” O’Malley “also seconded the president’s call to strengthen Social Security and to provide tuition-free college to all Americans,” according to the Washington Post. (Washington Times)
- On Monday night at the Iowa Brown and Black Forum, O’Malley criticized the DNC and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz for his inability to pose a significant challenge to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Criticizing the DNC’s debate schedule and process, he said, “I don’t make the rules. The rules are made by other people. The DNC chair. We’ve never had such an undemocratic debate schedule as we have this year in the Democratic Party. And then to add insult to injury, they schedule these debates on Saturday nights when as few people will see them as possible.” (USA Today)
- During the forum on Monday night, O’Malley also defended the policing strategies he implemented when he was mayor of Baltimore. He said, “When I ran for mayor of Baltimore in 1999, there was already a deep, deep distrust between the community and between the police. That predated my service as mayor, probably about 250 years. So I had to work to heal that wound.” (USA Today)
Bernie Sanders
- On Tuesday, Bernie Sanders voted for Rand Paul’s proposal to audit the Federal Reserve. In a statement he said, "Requiring the Government Accountability Office to conduct a full and independent audit of the Fed each and every year, would be an important step towards making the Federal Reserve a more democratic institution that is responsive to the needs of ordinary Americans rather than the billionaires on Wall Street.” (The Hill)
- Sanders commented on the State of the Union address, tweeting, “Tonight’s speech was important. The president reminded us not to be afraid of change, but to wield it to improve the lives of all Americans.” (Washington Times)
Republicans
- On Tuesday, Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos announced the 10 Republicans who will appear on Vermont’s primary ballot. Of the 11 Republicans running for president, Mike Huckabee is the only one who will not appear on the ballot. (WPTZ News Channel 5)
Jeb Bush
- Jeb Bush outlined his plan to address cyber attacks in an op-ed in Business Insider on Tuesday. Noting recent cyber attacks against “US government and private companies, and against critical infrastructure like power companies, hydroelectric dams, and water-treatment plants” Bush wrote, “We can't trust someone as our next president who didn't take cybersecurity seriously when she was secretary of state.” He then wrote that as president he will “ensure the private sector is provided the most current threat information, the best practices and standards to protect systems and critical infrastructure, and a legal framework that better allows it to defend itself.” He also promised to allocate the proper resources to defense and intelligence officials to combat cyber terrorism; “increase information-sharing between the government and private sector, and within the private sector;” and expose, sanction, prosecute, “and in some cases” retaliate against attackers as a deterrent. (Business Insider)
- On Tuesday, Bush announced his “Sportsmen's Coalition" advisory committee. According to a statement from Bush’s campaign, “The group of officials from government, agriculture, and wildlife departments ‘will build the coalition and help spread Jeb’s message about the importance of hunting and fishing traditions and protecting the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens.’” (USA Today)
- Bush criticized President Obama’s foreign policy in the following tweet Tuesday night: “Safer? ISIS on the rise. North Korea testing nukes. Syria in chaos. Taliban on march. This president is living in a different world. #SOTU.” (The Hill)
Ben Carson
- On Tuesday, Ben Carson told CNN's Alisyn Camerota, "You're going to see me not being quite so polite as to never say anything unless somebody asks me something. … You'll see a lot more pep in my step because I don't have as much weight on my shoulders now. I think you'll see that during the debate on Thursday. I'm actually looking very much forward to it." (CNN)
- Carson criticized Democratic lawmakers for inviting members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations to Tuesday night’s State of the Union address He called for an investigation of the group for doing "things that are clearly not pro-American." He added, “Let's go ahead and investigate the thing. Let's not be giving them access to the ability to further carry on what they call a civilization jihad, and to change us from a Judeo-Christian foundation to a Muslim foundation. We have got to be smarter than that." (Talking Points Memo)
- On Monday, Carson announced three new members of his campaign’s leadership team. A. Larry Ross will serve as his campaign’s communications director. Colonel Christopher Bourne will serve as director of policy. Jason Osborne will serve as senior communications strategist. (BenCarson.com)
Chris Christie
- During his State of the State address on Tuesday, Chris Christie “attacked Democrats for pushing a constitutional amendment that would require the state to pay into the pension system for workers at current rates,” according to the Wall Street Journal. He called the amendment “the road to ruin.” (The Wall Street Journal)
- During his address, Christie also announced improvements to New Jersey’s plan to help those who abuse drugs. He announced that “a closing state prison will be transformed into a drug abuse treatment facility for prison inmates.” He said, “The victims of addiction deserve treatment, whether they’re in the community or they are incarcerated. Next year, [the prison] will re-open for its new mission. We are doing this because every life, every life, is a precious gift from God.” He also announced that $1.7 million will be allocated for “the expansion of the state’s recovery coach program” and $100 million will be allocated to “increase access to mental health care and substance abuse treatments.” He said, “For someone going through a mental health crisis, they’re going to get better care in a treatment facility, not in a prison. If we can help people get access to coordinated care, not just for their physical conditions, but for their mental health, addiction issues or both, we can deliver more effective treatment and lower the long-term cost to the state.” (ABC News)
Ted Cruz
- On Tuesday, Kelly Shackelford, president and CEO of Liberty Institute, endorsed Ted Cruz. Shackelford said, “For me, the number one issue is religious liberty, and on that issue the choice is easy. Ted Cruz not only believes in religious liberty, he champions it. I have fought alongside him and watched his willingness to sacrifice for our first freedoms. His brilliance, his understanding, and his proven commitment – not just words – are unequalled in this race. I don’t have to worry about what he will do: I’ve watched him do it in battle. As someone who has been committed to fighting for religious liberty for over 26 years, I wholeheartedly endorse Ted Cruz for President. He is the clear choice.” (The Dallas Morning News)
- Cruz also announced the endorsements of U.S. House Reps. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) and Paul Gosar of (R-Ariz.). (The Dallas Morning News)
- Cruz called President Obama’s State of the Union address, “less of a state of the union than a state of denial.” Cruz said, “This speech, he didn’t say a word about the Paris terror attacks, he didn’t say a word about San Bernardino. The American people are tired of having a president who won’t acknowledge the evil we are facing.” (The Hill)
Carly Fiorina
- In a Facebook post, Carly Fiorina criticized President Obama’s State of the Union address and warned that electing Hillary Clinton would mean more of the same “failed policies.” She wrote: “We cannot elect Hillary Clinton to the White House. She has promised throughout her campaign to extend and expand Barack Obama’s failed policies. And, like this President, she has always put politics ahead of problem-solving. She lacks a track record of leadership and accomplishment. She has lied. It is the Clinton way. We need a nominee who can beat Hillary and who will finally hold her accountable. One thing is clear: Hillary Clinton will wipe the floor with Donald Trump. I can beat Hillary Clinton and I will. I will force her to fight on her record – on her lies and lack of trustworthiness, whether that’s about emails and servers or Benghazi. It is time to elect a leader who has been tested, who will see and speak and act on the truth. We need a President who will be a clear-eyed advocate for policies formed by principles, not by polls and politics.” (Facebook)
- During a wide-ranging interview with Glamour Magazine, Fiorina discussed Donald Trump, polling, national security, Syrian refugees and healthcare. Excerpts from the interview appear below. (Glamour Magazine)
- On being surprised about Donald Trump’s success in the race and polling: “The short answer is yes. On the other hand, I really am not as impressed by all this polling data as the media appears to be. When Gallup, one of the nation's most respected polling outfits, says they will not engage in horse race polling for the presidential race, because [the data is] so suspect, I think it tells you a lot…. Look, Donald Trump is controversial. Donald Trump is entertaining. Donald Trump is not a leader, and I do not think Donald Trump will be our nominee. If he were, Hillary Clinton would wipe the floor with him.” She declined to say whether she would support him if he’s the nominee.
- On national security: “[President Obama has] talked about climate change as our greatest near-term national security threat. No—ISIS is.... When the President talks about ‘containing’ them, it's clear he doesn't understand the nature of the threat. We cannot contain them. We must defeat them. And we start by denying them territory, which is why I've said over and over, I will lead a coalition, particularly of our Sunni Arab allies, to deny ISIS territory. … I'm talking about more effective air strikes, guided by more special operations forces. Our allies, who are fighting ISIS as we speak, have asked us for specific support that Obama isn't providing. King Abdullah II of Jordan, a man I've known a long time, [was in this country] when the Jordanian pilot was burned alive in a cage.... He [has asked] for bombs and matériel for his air force. We haven't provided it. I will.... The Kuwaitis, Jordanians, Saudis, Egyptians, Bahrainis, Emiratis, Kurds, Turks—all of them understand this is their fight also. But they can't win it without our leadership.”
- On Syrian refugees: “Until we can vet them properly and assure the American people there are not terrorists among them, we cannot let them into this country…. If we can't vet them—and we cannot adequately today, because they come from a war-torn region and don't have documentation—we can't let them in.”
- On healthcare: “Emergency room visits are up. Health insurance premiums are up. We're throwing more and more people into Medicaid, and yet fewer and fewer doctors are accepting reimbursement for Medicaid insurance. We need to try the free markets…. [But] one thing the government should mandate—I don't use that term lightly—is that every health care provider, every health insurance company, the pharmaceutical industry publish their prices, costs, and outcomes…. That's the only way to start putting power back in the hands of patients: transparency.”
Jim Gilmore
- After Virginia state Sen. J. Chapman Petersen (D-Fairfax) filed bills on Monday that would eliminate the state’s “car tax,” Jim Gilmore told the Washington Post that he thinks “the public is very frustrated they have to continue to pay it. It’s not good. We should have just gotten rid of it altogether.” During his race for Virginia governor in 1997, Gilmore ran “on a ‘No Car Tax!’ pledge, but was never entirely successful.” (Washington Post)
Mike Huckabee
- On Tuesday, Iran detained 10 U.S. sailors and two vessels. Mike Huckabee commented on the situation, saying, “Iran should immediately release our sailors or face serious consequences. Yet Obama lacks the power and respect to secure that demand. The Iranians are yet again, publicly embarrassing America. This is what happens when your enemies don’t fear you.” (Breitbart)
- Huckabee is the only Republican candidate who did not make the primary ballot in Vermont because he “failed to file the necessary paperwork.” (WPTZ News Channel 5)
John Kasich
- On Tuesday, John Kasich, who is currently tied for second in New Hampshire, stressed the importance of winning the state’s primary. He said, "If I do well, if I'm a story out of New Hampshire -- a big story -- I believe I'll be the nominee. What New Hampshire would do for me is give me the name recognition and people would get to hear who I am. … But I'm telling you, if we come out of there strong, I believe we're going to have momentum that could take us all the way to the nomination." Kasich also said that he thinks voters will choose “somebody who's going to land the plane. And what I can tell you is I was involved in changing the welfare system, balancing the federal budget, taking Ohio from a devastating situation to a growth of 385,000 jobs, giving everybody the chance to rise. And I can tell you that you don't get that done by bullying. You get that done with certain skills." (CNN)
Rand Paul
- On Tuesday, Rand Paul’s legislation that proposed auditing the Federal Reserve was rejected by the Senate 55-44. Presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Bernie Sanders voted for Paul’s proposal. (The Hill)
- On Tuesday, Paul’s campaign announced that Charlie Borders, a former state senator, will serve as the Northeastern Kentucky field representative. (Daily Independent)
- Paul responded to the State of the Union address in the following YouTube video: Senator Paul: State Of The Union Remarks. In the video, he calls President Obama a “leader with a record of failure in search of any meaningful positive legacy.” (The Hill)
Marco Rubio
- On Tuesday, Marco Rubio introduced “The Cuban Immigrant Work Opportunity Act of 2016.” The legislation proposes terminating “the automatic eligibility for federal public assistance for Cuban nationals under the Refugee Resettlement Program, while maintaining it for those that have been persecuted that are in need of resettlement assistance,” according to the senator’s website. In a statement, Rubio said, “It is outrageous whenever the American people’s generosity is exploited. It is particularly outrageous when individuals who claim to be fleeing repression in Cuba are welcomed and allowed to collect federal assistance based on their plight, only to return often to the very place they claimed to be fleeing. The weaknesses in our current law not only allow the flow of American tax dollars into the Castro regime’s coffers, it also undermines the legitimate cause of those Cubans who are truly fleeing repression and political persecution. This is a first step to eliminate the loopholes and financial incentives that have been exploited for too long, while protecting U.S. taxpayers and preserving the original intent of the Cuban Adjustment Act and Refugee Resettlement Program, which is to afford refuge to Cubans truly fleeing persecution. … The need to help those fleeing repression in Cuba has not changed given that, since the Obama Administration announced its counterproductive policy of normalization with Castro’s dictatorship, political arrests and repression have increased. ‘The Cuban Immigrant Work Opportunity Act’ will ensure that we continue assisting those fleeing political persecution in Cuba while working toward ending any abuse of American generosity. This is a strong first step, and I hope Congress will pass it this year.” (Rubio.Senate.gov)
- On Monday night during an interview with the Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Rubio promised that if he is elected president, he will have a “real” Department of Justice, rather than a politically-motivated one. He said, "there will be real accounting with a real Justice Department and a real attorney general. … we're going to hold people accountable." Rubio also said he “‘doubts’ the Obama administration's Justice Department would be inclined to bring an indictment in the email case – despite the fact Clinton ‘didn't care that she exposed classified and sensitive information.’” (Newsmax)
Rick Santorum
- While campaigning in Iowa on Monday night, Rick Santorum discussed the importance of the family in improving the quality of life in the United States. He said, “Family is the foundation of all aspects of life. If we don’t restore the American family, nothing is going to happen.” Santorum also discussed how he is different from Ted Cruz citing “several examples, including experience in Washington and his views on traditional marriage” when asked by a voter. Santorum said, “His (Sen. Cruz’s) position is it’s a 10th Amendment issue, that’s what he says all the time. If the Supreme Court decision was overturned, he would be for the states to be able to set whatever laws that they want. I’m in the position that the states don’t have the right to redefine marriage.” (Ames Tribune)
Donald Trump
- Although they didn’t name him, President Obama and Governor Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) both seemed to have messages for Donald Trump during last night’s State of the Union address and SOTU response. According to CNN, “In a comment that seemed directly aimed at Trump's brand of unfettered straight talk and calls for an entry ban on Muslims, Obama said ‘that's not telling it like it is. It's just wrong. It diminishes us in the eyes of the world ... it betrays who we are as a country.’” Likely referring to Trump, Haley said, "Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That's just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference." She also “asked Americans not to follow that ‘siren call of the angriest voices’ in an anxious time, and appeared to reject Trump's call for a temporary ban on Muslims coming to the United States,” according to CNN. (CNN)
- Donald Trump tweeted the following about Tuesday night’s State of the Union address: "The #SOTU speech is really boring, slow, lethargic - very hard to watch!" (CNN)
- During a campaign speech on Tuesday, Trump blamed Bill Clinton for not killing Osama bin Laden when he had the chance. He said, “I saw [bin Laden], I was watching him and reading about him making horrible statements about us, and I said to myself, I hope we take this guy out, and we didn’t take this guy out. And actually, Bill Clinton had their sights on him and then didn’t pull the trigger. If they pulled the trigger you’d probably have the World Trade Center the way it used to be. And by the way, most importantly, with all the thousands of lives that have been lost and affected so gravely. So we have to be smart.” (The Hill)
Third Party Candidates
Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party)
- Gary Johnson released the following statement in response to the State of the Union Address: “My assessment of the State of the Union is quite different than President Obama’s, and much simpler. I see a national debt that will hit $20 trillion by the time he leaves office. I see a government that was too big and too overreaching when he took office, and has gotten more so under his watch. And I challenge anyone to show that we are today safer after years of war, failed nation-building abroad and foreign policy chaos. I’m optimistic, but not because of anything the government is going to do for us. I’m optimistic because it is clear America is tired of too much government and too little freedom, and appears poised to demand change – a different kind of change than we have gotten over the past 7 years.” (GaryJohnsonTumblr)
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
