Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - March 22, 2016
From Ballotpedia
|
Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential Briefing was sponsored by the Leadership Project for America. | ||||
|
Tuesday's Leading Stories
- The Arizona primary and Utah caucuses are today. Idaho Democrats are also holding caucuses. (Ballotpedia)
- Bernie Sanders won the Democrats Abroad presidential primary. According to DemocratsAbroad.org, “34,570 voters cast their ballots from over 170 countries all around the world.” Sanders received 69 percent of the vote for a gain of nine delegates, and Hillary Clinton received 31 percent for a gain of 4 delegates. “Clinton won in only three sub-areas: Nigeria, where she took four of the five votes cast; Singapore; and the Dominican Republic.” The results of the primary were announced on Monday. (DemocratsAbroad.org, The Atlantic)
- Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said that he will vote for Ted Cruz in the Utah caucuses today. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “Ted Cruz is a consistent conservative who understands the importance of federalism. I’m confident he will work to limit the federal government when it comes to education, public lands and other issues where states can do better than the federal government.” (Facebook, The Hill)
Polls
- According to a CBS News/ New York Times poll released on Monday, “Compared to frontrunners in previous presidential primary races, Trump and Clinton's unfavorable ratings (57 percent and 52 percent respectively) are the highest in CBS News/New York Times Polls going back to 1984, when CBS began asking this question.” The poll also found that John Kasich is the only Republican candidate who is leading Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup. Kasich leads Clinton 47 percent to 43 percent. Trump trails Clinton by 10 points, and Cruz trails her by three points. Trump also trails Sanders 38 percent to 53 percent. (CBS News/ New York Times)
- The poll also found that Trump leads Cruz 46 percent to 26 percent in the race for the Republican nomination. Kasich follows with 20 percent.
- On the Democratic side, Clinton leads Sanders 50 percent to 45 percent.
- According to a CNN/ORC poll released on Monday, Sanders is leading all three Republican presidential candidates in a general election matchup. Sanders leads Trump by 20 points, Cruz by 13 points, and Kasich by six points. Clinton leads Trump by 12 points, is tied with Cruz, and is losing to Kasich by six points. (CNN/ORC)
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
- On Monday, during her speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference, Hillary Clinton questioned Donald Trump’s ability to serve as commander-in-chief without directly naming him, expressed her support for a two-state solution, and promised to build a stronger relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, if she is elected president. (Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Time)
- On Trump: “Candidates for president who think the United States can outsource Middle East security to dictators or that America no longer has vital national interests at stake in the region are dangerously wrong. … Yes, we need steady hands, not a president who says he's neutral on Monday, pro-Israel on Tuesday, and who knows what on Wednesday, because everything's negotiable. … Some things aren't negotiable. And anyone who doesn't understand that has no business being our president."
- On a two-state solution: “It may be difficult to imagine progress in this current climate when many Israelis doubt that a willing and capable partner for peace even exists. But inaction cannot be an option. Israelis deserve a secure homeland for the Jewish people. Palestinians should be able to govern themselves in their own state, in peace and dignity. And only a negotiated two-state agreement can survive those outcomes.”
- U.S.-Israeli relations: “Indeed, at a time of unprecedented chaos and conflict in the region, America needs an Israel strong enough to deter and defend against its enemies, strong enough to work with us to tackle shared challenges and strong enough to take bold steps in the pursuit of peace. That’s why I believe we must take our alliance to the next level. I hope a new 10-year defense memorandum of understanding is concluded as soon as possible to meet Israel’s security needs far into the future. That will also send a clear message to Israel’s enemies that the United States and Israel stand together united.”
- During an interview with CNN on Monday, Clinton said that Donald Trump “has been engaging in bigotry and bluster and bullying and I think when it comes to understanding what he would do as president, there are serious questions that have been raised, and this campaign should he be the nominee will have to address them.” (CNN)
- On Sunday, during a campaign event, former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a national gun-control activist “who was nearly assassinated five years ago,” explained why she is supporting Clinton for president. She said, "Hillary is tough. Hillary is courageous. She will fight to make our families safer. In the White House, she will stand up to the gun lobby. That's why I'm voting for Hillary." She added, "speaking is hard for me. But come January, I want to say these two words: Madam President." (AZCentral.com)
- On Tuesday, The Seattle Times reported on emails that revealed Clinton’s close relationship with Boeing while she served as secretary of state. Seattle Times reporter Mike Baker wrote, “During the periods when Secretary Clinton was pushing governments to sign deals with Boeing, the aerospace company provided financial support to help her achieve a major foreign-policy goal. Boeing also donated more than $1 million to the Clinton family’s global foundation set up by her husband, former President Clinton, and sponsored speeches that paid him six-figure sums.” (The Seattle Times)
Bernie Sanders
- On Monday, during an interview with CNN, Bernie Sanders said that he did not attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference because of a scheduling conflict. He was the only presidential candidate who did not speak at the conference. According to CNN, Sanders “called for the United States to work with both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said Israel should have the right to defend itself but warned conditions in the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip need to be mitigated, and that people are contending with high unemployment and ‘horrific’ poverty there.” Sanders added that he is “‘not happy ... with some of the behavior’ of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the Israeli leader's decision to accept an invitation to address the U.S. Congress about the Iran nuclear deal without notifying the White House.” (CNN)
- On Sunday, Sanders commented on President Obama’s trip to Cuba in a statement, saying, “I applaud President Obama for making history by traveling to Cuba and moving relations between our two countries into a new era. I continue to stand by his calls for Congress to fully lift the failed embargo. … fifty years of cold war is enough. It is time for Cuba and the United States to turn the page and normalize relations.” (ABC News)
Republicans
Ted Cruz
- During his speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference on Monday, Ted Cruz said that under his administration “America will stand unapologetically with the nation of Israel.” He also criticized the Iran nuclear deal, saying, “I will rip this catastrophic Iranian deal to shreds. … Either you [Iran] will shut down your nuclear programme. Or we will shut it down for you. … I believe this Iranian deal is Munich in 1938.” (Breitbart)
- Cruz criticized President Obama’s trip to Cuba during an interview with CNN on Monday. He said, "As Barack Obama is sitting there sipping mojitos with brutal Communist dictators, he can't be bothered to meet the dissidents, he can't be bothered to visit with the Ladies in White, he can't be bothered to hear the screams of oppression.” During the interview, Cruz also attacked Donald Trump for saying that “the U.S. should rethink its involvement in NATO.” Cruz said, "Everything I just said, I bet you dollars to donuts Donald Trump has no idea about any of that. It has been Russia's objective, it has been Putin's objective for decades to break NATO. What Donald Trump is saying that he would unilaterally surrender to Russia and Putin, give Putin a massive foreign policy victory by breaking NATO and abandoning Europe." (CNN)
- Mitt Romney has recorded robocalls for Cruz that went out to voters in Arizona on Monday and Utah on Tuesday. In the call, Romney says, “I’m calling to ask you to join me in supporting Ted Cruz for president this Tuesday in the Utah Republican caucuses. This is the time for Republicans across the spectrum to unite behind Ted. He is the only Republican candidate who can defeat Donald Trump, and at this point a vote for John Kasich is a vote for Donald Trump. Ted Cruz has spent his life defending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and he’ll fight to bring back jobs to America and raise wages for everyone. Ted will be a strong commander in chief who will keep America safe. I’ll be voting for Ted Cruz this Tuesday, and I’d encourage you to do the same thing.” (Daily Caller)
- Cruz named former Sen. Phil Gramm as his economic advisor. In a statement, Cruz said, “Phil has been a powerful voice for conservative values his entire career and Americans know and respect his principled leadership on their behalf during his time in Congress. When Bill Clinton tried to push HillaryCare through Congress, Phil stood firm and unequivocally with the American people - his leadership showed the nation that when leaders stay true to their values and fulfill their promises, the trust they earn from the voters can influence public opinion and change the course of our country for the better. I am honored to have his support for this campaign.” According to The Los Angeles Times, “Gramm left a long record as a dedicated financial deregulator on Capitol Hill, with much of his effort aimed at freeing up trading in derivatives. That's why he's often identified as one of the godfathers of the 2008 financial crisis, which was spurred in part by banks' imprudent trading and investing in these extremely complex financial instruments.” (TedCruz.org, The Los Angeles Times)
John Kasich
- During an interview with CNN on Monday, John Kasich discussed the importance of NATO. He said, "We clearly have to make sure we strengthen NATO, we have to make sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin understands we will arm the Ukrainians so they fight for freedom. We need NATO. NATO is important, we all wish they would do more." He also addressed whether he would serve as vice president for Ted Cruz or Donald Trump, saying, "First of all, there is zero chance that I would be Vice President with either of them. Below zero actually." (CNN)
- Kasich told the audience at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference on Monday that he is prepared to be president on day one because of his experience. He said, “I don’t need on the job training.” He also called for civility in political discourse, saying, “We are Americans before we are Republicans and Democrats. … I will not take the low road to the highest office in the land.” In addition, he said that he would not end the Iran nuclear deal on his first day as president, “But he is now calling for a suspension in the U.S. involvement in the Iran nuclear deal in response to recent ballistic missile tests, which he says are a violation,” according to PBS. (PBS)
Donald Trump
- Donald Trump revealed the names of some of the people on his foreign policy team during an interview with The Washington Post on Monday. His said that his team includes: “Walid Phares, who you probably know, PhD, adviser to the House of Representatives caucus, and counter-terrorism expert; Carter Page, PhD; George Papadopoulos, he’s an energy and oil consultant, excellent guy; the Honorable Joe Schmitz, [former] inspector general at the Department of Defense; [retired] Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg; and I have quite a few more. But that’s a group of some of the people that we are dealing with. We have many other people in different aspects of what we do, but that’s a representative group.” In a series of questions about his foreign policy positions, Trump discussed his opinion of NATO. He said, “Look, I see NATO as a good thing to have – I look at the Ukraine situation and I say, so Ukraine is a country that affects us far less than it affects other countries in NATO, and yet we are doing all of the lifting, they’re not doing anything. And I say, why is it that Germany is not dealing with NATO on Ukraine? Why is it that other countries that are in the vicinity of the Ukraine not dealing with — why are we always the one that’s leading, potentially the third world war, okay, with Russia? Why are we always the ones that are doing it? And I think the concept of NATO is good, but I do think the United States has to have some help. We are not helped. I’ll give you a better example than that. I mean, we pay billions– hundreds of billions of dollars to supporting other countries that are in theory wealthier than we are.” (The Washington Post)
- During an interview with CNN on Monday night, Trump said that "Hillary Clinton does not have the stamina ... does not have the strength to be president.” He also responded to Clinton’s statement that he is not qualified to be president, saying, "I have the steadiest hands. Look at those hands. Far steadier than hers.” In addition, Trump said that “he would require the removal of the U.S. embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in a reversal of long standing American policy,” according to CNN. (CNN)
- On Monday, during a press conference that served as promotion for his campaign and for his new hotel, Trump said he expects to win the presidential nomination before the Republican convention in July. He said, "I think we will easily make that number of the 1,237. We should make it pretty easily. So from what I'm seeing, we won't have to fight at a convention." (The Hill)
- Trump criticized the Iran nuclear deal and discussed the Israeli-Palestinian relationship on Monday during his speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference. Trump said, “The Palestinians must come to the table, knowing that the bond between the United States and Israel is absolutely and totally unbreakable. They must come to the table willing and able to stop the terror being committed on a daily basis against Israel.” He also said, “Hillary Clinton, who is a total disaster by the way, she and President Obama have treated Israel very, very badly,” (The New York Times)
- On Monday, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called Trump a “loser” in the following series of tweets: (NBC News)
- “Let’s be honest - @realDonaldTrump is a loser. Count all his failed businesses. See how he cheated people w/ scams like Trump U.”
- “.@RealDonaldTrump knows he’s a loser. His insecurities are on parade: petty bullying, attacks on women, cheap racism, flagrant narcissism.”
- “Listen to experts who say @realDonaldTrump might have more money today if he’d put his inheritance in an index fund & left it alone.”
- When asked to respond to her tweets, Trump said, "You mean the Indian? … The problem with the country right now is [it's] so divided. People like Elizabeth Warren really have to get their act together because it's going to stay divided."
- On Sunday, Trump weighed in on President Obama’s trip to Cuba in the following tweet: “Wow, President Obama just landed in Cuba, a big deal, and Raul Castro wasn't even there to greet him. He greeted Pope and others. No respect.” (ABC News)
Third Party Candidates
Jill Stein (Green Party)
- On Monday morning, Jill Stein’s “online petition had nearly 700 signatures and there were more than 400 tweets with the hashtag #LetJillDebate.” The petition called for Stein to be included in CNN’s Monday night interviews with the remaining presidential candidates. Stein was not included. (Green Party Watch)
Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party)
- During an interview on Monday with The Daily Caller, Gary Johnson, who “first supported legalizing marijuana in 1999,” said that he recently had 20mg of “‘Cheeba Chews’...a marijuana-infused taffy.” He added that he only occasionally uses marijuana and has not “had a drink of alcohol in 29 years. … For me when I smoked marijuana when I was 17 years old for the first time, the first takeaway was holy cow this is so much better than alcohol! There just doesn’t seem to be a downside.” (The Daily Caller)
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
