This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/jan/31/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-ted-cruz-iowa-caucus
The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sanders and Cruz make final Iowa dash to beat Clinton and Trump – campaign live | Sanders and Cruz make final Iowa dash to beat Clinton and Trump – campaign live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.07pm GMT | |
| 15:07 | |
| It’s on to ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, who talks about the prominent supporters of Hillary Clinton (husband Bill, daughter Chelsea), Bernie Sanders (indie band Vampire Weekend), and Ted Cruz (a bearded, bandanna’d fellow from Duck Dynasty). | |
| “Iowa Democrats love Bill Clinton,” a reporter tells Stephanopoulos, who last year disclosed donations totalling $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation. | |
| Donald Trump phones in. | |
| “They say the more people that get out the better I do,” Trump says. “The blizzard is supposed to be on Tuesday … They think record attendance will happen.” | |
| He says it’s great “how well I’m doing with evangelicals, I’m leading with Tea Party, I’m doing great in every aspect throughout the nation … Hard to believe we begin in one day!” | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.12pm GMT | |
| 2.53pm GMT | |
| 14:53 | |
| Edward Helmore | |
| The former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is reportedly weighing an independent presidential bid, will not be celebrating the results of a survey conducted in Iowa by his namesake firm. | |
| The final Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll was released with much fanfare on Saturday night, mostly because of what it said about the caucus chances of Trump, Cruz, Clinton and Sanders. | |
| Alas, for Bloomberg, it also found 41% of likely Republican caucus-goers and 57% of likely Democratic caucus-goers do not know the financial data billionaire well enough to share an opinion about him. | |
| For those who do know him, half of Republicans polled and a quarter of Democrats said they held an unfavorable opinion, placing Bloomberg with higher negatives than any other 2016 political name except Jeb Bush and Sarah Palin. | |
| Related: Frenzy in Iowa as Clinton and Trump go into caucuses leading key poll | |
| 2.41pm GMT | |
| 14:41 | |
| But while Rubio has criticism for Cruz he’s dismissive of Trump … and the stakes of Iowa. “Donald’s the greatest show on earth, it’s very entertaining,” he says. | |
| Then the senator plays up his electability in the general election: “if we get this election wrong there may be no turning back on some of these” issues, he says. | |
| At the same time the chaos of the 2016 campaign season has clearly gotten to him. “No one is unbeatable,” Rubio says, calling the primary a “very unusual year”. | |
| “This election is not going to be decided by one or two states,” he says, adding that he thinks the primary will take “longer than [the] usual process, given the size of the field and given the challenges for the country.” | |
| He brings it back around to the general election and his chances against a Democrat, spinning the CNN interview into a stump speech to Republicans. “We’re not going to turn this country around if a socialist like Bernie Sanders or someone like Hillary Clinton is elected president.” | |
| 2.38pm GMT | 2.38pm GMT |
| 14:38 | 14:38 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| Here’s some more video of the Vampire Weekend-Bernie Sanders This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie Iowa singalong, as shot live in concert by the Guardian’s own David Taylor, who in order to cover the Iowa caucuses has intrepidly left the New York island to walk that ribbon of highway, seeing above him that endless skyway, and the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling. Or, a lot of snow. | Here’s some more video of the Vampire Weekend-Bernie Sanders This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie Iowa singalong, as shot live in concert by the Guardian’s own David Taylor, who in order to cover the Iowa caucuses has intrepidly left the New York island to walk that ribbon of highway, seeing above him that endless skyway, and the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling. Or, a lot of snow. |
| For further reading on and around the subject: | For further reading on and around the subject: |
| Updated | |
| at 2.50pm GMT | |
| 2.38pm GMT | 2.38pm GMT |
| 14:38 | 14:38 |
| And now Tapper has apparated into Marco Rubio’s campaign bus, where the Florida senator is wearing a monogrammed UnderArmor fleece. He likes football. | |
| The CNN host immediately asks about Cruz’s accusations of flip-flopping on immigration. Rubio says Cruz lying: “The lie that his whole campaign is built on is that he’s the only conservative and everyone else is a sellout.” | |
| “He helped design George W Bush’s immigration policy,” Rubio says. “At the end of this election he’s just making things up … he’s obviously spooked by something so we expect the kitchen sink here in the next 48 hours.” | “He helped design George W Bush’s immigration policy,” Rubio says. “At the end of this election he’s just making things up … he’s obviously spooked by something so we expect the kitchen sink here in the next 48 hours.” |
| He adds that as president he would undo Obama’s executive actions. | He adds that as president he would undo Obama’s executive actions. |
| Updated | |
| at 2.50pm GMT | |
| 2.34pm GMT | 2.34pm GMT |
| 14:34 | 14:34 |
| Cruz continues to bash Rubio: “If you’re asking who can I trust to do what he said, the fact that on his signature issue Marco broke his trust. | |
| “That would be like my coming to Washington and suddenly discovering I was for Obamacare.” | |
| And then he segues into stump speech mode. | |
| If we nominate a candidate who supports amnesty, the same position … the same millions of Reagan democrats, of steel workers and autoworkers and truck drivers … we’ve got to be fighting for the working men and omen of this country … we’ve got to be on behalf of the men | If we nominate a candidate who supports amnesty, the same position … the same millions of Reagan democrats, of steel workers and autoworkers and truck drivers … we’ve got to be fighting for the working men and omen of this country … we’ve got to be on behalf of the men |
| But Rubio, Cruz says “led the fight for amnesty and Ted Cruz led the fight against it”. | |
| He sideswipes Trump. “During that whole battle Donald Trump was nowhere to be found.” | He sideswipes Trump. “During that whole battle Donald Trump was nowhere to be found.” |
| Cruz ends by saying that when Trump skipped the Fox debate this week, it showed he “wasn’t willing to submit to the scrutiny, and I think that’s a mistake.” | |
| “He can’t defend his substantive record,” Cruz says, saying Trump is in line with Bernie Sanders on healthcare. | “He can’t defend his substantive record,” Cruz says, saying Trump is in line with Bernie Sanders on healthcare. |
| His position on cronyism and corporate welfare is the same as Barack Obama … He supported Obama’s stimulus he [thought] it should’ve been larger … I get that it is unpleasant to have your record subject to scrutiny … but this is a job interview. | His position on cronyism and corporate welfare is the same as Barack Obama … He supported Obama’s stimulus he [thought] it should’ve been larger … I get that it is unpleasant to have your record subject to scrutiny … but this is a job interview. |
| Updated | |
| at 2.44pm GMT | |
| 2.31pm GMT | 2.31pm GMT |
| 14:31 | 14:31 |
| But Trump’s ideas are fair game, if not his personality, according to Cruz. | But Trump’s ideas are fair game, if not his personality, according to Cruz. |
| He and I have very, very different views on questions like life and marriage and religious liberty … healthcare and amnesty … I think the people of Iowa deserve more and I think the American people deserve more than just a battle of petty insults. | He and I have very, very different views on questions like life and marriage and religious liberty … healthcare and amnesty … I think the people of Iowa deserve more and I think the American people deserve more than just a battle of petty insults. |
| He moves on to criticize – not pettily, of course – Florida senator Marco Rubio, who has risen in the polls against Cruz in the last few weeks. Cruz says Rubio failed voters on immigration. | |
| “The central question of this primary is trust … they don’t do what they say. If you look at when Marco and I both ran … I promised the men and women of Texas I would lead the fight against amnesty. … But when we got to Washington he and I made very, very diferent decision. | “The central question of this primary is trust … they don’t do what they say. If you look at when Marco and I both ran … I promised the men and women of Texas I would lead the fight against amnesty. … But when we got to Washington he and I made very, very diferent decision. |
| Cruz lumps Rubio together with Democrats – Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid and Barack Obama – and blames the Florida senator for supporting “tens of thousands of Syrian refugees without mandating any background checks” and granting “amnesty to 12 million people illegally”. | Cruz lumps Rubio together with Democrats – Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid and Barack Obama – and blames the Florida senator for supporting “tens of thousands of Syrian refugees without mandating any background checks” and granting “amnesty to 12 million people illegally”. |
| The senator, alas, is not exactly correct. The US has accepted only about 2,500 Syrian refugees (with background checks so extensive they stretch across 18-24 months). Obama’s executive actions do not grant “amnesty”; he has sought to protect some undocumented people from deportation but millions are unshielded, and his second set of actions are going before the supreme court. | |
| The Obama administration also continues to target families for deportation, especially those who have fled from Central America. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.54pm GMT | |
| 2.22pm GMT | 2.22pm GMT |
| 14:22 | 14:22 |
| Next up for CNN is Texas senator Ted Cruz, who’s on a bus with Tapper and second to Donald Trump in the Republican primary. | Next up for CNN is Texas senator Ted Cruz, who’s on a bus with Tapper and second to Donald Trump in the Republican primary. |
| Cruz downplays his fall in the polls to Trump. | Cruz downplays his fall in the polls to Trump. |
| We are competing hard … we’re competing hard in the ground in New Hampshire, in South Carolina and Nevada … all across Super Tuesday. | We are competing hard … we’re competing hard in the ground in New Hampshire, in South Carolina and Nevada … all across Super Tuesday. |
| We don’t view any state as a must-win. I think we’re positioned to do very well in Iowa. | We don’t view any state as a must-win. I think we’re positioned to do very well in Iowa. |
| Tapper asks about Trump himself and the acrimony between the candidates. (Trump called Cruz “an anchor baby in Canada” last week.) | Tapper asks about Trump himself and the acrimony between the candidates. (Trump called Cruz “an anchor baby in Canada” last week.) |
| “There’s a phase to every campaign,” Cruz says. “A month ago Donald was telling everyone how much he liked me.” | “There’s a phase to every campaign,” Cruz says. “A month ago Donald was telling everyone how much he liked me.” |
| He says Trump has good insults though. “I’ll give him credit that when he insults someone it’s always memorable and colorful.” | He says Trump has good insults though. “I’ll give him credit that when he insults someone it’s always memorable and colorful.” |
| But he won’t fire back, apparently. “No matter what he says I like Donald. I will continue to praise him as bold and fresh.” | But he won’t fire back, apparently. “No matter what he says I like Donald. I will continue to praise him as bold and fresh.” |
| The interview was recorded before his campaign was called out for this: | |
| Related: Cruz campaign draws condemnation for strategy of shaming Iowans to caucus | Related: Cruz campaign draws condemnation for strategy of shaming Iowans to caucus |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.48pm GMT | |
| 2.17pm GMT | 2.17pm GMT |
| 14:17 | 14:17 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| CBS taped their interview with Donald Trump on Friday, 24 hours or so before the Des Moines Register poll which has defined this final weekend before the caucuses, partly by putting The Donald five points ahead of the man who we shall refer to here as The Cruzer. | CBS taped their interview with Donald Trump on Friday, 24 hours or so before the Des Moines Register poll which has defined this final weekend before the caucuses, partly by putting The Donald five points ahead of the man who we shall refer to here as The Cruzer. |
| The interview is broadcasting later this morning but there are, in the way of such things, excerpts bouncing around the ether. | The interview is broadcasting later this morning but there are, in the way of such things, excerpts bouncing around the ether. |
| Here’s one: | Here’s one: |
| …I do have, actually, much more humility than a lot of people would think. | …I do have, actually, much more humility than a lot of people would think. |
| Presumably that’s also much more humility than anyone else ever in the history of humility. Huge humility, probably. Yoooge. | Presumably that’s also much more humility than anyone else ever in the history of humility. Huge humility, probably. Yoooge. |
| In the CBS interview, Trump also says “none of the other guys will win”. | In the CBS interview, Trump also says “none of the other guys will win”. |
| Of course he does. | Of course he does. |
| 2.16pm GMT | 2.16pm GMT |
| 14:16 | 14:16 |
| Finally, Tapper asks Sanders about foreign policy and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server – and 22 emails deemed too classified for public release by an investigation into that server. | Finally, Tapper asks Sanders about foreign policy and Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server – and 22 emails deemed too classified for public release by an investigation into that server. |
| On the first question, Sanders harks back to his vote against the invasion of Iraq, calling it “the most important foreign policy issue in our lifetime or at least in the last 20 to 30 years”. He says he’s confident he can “prevent our young men and women in the military from getting involved in perpetual warfare”. He can build a coalition to resolve crises in the Middle East, he says. | On the first question, Sanders harks back to his vote against the invasion of Iraq, calling it “the most important foreign policy issue in our lifetime or at least in the last 20 to 30 years”. He says he’s confident he can “prevent our young men and women in the military from getting involved in perpetual warfare”. He can build a coalition to resolve crises in the Middle East, he says. |
| As for the emails, “there is a legal process taking place. I do not want to poltiicize that issue. It is not my style. | As for the emails, “there is a legal process taking place. I do not want to poltiicize that issue. It is not my style. |
| “What I am focusing on, Jake, are the issues impacting the middle class of this country.” | “What I am focusing on, Jake, are the issues impacting the middle class of this country.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.24pm GMT | at 2.24pm GMT |
| 2.13pm GMT | 2.13pm GMT |
| 14:13 | 14:13 |
| Sanders adds that he’s all for new debates with Clinton, and would gladly go to the struggling town of Flint, Michigan. “Let’s do it before their primaries. I’ve always wanted more debates.” | Sanders adds that he’s all for new debates with Clinton, and would gladly go to the struggling town of Flint, Michigan. “Let’s do it before their primaries. I’ve always wanted more debates.” |
| “God knows what’s going on in Flint, Michigan,” he says of the city, where lead-tainted water has afflicted citizens for nearly two years. Sanders has called for Rick Snyder, the Republican governor of Michigan, to resign. | “God knows what’s going on in Flint, Michigan,” he says of the city, where lead-tainted water has afflicted citizens for nearly two years. Sanders has called for Rick Snyder, the Republican governor of Michigan, to resign. |
| Tapper asks why Sanders now has secret service protection after months of campaigning without it. The senator says security is “something we should not talk about”. | Tapper asks why Sanders now has secret service protection after months of campaigning without it. The senator says security is “something we should not talk about”. |
| Related: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tentatively agree to four more debates | Related: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tentatively agree to four more debates |
| So Tapper asks about a scathing Washington Post editorial instead. | So Tapper asks about a scathing Washington Post editorial instead. |
| “I am not greatly beloved by the economic establishment,” Sanders says, “or by the major media of this country” | “I am not greatly beloved by the economic establishment,” Sanders says, “or by the major media of this country” |
| I am being attacked because I’m too ambitious, because I say among other things maybe we should have a tax on Wall Street speculation … and maybe we should use that money to make colleges and university tuition free … maybe we should use that revenue to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. | I am being attacked because I’m too ambitious, because I say among other things maybe we should have a tax on Wall Street speculation … and maybe we should use that money to make colleges and university tuition free … maybe we should use that revenue to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. |
| The Washington Post is the establishment, doesn’t surprise me they don’t like my ideas. | The Washington Post is the establishment, doesn’t surprise me they don’t like my ideas. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.23pm GMT | at 2.23pm GMT |
| 2.10pm GMT | 2.10pm GMT |
| 14:10 | 14:10 |
| Tapper asks Sanders about ads produced by the Clinton campaign and its allies. | Tapper asks Sanders about ads produced by the Clinton campaign and its allies. |
| “I can’t keep up with what the Clinton campaign does,” Sanders says. | “I can’t keep up with what the Clinton campaign does,” Sanders says. |
| He mentions accusations “for example that I am attacking Planned Parenthood”, which he says is crazy. He says he’s always supported the reproductive rights group: “One of the great organizations in America. So I don’t know what the Clinton campaign is doing, all I know is we are bringing out large numbers of people, we are creating excitement.” | He mentions accusations “for example that I am attacking Planned Parenthood”, which he says is crazy. He says he’s always supported the reproductive rights group: “One of the great organizations in America. So I don’t know what the Clinton campaign is doing, all I know is we are bringing out large numbers of people, we are creating excitement.” |
| Sanders says Americans “are tired of seeing all this new income and wealth … want us to address climate change, want us to address a broken criminal justice system. So I’m feeling good, Jake. | Sanders says Americans “are tired of seeing all this new income and wealth … want us to address climate change, want us to address a broken criminal justice system. So I’m feeling good, Jake. |
| “If people come out to vote I think you are looking at one of the biggest political upsets in modern political history.” | “If people come out to vote I think you are looking at one of the biggest political upsets in modern political history.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.21pm GMT | at 2.21pm GMT |
| 2.06pm GMT | 2.06pm GMT |
| 14:06 | 14:06 |
| Bernie Sanders is on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, who asks how he expects to overcome Hillary Clinton’s narrow lead in the polls. | Bernie Sanders is on CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, who asks how he expects to overcome Hillary Clinton’s narrow lead in the polls. |
| We were 50 or 60 points behind Secretary Clinton, and the reason for that is we have 15,000 volunteers … They’re going to be urging people to come out in very large numbers to vote … who previously were not involved in politics. | We were 50 or 60 points behind Secretary Clinton, and the reason for that is we have 15,000 volunteers … They’re going to be urging people to come out in very large numbers to vote … who previously were not involved in politics. |
| He says Iowa could be “the first state in the country to lead us in a very, very different direction”. | He says Iowa could be “the first state in the country to lead us in a very, very different direction”. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.21pm GMT | at 2.21pm GMT |
| 1.53pm GMT | 1.53pm GMT |
| 13:53 | 13:53 |
| Iowa is about to choose the first two winners of the 2016 election – and we’re covering the countdown live, with Guardian reporters following the campaigns on the trail as candidates make their last, sometimes desperate pitches to the people who could help elect one of them to the White House. | Iowa is about to choose the first two winners of the 2016 election – and we’re covering the countdown live, with Guardian reporters following the campaigns on the trail as candidates make their last, sometimes desperate pitches to the people who could help elect one of them to the White House. |
| We’ll watch the talk shows so you don’t have to, and bring all the news from the final mad dash to win Iowa. | We’ll watch the talk shows so you don’t have to, and bring all the news from the final mad dash to win Iowa. |