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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Clinton clinches South Carolina as Sanders looks to Super Tuesday – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.41am GMT | |
| 03:41 | |
| Summary | |
| We are wrapping things up now, so here are some final takeaways from today’s vote in South Carolina… | |
| This was also a busy day in the Republican race, of course. From that we learned: | |
| And finally… | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.44am GMT | |
| 3.34am GMT | 3.34am GMT |
| 03:34 | 03:34 |
| Dan Roberts | Dan Roberts |
| In Rochester, Minnesota, Bernie Sanders came on stage to the sound of Neil Young, and then didn’t mention South Carolina at all… | In Rochester, Minnesota, Bernie Sanders came on stage to the sound of Neil Young, and then didn’t mention South Carolina at all… |
| Bernie Sanders spent most of Saturday acting as if South Carolina didn’t exist. His first public appearance after news of his thumping loss to Hillary Clinton was no different. | Bernie Sanders spent most of Saturday acting as if South Carolina didn’t exist. His first public appearance after news of his thumping loss to Hillary Clinton was no different. |
| Speaking to 2,600 supporters in Rochester, Minnesota, he came across a little more subdued than the fiery orator we had seen in Texas in the afternoon. But it had been a long day in more ways than one. | Speaking to 2,600 supporters in Rochester, Minnesota, he came across a little more subdued than the fiery orator we had seen in Texas in the afternoon. But it had been a long day in more ways than one. |
| In a none-too-subtle sign that he plans to fight hard for a dozen more states on Super Tuesday, Sanders came on stage to the sound of Neil Young singing: “Keep on rockin’ in the free world.” | In a none-too-subtle sign that he plans to fight hard for a dozen more states on Super Tuesday, Sanders came on stage to the sound of Neil Young singing: “Keep on rockin’ in the free world.” |
| Perhaps, I was imagining it, but the only slight change to the standard stump speech that followed was a fraction more reticence when it came to bashing his Democratic opponent in public. | Perhaps, I was imagining it, but the only slight change to the standard stump speech that followed was a fraction more reticence when it came to bashing his Democratic opponent in public. |
| “Let me take a brief moment to outline some of the differences between ours and Secretary Clinton’s campaign,” he told the Rochester crowd, almost apologetically, before reeling off a truncated version of his standard attacks on her Wall Street links. | “Let me take a brief moment to outline some of the differences between ours and Secretary Clinton’s campaign,” he told the Rochester crowd, almost apologetically, before reeling off a truncated version of his standard attacks on her Wall Street links. |
| There is a palpable sense in the campaign now that even if it carries on through to this summer’s convention, Clinton is likely to be the nominee that all Democrats rely on to beat Donald Trump come November. | There is a palpable sense in the campaign now that even if it carries on through to this summer’s convention, Clinton is likely to be the nominee that all Democrats rely on to beat Donald Trump come November. |
| While some candidates might be expected to go more negative after a night like tonight, this progressive champion will not want to be remembered as the man who guided Trump toward the chinks in Clinton’s armour. | While some candidates might be expected to go more negative after a night like tonight, this progressive champion will not want to be remembered as the man who guided Trump toward the chinks in Clinton’s armour. |
| 3.25am GMT | 3.25am GMT |
| 03:25 | 03:25 |
| John Stoehr | John Stoehr |
| Listening to Bernie Sanders’ speech in Minnesota, John Stoehr finds that Hillary Clinton has adopted many of his themes – and stolen the wind from his sails. | Listening to Bernie Sanders’ speech in Minnesota, John Stoehr finds that Hillary Clinton has adopted many of his themes – and stolen the wind from his sails. |
| Political insurgents are most powerful when the establishment resists the insurgency. If Hillary Clinton had been more resistant to Bernie Sanders’ populist appeal, if she had been less flexible, Sanders might be better positioned today than he is. But she wasn’t. | Political insurgents are most powerful when the establishment resists the insurgency. If Hillary Clinton had been more resistant to Bernie Sanders’ populist appeal, if she had been less flexible, Sanders might be better positioned today than he is. But she wasn’t. |
| Months before primary season began, Clinton was slowly adopting many of Sanders’ positions – even his anti-Wall Street stance. At the same time, she has made it clear what the differences between them are. This has been most obvious with her new message of America not being a single-issue country. | Months before primary season began, Clinton was slowly adopting many of Sanders’ positions – even his anti-Wall Street stance. At the same time, she has made it clear what the differences between them are. This has been most obvious with her new message of America not being a single-issue country. |
| All of this means Sanders message of economic justice – as inspiring and uplifting as it may be – is sounding even narrower than it already was. As the primaries come and go, Clinton’s message is likely to sound broader, more varied and richer. Sanders’ message isn’t. | All of this means Sanders message of economic justice – as inspiring and uplifting as it may be – is sounding even narrower than it already was. As the primaries come and go, Clinton’s message is likely to sound broader, more varied and richer. Sanders’ message isn’t. |
| 3.12am GMT | 3.12am GMT |
| 03:12 | 03:12 |
| Lucia Graves | Lucia Graves |
| Lucia Graves writes from Columbia, South Carolina, on a key victory for the Clinton campaign… | Lucia Graves writes from Columbia, South Carolina, on a key victory for the Clinton campaign… |
| Hillary Clinton led with a promise to help poor minority children in the so-called “corridor of shame”, a stretch of dilapidated schools along South Carolina’s I-95 corridor. That was something President Obama made a benchmark of is 2008 campaign when he beat her in 44 of the state’s 46 counties. | Hillary Clinton led with a promise to help poor minority children in the so-called “corridor of shame”, a stretch of dilapidated schools along South Carolina’s I-95 corridor. That was something President Obama made a benchmark of is 2008 campaign when he beat her in 44 of the state’s 46 counties. |
| Clinton is not making that mistake again – now it’s she who’s at the forefront of the issue. “This victory tonight is for the parents and teachers in South Carolina, they showed me crumbling classrooms”, Clinton said to cheers. And she promised the federal government would work with state actors to give children the “education they deserve”. | Clinton is not making that mistake again – now it’s she who’s at the forefront of the issue. “This victory tonight is for the parents and teachers in South Carolina, they showed me crumbling classrooms”, Clinton said to cheers. And she promised the federal government would work with state actors to give children the “education they deserve”. |
| Here’s Lucia’s report on that issue. | Here’s Lucia’s report on that issue. |
| And here’s more from tonight’s piece. | And here’s more from tonight’s piece. |
| She also embraced her identity as a fighter, a role that she can inhabit with tremendous authenticity. “Let’s break down the barriers that sideline people in our country, especially women”, she said to a roaring crowd. “Don’t you think it’s time we had equal pay for equal work?” | She also embraced her identity as a fighter, a role that she can inhabit with tremendous authenticity. “Let’s break down the barriers that sideline people in our country, especially women”, she said to a roaring crowd. “Don’t you think it’s time we had equal pay for equal work?” |
| You can read the full piece here: | You can read the full piece here: |
| Related: Hillary Clinton may have hit her stride — but don't write Sanders off just yet | Lucia Graves | Related: Hillary Clinton may have hit her stride — but don't write Sanders off just yet | Lucia Graves |
| 3.04am GMT | 3.04am GMT |
| 03:04 | 03:04 |
| 100% of precincts in South Carolina have reported | 100% of precincts in South Carolina have reported |
| …and the final vote tallies are: | …and the final vote tallies are: |
| Clinton: 271,367Sanders: 95,840 | Clinton: 271,367Sanders: 95,840 |
| In any language, or any state, that is a decisive win for Clinton. | In any language, or any state, that is a decisive win for Clinton. |
| Related: South Carolina Democratic primary: track the votes live, county-by-county | Related: South Carolina Democratic primary: track the votes live, county-by-county |
| 2.57am GMT | 2.57am GMT |
| 02:57 | 02:57 |
| Bernie Sanders speaks | Bernie Sanders speaks |
| “What this campaign is about is not just electing a president,” he begins. “It is about transforming America, it is about thinking big…” | “What this campaign is about is not just electing a president,” he begins. “It is about transforming America, it is about thinking big…” |
| Is this something more pointed after South Carolina? | Is this something more pointed after South Carolina? |
| Not really. He’s on to inequality. It’s stump, and the crowd like it, and it’s aimed at Republicans with “short-term amnesia” about what America was like when George W Bush left office, eight years ago. | Not really. He’s on to inequality. It’s stump, and the crowd like it, and it’s aimed at Republicans with “short-term amnesia” about what America was like when George W Bush left office, eight years ago. |
| Sanders points out the huge crowds he’s had: 10,000 in Austin and 8,000 in Dallas, he says of today. No mention of South Carolina yet, though he is moving on to “unpleasant truths”. Chief among these, however, is America’s corrupt campaign finance system, which is run by an oligarchy, a “handful of billionaires buying elections”. He then runs through his campaign standpoints, including protecting voting rights and securing a raise in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and student debt, and battling sexism and racism. | Sanders points out the huge crowds he’s had: 10,000 in Austin and 8,000 in Dallas, he says of today. No mention of South Carolina yet, though he is moving on to “unpleasant truths”. Chief among these, however, is America’s corrupt campaign finance system, which is run by an oligarchy, a “handful of billionaires buying elections”. He then runs through his campaign standpoints, including protecting voting rights and securing a raise in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and student debt, and battling sexism and racism. |
| But it does feel a bit like a fire that has failed to light; a bit like a rock band going through its greatest hits, to dutiful cheers and in the expected order. | But it does feel a bit like a fire that has failed to light; a bit like a rock band going through its greatest hits, to dutiful cheers and in the expected order. |
| He gets to the differences between his campaign and that of Secretary Clinton, which seem very stark this evening. The first is that he does not have a Super Pac. This, of course, we knew. And after a bit of call and response on average donation figures to his campaign – it’s $27 – he says: “With such a brilliant audience here, there is no way we’re going to lose Minnesota.” | He gets to the differences between his campaign and that of Secretary Clinton, which seem very stark this evening. The first is that he does not have a Super Pac. This, of course, we knew. And after a bit of call and response on average donation figures to his campaign – it’s $27 – he says: “With such a brilliant audience here, there is no way we’re going to lose Minnesota.” |
| 2.32am GMT | 2.32am GMT |
| 02:32 | 02:32 |
| Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters in Rochester, Minnesota | Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters in Rochester, Minnesota |
| …and the livestream is here… | …and the livestream is here… |
| 2.22am GMT | 2.22am GMT |
| 02:22 | 02:22 |
| John Stoehr | John Stoehr |
| Hillary Clinton just enjoyed an invigorating victory, so you’d think her speech would have electricity and passion. John Stoehr, however, feels that it fell flat in a few places – even though she said all the right things. Do you agree? | Hillary Clinton just enjoyed an invigorating victory, so you’d think her speech would have electricity and passion. John Stoehr, however, feels that it fell flat in a few places – even though she said all the right things. Do you agree? |
| No one ever said Hillary Clinton was an inspiring speaker. She wasn’t tonight, despite her huge success. | No one ever said Hillary Clinton was an inspiring speaker. She wasn’t tonight, despite her huge success. |
| At one point, she read out the names of black Americans who died at the hands of police or otherwise in a system badly in need of reform. It was a moment that would otherwise be moving and powerful – but it ended up kind of flat. In fairness, Barack Obama is a hard act to follow. | At one point, she read out the names of black Americans who died at the hands of police or otherwise in a system badly in need of reform. It was a moment that would otherwise be moving and powerful – but it ended up kind of flat. In fairness, Barack Obama is a hard act to follow. |
| She’s saying all the right things. To Democrats, anyway. And she’s building, rhetorically, on Obama’s repertoire. | She’s saying all the right things. To Democrats, anyway. And she’s building, rhetorically, on Obama’s repertoire. |
| “Breaking down the barriers”. “America’s best years are ahead”. “America has always been great”. | “Breaking down the barriers”. “America’s best years are ahead”. “America has always been great”. |
| These are things Obama might say. And they still ring true today. And this new motif of the US not being a single-issue country: it’s a very smart answer to Bernie Sanders. She’s very smartly building a big tent. | These are things Obama might say. And they still ring true today. And this new motif of the US not being a single-issue country: it’s a very smart answer to Bernie Sanders. She’s very smartly building a big tent. |
| But more subtly, in saying that we can stand together to break down barriers, she is saying that Democrats can’t do much if they are divided. No political party has ever won the presidency if the party was divided. | But more subtly, in saying that we can stand together to break down barriers, she is saying that Democrats can’t do much if they are divided. No political party has ever won the presidency if the party was divided. |
| In winning South Carolina in a landslide, Clinton is poised to remind Democrats of that. | In winning South Carolina in a landslide, Clinton is poised to remind Democrats of that. |
| You may love Bernie Sanders. You may love his politics. But the battle ahead needs more than love. | You may love Bernie Sanders. You may love his politics. But the battle ahead needs more than love. |
| 2.16am GMT | 2.16am GMT |
| 02:16 | 02:16 |
| Bernie speaks. Briefly. | Bernie speaks. Briefly. |
| Dan Roberts | Dan Roberts |
| Dan reports again from Air Sanders, or the steps off it, where Bernie Sanders delivered only a terse statement before disappearing into the Minnesota night: | Dan reports again from Air Sanders, or the steps off it, where Bernie Sanders delivered only a terse statement before disappearing into the Minnesota night: |
| In politics on a given night sometimes you win sometimes you lose, tonight we lost. I congratulate Secretary Clinton on her very strong victory. On Tuesday over 800 delegates are at stake and we intend to win many, many of them. | In politics on a given night sometimes you win sometimes you lose, tonight we lost. I congratulate Secretary Clinton on her very strong victory. On Tuesday over 800 delegates are at stake and we intend to win many, many of them. |
| 1.55am GMT | 1.55am GMT |
| 01:55 | 01:55 |
| Dan Roberts | Dan Roberts |
| Meanwhile, Dan Roberts reports from the Sanders campaign plane, which has reached Minnesota… | Meanwhile, Dan Roberts reports from the Sanders campaign plane, which has reached Minnesota… |
| Coming into land now. Really surreal silence from the front of the plane all flight – despite frantic waving from the press seats. When we heard the margin (double New Hampshire) a series of ‘wows’ at the back of the plane. Crickets up front. Going to see if we can ambush him on the tarmac when we land. Think they really don’t know what to say about it. | Coming into land now. Really surreal silence from the front of the plane all flight – despite frantic waving from the press seats. When we heard the margin (double New Hampshire) a series of ‘wows’ at the back of the plane. Crickets up front. Going to see if we can ambush him on the tarmac when we land. Think they really don’t know what to say about it. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.23am GMT | at 2.23am GMT |
| 1.53am GMT | 1.53am GMT |
| 01:53 | 01:53 |
| Ted Cruz releases his tax returns | Ted Cruz releases his tax returns |
| The Texas senator has released nine years’ worth, not quite when he said he would – that was Friday – but still not that long after Marco Rubio released his and way before Donald Trump releases his, presuming he ever will. | The Texas senator has released nine years’ worth, not quite when he said he would – that was Friday – but still not that long after Marco Rubio released his and way before Donald Trump releases his, presuming he ever will. |
| A statement from The Cruzer – as I like to call him – reads thus: | A statement from The Cruzer – as I like to call him – reads thus: |
| It’s time for Trump to come clean and release his tax returns. If he’s not been completely honest or has supported the most radical left-wing groups in America, voters deserve to know. | It’s time for Trump to come clean and release his tax returns. If he’s not been completely honest or has supported the most radical left-wing groups in America, voters deserve to know. |
| Analysis of said returns no doubt on the way by the bucketload. | Analysis of said returns no doubt on the way by the bucketload. |
| I, meanwhile, wonder what “radical left-wing groups” Cruz could be referring to. Maybe it’s the Woodcraft Folk. I hope it’s the Woodcraft Folk. For those who don’t know, the Woodcraft Folk is basically leftwing Boy Scouts, only for boys and girls. It also sprang out of a pacifist group called the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift, or KKK, which is both awkward and by-the-by. I was a member, anyway. | I, meanwhile, wonder what “radical left-wing groups” Cruz could be referring to. Maybe it’s the Woodcraft Folk. I hope it’s the Woodcraft Folk. For those who don’t know, the Woodcraft Folk is basically leftwing Boy Scouts, only for boys and girls. It also sprang out of a pacifist group called the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift, or KKK, which is both awkward and by-the-by. I was a member, anyway. |
| Related: The other KKK: how the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift tried to craft a new world | Related: The other KKK: how the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift tried to craft a new world |
| 1.39am GMT | 1.39am GMT |
| 01:39 | 01:39 |
| John Stoehr | John Stoehr |
| Momentum can be an elusive thing. John Stoehr wonders: does Hillary Clinton finally have it? | Momentum can be an elusive thing. John Stoehr wonders: does Hillary Clinton finally have it? |
| The margin of victory for Hillary Clinton in South Carolina – the spread right now is more than 50 points – makes it look like she has all the momentum in the Democratic primary. But she already had Big Mo, even as she took a loss in New Hampshire. | The margin of victory for Hillary Clinton in South Carolina – the spread right now is more than 50 points – makes it look like she has all the momentum in the Democratic primary. But she already had Big Mo, even as she took a loss in New Hampshire. |
| Even as Bernie Sanders was winning there, he was losing. Gallup released a new national poll on Friday showing that Clinton’s favorability climbed during the New Hampshire primary. She now has a 55% favoribility rating. That’s a 10-point jump over the last Gallup poll, in January. | Even as Bernie Sanders was winning there, he was losing. Gallup released a new national poll on Friday showing that Clinton’s favorability climbed during the New Hampshire primary. She now has a 55% favoribility rating. That’s a 10-point jump over the last Gallup poll, in January. |
| What’s going on? Most likely Clinton’s favoribility was suffering as some Democrats considered Sanders. But as the primary season has heated up, Democrats have looked past the Vermont senator and toward the general election. And with that, Clinton’s favorables have risen. | What’s going on? Most likely Clinton’s favoribility was suffering as some Democrats considered Sanders. But as the primary season has heated up, Democrats have looked past the Vermont senator and toward the general election. And with that, Clinton’s favorables have risen. |
| Expect that to increase, not too much but a little more, as the primary season comes to a head. And as Clinton consolidates her hold on the nomination, the argument that Sanders is the better opponent to Donald Trump will appear less and less prudent. | Expect that to increase, not too much but a little more, as the primary season comes to a head. And as Clinton consolidates her hold on the nomination, the argument that Sanders is the better opponent to Donald Trump will appear less and less prudent. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.43am GMT | at 1.43am GMT |
| 1.35am GMT | 1.35am GMT |
| 01:35 | 01:35 |
| Megan Carpentier | Megan Carpentier |
| Megan Carpentier is in Minnesota, at a Hillary Clinton phone bank in St Paul… | Megan Carpentier is in Minnesota, at a Hillary Clinton phone bank in St Paul… |
| Crowded in a conference room in the AFSME building in South St Paul, Megan writes, a group of Clinton phone bankers found themselves with some time on their hands after the AP called South Carolina for Hillary Clinton shortly after 6pm local time. | Crowded in a conference room in the AFSME building in South St Paul, Megan writes, a group of Clinton phone bankers found themselves with some time on their hands after the AP called South Carolina for Hillary Clinton shortly after 6pm local time. |
| So they spent it grilling fellow phone-banker Jason Collins, a former Minnesota Timberwolves player who became the first NBA player to come out as gay, on everything from his shoe size (17) to how he survives commercial airline travel (politely asking fellow travelers not to recline their seats). | So they spent it grilling fellow phone-banker Jason Collins, a former Minnesota Timberwolves player who became the first NBA player to come out as gay, on everything from his shoe size (17) to how he survives commercial airline travel (politely asking fellow travelers not to recline their seats). |
| Collins, who attended Stanford University with Chelsea Clinton, had been stumping for her in several states and spent the day door-knocking and phone-banking for the candidate in Minnesota before heading for a flight home. | Collins, who attended Stanford University with Chelsea Clinton, had been stumping for her in several states and spent the day door-knocking and phone-banking for the candidate in Minnesota before heading for a flight home. |
| Related: NBA center Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player in major US sports | Related: NBA center Jason Collins becomes first openly gay player in major US sports |
| Meanwhile, with no nail-biting to do, the assembled volunteers for Clinton (who were not necessarily affiliated with the union), cracked some Diet Cokes, peeled a few clementines and watched Clinton’s victory speech on an old IBM laptop, cheering her line that “tomorrow this campaign goes national” and nodding along with their favorite policy positions. | Meanwhile, with no nail-biting to do, the assembled volunteers for Clinton (who were not necessarily affiliated with the union), cracked some Diet Cokes, peeled a few clementines and watched Clinton’s victory speech on an old IBM laptop, cheering her line that “tomorrow this campaign goes national” and nodding along with their favorite policy positions. |
| But when she said “We don’t need to make America great again, America has never stopped being great” – a references to Donald Trump’s slogan – they all hollered. | But when she said “We don’t need to make America great again, America has never stopped being great” – a references to Donald Trump’s slogan – they all hollered. |
| And then they walked into the next room, sat down and continued the work of “getting out the caucus” by calling their fellow Minnesotans. | And then they walked into the next room, sat down and continued the work of “getting out the caucus” by calling their fellow Minnesotans. |
| (After, of course, discussing how much they loved her speech.) | (After, of course, discussing how much they loved her speech.) |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.35am GMT | at 1.35am GMT |