The Arizona Republican said waterboarding had stained USA honor without advancing national security, and he urged the candidates to remember the “inalienable rights” embedded in American values.
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Christie’s problem is not Rubio, at least not now.
“There was a march amongst some in the chattering class to anoint Sen”. I think after Saturday night no matter what the results are on Tuesday, no one thinks that anymore. The former president took a softer tone Monday as the two Clintons campaigned together at a breakfast joint in Manchester, though he displayed palpable frustration at Sanders’ success with young voters.
Marco Rubio, who gained fresh interest after placing third in Iowa, offered new hopes to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, suggesting a longer battle slog for the GOP that could extend after New Hampshire into South Carolina, Nevada and beyond.
As snowfall brought yet more uncertainty to the race’s final hours, Hillary Clinton tried to move past talk of a shakeup in her campaign and controversy over comments by supporters that women should feel obliged to vote for her. Barnstorming New Hampshire with her husband and daughter, she worked to flip Sanders’ favored critique against her by claiming that he, too, had taken big bucks from Wall Street – if only indirectly. Cruz, the Texas senator, won Iowa though he’s looking beyond New Hampshire to a run of Southern primaries with more conservative electorates.
Though the outcome of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary is by no means certain, one thing we can tell you for sure: Pollsters have been very busy.
Bush also pushed back on the notion that Rubio had seized the establishment mantle in the nomination race after his stronger-than-expected third place finish in the Iowa caucuses. Rival campaigns conceded privately in the days leading up to the debate he was pulling away from the governors. Most remained steady in their numbers compared to a similar poll in January, with the exception of Bush, who rose 9 points, contradicting concerns that his campaign was dying, notes The Washington Examiner.
Sanders, cruising toward a likely first win in New Hampshire, seemed uneager to call more attention to the issue. “The governors all made great points about experience, especially Christie, and Rubio did not have any answer to counter that argument”, McKenna said. On Friday, NBC’s Gutierrez reported that “the crowds here at Rubio’s rallies continue to grow”.
“You look at Jeb – Jeb’s a loser”, Trump said. “He is trying to change this country.” – four times during the debate.
Rubio insisted his repetitions were part of his plan. “I don’t think there is any Republican primary voter who was watching that debate who was saying I wish he would lay off of Barack Obama”. He has stuck religiously to his script – as he has done for much of this campaign season – rarely hewing off message. Even if neither candidate ultimately becomes their party’s nominee, those who do will have to reckon with the voter frustration they’ve tapped into.
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“If you’re not going to vote for me, do not vote”, he dead-panned. “She said he’s a pussy”. Yet, a bulk of the poll’s interviews were conducted before the debate, so it’s impossible to know how Rubio’s debate performance will affect his standing in the polls until Tuesday night.
