Trump's TV summit: The Donald summons network executives and anchors from 'the dishonest media' to Trump Tower

Trump Tower is once again transition-central following a weekend of meetings at Trump's golf course in New Jersey

Update from the New York Post:

“Trump started with Jeff Zucker and said I hate your network, everyone at CNN is a liar and you should be ashamed….

“The meeting was a total disaster. The TV execs and anchors went in there thinking they would be discussing the access they would get to the Trump administration, but instead they got a Trump-style dressing down,” the source added.

A second source confirmed the encounter.

“The meeting took place in a big board room and there were about 30 or 40 people, including the big news anchors from all the networks…,” the source said.

“Trump kept saying, ‘We’re in a room of liars, the deceitful dishonest media who got it all wrong. He addressed everyone in the room calling the media dishonest, deceitful liars. He called out Jeff Zucker by name and said everyone at CNN was a liar, and CNN was network of liars... (continued)

Update from Deadline Hollywood:

by Dominic Patten

UPDATE, 11 22 AM: The campaign manager of Donald Trump’s winning Presidential run says that the off-the-record meeting today between the President-elect and top brass from ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, CNN and Fox News was “excellent.”

Calling the now over gathering “unprecedented,” Kellyanne Conway also said in the lobby of Trump Tower on Monday that the bigwig talk was “very candid and honest.” Noting that, even after a campaign where the media was often the focus of Trump’s distain, there was “no need to mend fences,” Conway added that it was still “great to set the reset button” in Monday’s media sit-down. “Thanks for sharing your bosses with us today,” Conway told reporters with a laugh.

Executives from The New York Times are set to drop by tomorrow with other media chiefs in the upcoming days too.

Original, from The Daily Mail:

By David Martosko, Us Political Editor For Dailymail.com

(Daily Mail) Donald Trump met with executives and on-air anchors from the largest television networks in the United States on Monday afternoon at Trump Tower.

The surprise get-together came as a shock given some of the comments Trump made during his campaign about the 'dishonest media,' and was not mentioned in a mid-morning conference call that his transition team held with reporters.

Itw as organized by Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, who was also in attendance on Monday and demanded that the discussions that took place be off the record.

Representatives from CNN, Fox News, NBC, ABC and CBS will file in to Trump Tower for the sit-down with Trump and Conway.

The entire meeting will be conducted 'off the record,' meaning attendees must promise not to report on what is said or who is in the room.

Past presidents and presidents-elect have held similar meetings, but they were easier to keep secret since attendees didn't have to tromp through a landmark gold-encrusted marble office lobby in full view of TV cameras managed by the same media companies that took part.

ABC News was represented by president James Goldston and anchors George Stephanopoulos, David Muir, and Martha Raddatz.

Nightly News host Lester Holt and Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd were on hand for NBC News, along with president Deborah Turness.

Face the Nation host John Dickerson arrives at Trump Tower alongside CBS This Morning anchor Charlie Rose

And rounding out the broadcast network presence at the meeting was Face the Nation host John Dickerson and the entire CBS This Morning team of Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell.

CNN president Jeff Zucker attended with on-air talent Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett.

Fox News had a handful of executives present at the meeting, including co-presidents Bill Shine and Jack Abernathy, vice president of news and editorial Jay Wallace and Suzanne Scott, the vice president of programming and development at the network.

MSNBC president Phil Griffin was there for his network.

Tight-lipped transition officials wouldn't discuss the purpose for the meeting on Monday afternoon.

But it's expected that the Trump team would make a cease-fire overture to end his campaign's war on the press.

Trump referred to America's political press corps as 'the dishonest media, 'the most dishonest people' and 'unbelievable liars' while he ran for president, often drawing sternum-rattling boos and storms of shouted insults from his rally crowds.

He also referred to specific reporters as 'sleaze' and 'slime' when he thought their pro-Hillary Clinton biases were showing, and sometimes named them from the podium while thousands jeered.

The president-elect hasn't held a press conference since late July.

Questions are also swirling about what his administration might do to redefine the White House's relationship with the media.

Print, wire and broadcast reporters currently get the benefit of a lengthy on-camera briefing from a spokesperson every day, along with the chance to send a representative to follow the president everywhere in a 'protective pool.'

The pool makes note of everything from presidential small-talk to the exact time, down to the minute, he leaves and enters the White House or individual rooms inside.

Mike McCurry, who served as press secretary to President Bill Clinton, told National Journal last week that both institutions should be re-thought.

He explained that it was a mistake for him to implement the televised briefings without any restrictions.

McCurry also said that '[t]he idea of nonstop body-watch pool coverage is a bit ridiculous.'

Trump has yet to take questions from the assembled press corps in a formal news-conference setting since his Election Day triumph.

He did, however, take a handful of questions from pool reporters over the weekend in between meetings with potential cabinet appointees.

And the CBS '60 Minutes' program aired an hour-long broadcast last Sunday that included lengthy interview segments.

Links:

• Donald Trump’s media summit was a ‘------- firing squad’
• Donald Trump Meeting With Media Brass “Excellent,” Says Kellyanne Conway – Update
• Trump's TV summit: The Donald summons network executives and anchors from 'the dishonest media' to Trump Tower

Keep calm and follow Jesus, US bishops say after the election

By Matt Hadro

(CNA/EWTN News) Regarding the recent presidential election, Archbishop Kurtz said earlier on Monday that he had written to President-elect Donald Trump expressing a “willingness to work together” for the “protection of life” and the “promotion of human dignity.”

The bishops “have been very clear for the right to life of the child in the womb,” Archbishop Kurtz insisted, adding that the Church is defending human dignity by opposing the legalization of assisted suicide, which was recently approved by voters in Colorado and by the city government of Washington, D.C.

Trump’s victory has been met with protests in cities across the country, capping what was already a polarizing election cycle.

Bishops responded to the protests by stating their respect for freedom of speech while insisting that a “peaceful transition of power” take place. “I think that these can be reconciled,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, chair of the bishops’ domestic justice and human development committee, of the protests and peace.

There is nothing “more American than a peaceful transition of power,” he stated...

Link:

• Keep calm and follow Jesus, US bishops say after the election

Did Jersey photographer's video of Clinton stumble change course of history?

By Sam Carchidi 

(The Philadelphia Inquirer) In the days after Donald Trump's stunning presidential win over Hillary Clinton, Zdenek Gazda has been bombarded by phone calls and texts, telling him he changed the election.

He doesn't disagree with them.

Gazda is a freelance photographer from New Jersey who filmed the video of Clinton after she became ill and stumbled at a campaign event two months ago.

"People say to me that it showed she's not strong," Gazda said on Friday. "If I wasn't there, nobody would have known what happened....People need to know the truth..."

Gazda, who lives in Verona, said people have told him he "changed history" because after the video went viral, Clinton's officials announced she was suffering from a bout of pneumonia that was diagnosed two days earlier.

Clinton's campaign initially said Clinton left the 15th annual observance at Ground Zero because she felt "overheated."

Gazda, who had made more than $100,000 for his famous 20-second clip, said after he turned off his video, said he saw Clinton shaking inside the van.

He admitted he wasn't sure what his video had captured until he looked at it. "I was shocked at what I saw," Gazda said...

Link:

• Did Jersey photographer's video of Clinton stumble change course of history?

Clinton team avoided ER to conceal details of her medical treatment

By Yoav Gonen, Shawn Cohen, Tina Moore and Bruce Golding

(New York Post) Hillary Clinton was headed to an emergency room following her sudden collapse during the Sept. 11 memorial ceremony — but ditched her NYPD escort and detoured to daughter Chelsea Clinton’s apartment to keep details of her medical treatment under wraps, The Post has learned.

Secret Service protocol called for the Democratic presidential nominee be taken to a state-designated Level I Trauma Center in the wake of her Sunday morning health crisis at Ground Zero, sources said.

But a campaign operative decided to change course to avoid treatment by doctors, nurses or other medical workers who could leak details to reporters, a source said.

Clinton’s van was supposed to be escorted by an NYPD protective detail, but the Secret Service whisked her away from Ground Zero before cops could accompany her, another source said.

Clinton had told police officials that she didn’t want the escort at all, but the NYPD overruled that request, the source added.

Clinton emerged from her daughter’s Manhattan apartment about two hours after her health crisis, proclaiming, “I’m feeling great. Thanks,” before bizarrely adding: “It’s a beautiful day in New York” — even though thousands of people were still honoring the victims of the terror attack that destroyed the World Trade Center.

Clinton’s campaign said she was later examined at her home in Chappaqua by her personal physician, who pronounced that she was “recovering nicely” after becoming “overheated and dehydrated” due to a bout of previously undisclosed pneumonia.

Link:

• Clinton team avoided ER to conceal details of her medical treatment

Louisiana gov: Trump helped 'shine a spotlight' on flood recovery

By Rebecca Savransky

(The Hill) Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said Sunday that Donald Trump has helped draw attention to recovery efforts after the recent devastating floods in his state.

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," the governor downplayed critical remarks he made before the Republican presidential nominee visited his state.

"I didn't dismiss his trip as a photo-op. Before he came down, I said we welcome him here, we want him to be helpful," Edwards said. "And we hope that it doesn't turn into a mere photo-op."

Edwards said Trump's visit to the state was positive for Louisiana.

"Because it helped to shine a spotlight on Louisiana and on the dire situation that we have here, that it was helpful," he said.

"I also appreciated the good phone call, the conversation that I had with Gov. [Mike] Pence [R-Ind.], who was sincere and genuine when he called, and we spoke for a long time on Friday morning about their desire to be helpful," he said about Trump's running mate...  (continued)

Link:

• Louisiana gov: Trump helped 'shine a spotlight' on flood recovery

Let Me Ask America a Question

How has the ‘system’ been working out for you and your family? No wonder voters demand change.

By Donald J. Trump

(The Wall Street Journal) On Saturday, April 9, Colorado had an “election” without voters. Delegates were chosen on behalf of a presidential nominee, yet the people of Colorado were not able to cast their ballots to say which nominee they preferred.

A planned vote had been canceled. And one million Republicans in Colorado were sidelined.

In recent days, something all too predictable has happened: Politicians furiously defended the system.

“These are the rules,” we were told over and over again. If the “rules” can be used to block Coloradans from voting on whether they want better trade deals, or stronger borders, or an end to special-interest vote-buying in Congress—well, that’s just the system and we should embrace it.

Let me ask America a question: How has the “system” been working out for you and your family?

I, for one, am not interested in defending a system that for decades has served the interest of political parties at the expense of the people. Members of the club—the consultants, the pollsters, the politicians, the pundits and the special interests—grow rich and powerful while the American people grow poorer and more isolated.

No one forced anyone to cancel the vote in Colorado. Political insiders made a choice to cancel it. And it was the wrong choice.

Responsible leaders should be shocked by the idea that party officials can simply cancel elections in America if they don’t like what the voters may decide.

The only antidote to decades of ruinous rule by a small handful of elites is a bold infusion of popular will. On every major issue affecting this country, the people are right and the governing elite are wrong. The elites are wrong on taxes, on the size of government, on trade, on immigration, on foreign policy.

Why should we trust the people who have made every wrong decision to substitute their will for America’s will in this presidential election?

Here, I part ways with Sen. Ted Cruz.

Mr. Cruz has toured the country bragging about his voterless victory in Colorado. For a man who styles himself as a warrior against the establishment (you wouldn’t know it from his list of donors and endorsers), you’d think he would be demanding a vote for Coloradans. Instead, Mr. Cruz is celebrating their disenfranchisement.

Likewise, Mr. Cruz loudly boasts every time party insiders disenfranchise voters in a congressional district by appointing delegates who will vote the opposite of the expressed will of the people who live in that district.

That’s because Mr. Cruz has no democratic path to the nomination. He has been mathematically eliminated by the voters.

While I am self-funding, Mr. Cruz rakes in millions from special interests. Yet despite his financial advantage, Mr. Cruz has won only three primaries outside his home state and trails me by two million votes—a gap that will soon explode even wider. Mr. Cruz loses when people actually get to cast ballots. Voter disenfranchisement is not merely part of the Cruz strategy—it is the Cruz strategy.

The great irony of this campaign is that the “Washington cartel” that Mr. Cruz rails against is the very group he is relying upon in his voter-nullification scheme.

My campaign strategy is to win with the voters. Ted Cruz’s campaign strategy is to win despite them.

What we are seeing now is not a proper use of the rules, but a flagrant abuse of the rules. Delegates are supposed to reflect the decisions of voters, but the system is being rigged by party operatives with “double-agent” delegates who reject the decision of voters.

The American people can have no faith in such a system. It must be reformed.

Just as I have said that I will reform our unfair trade, immigration and economic policies that have also been rigged against Americans, so too will I work closely with the chairman of the Republican National Committee and top GOP officials to reform our election policies. Together, we will restore the faith—and the franchise—of the American people.

We must leave no doubt that voters, not donors, choose the nominee.

How have we gotten to the point where politicians defend a rigged delegate-selection process with more passion than they have ever defended America’s borders?

Perhaps it is because politicians care more about securing their private club than about securing their country.

My campaign will, of course, battle for every last delegate. We will work within the system that exists now, while fighting to have it reformed in the future. But we will do it the right way. My campaign will seek maximum transparency, maximum representation and maximum voter participation.

We will run a campaign based on empowering voters, not sidelining them.

Let us take inspiration from patriotic Colorado citizens who have banded together in protest. Let us make Colorado a rallying cry on behalf of all the forgotten people whose desperate pleas have for decades fallen on the deaf ears and closed eyes of our rulers in Washington, D.C.

The political insiders have had their way for a long time. Let 2016 be remembered as the year the American people finally got theirs.

Link:

• Let Me Ask America a Question

*UPDATES* – Trump Ohio Attacker, Tommy DiMassimo, Featured In ISIS Propaganda Videos 2015 – Bernie Sanders Supporter…

This will obviously need numerous updates as more information flows in.

(The Last Refuge) An attempted physical attack on Donald Trump took place earlier today in Dayton Ohio – DETAILS HERE – The attacker was identified as Tommy DiMassimo.

A student of Wright University in Dayton Ohio, Tom Dimassimo is a progressive leftist thug who has participated in various protests including flag burning

By his own admissions DiMassimo is self-identified as an activist with Black Lives Matter, and various left-wing social justice groups.  In addition he’s a Bernie Sanders supporter.
However, shocking new video has now surfaced of Tommy DiMassimo also participating in ISIS propaganda videos, and possibly being a part of their anti-U.S. agenda... (continued)

Read More at The Last Refuge

Link:

• BREAKING – Trump Ohio Attacker, Tommy DiMassimo, Connected To ISIS – Suspect Featured In ISIS Propaganda Videos 2015…

Trump Wins 7 States: Full Super Tuesday Press Conference Video

VIDEO: Time Reporter Grabs Secret Service Agent’s Throat at Trump Rally

by John Nolte

According to The Independent Journal’s congressional reporter Joe Perticone, the man holding the camera in the video below is a journalist. Perticone writes, “Secret Service agent choke slams reporter. ” The video doesn’t show that, but it does show this reporter kicking the agent from an apparent defensive position.

Nevertheless, once whatever happened between the two men is over, and both are standing, watch the reporter suddenly reach out and grab the Secret Service agent’s throat....

Read More at Breitbart

Link:

• VIDEO: Time Reporter Grabs Secret Service Agent’s Throat at Trump Rally

Governor Jan Brewer endorses Donald Trump

By Kristen East

(Politico) Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Saturday endorsed Donald Trump for president.
Trump has made immigration a central issue in his campaign for president, vowing to build a wall along the southern border of the United States and promising to have Mexico pay for it.

"For years I pleaded with the federal government to do their job and secure our border. Today, we can elect a President who will do just that — Donald J. Trump," Brewer said in a statement released by Trump's campaign.

Brewer, 71, was governor of Arizona from 2009-2015. Her endorsement follows those of Maine Gov. Paul LePage and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie this week.

Link:

• Jan Brewer endorses Donald Trump

Related:

• Maine governor LePage joins Christie in endorsing Trump
• Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump

Maine governor LePage joins Christie in endorsing Trump

By Scott Bixby

(The Guardian) Hours after New Jersey governor and former Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie endorsed frontrunner Donald Trump’s campaign for the White House, Maine’s governor, Paul LePage, has thrown his support behind the real estate tycoon.

In an interview on the Howie Carr show, a Boston-area radio show, LePage endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign, telling Carr, “You know, we could do a lot worse. We could have another Obama in there, or Hillary Clinton. And we can’t afford that.”

“I think the governors have got to come out and pick your poison, because I’m telling you, we’ve got to stop the charade that went on last night,” LePage said, referring to the dogpile debate in Texas that featured nearly a minute of four-way crosstalk. He has a message to senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, who he accused of “killing” Trump: “You’re also killing the brand.”

“The one thing I like about Donald Trump, I’m not gonna say I agree with everything he’s saying... he’s showing a vision for the future,” LePage said. “He wants to make America great again, and he’s the only person doing that right now.”

LePage, who described himself in the interview as “just a schmuck from the streets,” told Carr that he had not spoken with Trump about his endorsement beforehand, although he had been considering doing so after Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential race...  (continued)

Read More at The Guardian

Link:

• Maine governor LePage joins Christie in endorsing Trump

Related:

• Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump

Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump

The Teflon Don(ald): Why Nothing Sticks to Trump - with Scott Adams creator of Dilbert

Dilbert creator Scott Adams tells CNN's Jake Tapper that Donald Trump is going to win, and win big.

"Face The Nation" Roundtable: After SC, History Is On Donald Trump's Side

From CBS via RealClearPolitics:



"Ron Brownstein of The Atlantic, Reihan Salam of the National Review, Mark Leibovich of the New York Times Magazine, and USA Today’s Susan Page break down presidential politics in the aftermath of the South Carolina and Nevada contests."

Link:

• "Face The Nation" Roundtable: After SC, History Is On Donald Trump's Side

Related:

• Post South Carolina Results – “The Looming Inferno”…

Post South Carolina Results – “The Looming Inferno”…

From Sundance at The Last Refuge:

Be of good cheer and enjoy the removal of one-half of the globalists 2016 objectives; indeed a difficult Rubicon has been successfully traversed.  However, do not be naïve in thinking one significant battle means the war has been won.

The bloodiest battle still lays ahead.

♦ Jeb Bush has been forced out of the race.  It cannot be overstated how significant this victory is in the grand scheme of things.  The foundational block, upon which the entire road-map was built, has been removed.  However, the GOPe engineers will now shift attention to a scorched earth campaign to benefit their retention of power.

We would all be wise to remember in 2014 Chris McDaniels actually defeated Thad Cochran in the first GOP Mississippi primary.  It was only after their initial defeat the GOPe decided to destroy anything that stood in their way – again, the retention of power was the ultimate motivator.

We can now expect those same DC influences, including the entire camp that supported Jeb Bush, the old guard, to work diligently (albeit under darkened cover) to assist Hillary Clinton, and destroy anything that would interrupt their grip on power.

Yes, the GOPe would rather lose to Hillary and retain their place at the trough than to see entry into their cloistered club by the Vulgarian Donald Trump.




That inevitable and predictable result was/is part of the original problem.

The full weight of the GOPe apparatus, Wall Street, the U.S. CoC, K-Street and the affiliated professional political class will now work hand-in-hand with the Democrats and left-wing media to destroy that which threatens them; namely Donald J Trump.  Attacks in all forms are only going to get worse from here on out.

Trump refusing to thank the Bush Clan upon exit was simply recognition of his awareness of what’s to come.  Trump, and the close circle around him, are well aware of what happens next….. They simply have to be.

♦ “Ceilings” – There will be much media obfuscation around Trump having ceilings, or limits to his appeal.  These necessarily promoted memes and narratives will have to be pushed to provide distraction and gaslight those voters with common sense.

In reality election results are ceilings themselves, and while they may proclaim Trump has a 35% +/- ceiling, the reality is yesterday Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz had ceilings around the 22% range.  Election results are ceilings.  Ceilings move along with the thinning out of campaign contestants.
FACT – As long as Trump’s “Ceiling” is higher than his competition he will continue to win, and there’s nothing on the visible horizon to indicate he will lose.  Talk of “ceilings” is merely obfuscation and denial of reality.

♦ John Kasich – Remember, Kasich will not even be competitive in most of the upcoming races.  Nor is Kasich on all of the upcoming state’s ballots.  So why does he stay in?  He is a loyal soldier for the Old Guard.  He still has a role to play, an agenda to deliver and promises to keep.

♦ Ted Cruz – Ted’s loss yesterday (as described here), showcases what we have outlined for a long time.  Team Cruz does not carry a pathway to a successful nomination. Period.  If Cruz cannot win a single county in 75% evangelical voter friendly South Carolina, where exactly can he win?

SEC primary states or not, Ted Cruz’s last and only firewall before an embarrassing, albeit lucrative, exit is Texas.  If Cruz doesn’t win Texas, he’s done.  But he needs to keep talking like it’s possible in order for the supporters to hit the donation buttons on the increasingly urgent and desperate emails.

Team Cruz talking points will center around beating Trump by a.) confronting Trump directly, or, b)  taking down Marco Rubio.  Except Cruz faces a reality problem.  Taking support from Rubio only benefits Trump, not Cruz.

♦ Marco Rubio – We have continually referenced readers to weigh only polling that is not agenda driven polling.  Meaning polling results which are not driven by insiders in the professional political game.  You can see from last night’s results the NBC/WSJ poll was insufferably wrong (derived from a PR firm).  So too was the Fox Poll, and almost all of the 48 hour polls prior to the actual voting in South Carolina.

However, in the non-agenda polling, done by actual political scientists without a financial stake in the outcome, you see a key point repeating over the past several months.  If you take down Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s numbers increase but not Ted Cruz.

The Southern Political Poll is a great representative example – SEE HERE.

Horse race #1 = first choice, Horse race #2 = second choice.

Only Donald Trump holds more than 50% when combining first and second preference in objective polling stats (again, agenda polls are useless for this analysis).

It is conversely true that Rubio would benefit from a Trump downfall or exit.  However, it is also true that any benefit therein to Cruz would be minimal.  Cruz’s base voters are the purest of ideological voters, as a consequence moderates do not traverse easily into that camp – even if their favorite issues are represented within it.

As we previously shared, in a three man race with Trump, Rubio and Cruz a generally admitted outcome would be:

• Trump 45-50%  (America-First Populists, blue collar and Reagan Dems, Blue dogs)
• Rubio 25-30% (Mainstream republicans, white collar, moderate GOPe)
• Cruz 20-25%  (Right-Wing, Staunch Faith-Value voters, Evangelicals)

We have not had an “America-First” (center-right) candidate for a long time.  That is the new paradigm everyone is struggling to define.  And when you combine that broad-based coalition it takes all the positional oxygen from the GOPe and far right.

America-first immigration policies; strong border security; Pro U.S. worker trade-policies; Main Street (not Wall Street) American worker interests; Local education (not common core); Strong national defense, but common sense non-intervention.  All policies dominated by Donald J Trump.

One of the historic truisms in the past several election cycles is the “Cruz Coalition”, as currently assembled, is the first to stay home when their candidate doesn’t win.  The socially-minded voter will never vote for a populist fiscal conservative/socially moderate candidate.  Cruz voters, and their advocates, are emotionally driven by social issues. Hence they yell a lot (See Mark Levin) and only respond well to others who are inside their echo-chamber... (continued)

Read More Here

Link:

• Post South Carolina Results – “The Looming Inferno”…

Pope spokesman clarifies Trump comment

By Lisa Hagen

(The Hill) A spokesperson for Pope Francis clarified the pontiff’s criticism of Donald Trump’s plan to build a border wall, saying that the remark wasn’t “a personal attack.”

On Thursday, the pope told reporters on his plane that building walls “is not Christian.”

But the pontiff’s spokesperson said it’s a comment he’s made before, adding that the pope wants to avoid weighing in on American politics.

“The Pope said what we already know, if we followed his teaching and positions: we shouldn’t build walls, but bridges,” the spokesperson said in a statement, according to CNBC. “It’s his generic view, coherent with the nature of solidarity from the gospel.”

“This wasn’t, in any way, a personal attack or an indication on who to vote for,” the spokesperson continued. “The Pope has clearly said he didn’t want to get involved in the electoral campaign in the US and also said that he said what he said on the basis of what he was told [about Trump], hence giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

During a Thursday rally in South Carolina, Trump needled the pontiff for his criticism and said that he publicly questioned his faith.

“For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful. I'm proud to be a Christian and as president, I will not allow Christianity to be consistently attacked and weakened, unlike what is happening now with our current president," he said.


But at a CNN town hall later that night, the real estate mogul said he respects Pope Francis, adding that “he has a lot of personality.”

"I think he said something much softer than was originally reported by the media," he said.

Link:

• Pope spokesman clarifies Trump comment

Related:

• Mom Whose Son Was Tortured to Death by Illegal Endorses Trump, Says ‘Pope Doesn’t Care About Me’
• Donald Trump's Response to the Pope
• Pope on Trump: Anyone who wants border walls isn't Christian 
• PHOTOS: Pope’s border wall around Vatican
• Oh Bergoglio not only ratified contraception, he ratified Eugenics  

Trump, Sanders win New Hampshire Primary

By Stephen Collinson

(CNN) Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders have cruised to victories in the New Hampshire primary, CNN projects, in results that will rock the establishments of both parties and confirm the strength of outsider candidates in a wild presidential race.

Trump's victory restores the mantle of a winner to the billionaire reality star's campaign after he finished second last week in Iowa and validates him as a powerful new force in American politics...

Link:

• New Hampshire primary: Trump, Sanders win

Marco Rubio Gives Same Memorized Mini-Speech Three Times at Debate

Related:

• Marco Rubio turns into 'Marcobot' in disastrous Republican debate gaffe
• Marco Rubio Repeats Similar Line Four Times in GOP Debate
• Rubio endures an assault in a rollicking Republican debate

 

Iowa Poll: Men, Catholics Prefer Trump

A closer look at the GOP's Iowa Poll Results

By Jennifer Jacobs

(The Des Moines Register)

Horse race rank: No. 1

Support: 28 percent, up from 22 percent

Mainstream Republicans are helping carry the New York businessman into the lead.

Thirty-eight percent of likely GOP caucusgoers identify themselves as primarily mainstream, rather than tea party or evangelical conservative, and Trump does better than any other candidate with 34 percent of their support. Rubio is next at 21 percent. Cruz gets only 10 percent of these voters.

Trump also wins with voters who think the system is rigged against all but the very rich and powerful, with 39 percent of their support, followed by Cruz at 19 percent.

Men, Catholics, and first-time caucusgoers prefer Trump over others.

Link:

•  A closer look at the GOP's Iowa Poll Results

Statement from Secretary of State Paul Pate Regarding Misleading Mailer from Cruz for President Campaign

DES MOINES – “Today I was shown a piece of literature from the Cruz for President campaign that misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law. Accusing citizens of Iowa of a “voting violation” based on Iowa Caucus participation, or lack thereof, is false representation of an official act. There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting. Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.

Additionally, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office never “grades” voters. Nor does the Secretary of State maintain records related to Iowa Caucus participation. Caucuses are organized and directed by the state political parties, not the Secretary of State, nor local elections officials. Also, the Iowa Secretary of State does not “distribute” voter records. They are available for purchase for political purposes only, under Iowa Code.” – Paul D. Pate, Iowa Secretary of State

Link:

• Statement from Secretary of State Paul Pate Regarding Misleading Mailer from Cruz for President Campaign

Related:

• Iowa Talk Show Host Steve Deace Shocked The Cruz Campaign Would Send Out “Shaming Letters”….
• Unbelievable – Ted Cruz Campaign Sends Out Personal “Shaming Letters” To Iowa Voters…