Ben Carson told Morning Joe that he’s been asked by some people to drop out of the presidential race, but his social media fans are “begging” him not to get out.
Said Carson: “They’re continuing to support us tremendously economically. So there is really no reason to disregard what they have to say.”
“It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS.”
— CBS executive chairman Leslie Moonves, quoted by the Hollywood Reporter, on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Politico: “Since the very beginning, the Cruz campaign has seen a strong Super Tuesday—when 595 delegates will be awarded—as the critical, defining moment in the effort to emerge as the consensus conservative choice. It’s the day Cruz has said will be an ‘amazing’ one for his team, the day his campaign has described to potential donors as the one that will demonstrate this campaign, unlike every other conservative insurgent campaign in recent memory, is built to last in a long nomination fight.”
“But Cruz walks into March 1 on his heels. He failed spectacularly in South Carolina, the first test of his appeal in the South, and is now on the defensive even in his home state of Texas. And if polls are to be believed, he could lose it all on Tuesday to Donald Trump—a man his political and personal opposite in almost every relevant way, yet one who has still managed to commandeer a significant slice of the anti-Washington conservative base Cruz long banked on.”
You're reading the free version of Political Wire
Upgrade to a paid membership for full access, exclusive analysis, the private Trial Balloon podcast, real-time trending news and an ad-free site. It’s quick and easy — and you can use Apple Pay.
Become a member. Already a member? Log in.
Washington Post: “Both visibly fatigued from weeks of breakneck travel, Cruz and Rubio campaigned Monday as if they were cramming for an exam. The senators volleyed stinging character attacks at Trump, one after another, in a desperate move to halt the billionaire mogul’s momentum.”
“But if the polls and roaring crowds that greeted Trump in Virginia and Georgia on Monday were any indication, he is steamrolling toward a triumphant showing Tuesday. Primaries or caucuses will take place in 11 states — seven across the South, as well as Alaska, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Vermont — and the only one Trump is not expected to win is Texas, where Cruz appears to be the favorite.”
FiveThirtyEight has a guide for every state voting today.
“President Obama is to confer in the Oval Office on Tuesday with Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader, and Sen. Charles Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, about filling the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. If everyone maintains previously stated positions, it might be a very short meeting,” the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Obama is adamant that he will name a nominee to the court, most likely in the next few weeks. Republicans remain just as adamant that they will not even meet with Mr. Obama’s nominee, let alone hold confirmation hearings.”
“I would not vote for Trump, clearly. If there is any, any, any other choice, a living, breathing person with a pulse, I would be there.”
— Former RNC Chairman Mel Martinez, quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
The latest NBC News/Survey Monkey national poll finds Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential field with 40% — a new high. He’s followed by Marco Rubio at 21%, Ted Cruz at 18%, Ben Carson at 8% and John Kasich at 7%.
In head-to-head match ups, Trump would beat Rubio, 52% to 46%, and top Cruz, 55% to 42%.
In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders, 51% to 41%.
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”
— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”
“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”
— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report
“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”
— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report
“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”
— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia
“Political Wire is a great, great site.”
— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”
“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”
— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post
“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”
— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit
“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”
— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.