Welcome to The Lid, your afternoon dose of the 2016 ethos…Bernie Sanders told Ellen DeGeneres that the Republican he would choose to be stuck on an island with is Marco Rubio because the Florida senator is “used to the sun.” Similarly, Rubio said Sanders is the Democrat he would most like to time travel with because the oft disheveled senator is “used to the DeLorean.”
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’16 AT 30 THOUSAND
Jeb Bush’s campaign previously said they raised between $12-20 million in the third quarter. And we found out today that the final number is wayyyy closer to 12 than 20. Team Bush announced their final haul was $13.4 million between July and September, a number that tops many of his GOP rivals. But, according to the figures released from the campaign, they have LESS money in the bank ($10.3 million) than rivals like Ben Carson ($11.5 million), Marco Rubio ($11 million) and Ted Cruz ($13.5 million).
Bush aides were quick to note to reporters that the former Florida governor’s third quarter is close to what eventual GOP nominee Mitt Romney brought in during the same stretch in 2011. But rivals were jumped on the number -- especially the cash on hand -- as another sign of Bush’s vulnerability. (In a press release, the Rubio campaign said “thanks to smart budgeting and fiscal discipline,” they have more money in the bank than Bush and many other campaigns.)
And to put Bush’s numbers in further perspective, think about this -- Bush raised $11.4 million in the 16 days after announcing his presidential bid. That’s why it is no surprise that the pro-Bush super PAC Right to Rise said Thursday that they are preparing a $17 million ad buy in the states holding the SEC primaries in March, a sign to doubters that his supporters plan for him to be in it for the long run.
POPPING ON NBC POLITICS
- From one of us(!): Jeb Bush raised about $13.4 million between July and September, falling short of rival Ben Carson's expected $20 million third quarter fundraising haul but besting other Republican hopefuls like Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina.
- Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to boycott the next Republican debate, NBC’s Alex Jaffe reports.
- Iowa embeds Vaughn Hillyard and Daniel Freeman take an in-depth look at Donald Trump’s ground game in the Hawkeye State.
- Hillary Clinton picked up the endorsement of Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, the second member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet and first major Latino figure to endorse her.
- And First Read this morning tried to explain the “Ben Carson Phenomenon.”
CAMPAIGN QUICK READS
CHAFEE: His campaign is on life support, the New York Times reports.
BUSH: Bush’s super PAC is ready to buy $17 million in television ads during the SEC primary in March.
PAUL: His campaign released a memo saying the media is pushing a false narrative that Paul is “on the ropes.”
FIORINA: Her deputy campaign manager took a shot at Trump and Carson for protesting a three hour debate.
FOR THE RECORD…
“You’re going to wind up looking silly if you keep going on like this.”
- CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to Lincoln Chafee on Wednesday.
TOMORROW’S SKED
It’s a big day in New Hampshire with Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, Chris Christie, George Pataki and Rand Paul all in the Granite State.
Donald Trump rallies in Massachusetts, while Ben Carson holds a closed fundraiser in Virginia.
Longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin will testify in a closed-door meeting with the Benghazi Select Committee.
