Welcome to The Lid, your afternoon dose of the 2016 ethos… Real-estate mogul Donald Trump offered former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz “free legal advice” on Thursday. We’re just waiting for Cruz to return the favor by offering Trump advice on how to make millions flipping homes in his spare time.
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‘16 from 30,000
With Donald Trump set to hold a (wayyyy overbooked) rally in Vermont tonight, we’re pretty much guaranteed to see fireworks between Trump backers and Sanders supporters in the Bernie stronghold of Burlington. But it’s worth remembering that the two sides could have a few policy items to bond over despite their differences. As The Atlantic’s Molly Ball pointed out this week, both men have eschewed super PACs; both are skeptics of free-flowing global trade; and both have been outspoken about their past opposition to the Iraq War. And supporters of both candidates express a particular brand of anger at the status quo and a desire for radical change. One interesting difference between the groups, though, might be exactly where they place blame for their economic woes. In our latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, we asked whether folks were more concerned “that the wealthy are rigging the system for the rich” or that there is “diminishing opportunity for average people.” Trump supporters cited the “diminished opportunity” answer by a huge margin -- 73% to 22%. But Democratic primary voters overall are much more divided, with a majority - 52 percent - citing the influence of the rich as their top concern.
POPPING ON NBC POLITICS
- Donald Trump again assailed Bill and Hillary Clinton Thursday for the former president's sexual indiscretions, one of us (!) wrote. While campaigning for his wife in Iowa, Bill Clinton said, "I don't have a response. If he wins the Republican nomination, we'll have plenty of time to talk about it if Hillary wins."
- Trump’s campaign has distributed 20,000 tickets to a rally tonight in space that seats just 1,400.
- Marco Rubio called the attention being given to the high-heeled boots he recently sported on the campaign trail is “craziness,” NBC’s Alex Jaffe writes.
- Rubio sharpened his tone on Cuban immigrants to the U.S., saying the influx of Cubans to the U.S. Is “becoming a real crisis."
- Chris Christie had some sharp words for Rubio, telling radio host Laura Ingraham that Hillary Clinton would "pat him on the head and then cut his heart out."
- Ted Cruz attempted to clear up his stance on an issue particularly important in Iowa -- the Renewable Fuel Standard, NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard reports.
- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi waded into the Cruz eligibility dispute, NBC’s Alex Moe reports.
- Martin O’Malley said Ted Cruz is more “outrageous and unqualified” to be president than Donald Trump.
- First Read this AM explains the Cruz-Trump ‘bromance.’
FOR THE RECORD…
“Reaching for a piece of string cheese from the mini-fridge, Kasich grumbled that even if Trump loses an early state, “he’ll probably flip everybody off and go up in the polls.”
Washington Post profile of John Kasich on the campaign trail
TOMORROW’S SKED
Ted Cruz, Rick Santorum, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders campaign in Iowa.
Marco Rubio holds a town hall with Rep. Jason Chaffetz in New Hampshire before heading to South Carolina. Jeb Bush and Donald Trump will also hold events in the Palmetto State.
John Kasich campaigns in New Hampshire.
Chris Christie holds a fundraiser with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in Baltimore.
