USA TODAY - L awrence J ournal -W orld SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2015
ON POLITICS
Bush making campaign ‘adjustment’ Refocuses efforts on early-voting states after trimming staff
Cooper Allen
@coopallen USA TODAY
David Jackson USA TODAY
It was a week that’s likely to be pivotal in shaping the 2016 presidential race, as Vice President Biden passed on a run, and Hillary Clinton testified before the House Benghazi panel. More news from the world of politics: 43 IS NOT A TED CRUZ FAN They may share a home state, but George W. Bush reportedly isn’t an admirer of Texas’ junior senator. According to Politico, Bush, speaking to a group of donors recently, said of Cruz: “I just don’t like the guy.” Cruz, who worked on Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign, didn’t seem to take it hard, attributing the critique to the fact he’s running against the former president’s brother, Jeb, for the GOP presidential nomination.
CHARLESTON, S . C. Jeb Bush says he’s not reducing his presidential campaign, he is simply refocusing it with an eye toward the early caucus and primary states. “We’ve made an adjustment in our campaign,” Bush said Saturday before conducting a town hall in the pivotal state of South Carolina. “That’s what leaders do.” Stumping in the Palmetto State a day after his campaign announced staff reductions and pay cuts, Bush dismissed critics who said the changes reflect a struggling campaign that is losing ground to any number of rivals. “Blah, blah, blah,” Bush said.
Vice President Biden with President Obama: It’s too late. 2016 FIELD REACTS ON BIDEN Biden’s decision to to sit out the 2016 presidential race elicited a range of reactions from White House hopefuls. Hillary Clinton called Biden “a good man and a great vice president” who “helped save the auto industry and pull our economy back from the brink of depression.” Some Republicans used the moment to take swipes at Clinton. Donald Trump tweeted that he “would rather run against Hillary because her record is so bad.” STARS COME OUT FOR CLINTON New reports show that Clinton banked donations in the most recent quarter from such Hollywood stars as Matt Damon, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Republicans nabbed a few famous donors, too. Bush received $2,700 from country USA TODAY singer Toby Matt Damon Keith, while singer and producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds gave to Marco Rubio.
DEBATE LINEUP ANNOUNCED The GOP presidential field gathers Wednesday in Boulder, Colo., for its third debate. Trump, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Bush, Rubio, Cruz, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Chris Christie and Rand Paul will be on the main stage in prime time. Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki and Lindsey Graham qualified for the prelminary debate at 6 p.m. ET. The only real change? The absence of Scott Walker, who has left the race. Contributing: David Jackson, Fredreka Schouten and Christopher Schnaars
Corrections & Clarifications USA TODAY is committed to accuracy. To reach us, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones at 800-8727073 or e-mail accuracy@usatoday.com. Please indicate whether you’re responding to content online or in the newspaper.
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER
John Zidich EDITOR IN CHIEF
David Callaway CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER
Kevin Gentzel
7950 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Va. 22108, 703-854-3400 Published by Gannett The local edition of USA TODAY is published daily in partnership with Gannett Newspapers Advertising: All advertising published in USA TODAY is subject to the current rate card; copies available from the advertising department. USA TODAY may in its sole discretion edit, classify, reject or cancel at any time any advertising submitted. National, Regional: 703-854-3400 Reprint permission, copies of articles, glossy reprints: www.GannettReprints.com or call 212-221-9595 USA TODAY is a member of The Associated Press and subscribes to other news services. USA TODAY, its logo and associated graphics are registered trademarks. All rights reserved.
again referred to the early Republican contests during the town hall hosted by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. Scott — who has not yet endorsed in the primary — said after the town hall he doesn’t think Bush’s campaign changes will hurt him in South Carolina. The senator compared the slim-down to the diet that Bush himself used to lose weight. “I think he’s doing the Paleo diet to his campaign,” Scott said. Also appearing at the town hall: U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., two days after chairing a hearing in which Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton testified about the 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. “I don’t know what y’all were doing Thursday,” Gowdy told the crowd. “I had a rough Thursday.”
BERNIE SANDERS’ CAMPAIGN ENTERS ‘PERSUASION’ PHASE Nicole Gaudiano
EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
“That’s my answer — blah, blah, Iowa caucuses, the New Hampblah.” shire primary, the South Carolina The cuts came after a slide in primary and the Nevada caucuspolls showing the former Florida es. He said he is also taking aim at governor well behind Donald a March 1 group of primaries, inTrump, Ben Carson and cluding key Southern other Republican candistates like Georgia and dates, creating some unTexas. rest among Bush donors. “We have a campaign In response, Bush that is designed to win,” cited a number of candiBush said. “And I’m godates who have held ing to win.” early leads in Republican In discussing his camcontests and then faded, paign changes, Bush also talked about the changa list that ranges from GETTY IMAGES ing nature of the RepubHerman Cain to Rudy lican race. He cited a Giuliani. John McCain, Jeb Bush “new phenomenon” of meanwhile, rallied from candidates who have risinternal campaign troubles to win the 2008 Republican en in the polls without any previpresidential nomination. ous political experience, an “October is not when you elect apparent reference to Donald people,” Bush said before hosting Trump and Ben Carson. He dea town hall at a Catholic high scribed them as “the front-runschool in Charleston. ners right now” who will be “held Bush said his efforts now focus to account, just like all of us will.” on four contests in February: the Later Saturday morning, Bush
3B
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON Iowa and New Hampshire voters, prepare to hear even more from Sen. Bernie Sanders. The underdog candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, armed with more than $30 million, has hired a pollster and will start running ads in the two states early next month. After proving he can draw crowds in the thousands, Sanders is moving toward the “persuasion” phase of his candidacy. He’ll hold smaller events in the two early-voting states, in addition to his mega-rallies, so he can take questions from undecided voters, according to Tad Devine, Sanders’ senior media strategist. Vice President Biden’s decision to opt out of the 2016 campaign helps solidify Sanders’ position as the Democratic Party’s alternative to front-runner Hillary Clinton. But Devine said that doesn’t impact Sanders’ strategy. “From the beginning, this campaign really has not been about opponents, it’s been about Bernie and his message,” Devine said. “We’re not going to deviate from that strategic course.” It’s unclear how a Biden bid would have affected Sanders’ chances, but national polls suggest the vice president’s absence could make Sanders’ path toward the nomination even more challenging. Four polls taken since the first Democratic debate on Oct. 13 showed Clinton’s lead over Sanders jumped from an average of 23.5 percentage points to an average of 30 when Biden was excluded as an option. “Now she is the formidable front-runner again,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute in New Jersey. “It doesn’t look like (Sanders) can make this up. Even if he pulls off a win in New Hampshire, the problem is he doesn’t have the blue-collar
Gatherings to get more intimate; policy specifics on way
“This campaign really has not been about opponents, it’s been about Bernie and his message.” Tad Devine, Sanders’ senior media strategist
SCOTT OLSON, GETTY IMAGES
Democrat Bernie Sanders speaks at a fundraising concert Friday in Davenport, Iowa. vote, he doesn’t have the Latino or African-American vote. When we get to Super Tuesday, those groups are going to dominate.” James Campbell, a political science professor at the University at Buffalo, said Biden’s decision helps Clinton. He said the opposition Clinton faces from Sanders was a secondary concern compared with the significance of her performance Thursday testifying before the House committee on Benghazi, and the controversy over her use of a private email server while secretary of State. Now “most likely the only way she is not getting that nomination would be a self-destruction,” he said in a statement. Devine disagreed, saying Sanders’ path is clearer because Biden cited priorities in his Wednesday announcement that are similar to Sanders’, such as the need for
campaign finance reform and to end income inequality. “Now we don’t have someone competing that directly with us on that message terrain,” Devine said. Sanders has begun to show his lighter side, dancing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and joking about comedian Larry David’s portrayal of him on Saturday Night Live. David bragged, in Sanders’ characteristic shout, that he had only one clean pair of underwear, prompting Sanders to assure reporters in Iowa he has “an ample supply of underwear.” Part of Sanders’ strategy is to begin speaking more substantively on issues, including what it means to be a democratic socialist, the term he uses to describe his politics. He plans to offer more specifics about his economic plan, including his ideas for
taxes and generating revenue. Another topic: how he’d handle being commander in chief. The campaign has continued to draw significant small contributions, according to Devine. Between Sept. 28 and Oct. 15, it raised $6.7 million in contributions of less than $200. That has allowed the campaign to continue to hire staff, open field offices and conduct research to begin advertising. The campaign hired pollster Ben Tulchin, who previously worked for former Democratic National Committee chairman and former presidential candidate Howard Dean, Devine said. “It shows that the debate was a hell of a good night,” Devine said. “But it also shows that we’re building a campaign structure that is going to allow us to compete for resources all the way through this election.”
IN BRIEF UAW SETS SUNDAY GM STRIKE DEADLINE
The UAW on Saturday set a deadline in its contract talks with General Motors of 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, at which point the union could call a strike if a tentative agreement has not been reached. “Your UAW-GM bargaining team has served official notice to GM terminating the National Agreement and Salaried Master Agreement effective at 11:59 p.m. Sunday October 25,” the union said in a Facebook posting to the membership about 3 p.m. on Saturday. The UAW’s decision to set the deadline comes two days after it resumed high-level discussions with the automaker. — Alisa Priddle and Brent Snavely, Detroit Free Press OBAMA PLAN LIMITS STANDARDIZED TESTING
President Obama says students are spending too much time in the classroom taking tests, many of them unnecessary, and urged officials in the nation’s schools to
HANGING TOUGH FOR HALLOWEEN
posted on Facebook. ‘‘So we’re going to work with states, school districts, teachers and parents to make sure that we’re not obsessing about testing.’’ — Christopher Doering POLICE ‘VIRAL VIDEOS’ LINKED TO VIOLENCE RISE
FREDERIC J. BROWN, AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Surfers dressed up for Halloween conquer the waves at Newport Beach, Calif., on Saturday at the 11th annual Blackies Classics Longboard Association Halloween Surf Day. take steps to administer fewer and more meaningful exams. The White House said Saturday the proliferation of testing in the United States — a problem the administration acknowledged it had played a role in — has taken away too much valuable time that can be better spent learning,
teaching and fostering creativity in schools. To curb excessive testing, Obama recommended limiting standardized testing to no more than 2% of a student’s instructional time in the classroom. ‘‘Learning is about so much more than just filling in the right bubble,’’ Obama said in a video
Recent criticism and scrutiny of police departments and viral videos of officer-involved killings might explain the rise in violent crime in some cities, FBI Director James Comey said Friday. Comey made the remarks in a speech at the University of Chicago Law School, lending the prestige of the FBI to a theory that is far from settled: that the increased attention on the police has made officers less aggressive and emboldened criminals, according to The New York Times. The paper added that Comey acknowledged that there is so far no data to back up his assertion and that it may be just one of many factors that are contributing to the rise in crime, like cheaper drugs and an increase in criminals being released from prison. — Yamiche Alcindor