1. Cruz: ‘After many months of prayer…’
Perhaps the highest-profile Republican holdout in Trump’s march on Washington, senator and former candidate Ted Cruz, has searched his conscience and now supports Trump, he announced in a Facebook post.
'Searching my own conscience'
After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience, I have decided that on Election Day, I will vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump ... My conscience tells me I must do whatever I can to stop [Hillary Clinton].
– Senator Ted Cruz
Summary
Sure, Trump insulted his wife and linked his dad to the JFK assassination. Sure, Cruz called Trump a “pathological liar” and got booed off the convention stage for not endorsing the nominee. But have you seen Cruz’s poll numbers?
'I am greatly honored'
I am greatly honored by the endorsement of Senator Cruz. We have fought the battle and he was a tough and brilliant opponent. I look forward to working with him for many years to come in order to make America great again.
– Donald Trump
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3. Trump is racist, Americans tell pollsters
In an Associated Press-GfK poll, 51% of voters said the word “racist” describes Donald Trump “very/somewhat well”. In a YouGov/Economist survey, 49% thought Trump “intentionally tried to win support from white nationalists and racists”.
28% of voters find Trump ‘qualified’
4. Nice national polls for Clinton
An AP poll had Hillary Clinton ahead in a four-way race among likely voters 41-35. A McClatchy poll had her up 45-39, an NBC/WSJ poll had her up six points and a Reuters/Ipsos poll had her up four points – in line with averages.
5. Record audience anticipated for debate
As they prepared to meet onstage Monday night, Clinton was studying ways to get under Trump’s skin and Trump was studying Clinton’s past debates, the campaigns said. A record audience – 100m people? – is expected to tune in.
How the candidates are training
6. Major Ohio paper backs Clinton
The Cincinnati Enquirer, which hasn’t endorsed a Democrat for president in almost 100 years, went all in for Clinton. The paper is distributed in Hamilton County, a bellwether county in a crucial swing state. Not that people listen to newspapers…
Updated
'A clear and present danger'
Trump is a clear and present danger to our country. He has no history of governance … Do we really want someone in charge of our military and nuclear codes who has an impulse control problem? ... His narcissistic bid for the presidency is more about making himself great than America.
– The Cincinnati Enquirer
7. Clinton ad frames election for 'daughters'
Is this the president we want for our daughters? pic.twitter.com/GP4rfhPDGm
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 23, 2016
... and another thing:
Cruz: “To be honest, I don’t know where my dad was during the assassination of JFK."
— Ryan Teague Beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) September 23, 2016
... and another thing:
oh ted cruz is in the news? ok pic.twitter.com/A58m6EvsRl
— Philip Bump (@pbump) September 23, 2016
... and another thing:
I interviewed Gary Johnson this week. We talked about Trump, Clinton, Syria - and the debates, to which he said: 😛 https://t.co/W0VKER4FgY
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) September 23, 2016
