By Maya Rhodan. Donald Trump’s statement that he would ban Muslims from entering the U.S. “disqualifies him from serving as president,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said of the Republican candidate during a press briefing on Tuesday.

“What Mr. Trump said is deeply offensive,” Earnest said. “It’s morally reprehensible. It runs counter to the U.S. Constitution” and threatens national security, he added.

Earnest also slammed Trump’s campaign as a “carnival barker routine” that was rooted “in the dustbin of history.” Earnest said the “question now is about the rest of the Republican party and whether they’re going to be dragged into the dustbin of history with him.” He called on Republicans to condemn a Trump presidency. (Read more from “The White House Just Made a Ridiculous Claim of What Will Happen to Trump with His Muslim Ban” HERE)

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Despite Outcry, Muslim Ban Unlikely to Spell Quick Fall for Trump

By Tribune News Service. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s proposal to bar Muslims from entering the U.S. won’t destroy his candidacy; but it would severely threaten the party’s chance at the White House in 2016 if he’s the nominee, GOP strategists and pundits said.

Trump in a statement on Monday called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S. until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on,” days after a mass shooting in California that authorities say was an act of terrorism by a radicalized Muslim couple.

His plan ignited a firestorm among rival Republicans, Democrats and party chairmen in the three states that will hold the first nomination votes next year. But GOP voters’ antipathy toward Islam and frustration with President Barack Obama, plus competitors’ inability to outmuscle Trump so far, suggest this won’t be the uproar that finally ends his bid and clears the way for a stronger nominee to face Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic standard-bearer.

“Hate Donald Trump all you want, be offended by his proposal all you want, but it is really brilliant politics for Trump right now in the Republican primary and the reactions from the other candidates prove it,” wrote conservative radio host Erick Erickson. Candidates “attacking Trump on his immigration proposals now attacking him on this have done themselves no favors within the primary process” by aligning themselves with Obama on both issues in voters’ eyes.

Trump’s critics have become all too familiar with the pattern: The New York billionaire says something they consider offensive, sexist or racist; prognosticators forecast his downfall; but he stays strong or even rises in GOP polls. The pattern held when Trump trashed migrants from Mexico, attacked Sen. John McCain’s war record and insulted Fox News host Megyn Kelly. (Read more from “Despite Outcry, Muslim Ban Unlikely to Spell Quick Fall for Trump” HERE)

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By Jack Davis. Donald Trump is dominating the Republican presidential contest, according to a new CNN/ORC poll that shows Trump with more than twice the support of his nearest opponent.

The poll shows that 36% of registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents support Trump. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas is at 16 percent. Ben Carson is at 14 percent. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is at 12 percent. No other candidate tops the 5 percent mark.

The CNN/ORC poll showed an 8 point decline for Ben Carson, a 5 point decline for former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush and a 4 point decline for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., since the mid-October CNN/ORC poll. Trump rose 9 points since the last poll. Cruz rose 12 points and Rubio rose 4 points.

Trump showed big margins in the poll when it came to big issues. On the economy, 55 percent said they trust him the most to handle this vital issue, 46 percent ahead of his nearest rival. In the war against ISIS, 46 percent said they trust him the most, a 31-point margin over his nearest foe.

Trump stands tallest among Republican voters who consider an issue to be “extremely important.” On the economy, 60 percent of those who said that issue was extremely important said Trump could best handle it. For voters for whom immigration is extremely important, 55 percent back Trump to lead. For voters who think terrorism is extremely important, 49 percent back Trump to lead the fight against ISIS. (Read more from “The 2016 Race Just Got a ‘Bombshell’ Dropped on It- Trump Is Grinning from Ear-To-Ear” HERE)

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Donald Trump’s Latest 9/11 Claim Draws More Scrutiny

By Reena Flores. In an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” that aired just days after the fatal San Bernardino shooting, Donald Trump claimed that he would “go after the wives” and families of terrorists because they “absolutely knew it was happening” — just like, he said, terrorists’ wives and families knew during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

“I will tell you, I would be very tough on families,” Trump promised. “Because the families know what’s happening.”

Trump has pushed differing variations of this solution before: On Fox News last week, he said that “when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families.”

Speaking with “Face the Nation” moderator John Dickerson, Trump said “common sense” was his motivation to go after terrorists’ families.

But he also cited the attacks on September 11, 2001 as a main reason to do so. (Read more from “Donald Trump’s Latest 9/11 Claim Draws More Scrutiny” HERE)

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Bombastic businessman Donald Trump has once again surged ahead of his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination, according to a new national Quinnipiac poll.

Trump wins the support of 27 percent of Republican voters in this poll, while Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida comes in second place with 17 percent. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who was once in the lead in some polls, now earns 16 percent, as does Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush garners 5 percent support, while no other GOP candidate tops 3 percent. Eight percent of Republican voters surveyed said they are undecided.

In a national Quinnipiac poll released a month ago, Trump and Carson were in a virtual tie.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what he says or who he offends, whether the facts are contested or the ‘political correctness’ is challenged, Donald Trump seems to be wearing Kevlar,” Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said in a statement. “The GOP, 11 months from the election, has to be thinking, ‘This could be the guy.'”

While Trump has a commanding lead, he remains controversial. As many as 26 percent of Republican voters in the survey say they would “definitely not support” Trump. Bush also faces resistance, with 21 percent saying they would definitely not support the former governor. (Read more from “Donald Trump Still Dominating as Ben Carson Fades in GOP Race, Poll Shows” HERE)

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The front-running GOP presidential candidate, who often has crowds laughing during his rallies, threatened to change his jokey style because it results in him being misrepresented — both in the press and in attack ads from his opponents.

“They take two second snippets,” he exclaimed before settling back into his usual style, comedy included.

But that’s not the only threat Trump levied. In a chilly arena that was transformed from an ice rink into an event space by laying down plastic tiles to cover the rink floor, the businessman put a price on his participation at the coming CNN Republican debate: $5 million.

“How about I tell CNN, who doesn’t treat me properly … I’m not gonna do the next debate, okay?” The demand garnered tepid applause from the crowd.

Trump zeroed in more on his idea: “I won’t do the debate unless they pay me $5 million, all of which goes to Wounded Warriors or goes to vets.” (Read more from “Trump Proposes Insane Ransom for Showing up at CNN Debate, but There’s a Good Reason for It” HERE)

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