Clinton, Sanders at odds over newly proposed NH debate

Nearly twice as many people showed up to caucus in 2008 for the Democratic candidates as had in recent Iowa presidential contests, something largely attributed to Obama’s strong appeal and even stronger ground organization. His campaign is fueled by young, energetic boosters and people fed up with establishment politics.

The same poll put Mrs Clinton’s lead at 51 per cent, 14 points ahead of closest rival, self-described democratic socialist Bernie Sanders.

Mr Trump’s support stands at 41 per cent, according to the latest CNN/ORC poll. But the fireworks Tuesday were on the Republican side.

Quinnipiac’s assistant director of the poll, Peter Brown says everything depends on who shows up Caucus night. She also pointed out that whether young voters are behind her or Sanders, she’s just glad to see them engaged and paying attention to the political process.

“The DNC has said this would be an unsanctioned debate so we would not want to jeopardize our ability to participate in future debates”, Sanders’ campaign manager Jeff Weaver said. Mr Trump’s lead of 31 per cent against Mr Cruz’s 29 per cent fell within the margin of error.

Mr Trump’s declaration was another twist in the final days of the Iowa campaign. The real estate mogul had threatened repeatedly to boycott debates before, only to ultimately acquiesce.

But the public comity aside, Cruz was working behind the scenes to undercut Trump’s claim to be a true conservative. “You know look, I’ve been around a long time”.

On the Democratic side, Obama has sought to avoid showing explicit favoritism in the primary. But on the town hall stage on Monday, she pushed back at Sanders’ judgment argument by evoking Obama, who remains popular with Democratic voters and was critical of her Iraq War vote when the two competed in 2008.

The White House announced Tuesday evening that Obama will meet with Sanders after receiving his morning briefing and meeting with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Vice President Biden.

Just a day earlier, Clinton had been soaking in presidential praise.

The only foreign policy questions of the night went to Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The tete-a-tete will not be the first between the two men since Sanders joined the presidential campaign and has been in the making at least since last month, when Sanders was at the White House for the Congressional Holiday Ball.

The Democratic presidential candidate regularly bemoans income inequality and has proposed raising taxes on the nation’s wealthiest to fund programs aimed at changing the shape of incomes in the United States.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley spoke with candor and poise.

Sanders, in an Associated Press interview Tuesday, waxed confident that he had an “excellent chance” to win Iowa.