2016 Presidential Election Thread

And we're still talking about Dayton.

Trump to take break from campaign trail for jury duty

HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) — Donald Trump's status as the Republican presidential front-runner can't keep him from jury duty.

Trump is taking a break from the campaign trail Monday to appear for jury duty in New York City. He says he's "looking forward to appearing."

Trump confirmed the summons on Friday before a campaign rally in New Hampshire, home of the first presidential primary.

The New York Daily News reported in June that Trump had ignored five jury summonses since 2006. A judge fined the billionaire $250.

Iowa State Fair: 2016 comes to the Hawkeye State


Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)Presidential candidates of every stripe are at the Iowa State Fair this weekend, where they'll mingle with voters in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, take questions on the Des Moines Register Soapbox and, of course, chow down on some deep-fried food.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will collide there on Saturday, along with a spate of other candidates, while Jeb Bush arrived on Friday. It's a must-visit destination for anyone -- whether they're a real estate magnate or a former secretary of state -- who wants to be president.

Scroll down for a look at what's happening. All times are Eastern.

Trump touches down at the fair
(1:20 p.m.)

The Donald made his entrance in grand fashion, landing in his private helicopter that has "TRUMP" emblazoned on its side. He is planning to give children a free ride on his helicopter, and although the fair won't allow him to give rides on fairgrounds, CNN's Maeve Reston, Jeremy Diamond and Eugene Scott reported Friday that the "Apprentice" star will instead take off from a parking lot outside the fair.

Earlier, Trump live-streamed his arrival to Iowa, touching down at Des Moines Airport shortly before noon. You can watch the clip here:

Clinton responds to latest controversy over her email
(12:49 p.m.)

The Democratic front-runner met a cow before meeting the press at the fair, CNN's Eric Bradner reports. She was introduced by former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who endorsed Clinton earlier this week.

She was immediately asked about the swirling controversy over her use of a private email server while she led the State Department. On Friday night, Clinton joked about why she loves the social media app Snapchat, saying, "those messages disappear all by themselves."

But Clinton dismissed any suggestion that she was taking the controversy too lightly when asked by CNN's Jeff Zeleny on Saturday.

"I never sent classified material on my email and I never received any that was marked classified," Clinton said, repeating a claim she's made repeatedly. "I'm going to let whatever this inquiry is to go forward and we'll await the outcome of it."

Moreover, Clinton said, the issue isn't brought up when she meets Americans on the campaign trail.

"It is never raised in my town halls," she said.

She was also asked about comments made by Bush, who earlier this week blamed Clinton and President Barack Obama for withdrawing troops too quickly from Iraq. Clinton said she found it "somewhat curious" that Bush is defending his brother's record in Iraq.

"If he's going to do that, he should present the entire picture, including the agreement that Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2012 as the date to withdraw American troops," Clinton said.

Not surprisingly, Clinton was swarmed by media everywhere she went at the fair.

Livestock in the Hawkeye State
(10:46 a.m.)

There are lots of opportunities to check out pigs, goats and even a butter cow at the Iowa State Fair. At this year's fair, there is a "Pig Place," "Animal Learning Center," "Sheep Stop," "Horse Haven," "Cattle Corner" and more, according to the fair's official website.

CNN's Betsy Klein stumbled upon a cattle crossing on her way to see Clinton at the fair.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond and Sara Murray hung out with some pigs on Friday.

A foot-long corndog?
(10:31 a.m.)

The Iowa State Fair has been known for its odd food offerings, and this year has been no different. Dispatches from CNN Politics reporters show the unique variety of the Iowa State Fair diet:

Meet Trump's man in Iowa
(7:55 a.m.)

CNN's Jeremy Diamond speaks to the man leading Trump's operation in Iowa to examine how the real estate mogul is redefining what it means to campaign at the Iowa State Fair.

Veteran Iowa political operative Chuck Laudner previously carried Rick Santorum to surprising success at the 2012 Iowa caucus -- but don't expect Trump to hop into Laudner's famed pickup truck, nicknamed the "Chuck Truck."

"No, no, not gonna happen," Laudner said in an interview Friday at the fair.

Trump will descend onto Iowa from the sky from one of his private aircrafts before setting aside some time to give kids a lift in his helicopter.

Jeb cheats on Paleo diet
(Friday, 7:51 p.m.)

Bush shared his secret for making the "Paleo" diet work: cheating.

"The only way to be on the diet is to cheat," he told one reporter, according to CNN's Ashley Killough. In more than four hours at the fair, he had a fried Snickers bar, a beer and a fried potato chip.

He also had a pork chop on a stick, but meat is a key staple for anyone on the so-called "caveman diet" that only allows meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and most nuts.

Bush's marked success on the diet has become a key topic of conversation for voters and journalists who cover him, in part because of how rarely public figures openly discuss their eating habits.

Since starting the diet after Thanksgiving of last year, Bush has lost at least 40 pounds.

How to survive the Iowa State Fair
(Friday, 6:51 p.m.)

CNN's Chris Moody talked to some veteran Iowa operatives to show how to make it through the fair unscathed. Among the tips: wear comfortable shoes and stay away from the corn dogs. You can watch the rest of Moody's takeaways below.

Story highlights
Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)Presidential candidates of every stripe are at the Iowa State Fair this weekend, where they'll mingle with voters in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, take questions on the Des Moines Register Soapbox and, of course, chow down on some deep-fried food.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will collide there on Saturday, along with a spate of other candidates, while Jeb Bush arrived on Friday. It's a must-visit destination for anyone -- whether they're a real estate magnate or a former secretary of state -- who wants to be president.

Scroll down for a look at what's happening. All times are Eastern.

Trump touches down at the fair
(1:20 p.m.)

The Donald made his entrance in grand fashion, landing in his private helicopter that has "TRUMP" emblazoned on its side. He is planning to give children a free ride on his helicopter, and although the fair won't allow him to give rides on fairgrounds, CNN's Maeve Reston, Jeremy Diamond and Eugene Scott reported Friday that the "Apprentice" star will instead take off from a parking lot outside the fair.

Earlier, Trump live-streamed his arrival to Iowa, touching down at Des Moines Airport shortly before noon. You can watch the clip here:

Clinton responds to latest controversy over her email
(12:49 p.m.)

The Democratic front-runner met a cow before meeting the press at the fair, CNN's Eric Bradner reports. She was introduced by former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who endorsed Clinton earlier this week.

She was immediately asked about the swirling controversy over her use of a private email server while she led the State Department. On Friday night, Clinton joked about why she loves the social media app Snapchat, saying, "those messages disappear all by themselves."

But Clinton dismissed any suggestion that she was taking the controversy too lightly when asked by CNN's Jeff Zeleny on Saturday.

"I never sent classified material on my email and I never received any that was marked classified," Clinton said, repeating a claim she's made repeatedly. "I'm going to let whatever this inquiry is to go forward and we'll await the outcome of it."

Moreover, Clinton said, the issue isn't brought up when she meets Americans on the campaign trail.

"It is never raised in my town halls," she said.


She was also asked about comments made by Bush, who earlier this week blamed Clinton and President Barack Obama for withdrawing troops too quickly from Iraq. Clinton said she found it "somewhat curious" that Bush is defending his brother's record in Iraq.

"If he's going to do that, he should present the entire picture, including the agreement that Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2012 as the date to withdraw American troops," Clinton said.

Not surprisingly, Clinton was swarmed by media everywhere she went at the fair.

Livestock in the Hawkeye State
(10:46 a.m.)

There are lots of opportunities to check out pigs, goats and even a butter cow at the Iowa State Fair. At this year's fair, there is a "Pig Place," "Animal Learning Center," "Sheep Stop," "Horse Haven," "Cattle Corner" and more, according to the fair's official website.

CNN's Betsy Klein stumbled upon a cattle crossing on her way to see Clinton at the fair.

CNN's Jeremy Diamond and Sara Murray hung out with some pigs on Friday.

A foot-long corndog?
(10:31 a.m.)

The Iowa State Fair has been known for its odd food offerings, and this year has been no different. Dispatches from CNN Politics reporters show the unique variety of the Iowa State Fair diet:

Meet Trump's man in Iowa
(7:55 a.m.)

CNN's Jeremy Diamond speaks to the man leading Trump's operation in Iowa to examine how the real estate mogul is redefining what it means to campaign at the Iowa State Fair.

Veteran Iowa political operative Chuck Laudner previously carried Rick Santorum to surprising success at the 2012 Iowa caucus -- but don't expect Trump to hop into Laudner's famed pickup truck, nicknamed the "Chuck Truck."

"No, no, not gonna happen," Laudner said in an interview Friday at the fair.

Trump will descend onto Iowa from the sky from one of his private aircrafts before setting aside some time to give kids a lift in his helicopter.

Jeb cheats on Paleo diet
(Friday, 7:51 p.m.)

Bush shared his secret for making the "Paleo" diet work: cheating.

"The only way to be on the diet is to cheat," he told one reporter, according to CNN's Ashley Killough. In more than four hours at the fair, he had a fried Snickers bar, a beer and a fried potato chip.




He also had a pork chop on a stick, but meat is a key staple for anyone on the so-called "caveman diet" that only allows meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and most nuts.

Bush's marked success on the diet has become a key topic of conversation for voters and journalists who cover him, in part because of how rarely public figures openly discuss their eating habits.

Since starting the diet after Thanksgiving of last year, Bush has lost at least 40 pounds.

How to survive the Iowa State Fair
(Friday, 6:51 p.m.)

CNN's Chris Moody talked to some veteran Iowa operatives to show how to make it through the fair unscathed. Among the tips: wear comfortable shoes and stay away from the corn dogs. You can watch the rest of Moody's takeaways below.


Bush pressed over Iraq
(Friday, 11:55 a.m.)

CNN's Tal Kopan and Ashley Killough report: Friday's big news at the fair came when Bush stood up on the soapbox, where every candidate is invited to take questions from the audience. This is where Mitt Romney famously declared that "corporations are people" in 2011.

This year, Bush got grief over the Iraq War launched by his brother. One of the fair-goers asked Bush whether he was being advised by Paul Wolfowitz, George W. Bush's deputy secretary of defense and the architect of his Iraq War policy.

Bush said Wolfowitz was providing some advice, but he insisted he was his "own person" and pointed the audience to the foreign policy speech he gave earlier this week in California, saying that was where he articulated his policies if spectators wanted more information.

CNN's Eugene Scott and Daniella Diaz contributed to this report.

This is getting interesting. Clinton will have to stop ignoring Sanders soon, she'll have to go after him in some way. Trouble is, I don't see how she comes out looking any better from that.