ABC News: ‘More and More Prominent Republicans Turning Their Backs’ on Cruz

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

SPENCER: “Now to the race for president. Sarah Palin hitting the campaign trail with Donald Trump. As the billionaire opens up his biggest lead yet in New Hampshire. And more high-profile Republicans have come forward to endorse the front-runner. ABC’s Tom llamas is in Des Moines, Iowa. Good morning to you, Tom.”
LLAMAS: “Lara, good morning to you. With support growing for Donald Trump, he’s still chipping away at Senator Ted Cruz but with ten days to go before the caucuses Senator Ted Cruz is saying Donald Trump will not stop the gravy train for D.C. Insiders.”
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LLAMAS (voice-over): “This morning, more and more prominent Republicans turning their backs on Senator Ted Cruz. First Iowa’s governor. Now former Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole telling ‘The New York Times’ Cruz is a, quote, extremist and nobody likes him saying Trump would do a better job because he’s kind of a dealmaker.”
CRUZ: “The Washington establishment is rushing over to support Donald Trump.”
LLAMAS (voice-over): “In the lead-up to Iowa Trump is winning the headline war.”
PALIN: “Like I said yesterday in Iowa, no more pussy footing around. (Cheering) It is time. You deserve the best.”
LLAMAS (voice-over): “The Sarah Palin endorsement tour firing up the Trump base.”
PALIN: “Our vets deserve a commander-in-chief who will let them do their job and go kick ISIS’ [ bleep ].
CROWD: “U.S.A., U.S.A.”
LLAMAS (voice-over): “Palin making her speech in Tulsa personal talking about her 26-year-old son Track.”
PALIN: “This is kind of the elephant in the room.”
LLAMAS (voice-over): “Police arrested Track Palin this week for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. Authority say the veteran also threatened to shoot himself with an AR-15 assault weapon. Palin telling the crowd her son is coping with PTSD tying his troubles to a president she says neglects veterans.”
PALIN: “The question, though, that comes from our own president where they have to look at him and wonder, do you know what we go through?”
LLAMAS (voice-over): “But when Trump took the mike he said his target on the democrats who want to be president, especially Senator Bernie Sanders.”
TRUMP: “Can you imagine this guy, a socialist/communist is doing well. No, no? he’s beating Hillary Clinton. Can you believe this? This guy, he’s a whack job. I really want to run against her but I really would like to run against Bernie Sanders too.”
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LLAMAS: “And the Trump campaign says they are working hard to win the Hawkeye state. They say for them second place is not a victory. They want first place here.”