Joining today's show are Mike Barnicle, Nicholas Confessore, Howard Dean, Chris Matthews, Chris Cillizza, Jon Meacham, Mark Halperin, David Crary, Gov. Chris Christie, Sara Eisen, James Bennet and The Dolphin Project would like to THANK each and every one of you for your support in "fighting the good fight" with us. These past, few days have been hell on earth, and it's not over yet. Together we WILL put an end to this extreme violence towards dolphins – the faces you saw suffering in our Live Streams are the faces of captivity. Many of you ask why we cannot physically enter the water and release the dolphins. The answer is because it's against the law and we would be arrested and deported, thus unable to continue our critical work there. Please review our FAQ's and share them with your friends. We will be back at #TheCove later today to continue documenting for the world to see. Taiji: Remaining dolphins pushed out to sea, including many juveniles who likely cannot survive in the wild without their mothers. Even as they swam away, some are struggling to keep up with the pod. At the end of this three day ordeal, 30 are in captivity, as many have perished in the process. 2015-12-22 11:44am #tweet4dolphins #dolphinproject, http://bit.ly/1W3afxH #DolphinProject.
Donald Trump BTW, hates reporters, however, he does go on to say that he wouldn’t kill them. On Monday, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump referenced charges that Vladimir Putin had reporters killed and told his supporters that while he hates reporters, he wouldn’t kill them. MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell talks to Sam Stein and Michael Hiltzik.
Also, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz Joined Forces in a MAJOR WAY! Its been no secret how Ted Cruz is 'drafting' Donald trump to draw in a NASCAR Racing metaphor and this has honestly been going in for months. It has honestly kicked very much into gear. Especially, after last week's GOP debate. It was a love fest between them and it is continuing that way as of today.
Further, I do NOT necessarily think that what Hillary Clinton said about Donald trump was a so called lie. It was her opinion. That sentence and that comment was opinion based. I guess the panel is calling it not true right now and that there was or is no video that ISIS/ISIL uses with Donald trump in it, as a way to recruit others into it. Now why she would combat a lie that Donald Trump said, with a lie. The panel and Mika in particular agree. I maintain that it was an opinionated based comment that the media and that Donald Trump is running with to use against her.
Now Donald trump is talking about when Hillary had to use the rest room inferring that she was doing a number two. He says the most incredible things. None of it makes sense unless you are a 6 year old or if you are total moron. My feeling is that if Donald wants to get down and dirty about say Hillary, let alone that childish about whomever, he is easy prey. They should attack him in that same way.
Half of Voters Would Be 'Embarrassed' by Trump as President, Poll Finds. Fifty percent of American voters say they would be “embarrassed” if Donald Trump were president, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning.
The current Republican frontrunner, whose 28 percent support in this poll tops his competition for the GOP nomination, would make 23 percent of voters “proud,” the poll found. Other recent national polls have found Trump’s lead for the GOP nomination at more than 20 percentage points.
Six in 10 women say they would be “embarrassed” of Trump, compared to only four in 10 men. Forty-seven percent of independents say they would be “embarrassed” by Trump, but 44 percent of Republicans say they would be proud of him.
In the race for the GOP nomination, the poll finds Sen. Ted Cruz gaining on the real estate mogul, with 24 percent support -- his highest in any national poll yet. Sen. Marco Rubio earns 12 percent support and Ben Carson takes 10 percent. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie climbed to 6 percent in the new poll, his highest national support in almost six months.
Cruz’s increase in support is bolstered by tea party supporters, evangelicals and men. The poll also shows Rubio and Carson sinking 5 and 6 points over the last month, respectively.
On the other hand, 35 percent of voters say they would be “embarrassed” by Hillary Clinton as president, compared to 33 percent of voters who say they would be “proud.” The rest said they would be “neither.”
Clinton leads Sanders for the Democratic nomination by 31 points -- reaching 61 percent support, her highest in almost two months of polling.
In a hypothetical match-up between Clinton and Trump, Clinton would win by 7 points, thanks to big leads among women and those with college degrees, according to the poll.
Rubio Hits New Hampshire, Trying to Erase Campaign Concerns. Fighting back criticism that he's not concentrating enough on the early nominating states -- or engaging enough in retail politics -- Marco Rubio went out of his way to meet with voters here on Monday afternoon.
The Florida senator made a rare public retail campaign stop at a tiny diner here on a day when multiple news outlets raised questions about a campaign strategy that seems to prize fundraising and cable media at the expense of traditional retail politics.
At the stop, Rubio seemed determined to prove his critics wrong. He stayed for over an hour, shaking every hand, answering every question and taking every picture.
He patiently parried a series of pointed questions on immigration from a Democrat enjoying lunch at the diner. He outlined why his time as speaker of the Florida House gave him ample executive experience to a skeptical diner. He juggled candidate and dad duties, checking in to make sure his kids had enough to eat and at one point leading his son to the bathroom.
And his wife Jeanette made a rare campaign appearance, working the room behind him and chatting pleasantly with patrons about her kids, their travel and the weather.
In word -- as in deed -- Rubio expressed an understanding of the importance of retail politics, telling a table of interested diners: "You really can¹t win with commercials."
"Commercials introduce you and may send a message, but people want to talk to you and interact with you about it, and that¹s what we intend to do a lot of," he said.
"And I guess the point is, we want to be talking as often as possible -- whether it's a news show they watch, here in person, a commercial might fill in the blanks -- but it¹s part of a broader puzzle, and people are going to take their time on this, too."
He went on to tell the diners about a long-term vision for the campaign that seemed to suggest more retail politicking was to come. A campaign, he said "runs an arc."
"[Voters] learn about you in the beginning and they feel a certain way. Then over time they fill in the blanks, and at the end they get the full picture, and that's what'd going to matter," Rubio said. "So for us it¹s about building that entire picture. The best way to campaign is individually with someone, one on one."
But Rubio's declaration that he'll do "a lot" of one-on-one time with voters comes in contrast to months of campaign events and appearances that featured the opposite. His stops in the early states have, until now, been largely highly staged, tightly controlled affairs, where the candidate would typically shake hands for a short period on a rope line before dashing off to the next stop -- or another fundraiser.
Yet Monday's stop might not put all of those concerns to bed.
The little diner could seat about 60 patrons, and it was packed when Rubio walked in, offering him ample opportunity to shake hands and take questions. But about half of the patrons appeared to be committed Rubio supporters, including a handful of whom who were already organizing for him in New Hampshire.
They included Norman Silber, a former Miamian and attorney who introduced Rubio around; Mike Moffett, who told Rubio he's offering his home to the campaign while he's on vacation; and Larry and Naomi Getman, both town chairs for Rubio in Bow, New Hampshire.
A Rubio aide confirmed that the campaign did in fact invite supporters out to see him at the diner.
Not a half hour after the senator left, the diner was nearly empty, with the lunch rush -- and Rubio fans -- dispersed.
Even Larry Getman acknowledged that, initially, Rubio hadn't been spending enough time in the state. But he said the Monday stop was a hopeful sign.
"I think probably early on, maybe he wasn't [spending enough time here]. But he was here three days last week. He's gonna be here after the Christmas break," he said.
"I'm not really a campaign manager type, so I don't know how much is enough. But I know that the people that do hear him speak, they have to leave impressed. He has a great message and he's able to articulate it very clearly, I think," he added.
Lindsey Graham drops out of 2016 presidential race.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Today, I’m suspending my campaign for president,” Graham said in a short video posted to YouTube. “I want to thank everyone who has taken this journey with me. You have honored me with your support. I believe we have run a campaign you can be proud of. We put forth bold and practical solutions to real problems.”
“Four months ago at the very first debate, I said that any candidate who did not understand that we need more troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria to defeat ISIL was not ready to be Commander in Chief,” Graham continued. “At the time, no one stepped forward to join me. Today, most of my fellow candidates have come to recognize this is what’s needed to secure our homeland.”
He added: “While we have run a campaign that has made a real difference, I have concluded this is not my time.”
Graham told CNN although he is dropping his GOP bid, “I’m not going to suspend my desire to help the country. I’ll probably go back to Iraq and Afghanistan and get another update.”
During his campaign, Graham had been largely critical of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
“He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot,” Graham said on CNN following Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United State. “You know you how you make America great again? You tell Donald Trump to go to hell.”
But the 60-year-old three-term senator never gained traction in national polls and was relegated to the so-called undercard during most of the GOP debates — even failing to qualify for one: the Fox Business debate in November.
In national surveys conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post, Graham never received more than 1 percent support from likely Republican voters. And according to a recent CBS News/YouGov South Carolina poll, he registered just 1 percent support among GOP voters in his home state.
Monday, coincidentally, was the deadline to get on the South Carolina primary ballot.
“We’ve come to a point now where I just don’t see how we grow the campaign without getting on the main stage,” Graham said during a conference call with supporters. “One of the biggest problems we’ve had was to get our voice on equal footing with others. This second-tier debate process has been difficult for us. I think we’ve done well in the debates, it’s just hard to break through because the buzz doesn’t last very long.”
A few of Graham’s fellow GOP candidates reacted to his departure on Twitter.
In his exit interview with CNN, Graham offered a prediction.
“Here’s what I predict,” he said. “I think the nominee of our party is going to adopt my plan when it comes time to articulate how to destroy ISIL. We’ve fallen short here, but the fight continues. To those who are doing the fighting, I want to be your voice. To those in the Republican Party who want to win, check my plan out. Hillary, if you get to be president, I’ll help you where I can. I hope you’re not. But if you are, I’ll be there to help you win a war we can’t afford to lose."
MSNBC to Air Documentary on "The Rise of Donald Trump".
The doc will take "a look back at Donald Trump’s career and path to politics."
MSNBC will premiere an original documentary on the rise of Donald Trump titled Citizen Trump With Chris Matthews on Tuesday, the network announced Saturday.
The piece, hosted by Matthews, is to be the first in a series of candidate profiles and will take "a look back at Donald Trump’s career and path to politics, chronicling the events that have led to his Presidential run."
About the polarizing frontrunner, MSNBC says in a statement, "This election season, Donald Trump has tapped into something that's grabbed people's attention. But what has led to this unprecedented moment?"
Citizen Trump With Chris Matthews will air Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
David Crary from the Associated Press is on the show to discuss the AP Poll of top stories from the year. Islamic State conflict voted top news story of 2015.
The far-flung attacks claimed by Islamic State militants and the intensifying global effort to crush them added up to a grim, gripping yearlong saga that was voted the top news story of 2015, according to The Associated Press' annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.
The No. 2 story was the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that led to legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. But several of the other stories among the Top 10 reflected the impact of the Islamic State, while another group of major stories related to the series of mass shootings in the United States.
Among the 100 voters casting ballots, first-place votes were spread among 17 different stories. The Islamic State entry received 37 first-place votes and same-sex marriage 13. The No. 3 story — the deadly attacks in Paris in January and November — received 14 first-place votes.
A year ago, the top story in AP's poll was the police killings of unarmed blacks in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere — and the investigations and protests that ensued. In this year's poll, a similar entry, with more instances of blacks dying in encounters with police, placed fifth.
The first AP top-stories poll was conducted in 1936, when editors chose the abdication of Britain's King Edward VIII.
Here are 2015's top 10 stories, in order:
1: ISLAMIC STATE: A multinational coalition intensified ground and air attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including expanded roles for Western European countries worried about IS-backed terrorism. For its part, IS sought to demonstrate an expansive reach by its operatives and supporters, claiming to have carried out or inspired the bombing of a Russian airliner, attacks in Beirut and Paris, and the deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California.
2: GAY MARRIAGE: Fifteen years after Vermont pioneered civil unions for same-sex couples, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June enabling them to marry in all 50 states. Gay-rights activists heralded it as their movement's biggest breakthrough, but there were flashes of disapproval. A county clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis, spent a few days in jail after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in her jurisdiction.
3: PARIS ATTACKS: The first attack came just a week into the new year. Two brothers who called themselves members of al-Qaida barged into the offices of the satiric newspaper Charlie Hebdo, and later attacked a Jewish market, gunning down 17 people in all. Nov. 13 brought a far deadlier onslaught: Eight Islamic State militants killed 130 people in coordinated assaults around Paris. Targets included restaurants, bars and an indoor rock concert.
4: MASS SHOOTINGS: Throughout the year, mass shootings brought grief to communities across the U.S. and deepened frustration over the failure to curtail them. There were 14 victims in San Bernardino. Nine blacks were killed by a white gunman at a Charleston, South Carolina, church; a professor and eight students died at an Oregon community college. In Chattanooga, four Marines and a sailor were killed by a Kuwaiti-born engineer; three people, including a policeman, were shot dead at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado.
5: BLACK DEATHS IN ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE: In Baltimore, riots broke out after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man loaded into a van by police officers. In Chicago, Tulsa and North Charleston, South Carolina, fatal police shootings of black men prompted resignations and criminal charges. The incidents gave fuel to the Black Lives Matter campaign, and prompted several investigations of policing practices.
6: TERRORISM WORRIES: Fears about terrorism in the U.S. surged after a married couple in California — described by investigators as radicalized Muslims — carried out the attack in San Bernardino that killed 14 people. The rampage inflamed an already intense debate over whether to accommodate refugees from Syria, and prompted Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to call for a ban on Muslims coming to the U.S.
7: US ELECTION CAMPAIGN: A large and varied field of Republicans launched bids for the presidency, with billionaire Donald Trump moving out to an early lead in the polls and remaining there despite a series of polarizing statements. He helped attract record audiences for the GOP's televised debates. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders surprised many with a strong challenge of Hillary Clinton, but she remained the solid front-runner.
8: CLIMATE CHANGE: Negotiators from nearly 200 countries reached a first-of-its kind agreement in Paris on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Many questions remain over enforcement and implementation of the accord. But elated supporters hailed it as a critical step toward averting the grim scenario of unchecked global warming.
9: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING: A Bible study session at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, suddenly turned into carnage when a white gunman opened fire, killing nine blacks, including the pastor. The alleged killer's affinity for the Confederate flag sparked debate over the role of Civil War symbols in today's South. In less than a month, the flag was removed from the South Carolina State House grounds.
10: EUROPE'S MIGRANT CRISIS: Fleeing war and hardship, more than 1 million migrants and refugees flooded into Europe during the year, overwhelming national border guards and reception facilities. Hundreds are believed to have drowned; 71 others were found dead in an abandoned truck in Austria. The 28-nation European Union struggled to come up with an effective, unified response. Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP.
Chris Christie supporters see momentum in New Hampshire. All the marathon town hall meetings, the bar visits, house parties and time invested in New Hampshire finally seem to be paying off for GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie.
Poll after poll show the New Jersey governor making gains in the first-in-the-nation primary state. And his supporters say they feel a palpable surge in excitement as the calendar draws nearer to February 9: primary day.
"It's electric," said Barbara Sheehan, a New Jersey native who now lives in Tuftonboro, after hearing Christie speak. "You can just feel the momentum, it's in the air."
Christie and his team seemed eager to show off their progress this weekend, when they kicked off a four-day bus tour across the state inside a cavernous automotive garage. After a parade of high-profile endorsers sung Christie's praises, the governor and his family made a dramatic entrance, pulling into the garage aboard a bus emblazoned with his name and new campaign slogan — "Tell it Like it Is"— as music from "Star Wars" played.
Beyond the shiny new wheels, Christie's team also shipped 120 supporters in from New Jersey to fan across the state, knocking on doors. The move added manpower and helped boost his crowds. But also highlighted that he's significantly understaffed in the state in which he has staked his campaign.
"There's a big difference between paid staff and having to pay people to go door-to-door," Christie told journalists gathered in the town of Derry. "We'll do more work than paid staff has done in a month in a weekend, because people are committed to it and we know how to do this."
Christie has been lining up endorsements, but he is lagging many campaigns in fundraising, meaning that now, leading into the primary, he has less than a quarter of the manpower of some of his rivals.
While a robust ground game is less important in New Hampshire than in early-voting Iowa, where voters must attend time-consuming caucuses, Christie currently has just four paid staffers in the state.
That's far fewer than former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has 20 full-time staffers spread across five offices and Ohio Gov. Kasich, who has 11 full-time paid staff and expects to have five offices up and running by the end of the year.
Florida Sen. Rubio, meanwhile, has eight paid staffers, while poll-leader Donald Trump has 13 working out of four offices.
Still, Christie banked on his charm to win votes, traveling the state to meet the people that could make or break his campaign.
At Billy's Sports Bar in Manchester on Sunday, Christie joined customers to chat as they finished their meals.
"Nobody's listening to us in Washington," complained Manchester's Joe Rolka, who works in sales.
"I'm here to listen," Christie told him as they spoke.
When Christie moved on, Rolka said he was impressed by the governor's unguarded approach.
"After talking to him today, I'm on board. He can have my vote," said Rolka, who'd been on the fence between Christie and billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who has been leading the state's opinion polls.
Joel Maiola, a Christie supporter from Bedford who managed President George W. Bush's campaign in the state in 2000, said that he could feel the buzz growing for Christie's campaign. He said he made his final decision about a month ago, after taking a serious looks at Kasich, Bush and Rubio, who are all competing for moderate voters. He said he thinks Christie's time is now.
"It's now to the point where people are making up their minds," he said as he waiting in the bitter cold for Christie to arrive at a local bar Sunday. "If you were any candidate going into the Christmas break, you'd want to be Chris Christie."
To be sure, Trump remains the dominant force in the state, drawing thousands of people to his events.
A recent Franklin Pierce University-Boston Herald poll found Trump to be the favorite of 26 percent of likely Republican voters, more than twice the backing of his closest rival. But Christie is now vying for second place, earning the support of 11 percent of voters in that poll, versus 12 percent for Rubio and 12 percent for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Christie's favorability ratings are also on the rise, with 64 percent of voters now holding a favorable impression of him — up 18 points since October.
But the momentum is also attracting new scrutiny for the New Jersey governor, who had been largely ignored by his rivals up until this point.
Former Trump adviser Roger Stone, who is now working with a pro-Trump super PAC, told The Associated Press last week that he is looking to run ads highlighting Christie's record in New Jersey. And Christie, who has been trying to move past the George Washington Bridge scandal that badly damaged his reputation at home, has begun to draw more criticism in debates.
There's also the reality that Christie, who has lagged behind many of his rivals when it comes to fundraising, is badly outgunned when it comes to staff.
Still, Christie continues to display his usual swagger. Asked how he would be able to compete in the final stretch and get people out to vote, he appeared unfazed.
"Because we're better," he told reporters between stops this weekend. "We're better and we know how to win."
“Today, I’m suspending my campaign for president,” Graham said in a short video posted to YouTube. “I want to thank everyone who has taken this journey with me. You have honored me with your support. I believe we have run a campaign you can be proud of. We put forth bold and practical solutions to real problems.”
“Four months ago at the very first debate, I said that any candidate who did not understand that we need more troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria to defeat ISIL was not ready to be Commander in Chief,” Graham continued. “At the time, no one stepped forward to join me. Today, most of my fellow candidates have come to recognize this is what’s needed to secure our homeland.”
He added: “While we have run a campaign that has made a real difference, I have concluded this is not my time.”
Graham told CNN although he is dropping his GOP bid, “I’m not going to suspend my desire to help the country. I’ll probably go back to Iraq and Afghanistan and get another update.”
During his campaign, Graham had been largely critical of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
“He’s a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot,” Graham said on CNN following Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the United State. “You know you how you make America great again? You tell Donald Trump to go to hell.”
But the 60-year-old three-term senator never gained traction in national polls and was relegated to the so-called undercard during most of the GOP debates — even failing to qualify for one: the Fox Business debate in November.
In national surveys conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post, Graham never received more than 1 percent support from likely Republican voters. And according to a recent CBS News/YouGov South Carolina poll, he registered just 1 percent support among GOP voters in his home state.
Monday, coincidentally, was the deadline to get on the South Carolina primary ballot.
Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks during the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas on Dec. 15. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A few of Graham’s fellow GOP candidates reacted to his departure on Twitter.
Jeb Bush
Nobody is more clear-eyed about ISIS than my friend @GrahamBlog. As he leaves the race I hope our party & country listen to his counsel
John Kasich
Enjoyed Sen. @LindseyGrahamSC's wit & respect his seriousness on nat’l security—experience matters. Best wishes to him. -John
Rick Santorum
Thank you to my friend @GrahamBlog for adding his strong national security voice to this race. It was much needed during this time of crisis
Chris Christie
.@LindseyGrahamSC is a great American and a good friend. I’ve always admired him and wish him the best.
And Arizona Sen. John McCain, Graham’s best friend in the U.S. Senate, tweeted that the GOP lost its “most qualified, thoughtful [and] honest presidential candidate.”- W/ @LindseyGrahamSC's announcement, Republicans lost most qualified, thoughtful & honest presidential candidate: http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d1592f03-6d8b-46c6-9e27-cac21389c565 …
John McCain
It was a privilege to support my dear friend @LindseyGrahamSC - thank you for all you have done for the country you love & serve so well!
“Here’s what I predict,” he said. “I think the nominee of our party is going to adopt my plan when it comes time to articulate how to destroy ISIL. We’ve fallen short here, but the fight continues. To those who are doing the fighting, I want to be your voice. To those in the Republican Party who want to win, check my plan out. Hillary, if you get to be president, I’ll help you where I can. I hope you’re not. But if you are, I’ll be there to help you win a war we can’t afford to lose."
MSNBC to Air Documentary on "The Rise of Donald Trump".
MSNBC will premiere an original documentary on the rise of Donald Trump titled Citizen Trump With Chris Matthews on Tuesday, the network announced Saturday.
The piece, hosted by Matthews, is to be the first in a series of candidate profiles and will take "a look back at Donald Trump’s career and path to politics, chronicling the events that have led to his Presidential run."
About the polarizing frontrunner, MSNBC says in a statement, "This election season, Donald Trump has tapped into something that's grabbed people's attention. But what has led to this unprecedented moment?"
Citizen Trump With Chris Matthews will air Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
David Crary from the Associated Press is on the show to discuss the AP Poll of top stories from the year. Islamic State conflict voted top news story of 2015.
The far-flung attacks claimed by Islamic State militants and the intensifying global effort to crush them added up to a grim, gripping yearlong saga that was voted the top news story of 2015, according to The Associated Press' annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.
The No. 2 story was the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that led to legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. But several of the other stories among the Top 10 reflected the impact of the Islamic State, while another group of major stories related to the series of mass shootings in the United States.
Among the 100 voters casting ballots, first-place votes were spread among 17 different stories. The Islamic State entry received 37 first-place votes and same-sex marriage 13. The No. 3 story — the deadly attacks in Paris in January and November — received 14 first-place votes.
A year ago, the top story in AP's poll was the police killings of unarmed blacks in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere — and the investigations and protests that ensued. In this year's poll, a similar entry, with more instances of blacks dying in encounters with police, placed fifth.
The first AP top-stories poll was conducted in 1936, when editors chose the abdication of Britain's King Edward VIII.
Here are 2015's top 10 stories, in order:
1: ISLAMIC STATE: A multinational coalition intensified ground and air attacks against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including expanded roles for Western European countries worried about IS-backed terrorism. For its part, IS sought to demonstrate an expansive reach by its operatives and supporters, claiming to have carried out or inspired the bombing of a Russian airliner, attacks in Beirut and Paris, and the deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California.
2: GAY MARRIAGE: Fifteen years after Vermont pioneered civil unions for same-sex couples, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June enabling them to marry in all 50 states. Gay-rights activists heralded it as their movement's biggest breakthrough, but there were flashes of disapproval. A county clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis, spent a few days in jail after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in her jurisdiction.
3: PARIS ATTACKS: The first attack came just a week into the new year. Two brothers who called themselves members of al-Qaida barged into the offices of the satiric newspaper Charlie Hebdo, and later attacked a Jewish market, gunning down 17 people in all. Nov. 13 brought a far deadlier onslaught: Eight Islamic State militants killed 130 people in coordinated assaults around Paris. Targets included restaurants, bars and an indoor rock concert.
4: MASS SHOOTINGS: Throughout the year, mass shootings brought grief to communities across the U.S. and deepened frustration over the failure to curtail them. There were 14 victims in San Bernardino. Nine blacks were killed by a white gunman at a Charleston, South Carolina, church; a professor and eight students died at an Oregon community college. In Chattanooga, four Marines and a sailor were killed by a Kuwaiti-born engineer; three people, including a policeman, were shot dead at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado.
5: BLACK DEATHS IN ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE: In Baltimore, riots broke out after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man loaded into a van by police officers. In Chicago, Tulsa and North Charleston, South Carolina, fatal police shootings of black men prompted resignations and criminal charges. The incidents gave fuel to the Black Lives Matter campaign, and prompted several investigations of policing practices.
6: TERRORISM WORRIES: Fears about terrorism in the U.S. surged after a married couple in California — described by investigators as radicalized Muslims — carried out the attack in San Bernardino that killed 14 people. The rampage inflamed an already intense debate over whether to accommodate refugees from Syria, and prompted Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump to call for a ban on Muslims coming to the U.S.
7: US ELECTION CAMPAIGN: A large and varied field of Republicans launched bids for the presidency, with billionaire Donald Trump moving out to an early lead in the polls and remaining there despite a series of polarizing statements. He helped attract record audiences for the GOP's televised debates. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders surprised many with a strong challenge of Hillary Clinton, but she remained the solid front-runner.
8: CLIMATE CHANGE: Negotiators from nearly 200 countries reached a first-of-its kind agreement in Paris on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Many questions remain over enforcement and implementation of the accord. But elated supporters hailed it as a critical step toward averting the grim scenario of unchecked global warming.
9: CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING: A Bible study session at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, suddenly turned into carnage when a white gunman opened fire, killing nine blacks, including the pastor. The alleged killer's affinity for the Confederate flag sparked debate over the role of Civil War symbols in today's South. In less than a month, the flag was removed from the South Carolina State House grounds.
10: EUROPE'S MIGRANT CRISIS: Fleeing war and hardship, more than 1 million migrants and refugees flooded into Europe during the year, overwhelming national border guards and reception facilities. Hundreds are believed to have drowned; 71 others were found dead in an abandoned truck in Austria. The 28-nation European Union struggled to come up with an effective, unified response. Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP.
Poll after poll show the New Jersey governor making gains in the first-in-the-nation primary state. And his supporters say they feel a palpable surge in excitement as the calendar draws nearer to February 9: primary day.
"It's electric," said Barbara Sheehan, a New Jersey native who now lives in Tuftonboro, after hearing Christie speak. "You can just feel the momentum, it's in the air."
Christie and his team seemed eager to show off their progress this weekend, when they kicked off a four-day bus tour across the state inside a cavernous automotive garage. After a parade of high-profile endorsers sung Christie's praises, the governor and his family made a dramatic entrance, pulling into the garage aboard a bus emblazoned with his name and new campaign slogan — "Tell it Like it Is"— as music from "Star Wars" played.
Beyond the shiny new wheels, Christie's team also shipped 120 supporters in from New Jersey to fan across the state, knocking on doors. The move added manpower and helped boost his crowds. But also highlighted that he's significantly understaffed in the state in which he has staked his campaign.
"There's a big difference between paid staff and having to pay people to go door-to-door," Christie told journalists gathered in the town of Derry. "We'll do more work than paid staff has done in a month in a weekend, because people are committed to it and we know how to do this."
Christie has been lining up endorsements, but he is lagging many campaigns in fundraising, meaning that now, leading into the primary, he has less than a quarter of the manpower of some of his rivals.
While a robust ground game is less important in New Hampshire than in early-voting Iowa, where voters must attend time-consuming caucuses, Christie currently has just four paid staffers in the state.
That's far fewer than former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has 20 full-time staffers spread across five offices and Ohio Gov. Kasich, who has 11 full-time paid staff and expects to have five offices up and running by the end of the year.
Florida Sen. Rubio, meanwhile, has eight paid staffers, while poll-leader Donald Trump has 13 working out of four offices.
Still, Christie banked on his charm to win votes, traveling the state to meet the people that could make or break his campaign.
At Billy's Sports Bar in Manchester on Sunday, Christie joined customers to chat as they finished their meals.
"Nobody's listening to us in Washington," complained Manchester's Joe Rolka, who works in sales.
"I'm here to listen," Christie told him as they spoke.
When Christie moved on, Rolka said he was impressed by the governor's unguarded approach.
"After talking to him today, I'm on board. He can have my vote," said Rolka, who'd been on the fence between Christie and billionaire businessman Donald Trump, who has been leading the state's opinion polls.
Joel Maiola, a Christie supporter from Bedford who managed President George W. Bush's campaign in the state in 2000, said that he could feel the buzz growing for Christie's campaign. He said he made his final decision about a month ago, after taking a serious looks at Kasich, Bush and Rubio, who are all competing for moderate voters. He said he thinks Christie's time is now.
"It's now to the point where people are making up their minds," he said as he waiting in the bitter cold for Christie to arrive at a local bar Sunday. "If you were any candidate going into the Christmas break, you'd want to be Chris Christie."
To be sure, Trump remains the dominant force in the state, drawing thousands of people to his events.
A recent Franklin Pierce University-Boston Herald poll found Trump to be the favorite of 26 percent of likely Republican voters, more than twice the backing of his closest rival. But Christie is now vying for second place, earning the support of 11 percent of voters in that poll, versus 12 percent for Rubio and 12 percent for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Christie's favorability ratings are also on the rise, with 64 percent of voters now holding a favorable impression of him — up 18 points since October.
But the momentum is also attracting new scrutiny for the New Jersey governor, who had been largely ignored by his rivals up until this point.
Former Trump adviser Roger Stone, who is now working with a pro-Trump super PAC, told The Associated Press last week that he is looking to run ads highlighting Christie's record in New Jersey. And Christie, who has been trying to move past the George Washington Bridge scandal that badly damaged his reputation at home, has begun to draw more criticism in debates.
There's also the reality that Christie, who has lagged behind many of his rivals when it comes to fundraising, is badly outgunned when it comes to staff.
Still, Christie continues to display his usual swagger. Asked how he would be able to compete in the final stretch and get people out to vote, he appeared unfazed.
"Because we're better," he told reporters between stops this weekend. "We're better and we know how to win."
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