brought the clintons so much. in 1992 -- made bill clinton the comeback kid. >> reporter: and again in 2008. >> i listened to you, and in the process, i found my own voice. >> reporter: this year, new challenges. today, donald trump piling on, when asked what comes to mind when he thinks of hillary clinton. >> she did. she did. she did. in a certain way, evil. in a certain way, evil. >> whoa. >> reporter: but coming to clinton's defense? none other than her own rival's wife, jane sanders. >> that has no place in politics today. we're not going to play that game. >> reporter: tonight, a new question -- can the clintons pull off a comeback once again? >> and cecilia vega is live from outside the clinton headquarters. campaign sources telling you, cecilia, they are bracing for a tough night? david. unlike before the iowa caucuses, what's happening here tonight is party. they have been long bracing for an upset here, in fact, today, clinton's team sent around a list of her endorsements for south carolina, a sign, davi

secretary clinton, your super tuesday prediction? >> just happy to be in virginia, working hard for every single vote. >> reporter: she's riding a wave of momentum after her south carolina blowout, winning 86% of the black vote. obama won in 2008. now, she's looking for a repeat tomorrow in states like georgia and alabama, where african-americans make up half of all democratic voters. >> and tomorrow, this campaign goes national. >> reporter: bernie sanders now facing tough questions about the future of his campaign. ed decimated. but we got killed. >> reporter: while he packed in the crowds today -- >> we can win. no question. here in minnesota. if we have a turnout. >> reporter: the vermont senator logged just two stops on the campaign trail. while clinton and her husband made a super-sized super tuesday push, visiting three different states and the eight different cities. both clintons now have their eyes on the same target -- donald trump. >> when the republicans say they want to make america great again, she doesn't agree with t

hillary clinton and bernie sanders. for clinton. >>> inside the rescue, one passenger trapped. >>> and the dramatic fire whorls, the whipping winds in chicago. >> your money tonight, are you passing up free money? >>> and america remembering harper lee and her work, read by generations of american students. >>> good evening. it's great to have you with us on a friday night. we begin with the showdown just hours away in the race for president. and breaking developments on both sides tonight. in south carolina, the republican rumble, and the new poll. donald trump at 28%, but his lead not as large as before. cruz five points behind. rubio in third, with 15%. and tonight, donald trump at the telling people to boycott apple until they help the fbi break into the terrorists iphone. tom llamas leads us off from south carolina. >> reporter: tonight, donald trump with a new target. the billionaire now declaring war on apple. >> how do you like it? i just thought it. boycott apple. >> reporter: trump fuming as the tech giant refuses to help investigators unlock the cell phone of one of the san

secretary clinton is better organized in the big states. she's got a lot of support from minority voters and the support of the political establishment and if she wins in iowa tonight, they're going to close ranks behind her big-time. as for ted cruz, i think he can survive a close second to donald trump in iowa. but if trump opens up a big lead over cruz, or even worse, his nightmare scenario is that marco rubio slips by him, then it's going to be very hard to imagine how he recovers from that. but if he's close, he's got money, he's well organized in the southern states, got support there, he can survive. >> all right, george, looking forward to joining you later tonight. george and the entire powerhouse political team standing by. we have continuing coverage throughout the night and we will break in live with results. and then, we are onto new hampshire and the next big primary. join martha raddatz and me and we moderate the republican debate next saturday night, right here on abc. >>> and from the political storm hitting tonight, to the

we stopped by hillary clinton's hi, how are you? where they are calling thousands of people. >> we're making thousands and thousands of calls. >> reporter: out of this office alone. in the pages of "vogue," an inhave sprekive moment for clinton. asked if the u.s. was ready for its first female president, considering new york city hasn't even had a female mayor, clinton saying, quote, "i think it's gotten better. but i think there's still a very deep set of concerns that people have, which very often they're not even aware of are they couldn't articulate." >> and cecilia vega live from nevada tonight. tonight, bernie sanders leveling pretty harsh words towards clinton when it comes to her support of president 0 obama? >> reporter: that's right. it's an interview with b.e.t. sanders is saying that clinton is cozying up to the president. we know what that's about. that's trying to win support from the african-american community, where the president is enormously popular. clinton firing back, just now, highlighting sanders' own david, t

celebrating on that stage with former president bill clinton. and tonight here, you will hear a shift in her message, her tone. evening, not backing down. he was asked directly today, does he still have a path to the nomination? and you will hear how he answers. here's what he's up against. the latest poll in south carolina showing clinton with a nearly 30-point lead. abc's jonathan karl on the campaign tonight. >> reporter: a newly-energized hillary clinton is back on top, >> thank you, nevada! thank you so much! >> reporter: she's confident enough to make this extraordinary admission. >> i think there's an underlying question that maybe is really in the back of people's minds, and that is, you know, is she in it for us or is she in it for herself? >> reporter: and now, a shift in tone. clinton talking less about herself, less about "i" and more about "we." >> we hear you. we see you. we're incredibly grateful to you. because we're in this together. we are all in this together. we all have to do our part. >> reporter: clinton won 76% of nevada,

clinton today. now live from new hampshire tonight. the clinton camp has got to be concerned about that national poll, a near-tie now? >> they say they always expected it to be a close race here. but i spoke with hillary clinton, and i said, do these numbers mean you're not doing something right? she said she's sticking to her it. >> thank you. >>> we do have one more question before moving on. tonight. us a lay of the land, where will folks be standing? >> i expect two debates tomorrow night. here with donald trump and ted cruz. they've been locked in a blood feud, this is the first time they've gone face-to-face since cruz beat trump in iowa. the second debates , featuring marco rubio versus everybody else. especially the governors, jeb bush, john kasich, and chris christie. they want to emerge from this debate as the primary alternative to the outsiders, and the only way they can do that, knock down rubio. >> thank you. >>> super bowl weekend is here, and so is the weekend before the join us tomorrow, 8:00 p.m. eastern, on abc. >>>

just 14% for clinton. but part of clinton's message worked with voters. >> i am proud of the progress we've made under president obama. stand with president obama. president obama. >> reporter: clear majority of iowa democrats want to continue obama's policies. and the vast majority who care about electability voted for hillary clinton. >> and jon karl with us tonight from iowa. still trying to get out with that blizzard. jon, good luck with that. but in the meantime, i wanted to ask about the republicans. let's go back to them. donald trump, his ace in the hole still would appear to be his outsider status. he did very well with voters outside. >> reporter: no question. and nearly half of the iowa republican caucus goers said they were looking for an outsider. 46% of them went for donald trump. we're going to see a lot of that going forward. if you are looking for an outsider, chances are, donald trump's your guy. >> all right, jon karl with us tonight. jon, good luck and safe trip home. and with iowa now

but i met hillary clinton. i met president clinton. >> reporter: but sanders today, harry belafonte. >> i think he represents opportunity. i think he represents a moral >> reporter: all signs the campaign is moving to a new battlefield. the democratic vote, more than 90% white in iowa and new hampshire. but in south carolina, more than half of the democratic vote could come from african-americans. and in nevada, blacks and latinos could make up a third. but sanders acknowledging clinton has a head start. >> she's got the instra tuck sure, the name, the ground game. >> i agree. >> reporter: you bring? >> she's ahead of us. but we're moving quickly. she was ahead of us in iowa and new hampshire. but we caught up. >> and cecilia vega with us live. clinton and sanders both heighting hard for south carolina. tonight, that state's most powerful democrat appears to be torn, choosing his words very carefully? >> reporter: very carefully, david. congressman jim claiborne saying race. his daughter is for hillary, his gra

the clinton team responding to word that clinton aides may now have to testify. >> reporter: david, clinton's campaign manager said right wing attacks are behind this court case. for her part, she is here in this church tonight, making her last-minute pitch to south carolina voters. david? >> cecilia, thank you. >>> next, to a major new voice in the battle between apple and the fbi tonight. of course, at issue, whether apple should help the fbi unlock the iphone used by one of the san bernardino attackers. microsoft founder bill gates now weighing in, saying this isn't about finding a back door into that phone. he says it's an isolated case. again tonight, abc's pierre thomas. >> reporter: tonight, apple supporters rallied outside the fbi and at apple stores across the country. >> hands off our phones! >> reporter: microsoft founder bill gates was weighing in on apple's fight against the court order to open a san bernardino killer's iphone. >> nobody's talking about a back door, so, that's not the right question. this is a specific case, where the government's asking for access to information

tonight, new signs hillary clinton is feeling the bern in nevada. could senator sanders be closing the gap? meanwhile, former president bill clinton facing tough questions about his relationship over the years with mr. trump. abc's cecilia vega is in florida tonight, one op one with bill clint top, and how he answered those questions about trump. >> i need your help on saturday. >> reporter: tonight, hillary clinton in nevada -- >> i'm hoping to get your support in the caucus on >> reporter: bracing for yet another embarrassment in a state she can't afford to lose. hillary clinton was supposed to be here in florida today. instead, she stayed in nevada. this is who showed up in her place. >> we keep rewarding people who tell us things they know they can't do, because it pushes our hot buttons. >> reporter: bill clinton going after bernie sanders and coming under fire himself from this trump supporter. >> you liked his money. you took his money. >> i certainly did. >> reporter: the former president, firing right back. >> i took his money for my founda

hillary clinton and bernie sanders, tied. clinton at 48%, sanders at 47%. she does lead in south carolina, but her campaign is well aware of the new national poll tonight, as well. which could spell a long and difficult battle ahead. hillary clinton now leading bernie sanders by just two points nationally. secretary clinton had a 31-point lead nationally just two months ago. and tonight, a revealing quote weakness on the campaign trail. abc's cecilia vega inside clinton headquarters tonight. >> i'm one of those mothers who met with her and was able to make it through. >> reporter: hillary clinton today, standing with the tearful mother of sandra bland, the chicago woman who's death in a jail cell sparked outrage. >> we need to face the reality of systemic racism. >> reporter: clinton and bernie sanders trying to woo minority voters. from the campaign trail -- >> what we have to do is bring justice back to the criminal justice system. >> reporter: to the airwaves -- >> bernie sanders. >> hillary clinton. >> reporter: clinton's now facing the possibility she

very tough loss for hillary clinton. and are learning that tonight, her top aides are calling key supporters to tell them the campaign is ready for the next fight? >> reporter: that's right, david. there were calls today to donors, supporters on capitol hill. aides trying to ease concerns after what happened in new hampshire. the big question right now, though, is what happened next? these aides privately are saying they are heading into south carolina in good shape, but they are worried about what would happen in nevada, david. >> all right, cecilia vega with us again tonight. thank you. >>> to another breaking headline at this hour. late today, the department of justice suing the city of ferguson. filing a civil rights lawsuit, alleging the city routinely violated the rights of residents, misusing law enforcement, calling the abuses, quote, ongoing an pervasive. the nation watched those images as they came in, police in combat gear, clashing with protesters. after the death of michael brown, the unarmed black teen, kil

abc's cecilia vega with what clinton just said. >> reporter: hillary clinton today implying racism is behind the threat to block president obama's supreme court nomination. >> some are even saying he doesn't have the right to nominate anyone. as if somehow he's not the real you know, that's in keeping what we've heard all along, isn't it? many republicans talk in coded racial language about takers and losers. they demonize president obama and encourage the ugliest impulses of the paranoid fringe. this kind of hatred and bigotry has no place in our politics or our country. >> reporter: clinton and bernie sanders with their eye on the same prize -- the african-american vote. >> you can't just show up at election time and say the right things and think that's enough. >> reporter: but her speech nearly derailed by a coughing fit that went on more than four minutes. >> too much to say. >> reporter: sanders today attending a prayer breakfast in south carolina. >> if we didn't dream, does anybody here think that we'd have an african-american as president of the united states today? >> report

now it's hillary clinton and both now have agreed to several more? >> reporter: that's right, david. the dnc announcing today there will be six more debates, one right here tomorrow night in new hampshire, and now, one, also in flint, michigan, where as you know, david, they have been dealing with that water crisis. >> all right, cecilia vega, thank you. >>> and tonight, just days before new hampshire, word that two candidates might soon be out of the race. rand paul says he is out. he will now focus on his re-election to the senate. and then rick santorum. he won iowa four years ago. tonight, he's expected to drop let's get right to abc's jonathan karl. we do have one more question on politics before we move on. this fight between trump and cruz over those messages suggesting ben carson was dropping out on the day of the iowa caucuses. is this going away, jon? >> reporter: absolutely not, david. and, you know, trump is now demanding that the iowa results be nullified. that's not going to happen. but if there is one thing that we have learned about d

sanders team aware, showing clinton with a near-30-point gain. here's what they said. >> reporter: in their final push in south carolina -- tonight, bernie sanders and hillary clinton nearly coming face-to-face. >> hello, south carolina state! >> reporter: both visiting historically black colleges right next to each other. waiting to see hillary clinton. on these campuses, many young voters are split. there's a big line waiting here to see bernie sanders, too. what is it about bernie sanders? >> he's consistent. >> no. momentum from a big win in south carolina will carry her into super tuesday. making 22 campaign stops here this week. while sanders is looking ahead, visiting eight other states for super tuesday and beyond. this morning in minnesota, sanders turning up the attacks. >> because maybe what you said behind closed doors is a little bit than what you're saying to the american people. i would hope she would do that. >> how are you? pouring on the southern charm. unexpectedly crashing this bachelor party. >> cecilia vega with us. after th

. >> reporter: hillary clinton carolina. >> we need you! >> reporter: from gymnasiums -- >> reporter: to churches -- carolina. >> reporter: the enthuse yam here reflecting just how strong clinton's lead is in the palmetto state, especially among african-american voters. >> we love some clinton. about bernie sanders? >> nothing. >> reporter: nothing? >> nothing. >> reporter: clinton and her husband bill crisscrossing the making 13 stops in south carolina this week alone. bernie sanders, just two, but he's drawing massive crowds in super tuesday states and beyond. 7,000 in missouri, 8,000 in massachusetts, 9,000 in oklahoma. >> together, we're going to transform america. thank you. >> reporter: sanders recently telling me, he still has a path to the nomination. there are a number of people right now who say the math just doesn't add up for you, looking forward. how do you think you can win >> are you ready for this one? the answer is by getting more delegates than my opponent. >> reporter: but he'll have to get past south carolina first. >> m

and hillary clinton in a fierce battle with bernie sanders. >>> the blizzard warnings across several states tonight. the bus flipping. dozens hurt. we're tracking two major storms at this hour. >>> the cruise ship on its way back to the u.s., hit by hurricane-force winds. gusts more than 100 miles an hour. >>> the zika virus. its highest level of alert in response to the outbreak. and now, the question, should traveling to rio? victory lap. will it be his last? what he's saying tonight. and why the other star, cam newton, walked out. hampshire tonight. the countdown is on until the new hampshire primary. a major blizzard hitting. and we have it all covered tonight. but first, the battle playing out in the middle of the ice and snow. fresh off the big republican debate right here on abc. the candidates are out in full force tonight. new numbers coming in at this hour. donald trump leading the republican race, followed by marco rubio and ted cruz, gaining ground right behind them, though, ohio 2k3w06 nor john kasich. donald trump, trying to seal the deal. we're one-on-one with him, as

hillary clinton says she's on sanders' home turf. but new hampshire has been good to her before. so, both will make their case tonight. and abc's cecilia vega is there. >> reporter: just before the start of tonight's debate, bernie sanders firing up his supporters. happened in the last nine months. >> reporter: after coming under fire himself in that town hall. the democratic socialist asked if elected, could he really work with congress? >> it is not acrid to say it's my way or the highway. where we can, we work with our republican friends. spot, too. $675,000? >> well, i don't know. that's what they offered, so -- >> reporter: the once presumed front-runner, tonight, still trailing in the polls here. vowel er in vulnerable and showing it. >> everybody knows i have lived a very public life for the last 25 or so years, and so, i've had to be in public, dealing with some very difficult issues. so, regardless of how hard the days are, how difficult the decisions are, be grateful. >> the town hall last night, the debate tonight. cecilia with us live in new hampshire. and cecilia, ne

. >> reporter: tonight, hillary clinton's new ad invokes the horrific church shooting in charleston, south carolina, using the husband of a victim. >> somebody called me on the phone. she said, reverend thompson? i said, yeah. she said, there's shooting around the church. and i just dropped the phone. >> reporter: reverend anthony thompson. his wife myra singleton thompson was killed that day. >> hillary is really committed to making sure that the guns don't get into the wrong hands. >> reporter: bernie sanders is african-american family. >> i was able to see my dad die on national tv. >> reporter: erica, whose father, eric garner, was killed by police. >> we need to believe in a leader like bernie sanders. >> reporter: both candidates battling for key african-american votes. at last night's debate, something else. sanders asked if he's standing in the way of the first woman president. >> senator, do you worry at all that you will be the instrument of thwarting history as senator clinton keeps claiming? >> i think from an historical point of view, somebody with my background, somebod

leader harry reid choosing her, saying, it's time for the party to consolidate behind clinton. senator sanders, though, vowing to stay in until the long haul is over. speefking to enthusiastic crowds, lines to see him in kansas city today, wrapping around the block. south carolina, of course, next for the democrats. clinton ahead by nearly 30 points in the pomes for south carolina. >>> stand with abc news for full coverage on super tuesday with special editions of "good morning america" and "world news tonight." and george and the entire powerhouse political team on the air beginning at 10:00 p.m. eastern, tuesday night. >>> now, to an abc news exclusive, and the national conversation tonight. should help the fbi break into the iphone used by sigh yad farook, one of the san bernardino killers. my exclusive interview with standing firm. saying this is not about one iphone. this is about hundreds of millions of iphones and protecting everyone, american families, and the information they store on their phones. and he says, what the fbi is now asking would set a dangerous precedent

today in boston, he attacked clinton as a political opportune is. >> and the people of the united states need to know the