All three networks stuck with Donald Trump's long press conference even as it veered into sales pitches for his own product lines. | AP Photo Trump infomercial captivates networks CNN, Fox, and MSNBC choose billionaire's rambling sales pitch over Clinton and Kasich speeches. 
 
 Millions of viewers tuned into to cable news networks during the prime 9 p.m. EST hour likely expecting to hear some candidate speeches. What they got, on CNN, Fox, and MSNBC, was one candidate talking for 45 minutes: Donald Trump. 
 
 All three networks stuck with Trump's long press conference even as it veered into sales pitches for his own product lines, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton, who had won the Mississippi primary in a landslide and was neck-and-neck in Michigan, spoke at the same time. They also mostly ignored Bernie Sanders' speech, which occurred in the 8 p.m. hour and John Kasich's speech, which happened during Trump's event. 
 
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 Only MSNBC ran Clinton’s speech in its entirety after Trump finished. And neither Sanders, Kasich, nor any of the other candidates got anything more than snippets of air time. 
 
 That sparked an instant flutter of complaints on Twitter, and revived an uncomfortable issue: Did the networks, knowing that the often-unpredictable and blustery Trump draws a bigger audience, go with the better draw rather than cover the full political landscape? 
 
 "C'mon networks! How is this fair broadcasting?" tweeted former Michigan governor and Clinton surrogate Jennifer Granholm. 
 
 "I hope the Trump speech lasts another 4 hours and I hope the Cable networks will carry it all, because there is obviously no news judgment," wrote former NPR political editor Ken Rudin. 
 
 The networks’ decision was all the more noteworthy because it validated a strategic decision by the Trump campaign to forgo the usual primary-night thank yous in favor of a lengthy, presidential-style press conference — a tactic he’s used on the two previous election nights. 
 
 Forty five minutes of uninterrupted TV time on the three cable news networks is the equivalent of millions of dollars in free media for a campaign — a stunning amount of TV time. 
 
 "[I] do think Hillary should have gotten attention," said Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington Bureau Chief and current director of the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. "She is running for president too, in case anyone failed to notice. It just shows that Donald Trump continues to enthrall and dominate attention, headlines and airtime." 
 
 "Whether networks chose to split their screens or play the speeches sequentially, it is odd political news judgment to cover one leading candidate and not the other if that's really what happened," he added. 
 
 Mo Elleithee, director of the Georgetown Institute of Politics, put it this way: "Trump is catnip to the networks, and they stuck with his rambling, incoherent infomercial. That's dangerous for his opponents. How do you ensure that your substantive case breaks through when you're running against the king of entertainment politics?" 
 
 Added Elleithee, a former communications director for the Democratic National Committee: "I think it shows that Democrats are going to face the same challenge in the fall that Republicans did in the primaries.” 
 
 What struck many critics like Elleithee was that Trump wasn’t even making much news. He was mostly just riffing. He took questions from reporters but also veered into long digressions touting his wines, steaks, golf courses, and even his water. 
 
 It was a typically colorful and unpredictable Trump event. But as Business Insider columnist Josh Barro noted on Twitter, Trump’s penchant for making amusing or contentious statements has given him a higher news (read: ratings) value. 
 
 "Trump is taking questions. Clinton will give the same speech she always does. Trump event has higher news value," he wrote. 
 
 And in the valuable primetime hours, if a cable network dropped Trump during that raucous press conference to go to a Clinton stump speech, they likely would've lost viewers as well. 
 
 Network spokespeople did not respond to emailed questions on Tuesday night. But on Twitter, CNNMoney and CNNPolitics Vice President Ed O’Keefe suggested that Clinton could have waited until Trump was finished; he speculated that she may have wanted to be pre-empted, given the unexpectedly close race in Michigan, which she ultimately lost. 
 
 "Might be her preference given margin in #MichiganPrimary," O'Keefe tweeted in response to a tweet about the networks skipping Clinton. 
 
 CNN and Fox News eventually played clips of Clinton's speech later on Tuesday night. 
 
 But it's still notable that none of the three cable networks chose even to mention that Clinton was speaking before cutting back to Trump. As Trump himself has noted, the attention he gets from the networks is likely the equivalent of millions in free airtime. 
 
 "It's not democracy. It's television," tweeted Time Washington bureau chief Michael Scherer, while also questioning why the Clinton campaign had her go out while Trump was still on. ||||| [There was a video here] 
 
 Donald Trump took time out of his hour-long QVC segment Tuesday to mock an NBC reporter who asked what parents should tell their kids about the language he uses. 
 
 According to TIME Magazine’s Zeke Miller, the question was posed by NBC News reporter Peter Alexander, who has had uncomfortable press conference moments with Trump before. 
 
 Trump—who’s used the word “pussy” to describe Ted Cruz, discussed his penis size on live TV, and confirmed he would sleep with his daughter if they weren’t related—had this to say: 
 
 Oh, you’re so politically correct. You’re so beautiful. Oh, look at you. Awwww. Aw, he’s so. Oh, I know. You’ve never heard a little bad, a little off, language. I know, you’re so perfect. Aren’t you perfect. Aren’t you just a perfect young man. Give me a break. You know what? It’s stuff like that that people in this country are tired of. It’s stuff like that. 
 
 It would be a step up for Alexander though—last time Trump didn’t even let him get the question out. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. 
 
 / Updated By Corky Siemaszko 
 
 Donald Trump’s business savvy came under fire last week — and the Republican presidential front-runner was none too pleased. 
 
 Trump exploded when Mitt Romney, in a scathing anti-Trump speech in Utah, declared: "A business genius he is not." 
 
 The former GOP nominee ticked off a list of Trump's corporate misadventures: Trump University, Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, Trump Magazine, Trump Steaks. 
 
 Trump fired back, calling Romney a "choke artist" and a "failed candidate," and claimed Romney "begged" for Trump's endorsement in 2012. 
 
 "I could have said, 'Mitt drop to your knees,' and he would have dropped to his knees," Trump said. 
 
 Real estate mogul and TV star Donald Trump, left, listens as Michael Sexton introduces him to announce the establishment of Trump University at a press conference in New York, on May 23, 2005. Bebeto Matthews / AP 
 
 Trump, who claims to be worth $10 billion and whose fortune is estimated by Forbes at $4.1 billion, also appeared stung when Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on the campaign trail called him a "con man" with a mixed track record of business success. 
 
 But after notching victories in Michigan and Mississippi on Tuesday, Trump trotted out some "Trump Steaks," held a glossy copy of a Trump Magazine that he claimed to have just looked at, and vowed to reopen Trump University "after we win the lawsuit." 
 
 Trump has had numerous business successes, like Trump Tower, 40 Wall Street and "The Apprentice." But not every Trump venture turned to gold — and the businesses Romney cited were notorious misfires. 
 
 Trump University was an online college launched in 2005 that offered to teach the mogul’s real estate and entrepreneurship strategies, and charged fees ranging from $1,500 to $35,000. But it was never accredited. 
 
 In 2013, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued, claiming the university was a scam operation that defrauded around 600 students out of thousands of dollars. 
 
 Trump, via his lawyer Michael D. Cohen, denied defrauding anybody and claimed the school had a 98 percent approval rating. He filed a complaint alleging that the AG’s office was looking for a campaign contribution. 
 
 On the campaign trail, Trump has also claimed that Trump U got an A rating from the Better Business Bureau. The BBB on Tuesday said the school "does not currently have an A rating." 
 
 "The BB Business Review for this company has continually been 'No Rating' since September 2015," the company said in a statement. "Prior to that, it fluctuated between D- and A+." 
 
 When Trump U was running, the BBB "received multiple customer complaints about this business. These complaints affected the Trump University BBB rating, which was as low as D- in 2010." 
 
 But after 2013, no new complaints were reported as "the company appeared to be winding down." 
 
 "As a result, over time, Trump University’s BBB rating went to an A in July 2014 and then to an A+ in January 2015," the BBB said. 
 
 Recently, Trump criticized a California judge presiding over another lawsuit against Trump U — this one a federal class-action lawsuit — as “very hostile," and added: “I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine.” 
 
 In 2013, Trump countersued the lead plaintiff in the California lawsuit, Tarla Makaeff, for defamation. An appeals court dismissed Trump’s challenge. But the Associated Press reported Wednesday that Makaeff has asked a judge to withdraw from the suit because Trump and his lawyer have put her "through the wringer." 
 
 Records show Trump is also currently being sued by a Long Island man named Gregory Ryan who claimed in court papers filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court that he was the victim of a $25,000 "ripoff." 
 
 Real estate mogul Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Texas Air Corp. Chairman Frank Lorenzo during a joint news conference on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1988 at the Plaza Hotel in New York. AP 
 
 Trump Airlines was Trump's attempt to make money by offering a luxury shuttle service to Washington and Boston from New York City. 
 
 Back in 1989, Trump pounced at the chance to buy the troubled Eastern Air Lines shuttle service for $365 million. He put the Trump name on the planes, dressed them up inside — and waited for business to boom. It didn't. 
 
 But the business took on too much debt and eventually defaulted. It was sold to USAir. 
 
 Trump Vodka was the teetotaling Trump’s attempt to break into the lucrative liquor market. Sold in a skyscraper-shaped bottle, it had a gold-encrusted letter 'T' on all its four sides and the slogan “Success Distilled.” 
 
 Donald Trump holds a bottle of his new line of vodka as he arrives for the Trump Vodka launch party by Drinks America hosted by Donald J. Trump at Les Deux in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, on Jan. 17, 2007. AP 
 
 After it launched in 2006, Trump predicted the T&T (Trump and tonic) would be the most popular drink in America. Two years later, Trump Vodka was history. 
 
 Trump Steaks was launched in 2007 in partnership with retailer Sharper Image and QVC to "deliver a taste of Donald Trump’s luxurious lifestyle.” By 2014, this business venture was dead. But the reviews — the good ones and the bad ones — live on at QVC.com. 
 
 Trump Magazine made its debut in 2007 and was the mogul's foray into what detractors derided as "wealth porn." The glossy pages featured yacht reviews, stories about private jet makeover, ads for jewel-encrusted watches, and lots of pictures of Trump. By 2009, the recession was in full swing and Trump's magazine as a quarterly sold at newsstands was no more. 
 
 Trump Mortgage was also a victim of bad timing — and the recession. “I think it’s a great time to start a mortgage company,” Trump told CNBC in 2006. “The real estate market is going to be very strong for a long time to come.” 
 
 Two years later, the housing market collapsed — and so did Trump Mortgage LLC. ||||| Donald Trump says he is a truthful man. “Maybe truthful to a fault,” he boasted last week at a North Carolina rally where one of his supporters sucker punched a protester. 
 
 But truthful he is not. 
 
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 With the GOP front-runner scooping up delegates in a march toward the Republican nomination, POLITICO subjected a week’s worth of his words to our magazine’s fact-checking process. We chronicled 4.6 hours of stump speeches and press conferences, from a rally in Concord, N.C., on Monday to a rally on Friday in St. Louis. 
 
 The result: more than five dozen statements deemed mischaracterizations, exaggerations, or simply false – the kind of stuff that would have been stripped from one of our stories, or made the whole thing worthy of the spike. It equates to roughly one misstatement every five minutes on average. 
 
 From warning of the death of Christianity in America to claiming that he is taking no money from donors, the Manhattan billionaire and reality-show celebrity said something far from truthful many times over to the thousands of people packed into his raucous rallies. His remarks represent an extraordinary mix of inaccurate claims about domestic and foreign policy and personal and professional boasts that rarely measure up when checked against primary sources. 
 
 Many were straight-up wrong, such as his claim that the United States has a “$500 billion a year trade deficit with China,” which has been debunked over and over by fact checkers, and his statement that he never settles lawsuits, when in fact he has. 
 
 Trump's week of errors, exaggerations and flat-out falsehoods A collection of Donald Trump's remarks over the timespan of a week. Produced by Beatrice Peterson. poster="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201603/3060/1155968404_4799691453001_Title-for-Trump-falshoods-.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true 
 
 In other instances, Trump stretches the limits of reality to distort the records of his rivals. Marco Rubio was a main target last week and saw Trump twist the truth about his immigration position to warn voters that the senator is “totally in favor of amnesty.” 
 
 Then there are the seemingly small falsehoods, piled one atop another. Trump misstates the timing of things – an omnibus spending bill, for example, was called “the craziest thing I’ve ever seen six weeks ago” when in fact it was a spending package passed in December. He exaggerates polls and rankings of other things – such as his position among Hispanics and how he performs in Wall Street Journal polls. He even claims ownership of a successful winery that denies any ownership tie to the GOP front-runner. 
 
 That Trump so frequently ventures so far from the truth perhaps shouldn’t surprise given how much of his campaign is unorthodox. Offensive barbs against Muslims, Mexicans, women and people with disabilities would have quickly sunk the fortunes of other White House candidates but they haven’t hurt the real estate mogul’s standing in the polls, or, more importantly, with Republican voters. 
 
 Certainly, many politicians stretch the truth – the practice of political fact-checking began long before the 2016 election cycle. But none so much as Trump. These untruths – strung together as they are in all of his speeches – have helped drive one of the most rapid ascents in modern presidential campaign history. Stephen Colbert once invented a word to define the political discourse of the time. “Truthiness,” the comedian declared on his debut episode in 2005, was the truth as felt in one’s heart and gut, not what was written up in reference books. A decade later, Trump has taken the idea and run (for president) with it. 
 
 The Trump campaign did not respond to attempts to get comment for this story or these individual instances of inaccuracies. 
 
 Here’s POLITICO’s run-down of a week in the life of a Donald Trump fact-check: 
 
 *** 
 
 “WE DON’T WIN ANYMORE”: TRADE AND ECONOMICS 
 
 “$500 billion a year trade deficit with China.” (March 7 rally in Concord, N.C., and at least four other times last week) 
 
 That’s overstating the case by $134 billion. The imbalance peaked at $366 billion in 2015. 
 
 “You have Japan, where the cars come in by the hundreds of thousands, they pour off the boats. ... [W]e send them like nothing. We send them nothing, by comparison, nothing.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C. and at least one other time) 
 
 The United States exported $62 billion worth of goods to Japan last year. 
 
 “We have a trade deficit with Japan of over $100 billion a year.” (March 8 victory press conference in Jupiter, Fla. and at least one other time) 
 
 The trade deficit with Japan in 2015 was about $69 billion. 
 
 “We’re losing our jobs and the politicians don’t tell you that.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 Politicians from both parties rail against unemployment and outsourcing. For example, the Obama White House in 2012 put out a fact sheet with “outsourcing” in the title. 
 
 “We don’t win at trade. We lose to everybody at trade. Trade we lose to everybody.” (March 11 in St. Louis) 
 
 In 2015, the U.S. had trade surpluses with a number of countries including Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UAE and Australia. 
 
 “Remember we used to have Made in the USA, right? When was the last time you’ve seen it? You don’t see that anymore. You don’t see that anymore.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 The U.S. Economics and Statistics Administration authored a report called “What Is Made In America?” in 2014 that found that U.S. manufacturers sold $4.4 trillion of goods that classify as “Made in the U.S.A.” Manufacturing contributes $2.17 trillion to the U.S. economy and employs 12.33 million Americans. 
 
 “We have lousy health-care, where it’s going up 35, 45, 55 percent.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 Premiums rose by an average of 5.8 percent a year since Obama took office, compared to 13.2 percent in the nine years prior, Politifact found in October. 
 
 “If you look at the jobs reports, which are totally phony, because if you stop looking for a job you are essentially considered employed.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 In the way the unemployment rate is calculated, discouraged workers who give up on looking for a job leave the workforce so they don’t count toward unemployment, but they don’t count as employed either. 
 
 “I know there are some companies where the people were full time for 25 years. Now they’re part-timers and they go out and get another job, and that has to do solely with Obamacare.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C. and at least one other time) 
 
 There are many reasons Americans tend to change jobs more often and work on a part-time basis more than they used to, and the trend predates Obamacare. 
 
 *** 
 
 “LIKE SWISS CHEESE”: IMMIGRATION 
 
 “The migration, they’re coming across. Obama wants to bring thousands and thousands of people in. He has no idea who they are.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C. and at least one other time) 
 
 No one has suggested accepting refugees without screening them for security, a process that refugee advocates currently call daunting and far too time consuming. 
 
 About Rubio: “He’s totally in favor of amnesty.” (March 9 in Fayetteville, N.C.) 
 
 Rubio opposed amnesty while running for Senate but, in an effort to draft compromise legislation, co-sponsored a bill that included a path to citizenship. That’s not the same as blanket amnesty, he said in the Jan. 28 debate. 
 
 “Really they’ve shut Christianity down.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 Seven in 10 Americans identify as Christian, according to Pew. 
 
 *** 
 
 “SELF-FUNDING”: CAMPAIGN FINANCE 
 
 “I’ve spent the least money and I’m by far number 1. So I’ve spent the least.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 As of Jan. 31, Trump’s campaign had spent $23.9 million, more than John Kasich’s campaign, which has spent $7.2 million, or $19.5 million if you include outside groups supporting him. 
 
 “I’m self-funding my campaign.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C., and at least two other times) 
 
 “I’m not taking money. ... I’m not taking. I spent a lot of money. I don’t take.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 “I’m not going to take any money. I don’t want any money. ... You know, I’ve self-funded my campaign. ... Right now, I’m into, you would know better than me, maybe $30 million, maybe more.” (March 11 press conference in Palm Beach) 
 
 There’s a big blue “DONATE” button in the top right corner of his campaign website. As of Jan. 31, his campaign had accepted $7.5 million from donors not named Donald J. Trump. Trump gave his campaign only $250,318. He lent another $17.5 million, but that’s repayable at any time until shortly after the election. 
 
 “I’m already in for $30 million cash.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 Not unless he’s made a lot more contributions since Jan. 31. As of then he had only contributed $250,318, plus the loan of $17.5 million. 
 
 “I think I have $50 million of negative ads against me in Florida. $50 million. Somebody said $50 million.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 As of last Friday, outside groups had spent $15 million in Florida. 
 
 “So many horrible, horrible things said about me in one week. $38 million worth of horrible lies.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Every Republican dollar not spent by Trump on TV and radio from March 1 through 7 comes to $10.57 million, according to The Tracking Firm, a service that monitors media buys. And not all of that money was negative against Trump. 
 
 “How many times do you think Marco and Ted and all of them were calling their super PAC? Is that right? It’s called life. ... They talk to their super PAC. They’re not supposed to but that’s the way life works.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Trump provided no evidence that Rubio and Cruz talk to their super PACs. Candidates coordinating with super PACs is against the law; Trump has not filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission. 
 
 “In New Hampshire, as an example, I spent $1.5 million and somebody else spent $48 million. I was one, the other person was number five.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Trump actually spent $3.1 million in New Hampshire, not $1.5 million, according to Politifact. The Bush campaign and super PAC actually spent $36 million in the state, not $48 million. Bush also came in fourth in New Hampshire, not fifth. 
 
 “Countries have lobbyists also. They have lobbyists. They have their donors.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 Foreign countries can and do hire representatives in Washington, registered under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. But foreign nationals are not allowed to contribute to political campaigns. 
 
 *** 
 
 “NASTY GUY”: ATTACKING HIS RIVALS 
 
 “I have not even focused on Hillary yet. ... I haven’t even started with her other than four weeks ago.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Months ago, in December, Trump said Clinton’s bathroom break during a Democratic debate was “disgusting” and Barack Obama “schlonged” her in the 2008 primaries. 
 
 “Little Marco Rubio. You know, he’s a no-show in the U.S. Senate. He never goes to vote.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 Rubio missed 229 of 1,517 votes between January 2011 and March 2016, according to GovTrack.us. That’s 15 percent. The median record for missed votes for senators currently serving is 1.7 percent. 
 
 “Wasn’t that funny last night when Cruz said, �?I’m the only one that can beat Donald Trump. I have demonstrated that I can beat him. I won five states.’” (March 11 in St. Louis) 
 
 Cruz correctly stated he won eight states, not five, according to the debate transcript. 
 
 “Ohio got lucky because they struck oil. And the budget of Ohio went up more than any budget in the entire United States. Higher than any budget.” (March 11 press conference in Palm Beach) 
 
 Ohio’s budget increased from $55.9 billion in 2010 to $64 billion in 2015. North Dakota’s increased more in percentage terms, and New York’s in dollar terms, according to data from the National Association of State Budget Officers. 
 
 *** 
 
 “EVERYBODY LIKES ME”: POLLS 
 
 “One of the polls just came out, and a number of them have just come out. I’m beating Hillary Clinton quite easily, thank you.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C. and at least one other time) 
 
 Trump is likely referring to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll from mid-February, which showed him two points ahead of Clinton. A clear majority of other polls show she would beat him. 
 
 “After Paris, all of a sudden it started changing. We started getting polls in. And everybody liked Trump from the standpoint of ISIS, from the standpoint of the military.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C. and at least one other time) 
 
 After the Paris attacks, fewer than half (42 percent) of GOP respondents in a Washington Post-ABC poll said Trump was the best candidate to best handle the threat of terrorism. 
 
 “They do a poll in South Carolina, [Lindsey Graham] endorses somebody else and the poll in South Carolina has me at 47.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Trump never topped 42 percent in all the polls collected by Real Clear Politics and won the state with 32.5 percent of the vote. 
 
 “Upstate New York I poll higher than anybody ever.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Hillary Clinton would beat Trump 56 percent to 33 percent in upstate New York, according to a recent Siena College poll. The same poll found that the only region in New York he would win is by 5 points in the state’s suburban areas. 
 
 “They [the WSJ/NBC poll] had me practically dying in South Carolina the day before. ... And it looked like I was really in trouble and then I won in a landslide. The poll was wrong.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 The last South Carolina NBC/WSJ poll had Trump at 28 percent versus Cruz at 23 percent. A national WSJ/NBC poll around the same time had Cruz ahead of Trump 28 percent to 26 percent. 
 
 “Then all of a sudden they [WSJ/NBC] come up with this poll that was very close. They put it on the front-page of the Wall Street Journal, front-page. They never do that. ... I never do well in the Wall Street Journal polls; it’s set against me.” (March 11 in St. Louis) 
 
 The Journal routinely covers polls on its front page, and Trump does well in many of them. For example, a headline from mid-January reads: “Poll: Donald Trump Widens His Lead in Republican Presidential Race”. 
 
 “We’re winning every poll with the Hispanics.” (March 9 in Fayetteville, N.C.) 
 
 A Washington Post-Univision poll in February found that 8 in 10 registered Hispanic voters viewed Trump unfavorably. 
 
 *** 
 
 “NOBODY IS GOING TO MESS WITH US”: SECURITY 
 
 “We have tremendous problems with crime and other things.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 Crime rates have declined dramatically since the 1990s and remain at historically low levels. 
 
 “If you look at the Iran deal, where we give a terror nation $150 billion” and “got nothing”. (March 11 in St. Louis and March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 Credible estimates vary for the value of sanctions relief to Iran, topping out at $100 billion. But it’s false to suggest the U.S. gains nothing from the deal. Iran agreed to ship uranium out of the country, dismantle two-thirds of its centrifuges and accept rigorous inspections. 
 
 “The Gulf states aren’t spending. The Gulf states have so much money, they’re not spending anything. By the way, they’re not taking anybody, they’re not taking, they’re not spending.” (March 7 rally in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 At a February London aid conference, Gulf states pledged at least $537 million to help mitigate the Syrian crisis, and the United Arab Emirates has accepted more than 100,000 Syrian nationals since the civil war began in 2011. 
 
 ISIS drowns “people in these massive steel cages where 40, 50, 60 people they dump it and they pull it up half an hour later with 50 people dead.” (March 9 in Fayetteville, N.C.) 
 
 Last June, ISIS released video of the group drowning five Iraqis in a cage. There are no reports of 40 to 60 victims. 
 
 “Eight weeks ago, they signed a budget that is so bad. It funds ISIS.” (March 9 in Fayetteville, N.C.) 
 
 The omnibus spending bill, passed in December, is not strictly a budget, and it’s not clear what part of it Trump thinks gives money to ISIS. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for a reference on this specific claim. 
 
 *** 
 
 “BIGGEST,” “BEST,” “MOST BEAUTIFUL”: PERSONAL BOASTS 
 
 “It turned out I’m much richer than people think.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss.) 
 
 Trump says he’s worth more than $10 billion. Forbes Magazine says he’s worth $4.5 billion. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated his net worth at $2.9 billion. 
 
 “By the way, four times on the cover of Time Magazine over the last number of months. ... I think I was on the cover of Time twice over 30 years and now I think I’ve been almost, I think it’s four times in the last three or four months.” (March 7 in Concord, N.C.) 
 
 “It is a movement. It’s been covered on Time magazine covers many many times.” (March 11 in St. Louis) 
 
 Trump has been on the cover of Time three times since he started running for president nine months ago, not four times over the last three or four months. Before his presidential run, he was on the cover just once, in 1989, not twice. In the last four months, he’s been on the cover twice, not three times. 
 
 “I built an unbelievable, some of the greatest assets in the world, very little debt, tremendous cash flow, tremendous. ... Almost all of my businesses work.” (March 7 in Madison, Miss. and at least one other time) 
 
 Four of Trump’s companies have declared bankruptcy, meaning they could not repay their debts. For example, the Trump Plaza Hotel declared bankruptcy in 1992 with $550 million in debt. The Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts filed for bankruptcy in 2004 carrying an estimated $1.8 billion in debt. In December 2008, Trump Entertainment Resorts couldn’t pay a $53.1 million interest payment for a bond. 
 
 “I don’t settle lawsuits. ... I don’t do it.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 In 2013, Trump settled with condo buyers who had sued over a project in Baja California. 
 
 “It’s the largest winery on the East Coast. I own it 100 percent. No mortgage. No debt. You can all check. You have to go check the records, folks. In fact, the press, I’m asking you, please check.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 Trump Winery in Charlottesville is not the largest vineyard or winery on the East Coast, according to the National Association of American Wineries. 
 
 And the winery’s own website denies that Trump owns it. “Trump Winery is a registered trade name of Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC, which is not owned, managed or affiliated with Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization or any of their affiliates.” 
 
 “We make the finest wine. As good a wine as you can get anywhere in the world.” (March 8 in Jupiter, Fla.) 
 
 None of the wines from Trump Winery made the top 100 list of the best wines in 2015 as ranked by Wine Spectator Magazine. Looking at just Virginia wines, none of Trump’s wines were finalists in the flagship 2016 Governors’ Cup. 
 
 “I’ve been hearing from virtually everybody in the Republican Party and they’re congratulating me and they’re saying, we’re going to get together.” (March 11 in Palm Beach) 
 
 There are many Republicans who are not engaging with Trump or congratulating him. 
 
 *** 
 
 “ABSOLUTE SLEAZE”: THE PRESS 
 
 “The only way, now everybody’s talking about how massive these crowds are, the only way they find out about the crowds, the only way is with the protestors.” (March 9 in Fayetteville, N.C.) 
 
 The press has long noted the size of Trump’s audiences with or without protestors. For example, last August, CNN covered Trump’s crowd of 30,000 at an Alabama football stadium. 
 
 
 
 Daniel Lippman is associate editor for states and a reporter for Politico, working on Politico Playbook and contributing to political coverage. 
 
 Darren Samuelsohn is a senior policy reporter for Politico. 
 
 Isaac Arnsdorf is a Politico reporter. ||||| After winning both the Mississippi and Michigan primaries, GOP front-runner Donald Trump addressed voters in Florida, saying that it's time for the Republican party to embrace him. (Reuters) 
 
 Four states voted on Tuesday night in the latest set of contests in the respective races for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. It was a very good night for Donald Trump and a very bad night for Marco Rubio. Bernie Sanders scored an upset in Michigan that suggests the Democratic race might continue for months. 
 
 I picked a handful of the best and the worst from the night that was. They're below. 
 
 Winners 
 
 *Donald Trump: The talk of the last few days — especially here in Washington — centered on the possibility of the Trump bubble having, finally, burst. Two national polls released on Tuesday showed him with a shrunken lead over Ted Cruz; many people looked to Michigan and Mississippi to see if Trump might underperform or even lose in those two states. Nope! Michigan was called for Trump as soon as polls closed across the Wolverine State at 9 p.m. Eastern time, and Mississippi was called for him just 30 minutes after polls closed there. The Mississippi exit polls are instructive as to Trump's dominance. Trump won those who identified as "very" conservative, "somewhat" conservative and moderate/liberal. That's, well, all of them. 
 
 This was a night that sets up Trump perfectly for March 15 when, if he wins Ohio and Florida, the race will be effectively over. He will almost certainly be the momentum candidate going into those states next week. And the struggles of Marco Rubio — more on that below — only make Trump's path easier. 
 
 * Bernie Sanders: Yes, the Vermont senator got destroyed in Mississippi. But, in the bigger and high-profile state of Michigan, Sanders heavily overperformed polling that showed Clinton ahead by 20 points or more. Winning a big Midwestern state is of deep symbolic importance for Sanders, who was on the verge of being cast as a nuisance candidate by many Democrats. 
 
 On the night Michigan and Mississippi Democratic voters went to the polls, candidate Hillary Clinton said she was proud of the campaigns she and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are running. Meanwhile, Sanders expressed confidence that Democrats would "beat Mr. Trump" in November. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) 
 
 Sanders may have also found an issue where he can do real damage to Clinton as the campaign goes forward. Almost 6 in 10 Michigan Democratic primary voters said international trade takes away U.S. jobs, according to exit polling. Among that group, Sanders won by roughly 20 percentage points over Clinton. That could — and should — bode well for his efforts in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and other states where international trade has ravaged the economy. "What tonight means is that the Bernie Sanders campaign ... is strong in every part of the country," Sanders said in brief remarks in Florida Tuesday night. "We believe our strongest areas are yet to happen." 
 
 Sanders had previously pledged to stay in the race through the June 7 primaries and, as I've noted, he has plenty of money to do so. Now he has even more reason to stay in. 
 
 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders expressed confidence in Miami following Democratic primary elections in Mississippi and Michigan. (Reuters) 
 
 *Paul O'Neill: The former Yankee (and Reds) outfielder was in attendance at Trump's rally in Florida. And, of course, Trump cajoled an endorsement out of the former slugger and then spent the rest of his victory news conference touting O'Neill's support. I — and most of the rest of the country — probably hadn't thought about Paulie in years. But, on Tuesday night, he was back on center stage. 
 
 * Trump, the Brand: Trump Steaks! Trump Water! Trump Wine! Trump Magazine! Trump Golf Club! Trump celebrated himself during his victory speech/press conference Tuesday night. Not only did he bring steaks, water and wine to his rally, he spent a good chunk of his actual speech talking about how great they are and how successful each of his businesses are. It was surreal -— until you stop and remember this is Donald Trump we're talking about. 
 
 
 
 REUTERS/Joe Skipper 
 
 *Abe Lincoln: "Very presidential," according to Trump. I am sure Honest Abe would have loved Trump wine if he had ever got the chance to try it. 
 
 Losers 
 
 * Marco Rubio: Oomph. Rubio finished WAY off the lead in Michigan and Mississippi and looked to be in very serious danger of not qualifying to win a single delegate from either. (A candidate needs 15 percent statewide to get delegates in Michigan and Mississippi.) Even as those terrible results were coming in, Rubio continued to insist that Florida was the only state that mattered. 
 
 Rubio: "I believe with all my heart that the winner of the Florida primary next Tuesday will be the nominee of the Republican Party" — Ashley Killough (@KilloughCNN) March 9, 2016 
 
 Well, um, okay. It was hard to see Rubio winning Florida before Tuesday night. It's even harder to imagine him winning it now since the next seven days will be filled with questions about (a) whether he is staying in the race and (b) whether he should stay in the race. Rubio, who is still in his early 40s, has to consider his future — and fast. Losing Florida — particularly if he loses badly — could damage Rubio's political career going forward on both the state and national levels. 
 
 * Mitt Romney: The 2012 nominee claimed credit for slowing Trump down after the votes on Saturday, telling "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd on Sunday that his speech discrediting the former real estate mogul mattered. Um, maybe not? Michigan, as you might remember, was a state that Romney's father, George, represented as governor and one that Mitt won in the 2008 and 2012 GOP primaries. So ... 
 
 * Phil Bryant: The Mississippi governor waited until the last minute to make an endorsement in the Republican race. On Monday night, he endorsed Ted Cruz. Whoops! The Trump steamroller came through the Magnolia State and left Bryant and lots of other establishment Republicans scattered by the side of the road. 
 
 * The backdrop for Bernie Sanders's speech: Three small campaign signs stapled together against a plain wood background? This is Miami! We could't do any better than that, Bernie people?
– On the heels of his Mississippi and Michigan wins, Donald Trump on Tuesday held a 45-minute press conference from the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla., and that was far from the only Trump brand on display. The candidate was last week dinged by Mitt Romney over ventures like Trump University, Trump Airlines, Trump Vodka, Trump Magazine, and Trump Steaks, reports NBC News. ("A business genius he is not," is how Romney put it.) And so Trump did his best to counter that claim, trotting out his steaks ("if you want to take one we'll charge 50 bucks a steak," he said), his magazine (a copy was lobbed into the crowd, notes TPM), his water, and his wine (from the "largest winery on the East Coast"). As RealClearPolitics national political reporter, Caitlin Huey-Burns—and many others—put it, "This is like Trump QVC." But not all digs were aimed at Trump. "I hope the Trump speech lasts another 4 hours and I hope the Cable networks will carry it all, because there is obviously no news judgment," former NPR political editor Ken Rudin tweeted, as spotted by Politico. Politico points out that CNN, Fox, and MSNBC carried the entirety of Trump's press conference even though Hillary Clinton and John Kasich spoke during the 9pm ET hour. And as far as mocking goes, Trump didn't just take it, he dished it. At one point, NBC News reporter Peter Alexander asked the candidate about how parents should explain his language to their kids. Trump's reply, per Gawker: "Oh, you’re so politically correct. You’re so beautiful. Oh, look at you. Awwww. Aw, he’s so. Oh, I know. You’ve never heard a little bad, a little off, language. I know, you’re so perfect. Aren’t you perfect. Aren’t you just a perfect young man. Give me a break. You know what? It’s stuff like that that people in this country are tired of. It’s stuff like that." So how are those no-longer-available Trump Steaks? Archived, and not too kind, reviews here.