With nikki haley, and jeb bush continues bring your mother to workday, campaigning with barbara bush. Thats happening now in South Carolina. So important in the president ial race. But in washington an important moment for the entire nation. Justice Antonin Scalia lying in repose at the Supreme Court. Right there an important congressman paying his respects. The Supreme Court is now open to the public. There are folks lined up there for just this type of moment. The republican congressman from california right there. Well check in throughout the hour. This is a moment to say thank you to someone who served the country for so many decades. First, lets go back to South Carolina. Our chief political correspondent, dana bash, live in myrtle beach where well see donald trump within the hour, and dana, within 24 hours we might have a great deal of clarity about this republican race. Reporter thats right, john. You said it. You know it. Youve covered politics for a long time as have i. South carolina is so incredibly important in terms of a moment in the republican primary race. And if donald trump achieves what the polls right now say hes going hes going to achieve which is a victory in South Carolina that generally picks more establishment candidates if they pick him instead, even other republicans and washington say that he might be unstoppable at that point. You mentioned that its bring your governor to workday for marco rubio. This is bring your crowd to workday. This is kind of a classic trump event. There are people lined up outside, waiting to get in. This is a very, very big space. The Campaign Says it could hold about 6,000 people, and this is the kind of energy, the kind of momentum that donald trump is trying to put forward. Now, we should say back in iowa, he had these kinds of crowds too, and he only got into second place. He didnt win as the polls had suggested. Trump officials tell me that this time they have stepped up their ground game here. They did that in New Hampshire where donald trump did win, and theyre hoping that the kind of boost that hes gotten across the board, even and especially surprisingly from evangelical voters will push him over the top. Dana, stand by. Were going to go to colombia. Thats the most important democratic in South Carolina about to give his endorsement to Hillary Clinton. This is an important opportunity to take stock of where we are as a nation and make choices about where we are going as a people. Eight years ago South Carolina and the nation made history with the choice of barack obama. It was an Emotional Campaign for many of us. A few days ago i admitted that my head and my heart were in different places relative to this years president ial primary. Today, however, my head and my heart are in the same place. A few people speculated that my head was with one candidate and my heart with the other. That was not the case at all. My heart has always been with Hillary Clinton. But my head had me in a neutral corner. But after extensive discussions with my wife, emily, who is here with me today, our children, and grandchildren and other constituents and friends here in South Carolina and across the country, i have decided to terminate my neutrality and get engaged. This is my 24th year in congress. I have the clunt to work up close and personal with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. My experiences with both have been pleasant and enjoyable. But in spite of how it may sound sometimes, campaigns are and should be about the future. And i believe that the future of the Democratic Party and the United States of america will be best served with the experiences and knowhow of Hillary Clinton as our 45 th president. We are facing some critical challenges. Family incomes are stagnant. And the wealth gap is widening. Educational costs are soaring, and post secondary education which is more necessary today than ever before seems out of reach for too many. Far too many communities have languished in per sis tasistenty for far too long. I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best choice to help us conquer these challenges. Hillary clinton is the best choice to achieve equal pay for equal work. And arrest the growing income inequality that exists in this country. Hillary has devoted her life to Early Childhood education and Affordable Health care for all. Hillary clintons proposals for accessible and affordable Higher Education will relieve the crushing debt of College Loans and preserve the value and viability of historically black colleges and universities. And Hillary Clinton is far and away the best choice to reform our criminal Justice System and restore the Voting Rights act to its rightful place as the most effective guardian of that most sacred right for every eligible american in our communities. As a lifelong student of history and a former history teacher, ive often said that history lessons can be real blessings but only if we have learned them. I learned a long time ago that Hillary Clinton is a fighter and thats what we need in our next president. The change we seek for this great country will not come easy. We need a real fighter, and i believe Hillary Clinton is that fighter. Although i speak only for myself and those who have urged me to take a stand, i urge all likeminded South Carolina people to join the fight. Lets vote on saturday, february 27th, to nominate Hillary Clinton to be the next president of these United States. Thank you. Im sure that there may be some questions. Ill be glad to respond to them. I might answer one or two. Im curious on why now. Well, as you probably know, i made a vow to not say or do anything that would jeopardize South Carolinas status as the first in the south primary. So eight years ago i stayed silent. I didnt endorse at all, because i was told by many of the candidates that if i got overly involved that they would stay away from the state. Thats why i waited until now. I did not want to get out there too early and have candidates using my involvement as an excuse not to engage in South Carolina. Because i want this state to remain in the current status in the preprimary window. I think its good for South CarolinaDemocratic Party, and its good for South Carolina. If for no other reason, it wringswring brings a lot of people here who spend a lot of money and help us educate these young people who are here. Congressman, its tight in nevada right now with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Are you hoping this endorsement is going to seal a victory for Hillary Clinton and the vote in nevada . Well, to be totally honest with you, i was on the phone with a few of my friends in nevada. You may know that for the last four or five election cycles i campaigned a lot in nevada. I have quite a few friends there. Some of whom urged me to come forward now, expressing that it may help them in nevada. I certainly hope so. Several of your colleagues in congress have framed the Senate Republicans opposition to president obama nominating someone to replace Antonin Scalia in racial terms. Do you see it that way . In racial terms . Uhhuh. Ive not heard what theyve had to say, but id frame it in constitutional terms. I think the constitution is very clear on this subject. And those people who seem to be revisionists of history seem to forget, but i havent, that justice candidate was approved in the last year of the president ial administration. And so if the president were not to move forward now, if we do not do what is necessary, what were talking about is leaving the Supreme Court under personed to be politically protect, for 1 months. You talk about 12 months left, basically, in the president s term. 11 to be exact. And then you start a process with the next president that will last from six to eight months. Youre talking about september in next year before we get a Supreme Court justice, and so i think he would be derelict has president of the United States were he not to put forward a name, and i think the senate would be derelict if they would not give that person a vote. All right. Youve been listening to jim clcl clyburn, a key political figure in the nation, a crucial political figure in South Carolina. A week and a day before the primary there, endorsing Hillary Clinton, saying he is terminating his neutrality in this race. He says his head and his heart finally in the same place. Called Hillary Clinton a fighter. I think very importantly said he hopes this endorsement helps not just in South Carolina but in the state of nevada which votes tomorrow. Joining us now to discuss, dan pfeiffer, margaret hoover, and errol, and then also daniella gibbs. Where to begin, errol lewis, credit where its due. You want endorsements, big endorsements in South Carolina. They get no bigger. Exactly right. You want to talk about the democratic establishment . This is the establishment. I mean, clyburn is the number three ranking democrat in congress. Hes got people who actually he actually has an organization. Its not as if its just him sort of shouting at a microphone. He has people who are going to go out there and work. It does suggest that clinton is calling in favors. It does suggest that clinton needs some help. Theres no slhame in asking for help. Its probably better to ask for it. Its a big win for her. They needed this and they got it. As he mentioned, in 2008, which was a big deal in South Carolina, he stayed neutral officially. And he got off the fence this time. Stayed neutral and it upset is clintons a lot in 2008. There was a lot of fighting there. It indicates that whatever bad blood there was in 2008 is completely gone now. Dan pfeiffer, you were part of that 2008 race on the other side for barack obama. You know how powerful jim clyburn is. Talk about the timing. The democrats vote a week and a day from now. This endorsement was made a day before nevada. Why today, do you think . Well, first id say i think the general view is endorsements are nice to have. Most of them arent worth much more than the paper the press release is printed on. Jim clyburn is an exception to that rule. He has a Political Organization unlike a lot of members of congress. They can move votes in a president ial primary election. Why now . Im skeptical its going to move votes in nevada. I dont think people in nevada will decide to caucus or not based on this, but it will matter in South Carolina. A week, it gives you enough time that he can start turning his organization on enlisting his precinct captains and volunteers, making sure theyre helping the Clinton Campaign. The sooner the better in this case. I think this is an important endorsement for secretary clinton. I think it will certainly help solidify her lead in South Carolina. Its a good day for that campaign. You know, daniella, you talk about the democratic fire wall. Having jim clyburns endorsement adds ballist to a fire wall. He used language that i can only imagine created flee in brooklyn if it wasnt written in brooklyn. It came out of Hillary Clinton talking points. I made the decision with my head and heart, speaking to my wife and also my children and grandchildren. Younger voters who whom ive been having a problem. What words jumped out to you . I noticed the head and heart moments that he repeated more than once. I think you see that on the democratic side. There are some folks who are trying to say that theres more people people are voting more with their heart and more emotion on the Bernie Sanders campaign. I think its important that the congressman said, actually, no, im doing both. I support here intellectually and think shell make a great president , but she also moves me in my heart, and not just me, me and my kids. The younger and the older generation thats inspired by her candidacy. If you look at the polls, theres no Enthusiasm Gap on this side. Theres widespread enthusiasm for both candidates. Margaret, youre the outsider in thece sense that youre a republican. You know we talked about South Carolina, everyone wanted nikki haleys endorsement. Rubio got it. This is the democratic equivalent. Right. Nikki haley runs the Republican Party in the state and has an organization. Mobilized only three days before the vote as opposed to six days before the vote for the democratic side. I couldnt help but exactly to your point laugh at the head and the heart commentary from her. I mean, those talking points were written directly out of brooklyn. There is an Enthusiasm Gap on the democratic side when it comes to sort of excitement about Bernie Sanders versus Hillary Clinton. She has tried to make the case herself that if youre going to be the leader of this country, you have to have both a head and a heart and i have that. But she needs third Party Validators to make that case. She cant do it herself. He made the endorsement in South Carolina. Hillary clinton not by his side because shes in nevada campaigning for the caucuses which are tomorrow. Brianna keeler chasing the Clinton Campaign in nevada. You heard jim clyburn saying hes been on the phone with his friends in nevada trying to get them out tomorrow. This has to come as welcome news and a relief for the Clinton Campaign. Reporter it is, and i think what it does is gives them a little bit of confidence, if, for instance, they lose in nevada, which they think is a real possibility. The polls are tied up. Theyre unpredictable. This is a caucus setup. One of the things that struck me about what you heard and certainly where you heard clyburn say this was at allen university. This is one of the distinctions that the Clinton Campaign is making and that clyburn is making. Bernie sanders has a proposal for free education. Hillary Clintons Campaign has a bit of a carveout there to provide a fund that would help historically black colleges and universities. When you see him talking about hcbus, hes saying Hillary Clinton is the one who has an eye on these universities, who cares about the African American community, and its a really its a real point that hes trying to point. All right. Brianna keeler in nevada. To our panel, i want you to stand by for a moment. We have some breaking news just into cnn. We just learned of the passing of one of americas most important authors. Harper lee who wrote to kill a mocking bird passed away at the age of 89. Harper lee who wrote that book so importantly, the only book that she published for so many years until this last year when a second back came out either, you know, her desire or not, but such an impact on so many people in this country. One single book with a series of characters that i think defined america and the American Family and our perception of ourselves. Brian stelter joins us to talk about this, i think, important passing. Reporter this is a very sad moment for so many tens or hundreds of thousands of readers. Practically every student in the United States is assigned to read to kill a mocking bird has read the words and cherished it. She passed away at the age of 89. Theyre working on a statement. Were also hearing from officials of her hometown in alabama, also confirming this news. Theres no word, john, on exactly when or how she passed away. We assume well hear more on that in the coming hours. She had been in poor health in the past suffering a stroke in 20 07. We see her here accepting a medal of freedom. Few books changed the world the way harper lees novel did back in 1961. No. Presented a sense of justice, the importance of justice, a sense of family, the importance of family, and the sense of america and how america has changed and can change. You see here 1999 it was voted the best novel of the twentieth century. She didnt really speak much, if at all, after the release of to kill a mocking bird. I think in 1964 was the last time she g