Matchup one, trump versus cruz. Antiestablishment. Duo over dirty politics and dirty talk. When he gets rattled, when he gets upset. I want to use foul language, but im not going to. Cursing and yelling vulgarities. Said dont do it. Dont do it. Because they have even if its not a bad word, if its a little bit off, they kill me. So i wont do it. Matchup two. Cruz versus rubio. The controversial ad he later polled. Has anyone else here struggled with being lied to . Well, i voted for a guy who was a Tea Party Hero in the campaign trail, and then he went to dc and played paddy cake with chuck schumer. Maybe vote for more than a pretty face next time. Is that room for one more . And matchup three. Rubio versus trump and cruz. The freshman senator facing off with two. I had a word that was bleeped out. I never want to be a candidate that does anything like that. I dont know what ted cruz were dealing with anymore. Ted has been calculated on a bunch of different issues, winning to say or do anything in order to win an election. We have reporters across South Carolina and washington, dc covering the state of the 2016 race yesterday and we start with all eyes on the next republican debate. It was held 90 miles northwest where we are right here in greenville, from greenville to columbia. Its about an hour and 36 minutes. From all the mud slinging going on now, youd think the debate has started. Its ironic that most of the candidates at this moment find themselves at that forum on faith and family because dominating the headlines are stories about sleazy push polls and adult film actress. Donald trump and ted cruz, the two front runners, is at the center of the battle. Cruz is denying trumps allegations that people are behind a series of robocallrobo. The cruz camp pulled this ad hitting marco rubio, the reason . One of the actors in the ad and her past adult film credits in such films such as carnal wishes and secrets of a chamber maid. Hallie jackson is about two greenville, South Carolina. Its depending how fast you drive away. Reporter where do we begin . Apologies in advance to adding the play by play analyst thing you have talking in a golf whisper. Dr. Ben carson here in greenville. Were going to try to keep it down asuper disruptive. Its ironic at a faith forum and talk about the topics you brought up like this new ad that was now polled because of this actress delivering the punch line of the whole commercial, the ad that she wants to vote for somebody whos not just a pretty face. In and of itself is a fairly tough line coming out from the Cruz Campaign. Its just who its delivered by thats become an issue. Let me read you what the Cruz Campaign had to say about this. The actress responded to an open casting call. She passed her audition and got the job, according to the campaign. Unfortunately, she was not vetted by the casting company, had the campaign noted of her full filmography, would not have and will replace it with a different commercial. Im sure you have the full filmography, and a few of her previous films. This is not what the campaign wants to be talking about or focusing on at this point in the campaign. Theyd rather be sort of going after marco rubio and his position on immigration and focusing on that. They are now going after Hillary Clinton as well. Theres a whole flurry of new ads out, not just from the Cruz Campaign but a will the of these campaigns. But the Cruz Campaign one is getting some attention. Ill play it here. See if you recognize the movie its spoofing. What difference does it make for clinton some apple file plays a victim for pro motion anyone who has seen the movie office space will see secretary clinton beating up her server. This is running during saturday night live during statewide in South Carolina, if that gives you the sense of the vibe and the audience theyre aiming after. This younger demo watching snl anyway, might be more open to a parody like this. Folks might remember the iowa commercial also rendering snl. Cruz with his wife and his kids. Reporter yeah. Its something theyve done before. Its a strategy that theyve used to go after that audience that watches tv, comedy tv on a saturday night and lets them get pop culture elements into the Campaign Commercials too. So gabe, lets bring you in. As hallie has been doing it. But the focus of rubio is trump. How does marco rubio have his sights set at the top . Reporter youre right, trying to keep it quiet here so as not to disrupt dr. Carson. Its after the disappointing fifth place finish in New Hampshire and also going after trump and cruz and a lack of Foreign Policy experience. Hes been talking about his family more and watching tv when he heard something, he heard news reports about something. Lets take a listen to that. If your president is someone who says or does things you would punish your kids for saying or doing, that is not a good sign. Reporter obviously, a direct reference to donald trump, making the argument that donald trump is too crude to be president. And hes making the argument himself to be the gop establishment to bring together a unified Republican Party. The question will be, will voters forgive him for that very difficult debate performance last week in New Hampshire . The voters we have talked to, many say, look, it was just a bad debate night. But we have to see how he performs tomorrow during the big debate for him where he would likely get attacked from multiple angles. We look forward to seeing how that performance pans out for all the contenders on that stage tonight for the gop. Nbc Gabe Gutierrez and Hallie Jackson. Were going to talk more now about donald trump because theres good news and bad news for the gop frontrunner. He did very well with the focus group of South Carolina with the local nbc news affiliate but his style of leadership is not always the most attractive selling feature. Every president elected is a reflection of the country at large and i think trumps face represents the black friday special. And what is a black friday special . Paycheck to paycheck. Theyre looking for the cheapest way to get the most. A lot of people are worried about a lot of things. And the surest way to ride is s the offensive one. Nbc news, a Political Editor from washington. Mark, they seem to like donald trump but there is an undercurrent of menegativity. Is he missing out by not campaigning in South Carolina . Reporter hell be in South Carolina as we end up hitting the final stretch of the campaign. Donald trump has done this campaign his own way and sometimes he hasnt congregated in iowa or New Hampshire the way the other candidates has but been driving the conversation. As you refer to in the focus group from last night, there were some negative comments directed as donald trump. Some descriptions of him were greedy, flagger, flashy, but the respondents said donald trump is commanding it. Hes setting the narrative. And as our nbc wall street journal copollster peter hart conducting the focus group, hes the mesmerizing force in the race. Yes, polarizing an controversial, but still the alpha dog in this republican contest, and you have to say in some respects, he still might be the person to beat on the republican side, even in South Carolina with the 65 of evangelicals voting on february 20th. So i spoke to someone within his campaign earlier today, hell be traveling ahead just in time of the debate in greenville, so we look forward, as you say, to seeing how this will shake out. He has been leading the topic of conversation. It seems, as though, this entire political season. Political editor, mark murray. Thank you. And fresh off his unexpected second place showing in New Hampshire, john kasich is hitting the trail and hitting it hard. In less than 30 minutes, hes expected to meet in orangeburg. His eighth Campaign Stop in just three days and South Carolina voters, they love to reset president ial contests. So could he be the wild card in this debate . Peter alexander is outside of the chamber of commerce in South Carolina. What changes have you seen in kasichs strategy here in South Carolina postNew Hampshire . Reporter thomas, its good to be with you. To be sincere, we have not seen any change. Hes has this optimistic focus and hes seen the fund raising grow since the second place finish in New Hampshire. I just finished speaking with him a matter of minutes ago and asked about the fact hell be leaving the state monday and tuesday and spending days in michigan and virginia before doing fund raising out of South Carolina as well. I asked if thats an admission that this is somehow bush country. He said its not bush country. He has not won anything anywhere. They say they take the state very seriously and in his words, its a national campaign. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Thats the kind of phrase you might have heard from president barack obama over the course of his campaigning and his administration. He believes hes bringing democrats and independents and republicans together in what will be a unifying message and confident hell do a lot in the first 100 days as well. Heres what hes doing in South Carolina. The first 100 days. John kasich will make them count. Cut taxes to create jobs. Freeze regulations. Enforce a balanced budget plan and secure the border. John kasich always gets it done and leaves no one behind. No excuses, no surrender. Youre talking to mark about the focus group, that was asked by kasich. Saying things like optimistic good businessmen, still learning about him. He still has a lot of room to grow but an obstacle in the days ahead. I asked him for the word association. Thomas answer . Fun. Back to you. It was interesting to see these 200 ads and the other one being healing and the other one, people looking at it would see a lot more about who this man is and defined by the loss of his parents and a drunk driving accident and sharing that. There seems to be a fist and the heart demonstrated in these two ads and see if it grabs the attention of the voter here in South Carolina. Nbcs peter alexander. Great to see you, peter. Thank you. Coming up next, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clash over president Obamas White House record. Were asking you today, will sanders strategy of criticizing the president help or hurt him . Vote at pulse. Msnbc. Com. Much more ahead live from the liberty tap room here on a busy friday. Nbc South Carolina primary nekts this spot right here. Come visit us and then were back after a quick break. Im mary ellen, and i quit smoking with chantix. I have smoked for 30 years and by taking chantix, i was able to quit in 3 months and that was amazing. Along with support, Chantix Varenicline is proven to help people quit smoking. It absolutely reduced my urge to smoke. Some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. Some had seizures while taking chantix. If you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. 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Nutrition that performs. I tabut with my back paines, i couldnt sleep and get up in time. Then i found aleve pm. Aleve pm is the only one to combine a safe sleep aid plus the 12 hour pain relieving strength of aleve. Im back. Aleve pm for a better am. Four score and seven years ago, our [train horn blares]th. To the continent. [claps]. A new nation. Announcer why not celebrate president s day with a better nights sleep . Through president s day at sleep train get up to four years interestfree financing on tempurpedic, and save up to 300 on beautyrest and posturepedic, plus sameday delivery, and sleep trains love your mattress guarantee. Hurry this special financing offer ends president s day at sleep train. Welcome back. Turning to the democratic side of the race now. Both candidates are fresh on the campaign trail and theyre fresh hours after the head to head debate in milwaukee. Hillary clinton is going to hold a town hall in denmark, South Carolina. Located in the corridor of shane given to the label of i95 noted for neglected education system. Bernie sanders is going to campaign in minneapolis, minnesota today, ahead of the dinner held in st. Paul and at that dinner, Hillary Clinton will also be in attendance and while were just 15 days away from the democratic primary here in South Carolina, the fight for the africanamerican vote continues to gain intensity with a super pac backing clinton targeting that key voting group. We cant let them hold us back. We need a president who will build on all that president obama has done. President obama trusted Hillary Clinton to be americas secretary of state. And we know Hillary Clinton has the vision and courage to help build an economy to support our communities. Our Political Team is covering both campaigns today, an were goi and were going to start with msnbcs Alex Seitzwald for the sanders and clinton camps. How are they trying to earn the confidence of this minority voting block . Its critical. In South Carolina, were expecting between 50 and 60 of the democratic electorate to be the primary at the end of the month. Clinton taking an approach very much hugging barack obama and his legacy, saying shes the rightful heir to that and Bernie Sanders is more focusing on his activism, time spent in the Civil Rights Movement and what he would do to change not only racial inequality but economic inequality. One from Hillary Clinton, that focuses on charleston and guns and one with the daughter of eric garners support. Hillary is really committed to making sure that the guns dont get into the wrong hands. And get stronger gun laws. So no family has no ever go through anything like this again. Im behind again to listen and speak up for us. And i think we need to believe in Bernie Sanders. Thomas, you can see there in the clinton ad, standing with obama. Thats key, also, guns, thats been a major message from clinton, and for sanders, its about that power dynamic, the standing with the people against the power, activists roots. Hes been slower to win endorsements in the africanamerican community. But hes racking them up slowly and tout them like he did here. And alex, quickly, before i let you go. Talk about the push to the democratic nomination. Reporter theres 704 super delegates. So far, very much in Hillary Clintons camp. Somewhere over 400. We were led to believe. Sanders and his allies, groups like moveon. Org, democracy for america, theyre calling on super delegates to back whomever wins the states they elect. Thats not how super delegates usually work. Usually they endorse who they want back, but this is one theyre working to reverse clintons lead among super delegates. Alex seitzwald, thank you so much. I want to go to our colleague now. Msnbc national correspondent, joy reed. Joy has been spending time with the Sanders Campaign and the volunteers of that campaign for voters here in South Carolina, and joy, whats the message that the sanders camp is trying to get out and are black voters interested and responding to the vision to capture the white house he presents . Reporter well, its interesting. The Sanders Campaign, i think, aware of the fact that barack obama is extremely popular with africanamericans, they are threading that needle because this is a candidate who has been critical of barack obama, but interestingly enough, what were finding among africanamerican voters is dual support. Incredible support for barack obama but a sense they want to go further and see sanders messages not in opposition to barack obama but building on his legacy and making big change, which they see the obama election in the first place as being. Take a listen to one voter with an interesting guy, his name is darrell, the lead barber and manager of a lead barbershop in columbia. Not only he believes but trying to convi