| Donald Trump is playing catch-up, Washington bureau chief Zoe Daniel writes | "It's being stolen. It's a corrupt system. This is a dirty trick."
"Our Republican system is absolutely rigged. It's a phony deal."
Just a few of the gems from Donald Trump this week, who may have won the most primaries, but is playing catch-up on the backroom dealing and the proverbial "ground game" needed to deliver him the Republican presidential nomination, if we end up with a contested convention.
Confused?
You're not alone, and even those who are in the know are grappling with what's unfolding.
As Republican consultant Ryan Williams told me in an interview, "I think we're in uncharted territory here".
Indeed.
VICTORS
Ted Cruz
His organised lobbying campaign is delivering him delegates all over the shop. We've been over this before but, it's complicated, so here's a recap.
Donald Trump needs 1,237 delegates to win the nomination in the first vote at the July convention. If he's almost but not quite there, he can try to scrape up some "unpledged delegates" who can vote for whoever they like because they're not bound by primary results.
The thing is that Ted Cruz and his team have done such an effective job of getting his supporters elected as delegates via state conventions, that Trump may find it hard to find those extra delegates.
At this stage it looks like he might be around 50 to 60 short, but that will depend on the last burst of primary results.
So, if there's no result in the first ballot, there'll be a second, third and maybe fourth vote until someone reaches the magic number. During that process pledged delegates who are tied to Donald Trump will be progressively released and can vote for whomever they like.
And who will they like? You guessed it: Ted Cruz. Donald Trump is scrambling to catch up on this and has appointed veteran strategist Paul Manafort to help out. I reckon he has the hardest job going around at the minute.
Hillary Clinton
She was endorsed for the Democratic nomination by the New York Daily News ahead of next week's delegate-rich primary. She was super happy about it too.
That said, The Bern from Brooklyn is still attracting huge crowds in the city of his birth although he hasn't lived there for more than 50 years.
He's also been invited to give a speech at the Vatican, which is pretty big news, although there's some debate about whether he was actually invited by the Pope.
VANQUISHED
The Donald has had steam coming out his ears this week over the above situation, which basically means that if he doesn't reach 1,237 before Cleveland, he's going to be at a serious disadvantage - and may lose the nomination - even though he will go in with the most delegates after winning the most primaries.
He's blaming the system, but others say he's just been beaten on strategy. This terrific piece in American Thinker explains what happened at last weekend's Colorado convention, which delivered all of its delegates to Ted Cruz.
"Mr. Trump was not cheated, swindled, bamboozled nor ripped off. He was simply out-hustled," it reads.
MUSIC TO MY EARS? OR NOT...
The campaign has spawned a new crop of musical maestros who are singing their lungs out for the various candidates. Exhibit A: The single Trump for America, described as "a musical collage of patriotic cliches".
And speaking of music, we're assuming talk of opposing former presidential hopefuls Mike Huckabee and Martin O'Malley starting a "bipartisan band" is tongue in cheek? Let's hope so.
SUPER BERNIE
You know those pesky super delegates I talk about every week? Well, you know how Bernie Sanders complains about them torpedoing his people revolution? Well - wait for it - did you know Bernie Sanders is a super delegate himself?
I know, right?
MAKING AMENDS
Donald Trump has made a lot of enemies in the course of his campaign, but his spat with Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly has been the most prominent.
On Wednesday, Kelly extended an olive branch and met with Trump at where else but Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Is Trump softening after calling the anchor "crazy" amongst other things in recent months? He said the meeting was "very nice".
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Two of Donald Trump's kids won't be voting for him in next week's New York primary.
You heard me - Ivanka and Eric will not be casting a ballot for their dad. Again, it's complicated. As the New York Daily News suggested, the whole process of registering is causing all sorts of problems.
Meanwhile, Ted Cruz's daughters stole the show in this week's series of CNN Town Hall events, which were all about family.
Caroline and Catherine talked about Taylor Swift visiting them if their dad moves into the White House and their upcoming Build-a-Bear party. Very cute.
CHARGES DROPPED
Donald Trump's embattled campaign caught a break on Thursday after battery charges against his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, were dropped. The charges came amid a bad run for Trump but the damage from the incident is likely already done.
BY THE NUMBERS
12 - The number of Marco Rubio delegates from Oklahoma that are set to go free at the convention in July, according to the Oklahoma GOP chair Pam Pollard.
NEW YORK VALUES
All of the presidential hopefuls have spent the week in New York and the cameras have captured every minute of it.
From Hillary Clinton riding the subway to Ted Cruz making matzo, this week's campaign has been quintessentially New York. John Kasich ate some pretty big sandwiches in the Bronx and Bernie Sanders is reconnecting with his Brooklyn roots.
Three of the candidates have some personal connection to New York and for the first time in years, the New York primary will be critical.
And as you'd expect, I'll be there! |  | | | About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com. Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Add or remove topics | Unsubscribe | Contact Us |
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