[Wolf Blitzer, Cnn Anchor:] Happening now, breaking news: Rick rolled. Cruz campaign communications director Rick Tyler forced to resign over a false ad targeting Marco Rubio, Cruz and Rubio in a bitter race for second as Donald Trump heads into Nevada's caucuses with a very commanding lead. Who will come out of it as the strongest Trump alternative? Out of the kitchen. John Kasich stumbles and gets called out on a tone-deaf remark about his women supporters. He quickly apologizes, but has the damage already been done to his struggling campaign? I will ask him when he joins us live this hour. Shooting spree. An Uber driver on a rampage, killing six people at multiple locations, taking fares in between. Now he's charged with murder as investigators comb his past for clues. What was his motive? Cease-fire failing? The U.S. and Russia announce a plan to reduce the bloodshed in Syria, but there's growing skepticism about the deal, even before it goes into effect. With ISIS on the offensive and not part of the agreement, is there any real hope for the thousands of civilians whose lives now hang in the balance? We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in
[The Situation Room. Announcer:] This is CNN breaking news.
[Blitzer:] We're following the breaking news. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz firing his communications director on the eve of Nevada's Republican caucuses. Rick Tyler forced to resign after tweeting a false story about a false story about Cruz rival Marco Rubio insulting the Bible. With Cruz and Rubio at war with each other, Donald Trump heads into tomorrow's caucuses the odds-on favorite following his overwhelming win in the South Carolina primary, where he picked up all 50 of the state's GOP delegates. We're also following the shooting spree in Michigan. An Uber driver now charged with six counts of murder, accused of targeting random victims in multiple locations and driving customers in between the killings. We're covering all that and much more this hour with our guests, including Republican presidential candidate, the Ohio governor, John Kasich. And our correspondents and expert analysts, they are also standing by live. But let's begin with the surprise developments in the Republican race for the White House. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty is in Las Vegas for us tonight. Sunlen, some political drama, this on the eve of the caucuses there. What's the latest?
[Sunlen Serfaty, Cnn National Correspondent:] That's right, Wolf. This is a huge shakeup within the Cruz campaign. Senator Cruz has just fired his communications director, someone who is one of his top allies in his inner circle of his campaign, fired over spreading false video about Marco Rubio over Twitter. The Cruz campaign tonight very much in the middle of a storm.
[Sen. Ted Cruz , Presidential Candidate:] This was a grave error of judgment.
[Serfaty:] Ted Cruz is in cleanup mode, demanding the resignation of his communications director, Rick Tyler, after he distributed a video that falsely depicted Marco Rubio dismissing the Bible.
[Cruz:] It turned out the news story he sent around was false. But I'll tell you, even if it was true, we are not a campaign that is going to question the faith of another candidate.
[Sen. Marco Rubio , Presidential Candidate:] It's part of a pattern.
[Serfaty:] Earlier today, Rubio called foul on the Cruz campaign for what he said were dirty tricks.
[Rubio:] Every single day, something comes out of the Cruz campaign that's deceptive and untrue and in this case goes after my faith. And no one is ever held accountable.
[Serfaty:] Trump is seizing on this staff shakeup to slam his rival, tweeting quote "Wow, Ted Cruz falsely suggested Marco Rubio mocked the Bible and was just forced to fire his communications director. More dirty tricks," as he takes a South Carolina victory lap.
[Trump:] We won with everything, tall people, short people, fat people, skinny people, just won.
[Serfaty:] Meanwhile, despite saying last month that Rubio is eligible for the presidency...
[Trump:] He was born here. It's definite. He was born on the land.
[Serfaty:] ... Trump now raising some doubt, retweeting a message suggesting otherwise.
[Trump:] I'm not really that familiar with Marco's circumstance.
[Serfaty:] But Rubio brushing it off.
[Rubio:] I'm going to spend zero time on his interpretation of the Constitution with regards to eligibility.
[Serfaty:] John Kasich is in Virginia today taking a shot at Rubio.
[Gov. John Kasich , Presidential Candidate:] I didn't have a script. I didn't have a teleprompter.
[Serfaty:] But that unscripted style is getting him into hot water over comments about his support among women during his first run for state Senate in the late 1970s.
[Kasich:] We just got an army of people who and many women, who left their kitchens to go out and go door to door and put yard signs up for me all the way back when, you know, things were different. Now you call homes and everybody is out working.
[Serfaty:] Earning him a rebuke from one supporter.
[Unidentified Female:] First off, I want to say your comment earlier about the women came out of the kitchen to support you, I will come to support you, but I won't be coming out of the kitchen.
[Kasich:] I got you.
[Serfaty:] At his next stop, Kasich attempted to clean up his remarks.
[Kasich:] I don't run around with all these notes as lots of people do. I'm real, and maybe sometimes I might say something that isn't artfully said as well as it should be.
[Serfaty:] Back on that shakeup with the Cruz campaign, the Rubio campaign tonight very clear they want to push this even forward after that firing was announced. They came out with a new statement, this from Alex Conant, spokesman for the Rubio campaign, saying quote "There's a culture in the Cruz campaign from top to bottom that no lie is too big and no trick is too dirty. Rick did the right thing by apologizing to Rubio. High time for Ted Cruz to do the right thing and stop the lies" Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Strong words indeed from Alex Conant. All right, thanks very much, Sunlen, for that. With Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio fighting for second place in Nevada, Donald Trump heads into tomorrow's caucuses the clear GOP favorite. CNN's Jim Acosta is in Las Vegas for us. Jim, the Trump campaign expecting another victory tomorrow night. What are you hearing?
[Jim Acosta, Cnn Senior White House Correspondent:] That's right, Wolf. And I think we had a first here today. For once, the story of the day is not all about Donald Trump. One day before the Nevada caucuses, Trump is milking this feud between Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. He's been tweeting about it all afternoon. We can throw one of those tweets up on screen. It says quote "Just saw the phony ad by Cruz. Totally false. More dirty tricks. He got caught in so many lies. Is this man crazy?" Why is that important to Donald Trump? Because he's been harping on this since Iowa, when Ted Cruz was accused of dirty tricks against Ben Carson. Now, as for the campaign here in Nevada, Trump is riding high in the polls. The latest polls show he's way out in front of his nearest rivals in Nevada. So, it's no surprise he's conducting just an abbreviated campaign in this state, only holding two rallies, including one here in Las Vegas later tonight, another one in far-off Sparks, Nevada, tomorrow before the results start rolling in tomorrow night. Wolf, his campaign is confident about its chances, but this is a caucus. And his advisers are well aware that Trump did not perform as well as the polls were indicating in Iowa. They have to be careful not to be too overconfident about they might do here. They still have to get out the vote, get out those caucus-goers, Wolf.
[Blitzer:] A lot of work to do before tomorrow night. All right, thanks very much for that. We're waiting to speak live with John Kasich. He's going to be joining us momentarily. We will get to that interview as soon as he is there. But in the meantime, I want to bring in our chief political analyst, Gloria Borger, our senior political commentator the Washington correspondent for "The New Yorker" magazine Ryan Lizza, our senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, and CNN political commentator Ana Navarro. Ana, you were a Bush supporter. He's dropped out. I know you are friends with Marco Rubio. Can we say you are now a Marco Rubio supporter?
[Ana Navarro, Cnn Contributor:] Look, Wolf, I think what you can say is that I'm licking my wounds. I was incredibly emotionally invested in the Jeb Bush campaign. You have to understand that that wasn't just a candidate to me. He's been my friend my entire adult life. I want to wait and see what he does. And, look, give me a couple of days to rebound. It's not as easy as going from one spouse to another. It's never a good idea to go right into another relationship after a divorce.
[Blitzer:] All right, fair enough. Gloria, you have interviewed John Kasich.
[Navarro:] That's family counsel from Ana Navarro.
[Blitzer:] All right, good words.
[Gloria Borger, Cnn Senior Political Analyst:] Good counsel.
[Blitzer:] Gloria, you have spent some time with John Kasich. We're going to be speaking with him live fairly soon. He says it's really for all practical purposes a four-man race right now.
[Borger:] He does.
[Blitzer:] He eliminates Dr. Ben Carson. There's still five Republicans running. Is it a three-man or a four-man race?
[Borger:] I have talked to a lot of Republicans. There are some who would just wish that John Kasich would get out of the way so that they could consolidate behind Marco Rubio. The establishment is running to Marco Rubio. But as one Republican said to me today, he said, look, John Kasich has a strategy here. And he said to me, look, you cannot have a conversation with John Kasich without understanding that he has got a plan, and this campaign to him is a crusade. It's a crusade about the kind of politics he wants to see in this country and he can go down a plan. He's not Ben Carson. Ben Carson is hanging around. We don't know why. Maybe it's to stick it to Ted Cruz a little bit with those evangelical voters. We don't know. Kasich is saying it's a four-man race. His plan is, I'm going to win in Michigan. There are a handful of Super Tuesday states I might be able to win. We're going to get to Ohio, winner take all. I'm the governor. We will have to see. So I think there is a plan there. Not everyone is convinced it will work, however, except John Kasich still is. We were all surprised that Rick Tyler was fired today by Senator Cruz, his communications director, for this false story about Marco Rubio supposedly not believing in the Bible or whatever. You must have stunned by that too.
[Ryan Lizza, Cnn Contributor:] Yes. I was stunned by him actually having to resign, to be honest. We're in the political season where these kind of things just have not been as big a deal for the front-runner, Donald Trump. Right? If this had happened to Donald Trump, he would have given the person a raise rather than asking him to resign. But I think it's a sign frankly that Rubio excuse me that Cruz's campaign is a little bit rattled by Trump and Rubio constantly calling him a liar. That word used to be a red line in politics. Marco Rubio couldn't call Ted Cruz a liar on the Senate floor. His remarks would have to be taken down. And they every day out there are accusing him of the L-word. And I think Rick Tyler had to fall on his sword, because this plays right into that argument against the campaign.
[Blitzer:] Donald Trump calls Ted Cruz a world-class liar, not just a liar, but a world-class, the worst liar he says he's ever seen. Those are strong words, Nia.
[Nia-malika Henderson, Cnn Senior Political Correspondent:] That's right. And even Ben Carson Ben Carson hasn't used the L-word, but also was questioning Ted Cruz's believability and his honor and integrity. And, remember, Ted Cruz's banner says "Trust Ted." Right? So, they went right after that. And I think it's done some real damage. And he here in throwing Rick Tyler overboard is really trying to tamp down on some of that damage. I reached out to Ben Carson's campaign, because they have been calling for someone to get fired. They said a day late, a dollar short.
[Henderson:] Yes. Right. It wasn't over them.
[Blitzer:] That's basically what the Rubio campaign says as well. Go ahead.
[Borger:] Yes. Look, the calling card that Ted Cruz has is, I'm the values candidate. If you look at the exit polls, it shows that that is the area in which Ted Cruz excels better than any other candidate. But a close second is Marco Rubio. And if he loses that voters who vote on ethics and values and social issues, then where is he? He's nowhere. He had to stop the bleeding.
[Blitzer:] It's interesting, Ana, that Donald Trump, as we all know, had earlier raised questions about Senator Cruz's eligibility to be president, because he was actually born in Canada. But now he's turning his sights on Marco Rubio's eligibility potentially because he was born in the United States, but both of his parents were Cuban immigrants to the United States, did not have U.S. citizenship at the time. He was born in 1971. What do you think of this latest development?
[Navarro:] Oh, I think Donald Trump is on very thin ice. I think it's not going to work. Look, Marco Rubio was born in Miami. And I know there's a lot of people in the United States who might think Miami is the closest Latin American country to the United States, but, no, we're actually part of the United States. Marco Rubio was born American. And I will tell you, nobody can speak as pretty as Marco Rubio about being an American, the American inspiration story, American exceptionalism. So if Donald Trump challenges him on being an American, Marco Rubio, who is incredibly articulate, incredibly poetic, I think is going to respond in a very vigorous way. And if I were Donald Trump, Donald, don't go there. Don't give Marco an opening because he's going to shut you down and shut you down very well at a debate on that.
[Blitzer:] He retweeted Sunlen's tweet on that, as you know, Gloria. But Marco Rubio is getting picking up a lot of endorsements from Republican establishment, more members of the U.S. Senate and others as well. Presumably, this is going to help him.
[Borger:] And former members of the U.S. Senate like Bob Dole, for example. That's worth, what, a vote. But, look, I think it's not the endorsements. We have learned in this campaign that endorsements don't matter. The question is where does the money go? Follow the money. Right? And some of the money will no doubt go to Marco Rubio. But Jeb Bush, I'm told, has not given a signal yet as to who he's going to endorse. I'm told there are a lot of hard feelings still between the Rubio and Bush camps because of their Shakespearian fight that they have had. Some money could go potentially to Kasich. Kasich is looking for some Bush money. In Texas, Cruz could get some Bush money. But it's the money that Rubio is looking for.
[Blitzer:] It's interesting, Ryan. Hold on, Ana. It's interesting that's money is important, but Jeb Bush and his super PAC, they had more than $100 million and it didn't exactly work out for them.
[Borger:] Right.
[Lizza:] Yes, money is not everything. Donald Trump has proved if you can keep your face on the media full-time, that you don't need to buy television ads. I think this race is very simple. Either the Republican Party rallies around Marco Rubio as their last chance to defeat Donald Trump, or Donald Trump is going to be the nominee. And Kasich is going to have to make a decision very soon about whether he wants to be the person that allowed Donald Trump to be the nominee or the person that fell on his sword and got out of the race.
[Blitzer:] All right, guys, everybody, stand by. Once again, we're standing by also to speak with Ohio Governor John Kasich. We're going to get his thoughts on what's going on. He's a Republican presidential candidate. Much more right after this.