For the umpteenth time, the Republican candidates met last night for a debate. After the Super Tuesday caucuses, only four contenders remained to gather in Detroit: Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump. The Fox News moderators skipped the opening statements and got right to the questions.
Wallace: “Romney challenged you to respond with substance and not insults.”
Trump: “Romney is a total loser.”
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 4, 2016
The tone of the conversation did not improve from there. Segueing from the ongoing conversation about the size of his hands, Trump sought to establish that—well, I’ll let Twitter explain.
We just had a presidential frontrunner boast about his penis-size in a national debate. This is a thing that just happened.
— Jeff B/DDHQ (@EsotericCD) March 4, 2016
I’m ecstatic that we’re now straight up talking penis size in a presidential debate. #joking #notjoking
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) March 4, 2016
SHOW THE SCHLONG FORM CERTIFICATE
— Josh Greenman (@joshgreenman) March 4, 2016
Once again, @realDonaldTrump boasts about assets we cannot see.#GOPDebate
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) March 4, 2016
The talk then turned from Trump’s “business” to his business. As in the last debate, Rubio and Cruz sought to drive home their point: Trump is a con man and unfit for high office.
“The ties and clothes you make are made in Mexico and China, why don’t you make them in America?” -Rubio to Trump #GOPDebate
— Ashley Pratte (@AshPratte) February 26, 2016
So, Trump is blaming Mexico and China devaluation on his going to their countries for manufacturing? #GOPDebate
— Robert A George (@RobGeorge) March 4, 2016
Is Trump the first presidential candidate to campaign on a weak dollar since William Jennings Bryan?
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) March 4, 2016
Moderator Mike Wallace challenged Trump on his deficit reduction plans, and brought some charts to back him up.
Donald Trump: Here’s my plan.
Chris Wallace: You’re an idiot and here is a graphic showing how
— Matthew (@Matthops82) March 4, 2016
CHRIS WALLACE THO
— Shoshana Weissmann (@senatorshoshana) March 4, 2016
Geebus, Trump can’t spell, and they’re asking him to explain math?
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) March 4, 2016
Chris Wallace pulls out graphics to show how wrong Trump is and @realDonaldTrump is like #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/5xC7Jtl6so
— SalenaZito (@SalenaZitoTrib) March 4, 2016
Trump proclaimed that, through negotiation, he would save more money on prescription drugs than the government actually spends on prescription drugs. Wallace was not impressed.
Trump: "We're talking about billions of dollars." Chris Wallace: "No, you're not, sir. Can I have Slide Number 2?" #GOPDebate
— Jennifer Weiner (@jenniferweiner) March 4, 2016
Donald Trump appears to be insisting that you can cut $300 billion from $78 billion in government spending.
— Peter Suderman (@petersuderman) March 4, 2016
not ashamed to admit I squealed when Chris Wallace said "let's see slide number two"
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 4, 2016
Cruz got a question on immigration, but he turned it on Trump, questioning his commitment to reducing illegal immigration, noting his campaign donations to Democrats who support amnesty, and suggesting that he told The New York Times off the record that his Mexican wall idea was all bluster.
This is Cruz's best argument, about Trump funding Obamacare, gang of 8 etc
— David Freddoso (@freddoso) March 4, 2016
Trump refuses to release off the record conversation w/NYT because it’s "not fair to anybody" How sweet of him to protect @nytimes like that
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) March 4, 2016
Wow. So Trump really did tell the New York Times that his whole campaign is bullshit.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) March 4, 2016
After avowing his staunch support for reducing immigration, Trump advocated increasing immigration.
Trump goes in favor of H1B visas, openly flip flops.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) March 4, 2016
Trump: "I'm changing" on #h1b visas. Just days after he featured Americans replaced by H1b workers. Con artist, indeed.
— Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) March 4, 2016
Rubio, sounding hoarse, questioned Trump’s commitment to American workers after hundreds of jobs in his Florida hotel went to foreigners.
trump: all the hotels do the same thing! i take advantage of that!
— GregGutfeld (@greggutfeld) March 4, 2016
Trump is literally saying we need to bring in foreigners to take American jobs.
— #NeverTrump (@BenHowe) March 4, 2016
John Kasich also spoke.
Me whenever Kasich starts droning on. pic.twitter.com/AFK3Ym8ru7
— Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) March 4, 2016
Ben Carson did not, but Twitter had not forgotten him.
"Can I get a question at some point, Megyn?" -Ben Carson to his television.
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) March 4, 2016
On foreign policy, the moderators asked Trump to explain an unusual position.
Trump just said he'd order military strikes on civilians in Saudi Arabia
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) March 4, 2016
"They won't refuse"…says Trump, saying he'll issue illegal orders.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 4, 2016
Asked for specific policy positions and advisers, Trump said some words and named some names.
Donald Trump asked to name his foreign policy advisors. Names random people who are not his advisors, reiterates he’ll get the best people.
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) March 4, 2016
Trump's solution to fix every problem is to solve the problem.
— Peter Suderman (@petersuderman) March 4, 2016
“Because frankly, that’s the way I feel” — this seems like the reason for every Trump public policy idea.
— Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) March 4, 2016
Kasich spoke of his deep experience with foreign policy questions.
Kasich: "I touched the hem of Ronald Reagan's garment. By the rules of this party, I am its rightful next leader."
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) March 4, 2016
Kasich just made reference to Lloyd Bentsen’s attack on Dan Quayle from 1988 and was very pleased with himself. What, 2% of audience got it?
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) March 4, 2016
John Kasich was a ROUGH RIDER
— Matthew (@Matthops82) March 4, 2016
Megyn Kelly asked Trump to explain some of the times he changed his positions, and showed some video to illustrate. She did not hold back.
Kelly: You change your tune constantly. What’s your core.
Trump: I have a very strong core. I’m flexible.
Trump voters: Good enough for us!
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 4, 2016
.@megynkelly is like #gopdebate pic.twitter.com/fXAgEeF5rL
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) March 4, 2016
More of Trump’s business failures came under fire, including Trump University, the unaccredited school he founded and about which he is now the subject of a civil fraud suit.
Marco: Don't stop punching. DON'T LET HIM BREATHE KID. pic.twitter.com/Wc31cf8027
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 4, 2016
Chris Christie’s watching this, wondering why no one will mop Mister Trump’s sweaty brow
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) March 4, 2016
Kelly live-fact-checked Trump’s responses.
Rubio scores on Trump University, and Megyn Kelly is now hitting harder on it. #cpacdebate
— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) March 4, 2016
Trump: Trump U got A ratings.
Rubio: That’s false.
Trump: You’re a liar. And Insults and stuff.
Kelly: We looked it up. It was a D-
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 4, 2016
Very unfair of Megyn Kelly to check publicly available records. #CPACDebate
— Leon Wolf (@LeonHWolf) March 4, 2016
"Excuse me EXCUSE ME I'm not done lying yet"
— Drew Magary (@drewmagary) March 4, 2016
#GOPdebate pic.twitter.com/VaesSW2WS4
— Libertarian Girl (@mariannecope) March 4, 2016
Cruz continued the assault. When Trump tried to talk over him, Cruz employed a tactic familiar to many other parents of small children.
Trump cuts in: "It's a minor civil case"
Cruz fires back: "Learn not to interrupt Donald […] count to 10" pic.twitter.com/6zDZrPpM7i
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) March 4, 2016
Trump returned to his A material: talking about polls.
Trump: I'm beating everyone in the Polls
Cruz: You can't beat Hillary according to the Polls.
Trump: I don't pay attention to the Polls.
— Mia (@Shooters_Wife) March 4, 2016
Kasich, now the lowest-polling candidate in the race, changed the subject.
Donald Trump: I’m at 49% in a poll!
Ted Cruz: The poll shows you losing to Hillary Clinton!
John Kasich: A woman’s son committed suicide
— Matt Viser (@mviser) March 4, 2016
But Cruz returned to the fray, and Rubio joined him. Trump resumed interrupting.
Cruz: “Donald has a tenuous relationship with the truth."
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 4, 2016
Rubio: When theyre done with the yoga can i answer?
Cruz: I hope we don't see yoga on stage
Rubio: He's really flexible, so you never know
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 4, 2016
Okay that Rubio yoga joke was gold.
Gold, Jerry!#GOPDebate
— Jason Hart (@jasonahart) March 4, 2016
Marco Rubio is channeling the spirit of a young Don Rickles. This is the weirdest sentence I've ever typed. #GOPDebate
— Joseph Scrimshaw (@JosephScrimshaw) March 4, 2016
The moderators threw Kasich a softball and begged him to line it right at Trump.
Wallace: will you criticize Trump?
Kasich: I prefer not to.
The Bartleby debater.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) March 4, 2016
Instead, he tried to cram his entire foreign policy worldview into 45 seconds.
.@JohnKasich WILL TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/Vl8DdGiil3
— Shoshana Weissmann (@senatorshoshana) March 4, 2016
As the debated ended, it was clear that Cruz had registered the best performance. Rubio, hampered by a cold, still managed to make some good points. Trump, distracted by attacks from all sides, flailed wildly. Kasich did his thing.
But the back-and-forth left some viewers yearning for more. For an outsider candidate, even more of an outsider than Trump. But who could that be?
Taylor Swift 2024
America is going to need an angel after 8 years of Trump. pic.twitter.com/O1ECtaypzX
— SecuriTay (@SwiftOnSecurity) March 4, 2016
