The Sixth Republican Debate In 100 Words (And 4 Videos)

“I’m not going to use your mother’s birth against you”, Cruz countered.

Obama “acts as an apologist for radical Islamic terrorism”, Cruz said. “Donald is dismayed that his poll numbers are falling in Iowa”.

“China is running over President Obama like he is a child”, Cruz added.

Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother.

“You can’t do that to the party”, Trump declared.

“I hope you’ll reconsider”, Bush told Trump of his proposal. “But I promise you in the state of SC they do”. But Trump didn’t suffer, and in fact may have had his strongest debate performance after hanging back in the last several faceoffs.

Cruz deftly countered that he’d pick Trump as his running mate, and if Trump was right, he’d quickly get the top job.

The real estate developer effectively planted the idea in voters’ minds that Cruz’s Canadian birthplace could be a liability should Democrats challenge the Texas senator’s eligibility to run for president. And wherever you are sitting Nikki, I’m a friend.

Cruz, a pugnacious, polished debater as a Princeton undergraduate, gave no quarter.

Ponnuru: I enjoy how Cruz has basically backed Trump – Trump! – into saying that Cruz isn’t being sensitive or respectful enough of the goodness and decency of New Yorkers after the 9/11 attacks.

While there has been plenty of animosity between Trump and most of his rivals, the billionaire businessman and Cruz have been on largely friendly territory for much of the campaign season.

In his explanation, he said, ‘Look, I’m from NY.

He popped in with a zinger at one point, disparaging the Trump-Cruz feud as an “episode of Court TV” but did little more to seize the spotlight.

The latest provocation by Iran, the seizure and then release of 10 US Navy sailors, is sure to fuel accusations from debate candidates that Obama’s weak foreign policy is leaving the world more unsafe.

Other clashes played out among the other four candidates remaining on the main stage – Rubio, Christie, Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich – as they jockey for a strong showing in New Hampshire that could propel them into contention. Migrants, he also said, “could be the great Trojan Horse”.

The candidates also sought to find provocative new ways to tar Clinton. One of them: Bush insisted that Trump is “unhinged” for insisting that no Muslim should be allowed into the United States, arguing that the country needs to build relationships with peaceful Muslims. “She wouldn’t just be a disaster. I’m going to do it for America”.

“That is not consistent conservatism”, Rubio said. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

On the economy and national security, the candidates offered a sharp contrast to the optimistic portrait of the nation President Barack Obama outlined in his State of the Union address earlier this week, warning that sticking with Democrats in the November election could have dire consequences. “It can not be someone that continues his agenda”.

Rubio accused Christie of supporting Common Core education standards, gun control laws and Planned Parenthood.

Cruz, faced with a question about his failure to disclose a large loan in his 2012 Senate race, attacked The New York Times and called the lack of disclosure “a paperwork error”. “The concept of NY values is not that complicated to figure out”. “Both of those filings were public”.

“He’s not a conservative”, Bush said.

The Republicans return for the first presidential debate of 2016.

Toward the end, of the debate, Sen. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul opted against participating after he failed to meet polling criteria to participate in the main debate. Now it’s only seven, and there are opportunities for more substantial discussions. Trump has led the Republican field for months, confounding Republican leaders and many of his rivals. He suggested Trump was only turning on him because he’s challenging Trump’s lead, particularly in Iowa, which kicks off voting on February 1.