GOP debate: ‘The elephant not in the room’

The Donald boycotted the event over concerns about his treatment by Fox News, the debate’s main sponsor.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio struck an aggressive posture, pledging that as president, he would go after terrorists “wherever they are”. But it also highlighted something that has baffled observers: that no matter what Trump says, he consistently polls well above his GOP contenders.

The fight between Fox News and Donald Trump is getting messier by the minute.

Last night at the GOP debate, the moderators and candidates quickly addressed the elephant in the room, or the lack thereof.

In one example, Colbert showed Trump saying: “I love Iowa, we’re done really well here” followed by clips of Trump saying: “How stupid are the people of Iowa!”

With Fox carrying the debate, other cable channels were likely to show Trump’s event, stealing away at least some viewers who would have otherwise watched the contest.

Christie is part of a crowded field of more mainstream candidates who have struggled to break through in an election year where Trump, and increasingly Cruz, have tapped into voter anger with the political system. Ted Cruz, Trump’s closest rival and threat here in the Hawkeye State.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall). Republican presidential candidates (L-R) retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen.

The Republican frontrunner decided earlier this week to boycott the debate, citing what he saw as unfair questions aimed at him by FNC anchor Megyn Kelly during the last debate. Trump mused. “But we raised over $5 million in one day!”

Cruz was born in Canada to a Cuban father and an American mother, who were both living legally in Canada at the time, making him an American citizen by birth.

Thursday’s debate ranked sixth among the seven GOP debates so far in viewership.

If offered, @IAVA will decline donations from Trump’s event.

“I took a chance and I don’t even know the end result”, Trump told a crowd of more than 1,000.

“I didn’t want to be here”, the Republican front-runner said after taking the stage at an auditorium on the campus of Drake University here.