The Undercard Debate: Still in It, Technically

The first question of the GOP undercard debate was of course about Donald Trump and his Muslim entry ban, leading to Lindsey Graham apologizing to the entire Muslim world for him.

The Republican presidential hopefuls have gathered together Tuesday for the final debate before February’s nominating caucuses in Iowa.

The four lowest-polling Republican candidates, looking to spark their campaigns headed into a new year, argued Tuesday about the best way to defeat terrorism – and about GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

“We’re in a war we can not afford to lose”, Graham said in condemning the Islamic State, the militant group responsible for the recent attacks in Paris and that inspired the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif. “ISIL would be dancing in the streets”, the Post quotes Graham.

“He clearly doesn’t understand this war and how to win it. For God’s sake, pick somebody who is worthy of the sacrifice of those fighting this war and who actually knows how to win”.

Wolf Blitzer asked Graham if he would support Trump as the GOP nominee. And the crowd’s reaction indicated the majority watching in-person in Las Vegas – like the majority of Republicans, according to polls – agrees with Trump about Muslims, not Graham. By contrast, former Sen.

“The fact of the matter is that not all Muslims are jihadists”, Santorum said.

Scheduled to be on stage for the prime-time debate: Mr Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul and former reality TV star; Mr Cruz; Senator Marco Rubio of Florida: retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson; former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina; Ohio Governor John Kasich; New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

“As to women – if you want to kill terrorists, I am your guy”, Graham said. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee gave voice to the one sentiments that united all of the Republican candidates: “We’ve lost confidence in our government”, he said.

Graham wasn’t the only one talking tough.

Speaking to Rick Santorum: “Dead men don’t preach anything”. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and former New York Gov. George Pataki. He says “we have a leader who refuses to identify it and be truthful to the American people”.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki got in on the act as well.