USF professor on Trump at Republican presidential debate

His strident objection to pledging to endorse the eventual nominee-which was met with boos from the audience and an immediate rebuttal from Kentucky Sen.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks as Jeb Bush watches during the Fox News Channel Republican presidential debate Thursday in Cleveland.

Immigration and counterterrorism dominated the early stages of the debate, two issues that highlight the deep divisions within the Republican Party. “That there are too many in the Washington cartel that support amnesty”. Before Thursday night’s debate, Trump commanded a 21 to 26 percent lead in a number of polls, according to Real Clear Politics.

The subject of ISIS drew a hawkish response from Texas Sen. Rand Paul.

Trump, who brushed aside questions about his public denigration of women and said he had done nothing but used American laws when four of his companies took bankruptcy, put to rest speculation he would tone down his rhetoric.

The other nine candidates on the stage also received a grilling from moderators Megyn Kelly, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier.

The sometimes combative nature of the debate made it hard for more measured candidates like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is second in the polls, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to make an impact.

One by one, his opponents said they had never taken Trump money. I think we will win.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Paul engaged in a heated argument over the mass collection of data on U.S. citizens.

Christie said he’d attended funerals of victims of the September 11 attacks and slammed Paul’s efforts in the Senate to thwart renewal of government surveillance programs. “It just needs a corporate executive type at the top that’s done it before, and I will suggest to you nobody’s done it like Rick Perry has done it over the last eight years”.

It was an ominous beginning to the party’s quest to choose a flagbearer for the 2016 race to succeed President Barack Obama, six months ahead of the start of primary elections.

“Yes, I’m sure it was”, said Trump.

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump was center stage in a debate on the Fox News Channel, and he came out swinging.

Kasich stuck fast to his message of compassionate conservatism, and he won some of the biggest applause when fielding a question on same-sex marriage. Trump wants to build a wall to keep undocumented immigrants from coming into this country from Mexico? “You know, so… It’s fun”.

After Luntz tweeted, “I’m getting a lot of @megynkelly hatemail tonight”, Trump responded, “She is totally overrated and angry”.

Challenged on his personal opposition to gay marriage, Ohio Governor John Kasich suggested love conquers all: “The court has ruled, and I said we’ll accept it. And guess what?”

“

If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be talking about illegal immigration”, {

-345063167} Thursday. “I would say he’s incompetent, but I don’t want to do that because that’s not nice”.

It was a key test for Mr Trump, whose unpredictable style and unformed policy positions mean he does not fit neatly into any single wing of the Republican Party. “The Democrats can’t even find one”. His humorous quip about the Russians and Chinese knowing more about Hillary’s e-mail than Congress didn’t hurt either.