As predicted, the last GOP debate locked in Donald Trump’s super win of Super Tuesday. Trump breezed by winning seven of the eleven states that went to the polls that day, while Ted Cruz won three, and Marco Rubio walked away with one. Since then fruit-salad-analogy-loving Ben Carson has announced he doesn’t, “see a political path forward,” which is why he’s sitting out of tonight’s debate.
Detroit hosts tonight’s eleventh overall GOP debate and there’s a lot that could happen. Given the debate’s location it begs the question whether the Flint Water crisis will be a major point since it’s had little air time during GOP debates so far. The debate, hosted by Fox News, will see Megyn Kelly and Trump meet again in a debate for the first time since the first GOP debate. Trump skipped the last Fox News debate over his ongoing feud with Kelly, who he claimed was biased against him.
Last week’s debate saw Rubio attacking Trump non-stop and making fun of him (and his “small hands”) thereafter. Rubio will probably keep at it ahead of Super Saturday, which will see more states at the polls.
Trump responds to Mitt Romney’s disparaging remarks earlier today and says, “he wants to be relevant again.” Trump is also immediately asked about the KKK and white supremacists. He says he “obviously” disavows both.
Rubio is asked about doing personal attacks despite previously saying he doesn’t resort to that. It’s pointed out he recently mocked Trump’s tan, his spelling. Rubio laughs, raising his hands, because he made fun of Trump's hands too. He says Trump should be mocked since he’s made fun of people on the stage and disabled people.
Trump responds to the “small hands” joke:
John Kasich says a poll showed he could beat Hillary Clinton by more than everybody in a poll with 11 points. Drops some subtle shade noting people tell him, “You seem to be the adult on the stage.”
Rubio and Trump get into the first shouting match of the night:
(Disclaimer: Don't know what Rubio meant by "big.")
Ted Cruz takes on Trump, “It's very easy to say let's cut waste, fraud, and abuse...But for 40 yrs, Donald has been a part of the corruption in Washington.” Follows up saying Trump wrote four checks for Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008 and that, “It wasn’t for business.”
Kelly’s first interaction with Trump is gracious. Trump says she’s “looking well.” Kelly asks about the reported tapes the New York Times has of Trump off the record saying he might be flexible in his immigration plans. he acknowledges that flexibility is necessary: “There always has to be some tug and pull.” When pressed if he’s flexible about deporting 11 million immigrants as he’s promised he says he’s not.
Detroit's crowd takes a break from booing and shouting for some dabbing:
Cruz tells Trump to give permission to release the tapes, which he’s already said he won’t do.
Fox shows television clips of Trump flip-flopping on originally saying it was a mistake to be in Afghanistan, and then saying he never said that. Trump said he would accept Syrian refugees and later went back on it. Kelly asks Trump if he can believed and Trump replies calling this behavior being flexible.
Kasich isn’t about to be bold, shades Trump saying, “We’re putting people in that don’t understand compromise…that don’t understand policy.” He calls for a candidate that is “not just talk.”
Rubio calls out Trump: "There's a difference between flexibility and telling people whatever you think you need to say to get them to do what you want.”
Trump fights back, “The real con artist is senator Marco Rubio.” He adds, “He couldn't get elected dogcatcher!”
Cruz and Trump face-off:
The Flint water crisis comes up. Rubio responds criticizes the democrats for making it a partisan issue. “It’s not like someone woke up and said let’s poison kids with lead” he says. Asks parties to come together to solve it and prevent it in the future.
A shouting match becomes a joke fest.
Rubio again says Trump won’t answer questions with detailed plans. "He was pushed on a policy issue…and his reaction was to attack somebody else with a name" said Rubio.
When asked whether he would support Trump were he the republican nominee Kasich says he thinks he’ll be the nominee: “I’m the little engine that can.”
Rubio and Cruz say they will support Trump were he the republican nominee. Trump says if he weren’t the nominee he’d also support whoever was.
