Debate Takeaways: Rubio shaken, Trump not stirred – Santa Cruz Sentinel
By Associated Press, Julie Bykowicz and Steve Peoples |
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)  There have been no higher stakes on a Republican debate stage in the 2016 campaign for president than there were Saturday night.
Here are some takeaways from Saturday night”s GOP debate:
As a first-term senator with no executive experience, Rubio”s resume is remarkably similar to Barack Obama before he became president. Rubio tried to turn the question around by charging that Obama “knows exactly what he”s doing” by “undertaking a systematic effort to change this country.”
The answer was quickly challenged by Christie: “I like Marco Rubio, and he”s a smart person and a good guy, but he simply does not have the experience to be president of the United States.”
It was a cringe-worthy moment for Rubio three days before a New Hampshire contest in which he hopes to knock Christie, Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich from the race. Even if it doesn”t significantly change the contest in New Hampshire, the moment raises questions about Rubio”s readiness to take on Democrat Hillary Clinton in a general election debate.
He is barely registering in recent preference polls, but the New Jersey governor was the toughest candidate on the debate stage Saturday night. And that”s no small feat with the tough-talking Trump at center stage.
At seemingly every turn, Christie zeroed in on Rubio, pelting him with zingers about his inexperience and record in Washington. Calling out Rubio on his missed votes in the Senate, Christie charged, “That”s not leadership. That”s truancy.”
And when Rubio didn”t answer a moderator”s question about why he backpedaled on an immigration proposal he”d helped write when it appeared to become politically unpopular, Christie called him out.
“The question was, did he fight for his legislation. It”s abundantly clear that it he didn”t.” Then he twisted the knife: “That”s not what leadership is. That”s what Congress is.”
Trump”s rivals barely laid a glove on the frequent New Hampshire poll leader.
The decision to withhold fire was evident right from the start, when Cruz declined to repeat his assertion this week that Trump didn”t have the temperament to be commander in chief. Cruz dodged, saying everyone on the stage would be better leader of the U.S. military than Obama and Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
It was the only moment in which Trump flashed any of the rhetorical jabs he”s become known for on Twitter. For the most part, Trump was content to lay back and let those chasing him in the preference polls fight amongst themselves.
The champion college debater wasn”t much of a factor after a rough start to the debate, when he was asked about Trump”s temperament and allegations his campaign team engaged in “deceitful behavior” by suggesting in the moments before the Iowa caucuses started that retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was leaving the race.
“When this transpired, I apologized to him then and I do so now,” Cruz said. “Ben, I”m sorry.”
The Texas senator shared the deeply personal story of his sister”s overdose death. He told New Hampshire voters, and a national television audience, that he and his father pulled his older sister out of a crack house. They pleaded with her to straighten out for the good of her son. But she didn”t listen.