The billionaire businessman’s uneven performance at CNN’s prime-time Republican presidential debate Wednesday gave Carly Fiorina and Jeb Bush openings to seize the spotlight. And they did, putting Trump in the unusual position of being on defense throughout the evening.
Fiorina, who fought her way onto the main stage with a breakout debate performance last month, pointedly confronted the real estate mogul. She was stern when asked about Trump’s recent assessment of her appearance, when he told Rolling Stone: “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?”
Fiorina shot back during the debate: “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.”
The exchange left Trump in an unusual position: uninterested in hitting back.
“I think she’s got a beautiful face and I think she’s a beautiful woman,” he said.
Minutes later, Trump once again let a moment of potential confrontation slip by — this time in an exchange with Bush.
The Republican front-runner was everyone’s favorite target at the debate here at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It was a notable shift for Trump, who galvanized last month’s debate with his explosive rhetoric and unrelenting onslaught against his rivals.
Wednesday’s debate also crystallized a shifting dynamic in the large GOP field: Trump’s competitors are done tiptoeing around their party’s unorthodox front-runner.
The three-hour debate touched on a wide range of issues, including immigration, national security, tax policy and legalization of marijuana.
Candidates spoke passionately about Planned Parenthood and vowed to defund it as president. The group has been damaged by controversial and highly edited videos of organization officials discussing the sale of aborted fetal parts.
Carly Fiorina distinguishes herself on debate stage
“These Planned Parenthood videos are horrifying,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, as he accused the organization of trying to “sell the body parts of unborn children for profit.”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie responded: “Let’s ask Hillary Clinton. She believes in the systematic murder of children in the womb.”
Fiorina used even more graphic language.
“Watch these tapes. Watch a fully formed fetus on the table. Its heart beating, its legs kicking while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain,” she said.(MJ Lee)
Link:http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/16/politics/republican-debate-cnn-2016/index.html
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