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| Republican debate: Christie tells police 'I'll have your back' in undercard – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.03am GMT01:03 | |
| They’re back! | |
| Christie is asked about the Fed not raising interest rates. | |
| Christie says the Fed has kept rates low “for one reason and one reason only. Because they’re trying to politically support Barack Obama and his agenda.” | |
| Not the first time Christie has floated the theory that Janet Yellen wants nothing more than to prop up Barack Obama, economic consequences be damned. | |
| Santorum then agrees with Christie: “They are protecting a president that is over-regulating... with these ridiculously low interest rates.” | |
| Is that true? Or should the Fed be taken at its word that concerns of a renewed economic slowdown and no signs of inflation warrant keeping rates low? | |
| For the counterpoint, read Why Republicans are getting one of the most obvious things wrong in the Washington Post: | |
| The question, then, is how almost every Republican presidential candidate has ended up embracing a view that, as we’ll see, is not only at odds with economics, but also experience itself. And the answer, in large part, seems to be bad history. Republicans seem to either think that everything has gone wrong since the 1930s, or that everything is about to go wrong like it did in the 1970s. | |
| 1.02am GMT01:02 | |
| Winners and losers so far, via Twitter ... | |
| Debate winners: 1) Juicebox 2) Santorum’s larynx 3) Jindal’s memory | |
| @igorbobic Losers: 1) Santorum's mic 2) Jindal's campaign 3) Those of us who watched this garbage for some unfathomable reason | |
| 12.55am GMT00:55 | |
| Commercial break. | |
| They’re almost through. | |
| Who is winning this thing / going to win this thing / improving his odds / getting tripped up? | |
| Tell us below the line! | |
| 12.54am GMT00:54 | |
| Jindal: “We could talk all night about tax plans.” | |
| All right! | |
| But wait... he doesn’t want to. :( He wants to talk about the debt. “We can’t keep spending money that we don’t have.” He says Republicans are as guilty as Democrats. | |
| Updated at 12.59am GMT | |
| 12.52am GMT00:52 | |
| Bobby Jindal wants some blood tonight, notes Jesse Berney. Here are just some of the Louisiana governor’s attacks: | |
| Jindal’s on the attack because Jindal hasn’t been going anywhere in the polls. He’s been stuck at the kids’ table debates since they got started, and he’s not getting to the main table any time soon. Unpopular at home, unpopular on the campaign trail, why shouldn’t he throw some bombs? | |
| Updated at 12.56am GMT | |
| 12.52am GMT00:52 | |
| OK we’re back. A serious-minded question about taxes to recover from the hilarity of that Democrats-you-respect question. | |
| What are you’re highest and lowest “all-in” tax numbers? | |
| Santorum: 20% flat tax across the board – singles, families, corporations, capital gains. | |
| Christie: brackets from 8% through 28%, and getting rid of all deductions and loopholes. | |
| Jindal: Brackets are 25%, 10% and 2%. He says the 2% is important because “everybody should have skin in the game.” Then he goes back to “big government Republicans.” | |
| Huckabee: Throw out estate and capital gains taxes. He calls it “the fair tax.” He doesn’t talk about income tax brackets. | |
| If you want to read about the candidates’ tax plans, click here. | |
| 12.50am GMT00:50 | |
| Dominic Rushe | |
| Hmm - as Jindal and Christie go at it, here’s some perspective on the state of their states from business editor Dominic Rushe. | |
| The general sales and tax receipts from Louisiana? $2.9bn. New Jersey? $8.8bn. | |
| New Jersey has the eight largest economy in the union; Louisiana is 24th. | |
| New Jersey is the state least dependent on federal funds, according to this survey from WalletHub, with federal funding representing 26.87% of the state’s revenue, | |
| Louisiana is 43rd, with federal funding representing 42.21% of its state revenue. | |
| So basically LA is a welfare child. Go home Jindal. | |
| 12.48am GMT00:48 | |
| Commercial break! | |
| In our intro we gave you Laverne and Shirley. But do you know what other seminal long-running televised comedy of manners was set in Milwaukee? | |
| Heeyyyyyyyy! | |
| 12.45am GMT00:45 | |
| The candidates are asked to name a Democrat they respect. | |
| Jindal: Your question stinks! | |
| Huckabee: Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day. Make Congress get health care from the veteran’s administration. | |
| Christie: Democrats are “allowing lawlessness to reign in this country.” Then he addresses law enforcement directly: “When president Christie’s in the Oval Office, I’ll have your back.” | |
| Santorum: “We don’t need the the government to build roads.” (?!) | |
| Then Santorum almost breaks his microphone with a surprise rush of passion on why he respects Democrats. | |
| “Because they fight!” Santorum says. “Because they’re not willing to back down... I respect them, because they are willing to take it to us!” | |
| Q: Name a Democrat you like? Jindal: Liberal media bias. Huckabee: Veterans Day Christie: Cops are under attack. Santorum: LOUD NOISES | |
| Updated at 12.46am GMT | |
| 12.41am GMT00:41 | |
| Santorum gets a word in edgewise. He’s touting his “record of accomplishment” as a Pennsylvania senator. He lost his 2006 reelection bid by how much? 18 points? | |
| 12.40am GMT00:40 | |
| Next question, for Jindal, about his plan to replace Obamacare. | |
| Jindal says the only other candidate with a plan is Bush, whose plan is inferior. He says, “I’m the only candidate running that refused to expand Medicaid.” | |
| Then Jindal disses Christie again. | |
| “Chris, I’ll give you a ribbon for participation, and a juice box. But in the real world it’s about results.” | |
| Oooh. Christie says in New Jersey, “we stopped a federal exchange.” Then he brings up... guess who... | |
| “But here’s the real question. What do you think is going to happen when Hillary Clinton... | |
| She will completely nationalize the health care system... I guarantee you that’s what she’s going to do, if we give her the keys to the White House. | |
| 12.36am GMT00:36 | |
| Jindal swipes back at Christie, who declines the debate. | |
| “The people out there don’t care about any of that. You know what they care about, they care about who’s going to beat Hillary Clinton and who’s going to keep their eye on the ball. I’m going to keep my eye on the ball.” | |
| 12.35am GMT00:35 | |
| Jindal is asked about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He uses his time to attack Christie, after attacking Huckabee earlier. | |
| Jindal is punchy tonight. | |
| “If we send another big-government Republican to the White House, we won’t” beat Clinton, he says. | |
| “I have great respect for Bobby’s leadership... Obviously Bobby wants to spend a lot of time tonight talking about [Republican differences]. I’ll tell you what I want to talk about.” | |
| Guess what he wants to talk about? | |
| Hillary Clinton is running so far to the left to catch up with her socialist opponent Bernie Sanders, that we can barely even see her anymore,” Christie says. | |
| 12.32am GMT00:32 | |
| Christie takes a question about competing with China. | |
| He says Hillary Clinton engineered “an absolutely weak and feckless foreign policy.” Barack Obama helped, Christie says. | |
| He says he’s been a victim of cyberwarfare, referring to the big OPM hack. “They took my social security number, my fingerprints,” as a former US attorney. | |
| Christie seems to say he would, as president, start a retaliatory cyber war, in which he publishes Chinese leaders’ business activity for the view of the people. | |
| “I’ll tell you this, the first thing I’ll do with the Chinese is, I’ll fly Air Force One over those islands. They’ll know we mean business.” | |
| 12.31am GMT00:31 | |
| Lucia Graves | |
| "Toilets." #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/qSm7LiXehs | |
| New Guardian US columnist Lucia Graves chimes in on quite literal toilet humor: | |
| Bobby Jindal won the weird metaphor award with that comment about unprincipled Republicans: “When they go to relieve themselves, their cause and the toilets get flushed at the same time.” | |
| It appears to be a reference to the fragility of filibusters but ¯\(ツ)/¯ | |
| Jindal making a strong bid for the Republican Potty nomination. | |
| 12.29am GMT00:29 | 12.29am GMT00:29 |
| Huckabee: no sandwiches for Isis | Huckabee: no sandwiches for Isis |
| Huckabee takes a question about Syrian refugees. “We don’t have an obligation to just open our doors,” Huckabee has said. | Huckabee takes a question about Syrian refugees. “We don’t have an obligation to just open our doors,” Huckabee has said. |
| But should USA take Syrian refugees? | But should USA take Syrian refugees? |
| “I’ve been concerned that this administration has not done anything to help stop the slaughter of Christians... but we’re going to open our doors so that ISIS people can just come on in and give them a place to stay, and medical benefits, and sandwiches?” | “I’ve been concerned that this administration has not done anything to help stop the slaughter of Christians... but we’re going to open our doors so that ISIS people can just come on in and give them a place to stay, and medical benefits, and sandwiches?” |
| “Frankly, if we’ve got as many people as we have, I’m not sure this makes any sense’ | “Frankly, if we’ve got as many people as we have, I’m not sure this makes any sense’ |
| 12.27am GMT00:27 | 12.27am GMT00:27 |
| They’re back! Santorum takes a question about his opposition to the 2008 automakers bailout. | They’re back! Santorum takes a question about his opposition to the 2008 automakers bailout. |
| “I’m a capitalist not a corporatist. I’m not somebody who believes that we should bail out corporations, whether they’re automakers or banks.” | “I’m a capitalist not a corporatist. I’m not somebody who believes that we should bail out corporations, whether they’re automakers or banks.” |
| Santorum says Obama – not by name – “is killing, choking our ability to compete” with excessive regulation. | Santorum says Obama – not by name – “is killing, choking our ability to compete” with excessive regulation. |
| He points out that he supports the Export-Import bank, unlike his rivals, “because it means jobs for American workers, here in America.” | He points out that he supports the Export-Import bank, unlike his rivals, “because it means jobs for American workers, here in America.” |
| Santorum is the most consistent pro-manufacturing candidate in the race? | Santorum is the most consistent pro-manufacturing candidate in the race? |
| 12.26am GMT00:26 | 12.26am GMT00:26 |
| It's like watching unpopular boys bitching about why they didn't get a prom date. #GOPDebate https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 pic.twitter.com/cjQ0psgzTP | It's like watching unpopular boys bitching about why they didn't get a prom date. #GOPDebate https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 pic.twitter.com/cjQ0psgzTP |
| 12.23am GMT00:23 | 12.23am GMT00:23 |
| Commercial break. Wow this commercial is terrifying. Moby Dick the movie? | Commercial break. Wow this commercial is terrifying. Moby Dick the movie? |
| So who won the first tranche? Each candidate won applause. Jindal’s attack on Huckabee felt a little beside the point. Christie seems to be running a different race from the others. | So who won the first tranche? Each candidate won applause. Jindal’s attack on Huckabee felt a little beside the point. Christie seems to be running a different race from the others. |
| 12.21am GMT00:21 | 12.21am GMT00:21 |
| Christie: 'Hillary Clinton’s coming for your wallet everybody' | Christie: 'Hillary Clinton’s coming for your wallet everybody' |
| Christie jumps in. “If you think that Mike Huckabee won’t be the kind of president that will cut spending... wait until you see what Hillary Clinton will do. She’s the real adversary tonight...” | Christie jumps in. “If you think that Mike Huckabee won’t be the kind of president that will cut spending... wait until you see what Hillary Clinton will do. She’s the real adversary tonight...” |
| Christie has brought up Clinton twice. The only one so far to have done so by name. | Christie has brought up Clinton twice. The only one so far to have done so by name. |
| Hillary Clinton’s coming for your wallet everybody. Don’t worry about Huckabee or Jindal. Worry about her. | Hillary Clinton’s coming for your wallet everybody. Don’t worry about Huckabee or Jindal. Worry about her. |
| Updated at 12.24am GMT | Updated at 12.24am GMT |
| 12.19am GMT00:19 | 12.19am GMT00:19 |
| Huckabee gently takes issue. “A lot of us have cut things,” he says. In Arkansas, he says, he cut 11% out of the state budget. | Huckabee gently takes issue. “A lot of us have cut things,” he says. In Arkansas, he says, he cut 11% out of the state budget. |
| “It’s just not accurate to say everybody here hasn’t cut.” | “It’s just not accurate to say everybody here hasn’t cut.” |
| Jindal responds. He attacks Huckabee for expanding the Arkansas state government. “Spending went up 65% and the number of workers went up 25%,” he says. “Numbers don’t lie.” | Jindal responds. He attacks Huckabee for expanding the Arkansas state government. “Spending went up 65% and the number of workers went up 25%,” he says. “Numbers don’t lie.” |
| Huckabee wants to reply but nope. | Huckabee wants to reply but nope. |
| 12.19am GMT00:19 | 12.19am GMT00:19 |
| Jindal: On filibusters, when they go to relieve themselves their cause and their toilets get flushed at the same time | Jindal: On filibusters, when they go to relieve themselves their cause and their toilets get flushed at the same time |
| 12.18am GMT00:18 | 12.18am GMT00:18 |
| Jindal is asked about GOP problems nationally, despite holding 32/ 50 govenors’ seats. | Jindal is asked about GOP problems nationally, despite holding 32/ 50 govenors’ seats. |
| Jindal basically says that the problem is the national Republican party is not radical enough. | Jindal basically says that the problem is the national Republican party is not radical enough. |
| “The reason we keep losing nationally is because we try to be cheaper versions of the Democratic party. What if Republicans actually embraced our own principles?” | “The reason we keep losing nationally is because we try to be cheaper versions of the Democratic party. What if Republicans actually embraced our own principles?” |
| “Let’s be conservatives, let’s be Republicans.” | “Let’s be conservatives, let’s be Republicans.” |
| 12.16am GMT00:16 | 12.16am GMT00:16 |
| Huckabee takes a question about taxes. Instead of answering he delivers his applause lines about Social Security and Medicare. Which are not, à la Christie, let’s cut entitlements. | Huckabee takes a question about taxes. Instead of answering he delivers his applause lines about Social Security and Medicare. Which are not, à la Christie, let’s cut entitlements. |
| Huckabee’s message on this is, “those aren’t entitlements – you paid for them!” | Huckabee’s message on this is, “those aren’t entitlements – you paid for them!” |
| Applause from the crowd. Cut taxes, preserve entitlements, clap clap clap. | Applause from the crowd. Cut taxes, preserve entitlements, clap clap clap. |
| 12.15am GMT00:15 | 12.15am GMT00:15 |
| Dominic Rushe | Dominic Rushe |
| Oh dear – the tax man is really in for it tonight, notes Guardian US business editor Dominic Rushe. | Oh dear – the tax man is really in for it tonight, notes Guardian US business editor Dominic Rushe. |
| Christie wants to sack IRS officers, Huckabee wants to close the entire office. | Christie wants to sack IRS officers, Huckabee wants to close the entire office. |
| The IRS’s budget has been cut 18% since 2010 and employs 13,000 less people. Business and personal audits are at their lowest levels for a decade. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says those cuts have hurt average tax payers: | The IRS’s budget has been cut 18% since 2010 and employs 13,000 less people. Business and personal audits are at their lowest levels for a decade. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says those cuts have hurt average tax payers: |
| “Funding cuts hurt honest taxpayers as they filed their taxes this year: more than half of the calls to the IRS were not answered. Even if taxpayers were able to get through to an agent, they had to wait more than 20 minutes, on average, and the IRS would answer only “basic” tax questions. Moreover, many IRS field offices have closed, which made it more difficult for taxpayers, particularly those who have low incomes or are “offline,” to get assistance filing their returns. Funding cuts have also weakened the agency’s ability to curb tax fraud, tax evasion, and other illegal activities. The IRS estimates that individual and business audit rates have fallen to their lowest levels in a decade, and may continue to fall amid budget cuts.” | “Funding cuts hurt honest taxpayers as they filed their taxes this year: more than half of the calls to the IRS were not answered. Even if taxpayers were able to get through to an agent, they had to wait more than 20 minutes, on average, and the IRS would answer only “basic” tax questions. Moreover, many IRS field offices have closed, which made it more difficult for taxpayers, particularly those who have low incomes or are “offline,” to get assistance filing their returns. Funding cuts have also weakened the agency’s ability to curb tax fraud, tax evasion, and other illegal activities. The IRS estimates that individual and business audit rates have fallen to their lowest levels in a decade, and may continue to fall amid budget cuts.” |
| 12.14am GMT00:14 | 12.14am GMT00:14 |
| Santorum is asked about single moms and how he could help them. He says his tax code would benefit families. | Santorum is asked about single moms and how he could help them. He says his tax code would benefit families. |
| Then he makes an argument about welfare amounting to an incentive not to work – or marry. | Then he makes an argument about welfare amounting to an incentive not to work – or marry. |
| “We have incentivized people to cohabit instead of marry. Why? Because mom will lose welfare benefits,” he says. | “We have incentivized people to cohabit instead of marry. Why? Because mom will lose welfare benefits,” he says. |
| We’ve got all sorts of really corrupt incentives in place. Well meaning by the left. We need to remove them. | We’ve got all sorts of really corrupt incentives in place. Well meaning by the left. We need to remove them. |
| 12.12am GMT00:12 | 12.12am GMT00:12 |
| Christie: Democrats will raise taxes to '70, 80%' | Christie: Democrats will raise taxes to '70, 80%' |
| Christie is asked about how he can compete with Democrats who have so much to “promise” voters – free health care. | Christie is asked about how he can compete with Democrats who have so much to “promise” voters – free health care. |
| Christie laughs. | Christie laughs. |
| “They’re going to raise your tax rates to 70, 80% in order to provide all that stuff,” he says. | “They’re going to raise your tax rates to 70, 80% in order to provide all that stuff,” he says. |
| Christie cusses in passion. | Christie cusses in passion. |
| “Get the government the hell out of the way and let the American people win once again!” | “Get the government the hell out of the way and let the American people win once again!” |
| Applause. | Applause. |
| 12.10am GMT00:10 | 12.10am GMT00:10 |
| Jindal takes a question about Lousiana’s unemployment rate and whether energy jobs, of the kind he has encouraged, are the way forward for economic growth. | Jindal takes a question about Lousiana’s unemployment rate and whether energy jobs, of the kind he has encouraged, are the way forward for economic growth. |
| Jindal rejects the premise. “We’re a top 10 state for jobs growth... the reality is, we’ve diversified our economy.” | Jindal rejects the premise. “We’re a top 10 state for jobs growth... the reality is, we’ve diversified our economy.” |
| Then he starts winging raw steak to the appreciative crowd. “Path to socialism” – will he say it every answer? | Then he starts winging raw steak to the appreciative crowd. “Path to socialism” – will he say it every answer? |
| “Are we willing to cut the government economy to advance the American economy. That’s the fundamental question that we’ve got to answer. We are on the path to socialism right now.” | “Are we willing to cut the government economy to advance the American economy. That’s the fundamental question that we’ve got to answer. We are on the path to socialism right now.” |
| 12.08am GMT00:08 | 12.08am GMT00:08 |
| Question for Santorum, about the improving employment rate. How is that not good? | Question for Santorum, about the improving employment rate. How is that not good? |
| Santorum said the “middle of America has been hollowed out.” Then he tells a story about visiting a manufacturing plant where he heard that the US has tens of thousands of welding jobs waiting to be filled. | Santorum said the “middle of America has been hollowed out.” Then he tells a story about visiting a manufacturing plant where he heard that the US has tens of thousands of welding jobs waiting to be filled. |
| “The issue is yes, we need a tax code – [and] we’re going to do something about regulation, but we have to start doing something about training and employing people who are sitting on the sidelines and don’t see a path.” | “The issue is yes, we need a tax code – [and] we’re going to do something about regulation, but we have to start doing something about training and employing people who are sitting on the sidelines and don’t see a path.” |
| Strong from Santorum, rewarded with applause. | Strong from Santorum, rewarded with applause. |
| 12.06am GMT00:06 | 12.06am GMT00:06 |
| Second Q. For Huckabee. Asked how he will help the United States navigate toward the new economy, Huckabee says: “I don’t know why we have to move away from manufacturing,” to applause. | Second Q. For Huckabee. Asked how he will help the United States navigate toward the new economy, Huckabee says: “I don’t know why we have to move away from manufacturing,” to applause. |
| We’re waiting for him to describe the new manufacturing jobs for the USA. | We’re waiting for him to describe the new manufacturing jobs for the USA. |
| No new jobs! Get the old ones back. He says his tax code would “bring the jobs back” from Mexico, because “you don’t tax capital and labor”. | No new jobs! Get the old ones back. He says his tax code would “bring the jobs back” from Mexico, because “you don’t tax capital and labor”. |
| US manufacturing has fled abroad because of taxes and will quickly return if the IRS is abolished, is his argument. | US manufacturing has fled abroad because of taxes and will quickly return if the IRS is abolished, is his argument. |
| Applause. | Applause. |
| Updated at 12.06am GMT | Updated at 12.06am GMT |
| 12.04am GMT00:04 | 12.04am GMT00:04 |
| First question for Christie, about anemic growth (what was it, 3.9%?) and unemployment (falling past 5%?). How will he put America back to work? | First question for Christie, about anemic growth (what was it, 3.9%?) and unemployment (falling past 5%?). How will he put America back to work? |
| Christie says we’ve just seen the “worst recovery from an economic recession since WWII” – but a recovery’s a recovery, right? | Christie says we’ve just seen the “worst recovery from an economic recession since WWII” – but a recovery’s a recovery, right? |
| No. He calls for tax reform and “firing a whole bunch of IRS agents”. He wants to repeal Dodd-Frank banking regulations and “lift it off the backs” of the middle class. | No. He calls for tax reform and “firing a whole bunch of IRS agents”. He wants to repeal Dodd-Frank banking regulations and “lift it off the backs” of the middle class. |
| Updated at 12.06am GMT | Updated at 12.06am GMT |
| 12.02am GMT00:02 | 12.02am GMT00:02 |
| Santorum, Christie, Huckabee and Jindal at the undercard #RepDebate pic.twitter.com/qpk6sm0IoJ | Santorum, Christie, Huckabee and Jindal at the undercard #RepDebate pic.twitter.com/qpk6sm0IoJ |
| 12.01am GMT00:01 | 12.01am GMT00:01 |
| Live from Milwaukee, it's the kids'-table undercard debate! | Live from Milwaukee, it's the kids'-table undercard debate! |
| It’s started. | It’s started. |
| ARE YOOOOU REAAAAAAADDDDYYY pic.twitter.com/n44oAiZf80 | ARE YOOOOU REAAAAAAADDDDYYY pic.twitter.com/n44oAiZf80 |
| Updated at 12.04am GMT | Updated at 12.04am GMT |
| 12.00am GMT00:00 | 12.00am GMT00:00 |
| FiveThirtyEight’s Harry Enten says what’s on everybody’s mind tonight. | FiveThirtyEight’s Harry Enten says what’s on everybody’s mind tonight. |
| I'm gonna miss Pataki. | I'm gonna miss Pataki. |
| 11.56pm GMT23:56 | 11.56pm GMT23:56 |
| We’re not far from the undercard now. Get comfortable. Christie, Huckabee, Jindal, Santorum. Should be good! | We’re not far from the undercard now. Get comfortable. Christie, Huckabee, Jindal, Santorum. Should be good! |
| 11.50pm GMT23:50 | 11.50pm GMT23:50 |
| Tonight is supposed in part to be about the candidates’ plans for economic growth and tax policy, which amounts to dutiful descriptions from the stage of plans that have no chance of being enacted but every chance of being dissected afterward by analysts trying to glimpse what these people actually are out for. | Tonight is supposed in part to be about the candidates’ plans for economic growth and tax policy, which amounts to dutiful descriptions from the stage of plans that have no chance of being enacted but every chance of being dissected afterward by analysts trying to glimpse what these people actually are out for. |
| Not up on the candidates’ tax plans, which in your defense remain mostly sketchy and unarticulated? The Tax Policy Center has your back. Enjoy: | Not up on the candidates’ tax plans, which in your defense remain mostly sketchy and unarticulated? The Tax Policy Center has your back. Enjoy: |
| Ready for tonights 4th #GOPDebate? If you need your tax proposal cheat sheet we have you covered: https://t.co/fcTJRCZumV #election2016 | Ready for tonights 4th #GOPDebate? If you need your tax proposal cheat sheet we have you covered: https://t.co/fcTJRCZumV #election2016 |
| 11.43pm GMT23:43 | 11.43pm GMT23:43 |
| What is the purpose of secret service code names if they announce to the whole world what they are? | What is the purpose of secret service code names if they announce to the whole world what they are? |
| Anyway, Trump and Carson, as the polling frontrunners for the Republican nomination, have a measure of secret service protection now, to the point that they can add “earned secret service nickname” to their CVs / résumés (when are they going to come up with an American word for it). | Anyway, Trump and Carson, as the polling frontrunners for the Republican nomination, have a measure of secret service protection now, to the point that they can add “earned secret service nickname” to their CVs / résumés (when are they going to come up with an American word for it). |
| You may remember in the second Republican debate the candidates were asked to say what they wanted their nicknames to be, and Christie said Trueheart and Bush said Eveready and Trump said Humble and Carson said One Nation. | You may remember in the second Republican debate the candidates were asked to say what they wanted their nicknames to be, and Christie said Trueheart and Bush said Eveready and Trump said Humble and Carson said One Nation. |
| Trump and Carson must not have contacted the right bureaucrat, because the names have been assigned, and they did not get their first choices. Carson was named for a Biblical high priest and Trump was named after a bump on a ski run: | Trump and Carson must not have contacted the right bureaucrat, because the names have been assigned, and they did not get their first choices. Carson was named for a Biblical high priest and Trump was named after a bump on a ski run: |
| Source confirms to ABC that @RealBenCarson's Secret Service code name will be "Eli" and @realDonaldTrump's will be "Mogul." -@KFaulders | Source confirms to ABC that @RealBenCarson's Secret Service code name will be "Eli" and @realDonaldTrump's will be "Mogul." -@KFaulders |
| Updated at 11.43pm GMT | Updated at 11.43pm GMT |
| 11.37pm GMT23:37 | 11.37pm GMT23:37 |
| Spare a thought for the losers: both Senator Lindsey Graham and former New York governor George Pataki were dropped from the undercard debate tonight, not quite having bent the old pole back far enough to vault the 1%-level support in at least one of the four most recent national polls required to get in. (It took 2.5% to get into the main event, a mark that foiled Christie and Huckabee.) | Spare a thought for the losers: both Senator Lindsey Graham and former New York governor George Pataki were dropped from the undercard debate tonight, not quite having bent the old pole back far enough to vault the 1%-level support in at least one of the four most recent national polls required to get in. (It took 2.5% to get into the main event, a mark that foiled Christie and Huckabee.) |
| Undaunted, Graham told the Guardian: “I don’t think I am an undercard person and not an undercard candidate.” Ben Jacobs reports: | Undaunted, Graham told the Guardian: “I don’t think I am an undercard person and not an undercard candidate.” Ben Jacobs reports: |
| The problem with the debates, he said, was that the criteria for entry to the top table favored those candidates who “had a TV show”. | The problem with the debates, he said, was that the criteria for entry to the top table favored those candidates who “had a TV show”. |
| Instead of debating on Tuesday night, the South Carolina senator said he would use the social media network Sidewire, which promises “news and analysis from insiders without the noise”, to share his thoughts on the main debate. | Instead of debating on Tuesday night, the South Carolina senator said he would use the social media network Sidewire, which promises “news and analysis from insiders without the noise”, to share his thoughts on the main debate. |
| “We’ll be commenting on policy and trying to have a sense of humor,” he said. | “We’ll be commenting on policy and trying to have a sense of humor,” he said. |
| Time to sign up for Sidewire! | Time to sign up for Sidewire! |
| 11.30pm GMT23:30 | 11.30pm GMT23:30 |
| Could tonight CHANGE EVERYTHING?! | Could tonight CHANGE EVERYTHING?! |
| The Fox Business-WSJ debates start tonight at 7p ET! Here's how to watch: https://t.co/t2ijHYV3VJ pic.twitter.com/Akjw5OZ8mg | The Fox Business-WSJ debates start tonight at 7p ET! Here's how to watch: https://t.co/t2ijHYV3VJ pic.twitter.com/Akjw5OZ8mg |
| Far out man. | Far out man. |
| 11.25pm GMT23:25 | 11.25pm GMT23:25 |
| The Republican candidates felt so poorly treated in the last debate by host network CNBC that they complained onstage about the questions and held a meeting afterward to draft demands for future debates. | The Republican candidates felt so poorly treated in the last debate by host network CNBC that they complained onstage about the questions and held a meeting afterward to draft demands for future debates. |
| But tonight’s debate host, Fox Business, is not subject to the new Republican demands, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington reports, “partly perhaps because of the strong obeisance shown by senior Republicans towards Roger Ailes, the chairman and CEO of Fox News and Fox Business Network”: | But tonight’s debate host, Fox Business, is not subject to the new Republican demands, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington reports, “partly perhaps because of the strong obeisance shown by senior Republicans towards Roger Ailes, the chairman and CEO of Fox News and Fox Business Network”: |
| Nonetheless, some changes will be on display in Milwaukee that could notably influence the tone of the debate....The network has also agreed to extend the cutoff time for candidates’ answers from 60 to 90 seconds. | Nonetheless, some changes will be on display in Milwaukee that could notably influence the tone of the debate....The network has also agreed to extend the cutoff time for candidates’ answers from 60 to 90 seconds. |
| RNC chairman Reince Priebus sent a letter to committee members describing the national party’s efforts to manage tonight’s spectacle: | RNC chairman Reince Priebus sent a letter to committee members describing the national party’s efforts to manage tonight’s spectacle: |
| A top R passes along the letter that @Reince just sent to RNC members. Here's part of it: pic.twitter.com/GsooFl7y6Z | A top R passes along the letter that @Reince just sent to RNC members. Here's part of it: pic.twitter.com/GsooFl7y6Z |
| 11.18pm GMT23:18 | 11.18pm GMT23:18 |
| Just weeks ago, a confrontation between Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio at the third Republican debate marked a critical turning point in the trajectories of the two former Florida allies and their presidential campaigns, the Guardian’s Sabrina Siddiqui reminds us. | Just weeks ago, a confrontation between Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio at the third Republican debate marked a critical turning point in the trajectories of the two former Florida allies and their presidential campaigns, the Guardian’s Sabrina Siddiqui reminds us. |
| It not only underscored the perils of Bush, the state’s former governor, trying to attack Rubio, one of its senators, but also left many political observers baffled by the Bush campaign’s tactics and decision to target his former protege. | It not only underscored the perils of Bush, the state’s former governor, trying to attack Rubio, one of its senators, but also left many political observers baffled by the Bush campaign’s tactics and decision to target his former protege. |
| Click through below for all the dark intrigue that defines Bush-Rubio: | Click through below for all the dark intrigue that defines Bush-Rubio: |
| Jeb's Rubio problem: How to be an antagonist toward a candidate he promoted for years as a next-generation leader https://t.co/21oURfiJYx | Jeb's Rubio problem: How to be an antagonist toward a candidate he promoted for years as a next-generation leader https://t.co/21oURfiJYx |
| 10.47pm GMT22:47 | 10.47pm GMT22:47 |
| Hello! And welcome to our coverage of the fourth Republican presidential debate. | Hello! And welcome to our coverage of the fourth Republican presidential debate. |
| What makes this night different from all other nights? We’re going to Milwaukee! That’s right – the traveling GOP circus is pitching tent tonight in Beer Town, once home to four of the largest breweries on Earth, which together sound like the perfect law firm for DUIs: Blatz, Miller, Pabst & Schlitz. | What makes this night different from all other nights? We’re going to Milwaukee! That’s right – the traveling GOP circus is pitching tent tonight in Beer Town, once home to four of the largest breweries on Earth, which together sound like the perfect law firm for DUIs: Blatz, Miller, Pabst & Schlitz. |
| Ah, Milwaukee. Donald Trump’s going to be here. There’s quite a lot on the line, actually, considering how fast the calendar is flipping, and the growing pressure on certain candidates – looking at you, Jeb Bush – to make the kind of move that says “yes” to voters and “$$” to donors. | Ah, Milwaukee. Donald Trump’s going to be here. There’s quite a lot on the line, actually, considering how fast the calendar is flipping, and the growing pressure on certain candidates – looking at you, Jeb Bush – to make the kind of move that says “yes” to voters and “$$” to donors. |
| But on the off chance that you don’t want to think about Jeb, we’ve prepared a nice buffet of narratives for you to choose from as we prepare to watch. Tonight might be about Ben Carson, and whether he responds to the beating his biography took this week. It might be about Trump, and whether he will amplify his attacks on Carson. Will Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz top the strong reviews they won last time? Will Chris Christie, who for the first time has been removed from the main event, crush the undercard? Will the Bush vs Rubio rivalry get ugly? | But on the off chance that you don’t want to think about Jeb, we’ve prepared a nice buffet of narratives for you to choose from as we prepare to watch. Tonight might be about Ben Carson, and whether he responds to the beating his biography took this week. It might be about Trump, and whether he will amplify his attacks on Carson. Will Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz top the strong reviews they won last time? Will Chris Christie, who for the first time has been removed from the main event, crush the undercard? Will the Bush vs Rubio rivalry get ugly? |
| Will one of the candidates actually leave the stage and kick the personal ass, on behalf of America, of an actual member of the media? | Will one of the candidates actually leave the stage and kick the personal ass, on behalf of America, of an actual member of the media? |
| If it happens, you’ll hear about it here first. For an enhanced media consumption experience, we encourage you to stream the debate live on foxbusiness.com as you read. | If it happens, you’ll hear about it here first. For an enhanced media consumption experience, we encourage you to stream the debate live on foxbusiness.com as you read. |
| Boring details | Boring details |
| Tonight’s debate will be hosted and broadcast by Fox Business Network in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal. “The questions will focus on jobs, taxes and the general health of the economy, as well as domestic and international policy issues,” Fox says. | Tonight’s debate will be hosted and broadcast by Fox Business Network in conjunction with the Wall Street Journal. “The questions will focus on jobs, taxes and the general health of the economy, as well as domestic and international policy issues,” Fox says. |
| The undercard debate, a one-hour bout beginning at 7pm ET, will be hosted by FBN anchors Sandra Smith and Trish Regan, and WSJ Washington bureau chief Gerald Seib. | The undercard debate, a one-hour bout beginning at 7pm ET, will be hosted by FBN anchors Sandra Smith and Trish Regan, and WSJ Washington bureau chief Gerald Seib. |
| The two-hour primetime debate follows at 9pm ET and will be moderated by Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo of Fox News, with WSJ editor Gerard Baker. | The two-hour primetime debate follows at 9pm ET and will be moderated by Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo of Fox News, with WSJ editor Gerard Baker. |
| Here are the candidates taking part in the main debate at 9pm: | Here are the candidates taking part in the main debate at 9pm: |
| Here’s the 7pm undercard lineup: | Here’s the 7pm undercard lineup: |
| Along for the ride this evening here at Guardian US are: | Along for the ride this evening here at Guardian US are: |
| Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated! | Schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated! |
| Updated at 11.49pm GMT | Updated at 11.49pm GMT |