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| Republican debate: Trump says 'let Jeb talk' … and Bush bounces back – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.48am GMT02:48 | |
| Commercial break. First commercial for the Benghazi movie. This is that Michael Bay movie. Awesome! I mean – er, appalling and tragic. | |
| Related: Michael Bay's Benghazi movie could hit Hillary Clinton's campaign | |
| Updated at 2.48am GMT | |
| 2.47am GMT02:47 | |
| Fiorina is asked about her alternative to Obamacare. | |
| She says, allow states to manage high-risk pools for those who need help. She talks about being a cancer survivor and says she understands the need for cancer to be more than a preexisting condition. | |
| But let the free market sort it out. | |
| 2.45am GMT02:45 | |
| Fiorina: 'the secret sauce of America is innovation and entrepreneurship' | |
| Fiorina is asked how to alleviate pressure on small business. | |
| She says Obamacare is failing and choking small business because it was written by pharmaceutical companies. | |
| “Health insurance has always been a cozy little game, between regulators and health insurance companies. We have to try the free market. | |
| The free market!” | |
| Multiple rounds of applause for Fiorina. She concludes: | |
| “The secret sauce of America is innovation and entrepreneurship.” | |
| That's some "secret sauce" #gopdebate https://t.co/KMiYDhiEo8 | |
| Updated at 2.46am GMT | |
| 2.43am GMT02:43 | |
| Cruz jumps into the immigration debate. | |
| What was said was right. The Democrats are laughing. Because if Republicans join Democrats as the party of amnesty, we will lose. | |
| Cruz says the debate would be different if a bunch of journalists were crossing international borders and “driving down the wages in the press”. | |
| [Your correspondent observes self surrounded by immigrant journalists. Observes wallet. Observes self surrounded by immigrant journalists. Scratches head. Visits tedcruz.com.] | |
| Updated at 2.47am GMT | |
| 2.40am GMT02:40 | |
| Rubio takes a question about US workers competing with immigrants. He blames the tax code, health care laws, and an “outdated” higher education system. | |
| He is the first one to strike the idealistic tones of a campaign commercial, calling on Americans to “grasp the potential and the promise of this new economy”. | |
| Updated at 2.41am GMT | |
| 2.38am GMT02:38 | |
| “Welders make more money than philosophers,” declared Marco Rubio earlier. “We need more welders and less philosophers!” | |
| Fact check from Dominic Rushe: | |
| Score one for Socrates and zero for Marco Rubio. Philosophers make almost double what welders make, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Philosophy and religion teachers, post-secondary, make $71,350. Welders, $40,040. There are 369,610 welders and only 23,210 philosophers. So what we need is more philosophers Marco. Think about it. | |
| Updated at 2.40am GMT | |
| 2.38am GMT02:38 | |
| Bush: 'they're doing high fives in the Clinton campaign right now' | |
| Trump tries to smack down Kasich. | |
| “I built an unbelievable country worth billions and billions of dollars. I don’t have to listen to this.” | |
| That draws some kind of Jerry Springer-style “ooooohhh, damn,” from the audience. | |
| Then Bush jumps in, on Kasich’s side. | |
| “They’re doing high fives in the Clinton campaign right now when they hear this,” Bush said. “The way you win the presidency is have practical plans.” | |
| Bush is applauded. Bush-Kasich appear to be winning this debate, at least with this audience. | |
| 2.35am GMT02:35 | |
| Kasich on Trump's deportation plan: 'It's not an adult argument' | |
| Kasich jumps in. | |
| “If people think that we are going to ship 11m people... ship them out to Mexico? Think about the families! Think about the children.” | |
| If they’re law-abiding, undocumented immigrants should be able to stay. | |
| Come on folks, we all know you can’t pick them up and ship them across a border. It’s a silly argument. It’s not an adult argument. | |
| Then Trump says Eisenhower moved 1.5 million immigrants out of this country. | |
| 2.33am GMT02:33 | |
| Trump: 'If you think walls don’t work, all you have to do is ask Israel' | |
| Trump is up again. He drops a gem. “We are a country of laws. We need borders. We will have a wall. The wall will work.” | |
| If you think walls don’t work, all you have to do is ask Israel.” | |
| 2.32am GMT02:32 | |
| Carson is sick of 'being lied about' ... and Hillary Clinton | |
| Carson defends apparent discrepancies in his telling of his life story and reported accounts. | |
| “I thank you for not asking me what I said in 10th grade. I appreciate that,” he jokes. Applause in the audience. | |
| “The fact of the matter is, we should vet all candidates. I have no problem with being vetted. What I do have a problem with is being lied about.” | |
| More applause for Carson. Then he goes for Benghazi: | |
| When I look at somebody like Hillary Clinton, who sits there and tells her daughter and a government official that no, this was a terrorist attack, and then tells everybody else it was a video – where I came from, they call that a lie. | |
| People who know me know that I’m an honest person.” | |
| Updated at 2.33am GMT | |
| 2.30am GMT02:30 | |
| Lucia Graves | |
| Guardian US columnist Lucia Graves will be checking in on Jeb Bush’s Snooze-o-meter tonight: | |
| Looks like Jeb Bush learned how not to answer a question! It’s something he’s been working on as part of the official Jeb Bush comeback tour. | |
| Asked about he would get to 4% growth in GDP, he went on a long tirade about everything from repealing the Clean Power Act to how terrible Hillary Clinton is. | |
| “Hillary Clinton has said Barack Obama’s policies get an A! Really?” | |
| And if audience applause was any indication, it worked. | |
| Updated at 2.30am GMT | |
| 2.26am GMT02:26 | |
| Paul is asked whether income inequality matters. | |
| “Absolutely,” he says. He faults Democrats and the federal reserve for making wealth and income inequality worse. He starts explaining how the Fed works. He seems to have an extremely dry mouth, his voice going raspy. | |
| “The bottom line is, if you want less income inequality, move to a city with a Republican mayor, or a state with a Republican governor.” | |
| Micro-economies with distinct inequality dynamics have developed based on the party membership of local mayors, he says. | |
| 2.23am GMT02:23 | |
| Fiorina is asked how she could make the case that Republicans are better at creating jobs than Democrats. | |
| She said she met a woman who told her she, the woman, was afraid for her children’s future. | |
| Fiorina says it’s a sad story. She says the government is at fault, “the status quo of big government.” | |
| Then she lists five things to get the economy going again. Balanced budget, tax reform (a three-page tax code), regulatory reform, move regulation back to Congress and hold Congress accountable. | |
| “We must take our government back,” she says. | |
| Applause and whoops. | |
| Pretty sedate outing so far. What do you think? | |
| 2.23am GMT02:23 | |
| Dominic Rushe | |
| The combined wealth of the eight people on stage is $4.6bn, writes Dominic Rushe – with a voice from the Fight for $15 rally today: | |
| Most of it is Trump’s, admittedly, but they are all - with the exception of Rubio - comfortably in the 1% club. Their net worths: | |
| Trump: $4.5bn (according to Forbes; $10bn according to the Donald) | |
| Fiorina: $59m | |
| Carson: $26m | |
| Bush: $22m | |
| Kasich: $10m | |
| Cruz: $3.5m | |
| Paul: $2m | |
| Rubio: letting the side down with a paltry $100,000. | |
| None of them seem to be into a wage hike. | |
| The candidates’ comments are not going down well with people who were out marching for a hike in the minimum wage in New York today. | |
| Keith Walker, 47, from New Rochelle, New York, is particularly incensed by Trump’s comments: “I can’t be sympathetic to a higher minimum wage. We don’t win anymore.” | |
| “It’s easy for him to say; he comes from privilege,” says Walker. “He doesn’t know what it is to struggle; he inherited his money. What does he know about a world where your basic costs are greater than your annual salary? He doesn’t have to decide whether to keep a roof over his head or feed his family.” | |
| Updated at 2.27am GMT | |
| 2.21am GMT02:21 | |
| Bush is asked what regulations he would change to produce jobs and growth. | |
| “We can get to 4% growth,” he says. Tax reform is first. Eliminate deductions. 20% corporate taxes. “It would create an explosion of investment.” | |
| “I think we need to repeal every rule that Barack Obama has in terms of work in progress. Every one of them.” He names clean power regulations and regulations on agricultural irrigation. | |
| Hillary Clinton has said that Barack Obama’s policies get an A. Really? ... One in five children is living in poverty. That is not an A. It may be the best that Hillary Clinton can do, but it’s not the best the country can do. | |
| Actual applause for Bush. | |
| 2.21am GMT02:21 | |
| Republicans running for president want you to make less money, muses Jesse Berney. | |
| The first question was about raising the minimum wage, and Donald Trump said no because America doesn’t win, and I guess paying people less money means we’re winners again. He also said Americans need to “work really hard”. | |
| Ben Carson says we need to be “educated on the minimum wage” and learn facts like how raising the minimum wage kills jobs, which is the opposite of the truth. | |
| Marco Rubio has been watching too many Terminator movies - he’s worried raising the minimum wage will lead to Americans being replaced with machines. (Personally I wouldn’t mind having my spine replaced by robot parts, but I don’t know if Obamacare would cover that.) | |
| Lower wages for more Americans seems like an excellent platform for the GOP to run on. I can’t wait to see how that plays in the general. | |
| Things the GOP hopefuls want less of: Trump: Wages, generally Carson: Minimum wages Rubio: Philosophy majors Cruz: Locusts Bush: Sadness | |
| Updated at 2.21am GMT | |
| 2.18am GMT02:18 | |
| Ted Cruz is up. How can tax reform create jobs? | |
| Cruz calls it “the most important question any of us can face: how to bring back economic growth?” Growth last quarter was almost 4%. | |
| Cruz says his 10% flat tax, regulatory reform and “sound money” would create growth. (Cruz is among those Republicans who suspects the Fed of propping up Obama instead of caretaking the economy.) | |
| 2.15am GMT02:15 | |
| Kasich takes a question about the debt. What would he do to balance the budget? | |
| Kasich brokered the last balanced budget deal to pass Congress, as former head of the House budget committee. | |
| “Lower taxes, lower spending,” he says. Then he refers people to his web site. | |
| “When you balance the budget and you cut taxes, people get work.” He calls job creation “our most important moral purpose.” | |
| Kasich gets dinged for going over time. Lightish applause. | |
| But then he’s asked for specifics on how he’d cut spending. He said he would slow growth in Medicare spending and cut Medicaid spending by eliminating waste. | |
| He says he balanced the budget once in Congress, twice in Ohio and could thrice in the White House! | |
| Kasich sings the Commodores: "One, twice, thrice times a lady" | |
| Updated at 2.29am GMT | |
| 2.12am GMT02:12 | 2.12am GMT02:12 |
| Rubio is up. He says his bartender father and maid mother made minimum wage but were successful because they bought a comfy home in a safe neighborhood for their family. | Rubio is up. He says his bartender father and maid mother made minimum wage but were successful because they bought a comfy home in a safe neighborhood for their family. |
| If I thought that raising the minimum wage was the best way to help people make [more] I’d be all for it. | If I thought that raising the minimum wage was the best way to help people make [more] I’d be all for it. |
| Rubio is not. | Rubio is not. |
| He says economic growth would lead to broad economic well-being than a higher minimum wage. | He says economic growth would lead to broad economic well-being than a higher minimum wage. |
| He closes with an applause line, and the evening’s second welders reference. | He closes with an applause line, and the evening’s second welders reference. |
| Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers! | Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers! |
| Applause. | Applause. |
| Updated at 2.13am GMT | Updated at 2.13am GMT |
| 2.10am GMT02:10 | 2.10am GMT02:10 |
| Here are your candidates ... | Here are your candidates ... |
| Donald Trump: serious #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/7KK6LU5amP | Donald Trump: serious #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/7KK6LU5amP |
| Ben Carson: sleepy #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/lwuyY4pWhf | Ben Carson: sleepy #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/lwuyY4pWhf |
| Marco Rubio: golden boy #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/1WNAu3Oapm | Marco Rubio: golden boy #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/1WNAu3Oapm |
| Ted Cruz: excited #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/1MOz1vCV7H | Ted Cruz: excited #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/1MOz1vCV7H |
| Jeb! #GOPDebate ! pic.twitter.com/vrHbUGNDUf | Jeb! #GOPDebate ! pic.twitter.com/vrHbUGNDUf |
| Carly Fiorina: smily #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/cDBzx0HCVr | Carly Fiorina: smily #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/cDBzx0HCVr |
| John Kasich: Ohio governor #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/mCKc1jngr5 | John Kasich: Ohio governor #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/mCKc1jngr5 |
| Rand Paul: not waving... #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/OwhoWLxY0g | Rand Paul: not waving... #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/OwhoWLxY0g |
| 2.09am GMT02:09 | 2.09am GMT02:09 |
| Carson blames black unemployment on high minimum wage | Carson blames black unemployment on high minimum wage |
| Carson takes the question. He says he’s delighted to be here. His three-year-old granddaughter is here, he says. | Carson takes the question. He says he’s delighted to be here. His three-year-old granddaughter is here, he says. |
| “Every time we raise the minimum wage, the number of jobless people increases,” he says. “This is particularly a problem in the black community. Only 19.8% of black teenagers have jobs that are looking for one. | “Every time we raise the minimum wage, the number of jobless people increases,” he says. “This is particularly a problem in the black community. Only 19.8% of black teenagers have jobs that are looking for one. |
| “That’s because of those high wages.” | “That’s because of those high wages.” |
| Note: “every time” means twice in the last 20 years. | Note: “every time” means twice in the last 20 years. |
| Updated at 2.09am GMT | Updated at 2.09am GMT |
| 2.07am GMT02:07 | 2.07am GMT02:07 |
| First question: on the federal minimum wage! Picketers outside are calling for $15 an hour, up from $7.25. | First question: on the federal minimum wage! Picketers outside are calling for $15 an hour, up from $7.25. |
| Trump: I can’t be sympathetic to a higher minimum wage. “We don’t win anymore.” “I hate to say it but we have to leave it the way it is. ... we cannot do this if we are going out to compete with the rest of the world. I would not raise the minimum.” | Trump: I can’t be sympathetic to a higher minimum wage. “We don’t win anymore.” “I hate to say it but we have to leave it the way it is. ... we cannot do this if we are going out to compete with the rest of the world. I would not raise the minimum.” |
| Smattering of applause. | Smattering of applause. |
| Trump: the minimum wage is too damn high. | Trump: the minimum wage is too damn high. |
| Updated at 2.10am GMT | Updated at 2.10am GMT |
| 2.04am GMT02:04 | 2.04am GMT02:04 |
| The candidates are being introduced. Trump has a thumbs up. Carson blinks. Rubio shows about a million teeth. Cruz waves. Bush grimaces. Fiorina smiles and waves. Kasich does a karate chop. Paul gives a confident, dare we say presidential wave. | The candidates are being introduced. Trump has a thumbs up. Carson blinks. Rubio shows about a million teeth. Cruz waves. Bush grimaces. Fiorina smiles and waves. Kasich does a karate chop. Paul gives a confident, dare we say presidential wave. |
| 2.02am GMT02:02 | 2.02am GMT02:02 |
| Fox business made a commercial to introduce the debate. It starts with pictures of cornfields. Switches to the candidates shaking hands with Americans. Picture of the Miller brewery. The Green Bay Packers. Little detour into the Teddy Roosevelt shooting. Now we’re on Wall Street. | Fox business made a commercial to introduce the debate. It starts with pictures of cornfields. Switches to the candidates shaking hands with Americans. Picture of the Miller brewery. The Green Bay Packers. Little detour into the Teddy Roosevelt shooting. Now we’re on Wall Street. |
| Still going. There’s a shot of the capitol protests against Walker. There’s Ronald Reagan, talking about how awesome the people of Wisconsin are. Election day is a year away, we’re informed. | Still going. There’s a shot of the capitol protests against Walker. There’s Ronald Reagan, talking about how awesome the people of Wisconsin are. Election day is a year away, we’re informed. |
| OK that’s done. Swooshing graphic, snare drum and Neil Cavuto starts talking. | OK that’s done. Swooshing graphic, snare drum and Neil Cavuto starts talking. |
| 2.02am GMT02:02 | 2.02am GMT02:02 |
| Lindsey Graham, who is commenting live on the debate on the app Sidewire, indulges in just a little pique: | Lindsey Graham, who is commenting live on the debate on the app Sidewire, indulges in just a little pique: |
| Lindsey Graham throwing some shade #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/vwH0lCrSep | Lindsey Graham throwing some shade #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/vwH0lCrSep |
| We’ll keep an eye on him all night. | We’ll keep an eye on him all night. |
| 2.01am GMT02:01 | 2.01am GMT02:01 |
| And they say the world is not run by a sinister cabal of shadowy figures... #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/ABA2OMlLgI | And they say the world is not run by a sinister cabal of shadowy figures... #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/ABA2OMlLgI |
| 1.59am GMT01:59 | 1.59am GMT01:59 |
| Two men with rifles have taken the stage, but it’s fine because they’re part of an honor guard for the singing of the national anthem. All onstage and in the crowd are standing, hands on hearts, with solemn looks of patriotic fervor on their faces. | Two men with rifles have taken the stage, but it’s fine because they’re part of an honor guard for the singing of the national anthem. All onstage and in the crowd are standing, hands on hearts, with solemn looks of patriotic fervor on their faces. |
| Here’s the high note. Of the fuh-reeeee–––! Nailed it. | Here’s the high note. Of the fuh-reeeee–––! Nailed it. |
| Play ball! | Play ball! |
| Updated at 2.01am GMT | Updated at 2.01am GMT |
| 1.59am GMT01:59 | 1.59am GMT01:59 |
| Trump and Carson listen to the national anthem #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/cARASkMkPK | Trump and Carson listen to the national anthem #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/cARASkMkPK |
| 1.57am GMT01:57 | 1.57am GMT01:57 |
| Ben Jacobs | Ben Jacobs |
| After the undercard debate, Bobby Jindal continued to target Chris Christie, reports Ben Jacobs in Milwaukee. | After the undercard debate, Bobby Jindal continued to target Chris Christie, reports Ben Jacobs in Milwaukee. |
| Jindal told reporters afterwards: “Look, I think Chris didn’t answer those questions because he couldn’t answer those questions he couldn’t defend his record. Look every Republican agrees Hillary Clinton is bad, the point is what can we do which is better.” Jindal went on to describe Christie as “a big government conservative.” | Jindal told reporters afterwards: “Look, I think Chris didn’t answer those questions because he couldn’t answer those questions he couldn’t defend his record. Look every Republican agrees Hillary Clinton is bad, the point is what can we do which is better.” Jindal went on to describe Christie as “a big government conservative.” |
| In contrast, top Christie aide Mike DuHaime shrugged off Jindal’s attacks. “Just because someone tries to bait you all the time because they’re desperate and up in the polls doesn’t mean you have to do that,” he said. “Governor Christie did a great job staying above that and talking in a way which most Republican primary voters want, which is talking about who is the best person to take on Hillary Clinton.” DuHaime added: “Governor Christie is tough enough to take shots from anyone up there.” | In contrast, top Christie aide Mike DuHaime shrugged off Jindal’s attacks. “Just because someone tries to bait you all the time because they’re desperate and up in the polls doesn’t mean you have to do that,” he said. “Governor Christie did a great job staying above that and talking in a way which most Republican primary voters want, which is talking about who is the best person to take on Hillary Clinton.” DuHaime added: “Governor Christie is tough enough to take shots from anyone up there.” |
| 1.54am GMT01:54 | 1.54am GMT01:54 |
| Newly minted speaker of the house Paul Ryan is in the crowd tonight. | Newly minted speaker of the house Paul Ryan is in the crowd tonight. |
| And so is a certain governor, who in a parallel universe might instead be preparing to take the stage before a home-state audience thrilled by his unblemished record of conservative reform. | And so is a certain governor, who in a parallel universe might instead be preparing to take the stage before a home-state audience thrilled by his unblemished record of conservative reform. |
| Scott Walker: in the audience. | Scott Walker: in the audience. |
| 1.53am GMT01:53 | 1.53am GMT01:53 |
| Welcome back! For the evening’s main event: eight Republican presidential candidates are about to take the stage in Milwaukee to settle their differences once and for all – or at least until the debate next month in Las Vegas. | Welcome back! For the evening’s main event: eight Republican presidential candidates are about to take the stage in Milwaukee to settle their differences once and for all – or at least until the debate next month in Las Vegas. |
| Look for them to come out swinging. If Donald Trump brings half the attitude to the stage that he’s brought to his Twitter feed recently in tweaking Ben Carson, the civility of the undercard debate (scroll down for more on that) could quickly give way to a hot mess. | Look for them to come out swinging. If Donald Trump brings half the attitude to the stage that he’s brought to his Twitter feed recently in tweaking Ben Carson, the civility of the undercard debate (scroll down for more on that) could quickly give way to a hot mess. |
| Or Jeb Bush might attempt to land a blow on Marco Rubio – and is there anything to discourage Rubio, Ted Cruz or any of the others from flogging their favorite adversary, the accursed MSM? | Or Jeb Bush might attempt to land a blow on Marco Rubio – and is there anything to discourage Rubio, Ted Cruz or any of the others from flogging their favorite adversary, the accursed MSM? |
| Which Carson will appear? The congenial, half-recumbent doctor – or the impassioned Jeremiah who last week said that questions about his celebrated biography amounted to “a bunch of lies”? | Which Carson will appear? The congenial, half-recumbent doctor – or the impassioned Jeremiah who last week said that questions about his celebrated biography amounted to “a bunch of lies”? |
| The undercard debate was a substantive repast of tax and monetary policy questions, with a side of manufacturing and a dollop of disdain for Hillary Clinton. Here are the candidates who will now carry that conversation forward: | The undercard debate was a substantive repast of tax and monetary policy questions, with a side of manufacturing and a dollop of disdain for Hillary Clinton. Here are the candidates who will now carry that conversation forward: |
| Join us. The gang’s all here, from Milwaukee to Washington and beyond, for laughs and live coverage. We’ll be reading Twitter so you don’t have to ... so stick with us right here, whether you’re watching on TV or not. | Join us. The gang’s all here, from Milwaukee to Washington and beyond, for laughs and live coverage. We’ll be reading Twitter so you don’t have to ... so stick with us right here, whether you’re watching on TV or not. |
| 1.45am GMT01:45 | 1.45am GMT01:45 |
| Ed Pilkington | Ed Pilkington |
| The Republican candidates on stage are not the only ones who are under inspection tonight, writes Ed Pilkington in Milwaukee. | The Republican candidates on stage are not the only ones who are under inspection tonight, writes Ed Pilkington in Milwaukee. |
| So too is the much derided (within GOP circles) “mainstream media” - in this case Fox Business and its sidekick the Wall Street Journal. | So too is the much derided (within GOP circles) “mainstream media” - in this case Fox Business and its sidekick the Wall Street Journal. |
| Coming out of the widely criticised CNBC debate, the media moderators have to show tonight that they can run a civilised yet meaningful debate without kowtowing entirely to Republican bullying. And the evidence of the “kids’ table” debate that has just ended is that they are pulling it off. | Coming out of the widely criticised CNBC debate, the media moderators have to show tonight that they can run a civilised yet meaningful debate without kowtowing entirely to Republican bullying. And the evidence of the “kids’ table” debate that has just ended is that they are pulling it off. |
| The questions were focused on substance and policy, without being stuffy. And the decision to extend answer times from 60 to 90 seconds, which I feared could lead to woolly pontificating from the candidates, in fact raised the debate to a better level. | The questions were focused on substance and policy, without being stuffy. And the decision to extend answer times from 60 to 90 seconds, which I feared could lead to woolly pontificating from the candidates, in fact raised the debate to a better level. |
| Only twice did Fox Business lose its grip on the proceedings: once when Bobby Jindal was allowed to lay into fellow governor Chris Christie’s record in office without Christie being given right to reply. And secondly, and more seriously, when a question from the moderators about which Democrat the contestants admired the most provoked open mutiny, with each of them blatantly refusing to answer. | Only twice did Fox Business lose its grip on the proceedings: once when Bobby Jindal was allowed to lay into fellow governor Chris Christie’s record in office without Christie being given right to reply. And secondly, and more seriously, when a question from the moderators about which Democrat the contestants admired the most provoked open mutiny, with each of them blatantly refusing to answer. |
| Otherwise, the early debate bodes well for the main event. Though there’s no accounting for Donald Trump, or Ben Carson ... | Otherwise, the early debate bodes well for the main event. Though there’s no accounting for Donald Trump, or Ben Carson ... |
| 1.44am GMT01:44 | 1.44am GMT01:44 |
| Rupert Murdoch weighs in. He’s a big fan of flying Air Force One over the Senkaku Islands, it seems: | Rupert Murdoch weighs in. He’s a big fan of flying Air Force One over the Senkaku Islands, it seems: |
| Undercard debate, all did better than expected, but Chris Christie seemed in different class. Possible to see as Chief Executive. | Undercard debate, all did better than expected, but Chris Christie seemed in different class. Possible to see as Chief Executive. |
| 1.35am GMT01:35 | 1.35am GMT01:35 |
| Lucia Graves | Lucia Graves |
| Mike Huckabee may have just cornered the misogynist vote, suggests Guardian US columnist Lucia Graves: | Mike Huckabee may have just cornered the misogynist vote, suggests Guardian US columnist Lucia Graves: |
| When asked by a female debate moderator whether Janet Yellen was the right person to be running the Federal Reserve, he pivoted to a joke about his nagging wife. | When asked by a female debate moderator whether Janet Yellen was the right person to be running the Federal Reserve, he pivoted to a joke about his nagging wife. |
| “Well, my wife’s named Janet, and when you say Janet Yellen, I’m very familiar with what you mean.” (The audience, for what it’s worth, applauded.) | “Well, my wife’s named Janet, and when you say Janet Yellen, I’m very familiar with what you mean.” (The audience, for what it’s worth, applauded.) |
| It may get a laugh but the underlying sentiment could hardly be more dated: he’s dismissing a powerful woman by focusing on the fact that her name sounds vaguely like a term people use to dismiss women all over all the time - something that has drawn considerable unenviable attention on the Democratic side. | It may get a laugh but the underlying sentiment could hardly be more dated: he’s dismissing a powerful woman by focusing on the fact that her name sounds vaguely like a term people use to dismiss women all over all the time - something that has drawn considerable unenviable attention on the Democratic side. |
| It isn’t the first time Republican candidates have resorted to talking about their wives like it’s 1950, either. As Dana Liebelson pointed out recently. The 28 October debate featured Republican candidates making multiple unflattering references to their spouses. | It isn’t the first time Republican candidates have resorted to talking about their wives like it’s 1950, either. As Dana Liebelson pointed out recently. The 28 October debate featured Republican candidates making multiple unflattering references to their spouses. |
| Huckabee made made a point of playfully belittling his wife there, too. When a moderator asked about his greatest weakness, he responded: “My wife is down here in the front, and I’m sure, if you’d like to talk to her later, she can give you more than you’ll ever be able to take care of.” | Huckabee made made a point of playfully belittling his wife there, too. When a moderator asked about his greatest weakness, he responded: “My wife is down here in the front, and I’m sure, if you’d like to talk to her later, she can give you more than you’ll ever be able to take care of.” |
| And then there was the time back in September, when Republican candidates, asked what woman should appear on the face of the $10 bill, named family members and foreigners. To hear them talk, you’d think Rosa Parks and Susan B Anthony were the only women in American history they’d heard of. | And then there was the time back in September, when Republican candidates, asked what woman should appear on the face of the $10 bill, named family members and foreigners. To hear them talk, you’d think Rosa Parks and Susan B Anthony were the only women in American history they’d heard of. |
| Huckabee’s choice? You guessed it. His wife. | Huckabee’s choice? You guessed it. His wife. |
| Updated at 1.39am GMT | Updated at 1.39am GMT |
| 1.32am GMT01:32 | 1.32am GMT01:32 |
| In the comments, TiredOfTheLies notes: | In the comments, TiredOfTheLies notes: |
| Ironic that they get a stage less crowded than the main one. | Ironic that they get a stage less crowded than the main one. |
| 1.31am GMT01:31 | 1.31am GMT01:31 |
| Sam Thielman | Sam Thielman |
| The Fox Biz team are clapping themselves on the back for this debate, and they’re right to says business correspondent Sam Thielman. | The Fox Biz team are clapping themselves on the back for this debate, and they’re right to says business correspondent Sam Thielman. |
| News networks always benefit from the presence of popular politicians during the evening, but rarely has a network so small boasted names so large: Fox Business Network is the 87th most popular cable channel available in terms of total viewers in prime time. | News networks always benefit from the presence of popular politicians during the evening, but rarely has a network so small boasted names so large: Fox Business Network is the 87th most popular cable channel available in terms of total viewers in prime time. |
| Its big sister network, Fox News Channel, is number one. No matter who “wins” the evening’s showdown, the person walking away with the biggest smile on his face will undoubtedly be Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who has not only orchestrated another buzzy TV event after his company’s record-smashing first debate, but has made Fox Business must-see TV. | Its big sister network, Fox News Channel, is number one. No matter who “wins” the evening’s showdown, the person walking away with the biggest smile on his face will undoubtedly be Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who has not only orchestrated another buzzy TV event after his company’s record-smashing first debate, but has made Fox Business must-see TV. |
| The network’s average nightly viewership in the most recent quarter was 60,000 people, just above music video channel Fuse but not quite beating out NBCUniversal’s all-mystery-rerun network, Cloo. (Fox News had 1.9m viewers during the same period.) The network had its most-watched month ever in July, with 83,000 people; the eight-year-old network has never really found its footing, though Ailes and company refuse to give up on it. | The network’s average nightly viewership in the most recent quarter was 60,000 people, just above music video channel Fuse but not quite beating out NBCUniversal’s all-mystery-rerun network, Cloo. (Fox News had 1.9m viewers during the same period.) The network had its most-watched month ever in July, with 83,000 people; the eight-year-old network has never really found its footing, though Ailes and company refuse to give up on it. |
| 1.30am GMT01:30 | 1.30am GMT01:30 |
| Ed Pilkington | Ed Pilkington |
| The undercard debate has been dominated so far by two candidates, and their two diametrically opposed strategies, notes Ed Pilkington on the ground in Milwaukee. | The undercard debate has been dominated so far by two candidates, and their two diametrically opposed strategies, notes Ed Pilkington on the ground in Milwaukee. |
| Chris Christie has clearly decided that the way to claw himself back into the big players’ table, having been demoted this time round to the early debate, is to turn his fire back on the Democrats and Hillary Clinton. | Chris Christie has clearly decided that the way to claw himself back into the big players’ table, having been demoted this time round to the early debate, is to turn his fire back on the Democrats and Hillary Clinton. |
| In the other corner, Bobby Jindal has made the opposite calculation – that the only way forward is to tear his rivals down, lashing out at the records in office of Christie and Mike Huckabee. | In the other corner, Bobby Jindal has made the opposite calculation – that the only way forward is to tear his rivals down, lashing out at the records in office of Christie and Mike Huckabee. |
| The contrast has been striking, and it will be interesting to see whether it will be replicated in half an hour’s time when the eight main contenders, led by Donald Trump and Ben Carson, take to the stage. | The contrast has been striking, and it will be interesting to see whether it will be replicated in half an hour’s time when the eight main contenders, led by Donald Trump and Ben Carson, take to the stage. |
| Updated at 1.30am GMT | Updated at 1.30am GMT |
| 1.30am GMT01:30 | 1.30am GMT01:30 |
| Rubio ad alert: | Rubio ad alert: |
| Here's that pro-Rubio super PAC ad that just aired on Fox Business after the undercard debate https://t.co/M4aptDgwSb | Here's that pro-Rubio super PAC ad that just aired on Fox Business after the undercard debate https://t.co/M4aptDgwSb |
| 1.20am GMT01:20 | 1.20am GMT01:20 |
| HOW do we get one of those fake bowties? | HOW do we get one of those fake bowties? |
| Here's how our campaign staff gets HQ ready for the #GOPDebate. Create your own party here: https://t.co/ETSAu5LtNt pic.twitter.com/bxVPSs1Z8y | Here's how our campaign staff gets HQ ready for the #GOPDebate. Create your own party here: https://t.co/ETSAu5LtNt pic.twitter.com/bxVPSs1Z8y |
| Updated at 1.22am GMT | Updated at 1.22am GMT |
| 1.17am GMT01:17 | 1.17am GMT01:17 |
| I'm gonna miss you @ChrisChristie https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/ljH09r5tdA | I'm gonna miss you @ChrisChristie https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/ljH09r5tdA |
| 1.16am GMT01:16 | 1.16am GMT01:16 |
| Who won that? Who’d you like? | Who won that? Who’d you like? |
| Tell us in the comments please! We’ll feature the most incisive and elegantly phrased entries here. | Tell us in the comments please! We’ll feature the most incisive and elegantly phrased entries here. |
| T-minus 45 minutes until the next one is to start. | T-minus 45 minutes until the next one is to start. |
| 1.16am GMT01:16 | 1.16am GMT01:16 |
| Nicky Woolf | Nicky Woolf |
| While frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson mulled their new Secret Service names (Mogul and Eli respectively, according to the Washington Post), former Pennsylvania senator and 2012 Iowa winner Rick Santorum was forced to prepare for Tuesday’s debate with laryngitis medication, reports Nicky Woolf. | While frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson mulled their new Secret Service names (Mogul and Eli respectively, according to the Washington Post), former Pennsylvania senator and 2012 Iowa winner Rick Santorum was forced to prepare for Tuesday’s debate with laryngitis medication, reports Nicky Woolf. |
| If Michael Jordan can have his NBA Finals Flu Game, then I can have my Laryngitis Presidential Debate #GameOn pic.twitter.com/E0eUSFUmRQ | If Michael Jordan can have his NBA Finals Flu Game, then I can have my Laryngitis Presidential Debate #GameOn pic.twitter.com/E0eUSFUmRQ |
| Jeb (!) probably has the most to prove tonight, after his campaign has floundered. His aides told reporters to expect a fiesty and aggressive Jeb at the debate. For a little while, it was left to us to work out how Jeb was going to make that transformation; later, he revealed his secret: indulging in some Bocce ball. | Jeb (!) probably has the most to prove tonight, after his campaign has floundered. His aides told reporters to expect a fiesty and aggressive Jeb at the debate. For a little while, it was left to us to work out how Jeb was going to make that transformation; later, he revealed his secret: indulging in some Bocce ball. |
| New pre-debate ritual: Bocce ball. pic.twitter.com/J1aRyy5KuT | New pre-debate ritual: Bocce ball. pic.twitter.com/J1aRyy5KuT |
| While Santorum sniffled and Jeb rolled, Huckabee shopped; taking the opportunity of being in Milwaukee to wander into a local guitar store. | While Santorum sniffled and Jeb rolled, Huckabee shopped; taking the opportunity of being in Milwaukee to wander into a local guitar store. |
| Thanks to Noah and Michael for the tour of @distinctivegtr - you can never have too many guitars. pic.twitter.com/oOfkzXfLpJ | Thanks to Noah and Michael for the tour of @distinctivegtr - you can never have too many guitars. pic.twitter.com/oOfkzXfLpJ |
| Ben Carson, meanwhile, spent a happy afternoon having a tea party, with a little trolling the media on the side. | Ben Carson, meanwhile, spent a happy afternoon having a tea party, with a little trolling the media on the side. |
| pic.twitter.com/XlTbUMfKkX | pic.twitter.com/XlTbUMfKkX |
| pic.twitter.com/qta07vfnzp | pic.twitter.com/qta07vfnzp |
| Presentation is everything in these debates, which is perhaps why Ohio governor John Kasich and Florida senator Marco Rubio decided to try out a few daring sartorial options for the evening. | Presentation is everything in these debates, which is perhaps why Ohio governor John Kasich and Florida senator Marco Rubio decided to try out a few daring sartorial options for the evening. |
| .@JohnKasich on today's #GOPDebate walkthrough - Tune in tonight at 9PM EST! @FoxBusiness https://t.co/HFR7Idmpyg pic.twitter.com/smzAOdIZTn | .@JohnKasich on today's #GOPDebate walkthrough - Tune in tonight at 9PM EST! @FoxBusiness https://t.co/HFR7Idmpyg pic.twitter.com/smzAOdIZTn |
| .@marcorubio is all smiles on debate day! #foxbusinessdebate pic.twitter.com/o5T24WNb4v | .@marcorubio is all smiles on debate day! #foxbusinessdebate pic.twitter.com/o5T24WNb4v |
| 1.15am GMT01:15 | 1.15am GMT01:15 |
| Undercard closing statements | Undercard closing statements |
| Jindal: Cut government. I believe in the American dream. Obama has tried to change the idea of America to be one of dependence. I’m the only Republican who’s serious about cutting government. Take on the establishment. Burn it down! | Jindal: Cut government. I believe in the American dream. Obama has tried to change the idea of America to be one of dependence. I’m the only Republican who’s serious about cutting government. Take on the establishment. Burn it down! |
| Santorum: Working families. That means higher wages and a reinvigorated manufacturing sector. Families. That means “fathers and mothers raising their children and committing to that.” | Santorum: Working families. That means higher wages and a reinvigorated manufacturing sector. Families. That means “fathers and mothers raising their children and committing to that.” |
| Huckabee: I’m the luckiest guy on Earth. The American dream is real. I got a letter from a third grader in North Dakota. She sent me six dollars. I’m going to keep fighting for kids like that. | Huckabee: I’m the luckiest guy on Earth. The American dream is real. I got a letter from a third grader in North Dakota. She sent me six dollars. I’m going to keep fighting for kids like that. |
| Christie: Hillary Clinton was asked about the enemy she was most proud of, and she says Republicans. That’s wrong! “I will go to Washington... to bring this entire country together for a better future for our children and grandchildren.” You can write it down, he says. | Christie: Hillary Clinton was asked about the enemy she was most proud of, and she says Republicans. That’s wrong! “I will go to Washington... to bring this entire country together for a better future for our children and grandchildren.” You can write it down, he says. |
| Annnnd they’re done. | Annnnd they’re done. |
| Updated at 1.16am GMT | Updated at 1.16am GMT |
| 1.11am GMT01:11 | 1.11am GMT01:11 |
| Santorum is back. He accuses Obama of running “politicized wars,” saying he “gets in and out” of wars based on polling. | Santorum is back. He accuses Obama of running “politicized wars,” saying he “gets in and out” of wars based on polling. |
| “Commander-in-chief is not an entry level position,” he says. | “Commander-in-chief is not an entry level position,” he says. |
| 1.10am GMT01:10 | 1.10am GMT01:10 |
| Santorum takes a question about veterans’ care. He speaks fluently and in detail about the need for better funding for care and to develop “centers for excellence” on veteran-specific ailments such as prosthetics and PTSD. | Santorum takes a question about veterans’ care. He speaks fluently and in detail about the need for better funding for care and to develop “centers for excellence” on veteran-specific ailments such as prosthetics and PTSD. |
| Jindal is asked how America can renew its sense of unity. He calls for veterans’ administration bureaucrats to be fired. Then he says “one of the things we can do is to teach our children that we live in the greatest country in the world”. | Jindal is asked how America can renew its sense of unity. He calls for veterans’ administration bureaucrats to be fired. Then he says “one of the things we can do is to teach our children that we live in the greatest country in the world”. |
| Huckabee: “I think thanking our veterans is a wonderful thing to do, but they’d still appreciate a better paycheck.” He says the country is breaking promises to veterans. “They kept their promises to us. We have not kept our promises to them.” | Huckabee: “I think thanking our veterans is a wonderful thing to do, but they’d still appreciate a better paycheck.” He says the country is breaking promises to veterans. “They kept their promises to us. We have not kept our promises to them.” |
| Christie: “The way to reconnect Americans in uniform is to first and foremost give them a commander in chief who respects” them. “When the president of the United States doesn’t back up law enforcement officers in uniform, he loses the moral authority to lead...” | Christie: “The way to reconnect Americans in uniform is to first and foremost give them a commander in chief who respects” them. “When the president of the United States doesn’t back up law enforcement officers in uniform, he loses the moral authority to lead...” |
| Updated at 1.15am GMT | Updated at 1.15am GMT |
| 1.10am GMT01:10 | 1.10am GMT01:10 |
| Wait did @GovMikeHuckabee call for the Fed to have a bread standard? #stoopid https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 pic.twitter.com/HGx4C8ub3h | Wait did @GovMikeHuckabee call for the Fed to have a bread standard? #stoopid https://t.co/xAegwz9bB1 pic.twitter.com/HGx4C8ub3h |
| 1.06am GMT01:06 | 1.06am GMT01:06 |
| Huckabee lands a Fed joke: | Huckabee lands a Fed joke: |
| “My wife’s name’s Janet, and when you say ‘Janet Yellen’ I’m very familiar with what you mean.” | “My wife’s name’s Janet, and when you say ‘Janet Yellen’ I’m very familiar with what you mean.” |
| Then he calls for returning to a gold standard or similar: “if it’s not going to be gold, make it a commodities basket.” Return to the pre-Great Depression era, basically. | Then he calls for returning to a gold standard or similar: “if it’s not going to be gold, make it a commodities basket.” Return to the pre-Great Depression era, basically. |
| “They should tie the monetary standard to something that makes sense.” Then he blames the Fed for wage stagnation. The crowd seems sympathetic to the argument. | “They should tie the monetary standard to something that makes sense.” Then he blames the Fed for wage stagnation. The crowd seems sympathetic to the argument. |
| I mean WIVES, amirite? -- Mike Huckabee | I mean WIVES, amirite? -- Mike Huckabee |
| Maybe not landed, actually: | Maybe not landed, actually: |
| Oh my shut up with the dumb, rude wife jokes. | Oh my shut up with the dumb, rude wife jokes. |
| Updated at 1.07am GMT | Updated at 1.07am GMT |
| 1.03am GMT01:03 | 1.03am GMT01:03 |
| They’re back! | They’re back! |
| Christie is asked about the Fed not raising interest rates. | 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.” | 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. | 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.” | 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? | 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: | 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. | 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 | 1.02am GMT01:02 |
| Winners and losers so far, via Twitter ... | Winners and losers so far, via Twitter ... |
| Debate winners: 1) Juicebox 2) Santorum’s larynx 3) Jindal’s memory | 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 | @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 | 12.55am GMT00:55 |
| Commercial break. | Commercial break. |
| They’re almost through. | They’re almost through. |
| Who is winning this thing / going to win this thing / improving his odds / getting tripped up? | Who is winning this thing / going to win this thing / improving his odds / getting tripped up? |
| Tell us below the line! | Tell us below the line! |
| 12.54am GMT00:54 | 12.54am GMT00:54 |
| Jindal: “We could talk all night about tax plans.” | Jindal: “We could talk all night about tax plans.” |
| All right! | 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. | 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 | Updated at 12.59am GMT |
| 12.52am GMT00:52 | 12.52am GMT00:52 |
| Bobby Jindal wants some blood tonight, notes Jesse Berney. Here are just some of the Louisiana governor’s attacks: | 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? | 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 | Updated at 12.56am GMT |
| 12.52am GMT00:52 | 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. | 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? | What are you’re highest and lowest “all-in” tax numbers? |
| Santorum: 20% flat tax across the board – singles, families, corporations, capital gains. | 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. | 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.” | 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. | 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. | If you want to read about the candidates’ tax plans, click here. |
| 12.50am GMT00:50 | 12.50am GMT00:50 |
| Dominic Rushe | 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. | 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. | 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 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, | 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. | Louisiana is 43rd, with federal funding representing 42.21% of its state revenue. |
| So basically LA is a welfare child. Go home Jindal. | So basically LA is a welfare child. Go home Jindal. |
| 12.48am GMT00:48 | 12.48am GMT00:48 |
| Commercial break! | 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? | 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! | Heeyyyyyyyy! |
| 12.45am GMT00:45 | 12.45am GMT00:45 |
| The candidates are asked to name a Democrat they respect. | The candidates are asked to name a Democrat they respect. |
| Jindal: Your question stinks! | Jindal: Your question stinks! |
| Huckabee: Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day. Make Congress get health care from the veteran’s administration. | 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.” | 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.” (?!) | 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. | 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!” | “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 | 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 | Updated at 12.46am GMT |
| 12.41am GMT00:41 | 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? | 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 | 12.40am GMT00:40 |
| Next question, for Jindal, about his plan to replace Obamacare. | 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.” | 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. | 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.” | “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... | 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... | “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. | 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 | 12.36am GMT00:36 |
| Jindal swipes back at Christie, who declines the debate. | 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.” | “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 | 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 asked about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He uses his time to attack Christie, after attacking Huckabee earlier. |
| Jindal is punchy tonight. | Jindal is punchy tonight. |
| “If we send another big-government Republican to the White House, we won’t” beat Clinton, he says. | “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.” | “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? | 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. | 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 | 12.32am GMT00:32 |
| Christie takes a question about competing with China. | 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 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. | 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. | 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.” | “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 | 12.31am GMT00:31 |
| Lucia Graves | Lucia Graves |
| "Toilets." #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/qSm7LiXehs | "Toilets." #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/qSm7LiXehs |
| New Guardian US columnist Lucia Graves chimes in on quite literal toilet humor: | 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.” | 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)/¯ | It appears to be a reference to the fragility of filibusters but ¯\(ツ)/¯ |
| Jindal making a strong bid for the Republican Potty nomination. | 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 |