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| GOP candidates attack each other on policy positions | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| DES MOINES — Sen. Marco Rubio said that rival Sen. Ted Cruz, was running a campaign “built on a lie,” because Cruz had shifted his position about whether undocumented immigrants should be allowed to remain in the country legally. | |
| “This is the lie that Ted Cruz’s campaign is built upon,” Rubio (Fla.) said. ‘Throughout this campaign, you’ve been willing to say or do anything to get votes.” | |
| Rubio’s attack on Cruz (Tex.) was part of a difficult section for the second-place candidate, who was playing the front-runner in this debate because billionaire Donald Trump was boycotting it. | |
| [Live reports from the debate and the Trump event] | [Live reports from the debate and the Trump event] |
| A few moments earlier, moderator Megyn Kelly had played video clips that showed Cruz appearing to support a comprehensive immigration bill, as long as it included an amendment that he’d proposed. Cruz’s amendment would have eliminated the possibility that undocumented immigrants could become U.S. citizens, though it left open a chance for them to obtain a permanent status as a legal resident. | |
| Now, however, Cruz has lambasted Rubio for helping to author that bill, saying that Rubio had supported “amnesty.” | |
| “Was that all an act? It’s pretty convincing,” Kelly said. | |
| Cruz responded, in effect, that he had never supported the bill itself – although, in the clips, he had appeared to. | |
| “The bill was 1,000 pages,” Cruz said. “The fact that each amendment didn’t fix every problem didn’t mean that I supported the rest of the bill.” | |
| That brought attacks not just from Rubio, but also from Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.). | |
| “That’s an authenticity problem,” Paul said. He said that Cruz was always casting other Republicans as fatally open to “amnesty.” “Everybody he knows is not as perfect as him.” | |
| New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — who has a debate habit of waiting for other candidates to duke it out, then jumping in to condemn them both – did it again. | |
| This is why you need to send somebody from outside of Washington, to Washington. I feel like I need a Washington-to-English dictionary convertor,” Christie said. It should be somebody like . . . him. “It’s perfectly legal in this country to change your mind. But when you’re a governor, you have to admit it.” | |
| *** | |
| Sen. Rand Paul called for a reexamination of the “war on drugs” in Thursday night’s main Republican debate, saying that it was being enforced unequally and had led to higher rates of incarceration of black men. | |
| “What we need to do is make sure that the war on drugs is equal protection under the law,” Paul (Ky.) said, hitting a theme that had defined the early stages of his candidacy. | |
| He also said that in communities like Ferguson, Mo., city governments were using traffic fines to raise money from poor people: “A third of the budget for the city of Ferguson was being reaped by civil fines. People were being just fined to death.” | |
| Paul is now a long-shot for the candidacy, but just two years ago he seemed like a Republican who might build an unusual coalition that included black voters, and a platform that included reform of sentencing laws. In theory, this was a way to expand on the libertarian base of his father, former congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul – building a “Leave Me Alone Coalition” that might draw from both parties’ bases. It didn’t come together. Paul espoused more mainstream GOP views, lost his defining qualities, and wound up in the middle of the GOP pack. | |
| Paul’s statement was one of several moments at Thursday’s debate that showed what this GOP race might look like without its unorthodox front-runner, billionaire Donald Trump. | |
| With Trump boycotting the debate, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz got to play front-runner: At one point, Cruz complained that moderators were directing all the other candidates to attack him. Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) was the leading foreign-policy hawk, turning many questions back to the subject of the Islamic State, and his plans for stepped-up government surveillance and more detentions of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. | |
| Former Florida governor Jeb Bush – a frequent target of Trump’s taunts – got time to defend his family and his status as member of the hated “establishment.” “Fine, I’ll take it. I guess I’m part of the establishment because Barbara Bush is my mom,” Bush said. | |
| For Rubio, though, the Trump-less debate brought new scrutiny of his record, which included his failed effort at immigration reform. Rubio pursued an “earned path to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants, then backed away from his own bill. That brought a new attack from Bush, Rubio’s former mentor and now rival. | |
| “He led the charge to finally fix this immigration problem,” Bush said. “And then he cut and run, because I guess it wasn’t popular among conservatives.” | |
| “You used to support an earned path to citizenship,” Rubio retorted. | |
| “So did you,” Bush said. “So did you, Marco.” | |
| *** | |
| Fox News Channel accused Donald Trump of asking the network for a $5 million donation as a “quid pro quo” in return for Trump’s promise to appear in Thursday night’s Republican debate, as an extraordinary feud between the right’s best-known media platform and the Republican party’s presidential front-runner overshadowed the last debate before the Iowa caucuses. | |
| “Roger Ailes had three brief conversations with Donald Trump today about possibly appearing at the debate — there were not multiple calls placed by Ailes to Trump,” Fox News said in a statement released to the media. “In the course of those conversations, we acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further. Furthermore, Trump offered to appear at the debate upon the condition that FOX News contribute $5 million to his charities. We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason. In the last 48 hours, we’ve kept two issues at the forefront - we would never compromise our journalistic standards and we would always stand by our journalist, Megyn Kelly. We have accomplished those two goals and we are pleased with the outcome. We’re very proud to have her on stage as a debate moderator alongside Bret Baier & Chris Wallace.” | |
| In earlier interview on board his private plane, Trump had not mentioned any request for a donation from Fox. Trump said he would make good on his promise to boycott the debate. “No, I’m not doing it,” Trump said, after calling reporters to his private plane for a special media availability – in which Trump essentially said that nothing had changed. | In earlier interview on board his private plane, Trump had not mentioned any request for a donation from Fox. Trump said he would make good on his promise to boycott the debate. “No, I’m not doing it,” Trump said, after calling reporters to his private plane for a special media availability – in which Trump essentially said that nothing had changed. |
| He appeared eager to needle Fox News, saying the network’s top executives had been calling him every 15 minutes, and that he had spoken to Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox’s parent company, News Corp., just minutes before. | He appeared eager to needle Fox News, saying the network’s top executives had been calling him every 15 minutes, and that he had spoken to Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox’s parent company, News Corp., just minutes before. |
| “The time to change my mind would have been two days ago,” Trump said. He said it was too late now. | “The time to change my mind would have been two days ago,” Trump said. He said it was too late now. |
| [Trump debate withdrawal is backfiring big-time on Fox News] | [Trump debate withdrawal is backfiring big-time on Fox News] |
| In the debate itself, the seven other top GOP candidates sparred with each other about questions of national security, in a sometimes contentious debate about who had been toughest on the Islamic State, and the proper limits on government surveillance. | In the debate itself, the seven other top GOP candidates sparred with each other about questions of national security, in a sometimes contentious debate about who had been toughest on the Islamic State, and the proper limits on government surveillance. |
| Moderators pressed Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) – the front-runner in Trump’s absence – on his call for “carpet-bombing” of ISIS in Syria, a strategy that has been criticized as both impractical and likely to lead to civilian casualties. | Moderators pressed Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) – the front-runner in Trump’s absence – on his call for “carpet-bombing” of ISIS in Syria, a strategy that has been criticized as both impractical and likely to lead to civilian casualties. |
| Cruz responded by saying that he’d been singled out for criticism: He said that the past questions to other candidates had boiled down to “Rand, please attack Ted…Chris, please attack Ted,” and so on, naming Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. | Cruz responded by saying that he’d been singled out for criticism: He said that the past questions to other candidates had boiled down to “Rand, please attack Ted…Chris, please attack Ted,” and so on, naming Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. |
| “It is a debate, Sir,” moderator Chris Wallace said. | “It is a debate, Sir,” moderator Chris Wallace said. |
| It turned out that Cruz had been setting up a Trump joke: “If you guys ask on more mean question, I may have to leave the stage.” | It turned out that Cruz had been setting up a Trump joke: “If you guys ask on more mean question, I may have to leave the stage.” |
| Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) picked up the same theme. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving the stage, no matter what you asked me,” he said. | Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) picked up the same theme. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving the stage, no matter what you asked me,” he said. |
| Despite his lack of physical presence, Trump very much was part of the scene. | Despite his lack of physical presence, Trump very much was part of the scene. |
| “Let’s address the elephant not in the room tonight,” said Fox News Channel moderator Megyn Kelly, whose removal from the stage Trump had tried – and failed – to secure. In a question to Cruz, Kelly noted that Trump had not shown up: “What message do you think that sends” to Iowans?, Kelly said. | “Let’s address the elephant not in the room tonight,” said Fox News Channel moderator Megyn Kelly, whose removal from the stage Trump had tried – and failed – to secure. In a question to Cruz, Kelly noted that Trump had not shown up: “What message do you think that sends” to Iowans?, Kelly said. |
| Cruz responded with a joke: “I’m a maniac. And everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly. And Ben, you’re a terrible surgeon,” Cruz said, meaning retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. “Now that we’ve gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way…” Cruz thanked the others on the stage for having “the respect to show up” and make their case to Iowans in person. | Cruz responded with a joke: “I’m a maniac. And everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly. And Ben, you’re a terrible surgeon,” Cruz said, meaning retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. “Now that we’ve gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way…” Cruz thanked the others on the stage for having “the respect to show up” and make their case to Iowans in person. |
| Besides Cruz, Carson, Christie, Rubio and Paul, the other candidates in the main-event debate were former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. | Besides Cruz, Carson, Christie, Rubio and Paul, the other candidates in the main-event debate were former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. |
| [Debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant] | [Debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant] |
| For the seven, this first Trump-less debate could provide a new chance to stand out, or to attack the bombastic billionaire who has so far managed to overshadow a stable of better-credentialed politicians. This is the last televised debate before Monday’s Iowa caucuses, and it is especially crucial for Cruz, Trump’s closest rival in this early-voting state. | For the seven, this first Trump-less debate could provide a new chance to stand out, or to attack the bombastic billionaire who has so far managed to overshadow a stable of better-credentialed politicians. This is the last televised debate before Monday’s Iowa caucuses, and it is especially crucial for Cruz, Trump’s closest rival in this early-voting state. |
| However, many of them, having little chance in Iowa, may be aiming already at the (theoretically) more-moderate, establishment-friendly voters in New Hampshire, although Trump is way ahead of them there, too. The New Hampshire primary is Feb. 9. | However, many of them, having little chance in Iowa, may be aiming already at the (theoretically) more-moderate, establishment-friendly voters in New Hampshire, although Trump is way ahead of them there, too. The New Hampshire primary is Feb. 9. |
| Instead of attending the debate, Trump appeared at his own rally in another part of Des Moines, which he said would honor veterans – but would also give Trump a platform to counterprogram the very debate he is skipping. Trump said he had already donated $1 million of his own money to veterans causes and raised a total of $5 million for them. | Instead of attending the debate, Trump appeared at his own rally in another part of Des Moines, which he said would honor veterans – but would also give Trump a platform to counterprogram the very debate he is skipping. Trump said he had already donated $1 million of his own money to veterans causes and raised a total of $5 million for them. |
| At the center of the dispute was Trump’s long-standing disdain for Kelly, who Trump has frequently accused of being biased against him after a tough line of questioning during the first GOP debate in August. Those tensions escalated Saturday amid a push by the campaign to have Kelly removed from the debate during a telephone call Saturday between Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and a Fox network executive. | At the center of the dispute was Trump’s long-standing disdain for Kelly, who Trump has frequently accused of being biased against him after a tough line of questioning during the first GOP debate in August. Those tensions escalated Saturday amid a push by the campaign to have Kelly removed from the debate during a telephone call Saturday between Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and a Fox network executive. |
| [A viewer’s guide to a crazy night of political television] | [A viewer’s guide to a crazy night of political television] |
| Trump first indicated that he might skip the debate Monday during several television interviews, stirring questions about whether the front-runner would seriously skip a nationally televised debate so close to Monday’s caucuses, the first nominating contests in the country. Trump repeatedly accused the network of treating him unfairly in the days before the debate, adding that the network has used him to boost their ratings and advertising revenue. | Trump first indicated that he might skip the debate Monday during several television interviews, stirring questions about whether the front-runner would seriously skip a nationally televised debate so close to Monday’s caucuses, the first nominating contests in the country. Trump repeatedly accused the network of treating him unfairly in the days before the debate, adding that the network has used him to boost their ratings and advertising revenue. |
| Fox News responded with a series of press releases that angered the billionaire: “We’re very surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly,” the statement from Fox said. | Fox News responded with a series of press releases that angered the billionaire: “We’re very surprised he’s willing to show that much fear about being questioned by Megyn Kelly,” the statement from Fox said. |
| Elsewhere in Des Moines, the night’s first “undercard” debate began at 7 p.m. as planned, and its early minutes focused on Trump. The low-polling candidates onstage lamented that Trump had taken so much of the media’s attention away from them. | Elsewhere in Des Moines, the night’s first “undercard” debate began at 7 p.m. as planned, and its early minutes focused on Trump. The low-polling candidates onstage lamented that Trump had taken so much of the media’s attention away from them. |
| “This debate was called the undercard debate. The undercard debate. It wasn’t advertised significantly,” said former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.), in his first chance to speak in the debate. He lamented that Fox News had spent the previous hour talking about whether Trump would follow up on a threat to stay away. “An entertainer” had captured everyone’s attention, Santorum said. “The entire lead-up to this debate was about whether Donald Trump was going to show up for the next debate.” | “This debate was called the undercard debate. The undercard debate. It wasn’t advertised significantly,” said former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.), in his first chance to speak in the debate. He lamented that Fox News had spent the previous hour talking about whether Trump would follow up on a threat to stay away. “An entertainer” had captured everyone’s attention, Santorum said. “The entire lead-up to this debate was about whether Donald Trump was going to show up for the next debate.” |
| Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012, expressed frustration that he had not had the same success this time around. He blamed the media, who he said had marginalized him by refusing to ask voters about him in opinion polls, and by relegating him to undercard debates like this one. “Trying to segregate and take Iowans out of the process,” Santorum said, meaning that the media had not allowed Iowans a fair chance to evaluate him this time around. | Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012, expressed frustration that he had not had the same success this time around. He blamed the media, who he said had marginalized him by refusing to ask voters about him in opinion polls, and by relegating him to undercard debates like this one. “Trying to segregate and take Iowans out of the process,” Santorum said, meaning that the media had not allowed Iowans a fair chance to evaluate him this time around. |
| Later, Santorum said he had made 700 political appearances in Iowa over the last five years. | Later, Santorum said he had made 700 political appearances in Iowa over the last five years. |
| Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, the lowest-polling candidate in the undercard, complained of a conspiracy to sideline him, to benefit other candidates on the undercard stage. | Former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, the lowest-polling candidate in the undercard, complained of a conspiracy to sideline him, to benefit other candidates on the undercard stage. |
| “There are powerful forces that are really controlling our lives,” Gilmore said. “The biggest one is the organized establishment media. And I just noticed, just now, you gave Carly Fiorina two one-minute answers in a row.” | “There are powerful forces that are really controlling our lives,” Gilmore said. “The biggest one is the organized establishment media. And I just noticed, just now, you gave Carly Fiorina two one-minute answers in a row.” |
| Gilmore had been kept out of the past five undercards because his poll numbers were so low. But moderator Bill Hemmer pointed out that Gilmore had not even appeared in Iowa to campaign until a week ago. | Gilmore had been kept out of the past five undercards because his poll numbers were so low. But moderator Bill Hemmer pointed out that Gilmore had not even appeared in Iowa to campaign until a week ago. |
| “This is not the place where I choose to begin my campaign. I am beginning my campaign in New Hampshire,” Gilmore said. | “This is not the place where I choose to begin my campaign. I am beginning my campaign in New Hampshire,” Gilmore said. |
| He also took a shot at Santorum and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who were both scheduled to appear at the Trump rally later in the evening. Gilmore said that he came from a humble background: his father was a meat-cutter at Safeway, his mother a secretary. “I’m not about to go across and carry the coat for some billionaire,” Gilmore said. | He also took a shot at Santorum and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who were both scheduled to appear at the Trump rally later in the evening. Gilmore said that he came from a humble background: his father was a meat-cutter at Safeway, his mother a secretary. “I’m not about to go across and carry the coat for some billionaire,” Gilmore said. |
| Rather than addressing Trump’s absence, Fiorina, the former tech executive, attacked Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, calling her dishonest and saying that Clinton deserved to be “in the Big House” for her use of a personal e-mail server to handle government data. The Big House is a euphemism for prison. | Rather than addressing Trump’s absence, Fiorina, the former tech executive, attacked Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, calling her dishonest and saying that Clinton deserved to be “in the Big House” for her use of a personal e-mail server to handle government data. The Big House is a euphemism for prison. |
| Jose A. DelReal and Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report. | Jose A. DelReal and Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report. |