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Republican debate live: candidates spar as Trump tries to steal the show Republican debate: knives out onstage as Trump steals spotlight offstage – live
(35 minutes later)
3.53am GMT
03:53
Tom McCarthy
Vladimir Putin may be a one-horse country, in Ben Carson’s estimation. But is he a one-man guy?
Updated
at 3.54am GMT
3.51am GMT
03:51
Final commercial break – prefatory to closing statements. One last chance to weigh in on who’s winning! Let us have it in the comments.
3.49am GMT
03:49
Adam Gabbatt
Ben Carson told the audience in Iowa that Putin is a one-horse country. It’s not clear what the former brain surgeon meant by that. But it is clear that Vladimir Putin sure does like horses.
In fact, the “interests” section of his personal website has a whole section devoted to horse riding. He enjoys hand-feeding horses as well as riding them around. Full, sweet, quote:
Vladimir Putin feels confident in the saddle so horseback riding for him is a chance to rest. On August 3, 2009 Putin took a one-day break and spent it in Tuva. At one of the stops he met with a local shepherd, who invited him to his home, and they went there on horseback.
During his working visit to the Republic of Khakassia, Putin travelled to the foothills of Karatash, near Abakan. There, he hand-fed local horses and drank a cup of tea, cooked over a campfire, and then went riding.
Obviously there is this, too:
Updated
at 3.51am GMT
3.49am GMT
03:49
Tom McCarthy
Cruz is asked about the six-term governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, opposing his candidacy, particularly over Cruz’s opposition to ethanol.
“I don’t believe that Washington should be picking winners and losers, and there should be no mandates, or no subsidies whatsoever,” Cruz says.
He says he does not oppose ethanol: He would phase out the ethanol mandate over five years but in the context of no mandates for anyone.
Cruz points out that Iowa Rep. Steve King, local boy made good, supports his candidacy.
3.46am GMT
03:46
Tom McCarthy
Bush goes back to Trump. He says Trump’s call for a Muslim ban creates a toxic environment in the country. “It’s important for us to be careful about the language we use. Disparaging women. Disparaging Hispanics. That’s not a sign of strength. Making fun of handicapped people?”
3.45am GMT
03:45
Tom McCarthy
They’re back. Paul’s asked about Bill Clinton’s history with women. Paul says “I don’t blame Hillary Clinton at all for this, I don’t think she’s responsible.”
But: “If any CEO in our country did what Bill Clinton did with an intern, they would be fired, never hired again, and probably shunned in their community.”
He accuses Clinton of hypocrisy:
“She can’t be a champion on women’s rights with this behavior.”
Updated
at 3.45am GMT
3.40am GMT
03:40
Fifth commercial break. It’s time to pick your favorite. We’ve heard from them all in multiple rounds. Cruz is lonely on this stage. Trump’s absence makes him seem like more of an outlier?
3.39am GMT
03:39
Tom McCarthy
Christie is asked about Isis in Libya. Would he deploy troops to Libya to fight Isis.
“This is another one of those places where Hillary Clinton has so much to answer for,” Christie says. “She refuses to be held accountable for anything that goes wrong.”
Christie says he’d bring together European and Sunni Arab allies and develop a strategy to take Isis out. He does not mention US troops in Libya - or not.
3.37am GMT
03:37
Tom McCarthy
Rubio gets an Iran question. He says the country is led by an apocalyptic cultist. He said that under a Rubio presidency, nations would have to choose whether to deal with the United States or with Iran.
Kasich then takes the question. “The president needs to be laying the groundwork to slap those sanctions back on,” Kasich says.
“If they violate [the nuclear deal], we need to move against them, and if we find out they are developing a nuclear weapon and we can get to it, we need to take it out.”
Updated
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3.36am GMT
03:36
Mona Chalabi
Rubio seems to imply that America is taking more than its fair share of immigrants when he says “every single year, close to a million people immigrate to the United States legally. There’s no nation on Earth that comes close to that number.”
Well, if you really want to understand immigration statistics, it makes much more sense to look at the foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population. When you view things that way, the US, where 14.3% of the population is foreign-born, really isn’t an exceptional country.
Of the 232 places that the United Nations considers in its data, the US ranks in 68th place in terms of the foreign-born population. Top of the list is the Holy See where 100% of residents were born elsewhere, followed by the United Arab Emirates (83.7%) and American Samoa (75.9%).
In joint bottom place are China, Cuba, Indonesia, Lesotho, Madagascar and Vietnam - all countries where just 0.1% of their population are immigrants.
3.35am GMT
03:35
Carson: 'Putin is a one-horse country'
Tom McCarthy
Now, just in time for Ben Carson to answer, a switch from a series of questions about faith and values to one about Nato’s military posture in eastern Europe.
“Putin is a one-horse country: oil and energy,” Carson says. Then he says he would go into one of the Baltic states if Russia attacked. “Absolutely.”
Updated
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3.33am GMT
03:33
Tom McCarthy
Q for Paul: Should abortion be a states’ rights issue?
Paul calls for “both a federal and a state approach,” including a “life at conception act” on the federal level.
“If you had the court reverse Roe v Wade, it would become a state issue once again,” Paul says.
Updated
at 3.34am GMT
3.32am GMT
03:32
Richard Wolffe
“We innovated the government,” said John Kasich, who goes on to talk about low rates of recidivism, drug addiction and mental health. It may just be the most substantive, meaningful response in what feels like a full year of TV debates.
Which obviously means, in this year, that was a terrible debate line.
There were no quips about the government of Sweden, no promises to kill Isis, and no canned lines attacking his rivals. What kind of presidential candidate talks about social policy solutions at a debate?
3.31am GMT
03:31
Tom McCarthy
Rubio riffs on the “role of faith in our country” and “Judeo-Christian values” in the United States.
“In this nation we are influenced by Judeo-Christian values that teach us to care for the less fortunate.”
“When I’m president... my faith will not just influence the way I’ll govern as president, it will influence my way of life. Because my goal is not just to live on this earth for 80 years, it is to live for eternity with my creator.” Snappy line!
My faith “will always influence everything I do,” Rubio says.
3.29am GMT
03:29
Tom McCarthy
Christie is asked about Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who declined to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple.
“The law needs to be followed, and someone in that office needs to do their job,” Christie says. Not necessarily Davis.
Then Christie makes a rather unlikely leap from Kim Davis to... Isis.:
They want everyone in this country to follow their beliefs just like they do. Not religious liberty.
3.29am GMT
03:29
Scott Bixby
Spotted by the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs at the conclusion of Donald Trump’s rally in Des Moines, Iowa:
This guy was at the Trump event pic.twitter.com/hUNLo8BGep
LaVoy Finicum was a member of a group of armed protesters who occupied a federal wildlife refuge in rural Oregon. Finicum, the spokesman of the group, was killed in a shootout with police after he allegedly attempted to draw a weapon on an Oregon Swat team.
3.27am GMT
03:27
Tom McCarthy
They’re back. Q for Kasich about his faith, which he cited for expanding Medicaid in his state under Obamacare. Kasich defends the decision and cites a slew of statistics to prove it was a good one. He culminates to a twin call to treat mental illness and drug addiction.
“When I study scripture, I know that people who live in the shadows need to have a chance,” he says.
“The mentally ill, they’ve been stepped on for too long in this country.”
3.24am GMT
03:24
Mona Chalabi
Over on the other channel where Trump was having his alternative whatchamacallit, the discussion focused heavily on veterans – in particular, their suicide risks.
Donald Trump was even presented with a “22Kill Honor Ring,” a black band worn on someone’s right index finger that aims to raise awareness of suicide among US military veterans.
In 2011 (the latest year of data) the US Department of Veterans found that 40 per 100,000 male veterans and 14.4 per 100,000 female veterans killed themselves. That data summary also found that overall suicide rates haven’t changed much over the past several years.
A separate study looked at the suicide risk for veterans who served during the Iraq or Afghanistan wars between 2001 and 2007. It framed the numbers slightly differently: almost a quarter of all veteran deaths were due to suicide.
If you or someone you know needs help, the VA has a helpline (1-800-273-8255) as well as a range of other ways to speak to someone.
3.23am GMT
03:23
Fourth commercial break. And who’s in the lead? In the comments, please!
3.23am GMT
03:23
Christie on Bridgegate: 'I didn't know'
Tom McCarthy
Christie is asked about Bridgegate, the lane closures scandal on the George Washington bridge. He says “I didn’t know about it” and he fired the people involved when he found out. He says there have been three investigations and no evidence of his involvement has emerged.
Then he pivots to attacking Clinton, again. He says he’s a former federal prosecutor who could prosecute her. And furthermore, when he’s president, “Hillary Clinton won’t get within ten miles of the White House.”
“The days for the Clintons in public housing are over.”
3.22am GMT
03:22
Here are some more clips from the debate so far:
3.20am GMT
03:20
Tom McCarthy
Rubio is asked about faltering popularity in Florida. “There’s only one savior, and it’s not me. It’s Jesus Christ who came down to Earth and died for our sins” he says, somewhat literally.
Then he gets off a couple good lines about the Democratic candidates:
Bernie Sanders is a socialist. I think Bernie Sanders is a good candidate for president ... of Sweden!
On Clinton:
In fact one of her first acts as president may be to pardon herself!
Updated
at 3.23am GMT
3.18am GMT3.18am GMT
03:1803:18
Tom McCarthyTom McCarthy
Bush is asked why he’s losing to Hillary Clinton in polls. Bush denies the premise. He says he can take on Clinton. In any case, he says, the Clinton fight will be an ugly one. “It’s not beanbag.”Bush is asked why he’s losing to Hillary Clinton in polls. Bush denies the premise. He says he can take on Clinton. In any case, he says, the Clinton fight will be an ugly one. “It’s not beanbag.”
Rubio adds: “Hillary does not run against be, but I cannot wait to run against her.” Rubio adds: “Hillary does not want to run against me, but I cannot wait to run against her.”
Updated
at 3.23am GMT
3.17am GMT3.17am GMT
03:1703:17
Tom McCarthyTom McCarthy
Wallace basically asks Cruz why his colleagues hate him. “Does your style get in the way of your message?”Wallace basically asks Cruz why his colleagues hate him. “Does your style get in the way of your message?”
“I am not the candidate of career politicians in Washington,” Cruz says. He says the endorsements he’s proud of are thousands of volunteers, Rep Steve King of Iowa and evangelical leader James Dobson. He don’t need no stinkin colleagues.“I am not the candidate of career politicians in Washington,” Cruz says. He says the endorsements he’s proud of are thousands of volunteers, Rep Steve King of Iowa and evangelical leader James Dobson. He don’t need no stinkin colleagues.
Cruz says if he’s elected he will, every do, “tell the truth and do what I said I would do.” And we have that on video.Cruz says if he’s elected he will, every do, “tell the truth and do what I said I would do.” And we have that on video.
3.14am GMT3.14am GMT
03:1403:14
Scott BixbyScott Bixby
Donald Trump, thanking the audience again, exits the stage to the strains of Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep.”Donald Trump, thanking the audience again, exits the stage to the strains of Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep.”
3.14am GMT
03:14
Tom McCarthy
Question off YouTube from an immigrant and a veteran. She says the campaign has been alienating for some immigrants. What does Carson have to say about that?
“We are a land of immigrants,” Carson says. “But we have to be intelligent about the way we form our immigration policies. And that’s one reason I’ve called for us to declare war on the Islamic State.
“If you’ve got ten people coming to your house, and you know that one of them is a terrorist, you’re probably going to keep them all out.”
Then Bush shows Carson as it’s done. “We should be a welcoming nation...we should celebrate it as conservatives. That’s what we believe in.”
Respectful applause.
3.13am GMT
03:13
Scott Bixby
Donald Trump introduces his very pregnant daughter Ivanka, who is due to give birth in two weeks.
I said, ‘Ivanka, it would be so great if you had your baby in Iowa! It would be so great - I would win!’”
3.13am GMT
03:13
Richard Wolffe
After resting through the ad break, Megyn Kelly goes in for the kill. Armed with video clips of previous Rubio statements, Kelly nails Rubio on immigration reform and amnesty. Rubio blinks furiously and his cheeks look flushed. He only regains his composure - and eye blinking rate - once he goes to the safe zone of killing Isis. Rubio still seemed ruffled when he attacked his former mentor Jeb Bush on the same question several minutes later.
3.12am GMT
03:12
Scott Bixby
Donald Trump retakes the lectern and declares that, with him in the Oval Office, the US is going to win again.
“We’re gonna win at the military, we’re gonna win at the border, we’re gonna win at trade,” Trump says. “We’re gonna win at every single level - and we’re not gonna be laughed at throughout the rest of the world.”
“It really turned out to be a phenomenal night,” Trump says.
3.11am GMT
03:11
Here are some clips from the debate so far:
3.11am GMT
03:11
Knives out for Cruz
Tom McCarthy
Now Kelly is hitting Cruz with video of him on the Senate floor sounding an awful lot like he supported legal status for undocumented migrants in the immigration reform bill.
He has claimed since that an amendment he proposed to block citizenship for undocumented migrants was meant to be a poison pill, meant to kill the bill, not to get it to pass with a legal status clause.
Cruz denies it. Then Paul jumps in.
“It’s a falseness. That’s an authenticity problem,” Paul says.
Cruz says don’t take his word for it about whether he supported the immigration reform bil. Ask Jeff Sessions.
Rubio attacks: “This is the lie that Ted’s campaign is built on, and Rand touched on it. The truth is, you’ve been willing to say or do anything in order to get votes!”
“You know I like Marco, he’s very charming, he’s very smooth,” Cruz says. But, he says, Rubio supported amnesty, while “I honored my commitments.”
Then Christie jumps in and says “I feel like I need a Washington-to-English dictionary converter.” The crowd claps, agreeing.
3.10am GMT
03:10
Scott Bixby
Donald Trump introduces social media sensation Diamond and Silk, who have gained online notoriety for their support of his candidacy as the “Stump for Trump” duo, who urge the gathered audience to caucus for Trump.
3.07am GMT
03:07
Scott Bixby
Protesters return, chanting “We love veterans, Trump loves war!”
“If we could sit with them for ten minutes, maybe, maybe they’d understand,” Trump says of the protesters.
3.06am GMT
03:06
Scott Bixby
Donald Trump is presented with a “22Kill Honor Ring,” a black band worn on the right index finger that aims to raise awareness of suicide among US military veterans.
“Isn’t that better than this debate that’s going on where everyone’s sleeping?” Trump asks.
3.05am GMT
03:05
Rubio faces tale of tape on immigration
Tom McCarthy
They are back. Here they are! Live from Des Moines. Now the topic of immigration, and Rubio. As a senator he said he would oppose citizenship or blanket legalization amnesty for undocumented migrants.
Oh! They hit him with a highlights video reel of him opposing amesty in 2009. But “Within two years of getting elected, you supported legislation that included a path to citizenship.”
“Haven’t you already proven that you can’t be trusted on this issue?” Kelly asks him.
Rubio speaks very quickly and tries to say he’s been consistent but what’s really important is to secure the border.
Bush jumps in, shaking his head.
“I’m kind of confused, because he was the sponsor of the Gang of Eight bill,” Bush says. “And I supported him, because I think people, when they’re elected, you need to do things.”
Bush says Rubio “cut and run” on immigration. Bush says he supports a path to legal status for undocumented migrants. He is to the left of this crowd on this issue. “That’s the conservative consensus.”
Then Bush gets laughs for saying his book on immigration reform is on sale on Amazon for $2.99. “Affordable for everybody.”
“You used to support a path to citizenship!” Rubio says.
“So did you. So did you, Marco,” Bush replies.
Rubio: “You changed your position from a path to citizenship to a path to legal status.”
Bush: “I think it’s important, when people who are elected to office, to forge consensus. He cut and run.”
Updated
at 3.07am GMT
3.04am GMT
03:04
Richard Wolffe
Is there a candidate on stage who blinks as much as Marco Rubio? We may be seeing even more of his eyelashes than we are of Megyn Kelly’s. They say blinking is a sign of nervousness. If so, Rubio was seriously unnerved by the question about him shifting positions on cap and trade and climate change.
Rubio pins his pretzel of a position on Charlie Crist, the man he described as a liberal governor who pretended to be a Republican. Then again, when it comes to climate change, Rubio isn’t a scientist, man. So maybe he can be forgiven for changing positions.
3.03am GMT
03:03
Scott Bixby
It’s hard to put this quotation in the correct context, but John Wayne Walding, retired Green Beret, says that the fact that 22 veterans commit suicide every day makes him furious.
“I want to punch the 22 vets committing suicide in the mouth,” Walding says.
3.00am GMT
03:00
Lucia Graves
Trump supporters have found a way of dealing with protesters that doesn’t involve violence, notes Lucia Graves.
The Trump campaign has successfully figured out how to get its supporters to respond to protesters in more appropriate ways. When a handful of protesters interrupted Trump’s event the audience turned and shouted – “Trump! Trump! Trump!” – drowning out the voices of the protesters.
It was highly effective. I for one couldn’t hear anything the protesters were saying, and Trump easily continued with his speech. “I love the protesters in the big arena because the cameras never move,” Trump continued gleefully. “They’re always on my face!”
After reports that a protester was beaten and choked at a Trump rally earlier in the election season, the campaign has been taking the issue of how to respond to protesters more seriously. And chanting “Trump!” is exactly the response the Trump campaign has been coaching its supporters to take.
At a rally in Iowa last week, a voice over the loudspeakers explicitly told rally attendees not to respond with violence to any protesters that might surface. At an event later in the week, supporters were instructed to hold their signs over their heads and shout “Trump!”
Say what you will about Trump supporters, but they follow directions well.
2.57am GMT
02:57
Scott Bixby
https://t.co/cXhdKfZiSQ right now pic.twitter.com/Z3T3unzTUK
2.56am GMT
02:56
Commercial break the third. Next up after the break: immigration. How are they doing up there? Pretty good from Christie. Kind of popped a bit. Kasich seemed to answer strongly on the Flint water crisis but the crowd did not seem inspired.
2.56am GMT
02:56
Mona Chalabi
While the candidates’ faces are saying an assortment of words, I am wondering about the make-up adorning said faces. I’ve spent some time trying to find out which adult is responsible for the assortment of pancake tones on our screens right now.
I believe I might have an answer. This LA Times article profiles Kriss Soterion, describing her as “a former New Hampshire beauty queen with a lower back tattoo and the distinction of having powdered the noses of every major presidential candidate for the past 16 years”. I’ve been poking around her Instagram account and perhaps this year is no exception.
I’ve contacted her and will let you know if I hear back.
Meanwhile if you have any tips regarding political make-up please contact mona.chalabi@theguardian.com
2.55am GMT
02:55
Tom McCarthy
Bush is asked about statehood for Puerto Rico. He says Puerto Rico should have self determination. “The status of statehood won’t be solved until we deal with the bigger issue” of systemic economic weaknesses, he says.
Then Kasich is asked about the Flint, Michigan, lead poisoning water crisis. “You’ve really got to move when you face a situation like that.. You’ve got to be on top of it, you’ve got to go the extra mile, you’ve got to work with local communities, you’ve got to work for the federal government,” the Ohio governor says.
That’s the first mention tonight of the federal government as an actually useful thing.
“We work for the people, they don’t work for us,” Kasich concludes. But weak applause.
Is this crowd tired? Rubio delivers a pretty sharp response about the evils of cap-and-trade legislation to limit carbon emissions– and the crowd really phones it in on the clapping.
2.53am GMT
02:53
Scott Bixby
Donald Trump introduces staff sergeant John Wayne Walding, a veteran, former Green Beret who lost his leg in a joint US-Afghan raid nicknamed the Battle of Shok Valley in 2008. He and the rest of his team were awarded the Silver Star for their efforts.
"I feel cooler than Burt Reynolds coming up here getting introduced by Donald Trump"
“I was very pleased to hear him say that I could get up and speak to you, and so for that I thank you Mr. Trump,” Walding says. Walding, who describes himself as an old friend of Trump’s and his family, paces around the stage because, he jokes, “a moving target is harder to hit.”
“I lost my leg in Afghanistan,” Walding says. “That’s how I got off that mountain - carrying my leg and fighting next to my brothers.”
Updated
at 2.53am GMT
2.51am GMT
02:51
Tom McCarthy
For Cruz: How would you replace Obamacare?
Cruz: Obamacare is a disaster and a job killer. “If I am elected president we will repeal every word of Obamacare.” Then he would allow health insurance purchases across state lines; expand health savings accounts; and work to delink health insurance from employment.
No small order.
2.49am GMT
02:49
Tom McCarthy
They are back. First question off break is about entitlement reform, and it is for Chris Christie. He’s challenged to name something the federal government does now that it should not do?
“Get rid of Planned Parenthood funding for the United States of America.”
Bigger than that? asks Baier.
“When you see thousands and thousands of children murdered in the womb, I can’t think of anything bigger than that,” Christie says.