Comment on Debate Takeaways: Rubio shaken, Trump not stirred

Debate Takeaways: Rubio shaken, Trump not stirred

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — There have been no higher stakes on a Republican debate stage in the 2016 campaign for president than there were Saturday night. [...] the candidates on the still-crowded stage seemed unwilling to mix it up with Donald Trump, the national front-runner for months who needs a win in New Hampshire on Tuesday to avoid starting the 2016 race with two consecutive losses. Rubio experienced his worst moment in a presidential debate at the worst time, stumbling badly when forced to answer the fundamental question posed by rivals of his candidacy: whether he has the experience necessary to lead the nation. Even if it doesn't significantly change the contest in New Hampshire, the moment raises questions about Rubio's readiness to take on Democrat Hillary Clinton in a general election debate. He is barely registering in recent preference polls, but the New Jersey governor was the toughest candidate on the debate stage Saturday night. That's truancy. [...] when Rubio didn't answer a moderator's question about why he backpedaled on an immigration proposal he'd helped write when it appeared to become politically unpopular, Christie called him out. The decision to withhold fire was evident right from the start, when Cruz declined to repeat his assertion this week that Trump didn't have the temperament to be commander in chief. Pressed by a moderator whether he stood by his words that Trump was too volatile to be president, Cruz said simply, "I think that is an assessment the voters are going to make." After the billionaire real-estate developer defended the use of eminent domain as a necessary tool of government, Bush said the businessman was "downright wrong" when his company tried to use eminent domain to build an Atlantic City casino. The champion college debater wasn't much of a factor after a rough start to the debate, when he was asked about Trump's temperament and allegations his campaign team engaged in "deceitful behavior" by suggesting in the moments before the Iowa caucuses started that retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was leaving the race.

 

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