Republican US presidential contender Jeb Bush has assailed front-runner Donald Trump in a debate for proposing to ban Muslims from entering the United States, calling Trump a “chaos candidate” who was not serious but adept at delivering one-liners.
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The former Florida governor continued, “Two months ago, Donald Trump said that ISIS was not our fight”.
“It would defy every norm that is America, so when you ask yourself, whoever you are, if you think you’re going to support Donald Trump, think: Do you believe in the Constitution?” “He said that because he has failed in this campaign”, Trump said. “It’s been a total disaster”, Trump said as Bush awkwardly winced.
Meanwhile, the increasingly public rivalry between Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz spilled into the open.
“As far as other people, like in the migration where they’re going, tens of thousands of people having cell phones with ISIS flags on them”, Trump said. “We need toughness.” Then he attacked Bush as being soft on immigration from Mexico, because it’s all the same to him. The same survey showed much less support among the broader electorate, with just 37 percent of all likely general-election voters supporting the idea.
Mr Trump, who has mercilessly belittled Mr Bush’s energy and strength since entering the race in June, suggested that his rival was simply pretending to be tough.
“With Jeb’s attitude, we will never be great again, that I can tell you”, he said.
The Republican debate on Tuesday was the first since the attack in California and another in Paris, and focused heavily on national security. “I’m at 42 [percent] and you’re at three [percent]”. “Under President Obama we have created this standard that is so high that it’s impossible to be successful in fighting ISIS”. His interesting facial expressions are better than 1,000 words and punk’d Bush without responding verbally.
On stage at the Venetian theater, Trump is flanked by Cruz, the Texas senator whose poll numbers are on the upswing; and Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon whose political standing has been damaged by a series of gaffes.
“He has touched a nerve because people are angry and afraid”, Huckabee said.
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Mr Christie said his experience as a federal prosecutor made him the most experienced in going after terror suspects.
