Cruz, leading or even with Trump in Iowa, where the first votes will be cast February 1, was put on the defensive over his birth in Canada – which Trump said could disqualify him from the presidency – and about $1 million in unreported loans to his 2012 Senate campaign.
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As Cruz rebutted Trump for raising the issue – effectively winning the moment – Trump essentially held his hands up and said he’s not the one who’s concerned. “The child of a citizen born overseas is a natural USA citizen”.
In addition to fighting back over his presidential eligibility, Cruz accused Trump of not being a conservative because he was born in NY and still lives there.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to the audience as he speaks during a campaign rally at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016.
Cruz renewed his criticism of “New York values”, a coded questioning of Trump’s conservatism that elicited an unexpectedly emotional response from the real estate mogul about his hometown’s response to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
“But I was born here”, Trump fired back.
Trump said he leads many polls and lawyers have raised questions about Cruz’s eligibility, and he would likely be sued if he is nominated. “Because now he’s doing a little bit better”.
“There’s a big question mark on your head, and you can’t do that to the party”, Trump continued. “And you can’t do that to the party….you have to have certainty”. Trump imagined a scenario in which Trump himself might choose Cruz as a running mate, “And the Democrats sue because we can’t take him along for the ride”.
It took only a few minutes into the debate until Trump and Cruz locked horns.
Cruz said Trump had months ago dismissed the concern. “I’m sure they’ll get into it tomorrow night”.
It was the second time in this debate that Cruz and Trump – who had once had an unofficial alliance, but now are rivals – had tangled, with Trump having the last word.
“I hate to interrupt this episode of “Court TV”, Rubio interrupted”.
Cruz said Americans were “horrified” by the USA sailors who were captured in Iranian waters, criticizing President Barack Obama for failing to mention it in his State of the State address.
Then, he said: “Yes I made a paperwork error”.
Cruz explained that jab, saying: “Everyone understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal, are pro-abortion, are pro-gay marriage, focused around money and the media”.
“The concept of NY values is not that complicated to figure out”, Cruz said.
Bush again took on Trump over his call to ban Muslims from entering the USA, arguing it would stop Arab nations from joining a coalition to defeat the Islamic State.
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To qualify for the debate, a candidate had to place in the top six in an average of recent national polls, or in the top five in an average of recent Iowa or New Hampshire polls.?
