The enmity between GOP candidates Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush finally came to a head during the third GOP debate, as the two sparred over Rubio’s missed senate votes. He is a long-time CNBC correspondent, having served on a range of shows, who is now one of the co-hosts of Squawk on the Street – CNBC’s 9AM broadcast live from the New York Stock Exchange (with cuts to the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) that focuses on tracing the first 90 minutes of market activity.
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An early rumble between former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Last night signaled the death of the Bush campaign.
Rubio fought off the challenge, and later drew applause when he skewered Clinton for her testimony about the 2012 Benghazi attacks before Congress last week, a performance praised by supporters and observers. And what about former Florida Governor Jeb Bush? I’m not running against them. Both Republican presidential candidates have proposed tax cuts that largely benefit the wealthy and drive up the deficit.
But Harwood was wrong, Rubio was right.
Several candidates also continued to accusing CNBC’s debate moderators of not focusing on issues that matter.
“These questions illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media”. “This is not a cage match”, Cruz proclaimed.
Even the debate moderator joined in, asking Trump if he was running a “comic book version” of a campaign – notably by promising to keep out immigrants with a wall on the Mexican border. “This is a six-year term, and you should be showing up to work”.
But as he told a moderator who looked to reclaim the time, he wasn’t finished.
Questions at Republican primary debates have always been a point of contention within the party. “Let me be clear, the men and women on this stage have more ideas, more experience, more common sense than every participant in the Democratic debate”.
Cruz had a double-win. This time it was the moderators who ended up on trial and they flubbed up big time. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called it a “golden parachute” for House Speaker John Boehner.
Insurgent contenders Donald Trump and Ben Carson meanwhile defended the seriousness of their White House bids on Wednesday night.
“My great concern is that we are on the verge of perhaps picking someone who can not do this job. I’ve heard about tax schemes that don’t add up that put our kids in a deeper hole than they are today”, Kasich said. Candidates had to average at least 3% in CNBC’s polls in order to qualify for the main debate. Obviously, attacking Trump blew up in his face. He knocked Kasich for his time as an executive at Lehman Brothers and raised doubts over Kasich’s role in Ohio’s economic successes; given the role fracking has played in the state’s economy.
Trump essentially asserted that he could, in fact, fly.
In a Republican presidential primary race dominated by political outsiders, Wednesday night’s debate may have marked a turning point where established politicians fought back and found moments to shine. “Fantasy football! We have ISIS and al-Qaeda attacking us and we’re talking about fantasy football?” Christie said as the crowd laughed. We have – wait a second, we have $19 trillion in debt. But in what became one of the debate’s most-talked about moments, Rubio flipped the attack back at him, labeling Bush a craven opportunist. “We’re not going to surge, we’re not going to be in first place or the frontrunner, but we’re going to move up”, said Terry Sullivan, Rubio campaign manager.
“We appreciate the opportunity and look forward to future opportunities to discuss the governor’s record”, Diaz told reporters when asked about the debate.
The debate will be quick, and may not include much real debating. Whatever mojo the family tried to inject into his anemic run for president, it didn’t appear to be working. “If they’re looking for entertainer in chief, I’m probably not the guy”. Even the audience got in on the act.
“People who want to be President of the United States should be able to answer tough questions”, CNBC said in a statement.
“See? They know”, a vindicated Carson said.
“I was very disappointed in the moderators. I’m disappointed in CNBC”, he said. “But I think it was one gotcha question, one personal low blow after another”. “CNBC should be ashamed of how this debate was handled”.
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The retired neurosurgeon has been surging in the polls amid a slew of controversial comments by remaining his low-key, authentic self.
