Facing tough questions from moderators, the candidates clashed in a frank exchange of views on issues ranging from immigration to foreign policy.
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Trump’s jab at O’Donnell came after Fox News host Megyn Kelly, one of the debate’s moderators, asked the New York businessman about his history of verbally degrading women.
“Only Rosie O’Donnell”, Trump quipped.
Carson, Walker and Trump disagreed with Kelly’s shots – with Trump voicing his complaints the loudest after the debate: “I think Megyn behaved very nasty to me”, he told Politico.
“Maybe it’s because I hadn’t given money to the [Clinton] foundation or donated to his wife’s Senate campaign”, she added, referring to reports about Trump’s past support for the Democratic family. “But I wouldn’t do that”.
Taken collectively, the candidates handled Trump the right way: raising questions about him (Fiorina), expressing respect for voters who have been interested in him (Kasich), and generally letting him sink of his own weight (the rest of them).
Frontrunner Donald Trump refused to say he’d back and/or not run against the eventual GOP nominee. He said he opposes gay marriage, but when asked how he would explain that position to a child who announced he or she was gay or lesbian, he said: “I’m going to love my daughters no matter what they do. You know, so… It’s fun”. But given that millions of Americans have now been exposed to Trump’s mad rhetoric, it is quite possible that this debate will mark the beginning of the end for his 2016 presidential aspirations.
Hours after the first GOP debate, Donald Trump did what he does best – wage war on Twitter.
Both Twitter and Facebook said the most talked-about moment on their platforms came between New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and US Senator Rand Paul.
“I will not make the pledge at this time”, the improbable front-runner said, to loud boos and jeers from a rambunctious crowd.
“There’s a silent majority out there”, Mr Trump said in South Carolina last week.
Trump told Fox News on Friday he doesn’t want to launch a run outside the Republican Party.
And frankly, what I say, and oftentimes it’s fun, it’s kidding.
“We want to win, and we will win”. Instead of telling women they’re too old, like a Hollywood hack, Trump took a fresh approach and reminded us what the real problem is: Political correctness.
“Under President Obama and Secretary Clinton, they’re working hard to change the American dream into the European nightmare”, said Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, one of seven candidates on stage for the early forum. Rand Paul said he was a “Reagan conservative”.
“I didn’t get a phone call from Bill Clinton before I jumped in the race”.
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Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus saying it was a good start to what’s, no doubt, going to be a busy debate season.
