But Trump, who famously questioned President Barack Obama’s citizenship, fired off a tweet against Cruz.
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What channel is the GOP debate on? But the six surviving candidates filled the void – and then some.
President Obama’s promise to “fulfill my Constitutional responsibility” to nominate a Scalia successor sparked a display of one-upmanship among the White House wannabes. Jeb Bush desperately needs the same success, otherwise he may not only lose his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, but also bragging rights as part of the “Bush Family President’s Club”. Marco Rubio called for Obama not to move forward and forgo naming a Supreme Court nominee, leaving that decision to the next president or even to the American people, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put forward.
How about the argument over who Donald Trump would appoint to the Supreme Court?
“One of the most important judgments for the men and women of SC to make is who on this stage has the background, the principle, the character, the judgment and the strength of resolve to nominate and confirm principled constitutionalists to the court”, Cruz said.
He made his most blistering attacks against Bush and his brother, former President George W. Bush, who has many admirers in the Republican establishment.
Bush, revived by a stronger-than-expected showing in New Hampshire, showed more spark than he had in past debates.
Jeb Bush jumped in and said that he was sick and exhausted of Obama blaming W. for all of his failures.
Graham, a supporter of Gov. Jeb Bush, said Bush was “getting under (Trump’s) skin” when he fought back against repeated attacks by the real estate mogul in the debate. But it was Trump, with his asides and insults, that often dominated the dialogue.
Trump was jeered lustily by the audience in Greenville, South Carolina, a state where the Bush family is popular with Republicans.
Rubio and Cruz got into a cage match over their records on immigration reform. But Cruz has become known for fighting against many things in Congress, chief among them the president’s health care law.
Rubio, trying to recover after a disastrous debate performance in New Hampshire, countered that Cruz had shown his own moments of weakness on illegal immigration, adding, “he either wasn’t the telling the truth then or he wasn’t telling the truth now”.
He also burned Cruz over his inability to speak Spanish.
Mr Rubio shot back: “I don’t know how he knows what I said on Univision because he doesn’t speaking Spanish”.
Having split the first two voting states, Trump and Cruz are hoping to add to their win total in South Carolina’s February 20 primary.
That set Trump off: “You are the single biggest liar”, he said, “you probably are worse than Jeb Bush”. “This guy will say anything… a nasty guy!” shouted Trump.
“We’re in danger of driving this into the dirt”, one of the CBS debate moderators said at one point.
Ohio Governor John Kasich, who finished second in the New Hampshire primary last Tuesday and who pushes an optimistic message, called for calm.
“This is just insane”. Kasich, the poll said, holds 15 percent with both age groups. “I do not expect it from someone seeking the Democratic nomination”, Clinton said in a sharp exchange at the close of the two-hour debate.
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Ben Carson, who’s been lagging in the polls and struggling to get into the conversation, was happy just to have a more prominent turn at the mic.
