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Houston, Trump may have a problem: Rubio trips up frontrunner at debate Houston, Trump may have a problem: Rubio trips up frontrunner at debate
(35 minutes later)
Marco Rubio took the fight to Donald Trump on Thursday night. With assistance from Ted Cruz, the Florida senator unleashed an all encompassing attack on Donald Trump’s business record and policy acumen that has the potential to shake up the Republican presidential race. Marco Rubio took the fight to Donald Trump on Thursday night. With assistance from Ted Cruz, the Florida senator unleashed an all-encompassing attack on Trump’s business record and policy acumen that has the potential to shake up the Republican presidential race.
Related: Republican debate: Trump defends against attacks from Rubio and Cruz – liveRelated: Republican debate: Trump defends against attacks from Rubio and Cruz – live
Trump, who has emerged as the Republican frontrunner with remarkably little vetting, was consistently attacked for employing foreign and illegal workers, over his business record and regarding his lack of policy specifics.Trump, who has emerged as the Republican frontrunner with remarkably little vetting, was consistently attacked for employing foreign and illegal workers, over his business record and regarding his lack of policy specifics.
Rubio gleefully mocked him: “You say the same thing every night.” Rubio gleefully mocked him, saying “You say the same thing every night”, and then gave his own parody of Trump’s stump speech: “Everyone’s dumb, I’m going to make America great again, I’m winning in the polls, lines around the states, every night.”
The Florida senator then gave his own parody of Trump’s stump speech: “Everyone’s dumb, I’m going to make America great again, I’m winning in the polls, lines around the states, every night.” It was the first time rival candidates have used the debate stage to go after the foundation of Trump’s campaign – his experience as a businessman, his assertion that he is the only candidate who can be relied upon to be a stalwart opponent of illegal immigration, and his belief in “winning”.
The exchanges marked the first time rival candidates have used the debate stage to go after the very foundation of Trump’s campaign – his experience as a businessman, his assertion that he is the only candidate who can be relied upon to be a stalwart opponent of illegal immigration and his belief in “winning”.
It left Trump stuttering and defensive.It left Trump stuttering and defensive.
“I don’t repeat myself,” he said, as he struggled through another tough exchange with Rubio. “I don’t repeat myself. I don’t repeat myself.” “I don’t repeat myself,” he said, as he struggled through another tough exchange with Rubio.
The concerted tag team attacks and the frontrunner’s counterpunching left John Kasich and Ben Carson as relative bystanders. At one point, Carson even pleaded “Can somebody attack me?” “I don’t repeat myself. I don’t repeat myself.”
Trump has emerged at the head of the pack by building a populist movement of discontented blue collar voters very different from the fiscally and socially conservative coalition that George W Bush once relied upon. As he said on stage: “We are building a new Republican Party. A lot of new people are coming in.” The concerted attacks and Trump’s counterpunching left John Kasich and Ben Carson as relative bystanders. At one point, Carson pleaded: “Can somebody attack me?”
But on Thursday his rivals used his past heresies try to discredit him with those voters and to consolidate their appeal among Republicans who disdain Trump. Trump has built a populist movement of discontented blue collar voters very different from the fiscally and socially conservative coalition George W Bush once relied on. As he said onstage: “We are building a new Republican Party. A lot of new people are coming in.”
Rubio used immigration, long the defining issue of Trump’s campaign, as a cudgel from the very beginning of the debate. But on Thursday his rivals tried to discredit him with those voters and consolidate their own appeal among Republicans who disdain Trump.
The first question, from CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer, was on Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants but to let “the good ones” back in. Rubio seized the opportunity. Rubio used immigration as a cudgel. The first question, from CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer, was on Trump’s plan to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants but to let “the good ones” back in. Rubio seized the opportunity.
“The truth is, though, that a lot of these positions that he’s now taking are new to him,” the Florida senator said. “The truth is, though, that a lot of these positions that he’s now taking are new to him,” he said.
He referred to a New York Times story on Thursday that claimed that Trump’s exclusive club in Palm Beach, Florida, has pursued more than 500 temporary foreign worker visas since 2010 and hired only a handful of US residents.He referred to a New York Times story on Thursday that claimed that Trump’s exclusive club in Palm Beach, Florida, has pursued more than 500 temporary foreign worker visas since 2010 and hired only a handful of US residents.
“We saw a report in one of the newspapers that Donald, you’ve hired a significant number of people from other countries to take jobs that Americans could have filled,” Rubio said.“We saw a report in one of the newspapers that Donald, you’ve hired a significant number of people from other countries to take jobs that Americans could have filled,” Rubio said.
“My mom and dad – my mom was a maid at a hotel, and instead of hiring an American like her, you have brought in over a thousand people from all over the world to fill those jobs instead.”“My mom and dad – my mom was a maid at a hotel, and instead of hiring an American like her, you have brought in over a thousand people from all over the world to fill those jobs instead.”
Trump said this was because of a lack of available American workers to fill the positions. Trump said this was because of a lack of available American workers.
“They were part-time jobs. You needed them, or we just might as well close the doors, because you couldn’t get help in those hot, hot sections of Florida.” “They were part-time jobs,” he said. “You needed them, or we just might as well close the doors, because you couldn’t get help in those hot, hot sections of Florida.”
Rubio then mentioned reports claiming that undocumented immigrants have worked at Trump properties. In the 1980s Trump faced a lawsuit alleging that Trump Tower in Manhattan was partly constructed by undocumented Polish workers; a 2015 Washington Post story suggested undocumented workers were potentially involved in building a new luxury hotel in the city. Rubio then mentioned reports claiming that undocumented immigrants have worked at Trump properties. In the 1980s Trump faced a lawsuit alleging that undocumented Polish demolition workers worked on Trump Tower in Manhattan. The suit was not settled until 1999, and the settlement never made public. A 2015 Washington Post story suggested undocumented workers could have been involved in building a new luxury hotel in the city.
“You’re the only person on this stage that has ever been fined for hiring people to work on your projects illegally. You hired some workers from Poland,” Rubio said, adding that Trump was forced to pay “a million dollars or so” in a judgment.“You’re the only person on this stage that has ever been fined for hiring people to work on your projects illegally. You hired some workers from Poland,” Rubio said, adding that Trump was forced to pay “a million dollars or so” in a judgment.
Trump said this was “totally wrong” and hit back: “I’m the only one on the stage that’s hired people. You haven’t hired anybody.”Trump said this was “totally wrong” and hit back: “I’m the only one on the stage that’s hired people. You haven’t hired anybody.”
“If he builds the [border] wall the way he built Trump Towers he’ll be using illegal immigrant labour to do it,” Rubio said.“If he builds the [border] wall the way he built Trump Towers he’ll be using illegal immigrant labour to do it,” Rubio said.
“I’ve hired tens of thousands of people,” Trump said. “He brings up something from 30 years ago. It worked out very well. Everybody was happy.”“I’ve hired tens of thousands of people,” Trump said. “He brings up something from 30 years ago. It worked out very well. Everybody was happy.”
Cruz, largely a bystander during the early exchanges, reiterated that he would not offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and attacked Trump as a Johnny Come Lately to the issue. Cruz, largely a bystander during the early exchanges, attacked Trump as a Johnny Come Lately.
“I really find it amazing that Donald believes that he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration,” sneered Cruz. “I can tell you, when I ran for Senate here in the state of Texas, I ran promising to lead the fight against amnesty, promising to fight to build a wall.“I really find it amazing that Donald believes that he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration,” sneered Cruz. “I can tell you, when I ran for Senate here in the state of Texas, I ran promising to lead the fight against amnesty, promising to fight to build a wall.
“And in 2013, when I was fighting against the ‘gang of eight’ amnesty bill, where was Donald? He was firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice’” In 2013, when I was fighting the amnesty bill, where was Donald? He was firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice
Rubio also repeatedly hit Trump on his business record, including the checkered record of Trump University, a for-profit enterprise that promised to teach attendees about real estate business. Trump is facing several lawsuits in federal court from unhappy customers of what Rubio said was “a fake university”. “And in 2013, when I was fighting against the ‘gang of eight’ amnesty bill, where was Donald? He was firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice.”
The attack was echoed by Cruz, who referenced one coming case. He bleakly warned that Trump’s “lawyers have scheduled the trial for July”. Rubio also repeatedly hit Trump on his business record, including Trump University, a for-profit enterprise that promised to teach attendees about the real-estate world. Trump is facing several lawsuits in federal court from unhappy customers of what Rubio said was “a fake university”.
Cruz alleged the mainstream media would make hay if “the Republican nominee [was] in court on the stand being cross-examined about whether he has committed fraud.” The attack was echoed by Cruz, who referenced one coming case, bleakly warning that Trump’s “lawyers have scheduled the trial for July” and alleged the mainstream media would make hay if “the Republican nominee [was] in court on the stand being cross-examined about whether he has committed fraud”.
Trump claimed the allegations in the case were “nonsense” and insisted that he had only refused to settle the case out of principle. Trump claimed the allegations in the case were “nonsense” and insisted that he had only refused to settle it out of principle.
Rubio jibed: “You know where Donald Trump would be if he hadn’t inherited $200m? Selling watches in Manhattan.”Rubio jibed: “You know where Donald Trump would be if he hadn’t inherited $200m? Selling watches in Manhattan.”
Trump was also left staggering after another assault from Rubio on his healthcare plan. Trump insisted he would “get rid of the lines around states”, without providing further detail, and resorted to bringing up Rubio’s implosion in the New Hampshire debate against Chris Christie as a defense. Trump was also left staggering after an assault from Rubio on his healthcare plan. Trump insisted he would “get rid of the lines around states”, without providing further detail, and resorted to bringing up Rubio’s implosion in the New Hampshire debate against Chris Christie as a defense.
“I watched him repeat himself five times four weeks ago,” Trump insisted.“I watched him repeat himself five times four weeks ago,” Trump insisted.
But Rubio fired back, noting: “I just watched you repeat yourself five times five seconds ago”. Rubio fired back, noting: “I just watched you repeat yourself five times five seconds ago.”
Trump kept on trying to change the subject to the New Hampshire debate. Trump kept on trying to change the subject to New Hampshire.
Related: Cruz and Rubio double team Trump on immigrationRelated: Cruz and Rubio double team Trump on immigration
Trump was then repeatedly hit on a supposed reluctance to release his tax returns, a subject that 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney – no stranger to the issue – has brought up in recent days. Both Cruz and Rubio made clear that they will release their tax returns in the coming days, Rubio saying his were coming Friday or Saturday. In contrast, Trump said he could not release his tax returns because of an ongoing audit. Trump was then repeatedly hit on a supposed reluctance to release his tax returns, a subject that 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney – no stranger to the issue – has brought up in recent days. Both Cruz and Rubio said they would release their tax returns in the coming days, Rubio saying his were coming Friday or Saturday. Trump said he could not release his because of an ongoing audit.
“Every year they audit me,” Trump said. “I will absolutely file my returns but I’m being audited now for two or three years and I can’t do it until the audit is finished.”“Every year they audit me,” Trump said. “I will absolutely file my returns but I’m being audited now for two or three years and I can’t do it until the audit is finished.”
The debate was held five days before the critical Super Tuesday primaries. Twelve states will vote on 1 March in the single largest delegate haul of the entire GOP primary. The debate was held five days before the critical Super Tuesday primaries. Twelve states will vote on 1 March in the single largest delegate haul of the GOP primary. Texas, with 155 delegates, is the largest of the 12 which range from conservative southern states like Alabama and Georgia to liberal outposts in New England like Vermont and Massachusetts.
Texas, with 155 delegates, is the largest of the 12 which range from conservative southern states like Alabama and Georgia to liberal outposts in New England like Vermont and Massachusetts. Trump has led in recent polls in almost every Super Tuesday state. The exception is Texas, Cruz’s home state, where the senator is maintaining a narrow lead. Trump leads Rubio in Florida.
Trump has led in recent public polls in almost every Super Tuesday state. The exception is Texas, Cruz’s home state, where the conservative senator is maintaining a narrow lead. Trump leads Rubio in Florida. I think Rubio was a weak guy. I thought Ted Cruz did better but what do I know
The question now is whether Trump’s leads will crumble after such repeated attacks from Cruz and Rubio. He has so far weathered a parade of controversies and gaffes each of which would have likely torpedoed almost any other candidate’s campaign. The question now is whether those leads will crumble Trump has so far weathered a parade of controversies and gaffes, each of which would have likely torpedoed almost any other candidate’s campaign.
“They’re desperate,” Trump said in a post-debate interview with CNN, of the debate attacks. “What else are they going to do?” In the spin room, Trump dismissed Rubio.
“I thought he was ineffective,” he said. “I think he was a weak guy. I thought Ted Cruz did better but what do I know.” Rubio, he charged, was a “choke artist”.
At times, the debate descended into little more than a slanging match, candidates speaking angrily over each other.
“Donald, you can get back on your meds now,” Cruz said during one exchange.
“I’m relaxed. You’re the basket case,” Trump said.
Carson, speaking to reporters, sought to sum it all up.
“It’s clear this was all about ratings and fights,” he said. “Unfortunately, the audience didn’t help because when people would fight they would yell ‘Yeah! Yeah!’ like it was gladiators.”