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Republican debate: Cruz calls out Trump for checks to Hillary Clinton – live Republican debate: GOP rivals attack Trump over Trump University – live
(35 minutes later)
2.50am GMT 3.24am GMT
02:50 03:24
Cruz to Trump: 'release the tapes' They’re back. It’s a question about government neglect and poisonous water in Flint, Michigan, not far from the debate tonight.
“Donald, you could resolve this issue very easily by simply releasing the New York Times tapes.” Rubio is asked about infrastructure improvement. What can be done?
They’re now all operating on the assumption that the tapes exsit. “What happened in Flint was a terrible thing. It was a systemic breakdown at every level of government.”
“If in fact you went to Manhattan and said, ‘I’m lying to the American people,’ the people have a right to know,” Cruz says. Rubio is applauded for saying “the politicizing of it is unfair.” “This should not be a partisan issue... all of us are outraged. .. It is a proper role for the federal government to play at the local level.”
“You’re the liar,” Trump says. “I’ve given my answer, lyin’ Ted. 3.24am GMT
2.49am GMT 03:24
02:49 Here is Trump talking about the “off the record” immigration comments:
Here are Trump and Rubio arguing over immigration earlier: And this one’s a 15-minute greatest hits so far:
2.49am GMT 3.22am GMT
02:49 03:22
Trump: 'People don't want' short-term service jobs. How bad were those Trump lines, “let’s see what happens at the end of three years,” and, “it’s a minor civil case!”
Rubio and Cruz attack Trump over a New York Times report that more than 300 Americans applied to Trump’s Palm Beach Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, but only 17 were hired and other positions were filled by immigrants 3.22am GMT
Trump says he’s had tens of thousands of people working for him. He says the Mar-a Lago club has a November through March season. “People don’t want a short-term job,” Trump says. “So we will bring people in, we bring them out.” 03:22
Cruz hits him with a question for the audience: “How many people here have worked as a waiter or a waitress?” he asks. Lots of applause. “Marco’s dad started as a bartender, mine started washing dishes.”
Cruz is starting a refrain: “Release the tapes.”
“This is all just rhetoric for the voters... simply release the tape. His record right now... is one of repeatedly hiring illegal aliens.”
2.46am GMT
02:46
Trump's unashamed "I'm changing" on skilled visas is a foretaste of how he'll handle the shift to centre once he's the nominee #gopdebate
2.46am GMT
02:46
Trump: 'I'm changing' on visas for skilled workers
They’re back. Trump is challenged again, on his changing views about admitting highly skilled workers. His web site says the practice is wrong, but in a recent debate he said it was OK.
“I’m changing,” Trump says. “We need highly skilled people in this country. And if we can’t do it, we’ll bring them in.
“I’m changing it, and I’m softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country.”
Kelly points out that the Art of the Deal – Trump’s book – talks about the power of “Playing to people’s fantasies.” Is that what Trump is doing here?
“I’m not playing to anybody’s fantasies,” he says.
2.46am GMT
02:46
Mona ChalabiMona Chalabi
They are talking immigration now and it’s an issue that is intimately tied to the economy in the minds of many voters (and, perhaps not coincidentally, in Donald Trump’s rhetoric too). A report from Pew in September last year found that 50% of US adults believe immigrants to the US are making things worse for economy while 28% say they think immigrants improve the economy. It’s true that the CNN poll they have been discussing put a range of hypothetical questions to respondents (very hypothetical; the February poll was about the November general election).
2.43am GMT The poll showed that in a race between Cruz and Clinton, Cruz would win 49%-48% (remember, these polls have a margin of error - the numbers could be 3 percentage points higher or lower). When respondents were given the choice between Trump and Clinton, they chose Clinton 52%-44%.
02:43 3.20am GMT
Ben Carson having a typical debate, doing quite well actually #GOPDebate 03:20
2.40am GMT Here’s another commercial break. How bruised do you see Trump as being after that drilling over his university? Which attack was more effective – Rubio saying Trump was trying to do to the American people what he did to the students – or Cruz asking voters if this is the conversation they want to see in the general election?
02:40 3.19am GMT
There’s a commercial break. Where’s everybody at with this debate so far? Rubio’s attacking hard, especially on Trump’s lack of policy specificity – is it working? What about the Cruz attack on Trump writing checks to Hillary Clinton? Will Kasich pick up fans tonight? 03:19
2.39am GMT Trump seemed a little cornered in that exchange over Trump University. It ended with him citing the polls. My polls are bigger than yours.
02:39 Kasich gets the mic and he says “there are a lot of people yearning for someone who is going to bring America back”.
Trump says he will not consent to release of tapes on immigration “Let’s stop fighting!” Kasich says. A robust cheer.
Kelly asks Trump about a BuzzFeed report that the NY Times has an audio recording of Trump admitting his seemingly rigid and hawkish stance on immigration is actually flexible. Updated
Trump seems to admit the conversation and praises media interviewing rules – rich for someone who has so forcefully called for new libel laws to sue media companies. at 3.20am GMT
“I may have discussed something like that with the NYT. But I would never have released off-the-record conversations. I don’t think that’s fair,” Trump says. 3.18am GMT
“Many of those things were off the record,” Trump said. “I take being off the record as a very important thing... and I would always honor that.” 03:18
He’s pressed on whether he would call for the release of tapes with the Times editors. I would actually definitely elect Marco Rubio as dog catcher #GOPDebate
The answer: No. 3.17am GMT
“I would not do that. I have too much respect for that process... I would not do that.” 03:17
“In terms of immigration, there always has to be some target.. deal... you have to be able to have some flexibility. Some negotiation,” he says. Rubio: Trump trying to do to Americans what he did to students
2.33am GMT Rubio: “I spoke to one of the victims yesterday ... They signed up for this course ... they paid $15,000 ... Then they had to pay even more money ... When they realized what a scam it was,” they asked for a refund and could not get one, he says.
02:33 “We will see who’s right at the end of a few years,” Trump says. He says almost all of the people who signed up said it was terrific. “Let’s see what happens at the end of three years.”
You can watch the debate live here: Then Trump says the school gave refunds to people.
Rubio: “What he’s trying to do to the American people, what he did to the people who signed up for this course ... he’s trying to con people into giving him their vote, just like he conned people into giving him their money.”
Trump hits back that Rubio is absent from the Senate and the people of Florida “wouldn’t elect him dog catcher”.
Cruz jumps in for the kill: “Let me just ask the voters at home. Is this the debate you want?”
“If we nominate Donald, we’re going to spend the summer and fall with the Republican nominee facing a fraud trial,” Cruz says.
“It’s a minor civil case,” Trump fumes.
Cruz: “You’ve got to learn not to interrupt. Count to ten, Donald. Count to ten.”
Updated
at 3.19am GMT
3.16am GMT
03:16
Paul Owen
Politifact has examined Trump’s claim (also made before tonight) that Trump University was given an A by the Better Business Bureau, which reviews businesses.
Trump said about his entrepreneur institute that “we have an ‘A’ from the Better Business Bureau.” Literally speaking, that is inaccurate. The Better Business Bureau gives the program no rating today because it’s no longer a going concern.
Trump University had an A at some point. The Better Business Bureau doesn’t release details of its past ratings, but it did say Trump’s program had ratings that ranged from A+ to D-.
What we do know, from several published reports and archived Web pages, is that the university had a D in 2010.
Trump’s claim is literally wrong and also ignores the university’s lower Better Business Bureau scores. We rate it False.
3.16am GMT
03:16
Trump under pressure over Trump University
Rubio jumps in and attacks Trump on Trump University, which faces fraud accusations and a class action lawsuit. He says the school hired a manager at Buffalo Wild Wings despite Trump’s promise to hire the best.
“You’re willing to say whatever you have to say to get them to give them your money,” Rubio says.
“We have a 98% approval rating, we have an A from the Better Business Bureau and people like it,” Trump says.
Kelly clarifies: “The rating from the BBB was a D- and it was a result of a number of complaints they received.”
“It was elevated to an A,” Trump says. Not on the public record, she sys.
Kelly says “there’s a class action of 5,000 people” who say they were fleeced. Kelly points out that these are “working class” people.
“The lead plaintiff is now getting out of the case because it was so bad for her,” Trump says.
“You counter-sued her,” Kelly said, and you had to pay her legal fees.
Kelly is hammering him on it. She puts up a court document that says, “The victims of con artists often sing the praises of their victimizers until they realize that they have been fleeced.”
“Let’s see what happens in court,” Trump says.
Updated
at 3.17am GMT
3.07am GMT
03:07
Kasich jumps in and says people are frustrated because politicians just tell them what they want to hear. “What’s getting in the hearts and souls of people is they want change,” Kasich says.
“People are getting more and more frustrated with the system which is why we must pick someone with a record of achievement, not just talk.”
3.06am GMT
03:06
Hillary Clinton doesn’t seem totally convinced by Trump’s performance this evening:
The more time that passes, the scarier this gets. ⬇️ #GOPdebate pic.twitter.com/EEfDR3qyM0