Posted on 01/14/2016 8:15:34 AM PST by mandaladon
Washington (AFP) - Republicans square off in their latest US presidential debate Thursday, just 18 days before all-important first votes are cast in the nominations race, after a rising party star delivered an extraordinary rebuke to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Seven candidates will take the main stage in South Carolina, with six focused on how to knock the real-estate tycoon off his perch and finally bring the 2016 campaign to a debate about issues rather than obsession over Trump's celebrity bombast.
South Carolina's young, charismatic governor Nikki Haley, considered by some a potential vice presidential pick, essentially cleared the way for Trump's rivals by attacking the rhetoric of the celebrity billionaire.
Her remarks -- "During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation" -- were all the more potent as they came in the official Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday
"Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true," she said pointedly.
The message marked political shots fired in the civil war roiling the Republican Party, specifically Trump's outsider populism versus his rivals in the conservative establishment.
By picking Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, GOP leaders -- who reportedly cleared the speech before she addressed the nation -- were effectively announcing they had had it with Trump's toxic brand of ethno-nationalism.
But Trump, who has relentlessly proven his savvy in the campaign, sought to deflect the criticism and turn Haley's hammering into a positive.
"As far as I'm concerned, anger is OK. Anger and energy is what this country needs," Trump told CNN in reacting to Haley's remarks.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“Unfortunately.. Trump will continue to attack like a liberal would.”
Maybe if people did that in 2008, we wouldn’t have had Obama.
it’s going to be dirty and below the belt tonight. Cruz has to put it all on the line, and if the others don’t help him, Trump will be the nominee.
This is probably what they were referring to as the South Carolina firewall. An all out pile on Trump, lead by a viscous Megan Kelly.
This will be Trumps hardest test so far, to come out the other side whole and intact. For that, he’s going to have to change the rules about debates. Lets hope he can do it.
It’s a cowardly way to attack. If Trump truly has a problem with Cruz... he needs to step up and be a man. Attack and own it.
As front runner all Trump has to do is not screw up. He won’t.
“Itâs a cowardly way to attack”
This isn’t a tussle at a church picnic. Politics is war and bloodsport.
That’s why this wussy “high road” crap loses us elections every four years.
If this is too much for Cruz to deal with then he ought to spare us the embarrassment of being in a general election where the Democrats aren’t going to care about following “Queensberry rules”.
That's the way you play it. No backing down, no apologies. No "Oh I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." You bet we're angry, and we're not gonna take it anymore!
Trump doesn’t fight like this “Prize Fighter” you make him out to be.
He fights like a schoolyard girl bully.
He calls names, pulls hair and yells alot.
I am not CRUZ and Cruz can take care of himself.
These are my observations and mine alone.
Trump does not fight like a man.
One of the things I like about Trump is that he reacts, does not smile and take flak they way M. Romney did. We saw how that ended.
I bet they strategically choose an anti-trump audience so that Trump will get bood or mild applause. Because Trump connects so well with his supporters, he swims upstream when he is hemmed in from all sides, especially by a hostile audience. He’ll prevail, but it won’t be a love fest in the room. His support will come from those of us polling for him on Drudge, etc.
This is unfortunate... Why?
“Trump doesnât fight like this âPrize Fighterâ you make him out to be.
He fights like a schoolyard girl bully.”
LOL!!!
Yeah...ok. He seems to have taken care of all of the opponents Cruz seemed to be too afraid to take on himself. In fact, without Trump, you would be wondering when Perry or Scott Walker would finally start taking on Jeb Bush directly because they were still behind Carson and Rubio.
“He calls names, pulls hair and yells alot.”
And it works.
“Trump does not fight like a man.”
He fights like an alpha. Any “man” can go out there and lose. Go ask Bob Dole, and Romney.
About time for Trump to start trotting out his library of groveling fundraising letters all of these guys have sent to him in the past.
This is the Fox business network debate.
Ha....some schoolgirly man.
Trump does not fight like a man.....BUT, he fights, unlike Romney, Dole, McStain and all the Yebbies running this year.
“...finally bring the 2016 campaign to a debate about issues rather than obsession over Trump’s celebrity bombast...”
*LOL* Talk to the moderators about that...They ask leading, inane questions and Trump tries to move to the issues....
The worst thing Trump could do would be to attack Cruz on policy. That would render Cruz useless in the future. But make no mistake, Trump has to be the winner of the primary and the leader. Trump needs to win the primaries and he has made it clear that he wants to win all of them and do whatever it takes. Republicans are not used to a candidate that is this hard nosed.
Viscous - having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; not flowing easily; having a high viscosity.
I know you probably meant vicious, but viscous might work, too! LOL!
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