AP
August 7, 2015
It took just one question for chaos to erupt in Cleveland.
"Is
there anyone on stage, and can I see hands, who is unwilling tonight to
pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party and
pledge to not run an
independent campaign against that person," asked Fox News' Bret Baier
to kick off the first Republican debate of the 2016 campaign for
president.
Only
one hand went up, and with it, billionaire businessman Donald Trump
sparked fresh waves of anxiety within the GOP as he went on to headline a
debate that at times
felt more like a circus than a forum for those who aspire to the White
House.
The
primetime ruckus on national television overshadowed some of the GOP's
biggest stars, while creating fresh openings for others. But more than
anything else, Thursday
night's two-hour show — and Trump's presence made sure it was a show —
was an in-your-face reminder the race for Republican nomination remains
leaderless and unsettled.
The
yelling erupted just minutes into the debate, when Trump answered
Baier's question and refused to rule out a third-party bid should one of
his many rivals beat him
in the Republican contest.
"This
is what's wrong!" Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul shouted from across the stage
as the crowd booed Trump. "Maybe he runs as an independent. He's
already hedging his bets."
The
extraordinary opening moment set the tone for a night that was often
entertaining, but often lacked the substantive and civil debate
Republican officials had in mind
when they tweaked their debate system to reduce acts of
"Republican-on-Republican violence."
The reason why was all too clear.
"I
think he's getting to a good place. This is new for him," said
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus when peppered
after the debate with questions about
Trump's bombastic performance. "I think things are going to be just
fine."
It
didn't look that way during the rough-and-tumble start, when Fox News
moderator Megyn Kelly asked Trump about his calling "women you don't
like 'fat pigs, dogs, slobs,
and disgusting animals.'"
Trump
didn't deny it. And when Kelly was undeterred by his attempt to laugh
off her question with a joke about comedian Rosie O'Donnell, he fired
back.
"I
don't frankly have time for total political correctness," Trump said.
"And to be honest with you, this country doesn't have time either."
Trump's
performance cooled down as the debate went on, but it still left little
room for his Republican rivals to stand out on a night where each
appeared to arrive with
a clear strategy to do just that.
An
authoritative Florida Sen. Marco Rubio distinguished himself by
highlighting his foreign policy bona fides and moving personal story.
Perhaps no one made more of his
opportunities than home-state Gov. John Kasich, the two-term Ohio
governor who snuck into the debate as the last candidate to win a place
on stage.
Kasich drew repeated applause, particularly when showcasing his pragmatic approach to divisive social issues.
"I
just went to a wedding of a friend of mine who happens to be gay,"
Kasich said when the conversation shifted to gay marriage. "Because
somebody doesn't think the way
I do, doesn't mean that I can't care about them or can't love them."
Not everyone was as successful at making the most of the limited amount of time they had to speak.
In
his first opportunity to connect with a national audience, Wisconsin
Gov. Scott Walker safely and calmly stuck to his script and his everyman
image — and didn't produce
a single "wow" moment.
Texas
Sen. Ted Cruz, a champion college debater, was largely forgotten. His
night was encapsulated by the moment he asked to "jump in on this one" —
only to be told there
wasn't time.
Tea
party favorite Ben Carson was relegated to telling jokes, which, it
should be said, drew heartfelt laughs from the crowd at Quicken Loans
Arena.
New
Jersey Gov. Chris Christie flashed his tell-it-like-it-is style in a
blunt exchange with Paul, but also disappeared for long stretches of the
night.
Former
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the dominate front-runner in the all-important
money race, tried to rise above the Trump-related squabbling. Having
devoted several days
to debate preparation, he came off as scripted in what was his first
formal debate in more than a decade.
But
Bush also avoided any major mistakes. He held fast to his policy
priorities, such as an immigration overhaul, and engaged with Trump only
briefly.
"Mr. Trump's language is divisive," Bush said.
"I want to win," he continued. "We're going to win when we unite people with a hopeful, optimistic message."
Thursday's
affair was the first of only six Republican debates before voting
begins next February, a sharp reduction in the number of face-to-face
meetings from 2012.
And with fewer debates, there are fewer opportunities for candidate to
make their mark.
Yet
no candidate will leave the race after this first clash. With money
flowing freely to the outside groups known as super PACs, almost
everyone in the race is backed
by the money needed to spend on infrastructure and advertising that
will shape — and reshape — voter's attitudes in the coming months.
That
includes even the self-funded Trump, who may stick around longer than
some people in the party may prefer. Republican strategist Liz Mair said
the debate "has done
Trump a tremendous disservice for exposing him for exactly what he is —
a philosophically ungrounded, unappealing entertainer."
The former reality television star doesn't much seem to mind.
"I don't think they like me very much," he said of the debate audience. With a shrug.
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