AP
January 29, 2016
It was clear, even before it started, that Thursday night's Republican presidential debate would be dramatically different.
GOP
front-runner Donald Trump had voluntarily given up his regular place at
center stage. He skipped the debate, preferring to mount a rally across
town to punish Fox
News Channel for "toying" with him.
The
billionaire businessman's absence was addressed early and then his
Republican rivals quickly moved on, getting a far better opportunity to
shine. Overall, the two-hour
affair featured a sober tone focused more on substance than
personality.
There were exceptions, of course. Ted Cruz defended his authenticity and Marco Rubio faced pointed questions on immigration.
But
just days before Iowa's leadoff caucuses, there were none of the
breakout moments that have sometimes characterized the more colorful
debates featuring Trump, battling
Cruz for first place in the 2016 primary season's opening contest.
Some takeaways from Thursday's Republican debate:
__
ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM
Trump
has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to dominate the stage. There is
little doubt he helped his rivals by not showing up.
He
was mocked early and largely forgotten. Cruz set the tone with a
sarcastic impression of his top rival: "I'm a maniac and everyone on
this stage is stupid, fat and
ugly," Cruz said. "Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out
of the way ..."
Florida
Sen. Marco Rubio also weighed in: "It's not about Donald Trump. He's an
entertaining guy. He's the greatest show on earth."
Beyond a few playful jabs, the two-hour debate was a Trump-free zone, one of the few such events in the race so far.
__
CRUZ THE FRONT-RUNNER
Cruz
fought to make sure he was positioned at center stage in Trump's
absence, but did little to take advantage of the opportunity. He tried
to embrace the role of de
facto front-runner at the outset, pointing out that he was being
attacked by several rivals — even before there were any pointed
exchanges.
Cruz
later faced sharp questions on immigration, national security and,
perhaps most importantly, whether he was trustworthy. Trust is the theme
of the fiery conservative's
campaign, and several candidates questioned his authenticity.
"Ted, throughout this campaign, you've been willing to say or do anything in order to get votes," Rubio charged.
Cruz fought back by accusing Rubio of bending to the will of donors on immigration, but it was hardly a decisive victory.
__
NO AMNESTY FOR RUBIO
Rubio
did not help himself among the conservatives who question his position
on immigration. The issue is by far his greatest vulnerability as he
tries to convince skeptical
GOP activists that he doesn't support so-called amnesty.
The
debate moderators played a series of video clips highlighting Rubio's
apparent shift on the issue, which put the first-term senator on the
defensive at the outset
of a key exchange.
At
best, Rubio may have clouded the issue of whether he had backed off his
earlier calls for comprehensive legislation that includes a pathway to
citizenship.
But rival Jeb Bush seemed to get the best of him in an exchange in which Bush questioned Rubio's retreat on the issue.
"You shouldn't cut and run," Bush charged.
___
BUSH CLOUDS LANE
Bush
repeatedly beat back questions about his long-term viability in the
2016 contest, insisting he has a path to the nomination and would
ultimately defeat leading Democrat
Hillary Clinton.
"We're just starting. The first vote hasn't been counted. Why don't we let the process work?" Bush said.
Overall,
Bush had more success on the debate stage without having to contend
with Trump. His strength — and full-steam-ahead approach — was a pointed
reminder that the
fight for the party's mainstream wing is far from over.
Bush
and Rubio are competing with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio
Gov. John Kasich to win over the GOP's centrist wing. Some party
officials hoped Rubio would
have emerged as the consensus choice by now.
Bush defended rounds of anti-Rubio attack ads.
"This is beanbag compared to what the Clinton hit machine is going to do to the Republican nominee," Bush said.
___
TRUMP'S COUNTERPROGRAMMING
It
was a risky move politically, but Donald Trump helped raise $6 million
to benefit veterans at an event three miles away from the debate stage.
Instead
of going after his rivals on national television, Trump read out the
names of wealthy friends who'd pledged major contributions to veterans'
causes. When he announced
he'd pledged $1 million himself, the crowd erupted in cheers.
He
explained to the Drake University crowd that he had little choice but
to skip the debate. Trump admitted he didn't know if the decision would
hurt him in the polls,
but tried to cast it as a sign of strength.
"You have to stick up for your rights. When you're treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights," he said.
As
for the debate, Trump predicted it would have far fewer viewers without
him on the stage. That may be true, but Iowa voters will decide in four
days whether Trump hurt
his chances in the 2016 race simply to prove a point.
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