Article courtesy of MIRS News Service
(DETROIT) — Donald TRUMP defended his manhood by showing off the size of his hands. And Marco RUBIO and Ted CRUZ verbally battered the New York billionaire every chance they could.
Those were the headlines of Thursday night’s 11th Republican presidential debate, not anything going on in Michigan.
Logistically, the exchange took place at the Fox Theater, but it could have been anywhere. Michigan issues were given six minutes during the two-hour debate.
Meanwhile, Cruz and Rubio continued their tag-team body slams to drive down Trump’s poll numbers on the back of Mitt ROMNEY’s sharp criticism earlier in the day. Trump returned by calling “Little Marco” and Cruz a pair of “liars.”
The night’s most memorable moment came early when Rubio’s recent comment on the size of Trump’s hand was regurgitated. Trump held up his hands and quipped, “Are they small hands? He referred to my hands. If they’re small then something else is small. I guarantee it. There is no problem. I guarantee it.”
The subtle reference was the presumed connection between the size of a man’s hand and his penis.
The assaults and insults didn’t stop there, with the marked exception of the fourth candidate on the stage, Ohio Gov. John KASICH. He’s pledged not to go negative in the primary.
The history of the legally troubled Trump University. The debated release of the off-the-record interview with the New York Times. His arguably “flexible” positions, Trump was assailed by Rubio on his right and Cruz on this left (right on TV), giving him around twice as much speaking time any other candidate.
Three Michigan issues were brought up at the 1 hour-22 minute mark of the debate when Rubio was given the night’s only question regarding the Flint water crisis.
He said what happened in Flint was a “systemic breakdown of government” and defended Gov. Rick SNYDER for taking responsibility for the situation. Rubio shamed that Democrats are making it a “partisan issue,” urging them instead to help fix the situation.
“Republicans didn’t wake up one morning and decide to poison some kids with lead. It’s absurd. We are all outraged,” Rubio said.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Brandon DILLON tweeted afterward, “So far 90 minutes on hand size and Trump University. 30 seconds on #FlintWaterCrisis. #Pathetic.”
Kasich got a question on fixing Detroit’s economically and academically challenged Detroit Public Schools, but he whiffed when he incorrectly stated that the Detroit mayor now controls the schools.
The Ohio governor was looking at a way to segue to his involvement in overhauling the Cleveland public school system and the need for the nation to consolidate its federal grants as a way to fix the country’s urban schools.
Cruz was given a shot at expanding on how his policies would bring manufacturing jobs back to Detroit. Cruz shared his theory that “60 years of left-wing policies” put the Motor City in its current state.
He contended his plans to repeal Obamacare, pull back federal regulators and alter the nation’s tax code would spur small business and bring business back to Detroit.
Trump made a passing reference to Flint near the end of the debate and the need for a national plan on improving municipal infrastructure.
Otherwise, the rowdy Michigan crowd inside the Fox Theater was given a healthy dose of insults. Rubio was the most aggressive in rolling around in the mud with Trump, who called Romney a “failed” candidate and an “embarrassment to everybody.” Whether that was the questions the FOX News team posed or the candidates is obviously up for debate.
Rubio apologized to no-one for his frontal attack. He reasoned that Trump had spent the last year mocking people and “If there’s anyone who deserves to be attacked that way, it’s Donald Trump.”
Trump basically called “scoreboard,” pointing to the fact that he’s leading the delegate count, has won 10 state primaries or caucuses and continues to lead in basically every Republican primary poll.
Cruz’s approach was much different. He wasn’t rattled when Trump tried to talk over him, and chastised Trump for his outbursts as if he was a child.
“Count to 10. It’s not hard not to interrupt, Donald. Count to 10,” Cruz said at one point. Later in the debate, Cruz told Trump to “breathe.”
Kasich stayed out of the crossfire, although it was pointed out on more than one occasion that his path to the nomination essentially is to drag the process into a convention, where Kasich could emerge as a consensus candidate.
Senate Majority Leader Arlan MEEKHOF (R-West Olive) said Kasich “clearly showed he was the adult on the stage. He described what he is going to do. It’s clear he is the most capable person to be our next president.”
Meekhof endorsed Kasich last September on Mackinac Island. Asked if he had informed Kasich that Detroit Mayor Mike DUGGAN doesn’t run the Detroit Public Schools, he said no, but pledged would gently inform him when they ran into each other again.