http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/92356/terrible-trump-debate-that-made-america-grate-again “Terrible” Trump and a Debate That Made America Grate Again
Front-runner is rude, dismissive, and vague—and it may not matter.
November 10, 2015
Donald Trump was a condescending, narrow-minded braggart who dismissed the governor of Ohio like a billionaire to a bum: “I don’t have to hear from this man.” In other words, the fourth GOP presidential debate was as enlightening as the first three.
Eight Republican candidates squared off in Wisconsin for a debate televised by Fox Business Network, which, along with its cosponsors at The Wall Street Journal, kept questions tame and tilted toward the economy.
The issue that sparked the fiercest exchange: immigration.
“It was a terrific thing that that happened,” Trump said of a federal appeals court ruling on Monday that upheld a lower court’s decision against President Obama’s executive orders easing deportation threats on millions of illegal immigrants.
Trump reiterated his vague promise to deport them all. “We’re a country of laws. We either have a country or we don’t have a country. They’re going to have to go out,” the GOP front-runner said, “and hopefully they get back.”
John Kasich, a popular Ohio governor who helped balance the federal budget as a congressman in the 1990s, reminded GOP voters that Ronald Reagan eased immigration laws. He also called out Trump for pandering. “Think about the families. Think about the children,” Kasich said, adding that deporting 11 million people is unfeasible. “It’s a silly argument. It’s not an adult argument. It makes no sense.”
Trump tried to compare his plan with President Eisenhower’s actions, a fallacious argument that Kasich tried to counter. Trump wouldn’t let him. “You should let Jeb speak,” said the New York real estate mogul and reality TV star.
He was referring to Jeb Bush, the brother and son of former presidents whose campaign is on the brink of collapse, despite a conservative record as the governor of Florida and a common-sense approach to immigration that might slow the siphoning of Hispanic voters from the GOP.
Bush was slow to pick up the cue—a bad habit of his—and Kasich tried to counter Trump again.
“I built a company worth billions and billions of dollars,” said Trump, who has admitted to exaggerating his business successes. “I don’t have to hear from this man.”
Finally, Bush spoke up. “Thank you, Donald, for letting me speak at the debate.” The audience laughed at the sarcasm, if not at Trump. “What a generous man you are.”
Bush then spoke the truth about Trump’s immigration rhetoric. “It’s just not possible and it’s not embracing American values and it would tear families apart,” he said, “and even having this conversation sends a powerful signal: They’re doing high fives in the Clinton campaign when they’re hearing this.”
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