Big Lines From the Debate

"Donald, you're not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency."
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 15, 2015 9:42 PM CST
Big Lines From the Debate
Ted Cruz, right, makes a point as Donald Trump reacts.   (AP Photo/John Locher)

Here are some of the more memorable lines emerging from Tuesday night's debate, culled from CNN and the Washington Post transcript:

  • Jeb Bush: "Donald, you're not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency." (Bush has gone after Trump repeatedly, labeling him a "chaos candidate.")
  • Donald Trump: "They can kill us, but we can't kill them?" In response to criticism from Rand Paul over his proposal to go after ISIS militants' families. (The New York Times' Nicholas Confessore says the line is "a perfect distillation of why he is leading this primary.") Later, Trump to Bush, sarcastically: "You're a tough guy Jeb. I'm at 42 and you're at 3."
  • Chris Christie: "If your eyes are glazing over like mine, this is what it’s like to be on the floor of the United States Senate," referring to a back-and-forth between Marco Rubio and Paul over votes on security and immigration. "I mean, endless debate about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin." (Later, he called President Obama a "feckless weakling.")
  • Marco Rubio: “I don’t think national television in front of 15 million people is the place to discuss classified information," he said while sparring with Cruz over his support of domestic surveillance. "The next time there is an attack on this country the first thing we’re going to want to know is why didn’t we know about it and why didn’t we stop it?”

  • Ted Cruz: “I’m reminded of what FDR’s grandfather said; he said all horse thieves are Democrats, but not all Democrats are horse thieves. In this instance there are millions of peaceful Muslims across the world," he said in criticizing Trump's plan to ban Muslims as too broad. Later, referring to Cruz: "He was fighting to grant amnesty. ... I was fighting to secure the border."
  • Carly Fiorina: "Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are responsible for the growth of ISIS because they precipitously withdrew from Iraq in 2011." Earlier, quoting Margaret Thatcher: "If you want something talked about, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman."
  • Ben Carson: "I don't do a lot of talking. I do a lot of doing. ... That speaks volumes about strength."
  • Rand Paul: "If you're going to close the Internet, realize, America, what that entails. It means getting rid of the First Amendment," he said, in a swipe at comments by Trump. Later, after Christie talked about shooting down Russian planes in a no-fly zone: "I think if you're in favor of World War III, you have your candidate."
  • John Kasich: "Frankly, it's time that we punched the Russians in the nose. They’ve gotten away with too much in this world."
(More Donald Trump 2016 stories.)

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