Trump loses cool, lashes out at Republican rivals during debate
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Donald Trump, his face red with emotion, has lashed out at rivals Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz at the most acrimonious debate between Republican presidential candidates, shouting insults and casting aside a pledge to be more measured.
The New York billionaire went into the CBS debate on Saturday with a head of steam, having won New Hampshire last Tuesday and holding a big lead in polls in South Carolina a week before Republicans vote on February 20.
Rather than play it safe, Trump responded to every comment leveled his way, interrupted his opponents at will and called them liars repeatedly in an emotional outburst that could raise more questions about whether he has the temperament to serve in the White House.
He made his most blistering attacks against Bush and his brother, former President George W. Bush, who has many admirers in the Republican establishment.
It was hard to declare a winner in the debate amid the constant volley of insults, not all of them from Trump. Cruz and fellow Senator Marco Rubio also took pointed jabs at each other over illegal immigration.
But Trump dominated the debate conservation on Twitter with 40 percent of the mentions, according to data from the micro-blogging platform.
Trump鈥檚 combative style has set the tone for much of the campaign but in recent days he had pledged to pursue a more measured, positive approach. At the debate, that strategy lasted only through his comments about Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who was found dead on Saturday.
Trump was quickly goaded when Bush criticized Trump鈥檚 past statements that Russia has a role to play in Syria.
Russia, Bush said, is not attacking Islamic State militants but instead helping Syrian President Bashir Assad, who Washington wants to leave power.
Trump blasted Bush鈥檚 brother for launching the Iraq war in 2003 over claims, later proven false, that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.
鈥淎 big, fat mistake,鈥 said Trump, noting that the September 11, 2001, attacks had also occurred on Bush鈥檚 watch.
鈥淕eorge Bush made a mistake,鈥 Trump thundered. 鈥淲e all make mistakes. But that one was a beauty ... They lied! They said there were weapons of mass destruction. And there were none.鈥
Many in the crowd booed Trump, who dismissed them as 鈥渓obbyists and special interests鈥 supporting the former Florida governor.
Bush will campaign with his brother George today in North Charleston, South Carolina.
鈥淚鈥檓 sick and tired of him going after my family,鈥 Bush said. 鈥淢y dad is the greatest man alive in my mind. While Donald Trump was building a reality TV show, my brother was building a security apparatus to keep us safe. And I鈥檓 proud of what he did.
鈥淗e had the gall to go after my mother,鈥 Bush said, reminding the audience that Trump had criticized his 90-year-old mother Barbara Bush, wife of former President George HW Bush. 鈥淢y mother is the strongest woman I know.鈥
鈥淪he should be running,鈥 Trump responded.
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