GOP candidates look to make the most of Trump's absence

[webfact]

GOP candidates look to make the most of Trump's absence
By JULIE PACE and JILL COLVIN

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump won't be onstage when Republican presidential candidates make their final appeals to Iowa voters in Thursday night's debate, and that gives the rest of the field a rare opportunity to frame the election in their own terms, at least for one night.

Trump is boycotting the debate in a dispute with host Fox News. Instead, he is holding a competing rally a few miles away that is likely to draw significant attention — as well as the participation of some lower-polling candidates hoping to draft off the front-runner's success.

Even with Trump's shadow hanging over the debate, his closest competitors are eager for an opportunity to break through in his absence. They also hope his boycott will be viewed negatively by voters in Iowa, which kicks off voting in the 2016 presidential race next Monday.

"I think it'll hurt him that he's not showing up in the Iowa debate four days before the Iowa caucuses," former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told CNN.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Republicans "don't have time for these kinds of distractions."

Trump has led the Republican race nationally for months, to the surprise of many. In Iowa, however, polls suggest he's locked in a tight race with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a favorite of the conservatives and evangelical Christians who hold significant sway in the state's Republican caucuses.

Some campaigns were preparing for the possibility Trump could reverse course and take the stage in Des Moines after all. However, he moved forward with plans to host a rally a few miles away that his campaign said would raise money for wounded warriors.

On Thursday, he announced the launch of a new website for collecting donations to veterans ahead of the event. The link, which he posted on Twitter, includes the seal of the Donald J. Trump Foundation, and a form for contributions.

Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, Iowa caucus winners in the past who have struggled to gain traction in the 2016 campaign, planned to join Trump at the event after appearing in an earlier undercard debate. They were relegated to that secondary contest because of low poll numbers.

With Fox carrying the main debate, other cable channels were likely to show Trump's event, stealing away at least some viewers who would have otherwise watched the contest.

"I think it's typical Trump," said Don Kass, chairman of Iowa's Plymouth County GOP. "He's betting on him making a bigger splash."

While earlier debates have been instrumental in the rise and fall of several GOP candidates, they have had minimal apparent impact on Trump's standing. He's preferred to make his case to potential voters in national television interviews and on Twitter, and has sometimes played a less forceful role in the debates.

Trump's absence was likely to turn attention to Cruz, a firebrand conservative disdained by many in his party, and Rubio, who is hoping a third-place finish in Iowa could help him establish him as the choice of more traditional Republicans.

Others on the debate stage will have their eyes on New Hampshire, where they're hoping a strong showing in the Feb. 9 primary will jumpstart their White House hopes. Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have all devoted the bulk of their campaign resources to New Hampshire.

Also on the main debate stage Thursday: retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has a loyal following in Iowa, and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who was relegated to the undercard in the last debate.

Iowa's fast food workers, meanwhile, hoped to draw at least 1,000 low-wage workers to rally for change outside Thursday's debate venue.

Trump's Fox feud dates back to the first Republican primary debate, when moderator Megyn Kelly took the billionaire business mogul to task over derogatory statements he'd made toward women. Trump had threatened to boycott Thursday's debate if Fox stuck with plans for Kelly to moderate again but later said it was a sarcastic statement from the network that was the final straw.

That statement said the leaders of Iran and Russia "both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president" and that "Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings."
___

Associated Press writers Steve Peoples and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-29

[ezzra]

Akin to when the cat is absent, the mice are celebrating, it remain to see if this maneuver

by Trump will help or hurt him....

[Ulic]

That Trump, a rookie that is playing the game like a wily veteran. Love it.

[khwaibah]

GO BIG D GO.

[notmyself]

With Trump out of the way they are all going to be exposed as having no policy.

[Ulysses G.]

This is a real opportunity for Ted Cruz anf Marco Rubio. Trump might up regreting this childish display.

[DoctorG]

With no Trump the Fox debate ratings will drop.

Edited January 29, 2016 by DoctorG

[Pinot]

They're all losers. Not an electable one in the whole clown car (bus).

[pomchop]

Donald Ducks

[reptile91602]

GOP candidates look to make the most of Trump's absence.

What a joke. If they had one of them that wasn't a dick it could work. Maybe 100 years from now!

[Miami Bob]

Trump is not just a candidate, he is the leader of a huge movement that is sick of politicians and even crosses over party lines. Remember for the past three years the US congress approval rating is only 9 % ! Americans have really been waking up in the last few years and most Americans hate the federal government now for one reason or another. The more the controlled establishment media attacks Trump the more popular he gets with the people. Trump is making the global corporate/banking elite very nervous. Don't be surprised if his plane blows up.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Miami Bob

[elgordo38]

This is a real opportunity for Ted Cruz anf Marco Rubio. Trump might up regreting this childish display.

Without the Donald there to defend himself the Dirty 7 will be dishing him at every opportunity to polish their own tarnished image. Its a dog eat dog sport to find a person that will keep the masses under control and do their masters (big business) bidding. Politics is a rotten rotten game.

[Chicog]

Well I have to say without The Combover it was a totally different ball game.

The questions came thick and fast, the answers were slick and snappy, the crowd enjoyed it.

I mean they were still trotting out the same lines, but they all looked very much liberated without the sour-faced one being ready to call them a loser at the drop of a hat.

Even Bush seemed energetic!

It will be interesting to see if it has any impact on the caucuses.

[notmyself]

I watched and thought it a laugh riot. First question were regarding Trump until Cruz said stop right on script. See, Trump not being there has exposed them to scrutiny which would otherwise not have happened. He outflanked them with 3 days to go until Iowa. They had to talk policy (ish) tonight and that showed just how little they have. Sure the questions were from Fox so you are only going to get softball questions but they still faltered all the way. In the UK it would be called a broadside.

[webfact]

GOP rivals mock Trump, try to make the most of his absence
By JULIE PACE and JILL COLVIN

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Absent Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidates strained to take advantage of a rare opportunity to step out of the front-runner's shadow in Thursday night's debate — a staid, policy-heavy contest that offered a glimpse of what the GOP contest might have been without the unpredictable businessman.

Still, the candidates couldn't resist mocking Trump, who boycotted the final debate before Iowa kicks off voting in the 2016 campaign on Monday.

"I'm a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly," said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is competing with Trump for the lead in Iowa. Cruz then thanked his fellow candidates for showing Iowa voters respect by showing up.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a frequent target of Trump, said with a wry smile, "I kind of miss Donald Trump; he was a teddy bear to me."


Never one to go quietly, Trump held a competing rally elsewhere in Des Moines, an event he said raised $6 million for military veterans.

"When you're treated badly, you have to stick up for your rights," Trump said in explaining he was skipping the debate because he felt Fox News had dealt with him unfairly. Broadening his point, he said, "We have to stick up for ourselves as people and we have to stick up for our country if we're being mistreated."

Trump's absence put the spotlight on Cruz, as well as on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who needs a strong showing in Iowa in order to stay in the top tier of candidates.

The two senators were confronted with video clips suggesting they had changed their positions on immigration, one of the most contentious issues among Republicans. While each insisted the other had flip-flopped, both denied they had switched their own views allowing some people in the U.S. illegally to stay.

Cruz accused Rubio of making a "politically advantageous" decision to support a 2013 Senate bill that included a pathway to citizenship, while the Florida senator said his rival was "willing to say or do anything to get votes."

"This is the lie that Ted's campaign is built on," Rubio said. "That he's the most conservative guy."

In a rare standout debate moment for Bush, the former Florida governor sharply sided with Cruz in accusing Rubio of having "cut and run" on the Senate immigration bill.

"He cut and ran because it wasn't popular with conservatives," said Bush.

Cruz was put on the spot over his opposition to ethanol subsidies that support Iowa's powerful corn industry — a position that has long been considered politically untenable for presidential candidates in the state. The Texas senator cast his position as an effort to keep the government from picking economic winners and losers.

With their White House hopes on the line, the candidates worked hard to present themselves as best prepared to be commander in chief and take on terror threats.

Rubio struck an aggressive posture, pledging that as president he would go after terrorists "wherever they are. And if we capture them alive, they are going to Guantanamo." Rubio also stood by his previous calls for shutting down mosques in the U.S if there were indications that the Muslim religious centers were being used to radicalize terrorists.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul — back on the main debate stage after being downgraded to an undercard event because of low poll numbers earlier this month — warned against closing down mosques. A proponent of a more isolationist foreign policy, Paul also raised concerns about the U.S. getting involved militarily in Syria, where the Islamic State group has a stronghold.

The candidates focused some of their most pointed attacks on Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.

"She is not qualified to be president of the United States," New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said.

Christie is part of a crowded field of more mainstream candidates who have struggled to break through in an election year where Trump, and increasingly Cruz, have tapped into voter anger with the political system. Party leaders have grown increasingly anxious for some of the more traditional candidates to step aside to allow one to rise up and challenge for the nomination.

Asked whether the crowded establishment lane was putting Trump in position to win, Bush said, "We're just starting out. The first vote hasn't been counted. Why don't we let the process work?"

Bush also defended the flurry of critical advertisements his well-funded super PAC has launched against Rubio and other rivals.

"It's called politics," Bush said. "That's the way it is. I'm running hard."

Bush and Christie, along with Ohio Gov. John Kasich, are looking beyond Iowa and hoping New Hampshire's Feb. 9 primary jumpstarts their campaigns. In an election where a lengthy political resume has been a liability, Kasich defended government's ability to tackle big problems.

"We serve you," Kasich said of government officials and voters. "You don't serve us. We listen to you and then we act."

Cruz proudly claimed he was "not the candidate of career politicians in Washington." Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has a small but loyal base in Iowa, said that even though he hasn't been in government, he's made plenty of life-and-death decisions as a doctor.

"I don't think you need to be a politician to tell the truth," he said.

Trump pulled out this week, citing unfair treatment from host Fox News. He's feuded with the network for months, particularly anchor and debate moderator Megyn Kelly.

While Fox covered the debate, other cable channels aired portions of his rally at Drake University, likely pulling away at least some TV viewers.

Trump was joined by fellow candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, who spoke briefly at the rally after appearing in an early undercard debate for low-polling candidates. Huckabee told the audience that he, Santorum and Trump are political competitors but "tonight we are colleagues" in supporting veterans.
___

AP writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-29

[Chicog]

Oooh I'm just watching the beginning which I missed.

Cruz made a right ar$e of himself.

[notmyself]

RNC must be going crazy right now. Cruz was supposed to shine and Rubio to glow but neither did either. Trump is playing this exceptionally well I have to say.

[up-country_sinclair]

Trump's absence at the debate will have no impact on the results in Iowa or New Hampshire. The no-nothing fanboys that support his candidacy are as determined as they are ignorant.

I would be remiss to not point out that this was one of the better Republican debates this year. The candidates were asked mostly appropriate questions and they gave mostly substantive answers. What's most dangerous about Trump is his lack of knowledge on the most important issues affecting the country. It's just bumper-sticker BS that can't withstand even a few moments of thoughtful scrutiny.

[up-country_sinclair]

Cruz was supposed to shine and Rubio to glow but neither did either.

Senator Cruz didn't do much to change the narrative on his perceived "dislikability", but I thought Senator Rubio did a fine job of putting out his positions on the issues and also appealing to Evangelicals in Iowa. Governor Bush also had a good performance, in my opinion.

[bark]

They did a poll right after the debate was over. Results showed that Trump won the debate. ( And he wasn't even there )

American Politics is the best !

[sanukjim]

From all reports it looks like they failed to take advantage.Not good planing on their part knowing that Trump would be away.

[notmyself]

Cruz was supposed to shine and Rubio to glow but neither did either.

Senator Cruz didn't do much to change the narrative on his perceived "dislikability", but I thought Senator Rubio did a fine job of putting out his positions on the issues and also appealing to Evangelicals in Iowa. Governor Bush also had a good performance, in my opinion.

I think all of them sucked big time but the debate was still entertaining.

Trump is going to be a big winner off of this debate.