It’s Saturday night in America, and that means it’s debate night. Or something. Anyway, we do have a debate and–twist!–it’s the Republicans opting for the weekend, instead of the Democrats.
“On the eve of the biggest game of the year, the biggest debate of the season,” ABC’s announcer intoned as the network’s coverage began at 8 p.m. ET. (Biggest?) A promo for Sunday morning’s This Week begins, “right after the EPIC debate…” (Epic? Shouldn’t we have the debate first, promo department?)
A bit of housekeeping: Donald Trump returns to the debate stage, but Carly Fiorina, who wanted a spot on stage, was shut out.
Our moderators tonight are David Muir and Martha Raddatz, and pre-game coverage (you didn’t think the debate started at 8, did you?) is being handled by George Stephanopoulos.
At 8:04 p.m., Stephanopoulos said “the debate, just minutes away.” That often means you can watch an episode of House Hunters and still be back in time to gripe about how long you have to wait before things actually start, but we’ll keep you posted.
8:17 p.m. ET: THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE CANDIDATE INTROS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY Somehow, Ben Carson became unsure of whether he should walk on stage. Other candidates passed him. A stagehand waved him on. He waved them off. Donald Trump joined Carson on hold behind the curtain. Marco Rubio walked by both of them, smiling. Jeb Bush strolled by, tapping Trump. John Kasich only came on stage after–it seemed–another candidate reminded the moderators he was part of the debate.
Ben Carson isn't quite sure when to take the stage #GOPdebate https://t.co/SLpGiX7UtV
— Mashable News (@MashableNews) February 7, 2016
Could this moment by Jeb! be a campaign commercial?
JEB taps in pic.twitter.com/4MEVIcm7lP
— Justin Green (@JGreenDC) February 7, 2016
8:26 p.m. ET: Cruz Blames CNN, Again Yet again, Cruz suggests that CNN–he named Jake Tapper, Dana Bash and Wolf Blitzer–reported Carson would not go on from Iowa directly to New Hampshire, and said it took three hours for the network to clarify he was not dropping out.
CNN has responded, here.
Carson followed up that the initial report was actually clarified within one minute to say that this was not a campaign suspension.
8:40 p.m. ET: Raddatz Takes No BS. Martha Raddatz, as she did during ABC’s Democratic debate, gets kudos from fellow journalists for her take-no-prisoners approach to campaign speech, interrupting the candidates to clarify, and to press for answers:
Do not try to mans plain Raddatz on national security…. She will (gently) crush you
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) February 7, 2016
.@MarthaRaddatz knows more about U.S. missile defense policy than Cruz.
— Tony Fratto (@TonyFratto) February 7, 2016
You DO NOT MESS with Martha!
— amy walter (@amyewalter) February 7, 2016
9:03 p.m. ET: Eminent Domain Turns to a Bush Attack on Trump “He wants to be a tough guy,” says Trump, on the defensive after Bush attacks Trump, saying he used eminent domain to try and take an “old lady’s house” for a “limousine parking lot” for his Atlantic City casino.
When he’s booed, Trump suggests the audience is packed with “special interests and donors” and not his supporters.
Best use of the term "limousine parking lot" in the 2016 campaign. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/IwQosNE3jz
— Stephen Battaglio (@SteveBattaglio) February 7, 2016
9:10 p.m. ET: Half Time? George Stephanopoulos anchors a short half-time-ish conversation about the first hour of the debate, and promises to return with the candidates “on stage.” It was, of course, on the ABC Democratic debate after a half-time break that led to the debate resuming without Hillary Clinton onstage.
9:30 p.m. ET Was Rubio Booed for Canned Lines?
Rubio gets stuck on repeat, delivers same canned line 3 times in 3 minutes https://t.co/5VxCNuhDJT #GOPdebate pic.twitter.com/9XlxqAwrUg
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 7, 2016
9:40 p.m. ET: Mary Katharine Ham Gets Props, Too The Fox News contributor is getting nice comments tonight on Twitter for her questions:
Just as an aside, @mkhammer is a national treasure. That is all.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 7, 2016
And how about this for a big night?
Big day for me! First baby laughs AND a #gopdebate! Kiddo’s backstage with my mom and we’re ready to go out front! Lovin’ all of it.
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) February 7, 2016
10:05 p.m. ET: Trump’s Talk Time Unlike previous debates, Trump is not dominating the talk time tonight:
Talk times after 2nd break, per @barbarasprunt:
Cruz: 15:28
Rubio: 12:58
Trump: 12:04
Christie: 8:48
Bush: 7:55
Kasich: 7:37
Carson: 6:06— Domenico Montanaro (@DomenicoNPR) February 7, 2016
As time runs down, many ask about topics that didn’t make the cut. What was missing in your view?
Especially problematic for @abc since @realDonaldTrump started off by (falsely) claiming America is going to hell https://t.co/w3oFvcxkv0
— Raju Narisetti (@raju) February 7, 2016
So I guess we're just skipping LGBT Americans altogether?
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) February 7, 2016
We’re headed to final statements, but first, a commercial break, a short conversation between Stephanopoulos and Jonathan Karl, and then a promise to return with the candidates. Not everyone amused:
I want ABC to give me the minutes of my life they've wasted on this mid-debate analysis back, please.
— Alex Koppelman (@AlexKoppelman) February 7, 2016