After the third Republican presidential debate, it seemed the moderators had earned more criticism than the candidates. Viewers and the candidates themselves accused the moderators of throwing ‘gotcha’ questions at the candidates, as well as allowing certain candidates to run well over the time allotted, at the expense of others.
But this debate, the moderators are using a “cut off” bell to remind candidates when they’re going over without losing face. The problem? The bell has been getting better responses than some of the questions. Whether it's the actual policy answer that they couldn't get to in the actual time allotted or the weird metaphor that makes you go, "huh?" Here are some of the best and weirdest quotes that candidates are letting loose immediately after the bell.
Ted Cruz
On illegal immigration:
“Try going illegally to China or Japan. Try going to Mexico, see what they do." On taxing American products:
“Exports are free of that tax, but all imports pay that 16% business flat tax tax, which means this tax plan would cause jobs to boom and allow America to compete with China.”
On illegal immigration:
“Try going illegally to China or Japan. Try going to Mexico, see what they do." On taxing American products:
“Exports are free of that tax, but all imports pay that 16% business flat tax tax, which means this tax plan would cause jobs to boom and allow America to compete with China.”
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Carly Fiorina
On what happens to small business under Obamacare:
On what happens to small business under Obamacare:
“It gets crushed by regulatory thicket... We have to hack through this regulatory thicket, repeal so much, but also know what's in this regulatory thicket."
On her tax plan:
"Every dollar must be examined, any dollar can be cut, any dollar can be moved. We need to go to a three-page tax code." On dealing with Russia:
"I might also put in another few thousand troops into Germany, not to start a war, but to make sure Putin understands that America stands with its allies."
"Every dollar must be examined, any dollar can be cut, any dollar can be moved. We need to go to a three-page tax code." On dealing with Russia:
"I might also put in another few thousand troops into Germany, not to start a war, but to make sure Putin understands that America stands with its allies."
On government involvement in the housing market:
“This is how socialism starts, ladies and gentlemen. We must take our government back.”
“This is how socialism starts, ladies and gentlemen. We must take our government back.”
Donald Trump
On foreign policy:
"We have to get smart, we can’t continue to be the policeman of the world. We owe 19 billion dollars, we are going to hell. We have an infrastructure that’s going to hell."
On supporting our veterans:
"We should have kept the oil. We should have given big chunks to the people who lost their arms and legs and sons and daughters."
Jeb Bush
On avoiding another economic crisis:
"They need a good ethics lesson on Wall Street, on a regular basis, to keep them in check, so we the people do not lose."
On foreign policy:
"We have to get smart, we can’t continue to be the policeman of the world. We owe 19 billion dollars, we are going to hell. We have an infrastructure that’s going to hell."
On supporting our veterans:
"We should have kept the oil. We should have given big chunks to the people who lost their arms and legs and sons and daughters."
Jeb Bush
On avoiding another economic crisis:
"They need a good ethics lesson on Wall Street, on a regular basis, to keep them in check, so we the people do not lose."