Iowans: Trump falls short in GOP debate; Rubio shines

Show Caption Hide Caption Donald Trump fiercely defends Muslim ban in GOP debate In Tuesday's CNN GOP debate, Donald Trump did not back down from his most controversial proposal of his 6-month campaign and fiercely defended his idea of banning all Muslims from entering the U.S.

Donald Trump — who called for closing down the Internet in “areas where we are at war with somebody” and needed to have someone else explain “nuclear triad” terminology — inadvertently made his rivals look more presidential in comparison, said several Iowa Republicans who watched the debate Tuesday night.

Almost all of the Republicans offering commentary for The Des Moines Register said Marco Rubio shined, and that Jeb Bush earned the most-improved award during the fifth GOP debate, televised live from Las Vegas, seven weeks out from the Iowa caucuses.

Bush, a former Florida governor, repeatedly feuded with Trump — and at the same time drove home that national security is his wheelhouse, the Iowans said.

“So Donald, you know, is great at the one-liners, but he's a chaos candidate,” Bush said. “And he'd be a chaos president. He would not be the commander in chief we need to keep our country safe.”

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“I won't get my information from the shows,” Bush added later, razzing Trump for saying he learned about foreign policy from watching TV shows. “I don't know if that's Saturday morning or Sunday morning. I don't know which one.”

“Bush seems to be getting his footing,” said Royce Phillips, who is founding pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Coralville and has been plugged into conservative politics in Iowa for three decades.

Jeff Angelo, a former state senator who delivers political commentary on WHO Radio in Des Moines, commented: “Good strategy tonight by Jeb Bush. He wants to shine in a foreign policy debate. He took on Trump and looked tough and decisive. I think some of the candidates have spotted a weakness in Trump's style — Trump is great at answering direct questions but often resorts to insults and incredulous facial expressions when challenged.”

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But Trump gave simple and firm answers on immigration, proving again that it's his strongest issue, Angelo said.

Rubio, a Florida U.S. senator, was smooth and polished, which made it easy to envision him debating Hillary Clinton, the Iowans said.

Trump, when asked by a moderator about his priority among our nuclear triad, stumbled through a couple of tries at answering.

“I think — I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me,” he said.

Rubio, asked to respond, smoothly explained that “the triad is our ability of the United States to conduct nuclear attacks using airplanes, using missiles launched from silos or from the ground, and also from our nuclear subs' ability to attack. And it's important — all three of them are critical. It gives us the ability at deterrence.”

Ted Cruz, a Texas U.S. senator, gave fiery answers on how he’d deal with radical Islamic terrorists.

“If this were a ‘Mission Impossible’ movie, Rubio is the smart guy who is hacking into the system of the bad guys; Cruz is the heavy that busts heads,” Angelo said.

Chris Christie scored points with his tough-talking confidence, and "did a good job of seizing the moment to sound like an outsider attacking the insiders for talking process,” Angelo said.

Christie, a New Jersey governor, won big applause for this line, after Cruz, Rubio and Rand Paul tussled over whether the nation is better or worse at fighting terrorism after ending bulk collection of telephone records.

“Listen, I want to talk to the audience at home for a second. If your eyes are glazing over like mine, this is what it's like to be on the floor of the United States Senate,” Christie said of the three first-term senators.

But Ben Carson, who has taken a dizzying dive from front-runner to third place in Iowa, repeatedly was panned by Iowans who commented for the Register. In one instance, Carson gave a puzzling answer to a question about toughness in foreign policy and war. He talked about opening up a child’s head in surgery.

“Carson, a little too much doctor. I want a president,” Phillips said.

Kedron Bardwell, a professor at Simpson College, said: “Carson tried to show off the intellectual heft gained by his recent trips overseas, but his communication was shaky, and at times his Middle East policy and terrorism strategy were incoherent.”

CNN set up a mini debate between Cruz and Rubio, who is considered vulnerable with some conservatives on the immigration issue.

During one sparring session, Rubio kept pushing Cruz to answer if he would support legalization for immigrants who are currently here illegally. On the campaign trail, Cruz has dodged that topic, saying he’d focus on securing the border first.

But on Tuesday night he went further.

"I have never supported legalization, and I do not intend to support legalization,” Cruz said.

Cruz also made a savvy play by mentioning Iowa U.S. Rep. Steve King, an anti-illegal-immigration conservative who has endorsed Cruz. “Smart move,” Angelo said.

Phillips ranked Cruz an 8 on a 10-point scale, deducting points when Cruz repeatedly broke the rules by talking over the CNN moderators.

“Cruz hurt himself when he wouldn't stop,” Phillips said.

Angelo agreed: “Cruz is making a big mistake by trying to talk over the top of the moderators; he's making Rubio look like the level-headed smart guy.”

Trump was a 7, Phillips said.

“Surprisingly restrained from what I expected. Some good answers but some way too vague,” he said.

Rubio was a 6. “Thoughtful answers but Cruz got the better of him three or four times.”

And Bush scored a 5. “He actually did better than I expected,” Phillips said.

Joseph Howe, a 35-year-old libertarian Republican, thought Cruz and Paul, who barely cleared the bar to jump onto the prime-time debate stage, were the winners.

“They both defended the Bill of Rights. Rand wins on recognizing that we are less safe when we topple dictators abroad and that we cannot be a powerful nation when we are in national bankruptcy,” Howe said.

Some of the nine candidates on the prime-time stage failed to make much impression on the Iowa Republicans.

Fiorina went after “first-term senators who never made an executive decision in their lives.”

She said: “(The late British Prime Minister) Margaret Thatcher once said if you want something talked about, ask a man. If you want something done ask a woman.”

It may have played well with Iowa women watching the debate, but Phillips said: “Fiorina, attacking men?”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich came across as a minor-leaguer who doesn’t have the charisma to go much further, the Iowans said.

“Kasich lost my interest,” Phillips said. “Even when he's excited, I'm sleeping.”

During a commercial break, there was an advertisement for the Netflix political drama “House of Cards,” whose devious main character is Frank Underwood.

“New rule,” Angelo said. “Halfway through a debate, America gets to kick one candidate off the stage and substitute Frank Underwood for that candidate.”