The second presidential debate of 2016 has concluded. The debate featured: Real estate mogul Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (Florida), retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Starting off with the economy, the moderators asked the candidates about President Obama’s claim the United States’ economy is the strongest and most durable economy in the world. Sen. Cruz said the president’s statement is true for lobbyists and billionaires, but not the average American worker.
Ohio Gov. Kasich said the government needs to pass a balanced budget cut the debt to stabilize the stock market.
Gov. Christie said military action should be used when American lives or interests are directly threatened. Gov. Bush said the country is not stronger than it was when President Obama first took office, and listed several foreign issues to support his claim.
Sen. Marco Rubio said intelligence agencies would find out where ISIS is operating from and the military would defeat the terrorist organization and that any captured ISIS operatives would be detained in the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba if he is elected president.
This week, The New York Times released a report that said the Cruz campaign failed to report a $1 million loan from Goldman Sachs. When asked about the report, Cruz called it a hit-piece and downplayed any legal problems saying that he properly reported it for the Senate but not the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and called it a paper-work error.
In recent weeks, Donald Trump and other candidates have raised the question of Sen. Cruz’s eligibility to run for president. Sen. Cruz was born in Canada and his mother was an American citizen.
Cruz fought back stating that some constitutional scholars say that in order to be a naturally born citizen both parents must be American citizens. He listed Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Rubio, and Donald Trump as individuals who could not run for office under those standards because they did not have two parents who were citizens.
“I will not use your mother’s birth against you,” he said to Trump. He argued that the only reason Trump has raised the issue because polling in Iowa shows a close race between the two.
When asked about President Obama’s executive action on gun control, Gov. Bush said the government needs to focus on enforcing current gun laws instead of passing new laws. Bush said the FBI needs to process background checks faster.
Donald Trump said he believes that if someone had a gun the recent mass shootings would not have been as deadly as they were. Trump echoed Bush’s argument that President Obama should have worked with Congress instead of issuing an executive order on gun control.
Sen. Rubio said that Obama meets with the Attorney General to develop a plan to take guns away from people, and went so far as to say that he believes the president would eliminate the Second Amendment if he could.
Gov. Christie said that Republicans aren’t against President Obama rather his polices, saying that after the president had a super majority in Congress the Republicans won a majority of seats in the House and Senate.
As the discussion turned to foreign policy, Gov. Bush said the international community should not lift sanctions on Iran and should work with several Arab nations to stand up to Iranian aggressions.
Gov. Christie said there will not be peace in Syria with President Assad in power and that the United States must work with other nations to depose him. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has previously stated that Assad must be removed from power and then Arab nations will join a coalition.
Trump was asked if he would rethink his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country, and he said he would not. Despite the controversy surrounding the proposal, Trump said several of his Muslim friends have supported his policy and that he believes it is a good way to bolster national security.
Gov. Bush urged Trump to change his policy suggesting that the visa waiver program should be reformed and that Syrian refugees don’t have to come to America. However, he questioned whether the policy is fair the peaceful Muslims who want to come to America.
Trump responded by saying that he wants to make the nation safer and discussed the San Bernardino shooting and the fact that there were pipe bombs in the house of the shooters, and that people had suspicions but did not say anything to law enforcement.
Starting off with the economy, the moderators asked the candidates about President Obama’s claim the United States’ economy is the strongest and most durable economy in the world. Sen. Cruz said the president’s statement is true for lobbyists and billionaires, but not the average American worker.
Ohio Gov. Kasich said the government needs to pass a balanced budget cut the debt to stabilize the stock market.
Gov. Christie said military action should be used when American lives or interests are directly threatened. Gov. Bush said the country is not stronger than it was when President Obama first took office, and listed several foreign issues to support his claim.
Sen. Marco Rubio said intelligence agencies would find out where ISIS is operating from and the military would defeat the terrorist organization and that any captured ISIS operatives would be detained in the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba if he is elected president.
This week, The New York Times released a report that said the Cruz campaign failed to report a $1 million loan from Goldman Sachs. When asked about the report, Cruz called it a hit-piece and downplayed any legal problems saying that he properly reported it for the Senate but not the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and called it a paper-work error.
In recent weeks, Donald Trump and other candidates have raised the question of Sen. Cruz’s eligibility to run for president. Sen. Cruz was born in Canada and his mother was an American citizen.
Cruz fought back stating that some constitutional scholars say that in order to be a naturally born citizen both parents must be American citizens. He listed Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Rubio, and Donald Trump as individuals who could not run for office under those standards because they did not have two parents who were citizens.
“I will not use your mother’s birth against you,” he said to Trump. He argued that the only reason Trump has raised the issue because polling in Iowa shows a close race between the two.
When asked about President Obama’s executive action on gun control, Gov. Bush said the government needs to focus on enforcing current gun laws instead of passing new laws. Bush said the FBI needs to process background checks faster.
Donald Trump said he believes that if someone had a gun the recent mass shootings would not have been as deadly as they were. Trump echoed Bush’s argument that President Obama should have worked with Congress instead of issuing an executive order on gun control.
Sen. Rubio said that Obama meets with the Attorney General to develop a plan to take guns away from people, and went so far as to say that he believes the president would eliminate the Second Amendment if he could.
Gov. Christie said that Republicans aren’t against President Obama rather his polices, saying that after the president had a super majority in Congress the Republicans won a majority of seats in the House and Senate.
As the discussion turned to foreign policy, Gov. Bush said the international community should not lift sanctions on Iran and should work with several Arab nations to stand up to Iranian aggressions.
Gov. Christie said there will not be peace in Syria with President Assad in power and that the United States must work with other nations to depose him. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has previously stated that Assad must be removed from power and then Arab nations will join a coalition.
Trump was asked if he would rethink his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country, and he said he would not. Despite the controversy surrounding the proposal, Trump said several of his Muslim friends have supported his policy and that he believes it is a good way to bolster national security.
Gov. Bush urged Trump to change his policy suggesting that the visa waiver program should be reformed and that Syrian refugees don’t have to come to America. However, he questioned whether the policy is fair the peaceful Muslims who want to come to America.
Trump responded by saying that he wants to make the nation safer and discussed the San Bernardino shooting and the fact that there were pipe bombs in the house of the shooters, and that people had suspicions but did not say anything to law enforcement.