Republican White House hopefuls struggle to break 2016 deadlock
MILWAUKEE: Republican White House hopefuls struggled to break away from the pack Tuesday in an election debate with fewer personal barbs, but some feisty exchanges on immigration and national security.
Eight top candidates gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a forum that distilled differences between candidates in substance and style, but did little to dramatically change the contours of the race.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump entered the evening leading the race to become the Republican nominee in the November 2016 contest to succeed President Barack Obama.
But it was their establishment rivals who took the lead in the debate, hoping to punch through with a command of economic policy and by training the focus on Obama and likely Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina, offered some of the sharpest criticism of the Democratic frontrunner.
“A Clinton presidency will corrode the character of this nation. Why? Because of the Clinton way. Say whatever you have to, lie as long as you can get away with it,” Fiorina said.
Coming into the forum fighting for his political life, one-time favorite Jeb Bush — the sometimes avuncular son of the 41st president and brother of the 43rd president — sought to break through with some tougher talk.
“Hillary Clinton has said that Barack Obama’s policies get an ‘A’ — really?” Bush asked derisively, listing woes ranging from a discouraged work force to high poverty levels, to kids on food stamps. — AFP