CNN Reagan Library 1st tier GOP debate @8pm ET **live commentary thread**

[Likely Voter]

I predict that this debate will not go well for Trump. He got lucky last time by picking a fight with Fox/Kelly afterwards, but that trick wont work again.

[Likely Voter]

Huckabee cues up Trump/Mr T photo mashes in 3,2,1..

[Likely Voter]

Did Tapper mention Paul in his question to Trump? Why did Trump randomly go after Paul?

[Likely Voter]

Hate to say it but CNN's 'candidate x says you suck, what do you have to say to that?' thing makes it more entertaining

[Likely Voter]

Damn, Walker's been eating his Wheaties. Did he get a brain transplant?

Walker saw his support fall off a cliff after his lackluster performance last time so he know if he doesnt show energy and get aggressive, his campaign is over.

[Likely Voter]

countdown to Bush calling himself Veto Corleone again....

[Likely Voter]

Trump keeps talking about turning down multimillion dollar donations...is he aware that any donation that large would have been illegal?

[Likely Voter]

Carson just said he got 500k donations, which is not a surprise. He will probably have the best fundraising for Q3 (campaign not superpac)

[Likely Voter]

It is interesting how Cruz looks directly at the active camera instead of the moderator (or Kasich who was the subject of the question)

[Likely Voter]

does the air conditioning not work?  #gopsweat

[Likely Voter]

Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake!

[Likely Voter]

Let me get the logic...if the US bombed Syria earlier and with more bombs there would be fewer refugees?

[Likely Voter]

Why can't Bush complete a single sentence without stuttering?

I think like Al Gore in 2000, Bush has the voices of too many consultants in his head and he is always trying to placate as many as possible and so everything he says sounds stilted and sound-bitey.

[Likely Voter]

omg there is 2 more hours of this

[Likely Voter]

is Bibi really her friend? Do they hang out? Does she know what his favorite movie is? Does he give her hair tips? These are the questions that need to be ask

[Likely Voter]

I'm genuinely curious: How does the federal government regulate bathrooms?

http://www.americanrestroom.org/gov/ohsa/

[Likely Voter]

I'm genuinely curious: How does the federal government regulate bathrooms?

http://www.americanrestroom.org/gov/ohsa/

So Rubio doesn't think OSHA should regulate workplace sanitation standards.  Good to know.

The invisible hand will take care of it? If a store doesn't provide bathrooms for its employees or require them to wash their hands then that business will fail?

[Likely Voter]

Jeb: my brother kept America safe



uhhhh.... 9/11 happened on HIS watch.

This! Why does Jeb follow the leader with the other candidates attack Hillary, Obama, and the rest of the democrats. He should realize he's no safer when it comes to his older brother's controversial presidency and the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He should be straight forward and admit that there have not only been mistakes in the past, but as President he can fix those problems.

Yes, it's not much substance but it's something he can use I believe.

In Jeb's world the 'kept us safe' count starts on 9/12 and 'Iraq was just fine' the day his brother left office, so 9/11 was Clinton's fault and the civil war/strife/ISIS in Iraq was all Obama's fault...everything in between was all kittens and puppies.

[Likely Voter]

Huckabee calls Obama "the most dangerous president we've ever had."

More dangerous than this guy?

[Likely Voter]

To the casual observer watching this debate the GOP plan for America is:
- lower taxes
- increase defense spending
- reinvade Iraq (and Syria and Iran)
- kick out the immigrants (maybe some can stay to pick fruit)
- protect the oppressed (meaning Christian florists)

[Likely Voter]

Trump is a big meh so far and he probably knows it.

so cue the blistering tweetstorm against Jake Tapper and CNN starting in about 1 hour. I think his angle will be they were unfair to him and picked on him and took him out of context etc. But unlike the FOX debate, not sure people will see it that way. Probably also say it was too long and too many people. Anything to 'work the refs' and deflect from his ho hum performance.

[Likely Voter]

Jeb you can't pivot from pot (especially medical pot) to heroin. Not even Republicans conflate those anymore

[Likely Voter]

Funny how all the guys who think that the US can unilaterally get a better deal with Iran and the international community can just be ignored are suddenly global citizens on climate change and say the US shuoldn't do anything until everyone else does it first

[Likely Voter]

Dr. Trump is telling Carson he is wrong on a medical issue.

[Likely Voter]

A few times we have heard these guys cite Kennedy and the moon program. That was a massive top down government program that would cost about $120B in today's dollars. 

So are they willing to spend huge for energy independence or curing cancer or whatever other 'moon shot' (on top of their tax cuts and massive military spending) or is it just more empty rhetoric.