Fouls, rebounds and slam dunks at first 2016 US political debate

Fellow Republican 2016 US presidential candidates Dr. Ben Carson (L), Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (2nd L) and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) laugh as fellow candidate and businessman Donald Trump (2nd R) reacts near the end of the debate after realising that a slew of criticisms spoken by fellow candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (not pictured) were not aimed at him but at Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, at the first official Republican presidential candidates debate of the 2016 US presidential campaign in Cleveland, Ohio, 6 August – Reuters

Reuters: Just about every 2016 US presidential candidate at the first Republican debate had a difficult moment at Quicken Loans Arena, a venue better known as home to the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and their star player LeBron James.

It was a fractious affair late on Thursday, with the Fox News Channel moderators confronting each of 10 candidates on the stage with their political weaknesses, prompting testy exchanges between candidates Donald Trump and Rand Paul, Paul and Chris Christie, and most notably Trump and Fox News host Megyn Kelly.

Trump had been expected to dominate the two-hour show, and the boastful billionaire did not disappoint. He made news by refusing to rule out a third-party bid and then, when asked about his view of women, taking a jab at Kelly.

It was classic Trump with few kind words for anyone but himself. At times he blasted politicians (“stupid”), insurers (“They’re making a fortune!”), bankers (“They’re killers!”), the media (“They’re a very dishonest lot”), the moderators, his rival candidates, and President Barack Obama.

He sought to play down his past liberal positions on abortion and healthcare, and he compared himself to late US President Ronald Reagan. But it wasn’t all about Trump, known as “the Donald” by friend and foe alike.