Republican Presidential Debate: Live Coverage

Interesting that the first time race and policing came up was not via a journalist question but roundabout via Christie. Christie said that President Obama “failed” police, and that under a Christie presidency “police officers will know they will have the support of the president of the United States.” He introduced this by referencing the FBI director’s musings that viral videos and reaction to Ferguson had dampened police response and raised crime. The only problem: There’s no evidence of a causal link, and the White House made a point of quickly and publicly distancing itself from the remarks.

It’s not a break in the debate action, but we have to give another World Series update now: Here come the Royals! After setting down the Mets quickly in the top of the fifth, KC scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-1. Now it’s on to the sixth in Kansas City …

Christie cited the argument by FBI Director James Comey that a so-called Ferguson effect is chilling police work, as police officers retreat from their work because of increased scrutiny of it. But Comey also said he has no concrete evidence of such an effect, and some criminologists question its existence.