Republican Undercard Debate: Live Coverage

Point of order re: Santorum’s call for nuclear families: whether or not he counts them as such, do two-mom or two-dad families count as “nuclear”? Various definitions say mother/father kids OR “a couple and their dependent children, regarded as a basic social unit.”

Mike Huckabee was asked whether he would keep Janet Yellen in charge of the Fed. While he said he would change leadership, most Americans have no clue who she is. According to a March 2015 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 70 percent could not form an opinion of her.

Remember that pretty detailed and out-there list of format demands that was circulating after the last debate? Things like: Will you commit that you will not:

• Ask the candidates to raise their hands to answer a question.
• Ask yes/no questions without time to provide a substantive answer.
• Have a “lightning round.”
• Allow candidate-to-candidate questioning.
• Allow props or pledges by the candidates.
• Have reaction shots of members of the audience or moderators during debates.

etc etc … I think this is the best debate of the election season so far, and partly because the hosts didn’t agree to the demands. Without “candidate-to-candidate questioning” in particular, we never would have had that Christie-Jindal exchange. Even the shorter questions have been illuminating. The main difference? Only four people on stage. It’s just a simple fact that with more than five or so people on stage, it’s impossible to conduct a civil and productive conversation.