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Primary Debates and Forums
Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at The Venetian Las Vegas in Las Vegas.
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Main Debate
L-R: Kaisich, Fiorina, Rubio, Carson, Trump, Cruz, Bush, Christie and Paul. CNN
Tuesday,
December
15,
2015
at
8:30 - 11:00 p.m. E.T.
Post-Debate
|
video, 2
|
transcript
Sponsors: CNN, Facebook and Salem
Media Group.
Candidates: Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump. [9 total]
Moderator: CNN Lead Political Ancher Wolf Blitzer, joined by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and Salem Radio Network radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Audience:
About
1,300.
Broadcast: "The debate will air live exclusively on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. CNN will also offer a live stream of the debate on CNN.com’s Home Page and across mobile platforms. All users will be able to watch live CNN TV online and on their mobile devices without logging in. This live event will give viewers access to the debate across all platforms to showcase the value of TV Everywhere. In addition, Salem Radio Network will air the debate live through their broadcast radio stations."
Format:
Candidates
had
one
minute
and
fifteen
seconds
to
respond to questions and 30 seconds
for follow ups and rebuttals. One-minute introductions and
30-second closing statements.
Overview:
This
was
the
fifth
Republican
debate.
After considerable criticism
about use of national polls to determine who would participate in past
debates, CNN adjusted its criteria to take into account how candidates
were faring in Iowa and NH polls. It appeared that
Sen.
Rand Paul might be bumped to the undercard debate, but a late FOX poll
put him on the main stage. Gov. Chris Christie returned to
the main stage after appearing in the undercard debate last time.
Since the last debate
in Milwaukee
on Nov. 10 the terrorist attacks in Paris, France on the evening of
Nov.
13 and the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Calif. on Dec. 2
occurred. This debate focused on national security, and moderator
Wolf Blitzer kept the candidates focused squarely on those
issues.
Many of the candidates turned in strong performances. There were a lot of sharp exchanges, for example between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio on metadata, military intervention and immigration. Jeb Bush drew notice for directly taking on "chaos candidate" Donald Trump. Rand Paul also had one of his better debates, making the case for a less interventionist foreign policy.
CNN reported that according to Nielsen
Fast National ratings this debate was the "third most watched primary
debate ever, averaging 18 million total viewers."
Undercard Debate
Tuesday,
December
15,
2015
at
6:30
-
8:00
p.m.
E.T.
Post-Debate
|
video,
2
|
transcript
Sponsors: CNN, Facebook and Salem Media
Group.
Candidates: Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee,
George Pataki, Rick Santorum.
Moderator: CNN Lead Political Ancher Wolf Blitzer, joined by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash and Salem Radio Network talk show host Hugh Hewitt.
Audience: About 1,300.
Broadcast: "The debate will air live exclusively on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. CNN will also offer a live stream of the debate on CNN.com’s Home Page and across mobile platforms. All users will be able to watch live CNN TV online and on their mobile devices without logging in. This live event will give viewers access to the debate across all platforms to showcase the value of TV Everywhere. In addition, Salem Radio Network will air the debate live through their broadcast radio stations."
Format: Candidates had one minute and fifteen seconds to respond to questions and 30 seconds for follow ups and rebuttals. One-minute introductions and 30-second closing statements.
Overview:
Gov.
Bobby
Jindal,
who
participated
in
all
four
of
the
undercard
debates
to
date,
ended
his
campaign
on
Nov.
17.
Former
Gov.
Jim
Gilmore did
not meet the criteria to participate. CNN reported that this
debate averaged 5.7 million total viewers.