DJT Audio Archive: Republican Debate #7 (Trump Absent) - Des Moines, Iowa (January 28, 2016)

Senator Cruz, before we get to the issues, let's address the elephant not in the room tonight.

[laughs]

Donald Trump has chosen not to attend this evening's presidential debate.

What message do you think that sends to the voters of Iowa?

Well, Megyn, let me say at the outset to the men and women of Iowa, thank you for the incredible hospitality over this past year.

By Monday, you will have welcomed me into all 99 counties in Iowa.

You will have welcomed my dad to preach at your churches.

You will have welcomed Heidi and our girls, Caroline and Catherine, into your homes.

And I am so grateful for the diligence, for the seriousness with which the men and women of Iowa approach this process.

If I am elected president, keep an eye on the tarmac because I'll be back, because Iowa in 2017 will not be flyover country.

It will be fly to country.

[clapping] Now, secondly, let me say I'm a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly.

And Ben, you're a terrible surgeon.

[laughs]

Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way [laughs]

[laughs] [clapping]

I wanna thank everyone here for showing the men and women of Iowa the respect to show up and make the case to the people of this state and the people of the country why each of us believe we would make the best commander in chief.

[clapping]

The divide between you and Mr. Trump has turned into one of the biggest stories in the country.

And for six months, th- your campaign, during this campaign, you praised Mr. Trump as somebody who you thought was an effective voice against the Washington cartel.

You said you were glad that he was running as a Republican.

But when he started to criticize you, your message changed, and you suddenly started to portray him as the voice of the Washington cartel and suggested he would do the Democrats' bidding.

Which is it?

it?Well, let me be clear.

If Donald engages in insults or anybody else, I don't intend to reciprocate.

Senator Cruz, before we get to the issues, let's address the elephant not in the room tonight.

[laughs]

Donald Trump has chosen not to attend this evening's presidential debate.

What message do you think that sends to the voters of Iowa?

Well, Megyn, let me say at the outset to the men and women of Iowa, thank you for the incredible hospitality over this past year.

By Monday, you will have welcomed me into all 99 counties in Iowa.

You will have welcomed my dad to preach at your churches.

You will have welcomed Heidi and our girls, Caroline and Catherine, into your homes.

And I am so grateful for the diligence, for the seriousness with which the men and women of Iowa approach this process.

If I am elected president, keep an eye on the tarmac because I'll be back, because Iowa in 2017 will not be flyover country.

It will be fly to country.

[clapping] Now, secondly, let me say I'm a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat, and ugly.

And Ben, you're a terrible surgeon.

[laughs]

Now that we've gotten the Donald Trump portion out of the way [laughs]

[laughs] [clapping]

I wanna thank everyone here for showing the men and women of Iowa the respect to show up and make the case to the people of this state and the people of the country why each of us believe we would make the best commander in chief.

[clapping]

The divide between you and Mr. Trump has turned into one of the biggest stories in the country.

And for six months, th- your campaign, during this campaign, you praised Mr. Trump as somebody who you thought was an effective voice against the Washington cartel.

You said you were glad that he was running as a Republican.

But when he started to criticize you, your message changed, and you suddenly started to portray him as the voice of the Washington cartel and suggested he would do the Democrats' bidding.

Which is it?

it?Well, let me be clear.

If Donald engages in insults or anybody else, I don't intend to reciprocate.