GOP Debate Live Blog: America Held Hostage

It’s the first GOP debate since Jeb! threw in the towel and the first since Donald Trump’s blowout in Nevada. It’s also the last GOP debate before Super Tuesday, when about a quarter of the delegates will be assigned and Trump’s already way ahead with 82 delegates, to Ted Cruz’s  17 and Marco Rubio’s 16.  Rep. Trent Franks last night began muscling fellow GOP lawmakers to sign a letter begging Rubio or Cruz to drop out for the good of  the party.  WaPo’s editorial board, dreading the thought of the Trump family moving on up to the White House, in its neighborhood, this morning warned, “History will not look kindly on GOP leaders who fail to do everything in their power to prevent a bullying demagogue from becoming their standard-bearer.”

So, what are the five surviving candidates saying in advance of tonight’s debate on CNN?

“The time for the clowns and the acrobats and the dancing bears has passed”: Ted Cruz

“The vast and overwhelming majority of Republicans do not want Donald Trump to be our nominee”: Marco Rubio

“We’re going to get greedy for the United States. We’re going to grab and grab and grab!”: Donald Trump

“We’re not electing class president now. We’re electing the President of the United States”: John Kasich

“I believe that things are starting to happen here”: Ben Carson.

Let’s get started……