Republican presidential rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz ended their truce in last night’s GOP debate, with the billionaire questioning whether the senator is even eligible to stand for election to become president.
The controversial New Yorker and Texas senator traded attacks at the debate in North Charleston – just two weeks before voters in Iowa pick their Republican and Democratic presidential choices in the first of the campaign’s caucuses.
Both men, who have been chasing the backing of the conservative Tea Party movement, had been on friendly terms prior to the debate.
But no niceties were exchanged before the audience in South Carolina, with Trump even questioning his rival’s constitutional claim to serve as president because he was born in Canada.
According to the US constitution only “natural born” citizens can become president, with this widely interpreted as requiring a candidate to have been born in the US or to a US citizen parent.
The 69-year-old frontrunner said: “Who the hell knows if you can even serve in office?
“There’s a big question mark over your head.”
Born in Calgary, Alberta, to a US citizen mother and a Cuban father, Cruz accused Trump of mentioning his birthplace simply because Cruz was leading some polls in Iowa.
The 45-year-old said Trump – who has also questioned whether Hawaiian-born President Barack Obama is really a US citizen – had asked his lawyers to look into the issue of Cruz’s birth in September and concluded there were no issues.
“Since September, the Constitution hasn't changed, but the poll numbers have,” Cruz retaliated.
“And I recognise that Donald is dismayed that his poll numbers are dropping in Iowa, but the facts and the law here are really clear.
“I’m not going to be taking legal advice from Donald Trump.”
The senator then questioned Trump on his apparent endorsement of New York’s liberal values.
He said: “Not a lot of conservatives come out of Manhattan – I’m just saying.
“Everyone understands that the values of New York City are socially liberal, are pro-abortion, are pro-gay marriage.”
Republican candidate Donald Trump has slammed President Obama’s effort to turnaround perceptions of Syrian refugees by calling his Syrian guest at the State of the Union address a “trojan horse” for terrorism.
In the Republican debate on Thursday night Mr Trump was questioned on his view about President Obama inviting Syrian refugee, 55-year-old Refaai Hamo, to sit beside Michelle Obama during the State of the Union address Tuesday night.
Dr Hamo, who fled to Turkey in 2013 after seven family members were killed in anti-government warfare, arrived in Detroit in December with his three daughters and his son.
Read more
Barack Obama invites Syrian refugee to State of Union address
Mr Trump responded: “It was all very nice, it was perfect. But fear and terror - it’s reality - just look at Indonesia, bombings all over. Look at California and Paris."
“[Dr Hamo] doesn’t represent what you have in that line of migration. It’s the trojan horse. They [the refugees] are going to do great destruction.”
The Republican candidate said he had noticed “very few women and children” in the so-called lines of refugees, and only saw “strong, powerful men”.
Mr Trump then referred to the married couple who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before embarking on a killing spree in San Bernardino, California last year.
“We can’t let these people come into our country and break our borders. We can’t do it,” he said.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie added at the debate: “Syrians should stay in Syria. They shouldn’t be going to Europe or to the US."
Read more
Cancer stricken Syrian refugee among special guests watching Obama
Artworks by Syrian refugee children
'Some of the Cologne sex attackers claimed to be Syrian refugees'
Mr Hamo received a lot of public support for telling his story. Mr Obama reportedly spotted Mr Hamo, who also lost his wife in Syria, when he spoke to Facebook group Humans of New York.
“I am so proud and honored to be in this country and look forward to one day becoming an American citizen so that we can be part of making America a strong and great country,” Mr Hamo said, as reported by USA Today.
Republicans have come under fire for suggesting that too many Syrian refugees want to come to the US - it has been pointed out that any Syrian wanting to emigrate to the US can wait up to two years to carry out detailed background checks.
Around 2,000 Syrian refugees have entered the US in the last four years.
Mr Trump also said during the debate that he had no regrets for calling for a “temporary” ban on Muslims entering the US.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment