more debates

[9/17/15] The second Republican debate, a three-hour affair that veered from sophomoric insults to policy to late-night silliness, ended after 11 p.m. Wednesday, with an outsider candidate — former tech executive Carly Fiorina — challenging front-runner Donald Trump in a way few rivals have.

Trump began the debate with an unusual flurry of insults.

Asked about his own character at the debate’s outset, Trump pivoted quickly—and without a clear reason—to jab Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) “First of all, Rand Paul shouldn’t even be on this stage,” Trump said, because he was so low in the polls.

Paul responded by calling Trump sophomoric, for insulting his opponents’ appearances.

Trump then seemed to prove him right.

“I never attacked him on his looks,” Trump said of Paul. “And believe me, there’s plenty of subject matter there.”

... The candidates were then asked to give themselves a Secret Service codename. It was a strange exercise in self-image: Christie called himself “Trueheart,” and Walker called himself “Harley.” The best answers came from two candidats who had a moment to think about it: Bush joked that he’d use a battery name [Eveready] because he was so high-energy, in a jab at Trump.

Trump called himself “Humble,” which was a rare jab at himself.

[9/17/15] fact check