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The best moments from the big GOP debate

Maxwell Tani   

The best moments from the big GOP debate
Politics5 min read

debate

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Last minute preparations are made on the stage for the Republican Presidential debate on February 13, 2016 in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Republican presidential contenders faced off in another debate Saturday night at 9 p.m. EST.

Several candidates dropped out after disappointing finishes in last Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire, trimming the stage to six candidates: real-estate developer Donald Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), and Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, announced just hours before the debate, cast a shadow over the event.

Trump called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) to block President Barack Obama's eventual Supreme Court nomination.

"It's called delay, delay, delay," Trump said as the audience cheered.

Additionally, tensions were high between Trump and Cruz. Less than two hours before the debate was set to take off, the billionaire blasted Cruz for his alleged "nasty" lies and "dirty tricks." According to Trump, Cruz was lying about his record by saying he had liberal policy positions.

"Ted Cruz is a cheater! He holds the Bible high and then lies and misrepresents the facts!" Trump exclaimed in a second tweet.

Here are the best moments from our debate live-blog:

10:33 p.m. EST - Asked why he was considered the "Democrats' favorite Republican," Kasich asserted the people saw him as a uniter, and he would work to win over blue-collar Democrats.

"The Democratic party's left them," Kasich said of working-class Democrats.

"I love these blue collar Democrats because they're going to come vote for us next fall."

10:30 p.m. EST - As Bush, Cruz, Trump, and Carson all attempted to speak over each other, moderator John Dickerson attempted to regain control of the debate.

"We are in danger of driving this into the dirt," Dickerson warned the candidates.

10:27 p.m. EST - Cruz asserted that Trump would appoint liberal Supreme Court justices.

"Why do you lie?" Trump said.

"Adults learn not to interrupt each other," Cruz shot back.

Donald Trump Ted Cruz

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Greenville, UNITED STATESRepublican U.S. presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz (L) listens to rival candidate businessman Donald Trump at the Republican U.S. presidential candidates debate sponsored by CBS News and the Republican National Committee in Greenville, South Carolina February 13, 2016.

10:24 p.m. EST - Bush dinged Trump for attempting to use eminent domain in New Jersey "so that high-rollers could come from New York City to failing casinos."

"You should not use eminent domain for private purposes," Bush said.

10:13 p.m. EST - Kasich called for all the negative advertisements to be taken off the air, asserting that a negative campaign would help Democrats in the election in November.

10:08 p.m. EST - After Cruz criticized Rubio for saying in a Spanish interview that he would not rescind President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration on his first day in office, Rubio noted that Cruz didn't speak Spanish, and couldn't have known what Rubio said in the interview.

Rubio earlier knocked Cruz for "telling lies."

10:05 p.m. EST - The crowd at the debate has been especially rowdy. After Cruz dinged Rubio's support for the 2013 Senate immigration plan, some members of the crowd loudly booed. Cruz noted that the legislation was "apparently supported by the donor-class."

10:01 p.m. EST - Trump reiterated his promise to build a wall along the Southern US border, and did not budge from his pledge to deport the under 11 million immigrants living in the US without permission.

donald trump marco rubio

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Donald Trump, left, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) at the debate.

9:50 p.m. EST - Bush slammed Kasich for expanding Medicaid under Obamacare.

"We should fighting Obamacare, repealing Obamacare," Bush said.

Though he defended his executive record, Kasich said that he wouldn't get into the mud with other candidates onstage.

"People are sick of the negative campaigning, and I'm going to stay positive," Kasich said.

9:32 p.m. EST - Trump went after Bush for taking several days last spring to say that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a mistake.

"It took him five days before his people told him what to say, and he ultimately said it was a mistake," Trump said, after calling the invasion "a big fast mistake."

Bush then decried Trump for criticizing Bush's family on the campaign trail.

"I am sick and tired him going after my family," Bush said.

"While Donald Trump was building a reality TV show, my brother was building a security apparatus to keep us safe," Bush said.

When asked to weigh in on the debate over the Iraq invasion, Kasich apologized to moderator John Dickerson.

"This is just crazy," Kasich said, chuckling. "Jeez-oh-man. Sorry, John."

9:26 p.m. EST - When members of the audience began booing Trump for asserting that Bush's plan to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin was wrong, the reality television star repeated a line from an earlier debate that the crowd was filled with donors.

"That's Jeb's special interests and lobbyists talking," Trump said.

"I only tell the truth, lobbyists."

Donald Trump.

AP Photo/John Bazemore

Donald Trump.

9:22 p.m. EST - Carson, who has repeatedly complained about being ignored during debates, thanked moderator John Dickerson for asking him questions.

"Thank you for including me in the debate. Two questions already, that's great," Carson said.

9:19 p.m. EST - Asked what crisis he confronted while in office, Rubio cited his vote against taking military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2013.

"It was a difficult decision to make," Rubio said.

"And I voted against Barack Obama's plan to use force, and it was the right decision.

9:15 p.m. EST - The audience booed Dickerson for attempting to clear up whether a president had appointed a justice in the final year of their presidency in recent decades.

9:13 p.m. EST - Bush said that he would not have a litmus test on a specific issue for Supreme Court nominees, but would instead examine a potential justice's judicial record. The former governor added that he was hoping that Obama would nominate a "consensus-oriented" justice, but he doubted it would happen.

jeb bush

AP Photo/John Bazemore

9:10 p.m. EST - Kasich called on Obama to hold off appointing a Supreme Court justice unless the justice can receive unanimous confirmation in the Senate.

9:06 p.m. EST - Asked whether he would nominate a Supreme Court justice if he only had several months left in his presidential term, Trump said that he would.

"I would certainly try and nominate a justice," Trump said.

But the reality television star added that he hoped Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) would block Obama's eventual appointment.

"It's called delay, delay, delay," Trump said as the audience cheered.

9:05 p.m. EST - The candidates observed a moment of silence for Scalia's death.

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