Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-May: Report    Worshippers in Makkah and Madinah perform Eid Al-Fitr prayer    Saudi authorities shut down food factories and branches over suspected poisoning cases    Saudi Arabia welcomes formation of new Syrian government, expresses hope for stronger ties    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Defense, interior, and national guard ministers extend Eid greetings, praise efforts of military and security personnel    Syria forms new government with 22 ministers including one woman President Sharaa vows reform and transparency    Israeli army fires warning shots at UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon    Denmark rebukes US Vice President Vance over Greenland remarks    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Makkah and Madinah mobile data usage exceeds global average during Ramadan: CST    Elon Musk's xAI acquires X in all-stock deal    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Donald Trump in the crosshairs at US Republican presidential debate
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 09 - 2015

SIMI VALLEY, California — Donald Trump may have a big target on his back at the second debate of Republican US presidential candidates on Wednesday as his rivals seek to make up ground they have lost to the front-running billionaire with a flair for bomb-throwing rhetoric.
Many of the 11 candidates who will be at a prime-time debate (5 p.m. PDT/8 p.m. EDT) see a path for themselves to the Republican nomination for the November 2016 election, and any route they take will require getting out of the long shadow cast by Trump.
For that reason, the gathering at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, with the stage set up next to the retired Air Force One aircraft used by the late president, figures to be a more combative debate than the first one the Republicans had on Aug. 6 in Cleveland.
Trump had been in the lead in polls of Republican voters at the first debate and grabbed the headlines through a mixture of boastful promises and by ridiculing his rivals, many of whom turned in relatively passive performances.
This time Republicans have a greater incentive to take him on and try to raise doubts about him since Trump has built on his lead, with four months to go until Iowa on Feb. 1 holds the first nominating contest on the road to the November 2016 election.
The latest Reuters-Ipsos opinion poll has Trump leading among Republican voters with 32.2 percent. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was at 15.8 percent, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at 9 percent and the rest of the field below 6 percent.
Trump has dismissed the possibility of being attacked at the debate. “I hear they are going after me. Whatever. Whatever,” Trump said at a lively campaign rally in Dallas on Monday.
The debate is being staged by CNN with correspondents Jake Tapper and Dana Bash posing questions, along with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
It was Hewitt who trumped Trump earlier this month. During an interview with the New York businessman, Hewitt gave Trump what amounted to a pop quiz about Islamic militants and other Middle Eastern figures. Trump did not fare well in answering.
The face-off will be the first time Trump has been on stage with former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who made it to the prime-time stage by starring at an undercard event in Cleveland.
Trump last week was quoted by Rolling Stone magazine as saying of Fiorina: “Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?” He later said he was talking about her “persona.”
Fiorina has turned the attack into a vehicle for raising campaign dollars. “Don't you agree that in a presidential campaign, issues matter? Not personal appearance,” said a Fiorina fund-raising appeal.
In a sign of how fluid the Republican race is, a CBS News/New York Times poll said 63 percent of Republican voters had not yet made a final choice on who they would support in the race.
Bush, the Republican establishment candidate once considered a heavy favorite for the nomination, has made clear that if given the chance he will raise questions about Trump's past support of Democratic positions like higher taxes.
At the prime-time debate will be Trump, Carson, Bush, Scott Walker, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, John Kasich, Chris Christie and Fiorina.
Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, George Pataki and Lindsey Graham will participate in an undercard debate at 3 p.m. PDT/6 p.m. EDT).
For more on the 2016 presidential race, see the Reuters blog, “Tales from the Trail” (http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/). — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.