Trump Fends Off Attacks in Fiery GOP Debate; Democrats Campaign Ahead of Weekend Contests.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Count to 10, Donald. Count to 10.</s>DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, right.</s>CRUZ: Count to 10.</s>SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's trying to con people into giving them their vote.</s>TRUMP: The people of Florida couldn't stand him. He couldn't get elected dog catcher.</s>CRUZ: Donald's record is one of repeatedly hiring illegal aliens.</s>TRUMP: This little guy has lied so much about my record.</s>RUBIO: Here we go.</s>GOV. JOHN KASICH (R-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's stop fighting.</s>RUBIO: We are not going to turn over the conservative movement to someone who thinks the nuclear triad is a rock band from the 1980s.</s>TRUMP: He referred to my hands. If they're small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there's no problem.</s>SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My opponent says, "Well, Bernie is a nice guy, but he's not electable."</s>HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The stakes in this election have never been higher.</s>SANDERS: We're in this race to win it.</s>ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY with Chris Cuomo, Alisyn Camerota, and Michaela Pereira.</s>CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to your NEW DAY. It is Friday, March 4, 6 a.m. in the east. And here's the line of the night: "I have no problem, I guarantee it." Donald Trump defending himself on several levels at the fiery debate in Detroit last night. Donald Trump in the unusual role of pinata as senators Rubio and Cruz tag-teamed him, sometimes with the help of moderators. It was an insult insanity contest, passing as political process. At one point Trump, using that line I just told you about, "No problem," to boast about the size of his manhood.</s>ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: The raucous debate coming hours after establishment leaders on -- in the GOP side went on the attack. Mitt Romney delivering scathing commentary on Trump's character and fitness for office, hoping to slow Trump's momentum this weekend. We'll talk about all of that with Marco Rubio when he joins us live later this hour. We're covering this story the only way CNN can, starting with Phil Mattingly in the Motor City with the must-see moments from last night's face-off. Hi, Phil.</s>PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. Well, tonight's debate actually ended with a brief moment of comedy, all of the candidates pledging to support whoever wins the nomination, even if that means Donald Trump. It was an important moment in the race, made all the more jarring by the previous hour and 55 minutes that was a mix of schoolyard taunt and real political urgency.</s>MATTINGLY (voice-over): Off-color.</s>TRUMP: He hit my hands. Nobody has ever hit my hands. I've never heard this one. Look at those hands. Are those small hands? And he referred to my hands, "If they're small, something else must be small." I guarantee you there's no problem. I guarantee it.</s>MATTINGLY: Then off the rails.</s>CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: I have a policy question for you, sir.</s>RUBIO: Let's see if he answers it.</s>TRUMP: Don't worry about it, Marco. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it, Little Marco. I will.</s>RUBIO: All right, well, let's hear it, Big Don. Big Donald.</s>TRUMP: Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it, Little Marco.</s>MATTINGLY: In mere minutes, Thursday night's Republican debate turned into a personal affair and stayed that way all night.</s>CRUZ: Count to 10, Donald. Count to 10.</s>MATTINGLY: Three candidates desperate to stop one, Donald Trump. Florida Senator Marco Rubio on full attack, just trying to stay alive with a big March 15 win in his home state of Florida.</s>RUBIO: And he's asking us to make him the president of the United States of America. This is not a game.</s>MATTINGLY: Texas Senator Cruz joining the fight, pushing for a one- on-one match-up with Trump.</s>CRUZ: If, in fact, you went to Manhattan and said, "I'm lying to the American people," then the voters have a right to know.</s>TRUMP: No, no. You're the lying -- you're the lying guy up here. You're the one.</s>CRUZ: You've lied too many times. Why don't you release the tapes? Release the tapes.</s>TRUMP: You're the one. Now let me just tell you -- let me just tell you, excuse me, I've given my answer, lying Ted.</s>MATTINGLY: Ohio Governor John Kasich continuing to believe his lower volume pitch will get him through his own must-win March 15 contest in his home state.</s>KASICH: I have never tried to go and get into these kind of scrums that we're seeing here on the stage. And people say everywhere I go, "You seem to be the adult on the stage."</s>MATTINGLY: Time running out for all of Trump's challengers; attacking in an effort to stop his momentum, targeting his political donations.</s>CRUZ: Donald Trump has written checks to Hillary Clinton not once, not twice, not three times. Ten times. Donald Trump, in 2008 wrote four checks to elect Hillary Clinton as president.</s>MATTINGLY: His business practices.</s>RUBIO: Ever heard of Trump Steaks? You ever heard of...</s>TRUMP: You know what, you know what? You know what? Take a look at Trump Steaks.</s>RUBIO: All of these companies that he's ruined.</s>MATTINGLY: And even his character.</s>RUBIO: He has spent a career convincing Americans that he's something that he's not in exchange for their money. Now he's trying to do the same in exchange for their country.</s>MATTINGLY: Everyone, from candidates to moderators, attempting to pin Trump down, citing two interviews with CNN, where Trump appeared to flip-flop.</s>CUOMO: What about in Afghanistan? Do you believe that American boots should stay on the ground in Afghanistan to stabilize the situation?</s>TRUMP (via phone): We made a terrible mistake getting involved there just in the first place. That thing will collapse about two seconds after they leave. Just that I said that Iraq was going to collapse after we leave.</s>CAMEROTA: About Afghanistan, you said we made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place.</s>TRUMP (via phone): We made a mistake going into Iraq. I've never said we made a mistake going into Afghanistan.</s>CAMEROTA: Our question was about Afghanistan. That day when our...</s>TRUMP: OK. I never said that.</s>MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: How is any of this telling it like it is?</s>TRUMP: Well, on Afghanistan, I did mean Iraq. And that one, if you notice, I corrected it the second day.</s>MATTINGLY: In fact, CNN's reporting was prevalent in the debate.</s>TRUMP: CNN just came out with a poll. Excuse me, a national poll, a national poll where he's at 15; he's at 14. And I'm at 49. Are you at 15 in the new CNN poll? Do you believe in CNN?</s>CRUZ: I watched a CNN interview Donald did.</s>MATTINGLY: This network being brought up a dozen times. The clock is now ticking for Trump's competitors, to stop him before he moves on to the next battle.</s>TRUMP: I beat Hillary Clinton in many polls. The Pew poll just came out. I beat Hillary Clinton in a recent FOX poll. I beat Hillary Clinton in "USA Today." I beat her today in a poll in Ohio. I'm the only one that beats Hillary Clinton. And I haven't -- I have not started on Hillary yet. Believe me, I will start, too. I haven't even started.</s>CUOMO: If you pitched it as a screenplay, it'd get laughed out of anybody's office.</s>CAMEROTA: Truth is stranger than fiction.</s>CUOMO: If you did it at school, you'd go to the principal's office. If you did it where I grew up, you'd get knocked unconscious. But now it is being passed for political dialogue in the GOP race. So let's discuss the impact of last night. Journalist and author David Gregory; CNN Politics executive editor Mark Preston; and CNN political reporter Sara Murray. All right. Mark Preston, I start with you. We had heard that this was going to be coming, that it is linked to a new strategy. What did you see playing out on stage last night?</s>MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: The disintegration of the Republican Party, certainly at this time. I think we saw it last night. I think if you are a Republican and you're watching that stage, you're looking at John Kasich and saying, "Wow, this guy is the only grownup here." But having said that, you know, for somebody who has not had very great debate performances as of late, I think there's something to be said about Ted Cruz. David and I were talking about this beforehand. I think Cruz was fairly effective last night. I think Ted Cruz sat back, allowed Marco Rubio to try to be the attack dog, in many ways looking desperate attacking Donald Trump and Trump being himself. I guess the question this morning is: does it really matter, and is there really enough time now, Chris?</s>CUOMO: All right. So here is the line of the night again. I can't say it enough. "I have no problem."</s>CAMEROTA: He's relishing, actually.</s>CUOMO: I just -- I would never have -- you could have bet me anything you wanted that nobody would ever talk about this...</s>CAMEROTA: I wish I had.</s>CUOMO: ... in a presidential race, and I'd be paying up the rest of my life. I hear it is how Donald Trump explained to our Dana Bash about what do you say when he was talking about that he has no problem, and holding up his hands.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Do you realize that you're probably the first person in American history, maybe even world history, to make a joke about your you know what on a debate stage?</s>TRUMP: No, I only made a joke about my hands. I have very powerful hands.</s>BASH: You went a little further than that.</s>TRUMP: Look at these hands. Aren't they beautiful? I have very powerful hands and large hands, relatively large hands. And a politician said I didn't have large hands. It's the first time anyone has ever said that one. No, I think it was a very -- I think it was a good moment.</s>BASH: Mrs. Trump, what did you think of that moment?</s>MELANIA TRUMP, WIFE OF DONALD TRUMP: It was a great moment. OK. No, it was fine. You know, he was attacked. And Marco Rubio attacked him, and he responded.</s>CAMEROTA: Who wants to take this one?</s>CUOMO: Dana Bash having the moxie to put the mike to Mrs. Trump after all that. Can't make it up.</s>CAMEROTA: OK. Go ahead.</s>CUOMO: Sara Murray, you take it. Why not?</s>CAMEROTA: Sara, go ahead. What did you think of that moment?</s>SARA MURRAY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wow, I'm so lucky to get this one. As soon as I was watching this play out, I just sort of felt like do these guys even want to win female voters in a general election? I'm watching this play out on stage, and I just cannot believe that this is what it has come down to. But I feel like there are a lot of people who are sitting at home watching and thinking the same thing. Sure, it may have been lighthearted and it may have been funny, but the idea that these people are running for -- to be the next leader of the free world. And they are talking about their hand size and, you know, maybe the size of something else just struck me as very beneath the level of discourse that we want to be at, particularly at this point in a race. And I can't imagine that I was alone in that feeling.</s>CAMEROTA: David, switching topics. Some pundits are calling this FOX's CNN debate, because CNN, and its reporting and its polling, was referenced a dozen times. And they used a clip, in fact, from NEW DAY to point out some inconsistencies.</s>DAVID GREGORY, FORMER MODERATOR, NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS": Big night for</s>NEW DAY. CAMEROTA: It was a big night for the morning of NEW DAY. So let me play for you this clip pointing out Donald Trump's inconsistencies on positions.</s>KELLY: Mr. Trump, one of the things people love about you is they believe you tell it like it is. But time and time again in this campaign, you have actually told the voters one thing only to reverse yourself within weeks and or even, sometimes, days. We've teed up just three examples in a videotape similar to those we used with Senator Rubio and Senator Cruz in the last debate. The first is on whether the war in Afghanistan was a mistake. Watch.</s>CUOMO: What about in Afghanistan? Do you believe that American boots should stay on the ground in Afghanistan to stabilize the situation?</s>TRUMP (via phone): We made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place. That thing will collapse about two seconds after they leave. Just as I said that Iraq was going to collapse after we leave.</s>CAMEROTA: About Afghanistan, you said we made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place.</s>TRUMP: We made a mistake going into Iraq. I've never said we made a mistake going into Afghanistan.</s>CAMEROTA: Our question was about Afghanistan. That day when our...</s>TRUMP: OK. I never said that. OK. Wouldn't matter. I never said it.</s>MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: And there are many other examples. How is any of this telling it like it is?</s>TRUMP: Well, on Afghanistan, I did mean Iraq. I think you have to stay in Afghanistan for a while because of the fact that you're right next to Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, and we have to protect that.</s>CAMEROTA: David, is there any indication that voters, that supporters of Trump care that he is inconsistent on positions and does seem to change at times?</s>GREGORY: Well, we don't know yet. But I do think that last night was an important moment of really accelerating that case. It was basically saying -- and you heard it from Rubio effectively; you heard it even more effectively, I think, from Ted Cruz -- that the guy who tells it like it is, is just telling you what you want to hear. That he actually shoots from the hip, that he doesn't think before he -- before he talks. And that could be something dangerous as a president. And that you can't trust that what you're getting is the real thing; that whether it's as a businessman or somebody who starts Trump University, that -- that he's a fraud; and that you just can't believe it. And at a time when so many of his supporters want authenticity, have either of his rivals, primary rivals who are actually attacking him, have they undermined his authenticity? That is the gambit here. And I would not Cruz and Rubio did not exchange a cross word last night. I think we've seen a change in the strategy, a divide and conquer, where everybody has a role to play. They're not trying to beat Trump. They're simply trying to stop Trump at this point.</s>CUOMO: Or divide and survive and get to the convention, which we're going to talk about after the break. Preston, I don't know what your take is on this, but I felt that the reason they were using CNN so much spoke to the fact that they don't have more of their own clips. And it wasn't just that they showed us; it's who they didn't show last night. This was somewhat of a reflection of those who have given Trump a pass. And now we've reached this moment.</s>PRESTON: You know, in many ways, Chris, what is interesting about what happened last night, if you are a Republican voter or you are somebody who is focusing on this race right now, you have to be thinking to yourself, what is happening? And to David's point about, you know, the idea of surviving and everybody trying to get a little piece of this, we heard Mitt Romney say just yesterday in his speech, where he said, "Let's have John Kasich go to Ohio and win Ohio and its 66 delegates. Let's have Marco Rubio go down to Florida and win its 99 delegates. The idea is, let's try to deny Donald Trump from getting to 1,237 delegates...</s>CUOMO: Well, Mark...</s>PRESTON: ... in June.</s>CUOMO: There's no question there's a lot to that theory, so let's take a break. And then we'll come back and take a look at why we were seeing this last night. Was it just madness? Actually, no. There's a method to it. And we'll discuss that when we come back. And we're going to have one of the main players. We're going to have Senator Marco Rubio. Certainly, a lot of light on him last night. And we'll talk about why this is the new strategy -- Mick.</s>PEREIRA: All right. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are making their last-minute push for votes ahead of the next round of primaries this weekend. Can Bernie Sanders make up some much-needed ground? Let's turn to our senior Washington correspondent, Joe Johns, with more for that. Hi, Joe.</s>JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Michaela. All eyes this morning on Michigan, though a whole slew of states -- Mississippi, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisiana -- they're all going to be voting over the next two weeks. But it is Michigan that holds its primary next week. It's also front and center because of the debate. Over the weekend in Flint, Michigan, for the Democrats, the Flint water crisis has caused both candidates to make the city's predicament part of their stump speeches. Both Democrats have already visited that city. And the debate, of course, is going to show how they handle the issue. Big picture: it's crunch time for Bernie Sanders as he cherry picks for votes in states he hopes he can pick up a few delegates. Listen.</s>SANDERS: We started off at 3 percent in the polls, 60, 70 points behind Secretary Clinton. On Tuesday, we won major victories. Not by a little bit. I think that if all of you and your friends and co-workers come out on Saturday, we're going to have a pretty good victory here in Kansas.</s>JOHNS: Hillary Clinton, for her part, spent last night listening to the Republican candidates and their speeches, almost mocking them at times on social media. She is going to be traveling in Michigan today in Detroit, giving a speech about jobs. And Bernie Sanders is going to be in Illinois, then wrapping up in western Michigan -- Michaela.</s>PEREIRA: All right. Busy schedule for them. Thanks so much, Joe. We're calling it March Madness on CNN next week. Tomorrow, tune in for Super Saturday coverage. Sunday, the next Democratic debate in Flint, Michigan, followed by the premiere of the new CNN series, "THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE." Next Tuesday is the next Super Tuesday night. Wednesday brings another Democratic debate in Miami. And Thursday a Republican debate in Miami. A full week of political events right here on</s>CNN. CAMEROTA: I'm going to start resting up right now.</s>PEREIRA: You should. You should.</s>CAMEROTA: Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio unleashing on Donald Trump, and they're not alone. Will the revolt among establishment Republicans work to slow Trump's momentum? That's next.