GOP Rivals Tone Down Insults & Spar on Policy
CUOMO: Whether fiery or civil, debates are about one thing, securing the vote. How do Florida Republican voters feel about last night's faceoff? Lucky for you, we have some great ones to ask. We have Jarrett Cathcart, he is a Donald Trump supporter. We have James Kardys, he is a Ted Cruz supporter. And we have Rodolfo Milani, he is a Marco Rubio supporter. And, Rodolfo, I'll start with you. Your man came in here with the most desperation to his cause. How do you think he performed last night and what do you think it will mean here in Florida?</s>RODOLFO MILANI, MARCO RUBIO SUPPORTER: I think he was absolutely outstanding last night, particularly on the foreign policy questions, particularly on the Cuba question, which not only did it play to a hometown crowd, but he was absolutely correct on it; on the Arab- Israeli conflict and in Palestine. I think also on some domestic issues like the V.A., I think he was -- he really hit home on that. And he was honest with the voters on Social Security. This is a state with a lot of senior voters. But I think it is unfair and dishonest to tell people that this system can continue as is. And I think it takes courage to say that changes have to be made and to bring that issue up.</s>CUOMO: So, Senator Rubio was lighter last night on going after Donald Trump personally, so was Senator Cruz -- but not as much, James. You had Senator Cruz last night drawing consistent points of contrast with the solutions Trump was offering versus his own. How did that give you confidence in your man?</s>JAMES KARDYS, TED CRUZ SUPPORTER: Well, basically it comes down to this. The basic issue that I have with Donald Trump is that -- let's face it, he has had a path where he has supported very liberal candidates. And that is often pointed out. And he off brushes it aside and said, oh, I did it because I am a businessman. I have changed. For example, when he did his victory speech after Super Saturday, March 5th, he openly said it. And it's almost</s>CUOMO: OK. So that's an interesting point we are hearing from him. Why are you OK as a Trump supporter to say, listen, I used to use money to influence politicians, now I know it's a problem, I used to abuse visas as a businessman, that's why I am the guy to change it? How do you play it like the one next to you plays to hypocrisy?</s>JARRETT CATHCART, DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER: Well, you know, people change. And as James was saying, you can change your ideas as long as you have good reason for it. Like a lot of voter base and just like me, people are fed up. And that's what the last eight years of Obama has done with Mr. Trump. He's just feed up with a lot of failed policies and rhetoric that President Obama has pushed out. And he's just finished. In regards to the visas and all that sort of thing, he -- you know, like you say, he's a businessman. If the law is there, he's going to use it. So these things need to be changed. And just like he said last night in the debate, and I thought was a great point, it needs to be changed so that companies like Disney don't use them to their own advantage like they shouldn't be used.</s>CUOMO: All right. And a big point last night, other than policy was a big morality play that you're going to hear a lot about going forward certainly in the general. Rodolfo, the idea of what is the threat within Islam? Is it all Muslims? Is it Islam hates the West? Or is it about radical Islam? Donald Trump was very slow to talk about some. He wanted to talk about all. do you agree with that?</s>MILANI: No, I think it's very important to state, as Marco did and as the other two traditional candidates did, that we need to work with the Islamic world, moderate Islamic world to solve the ISIS problem. This cannot be done on our own. We need allies in the Muslim world. And I think the fact that he did not walk back those remarks is telling to me. I think Marco made a fabulous point last night saying that a president can't just say whatever pops into his head. It may make us feel good for the candidate to really stick it to the people and say whatever he thinks. But the truth of the matter is, what presidents have consequences. It affects world markets, it affects our relationships with other countries. And I think last night shows we have three candidates with the temperament and experience to be president and one that I think is an amateur.</s>CUOMO: James, do you think all Islam is the problem? You're a Trump supporter. What do you think about that?</s>KARDYS: I'm a Cruz supporter, first of all.</s>CUOMO: You're a Cruz supporter. What do you think about it?</s>KARDYS: OK. It's a very complex issue. I have close Muslim friends who are some of the nicest people I have ever met. So I am ruling out the idea that all Islam is a problem. However, I do -- I have come to the conclusion that Islam, along religions, including my own religion, Christianity, have had pieces of Scripture that can be interpreted very easily as promoting violence. For example, half the stuff that is mentioned in the Old Testament could be seen as warfare similar to what is seen -- to what is called for jihadists.</s>CUOMO: So you don't want to cast out the entire faith, which would seem right now as a moderate position, not simply a reasonable one, and that's because of people who are following Donald Trump who resonate with the idea that this entire group of 1.6 billion represents an enemy. Does that work for you?</s>CATHCART: I think right now Donald is just appealing to his voter base.</s>CUOMO: That's you. That's why I'm asking you.</s>CATHCART: That's true. I think he's misrepresenting himself when he says that. I think what he really means is there is a general dislike for America in most parts of the world. A lot of people don't like us because of the freedoms we represent and the values we love for. And, you know, if he -- a lot of other things, people get mad that he reverses the position on. This is one time where he stood up and said, and now people are getting really mad at him about it. I think it was right for him to stick with his guns there.</s>CUOMO: Jarrett, James, and Rodolfo, thank you very much for making your points. Good luck in your election ahead. Appreciate it.