GOP Debate: Candidates Turn Tables On CNBC Moderators — The Most Memorable Moments

As expected, the GOP debate had plenty of fireworks, but things got interesting when the candidates turned the tables on the CNBC moderators.

Those who decided to skip the third GOP debate from Boulder, Colorado, missed a series of unusual events that started when the CNBC moderators tried to bait the Republican candidates. It was so bad that Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus harshly criticized the network’s line of questions, saying it was “extremely disappointing.”

The confrontation between the Republican candidates and the CNBC moderators had conservatives enraged at the blatant attempts to bait the candidates by asking irrelevant questions. Even known liberal outlets such as the Daily Beast called the trio, Carl Quintanilla, Betsy Quick, and John Harwood, “lame” and the GOP debate a “total fail.”

On the morning after, it is clear that the big loser was not necessarily on the stage in Boulder, but it was the CNBC moderators, and there were several highlights. However, one of the most memorable moments — and by many accounts the moment that turned the debate from an event in which the GOP candidates attacked each other to one in which they united against what they saw as unfair treatment by the moderators — came when Ted Cruz effectively put Quintanilla, Quick, and Harwood in their place.

“Let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media. This is not a cage match. And if you look at he questions — Donald Trump, are you a comic book villain? Ben Carson, can you do math?… Marco Rubio, why don’t you resign? Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen? How about talking about substantive issues?”

Cruz has been slammed for going on the attack while not answering the question, but this was the “enough is enough” moment after a litany of disrespectful, meaningless questions from the CNBC moderators. Hardwood started off by asking Donald Trump a question about his campaign promises.

“Mr. Trump, you have done very well in this campaign so far by promising to build another wall and make another country pay for it, send 11 million people out of the country, cut taxes $10 trillion without increasing the deficit, and make Americans better off because your greatness will replace the stupidity and incompetence of others. Let’s be honest. Is this a comic book version of a presidential candidate?”

As expected, Trump came out swinging and didn’t hold back when he denied the accusations from a smug Hardwood, saying, “No, it’s not a comic book version and by the way, I don’t like the way you phrased the question.”

This set the tone for the rest of the GOP debate, and when Cruz eloquently fired back at the CNBC moderators, the hall erupted in applause. The interesting thing is that from the time Cruz made his impassioned and very effective pitch, the Republican candidates seemed to become more united against the CNBC moderators. Even Trump had positive things to say about his fellow GOP hopefuls in a post-debate interview.

But Cruz and Trump weren’t the only ones who came down hard on the CNBC moderators. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said plainly what many conservatives have thought for decades when he was interrupted by Quintanilla.

“Carl, do you want to answer or do you want me to answer?” Christie asked.

The response prompted another round of loud applause from those attending the GOP debate.

It is almost unanimous on Thursday morning, that the big GOP debate losers were the CNBC moderators who completely lost the control of the event. And it was their own doing by trying to outsmart the expert debaters. Politicians.

According to pollster Frank Luntz — who measures the public’s reactions to debate statements in focus groups — Cruz’s now-famous put down was “the highest score we’ve ever measured.” Conservatives liked how the candidates fired back while being disappointed that they missed the opportunity to answer the questions.

The CNBC moderators were not only slammed by the GOP candidates on Wednesday night, but they are being harshly criticized by the mainstream media, including Politico’s John Bresnahan.

“CNBC’s format and approach was terrible. They have good people, but a true disaster tonight”

There were many other memorable moments during the GOP debate in Boulder but undoubtedly what will be remembered for many years to come was the failure on the part of the CNBC moderators to take control of the debate.

What do you think of how the CNBC moderators handled the GOP debate?

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]