all of them will be in the no spin zone. that is it for us tonight. on this special debate edition of "the factor". we hope you check out billor definitely looking out for you. ♪ [ music ] breaking tonight, round three is in the books and biggest head lines tonight is not about the issues but the fire works between the candidates and the moderators. there is a republican contenders even teeming up to fend off multiple efforts that appeared designed to divide the gop. welcome to "the kelly file" everyone. republican chairman making it clear it's very unhappy, tweeting cnbc should be ashamed of how this was handled. it comes at a crucial time for the candidates, and the rest of the field looks to make a name

for themselves before it's too late. in moments we'll be joined by a fired up frank luntz focus group coming to us live from iowa. but first, a look at some of the moments that had the audience cheering the candidates and booing the moderators. >> you've done well in this campaign so far, by promising to build a wall and make another country pay for it. send 11 million people out of the country. cut taxes $10 trillion without increasing the deficit. >> right. >> and make americans better off because your greatness would replace stupidity of others. >> that is right. let's be honest. >> is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign? they say you have has much tax of cutting taxes that much as you would by flying away from the mode poedium by flapping

your wings. >> you want to turn down thousands of pages to three? >> working women earn $0.77 to what men earn. >> to be fair you're on the home page with a logo over your shoulder. if someone put me on the home page they did it without my permission. >> does that not speak to your judgment? >> no. it speaks to the fact that i don't know -- >> they know. >> the leading republican candidate when you look at the average polls right now is donald trump. when you look at him, do you see someone with the moral authority to unite the country? >> what should we do? >> be investing in all kinds of energy. >> in government? >> no. you want me to answer?

you won't answer. >> john? i have to tell you the truth. in new jersey what you're doing is called rude. >> we have a jam packed show for you tonight with dr. ben carson, krus, howie kurts and we begin with frank luntz and his focus group. frank? >> megyn i've been doing this since 1996. this is a special moment. i've never tested in any primary debate a line that scored as well as this. it's all about what is wrong with the cnbc moderators and wrong with the media. the best line of the debate is the one you're going to hear right now. >> the questions asked so far in this debate illustrate why the american people don't trust the

media. this is not a cage match. if you look at the questions, donald trump, are you a comic book vilan? ben carson, can you do math? john kasich, will you assault two people here? marco rubio, why don't you resign? jeb bush, why have your numbers fallen? how about talking about what people care about? does this count? >> so let's ask the question. how many of you think they should be ashamed of what they did tonight? how many of you are angry? what is the problem? >> they're arrogant. >> they don't respect process of a presidential debate. they have docu questions. >> they should be ashamed of themselves but they've got the fire in the bellies and i appreciated that. >> you thought it made them perform better? >> yes. >> i thought the candidates

thought it was a game changer for the candidates. >> so you're pleased? >> i thought they asked questions to try to provoke provocative answers rather than substantive, thoughtful answers. >> i think unintended consequence is the media showed it's true colors. and by the end they were united as candidates. they were fighting with each other which is what the media wanted them to do. >> let me ask you about ted cruz. he launched it. who had a positive reaction to ted cruz tonight? raise your hand. almost all of you. what is positive? >> he came out against the media, framing these questions to show they wanted to and he turned it around on them and showed the true light that there was a democratic party. >> really? >> i thought that for years. >> how many of you think that? raise your hands? >> let's not forget. >> i think this time it was the

response from the last election. it hit right home. i think it's going to hit with -- >> you know newt won the south carolina primary? >> absolutely. >> tell me why. >> i think ted cruz did well tonight in past debates i wasn't too impressed. he kind of kicked it off. moderators were very good, respectful. >> you're the youngest voter in the crowd. your reaction to cruz? >> this is the first night i've been interested in ted cruz. i never watched him before because he was toward the evangelical crowd. now, i felt he's talking about economics more he's more on my radar. . >> i came heres a ben carson fan. i'm still a fan but all about ted cruz. >> does anyone else support ted cruz? >> i think he really frames the whole opposition against the

media. >> do you agree with that? >> yes. >> that comment was important but there are two other candidates that delivered really powerful statements that actually changed the minds of our iowa voters. we're going to show you those candidates and clips a little later on. >> looking forward to it, frank, thank you. joining me now with more is chris stierwalt and howie kurtz. wow. let me start with you, howie. cnbc said that is what we came to do. ask hard questions. that is going to be the defense. it's extraordinary. >> megyn, this was a train wreck. questions seemed to be snide, hostile, border line insulting. i'm in favor of tough and provocative questions.

you know. when you do that, sometimes audience doesn't like it. but a lot of the questions were not drilling down on facts or record or policy. when john harwood said trump, comic book campaign, or do you have the moral hort to be president? when asked marco rubio, are you a young man in a hurry? shouldn't you wait to run for president? it just validated what a lot of people think about the main stream media. is that they cannot be fair to republicans. >> the thing is that stierwalt was in the meetings with me and bret and chris wallace. we went over every question. none of these was a surprise. to put them altogether, i mean that no one stood up and said hey, you know, you can have a tough one here, and there, and like a series. opening series but you do a

whole debate of punch them in the face, in the face, in the face, in the face, leaves a certain impression. >> well, you can tell just how delightful they thought it's going to be and how superior they were acting to candidates up there. and they just thought it was going to be the most-charming thing ever to go poke at these rude, and they're going to have a fun, rude poking expedition. guess what? they threw to switch analogies they threw what they thought was a touchdown pass and it got picked off and picked off and picked off and run down for touchdown after touchdown. that was hot garbage. they play played into the hands of ted cruz, into the hands of marco rubio. >> i started to think maybe the moderators were pursuing a herb brooks type strategy. you know? maybe they're republicans and tried to unite the party by

being the foil. >> only one republican tried to join them, jeb bush tried to get in on the play to piggy back on an attack on marco rubio and got run over like he got run over by the marching band. >> how about personalization and the i, i, i, i too have student loans and our cause. talking about working women. our cause. >> you know, it didn't seem like they were focused for the most part on questions that, you know this is supposed to be a debate about the economy and jobs. they were so personal and the tone seemed to condescending. and many points moderators lost control so there was a lot of shouting and parts were just

sloppy. so they were trying to pin down druch on something. and she said, where did i need this? how did i come up with this? you have researched it. here is the article, mr. trump. >> you have evidence right there. so if a person says anything that you need to show him, you can show him. this is where you said it. what do we have here? harwood and rubio? do we have time to play this? watch what happens when john harwood hits marco rubio on his tax plan. watch. >> the tax foundation scored your tax plan and concluded that you give nearly twice as much of a gain in after tax income to the top 1% as people in the middle of the income scale. since you're the champion of

americans living paycheck to paycheck, don't you have that backward? >> you're wrong. the largest after tax gain is for the people at the lower end of the tax spectrum and there is a bunch of things my tax plan does to help them. >> just to be clear, the -- after taxes. >> you know the story on it. >> i didn't. >> you did. >> yes. he did. marco rubio. back in october 14th, john harwood corrected the first time he tried to incorrectly report this story. correcting earlier tweet. rubio benefits lowest 10% more than top 1%. so he, rubio was going to let it slide, chris. he said that is not right. and go on. harwood interrupted and said no. tax foundation says it my way. rubio says no. you had to go back and correct your own story. and harwood said no, i did not. what? how could that happen?

>> because you're so arrogant that you believe you're so much smarter than everybody with an. >> i r -- r and you get squashed like a bug. >> i understand moderating is tough. we expect to be booed but that was something to behold. guys, thank you. >> thank you. >> as mentioned at the top of the hour, rnc saying cnbc should be ashamed. they'll join us, live, just ahead. there is a lot of ire tonight towards the rnc. plus, dr. ben carson had a big moment when moderators challenged him on gay marriage. he is next to respond. >> we, the american people are not each other's enemy. need to hire fast?

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last year, a study called it the number one in america. >> well you don't understand my

views on homosexuality. i believe our constitution protects everybody regardless of sexual orientation or any other aspect and i also believe marriage is between one man and one woman. there is no reason you can't be perfectly fair to the gay community. they shouldn't assume because you believe marriage is between one man and one woman that you're a homophobe. the fact of the matter is that we, the american people are not each other's enemy. it's those trying to divide us that are the enemy. we need to make that very clear to everybody. >> that was dr. ben carson, earning one of his bestest applause lines of the night that pushed back on a question that seemed to promote he was antigay. joining me now, dr. ben carson. >> doctor carson, good to see

you what. did you think of the questions and questioners tonight? >> well, i think that they had an agenda. and when i compare them to the questions asked of the democrats in their debate, the difference is night and day. the thing that was encouraging to me is that audience was able to pick up on the bias and able to act accordingly and i hope some of the media is starting to recognize this, very been quite critical of the media. they have their own agenda. they try to formulate the opinions of the people. and i think that the people are getting a little sick and tired of it. i know i am. >> you wound up with very little time tonight. you're second to last in terms of the time. only person behind you was rand paul. and so, on the other hand, carly

fiorina and marco rubio, up, towards the top. do you think that hurt you? do you think it was a nonfactor? . >> i don't think it was much of a factor. i'm not sure that that many people watched the debate. it's on against the world series and on an obscure network so good luck with that. >> do you think it changes momentum? you went in tonight as the front runner according to the latest national poll and in iowa as the front runner according to the latest 3, or 4 polls from that state. do you think anything happened to change your momentum? or dynamics of the race? . >> i don't think so. i've been told we're number one on facebook and i think that -- number one on twitter, also. so still getting a lot of traction.

just in the last 24-48 hours, the number of distributions have been overwhelming. >> you are getting some push back tonight on twitter and online because of an exchange with a moderator about a company called mania -- manatak. >> there is a company called mana tech with which you had a ten year relationship. they paid $7 million to settle a lawsuit in texas yet, your involvement continues. why? >> that is easy to answer. i didn't have an involvement with them, that is total propaganda. this is what happens in society. i did a couple speeches for them. i do speeches for other people. i do taped speeches. it's absurd to say i had a relationship with them. >> to be fair you were on the

home page of the website with the logo over your shoulder. >> if someone put me on their home page, they did it without my permission. >> does that not speak to your vetting process or judgment in any way? >> no. it speaks to the fact that i don't know them. >> see? they know. >> the push back has been pointing to a "wall street journal" article that posted a link to the video of you in 2011 getting applause by telling mana tech associates that mana tech donated money to some part of $2.5 million, to help you get an endowed chair at johns hopkins. people saying you must have had a relationship and that would be a significant factor in it. your response to that? >> my response to that is that i asked them, in lieu of my fee to make the donation to the chair. i thought they're going to do it. they didn't. so i was mistaken. they never did.

but that is the explanation. >> do you feel that the moderators were searching for answers from you tonight? or was it more in your view a set up to try to hit you? and hit everybody up there in a way that might be embarrass something. >> clearly a gotcha set up. and i was glad that senator cruz called them out on it. it didn't change what they were doing. because they had a preset azenda. but it helps the people of america to be able to see what is going on. and i think that this is going to be critical to what happens in our elections next year. will the people be able to understand how traditionally they have been manipulated and herded? will they begin to think for themselves? thomas jefferson said they would. he said we'll reach this point

where the infiltrated and tried to dominate our lives. we have the media being complicit with it. we have the people rising up and regain control. i believe that that is what's happening now. >> quick last question, doctor. donald trump went out in iowa and said, you know, what that age is going on here. get out there, get the poll numbers back up. and do you have a message for who may have heard that? >> i'm not worried about iowans they're very, very solid people. very been to hamletts were there are only tlae or four people but they're salt of the earth and they're going to be swayed by fact. >> doctor, good to see you. >> toyou too. >> up next, the rise of marco rubio. >> i read that he had tore yil

today, it's evident of the bias existing in the american media today. >> this is another example of the double standard between main stream media and conservative news.

a number of punned yits suggesting marco rubio would be the one to watch. the senator has taken heat for missing senate votes because he is out, campaigning including tips by a newspaper in florida. watch what happens when governor jeb bush decided to address that issue. >> marco, this is a six year term and you should be showing up for work. what is it? like a french work week? >> somebody convinced you attacking me is going to help

you. i'm not running against governor bush or anyone else on the stage. i'm running for president because there is no way we can elect hillary clinton to continue the policies. >> bill burton a former white house press secretary. what did you make of the moment? >> that was a drop mic moment. we're at the 9:00 hour talking about how jeb bush has a new strategy going after hillary clinton. had an ad up. he was just laying a hammer to her. then, when it comes to the debate, instead of going hillary clinton he goes after marco rubio and it backfired completely. not only did he not go after hillary clinton, but rubio stepped in and he went after hillary clinton. so he did what bush was supposed to do.

it worked beautifully for rubio. >> bill, there are reports jeb bush had a heated confrontation outside of the debate expressing his displeasure and about the amount of time jeb got and did get. almost last. >> here is the thing. jeb is right. marco rubio is not showing up and doing his job. but at the end of the day, voters don't care. this is not going to determine how they choose the person they want to be elected president of the united states. i thought rubio handled it well, bush came off sounding like a school marm. >> what did you think it was rubio? >> i think the big winner was rubio. he had a great exchange about benghazi. and took it to the media and

hillary clinton. the media and hillary clinton saying that you know, she was caught in that hearing proven she'd lied to the families about the fact that benghazi was about a, saying it's a terrorist attack and not an internet video. the media said she had a great week. >> we have rubio attacking the media in a similar way. listen. >> i read that with great amusement. it's evidence of the bias existing in the american media today. let me answer your question. back in 2004, 1 of my predecessors by the name of bob graham ran for president, missing over 30% of the votes. i don't recall them calling for his resignation. in 2004, john kerry ran for president, missing close to 60% to 70% of his votes. i don't recall, the sun sentinel endorsed him. barack obama missed 60% or 70% of the votes.

and the same newspaper endorsed him again. so this is what exists between the main stream media and liberal. >> rubio is doing a good job of making this about main stream media because that is the only way this fight works for anyone. president obama tacked over and over for missing votes, for voting present in the illinois senate. no one cared. it turns into something nobody cared about into a fight conservatives do care about, the main stream media. >> here is the last thing. hillary clinton posted a response to the g.o.p. debate. have you to watch it. this is what she -- it's a video response. >> that is the response. she's brushing it off. the problem is that she's getting hit on lines of this because she chose to edit the benghazi hearing. you know? >> not terribly smart move.

but this is the problem we face is that we've got this big fight in the g.o.p. to pick best candidate and donald trump is still leading and we've got hillary, probably the most-vulnerable nominee in a generation. >> i have to ask you, bill burton. do you sense bias in the way that was suggested earlier? . >> i don't think there was bias. i think other debates went better than this one. i think the fox debate was handled much better in moderating how things went. but the thing i was disappointed about is that there are big issues in america. black lives matter movement and other thing that's weren't addressed. there is a girl dragged out of her desk by a cop in south carolina. >> now, you sound like chris

christie. in his moment, he scolded moderators for that. >> it's the first time anyone said that. >> and dialled by frank luntz group. don't go away. >> who won the debate?

well, several candidates had moments and messages tonight and marco rubio was among those who struck a chord with our panel. back now with pollster frank luntz and his focus group. frank? >> there are two special clips by two candidates that did well

tonight. they were significant. first is marco rubio. once again, taking on the media. watch how high the lines climb. >> the democrats have the open packet called the main stream media. last week, hillary clinton went before a committee, she admitted she sent e-mails to the family saying this is a tack was caused by al qaeda like elements. she spent a week telling the family of the victims and american media that it was a video. it was the week she got exposed as a liar. >> i want to find out who had a positive reaction to that? raise your hand. it's one of the highest moments about it. you applauded.

why? >> it was bold and truthful. it is like a super pack. >> well, cruz started it and he jumped on board. it went from there. that was the turning point. they worked together against moderators. >> i liked it when he called out hillary for being a liar. i was tired of hearing the main stream media talking about what a great week she had. she's a liar. >> he was bold, and flipped the script. >> as a veteran, i appreciated the fact he's shining the spotlight on hillary and how they've been covering her. >> i've been talking to you all for a couple hours and i just want to say, i didn't know you were a veteran. thank you for your service. please, go ahead. >> he was calling out the media when talking about the snachlt he and calling them out. one more.

>> he was so respectful. he didn't have to be nasty. just saying these are the facts. >> how much of you walked in here supporting rubio? four of you. how many of you are walking out supporting rubio? nine. there is a second clip. a second candidate. who delivered what you would call a knock out blow. governor chris christie. taking on the media for asking what he regarded what most of our group regarded as a silly question. let's take a look. >> let me say this. >> we have a government involved infantsy football? we have -- >> wait a minute. we have $19 trillion in debt. we have people out of work. we have isis and al qaeda attacking us and we're talking about fantasy football? what? >> one of the most powerful moments he encapsulated the

frustration. >> it's true. >> it's a moment i just went this is a bomb show. it's a mess. >> he was a complete -- taking the reigns saying this is childish. >> i agree. they should call a spade a spade. >> he's nailing the true issues we think are important. >> how many of walked in here supporting chris christie? raise your hands. how many of you are walking out supporting chris christie? just a few. how about donald trump? who had a positive reaction tonight? negative towards trump? the rest of you? even? first time voters? last comment? donald trump. >> i feel like he didn't take much time out of it and got to

hear more from other candidates but i'm still not impressed. >> this second time that trump hasn't been seemed to grab an audience as well as in previous debates. tonight the debate belongs to ted cruz, chris christie arubio. >> yes. >> especially on the cruz subject tells a story. great to see you, frank, thank you. >> well, donald trump's immigration plan was at the center of new controversy tonight but not for the reasons you'd think. chris stierwalt, howie kurtz are here on a low moment for phil! oh no... (under his breath) hey man! hey peter. (unenthusiastic) oh... ha ha ha! joanne? is that you? it's me... you don't look a day over 70. am i right? jingle jingle. if you're peter pan, you stay young forever. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. ♪ you make me feel so young...

it's what you do. ♪ you make me feel ♪ so spring has sprung.

breaking tonight, a new controversy involving donald trump's immigration man. watch what happens when becky tried to nail him on opposition to h visas who allow immigrants to work. >> you've been critical of the visas? >> frankly he's complaining we're losing those people. they go to harvard, yale, princeton. they're immediately sent out. i am all in favor of keeping these talented people here so they can go work to in silicon valley. >> where did i read this? >> i don't know.

you people write this stuff. i don't know. >> my apologies and i'm sorry. >> she apologized. she was completely right. but she apologized. she apparently didn't know how right she was. this is from donald trump's own campaign website. on a page for his immigration plan he does take a swipe at facebook founder mark zuckerberg saying zuckerberg's personal senator has a bill to decimate women and authorities and why he is opposed to them. my head is going to explode. nobody understands. okay? she was right. what she asked him was right. he told her she was wrong.

he asked where she got the facts from. it was on his website and she apologized. and she didn't nail him down at that point. i mean, chris? do you want to start with that? >> i mean, it wasn't exactly like, maybe the megyn kelly way to execute that question and answer exchange, perhaps. preparation, preparation, and for our january debate, we'll be starting soon and have to be on it so when you walk out there, you and bret and chris are so dead sure that when someone says that is not true, you say not only is it true, here is a graphic. >> there is no fear. no fear to be challenged on the question. that last debate was go ahead, go ahead. everything has been fact checked

25 times by 25 different people. i don't understand. it happens with harwood and her as well. >> when you nail a candidate on facts, they should stay nailed. and coming back a half hour later is probably more people switched over to the world series at this point. >> but the question? >> the question when i'm wrong is my personal philosophy. >> and. >> this is the thing. when she brought it back up, it wasn't clear she was right and he was wrong. >> correct. correct. and you mentioned that this. it is your position. it's right here in your website.

you misled. why? i don't understand. i don't mean to be too sanctimonious. but to drop the ball on an important night, i don't know what that says. >> who knows what they were thinking and what kind of preparation they did or failed to do but this is is a disservice to voters. and. >> why? he said it. it's on his website. >> well, i will, i could make a joke about a low paid intern but i will not. >> i will not make that joke.

i will say that donald trump probably read everything on his website or maybe has not read everything on his website. >> listen. >> his position shifted. somewhat, or seems to have on this topic or softening some of what seemed like the beginning that the campaign started in july. he's widened the door a bit. >> this is why people say he has no soul on some of the issues that he says what he needs to say in the moment. >> so if you look at what he is putting these position papers out on, on actions, and immigration, and gun control. what he did when he did that, he kind of took care of the details by doing that. and he is largely in a lot of interviews, he stepped away from details. >> now, we know why.

we know why. >> and i got to go. >> got to go. great to see you. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> as mentioned earlier, rnc chair is furious

cbs debate was supposed to be a battle between the candidates and i stead turned into a melee with the modera moderators. there was a line of questioning tweeting out cbs should be ashame ed how this was handled. joining me, shawn spicer. do you agree?

>> absolutely. what we saw from cbs tonight was not a discussion, it was a gotcha interview over and over again. that was a disappointment. we really thought this would focus on the acadeeconomy, heal care reform and pocketbook issues j it became more of a snarky interview. >> in our defense, don't we as journalists get paid to ask tough questions, really tough questions especially for people who want to be president. >> absolutely. there's a difference between tough questions and gotcha questions. they are supposed to express their plans and solutions for america. not to pick you for past stateme statements, you said this and are you fit for office? that doesn't serve the purposes. this was supposed to be a financial debate. it wasn't. >> does this impact the decision to allow nbc have future deba

debates? >> we will talk about what went well and didn't and hear from the campaigns and what worked and didn't as we go through this process. >> some conservatives were pl e placed in the debate like we saw with hue hugh hewitt, why didnt he do that. >> i think rick santelli did that. >> thank you for being here. >> you

a final word, these f f f f we'll be back here tomorrow night 10:00 eastern. hi, i'm bill o'reilly, thanks for watching. the republican debate that just ended is the subject of the talking points memo. the candidates, it was obvious. >> let's be honest. is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign? >> just like a $68,000 retirement fund. it causes thousands of dollars in taxes and penalties and raises the question whether you have maturity and