doing more than ever before. see what the personal service of an allstate agent can do for you. call 877-644-3100. breaking tonight, debate number 11 is in the books, just 48 hours before the next big contest in campaign 2016. welcome to the kelly file, everyone, i'm reporting live from detroit. earlier, ted cruz and marco rubio launched an all out assault looking to derail donald trump. the debate coming just hours after 2012 republican presidential nominee mitt romney suggested that mr. trump has no business being the leader of the free world. that loomed large over tonight's proceedings.

here is just a bit of what we witnessed. >> this campaign for the last year, donald trump mocked everybody with personal attacks. the media has given these personal attacks an incredible amount of coverage. let's talk again about the issues that matter to this country. i'm ready to do that starting here, tonight. >> i happened to call him a light weight. i would like to take that back. he's not that much of a light weight. he hit my hands. look at those hands, are they small hands? and he referred to my hands if they're small, something else must be small. i guarantee you there is no problem. >> i don't think the people of america are interested in a bunch of bickering school children, they're interested in solutions not slogans. >> throughout this campaign, i talked about issues. i have never tried to go get into these kinds of scrums we're seeing on the stage and people say everywhere i go, you seem to be the adult on the stage.

>> i beat hillary. >> hold on, hold on. the audience cannot understand when you're talking over each other. >> i beat hillary clinton by more than anyone, by 11 points. the reason it happened in one poll. >> the reason is because the democrats tell me all the time. >> you're angry and over 40 years, donald has been part of the corruption in washington. and the cronyism by supporting someone who used government power for private gain. we need a president who stands with the american people. >> we have a big show for you tonight. with charles krauthammer and ted

cruz, plus, chris stire walt and howie kurtz are here, and we'll be joined by mark theissan. we begin with frank luntz and his focus group. frank? >> megyn, i don't know how happy you at fox are going to be but i want a word or phrase to describe the debate. >> disappointing. >> shameful. >> despicable. >> angering. >> disgusting. >> school yard brawl. >> now, this ain't good because there are millions of people watching tonight. this is the most negative response i have had. one more question. by a she of hands, how many of you thought this helped the republican party? what they saw tonight? raise your hands. did it help the g.o.p. ? none of you. what is the problem? what is your anger?

e plain it to me. >> they're not getting their points across. they're not telling what they want to do as president. >> they're giving sound byte fuel for the democrats. >> i think it's baiting by moderators at times, frank. >> so they're attacking donald trump. >> is why you're so unhappy? >> they're sandwiching him in the last two debates. >> how many of you walked in here supporting donald trump? raise your hands? how many of you thought donald trump won the debate tonight, raise your hands, one person. who thought john kasich won? remarkable. tell me why. >> he came across as on point. >> why kasich? >> the only adult in the room. >> why kasich? >> he was mature and presented sound answers and looks like someone who has done it before. >> and we're going to start with negative what went wrong tonight.

let's take a look at one of the lowest moments of any debate during this election cycle. >> that is why trump university is relevant here. i saw this video last week, he's sitting in front of a camera saying we're going to hire the best people, and i'm going to hand pick them. the best instructors in the world. one was a manager at a buffalo wild wing. that is who they hired to do this. and people borrowed money and signed up for a fake university. they owe money and got nudging in return for it. you're willing to say whatever you have to say to get them to give you their money. >> the people of florida can't stand him. he can't get elected dog catcher. >> is this the debate you want playing out in the general election? >> i mean that was the height -- it's amazing to me. we never tested something so low. how old are you? >> 18. >> this is your first vote? >> yes. >> what is the problem with this? >> i came here as a rubio

supporter. it's frustrating to hear someone say that. >> in the back? >> they're fighting instead of discussing policy. we should be going on to plan who is presidential. >> one more. >> there is too much desperation in rubio now. it's time for him and cruz to team up. >> i want you to focus on john kasich. i want to show you the clip that scored through the roof. his comment on foreign policy, using dials that scored better than anything else. let's take a look. >> now, you've got to be in the ground and in the air in syria and iraq and some point, libya. i am concerned about isis getting their hands on the oil fields to be able to fund their operation. the fact is, cool, calm, deliberate, effective, take care of the job, and then, come home. that is what we need to do with our military foreign policy. >> they used these dials, that

scored about a 90. what is so positive about it? >> i felt he was mature, relaxed. one thing that impress immediate is that he was not drawn into this little kind garden debate. >> what it is about kasich? >> he did a great job talking about experience, plans, what he would do to change things in the country and world as far as safety and policies. >> so that was a high-tested moment, it wasn't the number one moment of the night. we're going to show you the highest-dialled and tested clip and i'm going to explain why i'm holding these donald trump sneakers, one of a kind because they're for you. next time i see you, i'm going to give you an autographed pair. >> i don't look like you, frank, walking around in sneakers all the time. i can use a pair of those, thank you, sir. joining us is charles krauthammer, what did you think?

>> what i don't think i've heard a debate with less discussion of policy, and it wasn't because the moderators didn't ask about policy. but the entire debate, except for the kasich part, since he was left out of the food fight, trump saw no reason to hit him. the rest of the debate was attacks, going left and right, and it was a complete assault on trump from left and right from cruz and rubio, that scored, i thought a lot of points. now, the caveat here is that this happened before. not quite to this extent, and it hasn't left a mark on trump. i think his supporters are going to think he was ganged up on and he defriended -- defended himself. i think that they're going to think there was impatience in

his demeanor. i don't think it's going to diminish trump's numbers but there is one thing. when you're a front runner and had a good of a day as he did on super tuesday, you develop a band wagon effect and you bring in outsiders. if this debate had any effect, i think it might make those waivering and inclined to jump on the band wagon think twice. as for cruz and rubio, themselves, cruz i thought came out with the most opportunity to speak for himself, and he constantly ended up trying to turn it into an attack on trump, so he might have had the edge. in the end, kasich, i think, because he stood on the outside, looking in, and could make a positive case, to play the grown up and be a unifier, he might have had the biggest advantage out of the night. >> we have talked about sometimes, in these campaigns

you see two candidates sniping at each other and it winds up being a kamikaze mission for the one doing the attacking. do you think john kasich would be the beneficiary of that? >> he can. he's so far down, on super tuesday he is fifth. and i don't know in the end if increases the chance of the presidentsy. it might increase the chances of winning an ohio, which would be an opportunity to put something of a dent on the idea of trump marching to the nomination. but the kamikaze effect is well known. look what happened to chris christie. he landed the biggest blow on rubio in new hampshire and out of the race a few days later, the classic case, in 2004, iowa, the democratic primary, john kerry just sat quietly and two

front runners crushed each other on the air and he walked through the middle. that was the kasich effect today. >> let me ask you about trump. man, is he under attack. you had the mitt romney thing today, two of the three guys coming after him no matter what question asked, it was back to trump, back to trump and yes, he sniped at them, because i'm sure he was irrated but given the pressure he was under, i thought we saw a man who is pretty cool. he was keeping his cool, pretty well, am i wrong? >> well, when you are saying a little marco rubio and saying my hands are large and the rest of me isn't? well, you're -- >> well. >> he had to make them laugh, but you know is not lincoln douglas and it isn't even kennedy nixon. i thought he held his own.

i think the reason you have this enormous attack on trump is because of a pent-up demand. the guy had all of these issues hanging around his neck. trump university. bringing in outside foreigners to work on his hotels. the idea he supported the democrats. the flip flops. the fact that his numbers on taxes didn't add up. all of that has been around six months, and was rarely ever brought up because other candidates are afraid of trump or ranked, bush, that i'll drop money attacking rubio, and create the lane for me. so this is like six months of silence. and for a guy with huge vulneribless that are not exploited. by the 15th of mark, rubio hasn't won florida and ohio has not gone to kasich, it is likely

over. so all of this stuff being is crammed in. that is why it looked like over kill. >> well, we shall see if they're vulnerabilities or not. trump has motivated a huge group that is loyal to him. a loyalty others are envious of. charles, always a pleasure, thank you, sir. >> my pleasure. >> we've got a jam packed kelly file still to come, at the site of a g.o.p. debate. and senator ted cruz joins us on what he thinks about what just happened on stage. >> donald trump in 2008 wrote four checks to elect hillary clinton as president. i'd like to ask why did you write checks in 2008? it wasn't for business. how can you stand on a debate stage now with her and say you

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for 40 years donald has been part of the corruption in washington you're angry about.

>> i have been supporting people many years and these people have been politicians and have been on both sides. because until recently i wasn't a politician. >> donald trump in 2008 wrote four checks to elect hillary clinton as president. i would like to ask why did you write checks for hillary clinton in 2008? it wasn't for business. how can you stand on a debate stage with her and say she shouldn't be president? >> actually, it was for business, it was. >> that remark earned high remarks for the senator tonight. senator ted cruz, thanks for joining us. >> good to be with you. >> are you surprised the point has not come up? >> well, it's interesting for most of this primary, a lot of candidates have been using kid gloves towards donald.

we have seen the field narrow, people are focused on what is the record going to be? donald tapped into something very real. people are furious and volcanoic with their frustration was hollywood. and that frustration, i mean, point i was making is listen, donald has been doing that. he's been the one funding those politicians. if you don't like obamacare, donald funded harry reid. >> well, listen, i've paid thousands of thousands of people. >> i mean, he's a real estate developer. >> a senator from new york state. >> when it comes to supporting presidential candidates that is not impacting his business. you don't have to do that.

he supported jimmy carter over ronald reagan, and john kerry. >> he supports republicans as well, he gave a lot of money to republicans. >> if you look at 2006, when the democrats took over congress, donald gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to help put harry reid and nancy pelosi in charge of congress and by the way, the existing leadership in congress was republican so it was against his business interests. >> i want to ask you about today's meeting. mitt romney denouncing donald trump. did he have a point that marco rubio needs to win florida, john kasich needs to win ohio. >> i think super tuesday revealed power fully the only candidate who has a path to beating donald trump is me. >> but not straight out. not without a contested

extension. >> absolutely straight out. this convention nonsense is something the g.o.p. establishment loves to talk about. if the power brokers in the g.o.p. try to pick the nominee in a broker convention, you will see the people revolt. it is the dumbest idea and what the lobbyists have come up with. they don't understand why voters aren't voting for candidates they like. if you look at the race, we have beaten donald in iowa, in texas, resoundingly, oklahoma, alaska, and minnesota. no other campaign has done that. so, for anyone who wants to stop donald trump, it is abundantly clear that we're the only campaign to do it. donald has over 300 delegates and i have 200. if you want to beat donald, come with us. >> last question. the focus group is negative on the negative tone. they don't like the sniping.

what would you say to those people? they're feeling dejected about that tonight. >> i very much agree. donald and marco were getting personal, nasty and talking about body parts and making profane jokes. i haven't done that. i don't intend to do that. i think there is a big difference between insults and going into the gutter. and focusing on issues and substance. and let me make a final point here. >> i got to go. >> donald said he agreed with marco rubio's decision to be flexible and negotiate the gang of eight bill. it is code for he is getting ready to break his word and that ought to be a warning sign to voters. >> well, the debate took an unexpected turn at times, howie kurtz and chris stire walt are next with that. and we'll check back in with the

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>> i have to say this. he hit my hands, nobody ever hit my hands. look at those hands, are they small hands? and you referred to my hands if they're small, something else must be small. i guarantee you there is no problem. i guarantee it. >> okay. moving on. >> oh, my lordy. trump's defense of his hands among other things was just one of strange moments we saw on the stage tonight. chris stirewalt, you cannot make it up. >> yes. i tell you what. i don't know if it was washington or lincoln who made the first reference to the size of their anatomy in a presidential debate. when you say that, it doesn't matter anything else you say. you break the internet. the world falls to pieces and

it's sort of an analogy. and donald trump said something totally bonkers and everybody looked at it and the discussion shifts off to something else. >> i was down stairs watching trump and one third of the questions were about his anatomy and donald trump deflected mid joke about it. and it's a viral moment of the debate which means rubio didn't get the viral moment. >> a lot of people thought it was funny but i understand, a lot of people don't feel that way. >> i thought the moment when they played a video montage for donald trump as you did for cruz and rubio and asked him what is his core. he shifted positions and said welsh i have a core but you have to be flexible. and other two piled on. that i

thought cruz and rubio suffered a little bit from recycling attacks and if you like donald trump, yes, you make deals. >> now, he's, that is the videotape, stirewalt knows, i thought he handled it well. >> he took them in turns and said yes, this is what i did and he doesn't just try to blow it off. >> he and i had a respectable theme. just feeling sad about what they saw on the stage about the way they attacked each other. >> leaving assize -- aside mr. trump's presidential timber, marco rubio, he is sick as a dog. that flu had him on the ropes,

bad, but the point is that we're at a historic vote. there is a populst movement in ways donald trump is leading. it's angry and changing the shape of the republican party. the part size divide itself. in the middle of this discussion, i did not see much on that stage to encourage me, or any american that okay, they're going to sort this out. this is going to be okay. whether republican or democrat, the health of the republic defends on the health of the two parties. >> and one party may be breaking. >> trump was restrained most of the night, except when rubio got under his skin and he called him little marco. >> great to see you both. >> thank you. >> and earlier tonight, frank

luntz told us there is a moment that tested high with voters in the focus group. what was it? back again, frank luntz and the focus group. >> so, megyn it wasn't john kasich who did incredibly well tonight. it was from the senator from texas addressing an issue that is near and dear to our focus group's heart. let's take a look at the best-tested line of the evening. >> detroit is a great city with a magnificent legacy that has been utterly decimated by 60 years of failed left wing policy. henry ford brought automobiles to the middle class. during world war ii, detroit provided, funded the arsenals of democracy to help us win world war ii. >> raise your hand. >> so what is so positive about that? did it connect to your heart? >> yes.

ted cruz is a convicted conservative who understands what is needed in order to get detroit back to where it was before. i appreciate he pointed out the failed policies of the years. >> i admit that ted cruz is a great debater and absolutely right. failed liberal policies destroyed this city. he we have family businesses and independent businesses are struggling and he spoke to us and showed us how to make it better and help us prosper, and grow. >> what advice to you have for candidates now? there is going to be one more debate before the next big vote. what advice to you have for them? right there. go ahead. >> mitt romney said we republicans, we republicans, trump always refers to the party as them and they. so we, republicans is -- >> good advice. >> we do need to unite behind one candidate, and providing an opportunity for people to know we're about growth, opportunity,

and prosperity instead of this bickering is what people need to see, especially young people. >> there. >> the only thing we're giving is giving more sound bytes to the other side to show how poor we're doing. >> i want to do one more clip from john kasich. it talked about the issue not only uniting republicans but independents, the budget. let's play the clip of john kasich scoring through the roof on what he would do to balance the budget. >> you have common sense regulations, lower taxes on individuals and businesses, and you have a fiscal plan that makes sense that job creators will expand employment. and what happened? when i was there, the jobs were exploding. bill clinton tried to take credit for it. when i went to ohio, we're up 400,000 jobs. it's the same formula, but it isn't easy. i fought the entire washington establishment and won. >> so we had more people, that was -- how many of you had a

favorable reaction to that? raise your hands. >> i want to end this segment with lessons for donald trump. because many, raise your hands if you walked in here supporting him. more than any other candidate. >> it's the general election nears, he needs to stop arguing and belittling other people. >> good advice. >> he needs to get on issues and take a lesson from governor kasich and not take a bite out of that temptation. >> governor kasich was very specific, he gave us tangible solutions. mr. trump has done things that have been good, but needs to tell us what they are. >> i would say don't back down. don't let the establishment run you over. >> agree but i hope he would be a tad more presidential. just a tad. >> this is legitimate messaging from people who support trump who walked in here with the most voters of anyone, and john

kasich walks out of here winning this presidential debate. megyn, back to you. >> frank, thank you. a stunning moment unfolding toward the end of the debate, each candidate was asked about supporting the eventual nominee. our power panel join us next on the pledges made and what that means in the coming weeks. >> thanks man. imagine if the things you bought every day... ...earned you miles to get to the places you really want to go. with the united mileageplus explorer card, you'll get a free checked bag, two united club passes, priority boarding, and 30,000 bonus miles. everything you need for an unforgettable vacation. the united mileageplus explorer card. imagine where it will take you. (patrick 2) pretty great.ke to be the boss of you? (patrick 1) how about a 10% raise? (patrick 2) how about 20? (patrick 1) how about done?

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. can you say you will support the republican nominee if that nominee is donald trump? senator rubio, yes or no? >> i'll support the republican nominee. >> mr. trump, yes or not? >> senator cruz, you will support donald trump if is he the nominee? >> yes. because i gave my word that i would. >> i will support whoever is the republican nominee. >> if it's not me? though they don't deserve it,

but the answer is yes, i will. >> you heard it here, folks. seven months after putting that question to the g.o.p. candidates, each man saying they'll support the eventual g.o.p. nominee. with mr. trump adding his usual flair to the answer. great to see you. dana. let me start with you. ted cruz saying if it's trump, i will support trump. >> i think it does go a long way, maybe, getting to the point we're shooting the cracks in the right and i hope trump sticks to this because he keeps going back and forth, and they're not keeping their promise to me, but i'm glad to see they all answered yes.

we have a two party system now. this is the only strategy that is going to beat hillary clinton. >> yet, guy, we're hearing never trump. you know? senator from nebraska saying i won't support him. they're talking about the next two weeks, break the g.o.p. forever. what do you make of it, guy? do you believe the republican party will get behind donald trump if he is the nominee? >> some of them will, and these guys raised their hands and said yes, but what i thought is interesting there, each of them tried to reprise major themes in their campaigns in their answer. bernie sanders making the point he runs strongest against them in the polls, ted cruz saying i gave my word, and donald trump a

shrewd answer by him, laughing off the idea it would be anyone but him, which is aasserting he is the front runner which is unquestionable. >> charlie, what did you think of the debate? >> i thought it was marvelous. after every debate you think it can't get better than this and it does. i thought that was a shrewd question. the first debate, the question was directed at donald trump and whether he would stick with the nominee. tonight it was not directed at him, it was directed at others because of all of the dissension we've been hearing from these elected officials, these republican officials who are talking crazy talk they're going to give the election to hillary clinton by not supporting the republican nominee. >> how do you think trump did tonight, charlie?

>> i don't think his best performance. that said, he was taking it from all sides. and he had everybody up there gunning for him. he, you know, the reference to his anatomy, you know was one of those moments where everybody in the audience was shocked but you know, i mean this is the way people talk in america today. it's almost kind of shakespearean the way he makes these puns and i think what he is trying to do when he did that, he wanted to close the circle so that everyone was clear, exactly what marco rubio is talking about every time he talks about his hands. maybe that will shame marco rubio into pulling back on it. and if not that, embrace it. >> there are some people who are very offended by that and thought it was inappropriate for the presidential debate. you know, on the other hand, it is nice to laugh at these things

and break the tension a little bit, guy. >> yes. i got a kick out of trump saying i never heard this about my hands ever before. of course he has. that is why rubio has been baiting and he has been sensitive about his small hands for years. >> vanity fair magazine, trump does not like it. >> he brought it up unsolicited at the debate, bringing up his hands and mentioning how it compared to other parts of his anatomy. >> surreal moment. >> on a presidential debate stage, that happened. >> there was more levity. here is a moment about yoga. watch. >> let me point out -- >> that is not what you said in the op-ed. >> donald, please, i know it's

hard not to interrupt. but try. breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe. you can do it. you can breathe. i know it's hard. i know it's hard. just -- >> when you're done with the yoga can i answer the question? >> you cannot. >> i really hope we don't see yoga on this stage. >> well, he's very flexible so you never know. >> pretty good, even ted cruz seemed to like that one, dana. >> i loved to see the relationship there, budding between marco rubio and ted cruz on stage, i think they tag teamed donald trump beautifully. it's amazing to me, we're bringing up what was getting under trump's skin most. he's more offended by him being said he has tiny hands than the questions you were asking him

about trump university. here, he could be having to leave the campaign to go to court for a fraud investigation for trump university. that didn't seem to bother him so much as another man thinking he was in a way physically insignificant compared to other ones. >> there is news for you on the trump university. trump brought out a better bureau accreditation for trump university so a new business was formed and this says that trump entrepreneur initiative has an "a" rating. and the point i was trying to make is when trump university was operating and got into

trouble it was given a "d minus" reading and under a new name, this "a" rating. viewers can makeup their own mind but that is going to come up again. dana, final word. >> trump university, trump vodka, perhaps he had success with properties but i look at the failures. and he throws out the phallic joke because he was having his back side handed to him. . >> i want a steak vodka. >> if you can't tell steak and vodka, you can't sell anything. who goes wrong with steak and vodka? >> great to see you. thank you. >> thank you, megyn. >> coming up, trump argues his negotiation skills will make him a great president.

we'll discuss that with mark theissan and former obama press secretary bill burton, next. >> the point i'm going for is you change your tune for many things and that has people saying what is his core? >> megyn, i have a very strong core but i've never seen a successful person who wasn't flexible. go on a first date. my passion is puppetry. here? i think we're done here. hate drama? go to cars.com resechprice, fin only cars.com helps you get the right car without all the drama.

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i will say, though, in terms of immigration, and almost anything else, there always has to be some flexibility. some negotiation. >> how flexible are you on this issue? >> not very flexible. >> that was gop presidential front runner donald trump stressing the importance of flexibility when it comes to ne gauche yating on a key issue. joining me now, former chief speech writer for george w. bush and bill burton,former obama press secretary. what was your biggest take away. >> >> so he's flexible with the new york times editorial page. but not so flexible when he's on

the campaign trail talking to the american people. that's the take away. i think he took a hit on his credibility as the guy who tells it like it is on this exchange. >> he said off the rord conversation. doesn't that kind of chill. >> no, because i don't know that the journalists are ever upset about being on the record. it's usually to accommodate -- >> right, but the president shl candidates right-hand turn going to want to give us off the record confers. it just sort of chills the discussion. >> it may, but it should -- he's supposed to be a conservative running for the republican. he goes to the liberal editorial page and says i'm not going to do all the things i'm saying and then has a secret conversation with them and doesn't tell us? >> well, they all have secret confers.

>> bill, what was your take away. >> >> you know, i 5:00 clean uply think trump is doing the right thing by not asking the new york times to release the tape. once you get into that discussion, it's a slippery slope and you're skon substantiately being asked to do it. the thing about donald trump is his supporters, even this back and forth about whether he's changed, won't have any impact on his support. people have kind of made up their mind that, yeah, donald trump did all of this business before. >> so what did you think was the big moment? the big take away? >> well, the big take away is that donald trump is running away with this thing. and, you know, the thought i have is that the general election is going to be interesting because the fight is going to be so a sill memory kal between hillary clinton, a woman who has been in public policy and government at the highest levels and donald trump, who is,

you know, a circus act. >> a what? >> a circus act. >> well, david was on here last night saying he feels for hillary clinton. he says, you know, i feel for him. there's no knowing how to beat trump, exactly. >> that's my point. >> but i think the focus group said they didn't like the negative attacks. people never like negative attacks. but the reason why people use them, they work. outside groups have spent about $240 million. not a dollar of that has been spent on trump. trump has gone. but now the attacks have turned on him. >> gentlemen, great to see you both. we'll be right back.

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