he welcome to a live 11:00 p.m. eastern edition of "the kelly file". the final four contenders took the stage this evening. donald trump setting a much different tone, lobbying very few attacks on the candidates and candidates lobbing few attacks on him, suggesting trump is now turning his attention to the general election, suggesting there are only two men in this race that still have a real chance to be the nominee. his fellow candidates are not going quietly into the night,

looking to differentiate themselves from the front runner, leading to some of the toughest policy debates we have seen. here are a few highlights. >> i think, frankly, the republican establishment or whatever you want to call it, should embrace what's happening. >> our workers are the most productive in the world. if it is a free, fair trade deal, we can compete against anyone in the world and need to. >> senator cruz? >> the key to the future of america is strong economic growth with common sense regulations and a balanced budget. >> i know the visa well and it is something i use. very, very bad for workers. >> if you don't do anything, we'll have the debt crisis and it will be debilitating to our economy. our children deserve better than to inherit a debt crisis.

>> we're going to end sanctuary cities. we're going to cutoff federal taxpayer funds to any city that defies federal immigration laws. >> we have to control our borders. we lock our doors at night p our home. >> murdered by a palestinian terrorist in israel. i don't think we need a commander in chief who is neutral between palestinian terrorists and one of our strongest allies in the world. >> by supporting the israelis and making sure they have our 100% backing is the way to proceed in the middle east. >> i know that a lot of people find donald says what they wish they can say. the problem is that presidents can't just say whatever they want. >> we have a jam-packed show for

you tonight. ted cruz will join us live. you'll hear from my co-moderator, bret baier and we'll get analysis from barry bennett, as well as chris stire walt and mark theissan and dana perino. dana lash and charlie hurt will join us. we begin the evening with chaurls krauthammer. what did you think of the evening? >> i'm thinking what did i miss? when was the armistice declared because i missed it. this is a throw back to the early debates and it was, you've got arg gums, you've got position papers and the kind of thing that would have been needed to slow down the trump train simply didn't happen tonight. it looked as if they took the

same advice, perhaps the pressure of the media, perhaps when marco rubio spoke with you, megyn yesterday, he said he regretted having taking the attacks too far. they thought it was hurting them and it was necessarily hurting trump. i think the only hope for the candidates starting from a couple weeks ago was to go after trump himself, to go after the weak elements in his past, they tried that in the last two debates. and decided it wasn't working. so we've got a lot of words. we've got a lot of, you know, substantive to some extent but there wasn't anything really new here. if you're cruz and rubio or kasich, i don't think it's going to be a point in the trajectory of the campaign.

>> some candidates would like to steal his delegates and it's almost as if they want the media to do their job. is their job, not up to the media to do it. it's up to them to do it. it's almost as if they're afraid of alienating him or his supporters and we've seen that in media circles as well. >> look. i -- you get the impression watching this, that these guys on the stage, they're trump opponents have run out of bullets. they tried it soft, in the early debate, trying to debate him on policy, which they do. these guys know their stuff thoroughly. they're very eloquent. trump is new to it. but it didn't hurt trump. so, a month ago or so they decided they're going to try to go after him, his weaknesses, make it personal. and in there, in the trenches,

and they concluded, i suspect from watching tonight, that is not going to work, either. they're now reverting. the problem is that train is moving. at the beginning of the campaign it was a reasonable strategy to say i can do better on substance. i'll try it. and perhaps, i'll get ahead but that didn't work. i think kasich and rubio, particularly, were thinking i've got to get my state and stick with where i'm strong. rubio went back to being inspirational. kasich, positive. cruz was the one who engaged the most. and he's a very good debater. i think he knows it's one on one right now. he tried the best of trump, but trump's strategy was obvious to everyone, i think. he laid back. be presidential. don't quite go to the places you went before and sort of stay in

cr cruise mode, no pun intended. if he wins a majority of delegates, he sees himself on top. >> you say relentless and positive. many said relentlessly boring. >> look, if your a candidate, you can't, people say you're mean and nasty, lower the level. and high mark and policy, you're boring. there is no way to win. if you want to win, i think you have to go hard and nobody did. >> charles, great to see you. >> my pleasure. >> with us is a frank luntz focus group of florida voters in coral gables. they watched and reacted in realtime and frank joins us now with reaction. hi, frank. >> hey, megyn how are you? i've lost control of the group.

i want a word or phrase to describe the debate. >> sizzle. >> key players. >> took the challenge, delivered. >> inspiring. >> refreshing. >> what is so powerful? you guys seem to really respond differently to this than others before. what is so powerful? >> well, people were talking to us tonight and spending less time talking to counter parts. >> i wasn't afraid to look at the television. i was engaged because it was presidential. >> and you're a mom? >> yes, i am. >> were you concerned about your kids watching other debates? >> i was. >> what about this one? >> not tonight. >> what is the difference? >> more substantive and professional and it told us more about the candidates and more detail of what they believe and want for america. >> what are the highest moments tonight? ted cruz talked about how he's going to change washington? >> this is powerful. because it was direct, it was clear, it was concise. let's take a look at ted cruz's best moment of the night when

talking about changing washington. >> hillary clinton says she'll cut waste, fraud, and abuse if we had smarter people in washington, that will fix the problem. do you know what? that is the statement of a liberal who don't understand government is the problem. here is my philosophy. the less government, the more freedom. fewer bureaucrats, the more prosperity. there are bureaucrats now killing jobs and i know who they are. i will find them. i will fire them. >> i mean, it's a good line. why didn't it attach you so much? >> it told me he's going to do what he's been saying. he's going to bring that to washington and get rid of the washington cartel and minimize the government as much as possible. >> how old are you? >> 21. >> this is your first presidential debate? >> and i already lied about your

age. >> i'm a politician already. >> he's got the blue shirt without the buttons. >> do you trust ted cruz? >> yes, sir. >> he was specific and he said we haven't seen, but he's going to hold government accountable. there are incompetent government workers they'll ship them out. >> donald trump is talking about bringing job backs if china doesn't play by the rules. let's take a look at donald trump's best line of the evening. >> what will happen if they don't behalf we will put on a harj amount and stuff buildings, those factories and plants and people will buy products through here rather than china, where we're being ripped off and have a trade deficit now. we'll build our factories here and make our own products. that is the way it should be

done. >> very high score. why so positive for you? >> in a global economy, donald trump understands the challenges american businesses face and seems to have the power and knowledge on how to deal with those challenges. >> you sound like a trump supporter. >> yes. sir. >> one more in the back. >> he this time gave us specifics. he acted presidential, like he knew what he was talking about. he did a really good job on that. >> how many of you thought trump sounded presidential tonight? almost all of you. this is donald trump's best score. throughout the debate, he's getting a's and occasionally a 90 in our dial. he hasn't done all that great in debates up until this point, but all candidates did well and one of the highest moments we're going to get to when we come back is marco rubio and john kasich. both of them blew our dials away. we'll show you those clips in a few minutes. >> frank, thank you. th the debate say that trump won.

he would take issue with that. i haven't done well. and my mom is on, and my nana. my nana is not on there. someone started a twitter account as nana, megyn kelly's nana, she's 100. and donald trump coming under fire after a rash of attacks have ask asking whether the businessman is responsible for stoking anger among his supporters. chris stire walt and trump advisor, barry bennett are next on that. >> we're taking people from independents and the democratic party and the world is talking about it. it's very exciting. i think, frankly the republican establishment or whatever you want to call it, should embrace what's happening.

>> do you believe anything you've created this tone where violence will be encouraged? >> i hope not. we have 25, 30,000 people, you said it yourself, people come with passion and love for the

country. when they see -- and i see it, there is anger, there is great love for the country. it's a beautiful thing in many respects. what i don't condone that. >> critics point to remarks you've made including february 23rd, i'd like to punch him in the face referring to a protestor, february 27th, and the good old days they'd have ripped him out of that fast, and knock the hell out of him, okay? i promise you, i will pay for the legal fees, i promise, i promise. >> we have protestors who are bad dudes. they've done bad things. they're swinging, they're really dangerous. they get in there and start hitting people. we had a couple big, strong, powerful guys, doing damage to people, not only the loudness, that but doing serious damage. if they're going to be taken out, we have to run something.

it's not me. >> that is donald trump taking questions about violence in his rallies. that happened after an attack on a proet wrester in a trump rally and alleged assault on a reporter by trump's campaign manager, key denied by said campaign manager, joining me now, barry bennett, and howard kurtz, host of fox news media buzz. barry, let me start with you on this. there was a protestor at one of trump's rallies punched in the face by one of the attendees at trump's rally. now, the man, who did the punching is under arrest, he's been charged, and the video is very disturbing. here he was today, watch. >> what did you like about it?

>> that big mouth, we don't know who he is. we know he's not acting like an american. >> he deserved it? >> every bit of it. >> he deserved it, next time we see him, we might have to kill him. >> your thoughts? >> well, unfortunate. you know, i mean, go back to reagan rallies in 84 and they're dragging protestors down the aisle. i mean it's always been a problem. and donald trump is a target for these protestors. they don't come there to protest who he is saying but to cause trouble. and you get people in the crowd too amped up and want to do something about it. there are police in these rallies. if something happens you should get police and fix it. >> the problem is what is the evidence of the people trying to cause physical violence. we see protestors who black lives matter, and they say what

they're going to say but get jostled and you can see the violence and anger, the anger at some of the at, some of the protestors there is one guy in a red hat, just look at the guy on the right shouting at the guys and trump is on camera saying they should have punched him in the face. in my day, they'd have gone out on a stretcher. >> when you say that you, somebody ought to get punched on the face, and somebody gets punched in the face, we can't pretend these are disconnected items. i was stunned, shocked that cruz and rubio both take that question. instead of saying donald trump created an atmosphere in which he incites people to greater

rage and talked about it in a seemingly understanding way because of bad trade deals or whatever. but people are angry and sometimes, it's going to spill out. those guys on the stage didn't take trump to pass on that. i thought it was a weak performance on everybody's part. >> in a way, and it's that embodied why donald trump has been successful. they're scared of him. and they, it's not, like, okay. so rubio needed to dial back the personal stuff. he said that. and he didn't engage on policy. >> donald trump was the most dangerous moment of the debate for him. i thought he handled it well. and it was amazing. and other candidates didn't take him on on that question. they did have sharp exchanges on policy, there is no lying ted

and little marco. they kept their voices down. and they decided to be more serious, trump wanted to appear presidential. >> he did the right thing with that. and they want us to pay attention to them and believe they have a past. what if they did the right thing? >> they did nothing to dent donald trump's lead. >> you tell me, barry is past his proel -- >> two out of three don't have a chance mathematically. and i don't know why they're on the stage. i don't quite get that. the crowds are over it. because america is angry.

and you know, people are so upset. >> let me challenge you on that. i don't mean to diminish anybody's anger, i work here at the fox news channel, hosted this show many years and i understand how republican voters feel, however, red hat guy. and that level of vitriol when a candidate, who is very powerful and very beloved in the crowd says the stuff he says. you tell me what he thinks trump needs to be better than that. do better than that. >> i agree with you, megyn. you can walk into any tavern across america in a small town and find 15 people like that. they're so angry no one is fighting for them. you know that is not donald trump's doing but it is donald trump tapped into that anger. >> chris, did anything change in this race tonight? >> yes. one thing changed is that cruz and rubio abandoned the most

effective argument that anyone has ever made against donald trump, never about policy. it's never about positions because he is -- those are tangibles with mr. trump. what they abandoned were effective character attacks on donald trump that for whatever reason they believed they're going to stop. if they believe they're going to beat donald trump then it's down to cruz. if he is going to beat trump, it has to be on the grounds that they're not worthy of the job, it's got to be about the man himself. a referendum on trump. >> i would say they surrendered. >> i have to leave it at that, the white flag surrender. >> thank you for being here. >> just a week ago, on that debate stage, and up next, bret baier joins me to discuss what

we saw tonight. and donald trump suggested he has. >> there are bureaucrats in washington now killing jobs. i know who they are. i will find them and fire them.

welcome back to our special coverage of the republican debate. one of the strongest exchanges of the night involved cuba. watch. >> i would probably have the embassy closed until such time as a really good deal was made and struck by the united states. >> first of all, the embassy is a former consulate, it's the same building. it can go back to being called a consulate. i don't know if they're going to sue us, but if they sue us in a court in miami they're going to lose. on the issue of a good deal, i know it's a good deal now is codified. here is a good deal, cuba has free elections, cuba has freedom

of the press. cuba cuts out stops helping north korea invade u.s. sanctions. cuba takes fugitives of america killer from new jersey and send her back to the united states in jail, where she belongs, then, do you know what? then, we can have a good relationship with cuba. that is a good deal. >> bret baier, what did you think? >> well, that was home court advantage for senator rubio. and he hit it out of the park. a great answer for him. over all, i think marco rubio had a good debate but is it enough this late owe change the game? the thing i didn't like most was the 8:30 start time. that was really 9:00. >> it was a lie. >> but substantively, i thought donald trump, just by being there and not having a big problem at all, he sufficiently

perried with everyone and it was a different tone and tenor that we had just recently. so i think trump gets out of there successfully. i thought ted cruz had a strong night. john kasich not much of a factor. >> you would have thought they're all sitting on a lease they wanted to protect, right? maybe you didn't like the way you tried before but there are other options. >> you're right. and you know, trump wanted to make it a two-person race with ted cruz. he said that a couple times during the night. smart strategy because in florida, a vote for cruz now is a vote for trump, taking it away from rubio, and he gets the winner take all delegates. i thought a number of answers rubio and cruz had the opportunity to attack and chose not to. and that shows you that they, the whole battling got them a

little bit scared because they must have seemed scared by going after donald trumpment for people that said it's about the substance of the questions, i think they did a good job. but it was about the candidates coming to the debate with a different framework. a different frame of mind. >> we take them as we get them. >> yes. >> there are different moves in different evenings. bret great to see you, sir. >> another hard fought issue involved trading and american jobs. here are trump and senator cruz. >> trade deals are killing our country. the deevaluation of the currency on china and japan and other countries and we don't play the game. the only way we're going to be able to owe do it is we're going to have to do taxes on the left so they behave. >> he's right about the problems but his solutions don't work. his solution on international trade, he proposed a 45% tariff

on foreign goods. the effect would be when go being to walmart, shopping, the prices you pay go up 45%. when you put those in place, because a tariff is a tax on you, the american people, and the countries we trade with put in their own tear rif. >> the 45% tax is a threat. it's not a tax, it is a threat. it will be a tax if they don't behave. >> joining me now, texas senator ted cruz, great to see you, senator. congrats on your endorsement by senator mike lee and radio host mark levine. i want to ask you. >> thank you very much. >> do you think that exchanged helped you? >> well, look it's a real issue.

people are unhappy because we're getting killed in international trade. the problem is that donald has no solutions for it. he doesn't know how to fix the problem, every problem he has he says we'll make things great. the world is more complicated than that. his solution to international trade is a 45% tariff, which is a tax on you, when you go shopping, you know, you're at home now, and i don't think most americans want to see the cost of diapers go up 45% or the cost of clothing go up 45% or the cost of automobiles go up 45%. and what i laid out there is another way to fix this. the tax plan i've laid out, a simple flat tax, 10% for everybody. we abolish the irs and has exports tax free. we tax imports but don't end up raising prizes and causing a trade war and a tariff war and donald has no response to that.

he hasn't been able to layout real solutions to the problems. we've got to fix the problems. that is what i've been working to do. >> you heard he was saying the threat of it will work and received a big endorsement today, mentioned they're going to announce it tomorrow is dr. ben carson, so loved in the party is going to go with him, tomorrow, i want to ask you about the dynamics tonight. it seems to our analyst that you guys were more hands off and that you can't go after trump as much. is that smart? >> well, i think it was good tonight that we had a more substantive debate. the last couple debates, donald and marco got nasty, talking about body parts. and so i was glad to see that nonsense ending. it is something i called for, let's talk about the substantive problems facing the working men and women in the country.

and i think didn't, we did that and we continued to see the differences we've seen earlier debates. you know? donald said a bunch of times tonight that nobody knows the system better than him. he is probably right he is big business and has been part of the corruption and it was striking tonight repeatedly. i press donald. when have you stood up to the lobbyists? part of the reason why our support is surging and why we've won in eight states is because what i've been doing is standing with hard working taxpayers and that is what people are frustrated with. >> he played the game that gives him an advantage and he will

reject that. i have to run, senator. >> thank you, megyn. >> thanks for joining us tonight. >> joining me now with more is mark theissan and dana perino. so, mark, what did you think? >> donald trump said he's going to be softer, lighter. and he delivered but he didn't have to be high energy. he's the leader. and if everything keeps going then he's going to be the nominee. so other candidates needed to change the dynamic of the race. ted cruz took a shot but was laid back because he doesn't feel he needs to change the dynamic of the race because he's confident that marco rubio is going to lose in florida, hoping kasich gets out. and he's waiting for the other

two to get out of the way. >> dana? what did you think? >> kasich did just fine. and i think that when fox news had a poll yesterday that showed him beating donald trump, we can probably hold on to that. i've seen three respected political columnists. one said donald trump won, another said cruz won, and another, rubio won, decisively. >> that is helpful. >> i'm going to disagree with charles chauthammer which is a shock because i almost always agree with him, i think this debate could be decisive for a lot of late deciders. if i were marco rubio's team, i'd be satisfied with. that he looks better now that he doesn't have the trade. and there are other things boy like to hear more about. i thought learning a lot more about who has command of policy, who doesn't. but understanding where they come from, are they willing to

make a deal? i thought it was great. i learned a lot. >> mark, what did you make of the moment about terrorism and his praise for putin, you know? and he referred to it as a riot what we saw in tienemen square. >> it wasn't a riot. they built a replica of the statue of liberty and they were crushed by the communist regime. look. if you look at the substance he was wrong, and wrong on cuba, and wrong on social security. wrong on tariffs not hurting american workers and what is interesting is that dana is saying what a substantive debate this is, she's right but donald trump gave substantive answers

back to that. ways wrong on the answers and some were probably would have been better and more at home in a democratic debate, especially when it comes to trade and social security. but he looks, hate to say it, presidential. >> but likable, too. he wasn't combative or bomb bastic, dana, you thought okay, i would like to have dinner with him. and in previous debates he's been more like i will get you. i will stop you. >> the woman in the frank luntz focus group says this is the first time she wasn't afraid to have her children there. that is something. i do think that this issue about assault and allegations of them, and just after the debates, donald trump's response to a question from cnn saying that he doesn't, he believes they made it up. i think that that is really big news, and uncomfortably so. >> we covered that tonight on

the kelly file tonight at 9:00. it's live if you care to see our allegations being made against trump's campaign manager. good to see you both. >> good to see you. >> one of the more interesting focus group moments came when president obama's name came up. we'll show you that when our group returns, next. >> please, i'm not interested in being politically correct. i'm interested in being correct. and in order to be correct on this issue...

we're back now with a focus group of real, live, republicans watching and reacting to the debate in realtime. frank, what's happening? >> before we get to a marco

rubio clip, you said something i thought was very interesting. >> just troubles me we're not talking about what constitutes a good leader and groove -- proven leadership. we ought to be talking about that. >> i think we've lowered our standards and may not agree with it, but we go with the flow and are not fighting it anymore. we just don't. >> i want to show how many of you walked here supporting marco rubio and thought he performed well? that is why these groups matter. i want you to see the best clip of the night from florida senator, marco rubio. >> barack obama is gutting our military. he's going to leave us with the smallest army since the end of world war ii and smallest air

force we have had. we're going to rebuild the military and they're going to find the terrorists and destroy them. if we capture them live, they're going to go to guantanamo bay, and we'll find out everything they know. >> what is your advice for republicans going forward? . >> i think the only real compromise for republicans in america is to pick senator ted cruz. he gets the donald trump vote, the establishment vote and he has true leadership. >> conduct yourselves like you did tonight. everyone is so presidential. i'm to act that way. >> speak from the heart. we know when we're deceived. >> how many of you think you're going to defeat hillary clinton? how many of you thought tonight was a good step in the right direction? so this is pretty powerful. you think we're going to defeat

hillary clinton. why? >> i think she's got so much baggage and this benghazi thing and e-mails and everything. >> one more. you're just going to sit there and look at me. you're going to sit there and look at me? this is my last debate. >> i think it's where we're ready to win. we have a -- >> megyn, this isrepublicans ma fall. daniel, awesome performance. florida voters do matter not just in the primary but the general election. what happens in florida tends to happen across the country. good night for marco. good night for ted cruz. i think republicans will say it's a good night for all candidates. am i correct? megyn, back to you. >> thank you. thank you, floridians. up next, dana lash and charlie hurt fired up about a moment. we'll show you what it is. >> last night, you told cnn,

quote, islam hates us. did you mean all 1.6 billion muslims? >> i mean a lot of them. i mean a lot of them. >> do you want to clarify the comment? test

>> joining me now, dana lash, host of dana on the blaze tv and charles hurt, charles, your thoughts? >> i thought that marco rubio had a very, very good night tonight. but he's at many, many good debates and still 300 delegates behind in the race for nomination and i think it's probably too little, too late to get back into the game. >> dana? >> i think rubio found his groove with debates. i think cruz is strong. >> do you think it will help him? >> i do think it helped him. and i heard a lot of latitude from donald trump and i heard wrong answers. it was good to see him have a

gentlemanly demeanor. >> i don't know if policy details have been trump's thing. >> he's a very entertaining politician and he is loathe to poor people with details. i thought one of my favorite parts is when he declined to apologize about talking about islam hates america. you know? that is not the political correct thing to say. and he has the deyensy not to apologize for things like that. and he sticks with it. >> trump is not asked about

allegations that his campaign manager assaulted a female reporter. and he denies that this happened. trump was asked about it. here is what he said. >> he didn't hear about it. so secret service said nothing happened. everybody said nothing happened. perhaps they made the story up. >> he thinks michelle fields made it up. >> does he think she created a finger impression bruise on her arm? i watched earlier and i'm stunned at this. donald trump is struggling with women within the republican party and he sort of the hillary clinton version of the republican side. this doesn't help. >> he didn't have to weigh in,

either. great to see you both. thank you for being here. and who do you think was tonight's big winner and loser? facebook, follow me on twitter, let me know what you think. thanks for watching, everyone.

>> it is friday march 11th. the fight is heating up at the gop debate like never before. putting insults aside for policy. >> the final show down before next week's crucial primary elections where donald trump hopes to lock up the republican nomination. but they are not going down without a fight. >> used to fight to win now we fight no reason whatsoever. >> we don't want to pull down the blinds and leave the world. >> the answer is not simply yell china bad, muslims bad. >> the presidents can't just say anything they want. they have consequences heard around the world. >> our country and our trade and our jobs are going to hell. >> i absolutely will blow the whistle and begin to stand up for the american worker. >> if you are fed up with washington, the question ought to be asking is who is willing to take on washington.

>> i am not interested in being politically korment. i am interested in being correct. >> we hait is post debate frida. we have the big comments from last night. >> marco rubio says he regrets some of his personal attacks against trump so the republican debate was comparatively so civil and the previous so agracive even the frontrunner took note. >> i would say we are all in this together. we are going to come up with solutions and find the answers to things and i can't believe how civil it has been up here. >> they still criticized one another this time not with incomprehensible yelling. >> after four decades of being part of the influence after hillary clinton being part of the ilu