live now to scott lucas, professor of american studies at university college dublin.'t the first time donald trump has not turned up to the party. what is his strategy here? he what is his strategy here? wants everyone in the n including he wants everyone in the media, including you good folks at the bbc, talking only about donald trump and not about the other seven people on the stage last night. he wants you talking only about donald trump, not about some of the issues that came up last night. in other words, of the issues that came up last night. in otherwords, in of the issues that came up last night. in other words, in this circus, he wants to be the only ringmaster. circus, he wants to be the only ringmaster-_ circus, he wants to be the only ringmaster-— circus, he wants to be the only ringmaster. well, let's focus on those other— ringmaster. well, let's focus on those other seven _ ringmaster. well, let's focus on those other seven candidates. l those other seven candidates. watching the debate last night, whether any surprises, standout moments, you would say?

he's a professor of us and international relations at university college dublin. and the founder and editor of the online new site e. a world view, a one welcome to you all, and thanks so much for joining us today on inside story for let me start with you today. iran in the us of carried out a prisoner swap as part of a cut that are mediated deal experts believe that this prisoners what may be a step toward be escalating tensions between the us and the wrong. what do you think is this just a one off, or could this lead potentially to a saw in relations? you know, i don't think it's going to be a major shift in us policy towards the on, i think the by the administration. either unwilling or unable to clinic the past mistakes of previous administrations and come to a policy that's actually working for the united states. but i think if you get these type of agreements, small agreements that you can eventually reach and the stage of as the confrontation is not something that both sides and worry about on a daily basis. so it's not going to resolve any major issues. bu

let's get more with professor of international politics at university college dubun politics at university college dublinyou can dublin, scott lucas. you can join us. scott, thanks very much for your time. it join us. scott, thanks very much for your time . it wasn't perhaps for your time. it wasn't perhaps one of the most edifying debates, was it ? debates, was it? >> no. there was a lot of basically back and forth , a lot basically back and forth, a lot of trying to get digs on each other, scrambling for position . other, scrambling for position. >> but that said, i think you got a couple of points that we should watch . should watch. >> first, in terms of the issues, i think there was a lot of misinformation on a lot of even falsehoods , but they are even falsehoods, but they are attack lines. you can expect from at least some of the republicans, some of that misinformation was about immigration with even a couple of candidates like ron desantis saying that the us military would be sent into mexico . some would be sent into mexico. some of it was about the economy failing to note that in fact inflatio