The Republican primary somehow keeps getting weirder.
Thursday's GOP debate featured Donald Trump promising he's got a big dick, questions over how he has responded to the endorsement of a former Ku Klux Klan leader, breathing exercise advice from Ted Cruz and a suprise zinger from Marco Rubio that Trump is flexible enough to do yoga.
Rubio and Cruz went hard at Trump, the frontrunner, repeatedly questioning his trustworthiness and toughness with the businessman swinging back hard at "Lyin' Ted" and "Little "Marco."
Here are some of the debate's high(?)lights.
Trump might as well just whip it out.
The GOP frontrunner made sure in the opening minutes of the debate to correct a recent attack from Marco Rubio that he has small hands — and other things too.
"He hit my hands. Nobody has ever hit my hands. Are they small hands? And he referred to my hands — if they’re small, something else must be small. I guarantee you, there’s no problem. I guarantee you," Trump said, suggesting he's got a big enough dick for the Oval Office.
Donald Trump knows what you mean when you say he has small hands and he says there's no problem. Nope. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/7eJzbRDcvJ— Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 4, 2016
Downward Dog for president
Ted Cruz found a new way to keep Trump from interrupting him — by belittling his belligerent style. And his shushing led to one of the night's best zingers.
"Donald -- please! I know it’s hard not to interrupt. But try. Breathe," he said as Trump yelled "Lying Ted" and "Liar."
Rubio interjected: "When they’re done with the yoga, can I answer a question?"
Cruz responded that he really hoped "that we don't see yoga on this stage."
"Well, he’s very flexible so you never know," Rubio said to huge laughs.
In which the world came close to seeing yoga performed on the stage of the #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/I9PvsfSE5N— Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 4, 2016
All the candidates will back Trump if he's the nominee
All the other Republicans went hard after Trump — but when pressed they promised that they'd vote for The Donald if he wins the nomination.
No one seemed happy about it, though.
"If he ends up as the nominee, sometimes he makes it a little bit hard. But you know, I will support whoever is the Republican nominee for president," John Kasich said when pushed.
Cruz said he would because he "gave my word."
Ku Klux Klan Kuestions
Trump, who has been hit hard for taking his time to disavow the endorsement of a former KKK leader, was asked explicitly why he rejected the group. And while he repeated an earlier declaration that he "totally disavow[s]" the endorsement, he didn't explain why.
"I totally disavow the Ku Klux Klan. I totally disavow David Duke," he said.
The moderators aren't having any
Once again, the Fox News moderators laid down the law, led by a hard-charging Megyn Kelly who was pushing Trump and the others hard on substance.
Chris Wallace also did his best to contain the sometimes chaotic stage.
"Gentlemen, you've got to do better than this," Wallace warned as Rubio and Trump went off the rails early on.
Trump calls Rubio "Little Marco," Rubio calls him, "Big Donald." #Election2016 #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/f60rbLbFKq— Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 4, 2016
Mourning in America
The tenor of the debate was roundly attacked.
Top Republicans were terrified at what was happening.
My party is committing suicide on national television. #GOPDebate— Jamie Johnson (@JamieJohnsonUSA) March 4, 2016
The number one word my focus group used to describe tonight's debate: “Embarrassing.”#GOPDebate— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) March 4, 2016
And Democrats weren't necessarily laughing.
I'm at the point where I literally fear they unzip their pants and compare.
Not figuratively.
Literally.
That's how far we've sunk.— Mo Elleithee (@MoElleithee) March 4, 2016
Seasoned journalists, meanwhile, couldn't believe what they were seeing.
This debate is THE WORST.— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) March 4, 2016
Eating paint chips may or may not be better for your mental capacity than this debate— Tim Mak (@timkmak) March 4, 2016