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Absence of Trump gives Republican candidates room to talk at NH forum - as it happened

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The Voters First Forum in Manchester, with 14 candidates on show, offers a preview of Thursday’s first official 2016 presidential debate

 Updated 
in Washington, in Manchester and
Mon 3 Aug 2015 21.07 EDTFirst published on Mon 3 Aug 2015 18.29 EDT
Republican U.S. presidential candidate and former Texas Governor Rick Perry (C) salutes as he poses on stage with fellow candidates former New York Governor George Pataki (L) and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum
Republican US presidential candidate and former Texas Governor Rick Perry (C) salutes as he poses on stage with fellow candidates former New York governor George Pataki (L) and former US senator Rick Santorum Photograph: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS
Republican US presidential candidate and former Texas Governor Rick Perry (C) salutes as he poses on stage with fellow candidates former New York governor George Pataki (L) and former US senator Rick Santorum Photograph: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS

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The Voters First presidential forum Is over

Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs
  • Speed dating might not be the worst way to meet a future spouse but it’s a terrible way to meet a future president. The hurried format made it difficult for most candidates to even get through their talking points, let alone say anything original.
  • No Trump, No Attacks. In the absence of Donald Trump, the forum was remarkably civil. On the rare occasions that candidates mentioned their opponents, it was to praise them.
  • Follow-ups are important. With a rushed format and less than aggressive moderator, candidates could easily ignore most questions.
  • The RNC has real power this cycle. The peculiar format tonight was only due to RNC rules which banned candidates from appearing in “sanctioned debates” if they appeared in unsanctioned debates. If two candidates appeared on stage at the same time answering questions that would be “unsanctioned.” The result was a messy evening that did little to help voters but reaffirmed the kingmaking role of the national party.
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Jeb's final thoughts

Jeb Lund
Jeb Lund

I plunked my son in front of the television to try to share the good news, but he crawled away from the GOP message, crossed the room, went to the bookshelf and grabbed this biography of PG Wodehouse. A European. This is your future, America. It’s already over.

jeb's kid
America’s future Photograph: Jeb Lund

The forum has finally ended

Not sure how much voters learned in the rather rushed periods that candidates had on stage but one gets the feeling that the debate in Cleveland could be quite interesting once Donald Trump shows up.

Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs

George Pataki says “I don’t think we should change the Second Amendment at all.” This will not go down as the most controversial statement of the evening.

As the Guardian’s Lauren Gambino notes, Chris Christie is not afraid of making self-deprecating jokes.

Christie: “I’m like the bad relative you invite to Thanksgiving. I come early and stay late."

— Lauren Gambino (@LGamGam) August 4, 2015
Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs

John Kasich touts his record as chair of the Budget Committee in Washington and gives a shout out to former New Mexico senator Pete Domenici.

John Kasich makes an awkward joke about LeBron James moderating the GOP debate in Cleveland on Thursday.

John Kasich is touting how successful he was running for re-election in Ohio. He did so in a Republican year against a Democrat who was caught in a parked car at 4AM with a woman who was not his wife.

Rick Santorum again touts his record winning his re-election in Pennsylvania in 2000. Doesn’t talk about his 2006 re-election bid.

Jeb Lund
Jeb Lund

Fiorina: “We have to have the strongest military on the face of the earth, and everyone has to know it.” So essentially the problem our military faces right now is brand awareness.

She also just explained that she started as a secretary and went on to become a CEO and that “This story only happens in America.” Then she mentioned Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a grocer. Okay.

Fiorina Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters
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Ben Jacobs
Ben Jacobs

In case you were playing bingo during tonight’s forum, Carly Fiorina became the first candidate to say the word “pornography” (as in, government workers shouldn’t watch it on the job).

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