THE LATEST REPUBLICAN debate got off to a chaotic start last night when one of the candidates missed his cue – kicking off a car-crash to the side of the stage as his competitors came out to walk passed him.
Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has been flagging in the polls, was filmed waiting in the wings as the announcers called him to the stage in vain.
Ted Cruz, who won last week’s Iowa caucus, gave him a ‘WTF?’ look as he strode past to take his place at the podium…
The Texas senator was followed by Donald Trump – who hung back, apparently unwilling to leave Carson hovering in the wings alone.
Marco Rubio clearly had no such qualms…
Nor did Jeb Bush – who dodged past Trump with a casual pat to the elbow and a barely discernable shrug…
The moderators, forced eventually to acknowledge things weren’t going entirely to plan, broke from their scripts to introduce Carson again and he duly took the stage.
That was followed by another introduction for Donald Trump – who entered separately.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie then reminded the hosts that one GOP hopeful was still missing:
What about Kasich? Can I introduce Kasich?
And finally the line-up was complete.
“The acoustics back stage were horrible and there was too much noise out front so you just couldn’t hear,” Carson said later.
I kept listening for my name, I didn’t hear it.
With reporting by AFP.
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