The Big Boy Debates

G-d, those two debates could not have been more different.  Though, Kasich's unexpectedly strong performance aside, everyone behaved much as one might have expected, especially the more openly fascistic and theocratic candidates.  But, the main takeaway:

Bret Baier: Is there anyone on stage...who is unwilling tonight, to pledge your support to the eventual nominee of the Republican party, and pledge to not run an independent campaign against that person ?

{Donald Trump raises his hand}{Crowd boos}

Baier: Mister Trump...to be clear, you're standing on a Republican primary debate-stage, the place where the RNC will give the nominee the nod, and that experts say an independent run would almost certainly hand the race over to Democrats, and, likely, another Clinton.  You can't say tonight that you can make that pledge ?

Donald Trump: I cannot say, I have to respect the person that, if it's not me, the person that wins.  If I do win, and I'm leading by quite a bit, uh that's what I wanna do.  I can totally make that pledge if I'm the nominee, I will pledge I will not run as an independent, but...I'm y'know talkin' about a lot of leverage.  We wanna win, and we will win, but I wanna win as the Republican...I wanna run as the Republican nominee.

Baier: So tonight, you can't say, if another one of these...

{Rand Paul interrupts, heckles Trump}

Baier: ...Just to be clear, you can't make the...you're not gonna make the pledge tonight ?

Trump: I will not make the pledge at this time.

{Crowd claps/cheers}{Crowd boos}

Image: John Minchillo/AP

Links for Huckabee's comments & Trump's: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw8mwLZljz4&t=3m19s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRiy4YAwXlM