GOP Debate Audience Boos Mitt Romney

The audience at the GOP debate at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan booed moderator Chris Wallace when he led off the questions by quoting former Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s speech against Trump earlier Thursday.

The exchange was as follows:

WALLACE: Mr. Trump, as you may have heard, the 2012 Republican nominee for president, Mitt Romney, had some things to say about you today.

[Loud boos]

He said your domestic policy will lead to recession. He said your foreign policy will make us less safe, and then he listed what he said are your personal qualities — quoting now, Romney on Trump, quote: “the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd 3rd-grade tactics.” He challenged you to answer with substance, not insults. How do you answer Mitt Romney, sir?

TRUMP: Well, look, he was a failed candidate. He should have beaten President Obama very easy. He failed miserably, and it was an embarrassment to everybody, including the Republican Party. He went away — it looked like he went away on vacation the last month. So i don’t take that. And I guess, obviously, he wants to be relevant. He wants to be back in the game.

After Trump expanded on his answer by talking about his trade policies, and his plans to reduce the trade deficit the U.S. has with Asian countries, Wallace came back again with a criticism from Romney, and drew boos again. He asked Trump about his views on the Ku Klux Klan. This was the response:

I totally disavow the Ku Klux Klan. I totally disavow David Duke. I’ve been doing it now for two weeks. You are probably about the 18th person that’s asked me the question. It was very clear. That question was also talked about in the form of groups. “Groups.” I want to know — which groups are you talking about? You have to tell me which groups. Ultimately he got to the Ku Klux Klan, which obviously I’m going to disavow. By the way, if you look at my Twitter account, almost immediately after the program, they were disavowed again. You know, when I do something on Twitter, everybody picks it up, goes all over the place. But when I did this one, nobody ever picks it up. Take a look at my Twitter account.