TRUMP ROAST: Carly Fiorina takes charge in round two of GOP debate — scores big applause when clashing with The Donald

Making her debut on the main stage Republican presidential debate, Carly Fiorina took charge — frequently tangling with front-runner Donald Trump while raising her profile in the crowded GOP primary.

Carly Fiorina shines in round two of GOP debate, clashes with Donald Trump

BY CELESTE KATZ , ERIN DURKIN  NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Updated: Thursday, September 17, 2015, 7:42 AM

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — In a combative field of 10 men, the lone woman stood out.

Carly Fiorina took charge in her debut on the main Republican presidential debate stage Wednesday, going toe to toe with front-runner Donald Trump - and further elevating her profile in a crowded GOP primary.

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Fiorina's breakout performance came as the candidates piled onto Trump, who ripped into each of them - as moderators from debate host CNN served up opportunities to slash the bombastic billionaire's views and campaign-trail antics.

The one-liner trading between Trump and the rest of the field dominated the showdown until struggling Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker called foul.

"This is what's wrong with this debate. We're not talking about real issues," Walker said - before slipping in a zinger of his own: "And Mr. Trump, we don't need an apprentice in the White House. We have one right now."

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Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Fiorina scored one of the biggest applause lines of the night when she coolly suggested Trump's attacks on her looks would alienate him from female voters.

"I think women all over the country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said," said Fiorina, whose strong performance in the under-card "kiddie table" of the cycle's first TV debate in August helped land her a podium at Wednesday's main event.

"Look at that face," Trump said of Fiorina last week in Rolling Stone. "Would anyone vote for that?"

At Wednesday's face off, the traditionally unapologetic Trump somewhat sheepishly extended an olive branch as Fiorina stood icily by: "I think she's got a beautiful face, and I think she's a beautiful woman."

The squabble was one of many between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush.

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The two business moguls later clashed over their records - with Fiorina charging Trump couldn't be trusted to handle the federal government's purse strings because his companies went into bankruptcy a "record four times."

Trump countered with attacks on Fiorina's record at HP - from which she got fired after overseeing substantial layoffs - until the rivals' domination of the debate prompted a frustrated New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to jump in.

"You're both successful people. Congratulations," scoffed Christie, who's struggled to capture voters' attention. "You know who's not successful? The middle class in this country who's getting plowed over by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Let's start talking about those issues tonight - and stop this childish back-and-forth between the two of you."


The hand-to-hand combat between Fiorina and Trump seemed at times to relegate other candidates to a battle for the moderator's attention or to stop the intramural bloodbath in favor of a united attack on the Democrats.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reacts during the debate.

Fiorina and Trump’s fire-and-ice exchanges stood in contrast, for example, to the modulated tones of pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who has jumped to second place in the primary polls, and to the generally positive message purveyed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

In one of the three-hour debate's most dramatic moments, Fiorina appealed to conservatives with a passionate - and graphic - denunciation of Planned Parenthood.

"I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes," Fiorina said of controversial sting videos that have prompted conservative calls to defund the organization.

"Watch a fully formed fetus on the table - its heart beating, its legs kicking - while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain. This is about the character of our nation, and if we will not stand up in and force President Obama to veto this bill, shame on us."


Candidates at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library were intentionally stationed just inches from each other in front of the late president's Air Force One to encourage maximum conflict - and the focus was on Trump from the start.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said the bombastic billionaire's history of vitriolic personal attacks made him unfit for the White House.

"Short, tall, fat, ugly. My goodness. That happened in junior high, are we not above that?" said Paul, taking on Trump's penchant for personal attacks against women and opponents.

Trump moved quickly to shut Paul down in vintage style: "I never attacked him on his looks - and believe me, there's plenty of subject matter there."

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush got into it with Trump over special interest money and the record of Bush's brother, former President George W. Bush.


Defending his brother's military record, Bush said, "He kept us safe."

"I don't know. You feel safe right now?" Trump shot back. "I don't feel so safe."

The intense focus on Trump frustrated some commentators -- and the sheer number of candidates and questions left others whipsawed.

Moderator "Jake Tapper is like a reality-show producer whose every question tries to create drama by playing two people against each other," griped Twitter user @realityblurred.


With 11 candidates on stage, said the University of Virginia's Larry Sabato, the program ultimately punished watchers with a "dizzying pace and switching of topics."

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