CNN escapes with few complaints for debate performance

By Eddie Scarry, Eddie Scarry

Published December 20, 2015

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If silence is golden, CNN can consider its Republican presidential debate on Tuesday night a success.

In nearly all of the previous four debates, commentators, viewers on social media and, of course, the candidates, have had at least some complaints about the format or the moderators or both.

But for this debate, the candidates had little to say about the quality of the event, which focused on the growing threat of Islamic terrorism and foreign policy more broadly.