move today to cut ties with him today. effective this afternoon. now, as this controversy swirls all eyes fred are on thursday s debate where donald trump goes in as a front-runner. so clearly he is understanding here that there s in some way a target on his back in that front-runner status. he spoke about how he s not going to throw the first punch, but he anticipates a lot of other people will come after him. here s what he said on meet the press. i ve always counterpunched and you have to counterpunch. i m not looking to start anything. a lot of people saying oh, they re getting ready and they ve got their little lines given to them by the pollsters. everything s perfectly put down by a pollster. what to say and how to attack me. you know if that cops it comes and i ll have to handle it at the time. now in one of his opponents, senator rand paul who will be up with him on the debate stage thursday night, he said that this week is the rise of donald trump he believes represents
both polls show trump leading the pack with 26% support among republican primary voters giving him a double digit lead over his nearest rival jeb bush. trump and bush are guaranteed to be on that debate stage thursday night but seven of the gops 17 major candidates are poised to be left out under fox news controversial rules that dictate the candidates pulling among the top ten in national polls will be allowed to the participate. those who seem unlikely to make that cut are none too happy about the situation. special polls mean nothing. national polls mean nothing. it s an arbitrary figure. and the network and rnc have gone along with it. people are concerned that the media is now saying, we re going to decide, cull the field. we re going to decide who the top candidates are. almost certainly relegated to the kiddy table. and rick perry, edged out by