Cruz, Jindal, Trump score big at Family Leader GOP presidential candidate event

AMES — Each of the 10 Republican presidential candidates who spoke Saturday to thousands at a gathering organized by Iowa's largest Christian conservative organization had their moments, but a few of the White House hopefuls were particularly well-received.

Donald Trump — who made some particularly provoking comments, although not all in a positive sense — Ted Cruz and Bobby Jindal received some of the most vociferous responses during the fourth annual Family Leader Summit, held Saturday in an auditorium on the Iowa State University campus.

Of the roughly 3,000 people who registered for the event, approximately 2,500 attended, organizers estimated.

Trump, the billionaire businessman who has been rising in — and even leading some — national GOP polls, received standing ovations before and after his time on stage, during which he said U.S. Sen. John McCain, a U.S. Navy veteran and Vietnam War prisoner of war, is considered a war hero only 'because he was captured.'

Moderator Frank Luntz, a national political consultant, pollster and Fox News contributor, asked Trump about his recently calling McCain 'a dummy.' Luntz asked Trump if that was appropriate given McCain is 'a war hero.'

'He's a war hero because he was captured,' Trump said. 'I like the people who weren't captured.'

Trump refused to apologize for the comment, while meeting with reporters after his summit appearance and in a statement issued by his campaign.

The crowd was even heartier in its response to Cruz, who received mid-talk standing ovations for calling for an end to taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, the defense of religious liberty in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, and the repeal of President Barack Obama's executive actions.

Cruz also said he was proud of his stance against the federal health care law and his actions that helped lead to a two-week, partial shutdown of the federal government in 2013.

'I am convinced as a result of that fight that 2016 is going to be a referendum on repealing Obamacare,' Cruz said.

Jindal also spoke about fighting for religious liberty, but drew the night's loudest ovation when he accused the media of not holding Obama to the same level of scrutiny it has previous presidents.

The Iowa Democratic Party was not applauding Saturday.

'What a difference a day makes. (Friday) night in Cedar Rapids, Democrats focused on Iowa's working families and how we can build an inclusive economy that works for all,' Iowa Democratic Party spokesman Sam Lau said, referring to Friday night's event that featured speeches from all five Democrats running for president. '(Saturday) in Ames, from (Marco) Rubio to (Mike) Huckabee and (Rick) Santorum to (Scott) Walker, Iowans heard Republican candidates push divisive policies that move our country backward and ignore the concerns of middle class Iowans.'

Toni Brandt, of Ankeny, attended Saturday's event and said she, too, likes Trump and Cruz, although she was concerned by Trump's comment about McCain.

'I really liked Donald Trump, but I was a little disconcerted when he ran John McCain down,' Brandt said. 'I was really impressed with Ted Cruz. … I like him better every time I hear him.'

Bruce Beeston, of Des Moines, said he wanted to hear candidates talk about veterans issues, and that Jindal, Trump, Cruz, Rubio and Rick Perry stood out to him on that front.

Georgia Hasan, of Des Moines, said she has not yet chosen a candidate but likes Huckabee and Santorum, the winners of the most recent Iowa caucuses.

Some in the audience Saturday said they liked the format because instead of giving standard stump speeches candidates fielded questions from Luntz and the audience.

'It's nice to hear questions from the audience,' said Larry Ravn, of Cedar Falls, who was a VIP guest at the event. 'It's a really nice way to do that.'

Between candidate appearances at the roughly 9-hour event, the crowd heard from speakers that talked about core conservative causes like abortion, religion and same-sex marriage.

What they said

'I am so proud that I got dialogue started on illegal immigration,' 

Donald Trump defending his much-criticized remarks about illegal immigrants. 'I want to make America great again. I don't want to worry about being politically correct. 'Christians are having their heads cut off in the Middle East and we have people dying all over the border. We have all this like medieval times and (Hillary Clinton) says she didn't like his tone. What does it have to do with tone? We want results.'     'We do have brains, and brains tell you that when something isn't working, you look at a different way to get it done,' 

Ben Carson, when asked about federal programs and spending. 'I'm a surgeon, so I know how to cut.'     'The bad news is America is not fulfilling its potential as a country,' Florida Sen. 

Marco Rubio, who added that despite his relative youth – he's 44 – 'no one running has more experience on the issues we face right now, today … (rather than) the issues we faced 18 years ago.'   'If this deal goes through,' Texas Sen. 

Ted Cruz said about the Iranian nuclear agreement, 'billions of dollars will flow into Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. Those billions of dollars will go to Hezbollah, to Hamas, to the Houthis. If this deal goes through, and this is not an exaggeration, the Obama administration will become, literally, the world's leading financier of radical Islamic terrorism. American dollars will fund jihadist seeking to murder Americans, Israelis and Europeans.'   'God will heal this land, but he won't do it if we don't meet the conditions for Him to do it,' said former Arkansas Gov. 

Mike Huckabee, who called Washington 'operatively immoral.'   'There are going to be issues we don't agree upon all across this country as there always are and there always have been. I am pretty much on the record on my beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman and I happen to agree with those four justices on the Supreme Court who were on the losing side of that argument,' former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to sustained applause as he answered a gay man who asked why he opposes same-sex marriage.   'I can't wait to be commander-in-chief. I can't wait to be the leader of the free world. I'm tired of leading from behind,' South Carolina Sen. 

Lindsey Graham said.   'We've got to move away from a culture of dependence where we celebrate dependence instead of celebrating people getting good-paying, private sector jobs,' Louisiana Gov. 

Bobby Jindal said. President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton 'are changing the American Dream. The American Dream is about growth and opportunity. It's not about redistribution, envy or government dependence.'   'All of my ideas are centered around what we can do to help those left behind by both parties,' said former Pennsylvania Sen. 

Rick Santorum, adding that he is able to connect with workers in, especially those in the I-80 corridor who have been left behind as manufacturing has moved overseas.    'They certainly don't act like it,' Wisconsin Gov. 

Scott Walker said when asked if President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton understand the 'hardworking taxpayers' he talks about. Obama and Clinton 'somehow measure success of government by how many people are dependent on it. I believe you measure success by how many people are no longer dependent on the government.'