Debate Prep: Will Anybody Pick On Anyone Besides Donald Trump?

If not for Trump, the debate might focus on immigration, privacy, and the nature of conservatism.

CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 06: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Carson, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) take the stage for the first prime-time presidential debate hosted by FOX News and Facebook at the Quicken Loans Arena August 6, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio. The top-ten GOP candidates were selected to participate in the debate based on their rank in an average of the five most recent national political polls. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images

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By Arit John

September 16, 2015 at 8:52 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

To paraphrase the stars of the cutthroat reality TV competitions that helped make Donald Trump famous: the presidential candidates are not here to make friends.

But at Wednesday night's CNN debate, the second showdown among the Republican presidential contenders, how many targets will there be? The summer of Trump hasn't just overwhelmed other candidates' poll numbers. It seems to have quelled feuds between candidates who aren't Donald Trump.