The Democratic progressive version of Donald Trump nearly imploded at the Republican presidential debate in Greenville, SC, on Saturday night. But I seriously doubt it will move any of his supporters. The problem that is looming for the Republican Party is that they are running out of time to stop Donald Trump. Trump didn’t fend off attacks on his alleged backing of Planned Parenthood, clashed with Jeb Bush on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and who he would pick to succeed deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

The debate, which aired on CBS, descended into chaos from the start. It was disgraceful and hilarious at the same time. Who would have thought that the leading Republican presidential candidate would blast the previous Republican president as a liar? He said the Twin Towers came down on his watch and Bush “didn’t keep us safe.” He made these remarks in a state where Bush remains very popular.

The exchange between Trump and Bush started with a question from debate moderator John Dickerson about comments Trump made about impeaching George W. Bush for the Iraq war. Trump said, “Obviously the war in Iraq was a big fat mistake, alright.” “George Bush made a mistake, we can make mistakes. But that one was a beauty.”

Trump went on, “It took Jeb Bush, if you remember at the beginning of his announcement when he announced for president, it took him five days,  ‘It was a mistake, it wasn’t a mistake,’ it took him five days before his people told him what to say,” Trump said. “We should have never been in Iraq, we have destabilized the Middle East.”

Then Trump went there….”They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none. And they knew there were none.”

Jeb Bush clapped back: “I’m sick and tired of Barack Obama blaming my brother for all of the problems that he’s had,” he said. “I could care less about the insults that Donald Trump gives to me. It’s blood sport for him, but I am sick and tired of him going after my family. My dad is the greatest man alive in my mind. While Donald Trump was building a reality TV show my brother was building a security apparatus to keep us safe and I’m proud of what he did.”

Trump was having none of that. He interrupted Bush to remind the audience that the World Trade Center came down during his brother’s watch.

Bush offered a feeble defense of his family, particularly his mother, who had campaigned for him in New Hampshire. Trump interjected, “She should be running.” That was hilarious.

Wow. That exchange was brutal but Trump’s response sounded like something a Democrat would say about 9/11.

Marco Rubio tried to blame former president Bill Clinton for 9/11, saying he failed to go after Osama bin Laden. Trump responded, George Bush did too. They all seemed to have forgotten who really got bin Laden — Barack Obama, aided by Hillary Clinton.

Another liberal progressive leaning Trump moment happened during an exchange with Ted Cruz.

Cruz: “For most of his life, [Trump’s] policies have been very, very liberal. For most of his life, he has described himself as very pro-choice and as a supporter of partial birth abortions. Right now today as a candidate, he supports federal taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood. I disagree with him on that.”

Trump:  “You are the single biggest liar. You probably are worse than Jeb Bush. You are the single biggest liar. This guy lied. Let me tell you, this guy lied about Ben Carson when he took votes away from Ben Carson in Iowa. And he just continues. And today, I had robo-calls saying that Donald Trump is not going to run in South Carolina’ — where I’m leading by a lot. ‘Vote for Ted Cruz.’ This guy will say anything. Nasty guy. Now I know why he doesn’t have one endorsement from any of his colleagues.”

In fact, Trump did oppose a late-term abortion ban during an appearance on Meet the Press in 1999. He said then, “I’m very pro-choice.” He said he would not ban “partial birth abortions.” “No, I would not. I am pro-choice in every respect, as far as it goes.” He added that he hated abortion.

According to Politico, Donald Trump got the most talking time during the debate. He most certainly did, even if he came dangerously close to imploding.

Here’s the brutal exchange between Trump and Bush:

Presidential election news cross-posted from The Hinterland Gazette.