It appears that after Tuesday night's Democratic debate, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has a new target for his barbs: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The preferred Republican line of attack this year is that the Democratic presidential candidates are promising to give stuff away for free. Trump took up the charge (from previous punching bag Jeb Bush, ironically) at a rally in Virginia on Wednesday, saying he didn't blame Hillary Clinton for joining in "because this maniac that was standing on her right is giving everything away" and she wants to win. Returning to Sanders later, he said: "Nobody's heard the word 'communist,' but you know what? I call him a socialist/communist, okay, because that's what he is." As for the other three Democrats on stage, Trump couldn't be bothered: "Nobody even knows who the hell they are — who are they?" Trump's insults appear to have damaged the political standing of his Republican rivals — we'll see if they have the same effect, or the opposite one, on the Democrats. Peter Weber
The Week
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