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Responding to a question about Donald Trump that elicited hisses from the CNBC Republican debate audience, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he is a big supporter of the billionaire, and was even sporting a Trump tie.

Huckabee was asked by a moderator if when he looks at Trump he sees "someone with the moral authority to unite the country." After first saying his last question was about Trump and he didn't really want to give him any additional screen time, Huckabee said: "I love Donald Trump. He's a good man. I'm wearing a Trump tie tonight. Get over that one." A few of his fellow candidates asked if the tie was made in "China or Mexico," and Trump denounced the question as being "nasty."

Instead of attacking Trump, Huckabee went after Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. "Let me tell you," he said. "Donald Trump would be a better president every day of the week and twice on Sunday rather than Hillary. I've spent a lifetime in politics fighting the Clinton machine. I want to talk about what we're going to be up against this year."

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie then inserted himself into the discussion, saying that this week, "the FBI director has said because of a lack of support from politicians like the president of the United States, police officers are afraid to get out of their cars, afraid to enforce the law. He says...that crime is going up because of this." Christie said President Obama isn't standing up for law enforcement, even though the "number one job of the president of the United States is to protect the safety and security of the American people. ... When I'm in the Oval Office, police officers will know they have the support of the president of the United States. That's real moral authority you need in the Oval Office." Catherine Garcia