BBC Online :Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio has attacked Donald Trump for saying that Islam hates America, in a televised debate in Miami.Mr Rubio, who faces a do-or-die contest in Florida on Tuesday, said Islam had a problem with radicalisation but said that many Muslims were proud Americans. “Presidents can’t just say whatever they want. It has consequences,” he said, to cheers from the audience. The four Republicans heeded pleas from party leaders to have a civil debate.Unlike in the last TV event, which was littered with personal insults, this one was more substantive with a focus on policy. “So far, I cannot believe how civil it’s been up here,” Mr Trump observed at one point.But on the issue of Islam, there was clear distance between Mr Trump and the others. Mr Trump stood by comments he made earlier in the day when he said “Islam hates us, there’s a tremendous hatred”, and railed against political correctness. But Mr Rubio said: “I’m not interested in being politically correct. I’m interested in being correct.”It’s now clear that the remaining candidates in the Republican field have run out of ideas on how to stop Donald Trump’s march to the Republican nomination. In early debates the top-tier candidates largely ignored the New York billionaire, hoping he’d self-destruct on his own. In the past few showdowns, they’ve gone after him relentlessly.Now, in this 12th event, they started by avoiding confrontation, then prodded him only ever-so-gently.”I can’t believe how civil it’s been up here,” Mr Trump said at one point. Given that Mr Trump has a lead in convention delegates and is ahead in many of the states set to vote on Tuesday, a fireworks-free debate is nothing but good news for the front-runner.While Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz tried to draw contrasts with Mr Trump on issues like foreign policy, trade protectionism and his reliance on anti-Islamic rhetoric, the enthusiasm just isn’t there anymore. Mr Cruz, in particular, launched most of his barbs with sighs and head-shaking resignation, rather than ferocity.
