On The Clock: With No Trump, Rubio And Cruz Get The Most Talking Time

By Barbara Sprunt

Published January 28, 2016 at 9:44 PM EST

Candidate speaking times at the final Republican debate before the Iowa caucus in Des Moines on Thursday.

The last presidential debate before the Iowa caucuses, hosted by the Fox News Channel, brought some surprises.

Donald Trump, who helped Fox reach 24 million viewers in the first debate, decided not to attend. He thought moderator Megyn Kelly treated him unfairly in last August's debate and didn't want to suffer a repeat offense. Instead, Trump hosted his own event — apparently a benefit for veterans — during the debate.

In many of the debates so far, Trump has gotten more air time than the other candidates. With Trump as a no-show, which candidate got the most talking time? As always, NPR had its stopwatch at the ready.

Barbara Sprunt

Barbara Sprunt is a producer on NPR's Washington desk, where she reports and produces breaking news and feature political content. She formerly produced the NPR Politics Podcast and got her start in radio at as an intern on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered and Tell Me More with Michel Martin. She is an alumnus of the Paul Miller Reporting Fellowship at the National Press Foundation. She is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania native.

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