Trump defends anatomy in debate’s opening moments

Well, you didn't hear that in the Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Early on in Thursday night's Fox News debate, moderator Bret Baier asked Marco Rubio about his increased use of sharp, personal jabs at Donald Trump, from spray tan to his claims that Trump is a "con artist" — the kinds of attacks he previously said he'd eschew. What happened, Baier asked?

"Donald Trump has basically mocked everybody," Rubio said, adding that "if there's anyone who has ever deserved to be attacked that way, it has been Donald Trump." But, the Florida senator said he was ready to focus the debate on policy.

Trump started off by offering what almost sounded like an apology, saying he'd called Rubio a "lightweight," even though "he's really not that much of a lightweight."

Trump then noted a recent jab from Rubio that he had small hands. "Look at those hands," he said, displaying them for the audience. Then he acknowledged what he apparently believed needed to be spoken: that the size of a man's hands revealed something about the size of another part of his anatomy.

"I guarantee you there's no problem" on that front, he said.

Well, there you have it.