Wednesday night’s GOP debate will be remembered for the CNBC moderators’ inept and at times hostile questioning — and possibly for the beginning of the end for the once “inevitable” GOP candidate Jeb Bush.

Rubio Beats Bush

It began when Bush decided to pile on a moderator’s attack on Senator Marco Rubio for missing votes in the Senate, moments after Rubio successfully defended himself from the same point.

BUSH: Marco, when you signed up for this, this was a six-year term, and you should be showing up to work. I mean, literally, the Senate — what is it, like a French work week? You get, like, three days where you have to show up? You can campaign, or just resign and let someone else take the job.

Bush must not have been paying attention. Rubio was ready. His response was strong and assured:

RUBIO: Well, it’s interesting. Over the last few weeks, I’ve listened to Jeb as he walked around the country and said that you’re modeling your campaign after John McCain, that you’re going to launch a furious comeback the way he did, by fighting hard in New Hampshire and places like that, carrying your own bag at the airport. You know how many votes John McCain missed when he was carrying out that furious comeback that you’re now modeling after?

BUSH: He wasn’t my senator.

RUBIO: No Jeb, I don’t remember — well, let me tell you. I don’t remember you ever complaining about John McCain’s vote record. The only reason why you’re doing it now is because we’re running for the same position, and someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you.

It was a strong answer to a weak accusation, and the pundits called this one for Rubio.

Bush tried to recover when he was later asked whether he’d raise taxes $1 if he got $10 in tax cuts. He told the moderator “You find a Democrat that’s for cutting taxes — cutting spending ten dollars, I’ll give them a warm kiss.” It was an awkward response and a gift to gif-makers across the Internet.

The next time a moderator asked Rubio a loaded question, this one about his personal retirement fund, he held steady: “I’m not worried about my finances, I’m worried about the finances of everyday Americans who today are struggling in an economy that is not producing good paying jobs while everything else costs more. And that’s what this economy needs to — that’s what this debate needs to be about.”

Ted Cruz on Media Bias, Single Mothers

Ted Cruz got attention both for going after the media and championing single mothers. When moderator Carlos Quintanilla asked Senator Cruz if his opposition to the budget deal showed “that you’re not the kind of problem-solver American voters want,” Cruz let loose.

CRUZ: The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media.

(APPLAUSE) This is not a cage match. And you look at the questions: “Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?” “Ben Carson, can you do math?” “John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?” “Marco Rubio, why don’t you resign?” “Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen?” How about talking about the substantive issues the people care about?

The audience response was vociferous. Cruz contrasted the debate with the Democrats, not only in their treatment by the moderators, but also in substance. “The men and women on this stage have more ideas, more experience, more common sense than every participant in the Democratic debate,” Cruz said. “That debate reflected a debate between the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks.”

Later in the debate, Cruz was asked by Becky Quick what he would do for working women. He responded by sharing his personal story. “There are a lot of single moms in my family….the struggle of single moms is extraordinary. And you know, when you see Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and all the Democrats talking about wanting to address the plight of working women, not a one of them mentioned the fact that under Barack Obama, 3.7 million women have entered poverty.”

Cruz went on to make a compelling pitch: “Big government benefits the wealthy, it benefits the lobbyists, it benefits the giant corporations. And the people who are getting hammered are small businesses, it’s single moms, it’s Hispanics. That is who I’m fighting for. The people that Washington leaves behind.”

Carly Fiorina Explains Crony Capitalism

Carly Fiorina ably defended her record and spent most of her debate time going after the size of government and the way nothing seems to change, regardless of who is in power. When asked about her stance on internet taxes, she explained crony capitalism:

What’s crony capitalism? Crony capitalism is what happens when government gets so big and so powerful that only the big and the powerful can handle it. So why are the pharmaceutical companies consolidating? Why are there five even bigger Wall Street banks now, instead of the ten we used to have on Wall Street? Because when government gets big and powerful, the big feel like they need to get even bigger to deal with all that power, and meanwhile, the small and the powerless — in this case, 1,590 community banks — go out of business. You see, folks, this is how socialism starts.

Ben Carson Sidesteps the Same-Sex Marriage Trap

The CNBC debate was supposed to focus on economic issues, so of course moderator Quintanilla asks Ben Carson about same-sex marriage. Carson serves on the corporate board of Costco, which offers domestic partner benefits. “Why would you serve on a company whose policies seem to run counter to your views on homosexuality?”

CARSON: Well, obviously, you don’t understand my views on homosexuality. I believe that our Constitution protects everybody, regardless of their sexual orientation or any other aspect. I also believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. And there is no reason that you can’t be perfectly fair to the gay community.

They shouldn’t automatically assume that because you believe that marriage is between one man and one woman that you are a homophobe. And this is one of the myths that the left perpetrates on our society, and this is how they frighten people and get people to shut up.

Carson received loud applause for this explanation, and Quintanilla tried to get him by going after what he thought was Carson’s celebrity endorsement of a nutritional supplement. Carson told Quintanilla that his image appeared on the company’s homepage without his permission.

Quintanilla then asked, “Does that not speak to your vetting process or judgment in any way?” to loud boos from the audience. “See? They know,” Carson laughed.

Rand Paul Goes After the Fed and the Budget Deal

Rand Paul struggled to stand out in a night that was dominated by Cruz and Rubio, but he responded easily when asked about Boehner’s budget compromise and Paul Ryan’s vote for it. Paul said he didn’t think there would be any change in the House with new leadership, and he promised to filibuster the budget on the Senate floor Thursday.

“You know what I’m worried about? Not keeping the government open. I’m worried about bankrupting the American people.”