Fox Business anchor Neil Cavuto took a thinly veiled shot at CNBC's widely panned debate moderators Tuesday, thanking the Republicans on stage for their time and remarking "it wasn't about us."
"Candidates, we want to thank you all. We also appreciate your helping save time by talking over one another at times. That was welcome. But by all means, it was a very riveting debate. Business debates can be riveting, because it wasn't about us. It's about them," Cavuto said, gesturing toward the stage.
The debate concluded with all eight candidates delivering standard closing remarks before Cavuto made his statement. Cavuto has shows on both Fox News Channel and Fox Business.
The behavior of CNBC's John Harwood, Carl Quintanilla and Becky Quick at the last GOP debate Oct. 28 was ripped across the political spectrum, with charges that they asked vapid questions, were overtly hostile, and were quick to talk over candidates.
GOP chairman Reince Priebus called the CNBC debate a "crap sandwich" and suspended its partnership with NBC for a debate scheduled in February, in response to the backlash.
The Fox Business debate Tuesday in Milwaukee was generally greeted online as a welcome change of pace. The tone was respectful and measured overall, unlike the "cage match" that Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas.) complained the CNBC moderators were creating with their bout of questions.
A CNN panel in Mount Pleasant, S.C., erupted with applause when they were asked if they felt the Fox Business debate had been substantive.