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Watch Rand Paul Get Blindsided

by Claire Elizabeth Felter

Yes, the candidates had a lot to say at the fourth GOP debate. Marco Rubio said that America has a few too many philosophers, and Ben Carson called Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton a liar. The moderators got some words in, too. Neil Cavuto, Maria Bartiromo, and Gerard Baker asked question after question on everything from the minimum wage to tax reform. And another facet of the debate which just couldn't keep quiet was ... the music. What's more fun than watching Rand Paul get cut off by outro music while he discusses whatever it is he's discussing? Listening to the cut-to-commercial tune undermine his rant against Donald Trump.

The music decided to make its best appearance in the midst of a heated exchange between Trump, Paul, and moderator Gerard Baker. As Trump rambled on about how China continually takes advantage of the United States and would do so again through the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Paul interrupted to point out that China isn't even a part of the deal. He simultaneously attacked Baker by questioning the moderator's silence while Trump went on and on. Then, as Baker responded (quite cleverly, actually) to Paul's remark, whoever was working the audio cues decided that the exchange could use some background instrumentals.

Debate moderator Maria Bartiromo wasn't too pleased by the interruption. Or was she? We see that half-smile.

Since Baker's voice may have been hard to hear against the blaring trumpets, here's the recap: He suggested that it is China's not being involved in the partnership that could help the country gain yet another economic advantage, should the U.S. Senate not approve the deal. Paul naturally took his turn to respond, but then came the music. Again.

As Paul was attempting to tell Baker that he was "exactly right" — that China might not be a fan if the United States went ahead with the deal — the candidate got an instrumental backing which make it seem like he was arriving at the epiphany of all epiphanies. And regardless of whether Paul's musical interruption made you giggle, it was all worth it solely for another on-point reaction by Bartiromo, whose gaze turned to the side in the most "What in the world?" kind of way.

No one said that television audio was an easy job. Now the American people know that, at the very least, it's a fun one.