Ben Carson slammed CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer for being asked the first question in Tuesday's debate more than a half-hour after the fifth Republican contest began at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
"Well, first of all, let me just complain a little bit," the retired pediatric neurosurgeon began after Blitzer asked him about whether monitoring mosques was anti-American. "This is the first time I have spoken and several people have had multiple questions.
"So, please, try to pay attention to that," Carson said.
He made the remark at 9:21 p.m. Eastern. The actual debate began with Blitzer's introduction at 8:47 p.m.
Carson argued that it was important to monitor mosques and related operations because "we are at war.
"Somebody's going to say that I'm Islamaphobic or what have you. This is craziness."