DHAKA: Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio has attacked Donald Trump for saying that Islam hates America, in a televised debate in Miami.

Rubio, who faces a do-or-die contest in Florida on Tuesday, said Islam had a problem with radicalisation but said that many Muslims were proud Americans.

"Presidents can't just say whatever they want. It has consequences," he said, to cheers from the audience.

The four Republicans heeded pleas from party leaders to have a civil debate.

Unlike in the last TV event, which was littered with personal insults, this one was more substantive with a focus on policy.

"So far, I cannot believe how civil it's been up here," Trump observed at one point.

But on the issue of Islam, there was clear distance between Trump and the others. Trump stood by comments he made earlier in the day when he said "Islam hates us, there's a tremendous hatred", and railed against political correctness.

But Rubio said: "I'm not interested in being politically correct. I'm interested in being correct."

All three of Trump's rivals distanced themselves from Trump's statement in December that in the fight against terrorist "you have to take out their families".

BDST: 1535 HRS, MAR 11, 2016
RS