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Best moments from the 2023 GOP presidential debates
The Republican debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama frequently veered out of control as most of the attacks focused on former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley who has been rising in the polls.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy was met with boos from the audience when he called her “corrupt” and a “fascist” before going on a screed about her foreign policy experience, saying experience isn’t “wisdom”.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had finally had enough when Mr Ramaswamy claimed Ms Haley lacked basic understanding about the war in Ukraine.
“This is the fourth debate that you would be voted in the first 20 minutes as the most obnoxious blowhard in America. So shut up for a little while,” Mr Christie said.
The moderators made sure that the candidates got a chance to address the man widely expected to win, former President Donald Trump.
While Mr DeSantis said Mr Trump was too old, most of the criticism of the ex-president was mild, except for the diatribe coming from Mr Christie. “If you’re too timid to take on Trump, believe me, others will see that timidity,” he said.
On Thursday, CNN announced that they will host two debates in January – one on the 10th in Iowa, and another on the 21st in New Hampshire.
The return of Chris Christie
Chris Christie appears to have found the energy he summoned in 2016 eviscerate Marco Rubio and brought it to bear tonight: his systematic dressing down of Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, and at times the entire stage (during moments when he questioned their reluctance to criticise Donald Trump) was masterful, the best debate performance possibly of any candidate so far.
One of his best moments — and there were several quips in contention — came seventeen minutes into the debate as he admonished the entire state of rivals as well as tonight’s moderators for not addressing the elephant not in the room. As he called out his opponents for being unwilling to mention or offer even lukewarm criticism of Donald Trump and reminded Americans that they pledged to vote for Mr Trump should he be criminally convicted next year, none raised their voices against him.
Again, it won’t matter. He’s dead last in the polls, even if you don’t factor in the frontrunner. Tonight’s debate, which likely won’t reach the number of eyeballs needed to move the needle for Mr Christie in New Hampshire, was emblematic of his greatest problem: he is a candidate running in a party with a base that fundamentally doesn’t agree with him. His message was best received among independents, not hardline conservatives. And the former governor has shown no sign of making inroads with that latter group.
John Bowden7 December 2023 20:30
VIDEO: Christie dubs Ramaswamy ‘most obnoxious blowhard in America’ and defends Haley
Christie dubs Ramaswamy ‘most obnoxious blowhard in America’ and defends Haley
Gustaf Kilander7 December 2023 20:00
Vivek plays for the right wing while facing rivals’ wrath
If you thought Vivek Ramaswamy being described as “scum” on live TV would show the peak (or the depths) of his rivals’ disgust, tonight was either a welcome surprise or even a shock.
The 38-year-old was his typical pugnacious self at Wendesday’s debate, and this time the candidates were ready for him. Nikki Haley, who last time let her southern charm slip for just a moment, would only smile as he came after her again tonight. Chris Christie, meanwhile, had a prepared takedown of the Republican newcomer ready and waiting — one for which Ms Ramaswamy had no real defence.
Even after the debate, Mr Ramaswamy saw no relief. His performance was torn apart by NewsNation’s panel, where former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney dubbed him an unserious candidate several times. If Mr Ramaswamy gained anything tonight, it was a national stage to declare his allegiance to the GOP’s furthest right wing with his endorsement of Donald Trump’s 2020 election lies, his denunciation of the scientific consensus on climate change, and his embrace of the so-called “Great Replacement” conspiracy.
John Bowden7 December 2023 19:30
VOICES: Chris Christie is spot on calling Trump ‘he who shall not be named’
I have a confession: I have never read one of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books. Nor have I taken the time to watch any of the blockbuster films that catapulted Daniel Radcliffe and his co-stars to international fame.
I have no idea if former New Jersey governor and current GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie has read the books or watched the films, either.
But fortunately for me, Ms Rowling’s work has so entered the common lexicon that when Mr Christie invoked the overarching villain of the series during last night’s debate, I understood the reference.
Asked by ex-Fox News star turned NBC News flameout turned right-wing podcast host Megyn Kelly about his dismal approval ratings among the Republican voters who he would need to successfully court in order to displace former president Donald Trump as the party’s nominee in next year’s election, Mr Christie pointed out — quite accurately — that the bizarre scene playing out at the University of Alabama on NewsNation television network was a ridiculous farce.
Not only was Mr Trump snubbing the Republican National Committee-sanctioned debate for the fourth time this election cycle, but three-quarters of the also-rans who were on the stage that night seemed content to attack each other as if Mr Trump didn’t exist.
Andrew Feinberg7 December 2023 19:00
Christie calls Ramaswamy ‘jackass’ with ‘woman problem’
Appearing on CNN after the debate, Mr Christie called Mr Ramaswamy a “jackass”, adding that he’s like the “drunk driver of the debate stage, you never know where he’s going or what he’s going to hit”.
Regarding going after Mr Ramaswamy after his extended attacks on Ms Haley, Mr Christie said: “It’s not me forming an alliance with Nikki Haley.”
“I am going to tell the truth. If someone is insulting Nikki Haley in a way that was personal. It was nothing about issues. He said she is not smart enough to know where things on the map, that somehow his 3-year-old son is smarter than a woman who served as a two-term governor and UN Ambassador”.
He backed her up because “she’s an accomplished woman and worked incredibly hard both in South Carolina and in the UN”.
“And I think that Vivek does have a woman problem,” he said. “I do think he insults women’s basic intelligence. He has done it over and over and over again. And I guess tonight I just had had enough. I had enough of listening to his garbage.”
“When he is dictating to me and Nikki Haley, who committed ourselves to public service while he has been off stealing from seniors to make his fortune, yeah, I am not going to put up with anymore,” he added.
Gustaf Kilander7 December 2023 18:30
Christie says Ramaswamy is ‘like a drunk driver on the debate stage and he doesn’t belong there’
Gustaf Kilander7 December 2023 18:00
Christie ‘spanked Vivek Ramaswamy — hard — for being a dishonest, insufferable twit’
About Chris Christie’s debate performance, New York Times opinion writer Michelle Cottle said: “He seemed to understand that he’s running out of time. He went all in on sounding the alarm about the unfitness of Trump and smacking the rest of the pack for treating the defeated president too deferentially.”
“‘You want to know why those poll numbers are where they are? Because folks like these three guys on the stage make it seem like his conduct is acceptable.’ Yep. As a bonus, he spanked Vivek Ramaswamy — hard — for being a dishonest, insufferable twit,” she added.
Gustaf Kilander7 December 2023 17:30
VIDEO: Chris Christie dubs Trump ‘Voldemort’ at fourth GOP presidential debate
Chris Christie dubs Trump ‘Voldemort’ at fourth GOP presidential debate
Gustaf Kilander7 December 2023 17:00
Christie dubs Ramaswamy ‘most obnoxious blowhard in America’ in GOP debate
The former New Jersey governor lost his cool and attacked Mr Ramaswamy over his stance on ending Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine, claiming he wanted to appease Vladimir Putin and trusted Moscow over China.
“That’s not my deal, that’s not my deal,” Mr Ramaswamy said in response to the allegation.
“You do this every time,” countered Mr Christie as he wagged his finger towards him.
“Don’t interrupt me, I don’t interrupt you,” he continued as Mr Ramaswamy said “Go ahead send those kids to die” in reference to young American soldiers sent overseas.
“You do this at every debate. You go out on the stump and say something, all of us see it on video, we confront you on the debate stage, you say you didn’t say it and then you back away,” Mr Christie said.
Graeme Massie7 December 2023 16:30
DeSantis slammed for ‘dog whistle’ calling Islamic robes ‘man dresses’ at GOP debate
The Florida governor went head to head with former South Carolina Governor and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur and conspiracy theorist Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at the debate hosted by NewsNation in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Wednesday night.
During the event – where the four candidates repeatedly traded barbs with each other – Mr DeSantis referred to the clothing worn by al-Qaeda as “man dresses”.
The Floridian, who was once thought to be the Republican 2024 hopeful but has been doing dismally in the polls, had been asked by the moderators about his previous comments saying he supported the use of “deadly force” against migrants suspected of smuggling drugs into the US.
Rachel Sharp7 December 2023 16:00
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