Although neither was present, two larger-than-life Republicans towered over the presidential primary debate stage Wednesday evening: Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan.
Former President Trump, the runaway leader for the 2024 GOP nomination, again elected not to run. But unlike in the first debate, this time his intraparty rivals went after him.
Why we wrote this
The GOP’s second presidential debate, at the Reagan Library, showed how far the current field has come from Mr. Reagan’s era. Former President Trump’s personality stuck despite his absence.
The late President Reagan was present both visually and spiritually. The debate took place at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California, and featured clips from his time in office.
From the start, the debate was ugly, with candidates talking over each other and ignoring the rules.
As at the last GOP debate, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley received positive reviews for her performance, leaving some pundits pining for a head-to-head showdown between Ms. Haley, who also served as governor of South Carolina, and Mr. Trump. . Polling averages show a race between Trump and Biden to be a dead end, while a race between Haley and Biden shows the South Carolinian with a solid lead.
But a two-person GOP nomination race is hardly imminent. When asked who they would vote ‘off the island’ during the debate, the candidates refused. It is still very much Mr. Trump’s party.
Although neither was present, two larger-than-life Republicans towered over the presidential primary debate stage Wednesday evening: Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan.
Former President Trump, the runaway leader for the 2024 GOP nomination, again elected not to run. But unlike in the first debate, this time his intraparty rivals went after him. Even Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was running a distant second in the polls, eventually took off the gloves and called Mr Trump “missing” for not debating.
The late President Reagan was present both visually and spiritually. The debate took place at his presidential library in Simi Valley, California, and featured clips from his time in office. But the Reagan aura only showed how much today’s Republican Party is stomping on his legacy.
Why we wrote this
The GOP’s second presidential debate, at the Reagan Library, showed how far the current field has come from Mr. Reagan’s era. Former President Trump’s personality stuck despite his absence.
From the start, the debate was ugly, with candidates talking over each other and ignoring the rules. At times, Fox News moderators lost control. Ultimately, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy stated the obvious, citing Mr. Reagan’s so-called Eleventh Commandment — “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican” — and urged the other six candidates: “Let’s have a legitimate have a difference of opinion.”
It was, in a sense, a mea culpa from Mr. Ramaswamy, a brash young political novice who had spent the first debate attacking his fellow Republicans — making headlines but not, as it turned out, a bump in the polls.
In terms of content, Wednesday’s debate also showed how far the Republican Party has strayed from some of Reagan’s values. A video clip was shown in which the 40th president called for “amnesty” for those living in the United States illegally. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who used for support a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, called for ‘enforcement of the law’.
Reagan’s commitment to fighting tyranny abroad also came under pressure as the candidates debated U.S. aid to Ukraine. Former Vice President Mike Pence and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley defended the Reagan perspective, while Governor DeSantis reflected the Trumpian “America First” rhetoric of “no blank check” for Ukraine while “our own country is being invaded.” – a reference to the crisis at the US southern border.
The debate included many zingers, including Ms. Haley’s attack on Mr. Ramaswamy after he came to his defense. his recent decision to join TikTok, a Chinese-owned app. “Honestly,” she said, “every time I hear you, what you say makes me feel a little dumber.”
Mr Christie called the ex-president “Donald Duck” for refusing to debate. But the reality is that Trump can afford not to debate – as his gains in the polls after skipping the last debate showed. Instead, he addressed former and current auto workers at a non-union plant in suburban Detroit, the day after President Joe Biden made history by joining a United Auto Workers picket line near Detroit.
Mr. Trump mocked his rivals, suggesting no one is worthy of being his running mate in 2024. “Does anyone see a VP in the fold?” he asked. “I do not think so.”
As at the last GOP debate, Ms. Haley received positive reviews for her performance, leaving some pundits pining for a head-to-head showdown between Ms. Haley, who also served as governor of South Carolina, and Mr. Trump. Polling averages show a race between Trump and Biden to be a dead end, while a race between Haley and Biden shows the South Carolinian with a solid lead.
But a race for the Republican Party’s two-person nomination is hardly imminent, and time is running out. When asked who they would vote “off-island” during the debate, the candidates declined, with Mr. DeSantis calling the idea “disrespectful to my fellow competitors.” It is still very much Mr. Trump’s party.